Zombie ranks and traits

Chen Miao closed the book without immediately checking what he had gained.

He walked over to the desk and opened the surveillance footage on the computer. He wanted to know exactly what had happened here before he arrived.

He could not take everything Zhong Cai said at face value!

He pulled up the feed from the camera in front of the cold storage room.

He rewound to the moment he had jolted awake and hit play!

Before long, Chen Miao paused the video.

On the screen, Zhong Fa was running toward the cold storage room, Lotus Lamp in hand.

"Was it really him? He actually came in person this time!"

Chen Miao was shocked by Zhong Fa's actions, but he also breathed a sigh of relief.

With this footage, Zhong Fa could not escape responsibility!

He resumed playback and watched Zhong Fa smash the Lotus Lamp onto the ground, igniting the flames.

That was the moment he had seen the approaching firelight.

"Hm?"

Chen Miao seemed to notice something and rewound the footage.

The video went back to the moment Zhong Fa smashed the Lotus Lamp onto the ground.

The firelight clearly illuminated Zhong Fa, especially his chest.

"He was injured?"

Chen Miao's eyes lit up. An idea surfaced and kept circling in his mind.

Soon, Chen Miao made up his mind!

He stood and walked to the freezer room, speaking to Tang Rui through the wrecked door. "Brother Tang, the police will be here soon. If they ask where I went, tell them I went to a shop called Sever Yin and Yang on North City Pedestrian Street."

Chen Miao's sudden words startled Tang Rui. Trembling, he said, "Chen Miao, don't go! There's a Zombie!"

Seeing Tang Rui's panic, Chen Miao felt helpless.

He returned to the desk, wrote down the address of Zhong Fa's shop, and tossed the paper at Tang Rui's feet.

Then, ignoring Tang Rui's cries, he left with the Peach Wood Sword.

As he passed the East Gate, Chen Miao noticed that the guardroom was empty.

Something occurred to him, and he immediately called his Elder Uncle.

He had not originally intended to tell his Elder Uncle about this. The fewer people who knew, the better. Now, however, that no longer seemed possible.

The Funeral Home's survival was at stake. If Old Wu, the gatekeeper, talked, even that Emergency Affairs Administration would probably struggle to stop the "rumors" from spreading, whatever backup measures it had!

"Hello, San Shui? Why are you calling so late? Did something happen?"

For someone middle-aged, few things were more frightening than a late-night call from family.

"Elder Uncle, something happened at the Funeral Home. Old Wu has left his post, and I can't find him. He may have gone home. You'd better find him and tell him not to talk."

"Also, the police should contact you later. Go along with whatever they tell you and cooperate with them. If Old Wu won't listen to you, hand him over to the police. Do the same with Tang Rui!"

"It's complicated. I'll explain the details later. Elder Uncle, don't let too many people know about this. The fewer, the better!"

There were only two or three seconds of stunned silence before Chen Miao heard his Elder Uncle's firm voice.

"Understood. I'll get on it right now."

After hanging up, Chen Miao went to the parking lot and drove out in the work car his Elder Uncle had assigned him.

There were few cars on Tianmen County's roads in the early hours, but some breakfast shops had already begun their preparations.

Once he activated self-driving mode, Chen Miao took his hands off the wheel.

He opened the book and looked at the author information section.

[Name: Chen Miao]

[Age: 24]

[Identity: Funeral Rites practitioner]

[Yin virtue: seven qian]

[Current status: Iceheart, Heart-to-Heart]

His yin virtue had increased from two qian to seven. Without hesitation, Chen Miao exchanged some for eight incense sticks.

Only when the incense sticks were in his hands did he feel a little more at ease.

After placing the incense sticks in his inventory, Chen Miao took out two uncarved peach wood plaques and replaced the destroyed Peachwood Talisman on his keychain.

If the Peachwood Talisman had not worked earlier, there was no telling what state Chen Miao would be in now.

Although the Peachwood Talisman could only work once, it was still invaluable.

After some thought, Chen Miao took a handful from the pile of [Century-old peach wood scraps] and put it in his pocket.

The wooden plaques worked, so could these scraps be used like the quicklime in martial arts films?

If he really did clash with Zhong Fa shortly, he would not mind using every trick at his disposal.

Only after making all these preparations did Chen Miao examine his other two gains.

[Wang Dong's memory fragment] should be much like the one he had received from Old Wang last time.

Chen Miao did not know how long absorbing this memory fragment would take, so he left it alone.

He turned the book to the [Miscellaneous arts list] and saw the newly added "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving"!

There were only three entries on the [Miscellaneous arts list], and two of them were related to the Zhong Clan!

