Its armor became thicker.
Yan Cijin's expression hardened.
"It is evolving."
Bai Li smiled.
"Then we should not give it time."
They attacked together.
Bai Li forced the zombie left.
Yan Cijin forced it right.
The creature could not decide which threat to follow.
Bai Li landed a strike.
Yan Cijin landed another.
The zombie stumbled.
Then Bai Li struck its knee.
Yan Cijin struck its neck.
The creature fell.
Bai Li finished it.
The corpse dissolved into black dust.
Inside the dust was a crystal core brighter than any they had collected.
Yan Cijin stared at it.
"That thing was waiting for the fruit too."
"Yes."
"Then we had better hurry."
They climbed.
The twenty-sixth floor contained almost nothing except bodies.
The twenty-seventh was covered in golden vines.
The twenty-eighth had been torn apart by battles.
The twenty-ninth was full of nests.
The thirtieth had no walls.
Wind poured through the broken structure.
Rain entered through gaps in the ceiling.
