Chapter 11

He had been muttering to himself. His voice was so low that only he could hear it.

The harsh reality had torn apart the dream filled with beautiful colors. He didn’t know how to cope, knowing that the future would be so painful and dark, yet he still had to face everything he had experienced.

His limbs were numb, his body stiff, and the prolonged fixed posture made his neck feel very sore. Su Hao mechanically turned his head, his gaze subconsciously falling on his left wrist, staring at it for a few seconds. Suddenly, he felt a strange, unfamiliar consciousness appear in his mind.

The wrist.

The vein.

The needle hole...

That’s right! The needle hole, it was the needle hole—

He clearly remembered the position where the needle had been inserted. Normally, it would leave a small dark spot. However, Su Hao couldn’t find that black dot at all.

He felt a strange excitement and casually picked up the syringe next to him, wanting to carefully examine the needle. Just as his right index and thumb had just picked up the syringe, preparing to hold it firmly, Su Hao suddenly heard a clear cracking sound, and a sharp sensation came from his fingertips.

Broken... I actually crushed the syringe.

Su Hao was somewhat dazed.

This thing should be made of polyester material, very soft but with strong toughness. Breaking it by bending or folding it wouldn’t be difficult, but crushing it with his fingers would require an extremely powerful force. Moreover, the part that broke was not the fragile tube wall but the solid plunger at the end.

Su Hao swallowed hard, suddenly feeling his breathing become rapid. The thoughts flashing through his mind were jumping, yet abnormally clear.

He finally felt the power surging within his body. It didn’t cause his muscles to swell but was hidden in the fibers and cells, enveloping the reinforced bones and nerves, merging with them. Only commands from the brain could trigger them, making them manifest in the most violent and fierce manner.

The third stage... This is the power of the third stage.

Su Hao was certain—the prototype drug indeed had an indescribable mysterious effect. Its impact on cells was not stimulation but integration. It could quickly adapt to the reinforced nerves, using the bones as a foundation, and rapidly break through the limits, generating unimaginable power within the body. This was no longer the level of power he was familiar with in the future world. Without a doubt, the power generated within his body was indeed at the third stage, and he was a true enhanced human, with a strength far exceeding the standard.

The first stage of enhanced striking power: 500 kilograms.

The second stage of enhanced striking power: 1000 kilograms.

The third stage of enhanced striking power: 2000 kilograms.

And the power I possess is more than double the normal value.

Third stage, 4000 kilograms of power... This is almost equivalent to the strongest fifth-stage enhanced human.

Turning around, he looked through the broken window at the world outside, which was gradually fading into darkness. The melancholy and despair in Su Hao’s eyes completely disappeared, replaced by an intense excitement.

He noticed that the metal box containing the prototype drug also had two other items.

A small, exquisite USB drive.

A palm-sized, slightly triangular ceramic piece with a grayish-white surface.

The USB drive should contain extremely important data, or the military’s research data on the prototype drug.

Su Hao picked up the ceramic piece and gently touched it, feeling a very smooth and flowing sensation at his fingertips.

This thing was not made of ceramic but was some strange material between porcelain and metal.

There was no manual, and no related text could be found.

Su Hao put the USB drive and the ceramic piece into his inner pocket and quickly packed his backpack. Although he didn’t know the specific function of the ceramic piece, one thing was certain—something that could be stored with the prototype drug and guarded by the life of a colonel in a jeep was definitely not as ordinary as it looked.

He very carefully walked out of the residential building, poured the remaining rotten pus into a useless leather bag, balled it up, and threw it into the nearest sewer manhole, then closed the ground cover.

This leather bag was of great importance. Su Hao had to eliminate all traces. This was also the real reason why he didn’t kill any zombies after leaving the square—abnormally dead zombies would attract more trackers.

The clouds in the night sky gradually thinned, revealing a bright silver crescent moon.

Su Hao moved like a ghost under the moon, heading to the small bank building on the other side of the city.

He felt an unprecedented strength.

The prototype drug had given him a special constitution for natural evolution. As long as he had sufficient bone hardness and nerve endurance, he didn’t need a higher-level gene drug; his cells could also produce an equivalent amount of muscle strength.

