章 23: CH : 23 Cleaning Up

"Okay!" Luke did not have any objection.

Ethan seriously said: "Luke, Grace, William, Luna, and Julia, the six of us will go clear the zombies on Xing Ning Road."

"Ethan, you still want to provoke those monsters?" A worried William said. He did not forget the two terrifying Hunters. The four of them were nearly wiped out by the two Hunters the last time.

Grace frowned and said: "Ethan, I think we need to raise our level first before challenging the two Hunters. Our level is too low. Except for you, the rest of us don't even have the power to fight when facing the two Hunters."

Grace has already experienced the terrifying power of the two Hunters. Even though she now has the 3rd Degree skill Weapon Enhancement, in the face of a Hunter she still isn't a match.

Ethan was the only one who could compete with the Hunters out of the team's fighting force.

Ethan's gaze swept across his group, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. He knew he had stirred up confusion, and he couldn't help but smile at the questions bubbling just beneath the surface.

"I know," Ethan began, "this time I'm just going to clear the zombies on Xing Ning Road. At the same time, we'll work on increasing all your levels. Lei Jiang Bridge is still guarded by the two Hunters, and I have no plans to mess with them right now. Besides," he added with a grin, "we've got one more hand that could turn any situation in our favour."

A murmur of interest spread through the group. Grace, who had initially been tense, relaxed at the mention of avoiding the Hunters, but when Ethan mentioned an additional member, everyone exchanged puzzled glances. Luke, Grace, William, Luna, Julia, Ethan, and Draugr were the only ones present as the fighting force in this whole group. They hadn't rescued anyone new lately, so who was this mysterious new member?

As the questions brewed, Julia couldn't hide her cheeky grin, though she tried to cover it with her hands. The others noticed but were too caught up in their own confusion to comment on it.

"Bro, did you hit your head or something?" one of them asked, eyebrows raised. "I'm sure that Hunter didn't get you, but maybe you bumped your head?"

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I'm fine. Nothing wrong up here," he assured, tapping his temple with a knowing smile.

"Then what are you talking about?" Maria's interjected, suspicion lacing their tone.

Ethan's grin widened as he raised a hand to get their attention. "Let me introduce you all to Mortis," he announced, and with a small gesture, two skeletons emerged from the room behind him. One carried a massive axe strapped to its back, while the other was unarmed but otherwise identical in appearance.

The first, Draugr, had a massive axe strapped to his back, while the second, Mortis, was empty-handed but bore an identical eerie presence. The two skeletal figures stood side by side, their hollow eye sockets glowing with a cold, mystical light. Everyone's eyes widened, and their mouths hung open in shock. They had no idea Ethan could summon more skeletons.

The group collectively gasped, eyes widening and mouths hanging open. They had known about Draugr, but the sight of a second skeleton was something none of them had anticipated.

"Yo, you never told us you could summon more skeletons," Olivia said, her voice trembling slightly as she looked at Ethan with wide, frantic eyes.

After her questions fired off in rapid succession. "How did you summon another one?" "Can you summon even more?" "What does this skill of yours actually do?" The excitement and curiosity were palpable, everyone talking over one another in a bid to have their questions answered.

Ethan held up a hand, quieting the barrage. "Yes, I can summon more. It's a growth-type skill. Just like the skill we got from those Hunter types, Level 3 skill, I was finally able to summon another. But there are limitations and rules I had to follow to Summon it, just like every skill," Ethan explained, careful not to reveal too much.

The group quieted, absorbing this new information. It was clear they were bursting with curiosity, but they also understood the value—and the danger—of knowing too much about such a powerful and rare skill. Ethan's reticence to share all the details was respected; after all, the more they knew, the more they could be targeted by those who would do anything to learn the secret.

The group understood the sensitivity of such a powerful, life-altering skill. If this knowledge got out, even if they didn't tell anyone, they could be tortured for the information. The gravity of the situation dawned on them, curbing their curiosity as they chose not to probe further.

After a moment, Maya ventured, "So, what does this mean for us? For the team?"

Ethan's gaze swept over them, his expression serious but filled with determination. "It means we're stronger than we were before. It means our odds of surviving—and thriving—just got a bit better."

