Two Worlds in the Apocalypse: Each journey through the modern world lasts 60 seconds.

Chapter 159, The 158th Palm of Pursuit

Five minutes later, Luo Li opened her eyes.

Her face was still pale, but there was a hint of color in it. Her eyes still held weariness, but also a resolute determination; clearly, she was prepared.

"That's enough." Luo Li's voice was hoarse but clear. "Should we disconnect from the zombies now?"

"No rush."

Xu Mo shook his head.

Luo Li was stunned for a moment, looking at Xu Mo and waiting for him to explain.

Xu Mo walked to the edge of the stair landing and glanced down. The zombies were still feeding, but their numbers had clearly decreased.

They weren't killed, but rather they finished eating and are slowly dispersing.

"Disconnecting is tantamount to giving the enemy fresh troops. Rather than that, we should wear them down one more time," Xu Mo said.

Luo Li's eyes brightened slightly.

Xu Mo looked up at the stairs leading upstairs.

"Go up to the roof, then you control the remaining zombies and start a counterattack, killing as many as you can. Once they're mostly dead, we'll leave."

Luo Li nodded; she understood Xu Mo's meaning. Since those zombies were going to be discarded anyway, they might as well make the most of them before they were gone. The more enemies they killed, the less pressure they would face later.

"it is good."

Xu Mo led the way, with Luo Li following behind him, holding Tian Tian's hand as they walked uphill. Tian Tian kept up closely, her blood-red eyes still empty, but her steps were surprisingly steady.

The iron gate leading to the rooftop was ajar, the rusted lock long since broken. Xu Mo pushed the door open, and blinding sunlight poured in.

The rooftop was an open space, the concrete floor cracked, a few abandoned antennas leaning askew, and some miscellaneous items piled up in the corner. The view was excellent, offering a view of the vast ruins around them, as well as the zombies in the distance.

Xu Mo quickly walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked down at the open space below, where some of the zombies were still eating.

Luo Li walked to Xu Mo's side and closed her eyes. Her mental fluctuations spread out from her body again, and then the sounds of fighting began to come from downstairs.

The zombies controlled by Luo Li burst out of the shadows, like the last warriors, launching a desperate charge against an enemy several times their size.

The two waves of zombies collided again, but this time the situation was completely different.

Luo Li's zombies fought with a death wish; they had no way out, held nothing back, and used every attack with all their might. Black blood splattered across the battlefield, and severed limbs flew everywhere.

Xu Mo stood on the rooftop, watching the carnage below. He held a Barrett rifle in his hand, but didn't fire. Firing at this moment would only disrupt Luo Li's control, so he simply watched.

When the last zombie controlled by Luo Li fell, at least a hundred enemy zombie corpses lay on the open ground downstairs, an exchange ratio of nearly one to two.

Xu Mo turned to look at Luo Li, who was leaning against the railing at the edge of the rooftop, her eyes half-closed and her chest heaving violently. The counterattack that had lasted for more than twenty minutes, although it hadn't drained her mental energy too much, was clearly not a pleasant experience, as she watched the zombies she had raised die one by one.

Sweetie stood beside her, her little hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes. Her blood-red eyes looked at Xu Mo, containing no hostility, only an indescribable complexity.

Luo Li opened her eyes and looked at Xu Mo.

"That's about it." Her voice was hoarse. "We've left a few to block the stairwell to prevent the enemy from rushing up quickly."

Xu Mo nodded.

"Walk."

The three of them walked around the edge of the rooftop to the other side. The top floors of this row of residential buildings were connected, and one could walk from one building to another through the rooftop. Xu Mo walked in front, his triangular dagger in hand, vigilantly watching for any possible hiding places. Luo Li followed behind him, holding Tian Tian's hand with one hand and holding onto the wall with the other.

When Xu Mo reached the building at the very edge, he stopped.

Downstairs was a narrow alley, flanked by collapsed walls and piles of rubble. No zombies roamed—at least not yet.

"Walk."

Xu Mo went downstairs first, their footsteps were very light, almost making no sound. Luo Li maintained her mental fluctuations, spreading outwards to drive away any zombies that might approach.

The three of them filed out onto the first floor and disappeared into the shadows of the ruins.

Without the burden of so many worries, Luo Li's condition improved significantly. Her steps were lighter than before, and her face was no longer so pale.

When they encountered lone zombies on their way, she simply drove them away. If they encountered small groups, Xu Mo and the others would take a detour to avoid them.

