After Chi Ying grasped the implication, Gu Chi dialed the communicator and connected with Professor Yu.
He had just finished describing the fight between Bai Qing and the burly leader when Professor Yu’s excited voice burst from the other end of the line.
“Crystal nuclei! There’s something unusual about their crystal nuclei!” Professor Yu muttered rapidly. “Yes, yes, we might be able to make something from this… A detector! Right, if we can understand how their nuclei react to each other, we could create a device that identifies leader-class zombies!”
Chi Ying’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
Humans are really smart…
Gu Chi smiled at her reaction, his tone light. “I had the same thought.”
Professor Yu laughed, exuberant and pleased, and it took nearly a full minute before his excitement waned slightly.
“But hold on, it’s too early to celebrate,” he finally said. “Let’s confirm something first. Once we’re sure, then we can begin the real research.”
Gu Chi raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“We need to determine whether the reaction between the nuclei depends on the leader being alive.”
Professor Yu’s voice grew more serious. “Right now, we know that two living leaders can detect each other. But if one dies—can the other still sense its crystal nucleus?”
“You want me to test whether a leader can still sense a nucleus without its host?”
“Exactly. If this is confirmed,” Professor Yu said excitedly, “then leader-class zombies will have nowhere to hide.”
“All right,” Gu Chi replied calmly. “I’ll find a way to test it.”
After the call ended, Chi Ying dragged her chair closer. “Are we going to rely on Bai Qing for the experiment?”
“Yes. He’s our only available test subject,” Gu Chi said softly, meeting her eyes.
“Can I help?”
Gu Chi thought for a moment. “Can your space store items from the outside world?”
He remembered Chi Ying once mentioning a limitation with her system space.
She shook her head. “No, I still can’t store anything not generated by the system.”
“That’s fine,” Gu Chi smiled. “We’ve got teammates. Mu Yu should be able to do it.”
__
That night, Gu Chi—who had waited all day—finally received the long-awaited news.
“Sorry I’m late,” Xu Nian said as she entered. “Took a bit of work to make that guy’s death more… painful.”
“It’s fine,” Gu Chi replied, not looking surprised. “I only needed it done by today.”
“You didn’t sleep, did you?” she asked, noticing the fatigue on his face.
“No. But I had company.”
Xu Nian smirked. “That pretty little girl? Not bad. You’ve got taste.”
“…!”
Gu Chi paused, the tips of his ears turning red.
“Ahem. Anyway, we’ve extracted the leader’s crystal nucleus.”
Xu Nian stopped teasing and took out a small wooden box from her coat pocket. Inside was a glowing crystal nucleus.
Unlike those of ordinary zombies, this one was noticeably larger and perfectly formed.
“It really is different,” Gu Chi said, frowning as he studied it.
“Yeah, this is the first time I’ve seen one like this too. The color, the size—completely unlike lower-level zombies.”
“Oh, right.” Gu Chi suddenly thought of Bai Qing. “We’ll need to release the other leader tomorrow.”
Xu Nian nodded. “Got it. But honestly, I can’t believe you people dared to keep a zombie leader around… That’s gutsy.”
She chuckled to herself. Perhaps she was just getting old, losing the fearlessness of her youth.
“It’s not bravery,” Gu Chi said calmly. “Just that someone gave me the confidence to do so.”
__
The next day
Bai Qing was finally released from the confinement room.
As soon as it saw Gu Chi’s team, it rushed over, tears threatening to fall—though its tear ducts were long dried out.
“Wuuuu… thank you, thank you!!”
“You’re welcome,” Gu Chi said flatly, taking two discreet steps back. He really didn’t want to be clung to.
Rejected, Bai Qing turned its sights on Chi Ying and shuffled toward her, eager to cry some more.
But Gu Chi promptly put an arm around Chi Ying’s shoulders and pulled her behind him.
Chi Ying blinked in confusion, dazed from the sudden tug.
Bai Qing: “…”
It glanced around.
Xu Nian? Nope. Those who tied it up last night? Definitely not.
Then its eyes landed on Mu Yu—and immediately lit up.
With a blank face, Mu Yu watched Bai Qing approach. She forced herself to ignore it.
Stay calm, she told herself. Focus on the mission Captain Gu gave you.
“Wuuuu… Sister Mu Yu…”
Mu Yu stiffened and nearly gagged. She clung to her last thread of sanity.
“…It’s fine.”
“Pfft.” Lu Yunfei snickered behind them. “Hey, Sister Mu Yu’s got a good temper today.”
Mu Yu: “…”
She seriously considered committing murder on the spot.
But she swallowed her rage. There was still a task to complete.
As Bai Qing crept closer, just about to start whining again, its expression suddenly changed. It froze in place, face contorting.
Something felt… wrong.
Why did it sense a similar aura nearby?
That unmistakable stench of an evolved zombie—disgusting, familiar, and close.
“What’s wrong?” Mu Yu asked innocently.
In her left pocket rested the very crystal nucleus Xu Nian had handed over to Gu Chi. It pulsed faintly, hidden in the folds of her jacket.
She stepped closer to Bai Qing, her expression turning overly sweet.
“Are you okay?”
Bai Qing immediately backed away, fur bristling.
It’s her! The scent came from her!
Panic set in. This woman was part of the team—attacking her would ruin its chances of getting into the Human Alliance.
Instinct warred with rationality. Its body trembled under the strain, expression twisted in unease.
“Stay back!”
Mu Yu tilted her head playfully, glancing at Gu Chi. It was time for the next phase.
Suddenly, the unpleasant aura vanished.
Bai Qing relaxed, though it still felt odd. Was the fight from yesterday affecting its senses?
In truth, Mu Yu had simply stored the crystal nucleus inside her spatial ability. Once sealed, the nucleus was entirely cut off from the real world—no detection was possible.
Gu Chi watched the scene unfold with satisfaction, fingertips tapping lightly as a smile curved his lips.
The result was clear.
Lucien On ABRWF Chapter 34.1