Chapter 540, Paranormal Phenomenon
"What are you talking about? Stay away from the window, or the zombies below will spot you."
Behind her, a woman's nagging voice sounded.
"I'm serious. Just now, where the explosion happened, there were so many souls. It must be a monk performing a requiem for the zombies over there, so they won't suffer anymore." The girl continued to gaze out the window.
A similarly disheveled middle-aged woman followed the girl's gaze into the distance.
The empty sky.
There was no sign of any souls.
Occasionally, a skeletal dragon could be seen circling in the distant sky.
"Don't talk nonsense; it's scary."
"Mom, was the dragon that delivered food to us last time one of these skeletal wyverns?" the daughter asked again, looking off into the distance.
The mother pulled most of the curtains closed, leaving only a small gap through which they could see outside.
"It looked similar. I was hiding far away when I saw it, so I'm not entirely sure if it was that kind of wyvern."
The daughter tilted her head thoughtfully. "Could it be people from Xinfu City fighting zombies over there and performing requiems for wandering souls?"
"Impossible. Killing zombies isn't that simple. Even rescue teams can't get in, let alone some civilian base."
"But they're the only ones who've delivered food to us. The people you mentioned just shout slogans on the radio every day," the daughter retorted.
"They will come to save us. The radio said they're organizing forces."
The daughter thought for a moment. "I think we should go out and take a look. The battle has drawn the zombies away, so it should be safe."
"If we go downstairs and run into zombies, we won't make it back. A couple of cold pills won't fix that," the mother said.
"But—"
"We'll talk about it later. We still need to be cautious."
As the mother and daughter spoke, a burst of static came from the radio behind them, followed by a weak, intermittent voice.
"This is the Xinfu City rescue team. We have arrived at Iron North Commercial Street and have cleared the surrounding zombies. Survivors nearby are advised to gather with us. If you encounter skeletons on the way, those are our soldiers. Please do not attack or provoke them to avoid unnecessary casualties."
The mother and daughter suddenly turned around.
Their eyes were filled with astonishment.
It really was the Xinfu City base—they had actually come into the city to rescue people.
...
The main road of the commercial street.
The battle between the skeletons and zombies had ended.
The souls drifting in the sky were being pursued and devoured one by one by Xiaoxiao and Glenda.
When the last soul was absorbed,
[Wraith level increased to 15, Constitution +2, Intelligence +3.]
[Wraith unlocked trait: Paranormal Phenomenon.]
Glenda had reached level 15.
In terms of tiers, she had reached the third tier.
Wu Heng opened the wraith panel and glanced at the newly unlocked trait [Paranormal Phenomenon].
[Paranormal Phenomenon]: In areas where wraiths linger, they can 'actively' influence the five senses of surrounding living beings, causing them to experience strange noises, cold drafts seeping into a roaring hearth, the stench of corpses filling a clean room, or corpses rising from graves. The wraith can control the type of phenomena based on the setting.
Wu Heng studied the newly unlocked trait and furrowed his brows slightly.
From the description, it seemed more like an enhanced version of wraith illusions.
It could affect the senses of living beings, whether through strange noises, cold drafts invading warm rooms, or the stench of decay in clean environments.
It primarily affected hearing, sight, and smell.
It wasn't entirely useless.
It seemed to be more effective for scaring people.
Adventurers in other worlds were highly sensitive to environmental changes. Once such phenomena occurred, it could actually make them more vigilant.
The effect wasn't particularly significant.
It was more suitable for scaring ordinary people, though scaring people didn't seem particularly useful either.
He decided to see where it could be used later on.
"Uncle, they're all gone," Xiaoxiao said as she floated down.
After this upgrade,
Xiaoxiao had also reached level 13.
The level gap between the two wraiths, which had previously been quite large, was gradually closing.
"Let's wait for next time. You both need to rest for now," Wu Heng said.
"Oh." Xiaoxiao replied before lying on his shoulder. "Uncle, did you see me dominating the battlefield just now? I wasn't this awesome even when I was in kindergarten."
"What kindergarten?"
"It wasn't really kindergarten. Just playing with other kids," Xiaoxiao floated to the other side. "I was amazing today."
Glenda chimed in, "Xiaoxiao was incredible today."
"Hehe." Xiaoxiao giggled.
As they spoke, the skeletons dragged over various corpses.
The evolved zombies and mutated zombies were lined up in front of them.
Wu Heng converted them one by one and collected the corpse cores they dropped.
Once the conversion of evolved and mutated zombies was complete, he continued along the road, casting [Battlefield of the Dead] to convert all the corpses into skeletons.
