Chapter 507: Chapter 315: The Train Is Here to Save Us! (Part 2) The rumbling noise was even more overwhelming than the zombie horde.
...
Watching the armed train rampaging across the screen, Number One furrowed his brow, as if presented with an unsolvable puzzle.
"Why did the armed train appear at this time?"
The assistant analyzed, "Judging by the train’s recent actions, their goal is to collect materials and top talents, all of which Zhijin City has, where they can save many people..."
"Impossible." Number One decisively rejected, "According to Su Huan’s personality model, there’s a 96% chance he wouldn’t care about what’s happening in Zhijin City. In realistic terms, a probability over 90% is nearly certain!"
The assistant suddenly understood, "So there’s an unknown factor involved, but it shouldn’t affect the final outcome, right?"
Number One’s voice was icy, "With the train intervening early, the Scavengers’ losses won’t exceed fifty thousand. The Slaughterers converted from these numbers won’t exceed fifty thousand, without enough Low-tier Zombies, the Tier Three ’Lady of the House’ cannot display her strongest power."
"Then..."
"Release Zhong You."
The assistant shivered instantly, "Tier Two Evolver?"
Number One’s face remained mechanically calm, but the data streaming in his eyes flashed wildly, like a star-filled night sky.
"Can Tier One Evolvers bypass numerous shackles to become Tier Two Slaughterers, is it all just about emotions?"
"If this secret is unlocked, the shortcut to evolution will be open to me."
Although having conducted many crazy experiments with Number One, the assistant still felt a chill down the spine.
He took a deep breath and whispered, "I understand."
"Prepare all observation points, process the data once collected, then transmit it back to headquarters as soon as possible—fill in the last gaps."
...
"Cao Yong is dead."
The assistant stood in front of the iron cage, looking up at the stone wall inside with a complicated expression.
The surface of the "stone wall" was smeared with something, reflecting an iron-gray sheen, three meters off the ground, hung an extremely sophisticated exoskeleton, more robust than the team leader’s, but without operational permissions. All joints of the exoskeleton were locked, serving as Zhong You’s prison.
Besides this exoskeleton, the basement was equipped with three large dehumidifiers to ensure air humidity remained below 10% at all times.
No response was heard, only a low and annoying humming sound filled the space.
"Bang!"
The wall suddenly emitted a dull thud, causing the entire prison to tremble.
The assistant quickly said, "Don’t get agitated, I’ll get you down!"
Saying so, he swiftly manipulated a few controls, causing the exoskeleton hanging on the wall to clang to the ground, the helmet opened, revealing Zhong You’s pale face and abyss-like cold eyes.
The assistant felt a strange sensation of unleashing a wild beast.
Yet his hands showed no hesitation, rapidly completing the final steps, retracting a dozen iron bars back into the ground, removing any barriers between them.
He could even feel a blade-like chill of murderous intent sweeping over him.
All around him grew cold.
Zhong You stepped out one step at a time, the assistant took several steps back, yet he barely glanced at him, instead dismantling a paired steel cylinder, a short spear from the wall.
"Aren’t you curious how he died?"
The assistant suddenly asked.
Zhong You’s movement paused slightly, "Would you tell the truth?"
He twisted the two segments of the short spear together with a click.
The assistant choked, the rehearsed words stuck in his throat.
"Was it that thing, or... the armed train?"
Zhong You asked with an inscrutable expression while facing away.
The assistant hesitated for a moment, "Both."
Zhong You opened the steel cylinder, his empty gaze fixed on the hollow container.
A moment later, a piercing scream echoed in the basement.
Zhong You left the cell carrying a fully filled steel cylinder.
...
Luo Jingyi had contemplated many times how to put an end to his calm yet grandeur-filled life.
Ordinary, because he came from a wealthy family, studied at top overseas institutions for all his undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees, graduated smoothly at 26, mentored by industry leaders, participating in major projects in the field of artificial intelligence. In 2030, at the age of 35, he returned to the country full of honors, becoming the youngest professor at Zijin University.
Money, honor, a lover, he lacked none of these, but even so, up until the day before the apocalypse broke out, Luo Jingyi still considered this a "normal" life.
After reveling in the arms of beautiful women, feeling the progressive aging in his body, he mocked that perhaps his life would gradually decay in this world of intoxication.
Then the great apocalypse descended, terrifying zombies, a crazily evolving world made him feel a vibrant vitality.
With renewed energy and vigorous ambition, he organized the first alliance of universities.