Forty years old, awakening attribute panel

Chapter 273

Neville's resolute refusal made the atmosphere tense. His unquestionable tone and resolute back seemed to tell them that for him, it was not only the remains of the two hunters, but also the indispensable symbol of his benefactors in his life, and he would not allow anyone to infringe on it in any form. Moon Hyo-ri wanted to continue persuading him, but was stopped by Kang Seung. He knew that no matter how many words he said, it would be difficult to shake Neville's determination.

Jiang Sheng and Wen Xiaoli stood there, waiting for Neville's back to disappear from sight. There was a sense of oppression in the air. Jiang Sheng turned his head and looked at Wen Xiaoli sharply, waiting for her explanation. Wen Xiaoli took a deep breath and slowly told the truth: "You may not know that two personal terminals can be exchanged for 1000 mission points in the magic cube. These points are enough for us to temporarily avoid some dangerous missions, at least we don't have to face the threat of zombies directly."

Jiang Sheng's thoughts turned quickly, and he immediately thought of a more profound question: "You mean, as long as we have enough mission points, we can choose not to adventure into these dangerous plot worlds?" After a slight hesitation, Wen Xiaoli nodded, confirming his guess.

This nod struck Jiang Shengru as a thunderbolt. He instantly realized that if the mission failed, in order to obtain the mission points, would Moon Hyo-ri choose a more extreme method, such as sacrificing him to seize the personal terminal? Moon Hyo-ri caught the flash of fear in his eyes and quickly explained: "I didn't mean to hide it from you, but I was afraid that you would have too many concerns. Moreover, using mission points to evade missions is not a long-term solution. After each evasion, the number of mission points required for the next time will increase exponentially."

Jiang Sheng's face became more and more stern, and he asked, "How many times is it exactly?" Moon Hyo-ri continued to explain, "The first time it may only take 500 points, but the second time it will become 5000 points, and then it may be as high as 50000 points, or even more."

Jiang Sheng's tone turned cold. He looked directly at Moon Hyo-ri and ordered, "If there is anything else I don't know, tell me all at once."

Moon Hyo-ri sighed and admitted, "There is indeed one thing I didn't tell you, that is, there is a rule among hunters that they hunt each other."

"If I belonged to the evil camp, would you have attacked me last night?" There was a hint of chill in Jiang Sheng's voice.

Moon Hyo-ri answered without any hesitation: "Yes!" Her directness made Jiang Sheng's heart sink.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Sheng turned around and was about to leave. Wen Xiaoli's voice came from behind, with a hint of uneasiness: "Are you leaving?" Jiang Sheng did not look back, but just left a cold sentence: "Find a way to take out the two terminals." This sentence made Wen Xiaoli, who was originally full of sorrow, slightly relieved. She looked at Jiang Sheng's back as he left, and complex emotions intertwined in her heart. In the end, she followed him. Perhaps, this was the beginning of their mutual dependence and coexistence in this cruel world.

The atmosphere in the room was stiff because of Neville's determination. No matter how hard Kang Seung and Moon Hyo-ri tried to persuade him, Neville's attitude remained as firm as a rock and he refused to give in. Even under their constant pressure, his patience seemed to have reached its limit and he said impatiently, "It seems that you are not the guests I was expecting. Sorry, you are not welcome here!" These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing their previous enthusiasm and expectations.

Jiang Sheng cursed secretly in his heart, but on the surface he had to show a sad look: "Mr. Neville, please don't be angry, we really have no intention of blaspheming the dead. Their departure is also a great loss to us, and we are also extremely sad."

He changed the subject and tried to convince Neville from another angle: "But you may not know that the equipment they carry is actually a highly advanced technological product that can help us detect the hiding places of zombies. In this way, we can eliminate zombies more effectively and create a safer research environment for you."

Neville's eyes revealed suspicion and curiosity. He asked, "Are you serious?"

Jiang Sheng nodded firmly, trying to make his words sound more credible.

"So, you are willing to help me resist the zombie attacks and ensure that I can develop antiviral drugs as soon as possible?" Neville's eyes flashed with shrewdness, as if he was measuring the weight of every word.

