Jiang Senlin had transformed into a middle-aged man.
He was robust, nearly 1.8 meters tall, with healthy skin and thick, dark hair. His torn clothes revealed well-developed back, arm, and leg muscles. Most importantly, his face bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Ye.
The game continued. Jiang Senlin had acquired a firearm from the hospital's security office and was firing relentlessly outwards. Hordes of zombies were closing in, creating a scene reminiscent of a blockbuster movie.
After expending all his ammunition, Jiang Senlin forcefully started an ambulance. He floored the accelerator, and the ambulance roared, crashing through the surrounding zombies, splattering blood across its windows. The rain began to fall as if on cue, washing away the bloodstains. With the windshield wipers swishing frantically, Jiang Senlin drove through the broken gates and sped onto the city streets.
His hair continued to fall out. The computer desk and the surrounding floor were covered in dark, short hairs, resembling the floor of a barbershop. Even his eyelashes and eyebrows were constantly shedding and renewing. Many of his fingernails on the keyboard were small and broken, continuously falling off his fingers. Before starting the game, he had already removed his shoes and socks, and the toenails on his feet were also constantly changing.
The entire city seemed to have been overrun by zombies. Zombies were everywhere on the streets, and reinforcements were emerging from every intersection. Jiang Senlin, driving the ambulance, continuously knocked over figures, splashing through puddles as he charged forward. The ambulance moved with the momentum of a warhorse, and Jiang Senlin himself seemed like Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, galloping through Han armies, his enemies falling like flies, unable to withstand his onslaught.
The game's pace accelerated. Sweat poured from Jiang Senlin like water. He blinked incessantly, the sweat stinging his eyes, but he dared not wipe them away. The game had entered a fever pitch; any hesitation would lead to him being surrounded. The dense horde of zombies would lift the ambulance together, and no matter how the engine roared, the tires would only spin in vain. Jiang Senlin was completely immersed, his mind focused on a single thought: survive!
In the corridor, a doctor held a tablet computer, on which countless curves were flying erratically.
"How is it?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask.
"Very good," the doctor nodded. "The game has progressed from beginner mode to difficult mode, just one step away from hell mode. This child's reaction speed and physical functions are significantly improving. He should be feeling the vitality of youth, sensing infinite energy within him, enough hormones to conquer the world."
"This brat, he's spent most of his life playing games. A life addicted to the internet," Jiang Ye chuckled.
Cen Yemeng also let out a soft laugh. She had been very tense for the past few minutes, and hearing the doctor say the situation was good brought a sense of relief.
The surgery had been ongoing for fifty-five minutes.
Jiang Senlin had finally reached eighteen years old.
He had become leaner, with fair skin, handsome and debonair, almost suitable for a men's fashion advertisement. His gaming hands were slender with distinct joints and visible veins, appearing capable of gripping anything with strength. His previously hunched back had straightened completely, his upright posture resembling that of a charging cavalryman.
Cen Yemeng smiled, tears falling, and reached out to pat her husband. "Our son is more handsome than you."
"Nonsense," Jiang Ye said, annoyed.
The ambulance had run out of fuel. Jiang Senlin sprinted, charging into a military museum. Thankfully, the museum was filled with real weaponry. Jiang Senlin smashed through display cases and pulled out a Maxim gun. The gun oil on its body gleamed, looking as new as if it had just rolled off the factory line. Jiang Senlin clicked his mouse furiously, firing volleys at the main entrance like a torrential downpour, occasionally turning the gun to shoot down zombies climbing through windows. Empty casings flowed like a river across the marble floor.
A crisp sound of shattering glass came from the back door as zombies surged in. Jiang Senlin abandoned the Maxim gun and sprinted to the second floor, where he quickly found a cannon, an archaic Ming Dynasty version, which also looked brand new. Jiang Senlin felt the game was somewhat absurd; this wasn't a military museum, it was an outright cheat weapon arsenal!
He suspected there might be a close-in weapon system on the top floor, but he didn't dare go up to search for it yet. If that thing were activated, even the zombies might start flying. After playing for so long, Jiang Senlin had discovered the game's pattern: once he obtained more effective weapons, the zombies' strength would increase exponentially.
Jiang Senlin pushed the Hongyi cannon to the stairwell, loaded a cannonball, and ignited it.
With a thunderous roar, the zombies on the stairs exploded into a bloody mist, their flesh and blood erupting like a fountain, creating a spectacular scene.
Simultaneously, the screen suddenly turned gray.
Two large characters appeared:
"DEATH"!
Jiang Senlin was stunned. He then looked at the small text displayed below "DEATH."
"You fired your cannon at the zombies and were accidentally killed by the recoil, a heroic sacrifice!"
Jiang Senlin was somewhat distraught. Was the cannon's recoil that fierce? After struggling so hard to reach this point, he had managed to kill himself?
Before he could look for a revive button, the computer suddenly went black.
The door opened, and a group of doctors walked in, smiling and applauding.
Jiang Senlin blinked. "Has an hour passed?"
"Yes, how long did you think it had been?" the doctor asked.
"I thought it had only been a few minutes..." Jiang Senlin suddenly realized something and quickly looked down at himself.
He stared blankly, his entire body completely different. He began by examining his hands, then his torso, and even fumbled to touch his face and hair, as if he were an android experiencing the world for the first time.
"Don't rush. We'll conduct a few checks, clean you up, and then you'll have plenty of time to examine your body," the doctor said, helping him up. "Try walking a bit to get accustomed to it."
Having sat for an hour, his legs felt somewhat numb. Jiang Senlin stood up and, with the doctor's assistance, began to walk, his posture resembling that of an elderly person or a toddler learning to walk. A row of medical instruments awaited him. Jiang Senlin lay down, undergoing rigorous examination like a product.
Finally, there was a haircut, a shower, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and dental care... a thorough cleaning from head to toe, akin to a deep car wash.
The new Jiang Senlin walked out of the operating room, transformed from an elderly man into a young one. The entire world looked completely different.
"How does it feel?" Jiang Ye walked over and asked.
"It's like going from standard definition to 8K," Jiang Senlin blinked and looked towards the end of the corridor.
"Besides your eyesight improving, what else?" Cen Yemeng also leaned in and asked.
Jiang Senlin looked down. "Mom, you've gotten shorter."
Cen Yemeng smiled.
"Where are we going next?" Jiang Senlin asked.
"We bought a house in the capital city. We'll move there," Jiang Ye replied.
...
The private car traveled through the sky above the city.
The scale of the capital city was beyond imagination, with as many as 18 ring roads and endless buildings.
Within the first ring, super skyscrapers pierced the clouds, literally reaching into the sky. Their exact number of floors was unknown, but their estimated height exceeded two kilometers. In such tall buildings, the seasons on the rooftop and at the base could even differ.
As the ring numbers decreased, the height of the buildings also lowered. Beyond the sixth ring, all buildings were 38 stories or less.
The private car flew to the outskirts of the twelfth ring of the capital city and landed in the parking lot of Yunzheng Residential Area.
Upon arrival, they understood why it was called Yunzheng Residential Area. The entire base of the residential area was covered in a thick, white mist. It was said to be artificial mist designed to increase humidity and simultaneously sterilize and add fragrance. All the buildings seemed to have emerged from a fairy realm.
They got out of the car, walked to Unit 1, and took the elevator directly to the top floor.