Bizarre Survival: I Can Devour Thousands of Talents

Chapter 227, Section 226: Don't subscribe!

Ling Xiao's consciousness slowly returned amidst the chaos. He only remembered being swept into an unknown spatial rift by a powerful force during a mysterious ritual.

When he opened his eyes again, he was greeted by a gloomy and dilapidated cityscape.

Most of the windows of the high-rise buildings were broken, and a nauseating stench permeated the streets, as if the entire city was shrouded in the aura of death.

He struggled to his feet and found himself lying in a pile of rubble.

His clothes were tattered and he had multiple injuries, but fortunately, he did not lose consciousness.

Ling Xiao looked around, trying to figure out where he was.

However, the surrounding environment made him extremely uneasy—everything here seemed so unfamiliar, yet it also carried a sense of déjà vu.

Suddenly, a deep roar came from not far away, interrupting Ling Xiao's thoughts.

He turned around abruptly and saw a bloated monster slowly emerging from a dilapidated building.

Its skin was a nauseating grayish-green, and its body was covered with rotting wounds, emitting a foul stench.

Its eyes were empty and lifeless, yet they exuded a fierce killing intent as it stared straight at Ling Xiao.

"Zombies!"

Ling Xiao gasped. He had seen descriptions of this monster in some ancient books, but he never thought he would actually encounter it.

He instinctively tried to run away, but soon found that his legs had become numb due to prolonged unconsciousness and he was unable to move quickly.

The zombie seemed to sense Ling Xiao's presence. It let out a mournful roar and then took heavy steps, rushing quickly towards Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao's heart tightened; he knew he couldn't just sit and wait to die.

He quickly recalled the combat techniques he had learned, while simultaneously trying to restore his strength. Just as the zombie was about to pounce on Ling Xiao, he leaped up, dodging the zombie's attack.

The zombie missed its target and fell heavily to the ground. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ling Xiao picked up a brick from the ground and smashed it hard against the zombie's head.

The brick smashed a bloody hole in the zombie's head. The zombie let out a scream, then collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"call--"

Ling Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and secretly rejoiced that he was still alive.

However, he knew this was only a temporary victory; there were definitely more zombies in the city. He had to find a way to escape as soon as possible, or he would die here sooner or later.

Ling Xiao began searching his surroundings for usable items. He found a rusty dagger, which, although not very sharp, was still a decent weapon under the circumstances.

He gripped the dagger in his hand and cautiously walked towards the end of the street. The street was deathly silent, save for the howling wind whistling through the ruins.

Ling Xiao's nerves remained taut; he dared not relax for a moment. Suddenly, he heard faint footsteps approaching from ahead. He immediately stopped, held his breath, and watched warily. A figure slowly emerged from the darkness. Ling Xiao's heart leaped; he thought it was another zombie.

However, when he saw the person's face clearly, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Who are you?"

Ling Xiao asked loudly. The man raised his head, revealing a young but tired face. His eyes held a hint of wariness, but also a glimmer of hope.

"My name is Li Ming," he said in a low voice. "I am the only survivor in this city."

Ling Xiao and Li Ming stood on the street, facing each other. Li Ming's appearance brought Ling Xiao a sense of comfort, but he did not let his guard down.

He knew that in this zombie-infested city, trust needed to be built carefully.

"How did you survive?" Ling Xiao asked, his tone tinged with curiosity.

Li Ming sighed, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes: "I've been hiding in a basement, surviving on stored food and water for so long. But I know this can't go on; sooner or later, the zombies will find me."

Ling Xiao nodded; he understood Li Ming's predicament. They needed a safer place, a place where they could temporarily escape the zombies.

He looked around and saw a partially collapsed building in the distance, which seemed like a temporary shelter.

"There's a building over there, let's go take a look," Ling Xiao said, pointing into the distance. Li Ming nodded, and the two cautiously walked towards the building.

The roars of zombies echoed through the streets, keeping them on their toes. Ling Xiao gripped his dagger tightly, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

When they arrived at the building, they found that its door had been broken open and the inside was dark.

Ling Xiao and Li Ming cautiously walked in and found that it was an abandoned shopping mall.

Although most of the shops were destroyed, some useful supplies were still scattered on the ground.

"This place can provide temporary shelter from the zombies, but we need to find more useful things."

"Ling Xiao said. Li Ming nodded, and they began searching the mall. Ling Xiao found some canned goods and bottled water, which were supplies they urgently needed.

He also found some simple medical supplies that could be used to treat the wound.

"It seems this used to be a refuge," Li Ming said. "But for some reason, everyone here disappeared."

Ling Xiao frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart. He felt that this city held many more secrets, and they had only just begun to uncover the tip of the iceberg.

"We can't stay here any longer," Ling Xiao said. "We need to find a safer place, a place where we can survive long-term."

Li Ming nodded; he understood Ling Xiao's concerns. They began searching the mall for tools and materials that could be used for defense. Ling Xiao found some iron bars and planks, which he pieced together with a dagger to create makeshift weapons and shields.

"These may be rudimentary, but they might save lives in a critical moment," Ling Xiao said. Li Ming nodded, picked up an iron rod, and tested its weight in his hand.

Just then, they heard a low roar coming from outside. Ling Xiao and Li Ming exchanged a glance and immediately realized that zombies were approaching.

"Quick, hide!" Ling Xiao whispered. They quickly hid in a corner, held their breath, and waited for the zombie to pass by. A zombie slowly walked into the mall; its movements were sluggish, but its eyes revealed a fierce glint.

Ling Xiao and Li Ming gripped their weapons tightly, ready to strike at any moment. The zombie circled the mall, seemingly unaware of their presence. It let out a low growl and then walked off in another direction. Ling Xiao and Li Ming breathed a sigh of relief, but they knew this was only temporary peace.

