QT: The Rescue Of The Miserable Bigshots-Chapter 299 - 9.45

Under Jiang Jiamian’s leadership, the A City base grew at an astonishing pace over the next few months.

Originally, although it ranked above the other bases, the gap wasn’t overwhelming. But after several months passed, the A City base had become the largest base in the apocalypse, larger than all the others combined.

When people spoke of safe zones or bases, they almost exclusively meant A City. The names of other bases rarely came up anymore.

And when people talked about strength, they spoke of only one person: Jiang Jiamian, the undisputed strongest of the apocalypse.

A few months later, on this very day, the apocalypse witnessed a historic change, one that would shake the entire world.

Professor Ling Zhuang of the A City base had developed a vaccine for the zombie virus.

This meant that the six-month-long apocalypse was finally nearing its end.

People had mentally prepared for a long-term struggle, ten years, twenty years, or even longer, believing that humanity might have to permanently live under the threat of zombies.

Who could have imagined that hope would arrive so quickly?

Six months. Just six short months. And Professor Ling had created a vaccine that could purify the zombie virus.

"Professor Ling, this vaccine can purify the virus... but will it also purify other things?"

When the news spread and countless people rushed to obtain the vaccine, some ability users, accustomed to the immense power their superhuman abilities granted, were not as joyful as others.

Ling Zhuang, of course, understood what they truly wanted to ask.

A hint of a sneer flashed through his heart. He exchanged a subtle glance with Jiang Jiamian, who was seated beside him.

Jiang Jiamian understood immediately.

Ling Zhuang still remembered the question they had once discussed. Even if the apocalypse ended one day, would people who had tasted overwhelming power really be willing to return to normal?

The answer was simple.

No.

At least not everyone.

Just like powerful cultivators in cultivation novels, after experiencing the power to ride clouds, control wind and rain, and live for thousands of years, how could they willingly return to mortal bodies, their lifespan reduced to mere decades?

Jiang Jiamian knew Ling Zhuang was being sarcastic, yet he still gave him a small, knowing smile.

The path to godhood was one Ling Zhuang had either chosen or had been unable to back away from.

Jiang Jiamian had already lifted him up ruthlessly.

Not just the A City base, but every other base and even other countries now knew the name Professor Ling Zhuang, the man who created a vaccine that could purify the zombie virus and end the bleak apocalypse.

The news spread like wildfire: Professor Ling was hailed as humanity’s savior.

He had been placed on the highest pedestal by Jiang Jiamian himself.

Even if some people occasionally questioned him, he was still a god bathed in holy light.

Ling Zhuang sneered inwardly, though his face maintained a gentle, mildly confused expression. "Other things? Like what?"

The ability user hesitated, gritted his teeth, and finally spoke the truth.

"Superpowers."

Back when the apocalypse first descended, countless people fell into a coma. Some woke up to find they had gained superpowers, while many more awakened as zombies.

Thus began humanity’s polarization.

At the root, superpowers and zombification were simply two different directions of mutation caused by the same virus.

Now that a vaccine existed, purifying the zombie virus was undoubtedly a blessing. But if it also removed the superpowers of ability users...

They would refuse to use it.

Let the injured or infected use it.

They wanted to remain the strong.

"No." Ling Zhuang answered decisively.

He had promised Jiang Jiamian that he would become this apocalypse’s savior.

And if he was going to do it, he intended to be a savior who truly elevated this world, not simply restore it to what it once was.

Zombies could disappear, but the powers of ability users would not.

A world where the strong ruled.

Its new order would resemble the survival-of-the-fittest laws of cultivation realms. Even if zombies vanished, peace would not return.

And he, Ling Zhuang, would be the one who transformed an ordinary world into a zombie apocalypse, then erased the zombies, and finally elevated it into a world ruled by superhuman power.

Unaware of the grand blueprint Ling Zhuang had drawn, the ability users were ecstatic after hearing his simple answer.

"Really!? Professor Ling is amazing! Then we can all use the vaccine safely? With this, the zombies will definitely disappear soon!"

With the vaccine, new zombies would no longer be created.

Humans and ability users would no longer turn into zombies from scratches or bites.

The number of infected would drop dramatically.

Only the existing zombies remained, and sooner or later, they would all be eliminated.

The end of the apocalypse was in sight.

Those who eagerly awaited the end had little time to consider what the world would become afterward.

Or perhaps some had considered it, but chose to quietly observe, not daring to act yet, not daring to challenge the rapidly changing future.

Three more months passed, and Jiang Jiamian personally killed the last zombie in the world.

This meant the apocalypse was truly and completely over.

Ling Zhuang quietly watched as Jiang Jiamian struck down the final zombie and skillfully extracted its crystal core. He let out a soft sigh. "Now you really are a lone commander."

As the Zombie King, he had become the strongest existence in this apocalypse, and in the end, he had slaughtered all of his own kind.

It was ironic. Absurd. Almost funny, if one thought about it.

But then Ling Zhuang suddenly paused.

No, Jiang Jiamian hadn’t killed the last zombie.

Ling Zhuang himself was the last zombie.

It seemed that Jiang Jiamian had lived among humans for so long, becoming their invisible leader, that even he had almost forgotten he remained the leader of the zombies, the true Zombie King.

"A lone commander? Hahaha, hahahahahaha!"

Jiang Jiamian froze for half a second, then suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

Ling Zhuang stared at him in confusion as Jiang Jiamian clutched his stomach. "Is it that funny? Did I say something funny?"

He had simply stated a fact, with Jiang Jiamian as the only zombie king left, of course he was a lone commander.

Was there anything wrong with that?

