Old Zheng's chest tightened.

Logically, he shouldn't reveal the contents of the box. But the young man standing before them had just saved their lives—and displayed terrifying, overwhelming strength in the process. Playing coy now was pointless. Honesty was the only viable survival strategy.

He pulled back Zhuang Qiang and Sun Meng, who had instinctively moved to shield him, and spoke with grave sincerity. "Inside is a Level 3 Psionic Core, harvested from a Level 3 Zombie Bear. I beg you, please don't take it. It is vital to our Life Sciences Research Institute. With this, we might finally develop weapons to counter the undead. It could be the key to saving what's left of the world..."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. "When did I ever say I wanted it?"

Old Zheng froze, his expression blank. "You... don't want it? This is a Level 3 Psionic Core."

Chu Xuan let out a dry chuckle. "To me, it's no different from a glass marble." He extended an open palm. "Let me see it."

Old Zheng hesitated for a fraction of a second before handing the box over. He had lived a long life and read countless people. The casual arrogance in the young man's voice wasn't feigned; he genuinely looked down on the Psionic Core.

Chu Xuan flipped the lid open.

A crimson bead rested quietly against the velvet lining. At first glance, it really did look like a cheap glass trinket. But as he extended his senses, he detected a faint thrum of energy locked within.

The quality of this energy, however, was vastly inferior to Spiritual Qi. The volume was decent, but if he had to make a comparison, it barely held a candle to the Spiritual Qi contained within a low-grade Spirit Stone.

After a brief inspection, Chu Xuan tossed the bead back into the box and shook his head in mild disappointment.

So, a Level 3 Psionic Core only holds about as much juice as a single, measly Spirit Stone.

He was finally starting to grasp the upper limits of the Esper power scaling on Hailan Planet.

"You two. Level 1 Espers? Military?" Chu Xuan's clinical gaze shifted to the two men in black.

He had noticed their seamless coordination earlier. That kind of synchronized movement wasn't forged in civilian brawls; it was the hallmark of a military camp.

The two men exchanged a wary glance before nodding.

Zhuang Qiang straightened his posture. "We belong to the Linjiang Army of Linjiang Province. Our orders were to retrieve the Zombie Bear's Psionic Core and ensure Professor Zheng's safe evacuation."

Chu Xuan gave a slight nod. It made sense. Even with a zombie apocalypse ravaging the globe, as long as humanity wasn't entirely wiped out, remnants of nations and factions would persist. Clearly, the official military apparatus of the Yanhan Celestial Dynasty was still kicking.

"And who exactly is coming to evacuate you?" Chu Xuan asked casually.

"The Black Vanguard Security Company," Sun Meng replied. "They're supposed to extract us via helicopter."

"Then why aren't they here?"

Zhuang Qiang let out a helpless sigh. "Their choppers haven't been flown in a long time and needed maintenance, so our original extraction time was set for noon. But when the zombie horde besieged us, we had to fire off a distress signal and request an early dust-off. The sudden change in schedule likely delayed them."

The two soldiers shared another look, their frustration evident. The Black Vanguard Security Company was just a local private faction, after all. They lacked the ironclad discipline and rapid response of the Linjiang Army.

To them, dying in the line of duty was acceptable. But failing to deliver the Level 3 Psionic Core would be a catastrophic loss for the entirety of Linjiang Province.

Chu Xuan's lips curled into a faint smile. "You managed to attract a massive horde of zombies. That is exceedingly useful to me. Do me a small favor, and I'll guarantee your safe departure."

The trio blinked, caught off guard.

Old Zheng's eyes widened with desperate hope. "Name it! If it's within our power, we will absolutely help!" Realizing he might have overpromised, he hastily added, "However, we cannot do anything that violates military regulations. That is our absolute bottom line."

Chu Xuan's smile widened into something almost predatory. "Oh, you don't need to do much. Just stand here on the rooftop and keep acting as bait. Keep the zombies swarming. With my Steadfast Stone Talisman on the door, they won't break through."

Old Zheng and the soldiers exchanged bewildered looks.

Keep acting as bait? What exactly was this young man planning? They racked their brains but couldn't fathom his endgame. Ultimately, they decided it was safer not to ask.

