Chapter 103: Data

That evening, the group gathered to study the documents provided by Future Group.

"Killer Z, gifted with the abilities of aura concealment and shapeshifting... what kind of name is 'Killer Z'?" Ling Zhe asked, puzzled.

"It must refer to Zhang Lei. That nickname is ridiculous," Yi Chen replied, feeling speechless.

"You call that ridiculous? Look at mine," Ling Lan said, pointing indignantly at the two files in her hands. Under the names of the infected, they were labeled "Cyclops" and "Magneto."

"It’s not like we’re filming a remake of X-Men. What’s with these names?" Ling Lan complained.

Yi Chen scanned the files. Beyond Killer Z, Cyclops, and Magneto, there were also "Ice Queen," "Puppeteer," and "Hypnotist."

All the infected were identified only by these nicknames, without a single photograph. How were they supposed to track anyone down? Aside from Zhang Lei, who had become the Lurker, they wouldn't even recognize the others if they were sitting right in front of them.

When Zhou Zihao delivered the files, he had provided an explanation. Because this was a top-secret project, the information on the infected was handled exclusively by the lead researcher, Ouyang Hong, with no one else having access. Ouyang Hong had only played video footage of the five individuals when reporting progress to the upper echelons, never submitting paper or digital records. As for their real names, he had replaced them all with these easy-to-remember nicknames.

At the time, Ouyang Hong claimed this would be foolproof, preventing information leaks by avoiding excessive backups. Since these details were not considered vital, the executives at Future Group had no objections and let him do as he pleased. The leaders maintained their high-handed, distant posture; they were not about to micromanage every step of the process. They cared only about results, not the methods. Thus, to this day, basic information like the appearance and real names of these infected remained unknown.

"Not knowing what they look like or what their real names are isn't a major issue. Liang Bing and I can sense their presence," Yi Chen said. Besides the two of them, dozens of lynxes were on patrol, and it was only a matter of time before they caught their trail.

Since Yi Chen said it wasn't a big deal, the others stopped dwelling on it and began to carefully read the descriptions following each subject's basic information. Killer Z—that is, Zhang Lei—hardly needed mentioning; they already knew enough about him. Now, the Lurker had inherited his abilities, making it a terrifying entity.

"The experimental data shows that he could only disguise himself among his own kind or subspecies," Ling Lan summarized after a quick read. "In other words, he could transform into any human or humanoid zombie, but he couldn't turn into animals like a panda or a giraffe."

"What does that tell us?" Cheng Xianglong asked, not quite following.

"Dummy, it means the current Lurker cannot take the form of an ordinary human," Ling Zhe immediately chimed in.

"Exactly. This part of the Lurker's ability is based on Zhang Lei. Based on my understanding, if Zhang Lei couldn't do it, the Lurker shouldn't be able to either. Since it merged with the Creeper to become a new monster, its physiological structure is inherently different from a human," Ling Lan explained seriously.

"If we can confirm that, things become much easier," Yi Chen nodded. At the very least, they didn't have to worry about it blending into a crowd or taking the face of an acquaintance, which would have been too overpowered.

The remaining five missing infected were four men and one woman. The woman, nicknamed "Ice Queen," could lower her body temperature to crystallize the water molecules in the surrounding air.

"Sounds cool, like a frost mage in a game," Ling Zhe said with interest.

"The experimental data says she could only form a thin layer of ice on a glass of water. I doubt it reaches the dazzling effect you're imagining," Ling Lan noted.

"But with gear modifications, the effect might be significantly amplified," Yi Chen added. Nothing could be concluded until they actually encountered them.

As for Cyclops and Magneto, their abilities were indeed similar to their X-Men counterparts: one could emit infrared rays from their eyes, while the other possessed a magnetic field capable of attracting small metal objects. The Puppeteer and the Hypnotist were twin brothers. The Puppeteer could manipulate a single zombie to perform simple tasks, while the Hypnotist could influence the minds of ordinary people, suggesting actions according to his will.

"These two must have strong mental faculties," Yi Chen mused to himself. He had also manipulated zombies, but he relied on the sheer crushing power of his strength. Ordinary zombies obeyed the commands of powerful monsters, and the Puppeteer and Hypnotist clearly didn't fall into the "highly powerful" category.

"No wonder Future Group never deployed them for real combat. These powers look flashy, but none of them are durable in a head-on fight," Bai Ge said with a scoff. If they were truly capable, Yi Chen wouldn't have been the one forced to lead the fight against the Creepers. "Nothing to worry about. If their gear isn't bulletproof, a few rounds will settle it." She was confident that even without guns, she could take them down with hand-to-hand combat. They just needed to be wary of their abilities; there was no need to overthink it.

"Future Group customized gear and weapons for these infected, so we don't know what they are truly capable of yet. These files only give us a glimpse of their powers; they shouldn't be treated as a complete reference," Yi Chen remained more conservative than the others.

Caution never hurts. Beyond these five, there was still the Lurker and Ouyang Hong; it was unlikely that things would end well.

...

In the following days, Yi Chen found no trace of the Lurker. Future Group reported no casualties or disappearances. The lives of ordinary citizens continued as usual; everything was as quiet as the calm before a storm. This silence was stifling and oppressive, enough to instill fear. It seemed as though the Lurker had eaten its fill and retreated to a hideout to recuperate. Whether it was using this time to evolve was anyone's guess.

With no progress on the mission, Yi Chen had more spare time. He downloaded an app and logged in to receive a group photo sent by Lu Yu. Lu Yu shared a few more photos of their university campus, hoping for his early return to class.

"Once you're out, there's no going back."

Yi Chen had just finished typing this reply to Lu Yu when he suddenly sensed an anomaly through his mental detection network. One of the lynxes had discovered an infected!

After days of peace, the enemy was finally making a move. Before he could pinpoint the exact location, the mental link with that lynx was suddenly severed. A sharp pain shot through Yi Chen’s head; he knew the lynx had been eliminated.