Chapter Ninety-Eight: A Long-Awaited Longing
Josie had no choice but to let him be.
Noticing that Qiao Xi was no longer struggling, Lu Yuyang's lips curled up slightly.
"Let's find a place to rest first, so you can absorb the crystal core."
As she spoke, she pulled a blue crystal core, still stained with black blood, from her pocket. "Here you go."
Lu Yuyang looked at the hard-won blue crystal core and did not refuse.
He knew that Josie's shapeshifting ability could not directly absorb energy, and the crystal core would be nothing more than an inanimate object in her hands.
In this increasingly perilous apocalypse, greater power means greater protection for her and Xiao Jue.
They hadn't gone too far. The evolved zombies in the vicinity had been dealt with, which meant that the area was safe for the time being.
After they broke down the door of a suite, the three of them filed in.
Lu Yuyang quickly checked the room and, after confirming there was no danger, used the sofa to block the door.
"You all rest for a bit, wait for me to finish absorbing it."
"Okay, you can go inside. Don't worry about us."
Having just faced an attack from two second-stage evolved zombies, Lu Yuyang is now eager to improve his strength.
Only by increasing our strength can we better protect them.
"good."
Pushing open the door, Lu Yuyang ignored the dust covering the room and sat down cross-legged.
He took out a blue crystal core, placed it in his palm, and began to activate his supernatural power.
As energy surged in, a faint icy blue halo emanated from Lu Yuyang's body, and the surrounding air temperature plummeted.
The crystal cores of the two evolved zombies contained an enormous amount of energy. Lu Yuyang could clearly feel his depleted energy pool being rapidly filled and swelled. He could even hear some kind of invisible barrier humming under the impact of the energy.
However, when the last bit of energy was completely absorbed, the solid barrier was not broken through. The "boundary" of the energy pool seemed to be widened, like a dried-up lake being deepened and widened to accommodate more water, but it failed to undergo a qualitative change and break through to the next form.
Again!
Lu Yuyang took out the last remaining crystal core and continued to absorb it.
The energy surged against the barrier again, but even after absorbing the last bit of energy from the crystal core, it still failed to break through and upgrade.
Qiao Xi and Xie Jue waited outside for a long time before they heard the doorknob turn.
Then, Lu Yuyang walked out of the room, the icy blue glint in his eyes even brighter than before.
"How was it?" Josie couldn't help but ask.
"The energy pool has expanded, but it hasn't been upgraded yet." His words clearly showed some disappointment.
"It is generally estimated that each subsequent upgrade will be more difficult than the previous one."
Next, the three-person team moved like efficient hunting machines through the zombie-infested city ruins.
Their tacit understanding was honed to perfection in countless life-or-death battles.
Xie Jue's growth was the most remarkable.
The boy's ruthlessness had been honed to a more restrained and precise level. A sharpened military dagger in his hand was like the forked tongue of a venomous snake. He could easily maneuver and kill five ordinary zombies on his own.
Josie deliberately suppressed her shapeshifting ability and focused on honing her movement and fighting skills.
The trajectory of her dagger became increasingly cunning and deadly; without deforming, she could cleanly and efficiently take down four or five zombies.
Lu Yuyang became the team's strongest bulwark and sharpest spear.
His upgraded and expanded energy pool allows him to support a wider range of ice-based attacks.
During one attack by a horde of zombies, dozens of sharp icicles shot out, piercing through dozens of zombies at the same time, creating a spectacular scene.
Josie watched with shining eyes, feeling incredibly envious of such a powerful mutated ability.
That's really useful. If she had such a superpower, why would she need to hide and develop?
A month passed in the blink of an eye. After finding and successfully killing the sixteenth evolved zombie, Lu Yuyang absorbed another secondary evolution crystal core and finally broke through that invisible barrier!
An icy blue light erupted from him, forming a brief vortex.
The surrounding temperature instantly dropped to freezing point, and even a thin layer of frost condensed on the ground.
Lu Yuyang slowly opened his eyes, and it seemed as if ice crystals were swirling deep within his pupils, naturally emanating an even stronger and more restrained pressure.
"It's done?" Josie asked in surprise.
This is too fast. In the previous life, it would take most people with superpowers at least a year to advance twice to become second-tier superpowered individuals.
"Yes, it's at level two."
Lu Yuyang felt the inexhaustible power surging within him.
He looked at Josie with a burning gaze, which contained more than just the joy of increased strength.
"XiXi, thank you."
Lu Yuyang was sincerely grateful to her. If it weren't for Qiao Xi's constant assistance, he wouldn't have been able to find so many evolved zombies and kill them all so easily.
"Why thank me? With you here, we were able to stay here in peace for a month."
They complemented each other. Without Lu Yuyang, she would never have brought Xie Jue into this city so casually.
Besides, she doesn't need crystal cores; by following Lu Yuyang, she has been continuously improving her superpowers.
Dusk fell heavily outside the window. Xie Jue was exhausted and fell asleep almost instantly, wrapped in his sleeping bag, breathing evenly.
Lu Yuyang looked at her with tenderness in his eyes and took the initiative to fill her folding basin with easily melting ice crystals.
"Thanks, you keep an eye on Xie Jue, I'm going to wash up."
After saying that, he took his folding basin and headed to the restroom.
In the small restroom, only an emergency light emitted a dim yellow glow.
Josie took off her clothes, which were covered in dirt and sweat, revealing a vest underneath that was also soaked with sweat.
The gradually warming weather has melted the ice crystals in the collapsible basin, causing a lot of icy water to seep out.
The physical condition of those with superpowers is enhanced, so they will not get sick even if they take a bath in ice water.
She tilted her head back and wiped her body with a handkerchief.
The water glides over delicate skin, washing away fatigue and impurities.
After finally cleaning them, she was about to pack up her tools.
Suddenly, a warm and firm chest pressed against my back.
Lu Yuyang's arms encircled her slender waist like iron hoops, and his chin rested on her bare shoulder.
His hot breath sprayed onto her sensitive neck and behind her ears.
Josie was startled by his sudden movement and let out a soft groan, her body instinctively tensing up.
But she quickly relaxed in his familiar presence. "Why are you here? Where's Xie Jue?"
"He's asleep, very soundly." Lu Yuyang's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a long-suppressed longing.
His calloused hands, burning hot, slowly moved upwards from her flat stomach, caressed her soft waist, and finally covered her plump breasts.
Snow-white skin blushed an alluring pink beneath his palms…
“XiXi…”
He murmured her name, like the most intimate incantation, "Finally... we finally have a chance to be alone..."
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