Jiang Sheng cursed the "old fox" in his heart, but on the surface he could only nod helplessly. He knew that compromise was necessary at this moment.

At the moment when Jiang Sheng made his verbal promise, an electronically synthesized prompt sounded in his ears: "00223954776, you have accepted the mission to protect Dr. Robert Neville. The mission period is 72 hours! During this period, if Dr. Robert Neville encounters misfortune, the mission will be considered a failure."

This sudden system notification almost made Jiang Sheng's heart collapse. His original plan was just to get the two personal terminals through wits so that Moon Hyo-ri could successfully complete her mission. In this way, he might be able to avoid being involved in more unnecessary dangers. But now, not only did he fail to achieve his original intention, but he was also inexplicably tied to a plot mission, which meant that he was no longer a bystander, but a direct participant, and had to fight side by side with Moon Hyo-ri and share the responsibility of protecting Dr. Neville.

This incident made Jiang Sheng realize that the rules of the doomsday world are far more complicated than he imagined. He originally thought he could stay out of it, but now it seems that everyone is like a chess piece on a chessboard, controlled by an invisible hand and unable to control themselves. He sighed deeply and looked at Wen Xiaoli. Their eyes met. Without saying anything, they both understood that the road ahead would be more difficult. Jiang Sheng silently calculated in his heart how to protect Neville while protecting himself. After all, in this cruel world, survival always comes first.

The lessons learned from gaming experience told him that a two-player cooperative dungeon is often much more difficult than a single-player one. What was originally a difficult task has now been upgraded to a terrifying challenge with the addition of Moon Hyo-ri. Jiang Sheng opened his personal terminal, and as expected, his task rating quietly rose from C to C+, and his faction logo also changed from "chaotic neutral" to "lawful good". This sudden change made him curse inwardly: "Fuck!"

At this time, Neville was busy preparing lunch in the kitchen, completely unaware of the unknown excavation going on in the backyard. Jiang Sheng and Wen Xiaoli were digging hard in the backyard, shoveling one shovel at a time, aiming directly at the two newly built graves.

"I received a new side quest." Jiang Sheng said as he dug.

Wen Xiaoli's reaction seemed to be expected. She didn't even raise her head, continued what she was doing, and answered casually: "Is it about the mission to protect Neville?"

Jiang Sheng stopped what he was doing and asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

Wen Xiaoli threw out a shovel of dirt with all his strength, then stood up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "I have to remind you that we are in a story mission world, not a movie scene. Neville is just a mission NPC here, and your emotional investment in him will have no real effect."

Jiang Sheng frowned and said unhappily, "You mean, all the emotional exchanges I had with him before were in vain?"

Wen Xiaoli stopped the shovel in her hand, wiped the sweat, and smiled faintly: "It can't be said that it has no effect at all. At least you successfully triggered this task, didn't you?"

"What would be the consequences if he unfortunately died?" Jiang Sheng asked.

"You will be deducted 500 mission points, and I will be deducted 1000 points." Moon Hyo-ri's tone revealed unquestionable calmness.

"What if the task value is not enough for deduction?" Jiang Sheng just asked the question, and then he seemed to think of something and smiled self-deprecatingly, "Okay, I know." He remembered the cold reminder in his mind when he first woke up. Without waiting for Wen Xiaoli's answer, he lowered his head and continued the excavation work in his hands.

Soon, two coffins appeared in front of them. When they carefully opened the coffin lids, an unbearable stench hit them. The two bodies were severely decomposed, emitting a foul-smelling yellow corpse water. The bottom of the coffin was soaked, and maggots and rotten corpse shells were floating in the water. The scene was extremely disgusting.

"Ugh—" Jiang Sheng was caught off guard and retched due to the strong stench. The gastric juice churned in his throat, making him almost unstable. Wen Xiaoli was not much better, but she resisted the discomfort, took a few deep breaths, and stabilized her emotions. In this doomsday world, nausea and fear seem to be commonplace, and they must learn to face even the most unbearable side.

