Qin Dynasty: They've all turned into zombies, what's there to fear about a rebellion?

That crisp sound was like the snap of Death's fingers, instantly freezing time in the entire hall.

The executioner's large, gleaming cleaver hovered in mid-air, its blade only a sheet of paper away from the back of Su Ming's neck. If his hand trembled even slightly, Su Ming's head would be severed. But right now, the man's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets, his whole body was shaking violently, and a foul odor was even seeping from his crotch.

All eyes were forcibly drawn to the terrifying commotion emanating from the dragon bed.

"Gela...Gela..."

The sound was teeth-grinding, like a rusty meat grinder that had been forcibly started.

Qin Shi Huang, who had been lying upright and sentenced to death by Zhao Gao, suddenly defied the principles of human biomechanics. His knees did not bend and his waist did not buckle. Like an iron plate attracted by a magnet, he suddenly sat up straight!

Ninety-degree angle!

A standard zombie-like opening move!

"ah!!!"

It's unclear which cowardly civil official broke down first, letting out a bloodcurdling scream before rolling his eyes and passing out.

But this is just the beginning.

After Ying Zheng sat up, he did not open his eyes immediately, but the changes in his body were a thousand times more terrifying than if he had opened his eyes.

His once withered and emaciated skin was visibly filling out at a rapid pace, taking on a bluish-black sheen like cast iron. Even more terrifying, with a series of chilling hissing sounds, countless fine red hairs pierced through his black dragon robe, bursting forth from his pores!

In just a few seconds, the mighty First Emperor seemed to have donned a scarlet animal skin coat.

His original gray hair fell out instantly, replaced by a head of wildly dancing red hair that moved without wind, looking extremely eerie.

His hands gripped the rosewood armrests tightly, his fingernails growing three inches long amidst the ear-piercing scraping sound, turning as black as ink and as sharp as knives, easily carving ten deep grooves into the hard wood.

An indescribable smell filled the air.

It was a mixture of sulfur, ozone, and a hint of ancient decay yet vibrant...blood.

Zhao Gao was completely dumbfounded.

He still clutched the forged will tightly in his hand, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit a fist, making strange gurgling sounds in his throat, but unable to utter a single complete word. His face, which had just been filled with arrogance and smugness, was now twisted to the extreme, like a dough ball that had been slapped flat.

A zombie?

Is this supposed to be a zombie apocalypse? It's clearly mutated into an ancient ferocious beast!

"I knew it! I knew anything from the system was guaranteed to be top-notch!"

Su Ming knelt on the ground, looking at Ying Zheng, whose red fur was standing on end, and almost burst into tears. He silently released the earth-遁符 (earth-遁符, a type of talisman) in his palm, which was already soaked with sweat, and the heavy weight in his heart finally lifted.

Although the design is a bit eerie, looking like a red-haired monster, it's a good thing as long as it moves!

As long as there is movement, that means the "ascension" has been successful, that means a medical miracle!

"What are you all standing there for? Clap!"

Su Ming abruptly broke free from the terrified executioner, leaped to his feet, pointed at Ying Zheng on the dragon bed, and roared, his voice filled with the madness of someone who had survived a catastrophe, "Do you see that? This is the 'Red-Haired Corpse Immortal Body'! His Majesty has shed his mortal form and cultivated an indestructible body! This is an auspicious omen! An extremely auspicious omen!"

No one cares about him.

Everyone was terrified by the horrific scene. Several of the more resilient Imperial Guards even dropped their swords with a clatter.

Li Si leaned against a pillar, his legs weak, his lips trembling. Looking at the figure that was both familiar and strange, he murmured to himself, "Your Majesty...is this...is this still Your Majesty?"

Just then, Ying Zheng, who had been keeping his eyes tightly closed, suddenly took a deep breath.

The airflow in the entire hall seemed to be pulled by this inhale, forming a small vortex that roared into his nostrils.

Then, he slowly opened his eyes.

There is no white in the eye.

No pupils.

Two eerie green flames burned, radiating a chilling light in the dimly lit hall. Their vertical pupils were indifferent and cruel, yet they carried an aura of supreme imperial power that made one want to kneel and worship at a glance.

"call--"

Ying Zheng opened his mouth and exhaled a thick cloud of black gas. The black gas touched the table in front of him, and the bamboo slips on the table instantly rotted and turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"water……"

A hoarse, metallic sound squeezed out from the red-haired throat.

"I want...blood..."

Upon hearing the word "blood," Zhao Gao's heart clenched so tightly that he almost stopped on the spot.

But the next second, Ying Zheng seemed to be suppressing some kind of instinctive impulse. His green pupils contracted violently, and he let out a painful growl, swallowing the word back down.

"No... I need water! Bring me water!"

Although the voice was strange, the majesty and commanding tone in it were exactly the same as that of the emperor who had ruled the world for thousands of years!

And reason!

His Majesty has not turned into a monster who only knows how to eat people!

Su Ming was overjoyed. This was definitely the most amazing thing about the improved version of the T virus—it preserved the function of the host's cerebral cortex!

"What are you standing there for? Didn't you hear His Majesty ask for water?"

Su Ming rushed forward and kicked the terrified eunuch in the backside. "Quickly! Bring the biggest vat! This little cup isn't enough for His Majesty to rinse his mouth!"

The little eunuch scrambled away.

The atmosphere inside the hall remained extremely tense. No one dared to move or speak; only the crackling sound of the giant candles burning could be heard.

Ying Zheng sat on the dragon bed, slowly turning his stiff neck.

"Crack... Crack..."

Each crisp sound seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present.

He raised his hands, covered in red hair and with nails like blades, examined them, and then slowly clenched them. The feeling of being filled with power gave him an unprecedented sense of strength.

Is this what immortality is?

Is this what Su Ming called "physical ascension"?

Aside from being a little thirsty and feeling a bit like biting someone, I felt... absolutely fantastic!

He felt like he could punch a bull to pieces, or even tear the roof off Xianyang Palace!

"Zhao Gao..."

Ying Zheng slowly turned his head, his vertical pupils, glowing with eerie green flames, pierced through the steps and locked onto the trembling figure below.

Zhao Gao froze, and the forged imperial edict in his hand slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground with a thud and rolling far away.

He wanted to kneel and beg for mercy, to weep and pledge his loyalty as he had done before, but his legs felt like lead, completely unresponsive. Under the gaze of that apex predator, he felt like a frog being targeted by a venomous snake, even breathing a luxury.

Ying Zheng tilted his head, his facial muscles twitching stiffly to reveal two excessively long fangs, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"Just now... you said I had died? And that you wanted to install the Eighteenth Prince as emperor?"