Deep in the Living
Chapter 411 - 399: Foraging

Chapter 411: Chapter 399: Foraging

One minute ago.

Standing in place, Luo Di carefully observed Yu Lu’s methods, watching the zombie about to be roped and dismembered.

But just as the rope touched the zombie’s body, Luo Di seemed to see something.

It was as if a special microorganism came in contact with the rope, causing it to instantly disintegrate and disappear, breaking the spiritual body.

"Danger!"

Luo Di watched as the zombie with its mutated body lunged at Yu Lu, and instinctively reached for his knife handle, ready to assist.

However, just as Luo Di took a step forward, a cold voice echoed in his mind:

"Don’t move."

The voice halted Luo Di’s actions,

and at the same time,

the zombie with its grotesque open mouth had already leaped at Yu Lu. The latter didn’t dodge but instead broke out from her spiritual body state,

becoming corporeal,

her icy pale bare feet firmly planted on the ground.

It was also Luo Di’s first time seeing Yu Lu’s feet touch the ground.

A thick hemp rope was pulled from her white robe, slowly tied into a noose for hanging.

This was not a spiritual rope knot created by some domain, but a real hemp rope, appearing quite ordinary with irregular hairs on the surface.

Yu Lu raised her arms high, holding the hemp rope in front of her.

The zombie lunging forward seemed to be drawn in, voluntarily extending its head into the noose, tightening the grip.

More strangely,

despite being a zombie that doesn’t need to breathe, wouldn’t die from asphyxiation, and could still move even if decapitated,

the zombie began to struggle violently after being roped.

After a brief struggle, its body stretched taut, limbs hung powerless, tongue completely out, drooling saliva full of viruses.

Watching this scene, Luo Di couldn’t help but touch his own neck, as if there was something wrapped around it.

’Yu Lu’s hanging is directly related to her calamity, extremely lethal.

Unlike the squad leader’s disguise, Hua Yuan’s vitality, the jester’s cunning... it’s a death.

Hanging itself is linked to death, regardless of whether the target dies from suffocation, once the conditions for hanging are met, the target will inevitably die.

No wonder she’s the core of the Sisterhood... it’s clear why Grandma arranged for her to come.’

Luo Di could feel that this Yu Lu was different from Hua Yuan, Eye Sister, and Shea. She seemed approachable, even easygoing, but any conflict or dispute might result in being killed by her.

At this moment,

Yu Lu had already returned to a semi-spiritualized state, floating back.

The real noose did not need her to hold it; it floated in the air, bringing the zombie back.

Click!

Back into the villa and closed the door.

Since it was uncertain if zombie meat could serve as food, there was no need to exert too much effort to handle it all, just cut off some meat to test.

However, as soon as Luo Di cut off the zombie’s finger, he heard the sound of bones being crunched beside him.

Yu Lu had already pulled off a finger directly, put it into her mouth without any processing, chewed a bit, and spat it out with a pained expression.

"The meat is full of hunger-related viruses, same as those in our bodies. Eating such flesh not only doesn’t alleviate hunger but makes it worse.

It’s not that simple, let’s think of another way."

Luo Di also cut off a zombie’s finger, shaking it in the air: "Shall we try heating it?"

"There’s no fire source indoors, neither lighter, matches, nor gas. Creating a fire source would consume a lot of energy, not worth it."

"I can heat it quickly, let’s try."

Instantly, a thin metal wire grew out from Luo Di’s left palm, winding around his finger. Hell’s characteristic slightly activated, using very little energy to heat the whole metal wire red hot.

Ssssss~

A fragrant smell of meat wafted indoors, but neither of them felt any appetite.

Once the meat was thoroughly cooked, Luo Di showed a pained expression and tossed the cooked food into the trash without tasting it. He had already realized that the virus in the finger wouldn’t be killed by high temperatures, retaining its activity.

Further heating would likely carbonize the whole finger, and the virus inside wouldn’t disappear.

