Chapter Sixty-Seven

Chapter Sixty-Seven

The name of the city was peculiar, known as the Eye of the Desert.

As it was established in the desert and was the only oasis there, complete with a lake, people built a city around this oasis and lake.

Having encountered various problems due to zombies in previous cities, Shen Xiuzhe remained highly vigilant about the Eye of the Desert.

On the fifth day of leaving the forest and entering the desert, they finally saw the low walls of the Eye of the Desert, almost like small earthen barriers, through which the lush greenery inside was visible.

Though they had grown tired of the green plants in the forest, after days amidst the endless yellow sands, they still found the greenery most pleasing to the eye.

“Should we scout ahead? If it's full of zombies, we can easily escape,” Xu Fang suggested, wary that this city might be overrun by zombies, just like Wood Spirit City.

Lin An, looking at the city, suddenly said, "No need, it's all humans inside."

"How do you know?" Xu Fang blurted out, then immediately clammed up, remembering that An Ge was a zombie and could sense the presence of humans.

Although Lin An now looked almost human, his sense of smell was still that of a zombie, naturally able to detect the scent of fresh human flesh inside the city.

Wudo looked at Lin An with some surprise: "Does that mean the city hasn’t been overtaken by zombies?"

Ouyang Dong pondered, "Maybe it's like Chuxi City, where zombies and humans coexist."

Since there were people inside, they decided to go in and check.

As they approached the city, Wudo quietly handed Lin An a pair of sunglasses from her space. Lin An thanked her and immediately put them on.

His eyes were still red, a noticeable anomaly for anyone paying attention. He didn't want to cause any trouble because of his appearance.

A few meters from the city, as everyone anticipated what the city would be like, Xu Fang suddenly stepped into a void, his feet beginning to sink into the sand, quickly buried up to his ankles.

"Hey? Help, my feet, there’s something here!" Xu Fang yelled.

The others, close to Xu Fang, immediately reached out to pull him out. The quicksand area was small, and no one else had encountered this situation.

Ouyang Dong, feeling strong, struggled to pull Xu Fang out of the quicksand.

"My feet! They hurt!" Xu Fang continued to shout.

Ouyang Dong was about to exert more force when he realized that his own feet were also sinking.

No, this isn't quicksand!

Ouyang Dong felt something grasping his feet, pulling him downward.

What is this thing?

Seeing Ouyang Dong also sinking, Shen Xiuzhe immediately grabbed one hand of both Ouyang Dong and Xu Fang.

Wudu promptly took out two ropes from her space and threw them to the two men.

In just a breath's time, half of their bodies had already sunk.

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong wrapped the rope around their hands, but before Wudo could pull, Shen Xiuzhe forcefully dragged them out of the quicksand.

Lin An couldn't help much; he was not strong and didn't know what to do with his abilities, but when the two were pulled up by Shen Xiuzhe, he keenly noticed the hands at their ankles swiftly retracting.

He immediately stepped forward to freeze them with his abilities, but the entities were too quick, and only the sand got frozen.

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong gasped for air, looking uncertainly at the now-normal sand.

"Something grabbed my feet," Xu Fang said, rubbing his ankles and lifting his pant leg, indeed revealing red handprints at his ankles.

“Boss, there's someone below!”

Shen Xiuzhe also felt something was amiss. It was unlikely for quicksand to be near the city, as this was the area with the highest foot traffic, and any quicksand would have been dealt with long ago.

But someone underneath? Who would hide underground?

"It's a zombie," Lin An was certain, having seen that the hands were grey, the color of zombies, and knowing that normal people couldn't stay underground for long without coming up for air, unlike zombies.

Zombies? Zombies lying in wait underground to ambush them?

Wu Shuangxue, now quite lucid, helped analyze the situation: “Could it be a new type of special zombie?”

“That's possible. In Chuxi City, there were only a few types of zombies, but that doesn't mean other places have the same. In unfamiliar territory, caution is paramount,” Shen Xiuzhe reasoned, considering it likely given the unclear circumstances.

Afterwards, everyone proceeded towards the city. Perhaps because their previous ambush had failed, they didn't encounter any more ambush zombies.

Approaching the city gates, they realized how low the walls were; one could see inside just by standing on tiptoes.

However, people inside the city gate also noticed them.

Two men in white open-front robes and black trousers emerged.

Upon encountering them, Shen Xiuze instantly knew these two were not to be underestimated. Despite their smiles, the stench of blood and a palpable air of malevolence hung heavy around them, their eyes vigilant and scrutinizing.

