Under a bleak blue sky, the world was a desolate wasteland of ruins. Once-thriving metropolises were now shattered beyond recognition, skyscrapers once piercing the heavens now brutally severed with impossibly clean cuts, a horrifying sight.
Humanity, once the masters of this planet, now eked out a desperate existence amongst the debris. Mei was one of them.
Boom!
An unseen strike sliced through another skyscraper. A man with long, white hair, casually wielding a longsword, approached, his demeanor aloof.
Shhh—
The white-haired man's blade hovered before Mei. Mei, expressionless, swallowed the last of her bread. She was just an ordinary girl; how could she possibly defeat this monster capable of cleaving skyscrapers? Even more absurdly, she didn't know who he was, or why they hunted humans.
"A pity. It seems you don't have any 'faith markers' on you. Oh well, consider it an appetizer before the main course. A little palate cleanser is always nice."
He spoke.
The white-haired man swung his longsword. Just as the blade was about to sever Mei's head, the entire world seemed to hit pause, falling into stasis.
Simultaneously,
A message appeared in Mei's mind.
[Want to continue living?]
[Yes]
[No]
The icy blade pressed against Mei's neck. Regardless of the situation, she only wanted to survive, decisively choosing "Yes."
Tzzz—
The instant she made her choice, Mei's figure flickered like a still from an old television, then vanished completely, while the world remained frozen.
In a distant, unimaginable world, Mei reappeared, standing on a desolate, ruined street, bewildered.
"Where… where am I?"
As she wondered, a semi-transparent interface opened before her, information scrolling rapidly across it. Mei read it and immediately understood her situation.
[Welcome to Hyperdimensional Space. From this moment, you are a Void Wanderer, acting on the will of Hyperdimensional Space, searching for the secrets and truths hidden within the infinite worlds.]
[Shattered worlds are scattered across the boundless void, their ruined remnants burying the light of once-glorious civilizations. Uncover the truth behind the destruction and ruin of these worlds—that is the purpose of a Void Wanderer.]
[…]
[This is a beginner world mission; the danger level is relatively low.]
[Mission commencing.]
...
[Name: Mei]
[Point: 0]
[Abilities: None]
[Items: None]
...
The origin and function of the point were currently unknown, but one thing was clear: based on the interface's prompt, within Hyperdimensional Space, all abilities, equipment, and items for Void Wanderers had to be acquired within the mission worlds. The space itself wouldn't provide any starting bonuses.
Conversely, any abilities, equipment, or items a Void Wanderer acquired during a mission could be kept after its completion.
Mei found this particularly encouraging.
"Looks like I have to rely on myself."
If she didn't want to return to Earth after the mission and be killed by the white-haired man, she would have to gain enough power within this ruined world.
The difficulty wouldn't be small, but it was better than having no hope at all.
A message popped up on the interface.
[Main Mission: Investigate the truth behind this world's destruction. If a key item leading to the world's destruction exists, obtain it. Time limit: 5 years.]
[Mission Reward: 1000 points.]
With the mission reward's appearance, Mei finally understood the function of points: they could be used to upgrade equipment and abilities, with no upper limit to the number of upgrades!
Therefore, the importance of points was self-evident.
Just as Mei was about to close the interface and begin exploring this ruined world, a new line of data suddenly scrolled across the screen, causing her to freeze.
[Target detected.]
[Authority installation in progress…]
[Installation complete.]
[Random upgrade selection in progress…]
[Random selection: Telekinesis.]
[Telekinesis upgrade complete.]
The moment the interface showed that the telekinesis upgrade was complete, Mei instantly felt a new power welling up within her, as if it were innate.
Her expression was one of astonishment: "What is this?"
She spoke.
With a light gesture, she effortlessly grasped the power burgeoning within her. Invisible force flowed out, lifting a steel pipe from the distant ground into Mei's hand.
"It's telekinesis!"
But that wasn't all.
The interface continued to update.
[Upgrade Task 1: Kill 10 Zombies; Telekinesis level increases by one.]
