CHAPTER 255: 9.1

"Fuck! What the hell!?"

As soon as Jiang Jiamian opened his eyes, he saw a huge green head, magnified way too close.

Well... calling it a head was generous.

It was just a lump.

Green, oozing with weird pus, and so disfigured its features were no longer human. The stench it gave off was enough to knock someone out.

If not for the two ferocious blood-red eyes locked on him, Jiang Jiamian would never have associated this monstrosity with the word ’head’.

"System, what the hell is this?! And why did I only get the original plot this time, but not the original owner’s memories?"

That had never happened before.

In every previous mission, even if the timing of the possession was a bit off, the original owner’s lingering consciousness would merge into his memory. Unless...

Unless the original body was already dead.

And the soul had long since vanished.

But even that didn’t make sense.

If the body’s owner was dead, he shouldn’t have been able to possess it.

How do you follow a plot as a corpse?

The rules didn’t allow resurrection.

Unless...

This world allowed post-death existence, like ghosts, zombies, corpse puppets, spiritual vessels...

And judging by this world’s setting, doomsday, zombies everywhere, humanity on the brink, he had a sinking suspicion.

Could it be... he was now a zombie?

Damn it. What kind of garbage starting point is this!? Who the hell thinks this is funny!?

As expected, the system quickly gave an answer that didn’t surprise him in the slightest, "Host, you are already dead. Oh, and kindly don’t stare at that thing in front of you. I know it’s hideous and smelly, but it’s currently your subordinate. And... your appearance... well, it’s actually pretty similar to his...

Jiang Jiamian: "..."

Shit.

"System, are you sure you’re not messing with me!?"

Startled, Jiang Jiamian instinctively backed away from the creature lunging at him.

It froze for a second, then suddenly dropped to the ground with a loud thud, kneeling before him in a gesture eerily close to kowtowing.

Before he could even process it, the thing opened its bloody mouth and let out a deafening roar.

The sheer volume hurt his ears, and the foul breath blasting out nearly knocked him unconscious.

Eyes rolling back from the stench, Jiang Jiamian groaned and massaged his temples. After a moment, he waved weakly at the monster.

It seemed to understand, lowering its head and obediently shuffling backward.

Still disoriented, Jiang Jiamian spoke, "System, tell me I don’t look like that. Hurry."

The system stiffened and replied seriously, "Replying to Host! You don’t look like that... Just a few similarities."

"Mirror."

The system was stunned, "Huh?"

Jiang Jiamian gritted his teeth, "I said: Mirror."

The system said with frustration, "Host... systems don’t come with mirrors!"

"It’s fine. I think I know what to do."

Jiang Jiamian took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He raised a hand to rub his forehead, and immediately felt something off.

Sticky. Wet.

What the hell?

Completely losing his cool, Jiang Jiamian shoved his consciousness into his soul space, channeled some spiritual power through his fingers, and summoned a water mirror.

When the reflection appeared, he blinked.

"That’s it?"

The pale face staring back at him was... Gorgeous.

What kind of trash aesthetic did the system have to say he looked similar to that monster!?

System, hearing his inner monologue, muttered defensively, "I just said a little similar..."

Jiang Jiamian snorted. "They’re not even in the same league."

Sure, the face in the mirror wasn’t exactly human. Its skin was ghostly pale, the eyes glowed a deep scarlet, and the lips held an eerie blend of green and purple.

There was even a weird bloodstain on his forehead.

But overall? Still hot.

The facial features were finely shaped, the kind of delicate, wicked beauty you’d find on a demonic prince from a dark fairytale.

It didn’t matter that the colors were unusual, it gave him a haunting charm.

That weirdly enchanting aesthetic? It’s just his style.

He looked like a cursed doll. A beautiful devil. A cold, gloomy youth who exuded effortless allure.

He was obsessed.

System: "..."

Host, is it my aesthetics that are broken or yours?

Loving the new look more with each passing second, Jiang Jiamian splashed some spring water from his soul space and gently washed off the bloodstains on his face.

The spiritual water’s warmth washed away much of the deathly aura. His face was still pale, but now a little more like undead beauty than full zombie rot.

Perfect.

After all, it’s not like he was actually trying to look like a corpse.

Not when humans would attack him on sight.

A balance between creepy and alive was just right.

Now that he looked like a living person again, Jiang Jiamian reviewed the original plot, only to immediately want to cuss again.

His mission target this time?

Wasn’t even remotely human.

In previous worlds, even the most miserable villains had some kind of tragic backstory or redeeming motivation.

This one?

A complete lunatic.

A saint on the surface, gentle, calm, savior of mankind.

But underneath?

He wanted to burn the world to ash.

The world saw him as hope. He saw the world as fuel.

He smiled while designing apocalyptic creations and called it progress for humanity.

Jiang Jiamian read the whole plot, and came to only one conclusion: This guy was a psychopath.

Sure, he’d done zombie apocalypse arcs before. He’d even lived through one in the counterattack team.

But usually, those disasters came from viruses or cosmic flukes, not from people.

This time?

The end of the world had a name and a face.

And it was calling itself ’savior’.

Jiang Jiamian exited his soul space and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "If I had a shred of morality, I’d be questioning why I need to save him. Unfortunately, I don’t."

Besides, he was a zombie now.

Not exactly Team Humanity.

In fact, technically speaking, he and that villain were on the same side.

As for saving the world?

Neither he nor the villain were qualified. Jiang Jiamian was a zombie, the villain was a walking catastrophe.

Let the protagonist group handle it.

After all, this world’s protagonist had been reborn.

In an apocalypse, if the main character isn’t a reincarnated chosen one, is it even a real apocalyptic power fantasy?

All those big-shot admirers, all those elite humans vying for dominance...

Yeah, that was their problem.

Certainly not something a zombie like him should worry about.

"Just a reminder!" The system chirped, "Judging from your rationality, self-awareness, and surprisingly good looks... you might not just be a zombie. You could be the only one of your kind, the Zombie King."

Jiang Jiamian rolled his eyes. "Did you think I didn’t figure that out already? I’d have to be blind not to notice."

The Zombie King sneaks into human civilization, is it for betrayal, secrets, love?

Please.

Obviously, it’s for the century’s greatest crossover event, two villains meeting across species.

He tapped his chin, thinking.

"Now... if I remember correctly, that eccentric maniac should be making his way from the southwest to City A around this time..."