“Where did you come from?” The two men eyed the group curiously. Although they could tell these newcomers weren’t zombies, most people inside the city were familiar to them, and even unfamiliar faces would seem somewhat recognizable.

Lin An was already nervous, partly due to the men's scrutinizing gaze, which made him uncomfortable, and partly due to his own guilt, being a zombie. What if he was discovered? He kept his head down, hiding behind his companions, wishing to be invisible.

Xu Fang, ever the social butterfly, stepped forward to greet them: “We’re from Chuxi City.”

“Chuxi City!” The two men exclaimed in surprise. Unlike Xu Fang and his companions, who knew little of other cities, they had encountered many adventurers and were familiar with the locations and characteristics of various cities. But wasn’t Chuxi City quite far away?

“How did you get here?”

“It's a long story. We've been walking for a long time and planned to rest here. Is there any procedure to enter, or a fee?” Xu Fang didn’t divulge their journey, aware that some information should remain confidential, especially since they were still uncertain about the city and its inhabitants.

“No fee, we're just guarding to see if any zombies come in during the day.” The two men understood that if these people truly came from Chuxi City, they were not to be trifled with.

Surviving the numerous beasts and zombies along the way already proved their strength.

One of the men's gaze flickered with an idea. Recruiting these people might strengthen their own team. He appraised Shen Xiuzhe, Xu Fang, and Ouyang Dong; they indeed looked formidable.

Lin An and Wu Shuangxue, however, were completely overlooked.

Setting aside the elderly and young Wu Shuangxue, Lin An, with his pale, tender complexion, head bowed and aura concealed, seemed anything but strong.

Their group, comprising the elderly, weak, and young, appeared more like dependents following the other three.

Perhaps out of a desire to please, they didn’t scrutinize too closely. After all, distinguishing between a human and a zombie was straightforward, and those bitten by zombies turned quickly, leaving no incubation period.

So, Lin An managed to slip by them once again.

From these two, the group learned much valuable information.

Initially, many in the Eye of the Desert turned into zombies. Strangely, only a few attacked humans, while the rest fled the city.

Some strong and curious individuals secretly followed these zombies, discovering that they had settled in a small town outside the city, as if establishing a base there.

What they were doing there, however, remained a mystery.

The remaining zombies in the city, fewer in number, were eventually eradicated by the surviving humans, who then regained control of the city.

“What about the zombies outside?” Xu Fang inquired, referring to the ones they had encountered under the desert.

One of them sighed, explaining that while the city's minor zombie population was eliminated, other areas still had zombies. The Eye of the Desert was surrounded by many small towns with strong zombies, too tough for ordinary people and only manageable by those with special abilities.

Additionally, the majority of zombies gathered in that small town occasionally ventured out to hunt, resulting in frequent zombie sightings nearby.

“But don't worry, these zombies only appear at night. The sun slows them down during the day, making them easy targets. They’ve learned to hide in the sand to ambush during the day and only attack at night. Look, there are hardly any people outside during the day; everyone rests and prepares to fight the zombies at night.”

Upon entering the city, Shen Xiuze and his group noticed the streets were indeed nearly deserted, with just a few scattered individuals.

The zombies here were peculiar, gathering together and hiding in the sand during the day, attacking at night, seemingly more intelligent than ordinary zombies.

“You should go register first. After that, someone will guide you to your accommodation. The old currency is no longer in circulation here. To live well, you must fight zombies. If you don’t have special abilities, doing logistical work is also an option.”

This last part was clearly aimed at the weaker members of their group. Lin An nodded along, seemingly oblivious to his own powerful abilities.

After guiding them to the registration area, the two men left to continue guarding the city gate. However, one of them discreetly advised them to join a strong team for a more sustainable life in the city. If their abilities were notable, they could become valuable members and ensure a comfortable living. They even recommended a team called ‘Sun Blaze.’

Ouyang Dong listened skeptically, suspecting this man was just recruiting for the Sun Blaze team, likely earning commissions for bringing in ability users. However, they were merely passing through.

Observing his surroundings, Shen Xiuze noted that many buildings had vanished since his last visit, likely destroyed in the battles with zombies.

Although the zombies within the city were cleared out, the desert lacked building materials. Previously, materials were bought from surrounding cities, but now, due to the zombie outbreak, all contacts were cut off. The locals had no choice but to demolish damaged buildings and erect large tents on the ground.

The registration center was located in one of these tents.

Inside the sweltering white tent, a man lounged lazily at a desk. With few new ability users registering or updating their levels recently, his job was exceedingly idle. Reminiscing about the early days of bustling registration, he sighed, wishing he possessed a powerful offensive ability to join a renowned team instead of being stuck here.

