Awakening Abilities

When Chen Changsheng pulled Elizabeth and some survivors out of the classroom, the zombies also rushed out. The researchers guarding outside the classroom, who were drawing blood, clearly had no experience dealing with such a situation. After a moment of panic, they were pounced on by the pursuing zombies.

Chen Changsheng took the opportunity to knock over the cabinet storing blood samples.

Piercing screams filled the campus. Some students, not knowing what was happening, curiously poked their heads out of their classrooms. Upon seeing what was happening outside, they reacted differently.

Some students turned and ran out of the classroom, heading towards the outside of the campus. Others tightly shut the classroom doors, attempting to block the zombies from coming out.

As for Chen Changsheng and Elizabeth, Chen Changsheng, holding Elizabeth's hand, had already fled the campus with a group of teachers and students.

The Black Watch soldiers guarding the campus entrance initially didn't believe the students who ran out. However, when someone was torn apart by zombies, they no longer dared to be careless and immediately raised their rifles to fire.

Although the Black Watch soldiers reacted quickly, no one knew at the time that zombies needed to be shot in the head. The zombies, enduring the rifle fire, pounced on the Black Watch soldiers one by one.

Seeing that even the soldiers with guns couldn't hold them back, the surrounding teachers and students didn't dare to linger and ran even faster. Chen Changsheng and Elizabeth were no different, leaving the school with the crowd.

However, Elizabeth's bleeding hand was still releasing hormones. As they ran, the Original Virus in the people they encountered on the streets was stimulated by the hormones to begin evolving, and then, due to insufficient energy, they turned into zombies...

Near Elizabeth's home, Chen Changsheng and Elizabeth parted ways. Chen Changsheng's home was on the edge of town, still a long way off. Elizabeth, after telling Chen Changsheng to be careful, returned home alone to seek comfort from her family.

However, Elizabeth would be disappointed. Ordinary people couldn't withstand Elizabeth's hormonal stimulation. As Elizabeth approached her family, it was likely that a few more zombies would appear in the world.

Chen Changsheng didn't go straight home. Instead, he ran to the Willow Tree in the woods not far from his house. The area around the Willow Tree was still incredibly serene, its emerald green branches emitting an alluring glow. Compared to yesterday, the Willow Tree seemed to have undergone a greater change, its size now particularly striking in the forest.

Having been in close contact with Elizabeth all the way, Chen Changsheng had absorbed a considerable amount of hormones. At this moment, his body required more and more energy for evolution. Therefore, Chen Changsheng decided to absorb some of the Willow Tree's nutrients first, using the tree's vast root network to supplement the nutrients he lacked and complete his evolution.

Chen Changsheng hugged the Willow Tree tightly, fleshy tendrils quickly growing from his palms, piercing the tree's bark and connecting to the transport tubes within the trunk.

As the tendrils on Chen Changsheng's palms connected to the transport channels, the Willow Tree's underground roots and leaves began to absorb at an accelerated rate. Massive amounts of nutrients were absorbed by the root system, transported through the tubes to the treetop.

The leaves on the Willow Tree's crown also fully unfurled, becoming taller than ever in a short period, giving a sense of overshadowing the sky. Under the Willow Tree's rapid photosynthesis, the surrounding temperature actually dropped a few degrees.

After a complex transformation, a substance extremely rich in life energy was transmitted from the Willow Tree. This substance slowly flowed into Chen Changsheng's body along the tendrils.

The Original Virus within Chen Changsheng's body evolved even faster under the dual effects of Elizabeth's secreted hormones and the Willow Tree's life essence. Chen Changsheng swore that he had never felt so good in his current life or his past life combined.

The anomaly in the small town also attracted the attention of nearby military bases. A loud alarm blared throughout the town, and a repeated broadcast instructed residents to stay home and await rescue, stating that the army was taking over the town and asking for their cooperation.

As the military sealed off the town's roads, heavily armed Black Watch troops also poured into the town in large numbers, attempting to eliminate the zombies and rescue the residents.

Of course, that was the official story.

Another version was that the high command of the Black Watch believed the zombie outbreak in the town was an excellent biochemical weapon. Imagine mutated warriors, fearless of death, charging at the enemy with bombs. If utilized properly, this could be America's next ultimate weapon besides the atomic bomb. After all, the US military had been attacked by human bombs before.

Therefore, every resident in the town was a very important piece of material, worthy of being properly protected.

After Elizabeth secreted hormones, her consciousness was gradually influenced by the new Virus Will Aggregate child in her womb. Now, the child in Elizabeth's belly felt its safety threatened and took over Elizabeth's body, beginning to secrete massive amounts of hormones to prompt the town's residents to mutate and evolve stronger abilities to protect it.

The Black Watch also discovered that the unprotected town residents they rescued mutated in large numbers in a short period, causing immense losses. After losing many soldiers, the Black Watch high command decided to withdraw from the town first and then make further plans.

