Chapter 16

Suddenly, I remembered what Joe Mani had said. Could this man be Zheng Na's brother? And the woman his lover?

But Joe Mani was dead now, so there was no way to verify.

With a light flick of his finger, two badges, faster than bullets, zipped past Xia Yang's head and embedded themselves in the wall.

Invincible scurried back to the pile of golden jewelry and began sifting through it. It seemed quite interested in the gems.

After a while, it emerged from the pile of jewels, something clamped in its mouth.

It trotted over to Jiang Chen and released its grip. The object "clinked" as it fell onto the steps.

Jiang Chen's hair stood on end. 037 Transformation

The object was about the size of an adult's palm, with no markings. Silver, a nail, a larger nail.

Jiang Chen's pupils constricted. This was no ordinary nail; it was a silver nail. He slowly picked up the silver nail and examined it carefully.

Memories from the past flashed through his mind.

Invincible had sensed a very special aura from the silver nail, which was why it had fetched it.

It tilted its head, confused by its owner's reaction.

At this moment, the zombie Zhao En behind him was already descending the steps. Blood was still slowly seeping from the wound on his neck. With every step, a bloody footprint appeared on the ground.

Invincible wanted to tease Jiang Chen. It bumped into his leg, and Zombie Zhao En immediately lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs. He didn't hit Jiang Chen, though.

Jiang Chen wasn't paying much attention. Zhao En continued to roll, falling all the way to the ground below, stopping about four or five meters from the stone platform.

Suddenly, the ground vibrated. Jiang Chen looked up.

The stone platform where Xia Yang was lying began to slowly sink. Jiang Chen quickly put away the silver nail and rushed over. He scooped up Xia Yang and, with a backward leap, returned to the original stairs.

It was then that he noticed several circles of dark red things rotating on the ground. The stone platform was the center, and these were concentric circles.

Zombie Zhao En had already rotated halfway and was now behind the stone platform. Jiang Chen didn't understand what was happening. The central stone platform slowly descended, finally revealing a gaping hole.

"So that's the secret passage?" Jiang Chen hadn't suspected it before. But this stone platform weighed at least ten tons and was completely solid. He tapped the ground with his foot. It turned out the dust on the ground was too thick, even hardened.

Clearing away this layer of dust, he saw that the ground had three concentric circles. The mysterious symbols carved on these three rings were what had emitted the dark red light just now. The dust shell had caused the light to be so dim.

The red light had now slowly faded, returning to its original state. Jiang Chen understood when he reached Zombie Zhao En. Zhao En's blood had splashed onto the mysterious symbols on the ground, triggering the mechanism.

"Boom!" Suddenly, there was a tremor overhead. "They're using explosives. What lunatics." "Invincible, go up and check immediately."

Jiang Chen wasn't in a hurry to go in. He didn't know if the opening would automatically close if he entered. If it didn't close, and the area above was indeed bombed, he would still be discovered. If they gave up from above, he could wait for Xia Yang's transformation to complete before going down.

There were a few more explosions, but the structure was too solid.

By nightfall, Invincible returned, reporting that the people above had left and given up. Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Crisp... crackle..." The clear sound of porcelain cracking, as crisp as a newly fired Ru ware kiln, echoed. Xia Yang's chrysalis, placed before the golden stairs, had finally completed its transformation.

Jiang Chen stood at the entrance of the hole. He didn't know what Xia Yang would be like when she emerged from the chrysalis. Moreover, she would be at the same level as him right from the start.

Thinking of this, he shivered. When the critical-stage Xia Yang had bitten him, in his fury, he had seemingly charged into the early stage of level four Mature Body. If her baseline was the early stage of Mature Body, she would be even stronger than he was now. Jiang Chen felt a chill run down his spine. Although he knew that a Holy Body created intentionally would never betray him, he wondered if she would be indiscriminate and attack anyone if she wasn't fully conscious upon emerging.

