Bai Li continued descending after confirming her rewards, her pace steady and unhurried, but this time there was a clear shift in her mindset. Earlier, her only focus had been simple and direct, kill zombies, get used to this world, and survive. But now there was something else sitting firmly in her thoughts, something far more important than just clearing floors one by one. The interdimensional market. Even just thinking about it made her feel a slight pull in her chest, not excitement exactly, but a kind of alert curiosity. Still, there was no need to rush yet. She still had time before five, and wasting time had never been her habit. If there were zombies around, then she would kill them. If she could get stronger, she would do it now.

As she moved down toward the lower floors, her steps were light, controlled, almost soundless. The building felt strangely quiet, like it was holding its breath. When she reached the next level, she spotted three zombies wandering slowly near the corridor corner, their movements sluggish, dragging their feet, occasionally bumping into the wall like broken puppets. Bai Li paused for a second, her eyes resting on them, then shifted her weight slightly.

This time, she didn’t step forward.

Instead, she slid her backpack off her shoulder and placed it lightly against the wall, her movements smooth and practiced. She crouched slightly, unzipping it in one motion, and pulled out the compound crossbow. It was folded neatly, compact enough to fit inside, but the moment it touched her hands, something in her expression changed just a little.

Familiar.

Comfortable.

Without wasting even a second, she began setting it up.

Her fingers moved quickly, almost automatically. She flipped the main body open with a controlled motion, locking the limbs into place with a soft mechanical click. Her left hand adjusted the stabilizer while her right hand secured the string groove, making sure everything was aligned properly. There was no hesitation, no need to double check again and again. It was as if her body already remembered every step.

Within just a few seconds, the crossbow was fully assembled.

She straightened slightly, testing the tension with a quick pull, feeling the resistance, measuring it instinctively. Satisfied, she reached back into the backpack and pulled out an arrow, her fingers gripping it at just the right point as she brought it forward.

The zombies had already noticed her by now.

Their heads turned slowly, mouths opening, letting out those low, broken growls as they began shuffling toward her. Their pace was slow, but steady, and the distance between them was closing little by little.

Bai Li didn’t react.

Her focus was entirely on the crossbow.

She placed the arrow onto the rail with practiced ease, guiding it into position, her thumb brushing lightly over the shaft to make sure it sat perfectly aligned. Then, with one smooth motion, she pulled back the string, locking it into place. The entire action took less than a second, her posture steady, her breathing calm.

By the time she raised the crossbow, everything was already ready.

She didn’t rush.

She didn’t panic.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she lined up the shot, the world around her fading just enough for her focus to sharpen. The nearest zombie was just a few meters away now, its face torn open, one eye hanging loosely, its jaw twitching as it stumbled forward.

Bai Li aimed straight at its forehead.

And fired.

"Shiing..."

The sound was soft, almost nonexistent, just a faint slice of air as the arrow shot forward with terrifying speed. For a split second, it looked like nothing had happened.

Then—

Thud.

The zombie dropped.

The arrow had gone straight through its skull, entering cleanly from the front and pushing out slightly from the back. No struggle. No delay. Just instant collapse.

Bai Li’s eyes flickered slightly.

"...Nice."

There was a faint hint of approval in her tone, not towards herself, but towards the weapon.

This crossbow was strong.

Stronger than she expected.

A small spark of excitement flickered inside her, but it wasn’t wild or overwhelming. It was controlled, quiet, like she had just found something useful again.

The remaining two zombies were already getting closer, their arms stretching forward, their steps uneven but persistent. Bai Li didn’t move back. Instead, she calmly reached for more arrows.

This time, her movements were even faster.

She pulled out two arrows at once, holding them between her fingers as she guided them onto the rail. With a slight adjustment of angle and pressure, she positioned both bolts carefully, something most people wouldn’t even think of trying. Then, with a smooth pull, she drew the string back again, locking it into place with both arrows aligned.

Her grip was firm.

Her posture steady.

Her eyes focused.

She lifted the crossbow again, barely taking a moment to aim.

"Shiiing... shiiing..."

Two shots followed almost instantly.

Both arrows flew out with that same near silent force, cutting through the air in straight lines. The first struck the second zombie right between the eyes, snapping its head back before it collapsed. The second arrow hit the third zombie in the same spot, clean and precise, dropping it just as quickly.

Three zombies.

Three shots.

No mistakes.

Bai Li lowered the crossbow slowly, her expression calm, almost indifferent, but there was a faint satisfaction hidden in her eyes.

"Hmm... yeah... still got it."

She muttered under her breath, almost casually, like she had just confirmed something she already knew.

She walked forward without hesitation, stepping over the bodies as she crouched down to retrieve the arrows. Her movements were efficient, pulling each one out cleanly, ignoring the dark blood that coated them. The smell was unpleasant, thick and rotten, but she didn’t react much anymore.

She wiped each arrow carefully with tissues, then sprayed a bit of sanitizer before placing them back into her backpack.

Once done, she stood up again and continued downward.

By the time she reached the ground floor, she encountered two more zombies near the entrance. This time, she didn’t even bother taking out the crossbow. Her dagger flashed once, then again, and both zombies dropped without any resistance.

