Chapter 64: Scavenging the Hospital
After leaving the wholesale market district, Liu Yang proceeded to scavenge two large supermarkets.
At this moment, a quarter of his 50x50x50-meter dark space was already piled high with supplies.
The volume of these supplies was so immense that Liu Yang could no longer calculate the exact quantity. Judging by the looks of it, even a surviving base of 5,000 people would have no problem living off these provisions for decades, if not a century!
Emerging from the emptied supermarket, Liu Yang caught sight of a hospital.
This was the finest Grade-A tertiary hospital in the city.
Hospitals were naturally filled with the sick, meaning the probability of viral infection was exceptionally high. Consequently, the place was undoubtedly crawling with zombies!
Liu Yang pondered for a moment and thought, "In the apocalypse, medical supplies are of paramount importance. Otherwise, even a simple fever could cost someone their life. Although my strength has been enhanced and my baseline attributes are twenty times that of an ordinary person—meaning I will never fall ill—the people in my survivor base and the women by my side do not possess such formidable resistance! Therefore, medical supplies are a necessity."
Thus, Liu Yang decided to venture inside and loot the place.
Upon entering the hospital, he found, as expected, a vast number of zombies roaming the halls.
The moment they caught sight of Liu Yang, they bared their fangs and claws, charging straight toward him.
Liu Yang merely waved his hand, and countless ice needles shot forth. Every single zombie was assigned one, resulting in immediate headshots.
By now, Liu Yang's mental power had reached twenty times that of an ordinary person, and the number of ice needles he could generate was practically limitless.
His striking range had even extended to over a thousand meters.
Compared to hacking away with a blade, Liu Yang much preferred ending his targets with a mere flick of his wrist. Avoiding close-quarters combat meant he would never be splattered with their blood.
Besides, the effortless grace with which he could resolve a battle was exceptionally stylish.
He relished that feeling of elegance.
Because elegance never went out of style.
As Liu Yang walked deeper into the hospital, zombies continuously collapsed around him.
Among them were even Level 2 zombies, yet their heads were blown apart before they could even draw near him.
Looking at the fallen zombies, Liu Yang wore a contemplative expression on his face.
"The proportion of Level 2 zombies is getting higher and higher. Previously, it was difficult to find a single Level 2 among a thousand regular zombies. But now, just on the first floor of this hospital alone, I've eliminated no less than five Level 2 zombies! Who knows, maybe I'll even encounter a Level 3 zombie shortly!"
The baseline attributes of a Level 2 zombie were roughly twice that of an ordinary person.
Unless one was an esper, an ordinary person encountering a Level 2 zombie wouldn't even stand a chance of fleeing, let alone fighting back!
Meanwhile, the baseline attributes of a Level 3 zombie were six times those of an ordinary person.
If an ordinary person were to cross paths with a Level 3 zombie, they would undoubtedly be slaughtered in a single encounter!
The strongest zombie Liu Yang had encountered during the stone tablet test was a Level 6 zombie.
The baseline attributes of a Level 6 zombie were twelve times those of an ordinary person!
Even a Level 1 esper would be killed in seconds by such a creature.
It seemed that as time progressed, the survival probability of ordinary people in the apocalypse would only continue to dwindle.
Entering a survivor base was the only viable option.
Furthermore, if a survivor base lacked a sufficient number of espers, it might still be breached by zombies!
Therefore, the competition between espers and zombies would never cease; whoever evolved faster would claim victory!
Thus, simply awakening an esper ability did not mean one could sit back and relax.
Zombies were constantly growing stronger as well!
Following the hospital's directional signs, Liu Yang continued walking toward the pharmacy.
However, the zombies he encountered along the way grew fewer and fewer.
This caused Liu Yang to heighten his vigilance.
Although the sound produced by blowing apart zombies' heads wasn't particularly loud, in the quiet corridors of the hospital, it could still travel a considerable distance.
