CHAPTER 257: 9.3

"Chen Ran, you still haven’t told me, why do you think Professor Ling could be the key to saving the world?"

As Jiang Jiamian expected, the protagonist group, including his mission target Ling Zhuang, arrived in K City at dusk.

But even on the way back, Xiao Jinfeng still couldn’t wrap his head around it. Why did Chen Ran believe Ling Zhuang might be humanity’s last hope?

That man was polite and gentle, sure. But he hadn’t awakened any superpowers. Along the way, he’d relied entirely on others for protection.

Xiao Jinfeng didn’t know what Chen Ran had discussed with the base leader. But after that conversation, their Gale Squad was suddenly assigned a long-haul mission to pick up Professor Ling from faraway S City and escort him to A City.

Now, in the cab of the truck, with only Chen Ran beside him, Xiao Jinfeng finally asked the question he’d been holding in all this time.

Chen Ran paused, then lowered his voice, "Ending the apocalypse doesn’t mean killing every zombie. And don’t forget, zombies used to be human. If all we do is kill, we’ll never reach the real end."

In his previous life, when the apocalypse started, humanity’s first reaction had been to fight back, brutally.

But eventually, people realized the zombies were victims of a virus.

Mindless slaughter wasn’t a solution.

And if it was a virus, then it could be cured. Maybe a vaccine could save the infected.

It was that possibility that first brought Professor Ling to prominence.

Of course, the process had been slow. Half a year passed from the first suggestion, through the base gathering experts, to Ling Zhuang stepping into the spotlight.

And it was that six-month delay that had cost Chen Ran his life.

This time, he wanted to bring him in early, to get things moving before it was too late.

Xiao Jinfeng was stunned, "What do you mean?"

Chen Ran didn’t dislike Xiao Jinfeng. With no one else in the cab, he spoke more directly, "Zombies are infected by a virus. If all we do is kill, how long will that last? The natural enemy of a virus is a vaccine. Besides superpowered fighters, we need real scientists, people who can develop a cure. That’s the only real way out."

Xiao Jinfeng nodded slowly with respect in his eyes. Chen Ran always said things no one else thought of. He was calm, confident... someone you wanted to follow.

No wonder so many people liked him.

Come to think of it, no one had seriously mentioned that zombies might just be victims of a virus.

Then came a harder question.

"But why Professor Ling? Do you know him?"

Chen Ran gave a dry chuckle and stuck to the story he’d told the base leader, "I overheard someone say he was an expert in virology. I don’t know he’s the answer. I just think he has more potential than anyone else. So I brought him up."

"Oh, I see."

Xiao Jinfeng didn’t question it further.

In the second truck.

"Professor Ling, let’s be honest. We were ordered by the base leader to come pick you up. A whole team is guarding you! You haven’t awakened any powers, we’re not asking you to fight zombies, but could you at least run when you see one? It’s happened two or three times now, zombies charge you, and you just stand there. Are you trying to get us killed? If something had gone wrong back there, would it have been our fault for not saving you fast enough?"

Though Xiao Jinfeng had been convinced of Professor Ling’s importance, not everyone in Gale Squad shared that view.

Inside the vehicle, metal chairs were bolted to each side. On the right sat Xue Fang and Zheng Shuqiu, both visibly annoyed. On the left, sat Shen Hao, the cool, hard-edged supporting male lead whom Chen Ran admired, and Ling Zhuang, dressed in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses. His naturally gentle smile touched the corners of his lips.

Ling Zhuang gave a soft, embarrassed smile, adjusting his glasses. "I’m so sorry. I spend most of my time in the lab and don’t exercise much. I’m not fast. And... I get scared easily. When I see zombies charging at me, my mind goes blank, and I forget to run."

Tsk. Eighteen days.

Still not a single advanced zombie.

There had been two perfect chances to observe zombies close to evolving. And these idiots killed them both!

Still, he had a hunch. Advanced zombies weren’t far away.

How would these fools handle a zombie clearly stronger than them?

Oh, he was looking forward to it.

Ling Zhuang adjusted his glasses again, hiding the glimmer of excitement in his eyes behind his fingers and the frame.

"Tsk. Really..."

Xue Fang, a blunt and straightforward man, had been annoyed ever since they’d picked up Ling Zhuang. No powers, no skills, but the squad had to guard him?

Hearing his excuse made him even more bitter.

Yet that polite, apologetic smile somehow made it hard to lash out.

He wanted to snap at him, but facing Ling Zhuang’s mild, kind-looking face, the words got stuck halfway.

He just sighed instead.

Seriously, what was the base leader thinking?

Sending their elite team to babysit some weak, slow scientist?

Could it be nepotism? Someone pulling strings? Pretending he was important just to give him special treatment?

Xue Fang didn’t know Chen Ran had been the one to suggest this mission, otherwise, maybe he’d think differently.

Still, he had reasons to doubt.

That base leader was a big shot from City A even before the apocalypse. Afterward, he awakened powers and naturally took charge.

But in this new world, power mattered more than title.

And while the leader had awakened an ability, he wasn’t the strongest by any stretch. If not for his past status, many people wouldn’t follow him.

Ling Zhuang’s eyes always seemed to carry a faint smile, even when he wasn’t smiling. It made him hard to hate. "Honestly, I get your frustration. Not only do I understand it, I’m curious, too. Who did order you to come get me?"

Did someone know something?

How could someone suddenly think of him, a professor working quietly in a distant research institute in City W?

He wasn’t stupid. He didn’t think he had some brilliant reputation.

The only real secret he had was...

Tsk!

Still, what a pity.

His finest work had escaped the lab half a month ago!

It could have become the strongest zombie... and the most beautiful.

So beautiful, skin like snow, eyes like rubies, that intoxicating, unique death...

And yet it ran.

That creation... dared to leave his stage!

Ha!

But when he finds and brings it back, he would strip it skin by skin, dress it in a suit of tragic, beautiful poison, and display it properly.

Xue Fang was stunned.

He turned and glanced at Zheng Shuqiu, then looked back at Ling Zhuang, "Wait... you don’t know? You don’t even know who sent us?"

Ling Zhuang smiled, "Why? Should I?"

So they didn’t know either?

Then who was it?

Who, in all of A City, would’ve thought of him, a forgotten professor from distant W City?