Old Zheng nodded firmly. "That isn't difficult. We can do that."

Chu Xuan gave a curt nod.

The next moment, a crimson blade materialized beneath his feet, and he shot into the air. A violent gale swept across the rooftop, forcing the three men to shield their eyes.

By the time the dust settled and they looked up, Chu Xuan was already hovering high in the sky.

The trio stood paralyzed with shock.

When Chu Xuan had first arrived, everything happened too fast for them to process. But now, they had witnessed it with their own eyes—he had literally flown into the sky!

What was this?

Sword Riding?!

That was a myth, a trope straight out of ancient Cultivation novels! Yet, it had just happened right in front of them.

Zhuang Qiang swallowed hard, his throat dry. "Flight... unassisted flight. That's not something a human can do..."

Sun Meng stared upward, his voice trembling. "Could he... could he be a Cultivator?"

Old Zheng's mind was a tempest of disbelief. His entire worldview, which had already been violently shattered and rebuilt by the zombie apocalypse, was collapsing all over again.

"This... this must be reported to high command the second we return..." he muttered, his aged fingers trembling uncontrollably. "A Cultivator... Our Linjiang Province actually has a living Cultivator!"

High above the ruined city.

Chu Xuan cruised through the air, his clinical gaze scanning the urban layout for optimal nodes to anchor his Formation.

The Blood Transformation Great Array required exactly eighteen Formation flags. He needed to plant them at eighteen specific geometric points, embed Spirit Stones into each flag to serve as a power source, and finally, synchronize them all using his Formation plate.

Chu Xuan's personal attainments in the Dao of Formations were strictly average. However, he was nothing if not pragmatic. He had invested a significant amount of time and resources into mastering this specific array, allowing him to deploy the Blood Transformation Great Array with practiced, mechanical efficiency.

Half an hour later, the perimeter was set.

Looking down from his aerial vantage point, the eighteen flags formed a perfect octadecagon centered around the unfinished high-rise. The invisible boundary neatly corralled the vast majority of the swarming undead below.

This was exactly why he had ordered Old Zheng and the soldiers to remain on the roof. They were the perfect bait, keeping the living resources densely packed and preventing them from wandering out of the kill zone.

With the trap primed, Chu Xuan descended back to the rooftop.

Old Zheng and his escorts were in the middle of washing down dry protein bars with rationed water. Seeing him land, they scrambled to their feet.

"Come with me. One at a time." Chu Xuan grabbed Old Zheng by the arm, preparing to take off. His flying Magical Artifact had a strict weight limit; it could only carry one passenger at a time.

The two soldiers instinctively lunged forward, moving to block Old Zheng. Their ingrained orders were absolute: protect the professor at all costs.

But Old Zheng quickly pushed their hands down, shooting them a sharp, warning glare. Reality crashed back into the soldiers, and they froze in their tracks.

With Chu Xuan's monstrous strength, slaughtering the three of them would require no more effort than swatting a fly. Yet, he was actively fulfilling his end of the bargain to evacuate them. Showing open distrust now was practically begging for death. Why provoke a predator who was currently acting as their savior?

"Young friend, I am in your hands," Old Zheng said, forcing an amiable smile.

Chu Xuan's lips twitched in a knowing smirk. He wasn't blind; he easily read the silent exchange and the underlying panic in the old man's actions. He simply didn't care enough to point it out.

These three had served their purpose flawlessly, gathering a bountiful harvest of undead flesh for his array. He was in an exceptionally good mood. Honoring a simple transaction and ferrying them away was merely good business.

In short order, Chu Xuan ferried all three men away from the besieged high-rise, depositing them in a deserted plaza a safe distance away.

"Call your extraction team yourselves. I have a harvest to attend to." Chu Xuan waved them off dismissively.

"Thank you." Old Zheng bowed deeply, unable to suppress his curiosity. "May I ask your esteemed name?"

"Chu Xuan."

"Thank you, young friend Chu Xuan. I, Zheng Baoshan, will forever remember the grace of you saving our lives today."

Old Zheng bowed one final time before retreating under the vigilant escort of Zhuang Qiang and Sun Meng.