Only when faced with an unavoidable situation will Luo Li use her abilities to temporarily control the situation, releasing it only after the three have passed through.

As Xu Mo walked, he observed his surroundings. They had left the previous battlefield and were heading deeper into Luochuan City. The surrounding buildings were becoming increasingly dense, and the traces of zombies were becoming more and more frequent.

But Xu Mo suddenly thought of a question.

"Luo Li," he asked in a low voice, "Will something happen at the settlement?"

Luo Li paused for a moment, then continued forward.

"Don't worry," she said. "The people in the settlement are also very strong."

Xu Mo was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant.

The inhabitants of those settlements, those people with various mutations, had undergone irreversible changes in their bodies after consuming the flesh of mutated creatures. But in return, they gained power far exceeding that of ordinary people.

Luo Li is right, their combat strength is indeed very strong.

"They have weapons, walls, and organization," Luo Li said. "And those zombies aren't targeting them, they're targeting us. As long as we don't go back, the settlement is safe."

Xu Mo nodded, but he also realized another problem. Luo Li no longer had control over the zombies, and if they couldn't eliminate the hidden enemy this time, the settlement might face even greater danger in the future.

After all, that thing had already set its sights on them, and Luo Li had obviously thought of that as well.

"So," she said softly, "we have to find it. We have to solve it."

Xu Mo didn't say anything, he just continued forward.

After walking for about ten more minutes, Luo Li's expression suddenly changed.

Xu Mo immediately stopped, holding the triangular dagger horizontally in front of him.

"What's wrong?"

"There's an informant." Luo Li's voice was very low. "The other party's informant."

Xu Mo frowned.

How did you know?

"I just took control of an ordinary zombie," Luo Li said. "That was an enemy spy."

Xu Mo paused for a second, then nodded.

This is normal. Luo Li would plant zombies outside as spies, so that thing would definitely do the same. Since they've entered the other party's territory, it's only a matter of time before they're discovered.

"Let's go," Xu Mo said, "speed up."

The three quickened their pace.

But after walking less than two hundred meters, he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Xu Mo turned around and saw a level 3 agile zombie rushing out of the ruins, moving on all fours at incredible speed. It was slightly smaller than the previous one, but even faster, weaving through the ruins like a ghost.

The distance is approximately 300 meters.

Without hesitation, Xu Mo released Luo Li's hand and pulled out his Barrett rifle.

"Bang!"

Gunshots rang out amidst the ruins. Three hundred meters away, the head of the level three agile zombie exploded, and its headless body lurched forward a few meters with inertia before crashing to the ground.

Xu Mo put away his gun, glanced at Luo Li, and continued forward. Luo Li also glanced at Xu Mo but said nothing.

As a result, the three of them had only been gone for less than five minutes when they heard movement behind them again. This time, it was two level-three zombies, one agile and one strong. They were flanking them from different directions, clearly trying to attack from both sides.

Xu Mo followed the same method, using the Barrett rifle to send the two level-three zombies away.

As the two level-three zombies fell, a strange light flashed in Luo Li's eyes. She had only seen Xu Mo kill the level-three scaled beast from afar before, but now, seeing him kill a level-three agility and a level-three strength in succession up close, the shock was completely different.

"How's your marksmanship—" she couldn't help but ask.

"It's something you learn through practice," Xu Mo replied briefly, and continued forward.

About twenty minutes later, no more level-three zombies came chasing after him. Xu Mo knew that the thing had given up.

It's not about giving up the hunt, but about abandoning this wasteful approach. Level 3 zombies are its high-end combat force; each one lost is a huge loss. Instead of sending them to their deaths one by one, it's better to—

Before Xu Mo could finish his thought, a whooshing sound suddenly came from his right.

He turned to the side and swung his triangular dagger.

"clang!"

He knocked back a level-one agile zombie, which staggered back a few steps. Its eyes were filled with madness, showing no fear, and it pounced again.

Xu Mo pierced its head with a single slash and then kicked the corpse away.

But in that instant, two more agile zombies burst out of the ruins on the right.

"Luo Li!" Xu Mo called out.

Luo Li immediately understood. The mental fluctuation spread out, instantly enveloping the two agile zombies. Their movements paused simultaneously for less than a second, but that was enough.

"Pfft! Pfft!"

Two heads were pierced through, and three zombies fell.

But Xu Mo frowned and looked to his right, where he could vaguely see more figures moving about deep within the ruins. These were all level-one agile zombies, numbering at least a dozen. They appeared in twos and threes, slowly approaching.