No wonder it’s the virus of the First Generation Zombie, its physiological properties have far surpassed conventional concepts.

"Definitely doesn’t work."

Yu Lu seemed to have already anticipated the outcome, drifting to the door in advance, preparing to continue foraging outside,

"Let’s go, Luo Di.

This time we took the initiative to pay a visit, and all participants are suffering from hunger. If we just knock on the door, some participants will definitely open it to welcome us.

Your strength isn’t weak, if we cooperate, even if the other side has the advantage of the terrain, we can take them down."

"Miss Yu Lu, I’ve found something here."

Luo Di didn’t abandon the corpse but squatted down to search it, ignoring the stench and mutated scene, Luo Di did indeed find a key inside the deceased’s pants pocket.

"According to the scenario setting of the second stage.

This zombie wandering inside the community most likely corresponds to the residents here when alive. This key might open his villa.

Although there is no marked information, it is likely near the street lamp. We can try it out, maybe find food... This way the risk can be minimized."

Yu Lu’s eye hidden under her hair slightly brightened, "Let’s go."

The two silently arrived at the broken streetlamp where the zombie had hit its head.

Four abandoned villas stood around the streetlamp, beginning the attempt according to distance.

Ka!

The lock turned.

Unexpectedly, the second villa matched, but Luo Di deliberately slowed the rotation speed, confirming through eye contact with Yu Lu beside him.

If any zombie appears after opening the door, Yu Lu will immediately eliminate it.

When the slow rotation touched bottom, Luo Di suddenly yanked the door completely open, Yu Lu had already prepared the hanging rope in her hand.

However, no zombies appeared, only a rotten smell wafted out.

"Enter!"

The two entered the house simultaneously, locked the door.

Back to back, quickly observing the interior of the house.

Even through clothing, Luo Di could feel Yu Lu’s body was almost icy, like a hollowed-out corpse specimen... Searching an abandoned villa with a ghost, the scene would always feel strange if it were in a movie.

Passing the shoe cabinet, Luo Di also noticed a family photo stuck on it, similar in structure to Luo Di’s family, parents and teenage children.

The zombie just killed should be the father, with a significant resemblance in appearance.

Moved to the kitchen area,

Opened the fridge.

Two cans of meat were inside, Luo Di was also overjoyed, clenched fist secretly and shouted "Nice!"

Finding such cheap and nearly expired cans was even more exciting than when Luo Di had obtained some treasure before.

According to this setting, villas not belonging to participants might all contain two cans. If zombies can be steadily slaughtered outside, obtaining their keys, this process can be repeated over and over until the game’s end.

But in the next second, Luo Di smelled the scent.

A unique smell belonging to zombies, a scent between rotten and fresh.

Turned to look at the villa’s living room, there clung a pair of teenagers on the ceiling.

It seemed they hadn’t eaten staple food for too long, resulting in severe tooth overgrowth, causing their mouths to completely tear open, leaving their whole bodies covered with tooth structures.

And their mother stood at the second-floor entrance, smiling at the two.

Apparently satisfied with the father going out to forage, he brought back two main dishes, even though one doesn’t quite seem alive but still has the taste of meat.

...

Fifteen minutes passed.

Luo Di slumped on the sofa on the ground floor, slowly eating meat from the can, breathing slightly rapid.

Yu Lu hung suspended in the center of the room, slightly resting,

Before her lay a massively overgrown zombie creature, almost integrated with the house, having reached over ten meters in size.

"Miss Yu Lu, this doesn’t seem very worthwhile.

We take risks going out to get the key, find the corresponding villa, only get two cans of meat, immediately expend considerable energy to kill this mutated zombie.

The energy expended is estimated to be equivalent to half a can.

If we’re not careful and get scratched, or even bitten, there’s a risk of mutation."

Yu Lu hadn’t responded yet,

Knock knock knock!

A series of knocking suddenly broke the household’s layout,

Having finally sat down to rest, Luo Di abruptly stood up, Yu Lu also slightly straightened her neck, then looked towards the villa’s door.