"Hurry up, time waits for no one." Moon Hyo-ri tried to remind Jiang Sheng in a calm tone, and at the same time she began to look for the personal terminal they needed on the corpse. In this process, the two not only had to overcome extreme physical discomfort, but also had to face a huge psychological test, because they understood that this was not only to complete the mission, but also to fight for a glimmer of hope in this cruel world.

Moon Hyo-ri's calm attitude without changing her expression seemed to tell Kang Seung that what they were doing was far from ordinary work. Her words revealed a kind of determination and pessimistic expectations for the future, as if to warn Kang Seung that the best way to face the unknown and fear is to face it, even if that means crossing the bottom line of human nature. "Vomit now while you can, you won't have the chance to vomit in the future." This sentence is both a cold humor about the current situation and a preview of the upcoming challenges. Kang Seung's complaints are the most real reaction of ordinary people when facing extreme environments. His heart is full of confusion and resistance. However, in this world woven by biochemical crises, unknown viruses and the shadow of death, complaints seem so insignificant. Moon Hyo-ri's disregard is actually a deep understanding of reality-in this world, emotional catharsis cannot change the status quo, and only action is the only way out.

When Moon Hyo-ri put on rubber gloves and explored the coffin filled with the smell of death without hesitation, her actions were not only loyal to the mission, but also a compliance with the law of survival. What she found was not only the wet black watch, but also a small but firm grasp of hope. Even though the stench was overwhelming and everything around her was telling her to give up, she still chose to persist.

Jiang Sheng's reaction is the natural reflex of most people when facing extremely harsh environments. His vomiting is his body's protest against excessive mental stress, and it is also his true display of the fragile side of human nature. However, it is this truth that makes Moon Hyo-ri's tenacity even more valuable. Her laughter may be a self-mockery of her own fearlessness, or a tolerance of her partner's weakness.

In such a desperate environment, finding equipment, even the lowest-level loot, could be the key to survival. The C+ difficulty rating not only indicates the difficulty of the mission, but also indirectly reflects the severe challenges faced by the participants. The absence of high-level hunters forces low-level hunters like Moon Hyo-ri and Kang Seung to shoulder the heavy responsibility. Their poverty is the only reward from the world for their courage.

The trip to the basement after lunch was the turning point of the story. Neville's research progress, like a ray of light in the darkness, gave the three unprecedented hope. Jiang Sheng's sudden realization was not only an understanding of "the plot serves the mission", but also a profound reflection on the arrangement of fate. After several years of research gaps, they made a breakthrough as soon as they arrived. Behind this seemingly coincidental, there may be a deeper meaning - everyone's destiny is intertwined by countless choices and opportunities, and they, at this moment, became the key role in promoting the development of the plot.

This story is not only about survival and fighting, but also about the exploration of human nature and self-transcendence. Against the backdrop of doomsday, each character is fighting despair in his own way and looking for his own path to redemption. Whether it is Moon Hyo-ri's cold determination, Kang Seung's struggle and adaptation, or Neville's perseverance, they all tell us: Even in the darkest moments, as long as you don't give up hope, there will always be light that penetrates the clouds and illuminates the way forward.

"So what should we do next?" Jiang Sheng's voice echoed in the empty ruins, sounding particularly heavy. This question was not only a question about the next step, but also an expression of confusion about the future.

Neville pondered for a moment, his eyes flashing with determination and calmness, "I'm going to catch a zombie." This suggestion made Jiang Sheng's heart tremble, and the horrifying scenes in the movie emerged in his mind, especially the girlfriend of the zombie leader, who was powerful and weird, like the messenger of death.

Neville did what he said without any hesitation, leading Kang Seung and Moon Hyo-ri on their journey to the federal court. The two-kilometer distance seemed particularly long in this devastated city, and every step was stepped on the dust of history.

When the three arrived at the federal court, the former solemnity and glory had become a thing of the past. This palace that symbolizes law and justice is now only a ruin. The sculptures that once stood tall are now only broken bodies, as if silently telling the fall of civilization. Neville looked up at the desolation, and a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes, but soon, the loneliness was replaced by determination, "Let's go! Let's go to the back door."

