TLDP: Ch24. The Armored Zombies

d.a.m.n, it’s true, I really got a fever as my head was a little dizzy, but now was not the time to get some rest as I must figure out and try every means possible to find the solution right now.

There was no way to disperse the cloudy gas, but Chen Haozhe insisted that we must advance forward. I did have one last way to solve it. I quickly spoke to Chen Haozhe: “Second young master, if we really must advance now there is one way left. That is to increase the amount of Yang qi in our body as it will prevent the Yang fire from blowing out. As for the concrete way, that is to burn several Sun Charms and quickly break through this coffin chamber.”

“Quickly break through this coffin chamber? No. I will open the coffin, perhaps the thing I want is inside it.” Chen Haozhe abruptly replied.

I awkwardly said: “Second young master, that coffin is very strange and ominous, it is better not to open it rashly. I’m really afraid that there is a legendary zombie lying in there! If my suspicion is true, it will be dreadful!”

“I waste my precious time to seek some treasures here, I won’t give up the possibility of obtaining some clues of it. Give the four of them the Sun Charms to increase their Yang qi, and let them open the coffin.” Chen Haozhe pointed his finger at the four bodyguards.

These four bodyguards had all been bitten by the bats and had no antidote, the rabies would have an outburst in several days. So Chen Haozhe ordered them to go and carry out the dangerous tasks and let them meet their own death. Although I’m not familiar with them, I still sighed at their misfortune.

After opening the stone door, I talked to the four bodyguards: “After you open the coffin’s lid, draw back immediately, you must not stay near.” After speaking I ignited the folded Sun Charms in my hand and gave it to all of them.

The four bodyguards held the burning Sun Charms and quickly ran toward the coffin. Fortunately, they didn’t run into the trap mechanisms on the way. As long as they held the Sun Charm in their hand, the cloudy gas would not invade their body.

They quickly joined forces to lift the coffin’s cover, and swiftly turned around and ran back! The moment they turned and ran a silhouette rose up from behind them! Holy f.u.c.k!!! It really was a zombie!!!

Under the light of tens of flashlights, everybody could clearly see that this living corpse wore armor and a full face steel helmet! We could not see its appearance since the face was fully covered.

It suddenly jumped out from the coffin, and rushed toward the nearest bodyguard! The zombie’s claws pierced through the bodyguard’s chest from the back! This was too inconceivable! How could the hand pierce through the ribs?

Chen Haotian reacted like lightning as he pulled out a gun and fired at the zombie! The bullet hit the steel mask and instantly ricocheted off the helmet! All the bullets unexpectedly could not pierce through the mask and the helmet!

The pierced bodyguard extended his hand to me as if he wanted me to save him, but even the bullets had no effect on this living corpse, what could I do? After waiting for the remaining three to run, I swayed to the side of door’s mechanism and turned it without delay and closed the stone door. If I let that vicious zombie run over here, everybody would be in great danger!

The scene absolutely terrified everyone. They had only seen zombies from movies and had never to b.u.mped into a genuine one! Chen Haozhe realized that he finally made a grave mistake as he talked to me in a solemn and anxious complexion: “Daoist priest’s suspicions turned out to be true, there really is a zombie in the coffin. Long Daoist, could you tell me what is this zombie? What are the differences between zombies and ghosts?”

I sighed lightly and slowly explained: “My knowledge is also limited, I only know that the condition for a zombie to come to life is very difficult, therefore from ancient times to present, we could only hear about them from myths and fables, without knowing where to begin studying it. The living corpse is full of Evil qi and fears the sunlight because it is full of Yang energy. It is also afraid of glutinous rice and certain Daoist charms, but it is unfortunate that I don’t have glutinous rice with me right now, moreover my power is not enough so I cannot draw that certain Daoist charm to restrain that zombie. As for the differences between zombies and ghosts… a ghost has thoughts like humans. However, zombies only know how to attack living beings and are void from any thoughts. It is also possible to kill zombies with physical attacks of which are not effect on ghosts. However you also saw a moment ago, bullets cannot penetrate its helmet and armor, even if I were to go and fight it, it would also be useless.”

Chen Haozhe turned and talked to Chen Haotian: “Eldest brother, what must we do now?

“I’ll try this sniper rifle. It’s manufactured from the TS base research and development [1], it’s penetrating power is greatly strengthened and its possible to pierce through a piece of 8mm steel plate from a 1km distance. That zombie’s armor and helmet cannot block this bullet’s penetrating power. Xiaolong, which part of zombie’s body should be hit by the bullet?” Chen Haotian quickly looked at me and asked.

I pondered for a moment before I replied: “According to the ancient records, zombies are able to move because Evil qi enters the brain, therefore it can be restrained by pasting a Daoist sealing charm on its head. If you use guns then you must aim for its forehead!”

Chen Haotian said: “Xiaolong, you go open the stone door and I’ll take my aim to shoot it.”

“What, don’t! You can’t open the door!” Xia Chaoran suddenly interrupted: “As soon as you open that stone door, it will jump and rush over here! That zombie is bulletproof, and if it jumps over here, everybody will die!”

“How do you know that the zombie is standing behind the door? Even if you have Yin Eyes, your eyesight cannot penetrate the stone door right?” I questioned back.

“I can’t see it indeed, but if you listen carefully, there are sounds emitting from the stone door, and it seems like nails scratching at the stone door, is this not enough proof?”

I focused my hearing and carefully listened to the sound. There was indeed a faint sound that was being emitted from the stone door. We couldn’t hear it before as we were in the middle of a discussion. Xia Chaoran was right that if the sniper rifle could not kill that zombie, it would rush over. That will drag everyone into danger and even if we wanted to run, there was no place to run to.

