Chapter Thirty-Four: The Weeper
Upon returning home, Fan Li removed his excess clothing and took out the Monster Summoning Manual.
Without lingering in thought, he opened the manual. The picture on the first page still featured Ellie, but this time, her appearance had changed once more. The background was pitch black, and in the shadows, countless ethereal arms seemed to reach out, while above Ellie’s head, lifeless, fish-like eyes floated.
Ellie didn’t move this time. She simply stood there, facing him, when suddenly a sound, distinctly inhuman, echoed by his ear.
“You gaze into the abyss, and the abyss also gazes into you?”
As Fan Li opened the manual, Ellie within it seemed to become aware of him as well. The fifty points of favorability between them had eased their relationship, and so, his very first little monster offered a unique greeting.
Ethereal arms, vacant fish-like eyes, and a faint, piercing shriek that made his chest tighten—this was Ellie’s peculiar way of appearing.
Though he had already seen her true form, this eerie, photograph-like image still startled Fan Li.
At that moment, he noticed something: a new page had appeared behind Ellie’s.
When he’d first received the manual, only the first page could be turned; the remaining pages were fused together, making them impossible to open or read.
But now, a new page behind Ellie was clearly related to the female zombie.
Without hesitation, Fan Li opened the second page. Instantly, an uncanny and faintly alluring face stared back at him.
Yet, compared to the unsettling aura she had exuded in person, her face now was tinged with sorrow. Faint, whispering voices drifted by Fan Li’s ear:
“Help me… help me…”
The voice was weak and helpless, but considering its owner, Fan Li quickly regained his composure.
He ignored the pleas and studied the blood-red letters on the page.
[Monster] (Incomplete)
[Unnamed]
[True strength not yet at maximum—cannot be summoned or commanded!]
[Effect: 1. Can be used to feed existing monsters. 2. Can be consumed to grant the host one of its abilities for 30 seconds.]
The manual provided a clear explanation for the female zombie. There was no name listed. Inspired by the Titan, Fan Li muttered, “The Weeper.”
Based on her appearance, Fan Li gave her this name, and as soon as he spoke, the blood-red letters in the manual thickened, shifting and writhing like fresh blood until, a second later, they formed the words “The Weeper.”
As expected!
As the owner of the Monster Summoning Manual, Fan Li possessed the right to name unknown monsters.
He pondered the meaning of “Incomplete” beside the monster’s name—did it mean she was in a process of transformation and hadn’t yet reached the level of the Titan or Ellie?
Fan Li carefully analyzed every detail in the manual’s notes: true strength not yet at maximum, unable to summon or command. This meant that while he had successfully sealed her, he couldn’t control her due to her current power level.
In other words, if he sealed a monster whose maximum strength met the standard, he would be able to command and use it.
Of course, all of this was just Fan Li’s conjecture based on the information given. Without concrete examples, he could not be certain.
The last line provided a usage note for the Weeper: she could be used to feed existing monsters, and at present, the only monster he could feed was Ellie.
But the second option piqued Fan Li’s interest.
Consuming the Weeper granted him one of her abilities for thirty seconds. Considering her powers, effortlessly altering facial expressions wasn’t significant; that left her unique allure and her endlessly growing hair.
All truths must be tested. In those few minutes fighting the Weeper, Fan Li had realized how terrifying those two abilities were. He wasn’t exaggerating—if Yang Shuo had faced the Weeper, he would likely have been entangled and skewered by her hair, then hung up and slowly drained of blood.
How extraordinary!
Though he’d already witnessed the manual’s powers, Fan Li couldn’t help but marvel once more.
Sealing the Weeper reinforced his suspicions about the manual: aside from monsters like Ellie, who were summoned through kill points, he could gain control over monsters through other methods.
That method was hunting.
Hunting beings beyond ordinary zombies, those with more terrifying strength and bizarre powers—mutants.
This was an opportunity. It meant Fan Li could command mutated monsters and further his chances of survival in the apocalypse.
But in this world, everything comes with a price—more opportunities always mean greater dangers.
Fan Li was never arrogant. He believed that in the apocalypse, a calm mind would help one survive far longer than blind confidence.
The only reason he’d managed to slay the Weeper was because she hadn’t completed her transformation, had not yet become a true monster.
Had she been like the Titan, possessing true monster-level strength, he would likely have met his end at her hands.
Fan Li closed the manual, then placed his hand on the cover. He could feel warmth emanating from it, and a faint, steady pulse.
Unlike his earlier apprehension, Fan Li now accepted the Monster Summoning Manual. This book would be his greatest reliance in the apocalypse—bar none.
He set the manual aside and opened his notebook.
He needed to make some records.
[The Weeper]
[Zombie]
[Strange abilities. Known powers: 1. Possesses a unique allure toward prey—uncertain if effective on females. 2. Hair with infinite growth, capable of binding and attacking.]
[Notes: The Weeper is accompanied by a hoarse sobbing. When approached closely, the sobbing ceases. If laughter is heard, the Weeper has entered attack mode.]
[Physical strength is enhanced—not easily decapitated. Hair’s toughness is similar to normal hair, easily cut. Slightly faster than average zombies—comparable to an athlete.]
Beneath these notes, Fan Li emphasized in bold:
(Incomplete monster form—can only be used for analysis and reference. The true strength of a complete monster cannot be determined! If encountered in full form, proceed with extreme caution!)