"No, no..." Jiang Jiamian waved his hand, still laughing. "You’re right! Absolutely right! Too accurate! Way too accurate!"

Ling Zhuang: "..."

Something felt wrong.

But he couldn’t pinpoint what.

With the apocalypse officially ending, the suppressed thoughts of many people finally surfaced.

"I’m an ability user now. You expect me to go back to a normal job? Impossible. I don’t even have a home to return to!"

"Exactly. Everyone’s concentrated in the base right now. Rebuilding the city will take years. Some of us have powers, some are just ordinary people. How are we supposed to return to the old society? We should build a new system based on ability and contributions!"

This was something not only Ling Zhuang and Jiang Jiamian had already predicted, but even the general population had vaguely anticipated it ever since the vaccine appeared.

Everything before the apocalypse will be shattered and rebuilt. Even after the apocalypse ends, it’s impossible for everyone to quietly return to their original state.

The old world had already collapsed and would never return.

Some people were unwilling. Some were unable.

Those who had been nobodies before the apocalypse but awakened powers and gained status naturally didn’t want to go back to mediocrity.

And those who were once wealthy or influential but lost their status during the apocalypse couldn’t return to their former position either.

"I know everyone feels that a new social system should be established." Jiang Jiamian, as the leader and strongest person in the apocalypse, still has unparalleled authority and weight even after the apocalypse ends. "My idea is to continue the base division system from the apocalypse and actively rebuild it. Those without objections, remain silent. Those with objections, it’s simple, the old rules, you can talk if you can beat me."

Didn’t Ling Zhuang want a world where the strong were respected? Jiang Jiamian would grant him one.

As soon as he finished speaking, the majority had no objections.

His proposal perfectly appealed to the psychology of most ability users, they didn’t want to lose the status and privileges they had earned.

Just the word ’continue’ was enough for them.

Those few who disagreed lacked the courage to voice it.

And so, the world entered a new era, no longer the apocalypse, yet never again the world from before.

One or two years passed. As the world slowly regained its vitality and beauty, Jiang Jiamian noticed Ling Zhuang preparing to close the lab and take him sightseeing. Curious, he went to check on one last thing.

"He’s not dead yet?"

To his shock, Fang Jing was still alive.

His body was mangled, consumed by countless repeated experiments, looking worse than any zombie.

"A live specimen." Ling Zhuang said lightly.

He pushed open the glass cabinet containing Fang Jing. "But now, he should die."

As the door opened, perhaps some substance in the air reacted with Fang Jing’s damaged body. The man who had been like a corpse suddenly widened his eyes, gasped sharply, again and again, and then collapsed with a heavy thud.

Jiang Jiamian instinctively stepped back. "Damn!"

"What about Xue Fang?"

He suddenly remembered there had been another one brought to the lab.

Ling Zhuang blinked and pointed to several containers lined up near the wall. "Those."

Not one.

Several.

Jiang Jiamian: "..."

This lunatic was ruthless.

Yet ironically, the entire world was currently praising him, worshipping his photos and statues, calling him a savior.

"Tsk. Good people don’t live long, but evil ones live a thousand years..."

When Jiang Jiamian returned to the system space, he originally intended to rest briefly before heading to the next world.

But unexpectedly, he remembered the group leader coughing blood because of him. A rare sense of guilt pricked his conscience.

With a sigh, he opened the quick-transmigration organization’s group chat.

To be honest, during the mission world he had wanted to ask about that person several times.

But every time, he felt too embarrassed.

He had pretended nothing happened.

But now that he had left this small world, continuing to avoid the topic felt wrong.

After all, the group leader had been injured because of his own provocation and curiosity.

Sigh...

"Haaa..."

He took a deep breath, quietly adjusted his expression, and entered the group.

[Lone Commander: @Group Leader, Moshi Moshi?]

The group fell silent instantly.

After a while, once it was clear the group owner wasn’t responding, ’I can’t think of a name’ finally poked his head out.

[I can’t think of a name: Why are you tagging the group leader again?]

[Lone Commander: I need to talk to him. Has he been online lately? Have you noticed anything?]

[I can’t think of a name: Are you serious? When has the group leader ever shown up? Aside from answering you that one time, he’s never appeared. Actually, now that you mention it, it is weird. He really only ever responds to you.]

[Lone Commander: My charm, obviously!]

[I can’t think of a name: Please. You were obviously provoking him.]

[Lone Commander: ...]

Then, a message from ’Sword Master’.

[Sword Master: Jiang Jiamian...]

Jiang Jiamian was stunned. Sword Master rarely addressed anyone by name. He realized the other three already knew his identity, so it didn’t matter.

But Sword Master seemed hesitant...

[Lone Commander: Sword Master? Do you have something to say?]

It felt like Sword Master, Qing Hong, wanted to say something important but didn’t want to speak in a group chat. Unfortunately, this was the kind of system group where private messages between mission members weren’t allowed.

Time passed. Just as Jiang Jiamian was panicking, assuming Qing Hong wouldn’t dare speak, a message finally appeared.

[Sword Master: The group leader hasn’t appeared. But after you spoke with him that day about going to the punishment world, I was curious and kept an eye on the group chat.]

Jiang Jiamian immediately leaned forward.

[Lone Commander: And then!? What happened?]

Even after Qing Hong said that, the group leader still remained silent. The lack of response only deepened Jiang Jiamian’s suspicion that something was wrong.

Otherwise, with that evasive attitude of his, he wouldn’t have let Qing Hong continue at all.

[Sword Master: Shortly after your conversation, the group leader’s avatar suddenly lit up. Just for a moment. Then, about half an hour later... I saw a blood-red light merge into his avatar. It was indescribable. That red light made me extremely uncomfortable.]