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: I OPENED A CLINIC IN THE APOCALYPSE
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TL: Moonlit
The research institute of the Civilized City halted all research projects and focused on saving Xiao Hen. Wen Qingling did not leave. Whether it was blood or blood anemone that was needed, he could provide it immediately. He believed that his blood wouldn’t ruin Xiao Hen, and he trusted the research personnel he had personally brought back.
Since words couldn’t convince them, and he couldn’t resort to violence or watch Xiao Hen die, Wen Qingling could only think of this method: to make him stronger, to free him from any constraints, so he wouldn’t foolishly sacrifice himself for a city.
Wen Qingling had a premonition that if Xiao Hen continued to stay in the Central Giant City, he would die. The kind of death that couldn’t be resurrected.
He would never allow such a thing to happen. Xiao Hen belonged entirely to him. No one else had the right to decide, not even himself!
An assistant researcher ran out to report, “The situation with the Commander is very dire. Doctors Zhu, Tong, Shen, and Min all believe that this is just buying time. Your blood has started to mutate, and the energy is intense and difficult to control. Currently, we can only use blood anemones to repair as much as possible. We can’t stop; there’s an immediate risk of explosion.”
The assistant researcher looked pleadingly at the Lord of the City, wishing he could control the direction of his own blood mutation. Time was running out, and lives were at stake!
Wen Qingling clenched his hand by his side. He refused to admit that he might have played it wrong. “How much longer can we delay?”
Assistant researcher: “It’s hard to say, but we will definitely try to buy as much time as possible.”
Wen Qingling turned and left. “Give me three days.”
Assistant researcher: “…”
No, don’t go! What about controlling the direction of blood mutation?
Wen Qingling furrowed his brows. He had a premonition that he could control his blood, but when he tried just now, it seemed impossible. He didn’t believe that his premonition could be wrong. Since he couldn’t control it, the only possibility was that he wasn’t strong enough yet to achieve the effects he foresaw.
Wen Qingling moved several large crates of energy crystals back to the Lord’s Mansion. He buried himself in the pile of energy, opened his abdomen, and ate voraciously, striving to become powerful in the shortest time possible. Only then could he control his blood and keep Xiao Hen alive.
During the three days of waiting, Xiao Hen underwent countless cycles of bodily repair and decay. Each time his body reached a certain level of decay, on the verge of explosion, the researchers would use blood anemone to repair him. After the repair was completed, the decay would continue, and the process would repeat…
If Xiao Hen hadn’t already possessed the zombie bloodline, making him less sensitive to pain, he wouldn’t have been able to hold on for three days.
Wen Qingling kept his promise. He drained himself of energy, and on the third day, gentle energy spread from the Lord’s Mansion, expanding outward. It reached the Core City, Inner City, Middle City, Outer City, beyond the Outer City, and the three major county affiliated bases…
The gentle energy continued to spread outward, with no end in sight.
Wherever the energy passed, all things revived.
Seeds that were just planted in the fields grew rapidly and matured, painting everything in golden hues.
All the damaged zombies, humans, mutant beasts, and corpse creatures were restored to their original state. The chaotic brains of the zombies gained a hint of clarity. They realized that they were zombies, and they no longer wished to continue living in such a muddled state. They wanted to live with dignity, to possess consciousness, to become… the true kings.
Although the aura of these kings was extremely faint.
A zombie roar echoed from the Lord’s Mansion, and all the zombies submitted without hesitation.
The influx of zombies toward Cloud Capital City caused a severe uproar. The zombies spun in place, hesitated, and looked around in confusion. The allure of the north suddenly lost its appeal as the zombies caught a whiff of the pure aura of the true king. Although it was very faint, it unmistakably signaled the zombie horde that the true king had appeared, in the south.
The zombie horde attracted by the aura of the tyrant headed south.
The zombie horde attracted by the rulers of the north continued to move north.
The zombie horde split into two, advancing in two opposite directions.
From high above, the scene was magnificent. The densely packed zombies gathered toward two cities—one in the south and one in the north—forming two massive, hollow black “eyes” on the land of Huaxia.
In the research laboratory, all the busy researchers and assistants were drawn to the sudden presence of this aura. Submitting to the king was an instinct engraved in the genes of every zombie.
On the research bed, the bloodied figure no longer required the repair of blood anemones but instead self-restored to a human form.
The blood bag in the assistant’s hand fell to the ground with a thud. “Has the king arrived? Why do I feel like the king’s aura is so close to me?”
A colleague next to him nodded vigorously. “I feel it too.”
Doctor Zhu wore a pensive expression. “No, there’s something different about this aura. It’s completely unlike the previous feeling…”
Suddenly, Doctor Zhu stopped abruptly and turned to look at the research bed.
The bloodied figure on the bed had disappeared, replaced by a man sitting calmly on the bed, casually wiping away the bloodstains on his body. His eyes were sharp and cold, devoid of any emotions, as cold as a true zombie without desires or emotions.