The entire street was filled with a dense, seemingly endless sea of skeletons.
"Qi Hancai, bring the convoy over and scavenge the surrounding shops," Wu Heng said over the radio.
"Got it!"
The convoy in the rear began moving, making its way through the path cleared by the skeletons.
It parked on one side, and a large group of survivors disembarked to scavenge the shops along the road.
Priority items were taken first.
The survivors busied themselves.
Qi Hancai walked over from the back of the convoy and said, "We've picked up 13 survivors, all from nearby shelters. The food distribution last time helped—once they heard it was our convoy, they came over."
Wu Heng turned and looked toward the rear of the convoy.
At the tail end, a group of people had gathered.
Both men and women were there, their disheveled appearance making them look like wild people emerging from the wilderness. They lined up to receive flatbread and fresh water from the convoy.
Wu Heng felt something and looked toward the middle of the line.
A young girl, around ten years old, was staring straight at him.
She occasionally glanced at the sky and his shoulder.
Her eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity.
"These people used to live here, and their families must've been well-off," Qi Hancai remarked again.
Wu Heng turned back. "Mm, make a record of their ages and professions. When we return, assign them work based on that. If anyone has special skills, note them down separately."
"Understood. I've already instructed someone to handle it."
"Good."
Wu Heng waited by the roadside as the survivors loaded various items onto the trucks.
Once everything was ready, the convoy turned around and headed toward the munitions factory.
...
On the return trip, inside the truck.
Wu Heng took a sip of water and asked, "How's Wang Haibing doing lately?"
"He's been diligently training the skeletons. He's punctual, treating it like a regular job."
Wang Haibing's current task was to manage the munitions factory's power plant and train the skeletons assigned to him.
Once power plants in other areas were established, those skeletons would be deployed to maintain their operations.
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "Tell him to select a few of the well-trained skeletons tomorrow. I'll be taking them with me."
"Okay, I'll inform him when we get back," Qi Hancai replied without missing a beat.
By now, the sky had darkened.
The convoy's headlights lit up the surroundings.
Wu Heng continued, "Has the central station contacted you again?"
"Yes, they asked if we had reconsidered. I told them we weren't interested in either of their proposals. We can continue trading goods, but that's it. They tried convincing me with their 'for the greater good' speech, but once they saw we weren't budging, they dropped it."
"Good. Aside from trading, they have nothing else to offer us," Wu Heng said.
"I know," Qi Hancai replied with a smile.
The convoy returned to the factory.
Qi Hancai got off the truck to arrange housing for the new survivors, while Wu Heng returned to his dormitory.
He opened the portal and returned to Gold-Silver Island.
...
Coming down from the upper floor,
the hall was pitch black.
Night had fallen here as well, and the maids had retired to their rooms to rest.
Wu Heng assigned the newly arrived electrician skeletons to the courtyard.
He also had the skeleton chef prepare some dinner, which he ate in the dining room.
Tap, tap, tap~
Footsteps echoed.
Andviel descended the stairs, holding a handgun.
She smiled when she saw Wu Heng eating at the dining table. "Master, having dinner this late?"
"Yes. Want to join me?"
"No, I don't want to gain weight, or you won't like me anymore."
Wu Heng stroked her soft fox tail. "Our Andviel is adorable even with a little extra weight."
Andviel's cheeks flushed. "No way! There's so much competition now—I have to maintain my figure."
"What competition?"
"You wouldn't understand."
Wu Heng continued, "How's the town hall lately?"
"Everything's fine. We've increased the number of patrol guards, and the tax adjustment discussions have been finalized. I'll bring you the details in the next couple of days," Andviel said.
Wu Heng nodded and asked, "How's the energy plant construction progressing?"
Andviel thought for a moment. "I heard it's going smoothly, but I haven't looked into the specifics."
"Have that gnome designer visit tomorrow. I want to discuss it with him."
"Sure. How about tomorrow morning?"
"That works."
After a brief conversation, Wu Heng finished his steak.
He wiped his mouth, stood up, and said, "Andviel, stay with me tonight?"
Andviel's eyes curved into crescent moons. "Sure, I'm a bit afraid of the dark today."
"Come on, I'll hold you while we sleep."
"Okay!"
...
The next morning, Wu Heng yawned as he came downstairs.
After breakfast, Andviel headed to the town hall while Wu Heng was dragged to the courtyard by the other three maids.
They showed him the garden renovations they had been working on over the past few days.
All the original flowers and plants had been replaced with fruit trees.
