"Nine more to go." Su Li thought silently, the goal within reach stirring a hint of excitement. He activated "Spider Walk" once again, charging straight toward where the crocodile lizard's corpse lay.
A group of high-level zombie beasts were gathered around the crocodile lizard's body, feasting on it.
Around the rooftop, more and more high-level zombie beasts were appearing, their numbers already exceeding thirty.
Su Li shot forward like an arrow. The cluster of high-level zombie beasts feeding on the crocodile lizard lifted their heads in unison. Some reached out, trying to strike back, but Su Li, in his walking state, was as slippery as an eel—far beyond their ability to catch.
With a single swing of his blade, two heads hit the ground. Blood spurted from their necks, and two headless high-level zombie beasts collapsed.
He gained two more spirit sources. Su Li was now just seven away from breaking through, and he quickly retreated.
Because Xu Xuehui was in danger—he needed to rescue her.
A high-level zombie beast extended its right hand, its five fingers mutated into sharp claws, swiping down at Xu Xuehui.
Xu Xuehui swung her baseball bat in defense, but the zombie beast blocked it with its claws, then aimed another claw at her abdomen.
If it struck, she would be disemboweled.
Panic flickered across Xu Xuehui's face. Su Li appeared like a whirlwind, his blade slicing down to sever the beast's clawed arms, then sweeping horizontally to cut off its head.
A message flashed in his mind again.
"Level 4 Spirit Source User: Spirit Source 44/50"
Meanwhile, Ding Longyun and Gong Xiao had just killed their second high-level zombie beast, claiming their second spirit source.
At the edge of the rooftop, amid the swarm of climbing high-level zombie beasts, another figure suddenly emerged. This figure didn't lunge at the two elite beasts being devoured on the ground, nor at Su Li and his group. Instead, it lingered at the rooftop's edge, its eyes silently observing Su Li and the others.
Sensing that gaze, Su Li spun around sharply, staring toward the rooftop's edge. His eyes met the figure's, and his heart jolted.
It was a living human male, seemingly in his twenties, his clothes soaked and clinging to his body. He stood among the high-level zombie beasts, yet they didn't attack him—as if they saw him as one of their own.
No, there was a distance between them and him, as if they dared not approach, fearing to offend him.
"Huh? Who's this guy?" Ding Longyun noticed the sudden arrival too, frowning as he looked over.
Gong Xiao, Xu Haishui, and Xu Xuehui all saw the newcomer.
Xu Xuehui suddenly spotted something off and cried out, "He's not human!"
Su Li's heart trembled. He immediately activated "Peek Rune," locking onto the man standing far at the rooftop's edge.
A message appeared in his mind.
"Name: Undead, Level: Five, Race: Undead Clan. A being evolved from high-level zombie beasts, possessing limited intelligence, capable of simple sounds, and able to command zombie beasts through special methods. A member of the intelligent Undead Clan."
Processing this information, Su Li stared at the man at the rooftop's edge, a sense of shock washing over him.
This man, who looked almost like a living person, was actually an undead evolved from a high-level zombie beast? A true lifeform with intelligence?
Zombie beasts had white fuzz on their bodies, but this man's skin lacked that fuzz. His eyes weren't fixed and lifeless like a dead fish's—he could blink and move them. Still, close observation revealed differences from normal humans.
His skin was deathly pale, like paper, devoid of any blood or vitality, shrouded in a faint aura of death. When his eyes locked onto someone, it gradually felt like a deathly stare, breeding fear.
This was the first time Su Li had encountered a higher-level being evolved from a high-level zombie beast—an undead.
Compared to high-level zombie beasts, the undead resembled humans more. When Su Li and the others first saw him, they almost mistook him for a sudden human arrival, puzzled why the zombie beasts didn't attack him and even showed reverence.
It wasn't until Xu Xuehui shouted that Su Li used "Peek Rune" to discover the truth: this man wasn't truly human but a higher-tier zombie beast with a new name—undead.
"This is an undead, evolved from zombie beasts. Everyone be careful—it can command them." Su Li warned in a low voice, his blade falling again to kill another high-level zombie beast.
He now had 45 spirit sources, just five short of breaking through to the next level.
As Xu Xuehui cried out that the man wasn't human, the undead finally moved.
It had stood still, motionless, but when it acted, its speed was astonishing—like an arrow loosed from a bow. It darted between Ding Longyun and Xu Haishui, ignoring them, its target instead Xu Xuehui behind them.
Ding Longyun, Xu Haishui, Gong Xiao, and Su Li had formed a loose circle, with Xu Xuehui protected inside. The undead struck in an instant, breaking through their formation, its right hand reaching for Xu Xuehui's neck.
At its higher level than the high-level zombie beasts, a single grab would snap her neck.
The undead was so fast that Ding Longyun and the others couldn't keep up, let alone turn to save Xu Xuehui.
Only Su Li's reaction matched its speed. As the undead moved, Su Li pivoted, locking onto it, raising his blade.
"Spider Walk" let Su Li keep pace with the undead's speed. Just as the undead's hand was about to grab Xu Xuehui's neck, Su Li's blade, carrying a cold gust, appeared at the undead's own neck.
Before the undead could seize Xu Xuehui, its neck would be severed by Su Li's sword.
The undead clapped its hands together with a sharp "crack," catching Su Li's blade between them.
Su Li felt the undead's immense strength, no less than his own. The blade was trapped in its palms, immovable as if cast in metal.
With a thought, Su Li shoved Xu Xuehui aside with his left hand to avoid collateral damage, then kicked out with his right leg.
The undead released its grip and kicked at the same moment. Both struck each other's abdomen.