Chapter 78: The Plan for Spiritual Power Exploration

Everyone stood at the doorway, ready to depart. The scorching summer wind brushed against Du Yun, adding to the discomfort of her already overheated body. The long-sleeved shirt and trousers she wore to avoid getting scratched clung tightly to her skin, the stifling air enveloping everyone.

Du Yun quickly adjusted her mood; after all, it was merely a bit of heat. The world outside was rife with threats to survival—how could she afford to be delicate?

“Let’s go,” the leader said, his gaze lingering on Du Yun. He noticed her restlessness had been calmed, a gentle look flickering in his eyes. He reached out to take her hand, gave her a reassuring nod, then strode forward with confidence, urging her to stay close behind.

Even knowing the dangers ahead, the leader dared not leave Du Yun waiting in the small building. Who could guarantee that a third-tier zombie wouldn’t appear again? If they ventured too far and couldn’t return in time to rescue her, he knew he couldn’t bear the consequences.

There were still seven days until the arrival of the small starship. No one knew how many zombies lurked within the spaceport, and it was nearly impossible for the four of them to clear it out on their own.

So, when Dong Ironhammer and his group offered to help clear the spaceport in exchange for a starship pass, the leader didn’t reject them outright. He considered the situation: the current state of the spaceport, Du Yun’s future on Emperor Star, and realized that having more people brought back would divert some attention from her, providing a kind of cover.

Thus, he tacitly agreed to the deal.

With hope for survival, everyone found new motivation to fight. They reached unprecedented consensus and enthusiasm about clearing the spaceport. After all, only once it was clean could the small starship land, and only then would they have a chance to escape this dreadful, deadly planet.

The greatest obstacle standing between them and survival was figuring out how to effectively clear a suitable area for the starship to dock. The spaceport was vast—like a small city—complex in terrain, densely populated, and, naturally, crawling with zombies.

Today’s mission was to find a port area that was convenient for access, could be isolated from other port zones for safety, and, most importantly, could accommodate a small starship as their means of escape in a few days.

No one harbored unrealistic fantasies about finding a vacant, safe port area. They were mentally prepared to fight their way through, carving a path in blood if needed.

As long as there was a secure zone for the starship to land, and a few hours of safety to board, everything else would be manageable.

But reality was far harsher than their hopes. On a low-level planet like Greenwater Star, spaceports weren’t open to civilians—they were exclusively military facilities.

Because of this peculiarity, the whole spaceport was filled with stationed troops. With luck, they might encounter a zone managed by just a few dozen people; without luck, it could be hundreds or thousands.

“Let’s go here first,” the leader said, pointing on the map to a nearby spaceport suitable for small starships. This port was separated from the garrison by only a warehouse district, and wasn’t directly connected to other port zones. Only a few walkways radiated around it.

“Yes, judging by the map, this is the best port for our escape,” Du Yun nodded, agreeing with the leader’s assessment.

With Du Yun and the leader in agreement, the others had no objections. They set out from the garrison, skirting the warehouse district where zombies might be numerous, heading toward the port area.

This spaceport was built by the sea. Waves crashed against the shore, their endless rhythm filling the air. In the distance, the ocean met the sky, a serene blue expanse evoking a rare sense of peace, making one almost forget this was a zombie-ravaged apocalypse. For a fleeting moment, calm settled in their hearts.

“Is this it?” Du Yun gazed at the vast landing area stretching to the horizon, awestruck. Was such a huge field only for small starships? If so, how immense must the large starships be?

“Yes,” the leader replied, tracing a circle along the edge of the port. “These areas need to be cut off.”

“I understand. This port is for the garrison, so there should be plenty of zombie soldiers. If we’re surrounded by a large force, it’ll be disastrous,” Strongman said seriously.

“But how do we blow up these walkways without alerting the zombies? Who knows how many are inside the buildings—can’t clear them all one by one,” Skinny Monkey mused, rubbing his chin. His secondary skill was demolition; the explosive sweep that eradicated the zombies in Mountain Town’s forest had been his handiwork.

The leader’s plan to isolate the port area was similar: have Skinny Monkey plant explosives on several walkways, detonate them simultaneously, and sever access. Then, zombies from other ports wouldn’t be able to threaten their group.

“Maybe I can try,” Du Yun said after a moment’s thought. Her mental powers had improved, letting her detect zombie presence within a hundred meters, up from fifty.

“Give it a shot,” the leader said, his gaze distant but his words supportive.

“Alright.” Du Yun closed her eyes, focusing her senses. With her eyes open, she could perceive about a hundred meters; with eyes shut and heightened concentration, she could expand this range even more.

She carefully counted the zombies within her detection field, finding only a dozen or so, scattered and likely former staff.

“I don’t sense many zombies; not sure where the troops were stationed,” she said, shaking her head at the leader. Though her range had grown, it was still far too limited for the whole port—her earlier idea of mapping the entire area with mental detection wouldn’t work.

“Let’s probe ahead, maybe explore around the perimeter,” Du Yun suggested. From the map, the spaceport’s main section was circular, with the central area as a broad landing zone for small starships—an open plaza, where any zombies were in plain sight.

But scattered around the edges were low buildings, especially various facilities, where zombies might be hidden in every corner. These needed careful investigation.