"Sigh... Invincible, go to the ventilation duct." "In case, I'm just saying, in case something happens to me, go back and live with Nameless." Jiang Chen said, half-jokingly. Invincible was a bit confused but complied with his instructions. It trotted to the ventilation duct and watched him.

The pleasant sound of cracking ice intensified. Xia Yang's chrysalis was like a giant piece of Ru ware porcelain fresh from the kiln. Soon, it was covered in cracks all over. Jiang Chen watched Xia Yang intently. "Poof!" Her right index finger was the first to break through the shell and emerge. That finger was like the most exquisite work of art. The skin and muscles were completely transparent, allowing one to see the bones and blood vessels within. "Poof, poof, poof." Her ten fingers and toes began to move, and the shell pieces fell to the ground. She slowly raised her arms.

The bones and joints on her arms were all clearly visible, as if she were made of glass. She placed her hands on the ground and slowly sat up. Jiang Chen swallowed "gulp," feeling incredibly nervous. If Xia Yang attacked him at this moment, he didn't know whether to fight or flee.

Xia Yang's upper body, including her head, had transparent muscles and skin, with her internal organs clearly visible. Bizarre! Utterly bizarre! Even the experienced Jiang Chen felt his throat go dry.

"Xia Yang" turned her head, first looking at Invincible. Invincible's fur stood on end, and its size doubled. Then, she slowly turned to Jiang Chen. As their eyes met, Jiang Chen felt that at first, she was confused. Then, a hint of familiarity gradually appeared. She turned her head back and looked down at her body. She cupped the broken shell pieces in her hands and began to eat them ravenously. She ate meticulously, finishing every last fragment. Initially, Jiang Chen could see the fragments being chewed and crushed in her mouth. Then they were swallowed down her esophagus and into her stomach. They were then slowly dissolved.

Just then, her muscles began to gain color, and her skin started to develop hues. As she ate more and more, her external features became more defined. Jiang Chen's mind suddenly recalled insects eating their shed exoskeletons immediately after hatching. It was said that some insects would be much weaker if they didn't. The shed exoskeleton contained vital nutrients, and lacking them could lead to developmental problems, even preventing wings from hardening.

When Xia Yang finished the last piece of shell, she stood up. Jiang Chen's blood surged. Her face was perfect! Her features were flawless! Her figure was in perfect golden proportion!

What could be described as neither too fat nor too thin. She was still completely naked. Jiang Chen wiped his nose, starting to bleed.

Xia Yang seemed to understand. She beckoned to Invincible, whose fur had now completely flattened. Without hesitation, it leaped from the ventilation duct onto Xia Yang's body like an arrow. It was as if they were old friends meeting after a long time, wriggling excitedly in her arms. Finally, it coiled around her neck, conveniently covering the most crucial part of her upper body. Jiang Chen let out a long sigh of relief. Only after eating the shed exoskeleton was Xia Yang truly transformed. And the blood-bound master-servant relationship between them became clear at this moment. Now, the fact was: Xia Yang was a level four, stage one Mature Body! Higher than her master, Jiang Chen, by one level!

"Master, have we met before?"

038 Underground Lake

Jiang Chen turned away from her. "Ahem, this is probably our first meeting!"

Xia Yang stroked Invincible's soft fur collar. She looked at Jiang Chen's retreating back thoughtfully. "No, I've definitely met you before."

Jiang Chen had to admire her sense of perception. "Alright, then think about where we met."

He remembered Xihake's body was still on the stairs. "Wait here a moment."

In a flash, he circled back, retrieved Xihake's clothes, and returned. "You can't wear the loli's clothes. Wear these for now, and change later when we get out."

"Yes, Master!"

The traditional attire of the Khemers is called a "sarong." It's similar to a tube skirt, made from a rectangular piece of cloth tied around the waist, also called a "longyi."

Xia Yang wrapped the cloth around herself. "All done, Master."

"Ah, I remember now! You're that doctor!"

Only then did Jiang Chen dare to look at her directly. "You have a good memory."

