Boom Boom Boom

Zhu Jiusi was incapable of investigating the cause; it wasn't just a matter of intellect.

He knew the root cause of the wasteland corpse riot was an eruption of subterranean yin energy.

But that was not what Journey Survival wanted.

Journey Survival demanded the specific cause of the outbreak in every village and town.

The corpse riot was merely the backdrop, like "spiritual energy recovery." Every village, and perhaps even every individual corpse, had its own unique reason.

Resentment, baleful energy, being controlled... these were the requirements of this dungeon.

Investigating the cause of one village would yield a certain amount of points; roughly two villages would be enough to exchange for the points required for one person's modification.

But he couldn't do this; he was a pig, and no village would cooperate with his investigation. He might even be beaten to death as a demon.

As for teaming up with Monkey Has Iron Rod—three people would mean six villages, which was too high an intensity.

In the secret realm dungeons of Journey Survival, slaughter was the true path.

If Journey Survival was truly about cultivating and verifying the Dao, then at least half the people were walking the path of slaughter.

Zhu Jiusi descended the hilltop, spending the entire day wandering aimlessly, as if searching for zombies or scouting the environment.

But he hadn't encountered a single zombie, not even a walking corpse.

Having just left the novice period for the first secret realm, zombies capable of moving in daylight did not exist at this stage of the dungeon.

To find zombies, one had to go to places where the sun never shone, or wait until nightfall.

Zhu Jiusi wasn't looking for them, either.

In the previous round, this secret realm hadn't been blown up by external forces, but by detonating the ley lines.

With unstable ley lines, this place should have been full of volcanoes and subterranean magma everywhere. As long as he found a ley line node to detonate before dark, he wouldn't have to worry about points!

But he hadn't found one after searching the whole way!

Of course, Zhu Jiusi didn't show that he was heading straight for the magma. Instead, he searched for zombies everywhere, familiarizing himself with the environment.

The sky gradually darkened. Zhu Jiusi was still searching everywhere.

Outside another village thirty miles away, six or seven people gathered.

Each person had a name floating above their head.

Two of them were injured, their faces pale.

Bright Moon Illuminating People: "The place where we emerged was in a cave; there were zombies inside, and I got bitten."

Mountains and Seas Affection: "It's fine, it's not a fatal wound. We'll get a couple of healing potions later, and it'll be fine."

Bright Moon Illuminating People shook his head: "It's not that simple; all the medicine was given as tribute to that pig!"

As he spoke, he looked up at the live-streaming Scroll beside him. On the scroll was a relatively older man. Above his head was written "Daoist Number 323."

"Brother Number, you didn't keep a single pill?"

The scroll didn't have video calls or a conference mode, but it could live stream.

By live-streaming point-to-point, they had achieved a video conference.

Daoist Number 323 gave a bitter smile: "That pig has immense murderous intent. Do you think I dared to withhold anything? We should be burning incense that this bit of supplies satisfied him even a little."

The group was silent for a long time. A thin man said: "Open and Aboveboard is dead. That stupid dog appeared directly in the village; he didn't escape and was shot to death."

"But before he died, he sent me a message—he saw that pig. That pig and his lackey escaped using a scheme."

The thin man drew a map on the ground and poked at several locations: "They're probably in these few places, not far away. Should we..."

He made a slashing motion across his throat, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

That pig was strong, but they had all just entered Journey Survival. Everyone had analyzed it: it was nine times out of ten that he had turned into a Wild Boar, possessing a robust physique and excessive health, which was the only way he could have rammed Filial Respect to Mother to death.

These past few days, everyone had also discovered that those who transformed into beast forms were influenced by them.

Some who became vultures only wanted to eat carrion; some who became bats were bloodthirsty; some who became tigers had stronger physiques but pathetic brains.

That pig was definitely influenced, too; his physique was strong, but his brain must be lacking. With the six or seven of them, it wasn't impossible to join forces and kill a wild boar.

The eyes of the few lit up simultaneously. One by one, they were eager to try, sharpening their knives.

Daoist Number 323: "Everyone... think twice before you act. Right now, we're just handing over resources; at most, it's difficult in Journey Survival, but it doesn't necessarily mean death. Going to kill the wild boar might lead to accidents..."

The few people looked at him as if he were a ghost. Do you even hear what you're saying?

