Chapter Thirty-Six: Light Once More

Faced with such doubts, Chen Yi offered no explanation.

For, according to what he remembered from his previous life, judging by the timing, it would be only a day or two before new changes occurred.

At that point, a tremendous surge would erupt across the sea.

The terrain of the other island was lower than this one; if they were to go there now, they would surely be submerged.

But this island’s elevation was higher, and the central area would remain unaffected.

After this storm, which resembled a rain of blood, the sky would clear once more. Yet the zombies who had been caught in the rain would undergo a new round of mutations, becoming even more formidable.

Even those zombies that had perished would be transformed, coming back to life in bizarre and twisted forms.

With the arrival of this new phase, zombies could officially be classified by level.

The weakest would be an ashen gray, drained of all color.

The mid-level zombies would be gray-blue, moving faster and with keener hearing.

High-level zombies would be crimson, not only swift but also deadly, with destructive power rivaling that of the giant zombies—leaders of any zombie horde.

At this level, zombies would even acquire unique mutant abilities based on the characteristics of their original bodies.

For example, the giant crimson zombies would possess unmatched strength.

There would also be zombies whose bodies constantly secreted venom, capable of corroding anything, dissolving wood in an instant, and burning or melting human flesh upon contact.

Elite zombies would be a dark purple, capable of speech, serving as the brains of zombie hordes, their intelligence comparable to that of a twelve-year-old human, and their attacks overwhelming.

All this knowledge had been uncovered in his previous life by the upper echelons, who had captured and studied individual zombies at great cost and sacrifice.

As Chen Yi recalled the past, rain suddenly began to pour, drumming furiously on the island’s rocky surface with a dense, urgent clatter.

A strange scent of rust soon filled the air, and a team member cried out, “It’s raining!”

Everyone looked up, and their hearts tightened at the sight—the color of the rain was wrong.

Stunned gazes fixed on this bizarre phenomenon, and soon people began to murmur, “Why is the rain red?”

Chen Yi’s expression shifted slightly, but within, his mind was already racing through possible dangers.

He immediately issued an order: “Everyone, get back inside now! Use your radios if you need to communicate.”

“No matter what, no one leaves the house until the rain stops!”

Though no one in his previous life had discovered whether the bloody rain posed any danger to ordinary people, the reborn Chen Yi was unwilling to take any risks.

At his command, everyone rushed indoors.

“Anyone who got caught in the rain, report your condition at all times—including myself,” he commanded sternly over the radio.

Scattered reports trickled in from inside the shelter.

“This rain is unreal.”

“Red rain—does this mean an even greater disaster is coming?” a team member asked, bewildered.

Chen Yi made no reply, standing at the window, watching as the rainwater struck the ground, forming crimson rivulets.

His memories told him exactly what this strange downpour would bring.

The rain grew even heavier, the wind howled, and the sea hurled up massive waves, like an enraged beast battering the edge of the island without cease.

Inside, all was quiet, save for the relentless tapping of rain on the glass and the occasional hushed exchange over the radio.

“How long will this rain last?” Hu Sanhan asked.

“It will bring nearly a month of flooding,” Chen Yi replied.

He continued, “This rain is also sweeping across the other island.”

“When we go there, we’ll find a completely new place.”

“And after this, there will never again be such terrifying storms or tidal surges.”

“That island will become the true site where our utopia will be built.”

His words lingered in everyone’s minds, and at last, they understood his earlier intentions.

“Incredible! How could Chief Chen possibly have predicted this?!”

“Amazing—following Chief Chen is absolutely the right choice!”

“He’s unbelievable! Maybe he really is a savior sent to us from above!”

“I don’t care if others believe it or not—as long as I follow Chief Chen, I’ve never suffered. He’s the one I trust!”

“That’s right, I’ll never question any of his decisions again!”

“You brat, so you ever doubted him before?”

“My mistake, my mistake… I apologize to Chief Chen!”

Listening to his teammates’ chatter, Chen Yi offered no explanation for how he knew all this.

Hu Sanhan, Chu Yunxi, and Lu Kai also refrained from asking how he had come by his knowledge.

As the overall leader of the group, it was only natural for him to have some secrets.

As long as he led them in the right direction, they were willing to trust him unconditionally.

Time passed swiftly, day by day. The rain truly lasted an entire month!

When the sun finally shone once more upon the land, everyone felt as though they were witnessing the dawn of hope.

The thick clouds at last dispersed, and warm sunlight bathed the island, reviving the world.

Life returned to the air; a gentle breeze caressed every blade and leaf, as if sharing in their long-awaited warmth.

“Alright, everyone, we can go outside now.”

Chen Yi stood at the window, gazing out at the transformed landscape, his tone tinged with excitement.

“At last, we can breathe fresh air again!”

“That’s right, we’ve been cooped up for way too long.”

“After a month indoors, I feel like I’m about to grow mold!”

“Finally seeing the sun—it feels like a whole century has gone by!”

Many of the team stretched their stiff limbs and inhaled the new air, joy lighting their faces.

As they moved out to the edge of the island to assess the situation, they found that trees and houses had been all but destroyed; shattered ruins and loosened soil painted a scene of desolation.

The air was heavy with a faint scent of burning and raw earth, a sobering reminder of the disaster they had endured.

“Thanks to you, Chief Chen!”

“If you hadn’t told us to take shelter in advance, who knows what would’ve happened to us…”

“That’s right, we’re lucky to be alive!”

“Thank goodness we didn’t set out for the other island early!”

“Chief Chen’s judgment was absolutely right!”

In that moment, the team’s trust in Chen Yi soared.

They regarded him almost as a god guiding them forward.

“We need to start preparing to move our supplies and head to the island thirty kilometers away.”

“The tasks ahead will be just as grueling—everyone, stay sharp until our utopia is built,” Chen Yi called out to his elated teammates.

“Are there any boats on this island?” Chu Yunxi came up beside Chen Yi.

She hadn’t been idle over the past month, instead spending time with him in the shelter, training her body.

Most of that time had been devoted to healthy physical exercise; she was determined to improve her physical fitness through hard work.