Chapter 331, Come Here
Sure enough!
Qi Hancai's heart raced even faster.
Hearing the words "no side effects" made her heart stop momentarily, her pupils shrinking suddenly.
No side effects?
Last time, he had only mentioned some techniques.
She thought it was just a way to increase the success rate of consuming corpse cores.
But now, it was entirely different—no side effects meant guaranteed success.
This... this was incredible.
To completely and unrestrictedly enhance one's abilities.
In his eyes, this wasn't an apocalypse; it was a hunting ground to break through one's limits.
No wonder the garage had been seeking mutated zombies.
No wonder he had displayed so many different abilities.
And now, he was about to share this secret with her.
Overjoyed yet deeply aware of the implications, she realized—
This was a secret that must never be revealed. If she ever did, she might join the ranks of the skeletons.
Forcing herself to calm down, she said resolutely, "I swear I won't betray you. I'm willing to do anything for you."
"Remember what you said today," Wu Heng replied.
Qi Hancai reaffirmed, "Don't worry, I understand how difficult life is now. I would never betray you."
Wu Heng nodded, taking out a vial and handing it to her. "This is a purified potion. Drink it now, I'll watch."
Qi Hancai frowned slightly, instinctively taking the small vial.
It wasn't the bloody corpse core she was expecting.
Instead, it resembled something like eyedrops.
She glanced at Wu Heng again, confirming he had no reason to deceive or harm her.
Besides, things had come this far; there was no reason to back out.
She opened the cap and tilted her head back to drink.
The liquid flowed down her throat, dry and slightly warm.
Then came a rapid heartbeat, chest tightness, and a surge of energy spreading quickly throughout her body.
Her muscles and bones ached with a stinging sensation.
But soon, the discomfort faded, replaced by a vibrant and soothing vitality.
She had experienced this feeling once before.
Only last time, it was far more painful, like having her flesh scraped off and bones carved.
A sensation she never wanted to endure again.
But now, it ended so easily after consuming the potion.
Truly miraculous.
"How do you feel?" Wu Heng asked.
Even though Qi Hancai had consumed corpse cores before, her body was now drenched in sweat, as if she had just been fished out of a river.
Her clothes clung to her, outlining her curvaceous figure and faintly revealing her black undergarments.
Qi Hancai's face lit up with joy. "Great! I can feel my body getting stronger."
"Hmm, you're in good physical shape, so you absorbed it quickly."
"Thank you!"
A breeze from the window made Qi Hancai shiver. Realizing she was soaked, she instinctively covered her chest, then relaxed and straightened up slightly.
Knock, knock~!
At that moment, the door was knocked.
"Come in!" Wu Heng called out.
The door opened, and Xiaoxiao's mother, Zhao Yanqiu, walked in.
"Xiaoxiao said you were looking for me."
"Yes, come in," Wu Heng said.
Zhao Yanqiu entered the room and noticed Qi Hancai's peculiar appearance, her gaze sweeping over her soaked form before glancing at Wu Heng.
"Deputy Leader Qi," Zhao Yanqiu greeted.
In this base, they followed the common title conventions of most other bases.
Wu Heng was the leader, and Qi Hancai, handling daily management, was the deputy leader.
"Sister Zhao!" Qi Hancai greeted back politely.
After exchanging greetings, Qi Hancai turned to Wu Heng. "I'll head back now. Let me know if there's any action."
"Alright, go ahead."
Qi Hancai opened the door and left.
...…
Leaving the room, Qi Hancai took a deep breath to calm herself.
Him sharing the potion's secret meant he trusted her deeply.
Maybe not as much as Li Yanhong, but among the bases controlled by the King of Hell, she was undoubtedly considered close.
Walking down the stairs,
she couldn't help but feel excited again.
Looking back up, she suddenly thought that Zhao Yanqiu must be here for the potion too.
"It must be because of her daughter, Xiaoxiao."
Qi Hancai muttered, her curiosity about "Xiaoxiao" growing even stronger.
She managed the entire old factory district shelter and had registered all the survivors.