"We can't just sit here and wait to die," Ling Xiao said. "We need to find a way out and leave this city." Li Ming nodded; he understood what Ling Xiao meant.

They decided to rest briefly in the mall before continuing their search for a way out. Ling Xiao treated his wounds with the medical supplies he found; although the pain was excruciating, he knew he had to persevere.

"Why do you think this city has become like this?" Li Ming asked.

Ling Xiao shook his head: "I don't know, but I feel that all of this is definitely related to the spatial rift I was caught in. Perhaps, I was sent here by some kind of force."

Li Ming was silent for a moment, then said, "No matter what, we must survive. Perhaps we can find a way out of here." Ling Xiao nodded, his heart filled with hope. He knew that only by surviving could they unravel this mystery.

As night fell, the entire city was shrouded in darkness. Ling Xiao and Li Ming lit a candle in the mall; its faint light seemed especially precious in the darkness.

They sat in the corner, listening intently to the sounds outside.

How big do you think this city is?

Li Ming asked in a low voice.

Ling Xiao shook his head: "I don't know, but I have a feeling that this city is much bigger than we imagined."

Li Ming sighed: "We need to find a way out as soon as possible, otherwise we'll be surrounded by zombies sooner or later."

Ling Xiao nodded, his gaze falling on the dagger in his hand.

Although the dagger was rusty, Ling Xiao felt that it had a special aura about it.

He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate and sense the mystery of the dagger.

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Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he saw an image: an ancient altar with a gleaming dagger on it.

A group of people dressed in black robes stood around the altar, and they were performing a mysterious ritual.

Ling Xiao felt a powerful force emanating from the dagger, as if it wanted to devour him.

He suddenly opened his eyes and found himself drenched in a cold sweat. Li Ming looked at him with concern: "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," Ling Xiao said. "I just feel like this dagger has some kind of connection to me." Li Ming nodded: "Maybe it can help us find a way out."

Ling Xiao nodded; he decided to study the dagger carefully. He placed the dagger on the ground, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate.

He felt a warm power emanating from the dagger, and gradually, he entered a meditative state.

In his mind, he saw an ancient rune that emitted a faint glow.

Ling Xiao felt a surge of power flowing into his body, and his body began to tremble slightly.

Suddenly, a radiant road appeared before him, leading to a giant portal of light.

"What is this?" Ling Xiao wondered. "This is your path of destiny," a mysterious voice echoed in his mind, "Only by passing through this door can you find your way home."

Ling Xiao was shocked; he realized that the dagger might be a divine artifact.

He opened his eyes and found Li Ming looking at him with concern.

"I see a road," Ling Xiao said. "Maybe it can lead us away from here."

Li Ming's eyes lit up: "Really? Then what are we waiting for?"

Ling Xiao nodded, picked up the dagger, and stood up. They decided to follow this mysterious path in search of a way out.

Ling Xiao felt a power flowing through his body; he knew the dagger was guiding him.

They left the mall and walked along a narrow alley. The alley was filled with a stench of decay, but Ling Xiao and Li Ming did not hesitate at all.

They knew that only by continuing down this path could they find hope. Suddenly, a zombie lunged out of the darkness. Ling Xiao reacted quickly, plunging his dagger into the zombie's head and driving it away.

Li Ming also picked up an iron rod and joined Ling Xiao in fighting off the surrounding zombies. With courage and wit, they fought their way out of the encirclement. Just as they were about to leave the alley, they suddenly heard a loud bang.

They turned around and saw a huge figure slowly emerging from the darkness. It was much larger than an ordinary zombie, its body covered in spikes, and its eyes exuded an evil aura.

"What kind of monster is this?"

Li Ming said in terror. Ling Xiao's heart tightened; he knew this was a powerful zombie. He gripped his dagger tightly, preparing to fight.

However, just as he was about to make his move, he suddenly felt a powerful force emanating from the dagger, enveloping him completely.

"This is my strength."

A mysterious voice echoed in his mind, "Only by believing in yourself can you overcome everything."

Ling Xiao felt a surge of power coursing through his body, and a resolute look appeared in his eyes. He brandished his dagger and charged towards the powerful zombie.

The dagger flashed through the air, seemingly tearing through the darkness. The zombie let out a piercing scream before turning to ashes in the light.

Ling Xiao and Li Ming exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock and delight. "This dagger truly possesses magical power," Li Ming said.

Ling Xiao nodded, his heart filled with gratitude.

He knew that this dagger might be his only hope in this world.

Ling Xiao and Li Ming continued along the mysterious path, finding that the number of zombies on the road was decreasing. Ling Xiao felt a warm power flowing through his body; he knew that the dagger was guiding them to safety.

They passed through ruins and came to an open square. In the square stood an ancient statue, its base inscribed with strange runes.

Ling Xiao felt a familiar power emanating from the statue, and he realized that this was the light gate he had seen in his meditation.

"This is the place we've been looking for," Ling Xiao said. Li Ming nodded, and they walked to the statue, carefully examining the runes on it. Ling Xiao placed the dagger on the statue's base, and the runes began to glow.

Suddenly, a beam of light shot out from the statue, forming a huge portal. "This is a portal to another world," Ling Xiao said.

Li Ming nodded, his eyes filled with hope. They knew that as long as they went through this door, they might be able to return to their own world.

However, just as they were about to pass through the portal, they suddenly heard a low roar.

They turned around and saw a horde of zombies slowly approaching from a distance. Their numbers were increasing, seemingly about to engulf the entire square. "We can't stay here any longer."

Ling Xiao said.

(End of this chapter)