Chapter 420: The Survivor Alliance

"If I barely prevail, can you guess what will happen?"

As Zhang Su spoke, he walked under the lamp; the overhead light plunged his eyes into shadow.

"You'll be wiped out completely…"

Hearing Zhang Su's words, combined with his aura and the chilling tone, plus the logical assumption, Wu Baokang swallowed hard—ruthless, too ruthless, even more ruthless than Liao Youzhi.

The Survivor Alliance's gradual growth was never smooth; it had seen many annexations, yet Liao Youzhi never once employed extermination tactics. Though some rules were harsh and oppressive, they always left a path to survival—never pushing to total annihilation.

Does Wu Baokang have no one he cares about?

Of course not.

He has a lover; they planned to survive this winter, and as soon as the ice melted, they'd start a family—with one condition: that the Survivor Alliance grows stronger and its medical facilities improve.

He once lived a life of cutting edge danger, endured the darkness of prison, yet the zombie apocalypse didn't break him—it felt tailor-made for him. His attitude turned positive; he used to satisfy only base urges, but now he truly began to savor tenderness and even dreamed of continuing his lineage.

Facing death in darkness and pain isn't terrifying; what's terrifying is stepping out of darkness into light, only to fall back into the abyss again! Thinking of this, Wu Baokang's conviction wavered, and from his dry throat, two words scraped out: "Fire!"

"What fire? Explain in detail!"

Zhang Su's brow twitched—he didn't know Wu Baokang's weakness, had only been testing casually—but somehow, he'd hit the mark; the man had cracked. Yet the information was too vague.

"You must promise me two things, and I'll tell you every secret I know about the Survivor Alliance!"

Wu Baokang suddenly sat upright, his gaze blazing at Zhang Su.

"You say you're ugly, yet you dream big—promise you two things? First, tell me what they are!"

Zhang Su didn't immediately refuse; at this point, pushing back might seal Wu Baokang's lips forever.

"You let me go, give me a car, and enough supplies for a month's food and drink!"

Wu Baokang muttered; he didn't mention weapons—he knew asking would be useless, the other wouldn't give them.

"Letting you go, a car, supplies—that's three things." Zhang Su counted on his fingers, then added: "Three things aren't impossible, but it depends on how valuable your information is. One thing's certain: if you cooperate, I won't kill you."

"I was the one who found that zombie!"

Wu Baokang's eyes grew distant as he began: "That zombie had fire properties—its whole body radiated intense heat, could spit flames, temperature so high it melted car doors. Its farthest shot reached thirty meters. If a person got hit, they wouldn't last three seconds—contact meant death."

Only a handful of people tested the fire zombie—he was one of them.

Zhang Su's expression tightened. Since the disaster, fire had been the only thing that could suppress all zombies—though it could temporarily boost their strength, it still killed them. Yet this fire zombie? It was completely immune to fire?

If Wu Baokang's account was true, if the fire zombie was properly deployed, a surprise attack could wipe out half of Tianmayu, maybe even all of it—it was unquestionably a weapon of mass destruction. "Normally, the zombie's kept in Liao Youzhi's residence, using its body heat for warmth—far better than a heater. Outside, it's minus twenty or thirty degrees; inside, it's thirty above. Windows are opened occasionally for ventilation. The entire LeGou Mall benefits from its heat, though lower floors get less. I live on the fourth floor—I only need a blanket to sleep at night."

Wu Baokang continued.

Zhang Su couldn't help smiling—this was just a giant furnace. "So your Survivor Alliance has this zombie—does that mean you've achieved energy freedom?"

Wu Baokang understood what Zhang Su meant. He was big and rough, but not illiterate—his knowledge was solid. He frowned: "You mean using it to boil water for electricity? I thought the same—once we understood its abilities, next step would be thermal power. But after that, Liao Youzhi never mentioned the fire zombie again…"

"He just used it for heating. But I know researchers are studying it. I suspect it's meant for emergencies—if Liao Youzhi plans to attack Tianmayu, he'll almost certainly bring the fire zombie."

Zhang Su nodded. Wu Baokang's deduction was sound. Such a treasure couldn't be used only for heating—it was inevitable it'd become a weapon. He just didn't know how far along the development was.

"Fine, the fire zombie is powerful. But how does Liao Youzhi control it? What are its weaknesses?" Zhang Su pressed.

Wu Baokang stared into space, then shook his head slightly, puzzled: "I'm not sure. I only remember it spits fire at anyone—it's extremely violent. Beyond that, I don't know. I never got another chance to observe it."

This answer left both men silent.

If Zhang Su hadn't asked, Wu Baokang would've forgotten the fire zombie entirely. Only when returning to his room for warmth did he remember the monster upstairs. As for how it was controlled? He never bothered to find out. Weaknesses? Even less idea.

"You'll have to explore it yourself."

Before Zhang Su could speak, Wu Baokang offered him advice.

"I explore? If it were that easy, why would I need to tell you anything? Think harder—any clues?"

Zhang Su didn't know if the man was telling the truth, but he felt Wu Baokang, having revealed so much, had no reason to keep hiding.

Wu Baokang tried to scratch his head, but his hands were bound—he rubbed against the wall instead, frowning impatiently: "I really don't know about the fire zombie. It's Liao Youzhi's prized possession—he's the only one who knows the details! But I can tell you something else—something even more explosive. After you hear it, you have to let me go!"

Zhang Su raised an eyebrow. The fire zombie's ability was already devastating—something even more explosive?

Clearly, he wasn't the only one hiding modified zombie Zero-Zero-Three and venom serum—the Survivor Alliance had plenty of treasures too. Not every survivor camp had a weapon of mass destruction, but any faction that possessed one would inevitably grow stronger.

"Go on! I'll listen first, then decide. This fire zombie info is weak—too little detail!"

Zhang Su didn't promise anything—he pushed Wu Baokang to speak.

"The Survivor Alliance's science team developed a colorless, odorless powder. Inhale it, and you'll get infected—high chance of turning into a zombie."

Wu Baokang delivered the bombshell without hesitation.

Zhang Su's eyes widened in shock—powder that turns people into zombies? That's a biochemical weapon! Seeing Zhang Su's stunned expression, Wu Baokang felt a quiet relief—this info must be weighty enough. But then Zhang Su spoke, and Wu Baokang panicked.

"Are you just making up bullshit to get me to let you go?"

Zhang Su had calmed from his initial shock and re-examined Wu Baokang's words.

"Fuck, I'm not lying!"

Wu Baokang snapped, sitting upright to defend himself: "Only a handful of people knew about this. When Dr. Tang handed the zombie powder to Liao Youzhi, I was the only one present. I swear only three people knew—now you're the fourth!"

"Did you personally see it turn someone into a zombie?"

Zhang Su pressed.

Wu Baokang shook his head, then nodded: "I didn't see it myself. But I know this: Liao Youzhi locks dissenters in shops in Taiyangcheng. One night, in a shop holding five people, two suddenly turned—bit and killed the other three!"

This happened just days after Liao Youzhi got the powder. Think—any connection?"

Zhang Su fell silent. If Wu Baokang wasn't lying, then Liao Youzhi truly held a biochemical weapon. That was terrifying.

Before the disaster, global treaties banned biochemical weapons—no one dared defy them. Now? No constraints at all. A puff of wind could turn people into zombies. This was horrifying.

Fu Wei's army and Xie Yan's mountain group were trying to develop an anti-zombie modification serum. The Survivor Alliance had already beaten them to a weapon that turned people into zombies. The situation was dire.

(End of Chapter)