In addition, Su Hao had gained a very special ability.

The needle hole on his wrist could not have disappeared in just a few hours.

In the future world, Su Hao had heard of similar cases—some people with special constitutions would develop mutations during evolution, gaining abilities beyond the norm. One of these was self-healing.

That’s right, self-healing.

Injured bodies could quickly repair themselves. Like the wrist where the needle had been inserted, the skin was smooth as before, leaving no scars.

...

Base KD03 was located in the northwest of the city. On the map, the straight-line distance from here to the city center was about 60 kilometers. Strictly speaking, it was just a temporary military outpost—apart from a simple airport and a few houses, there was nothing else. Including the guards, there were fewer than 50 staff members.

Colonel Yuan Bin was the temporary supervisor of this base. He was tall, strong, and every line on his face seemed meticulously etched, exuding a strong military aura. The colonel’s insignia on his shoulder contrasted sharply with his age of around 25. After all, in peacetime, it was rare to see such a young officer of the same rank.

He stood by the open window in his office, silently watching the soldiers busy near the radio base. At the far end of the airport, two "WZ-10" helicopters, recently refueled and rearmed, and a dark green military transport plane were parked.

A lieutenant stood behind him, recounting in an angry yet steady tone what he had seen in the city square. He tried to recall the bloody and terrifying scenes, his hands unconsciously forming fists, his tense face filled with obvious disappointment, anger, and unwillingness.

"So, when you arrived, all the guards had already been killed. Apart from the jeep, nothing was left at the scene?"

Yuan Bin’s full lips curled into a faint sneer, the sarcasm unhidden. The lieutenant couldn’t see his expression but could hear his voice.

"There were too many zombies at the time. The plane couldn’t land. We used all the ammunition on board but couldn’t change the situation... We had to return."

Feeling the lieutenant’s serious tone, Yuan Bin put away his sneer, turned around, and thought for a moment. Then, he asked deeply and solemnly, "Are you sure?"

This question carried a strong element of doubt. The lieutenant’s cheeks instantly turned red, and he unconsciously raised his voice, "I’m not lying. Everyone on the plane can vouch for it."

Yuan Bin’s dark eyes fixed on the lieutenant, emitting a cold and severe gaze. This scrutiny was like a knife piercing directly into the body. The lieutenant couldn’t help but shiver, straightened his body, and maintained the most standard posture.

After a few seconds of silence, Yuan Bin waved his hand and said indifferently, "That’s it. You can go now."

The lieutenant breathed a sigh of relief and quickly saluted, then turned and left the room.

Yuan Bin coldly watched his retreating back, forcefully pressed the switch on the electronic communicator on his shoulder. A moment later, a young captain in a dark green uniform, with an "Guard" arm patch, pushed open the door and entered the room.

"Revoke the armed qualifications of the returning team and conduct a review of everyone. Carefully verify their statements and the on-site video, and thoroughly investigate any inconsistencies. If necessary, use forceful means."

Yuan Bin’s voice was cold, sounding mechanical and rigid.

The captain nodded, asked no more questions, and immediately turned and left.

The room returned to silence. However, Yuan Bin’s expression became increasingly complex. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his eyes, hidden under thick eyebrows, revealed a restless and complicated gaze.

Suddenly, he strode to the desk, his right hand gripping the edge, and with terrifying strength, he tore off a piece of hard wood, crushing it into a fine powder in his palm.

If Su Hao were present, he would not find it difficult to determine that Yuan Bin had the strength of a second-stage enhanced human.

He had been suppressing the anger in his heart, but the intense desire for violence had to be released. Otherwise, Yuan Bin felt he would go mad.

The fastest and safest way to transport from the research laboratory to Base KD03 was by helicopter.

However, this was not what he wanted.

Yuan Bin had reviewed the research report submitted by the Kunming laboratory. He knew that the prototype drug was something excavated from a certain ruin and that its specific effects and formula were still unknown. Therefore, in a certain sense, the prototype drug had an irreplaceable uniqueness.

As the highest commander of Base KD03 and the research laboratory, Yuan Bin had personally formulated and arranged the escort plan. The specific implementation process: the research institute would dispatch armed personnel to escort the prototype drug to Base KD03, load it onto the plane, and fly to the central base.

