Blood Warlock: Succubus Partner In The Apocalypse Chapter 4 - Xuanyuan Sword

The orb, roughly the size of a newborn's fist and glowing in an orange hue, fit perfectly in Bai Zemin's grasp. As soon as he held it, an instinctive knowledge flooded his mind, making the use of the orb feel as familiar as breathing.

Clenching his fist firmly, the orb emitted a brief flash, and once the light faded, a new item materialized in Bai Zemin's palm.

[Xuanyuan Sword: Its might can shred through the protections of nearly every beast under level 40, and its blade sharp enough to slice an armored vehicle. Equipping it boosts Strength +20].

Dark gold in tone, the sword bore intricate carvings along its edge and handle, lending it an aura of profound mystery. It stretched slightly over a meter long, with a width spanning about four adult fingers.

Bai Zemin swung it a few times and gave a nod of approval. Though he lacked any real sword expertise from never handling one before, this Xuanyuan Sword now let him strike foes from a safer distance, avoiding the deadly risks of close combat.

Beyond that, merely holding the sword pumped his strength up by twenty points right away. A surge of immense power coursed through him, convincing him he could pulverize rock with one punch.

Intrigued by his updated stats, he summoned his status panel, and soon glowing green text appeared across his vision.

[Bai Zemin -

[Status Points: 16]

[Level: 8]

[Race: Human]

[Job: None]

[Title: None]

[Strength: 20 (+20) / Agility: 13 / Health: 15 / Stamina: 16 / Mana: 109 / Magic: 109]

Boasting forty points in strength now, Bai Zemin matched the combined might of four ordinary folks from the pre-apocalypse era. The thrill of advancing steadily and witnessing his gains firsthand proved so addictive that, despite the grim surroundings, a grin crept onto his face.

With no zombies left on this level, Bai Zemin took a brief five-minute break. Physically he felt fine, but mentally the strain weighed on him. Five minutes wasn't long, yet it beat pushing on without any pause.

Having burned through over half his stored blood battling the Strength Zombie moments ago, Bai Zemin topped off the bottle with fresh blood and headed for the exit.

Right then, the campus resembled a nightmarish inferno unleashed upon the world.

Students dashed in chaotic frenzy, pursued by shambling zombies, enormous bugs, and beasts of horrifying proportions.

These bizarre monsters turned on each other too, with losers torn apart and consumed by winners, fueling their rise to greater power.

A host of students bled profusely, their cries and sobs filling the air as they desperately pleaded for aid.

Witnessing such horror, Bai Zemin's hold on the Xuanyuan Sword tightened instinctively. Though typically detached and not much of a social butterfly with few close ties, watching his fellow humans get devoured stirred an unsettling disgust within him.

'Humans slaughter pigs, sheep, cows, goats, and countless other animals for food and survival,' Lilith's voice rang out beside him after her long silence. 'But now the world has flipped—humans aren't the sole hunters anymore. Embrace this reality soon, and it'll get easier for you.'

Bai Zemin stayed quiet. He recognized the hard truth in Lilith's statement, yet shifting his outlook wasn't something that happened overnight. Still, survival remained his utmost goal.

No matter the horrors, he'd claw his way through this inferno and endure, all to reunite with his family.

A fairly attractive young woman sprinted desperately as a massive brown hound, nearly five feet tall, barreled after her with terrifying velocity. In mere heartbeats, the beast lunged, slamming her to the pavement.

Terror widened her eyes as the monstrous jaws gaped toward her. Her throat teetered on the brink of being torn asunder when a razor-sharp gleam sliced through the air for an instant.

The huge dog's advance halted abruptly, and moments later, its head tumbled free from its torso. Hot blood splashed across the girl, but after enduring so much already, she stifled any scream and gazed at her savior.

That savior was none other than Bai Zemin.

[You have obtained soul power from Mutated Dog level 9. Agility +4, Stamina +4].