Lost in his daydreams about the future, his vision suddenly darkened. Startled, the employee looked up to find several intimidating figures scrutinizing him from above.

The sudden appearance of these individuals shocked the worker, who looked at them in alarm.

Their arrival wasn't exactly abrupt; he had been so lost in thought that he hadn’t noticed them entering.

Xu Fang looked at the employee sitting behind the desk and tapped on the table, “We're here to register.”

“Okay, okay, where are you from?” the employee asked in a fluster. He had met many important figures before and shouldn't have been this nervous, but catching him slacking off and seeing the menacing demeanor of the group, who looked ready to start a fight at any moment, made him tremble with anxiety.

“We're from Chuxi City,” Xu Fang replied.

The employee paused: “Chuxi City?”

Xu Fang frowned and responded coldly, “What’s the problem? Why does everyone ask that?”

“No, no, it's just that I haven’t seen anyone from Chuxi City for a long time. Are all of you from there?”

Shen Xiuze stated, “I'm from Baize City.”

The employee exclaimed, “Baize City!”

It wasn’t that he was overly dramatic; it was just that these two cities were poles apart, both far from here. He found it astounding how these people came together and managed to travel here.

Shen Xiuze gazed at the employee with a cold and intimidating look, slowly responding, “Yes, Baize City.”

The employee immediately lowered his head, thinking this man seemed even more terrifying than the bald thug. He regretted not taking the day off; the situation felt intimidating.

When registering personal information, they also had to record their abilities. Xu Fang was the first to declare his.

Hearing that the bald thug had a defensively strong earth-element ability, the employee was secretly impressed, realizing appearances can be deceiving, “What level is your ability?”

The staff member inquired with a respectful attitude.

"What level?" Xu Fang didn't understand.

Shen Xiuzhe quickly realized that here, abilities were categorized into levels. In Chuxi City, abilities were primarily judged through actual combat, and there was never a formal ranking system.

Seeing his confusion, the staff member instinctively wanted to mock this 'country bumpkin' who didn't even know about ability levels. However, sensing the warning and threatening gazes from the people around, he promptly and amicably explained to everyone.

It turns out that here, abilities are classified into levels based on their strength, starting from the lowest F level. F level represents the initial activation of an ability, akin to creating a small flame from a fingertip, up to the highest S level. Currently, only five people in the Desert's Eye are S level, and each level has specific requirements for the scope and intensity of ability usage.

Taking fire abilities as an example, F level can create a small flame from a fingertip, E level can form a fireball, and D level can connect flames into a continuous blaze. Beyond that, it's about individual skills. If it's an area attack ability, and it can be used remotely, then it's A level. The strongest, S level, can elementize one's self, and the strength of an S-level ability is incomparable to an ordinary person.

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong thought about their abilities and figured they were probably A level, while Shen Xiuzhe's metal ability had already achieved elementization in Chuxi City. His fire ability wasn't there yet, not because he couldn't do it, but because he had been focusing on increasing the temperature of the flames. He already knew the rules of elementization and believed that with practice, he could also elementize his fire ability.

Granny Wu's psychic ability is A level, and Wudu's spatial ability should also be considered A level.

As for Lin An...

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong stealthily glanced at Lin An, who, sensing their gaze, blinked in confusion and inquired if something was wrong.

Lin An must be more than S level. They learned from the boss that Lin An had already achieved elementization, and he could even mutate his water ability into an ice ability and extract moisture from anything. His ability seemed almost like cheating; any ability user who encountered Lin An and faced his killing intent would turn to ash.

That should be considered 2S or even 3S.

However, these were just their own thoughts, obviously not something they would share with others.

Xu Fang carelessly told the staff member, "I have earth abilities and should be A level."

"A level?" the staff member repeated in surprise, then said to Xu Fang with resignation, "You can't just claim that; I need to see it with my own eyes to register it."

"Is A level difficult?" Xu Fang asked bluntly. Everyone in their team was either A or S level, but they didn't know what level Xiao Fu was; the guy had never shown his abilities, making it impossible to judge.

The staff member: "..." His tone sounded almost provocative.

He laughed in exasperation, holding his registration book and amicably inviting the group to step outside and demonstrate their abilities.

Generally, abilities below B level are showcased inside the tent, but anything above B level would surely destroy it. They are usually displayed in the open area outside, where some idle people or team members would specifically wait, hoping to spot promising talents and recruit them.

But those who boast without substance, pretending to be more than they are, only end up being the butt of the joke among those present.

Some teams might even take note of such individuals, refusing to let them join even if their level increases later.