The small door on the north side of the federal courthouse was in sharp contrast to the majestic east gate. It was so narrow that two people could barely pass through side by side. This was the starting point of their plan and the beginning of unknown dangers. Neville stopped near the back door and said to the two in a low voice: "There are many powerful zombies hiding here. They once attacked my shelter, and your former companions also died at their hands." After that, his tone became more solemn, revealing the urgency of this operation.

Upon hearing this, Moon Hyo-ri looked at Neville sharply and asked a practical question, "Then how do you plan to catch it?" Obviously, capturing a zombie in a court where zombies are rampant requires a careful plan.

Neville did not explain too much, but took the prepared wire rope and nail gun from Jiang Sheng and began his arrangement. This scene is similar to the scene in the movie, except that the background is changed to the more symbolic federal court. He skillfully launched the wire rope with a pulley above the lintel of the court. The rope drew an arc in the air and was firmly fixed there. Then, he tightened the other end of the rope and walked towards a telephone pole not far away.

"Leave it to you." Neville ordered concisely and forcefully. Jiang Sheng did not hesitate, quickly took off his shoes, and climbed up the pole barefoot. His movements were agile and skillful, as if he had mastered the skills to survive in this doomsday world. As he climbed up step by step to the top, he skillfully wrapped the wire rope around the pole and slowly lowered it, preparing for the subsequent capture operation.

At this moment, the night is getting darker, and under the moonlight, the figures of the three people appear particularly lonely and determined. What they are about to embark on is not only a capture of zombies, but also a test of their will to survive and a brave attempt to fight against fate. On this ruin, the light and darkness of human nature are intertwined, and hope and despair coexist. Whether they can succeed not only concerns the life and death of individuals, but also the future direction of mankind.

After walking another ten meters, they came to another electric pole. This pole looked particularly fragile in the wind of doomsday, as if it could collapse at any time. Jiang Sheng's heartbeat accelerated, but he had a mission to accomplish, so he could only suppress his fear and climb up with his hands and feet. He took every step carefully, fearing that he would become the burial object of this electric pole if he was not careful. Finally, he successfully tied the wire rope tightly to the electric pole to ensure that it could withstand the coming heavy pressure.

Neville stood below, commanding calmly, and every one of his instructions was full of unquestionable determination. Jiang Sheng followed the instructions and removed the only remaining screw on the base of the pole. At this time, the entire pole was barely able to stay standing only by the traction of Wen Xiaoli. The air was filled with tension, as if even time had frozen at this moment.

The following arrangement was simple but efficient. Neville took out the noose trap he had prepared in advance and secretly nailed it in the dark corner of the back door to ensure that it would work without attracting attention. Then, he tied the other end of the wire rope that Moon Hyo-ri was pulling to the trap. In this way, as long as any creature triggered the trap, the unsupported pole would collapse, and at the same time, the wire rope would be pulled to pull the unfortunate person out.

"These advanced zombies are extremely sensitive to fresh blood." Neville explained as he took out a glass bottle of blood from his arms and gently threw it onto the trap. His movements were clean and neat, without any hesitation. "They can smell the scent of living people from several kilometers away and attack." As Neville took a deep breath, he slammed the glass bottle to the ground. The shattering sound was crisp and loud, like the horn of the battle.

Several people quickly evacuated to a safe distance and waited in silence. Time seemed to be stretched out. About two minutes later, a series of creepy roars came from the back door. Even though the sun was shining brightly at this moment, the sound still made people feel cold, as if it was a call from hell.

Jiang Sheng's fingers tightly grasped the M16 assault rifle in his hand. He looked back at Wen Xiaoli and found that this usually calm and decisive woman was now shrouded in an indescribable haze. The screams of the zombies were so terrifying, so the cruelty of the zombie leader could only be guessed at the limit of imagination.

However, all plans have been set in motion, and there is no turning back. A slight "pop" sound came from the distance, which was the sound of the mechanism being triggered. Then, the carefully arranged electric pole behind the crowd tilted rapidly, as if being pulled by an invisible hand, and an object wrapped in black cloth in the back door was suddenly pulled out by the wire rope, leaving a strange trajectory.

