The undead have descended upon the world? I possess a sword that can cleave the heavens once more!

Near Lanxing Residential Area, on a dimly lit path.

Gao Buhuan yawned and continued walking forward.

A night breeze blew by, carrying a slight chill, but her black trench coat provided protection from the wind, so she wasn't cold. The streetlights were spaced far apart, their light dim and unable to illuminate very far.

She was still thinking about the nine corpses from earlier.

Nine level-one zombies were wiped out in one go. I wonder where this expert came from.

She shook her head, not thinking about it anymore. Anyway, the other party was just cleaning up the zombies; they weren't enemies.

drip-drip-

My phone suddenly rang.

Gao Buhuan frowned, took out his phone and glanced at it.

On the detection interface of the dark domain energy detector, a line of bright red text is flashing:

Dark energy field fluctuations detected: Level 3!!!

Her pupils contracted sharply.

Third order?!

Before I could even notify my teammates, a voice came through my headset.

"Xiao Huan!" It was her partner's voice, urgent and panting. "A Tier 3 Origin-level corpse has appeared! I've already notified the department, but the Torchbearers are all in their respective jurisdictions!"

Gao Buhuan's heart tightened.

"The bureau just replied that Lord Mo Li in our jurisdiction has also discovered traces of a Tier 3 corpse in another direction. Even if they come immediately, it will take at least twenty minutes!"

There was a second of silence in the headset, then the sound of whistling wind came through—the other person was moving quickly.

"I'm on my way there now." His partner's voice was steady, but that steadiness made Gao Buhuan uneasy. "The disposable dark domain sealing devices on us can trap them for at least five minutes."

He paused for a moment.

"Don't come any closer. If my lifeline goes out soon, you..."

Gao Buhuan's mind went blank for a moment.

How could she not understand what her partner meant?

He was going to his death alone.

First-tier and third-tier are not even in the same league. First-tier is a beginner executor, while third-tier is a source-level zombie species capable of slaughtering a village. He went there to buy time with his life.

"No!" she practically screamed, "Let's go together! Two people can still—"

"Xiao Huan!"

Her partner's voice suddenly rose, interrupting her.

"Now is not the time to act impulsively!"

Gao Buhuan was stunned.

"You also have a one-time dark domain sealing device. Wait until my life indicator light goes out, then you can go over!" His partner spoke quickly, but every word was clear. "That way, the two of us can stall for at least ten minutes!"

"If we had gone together, we might not have had the chance to activate the second containment device!"

Gao Buhuan opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"Don't forget our vows."

That was the last sentence I heard through the headset, followed by a gust of wind, and then silence.

Gao Buhuan stood there, his hand holding the phone trembling.

She recalled her first mission, when her partner guided her. At that time, she knew nothing, and he taught her step by step how to use the containment device, how to judge the level of the zombie species, when to run, and when to fight.

Every time there was danger, he would stand in front of her. He said he was tough and could handle it, that she was a newcomer and needed more experience, and that once she matured, she would be able to stand on her own.

Scenes flashed through my mind.

Her eyes were red and tears were welling up, but she clenched her teeth and refused to let them fall.

She understood.

We have now reached a critical juncture.

If those third-tier corpses cannot be sealed within the Dark Domain, within twenty minutes, all living things in the entire Lanxing residential area—

All of them will cease to exist.

She took a deep breath.

"it is good."

The sound was soft, yet heavy.

They are the executors of the Bureau of Anomalies and candidates for the Torchbearer.

They are the glimmer of light that dispels the thick fog, the purifying fire that burns away filth.

They are the bulwark protecting civilization, the coffin burying the decaying corpses.

Now is the time to put our vows into practice.

. . .

Let's rewind a few minutes.

In Lanxing Residential Park.

Wu You was practicing basic sword techniques.

After finishing the set, he stopped to catch his breath. His energy had almost recovered, and the fatigue in his body had mostly subsided. The moonlight shone on the ground, the sycamore leaves rustled, and the surroundings were very quiet.

He was getting ready to start the next round.

Then that feeling came.

It was cold and sticky, surging in from all directions.

