Chapter 33: A Failed Experiment

Jiang Yi hastily interrupted their exchange of pleasantries and turned to Guo Hanxue. "Hanxue, where is that zombie core of yours? Let me use it."

Guo Hanxue’s expression stiffened as she looked at Jiang Yi in confusion. "You haven't been back for so many days; I wanted to improve my strength quickly, so I used it! What’s wrong?"

Jiang Yi’s heart sank, and a flash of anxiety crossed his face, but since it was already consumed, he sighed helplessly. "I had hoped to see if your core could heal our injuries. Under the current circumstances, it’s not convenient for us to leave."

Guo Hanxue clearly realized what he meant, and her expression grew urgent. "Then what should we do? Should I go ask Dongfang Tian? He might have some left over." Jiang Yi stopped her with a gentle shake of his head. "Forget it, we’ll find another way for our own affairs."

Standing nearby, Qingdou was a bit puzzled by their conversation, but he gathered that there might be a way to treat his and Jiang Yi’s wounds. The mere thought of this made Qingdou excited; after all, he couldn't accept the idea of his left hand being permanently disabled.

Anxious to test his theory, he asked, "Is the 'zombie core' you're talking about the thing you take out from a zombie's forehead?" The two, currently lost in frustration, froze and looked at Qingdou. Guo Hanxue asked, sounding a bit excited, "Yes, the kind of zombie that has a red dot on its forehead. Have you seen one?"

Qingdou nodded, and under their stunned gazes, he pulled a fiery red stone from his training uniform...

"Ah! That’s it!" Guo Hanxue exclaimed with excitement. Jiang Yi rolled his eyes and, also feeling a surge of excitement, took the core, which still held the warmth of Qingdou's body. He couldn't believe it. "You killed it? How is that possible?"

Qingdou didn’t quite understand their reaction but nodded honestly. "Yeah, a few days ago, I ran into a very strange zombie. Its speed and strength were quite average, but its skin was incredibly tough. It took me three strikes to crack open its neck. This thing rolled out from the little hole in its forehead. I didn't know what it was for, so I just kept it."

Watching Qingdou’s dissatisfied expression, Jiang Yi and Guo Hanxue exchanged a silent, speechless look. Even without words, Jiang Yi could clearly see what Guo Hanxue was thinking: "Are you sure this guy hasn't awakened any special abilities? How is he even stronger than me?"

Seeing the doubt written all over Guo Hanxue’s face, Jiang Yi gave a bitter smile. He also wanted to know just how strong this guy, Qingdou, really was. "This is a zombie core. For those of us who have awakened abilities, consuming it can enhance our powers. But since you haven't awakened your own ability yet, you absolutely must not eat it randomly, or you might end up exploding." Worried that Qingdou wouldn't grasp the severity, Jiang Yi carefully explained the importance of it.

Qingdou looked at the core with disdain. The thought of eating something that came out of a human body was repulsive. "In that case, you take it."

Jiang Yi was stunned. "Give it to me? Don't you know how valuable this is?"

Qingdou looked at it as a matter of course. "So what? I can't use it anyway. Since you need it urgently right now, I'll just give it to you!"

Jiang Yi felt a complex mix of emotions and patted his shoulder gratefully. "Alright, I’ll consider it a loan; I’ll pay you back later!"

Guo Hanxue didn't dwell on it, only urged him impatiently, "Jiang Yi, hurry up and try it!"

Jiang Yi nodded, knowing it wasn't the time for sentimentality. He focused his mind, trying to draw the core into his ability space. However, despite his face turning red with the effort, the ability within his body showed no reaction to the core at all.

He met Guo Hanxue’s disappointed gaze. "It didn't work. It seems that since I didn't kill it myself, my ability has no effect on it!"

His original plan was completely shattered. It seemed that even for zombie cores, if he didn't obtain them through his own kills, the Infinite Combat Upgrade System wouldn't react at all. It didn't care about him in the slightest!

Jiang Yi was furious and almost threw the core away. It was incredibly frustrating; others' abilities were powerful the moment they were obtained, but his own was full of restrictions, leaving him completely helpless.

He had known that after killing an evolved zombie, he could trade its core for healing potions. If he could get the potion, their injuries wouldn't be a problem at all. But the trouble was that his ability wouldn't recognize a core he hadn't hunted himself.

Despite his disappointment, Jiang Yi quickly regained his composure. He didn't return the core to Qingdou but tucked it away. Qingdou gradually understood what Jiang Yi meant and said excitedly, "Does that mean if we find that kind of 'living' zombie, you’ll have a way to treat our injuries?"

Jiang Yi nodded. "Yes, it’s related to my ability, though I’m still in the dark and trying to figure it out myself!"

Qingdou jumped to his feet. "I know where there are some of those zombies!"

"But evolved zombies are too hard to find. Sigh, I don't know when I'll run into one... wait, what?"