[Upgrade Task 2: Kill 100 Zombies; Telekinesis level increases by one.]
...
[Upgrade Task 10: Kill 10 billion Zombies; Telekinesis level increases by one.]
[Zombies Killed: 0]
...
Ten upgrade tasks, all dedicated to improving Telekinesis—Mei was surprised. This seemed like a cheat.
Because Hyperdimensional Space wouldn't provide Void Wanderers with any abilities or ability upgrade tasks. Unsure if her memory was faulty, Mei deliberately checked again, confirming her recollection was correct.
However,
She was more concerned with something else than a cheat.
"Zombies?"
Mei stood on the ruined street, surrounded by dilapidated, abandoned cars. Unclear how much time had passed, thick dust coated everything. A cold wind blew, and she looked towards the end of the street, spotting a staggering figure approaching. Upon closer inspection, it was a zombie.
Only then did she realize the foul smell in the air was the stench of zombies. Mei initially intended to flee, but seeing no other zombies nearby, she paused.
She observed the zombie, its movements hampered by decaying muscles, then looked at the steel pipe in her hand, and finally at the zero count on the interface for zombies killed.
Then,
Mei used her telekinesis to send the pipe hurtling towards the zombie, striking it on the head. The zombie fell to the ground instantly.
Simultaneously, Mei was assessing her telekinesis.
"It's quite powerful; at least it can inflict damage to a zombie's head. The control range is approximately ten meters; beyond that, I can't control it effectively."
Before the fallen zombie could rise, it was struck again, its head finally crushed. The zombie kill count on Mei's interface finally changed.
[Zombies Killed: 1]
She murmured, "For now, I can confirm the fatal weakness of the zombies in this world is their brain. The nature of the infection and its transmission method are still unconfirmed, but close contact should be avoided."
...
Honestly, this telekinesis ability is incredibly useful. Without its ranged control, Mei would have to get up close to kill zombies, which would be far too dangerous.
After killing one zombie, Mei cautiously entered a skyscraper office. The sound of her crushing the zombie's skull was loud; she wasn't sure if it would attract others.
Hiding in a corner on the second floor, Mei used telekinesis to strike the ground with the pipe, creating noise. After a while, several zombies appeared.
Mei counted them.
"Three."
It seemed the zombies here were highly sensitive to sound. Mei wasn't sure about their eyesight, so she observed their senses while using the pipe to crush the skulls of all three.
[Zombies Killed: 4]
"Whew—"
Afterwards, Mei let out a long breath. Even using telekinesis, smashing the skulls felt incredibly tiring.
"Stamina is also a problem. I hope upgrading telekinesis will improve this aspect; otherwise, a day's work won't last long."
Of course, constantly using the pipe was problematic. A blade would save a lot of effort, but she couldn't expect such luxuries right now. She had to make do with what she had.
Mei liked to mumble to herself when alone; it was a habit from Earth. If she didn't speak regularly, she'd gradually forget how to articulate, thus affecting her thinking and intelligence. To survive in these ruins, she had to remain rational and clear-headed at all times.
It was also a way to combat loneliness.
After confirming the second floor was clear of zombies, Mei began searching. She found some bottled water, chocolate bars, and a fruit knife in a break room.
Considering she now had a knife, Mei briefly sharpened it before eating some chocolate and drinking some water, ignoring the expiration date.
She couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd tasted chocolate. The cloying sweetness spread in her mouth, perhaps the happiest moment in years.
After resting for about an hour, Mei recovered some of her strength. The windowpanes were broken; she looked out at the setting sun.
"The sun's going down. I need to complete at least one upgrade task before nightfall; it's too dangerous at night."
In her current state, Mei had no energy to think about the main mission. Survival was paramount; uncovering the world's secrets could wait—she had five years.
Her slender body straightened; Mei left the break room, knife in hand. Her eyes were calm, reflecting no emotion, only the cold steel in her hand hinted at killing intent.
