"Their intelligence is low, probably comparable to a three-year-old child. However, with their corresponding innate abilities, they are indeed powerful. Moreover, they retain some human capacity for learning and growth, such as executing ambushes and luring others." Wang Linchi thought as he dissected a zombie. "Their physical fitness might not be great, but their infectious capability is quite impressive. Awakeners below the Mountain Copper Level have no way to resist; they will be assimilated into zombies. This creature seems more like a mythical vampire, possessing physical strength far superior to normal humans and a fear of sunlight. Mountain Copper Level Awakeners can resist, but this only prolongs the time before succumbing. They won't turn into zombies within an hour or two but can hold out for about three to five days. After all, they have already started cultivating their Physique, so their immunity is naturally enhanced. The good news is that this is merely a viral infection. If we encountered other types of zombies, we might not be able to withstand them." His initial examination continued. Zombies aren't solely viral constructs; some involve esoteric elements like curses, divinity, and sins. What appears to be a zombie apocalypse could actually be a precursor to fantasy or other fantastical genres. Science fiction-style viral zombies shouldn't be underestimated either. If one were to escalate to a cosmic level, even I couldn't handle it. However, a Medium Secret Realm is unlikely to involve such complexities; its scale isn't sufficient for such phenomena. Of course, if a spaceship or remnant alien technology were involved, that would be a different story. There really is a crystalline structure in a zombie's brain, Wang Linchi noted while dissecting its head, feeling a hard, solid substance. When he removed it, it turned out to be a transparent, prism-shaped crystal. A high-concentration viral aggregation crystal, effectively the zombie's heart. Its function seems to be absorbing specific materials to synthesize the GOD virus. The viral structure has replaced the zombie's physical form, but it hasn't stabilized yet and can collapse due to ultraviolet rays—oh, no, not excess, even a trace amount... Therefore, they need to evolve further. However, evolution requires sufficient GOD virus, and absorbing the necessary substances is too slow. It's this absorption and synthesis function of the high-concentration viral aggregation crystal that makes zombies seem like perpetual motion machines. What if a zombie consumes another's high-concentration viral aggregation crystal? Could it completely absorb it and grow accordingly? The zombie's body isn't important; what matters is this viral crystal. If I were to implant this crystal into another person, they would 'come back to life.' Essentially, it's not the person who is alive, but a cluster of viruses. As for zombies having the intelligence of a three-year-old, that's an innate ability of their transformed bodies. Not only the body is infected and strengthened, but the brain is too. However, because the brain is so fragile, the immune response to the viral invasion causes a high fever that damages it. When the virus later attempts repairs, it can't fully restore the brain, only enabling rudimentary function. Of course, even if it's 'burned out,' viral invasion inevitably exacts a toll; brain damage is to be expected. Given their three-year-old intellect and the possibility of cannibalistic growth, a Mutated Zombie is likely a special type formed through this mechanism. It might possess unique abilities or forms derived from the GOD virus, or, more straightforwardly, it could gain human-level intelligence. As for zombies that evolve a stable structure, they would undoubtedly be BOSS-level threats. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦•𝘯𝘦𝘵 Wang Linchi probed the viral crystal with his spiritual power. In that instant, his Thought Field augmented his spiritual power, allowing a sliver of it to penetrate the crystal like a camera. Immediately, that probing spiritual power was infected and severed. It can infect spiritual power too? Is this a mutation resulting from the virus crystallizing? Wang Linchi observed the crystal in his hand. After infecting that trace of his spiritual power, it began to change. Its original prism shape started to round out, then spikes grew, transforming it into something resembling a small, spiky ball. After this mutation, it stopped moving, as if it had shifted forms. Interesting, Wang Linchi mused with a smile, unconcerned about the lost spiritual power. It was restored the moment it vanished; it wasn't a loss of his upper limit, just normal expenditure. Unconsciously, dusk