Through reconnaissance helicopters flying overhead, the military discovered that the zombies in the town seemed to be converging on a specific location, which turned out to be Elizabeth's home. Researchers believed there was a great secret in Elizabeth's house.

If the zombies dispersed, they would be defeated by the army one by one. If they gathered, it would be simpler; a single artillery shell could kill many zombies.

The Original Virus had strong evolutionary capabilities, but this all depended on having sufficient time. These were just simple zombies now, posing a limited threat. Moreover, there were only a few hundred people in the town. Even if everyone was infected, so what? Once the army's tanks, cannons, and other heavy weapons were brought in, no matter how many there were, they would only be lambs to the slaughter.

For the sake of the secret in Elizabeth's house, the scientists rejected the army's crude and direct proposal to resolve the situation. After all, this was the first outbreak of a biological crisis, and it held significant research value for the scientists.

Therefore, the town was temporarily sealed off by the military, leaving the residents to fend for themselves. They would flatten the town after the scientists had collected enough data.

In just one day, the entire town was under the influence of the hormones released by Elizabeth. All the people had turned into walking dead, silently guarding Elizabeth's house.

With the clear cry of a baby, Elizabeth gave birth to the child she had carried for three days. This child was like an ordinary infant but was the first Virus Aggregate to possess an independent will.

Unlike Chen Changsheng, Elizabeth was guided by her own will. This infant was primarily guided by the will of the virus, and it was still very weak.

With the immense energy provided by the Willow Tree, Chen Changsheng's evolution proceeded exceptionally smoothly. He completed his evolution that very night, and his physical fitness improved by leaps and bounds.

Simultaneously, the Willow Tree also evolved alongside Chen Changsheng. In just one night, the Willow Tree's roots extended hundreds of miles.

Its massive crown overshadowed the sky, a posture entirely uncharacteristic of a Willow Tree. Of course, among the various tall trees in the primeval forest, the Willow Tree was still not particularly impressive, so it did not attract the attention of the military.

The next morning, Black Watch soldiers, accompanied by the rumbling of tanks, advanced towards the town center. After singling out and shooting straggling zombies, some researchers began collecting samples.

Black Watch troops were present in various parts of the town, but the search routes indicated that their final destination was Elizabeth's home.

Under military protection, researchers searched the empty town house by house, intending to find important information.

A team of researchers also arrived at Chen Changsheng's home. Since most zombies were gathered near Elizabeth's house, most of the personnel here were researchers.

From a hidden corner, Chen Changsheng extended a long willow branch, wrapping it around a researcher's neck. At the same time, the ground cracked open, and the Willow Tree's roots enveloped the researcher. The entire process was swift and silent.

Beside the Willow Tree, Chen Changsheng could feel the researcher's fear and unease beneath the heavy protective suit. However, Chen Changsheng mercilessly removed the researcher's mask, placed his palm on the innocent person's head, and completely absorbed him with the tendrils in his palm.

This was the ability Chen Changsheng had wanted from the beginning: to absorb others and then impersonate them to roam the world. It was truly a divine skill.

From the researcher's memories, Chen Changsheng found no valuable clues. It seemed this researcher was just an ordinary member of the lower ranks. However, Chen Changsheng was still very happy. After all, with this legitimate disguise, he could safely leave the town and escape the impending mushroom cloud.

Sneaking into a house, he rejoined a team of researchers who were searching. Relying on the memories of the researcher, Chen Changsheng easily gained the trust of the others. This explained why Chen Changsheng desired this ability; it was incredibly convenient.

Chen Changsheng mingled with the team, feigning seriousness while searching. At the same time, he was secretly shocked. He thought his evolution was already rapid, but he never expected nature to teach him another lesson.

Damn it, these wild animals were truly inhuman. Cats and dogs, the animals closest to humans, had been enhanced to be comparable to lions and tigers.

Although they couldn't withstand gunfire yet, they could quickly evade the army's concentrated fire. It seemed that evolving bodies capable of blocking bullets could be achieved in a short time.

And those caught by these animals were truly miserable. Not only were they torn to shreds, but they also turned into zombies and had to endure being shot by their own side again.

The army also realized that things were getting out of control. Through the walkie-talkie of a soldier beside him, Chen Changsheng learned that the military was intensifying its attack, aiming to find anything of value in a short period and then withdraw from the town before sunset.

Due to the urgency, the scientists hastily loaded the collected samples into vehicles, preparing to evacuate. Chen Changsheng, mixed in with the main force, felt it was a waste to see the zombies shot and killed by the army being left by the roadside. Thus, through the virus's consciousness field, he issued a command to the Willow Tree.

He ordered the Willow Tree to absorb these corpses, as it would be a shame to waste them, considering they were all viruses.

The Willow Tree silently sent its roots underground into the zombie bodies, absorbing the Original Virus and nutrients from the corpses.