It feels similar to those ordinary zombie species from before, but much stronger—far stronger.

A scene flashed through Wu You's mind in an instant.

Pure black eyes. An elongated neck. A gaping maw that stretched over 180 degrees.

is it.

The corpse that resembled a middle-aged man.

He instinctively gripped the sword hilt, a surge of cold energy coursing through his body as he prepared to break free.

But the next second, he froze.

That sticky, pulling sensation... seems to have weakened?

No, it's not that it's gotten weaker. It's...

He sensed it carefully.

Has it become weaker? Or have I become stronger? Or both?

When he was dragged into the Dark Domain last time, the force was unstoppable, like a giant hand grabbing him. But now, although he is still being pulled, he can clearly feel that the pulling force has weakened!

Wu You's mind raced.

It has become weaker, it definitely has become weaker.

Lin Yuan also mentioned last time that it had been "cleaned up", so it must have been injured!

Wu You watched the black mist gradually rising before him and gripped his sword tightly.

Now his strength has greatly improved, his basic swordsmanship has been mastered, and he has also added the Phantom Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. Although he has not yet mastered it, the improvement in his physique and coolness alone has made him much stronger than before.

I need someone to test my skills on.

Judging from its last attack, with its current strength, even if it can't win, it can definitely hold out for a while. Moreover, it is injured, so its strength is definitely not as good as before.

If we can beat them...

hum.

Then don't blame him for turning it from a cold, lifeless corpse into warm experience points.

The next moment, the scenery changed abruptly.

Black fog, an endless expanse of black fog.

Just like the previous times, it was that eerie space filled with black mist.

Wu You stood still, gripping his sword, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

Footsteps.

A familiar figure emerged from the fog.

A middle-aged man's face, ordinary features, and those eyes—

Pure black eyes.

It really was it.

"We meet again, lucky lad." Its voice was lazy and playful. "This time, no one can come to save you."

No one can save him?

Upon hearing the other party's words, Wu You frowned: What method did it use to conceal its existence so that it wouldn't be discovered by the official experts? Or were the official experts temporarily not nearby?

Wu You didn't speak, but simply held his sword level, the tip pointing directly at his opponent.

The meaning is self-evident.

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Knowing no one is coming to save you, do you want to die a martyr's death like in the books?"

It didn't believe Wu You had any ability to contend with it. Although it was severely injured, it was still a genuine Tier 3. In its eyes, Wu You was at most Tier 1.

It kills first-tier ability users like killing chickens, let alone weaker martial artists like this.

As for being blocked last time? That was just because it wasn't taking it seriously.

Wu You remained silent, looking at it calmly.

That look made the middle-aged man a little uncomfortable.

"Interesting, very interesting." It grinned, revealing its gleaming white triangular teeth. "You want to die a martyr's death, huh? I won't let you have your way."

It took a step forward.

"This time I have plenty of time. I'm going to let you watch yourself being devoured by me, bit by bit."

It stared at Wu You's face, trying to find fear in it.

"I'm curious, would you still be as calm as you are now back then?" It tilted its head. "Would you have begged me for mercy?"

It paused, then its smile became even more ferocious.

"Perhaps, if you beg for mercy, I might really let you go."

Hahahahahaha—

It seemed to recall the scene of Wu You begging for mercy. It raised its head, opened its mouth to 180 degrees, and burst into wild laughter. The laughter was sharp and piercing, like metal scraping against glass.

Wu You looked at it.

Watching it there, indulging in its own gluttony and laughing wildly.

"Idiot."

He was speechless.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

"What?" It lowered its head, its pure black eyes staring at Wu You, as if it hadn't heard clearly.

Wu You could only repeat it again.

"Idiot."

This time it heard clearly. Having enjoyed reading books about the human world, it naturally knew what "idiot" meant.

But it wasn't angry; it just nodded slightly and the smile on its face disappeared.

"very good."

As soon as it finished speaking, its neck suddenly stretched out.

Like a snake leaping out of its body, the head, with its gaping maw at an angle of over 180 degrees, lunged at Wu You.