Bloodblade Awakens

 Yang Tian dodged another claw strike from the Mother zombie, swiftly moving in and delivering a shoulder tackle that forced the creature back.

The Mother had unmatched speed and strength, while Yang Tian relied on his refined combat skills and agility. But now, Yang Tian felt his condition worsening—his previous wounds were starting to take their toll. The realization hit him hard—he was becoming a zombie. His consciousness began to blur, and he knew he didn't have much time left.

Would the genetic serum really fail to stop the transformation? Yang Tian thought bitterly.

"Roar... heh... heh..." The Mother zombie clawed at him again, tearing at his body. Its claws raked across Yang Tian's chest, peeling away more flesh. It wasn't trying to kill him quickly—it was torturing him, enjoying his suffering. It wanted to toy with him, just as it had done to the other mercenaries earlier. The thought of how they had managed to escape right under its nose only fueled its rage.

"You... scum!" After almost ten minutes of relentless fighting, even with the boost from the genetic serum, Yang Tian was reaching his limit. His firearm had long been knocked away, leaving him with only a solitary knife. Perhaps this knife would accompany him through his final moments.

Yang Tian fought desperately, managing to land a few strikes that cut deep into the Mother zombie's flesh. But eventually, he collapsed from exhaustion—his injuries far worse than anything he had managed to inflict.

"Heh... heh..." The Mother zombie stepped onto Yang Tian's chest, the remains of his shredded clothing barely covering the raw wounds. The surrounding zombies seemed eager to swarm and feast, but they held back—their leader had not yet given the command.

"Is this really how I die? Will I... return to the real world?" Yang Tian closed his eyes in pain, his thoughts growing foggy. Would he really die here?

A faint whimper reached his ears, and he noticed the crimson glow covering the Mother zombie was fading—the effects of its Frenzied Charge were finally wearing off. But what difference did it make now?

The cold claw brushed against Yang Tian's cheek, slowly moving across his face. The Mother seemed to savor the fear in its prey, as if venting some twisted emotion by prolonging his torment.

"Damn it... I've never been this pathetic!" Yang Tian gritted his teeth, his blurry consciousness wavering. "If I'm going to die... I'll at least land one more blow!"

"Roar!" The Mother let out a deafening roar, seemingly angered by Yang Tian's defiance. Its left claw struck down with lethal intent.

"You bastard!" With all his remaining strength, Yang Tian kicked the Mother's leg, forcing it back a few steps. But those few steps did little to change his fate. Within seconds, the Mother closed the distance again—this time, it was done playing games. It was time to end this.

Yang Tian could feel the Mother's cold claws digging into his stomach, tearing out chunks of flesh. In his final act, Yang Tian swung his right arm, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes. The knife flew from his hand, a streak of silver cutting through the air. Thud!

The arena-like circle of zombies suddenly fell silent. These mindless creatures, for a moment, became utterly still.

The Mother zombie stood frozen, its bloodied claw still holding Yang Tian's flesh. Its muddled eyes widened, and from its forehead, the knife protruded deeply, buried to the hilt.

"Aaaah!" Yang Tian roared, his consciousness slipping away, his scream filled with a mix of rage, despair, and resignation. Was it triumph for killing the Mother? Frustration at being trapped in this world? Or the lament of a dying man?

"Tell me this is a dream... let me go back to reality. I don't want to die. I don't want to become one of them..." His voice weakened as he gasped, "Let me wake up in that warm dorm, joking around with my friends... please, let this be a dream..."

A mechanical chime rang out, shattering his fleeting hope: "Ding! Mother zombie killed, 100 points awarded."

"Skill unlocked: Slaughter Blade! Skill Description: Unleashes the full potential of melee weapons, capable of delivering lethal damage. Current Level: 1. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 1 day. Upgrade requirements: Unknown."

As Yang Tian lost consciousness, the last image in his mind was of a blood-soaked knife, exuding an aura of bloodlust and killing intent.

Chapter 15: The Aftermath

A few days later...

"Damn it! I sent my grandson to earn merit, not to die! Do you understand how dangerous it was? You said it would be easy!" An elderly man, his hair white as snow, berated a middle-aged man in front of him. He pounded his cane against the ground, his face flushed with anger.

The middle-aged man's eyes flashed with annoyance, but he quickly suppressed it, speaking in a calm tone. "Sir, this was my oversight. The Sixth Squad, as you know, is made up of some of our finest special operatives. According to the mission reports, they nearly captured Zombie One multiple times—luck just wasn't on our side. I deeply apologize for any distress this caused your grandson."

"Nonsense! Half of the Sixth Squad was wiped out! And that mercenary, Python—she tried to kill my grandson! She blamed him for the team's losses! You must deal with her severely, understand?"

The middle-aged man clenched his jaw, the anger simmering in his chest. Before he could respond, the old man spoke in a low voice. "You know, not everyone can count on our support. If we lose one person, we can always choose another—someone more obedient."

A direct threat.

The middle-aged man's expression stiffened. He knew everything he had now was due to this family's influence. Defeated, he nodded reluctantly. "Rest assured, sir. You and your grandson will receive a satisfactory resolution."

"See that you do." The old man huffed, turning and leaving the office.

Chapter 16: The Ambitious Grandson

"Grandpa, how did it go? What did he say?" Hound greeted his grandfather eagerly, a smile plastered on his face.

The old man looked at his tall, handsome grandson, feeling a pang of affection. He adopted a stern tone, "You foolish boy, if anything had happened to you, how could I face your parents? The ones who wronged you—Lion, Silver Fox, and that mercenary Python—they will all get what they deserve."

A gleam of excitement flashed in Hound's eyes, and his lips curled slightly. "Grandpa, could I... have Jessica?"

"Hmm?" The old man frowned.

Hound quickly explained, "She threatened me, humiliated me, accused me falsely, and even tried to kill me. I want to punish her myself. Please, Grandpa."

The old man frowned again but, seeing Hound's feigned look of grievance, eventually nodded. "I'll apply pressure where I can. It should help."

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Hound beamed, buttering up to his grandfather. "No one would dare disobey you!"

"Enough flattery! I've arranged a position for you in the special operations command. No more frontlines for you—stay put, work hard, and I'll see that you rise to higher ranks."

"What will I be doing there?"

"Commanding, deploying teams..." the old man replied. Seeing his grandson's grin grow wider, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. All his negotiations with the other powerful families had paid off.

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Hound's heart was filled with glee. A stable position like this, coupled with his grandfather's influence, meant a bright future.

The old man nodded, waving his hand dismissively.

Hound understood the gesture, standing up and leaving the office respectfully. The moment the door closed, his obedient expression turned cold. A sinister smile appeared on his lips. "Heh... Jessica... I told you, you'd beg at my feet one day."