The unfathomable depths of the human heart.

"Qi Hui, may I borrow your fruit knife?" Wang Gang extended his hand.

Qi Hui respectfully handed over the fruit knife, placing it gently into Wang Gang's palm.

Without hesitation, Wang Gang pressed the blade against his wrist and made a swift cut.

To his astonishment, not only did his skin remain unscathed, but Qi Hui's knife had dulled upon impact.

Witnessing this bizarre scene, Wang Gang's eyes widened in shock, as did the others.

No one had expected his skin to be so impenetrable that even a blade failed to leave a mark.

"Master, your skin has now hardened to the toughness of stone. Ordinary blades are useless against you—you'd need at least a first-tier weapon to make a cut. I suggest you use your teeth instead!"

Taking the advice, Wang Gang bit into his fingertip, allowing a drop of blood to fall into the mouth of the Spirit Domain Skyhawk.

A miraculous transformation unfolded.

The moment the Skyhawk tasted his blood, its eyes snapped open, and its body swelled in size within seconds.

Upon recognizing Wang Gang, the creature affectionately nuzzled its small head against his palm, exuding a childlike endearment.

Wang Gang chuckled, stroking its feathery crown. "From now on, I'll call you Ding Ding."

The Skyhawk, as if understanding his words, nodded in agreement before spreading its wings and gracefully perching on his shoulder.

Qi Hui and the others were even more astounded.

They struggled to comprehend how an eagle had suddenly appeared on Wang Gang's hand, and how it had grown instantaneously after drinking his blood.

It was nothing short of extraordinary.

At that moment, Zhao Yong let out a deafening roar. His body expanded like an inflating balloon, muscles surging with newfound strength.

With a frenzied slash, he decapitated three zombies in a single strike.

His speed had multiplied, his strength had soared, and even his reflexes had sharpened.

Under normal circumstances, such a feat would have been beyond him.

"Sophia, did he just advance?"

"Congratulations, Master! Your subordinate has successfully evolved into a first-tier warrior."

Having eradicated the remaining zombies on the first floor, Zhao Yong strode up to Wang Gang, barely containing his excitement. "Boss, I feel an immense surge of power! My speed and strength have skyrocketed!"

"That's because you've evolved in battle. Zhang Jingjing, you must work hard too. Strive to reach the first tier as soon as possible."

Wang Gang then explained the mechanics of evolution and the tiered advancement system to both Zhao Yong and Zhang Jingjing.

Only then did they fully grasp why Wang Gang had urged them to fight zombies—it was a path to growth through battle.

"Boss, what tier are you at now?" Zhao Yong asked with curiosity.

"I'm at the second tier."

Upon hearing this, admiration flickered in everyone's eyes—Zhao Yong, Zhang Jingjing, and even Qi Hui's group.

However, beneath Qi Hui's envious gaze lurked a simmering jealousy and resentment.

He had always delighted in mocking others for their shortcomings, yet he could never stomach seeing others possess what he lacked.

"Let's move out! We need to continue honing our skills while searching for a secure refuge."

With the zombies in the teaching building exterminated, Wang Gang set his sights on clearing the ones lurking outside, hoping Zhang Jingjing, too, would break through to the first tier.

Now that he was a second-tier warrior and Zhao Yong a first-tier, they had enough strength to survive even if faced with a swarm of zombies in the plaza.

A group of them reached the entrance of the building.

The moment the zombies ahead spotted them, they lunged like a ravenous horde.

Zhao Yong charged in first, gripping his mountain-splitting blade with unwavering resolve.

Not to be outdone, Zhang Jingjing clenched her Cold Moon Whip and followed closely behind, her determination burning.

She was determined to rise through battle, to break through the first tier as quickly as possible—not only to impress Wang Gang but also to prove that women could be just as formidable as men.

Gritting their teeth, Qi Hui and the others ultimately leaped into the fray.

Previously, they had been overly cautious, fearful of infection from even the slightest scratch or bite.

But after witnessing Zhao Yong's evolution, they knew that only through combat could they gain the power to protect themselves.

Only the freckled girl hesitated, rooted to the spot.

She dared not step forward, paralyzed by the terror of being infected.

Under Zhao Yong's lead, the group fought like a ravenous pack of wolves, cutting down one zombie after another.

Yet, nearly half of the kills belonged to Zhao Yong alone, with the rest struggling to keep pace.

As the battle raged on, seven or eight figures came sprinting from the distance.

Among them was a familiar face—Liu Ru.

But behind them, not only a dozen zombies gave chase, but a swarm of bees as well.

These survivors had evidently been scavenging for food when they spotted a beehive in a tree.

Desperate, they sent someone up to retrieve it.

The moment they disturbed the hive, a furious swarm of bees erupted, attacking relentlessly.

At first, they brushed it off, removing their jackets to swat away the insects—after all, hunger was far worse than a few stings.

But soon, they discovered to their horror that these bees, too, had been infected.

One by one, those stung succumbed to the virus, transforming into the undead.

Panic seized them, and they fled in desperation, unknowingly drawing the chaos toward Wang Gang's group.

At the sight of the zombie bees, the Spirit Domain Skyhawk became restless, fluttering its wings wildly on Wang Gang's shoulder.

Understanding its eagerness, Wang Gang smirked. "Ding Ding, go! Chase them away!"

Like an arrow loosed from a bow, the Skyhawk shot forward.

Diving into the swarm, it devoured one infected bee after another.

Within moments, the entire swarm was gone, reduced to nothing but the Skyhawk's feast.

"Sophia, Ding Ding can eat zombie bees?"

"Master, the Spirit Domain Skyhawk doesn't just consume zombie bees—it grows stronger by doing so."

As Sophia explained, Wang Gang noticed that the Skyhawk had grown even larger.

With the zombie bees eliminated, the fleeing survivors halted, turning instead to finish off the remaining zombies in pursuit.

Wang Gang narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the newcomers.

To his surprise, among them were two first-tier warriors.

Clearly, they too had evolved through battle, just as Zhao Yong had.

The leader of the group strode over, his gaze locking onto the Skyhawk perched on Wang Gang's shoulder.

"Is this your pet? Why don't you hand it over to me?"

This man was Zhang Biao, the president of Lubei Industrial University's Taekwondo club.

Since the outbreak, he had led his club members in a brutal fight for survival, eventually seeking refuge in the gymnasium.

Both he and his vice president had evolved during combat, becoming first-tier warriors.

Upon witnessing the Skyhawk devour the zombie bees, Zhang Biao's eyes gleamed with greed.

Before Wang Gang could respond, Qi Hui stepped forward, eager to curry favor.

A cold sneer curled on his lips. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you trying to take it by force?"

Zhang Biao smirked. "And what if I am? You only have one first-tier warrior among you, while we have two."

Having seen Wang Gang and the freckled girl abstain from fighting, Zhang Biao assumed Wang Gang was nothing more than a powerless weakling.