[Ding! Killed Tier-1 Zombies: 7. Gained Demon Hunt Points: 7. Total Points: 31]
Behind him, Lin Qingqing's eyes were wide with shock, utterly unable to believe what she had just witnessed.
Every movement Huan Tian made was precise to the millimeter. Every attack targeted the zombies' weak points with terrifying efficiency. Even someone like Lin Qingqing, a complete outsider to combat, could see how horrifyingly effective his fighting style was.
From throwing weapons, to firing his gun, to cutting down the last zombie—everything happened in less than ten seconds.
He was a killer born to slay the undead.
"That last move… not bad,"
Huan Tian's emotionless praise brushed past Lin Qingqing's ear like a cold breeze. She looked up and saw a sight she would remember for the rest of her life.
At her feet, zombie corpses lay scattered in twisted heaps, fresh blood soaking the carpet into a deep crimson. Huan Tian stood at the center of the carnage, drenched in gore, his entire being emanating a chilling, deadly aura.
Lin Qingqing stared blankly at the scene, unable to pull herself away for a long moment.
Then, she saw Huan Tian begin to undress.
Piece by piece, he stripped off his bloodstained clothing. He opened a bottle of mineral water and began washing the blood from his face, completely unbothered by her presence.
Only when Lin Qingqing caught sight of the sculpted, chiseled lines of his body did she snap back to her senses, blushing furiously and quickly turning her face away.
"You're… amazing. And… why do I feel like you're good at hunting these monsters?"
"Smart people know what questions they should and shouldn't ask."
At his cold reply, Lin Qingqing immediately shut her mouth. Apart from the sound of rain tapping against the windows, only the splash of water as Huan Tian cleaned the blood from his hair and skin remained.
"Don't just stand there. Help me rinse. It's wasteful for me to do it alone."
Lin Qingqing hurried forward, took the bottle of mineral water, and carefully began pouring it over Huan Tian's body.
It was at that moment that she got her first close-up look at him.
His tight, well-defined skin glistened with sweat, catching the moonlight that poured in through the window, casting a silvery sheen across his body. The sharp scent of blood, sweat, and raw masculinity overwhelmed her senses. For someone who had never even had a boyfriend, Lin Qingqing suddenly found herself completely flustered.
"What are you getting so worked up about?" Huan Tian's voice cut through the air, cold and indifferent.
"Who's worked up?! I'm not!" she stammered.
"Then why are your hands shaking? Don't you know that's wasting water?"
Flushed with embarrassment, Lin Qingqing turned her head away, puffing her cheeks in frustration and muttering under her breath. The brief, ambiguous atmosphere between them instantly evaporated, replaced by a chill once more.
The corner of Huan Tian's mouth lifted slightly—but the smirk disappeared just as quickly.
By his standards, Lin Qingqing had done well so far. But what was coming next… he wasn't sure she could handle it.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a strange noise echoed through the small meeting room.
Startled, Lin Qingqing turned around and saw the corpse of a construction worker, suspended from the ceiling by a safety rope, begin to convulse violently, as if struck by lightning. His limbs jerked and twitched, muscles locking and twisting with such force that his joints crackled and popped like a rapid downpour hammering on a metal roof.
Suddenly, the corpse wrenched upward and vomited a thick stream of dark blood. The spasms stopped.
For a split second, silence returned.
Then, the construction worker's corpse snapped its eyes open.
Dead gray pupils locked directly onto Lin Qingqing's.
In the frozen silence of that single second, the corpse—now a zombie—lunged.
"Roarrr!"
Its claws slashed wildly through the air, legs kicking furiously. But the safety rope held tight, keeping it suspended in midair, flailing helplessly.
Huan Tian stood with his back to the creature, completely motionless, not even turning his head despite the chaos erupting behind him.
But Lin Qingqing, only steps away from the creature, was paralyzed with fear. The zombie's claws flailed less than half a meter from her face, the cold wind from its movements brushing her skin.
Her mind went completely blank.
Thud—
Lin Qingqing dropped to the ground with a thud, trembling violently as her legs gave out beneath her. The half-full bottle of water in her hand slipped and spilled all over the floor.
"You wasted the water."
Huan Tian's cold voice cut through the room like a blade. Lin Qingqing flinched violently, panic surging through her as she scrambled to grab the rolling bottle.
"I'm sorry! I'll pick it up right away!"
But her trembling fingers couldn't even hold onto the plastic. She only managed to bat the bottle back and forth across the floor, causing even more water to spill out.
Huan Tian simply stood there, looking down at her from above, his gaze utterly emotionless, like watching a stranger fail a meaningless task.