Xu Fang didn’t care about all this. He followed the staff member outside to a large open area, scattered with stones, wood, soil, and other items, seemingly prepared for ability users.

Indeed, some people had gathered around. Seeing the crowd, Xu Fang even waved at them, acting like he was about to perform, which made the onlookers burst into laughter.

The staff member rolled his eyes secretly, wondering how this would end.

Xu Fang glanced at the ground. He could now activate his ability remotely, a skill he had honed since rescuing Lin An in the underground city.

He stood there lazily, exuding the unmistakable air of a ruffian, looking somewhat shifty.

Without any visible sign, just as the staff member was about to speak, the ground in the center suddenly rose. The once flat surface bulged upwards, forming a humanoid shape out of sand and stone, which then began to move around with remarkable agility.

Throughout this process, Xu Fang's hands never touched the ground, maintaining his arrogant demeanor.

He really was A level!

Not only was the staff member taken aback, but the onlookers, who had come for the spectacle, also didn't expect to stumble upon such a big fish. Their gazes shifted immediately, with some even starting to send messages to others.

Who would have thought this bald ruffian was actually A level? The staff member reflected on his own attitude, feeling relieved he hadn't voiced his inner thoughts, or else he would have offended a powerful ability user.

On the registration book, the staff member swiftly wrote: "Xu Fang, Earth-based ability, A level!"

Observing the reactions of those around him, Ouyang Dong guessed that this A level must be quite significant. Otherwise, why would these people be so astonished? To avoid trouble, he decided to lower his ability level.

Just as he was contemplating this, Xu Fang came over, inflated with pride, and boasted to Ouyang Dong, "Look at this, I am A level."

He also realized the importance of being A level. Since his boss and An were stronger, and it wasn't appropriate to brag in front of Wudu and Granny Wu, Ouyang Dong was the only one he could show off to.

The usually calm Ouyang Dong, seeing Xu Fang's annoying demeanor, couldn’t help feeling irritated. So what if he was A level? He was A level too.

"Ouyang Dong, Plant-based ability, A level!"

He had planned to downplay his ability level, but Xu Fang’s provocation got the better of him, and he ended up fully demonstrating his ability. But why did the people around seem even more excited?

Shen Xiuzhe also controlled his ability to A level, showcasing only his fire-based ability.

The remaining members initially intended to register as ordinary people without abilities. Lin An was a zombie, attracting too much attention would be problematic. Wudu’s spatial ability was also prone to being coveted, and Granny Wu was ill, unable to use her ability normally. So, it seemed most appropriate for these three to register as ordinary people.

However, when registering, the unremarkable-looking staff member didn't immediately write down their names.

He glanced at the remaining weaker members and said, "These three also have abilities and must be registered."

A shadow flickered in Shen Xiuzhe’s eyes. Since entering this place, they hadn’t shown any abilities. How did this man know about Lin An and the others' abilities?

Perhaps sensing Shen Xiuzhe’s displeasure or not wanting to offend these A-level ability users, the staff member quickly explained, "This is my ability. It's not very useful, but it can distinguish between ability users and ordinary people. It’s a rather insignificant power, so I'm assigned here as a registrar to prevent people from cheating."

"You don't need to worry too much. There are many ability users in the Desert’s Eye, and the higher your ability, the more you'll be sought after. There won’t be any trouble."

Shen Xiuzhe narrowed his eyes at the staff member. Although he indeed didn’t fear the ability users here, he had initially only wanted to avoid some trouble. Now that avoidance was impossible, he was prepared to face whatever came his way.

"Lin An, Water-based ability, A level!"

"Udo, space-based special ability, A-grade!"

"Wu Shuangxue, psychic ability, A-grade!"

Since registration was required, everyone was simply registered as A-grade.

"Grandma Wu seemed to be having another episode, refusing to use her supernatural abilities. The staff, eager to learn about her powers, hovered around her. Grandma Wu, somewhat of a lookist, could tolerate Lin An's presence but found the less attractive staff unbearable. She jabbed one of them in the mind with her powers. If not for her lack of murderous intent, that person might have turned into an idiot."

The staff were also sweating bullets. These people, appearing out of nowhere, were all A-grade with a full range of abilities, including the rare plant and water-based types. No teams in the Eye of the Desert had such a complete roster.

The news of a group of all A-grade ability users reached all the teams of the Eye of the Desert. They immediately set in motion, intending to recruit this group.

In the desert, the scarcest resources are water and food, making water and plant-based ability users in high demand. Now that there were A-grade users of these abilities, these teams were even more determined to keep them.

Unaware of all this, Lin An was enthusiastically setting up their new dwelling.