The sun gradually dipped westward, the twilight deepening.
Third floor.
A zombie wandered aimlessly. A whistling sound ripped through the air as a fruit knife, gleaming coldly, flew, piercing the zombie's brain before being withdrawn.
Thud.
The zombie collapsed.
The fruit knife returned to Mei's side. She was exhausted, but elated to have finally completed an upgrade task.
[Zombies Killed: 10]
[Upgrade Task 1· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV2!]
Instantly, Mei's fatigue vanished. The telekinesis within her rapidly expanded, and as it did, her slender frame became stronger, more robust.
Mei could feel the significant increase in telekinetic strength. If before, her telekinesis was equivalent to her physical strength, it was now vastly different.
She looked at the steel pipe at her waist, and with a thought, it flew into the air. Mei simply grasped it, and the sturdy pipe was instantly crushed into a ball.
The increase in telekinetic strength was astonishing. Roughly estimating, her effective control range was now a thirty-meter radius, a significant improvement.
Moreover, with the telekinesis upgrade, Mei's stamina also noticeably improved, as she'd suspected. Stamina and telekinetic endurance and strength seemed intrinsically linked; one improved, and the other followed suit.
"With this level of telekinesis, I could probably crush a zombie's head without a weapon. But I'll still use one; it's less strenuous, and besides…"
Mei leaped onto the floor, then somehow jumped upwards, landing upside down on the ceiling. Invisible telekinesis acted like nails, anchoring her body.
"I can sleep in the middle of a skyscraper."
A night passed.
As dawn broke, Mei, well-rested, ate two chocolate bars, then, knife in hand, ascended to higher floors. The fruit knife, now effectively a telekinetically-controlled throwing knife, was honed to razor sharpness.
"Roar!"
A zombie roared, only to have its brain instantly pulverized by the knife. Other zombies followed the commotion, but the knife zipped through the air, swiftly killing nearby zombies.
[Zombies Killed: 21]
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Several zombies fell, while Mei calmly and leisurely stood in an office, pulling out a pair of scissors. She tried controlling both the throwing knife and the scissors simultaneously, but couldn't manage it.
"As expected, I can't multitask yet. More training is needed."
Thus, Mei methodically cleared floor after floor, until all the zombies in the building were eliminated, and she felt noticeably tired, both physically and mentally.
[Zombies Killed: 96]
Unfortunately,
There were far fewer zombies in the building than she'd anticipated. Even after clearing the top floor, Mei couldn't complete the second upgrade task.
Then she had to go elsewhere.
Mei had practically ransacked the entire building's break rooms, gathering quite a lot of chocolate. There was no need to stay in the building any longer.
A howling wind whipped past on the top floor. Mei glanced down, then jumped. Telekinesis formed hooks and ropes, allowing her to swing through the air, using the building's exterior as support.
On the twenty-third floor of another large building, the outer windows were shattered. Sunlight revealed numerous zombies roaming inside.
A zombie wandered near a window and was immediately impaled through the head by a throwing knife. Mei swung down from the air, landing precisely inside the building.
The other zombies were alerted by the sound.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
Mei swung her arm, the throwing knife a blur of deadly cold steel, mowing down the nearby zombies. Black blood sprayed into the air before the zombies collapsed.
[Zombies Killed: 105]
[Upgrade Task 2· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV3!]
With the completion of the second upgrade task, Mei's telekinesis leveled up again.
Mei clearly felt another massive surge in her telekinetic power; its intensity was almost unbelievable.
Each level-up resulted in an enormous increase in telekinetic power. Without exaggeration, she suspected she could now throw a tank using telekinesis.
It was truly excessive.
Besides increased power, this level-up brought another significant change: telekinesis became an extension of Mei's senses.
Anything Mei's telekinesis could reach, she could perceive, even blind spots. If she could touch it with her telekinesis, she could sense what was there.
"Extended senses? That's incredibly convenient."
She spoke.
A powerful surge of telekinesis slammed into the floor, creating a large hole with a deafening boom. Instead of using the stairs, she took a shortcut.