His earlier warning echoed relentlessly in Lin Qingqing's mind, ringing louder with every second. And then—tears. Big, hot tears poured uncontrollably from her eyes.
She cried like someone who'd finally reached their breaking point, and with shaking hands, she snatched the bottle from the floor—only to realize there was barely a single mouthful left.
Her eyes were wide, her body trembling, and the helplessness on her face cracked completely into despair.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"
"I'm sorry…"
"…Was I too harsh on her?"
A flicker of doubt passed through Huan Tian's icy expression, a thin crack in his otherwise impenetrable mask. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished—swallowed back into cold indifference.
"Get up. Look at me."
He grabbed her chin, forcing her tear-streaked face upward.
"Lin Qingqing, you need to understand—I'm doing this for your good. If you want to keep following me, you'll have to force yourself to accept everything you see."
"I don't need a porcelain doll who can only pour tea and cry when things get hard. I need a soldier. Someone who can survive."
His words struck like gunshots, cold and merciless.
"Let me be clear. I am pushing you on purpose. If you can't take it, then walk away right now."
"And don't think that warehouse in your head makes you indispensable. Without you, I'll only do better."
Tears streamed down Lin Qingqing's eyes in a steady flow, her gaze locked on Huan Tian like a stunned doll. But within the haze of confusion, a flicker of focus began to return to her pupils.
It was the first time she had looked Huan Tian in the eyes at such close range. Their breath brushed against each other's cheeks, warm and undeniable. A faint blush crept across her face, and she quickly turned her head away, too flustered to meet his gaze again.
"I... I understand. I'll do my best."
"Good." Huan Tian nodded, then flicked his wrist.
Clang.
A short spear landed at Lin Qingqing's feet, its metal tip catching the light with a cold gleam.
"Pick it up. Kill the monster behind you. From now on, that's your weapon."
Lin Qingqing's body trembled instinctively, fear clawing at her nerves—but she gritted her teeth hard, bent down, and picked up the short spear. Slowly, she turned to face the zombie construction worker still dangling from the ceiling.
"That's it," Huan Tian said, stepping behind her, his voice steady and instructive. "I'll teach you how to use it."
"Right hand at the base—push. Left-hand aims."
"And always go for the eyes. This kind of makeshift weapon won't pierce a zombie's reinforced skull. But through the eye, you can reach the brain."
"One more thing—zombies hunt by sensing body heat. If you let fear take over and your adrenaline spikes, your body temperature will rise. That just makes you an even bigger target."
…
Huan Tian stood just behind her, watching every movement. Lin Qingqing was slow, almost clumsy—but she didn't stop. Step by step, she inched closer to the zombie, her footsteps carrying a quiet resolve.
"Die!"
With a shout, Lin Qingqing thrust the spear forward—but it missed by a hair. The tip struck the zombie's forehead and bounced off the hard skull. The recoil sent her stumbling forward.
Huan Tian moved instantly, grabbing her and pulling her back to safety.
"Roar!"
The zombie swung its claw fiercely, its sharp, rotting nails grazing right past Lin Qingqing's face, sending a cold sweat rushing down her back. She stumbled, barely keeping her balance.
"Always hold back about thirty percent with each strike," Huan Tian's voice was low and steady. "If you go all out and miss, you're signing your death warrant. Don't be afraid, I'm here—try again."
Lin Qingqing gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the short spear. Time and time again, she attacked and failed, but the fear in her eyes began to fade with each attempt.
Finally, on the eighth strike, she landed a hit, piercing the zombie's right eye socket!
But it wasn't deep enough. Instinctively, Lin Qingqing slammed the butt of the spear down hard.
"Thud."
The spear sank deeper, and the zombie convulsed violently before falling completely still.
"I killed it… I did it!"
Lin Qingqing froze for a moment, then suddenly burst with joy. She jumped up, tears sparkling in her eyes, and the overwhelming fear she'd felt before seemed to vanish.
She spun around and threw herself into Huan Tian's arms, hugging him tightly. "I did it. Thank you."
The sudden embrace stunned Huan Tian for a moment.
Lin Qingqing was wearing only a thin shirt, soaked with sweat. Huan Tian, having just rinsed off, stood bare-chested. The thin fabric couldn't hide the incredible texture of her body, and the sudden closeness sent a jolt through the air.
Both of them instantly realized the awkwardness.
Lin Qingqing's face flushed deeply, and she quickly pulled away, lowering her gaze. "I…"
Huan Tian turned and cut her off. "Congratulations, you're qualified. Now you can rest."
Without another word, he walked away.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.
—This girl was dangerously impressive. He almost lost control.