"Thank you for the praise, Master!"

"Don't keep calling me Master. It's not good if someone overhears." "I didn't expect things to turn out like this when we came out."

"Mas..."

"When I'm in this form, you can call me Master. Otherwise, call me Doctor Jiang. My name is Jiang Chen."

"Yes, Doctor Jiang."

Jiang Chen examined her closely. Xia Yang's appearance was the same as before, only more beautiful. She also had two zombie fangs protruding, her nails were long, and her pupils were light green.

"Can you change back to your human form?"

"Yes, I can."

With that, her fangs, nails, and pupils returned to normal. "That's good, it saves a lot of trouble."

"But your appearance hasn't changed at all... When we go out, get a mask to wear when you transform into a jiangshi." "You're a celebrity, after all."

"Yes, Doctor Jiang."

"Xia Yang, did you become a jiangshi voluntarily?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"If it wasn't voluntary, you would have had some time left before completing the corpse transformation and entering the critical state."

Xia Yang nodded. "But... you've always been dedicated to researching zombies and the undead, so why?"

"Doctor Jiang, our family has actually been researching this for generations. It's precisely because we've researched so much that we hope to extend our lives, so we have more time to continue our research. Like my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. They were all zombie enthusiasts, but they lamented the shortness of life. The average human lifespan worldwide is less than 60 years. They all lived past 60, considered a long life. They also considered turning themselves into jiangshi..."

She looked up and took a deep breath. "But, in the end, none of them took that step."

Jiang Chen looked at this world-renowned zombie expert and felt a surge of respect. What could be more insightful than becoming the subject of one's own research?

"Now, you understand what the Sacred Crystal is, right?"

Xia Yang nodded. "Of course." She sighed, "It's so magical... this feeling of eternal life... If I were still human, I wouldn't understand or experience this even after a thousand years of research."

Jiang Chen looked at her. "Eternal life? Heh, it depends on what you're comparing it to. This Joe Mani, a level five zombie. For humans, she could achieve eternal life. Now? She was swatted away like a fly by you!"

Xia Yang looked at Joe Mani's twisted neck on the ground. The excitement immediately subsided greatly. "There's still a lot you need to learn about being a jiangshi. I'll teach you slowly."

Jiang Chen turned, transformed into his Corpse King form, and walked towards the hole. "Let's go. Don't forget Yan Liang is waiting for you in Ink City."

Xia Yang's expression was initially joyful, then her eyes dimmed. "Is... is he alright?"

She transformed back into her jiangshi form and followed Jiang Chen.

"Hmm? Why that tone? Did they have an argument?" Jiang Chen mused.

The two descended through the opening and were immediately met with the smell of earth. The darkness within had no effect on them. Jiang Chen called out, "Invincible, go ahead and scout."

Invincible, coiled around Xia Yang's neck, seemed reluctant but, after a few seconds, bounded ahead.

"Xia Yang, you saved Yan Liang too, didn't you? Did you use the power of the Sacred Crystal then?"

"Yes, Master seems to know everything."

"I was chasing your helicopter from below and saw Yan Liang hanging from a tree halfway. When I reached the crash site, you were gone. I then brought him back to the city."

The tunnel gradually descended, likely hundreds of meters below ground.

"It's good that he's alright."

"Aren't you his fiancée?"

"Before today... perhaps I still am."

"What do you mean by that??"

"Yan Liang... hates zombies more than anyone."

"You mean, he can't accept that you've become a jiangshi now?"

"Yan Liang was raised by his father since he was a child. His mother was killed by zombies when he was young. Jiangshi... I don't know how he views them."

Jiang Chen sighed and walked forward silently. They were already two to three kilometers from the Golden House. The tunnel was wide enough for three people to walk side-by-side, and the excavation marks looked rather rough. At this point, they faintly heard the sound of water ahead. Jiang Chen quickened his pace.

"Whoa, what a sight!"

Jiang Chen couldn't help but exclaim. "Wow, it's a natural cave!"

