Bang! Bang! Bang!

The armor-piercing rounds tore through the Zombie King's insides, shredding its organs. Its massive body shuddered violently as thick black blood, mixed with chunks of viscera, poured from the gaping hole in its abdomen.

Even so, the Zombie King refused to die. Its remaining arm clamped down on Zhao Yin and hurled him through the air.

Zhao Yin felt like a sledgehammer had slammed into his chest. Still airborne, he coughed up another mouthful of blood, tumbled several times, and crashed hard into the ground.

He tried to get up immediately but found every ounce of strength drained from his body.

Each breath sent sharp pain lancing through his chest.

Clatter.

The sniper rifle finally slid free from the Zombie King's abdomen and dropped to the ground.

Roar!

The creature charged at Zhao Yin, intent on crushing the little ant that had dared to wound it.

Little Monkey was too far away to save him in time.

"Zhao Yin, get up!"

Song Xiaodao's young face was pale with terror. She threw her arms around the Zombie King's leg and drove her butterfly knife forward with all her strength.

Clang!

Even a supernatural weapon only managed to nick the skin on its leg.

Song Xiaodao was simply too weak.

Against the Zombie King's overwhelming defense, she couldn't inflict any real damage.

The Zombie King turned on this even smaller ant, enraged. It kicked out.

"Ah-! Zhao Yin-!"

Song Xiaodao's small body spun through the air, flew twenty or thirty meters, and landed in the distant mud. She didn't move again. Whether she was alive or dead, no one could tell.

But her interference bought just enough time. Little Monkey charged back in. Its steel rod had been knocked away somewhere during the fight.

The giantified monkey leaped onto the Zombie King's head, crouched on its shoulders, and drove its long claws into both eye sockets.

Bang!

The Zombie King swung its remaining arm and smashed Little Monkey across the skull.

Half of the monkey's face caved in from the impact. Still, it clung to the Zombie King's head, gouging desperately at the eyeballs.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Zombie King hammered Little Monkey's body again and again. Each blow sent blood spraying. The thick monkey hide couldn't withstand the assault-it tore open, exposing tendons and bone.

"Master, get up... get up and run...!"

Little Monkey's mental voice trembled. Its bloody, mangled face twisted in agony, and the light in its eyes was fading.

Pop. Pop.

The Zombie King's eyeballs were finally ripped free.

The creature let out a shrill howl. Its claws plunged into Little Monkey's abdomen, grabbed the belly from inside, and ripped forward.

Little Monkey, already running on fumes, convulsed like a dying thing. The Zombie King flung it away. The monkey rolled through the mud, twitched once, twice, and went still.

Only then did Zhao Yin manage to stagger upright. He stuffed a handful of Chestnut Leaves into his mouth, and the pain eased slightly.

He looked at Little Monkey and Song Xiaodao-both motionless, their fates unknown-and his mind remained ice-cold, calculating his path to survival.

An E-grade Zombie King was an insurmountable mountain. He couldn't shake it. He couldn't stop it.

The fragility of the human body was laid bare. After taking just two hits, Zhao Yin could barely lift his Tang sword.

Little Monkey was down. The sniper rifle lay at the Zombie King's feet. His two greatest assets were gone.

What did he have left to fight this thing?

The Zombie King had lost both eyes. Its massive body swayed unsteadily. Zhao Yin suddenly realized-this creature had evolved true vision. It actually relied on its eyes to see. Without them, the Zombie King stumbled toward him like a blind man.

But even blind, even standing still, Zhao Yin had no way to kill it.

A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, searching for any way to turn this around.

In the end, only one option remained: the fourteen Star Crystals.

The odds were slim. But it was his only hope. If he drew something powerful, he might survive.

Zhao Yin didn't hesitate. He pulled out all fourteen Star Crystals and crushed them at once.

[Nongfu Spring: Grade F, Type Supernatural Beverage. Replenishes 24 hours of water consumption.]

[Filled Bread: Grade F, Type Supernatural Food. Replenishes 24 hours of energy consumption. Bonus effect: Heals injuries.]

[Nongfu Spring...]

[Nongfu Spring...]

[Compressed Biscuit: Grade F, Type Supernatural Food. Replenishes 24 hours of energy consumption. Bonus effect: Vigorous energy for 24 hours.]

[Instant Noodles: Grade F, Type Supernatural Food. Replenishes 24 hours of energy consumption. Bonus effect: Cold resistance for 24 hours.]

[Tuna Can: Grade F, Type Supernatural Food. Replenishes 24 hours of energy consumption. Bonus effect: Immunity to viruses below B-grade for 24 hours.]

[Iced Black Tea: Grade F, Type Supernatural Beverage. Replenishes 24 hours of water consumption. Bonus effect: Doubles physical attributes for 1 hour.]

[Spiked Club: Grade D, Type Supernatural Weapon. Sturdiness 54, Attack 52. Bonus effect: Strength +20.]

[Women's Suit: Grade E, Type Defense Equipment. Sturdiness 31, Agility 28. Bonus effect: Charm +5.]

[Nongfu Spring...] [Nongfu Spring...] [Nongfu Spring...] [Filled Bread...]

The white light faded. Items tumbled from his hands onto the ground.

When he saw the Spiked Club, his heart surged.

He'd actually drawn something that could save his life.

A D-grade supernatural weapon.

52 Attack. Strength +20. Combined with his own 15 Strength, smashing this E-grade Zombie King to death was entirely possible.

Zhao Yin stuffed another handful of Chestnut Leaves into his mouth, then immediately tore open the healing Filled Bread and wolfed it down.

He wasn't done. He cracked open a bottle of Iced Black Tea, tilted his head back, and drained it.

The Filled Bread hit his stomach, its healing effect several times stronger than the leaves. Warmth flooded through his body.

The numbness and stabbing pain in his limbs faded rapidly.

At the same time, the Iced Black Tea's attribute-doubling effect kicked in. Raw power surged through him.

Zhao Yin smiled. His eyes were bloodshot.

He bent down, grabbed the Spiked Club, and lifted it with one hand.

"Think you're hot shit, Zombie King?!"

"Today, I'm butchering one just to see how it feels!"

"I almost died-that close-now you can go to hell!"

The Zombie King lumbered forward, clenched its remaining arm into a fist, and swung at him.

This time, Zhao Yin didn't dodge. He launched himself into the air, and the Spiked Club in his hand came down with vicious force.

Boom!

Fist met club. A shockwave cracked through the air.

Then came the sound of splintering bone.

The Zombie King's fist crumpled on impact.

Its hideous face showed no expression, but it clearly froze for a moment.

Zhao Yin's feet hit the ground. He sprang up again and brought the club crashing down.

Crack!

The Zombie King raised its arm to block on instinct. The forearm snapped.

The creature roared, trying to swing at Zhao Yin, but its arm hung limp and useless.

The Spiked Club came down again, aimed at its skull.

The Zombie King lurched aside. The blow smashed into its neck instead.

Boom!

The mountain of a creature toppled face-first into the mud.

"Die, you ugly bastard!"

Zhao Yin planted a foot on its chest and hammered down with the club.

Again.

And again.

Until the Zombie King's head was nothing but pulp and it stopped moving entirely.

Zhao Yin made sure it was dead-completely, utterly dead-before he stopped.

He stood there gasping, utterly spent. The Spiked Club, weighing three or four hundred jin, slipped from his grip and thudded into the mud. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked up.

In the mud, two small figures lay motionless, caked in filth like clay dolls.