Communication

Overcast, cloudy, temperature -1°C, 15:00

Jupiter City Research Bureau

The bus came to a stop, and the black-haired youth with a backpack got off through the Back Gate.

When he looked toward the Research Bureau building, a girl bundled in a pure white down jacket stood on the steps outside. She waved at him, a newly issued one-time pass in her hand.

However, two other people stood beside the girl, and their voices carried over as well:

"Hehe~ I explained the situation to Anna and Xiao Gao, and they rushed right over.

But I have to be home before dinner. I've got tutoring tonight, so you three can handle the meal yourselves~"

The class monitor walked in front with her arm linked through Anna's.

Gao Yuxuan and Luo Di walked at the back, discussing what had happened in the resettlement complex. They were no longer as unfamiliar with each other as they had been half a year ago. Now, they were fairly well-acquainted push-up partners.

Just as Gao Yuxuan was about to ask about the details of the Anomaly Event, Anna stepped closer.

"Xiao Gao, you and Wenwen go verify your identities first~ I have something to ask him."

Gao Yuxuan did not mind and immediately agreed to this "switch."

Luo Di immediately felt a sense of pressure. Anna's muscular body and broad frame, wrapped in a thick down jacket, made her nearly twice as wide as Gao Yuxuan.

Standing beside her felt completely different. She was practically a massive Siberian bear.

"Luo Di, Wenwen told me that she encountered the Anomaly Event because she went looking for you. Before that, it seemed like she was even staying at your house?"

"Yes."

"Then has the relationship between you two changed?"

"Our relationship? I suppose so."

"Huh?" Luo Di's answer left Anna stunned. She had even begun imagining what might have happened while the two of them were alone in the same room, and her whole face flushed crimson.

After a long silence, Anna seemed to have a bellyful of things to say, but in the end, she only managed a short sentence. "Treat my Wenwen well. If you ever do anything to hurt her, I'll beat you into the air."

"Anna~ What are you two talking about? Come in already."

The doors to the Research Bureau had opened. The class monitor stood inside, waving them over. Gao Yuxuan seemed to have figured something out and secretly gave Luo Di a thumbs-up.

The four of them returned to the pure white room where they had received their rewards half a year ago.

Director Wang was already waiting there, with three documents laid out on the table.

"I need the three of you, as unrelated personnel, to sign a liability waiver. During the upcoming processing of the Corner-transforming item, the Research Bureau will bear no responsibility for any direct or indirect effects it may have on you."

Since they had come here, they had naturally prepared themselves mentally.

Luo Di and Wu Wen had both survived a real Anomaly Event. This was only the processing of blood from inside a Pseudo-Human's skull. If they were affected even by this, that would be far too pathetic.

After signing the documents,

Director Wang notified the laboratory staff that they could begin drawing the blood.

"Place your knife on the table first, then unwrap the shroud cloth."

Luo Di did as instructed and did not have to wait long.

A researcher entered carrying a test tube rack. Ten test tubes were embedded within it, each containing 10 ml of fresh blood.

Unlike ordinary blood, the blood stored in the tubes looked remarkably restless, occasionally gathering into soft, fleshy masses that clung to the inner surfaces.

Just as Director Wang had promised, this was cranial blood that had flowed through the "pituitary gland"—blood of the highest purity, best able to reflect the essence of a Pseudo-Human.

When the test tube rack was placed on the table,

even with more than ten centimeters between them, the neural veins on the surface of the Zombie Blade began to twitch faintly.

It was everyone's first time seeing such a scene, and they all felt somewhat wary.

Director Wang began explaining. "This blood has a Corner-transformation duration of more than one year. Moreover, Ms. Wu Huazhen can already form a Corner-transformation-like space. The pituitary gland in her brain has developed biological 'flesh-and-blood corners' on its surface after rupturing.

"It has a higher purity than a zombie's.