"Ahhh" the creature under the black cloth struggled violently, accompanied by a shrill howl, the sound was full of pain and anger, echoing above the ruins, making people shudder. This is not just a capture of prey, but also a test of courage and wisdom, a cruel game that must be played for survival.

The pulley above the door lintel suddenly broke free because it could not withstand the pulling force, but at the same time, the zombie was quickly hung on the electric pole by this sudden force, as if it was firmly caught by some invisible giant hand, hanging in the air and struggling endlessly. This scene, although beyond everyone's expectations, undoubtedly proved that the trap they set worked.

However, just as the brief joy of victory had not yet faded, a lightning-fast black shadow suddenly rushed out of the back door, aiming directly at Jiang Sheng and others. The speed was so fast that people had almost no time to react. Jiang Sheng was shocked. He originally thought that zombies were afraid of sunlight, but he didn't expect that this one in front of him was so brave. "MB, didn't they say that zombies are afraid of light?" Although he cursed, his hands did not slow down. The M16 assault rifle instantly sprayed out flames, and dense bullets poured out like raindrops.

"Da da da—" The sound of gunfire echoed in the empty ruins. The zombies that rushed over retreated again and again under the series of shots. The light gray overalls on their upper bodies kept spurting out large amounts of emerald green pus, which looked extremely disgusting. But the zombie did not give up. Its eyes were full of madness and undead desire. Its sharp claws flashed cold light in the sun, and it rushed towards Jiang Sheng again regardless of everything.

"Retreat quickly--" Moon Hyo-ri reacted quickly. While pulling Kang Seung, who was still firing wildly, back away quickly, she pulled out her pistol and calmly fired continuously at the zombie leader's head.

"Bang, bang, bang..." Gunshots rang out, and white smoke suddenly rose from the bald head of the zombie leader. The skin on his face also melted away quickly like ice and snow under high temperature. Although he finally let out a deafening howl at the few people unwillingly, he still had to turn around quickly and fled back to the back door of the court.

"Fuck! This zombie has become a spirit." Jiang Sheng cursed while changing the magazine quickly and firing blindly at the back of the zombie leader. Although his shooting skills were not accurate, even zombies could not be completely spared under such dense firepower. Several stray bullets hit the back of the zombie leader, causing it to stagger a few steps. It turned its head and glared at Jiang Sheng fiercely with its resentful eyes, and finally chose to flee the scene.

After that, they took great pains to bring the zombie wrapped in black cloth back to Neville's underground laboratory. When the black cloth was removed, everyone was surprised that the female zombie in the original movie was replaced by a young loli zombie, but her strength was so great that two adults had to work together to fix her on the iron bed.

"Ah~~Ah~" The little zombie's head was exposed, veins bulging, and its face was ferocious. It howled harshly at the people around it, and the voice was full of anger and unwillingness. Her appearance not only broke their original assumptions, but also indicated that the next experiments and challenges would be more complicated and dangerous. In such a doomsday world, every action is full of unknowns and variables, and they must learn to find gaps for survival in fear and despair and keep moving forward.

Neville didn't pay much attention to the reactions of Jiang Sheng and Wen Xiaoli. He devoted himself to the study of the little zombie. He skillfully injected the little creature with a dose of a sedative-like drug. Within a few minutes, the little zombie, who had been struggling violently on the bed, calmed down and fell into a deep sleep. Then, Neville carefully cut off her dirty clothes with scissors to prevent any substances from interfering with the upcoming experiment. He connected various sophisticated experimental instruments to the body of the little zombie, from heart rate monitoring to brain wave analysis, not letting go of every detail. In order to monitor her vital signs more accurately, Neville even put a life monitor on her slender fingers.

Although Jiang Sheng and Wen Xiaoli knew only a little about Neville's experiment, they knew that time was running out. After they said hello to Neville, they left the basement tacitly and prepared for the coming night. At this time, the sky was gradually stained with dusk, and the sunlight was only left with the last ray of afterglow under the cover of high-rise buildings. The whole city seemed to be waiting for the arrival of night.

(End of this chapter)