Yuan Bin did not arrange for a helicopter but ordered the research laboratory to transfer it by ground. The reason was simple: the plane’s important parts were severely worn and were being repaired. To avoid delays, the drug was transferred by a convoy.

He had sent his confidants to ambush along the route the convoy would take. A few people could not possibly stop a hundred soldiers, but they could create chaos and attract a large number of zombies, completely engulfing the entire convoy.

Yuan Bin’s goal was the prototype drug.

Of course, he could also fly to the research laboratory and use his authority to seize it on the spot. This would undoubtedly be an act of rebellion. Therefore, he needed to create an accident, making it appear that the prototype drug was lost during transportation. This way, he could not only clear himself of suspicion but also get what he wanted.

But he never expected—when the guards encountered a large group of zombies, they concentrated their fire to protect the jeep. The car carrying the drug did not follow the designated route but chose a direction with fewer zombies. However, there were too many undead in the city, and these brave people still met with misfortune, being gnawed to the bone.

The situation had completely spiraled out of control.

Yuan Bin had seen the video brought back by the reinforcement team—there was no explosion or signs of battle on the square. The jeep was surrounded by thousands of zombies. Although they found the handcuffs with the sensor, the briefcase containing the prototype drug had vanished... He was angry, terrified, and for the first time, felt a strong sense of emptiness and guilt.

The second-stage enhancement drug was the highest-level gene drug currently recognized by the military. The central base had already begun mass production, with a monthly output of about five units.

The feeling of power was excellent. Yuan Bin had never imagined that he could become a superhuman with a striking force exceeding a thousand kilograms. Because of this, he also looked forward to obtaining higher-level gene drugs.

It was said that the third and fourth-stage enhancement drugs had a systematic theoretical basis and were in the experimental stage. But the required time was uncertain—maybe a few weeks, or half a year, or even longer...

Enhanced humans were immune to the virus carried by zombies. As a mature enhanced individual, Yuan Bin had independently killed dozens of zombies. He truly felt the benefits of power and was more eager to improve his strength than anyone else.

Greed stems from desire.

He naturally set his sights on the prototype drug. He knew it was the basis for the current drug research and understood its irreplaceable importance to the military high command. Despite this, Yuan Bin was bold enough to steal it. This was not out of ignorance or arrogance but based on the current chaotic situation.

He had a father who was a major general—any accidents during the escort would naturally have someone speak up for him, and in the end, it might be left unresolved. Even if someone questioned it and discovered that Yuan Bin had planned the entire event, he could blame it on the zombies... In short, he had already thought of a way out, but reality had taken an unexpected turn.

Yuan Bin silently looked at the wood shavings in his palm, his eyes filled with countless bloodshot veins.

"Zombies are only interested in living animals. The prototype drug should still be there... I must find it! I must find it!"

...

The weather was still scorching.

The building in front of him was a gas station.

On the passage separated by the cement platform and fuel dispensers, four or five zombies with blank expressions were wandering. They seemed to be very uncomfortable with their new life forced upon them by the virus, their mouths open, their lifeless eyes full of confusion, and their strange steps moving aimlessly under the scorching sun.

Xin Yan held a police shotgun, leaning against the wall, watching as Su Hao, holding a hunting knife, walked into the gas station and cleanly cut off the head of the nearest zombie. Then, he swung the blade again, repeating the simple but effective killing action.

When the last zombie lay in a pool of blood, convulsing with its headless body, Song Zhizhong, an elderly man with white hair, drove a new "Porsche" SUV slowly into the gas station.

Su Hao walked to the car, opened the rear door, took out the fire axe from the car frame, and forcefully split the buttocks of the dead zombie, retrieving the silver bone.

Xin Yan took a small battery from the car, quickly approached the control room, took out the key, opened the chain lock on the door, entered the underground operation room, and connected the electric pump to extract gasoline.

The old man held a Steyr AUG assault rifle, using the car as cover, vigilantly watching the surroundings.

The three of them worked in perfect coordination; they had already cooperated many times.

Many cities had car