Chapter 353: The golden fruit 64.

The fourth creature was lower level, but it was not harmless.

It was a monster with the shape of a huge black canine crossed with something much less recognizable. Its front limbs were too long. Its back legs were bent at wrong angles. Its mouth split far too wide, and several pale, translucent eyes were embedded along its shoulders. They were all pointed toward the golden fruit.

None of the creatures looked at Bai Li and Yan Cijin.

That was the strangest part.

They were all staring at the pomelo.

The invisible barrier around the tree shimmered faintly whenever one of them came too close. The level 3 zombies had tried to breach it. Bai Li could see the marks their claws had left in the concrete, the gouges dragged toward the trunk, the blood smeared where the barrier had thrown them back. The monster had tried too. Its long claws had carved a shallow trench in the rooftop before it finally settled into its current crouch.

They were waiting.

Waiting for the fruit to ripen.

Waiting to be rewarded.

Bai Li looked at the golden pomelo again.

She could feel desire waking inside herself.

She hated that.

The system’s voice remained silent.

That silence bothered her more than any warning could have.

"Bai Li," Yan Cijin whispered.

"I know."

"I really want that thing."

"So do I."

Yan Cijin turned toward her.

Bai Li added, "Which is exactly why we should not stand here smelling it."

Yan Cijin blinked.

Then she gave a small, helpless laugh.

"Fair."

A low sound rolled across the roof.

The tall zombie moved.

Not toward them.

Toward the tree.

Its foot crossed the edge of the invisible barrier.

The air snapped.

The zombie was thrown backward hard enough to crack the concrete when it landed.

The other two immediately reacted.

That was the opening Bai Li wanted.

"Stay behind me."

Yan Cijin raised an eyebrow.

"I can help."

"I know."

Bai Li stepped forward.

"That is why I am telling you where to stand."

The next instant, Whisperfang disappeared from her hand.

A silver-black blade formed along her palm like a sliver of night being pulled out of thin air. The soul weapon’s curved edge reflected the golden radiance without taking on any of its warmth. It looked colder because of it.

Bai Li moved.

The nearest zombie finally noticed her.

Its head snapped around.

Its mouth opened.

The sound that came out was not a roar. It was a wet, broken shriek that seemed to vibrate through the rooftop.

Bai Li was already gone.

She crossed the distance before the zombie finished inhaling.

Whisperfang cut upward.

The zombie raised one of its additional arms.

The blade passed through it.

The limb dropped.

Bai Li continued the motion, turning her wrist and slipping to the side as the zombie’s other hand smashed down where her head had been. Concrete exploded beneath its palm.

She glanced up.

The zombie’s ruined face was inches away.

Bai Li smiled faintly.

"Too slow."

Whisperfang went through its throat.

The blade did not simply cut flesh.

It cut the energy holding the evolved body together.

A black line appeared across the zombie’s neck.

For half a second nothing happened.

Then the head slid sideways.

The body remained upright for another moment before collapsing.

Bai Li turned.

"First."

Yan Cijin lowered her crossbow.

"You could at least let me pretend I helped."

"You can help with the next one."

"I was planning to."

The bone-backed zombie charged.

It moved much faster than its size suggested.

Its shoulder hit the concrete like a falling truck.

Bai Li crossed Whisperfang in front of herself.

The collision drove her backward three steps.

The rooftop cracked under her heels.

She tilted her head.

"Okay."

The zombie swung.

Bai Li ducked.

The bone ridge along its arm passed above her.

Yan Cijin fired.

The crossbow bolt struck the zombie at the back of the knee.

The creature staggered.

Bai Li’s eyes sharpened.

She lunged.

Whisperfang carved across the exposed joint.

The leg buckled.

The zombie fell forward.

Bai Li stepped onto its shoulder, used its momentum to flip over its back, and drove the blade down behind its skull.

The zombie slammed into the concrete.

Its hand clawed for her ankle.

Bai Li twisted.

The fingers closed on empty air.

Yan Cijin fired a second bolt.

This one went into the eye.

Bai Li finished the job with a horizontal cut.

The head separated cleanly.

Silence returned.

Bai Li landed lightly.

"Second."

Yan Cijin lowered the crossbow.

"That one counts as a joint kill."

Bai Li looked at her.

"Fine."

Yan Cijin smiled.

"Thank you."

The third zombie was still watching the fruit.

It had not moved.

That was worse.

The creature was tall, almost three meters, but it stood perfectly still. Its one eye remained fixed on the pomelo as if Bai Li did not exist.

Then its fingers began to twitch.

One.

Two.

Three.

Bai Li felt a pressure in the air.

The zombie was not merely strong.

It was gathering something.

"Yan."

"I feel it."

"Back."

Yan Cijin moved immediately.

The rooftop exploded.

A wave of dark force tore outward from the zombie.

Bai Li crossed her arms.

Whisperfang blocked the first impact.

The pressure drove her across the roof.

Her boots carved two long lines in the dust.

She stopped.

The zombie was no longer looking at the tree.

Now it was looking at her.

Its mouth opened slowly.

"This one has a brain," Yan Cijin said.

"Unfortunately."

The zombie disappeared.

Bai Li’s eyes narrowed.

There.

A blur.

She swung Whisperfang.

Clang.

The blade met bone.

The impact threw sparks into the air.

Bai Li twisted sideways.

The zombie’s claw passed within an inch of her face.

She felt the wind of it.

The creature struck again.

Bai Li blocked.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Each blow was fast enough that the average survivor would not even see the individual attacks.

Yan Cijin stayed back, watching for openings.

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TO BE CONTINUED.