This isn't about killing them, it's about stalling them.

"They're stalling for time," Xu Mo said.

Luo Li nodded. She had noticed it too.

"Should we try a different direction?" she asked.

Xu Mo shook his head.

"No need." His gaze fell on the ruins to the right. "Since they came from this direction, it means that thing is very likely also coming from this direction."

Luo Li was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant.

"You mean—"

"Chase after them," Xu Mo interrupted her. "Keep going in this direction."

The three continued forward.

This time, however, Xu Mo did not let Luo Li fight for control of the attacking zombies. Instead, he let her focus on sensing the presence of the enemy and kill the zombies herself.

Luo Li nodded, closed her eyes, and focused all her energy on maintaining that mental fluctuation, spreading it outwards.

Xu Mo held Luo Li's hand with one hand and gripped the triangular dagger with the other, moving forward swiftly.

Those agile zombies that charged in twos and threes were like paper in front of Xu Mo. His triangular spikes transformed into streaks of lightning, each thrust piercing a head. His steps hardly faltered; the zombies couldn't even slow him down.

Black blood splattered, and corpses lay strewn about.

Xu Mo moved swiftly through the ruins, like a reaper's shadow reaping lives. His movements were fluid and effortless, as if the zombies weren't there to kill him, but rather to die.

Luo Li was being pulled along by him, almost floating. What was even more amazing was that Tian Tian was able to keep up with Luo Li's short legs, which was truly miraculous.

With her eyes closed, she focused all her senses on everything around her. The spiritual energy pierced through the ruins, through the buildings, through the layers of zombies, and extended into the distance.

After walking for a while, Luo Li's eyes suddenly opened when she arrived at the entrance of a city park.

"I sensed it!"

Xu Mo paused in his steps.

"Where?"

"It's in this direction!" Luo Li's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "About five kilometers! But..."

Her expression suddenly changed.

"It's running!"

Xu Mo's pupils contracted slightly.

run?

Is that thing running?

It sent so many zombies to intercept it, but it was running away itself?

"It sensed me," Luo Li said urgently. "It's running away! It's moving so fast I can't sense it anymore!"

'

"Chase."

Xu Mo did not hesitate.

He grabbed Luo Li's wrist, and at the same time, Luo Li instinctively grabbed Tian Tian. The three of them instantly turned into a full-speed sprint.

Sensing that Xu Mo was about to carry out a decapitation strike, the zombies that had been blocking their way were no longer just in twos and threes, but swarming in from all directions in droves. Some rushed at them from the front, some flanked them from the sides, and some even crawled out from the gaps in the ruins to try to launch a sneak attack.

But none of that mattered to Xu Mo.

He held Luo Li's hand with one hand and gripped the triangular dagger with the other, moving forward swiftly.

A level-one agile zombie pounced from the front, its speed astonishing, its claws aimed straight for Xu Mo's throat.

Xu Mo didn't even look at it, and raised the three-edged dagger from bottom to top.

The knife tip pierced through the zombie's jaw and exited from the back of its head. The whole process was as fast as lightning; the zombie didn't even have time to make a second move before it was already a corpse.

Xu Mo flicked his wrist, sending the corpse flying and crashing into another charging zombie.

The zombie that was hit staggered back two steps, and before it could regain its footing, the triangular dagger had already pierced its eye socket. The tip of the blade pierced through its skull, protruding half an inch from the back of its head, and black blood gushed out along the blood groove.

Another one lunged from the side. Xu Mo dodged the sharp claws, then thrust out his triangular thorns, piercing its temple.

Xu Mo did not stop for a moment. He pulled Luo Li along and sprinted through the ruins, his triangular daggers constantly swinging out, each strike taking the life of a zombie.

The zombies rushed forward like moths to a flame, only to fall one after another. Their corpses littered the path Xu Mo had traversed, and black blood flowed in thin streams, spreading through the ruins.

But Xu Mo's speed did not slow down at all.

A powerful zombie charged straight at Xu Mo, its massive size resembling an out-of-control truck. Before it even reached Xu Mo, its thick arms were already raised high, ready to smash him into a bloody pulp. Behind it, three agile zombies flanked it from both sides.

Xu Mo's eyes sharpened; instead of dodging, he charged forward.

The moment the powerful zombie's arm fell, he lowered his body slightly, and the tip of his triangular dagger pierced through the zombie's jaw, into its skull, and out from the back of its head.

