"Congratulations, Host! You have completed the Title Mission and received the title 'Zombie Slayer'. You have also received a 'Random Summon Card.'"
"Zombie Slayer (Title): You have killed enough ordinary zombies in battle. From now on, you will be able to keenly discern the vital points of ordinary zombies, making it easier to land a fatal blow."
The cold notification echoed in Chu Xun's mind, and at the same time, he felt a slight warmth in the palm of his right hand. Then, a card, the size of a playing card, materialized in his hand.
The card was dark purple, with a blood-red question mark in the center. Below the mark, there was a line of small text: "Random Summon Card. Upon use, it will summon a creature that will obey the user's commands."
"Interesting..." Chu Xun looked at the dark purple card in his hand, a trace of curiosity and excitement appearing on his face. He was eager to see what kind of creature this strange card could summon. If he could summon a powerful creature, his chances of succeeding in the dangerous forest and acquiring insect genes would increase dramatically.
"Help! Help me!" Before Chu Xun could use the card, a frantic scream caught his attention.
The voice came from the woods by the road, sounding like it was from a young girl. And now, the voice was getting closer to him. Clearly, the girl was running toward him.
Sure enough, the next moment, a small, youthful girl dashed out from the forest. Behind her, a ragged zombie, exuding a foul stench, was chasing her relentlessly like a mad dog.
The girl had a very innocent face, with large, watery eyes still filled with tears. She looked no older than thirteen or fourteen. Due to apparent malnutrition, she appeared frail and thin. Her clothes were in tatters, patched up in several places, suggesting that her life had been difficult. In her right hand, she clutched a rusted dagger, though given the extent of the rust, it was questionable whether it would be of any real use.
Thud!
Upon seeing Chu Xun, the girl's eyes immediately lit up with the desire for survival, and she sped up, running toward him. But in her haste, she tripped over a stone on the ground, lost her balance, and fell heavily just three meters away from Chu Xun.
Behind her, the zombie let out an excited roar and lunged forward, preparing to pounce on the girl!
"Damn!" Chu Xun was not a cold-blooded monster. Seeing this, he reacted instantly, cursing under his breath and speeding toward the zombie. He swung his battle knife, aiming directly for the zombie's head.
Perhaps it was due to the "Zombie Slayer" title taking effect, but as Chu Xun swung his blade, he experienced an unusual sense of precision, as though he instinctively knew where to strike to deal the fatal blow to the zombie. Without thinking too much, he followed his instincts and accelerated his strike.
Thud!
With a dull thud, the sharp battle knife sliced through the zombie's neck muscles, then continued forward, easily severing the zombie's spinal cord. The zombie's head was sent flying with the force of the strike, and its body collapsed backward, black-red blood splattering across the ground.
"Not bad…" Looking at the motionless zombie on the ground, Chu Xun's face showed a hint of satisfaction.
This was the cleanest and most decisive kill he had made against a zombie. Not only did he take it down in one blow, but he also avoided getting any blood on himself. If only he had possessed this kind of skill and precision from the beginning, he wouldn't have been covered in blood and looking so messy.
"Are you okay?" After slaying the zombie, Chu Xun turned to help the girl who had fallen to the ground. However, just as he turned, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side. Looking down, he saw that the girl, who should have been helplessly lying on the ground, was now standing behind him, and the rusted dagger she had been holding was deeply embedded in his waist.
"You!" Chu Xun could not believe that a young girl, who seemed so pure and innocent, had just stabbed him. His face filled with anger as he moved to grab the girl, but she seemed to have anticipated this. After stabbing him, she quickly retreated, even abandoning the dagger in her hand.
To his surprise, the girl moved incredibly fast. The disheveled and desperate look she had when running from the zombie seemed completely fabricated.
"Why did you stab me?" Chu Xun's anger flared, and he gripped his weapon, ready to strike back. However, just as he was about to move, a strange, numbing sensation began spreading from the wound in his side, quickly coursing throughout his body.
The intense pain and numbness caused Chu Xun to feel his strength rapidly ebbing away, making him stumble and nearly fall to the ground.