Instantly, all the zombies on the floor were alerted, rushing towards Mei. Mei's gaze swept across them, and her telekinesis surged out like a tide.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
[Zombies Killed: 112]
Without even needing to exert much effort, all the attacking zombies exploded into a spray of blood. As her telekinesis grew stronger, Mei's mastery of its applications increased.
If she anchored her telekinesis to her body, with its current strength, it would be like wearing full-body armor. She didn't know if it could stop bullets, but blades and blunt weapons would be ineffective.
Although her telekinetic upgrades increased her stamina, physically she was still a frail ordinary human. This telekinetic defense was essential.
At only level 3, it was this strong. Mei could barely imagine how much more powerful her telekinesis would become with further upgrades—there were ten upgrade tasks in total!
She glanced at the interface; upgrade task 3 required killing 1000 zombies, and Mei felt she could complete it today.
No one could resist powerful abilities. Mei couldn't control herself and immersed herself in killing zombies, proceeding with incredible speed and efficiency.
Half a day later.
A large building's first floor was littered with zombie corpses. Black blood covered the ground, yet Mei stood amidst the carnage, completely unscathed.
[Zombies Killed: 1008]
[Upgrade Task 3· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV4!]
With the upgrade complete, Mei's telekinetic power surged again. She felt the immense telekinetic power within her and couldn't help but feel awestruck.
"Just one level up, and it's already this absurdly strong!"
With a clenched fist, Mei unleashed a torrent of telekinetic energy. A hundred-meter-high skyscraper was crushed into rubble in an instant; its steel and concrete structure collapsed, falling to the ground in a shower of debris.
Rumble!
The ground shook violently.
Clouds of dust billowed outwards.
The immense commotion attracted nearby zombies. A horde of them roared, charging frantically, a terrifying sight.
Bang!
The buried debris was blown open. Mei, unharmed, hovered in mid-air, her telekinesis supporting her as she slowly rose from the wreckage.
With telekinesis at this level, flight was effortless. Mei wouldn't have made such a loud commotion if she didn't have absolute confidence.
Looking at the tide of approaching zombies, she gestured with a hand: "I wonder how many levels I can get by clearing all the zombies in this city."
As she spoke,
Invisible telekinetic waves spread outwards, immense force slamming down upon the horde. In an instant, countless zombies were crushed into paste.
Boom!
The terrifying force hit the ground, causing the surrounding earth to tremble violently like an earthquake, shattering the concrete surface.
[Zombies Killed: 3849]
With one strike, she eliminated over 2800 zombies. Continuing at this rate, Mei would complete the fourth upgrade task and further enhance her telekinesis very soon.
At this rate, Mei felt she was becoming a god among mortals. She estimated her attack range had reached 150 meters.
At that moment,
A beam of light shot out from a zombie corpse, landing in Mei's hand. As the light dissipated, she realized it was a vial of red liquid.
[Item Acquired: G4 Virus]
——
[Item: G4 Virus]
[Description: A virus capable of inducing human evolution.]
——
"A virus?"
Mei suspected this might be the zombie-creating virus, or perhaps a mutated primordial bacterium. She had no intention of drinking it to find out.
"On second thought, it took killing thousands of zombies to get one item. The drop rate is abysmal! And there's no inventory space or anything."
Mei could only put the virus in her water bottle, lining it with some foam for cushioning in case it broke.
Whether it was a beginner world mission perk or just Hyperdimensional Space's consistent style, Mei hadn't encountered a single Void Wanderer during her rampage.
No Void Wanderers, not even another human.
"Hmm?"
A zombie entered Mei's telekinetic sensory range. She turned towards a rooftop a hundred meters away and saw a massive, armored zombie beast.
The beast was incredibly large, its explosive muscles radiating power. Its sharp claws and fangs were terrifying.
It stared at Mei from afar, seemingly sensing danger and hesitant to approach. Mei didn't care; with a thought,
Bang!
