'Thank goodness for the Tai Sui God's help. Climbing all these floors would have been a real pain, even without a heavy infection.'
Qi Suian carried the Plasma Intelligent Guided Cannon, or Plasma Cannon for short, as he cautiously explored the Watchman Morning Company's building.
All the employees here had turned into zombies and were under the control of that Mutated Zombie. However, he didn't open fire, simply pushing his way through them.
After all, the attacks of ordinary zombies were limited, so there was no need to waste ammunition.
The main reason was that the Plasma Cannon wasn't a finished product, only a prototype. According to the data displayed by the AI, it had various defects.
Of course, Qi Suian couldn't make sense of the raw data, but the AI translated it into simple terms so he could understand its flaws.
For example, prolonged use could cause it to explode, or electromagnetic interference might make the smart-targeting system fail.
But despite its many flaws, its greatest advantage was undeniable: its immense power.
This was especially true after it was hooked up to the Tai Sui God's Supernova Strong Nuclear Reactor module, which made the resulting Plasma Bombs even more powerful.
As for how it was connected, the AI had obviously controlled the Tai Sui God to perform the link-up itself. Qi Suian's major had been the history of the Ancient Dian Kingdom; when it came to such sophisticated technology, he was utterly clueless.
"GKKKRR..."
A bizarre cry echoed out. The Tai Sui God instantly swiveled its head, the bulky Plasma Cannon whipping around toward the sound's source. It immediately overloaded and fired.
Arcs of electricity crackled around Qi Suian—one of the side effects of firing the Plasma Cannon. It looked terrifying, but it was actually harmless.
The Plasma Bomb detonated, instantly engulfing more than half of the office and blasting a gaping hole through the side of the building.
He was on the same floor where the Spirit-Mutated Zombie was located.
Finding it had been simple enough—he'd used the surveillance system.
The AI had hacked into and taken control of the security cameras, then used intelligent analysis to pinpoint the zombie's location.
If Qi Suian hadn't obtained the Plasma Cannon, he never would have dreamed of coming here to hunt a monster like this. But now that he had the weapon, with the AI controlling it and the Tai Sui God executing the commands, he could just sit back and let them handle the fight.
He might not have faith in his own combat abilities, but he had to have faith in his SSS-rank gear.
More importantly, the AI's analysis suggested this Spirit-Mutated Zombie wasn't a natural mutation caused by the Abyssal Virus. Instead, like Qi Suian himself, its transformation had been triggered by an external stimulus.
This meant the creature possessed an item related to the Abyssal Virus, much like the Ancient Dian Kingdom Jade Seal that Qi Suian carried.
That was why Qi Suian had come.
If he had left it alone, this Spirit-Mutated Zombie would have surely grown into a major boss, especially without him—the future Zombie Dominator—to stop it.
[Enemy hit. Target not eliminated. Suspected relocation.]
"GKKKRR..."
The AI's notification had just appeared when the Spirit-Mutated Zombie's cry sounded out again. This time, the AI didn't attack immediately; it was waiting for the cannon to cool down.
The previous shot from the Plasma Cannon had been an overload. A normal shot wasn't nearly as powerful. It needed time to recover, or the probability of it exploding would skyrocket.
At the same time, Qi Suian got a look at the zombie. It was bloated and fat, but its body was translucent and red, like a ruby crystal.
The overall effect was strangely ethereal.
[Preliminary Analysis: Tier-2, dual-attribute Mutated Zombie. Has awakened a zombie-specific ability.]
Qi Suian read the AI's analysis, his feelings mixed. 'It's not just a Spirit-type mutation like I thought, but a dual-attribute one.'
He was happy because a Tier-2, dual-attribute Mutated Zombie with a special ability couldn't have formed naturally this early. This confirmed the presence of a treasure.
He was worried because this creature was top-tier even among Tier-2 Mutated Zombies, likely just a step below being a full-fledged boss.
"What are our chances?" Since he wasn't fighting himself, Qi Suian was obviously asking the AI.
[Probability of successful termination: seventy percent.]
The AI gave a frank answer and immediately took action.
If the Plasma Cannon could fire in quick succession, the AI's success rate would be as high as ninety percent.
Qi Suian wasn't watching the fight. Instead, he was reviewing the data on the zombie. After all, if they couldn't win, the AI would just have the Tai Sui God retreat.
The AI cross-referenced the zombie with the personnel files it had acquired from the building's network and quickly confirmed its identity.
The zombie had been Zhang Hongxiang, the CEO of the Watchman Morning Company. Using this information as a starting point, the AI ran further calculations and provided Qi Suian with more detailed intelligence.
An hour before the Abyssal Virus outbreak, Zhang Hongxiang had received a package from an unknown source. Judging by the logo visible on surveillance footage, it was an internal delivery from the Watchman Morning Company.
As for what was inside the package, Qi Suian had no idea. It wasn't like they would install a security camera inside the CEO's office.
The AI wasn't omniscient, after all.
The battle between the Tai Sui God and the Mutated Zombie was nearing its end. Under the AI's control, the firing frequency of the Plasma Bombs was pushed to its absolute limit, establishing a rhythm that forced the Mutated Zombie into a steady retreat.
Given the power of a Plasma Bomb, a direct hit was almost certainly fatal.
However, the zombie's ability was a form of teleportation. It could consume Spiritual Power to make its crystalline body "blink" instantaneously, allowing it to dodge attacks.
The reason it hadn't closed in for a melee attack seemed to be the electromagnetic interference generated by the Plasma Cannon. This interference disrupted the zombie's ability, preventing it from getting near Qi Suian.
Hearing the AI's explanation, Qi Suian could only marvel at the power of plot armor. 'So this is how ridiculously strong it is.'
'At least it's somewhat logical,' he thought. 'It's like the old saying: wherever a venomous snake is found, the antidote will be within seven steps.'
At least it wasn't a case of blatant, plot-induced stupidity.
'So the plot armor hasn't even gone into full effect yet.'
Of course, anyone else, even if they had the Plasma Cannon, probably couldn't fight as smoothly as the AI.
This was the synergy between an SSS-rank module and SSS-rank armor.
Finally, a Plasma Bomb struck the Mutated Zombie's body, and the ensuing plasma eruption completely engulfed it.
When the dust settled, all the controlled zombies throughout the building simultaneously regained their freedom.
"Search the area. See if you can find that item," Qi Suian ordered. The AI immediately began controlling the Tai Sui God to act.
The Mutated Zombie had taken a direct hit from the Plasma Bomb and was utterly obliterated. Because of this, he wasn't sure if they'd be able to find the item that caused its rapid growth.
[Tier-2 Dual-Attribute Mutated Zombie (Elite) killed. Points acquired: 0]
In this apocalypse game, killing zombies was supposed to grant rewards. But because he was a "violator," all he got was a notification with zero points.
As for the points, they were meant to be exchanged for food, medicine, and weapons. However, Qi Suian couldn't open any of those menus, as if they didn't even exist for him.