Even though these zombies were all level five, they posed no danger to Lu Heng. He controlled the wind to form a wind wall around him, which moved forward with him, always maintaining its position.
At the same time, he manipulated his wood-element abilities. On the path he advanced, numerous vines erupted from the ground. These vines grew wildly, instantly clinging to the surrounding buildings and roads, extending outwards.
The fine branches that unfurled from the vines pierced the zombies' brains as they grew taller, then engulfed the crystals. After crushing the zombies' heads, they moved on to the next target.
Lu Heng stepped onto the vine path he had created, advancing step by step towards the area where the zombies were gathered.
Soon, Lu Heng reached a two-story building. This place seemed to be a supporting facility for the villa area, similar to a fitness center set up for the villa residents before the apocalypse.
Just as Lu Heng was about to break open the exterior of the building to investigate further, a shadow flashed quickly across the side of the house.
Lu Heng directed the vines towards the shadow, quickly capturing the still-flashing silhouette.
"Screech!"
A piercing shriek rang out, then abruptly disappeared. Lu Heng walked up to the mass of vines that tightly encased the moving body.
The body wrapped in vines was covered in fur. Lu Heng manipulated the vines to reveal the creature's head.
Indeed, it was a monkey. However, it wasn't a mutated monkey, but a zombie monkey infected by the zombies.
Half of the zombie monkey's face was mangled, revealing half of its skull. Its eyes were a dull gray and unfocused.
The zombie monkey, its body trapped by the vines, thrashed wildly. Its limbs strained outwards, its hands tearing at the vines, attempting to escape.
However, the vines Lu Heng had created were incredibly tough. Ordinary tearing could not break them; their resilience was comparable to ordinary metal.
"How can this thing be so fast?" Lu Heng muttered to himself. He hadn't realized this zombie monkey was a speed-type mutant.
The next moment, Lu Heng controlled the vines to pierce the constantly wriggling monkey's head, extracting the crystal within.
However, why were there two crystals this time?
Lu Heng looked at the two crystals. One was slightly larger, the other smaller.
The larger one was a normal level four crystal. Sensing the energy within, it seemed to be on the verge of mutating to level five.
The smaller crystal, however, was a special crystal. Lu Heng was surprised to find that it was a speed-type crystal, though not of high level, only level three.
So, this was the reason Lu Heng couldn't perceive the zombie monkey as a speed-type mutant before killing it?
But why would there be two crystals in one head?
While Lu Heng was contemplating this, many zombies were gathering around. However, those zombies were all killed by the spreading vines nearby; they never had a chance to get close to Lu Heng.
Bang!
A loud bang came from inside the building, interrupting Lu Heng's thoughts.
Lu Heng used the wind to blast open the door of the building in front of him. The door crashed inwards, and Lu Heng stepped onto the door panel as he entered.
The light inside was not good. Although the light outside was strong, the building's previous privacy design made it somewhat dim without lights.
Lu Heng took out a spotlight and shone it inside.
At the entrance was a large hall. In the center was a counter-like cabinet. On both sides of the hall, several sofas were scattered haphazardly.
The shriek of the zombie monkey earlier, and the loud noise when Lu Heng broke open the door, had not attracted any zombies from inside the building. Either there were no zombies inside, or there was a higher-level intelligent being.
But looking at the zombies still surging outside, Lu Heng felt the second possibility was more likely.
"Master, we're here, behind you." Just as Lu Heng was about to explore further inside, Fatty Hu's voice echoed in his mind.
Lu Heng looked back. Indeed, Lin Yu and Fatty Hu and the others had followed silently.
Once Lin Yu and the others arrived, Lu Heng said, "Pay close attention to your surroundings when we go in. I feel the zombies inside are quite intelligent."
Lu Heng expanded the wind element into several smaller wind walls, enclosing Lin Yu and the animals separately. This way, each person had a protective shield around them when acting independently, which could both prevent the zombies' ranged attacks and allow them to fight flexibly.
With the wind walls activated, they could move without reservation. After all, no matter how high the current zombies' levels were, they wouldn't be too overpowered. Those who could upgrade as quickly as Lu Heng and Lin Yu were rare in the apocalypse.
Lu Heng mentally instructed Fatty Hu and the others to go to the second floor, while he and Lin Yu checked the first floor.
Past the entrance hall was a spacious area filled with various fitness equipment. Lu Heng and Lin Yu walked around but found nothing unusual, nor did any zombies appear.
"Master, no zombies were found on the second floor either. However, I did smell a stench when I entered the building. Are there any zombies where you are?" Fatty Hu communicated with Lu Heng mentally.
"No, we haven't found any zombies here yet."
"Lu Ge, there's a small door here," Lin Yu said to Lu Heng, standing in front of a door.
"Fatty Hu, you guys guard the entrance for a while. I can sense the number of zombies outside is gradually increasing. Go help the vines clear them out."
While arranging Fatty Hu and the others, Lu Heng walked towards Lin Yu.
Bang!
Lu Heng kicked open the small door.
Inside was a flight of stairs leading down, indicating there was also a basement.
Lu Heng and Lin Yu exchanged a look. Without a word, they entered one after another.
Just as the two reached the corner of the stairs, Lu Heng suddenly perceived a voice, the inner thoughts of a person.
"They're coming. Why haven't you guys rushed in yet? Tear them apart quickly..."
At this moment, Fatty Hu reported an anomaly from outside. "Master, the zombies outside seem to have gone mad. The number of zombies is too great."
"Can you handle it?"
"That's not a problem, but the number of zombies in this wave is truly immense."
"Then hold them back."
It seemed a zombie with advanced intelligence was indeed hiding here, commanding the zombies outside to protect itself. Moreover, that high-level zombie already knew Lu Heng and the others were approaching it.