Chapter 4

Standing before the nearly four-meter-high iron gate with spikes lined up at the top, it was clear that climbing over it would take a lot of time. If he were spotted by the undead mid-climb, he would be trapped with no chance of survival. “Move quickly.” The area of Cemetery No. 4 was larger than the others, with chaotic mounds of graves and uneven terrain, providing some room for maneuver. He adjusted the kerosene lamp to its lowest setting. After a short sprint, Yi Chen, guided by his memory, reached a high slope offering good cover. Large tombstones were scattered around, and his lean body fit perfectly behind an arched stone. With his ear to the ground, he listened. There was no sound, confirming that the undead hadn’t followed. Resting against the cold tombstone brought him a strange sense of comfort. Breathing heavily, he recalled the strange events that had just occurred. “Who locked the gate? And why was it chained from the outside? If I had to guess, it’s probably the work of the ‘organization’ mentioned in the manual.” The original owner of this body, William, had committed some offense, and the organization likely had people monitoring the cemetery to prevent further mistakes. When they saw him in Cemetery No. 4, they must have locked the gate by some means. This would directly lead to one of two outcomes: 1. He would survive and perfectly resolve the zombie incident. 2. He would be killed, and they would deal with the problem themselves. Yi Chen quickly moved on from this question to another—the “warning sound” that had just saved him. “The voice sounded almost identical to the one I heard in Cemetery No. 6. Could it be...?” As he pondered, he heard a faint rustling sound. The mound of dirt in front of him shifted as though something were about to emerge. "I... I'm just using your tombstone as cover. I mean no disrespect!" Yi Chen instinctively thought he had disturbed the grave's owner and explained himself, slowly rising with his hatchet raised defensively. Then, he heard a familiar, eerie voice from the soil again: "Don't get up. If ‘that thing’ spots you now, things will get very troublesome..." As soil fell away, a peculiar mouth emerged from the mound. The mouth was lined with two rows of perfectly white, evenly spaced teeth—far more than a human’s. The mouth opened to about 90 degrees. The inside was pitch black, with no sign of a tongue, like a dark abyss that seemed to draw you in if you stared too long. From deep within this mouth, something began to float upward, vaguely resembling a spherical shape. Finally, a single eye with a black pupil and white body appeared, staring intently at Yi Chen. Perhaps because he had already faced the terrifying undead, this strange “toothy eye” didn’t frighten him. His instincts even suggested it might not be dangerous, possibly even “friendly.” "Are you from Cemetery No. 6?" When Yi Chen tentatively asked, a strange, blended voice echoed from within the mouth: "Yes, I’m a resident of the pet area… Recently, I gained self-awareness. When I was assembling my body, I accidentally knocked down a tombstone." "I never expected a low-level 'laborer' like you to voluntarily repair it. And the timing of your appearance is also very unusual; I followed you here to investigate." “Now I understand... You’ve been assigned to deal with the mutated undead from the mass grave section.” The voice used many unfamiliar terms, but Yi Chen could barely follow. “Are ‘pet area’ No. 6 and ‘mass grave section’ No. 4?” “Exactly... The cemetery is like a factory, with different sections serving different purposes and periodically producing things of value. The ones most prone to issues are the Desecration Area (2) and the Mass Grave Section (4). As for more information, there is no point in telling you now.” “Your sole task now is to eliminate that mutated corpse.” “Will you help?” Yi Chen posed the most crucial question. With a fellow “cemetery resident” aiding him, his survival chances would greatly improve. “I can’t provide direct help. I’m merely a ‘pet’ here and can’t handle such mutations.” The eye rolled within the mouth as it continued, “But since you helped repair my tombstone, I’ll offer you some ‘sensory’ assistance.” “Sensory?” The mound shifted again, and a black-furred arm shot out. The spherical creature emerged from the soil, standing with its legs in a proud stance on the mound. This standing posture seemed to show off its figure. “Ah…” Yi Chen’s terrifying mental image of it shattered. He realized why this creature came from the pet section. This furry black ball was only about the size of two palms, with limbs resembling a cat’s but slightly longer. Its paws had three fingers, resembling pads. After showing off its body, it leapt onto Yi Chen’s shoulder. Then something strange happened. Click, click… Its long legs dismantled into tiny black veins with needle-like ends that pierced his skin and anchored it to his shoulder, merging into an external part of him. Along with the veins, a nerve connection was established, directly linking the creature to his brain. Buzz! Once attached, Yi Chen’s 'vision' transformed, expanding into a wider frame with a small screen on the right showing the creature’s viewpoint. As the creature rotated on his shoulder, he could see a 360° view of the graveyard. Most people would struggle with such split-screen vision, but Yi Chen seemed thrilled. The most crucial part was that when both the creature’s and Yi Chen’s eyes focused forward, the two views would merge, enhancing his field of vision. He could even clearly see the fungal spores drifting in the air. This was the promised 'sensory' assistance, effectively becoming his “second eye.” Moreover, through their neural link, the creature could communicate with Yi Chen directly through consciousness, giving timely danger alerts.