Chapter 123: The Rush

The zombies in the waste disposal center had all been cleared, and the weapons were secured. Just as Yi Chen was preparing to leave, Chang Qing called out to him.

"Wait, there’s something in that corner!"

"…Of course there’s something; isn’t there trash everywhere?" Cheng Xianglong remarked dismissively.

"I mean, there is something beneath the trash!" Chang Qing explained impatiently.

"Let’s go take a look." Yi Chen stepped forward first. Chang Qing’s clairvoyant vision could see through appearances, so he likely wasn’t mistaken.

He pushed aside layers of refuse to reveal a rough, spherical object embedded in the ground, appearing to be two or three meters in diameter.

"What… what is this?" Cheng Xianglong and Chang Qing followed behind him, their expressions shifting.

"This sphere must have been formed by human flesh melted at high temperatures, then cooled and solidified with the debris of the trash," Yi Chen analyzed calmly, based on the scent.

He was reminded of the scene he had witnessed in the underground lair during the last expedition against the Crawlers. Hundreds of dead bodies had been fused into an airtight circle, encasing the evolving Crawler. They served both as a protective meat shield and a food supply.

This meat sphere shared a striking resemblance to that situation. The Stalker was likely hidden inside!

"Any discoveries?" Yi Chen asked Chang Qing.

"It’s strange; I can’t see through it," Chang Qing shook his head.

"No matter, you two stay back!" Yi Chen raised his blade, Shengxie, high, his expression resolute. He had made up his mind to slice the meat sphere open.

Chang Qing and Cheng Xianglong immediately retreated several meters, putting distance between themselves and Yi Chen.

The moment was silent; everyone could seemingly hear the thumping of their own hearts. No one knew what would happen next.

*Swish!*

Yi Chen split the meat sphere in two!

A thick, foul-smelling, turbid liquid spurted out. Yi Chen did not dodge. A few patches of exposed skin were splattered by the fluid, and he immediately felt a burning sensation.

Concentrated acid?

He noticed his clothes making a hissing sound, and in the blink of an eye, small holes were corroded through the fabric. It was fortunate that the Future Group currently covered all his living expenses; otherwise, someone as careless as him would have been running around naked after destroying a set of clothes every day.

There was nothing inside the meat sphere.

It was embedded into the floor, with a hole at the very bottom that connected to a dark, deep pit beneath the ground.

Yi Chen furrowed his brows.

The temperature of the acid and the faint scent lingering in the air indicated that the Stalker had indeed been here.

His prey had escaped! And it had only left a short while ago!

Yi Chen immediately reported this discovery to Bai Ge and Xue Man.

They were still at the top-floor sightseeing buffet restaurant. The number of zombies there was high, and there were many obstacles; both Xue Man’s ice blades and Bai Ge’s shooting accuracy were hindered, making it impossible to clear the area quickly.

To play it safe, they were keeping their distance from the zombies, striking only when opportunities arose—it was a slow, grinding process.

"What are your thoughts? Are you planning to pursue it directly now?" Bai Ge asked between shots.

"That is the plan," Yi Chen said.

According to his calculations, the Stalker had just fled and shouldn’t be far. This time, it had dug a tunnel, leaving a clear trail that would be relatively simple to track.

This was the creature's period of weakness.

If they missed this opportunity, he didn’t know when they would catch its trail again. And by then, the circumstances would no longer be as favorable as they were now.

"We can’t reach you quickly, which is a bit of a problem… but don’t worry, the two of us can handle the situation here," Bai Ge said.

"Don't worry about it. You just focus on clearing the hotel zombies; the three of us will go in pursuit. Stay safe!" Yi Chen ended the call.

"…He and I have to go too?" Chang Qing pointed at Cheng Xianglong, asking with a slight stammer.

He was extremely nervous after hearing what Yi Chen said.

He understood the terrifying nature of the Stalker, and it was precisely because of his and Xue Man’s betrayal that Yi Chen had been able to find this place. The Stalker must have held a deep grudge against them.

If they chased after it, wouldn't it be effortless for the Stalker to eliminate him? Even with Yi Chen present, there was no guarantee he would be kept safe!

"What? Are you afraid?" Yi Chen raised an eyebrow.

"N-no." Chang Qing changed his tune on the spot. He met Yi Chen’s gaze and was shaken by the sharp, intense aura emanating from that red eye.

*This guy is a monster too…* Chang Qing thought, trembling.

There was no time to lose. Just as Yi Chen was about to jump into the deep pit, his phone suddenly rang.

Few people knew this number. He looked down and saw it was Lu Yu.

They had been in contact on QQ earlier that morning.

Lu Yu’s parents were going to Xijing to visit relatives, another large human survivor city at some distance from Nanchuan. There was a railway line from Nanchuan’s inner city to Xijing, with one express train and one slow train running daily.

"My parents are going to be gone for several days. I’ll come over to your place to mooch off your meals during this time, and I’ll help you take care of your sister while I’m at it (sinister smiley face)," was the message Lu Yu had sent that morning.

Yi Chen’s reply at the time had been: "Screw you, always trying to show off in front of my sister."

It was a good thing that Lu Yu was willing to come over and help, but to be honest, Yi Chen was a bit worried: would Yi Lin slowly forget him once she had this "brother" around?

It was nearing noon now, presumably lunchtime; why was Lu Yu calling?

Yi Chen pressed answer, and Lu Yu’s anxious, breathless voice immediately came through.

"Where are you?!"

"I am… what happened?" Yi Chen didn’t know how to explain, as the other party wasn’t aware of his plans for the day. But Lu Yu was always calm; how could he be in such a panic?

"Get home, fast! Those two people we met at the Ivory Tower—they have accomplices!" Lu Yu sounded like he was running, and the sounds of clashing and smashing could be heard from his side.

Yi Chen felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow, his heart skipping a beat.

He had been so focused on actively hunting the Stalker that he had ignored a major problem—of the five infected, one remained!

And it had to be at this time!

His family’s lives were paramount; how could he ignore them to pursue the Stalker?

Yi Chen immediately turned and ran outside. Cheng Xianglong and Chang Qing were stunned for a moment before following him out of the waste disposal center.

"Go join up with Bai Ge and Xue Man! I have an urgent matter to attend to, I’m going ahead!" Yi Chen tossed these words back, and he was already out of sight.

*So fast!* Cheng Xianglong and Chang Qing had to stop; they couldn't possibly keep up with him.

"What is the situation now?" Yi Chen gripped his phone tightly, his nerves stretched taut like a wire.

The Fantasy Resort Hotel was too far from his home. Even if he moved at full speed, it would take time to reach it, and by then, it might be too late… Yi Chen dared not dwell on the thought.

The wind was howling. Whether it was due to the speed at which Yi Chen was running or interference on the other end, the call was crackling and unclear, the signal sounding as if it could be severed at any moment.