Evolutionary Divergence

The strange creature in front of him was no little girl—it was a zombie.

Its body and clothes mimicked those of a little girl. From behind, it looked like an adorable child. But its face had long since rotted away, with maggots writhing freely across its features, creating an unspeakable visage.

And now...

Its twisted face was filled with malice and hatred, like a crocodile lurking in the river, eager to swallow Chen Feng whole.

The street was deserted, with not a single living soul in sight. The little girl squatting in the middle of the road had been a suspicious sight from the start. Chen Feng had suspected deception all along.

If it were truly a living, breathing human, whether a little girl or even an infant, the merciless monsters that roamed the streets would have torn her to shreds and devoured her completely.

There was no way they would leave her untouched.

This was camouflage.

The zombie had disguised itself as a little girl, hiding on the street to lure prey. If an ordinary person saw such a small, pitiful figure, they might approach out of sympathy. But who could have guessed that once close, they would be confronted with the ultimate horror?

The 'little girl' stood up, supporting herself entirely on her knees. As she turned around, Chen Feng noticed that she was holding a small severed arm.

The arm was covered in dense bite marks, and three fingers had been completely gnawed off.

Chen Feng frowned, recalling the details—the little girl's trembling body was not shaking from fear, but from the effort of gnawing on the arm.

Dripping with blood, she opened her mouth toward Chen Feng and let out a ferocious roar.

"Raaaargh!"

The sound was not human—it was more like the cry of some unknown beast.

Suddenly, there was a scraping sound around them. Zombies that had been wandering nearby began to converge, emerging from the streets, shops, apartments, and even some low-rise buildings.

Thud!

Without hesitation, these zombies leaped from the buildings, staggering to their feet, their eyes vacant but their expressions ferocious. They began to shamble toward Chen Feng.

Among them was another Bronze Realm zombie.

A blood corpse, its body covered in a crimson hue. After evolving, its skin had sloughed off, revealing the veins and muscles beneath. Its flesh had decayed, dripping with a foul-smelling fluid.

Including the tumor-ridden zombie from earlier, this was already the second Bronze Realm zombie Chen Feng had encountered.

"A commander!" Chen Feng muttered, his eyes widening in realization.

Although he had figured out that the little girl was a zombie, he hadn't expected that the small figure in front of him was actually a commander.

Commanders were a rare breed among zombies.

They had the innate ability to control other zombies. Any large horde, numbering in the thousands or tens of thousands, would undoubtedly have a commander among them.

Compared to ordinary zombies, commanders had slightly higher intelligence, though not by much. They controlled hordes of zombies to destroy city after city. With enough power, they could quickly gather an army of their own.

A commander's mission was to bring destruction.

It's terrifying to imagine the scene when tens of thousands of zombies besiege a city.

The area was now crawling with zombies, all closing in on Chen Feng.

He quickly made a hand gesture to summon reinforcements.

After all, he was still primarily a summoner, unable to compete with true awakened powerhouses like Rock Warriors who specialized in direct combat. Once they ascended to the Silver Realm, their chests and arms would harden into an earthy yellow hue, making them impervious to blades and bullets, with their strength reaching unimaginable levels.

But Chen Feng was relying only on his Flame Aword for now. His defense was not particularly strong, and if the zombies surrounded him, he might not be able to fend off a bite.

This was no time to show off...

People need to know their place.

Chen Feng was well aware of his greatest strength.

Boasting and bravado?

The so-called Flame Sword was merely a means of self-defense. Chen Feng's true reliance remained in his summoning arts.

Caution.

It's what keeps one alive longer.

Chen Feng had never forgotten his creed.

The Dark Elf and the Dretch appeared before Chen Feng.

The former, having undergone a blood sacrifice, was on the brink of breaking through. At this moment, the Dark Elf drew an arrow from her quiver, which she had secured on her back to ensure quick access.

Shkkk!

An arrow flew out, striking a zombie in the chest, passing through to hit the head of a second zombie.

Whoosh!

A perfect double kill.

The Dark Elf's strength had clearly improved. Once she ascended to the Silver Realm, her arrows would become the stuff of nightmares for her enemies. She might even unlock other archery skills.

Reflexive strikes, rapid arrow draws, weapon mastery.

The Dark Elves' bloodline was infused with an innate talent for archery, and as they ascended, they would naturally gain new abilities.

Then there was the Dretch...

A disgusting and lowly creature.

After devouring several corpses, the Dretch's body had swollen to its limit, now standing five meters tall, like a small mountain, with countless severed limbs and broken arms embedded within its form.

Dretches are the true foundation of Abyssal society, filthy and malevolent, mindless flesh.

These repugnant beings spontaneously gather into massive swarms, their overwhelming numbers ruled by stronger demons.

Some demon lords, by combining the power of the Abyss with more arcane methods of torture, elevate these beings into their true demonic forms to fight for the Blood War Legions of the Abyss.

In a sense, Dretches can evolve into any demon form.

Just like the Dark Elf, after devouring countless corpses, the Dretch was on the verge of evolution. At this moment, Chen Feng needed to make a choice.

Should he allow the lesser demon to evolve into an entirely new species, or should he keep it in its current form, a bloated and grotesque pile of sludge?

"A demon... I have the ability to summon creatures from the Abyss, so there's no need to gamble on the lesser demon's evolution. If it turns into something like a demon fly, it would be a total loss."

"I possess the power of summoning. I can call forth various creatures from the Abyss, so there's no need to gamble on the evolution of a Dretch. If it turns into something like a Hellfly, it would be a total loss..."

"Moreover, the Dretch has undergone a qualitative transformation after a period of growth. The tentacles on its chest are the biggest proof. Through devouring, it has gained the ability to modify its body."

Given this...

Chen Feng thought for a moment and decided to keep the Dretch in its current form. He wanted to see how it would mutate after devouring more corpses, as well as stronger ones too...

A good summoner must not only summon but also cultivate growth... it's an essential skill...