Cultivation Partner Reborn in the Apocalypse

Zhu Xiao obediently followed instructions, once again accompanying Xu Nuo on a hunt. However, this time, Xu Nuo did not depart from the group, but instead remained by their side, allowing them to act freely while refraining from taking action himself.

No matter the danger they faced, as long as their lives were not in imminent peril or they were not at risk of being bitten by a zombie, Xu Nuo stood silently, observing, letting them handle the situation on their own.

It wasn't until their stamina had dwindled to a mere 5% that Xu Nuo finally intervened, swiftly eliminating the surrounding zombies with ease, before calmly commanding them to return.

They had been left to their own devices for roughly three hours, but when Xu Nuo did act, it took him no more than twenty minutes to resolve what had taken them half a day to achieve, effortlessly dispatching the zombies they had struggled with.

Though they collected fewer supplies than in the morning, the number of zombies they had slain was no less. After experiencing this, Zhu Xiao could not help but admit that this team was unmatched in actual combat. He had never witnessed another group of ability users fight so fiercely, with each member giving their all in the hunt.

He also noticed that everyone kept the zombie cores they personally killed, and no one was asked to surrender them. It seemed that the cores they collected became their own property.

They returned to the main group, where that evening, Xu Nuo and Piao Su distributed fifty first-grade zombie cores to each person, instructing them to rest and train for the night.

They also reminded the newly joined members to behave, cautioning them that no matter what sounds they heard, they should not wander outside, for their safety could not be guaranteed otherwise.

Zhu Xiao, holding the fifty zombie cores, was perplexed. What did they mean by this? Were they really intending to rest in this empty building complex with no one on watch for the night?

From the actions that followed, it seemed his suspicions were confirmed. But it was hard to ignore the fact that just a kilometer away, they had just killed over two thousand zombies. The air was thick with the scent of blood, and tonight, the surrounding zombies would surely be drawn to the area. Without any guards, how would they survive?

Zombies were more active at night than during the day. The thought that they could sleep peacefully and wake up in the morning to find themselves surrounded by the undead was unsettling. After all, the city of Li City had once boasted a population of nearly one and a half million. Given the ratio of the infected, there were still well over a hundred thousand zombies roaming the city. How could a small group of barely a dozen survive against such overwhelming odds?

Yet, the members of Xu Nuo's team seemed utterly indifferent to his concerns. They appeared so accustomed to these circumstances, leaving Zhu Xiao unsure of what they were truly thinking.

However, after spending an entire day with them, he knew better than to voice any objections. To do so would likely make him a subject of ridicule. After all, every strange event that had occurred so far had eventually been resolved without issue.

Perhaps what allows Xu Nuo and the others to confidently endure the most perilous moments of the day is something beyond what Zhu Xiao can comprehend.

While Zhu Xiao remains lost in his thoughts, neither Xu Nuo nor Park Su pay him any mind. Instead, they assign the rooms, with each original team member tasked with guiding four to five new recruits into shared rooms. The instructions are simple yet firm: no matter the disturbances outside, they must remain silent and indoors, with the original team members there both to protect them and ensure they do not cause trouble.

Zhu Xiao is assigned to rest in a large room with Chen Lao, several of Chen Lao's researchers, and Ge Qing and Lu Shang. Though Ge Qing and Lu Shang might have preferred more privacy, they obey Xu Nuo's orders without question.

After dinner, everyone prepares to retreat to their rooms for the night. However, Zhu Xiao, still somewhat bewildered, is called over by Xu Nuo.

Without any unnecessary words, Xu Nuo hands him a bag of zombie crystals. "Inside, you'll find 60 first-tier zombie crystals and three second-tier ones. Tonight, consume them all. Pay attention to the feeling of your powers being drained, and then the way your energy interacts with the air as it flows back into your body. Focus on that sensation as you absorb the crystals. If you do it well, you might even break through to third-tier abilities tonight. I've given you my words; don't disappoint me."

With that, Xu Nuo has nothing more to say and heads upstairs with his wife.

Zhu Xiao, holding the crystals, feels a sense of disbelief. So this is how they plan to help him strengthen his abilities—by consuming zombie crystals in large quantities. Considering what he witnessed earlier—the high destructive power of Xu Nuo and Park Su—these crystals, though seemingly numerous, may not be all that difficult for them to acquire.

For Zhu Xiao, however, collecting such a quantity would be no small feat, especially since he is given three second-tier crystals. In his current state, taking down three second-tier zombies in one go would be impossible, making this a rare opportunity indeed.

Holding these resources, Zhu Xiao realizes that if he cannot break through to third-tier abilities now, then all hope would be lost. The responsibility he feels grows heavier as he recalls how these same individuals, who once let him rob from other ability teams, are now offering him these crystals—resources that, for most, are kept for trade or to purchase favors from other teams. To even be entrusted with this bounty is a testament to their belief in his potential.

