The Apocalyptic Evolution.

Bai Yi, visibly determined, pressed on, stating, "Please hold on; there's another important detail to address."

Under Xia He's curious gaze, Bai Yi excitedly lifted the head of the advanced zombie. However, upon closer inspection, he was taken aback. The red core that should have been embedded in the forehead was missing, leaving only a small cavity in its place.

Furthermore, the head he held appeared to have shrunk, both in size and weight. Xia He also noticed that the headless body had diminished in size as well.

"This is peculiar. Why is the corpse core absent?" Bai Yi desperately searched the ground, even checking within the head, hoping to locate it.

Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he could not find the missing core.

Xia He, trying to understand the situation, inquired, "What exactly are you looking for?"

Bai Yi, anxious and sweating, responded, "The corpse core. I'm trying to find the corpse core."

He pointed to the small hole on the zombie's head, saying, "Remember? There was a small red object here previously. It should still be intact."

Xia He thought for a moment and realized there indeed had been a red object on the zombie's forehead. Initially, she had assumed it was merely a decoration from before the individual turned into a zombie.

Seeing Bai Yi's clear concern, she felt compelled to ask about its significance. Without hesitation, Bai Yi explained, "As you may have noticed, this zombie was exceptionally challenging to combat because it is an advanced zombie. The small red dot you saw wasn't a decoration; it was the corpse core, which becomes exposed beneath the skin upon its formation."

While they searched, Bai Yi elaborated on the function of the corpse core.

Xia He, upon learning that corpse cores could enhance special abilities, felt a sense of urgency to locate it.

Regrettably, despite their efforts to dig, they found nothing resembling the corpse core.

Due to their injuries and exhaustion, the two ultimately decided to abandon their search.

Observing the numerous scratches on Bai Yi's body and noting his discomfort as he held his ribs, Xia He insisted, "You need to go inside and rest. I'll continue searching."

Bai Yi, feeling powerless and struggling to breathe due to his broken ribs, acknowledged her care. While his upgrade would restore some of his vitality, it wouldn't heal his injuries.

With no hospitals in sight, he felt uncertain about how to treat his ribs.

Reluctantly, Bai Yi accepted Xia He's help and leaned onto the bed, casually opening his attribute screen. 

Level: Level 6 (10/64), Speed: 13 points, Defense: 7 points, Strength: 5.5 points, Spirit: 5.5 points, Constitution: 4 points.

Upon reaching level 6, Bai Yi was pleased to see his attributes improved, notably his speed.

However, just as he was about to browse further, he noticed something surprising. A sudden movement caused pain to surge from his injury, making him gasp, but his curiosity overcame the discomfort as he examined his condition.

How had his experience points suddenly increased by 10?

To level up, he had previously only gained experience from defeating an advanced zombie, hadn't he?

Would defeating an advanced zombie really yield 10 experience points?

If this were the case, the benefits of defeating advanced zombies would be significant!

Bai Yi felt a surge of excitement. If the experience gained from advanced zombies proved to be higher than that from ordinary zombies, it would greatly enhance his progress.

He believed the advanced zombies' formidable power was manageable. While previously ten individuals struggled against one, now he and Xia He could take down a complete advanced zombie, clearly demonstrating his growth in strength.

As he became stronger, it wouldn't be long before he could combat advanced zombies independently, rendering them mere opportunities to gain experience points.

The substantial experience boost alleviated Bai Yi's concerns about his future progress. As he flipped the page, he noted Xia He's trust in him had reached 70%. With satisfaction, he turned off the screen, realizing that sharing some of his secrets appropriately could foster better teamwork.

Despite his excitement, Bai Yi's pain persisted, raising concerns about his ability to act effectively in the future.

It was no exaggeration to say he currently lacked the strength to wield a weapon.

Enduring the discomfort, he rummaged through his bag for painkillers. As he reached for some water, the system backpack interface appeared before him.

Momentarily hesitating, Bai Yi was astonished to see a small red bottle occupying the third slot of his previously two-slot system backpack, displaying a quantity of 1.

When had this appeared? Intrigued, he retrieved the small bottle, discovering it contained a blood-red liquid sealed with a wooden stopper.

Bai Yi utilized the light screen to learn more about it, which revealed: "Blood Recovery Potion (Small): An effective remedy for external injuries! Upon consumption, it expedites healing... Note: This potion does not cure negative effects or diseases."

He was thrilled to have such a remarkable item. Without hesitation, he uncorked the bottle and drank its contents quickly, eager not to waste any.

The red potion slid down his throat, pleasantly warm and sweet, akin to honey water.

Before he could fully appreciate the taste, the liquid began to take effect, and he felt an invisible force working within him to realign his broken ribs, rapidly facilitating their healing.

In under two minutes, his broken ribs returned to normal, and the swelling subsided remarkably. Bai Yi was astonished to see the small scratches on his hands and feet had vanished.

After five or six minutes, aside from the deeper wounds that remained, Bai Yi looked and felt as if he had never been injured. Though a few wounds under his clothing had not completely healed, they had formed scabs and caused only slight discomfort, allowing him to move freely.

In disbelief, Bai Yi stood up and tested his strength by jumping a few times. He felt as if he had been reborn, gripping the small bottle tightly and suppressing a laugh. With access to such a magical potion, he felt confident about facing injuries in the future.

Suddenly, he observed a familiarity with the bottle in his hand. Upon closer inspection, it resembled the texture of a corpse core, albeit a different color.

Bai Yi's expression changed as he pondered the missing corpse core: "Could it be that my ability is responsible?" The more he contemplated, the more plausible it seemed. How else could he explain the emergence of the blood recovery potion?

Bai Yi believed that exchanging a corpse core for a healing potion was a fair trade. However, he became anxious at the thought that the zombies he defeated in the future might have their cores converted by his ability into potions rather than being available for personal use.

How would he gather the corpse cores necessary for enhancement? Unfortunately, with no immediate zombies to verify his theory, he was left pondering. 

"Bai Yi, I have searched extensively, but I cannot locate the corpse core!" 

Just then, Xia He entered the room, interrupting his thoughts. Bai Yi quickly placed his hands in his pockets, causing the empty bottle to return to the system space.

Sighing, he conceded, "I suppose it's futile to search for it any longer."

Xia He appeared stunned to see Bai Yi, who could barely stand earlier, now upright, asking, "Why are you on your feet?"

Bai Yi replied, rolling his eyes, "I took the potion!"

Xia He shook her head in disbelief, "That's impossible; no medicine could work that quickly!" Bai Yi acknowledged the difficulty in applying conventional logic to his situation. Realizing that he and Xia He would be collaborating closely going forward, he understood that dishonesty could create future complications.

"This is my ability. After defeating zombies, I can convert the corpse core into a healing potion. I just discovered this," Bai Yi explained candidly.

Trusting his teammates was critical; if they could not rely on one another, their new abilities could lead to fear and hesitation. 

Xia He appeared genuinely astonished by Bai Yi's revelation. As she watched him produce a bottle of clean water from his pocket, she suddenly asked, "Bai Yi, do you possess a game system?