With that, the group fell into a contemplative silence, the gravity of Ethan's new power settling in. The road ahead was still dangerous, but with each step, they were becoming better prepared to face whatever challenges awaited them…

With the addition of Mortis, the team's newfound strength was palpable, and there was a renewed sense of purpose among them. Ethan, now more confident with the bolstered numbers, wasted no time in getting the group ready for their next missions.

"So with our new, very powerful, and fearless addition to the team," Ethan began, his voice carrying a note of optimism that had been absent for days, "let's get moving. We've got a lot of ground to cover."

Just as the truck they were about to trunk around, a voice from the back broke through the tension that had settled inside the room.

"I want to go too! Ethan, take me with you!" Sydney's voice was tinged with a mixture of determination and eagerness. "I want to get stronger, and I want to see the outside world."

Ethan and everyone turn around, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the sight of Sydney pushing her way to the front of the group. She was met with curious stares from everyone else, all of them questioning what had sparked this sudden change in her.

"You do realize we're heading into a very dangerous place filled with zombies, right?" Ethan said, his tone cautious. "We might encounter situations that are far more dangerous than anything you've faced before."

Sydney met his gaze without flinching. "Yes, I do. I'm not a kid, Ethan. I've seen my fair share of the world and what it has become. But I still want to go out there with you."

Ethan could see the resolve in her eyes, but he also saw the undercurrent of fear, the recognition of the danger that lay ahead. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he weighed his options.

"I get it, Sydney, I do. But you've got to understand that this isn't just some training exercise. This is life and death. And out there, using guns doesn't give you any EXP for some reason. Whoever designed this 'system' made sure of that, probably because they knew that if even a tiny percentage of the world's military survived, they'd be able to dominate with just their firepower alone. So, I'm asking you again—are you sure you want to go out there? You'll have to rely on close-quarter combat weapons to get any stronger."

Hearing this everyone was shocked and they wanted to know how Ethan knew this. But they all kept quiet.

Sydney's expression didn't waver. "I understand the risks, Ethan. But I'm not asking you to take care of me. Just give me a better gun, and I'll be able to handle myself. I don't doubt your abilities, but with my training, I'm sure I can take down more zombies than most of you using firearms."

Her words carried an air of confidence that was hard to ignore. Luke, standing next to Ethan, finally spoke up, "Well, she's got a point. I think we should take her with us. They say the more, the merrier, right?"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the group. Julia, Luna, Grace, and William nodded, unable to deny the logic in Sydney's argument. Ethan couldn't help but agree; Sydney had extensive training as a former police officer, making her an asset rather than a liability. However, the potential risks still weighed heavily on his mind.

Ethan let out a long sigh, looking at each of them in turn. "Alright, fine. But there's something you all need to understand," he said, his voice taking on a hard edge. "If you're coming with us, you follow my orders. No exceptions. The moment you don't, we'll leave you behind, and I won't be responsible for what happens."

The gravity of his words hung in the air, casting a somber mood over the group. The intensity in Ethan's eyes made it clear that he wasn't making empty threats. He had seen too much, endured too much, to tolerate any recklessness that could endanger them all.

Sydney's determination faltered for just a moment, but then she nodded firmly. "I understand, and I'll follow your lead."

The rest of the group exchanged glances, understanding the implications of taking Sydney along. Her strong moral compass and tendency to help others, even at great personal risk, made her both an asset and a potential liability. But they also knew that with her skills, she could be a significant help in their fight against the undead.

Without any objections, the group quickly piled into the Volvo truck, their previous hesitations quelled by the presence of the two formidable skeletons at their side. The vehicle's engine roared to life, its sound echoing through the otherwise eerily silent streets, as they began their journey towards Green Shade Street.

Luna was the driver of the second Volvo truck, following the first truck. Ethan now has 2 means of transport.

With the decision made, everyone quickly moved to their assigned positions. Luna took the wheel of the first Volvo truck, while Ethan slid into the co-driver's seat of the first, with renewed determination. As the engines roared to life, the two trucks began their journey, moving in tandem through the deserted streets.

