Chapter 261 Helping Each Other While Also Competing With Each Other
The Witch stood on the right, the Red-Haired Iron Corpse on the left, and in the middle was a human with a fierce expression.
Liam Cruz never imagined he would encounter such a bizarre situation today.
He was just out hunting, and things had been going smoothly. He had collected over ten level-two Magic Crystals and more than thirty level-one Magic Crystals, and had even taken advantage of a lone woman.
But now, surrounded by these monsters, he felt a crushing wave of misfortune.
How could he be so cursed to stumble into such a nightmarish situation?
The woman on the right, holding a cat, was stunningly beautiful, with a tall, slim figure and flowing gray hair. In peaceful times, she would be every man's dream goddess if she and her cat didn't have black Magic Crystals on their foreheads.
The one on the left, dressed in red with long red hair, didn't have a Magic Crystal on its forehead, indicating it wasn't a zombie. However, it had blood-red eyes, and the thorny vines on its fingers flicked like a snake's tongue. Its figure was excellent, but it exuded a chilling aura.
What kind of mutated zombies were these? What kind of monsters were they? Why had he never seen them before?
As a three-star Evolver and the deputy captain of Accraville City's elite team "Wings of Justice," Liam, a renowned expert, realized he was in real trouble today.
He couldn't help but regret hanging out alone. If he had his usual entourage, he wouldn't have ended up in the Land of Death.
However, being able to become a three-star Evolving person in less than three months into the apocalypse, Liam naturally had his strengths. He drew a gray-level battleaxe from his back and took a black capsule from his pocket, swallowing it. A powerful aura burst forth. His body swelled, his eyes turned blood-red, and his skin became rough, losing its former elasticity and luster.
Liam felt a pang of regret. The item he just took in, called the "Barbaric Capsule," was something he had obtained by chance from a level-two roulette. He only had three, and this was the last one. The first two had paved his path to becoming a two-star Evolver, allowing him to eliminate a rival and claim the coveted position of deputy captain of the Wings of Justice. That victory had earned him a Career Scroll, which, combined with the team's resources, had propelled him to three-star status. He had intended to save this last capsule for his ascension to four stars, as its effects only extended that far. Now, he was forced to use it prematurely, casting a shadow of uncertainty over his future.
Taking the Barbaric Capsule would enhance the user's physique, greatly increasing strength and defense, but it would reduce speed and agility. It also had strong side effects; half an hour after taking it, the user would experience ten hours of weakness, during which their evolved abilities would temporarily disappear, making them an ordinary person.
So Liam knew he had to resolve the issue within half an hour, or any zombie could take his life.
Accraville City was overrun with countless zombies, and the number of evolved ones seemed endless, increasing daily. Survivors collected many Magic Crystals every day, but reaching three-star status made Liam a top figure even in Accraville City, and he was well-known.
In the apocalypse, such fame generally equated to corresponding strength. Liam wasn't afraid of encountering a level-three mutated zombie. If he was with his team, level-three zombies were his targets.
But today, before he could act, the two 'women' blocking him between two tall buildings attacked first.
To his horror, the gray-haired level-three Witch spoke human words, saying, "Attack!"
Liam then saw a strange yet powerful thorny vine coming from the Red-Haired Iron Corpse, heading towards him. The decorative tiles on the ground were lifted and crushed by the rolling vine, leaving a trail of rubble in its path.
Although the vine was just below the surface, it moved incredibly fast, reaching Liam's feet in the blink of an eye.
Having taken the Barbaric Capsule, Liam's mind reacted, but his body couldn't keep up. As he lifted his foot, the vine wrapped around it, and he heard the Red-Haired Iron Corpse let out a light laugh.
Liam felt a chill down his spine, momentarily thinking the red-haired monster was the ghost of the woman he had killed earlier, coming for revenge.
He raised his battleaxe and slashed at the vine.
A cold wind blew from behind, forcing him to abandon his action and swing the battleaxe behind him instead.
Catching a glimpse of a black shadow, Liam knew it was the level-three black cat. He roared, hoping to kill or at least injure the cat, making it easier to deal with the two monsters.
The black cat meowed, twisted in mid-air, accelerated again, and its sharp claws reached the back of Liam's head.
Gritting his teeth, Liam decided not to dodge, confident in the Barbaric Capsule's defensive boost. He roared and charged at the Red-Haired Iron Corpse with his battleaxe.
Attacking the Witch would be hindered by the vines, but attacking the Red-Haired Iron Corpse wouldn't.
Intense pain shot through his back as the black cat's claws struck. Ignoring it, Liam continued his charge.
The Red-Haired Iron Corpse laughed again, spreading its hands, and thorny vines extended from all ten fingers.
These vines were short and straight, only 10 to 12 inches long, unlike the writhing ones underground.
Liam ignored them and focused solely on splitting the woman in half with his battleaxe.
The tips of the vines suddenly opened, shooting out wooden spikes one after another.
Meanwhile, the black cat leaped onto Liam's head, its claws slashing down.
Liam tried to dodge, but his clumsy body only managed a slight shift. He realized he had underestimated the combined attack power of the two humanoid monsters and the mutated cat. The Barbaric Capsule's defensive boost wasn't enough to withstand their attacks, as the wooden spikes pierced his body.
Liam felt his strength rapidly fading. The battleaxe would never reach the Red-Haired Iron Corpse. Struggling, he turned to see the Witch just 10 feet behind him, her long hair transforming into countless sharp gray strands, all aimed at him.
A second later, Liam was pierced by thorns and gray hair, his battleaxe falling to the side, his arms hanging limply. In his final moment, he regretted two things.
First, he regretted using the Barbaric Capsule. If he didn't take it, he might have a chance to escape. Second, he wished he hadn't traded the Career Scroll with his captain for the three-star Evolution Elixir.
As Liam died, two figures immediately pounced on him, biting into his neck from both sides, greedily sucking the blood filled with immense energy.
Moments later, his body turned into a dried corpse, and the two monsters that had just cooperated to kill him began fighting each other again.
In the sunlight, the Red-Haired Iron Corpse's skin became even more delicate, while the Witch's black Magic Crystal on her forehead glowed with a green hue.
Meanwhile, William and Darryl stepped into Accraville City.
