Chapter 2660

Zhu Yanyi categorized them into Level One, Level Two, and Level Three zombies.

Level One zombies were the lowest tier. They had no consciousness at all, acting purely on instinct. However, zombies could devour each other. This required external help. For instance, if one zombie died, another might find it, extract the crystal from the back of its head, and swallow it. After doing this enough times, it would evolve into a Level Two zombie.

Of course, becoming a Level Two zombie wasn’t that simple. Besides devouring crystals, a sudden increase in hostile energy in the air could also trigger evolution. If a Level One zombie absorbed this energy, it might evolve into a Level Two zombie. The same logic applied to Level Three zombies.

Zhu Yanyi also noticed that higher-level zombies seemed to possess more intelligence. Although she hadn’t seen any zombies beyond Level Three in this small town, Level Three zombies could already control Level Two and Level One zombies through the length and tone of their roars.

Furthermore, the crystals in the back of a Level Three zombie’s head were noticeably larger and brighter.

“What exactly are these crystals in their heads? Could they be something like a demon core?” Zhu Yanyi whispered.

“Just find a few zombies, extract the crystals, and you can study them,” Yan Aohan said calmly.

“Then help me kill five Level One, five Level Two, and five Level Three zombies,” Zhu Yanyi said, tilting her head to look at Yan Aohan.

Yan Aohan smiled slightly. With a subtle gesture of his hand, fifteen zombies were pulled toward him and killed instantly, their bodies remaining intact.

Zhu Yanyi did not bring the zombies into her Ruyi Space. She worried they might disrupt the space’s operation, so she wouldn’t conduct her research there. After looking around, she found a quiet house.

It appeared to have been a private clinic. Zhu Yanyi noticed many tools left behind.

She released Binglan to annihilate everything in the room. Then, she summoned the Suiyuan Pharmacy and moved it slightly, turning the place into her temporary domain. She could now begin her research within the Suiyuan Pharmacy.

Zhu Yanyi wasn’t worried about being discovered. The Suiyuan Pharmacy operated on fate. Only those with a connection to it would find it.

Zhu Yanyi began dissecting the zombies.

The positions of the internal organs hadn’t changed, but their appearance had. The organs seemed to have merged into a single mass. Food went directly into the stomach; intestines were useless to zombies. Most of what they ate was distributed by their bodies to fuel movement, while excess energy was sent to the crystal in the back of the head.

Zhu Yanyi first examined their external features and internal organs, then cut open their skulls to observe the changes in the brain.

The skulls of Level One zombies were flattened. If compared to humans, they resembled the brains of idiots. They acted entirely on instinct, unable to use their brains to control their behavior. The brains of Level Two zombies resembled those of two- or three-year-old children. They knew a little, but their memories faded quickly. In contrast, the brains of Level Three zombies were more developed, similar to those of six- or seven-year-old children.

From this, Zhu Yanyi was certain: the higher the zombie’s level, the higher its intelligence.

After studying the zombies, Zhu Yanyi had Binglan consume the corpses. She then pondered, “The mutation in zombies occurs in the brain and internal organs. If a human survives this process, they become a superpowered individual. If they fail, they become a zombie. But these zombies are pitiful. A Level One zombie is like an idiot, similar to a child in the womb, knowing nothing. A Level Two zombie is like a two- or three-year-old. A Level Three zombie is like a seven-year-old. So, can I conclude that zombies are another form of reincarnation after death?”

Zhu Yanyi looked at Yan Aohan after saying this. Yan Aohan hadn’t expected her to reach such a conclusion. She thought for a moment. Undeniably, her reasoning made sense. Before and after birth, infants were similar to zombies in many ways, except for their small size. The only difference was that infants needed breast milk, while zombies consumed humans and blood.

Yan Aohan nodded slightly. “So, what is your guess?”

“I suspect this might be the work of the Evil Buddha,” Zhu Yanyi said seriously. “Do you remember? The Evil Buddha once tried to create independent evil spirits. But because of the establishment of the Yanluo Realm, that plot failed. She needs a force she can control. Human life is limited, but zombies can live on. They are already dead, so they have no lifespan and are not bound by rules. By transforming human bodies, she gets the result she wants. This makes me believe it is the Evil Buddha’s conspiracy.”

Yan Aohan sighed deeply. “Wife, your guess is very reasonable. If this is true, we have a lot of work to do.”

There were so many zombies to account for. Because their bodies had changed, they were not part of the Five Elements. When they died, they could not return to the Underworld. Accounting for them would be troublesome.

“If this is truly the Evil Buddha’s conspiracy, I think we can no longer be soft-hearted toward him,” Yan Aohan said. He had never considered himself in direct conflict with the Evil Buddha. He always believed there was some lingering respect between them. But now, if the zombies were indeed created by the Evil Buddha, his previous thought that the Evil Buddha could be saved seemed empty and ridiculous.

Zhu Yanyi said, “We must assume the worst. Regardless of whether the Evil Buddha did this, we must treat it as her doing here. We will verify the truth later.”

The situation had already arisen. Investigating was less efficient than verifying. If it wasn’t the Evil Buddha, that would be best. If it was, Zhu Yanyi did not believe she was powerless against her.

Yan Aohan looked at the zombies wandering nearby. “Wife, can you save them?”

“I’ll try,” Zhu Yanyi said.