As he ran his fingers over "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving," a flood of information instantly appeared in his mind.

Corpse Nurturing, Corpse Refining, Corpse Control, how to make and use the Lotus Lantern, how to make and use the Corpse-Control Bell, Corpse Driving taboos, miscellaneous notes on Corpse Driving, Zombie classifications, and more...

The information poured into Chen Miao's mind all at once, leaving him dazed for a full half-minute.

Once he recovered, Chen Miao warned himself never to examine this information during a fight.

After sorting through the memories, he frowned.

The "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving" provided descriptions of the different Zombie ranks.

The "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving" divided Zombies into four ranks: White Jiangshi, Black Jiangshi, Leaping Hopping Corpse, and Flying Jiangshi.

[White Jiangshi]:

The lowest rank. Distinguishing traits include white hair covering the body, sluggish movement, and strength comparable to an ordinary adult male.

Fears sunlight, fire, crowing roosters, black dog blood, glutinous rice, and all other yang-aligned substances. Can be killed by dismemberment with ordinary blades, or subdued and killed using special means such as talismans and Peach Wood Swords.

[Black Jiangshi]:

A White Jiangshi can become a Black Jiangshi after feeding on blood, provided sufficient yin energy is available.

Distinguishing traits include black hair covering the body and tougher skin than a White Jiangshi. Moves faster at night and can tear livestock apart alive. Ordinary blades struggle to harm it.

Likewise vulnerable to sunlight and other yang-aligned substances. Can be subdued and killed using special means such as Peach Wood Swords and talismans.

[Leaping Hopping Corpse]:

A Black Jiangshi can become a Leaping Hopping Corpse after feeding on human blood, provided abundant yin energy is available.

Distinguishing traits include elongated fangs, blade-like nails, and a black, hardened outer layer covering the body. Can leap roughly one to three zhang in height and distance, and possesses immense strength.

Its nails and teeth both carry corpse poison. Anyone poisoned must be treated promptly, or the poison will reach the heart and turn them into a walking corpse within three days. Even death cannot prevent this.

Has some resistance to sunlight and other yang-aligned substances. Peach Wood Swords made from wood over thirty years old struggle to harm it. A Peach Wood Sword made from century-old peach wood can pierce its hardened outer layer, while a Thunderstruck Peach Wood Sword can destroy it! Talismans of insufficient quality risk being destroyed.

[Flying Jiangshi]:

Evolves from a Leaping Hopping Corpse. Advancement conditions and distinguishing physical traits are unknown.

Said to be capable of flying through the air and consuming flesh and blood from a distance.

Few who encounter one survive.

After the four Zombie ranks, the compiler had added another sentence.

"Beyond the Flying Jiangshi, there appear to be legendary beings, but I have never seen one and thus cannot include them in the Zombie ranks. Should an outstanding successor emerge, they may complete this secret manual."

What caught Chen Miao's attention was the [Leaping Hopping Corpse].

The Zombie that had appeared in the cold storage room tonight had a hardened outer layer, long nails, and fangs.

Aside from its jumping height and distance being somewhat lower than those described in the "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving," everything matched.

Without Zhong Cai's help earlier, even if he had managed to kill the Leaping Hopping Corpse, he would probably have suffered grievous injuries, if not died.

Chen Miao hesitated.

Should he really go after Zhong Fa?

Zhong Fa could refine a Leaping Hopping Corpse. Even injured, would he really be easy to deal with?

Looking at the book in his hands and recalling everything that had happened at the Funeral Home lately, Chen Miao's gaze slowly hardened with resolve.

Go!

I had to go tonight!

The message he had left at the cold storage room would ensure that, even if he could not deal with Zhong Fa, he could at least keep him in check until the Specialists Zhong Cai had mentioned arrived.

Moreover, the "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving" had taught him that Leaping Hopping Corpses were far from commonplace. Zhong Fa might have possessed only that one.

Having just lost his Leaping Hopping Corpse, Zhong Fa would naturally be at his weakest now.

If Chen Miao did not go tonight and Zhong Fa refined another one, whether he could deal with it was one problem. Guarding against an attack that could come at any time was another!

Chen Miao could not be sure he would always be lucky enough to wake up at just the right moment, notice the book's changes at just the right moment, and encounter a helper like Zhong Cai!

If something like this happened again, would he survive?

That was why he had to go this time!

With that thought, Chen Miao continued analyzing the contents of the "Zhong Clan's Secret Manual of Corpse Driving."

Only by knowing both himself and his enemy could he fight without defeat!

Besides, he had the "Notes on Achieving Divinity in the Mortal World," which could predict the future!

I couldn't lose this fight!