At this moment, Ch'en was in a foul mood. She had certainly imagined scenarios where her subordinate might sacrifice his life, but she had never, in her wildest dreams, expected him to appear before her again in such a state.
Thinking back carefully, wasn't that supernatural speed he displayed earlier his own Originium Art? His former ability allowed him to significantly increase his movement speed, which was why he had earned the codename "Quick-Legs."
Now, the memory of that subordinate's grotesque, glitch-like movements replayed in her mind. Trying to force herself to stay calm, Ch'en could only swing her weapon, clashing with the swarming creatures.
"Hey! Pink Sausage Dragon, what's the situation on your end? I see people running out, except they look like mindless monsters. Are you still alive?"
At that moment, Swire was watching an Infected being hit by a dozen crossbow bolts—some even piercing through its head—yet it continued to move. This situation left her bewildered; she couldn't fathom what was happening. Had a Resident Evil-style outbreak actually hit Lungmen?
But then she suddenly remembered: her long-silent colleague was still inside! That "Pink Sausage" wouldn't end up being eaten by these things, would she? She glanced at these creatures, which looked exactly like the zombies from Columbia movies—according to the lore, these walking corpses preyed on the living!
"No problems for now. The situation inside is relatively secure. Their vitals aren't in the head; find a way to shatter the Originium crystals on their bodies. Take note..."
Ch'en explained the situation over the comms to Swire while hacking away at the walking dead. Soon, she was forced to retreat by the sheer surge of enemies; their offensive was too fierce.
Most notable among them was a massive entity in the distance—a fusion of the walking dead Ch'en had previously cleaved with Chi Xiao. They had begun to merge together, eventually forming a gargantuan mass of flesh.
However, its threat to them wasn't actually that great. Building a massive body didn't necessarily make it much stronger. After all, Terra still followed the laws of physics. The result of such a massive frame was that the skeletal structure couldn't support the weight; the creature couldn't even manage to crawl now.
This wasn't a video game where a composite entity's bones are as hard as steel, allowing something that heavy to chase cars with vigor. Right now, it looked more like a radiated slug without a shell—just a massive mound of meat struggling to writhe forward, leaving a trail of crushed blood beneath it.
"Maybe we can find a way to let these guys merge into an even larger composite! That way, they'll lose their mobility and be easier to deal with," Jeanne suggested as she pulled the struggling Ch'en back toward the group. They were currently protected by a circular wall of black iron thorns.
The creatures clawed at the iron thorns. Although they couldn't damage them, they produced a sound like fingernails scratching glass—a sound that made everyone's skin crawl.
"That sounds fine in theory, but what we lack most right now is area-of-effect attacks. If only Officer Ch'en could unleash that slash again—or even a weaker version. If all else fails, Jeanne, just summon your 'Summoned Beast'!"
Lemuen sighed at these unkillable things, marveling at Columbia's technological prowess and their incredibly flexible moral compass. If these things were dropped onto a battlefield, their impact might not be as large as imagined because they'd be blown to bits by Originium artillery. But if they were dropped stealthily into a populated area, the consequences would be no different from a small-scale Catastrophe—unless the administrators were heartless enough to bomb the entire zone.
"True, but that big guy looks like a tough nut to crack. If more of them show up and get close, we won't have any room to move, will we?" Gin remarked, looking at the giant. Although its movement was slow, its sheer size was becoming a problem.
Moreover, there were no longer any visible Originium crystals on the outside of that fused entity. It was unrealistic to think it had exhausted its supply. There was only one possibility: not only had the bodies integrated, but the scattered Originium had also merged into a core hidden deep within the flesh.
"I have a way to eliminate them, but I need some time to set it up. My only concern is that we can't let them wander too far!" Jeanne looked at the swarming dead. The numbers were increasing, and what they saw might just be the tip of the iceberg.
She didn't doubt the LGD officers' will to fight; she knew that desertion or a rout wouldn't happen to these warriors protecting Lungmen. What she truly feared was another modified zombie appearing.
These "special" ones must have possessed strong Originium Arts while alive, which was why the Doctor hadn't altered their abilities. The proof was that the wounds on the man Ch'en called Zheng Hui hadn't healed! He still bore the scars from the previous fight, which hadn't regenerated before his internal Originium ran out.
"Ch'en, do you have enough strength to use that attack again?"
Jeanne felt the mana gradually filling her body; in a little while, it would reach the required level. In other words, her Noble Phantasm gauge was almost full!
"Use Chi Xiao again? It's difficult right now. You saw it—I can't perfectly control it. If I force it, I'll likely fall unconscious."
Ch'en shook her head with a bitter smile. She felt her body, weakened from the previous use of the sword, and knew she truly couldn't draw it again. She felt like a dragon trapped in shallow water—desperate to change the situation, but powerless.
"Exhausted? In that case, I have an idea..."
Jeanne glanced at the weary Ch'en, then at her own Dragon Flag, murmuring to herself. Suddenly, she waved the flag. As the banner with the black dragon emblem fluttered, the others present seemed to hear the roar of an ancient, gargantuan beast.
"My kin, fight for me!"
Under the wave of Jeanne's flag, Ch'en felt like a young hero in a martial arts novel who had just had their meridians cleared. Her previously exhausted body was suddenly flooded with power.
"Incredible... I feel like I could knock down ten versions of my former self." Ch'en felt the power surging through her like a hot current flowing from her spine to her limbs. Every cell in her body seemed to cheer at the transformation. She felt like a dragon returning to the sea, possessing an unprecedented sense of strength. The moment her hand touched Chi Xiao, the blade became as submissive as a rabbit.
"Impressive, right? You've been buffed! Now get in there!" Jeanne prompted, surprised herself by how much of a boost her reinforcement ability provided when used at full tilt. However, this power had a time limit. If it stayed in Ch'en's body too long, it might have negative side effects.
"By the way, this buff lasts for three minutes of combat! Keep track of the time—don't let Chi Xiao go limp halfway through."
Jeanne didn't know if Ch'en was even listening. Regardless, the fully empowered Ch'en was ready for a real fight.
"Whoa, what kind of buff is that? She's a completely different person! Jeanne, why don't you try it on me? I only need half that much!" Lemuen watched the empowered Ch'en with envy.
Ch'en swung Chi Xiao, feeling a lightness she had never known. In the next moment, the sword light danced across the field like a soaring dragon.