Xia Yang caught up from behind. "This underground lake is probably over a thousand to two thousand square meters."

Jiang Chen looked in the direction of the water. A waterfall, dozens of meters high, poured into the underground lake.

"Master, look there!"

Jiang Chen turned his head to look downstream. A suspension bridge led to the opposite bank. Jiang Chen cupped some water and tasted it. "The water is good, but it's been contaminated by something."

Xia Yang also lowered her head and took a few sips. "This water is fine for us, but humans would definitely be poisoned if they drank it."

"Right, it's not radiation; there's something in the water."

"Let's go, cross the bridge and take a look."

"Invincible!" Xia Yang called out.

Invincible leaped out of the lake water and dove back in. "It must have found something. Don't worry about it for now, it won't get lost!"

The two walked to the bridgehead. They saw it was an iron cable and wooden bridge. The iron cables were as thick as a normal person's forearm. The bridge deck was made from whole logs, each at least fifty centimeters in diameter. Although years had passed, the iron cables only had a thin layer of rust on the surface. The logs were not significantly decayed.

Jiang Chen gauged the direction. It should be heading towards the center of North Willow City. As they stepped onto the bridge, Xia Yang suddenly grabbed Jiang Chen's hand. "Master! Below..."

Jiang Chen said, with a hint of challenge, "Why don't you go first!?"

039 Gǔ shì chánchú

Xia Yang raised an eyebrow. "Alright, let Master see!"

She walked onto the suspension bridge alone.

When she reached the middle of the bridge, a massive rod-like object shot up from the lake water below.

Its tip was spherical, like a flail, heading straight for Xia Yang.

Xia Yang was only that respectful when facing Jiang Chen. At this moment, her eyes flashed green, her long hair flowing. Without any fancy maneuvers, she clenched her right fist and struck at the object.

To an observer, the incredibly fast object and Xia Yang seemed to be in slow motion, creating a stark and strange contrast. But Jiang Chen knew that Xia Yang was throwing a punch with all her might. Slowest against fastest! This slowness was only apparent. As this incredibly solid punch came into contact with the object, "Pop!" It vanished as noiselessly as a bursting soap bubble. A faint smell of blood instantly filled the air. The remaining part of the object quickly retracted into the water.

"Still trying to run?"

At some point, her left hand had already grabbed the object. "Come up!"

With a gentle pull, "Splash!" A creature larger than an adult elephant was pulled out of the water by her.

Thrown onto the shore, it croaked, "Croak! Croak!" Jiang Chen stared. It was a giant toad. What Xia Yang had knocked off was its tongue. This was not a Corpse Beast. "Master, this is a Gǔ shì chánchú," Xia Yang said, landing lightly beside Jiang Chen. The Gǔ shì chánchú croaked and retreated, its eyes filled with terror.

"Gǔ shì chánchú? I've never heard of it."

"It was artificially cultivated using gene modification technology."

"You're a biologist, educate me."

"This goes back to the 'Day of Destruction' and humanity's entry into a century of subterranean living. Conversely, on the surface, it was the beginning of a century of 'nuclear dust.' Almost all flora and fauna were wiped out. Fortunately, major world powers had their gene banks and seed banks. Thus, to solve humanity's food problem, gene modification technology entered a period of rapid development. And the simplest and most brutal method was gigantism. Through genetic technology, common carnivorous animals like chickens, ducks, and geese were enlarged. This technology solved the meat shortage for the surviving humans at the time and was truly indispensable. This is just one example. During the subterranean era, surface technology was almost entirely lost. But it also spurred a great explosion in underground living technology. As the saying goes, 'When food and clothing are abundant, lust will arise.' Once basic needs were met, the powerful and wealthy began to devise forms of entertainment. This led to the emergence of various inexplicable creatures. Some families even established their own biological laboratories for this purpose. It spawned a complete industrial chain, almost second only to food in scale. This Gǔ shì chánchú was a pet kept by some nobles at the time.