settled. The trip had been quite rewarding for Wang Linchi. Besides dissecting several zombies, he had also obtained the address of the Dawn Watch Company. Luckily, he found an interview notice in one zombie's former home. If not for the GOD virus leak, that individual might have become an employee of Dawn Watch. Strong Luck truly lets one do as they please, he thought. To find clues by randomly picking a house... If I had actually gone to the city center, I might not have found any relevant information. Wang Linchi heard the sound of a door being kicked in. "Well now, breaking and entering, are we?" Wang Linchi muttered sarcastically, then glanced at the dissected zombie in the room. "Oh, right, I did too. Never mind then." He had only just remembered his own actions. In that brief moment of distraction, the security door was forcefully torn open. A lean zombie with a pair of exceptionally sharp claws crawled in, clinging to the ceiling like a humanoid spider. It was incredibly fast, lunging at Wang Linchi in the blink of an eye. The Saint Master instantly appeared and obliterated it with a single punch. With such meager strength, there wasn't even a need to use the power of a talisman. After its demise, it indeed condensed an ordinary Soul Kind. Wang Linchi didn't bother to check what type it was; it was undoubtedly Poison, perhaps with an additional Beast attribute. He simply tossed it into his Storage space. I used too much force; the viral crystal was smashed, Wang Linchi thought, feeling a bit helpless. Even if the Saint Master's punch wasn't at full power, it still carried significant force. If it couldn't even shatter the viral crystal in the brain of this White Porcelain level peak zombie, then that would be pathetic. And that was with him holding back. Wang Linchi heard more movements, signaling the arrival of more zombies. So, how did they locate me? With their minimal intelligence, can they even distinguish between walls and doors? He pondered for a moment, then decided to drop it. "Navigate. Take me to the Dawn Watch Company," Wang Linchi instructed, not intending to get bogged down fighting these zombies. There's no point, really. I've collected what I need. It's better to go to the Dawn Watch Company and find the laboratory or base where the GOD virus was developed. There will be more data there, perhaps even survivors. The Saint Master punched a hole through the wall and flew off with Wang Linchi. During the flight, its form naturally reverted to its larger size; otherwise, Wang Linchi wouldn't be able to sit on its shoulder. With the Thought Mirror, Thought Field, and the special map generated by Soul Vision, Wang Linchi was unlikely to get lost unless he completely lost his senses. However, they had been flying for barely three minutes when Wang Linchi detected a strange sound. Insects? Birds? Or mutated human zombies? He observed carefully. It was the first two, also infected by the GOD virus and turned into zombies. So, it's not just humans; animals and insects can be infected too. What about plants? Wang Linchi hadn't seen any plants earlier. Perhaps they were also infected but, being immobile, were destroyed and dissolved by the sun's ultraviolet rays. The green belts are all gone. As for domesticated plants, the former homes of the zombies I captured only had empty flowerpots. Thinking about it now, those plants must have dissolved too. After all, plants can't avoid sunlight, can they? They probably haven't gone extinct, just become much rarer. Seeing this, the Saint Master activated the Pig Talisman. Searing laser beams shot from its eyes, their brilliance starkly visible in the night. As the lasers swept across, vast numbers of airborne zombies incinerated into ash. Most insects and birds were small, and lacking significant brains, they were extremely difficult to handle. Creatures with brains knew fear, but these brainless ones simply swarmed, and their numbers were immense. No Soul Kinds? Wang Linchi noted as he looked at the dead bird and insect zombies; unlike humans, they didn't condense Soul Kinds. This dampened his enthusiasm. Killing monsters without gaining Experience is demotivating. Perhaps wiping out this swarm of bird and insect zombies would yield an Event Soul Kind, but I'm really not interested. He then took out the viral crystal and used his Soul Kind·Thought Hall to simulate its frequency. An aura characteristic of zombies enveloped him and the Saint Master, causing the pursuing insect and bird zombies to immediately lose their target. The biological structure of different species affects their perception of the external world. What remains consistent is their disinterest in their own kind and their exclusive interest in living humans.