The high-level zombie was indeed cunning.
Tu Sanqi fumed, thinking that in the future, she absolutely had to make a weapon—ordinary at first glance, but capable of taking down a high-level zombie with a single shot!
The Third District team was conducting a city-wide search, and Tu Yu and the others went to help. Tu Sanqi stayed in the room alone, modifying the weapons.
By 11 p.m., the city had gradually quieted down. On the way, Ye Ming ran into Lin Lu and the others.
“What’s going on?” Ye Ming asked, having not yet checked the squad channel.
“Captain,” Ling Yi spoke, briefly reporting the situation, “Sanqi ran into a high-level zombie and chased it out. Xue Ying and the others are still conducting further searches.”
High-level zombie?
Ye Ming frowned slightly and looked at Tu Yu. “Your sister wasn’t hurt, right?”
Tu Yu shook his head.
“Although D City falls under the Third District’s jurisdiction, the surrounding area has never been entirely stable,” Ye Ming said, his expression serious.
This was also why they had received this mission.
From a jurisdictional perspective, the grasslands west of D City—the location of their mission—belonged to the Fifth District.
The Third District only provided personnel to manage D City itself.
“If Sanqi isn’t mistaken tonight,” Ye Ming looked at his teammates, “our operation may be even more dangerous than we imagined.”
Daring to infiltrate ability-users’ territory directly, this high-level zombie was clearly no ordinary foe.
And they had no idea how many high-level zombies like this existed.
Currently, apart from some knowledge of the terrain, all information about the zombies was unknown.
The team exchanged a glance. No one spoke, but their determination was evident.
Ye Ming was no different.
“Let’s go,” he said, uploading the terrain map obtained from the Third District to the squad channel. “We’ll discuss tomorrow where to strike first.”
Zombies were far more active at night than during the day, so the next day, after sunrise, Ye Ming’s team set out.
Tu Sanqi had stayed up all night modifying Tu Yu’s, Ling Yi’s, and Lin Lu’s weapons. Now she sat in the back seat by the window, her mind still on the high-level zombie’s cryptic words…
Next to her, Su Rumeng was examining Lin Lu’s gun.
Lin Lu was a fire ability user, so enhancing damage was easy—but the key was not to make too much noise. Tu Sanqi combined ability bullets with a silencer and fitted them to Lin Lu’s gun.
At a glance, the weapon seemed unchanged, but close inspection revealed modifications at the barrel.
Lin Lu lifted it, instantly noticing the weight difference.
The gun itself was lighter than before.
But once loaded, it felt much heavier.
She held a single bullet, puzzled.
Ling Yi and Tu Yu in the front row were also inspecting their modified weapons.
Tu Yu, a strength-type ability user, had his gun simply weighted by Tu Sanqi—ordinary-looking, but capable of silently taking down two zombies with a swing.
Ling Yi, an earth ability user, couldn’t match Lin Lu’s damage or Tu Yu’s strength, but had high defensive capability. Tu Sanqi’s modifications to his weapon were the most elaborate.
Normally, the gun still functioned as usual, with aiming and firing unaffected.
But in special situations, pressing a certain part of the gun transformed it into an arm-guard. Combined with Ling Yi’s earth ability, he could block various attacks with just one arm.
Due to time constraints, the three hadn’t yet tested their weapons, so they used the car ride to familiarize themselves.
Su Rumeng, as a healer, was assigned to protect Tu Sanqi on this mission.
“Time to get out, Sanqi,” Su Rumeng said as the vehicle stopped, pulling Tu Sanqi along.
Tu Sanqi rubbed her face and followed her out.
The team had decided the previous night to enter from the northeast corner closest to D City.
Zombies in that area weren’t overly aggressive.
Tu Yu and Ling Yi led the way, followed by Ye Ming, with Su Rumeng and Tu Sanqi in the middle, and Lin Lu covering the rear with her gun.
The car gradually became invisible shortly after they left. Lin Lu was momentarily surprised, then remembered how she’d seen Tu Sanqi earlier, sleepily carrying her toolbox out that morning.
Their vehicle had stood out too much on the grassland. To be safe, Tu Sanqi had coated it with paint using a method taught at the training camp. After modifying the weapons, she happily camouflaged the car.
Only after confirming that no trace could be seen with the naked eye did Tu Sanqi relax.
Once they entered the grassland, Ye Ming began probing the surroundings with his ability, inch by inch.
Everyone was on alert, advancing step by step.
Compared to them, Tu Sanqi wasn’t as tense—
She hadn’t sensed any nearby zombie activity.
But she didn’t dare tell Ye Ming and the others.
She, a technician without awakened abilities, had no proof to back it up!
So she remained silent.
Su Rumeng assumed she was simply not fully awake, but didn’t comment further, just holding Tu Sanqi’s arm tightly, in case something happened…
“Ah—” Su Rumeng suddenly cried out.
Ye Ming immediately turned, and Lin Lu at the rear readied her gun—but no zombies appeared. Looking at Su Rumeng, it turned out she had stepped into a marsh pit.
Tu Sanqi, almost simultaneously with the scream, reached back and grabbed Su Rumeng’s hand—but didn’t pull forcefully.
“Don’t struggle. Relax,” Tu Sanqi reassured her.
Su Rumeng calmed down and realized what had happened.
The more one struggled in the marsh, the deeper they sank.
Tu Yu and Ling Yi returned and helped try to remove Su Rumeng’s boots.
But even without struggling, she was sinking quickly. The boots were hard to remove, and the mud was rising toward her knees…
Suddenly, the marsh, like a natural moss carpet, solidified.
Solidified?!
Su Rumeng’s eyes widened. Ye Ming turned, sensing it, and saw Tu Sanqi crouched nearby.
“Glad it worked,” Tu Sanqi breathed out, collecting the remaining powder before going to help Su Rumeng.
Once the marsh solidified, Su Rumeng’s sinking stopped automatically, and Tu Yu easily pulled her out with little effort.
“Wow, Sanqi! What is this treasure of yours?!” Ling Yi exclaimed, amazed.
“Just a little solidifying agent,” Tu Sanqi said, scratching her head.
She had read that the grasslands contained many marshes, so she and Fei Yucheng had researched some materials and experimented with this—but without local marshes to test it, she wasn’t sure if it would work.
As she spoke, she generously opened her toolbox, handing out the small bottles of powder to the others.
“Surprisingly effective. Everyone take some. If you don’t mind, sprinkle some on your legs.”
The team had not expected such a thing. Instinctively, they applied the powder to their legs. Glancing at Tu Sanqi filling an empty bottle with marsh mud, they felt an inexplicable sense:
Though she hadn’t awakened any abilities… she didn’t seem as helpless as they had assumed.