Chapter 371 - 177: New Zombie

Chapter 371: Chapter 177: New Zombie

Xu Mo stood by the window, silent for a good while. He remembered that it had also been autumn when he first crossed over into this world.

Back then, the weather had already started to cool, and the zombies were far more active than they were now. Later, when winter arrived, the weather grew colder, and the zombies became even more active.

Following this pattern, the current drop in temperature meant that summer was likely ending and autumn was on its way.

Xu Mo mentally calculated the time. From his arrival until now, he had lived through autumn, winter, spring, and summer. If summer was truly over, it meant he had been in this world for nearly a year.

So much had happened in one year. From surviving alone in Cyan Pine Ridge Town to establishing a foothold in Jiang City, and now...

In one year, he had come a long way, killed countless zombies, and witnessed the full spectrum of human nature.

Xu Mo pulled his thoughts back to the present and looked out the window. The sky outside was a vast, clear blue. Just as Xu Mo was about to turn away, something caught his eye in his peripheral vision.

In the distance, there was movement!

Xu Mo turned to look in that direction. In a relatively open area about two or three kilometers away, a large number of zombies were on the move.

Xu Mo frowned and took a pair of binoculars from his backpack.

The view immediately sharpened. It was a public square, and on it, two groups of zombies were in a standoff.

Yes, a standoff.

Xu Mo rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t mistaken.

The two groups of zombies had formed two opposing factions, roaring at each other from a distance of several dozen meters. Their formations were loose, but a clear dividing line was visible.

At the forefront of each group were some nimble, fast-moving Agile Zombies. Behind them were the burly, muscular Strength Zombies. And further back were the densely packed ordinary zombies, crammed together, their mouths opening and closing. Even if he couldn’t hear them, Xu Mo knew they were roaring.

And at the rear of both zombie groups, Xu Mo also spotted some even larger zombies.

’This is...’

Xu Mo’s pupils constricted slightly. Before he could figure it out, the battle began.

Both groups of zombies charged simultaneously. The Agile Zombies shot out first, colliding in the blink of an eye. Then came the Strength Zombies, their heavy footfalls like tanks as they plowed into the fray. Finally, the ordinary zombies surged forward like a tide, overwhelming the entire battlefield.

The roars were faintly audible even from two or three kilometers away. Xu Mo held the binoculars steady, watching without moving a muscle.

Staring at the scene before him, Xu Mo could hardly believe his eyes. What was he seeing? He saw zombies slaughtering each other. Agile Zombies chased one another, Strength Zombies smashed into each other, and ordinary zombies swarmed together like ants. Some zombies were torn to shreds, others were trampled underfoot, and some were even devouring the corpses of their own kind.

This wasn’t just simple cannibalism. This was war.

A thought flashed through Xu Mo’s mind—’They’re fighting over territory.’

Xu Mo had observed before that these zombies had territorial divisions and would fight if their borders were crossed. But those were just small-scale skirmishes, fights between a few zombies. This battle involved at least a thousand, and it was organized, with a clear division of labor. It was obviously no ordinary territorial dispute.

’What are they fighting for?’

’Control over this area? A vital resource point? Or...’

Xu Mo thought of his theory about the "overlapping region of two worlds." If Pinggu City truly had a place like the Red Star Industrial Zone, a place that constantly spawned new zombies, then could they be fighting for control over that spawn point?

Whoever controlled that place would have an endless supply of troops. The thought sent a chill down Xu Mo’s spine.

The battle raged for a long time, from morning until afternoon. The two groups of zombies tore each other apart in a shower of blood and gore, their bodies piling up like mountains. The fallen zombies were quickly devoured by others, becoming a part of their bodies.

Xu Mo noticed something: during the battle, the higher-level zombies rarely participated directly in the fighting. They stood at the back like commanders, observing the state of the battlefield. Whenever their own side showed signs of faltering, they would let out a roar, and new zombies would immediately charge forward to fill the gap. This level of organization had already surpassed simple animal instinct.

As the sun began to set, the battle neared its end. One of the two zombie groups finally couldn’t hold on any longer. Their formation collapsed, and the zombies started to flee. The other group pressed its advantage, chasing them out of the area.

Then, the victorious group of zombies began to clean up the battlefield. They devoured the corpses of their comrades and their enemies alike. The fallen zombies were soon completely consumed.

As night fell, the battlefield gradually fell silent.

The number of zombies was less than half of what it had been during the day. The two hordes had merged into one. They occupied the square, where they now wandered and rested.

Xu Mo lowered his binoculars, speechless for a long time. His mind was constantly analyzing everything he had just witnessed.

The zombies’ behavior reminded Xu Mo of animal packs. In the natural world, many animals form groups: wolf packs have an alpha, monkey troops have a king, and lion prides have their male leaders.

These animals fight each other over territory, leadership status, and even mating rights. In the process, they battle and kill, with the victor ultimately taking all.

And these zombies, it seemed, were undergoing the same process. They were forming groups, establishing leaders, and fighting for territory.

And their method of conquest was this kind of large-scale slaughter. The victors devoured the vanquished to become stronger, while the defeated were eliminated and became nutrients for the winners.

This was a mechanism of elimination—a culling process that allowed the zombies to evolve.

Xu Mo’s expression grew solemn. If his analysis was correct, then these zombies were not just simple walking corpses. They were evolving, forming a new kind of social structure.

The higher-level zombies were at the top of this structure. They controlled territory and resources, and they also controlled the lower-level zombies.

This evolution was happening quickly. A year ago, the combat units from Ming Pearl Port had cleared this city. The zombies back then were definitely not as organized as they were now, but today, they were already capable of waging large-scale group warfare.

’In another year, two years, five years, what will they become?’

Xu Mo didn’t know. He didn’t even dare to think too much about it.

All Xu Mo knew was that humanity was running out of time. If they didn’t take action, if they didn’t stop this evolution, one day, humanity would not be facing a scattered horde of zombies, but a zombie army that was organized, disciplined, and intelligent.

’When that day comes, will humanity even be able to survive?’

For now, however, Xu Mo could only keep these questions to himself. Perhaps he would find answers once he reached Ming Pearl Port.

Right now, Xu Mo had more important things to do—leave this place, find fuel, and keep moving forward.