Logically speaking, far more zombies should have been attracted to his location!
Unless...
All the zombies had been wiped out by an expert. But that probability was slim, because the zombies at the entrance were still alive; no one could have possibly bypassed the entrance guards to slaughter the zombies deep inside the hospital.
That left only one other possibility.
The zombies had acquired a leader who was constraining their behavior!
That was why they had managed to suppress their instinctive hunting desires.
Sure enough, as Liu Yang ventured further, he found a group of zombies sitting near the entrance of the pharmacy, as if they were holding a meeting!
Seeing this scene, Liu Yang was somewhat astonished. "What the hell? What's going on here? Even zombies know how to hold meetings now?"
At the head of the group was a zombie wearing a white lab coat. In life, he must have been a doctor.
Although his complexion was deathly pale, he lacked the slovenly appearance, baring fangs, and drooling visage of the others.
He looked almost like a normal human being.
Except that his pupils remained completely white!
He sat at the very front, seemingly addressing the other zombies.
A zombie that could already speak!
Liu Yang recognized it at a glance.
This was definitely a Level 3 zombie!
Moreover, this was the first time Liu Yang had ever laid eyes on a Level 3 zombie outside of the stone tablet illusion!
The baseline attributes of a Level 3 zombie were six times those of an ordinary person!
Even a high-ranking esper from the Yellow List like White Fox would likely be killed in seconds if she came here!
To contend with a Level 3 zombie, one needed to be at least a Level 2 esper!
The baseline attributes of a Level 2 esper were four times those of an ordinary person; although still trailing behind a Level 3 zombie by a factor of two, zombies only possessed basic physical attacks, whereas espers, bolstered by their special abilities, would not necessarily lose.
At that moment, the zombies also spotted Liu Yang, and they instantly leaped to their feet.
Standing beside the Level 3 zombie were two Level 2 zombies, flanked by dozens of ordinary zombies!
With such a formidable configuration, trying to breach a survivor enclave like the one led by Lao Wang the taxi driver probably wouldn't even take ten minutes! Kicking down the door of the survivor base currently occupied by Scar-Faced Rat with just this force would likely prove insurmountable for them!
Right now, the gazes directed at Liu Yang by those ordinary zombies were filled with aggressive desire.
However, lacking the command of the Level 3 zombie, they restrained that desire and refrained from acting rashly!
The Level 3 zombie spoke in a stuttering, halting tone: "Hu... human, delicious, meat, you... surrounded!"
"Swish!" All the zombies sprang into action instantly.
The two Level 2 zombies divided the remaining ordinary zombies into two teams, surrounding Liu Yang from the front and back.
Meanwhile, the Level 3 zombie stayed put, observing the unfolding scene and preparing to direct the battle at any moment.
Watching the coordinated movements of these zombies, Liu Yang found them terribly familiar.
They acted precisely like the ones in the stone tablet test!
A Level 3 zombie commanded the battle, while the other zombies acted according to its directives, transforming into an organized, premeditated, and tactical zombie legion.
Therefore...
To capture the bandits, one must first capture the ringleader!
"Bang!"
The Level 3 zombie in the distance had already been sufficiently vigilant, yet the next second, its head was blown straight apart!
It had no idea what had even transpired.
Seeing their leader instantly perish, the remaining zombies lost their backbone. Deprived of organization and discipline, they rushed blindly toward Liu Yang.
Liu Yang waved his hand.
Every single zombie's head exploded in unison!
Looking at the corpse of the Level 3 zombie lying on the ground, Liu Yang felt a tinge of regret.
"My Zombie Control skill only just upgraded to Level 2, allowing me to control at most two Level 2 zombies. If it had reached Level 3, I should be able to control this Level 3 zombie, and I wouldn't have had to kill it!"
Liu Yang shook his head. "It looks like I'll have to work overtime tonight and conquer the fourth wealthy campus belle, striving to elevate my Zombie Control skill by another level!"