"Therefore, this is absorption by the weak from the strong. One hundred milliliters is already the theoretical maximum we simulated.

"Damage to the item may also occur during absorption, and you need to know this in advance, Luo Di. The zombie pituitary gland fused within the blade may be unable to endure blood with such a long duration and could ultimately burst. This knife would then become scrap metal.

"To reduce the possibility of that happening, we will use gradual feeding.

"The blood supply will be stopped immediately if instability appears."

Luo Di was not focused on the possibility of the blood absorption failing. In his view, since Director Wang had offered this as a reward, it meant it could be successful.

During the half year he had spent with the Zombie Blade, he had understood very clearly just how thirsty it was for blood.

Furthermore, the "cancerous degeneration" inherent to the zombie pituitary gland could greatly increase its tolerance. Malignant tumors were not so easily eradicated.

Luo Di cared more about what this knife would ultimately become.

"What will happen if it absorbs all the blood?"

"It will inherit the duration. The duration of this zombie pituitary gland will increase as a result, perhaps even approaching maturity. Accordingly, this Corner-transforming item of yours will become more lethal, and its outward appearance may even change.

"If you are lucky, it may even inherit part of Ms. Wu Huazhen's fear attribute."

"Can we start now?" Luo Di was already getting impatient.

"Yes."

Director Wang personally picked up a test tube, gradually tilted it, and aimed its opening at the blade lying on the table.

The blood in the tube did not simply flow down. Instead, it slowly moved in a crawling manner.

It eventually gathered at the mouth of the test tube into something like a blood sphere, which fell onto the blade in one heavy drop.

The instant it made contact,

a chill swept through the room. Spider-leg-like structures sprouted from the surface of the blood, struggling to escape, but they were ultimately absorbed by the Zombie Skin. Waves of sinister energy radiated from the blade.

They continued.

The second tube.

The third tube.

Until the seventh tube,

Clang, clang~ The Zombie Blade lying flat on the table actually began trembling on its own.

The neural veins attached to the blade turned bright red and produced additional branches, even lifting the entire knife off the table.

"Is it nearly at its limit..."

Just as Director Wang prepared to stop the blood supply,

Luo Di suddenly reached out and gripped the handle. The move startled everyone. Director Wang even gave him a surprised look, but did not stop him.

Yet as Luo Di tightened his grip, the Zombie Blade actually began to calm down. The blood-red color on its surface faded somewhat.

It was as though the two could communicate internally, as if Luo Di had soothed the blade's emotions.

"Continue."

Director Wang stared into his eyes. "Are you sure? If you do this, not only could the blade break, but you could be caught up in it as well. You might even lose the use of one hand."

"Yes."

Luo Di's gaze was exceptionally resolute.

After experiencing the incident at the complex, he had clearly understood the gap between himself and a Mature Imposter. Ordinary training was not enough to close that gap. This Zombie Blade was currently his only means of narrowing it.

The blade before him was still the same as before.

Moreover, as Luo Di gripped its handle, he could feel that it still thirsted for blood.

Luo Di wanted to see it change. He wanted to ensure that if he faced the same situation again, he could try to kill one on his own.

The seventh tube.

The eighth tube.

The ninth tube.

All kinds of scarlet neural veins danced across the blade. Some even pierced into Luo Di's palm, and his entire arm was undergoing Zombie Transformation.

"Do we continue?"

"Wait."

Luo Di closed his eyes and focused on feeling the blade in his hand, feeling the thoughts of its zombie essence.

≮Give me blood...≯

After receiving that response, Luo Di nodded. "Continue... the final tube."

As the final tube of blood was poured onto the surface of the blade and rapidly absorbed by the skin,

Luo Di's entire right arm became as grim, rotten, and stiff as a zombie's. Some areas had even undergone hyperhardening.

However, this time, he heard a different voice from within the blade.

≮I'm full...≯

After receiving a different response, Luo Di unconsciously clicked his tongue and smiled in satisfaction.