"System: Congratulations for killing another zombie host! The total number of level one zombie cores are currently : 20! Good work darlingt! Keep going like this!"

Bai Li let out a faint breath that almost sounded like a small laugh.

She shook her head slightly before stepping out of the building.

She paused for a moment outside, glancing back at the entrance.

For now, it was clear.

At least temporarily.

"Not bad..."

She murmured softly.

The residents inside would be safer for a while, but she knew it wouldn’t last. Zombies would keep coming. They always did. Clearing one building meant nothing in the bigger picture.

She turned her gaze forward again.

There was still time before five.

And she had no intention of wasting it.

The neighborhood itself had more than enough zombies for her to farm cores without unnecessary risk. No need to go to crowded areas yet.

Bai Li moved the moment the first zombie stepped within range, her entire body shifting forward like a sudden burst of force, fast enough that it almost felt like she disappeared from where she stood and reappeared right in front of it, the kukri already swinging in a tight arc aimed straight at the side of its neck. The blade didn’t glide through like Whisperfang would, instead it hit with weight, a heavy, meaty impact that sank deep into flesh with a dull, cracking sound as it bit against bone. The force behind her strike pushed the zombie’s head to the side, its body staggering but not fully separating, and without even pausing, Bai Li twisted her wrist and pulled back slightly before bringing the blade down again in a second strike, sharper, cleaner, this time landing right at the weakened point. The second hit finished the job, the neck splitting open as the head tilted unnaturally before the entire body collapsed sideways.

She didn’t even look at it.

Her feet had already shifted.

The second zombie was lunging in, arms outstretched, mouth wide open with strands of dark saliva stretching between its teeth. Bai Li stepped slightly to the side instead of retreating, her movement minimal but perfectly timed, letting the zombie pass just slightly off her centerline. At the same time, her left shoulder dipped and her right hand came up from below in a rising slash that cut diagonally across its throat. The kukri’s curved blade tore through muscle and tendon, not clean, but violent, leaving a deep opening that immediately started spilling dark blood. The zombie stumbled forward past her, its movement continuing out of momentum, and before it could even turn again, Bai Li pivoted on her heel and drove a reverse slash into the back of its neck, finishing it in one smooth follow up.

By now, the remaining three had already closed in, their movements slightly faster now that they were reacting to fresh prey. Bai Li didn’t rush forward this time. Instead, she adjusted her grip slightly on the kukri, testing its balance mid fight, her expression calm, almost curious, as if she was still figuring out how much force was needed. The third zombie came straight at her, clumsy but aggressive, its fingers curling as if to grab her shoulders. Bai Li stepped in instead of away, closing the distance deliberately, her body lowering slightly as she slipped inside its reach. Her elbow came up first, smashing into its chest to break its balance, and at the same time, her kukri came down in a tight vertical chop aimed at the collarbone area. The blade struck with a heavy thud, cutting deep but getting slightly stuck for a fraction of a second. Bai Li didn’t panic. She simply shifted her weight, planted her foot, and ripped the blade free with a sharp pull before immediately following it with a horizontal slash across the neck. The combined damage was enough. The zombie dropped where it stood.

The fourth one came from her side, faster than the others, its movement jerky but aggressive. Bai Li noticed it from the corner of her eye and reacted instantly, leaning back just enough to avoid its grasp while her leg swept low, kicking at its knee. The impact knocked it off balance, and the moment its body tilted, she stepped forward again, her kukri flashing upward in a quick, brutal cut that tore through its throat. This time she didn’t stop there. She continued the motion into a second strike, bringing the blade down from above straight into its neck with force, making sure it wouldn’t get up again.

Only one remained now.

The last zombie hesitated for just a fraction of a second, its head twitching as if trying to process what just happened to the others. But that hesitation didn’t last long. It lunged forward again, driven by instinct more than anything else. Bai Li watched it approach, her breathing steady, her posture relaxed, almost casual. She didn’t move immediately. She waited until the exact moment it got close enough.

Then she stepped forward.

Not back.

Her body shifted slightly to the side as she passed right next to it, and at the same time, her kukri came up in a clean diagonal slash from lower right to upper left, cutting deep across its neck. The blade didn’t fully sever it, but it was enough. She didn’t even turn to face it again. Instead, she took two steps forward, then casually flicked the blade to the side, shaking off the blood.

Behind her, the last zombie staggered for a second before collapsing heavily onto the ground.

Silence followed.

Bai Li stood there for a moment, her grip still firm on the kukri, her expression calm as ever. She glanced down at the blade, tilting it slightly as she examined the edge.

"...Not bad."

Her tone was casual, almost indifferent, but there was a faint note of approval in it. The kukri wasn’t as clean or sharp as Whisperfang, but it had its own advantage. It was heavier, more brutal, and required force instead of precision. For close combat, especially in chaotic situations, that kind of weapon had its place.

She rolled her wrist once, testing the weight again, then relaxed her grip slightly. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Five zombies.

Gone in less than a minute.

.

.

.

To be continued.