Chapter 24: The Gambler Who Bets His Life

At first, only one or two people dared to go against the fleeing crowd. But as time passed, more and more chose to turn back and help, even if the victims were strangers.

Imagine a car running over an innocent pedestrian. When the first person rushes to help, the surrounding bystanders, seeing the situation, will follow suit. The crowd grows larger and larger until, fueled by the collective strength of ordinary people, they manage to lift the heavy vehicle momentarily, rescuing the trapped victim.

The current situation was similar. Some might still hesitate, but when they saw the majority around them joining the fight, what was there to fear? It was time to charge.

In this way, a group of strangers solidified into a united force. Ordinary people held an overwhelming numerical advantage over the zombies—an average of four people for every zombie. In countless zombie movies, the undead typically overwhelm the living, but here, the tables had turned completely: the crowd was drowning the zombies.

Meanwhile, Robin watched as the owner of the Barbecue Restaurant, whom she had kicked aside moments earlier, shakily regained his footing. Before he could steady himself, one, two, then three people dashed past Robin, each landing a swift kick that sent the man crashing back to the ground.

The "battle" was a foregone conclusion. The moment ordinary people overcame their fear, the zombies ceased to be intimidating.

Meanwhile, Yu Lin's fight was nearing its end. When Robin glanced over again, she saw Qin Chuming reduced to a mangled husk. His limbs had been pulverized beyond recognition, leaving only his bloated torso and head. He lay on his back, emitting meaningless roars.

For Yu Lin, the only real challenge seemed to be the utterly repulsive stench. Had she known this creature would erupt in putrid fluid upon defeat, she might have hesitated. But now that she was completely covered in the foul mess, such considerations were irrelevant.

This enemy was utterly worthless—except for its nauseating nature!

About five minutes later, four police cars screeched to a halt beside the Barbecue Restaurant. Lü Heng, surveying the chaotic battlefield, leaped out of the passenger seat of the lead vehicle. His feet had barely touched the ground when his face turned deathly pale, and he vomited violently.

"Ugh—"

Zhong Wanhong's face was equally grim, his brow furrowed in a mixture of disgust and deep thought. He climbed out of the driver's seat of the lead vehicle and stared at Qin Chuming's corpse lying nearby. Then, he turned his gaze to a massive pile of zombie corpses, stacked into a small hill of perhaps a dozen bodies.

"Did Yu Lin do this?" Zhong Wanhong mused. "No, it doesn't seem likely. If it were her, the corpses wouldn't be in such intact condition. Then what could this be...?"

He barked orders at the uniformed police officers in the three rear vehicles: "Set up a cordon and seal off this entire area."

Only then did Zhong Wanhong approach Robin, who stood alone and conspicuous at the crossroads a few hundred meters away.

"What happened here? And where did that Yu Lin brat run off to?" Zhong Wanhong demanded.

"She said she was too smelly and would die if she didn't shower immediately, so she just bolted," Robin replied with a helpless shrug. "I didn't think it was right to just leave, so I waited for you."

Robin then quickly summarized the events that had transpired: their escape from the Barbecue Restaurant, Qin Chuming's ambush, and his release of the Zombie Virus.

Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, Zhong Wanhong pinched the bridge of his nose before finally speaking. "So it was Qin Chuming all along? I've been searching for him for ages without a trace. I never imagined he'd been secretly stalking you this whole time."

"Please don't make it sound so creepy," Robin said, shuddering. The thought of someone secretly following her since the moment she transmigrated was deeply unsettling.

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "But why does he hate me so much? I don't even know him."

Zhong Wanhong hesitated, as if debating whether to reveal something, before explaining, "Yesterday, after realizing you weren't Qin Chuming and having Lü Heng escort you away, I returned to Qin Chuming's house to investigate thoroughly. There, I found some strange markings and residue."

"They looked like traces of a magic circle left after a spell was cast, or perhaps patterns from some ritual. I can't be certain, but it's highly likely this was the work of the Fuguang Society. The Dimensional Rift at Tianming Residential Complex might even have been deliberately summoned by Qin Chuming himself."

"The last Dimensional Rift in Longcheng appeared just half a month ago. Now, barely two weeks later, the incident at Tianming Residential Complex has occurred. This frequency is clearly abnormal."

"Assuming that's the case, Qin Chuming seems to have been gambling on the slim chance of becoming an Evolver or Transformer. He focused the Rift's primary activation zone in his bedroom, ensuring that if it randomly granted any benefits, he would be the one to receive them."

"But if disaster struck, death would be the worst outcome. Given your description of his erratic behavior, I'm not surprised he made such a life-or-death decision."

"Then, the rarest of all possibilities materialized: you, an Outsider, appeared out of nowhere in his home," Zhong Wanhong said wearily. "He probably believed that if you hadn't arrived, he would have gained the power himself."

It's like someone pouring all their energy and resources into a ritual. If it fails and they die, they've lost everything anyway—so what's the difference? But if it succeeds and grants them power, that's the ultimate reward.

And then, the utterly improbable happened: Qin Chuming summoned an Outsider.

"Wait a minute..." Robin suddenly realized something. "Doesn't that mean Qin Chuming was somewhere in the room, watching me the moment I arrived?"

A chill ran down her spine. Thank goodness Zhong Wanhong arrived so quickly, she thought. Otherwise, I could have been in real danger.

"Anyway, that guy's dead now," Zhong Wanhong said, reaching out to ruffle Robin's hair. "Don't dwell on it too much."

In the next instant, Robin slapped his hand away. "I'm not a child! Stop patting my head!"

"Alright, alright, my bad," Zhong Wanhong apologized promptly. "So, that explains why he harbored such a grudge against you. After his initial failure, he must have obtained a highly concentrated sample of the Fancheng Virus from the Fuguang Society and gambled again."

"If he could adapt to the virus, he'd become an Evolver. If not, he'd transform into a terrifying monster, bent on revenge against you."