Suddenly, Jiang Yi, who had been muttering to himself, stood up abruptly. The movement pulled at his wounds, making him wince, but he asked excitedly, "What did you say? You know where there is an evolved zombie?"

Guo Hanxue, also excited, added a hint of skepticism. "Are you sure? Ordinary zombies shouldn't be useful!"

Qingdou nodded firmly. "I’m sure. It’s that exact kind. I saw it with my own eyes two days ago."

Jiang Yi paced in circles with excitement. "Great! As long as we kill it, I should be able to heal your arm."

Qingdou grabbed his sword. "What are we waiting for? Let’s go! I’ll take you there!"

Jiang Yi grabbed the two overly excited people. "Don't be so rash. Finding them is useless if we aren't strong enough to defeat them!" He glanced at Qingdou’s left hand. "If Qingdou weren't injured, maybe we could fight it, but in your current state, you’d likely be hurt the moment you engaged. We absolutely cannot act recklessly!"

Qingdou’s expression dimmed. Jiang Yi was right; even if his right hand was fine, with his left arm broken, he couldn't even perform at thirty percent of his former strength. One shouldn't underestimate the loss of a limb; for a true warrior, such a defect significantly impacted mobility, attack power, and balance.

Qingdou felt disheartened, secretly hating himself for being so careless the day before, or else he wouldn't have had his arm broken. "Hey, have you forgotten about me?" Suddenly, Guo Hanxue indignantly pushed Jiang Yi’s shoulder.

Jiang Yi looked at her, pouting and clearly unhappy, with a strange expression. "What’s wrong with you?"

Guo Hanxue snorted coldly. "Do you think I don't exist? I am the president of the Archery Club! If Qingdou could kill such a zombie, don't you think I can do the same? Jiang Yi, don't underestimate me. I’m not the same person I was before!"

As she spoke, under their shocked gazes, Guo Hanxue opened her cabinet. As the long door swung open, a sleek, ancient longbow appeared before their eyes!

The golden bow limbs were inlaid with silver threads in auspicious patterns. At the top and bottom ends of the bow were a golden dragon head and a golden dragon tail! At first glance, the entire bow looked like a soaring dragon.

In the center of the bow, a tuft of snow-white animal fur was wrapped neatly around the grip. Magnificent—that was the first impression the bow gave. Then, a sense of ancient, timeless history washed over them; one felt as if their very soul were being drawn in, listening to the stories of this longbow.

Guo Hanxue gently took out the longbow, handling it with immense care. She then took an jade-inlaid golden belt from the cabinet. The golden-threaded belt featured a quiver that wasn't like the minimalist versions seen today; it was entirely in an ancient style, crafted from the finest leather, edged with silver thread and studded with gemstones. Inside the quiver, three rows of dark purple arrows were lined up straight.

Although there were only five in each row, these fifteen sharp arrows, even hidden within the quiver, gave the illusion that one could be pierced by them at any moment.

Fully armed, Guo Hanxue raised an eyebrow at the two stunned men. Her right hand brushed over the quiver, and from nowhere, she pulled out a silver string! The string was thin and sturdy, like piano wire.

She skillfully connected the silver string between the dragon head and dragon tail of the bow. With great effort, she pulled the limbs to bend them, and when the bowstring finally connected the two ends of the golden bow, a hum resonated—the bow seemed to come alive, its perfect curve highlighting its extraordinary nature.

Caressing the bow body with love, Guo Hanxue looked at the two men, whose curiosity was clearly piqued. She smiled and said, "This was left to me by my grandfather. They say it was the imperial bow of a Qing Dynasty emperor! My ancestor was a close attendant to the emperor, and because his performance during a hunt actually surpassed the emperor's, the emperor was so pleased that he gifted his imperial bow to my family. It has been passed down generation by generation to me!"

As she spoke, she showed Jiang Yi and Qingdou the mark on the bow that represented the emperor’s reign!

Jiang Yi swallowed hard. This wasn't just a bow; it was a national treasure! In all his life, this was the first time he had ever seen a national treasure, let alone had the chance to touch one.

But what was Guo Hanxue planning to do? She couldn't possibly intend to use this bow in battle, could she? As if reading Jiang Yi's mind, Guo Hanxue tilted her nose up proudly. "Hmph, I know you think it's just an antique, but how could you understand? As a weapon born for battle, leaving it on a shelf is the true way to bury it."

She held the bow horizontally before her, stroking it lovingly. "This bow has actually been used and protected by my family for generations. My grandfather said that as long as you cherish it, a good bow only becomes more comfortable to use with time, and its power even grows! Before the apocalypse, I couldn't even draw this bow, but after the world changed, although my strength hasn't changed much, I can finally use it."

Guo Hanxue’s words resonated with Qingdou, as his own sword was also a treasure passed down through his family. But the more precious such items were, the more they needed to be used. As a weapon, only battle gave it true meaning...

Guo Hanxue’s immense confidence moved Jiang Yi. Instead of staying here sighing, it was better to go out and take a look; the zombies wouldn't just drop out of the sky on their own!