The garden had been transformed into a fruit orchard.
They said it would allow them to grow their own fruit in the future.
Dong dong dong~!
Just as the three were chatting noisily about the benefits of planting fruit trees, the courtyard gate was forcefully knocked.
Minnie peered out through the window and asked who it was.
She then quickly ran back and said, "Master, it's a representative from the Starflower Chamber of Commerce. They've come to discuss ordering goods with you."
Wu Heng was momentarily stunned.
Shanella had just spoken to him about the wood elves, and now the chamber's representative had arrived so quickly.
Either the wood elves had already made arrangements to cooperate with him, or they had some means of fast communication to learn about this collaboration so quickly.
"Invite him to the living room," Wu Heng said, heading there.
Minnie returned to the gate and led the visitor through the courtyard filled with skeletons and armored vehicles to the hall.
Inside the living room.
The male wood elf, dressed in a black suit, gave a slight bow. "Seamus, representative of the Starflower Chamber of Commerce, greets the island master."
His demeanor was elegant, like a noble attending a ball.
"Hello, have a seat," Wu Heng said.
The wood elf sat to the side as the catgirl served tea.
Once the maids had left, the wood elf spoke softly, "Island master, I've come to discuss a cooperation with you."
"Yes, I'm aware of the matter. I do have a batch of goods I need to order from Starflower."
"That's wonderful," the wood elf said, smiling immediately.
It seemed the matter was easier than he had expected.
"Did you bring the order list?" Wu Heng asked.
"I did." The wood elf respectfully stood and handed over the list.
Wu Heng briefly reviewed it, then took out a pen to mark the items he wanted to order.
First on the list was grain, followed by superior-grade armor and one-handed axes.
"Why aren't there any ships on the list?"
"Normally, ships aren't listed. If you need to order them, a special application must be submitted. As one of our important clients, approval shouldn't be an issue," the wood elf explained.
Wu Heng handed him the order list and continued, "I'll order ten of your warships."
"Understood!" The representative glanced at the order and could hardly conceal his joy.
One hundred thousand gold for grain, fifty thousand for armor, and another fifty thousand for one-handed axes.
This single order likely surpassed the annual supply for both Gold-Silver Island and nearby coastal regions.
No wonder the clan prioritized this deal.
The wood elf immediately added the warships to the order.
"Sir, after applying the discount, the total is 53,520 gold coins. This is per Starflower's agreement," the wood elf said after calculating.
Wu Heng instructed someone to count the coins while he signed the agreement.
He then added, "I'm in urgent need of the grain and warships, so please expedite the delivery."
"Sir, given the size of your order, we'll need to prepare the goods. A single fleet can't deliver everything at once."
"Then deliver them in batches, with the warships sent first."
After some thought, the wood elf nodded. "That won't be a problem. I'll arrange for the warships to be delivered first."
"Notify Andviel at the town hall for inspection when they arrive."
"Understood, island master."
While waiting for the coin count, Wu Heng chatted with the representative about the island's business environment, shipping routes, and port facilities.
The wood elf seemed a bit reserved and gave only standard responses.
Once Minnie finished counting the coins,
the representative called in additional personnel to confirm the amount before taking it all.
After bowing again, he left the island master's estate.
...
9 AM.
The gnome designer arrived at the estate once more.
Led by Minnie, he entered the hall.
Wu Heng waited for him to sit before asking, "The expansion area should be nearly complete, right?"
"We've entered the final stages. Construction will be finished within the month, and residents can begin moving in."
Wu Heng was satisfied with the progress. Buildings in this world weren't as extravagant as in the modern world—most residential homes had two stories.
Only the estates of the wealthy had three or four stories.
This simplicity, combined with construction vehicles, made progress faster.
"What's the status of the energy plant and the port?"
The gnome replied immediately, "The plant is finished, and the port will be completed this week."
"Good work. If any adjustments are needed for the plant, I'll let you know."
"Understood, sir."
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "I'll designate a building behind the town hall as your design institute. You'll be in charge."
The gnome's eyes lit up with joy. He jumped off his chair and bowed. "Thank you, sir! I'll do my best—Gold-Silver Island will be my second home from now on."
"That's the spirit. Keep up the good work. You can head back for now, and I'll call on you when needed."
"Yes, sir." The gnome bowed once more and left the estate.
He boarded his carriage, elated, and rode off.
...
In the afternoon, after seeing that nothing else required his attention,
Wu Heng informed Minnie and went directly to the zombie world.
He sat in his bedroom for a while.
Qi Hancai returned from outside and briefed him on the factory's situation.
