Chapter 37: Ancient Martial Arts

Lin Xinghai was stunned because, upon reaching this third underground level, he could not perceive a single zombie with his senses.

Of course, although this was unusual, it was impossible to stop and investigate right away; they had to keep moving forward. However, as they progressed, not only Lin Xinghai but the others also noticed the same problem. They had advanced over 300 meters without seeing a single zombie.

"Could it be that there was no one here to begin with?" a mercenary whispered. No one answered; the group simply continued their journey in silence.

Suddenly, Lin Xinghai froze. Within his sensory range, zombies had appeared—and they were in dense swarms. Fang Tianhe sensed it too. He paused in his tracks, lifted his wrist-mounted computer to check it, and his expression turned grave.

"The zombies on this level have all gathered in the energy room," Fang Tianhe said in a deep voice.

"What?" Many felt a shock in their hearts, while others lamented their bad luck.

After a moment of contemplation, Luo Jie spoke up. "I previously read a study published by the shelter. It seems zombies can absorb energy like radiation. Now that the energy crystals are unstable and emitting a massive energy field, could the zombies have been drawn here because of that?"

"Regardless, this hard battle is unavoidable. Let's go!" Fang Tianhe said, resuming his stride. Seeing this, the others had nothing more to say and followed along.

The group moved along the corridor and soon saw the zombies gathered in the energy room. They had not only packed the room itself but also filled the hallway outside, surrounding the energy room in layers upon layers.

Roar!

Although the zombies were interested in the energy crystals, fresh flesh was always their favorite. Upon discovering Lin Xinghai and his group, they immediately let out excited roars and charged.

"Triangular formation!" Fang Tianhe commanded. Wu Yan and Xu Hai immediately stepped forward, standing one to the left and one to the right of Fang Tianhe, trailing slightly behind him. The remaining five, including Lin Xinghai and Luo Jie, utilized the gaps between the three to fire desperately, killing the swarming zombies as best they could.

However, the zombies were too fast and too dense; they surged up instantly. Fang Tianhe showed no fear. As the zombies reached them, he swept his great blade horizontally.

*Puff, puff, puff, puff, puff!*

Five zombie heads flew into the air, including one high-level zombie. With Fang Tianhe bearing the brunt of the pressure from the horde, Wu Yan and Xu Hai had it much easier—one held a massive shield, the other transformed into a werewolf, blocking the few zombies on the flanks. The three formed a solid defensive line, allowing those in the rear to shoot with peace of mind.

Lin Xinghai watched this with deep emotion; this was the value of having a powerhouse present. If the previous zombie groups had been led by someone like Fang Tianhe, there would have been nothing for him and Luo Jie to do—a single swing could take out the most threatening high-level zombies. Even with hundreds of zombies here, as long as they couldn't break the formation held by Fang Tianhe and his men, they could be wiped out in just a few minutes.

But things did not develop as Lin Xinghai had predicted. Fang Tianhe did not merely defend; he pushed through the impact of the zombie swarm, continuing to move forward steadily. At the same time, his blade danced faster and faster. One strike followed another in a continuous, flowing motion; nothing in his path could resist even slightly, as every zombie was sliced in two. He even channeled his ability into his blade, forming black energy blades. For zombies the physical blade couldn't reach, he simply extended the energy blades to dispatch them quickly.

Eventually, the energy blades seemed to form layers of black waves, sweeping through the horde and leaving nothing but corpses in their wake. Lin Xinghai watched with his mouth agape, forgetting even to shoot. There was nothing for them to do; if Fang Tianhe could maintain this state, he could annihilate the entire horde by himself.

"Why does it feel like, even though we’re both using blades, the one in our commander's hand is like a completely different weapon?" Lin Xinghai swallowed hard. This scene truly exceeded his understanding.

"Heh! Of course it's different. The commander knows ancient martial arts. This technique is called 'Thousand Layer Waves'!" Seeing Lin Xinghai's expression, Luo Jie found it amusing; finally, there was something that could surprise him.

"Ancient martial arts?" Lin Xinghai repeated.

"That's right! We used to think that things like Tai Chi or Baguazhang were exaggerations or fabrications by the ancients, meant only for stage performances. But with the advent of gene serums, as our bodies grew stronger, we realized those ancient arts weren't just for show. It’s just that our physical conditions couldn't meet the requirements, so they looked awkward when we tried them."

"Now, many ancient martial arts have been proven effective and can unleash immense power. This 'Thousand Layer Waves' blade technique is one such example. Of course, this technique isn't usually this exaggerated, but it just happens to harmonize perfectly with the commander's ability. By using his ability to simulate the legendary blade aura, he can achieve such terrifying power," Luo Jie explained.

Lin Xinghai's eyes lit up. "Are there any martial arts suitable for me to learn?"

"No!" Luo Jie's answer was blunt and clear.

Lin Xinghai felt a lump in his chest. It was hard to have such high hopes only to have a bucket of cold water poured over him. "Why?"

"There are only a dozen or so martial arts manuals in the entire shelter, and none of them are for daggers. That's why I don't know any ancient martial arts either," Luo Jie said, gesturing with his own vibrating dagger.

"Then what types of ancient martial arts are there?" Lin Xinghai asked. He felt he could change his weapon.

"If you really want to learn, I'll take you to see them when we get back. The shelter charges a flat fee of 10,000 points per technique. But I think you should reconsider. Look at Wu Yan and Xu Hai; one bought a shield technique and the other a claw technique. They've been practicing for half a year and have only grasped the basics."

"Ancient martial arts aren't easy to learn. Even with daily practice, it takes at least two or three years to master the fundamentals. Unless you have the commander's talent—and even he spent four full months just to 'enter the gate.' As for reaching 'minor success,' that is a distant, indefinite goal."

"So, rather than wasting time and money on ancient martial arts, you're better off mastering what you're already good at, like your marksmanship. If you practice seriously..." Luo Jie, who had been rambling, suddenly hit a wall. Lin Xinghai’s inhuman talent for marksmanship really didn't require "serious practice."

"Ahem! Anyway, I just don't think it's worth it," Luo Jie concluded forcefully.

But despite the long speech, Lin Xinghai only heard the "10,000 points."

"That is damn expensive!"

However, watching Fang Tianhe display his might—in the short time they had been talking, he had single-handedly carved his way into the energy room—Lin Xinghai made up his mind.

"No matter what, I’m going to buy one!"