Chapter 136: Breaking the Waves

After Lin Dong secured the corpse, he returned home. The group of underlings, having tasted a new flavor, found it surprisingly refreshing… Lin Dong took a shower, changed clothes, then sat on the sofa and began studying the mutated fungal crystal core.

The crystal core was milky white overall, containing dense energy, but unlike ordinary ones, it had striped mycelium within. At first, the fungus’s ability was very peculiar, startling the sensitive-eared Ren badly. Now that Lin Dong had slain it, he finally understood the truth: it was essentially a mutated mushroom.

Lin Dong thought he could use it like a flowerpot, allowing one of his underlings to merge with it. If they could gain its power, it would greatly enhance their territory.

So, he went downstairs to the street. The underlings, just finished enjoying their “mushroom rice,” wore satisfied expressions but bowed respectfully upon seeing Lin Dong.

His eyes scanned the crowd and settled on a female zombie. “You there, come here.”

“Me?” The female zombie’s fierce eyes widened, seemingly flattered, but she quickly approached.

This zombie was one of the elite corps, with a strong physique and highly evolved, though she hadn’t yet formed a crystal core, making her perfectly suited for fusion.

Using his corpse-domain ability, Lin Dong reached into her skull and placed the milky white crystal core inside. The female zombie froze, not understanding what was happening.

Soon, her expression twisted in pain as she grabbed her hair, then collapsed to her knees with a loud wail.

“Ugh—”

Fusion was a dangerous process; it seemed as if her brain was being corroded, her life force fluctuating wildly. However, due to being injected with the Z virus, her recovery was incredibly robust.

After a moment, she calmed down. A strange energy surged into her body, rapidly boosting her strength to B+ level.

Clearly, the fusion was successful.

Everything unfolding was exactly as Lin Dong had anticipated. The female zombie shook her head as if her scalp itched, and then, with a sudden pop, a white mushroom sprouted from the top of her head.

“Hm, good. She has a name now…”

……

After handling these matters, Lin Dong returned home.

For the following days, nothing significant happened; the territory remained peaceful and progressed steadily.

The sixth underling, “Mushroom,” began spreading spores everywhere, growing “white tumors” that turned slightly red after feeding on blood.

These tumors were weak at first and could only mimic small creatures like rats or insects, far from formidable. They needed time to develop.

Meanwhile, Tek Corporation remained silent. Ye Jian hadn’t relocated, and upcoming plans were still being discussed with headquarters.

However, at the Lingshan branch, Liu Baiyue was growing restless.

The death of Luo Qian’s squad would not be let go easily.

After all, an elite team was sent out and died mysteriously. No one would accept such an ending.

“The incident in Jiangbei City can’t just be left like this!” Liu Baiyue said with determination, seated in her office, her bright eyes gleaming with resolve.

Her secretary replied, “President Liu, didn’t Ye Jian say you shouldn’t intervene? Why bother with Jiangbei City?”

“I’m a stubborn person. I never care what others tell me. Whether they want me to act or not, I do as I please,” Liu Baiyue said sternly.

The secretary admired her greatly, thinking, “No wonder she never gives up. I wonder when I can be like her.”

Liu Baiyue knew well that the corpse king who wiped out Luo Qian’s squad was undoubtedly powerful. She had underestimated him before.

More importantly, Lingshan City and Jiangbei City were separated by only a mountain. She feared Lin Dong might continue expanding and invade her jurisdiction.

Her declared mission to eliminate the corpse king in Jiangbei was really for her own protection.

She had to prepare early.

“Send Xu Yanqing’s squad, bring along A+ level modified humans. They must not delve deep into the corpse’s nest; just monitor the outskirts and wait for an opportunity to strike. And remember, no more blunders this time!” Liu Baiyue instructed carefully.

The secretary nodded, “Understood, President Liu.”

……

A month passed swiftly. Lin Dong stayed home, living peacefully.

Yet great changes occurred within his territory. The tumors grown by the sixth underling, Mushroom, had matured and could now mimic human forms.

Thus, groups of three or five humans could be seen wandering the streets of Lin Dong’s domain.

Especially in Mushroom’s area, it resembled the pre-apocalypse scene.

This sight was eerie.

Anyone unaware would be deeply frightened. The so-called forbidden zone, the corpse’s nest, now harbored many humans, adding a layer of mystery to the region.

Yet the burly Tank, standing on the street, with his small eyes fixed on those “humans,” felt deeply frustrated.

He could see them… but couldn’t reach them.

What use was that?

Especially when hungry at night, little Mushroom was like a poison released in the dark!

“Forget it, I’ll just catch some fish to eat…” Tank thought as he headed toward the riverbank.

By the river, the water still rushed on. The last battle here against the Bone Corpse King had made Lin Dong the overlord of Jiangbei City. Though fierce, the scars had been buried beneath the yellow earth; the corpses had rotted away, and the tainted blood washed clean by rain, like the flowing river, all gradually fading into the past…

Tank arrived, hearing only the familiar roar of the river.

But the broken bridge spanning the river was now covered in vines, engulfing the entire structure and creating a striking sight.

“Flowerpot, I want to eat fish,” Tank called out.

From the grass emerged a corpse king, a vibrant crown of leaves atop his head.

“No problem,” Flowerpot replied, accustomed to the request. He controlled the vines on the bridge, extending them into the river like countless snakes dangling down.

The strange fish in the river were soon attracted, leaping from the water. They varied in size and form, all with red eyes and sharp teeth.

The vines sprang to life like arrows, piercing the fish with crackling sounds before flinging them onto the shore.

Tank’s small eyes watched as a “rain” of fish fell before him.

“Heh heh heh, Flowerpot beats fake tricks any day.”

He reached out his large hand, grabbed a flapping fish, and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing heartily.

His sharp fangs effortlessly crushed the bones, the taste exquisite.

Sometimes, he even caught fish carrying brain cores, which gave him a “small candy bean” to eat.

Tank was very pleased, feeling there were surprises everywhere in this undead life.

But just as he feasted, a sharp dorsal fin broke the water downstream, swiftly swimming against the current, cutting through the waves.

“Huh? What kind of surprise is this?”