She then added, "Sister Yanhong ran into some trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"A shelter claimed that some of the people we recruited are murderers and robbers—thugs from that area. But our side denies it, saying the shelter is just bitter about a previous trade loss and is slandering them. They've been arguing for days on the channel, and other shelters are paying attention. This could damage our base's reputation if it isn't handled well."
In the apocalypse, the more ruthless and brutal people often survived.
People like Yang Yitian and Chen Jinlong were typical examples.
Strong and merciless, they could control their underlings and form small factions.
Bullying survivors was much easier than fighting zombies.
Everyone knew survival was the top priority in the apocalypse.
But neither the rescue team bases nor larger bases would recruit such people.
At most, they would turn a blind eye to their actions.
Wu Heng hadn't expected anyone to report criminals among his people.
"What's the main issue?"
"There's no way to verify who's telling the truth. No other shelters can provide testimony. Some bases are making snide remarks, which is quite annoying," Qi Hancai said.
"What kind of remarks?" Wu Heng asked further.
"Things like accusing us of harboring our own people and saying that any growing power inevitably has blood on its hands."
Wu Heng was momentarily taken aback. "Sounds a bit like my past self."
"Don't joke around."
After thinking for a moment, Wu Heng said, "I have a solution. I'll teach you, and you can pass it on to Li Yanhong."
"What's the solution?"
Wu Heng placed a clay sculpture on the table. "Stare into its eyes. Don't resist, and don't look away."
Qi Hancai frowned at the kneeling clay figure. "It's a bit creepy."
Still, she followed his instructions and locked eyes with the sculpture.
"What's your opinion of the base right now?" Wu Heng asked.
"The base is developing well. If we maintain this momentum, we'll surpass the central station and become the largest and most reputable shelter."
Qi Hancai's eyes widened slightly, as if surprised by her own response.
Wu Heng continued, "Why did you choose to follow me?"
Qi Hancai's face flushed bright red.
But her mouth involuntarily answered, "Because you're good-looking, have potential, and are the best option. I hinted at it several times when I joined, and eventually, Li Yanhong and I came up with the plan together."
Seeing her embarrassed, Wu Heng covered the sculpture's eyes with a handkerchief.
Her mouth instantly clamped shut.
He gestured for her to wait as the side effect wore off.
"The effect forces those who stare directly into its eyes to tell the truth," he explained.
"That's amazing! What's the principle behind it?"
"An ancient relic. Don't ask too much. Just know that it works," Wu Heng said. "The side effect is temporary muteness after answering questions. Two questions mean two minutes of silence. The more questions asked, the longer the silence."
"It's like a lie detector."
"That's a fair comparison," Wu Heng nodded.
"Alright, I'll personally deliver this to Li Yanhong tomorrow."
"Sounds good."
Qi Hancai hesitated before saying, "By the way, don't tell anyone what I just said—not even Li Yanhong."
"Okay, it's our secret."
"Mhm."
After settling this, Qi Hancai added, "Oh, the provincial channel was taken over by the provincial rescue team today. They're launching an assault on the city."
"Why the sudden assault?"
"Probably because we've been putting pressure on them. Our continuous zombie-clearing operations and rescue missions in the city made them look bad," Qi Hancai analyzed.
"That makes sense. It's good news for the survivors."
"They should've done this long ago. The longer they delay, the stronger the zombies become."
...
Jiuhua Street.
The sound of projectiles tearing through the air echoed across the street.
Grenades rained down like a torrential downpour.
Explosions erupted, flames shooting skyward, and the deafening noise shook the ground.
Buildings trembled violently as groups of zombies were blown apart, flesh and limbs scattering in all directions.
The horde screamed and frantically scanned the surroundings before spotting the approaching convoy of armored vehicles.
They instantly gathered into a massive flood and charged forward, howling.
Boom boom~ Bang bang bang~!
Cannons roared, and machine-gun fire wove a deadly net.
The advancing zombies fell like harvested wheat, piling into mountains of corpses.
"Gunners, stay alert for ammo changes."
"Armored vehicles, target and clear the mutated zombies ahead."
"Hold steady. We've prepared well—victory is ours."
Command after command was issued through the radios.
The soldiers continued unloading their ammunition.
Suddenly—
The charging zombie horde abruptly stopped.
They scattered and hid behind the surrounding buildings, leaving the street eerily empty except for the corpses littering the ground.
Everyone widened their eyes, confused and unsure of what had just happened.
What's going on?
Tens of thousands of zombies had suddenly dispersed and hidden away.
What's happening?