A powerful telekinetic blast obliterated the zombie beast. A beam of light shot from its remains, falling into Mei's hand.
[Item Acquired: Razor-Sharp Fangs]
——
[Item: Razor-Sharp Fangs]
[Description: Two exceptionally sharp fangs.]
——
Mei held the two fangs, unsure of their use. She guessed they could be used to craft equipment back in the space.
Meanwhile, her eyes lit up.
"Could it be that elite monsters have a 100% drop rate?"
If that were true, she could do this all day.
...
Rumble!
Atop a skyscraper, a young man wearing a respirator watched in disbelief as a nearby building vanished in an instant.
"What the heck?! What happened?!"
What kind of demolition crew was this? Even in the apocalypse, they were working at an accelerated pace. Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't zombies. The young man, Charles, quickly gathered his belongings, preparing to flee. He felt utterly unsafe so close to the collapsed skyscraper.
Creak!
The top floor's iron door opened, and an anxious middle-aged man rushed towards Charles. "Charles, there's been an unexpected incident. We're leaving for the base immediately!"
"Alright, I'll come with you."
Before descending, Charles glanced one last time at the dust cloud rising in the distance. He thought, A zombie apocalypse is one thing, but let's hope no superpowered beings show up. That would be a real disaster.
...
This ruined city wasn't entirely deserted. Despite the abundance of zombies, some people still clung to life here.
The city center was the most heavily infested area. Survivors avoided it like the plague, so Mei hadn't encountered any humans until now.
Not just survivors, other Void Wanderers existed as well. Charles, like Mei, was a recent recruit to Hyperdimensional Space; this was his first mission world.
Charles was luckier than Mei, not being dropped in the city center. He immediately found a survivor team searching for supplies.
This team usually planned to return to their base the following morning, but the commotion caused by Mei attracted a massive horde of zombies, forcing them to return early.
"Uncle Lin,"
Charles cautiously followed behind the survivor team, whispering to the middle-aged man beside him, "Is anyone in the base researching the zombie virus?"
He asked because he'd seen the team collecting zombie tissue samples while searching for food. Uncle Lin was an elder within the survivor group and should know something.
Uncle Lin nodded.
"Yes. The survivor base was built inside a biological research institute. With the resources available, we're naturally studying this thing thoroughly. We might discover a cure!"
Charles seized the opportunity to ask further.
"By the way, Uncle Lin, I just want to know why the zombie virus erupted in the first place. There must be a reason, a beginning. I want to know why we die."
Uncle Lin scoffed, "How would I know? I just remember working late and oversleeping, and when I woke up the next day, the streets were full of zombies. You ask me, who do I ask?"
Charles felt a pang of disappointment. He always felt finding the cause of the apocalypse within five years was highly improbable. He wasn't even sure he could survive that long.
Three hours later.
"It's right ahead."
Uncle Lin pointed, and Charles looked in the direction, seeing an area enclosed by sheet metal and wire mesh, with a man-made river acting as an additional barrier. There was a wooden bridge lowered from the base for access; it looked secure.
Charles remained vigilant, not entirely trusting these people. If he had a choice, he wouldn't risk it.
He dreamed of being a powerful, independent warrior, or a survival expert, but he was just a weak, ordinary human, forced to rely on others for survival.
His feet had barely crossed the base's threshold when he was knocked to the ground by a sudden blow. Charles landed flat, his final thought being, Wow, that was fast!
...
City Center.
Boom!
A skyscraper suddenly erupted from the ground, hurled by Mei. With a deafening crash, it toppled other buildings, crushing countless fleeing zombies.
The greater the commotion, the more zombies were attracted. Mei went completely wild, becoming a human-shaped catastrophe, laying waste to everything in her path.
[Zombies Killed: 9580]
Many zombies roamed inside buildings. Lacking brains, they wouldn't use stairs. Hearing the noise, they simply charged towards its source, even if it was a wall. Mei didn't have time to clear each floor individually; she demolished the buildings entirely for total annihilation.