Doctor Zhu widened his eyes, his lips trembling. “The Sub-King…”
Even Doctor Zhu himself didn’t know how that term had appeared in his mind.
He could clearly distinguish that the current aura was fundamentally different from the previous one. The previous king’s aura was pure and originated naturally, the aura of a true-born king.
The individual before them possessed a king’s aura as well, but compared to the purity of a true king, his aura carried something else…
Doctor Zhu couldn’t describe it. Perhaps this was the difference between being born naturally and being created artificially?
In any case, all the zombies could discern this distinction at a glance. This figure wasn’t the “true king” but the “sub-king.”
However, it was undeniable that they were equally terrifying beings.
The sound of a falling needle could be heard in the research lab. Everyone instinctively yielded and looked fearfully at the indifferent man wearing only a pair of boxer shorts. The man had an impressive physique, with well-defined muscles and explosive power. His boxer shorts were stained with blood, and he seemed very disdainful, not looking at anyone in the room, disappearing within the lab.
All the researchers and assistants in the lab could finally breathe normally; they were almost suffocated by the aura of the “King.”
It was terrifying. They actually managed to treat a “King”!
At this moment, all the civilized zombies just wanted to cover their faces and scream!
In the center of Yunjing City, in the middle of a spacious road, there appeared an enormous pool.
The pool formed naturally, filled with a black viscous fluid that surged within. In the center of the pool sat a man with black hair, black eyes, and a black windbreaker. His skin was pale, and he had his eyes closed as if sleeping. The black viscous fluid seemed like small black snakes, wriggling and burrowing into the man’s flesh.
Around the pool, evolved beings hurriedly came and went. Every time they approached, they would throw the energy crystals they held into the black pool. The viscous fluid swiftly dissolved the energy crystals and transferred the melted energy to the man in the center of the pool.
Sitting by the edge of the pool was a dark figure, the “General” that Wen Qingling wanted to beat up. The figure stared unblinkingly at the man in the center of the pool.
Unlike the “General,” there was a huge and strange zombie fused with a metal turret sitting obediently at the edge of the pool. Its cannon-like structure extended forward, as if ready to fire at the pool, but it didn’t. It had been guarding here for who knows how long.
It was the “Turret,” which had disappeared after leaving Ling City. Just like the “General,” it obediently guarded the edge of the pool, waiting for its king to emerge from the pool.
Different from the “General” and the “Turret,” there was a small baby that was only seven or eight months old. The baby had a head full of tentacles and was lying by the edge of the pool. It used its remaining arm to struggle to grab the viscous fluid in the pool. It wanted to taste the fluid and could sense the powerful energy fluctuations inside the pool. It was hungry and wanted to eat.
The motionless pale man suddenly opened his eyes, and his black pupils were like endless abysses.
His previously restrained aura suddenly surged, and he howled in anger, letting out a furious roar.
All the zombies kneeled and submitted.
Wen Qingling stretched lazily as she slipped out of the Lord’s Mansion.
Outside the Lord’s Mansion, it was crowded with excitement. All the civilized zombies and new humans were cheering and celebrating the birth of the king.
Every one of them had radiant smiles, and their expressions were no longer rigid. Their emotions were no longer lacking. If not for the genetic limitations, they would be living, breathing individuals.
Of course, anyone who saw them would have no doubt that they were human.
And that was the truth. They had already become what they wanted to be.
Wen Qingling fulfilled the wishes of each and every one of them, allowing them to grow freely in their desired direction.
Perhaps it was because they had all been human before. Wen Qingling lifted the restrictions, allowing them to grow freely and mutate. Almost everyone had turned into a human-like form.
Everything that humans possessed could be found in them.
The good and the bad, all the inherent qualities of being human.
Wen Qingling looked around but couldn’t find that figure. He couldn’t help but click his tongue and thought: He shouldn’t be so petty, right? Getting angry over such a trivial matter and not coming to celebrate the birth of the new king… Of course, he isn’t the true king yet, just someone with the potential to become the true king.
When he has a sufficient foundation of energy, the throne of the true king will open its doors to him.
Like a direct line, there will be no need for a difficult breakthrough. He is the chosen “True King.”
Meanwhile, the “Sub-King” that evolved alongside him, Xiao Hen, was currently throwing a tantrum, hiding somewhere in a corner.
Wen Qingling scanned with his spiritual power and discovered the trace of the “Sub-King.”
The newly born Xiao Hen sat on the edge of the outer city’s wall, his back lonely and indifferent. He lightly flicked his fingers in the air, and a massive spatial blade flew out, severing a patch of wildly growing weeds. He flicked his fingers again, and another patch of weeds fell.
Xiao Hen’s current mood was not pleasant. He was acting as a lawnmower, dealing with the rampant weeds that had grown due to Wen Qingling’s wood-based powers.
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Author’s note:
Xiao Hen: Baby is feeling bitter.
Wen Qingling: Good boy, you’ll become sweeter.