Meanwhile, on the main road, several groups were fighting against zombies, with soldiers providing support and instructions from the sidelines.
While every group had at least five or more people, a robust man was fighting the zombies alone.
Crack!
The moment the iron rod on his hand smashed into a zombie's head, it cracked the zombie's skull, and its rotten flesh split open. Black blood splattered across the ground as the zombie collapsed with a thud.
"Roar!"
Before he could check for the crystal cores, two zombies rushed forward, pouncing toward the man's back. Hearing their roars, he turned swiftly and swung his iron rod with full force.
Duagh! Bam!
The impact not only broke the zombie's neck but also sent it flying, crashing into another zombie beside it. As the fallen zombie struggled to stand up, he dashed toward it and raised his iron rod.
Crack! Splash!
The rod struck the zombie's head, killing it instantly.
"Roar!!"
Noticing the zombie beneath him reaching out with its sharp claws, the man stomped on its arm.
Crack!
The sound of bones snapping echoed in the surroundings. He looked down at the zombie, no longer feeling fear—only excitement and hatred remained in his eyes.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
He swung his iron rod down repeatedly until the zombie finally stopped moving. Unlike the others, who used their weapons to stir the brain, he reached in with his bare hands, searching for the crystal.
Standing on the sidelines, the soldiers assigned to guide him exchanged glances. This man was a promising recruit. He was fearless, and it seemed he had awakened an ability.
After a while, he found only one crystal and tucked it into his pocket. As he turned to walk back to the road, the soldiers approached him.
"Comrade, please wait."
Hearing this, He Yupeng turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Comrade, have you awakened an ability?" one of the soldiers inquired.
"I'm not sure. But after recovering from a high fever, my strength increased drastically. Does that count as an ability?" He Yupeng asked in return.
The soldiers exchanged knowing smiles, and one of them said, "Comrade, are you interested in joining the Eagle Team?"
He Yupeng was taken aback by the offer. After a brief hesitation, he asked, "Isn't your team a military unit? I'm just a civilian. How can I join?"
"Comrade, the situation has changed. Many of our comrades sacrificed their lives during missions, and we need strong people to join us. If you are interested, you can come with us and discuss the details with Captain Wei."
Initially, He Yupeng had no intention of joining any group. But after witnessing the terrifying scale of the zombie attack in the factory district, he realized that being in a team would increase his chances of survival.
He had planned to seek out strong individuals and form a group himself, but he hadn't expected the soldiers to take an interest in his strength.
While joining the military would mean restrictions on his freedom, it would also provide stable access to supplies and crystal cores as payment.
After weighing the pros and cons, he nodded and said, "Alright."
The soldiers were pleased with his decision and led him to meet Wei Ying.
They had seen how Jin Xuyan recruited ability-users into his Phantom Team. Even though he claimed his team would no longer be military and would become a mercenary team, his decision to strengthen his team was wise.
After that day, Wei Ying had already instructed them to observe the survivors. If they found anyone with abilities, they were to invite them to join the Eagle Team.
As He Yupeng followed the soldiers, some survivors glanced in their direction.
Most of them were ordinary people, but a few had awakened abilities. If they could join the military, they wouldn't have to worry about food and water anymore.
With these thoughts in mind, several people trailed behind the soldiers, eager to see if joining the Eagle Team was truly an option.
At the same time, a young man was hiding on the rooftop of a two-story shop. A pile of stones was stacked beside him. The number of zombies wandering in this area was several times higher than near the gas station.
With so many people fighting for zombie kills near the gas station, he hadn't been able to collect any crystals. Confident that he wouldn't be injured or killed, he had ventured here alone.
Now, gripping a stone in his palm, he narrowed his eyes. The moment a zombie turned its head, he threw the stone with precision.
Wush! Crack!
The ordinary stone shot forward with the speed of a bullet, piercing through the back of the zombie's skull. Watching the zombie collapse, the corners of his lips curled into a grin.
"One down," he muttered under his breath.
With his hidden position and the short distance, killing zombies was effortless. In less than twenty minutes, he had taken down more than ten zombies.
Standing on the rooftop, he scanned the area. Once he confirmed no more zombies were approaching, he jumped down onto the first-floor balcony, then onto the ground.
He walked toward the zombie's corpse, pulled the machete from his back, and swung downward.
Crack!
With a single movement, he split open the zombie's head. Using the machete, he stirred the rotten brain to find the crystal. Out of sixteen zombies, he only found seven crystals.
After securing the crystals in his belt bag, he sprinted back toward the gas station. A journey that would take others half an hour only took him less than ten minutes.
His figure blurred as he moved at an astonishing speed. As he ran, his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings.
He had once witnessed a woman transform into a zombie back in the factory district. From that moment, he knew he had also been infected with the virus—because he too was scratched by a protruding iron covered with black blood.
At first, he believed he was doomed. He had planned to end his life before turning into a mindless monster.