"Don't even think about resisting. I know you're strong, but I've coated this dagger with the venom of a mutated snake lizard. Once you're poisoned, you won't be able to move for at least half an hour," the girl said, still wearing a seemingly innocent expression. But the cruel intent in her eyes could no longer be concealed. She smiled at Chu Xun, whose movements were growing slower and slower, "Honestly, if I only looked at your appearance, I wouldn't have guessed you had such terrifying strength. You must be an ability user, right? I haven't had a chance to eat the flesh of an ability user in a while. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."
As she said this, the girl licked her soft lips and gave an almost playful look. But to Chu Xun, this innocent appearance was terrifying and grotesque.
"You're one of the 'wild people,' aren't you?" Chu Xun swallowed hard, asking in disbelief.
"Wild people? That's just a nickname you all gave us..." The girl shrugged nonchalantly and smiled, "I prefer the name 'Headhunter.' It sounds so badass, don't you think?"
"Unbelievable…" Chu Xun stared at the girl's innocent face and sweet demeanor. He couldn't believe that someone who looked so pure and innocent could be a cannibal, a wild person worse than an animal.
"Unbelievable? Is it because you're surprised I'm so small?" The girl giggled at Chu Xun's expression. "What's wrong with being small? It's only because I'm small that you lowered your guard."
She smiled again, taking a few steps closer to Chu Xun, "According to our research, people like you are least wary of women and children. So when I act like a helpless girl being chased by zombies, most of you will rush to help. Honestly, I really appreciate that quality in you. It makes it so much easier for me to hunt you."
"Your acting skills are really something…" Chu Xun was at a loss for words. He had known that the world was twisted, but he never imagined it could be twisted to this degree.
"Not just that. To understand your strength, I've been following you for a long time. So, I know you're an ability user, and I know you're strong, but you can't fight head-on. I also know that your defense is pretty weak, and you're a rookie. You're exactly the kind of prey I like." The girl puffed up her chest, proud of herself like a schoolgirl who aced a test. "Oh, and to lower your guard, I specifically grabbed a rusted dagger. According to my research, you guys are even less suspicious of strangers holding a cheap weapon than you are of strangers who are unarmed."
The girl took another step toward Chu Xun and smiled mischievously, "But you're a good guy. Not like the one I met last time. He killed a zombie, then ripped my clothes off and did some nasty stuff to me. But I killed him too. You know, men always let their guard down when they think they're winning…"
"So, to show my gratitude for the delicious meal you'll be, and for that primitive crystal core on you, I've decided to eat you completely. I'll arrange your bones in the most beautiful way and turn your skin into a carpet. How does that sound?" The girl seemed very confident in the venom's effect. She had now stepped within a meter of Chu Xun, smiling widely, "Don't worry, I'm really good at skinning. I'll make sure your skin comes off perfectly, without a scratch!"
"You sick freaks!" Chu Xun could only glare at the girl, barely able to contain his rage. He wanted nothing more than to split her in half with one swing, but his strength was rapidly fading. He could barely hold onto his weapon, and with a clang, the battle knife fell from his hand.
"A freak? Maybe," the girl smiled at his pathetic attempt to hold onto his weapon. She shrugged nonchalantly and said, "But you're about to be eaten by this freak. So, how does it feel? Exciting? Happy? Desperate?"
"Damn it, there's no way I'm dying like this…" Thinking of the skeletons he had seen earlier, Chu Xun shuddered and felt a real sense of despair. He wasn't afraid of dying, but he never wanted to be skinned alive and eaten!
"Wait, there's still one last hope!" Suddenly, a thought flashed through Chu Xun's mind. His eyes brightened, and his right hand slowly reached for his waist pouch.
Inside, there was a card—a card that might just change the situation and save his life!
"This is it, the final gamble!" Gripping his teeth, Chu Xun decided to make one last attempt. He took a deep breath, gathered all his remaining strength in his right hand, and pulled out the card, throwing it at the girl.
The dark purple card flew through the air, glowing brightly as it unfolded. Within the light, something was slowly taking shape...