Chapter 76: The Corpse Ball and the Fire Within

My sister and I were just about to get into the car and depart when a sudden gasp from her snagged my attention.

I instinctively followed her gaze, looking forward with a burgeoning curiosity.

What met my eyes was an SUV, utterly caked in bloodstains, its windows utterly shattered, hurtling rapidly in our direction.

Thanks to my awakened abilities, my physical capabilities had significantly improved.

Thus, I could clearly discern the glint of shrewdness that flared in the driver’s eyes the moment he spotted my sister and me.

Clearly, he was harboring ill intentions.

Having survived ten years in the apocalypse, I had encountered countless individuals who resorted to overt and covert tricks. This kind of novice held little interest for me.

At this moment, the driver undoubtedly intended to use my sister and me as bait to lure the zombies, buying him precious time to escape.

In the apocalypse, where life was constantly threatened with extinction, it was hardly uncommon for people to become corrupted and depraved.

It was a world where ‘kill or be killed’ was the norm, yet his grave error lay in daring to provoke me, Bai Han.

Seeing the driver steering the vehicle towards us, I took a few steps forward, shielding my sister behind me.

The car’s willingness to sacrifice us as bait indicated that the people inside had been utterly terrified by the monsters relentlessly pursuing them from behind.

“Brother, what’s that rolling thing behind the car? It looks so terrifying!”

“That’s a Corpse Ball. It’s a special type of zombie swarm, formed when a large number of zombies tumble down a steep slope and become tangled together.

Unable to separate, they eventually resort to rolling to move, thereby forming a Corpse Ball. Once formed, if it’s not destroyed promptly, its size will continue to grow.”

As I explained, the speeding vehicle and the Corpse Ball drew progressively closer to us. At this proximity, my sister could clearly see the countless zombie faces on the ball, mouths agape in roars, and various dismembered hands and feet scrabbling incessantly.

“Ew! The Corpse Ball is so disgusting!”

“Although these Corpse Balls appear to be composed of weak, low-level zombies, their sheer numbers and incredible rolling speed mean that ordinary people would be utterly incapable of resisting them.

They would either be crushed into a meat paste or assimilated into zombies themselves.”

“What about me, then? Brother, with my current abilities, can I deal with a Corpse Ball?”

“You cannot. Even though this Corpse Ball is still small-scale, your ability is purely healing. Relying solely on your strengthened physical power would not be enough to defeat it.”

“Ah! What should we do?”

“With your brother here, I promise nothing will happen.”

“Mm, I trust you, Brother.”

No sooner had I finished speaking than I saw a look of pure adoration bloom on my sister’s face. Witnessing this, I couldn’t help but let my lips curve into a smile.

While a Corpse Ball was certainly challenging, it was no match for me now.

Moreover, facing such a mobile treasure trove, it would be an utter waste to simply flee!

****

Just moments after Bai Han had reassured his sister, Bai Xia, he turned his full attention to the pursuing Corpse Ball.

The Corpse Ball before them stood seven or eight meters high, several times larger than the SUV it relentlessly chased.

Such a formidable Corpse Ball prompted Bai Han to silently ponder a solution.

Neither his spatial nor ice abilities were suitable for dealing with the Corpse Ball directly; even if they could destroy it, the subsequent cleanup would be incredibly difficult.

Therefore, only fire remained.

Despite the option to simply leave with his sister and avoid becoming bait for others, Bai Han’s lingering presence clearly indicated he had another plan in mind.

So, once Bai Han had devised his method, he stood quietly, waiting for the vehicle and the Corpse Ball to draw closer.

Finally, when the car and the Corpse Ball were only about a dozen meters from Bai Han, he raised one hand, palm outward, aiming it at the charging vehicle and the monstrous sphere.

As Bai Han extended his hand, dazzling red light began to coalesce from his palm.

The crimson glow swirled around him, heating the very air to an almost unbearable degree.

Standing behind Bai Han, Bai Xia was similarly overwhelmed by the sudden surge of heat. The closer she clung to him, the more intense the temperature became.

This made her grit her teeth, her hands clutching Bai Han’s clothes tightly, refusing to let go.

No matter what, she would not release her brother!

As the red light condensed in Bai Han’s hand, the approaching vehicle abruptly swerved, veering off to the side and exposing the Corpse Ball directly to Bai Han.

Watching the Corpse Ball draw ever nearer, Bai Han’s smile grew more radiant. He then channeled the energy within his body, causing the fireball in his palm to swell larger and larger.

At this moment, the fireball had grown to be taller than a man.

Just as the Corpse Ball was about to crush Bai Han and Bai Xia, the fireball in Bai Han’s hand finally launched.

The fireball floated effortlessly towards the Corpse Ball. The stark contrast in size, one massive and one small, clearly highlighted the immense disparity in their power.

There was no fierce battle; with a mere gentle collision between the fireball and the Corpse Ball, the latter instantly melted away, leaving no trace.

Only thick black ash and a multitude of crystal cores lay silently on the ground.