Of course, compared to others in the village, his ability to use zombie crystals is still quite abundant, and it is this surplus that enabled him to break through to second-tier peak.

However, the barrier between second-tier and third-tier abilities required more energy than Zhu Xiao had anticipated. So, he had been diligently collecting zombie crystals, hoping they might assist him in breaking through.

He never expected to receive so many crystals so soon, and that night, he eagerly followed Xu Nuo's advice and began his training.

Perhaps the intense depletion of his abilities earlier in the day had significantly strengthened his body, for when he began absorbing the crystals, he found his rate of absorption was twice as fast as before.

At that moment, he realized that the purpose behind what Xu Nuo and the others had him do was to push him to his limits and help him grow stronger. While other teams might know of this method, few would dare to put their members in such life-and-death situations for the sake of training. Moreover, forcing their abilities to the brink, leaving no retreat, was a risky move—one that, if mishandled, could result in the annihilation of the entire team. Only someone as formidable as Xu Nuo could carry out such a dangerous strategy.

As dawn began to break, Zhu Xiao was astonished to discover that he had absorbed the entire bag of 60 first-tier zombie crystals Xu Nuo had given him.

Such speed had once been unimaginable to him, but perhaps it was the deep focus of his training this time that made the difference. Previously, he had always been somewhat distracted, constantly aware of the responsibility to protect his village. This time, however, he entered a meditative state, unconcerned with the world around him, absorbed entirely in the flow of energy as he drew it into himself.

He could also feel the barrier between second-tier and third-tier abilities beginning to weaken, and he was unable to stop, eager to seize the opportunity. He immediately began to absorb the second-tier zombie crystals, driven by the momentum of his progress.

While Zhu Xiao was lost in his cultivation, his "fans" had a restless night.

In the first half of the night, the zombies had not yet gathered in large numbers, so they managed to get a little sleep. But in the later hours, the sounds of the zombies' growls grew so loud they were nearly deafening, making the terrifying noise seem as though the creatures were right beside them, causing them to abandon any hope of sleep.

Some even sneaked peeks through the windows, catching sight of countless pairs of red, glowing eyes staring back. Terrified, they quickly withdrew their heads.

This situation made it impossible for the team to keep the recruits inside; even if the doors were thrown open, none of them would have dared step outside.

Especially the fan who had once drawn up the route map for Park Su and the others. After witnessing the frightening scene outside, he regretted ever having trusted such unreliable people.

The sheer number of zombies outside was nearing the scale of a zombie tide. If the horde discovered their hideout, their situation would be dire—no one would survive.

Despite having high-powered ability users among them, the overwhelming number of zombies, tens of thousands strong, would surely overwhelm them.

When he had originally drawn up the route map, he had pointed out nearby safe zones they could retreat to, but they had ignored his advice. Instead, they chose to stay in a small, defensible neighborhood.

Looking at the area now, he couldn't understand why they had decided to settle here, especially when no one from Xu Nuo's team had voiced any objections.

What was even more perplexing was how Xu Nuo's team, despite the looming danger, acted as if nothing was amiss, calmly carrying on with their tasks, unaffected by the threat outside.

This only deepened his sense of frustration, but in the current situation, he could do nothing else but stay hidden, striving to quiet his breath, terrified that any noise would alert the zombies to the presence of living humans in their building.

It was precisely because of the zombie horde outside that everyone remained calm through the night. Yet, when the morning came, most of them were barely able to keep their eyes open, sporting dark circles under their eyes.

In contrast, the members of Xu Nuo's team appeared refreshed, unaffected by the relentless zombie howls that had echoed through the night.

Due to the gathering of zombies the previous night, there were now twice as many zombies loitering outside their building. However, Xu Nuo remained confident that, without the burden of thirty-odd civilians to protect, his team could easily push through, possibly even collecting a few more zombie crystals along the way.

But, with the extra weight of thirty civilians to protect, Xu Nuo decided it was best to wait a little longer, conserving their strength and waiting for the zombie density to thin out before making their move.

Thus, the team spent the morning distributing food, and by midday, they began packing up, preparing for their next departure. The extra rest in the morning had done wonders, and everyone felt much more energized.

At that moment, however, a fluctuation in ability energy from Zhu Xiao caught Xu Nuo's attention. The moment he felt the shift, a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

He turned to his wife, saying, "If he hasn't broken through to the third tier by now, I might seriously begin to wonder if the deal I made with him was a mistake. Fortunately, he pushed through, riding on my last nerve. It seems I didn't misjudge him after all. Looks like I can still nurture him properly."