Chapter Thirty-Three: The Manual's Transformation

Fan Li knew better than to engage in a prolonged battle with a mutant. Every swing of his blade was aimed at the creature’s vital points, seeking a swift end. Now, the katana known as Muramasa struck the zombie’s neck dead on. Unfortunately, the blade only cut through two-thirds of the way before it could go no further. In that instant, the zombie shook off its paralysis and, with a piercing wail, sent its ghostly hair—floating in the air—rushing toward Fan Li like a tidal wave.

“It didn’t cut through?” Fan Li was surprised, but he understood that his katana was his lifeline. Realizing the neck hadn’t been severed, he twisted his wrist and yanked the blade free with a sharp upward motion.

A wet sound followed. In his night vision, the world was a murky haze, as if watching an old black-and-white television. He couldn’t tell what color blood spurted from the zombie, but the stench was nothing like human blood. Instead, it was the foul reek of long-stagnant filth, so pungent that only his scarf kept it from overwhelming him entirely.

With the blade withdrawn, Fan Li hacked away the hair drifting before his face. He noticed that, unlike its earlier agile assault, the hair now seemed limp, aimless, as if swaying randomly in the wind, lingering but without purpose.

The zombie tried to lunge at him, but its movements were sluggish, like a drunk stumbling uncertainly, unable to focus on its target.

Fan Li’s strike had dealt it a mortal blow. Though he hadn’t severed its neck in one go, the attack had sapped its strength—gone was its former, fearsome vitality.

Now, its head hung by a sliver of bone and tendon, drooping to one side, its filthy blood soaking its clothes. The creature, once unsettlingly alluring, had become a vengeful ghost.

As Fan Li had hoped, the creature’s earlier maniacal laughter—like a predator reveling in prey—had turned to choking sobs of despair.

“Die!” Fan Li showed no mercy. He knew all too well the world he inhabited: he had to end this threat as quickly as possible.

The hair, now wild but uncoordinated, was no longer a real danger. Gritting his teeth, Fan Li charged forward, hacking through the last strands in his way, and with a surge of strength, beheaded the zombie.

The surrounding hair, suddenly lifeless, drifted down to the ground.

A familiar chime rang out.

Even in night vision, blood-red text appeared before Fan Li’s eyes.

[Slaughter Value +10]
[17/100]

A new line appeared below the slaughter value:

[Monster (Remnant) detected. Seal it?]

“Hm?” Fan Li was pleased to have gained ten full points—a far greater reward than from a common zombie. But before his satisfaction could settle, this new message demanded his attention.

Seal the monster?

He had never seen such a prompt when fighting ordinary zombies. Clearly, this female mutant was special.

“Seal!” Fan Li confirmed the choice.

The letters turned scarlet. Suddenly, a bizarre vision unfolded: the zombie’s corpse, sprawled on the ground, became covered in intertwining, mysterious sigils of pallor and shadow, writhing together before shooting toward Fan Li’s chest.

The Monster Compendium was Fan Li’s most prized possession, always kept close—right at his chest. Now, he distinctly felt it change: the living, breathing cover began to squirm, as if the book had just given a satisfied belch. Fan Li watched in astonishment.

Glancing down, he saw that the mutant’s body had vanished, leaving only severed strands of hair scattered as proof that what he’d just experienced was real, not some fevered hallucination.

The oppressive chill that had hung in the air was gone.

Now, the scent of living flesh—the unmistakable aroma of a human—began to spread from Fan Li.

The mutant’s disappearance threw the ordinary zombies into disarray. Some hovered uncertainly, timid and hesitant; others, bolder, shuffled forward, emboldened by the absence of their overlord. The hunger for flesh made them restless once more.

Fan Li heard footsteps approaching from all directions. The mutant had kept the zombies at bay, but with its death and the sealing of its body, the ordinary undead were free to move again.

Though only a few minutes had passed, Fan Li was already feeling the drain. Hearing the growing chorus of footsteps, his expression hardened. He spun around and dashed toward the building entrance behind him.

“Open the door!” he shouted.

Yang Shuo, standing guard, immediately flung the door open. In less than a second, a dark figure darted inside, and Yang Shuo slammed the door shut.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The noise of the door roused the zombies. Soon, a crowd gathered, pounding frantically on the iron entrance. But the heavy metal door was far too sturdy for them. After a time, some wandered off, and only scattered thumps echoed in the stairwell.

“Li… are you hurt?” Yang Shuo, now feeling safe, dared to switch on his flashlight.

He didn’t approach, though—keeping his distance from Fan Li. He knew the rules: a zombie bite meant infection and mutation.

Fan Li noted Yang Shuo’s caution—his every thought laid bare. Still, the man had stood firm, not betraying him by locking the door. This was their first real collaboration.

With that in mind, Fan Li’s gaze softened, the wariness in his eyes giving way to a rare hint of warmth.

“I’m fine.”

“That’s good…” Yang Shuo exhaled in relief, then asked, “That thing crying outside—was it really a zombie?”

“Yeah. But don’t worry, I killed her. She won’t be crying anymore,” Fan Li replied calmly.

Yang Shuo sucked in a sharp breath. The more casually Fan Li spoke, the more terrifying he seemed—far more dangerous than any zombie.

“Incredible!” Yang Shuo finally admitted Fan Li’s valor, no longer pretending otherwise.

Outside, the pounding continued. Yang Shuo shivered, forcing a sycophantic smile. “Li, it’s been a hell of a night. Why don’t we stick together? I can take the couch…”

“You’ll sleep in your own room. I’ve got things to do.”

Yang Shuo was left speechless.

Without waiting for a reply, Fan Li headed upstairs.

There was no doubt: the Monster Compendium had consumed the mutant’s body. Fan Li hadn’t expected the book to possess such power.

A treasure like this must never be revealed lightly. To uncover its secrets, Fan Li would have to investigate alone.