It was you and Heart Without Darkness who grouped them together to target the Master of Cloud Stack Cave in the first place!

The thin man jumped up: "Brother Number, are you saying this without a conscience? Can one survive in Journey Survival without resources?"

Daoist Number 323 was silent for a long time: "I was beaten into fear, so I don't dare to participate—but since we offended him together, I cannot stay out of it."

"I have a bit of status upon entering the dungeon; I can help you determine the specific location of the Master of Cloud Stack Cave. I won't interfere with what you do... but I still remind everyone, it might be better to truly let go of the hatred."

Daoist Number 323 stopped talking, his face sincere, truly offering a warning.

A person beside him sneered: "Whatever. Having an exact location is enough. There are countless zombies in this dungeon; we'll find a way to lure the zombies over!"

BOOM!

Zhu Jiusi shook his head and stood back up, staring at the Green-Haired Zombie opposite him.

What the hell!

He hadn't found the ley line node, but he had run straight into a zombie nest. One Green-Haired Zombie, two White-Haired Zombies, and four ordinary walking corpses.

Zhu Jiusi had plunged right into the middle of them.

Deadly!

He hadn't even had a chance to run; if not for the River Mud Armor he had just put on, he would have been thoroughly dead already.

Drip.

Drip.

With adrenaline surging at the brink of life and death, Zhu Jiusi's muscular body, covered in pig bristles and mud, trembled, and pig saliva hung from his tusks.

Hoo!

Hoo!

The group of zombies, devoid of any reason, had vaguely formed a military formation, trapping him at the foot of the mountain.

These guys were nine times out of ten a troop of soldiers when they were alive.

Zhu Jiusi glanced left and right; the moon was rising higher and higher, nearing the time of day when yin energy was at its peak.

He couldn't wait any longer; if he waited, the zombies would only grow stronger!

He retreated slightly, his four legs bending, and suddenly erupted, charging toward the ten o'clock position.

With a corpse-howl, the One-Legged Zombie there didn't retreat but advanced, roaring as it also slammed into Zhu Jiusi.

The One-Legged Zombie was sent flying by the impact, but the gap Zhu Jiusi had anticipated didn't appear; instead, a Green-Haired Zombie followed right behind the one-legged one.

Two of them!

There were two Green-Haired Zombies in this nest!

The fresh green hair on this zombie's body meant it had only just advanced to the Green-Haired stage. It had been hiding in the ley line and hadn't revealed itself until now!

Zhu Jiusi slammed into the Green-Haired Zombie and felt as if he had hit a stone pillar; his mind buzzed, and the world spun.

The entire pig was sent flying backward.

The physique of a Green-Haired Zombie, converted to life points, was at least 35.

BOOM!

Zhu Jiusi smashed into the ground, rolled over, and jumped up, looking forward.

He saw a flash of indescribable light appear where the new Green-Haired Zombie had emerged, looking like blood and fire.

The ley line node!

He hadn't been wrong; it was just that this node had been occupied by zombies, becoming a tomb that nurtured them!

Zhu Jiusi took two gasping breaths.

The surrounding zombies swarmed toward him in a frenzy.

Zhu Jiusi twisted his body, slipping out from between the legs of a White-Haired Zombie.

But he didn't use this opportunity to break out of the encirclement; instead, he charged deeper inside.

Running, leaping!

He vaulted over the tomb.

The eight zombies shrieked and gave chase. The moment he leaped over the tomb—

BOOM!

With a deafening roar, the entire tomb exploded, and a pillar of fire erupted from below, swallowing the eight zombies.

Thunderbolt Fire -1

A streak of fire licked across Zhu Jiusi's back, instantly searing the mud on his hide red with a sizzling sound, like meat frying on a pan.

Piercing pain flared up, and as he ran, Zhu Jiusi dove into the nearby Cold Pool, causing a cloud of steam to rise.

Only when the temperature of the mud cooled down did he crawl out of the Cold Pool, impatiently pouring out all his healing pills and swallowing them.

Feeling the flesh on his back throbbing and knitting together, he knew his injuries were beginning to recover, and only then did he look toward the explosion.

The ley line node triggered by the Thunderbolt Fire had subsided, much like a volcanic eruption coming to an end.

Of the eight zombies, only charred, broken limbs remained, thudding onto the ground.

Points +84