What a Creepy Monster

Chapter Twenty-Seven: What a Creepy Monster

Just as expected...

A prophecy fulfilled. I... was back again...

I felt an overwhelming urge to bend forward in defeat. I'd only just left the complex when I remembered that I'd forgotten to take Big Black Eagle.

I hurried back because I didn't want to miss that helicopter. Still, even if I didn't get to ride in it, that was fine.

As long as I got some information, I'd be

perfectly satisfied.

Thinking as I walked, I returned to my home. The moment I unlocked the door, I remembered what I'd said just before leaving. I was so embarrassed I didn't know what to do.

At least no one had heard me.

Otherwise, I'd have died of embarrassment...

Once inside, I didn't even take off my shoes. By the way... I was still wearing flip-flops. Liu Jia's feet were a little bigger than mine,

so they were far too loose on me.

Flip-flops were much more convenient. If it came down to it, I could simply kick them off, which saved me a lot of trouble.

Shoes were incredibly important in an environment like this. Without a pair that fit, I could easily run into trouble while fleeing

or avoiding danger, so...

I pushed the bed up. The air-pressure pump lifted the bed frame with ease, revealing a large box underneath. I quickly opened the box's

combination lock and took out the contents.

It was quite heavy. With the bolts included, it weighed nearly twenty pounds. Then there was the electronic red-dot sight, along with

some maintenance equipment. After a moment's thought, I took off my backpack and brought everything with me. I put on the matching gloves, then packed it all into my backpack.

Long Tianfeng had once told me that Big Black Eagle wasn't very accurate because of its strong recoil. After thinking it over for a long time, I'd wrapped a few layers of burlap around the metal plate used for firing,

and it did help absorb some of the shock.

There were some extra strips of burlap in my backpack. I picked one up and wrapped it around the grip. At the end of the stock,

there was a steel ring. I looped the burlap strip through it, leaving about half a meter free, then wrapped it around the crossbow and tied a simple slipknot. The other end of the loop sat by my left hand,

so I could just give it a tug to undo the knot and quickly take down Big Black Eagle.

I checked and found that I had twenty bolts left, along with their case. I slung the case over my shoulder, too.

But... only when I stood up did I feel how cumbersome it was. The backpack, the crossbow and bolts, and the katana made me feel much safer, but at the same time,

I felt like I could barely move...

"Looks like I should find some kind of vehicle to get around in, something I can put all my stuff on. Then I'd only have to carry my weapons."

After hesitating for a while, I suddenly remembered that there was a villa district east of the complex. There ought to be some convenient vehicles there. If possible,

I'd like to get a decent off-road vehicle, like the Land Rover I'd driven on my way back. But in practice, a car like that wasn't always convenient. The best choice

would probably be a motorcycle... right?

I thought about it, but now wasn't the time. After hesitating for a long while, I finally set my backpack down...

That's right, I put the backpack down. I was already carrying plenty of weapons, so I brought a few lightweight snacks as well, like candy

and chocolate, along with two bottles of mineral water. I'd kept them at home in case of an emergency. Originally, I'd planned to use them if the water was cut off, never expecting that the water might stop

for good.

Once I had everything I needed, I left the backpack at home. If... I managed to get on that helicopter, then it wouldn't make much difference whether I brought the stuff in the backpack or not.

Even at a settlement, I'd be able to find a way to put food on the table. If I couldn't get on, I could always come back for it.

What a pity. I'd planned to get some sleep. Even though taking a shower had eased some of my physical exhaustion, I was still drowsy from not getting enough rest. After all, I'd used that

superhuman state once today. I'd gotten somewhat used to it, but I was still exhausted.

I slung the crossbow across my back, wore the katana on my left hip, the pistol on my right, and a military knife across my chest. With the crossbow and bolt case on my back,

I was fully armed and ready to go!

It sounded pretty heroic, but somehow I couldn't get into it.

Maybe it was because I was naturally so cold?

I stepped out the door and locked it behind me. After thinking it over, I decided to find a vehicle first, then head to the city hospital. I could look for a pair of shoes along the way, too. After all,

wearing flip-flops all the time was bound to cause problems.

As I thought it over, I walked downstairs. My gaze followed my thoughts to the right, toward the east. The villa district was two streets away. Although the complex I lived in was in a poor area,

the villa district over there was quite large. Farther east of it, there was a hill.

Since I'd decided to find a vehicle, I headed straight for the villa district. I knew my own complex very well,

but outsiders weren't allowed into the villa district. Security guards stood at the entrance around the clock, and there was comprehensive surveillance, which had all but ruled out the possibility of outsiders getting in. But now,

I didn't have to worry about any of that. The wall around the villa district wasn't very high, so I might be able to jump right over it.

As I walked, I took Big Black Eagle off my back and idly played with it in my hands. Before, I'd always been afraid the authorities would come knocking,

so I'd never taken it out. Now... there was no one left to come knocking, so I could finally handle it without worry.

The crossbow had some real heft to it. It weighed seventeen or eighteen pounds on its own. There was a stirrup at the front, which I used to brace it while cocking it. A tensioning device increased the force of the bowstring,

so cocking it wouldn't take too much effort.

Even so, the crossbow string had at least eighty-eight pounds of draw weight. That was why it had a stirrup, so you could pull the string back with both hands.

I reached into the bolt case on my back and pulled out a bolt. It had a simple design: an iron rod with a pointed tip up front,

and plastic fletching at the back to keep it balanced.

Holding the crossbow in one hand, I tried pulling the string. It was tough, but I still managed to draw it. In the past, even using both hands had been a struggle for me. Now,

I could do it one-handed...

"Has this virus really changed me that much?" As soon as I said it, I froze, then gave a self-mocking smile.

"I've already turned into a woman. A little extra strength is nothing... heh."

I tried to be cute, then realized I'd managed to make myself cringe. At the same time, a chill shot straight up my spine, making even the hairs on my head

feel like they were standing on end!

"Ugh!!!"

Why... had acting cute come so naturally to me?

Forget it... I'd better skip that terrifying thought.

I shuddered and hurriedly shoved that awful thought out of my mind. After composing myself, I muttered to myself...

"You're a man! You're a man! You're a man!"

As I went on, I looked down...

"Fine... I guess no man has two peaks on his chest."

As I let my mind wander, I fiddled with the crossbow. Just then, a wandering Zombie appeared not far ahead. I didn't hesitate at all—

I raised Big Black Eagle, used the red-dot sight to focus on the Zombie's head, took a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger!

"Thwack!!!!"

There was a dull twang as the metal plate vibrated. I saw a blur shoot past so fast I didn't even have time to blink. The Zombie's head suddenly burst with a spurt of viscous fluid.

The bolt drove the Zombie's body back about half a meter before it crashed to the ground with a thud.

A direct hit!

"What a powerful weapon."

I watched the Zombie lying in the distance, still twitching, then looked down at the crossbow in my hands. It truly deserved to be called the king of cold weapons. At that speed,

the inertia, impact, and penetrating power would instantly reduce anyone it hit to almost no fighting strength.

I slung Big Black Eagle back over my shoulder and walked toward the Zombie on the ground. After all, it was a crossbow; without a bolt, the bow itself was useless. More importantly,

crossbow bolts could be reused. Their tips could be sharpened against a stone slab, and the tips were made of high-strength steel, so they weren't easily

flattened.