Finally, Chen Haotian spoke: “I and Xiaolong will stay behind as for the rest of you, climb back up and wait for us to finally remove this zombie, then you may come down again.”

Regarding that invulnerable zombie, I was really timid and afraid, but I was invited and got paid for this, it was not good to just stand still.

But this d.a.m.ned thing was a legendary zombie, I have only seen it before in movies.

Everyone had climbed up, and the only people left were Chen Haotian and I, along with two flashlights. Chen Haotian tied up a flashlight on the sniper’s rifle and took a position in the corner and then gave an eye signal to me to open the stone door. I put out two Moon Charms and ignited one to blow out my shoulder’s Yang fire, and pasted one on my forehead to cover my last Yang fire as I then carefully walked and opened the stone door.

This method was recorded in ‘Niu School’s Past Records on Demon Subjugation’, that was, when we encountered zombies and our power was not enough, we should not panic. Just blow out the two Yang fires on both shoulders and covered the Yang fire on the head with a Moon Charm. After then, crouch on the ground to avoid the induction from zombies.

After I turned the stone door’s mechanism, I immediately crouched! The zombie instantly rushed forward toward Chen Haotian! Magnificent!!! The zombie really ignored me!!! I was really happy, Great! It ignored me! It ignored me! Since Chen Haotian didn’t block his Yang energy he instantly became a target and was directly attacked by the zombie.

I immediately turned the mechanism again to close the stone door and prevented the cloudy gas from excessively entering the chamber.

‘Bang!’ Chen Haotian shot! The bullet pa.s.sed through the zombie’s head and instantly knocked it down. The bullet didn’t stop and continued piercing to the furthest end of the wall and made a deep hole!

But the zombie quickly stood up! Chen Haotian was still filling the rifle with a bullet when he saw the zombie stand. The instant the zombie moved, he jumped over to the zombie lightning fast and kicked the zombie in the chest from the side and trampled it back to the ground. I hurriedly rushed over, ignited three Sun Charms and threw it into the pinhole on the zombie’s forehead that had been pierced by a bullet!

Yang energy can really restrain all evil spirits and demons. These small charms were really effective as the zombie repeatedly stepped backward! It was, of course, you had to accurately seize the opportunity to throw it. In the instant that the zombie jumped, I threw another Sun Charm at the already ignited Sun Charm on it. The collision between the Sun Charms and the cloudy gas will produce a force of which would create a backlash and repulse the zombie.

Although the Sun Charms could make it retreat, it would not inflict any serious damage to the zombie. Moreover, if the zombie had not jumped by the time I threw the Sun Charm, it then would not be repelled. After all, the charms I had thrown were not particularly used to restrain zombies.

On the other hand, this zombie was truly powerful. Even after it had been shot through the head by a sniper rifle, it still can move! I had blown out my shoulders’ Yang fire, and as a consequence, my Yang qi dropped. So I couldn’t use my Shadowbane sword! Under the s.h.i.+eld of my Sun Charm, Chen Haotian finally refilled his sniper rifle and took another aim as he then accurately shot the zombie’s forehead once again. The bullet powerfully pierced through the head and the force knocked the zombie down to the ground again!

After falling down for the second time, it didn’t stand again. However, its body was unceasingly trembling as it occasionally lifted its arm and legs. Chen Haotian pulled back his sniper rifle and spoke to me: “According to your information from before when the zombie died, the cloudy gas entered the brain it’s allowing it to move. In my opinion, there should be some mysterious magnetic field force that controlled the zombie’s cerebellum. To confirm my guess, I intentionally shot at the forehead position and didn’t hit its cerebellum, therefore the zombie was still moving. As for the second shot, I hit its cerebellum which put the zombie into this state as it now is unable to control its own body. As for your charms, it should also contain the opposite magnetic force and has disrupted the zombie’s cerebellum control over the body. However, this is only a rough guess.”

I nodded and replied: “Hmm, I think your guess is very reasonable.”

Chen Haotian took a glance at the armored zombie as he asked: “It couldn’t jump again, could it?”

“I have never faced a zombie before, so I don’t know about this. However, if we look at its present condition, it should unable to attack us again… it cannot be that this General Long Chen, right?” I quickly took my flashlight and cast the light over its mask.

“Just take off the mask and take a look yourself, okay?”

“No, I’m afraid not. According to the ancient book record, the zombie is poisonous, thus it’s better to keep it that way and not to touch it, in order to avoid that something will go wrong again.” I rejected his suggestion and took out another Sun Charm and ignited it to recover the Yang fire on both of my shoulders. I also removed the Moon charm from my forehead.

However, the dizziness I felt before became more severe as I could feel that my limbs were very weak at this moment. Originally, I was struck with a fever due to the bat’s bite. Then I reduced my own Yang qi a moment ago, and coupled with directly being exposed to the dense cloudy gas when I opened the stone door, those predicaments made my present condition very bad to the extreme! d.a.m.n! Would I die here? If I died here, what how about Mom and Dad? NO!!! This wouldn’t do! I absolutely could not die here! But my Red Arrow fate mark…!!!

Chen Haotian shouted to the people above: “It’s safe now, you can get down now!” He fearlessly walked and stood beside the zombie and carefully observed it.

I quietly stood in the corner, pulled my black backpack to the side and secretly took out two ginseng root hairs as I quickly put it into my mouth, in hope that it could dispel the cloudy gas from inside my body.