Hence, the destructive frenzy.
A moment later.
As another skyscraper was pulverized by a telekinetic blast, eliminating all the zombies inside, Mei's zombie kill count finally topped 10,000.
[Zombies Killed: 10007]
[Upgrade Task 4· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV5!]
Boom!
Uncontrolled, powerful telekinesis erupted, rapidly spreading outwards from Mei as the center. Nearby buildings were obliterated; within a hundred-meter radius, everything was razed to the ground.
Whoooosh—
Dust filled the air. Mei's figure, barely visible, stood in mid-air. The intense telekinesis around her distorted the air and light, making her seem almost ethereal.
"This is LV5 Telekinesis…"
The instantaneous destruction of all structures within a hundred-meter radius speaks for itself. The terrifying power and destructive force are beyond words; Mei is one step closer to becoming a god among mortals.
This upgrade didn't just boost her telekinesis; it drastically improved her precision control. Without exaggeration, she could now accurately target anything within a kilometer with a single telekinetic projectile.
That's not the limit. Due to telekinesis's sensory extension, Mei's precision control now extends to the cellular level.
Meaning, she could infuse her cells with telekinesis, granting full-body protection and enhancing her physical strength.
Powerful telekinesis flooded into every cell. A blue glow filled Mei's eyes as she punched the ground.
Boom!
The earth shuddered.
The ground instantly cracked in a dense web, the cracks spreading wildly outwards. The ground beneath her suddenly sank several meters within a hundred-meter radius.
"So, the physical strength problem is solved."
Of course,
The enhanced control allowed for many new applications, limited only by knowledge and imagination. A telekinetic vortex appeared in Mei's hand.
The rapidly spinning telekinetic vortex created friction, heating the air until it ignited. A burning flame erupted in Mei's hand.
Another telekinetic vortex formed, rapidly absorbing air. The moisture in the air condensed, swirling within the vortex.
It was like magic.
For a time, Mei was completely engrossed in exploring her expanded telekinetic abilities. The zombies were no match for her; developing new applications always had benefits.
At least she wouldn't need a lighter anymore.
Half a day passed quickly. Mei was in high spirits; she'd developed many new techniques, particularly in sensory range.
Her previous method involved spreading her telekinesis omni-directionally, providing full situational awareness but severely limiting the range.
Mei improved this technique by focusing her telekinesis in a single direction, extending it as far as possible, then rapidly scanning her surroundings, like radar.
This method was incredibly efficient. Mei could easily sense anything within a 5km radius, the entire city's situation completely within her grasp.
Thanks to this improved sensing technique, Mei immediately located the only survivor base in the city, her expression one of surprise.
"Seems like there's something interesting there."
...
When Charles awoke, he found himself confined in a transparent laboratory. A middle-aged man in a long white coat stood outside.
Touching his body, he confirmed all his limbs were intact. Charles breathed a sigh of relief, remaining remarkably calm as he addressed the man. "Shouldn't you explain the situation? What am I, a lab rat?"
The middle-aged man nodded.
"I knew it!"
Charles's composure shattered. "I knew there was a conspiracy! You created those zombies outside, didn't you?!"
The middle-aged man shook his head. "You're overthinking it. The zombies outside have nothing to do with my research. I only started studying them after the virus outbreak."
Realizing escape was unlikely, Charles calmly engaged the middle-aged man in conversation to pass the time and glean any useful information.
He was curious. "Researching what?"
The middle-aged man, seemingly bored, actually answered. "How to use the zombie virus to enhance the human body."
"Enhance?"
"Yes. The zombie virus isn't actually a virus, but a substance capable of enhancing the human body. The problem is the failure rate is quite high; failure turns you into a zombie."
He checked his watch.
Charles suddenly realized something, his eyes widening. "You injected me with the zombie virus?!"
The middle-aged man honestly admitted it, adding, "Don't worry, after my modifications, your success rate is a whopping 1%. Moreover, the enhanced strength far surpasses those successfully enhanced by the original virus."