At the same time, the three agile zombies pounced upon him. Xu Mo drew his sword, spun around, and swept his triangular dagger horizontally. The blade sliced ​​through the air, and two heads flew off simultaneously. The two headless corpses lurched forward a few steps due to inertia, black blood gushing from the severed necks, before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

The third one pounced from the side. Xu Mo dodged it, then thrust out his triangular dagger with a backhand motion, piercing its temple.

Four zombies were wiped out in less than five seconds.

Xu Mo didn't even stop walking.

Another group of zombies rushed in, this time five agile ones, three strength ones, and two unidentifiable mutants.

They launched an attack from three directions simultaneously, clearly intending to overwhelm Xu Mo with their numerical superiority.

Xu Mo's eyes were as calm as ice. He released Luo Li's hand, pushed off with his feet, and rushed into the residential area like a bolt of lightning.

The triangular dagger in his hand transformed into a vortex of death, each thrust piercing a head. Each retraction felled a zombie. His figure weaved through the horde of corpses, so fast that his trail was almost invisible.

A nimble zombie pounced and pierced through.

Two agile zombies pounced at the same time. He dodged the first one's claws by sidestepping, and his triangular spike pierced the second one's head. He then pulled it out with his backhand and thrust it into the back of the first one's head.

Three powerful zombies charged at him from the front. Xu Mo didn't dodge, but met them head-on. Before the first zombie's fist could land, his triangular spike had already pierced its eye socket. Then, using the corpse as a shield, he blocked the second zombie's attack, simultaneously thrusting the spike from under the corpse's armpit, piercing the second zombie's throat. Before the third zombie could react, Xu Mo's triangular spike had already pierced its jaw.

Two mutants attacked from behind, but he didn't turn around. He swung his triangular dagger in the backhand, and both heads exploded.

The eight zombies all collapsed within a few breaths.

Xu Mo withdrew the triangular dagger, took Luo Li's hand again, and continued forward.

Luo Li was being pulled by Xu Mo, and she could barely feel herself moving.

She kept her eyes closed, focusing all her energy on maintaining that mental fluctuation, sensing the location of that thing. She could hear the sounds of fighting all around her clearly, but she dared not open her eyes, dared not be distracted. She could only trust Xu Mo, trust that he could withstand all the attacks.

Suddenly, that familiar mental fluctuation reappeared.

Luo Li's eyes snapped open.

"I sensed it!"

Xu Mo paused slightly.

"Where?"

"Straight ahead!" Luo Li's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "It's still running, but it's slowing down!"

Xu Mo's eyes lit up; the other party had slowed down.

What does this mean? It means that the thing might be exhausted, injured, or hesitant about whether to continue its escape.

Whatever it is, it's an opportunity.

"Chase!"

Xu Mo accelerated again.

The zombies that tried to intercept them became even more frenzied.

They seemed to sense their master's danger and began to pounce without regard for the cost. Some charged from the front, some flanked from the sides, and some even jumped down from the ruins above, trying to block Xu Mo's path with their bodies.

But none of that mattered to Xu Mo.

The triangular dagger in his hand was no longer a weapon, but a part of his body. With each swing, a zombie fell. With each retraction, a trickle of black blood appeared. Xu Mo's pace quickened, and the zombies couldn't even slow him down slightly.

A surge of vital energy coursed through Xu Mo's body, like an inexhaustible river. His strength, speed, and reaction time had all increased by at least 50%. Those level-two zombies that once posed a slight challenge to him were now not even worthy of his serious attention.

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

Another wave of zombies was defeated, but Xu Mo's steps did not falter at all.

Luo Li was behind him, sensing the location of that thing.

"Three and a half kilometers to go!"

"Three kilometers!"

"Two and a half kilometers!"

Xu Mo's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

It'll be soon!

When the distance was reduced to two kilometers, Luo Li's voice rang out again.

"It stopped!"

Xu Mo's pupils contracted slightly.

It's stopped?

That thing has finally stopped running away.

"It—" Luo Li's voice trembled slightly, "It's waiting for us."

Xu Mo didn't speak, but silently said in his heart: "Then so be it."

Releasing Luo Li's hand, Xu Mo drew his Barrett rifle and fired a shot at the tallest ruined building in front of him.

"Bang-!!!"

Gunshots rang out amidst the ruins, echoing for a long time.

This wasn't about killing, it was about responding.

This is to tell that thing: We're here.

Xu Mo sheathed his gun, pulled Luo Li up again, and charged forward.

Ahead, deep within the shadowy ruins, an unknown enemy awaits them.