Chapter Fifteen: Muscularization

After zombies evolve, their bodies no longer decay and emit foul odors like Level One zombies.

Just like Green Giants, after evolution, the skin of their bodies takes on a light green color, and their toughness increases significantly. Yesterday, when Carter encountered a Green Giant, if it weren't for the blade he possessed, even with that jagged fruit machete, he feared he wouldn't be able to cut through the Green Giant's skin, let alone decapitate it.

Monsters like zombies, although they are considered failed products of virus-infected evolution, owe their strength to the virus.

The virus altered the genes of their body cells, resulting in such a significant increase in strength.

And when it comes to the second stage like Green Giants, the increase in speed indicates that the optimization of their body cells is even more apparent. The viral genes have a greater effect on their bodies. At this stage, a new type of cell grows in the chest of Green Giants, called 'Optimized Genes.' Because they resemble fat, they are called 'Muscularized Flesh.'

If these cells were to cover the entire body of a zombie, it would further evolve into a terrifying creature, a super-evolved being.

These "Optimized Genes" not only enhance the abilities of zombies but also have an effect on humans.

Not only can they fill the stomach, but their effects on ordinary humans are even more pronounced.

The genetic virus brought to Earth by the Zack Clan, in many ways, is not a poison. It's a virus capable of altering cells, unleashing all the hidden potential within the cells.

However, due to the weak physical fitness of Earth's humans, they couldn't withstand the optimization of cells. Their brains couldn't handle it, resulting in them becoming mindless zombies.

The "Optimized Genes" extracted from zombies have already evolved. Humans don't need to worry about their bodies being unable to withstand them, thus becoming infected and turning into zombies.

Although these things are extracted from within zombies and might seem disgusting, they can quickly enhance the body's strength, and people in the apocalypse wouldn't resist.

By the afternoon, Carter woke up. After a morning of rest, Carter's mental state had improved considerably.

"Continue." Now that his physical fitness had reached Level Five, and he received a reward point from the system for every ten zombies he killed, Carter was still thinking about redeeming those tempting items stored in the space.

Wasting was shameful. After filling his stomach, Carter grabbed his knife and left the warehouse once again.

Carter had a plan in mind. Until he reached Level Ten, he didn't intend to leave the Carrefour supermarket area. Apart from safety and ample food, staying a little longer was completely fine. He also hoped that maybe someone else, like him, would come here looking for food.

It's better to wait for the prey to come to him than to go looking for humans himself.

"I'm coming to the fourth floor." Carter didn't plan to rush, so he didn't want to disturb the zombies on the first floor for the time being, letting them wander below in peace.

After several days of growth, Carter no longer felt anything special when facing zombies. Entering the fourth floor and seeing the zombies wandering inside, Carter remained calm.

Having reached the strength of five people, Carter wanted to experience what it felt like to have the strength of five hundred pounds.

And Carter's appearance was soon noticed by the zombies on the fourth floor.

"Roar!" A young female zombie rushed out of a store, howling as she charged towards Carter.

With the same strength as the zombies now, Carter didn't flinch at all. With the knife in his right hand and his eyes fixed on the female zombie, as she approached him, he shifted his body slightly to the side and kicked out with his right leg.

"Bang!" Carter's foot accurately kicked the female zombie in the abdomen. With the force of five hundred pounds, the female zombie was kicked into the air, knocking over several shelves in succession.

Watching the immense strength he had with just one foot, Carter's eyes widened in disbelief. He now felt like one of those Kung Fu stars from movies.

"Roar!"

Perhaps hurt from the fall, the female zombie struggled to climb up from the ground. After a howl, she bared her teeth and claws and attacked Carter again. At this moment, the other zombies on the fourth floor were attracted by the sound made by the female zombie.

Finding a flesh-and-blood human like Carter, they suddenly became more aggressive.

Realizing how terrifying his strength was, Carter had no intention of playing with the zombies anymore. With the machete in his hand held horizontally in front of his chest, when the female zombie lunged at him again, Carter made no extra movements and simply thrust the machete into the female zombie's neck. With a swift motion, the female zombie's head was separated from her body.

Having gained two more points of strength today, reaching the strength of five people, Carter picked up the heavy blade 'Silent Annihilation.' It didn't affect him at all.

There weren't too many zombies on the fourth floor. After dealing with the first female zombie, Carter didn't pause for a moment. He took the initiative to attack, rushing towards the nearest zombie.

With the continuous improvement of his physical fitness, not only could Carter's arms burst out with powerful strength, but the muscles in his legs had also undergone a significant increase. Carter believed that if asked to compete in a hundred-meter race now, he could probably finish it in less than five seconds. Such speed was terrifying.

Having the same strength as zombies but several times their speed, Carter was like a tiger among sheep. Before the zombies could encircle him, he ended the battle.

More than forty zombies died under Carter's blade.

Looking at the ground littered with headless bodies and streaks of dark blood, Carter shook his head lightly and left the fourth floor.

It was already the fourth day, and Carter had become somewhat numb to the zombies. Shaking his head gently, he headed towards the fifth floor.

"Thud, thud."

As soon as Carter entered the staircase leading to the fifth floor, he heard a loud sound of footsteps.

Carter, who could now clearly distinguish zombie sounds, was somewhat surprised by the sound. It was obviously not made by zombies, nor humans.

Thinking of this, Carter's pupils slowly dilated, his eyes fixed on the front, and he held the machete tightly in his hand.