"1%…"
Charles resigned himself to his fate. He lay there for a while, feeling perfectly fine. Turning to look at the middle-aged man outside the lab, he saw the man practically vibrating with excitement.
Charles couldn't believe it.
"I… I succeeded?"
"Yes!"
The middle-aged man was ecstatic. "Finally! Young man, you're incredibly lucky! And so am I!"
However, Charles didn't feel enhanced in any way.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
The middle-aged man said, "I targeted your regenerative abilities. From now on, as long as your brain isn't fatally injured, and you have sufficient energy, any wound will heal rapidly. Even severed limbs will regrow in a short time!"
"No way?!"
Upon hearing this, Charles became excited. Without a second thought, he bit his hand, watching as the wound vanished before his very eyes, confirming the middle-aged man's words!
Charles never imagined his first ability would come from being a lab rat. The emotional rollercoaster was intense.
"So?"
The middle-aged man excitedly asked Charles, "From this moment, you are a new type of human. Will you help me? Together, we will lead humanity towards a new evolution!"
Charles was momentarily speechless. The man's words were incredibly cheesy, making it hard to respond, but he had no other choice. Just as he was about to agree,
Rumble!
The base shook violently.
Charles and the middle-aged man were thrown off balance. They initially thought it was an earthquake, but then the ceiling was ripped open, blinding sunlight pouring in, revealing the scene outside.
The entire research building had been cleanly severed and was floating in mid-air. Mei, like a god descending from the heavens, stood beneath the sun. The air around her warped, obscuring her form.
"..."
"..."
Charles and the middle-aged man were speechless, utterly terrified. New human, my ass! they thought. This is a new kind of human! In that instant, both their worldviews were irrevocably altered.
...
Inside the base,
Survivors looked up at the research building floating in the air. The figure hovering above seemed so small, yet its presence was overwhelmingly powerful, suffocating.
"What's going on?"
"Who is that?"
"Am I dreaming?"
Someone pinched themselves; the sharp pain confirmed this wasn't a dream. Someone was actually flying, and they'd just destroyed their research building.
Whoooooosh—
The moment Mei landed, powerful telekinesis rippled through the air like water, shattering Charles's lab.
Charles swallowed hard. He couldn't see the telekinesis, but the distorted air and light constantly reminded him of the invisible force swirling around them.
His worst fear had come true. Superpowered beings existed in this world, and this one was unbelievably powerful!
Mei's gaze fell upon the middle-aged man, who instantly tensed, sweat pouring down his face.
"If you can, I hope you can answer a few questions, or provide me with information that might help me find the answers."
"Yes… please ask."
The middle-aged man hastily nodded, afraid of even the slightest delay.
Mei asked, "What caused the zombie virus outbreak? Was it man-made or accidental? If man-made, who was responsible? And where did the first outbreak occur?"
Hearing this, the middle-aged man's face went pale. He didn't know the answers but had to respond. "I... I don't know, but! But I can give you a clue!"
At least it wasn't a complete loss. Mei nodded.
"Tell me."
The middle-aged man hurriedly said, "The base has been receiving broadcasts for years. They're calling survivors to a place called East Extreme Island. Many people have gone there; you might find answers there."
"Do you have a map?"
"Yes!"
The middle-aged man produced a tourist guidebook filled with various maps. He flipped to a page, pointing out their current location and East Extreme Island, indicating the direction.
The book automatically flew into Mei's hand. She checked the distance, realizing she'd pass through several cities along the way, conveniently clearing out zombies—progressing both upgrade tasks and the main mission simultaneously.
"Thank you."
The half-destroyed research building slowly descended. As Mei prepared to leave, Charles saw an opportunity. "Miss, will you take me on? I'm a new humans too!"
Mei paused momentarily before flying away.
"No."
Charles sighed; he'd missed his chance. But still taking advantage of the chaos caused by the destroyed lab, he fled. The base was in turmoil—the perfect opportunity to escape.