'Get on your feet and stick with me if you want to survive! Hurry!' he barked. Not pausing for a reply, he dashed toward another student under assault from a massive bee, bisecting it cleanly with his blade.

Scrambling up in fright, the girl wasted no time and trailed after him, realizing he was her sole lifeline.

The rescued male student hurried along too, voicing his gratitude without hesitation.

Bai Zemin navigated the campus grounds toward the gymnasium. It seemed the sole secure spot now, lacking glass panes that mutated horrors could shatter to invade.

Though his heart yearned to rush to his family's side, Bai Zemin understood he first had to grasp his dire circumstances. He knew all too well that haste in this catastrophe would only speed him toward doom.

En route, Bai Zemin aided over fifteen more students, rescuing them from pursuing beasts or bugs. Those ensnared by zombies, however, stood no chance.

Zombies lagged behind mutated animals in speed and lacked the erratic strikes of giant insects; instead, they lumbered slowly with awkward motions. Yet even a minor graze spelled inevitable doom.

Five students bolted ahead while ten zombies lumbered in pursuit. They avoided glancing back, focusing solely on fleeing at full tilt. But as they rounded the bend, five more zombies lurched into view, shambling their way.

One student's panic seized him, halting his stride and earning a vicious claw from a zombie. The agony jolted him back to motion, and he fled with his friends—only to find themselves trapped.

Five zombies barring the front, ten sealing the rear.

As despairing wails rose, multiple sword glints erupted, and within just over ten seconds, all ten pursuing zombies lost their heads.

'Incredible strength!' Zhang Ming, a lanky student, blurted out in awe as he watched Bai Zemin charge the forward five and dispatch them like mere poultry.

'Was there a student this powerful at our school? Check out how many lives he's saved!' another murmured in shock, eyeing the fifteen Bai Zemin had gathered.

Though Bai Zemin had zero finesse with swords and relied solely on brute force swings, his agility hit 17 points—nearly twice a normal human's from before the end times. Plus, the Xuanyuan Sword's edge was peerlessly keen, letting him sever zombie necks effortlessly.

After swiftly beheading the fifteen zombies, a touch of weariness settled over Bai Zemin. From departing the dorm, he'd slain around sixty zombies, plus ten colossal insects and three mutated hounds.

All those victories had pushed him to level up once, now at level 9. Stronger he certainly was, but his stamina dwindled steadily, and carelessness could leave him overwhelmed and dead.

Bai Zemin approached the student group, and before thanks could spill out, he jabbed a finger at the scratched one and declared sternly, 'You can't remain. You have to go.'

His words hit the five friends like a thunderbolt, twisting their faces in shock. Yet the fifteen Bai Zemin had personally saved stayed mute, huddling behind him while scanning the chaos warily.

'What!? Why must I leave!?' the targeted student bellowed in outrage.

'That zombie scratched you—I saw it happen,' Bai Zemin replied icily. 'You know the consequences, right?'

The student's complexion drained of color. Refusing to face his fate, he lashed out, 'What makes you so sure!? How do you even know those filthy things are zombies!?'

Pity flickered in the onlookers' eyes toward him.

Bai Zemin met his gaze with chill indifference, offering no further words, then pivoted and strode resolutely toward the gymnasium.

The students hustled after him—including the scratched one.

Noticing from the corner of his eye, Bai Zemin whirled back and closed the gap in seconds. A solid gut punch dropped the student to his knees, gasping for air.

'I warned you not to follow,' he stated flatly, then resumed his path without a backward glance.

No one dared utter a peep, not even the fallen student's four companions.

Bai Zemin's spirits soured deeply now, and after felling over a hundred zombies, a heavy cloak of blood scent clung to him, radiating a feral menace that deterred any challenge.

'This human grows on me more with every passing minute, hehe...'

Lilith observed his retreating form with sparkling eyes, her lips arching into a captivating, alluring smile that could ensnare any man's soul. Yet, curiously, no one around seemed to notice her presence.