Lin Xue suddenly stopped, looking up at Lu Heng. "I, I felt very uncomfortable just now."
Lu Heng looked at Lin Xue. She was likely referring to the time when Lu Heng killed the level six zombie.
He had also sensed Lin Xue's abnormality earlier. After all, she was a creature he had contracted. Even though she was now just a soulless monster, Lu Heng could feel any abnormal reaction from her immediately.
However, Lu Heng couldn't pinpoint exactly what Lin Xue was feeling, and Lin Xue had only been stunned, with no thoughts in her mind.
"It's natural to feel a bit uncomfortable. You were also a zombie like them before. So, after I killed these zombies that had gained intelligence and emotions, it's normal for you to feel this way.
However, if I hadn't killed it, it would have chosen to kill more humans.
Do you know that?
You, like me, were originally human. You were infected by a mysterious virus and turned into zombies, or you became new infected after being harmed by infected zombies.
Perhaps it's a virus, but it's so ferocious that humans haven't been able to determine how all of this came about.
I am also searching for answers. I think, perhaps one day I will come into contact with these and find out the reason why humans turn into zombies.
To completely eradicate the zombie virus and bring human life back to normal.
Do you want to find the answer with me?"
Lu Heng stared intently at Lin Xue. If Lin Xue had shown any sign of refusal at this moment, Lu Heng thought he would immediately end her life.
It wasn't that he was determined to contract with a zombie. Lu Heng had initially noticed Lin Xue's ability to quickly recover from injuries. He hadn't encountered such a healing ability in his previous life.
"Yes. The director told me that besides my low body temperature, I am exactly like a human.
He also said that I am still a child and should be acting spoiled in my mother's arms, riding on my father's back and enjoying the warmth of family. But I don't know what warmth is; I can't feel it."
"You can feel it now, can't you? Look, you have a master and companions, and a brother.
Lin Xue, you are one of us, a member of this family."
"I have a home too," Lin Xue tilted her head and looked at Lu Heng.
"You have a home too." He tightened his grip on Lin Xue's cold little hand. Although Lin Xue wore thick gloves when interacting with people to prevent herself from scratching them, Lu Heng could still feel the chill emanating from within.
Pulling Lin Xue along, they quickly returned to the city square. The vulture was already circling in the air, waiting for Lu Heng and the others.
After clearing the nearby zombies, Lu Heng picked up Lin Xue and leaped up, quickly landing on the vulture's back. Once they were settled, the vulture ascended higher into the sky and flew towards the distance.
"Let's check out other places. If Lin Xue senses any more high-level zombies, we'll stop, but don't fly too fast." Lu Heng tapped the vulture's back with his foot, signaling with his mind.
"Lin Xue, how did you level up to the initial level five?" Lu Heng was curious about how zombies leveled up, something he hadn't considered before.
"We level up by eating various kinds of meat and absorbing energy from them," Lin Xue said softly, lowering her head. She was afraid her past actions might displease Lu Heng.
"Oh, it's nothing. We can be more restrained from now on. I'll get you some other kinds of meat to eat, but not the flesh of living beings." Lu Heng also planned to get her some beef and mutton soaked in ancient well water. This would not only alleviate her craving for flesh but also keep her full.
"Understood, Master. Is it the same kind of meat that the director and the others eat?" Lin Xue had also seen Fatty Tiger and the others having meals. Those mutated animals usually ate the refrigerated fresh meat stored in Lu Heng's space.
"Yes, and there are many varieties. You can try them all."
Lin Xue nodded at Lu Heng, a slight smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. She also wanted to become like everyone else, no longer mindlessly gnawing on everything living like the zombies below.
After flying over several more towns, Lu Heng had the vulture linger above the larger towns for a while. After Lin Xue carefully sensed them, they left as no high-level zombies were detected.
These zombies were meant to be left for the people in the city to practice on. After all, the growth of survivors couldn't solely depend on Lu Heng killing zombies. Lu Heng only needed to kill the high-level intelligent zombies to ensure that the battles between survivors and zombies were not a one-sided crushing.
"If there are no more, then we'll head back first. It's still cold sitting up here for too long." Lu Heng tapped the vulture's back, signaling it to return to the city.
The vulture let out a low cry and adjusted its direction, intending to avoid the cities they had already explored below and fly back.
However, as they flew over a dense forest, Lu Heng sensed a strong fluctuation of energy from below.
This energy was likely not emanating from a zombie, as Lu Heng could perceive that the creature's level was not high, and Lin Xue, sitting beside him, also didn't sense any zombie-like presence.
"Vulture, fly lower near that forest and let me down."
Receiving the command, the vulture quickly turned back and found a place with a clear view, lowering its altitude.
Lu Heng picked up Lin Xue and, with a leap, easily landed on the ground.
Perhaps due to the absence of human activity in the vicinity, there were no zombies around this forest.
After Lu Heng and Lin Xue disembarked, Lin Xue carefully sensed the interior of the forest. "Master, there are zombies inside, but their levels are not high, at most level four."
"Are there many?"
"There were six just now, now there are five," Lin Xue sniffed the air towards the forest.
Six just now, five now. One had died?
Since the number of zombies inside was not large, and Lin Xue could sense their locations in advance, Lu Heng directly pulled Lin Xue and walked towards the interior of the forest.
The snowflakes falling from the sky were becoming larger. Fluffy snowflakes drifted down through the gaps in the winter branches, covering the dead leaves on the ground with a thin layer of white.
As they stepped on the dead branches and leaves, Lu Heng and Lin Xue inevitably made sounds, but these sounds did not attract the zombies inside the forest.
"There are four left now," Lin Xue suddenly reported the count again after walking for a while.
One less again. This speed, neither fast nor slow, perhaps it was some survivor killing zombies here. But under normal circumstances, no team would venture into the forest.
It was much darker in the forest than in the towns, and it was easy to lose one's bearings. Once lost and then chased by zombies, when their stamina was depleted, it would be the humans' death.