Yet, this frequently mentioned "Xiaoxiao" had never appeared.
It was as if she existed only in everyone's minds, never actually seen.
The thought sent a chill down Qi Hancai's spine.
A strange sense of horror crept into her heart.
Like a character in a horror movie conjured by everyone's imagination, not someone real.
"So cold." Qi Hancai shivered and went to her room to change clothes.
...…
Zhao Yanqiu stood in the middle, feeling a bit uneasy. "Is there something you need me to do?"
Xiaoxiao appeared mid-air, lounging, "Hmph~! Mom is always so stubborn with me."
Zhao Yanqiu glared at her.
Wu Heng said, "You've heard about corpse cores, right?"
"I've heard on the radio—it's something inside zombies," Zhao Yanqiu replied.
Even if she hadn't heard before, managing the radio meant she had naturally learned about corpse cores by now.
Wu Heng explained directly, "I can provide you with corpse cores. They'll greatly enhance your physical abilities."
Zhao Yanqiu frowned. "Corpse cores have a low success rate."
Xiaoxiao interrupted, "Uncle's are harmless, Mom. You don't have to worry."
Wu Heng further explained, "I have a potion that's free of side effects."
Offering it to Zhao Yanqiu was largely to compensate for Xiaoxiao.
As one of the first spirits to follow him, mischievous as she was, she had been immensely helpful.
Whether scouting before battles or locating mutated zombies,
she had proven her worth. Now that corpse cores were abundant and being distributed, Xiaoxiao's mother naturally qualified.
Zhao Yanqiu glanced at her daughter, who nodded vigorously, and finally agreed. "Thank you for trusting me."
Wu Heng handed her the potion.
Zhao Yanqiu uncorked it and drank it all in one go.
Immediately, her body began to change. She curled up, groaning in pain.
Xiaoxiao cheered her on, telling her to endure just a little longer.
After brief pain came a revitalizing sense of energy and comfort.
Zhao Yanqiu wiped her sweaty forehead. "Thank you. I feel my body has changed a lot."
"Good. Don't tell anyone about this, not even within the base, or it could be dangerous," Wu Heng warned.
Zhao Yanqiu's expression turned serious, and she nodded firmly. "I won't say a word."
"Alright, you can go now."
Zhao Yanqiu bowed again and left the room.
"Thank you, Uncle," Xiaoxiao said.
"No need to thank me. We're all on the same side," Wu Heng replied.
"Hehe!" Xiaoxiao laughed, happily flying a circle in the air.
Wu Heng put on a coat. "Xiaoxiao, come back. Let's head to the bus station."
"Oh, okay!"
Xiaoxiao returned to his body.
Wu Heng went to the rooftop, mounted the skeleton wyvern, and put on a robber's mask to block the wind.
He patted the dragon's neck, and it soared into the sky toward the bus station.
...…
The wind howled in his ears, the air currents whipping against his mask like lashes.
If not for his enhanced physique, this speed would have been unbearable.
Flying swiftly,
the skeleton wyvern reached the bus station.
The dragon landed in the yard, and patrolling survivors rushed over with crossbows.
Seeing Wu Heng remove his mask, they quickly lowered their weapons, smiling.
"Boss."
"Did you just come back from robbing someone?"
Wu Heng jumped off the dragon and asked, "Where's Li Yanhong?"
"Sister Hong is in a meeting. Should I notify her?"
Wu Heng thought for a moment. "Wait until she's done. Tell her to meet me in my room."
"Alright!"
...…
Returning to his old room,
it was still just as he had left it.
After waiting for a while,
the door opened, and Li Yanhong walked in with a heavy backpack.
Seeing Wu Heng, she stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, puffing her cheeks in a mock sulk.
Wu Heng found her expression amusing. Spreading his arms, he said, "Come here."
"You..." Li Yanhong hesitated, glaring at him, but still walked over and fell into his arms.
Wu Heng hugged her and asked, "Did you miss me?"
"Miss you, my ass," she retorted, yet still burrowed into his chest.
Wu Heng grabbed her chin, lifting her face, and kissed her deeply.