The cityscape around them was a grim reminder of what the world had become. Buildings that once bustled with life were now silent and decayed, their windows shattered and their walls stained with the marks of destruction. The roads were littered with abandoned cars and the remnants of hastily abandoned lives. The air was thick with an eerie quiet, broken only by the occasional distant moan of a wandering zombie.

As they drove, Ethan's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He couldn't shake the unease that came with taking Sydney along, despite her assurances. He knew her well enough to understand her motivations, but he also knew that her desire to help others could put them all at risk. He would have to keep a close eye on her, ensuring that her actions didn't jeopardize the mission.

The two Volvo trucks quickly arrived at Xing Ning Road. The zombies on Xing Ning Road were immediately attracted to the two truck noises. The zombies formed large and small groups, then headed towards the two trucks.

Xing Ning Road is the road to Lei Jiang City's most bustling commercial district. Although not as bustling as the other side of Lei Jiang Bridge, it still has a lot of zombies. There were hundreds of zombies heading towards the two trucks, which was extremely scary.

Among the hundreds of zombies, more than 10 bluish grey zombies took the lead that could seen. As if like a bunch of monkeys heading towards Ethan's team.

"More than ten S1 zombies? So many S1 zombies have evolved after just 6 days? Too scary." Ethan's eyes flashed a touch of horror looking at so many S1 and L1zombies. When he came here before, there were not that many zombies, and there were no S1 or L1 zombies. Just after six days, more then ten S1 and L1 zombies have evolved. The zombie's evolution speed is so fast that humans simply cannot survive.

"Retreat!" Ethan decisively ordered. In addition to the S1 zombies, he also saw L1 zombies among the hundreds of zombies.

Listening to Ethan's order, Luna and William immediately drove the two Dongfeng trucks and fled away.

The L1 zombies were very fast, but ultimately they were slower compared to the Hunters. They were unable to catch up with the Volvo truck, and shortly were left behind.

Driven to a quiet and safe street, William looked at Ethan and said, "What do we do? Where shall we go now?"

Ethan thought for a moment: "Luna immediately drove back. Grace, Julia and you stay here, and are responsible for our get away. Luke and I will go to Xing Ning Road and take a look at the situation."

With that, Ethan got off the truck, looked at Grace and spoke his mind.

Grace frowned and said: "Just the two of you, it's too dangerous."

"Absolutely! Let's get back as much as we can." Sydney expressed her thoughts upon seeing the huge numbers of zombies.

In the hundreds of zombies, not only were there S1 zombies but also L1 zombies. With those special zombies, the threat was far beyond the regular hundreds of zombies. Luke and Ethan's strength were still too weak.

Ethan smiles: "Do not worry, if the situation appears to be bad we will immediately withdraw. As long as you protect the escape route for us and there are not two but four of us."

After Ethan finished speaking, Luke, Ethan, Draugr, and Mortis headed towards Xing Ning Road.

On the way, Ethan, Luke, Draugr, and Mortis

encountered more than 10 zombies that were scattered. They easily killed those zombies.

During his journey, Mortis skillfully fashioned a weapon using the bones of a zombie, similar to a Draugr. The bone weapon he created was a massive axe, much like the one wielded by the Draugr.

Armed with their weapons, they advanced.

Without the sound of the engine to attract them, the zombies scattered, forming several groups. More than 10 groups of zombies were wandering on the streets.

The four of them carefully sneaked all the way to Xing Ning Road. They had just arrived at Xing Ning Road, when 2 groups of 13 zombies were immediately attracted to their footsteps. The zombies then staggered towards them one group from the left and the other from right.

Ethan and Draugr charged forward, reaching the zombies after several steps. With a sword slashed, beheaded a zombie.

Just as the two zombies beside Ethan got closer, Draugr swung his axe and cut the two zombies into halves, foul blood splashing everywhere.

Luke had also changed his weapon to the Imitation Tang Sword. He quickly rushed in front of a zombie, and beheaded the zombie beside him was Mortis who also easily chopped heads of zombies using his sharp bone axe.

The quartet had gotten stronger from raising their level many times, and soon killed the 19 zombies. And Mortis even levelled up.