Abandoned industrial zone.
The gloomy sky pressed heavily on the broken walls and crumbling ruins. The air was filled with a strong smell of rust, char, and… an incredibly thick scent of blood and decay.
Behind the shattered glass windows of collapsed factory buildings, crimson and greedy eyes flashed occasionally, accompanied by suppressed, beast-like growls of grinding teeth.
This was a nest of ghouls. A hunting ground of death.
The dozen or so young people in the squad, like a startled flock of sheep, huddled at the entrance of the ground floor of a half-collapsed office building. Fear and unease were etched on every face, and their palms, gripping their weapons, were slick with cold sweat. Suppressed sobs and heavy breathing filled the air.
"Wang Hao! Li Qiang! You two go ahead and scout! Stay alert!" Zhang Lei, temporarily elected as the squad leader (a male student who had awakened a low-level Strength Enhancement ability), commanded with a slight tremor in his voice, forcing himself to sound calm.
"Why us?!" Wang Hao immediately bristled, his face showing undisguised fear and resistance. "It's full of ghouls out there! If you want to go, go yourself!"
"Exactly! We haven't even mastered our abilities! Wouldn't going out be suicide?" Li Qiang also chimed in, shrinking his neck.
"This is an order!" Zhang Lei's face flushed red, his voice rising. "If we don't scout, everyone will die here! You…"
"I'll go," a weak voice suddenly spoke, interrupting the argument.
Everyone turned their heads sharply! Their gazes focused on the figure in the corner, leaning against the wall, his face as pale as paper, looking as if he could collapse at any moment—Ling Chen!
He was breathing slightly, the bandage on his left arm already soaked with foul blood, staining his camouflage training uniform. His right hand gripped an alloy short sword, its tip still trembling slightly.
He raised his head, his eyes "weary" and "hollow," his voice hoarse from his unhealed injuries: "I… I walk slowly… holding everyone back… I'll go scout… you… follow behind me… it'll be safer…"
"Ling Chen! Are you crazy!" Chen Xue's voice was tearful as she pushed through from behind, trying to pull him back. "You're so badly injured! You can't go!"
"Yeah! Ling Chen! Don't push yourself!" Li Mingyu also grew anxious, stepping forward to block Ling Chen's path. "If anyone goes, it should be us!"
They should have been in the elite squad, but because they were worried about Ling Chen, they followed him directly after leaving the fortress.
"I… I'm fine…"
Ling Chen "weakly" shook his head, forcing a "strained" smile.
"I… have experience… I know… how to hide…"
He pushed away Li Mingyu's hand, stumbled slightly, but still persisted, step by step, walking towards the ghoul-infested ruins outside the office building, shrouded in shadows and filled with ghoul roars.
His thin back, swaying steps, and blood-stained bandage. Under the gloomy sky, he appeared so… tragic and… desolate.
Everyone in the reserve squad fell silent.
Watching the "critically injured" young man, walking alone into the most dangerous area so as not to burden everyone… an indescribable complex emotion surged in everyone's heart. Shame? Admiration? Or… a hint of sorrow for a fellow creature's demise?
"Damn it!" Li Mingyu stomped his foot hard! His Buli (Brute Force) ability instantly burst forth! His muscles bulged! "I'll go with you!" He grabbed a thick steel bar and strode forward to catch up!
"Count me in!" Sun Qiang said in a muffled voice, his metallic skin gleaming with a cold, hard luster, following close behind!
"Wait for me!" Chen Xue's eyes were filled with tears, and a soft silver light glowed in her palm as she also rushed after them!
Lin Wei looked at Ling Chen's tottering back, and a flicker of extremely complex emotion passed through the depths of her amber pupils.
Her Discernment ability allowed her to clearly "see" the faint, almost extinguished life energy within Ling Chen's body and… his mental state, like a flickering candle in the wind, threatening to collapse at any moment.
All of this… was too real! So real… that the doubt in her heart was instantly extinguished for the most part, like charcoal thrown into ice water.
Could it be… that she had truly… misunderstood him?
She bit her lip, no longer hesitating, and her figure, like a nimble cat, silently followed.
The rest of the reserve squad exchanged glances. Looking at the figures who had unhesitatingly rushed out, and then at the hellish ruins outside… Finally, Zhang Lei gritted his teeth: "Go! Follow them! Don't let them… die for us!"
A dozen or so people, filled with fear and a spark of ignited courage, flowed like trickles into a torrent, following that thin and "tragic" figure, and charged into the hunting ground of death!
The next two hours. For the members of the reserve squad, it was like a walk on the edge of hell.
They watched in horror as Ling Chen's "weak" figure moved like a phantom through the ruins. His steps stumbled, his breathing was rapid, as if he could collapse at any moment.
But… every time! When ghouls lunged from the shadows! When danger struck! He always managed to narrowly avoid fatal attacks in an almost "coincidental" manner!
Or… he would precisely stab the ghoul's relatively fragile eye socket or back of the neck with the inconspicuous short sword in his hand!
His movements were clumsy and slow, yet… they possessed an indescribable… deadly efficiency!
"Left! Watch out!" Li Mingyu roared, his Buli (Brute Force) erupting! The steel bar smashed away a ghoul lunging at Ling Chen!
"Behind you!" Sun Qiang's metallic fist slammed out! Crushing the skull of another ghoul attempting a sneak attack!
Chen Xue's silver light, like the most loyal guardian, constantly enveloped Ling Chen, soothing his "damaged spirit" and "aggravated pain."
Lin Wei's Discernment ability acted like an invisible radar, precisely guiding the team to avoid areas dense with ghouls and hidden mutated beasts.
And Ling Chen… he was like the calmest point in the eye of a storm.
Every "near-death experience" was accompanied by violent coughing and "blood" (simulated by Soul Jade Physique) spilling from the corner of his mouth.
Every "kill" of a ghoul seemed exceptionally "difficult" and "strenuous."
He never actively attacked, only "defended" and "dodged" passively. His collection of core crystals was also "extremely slow"; often, after Li Mingyu and Sun Qiang had cleared the ghouls, he would "laboriously" squat down and "clumsily" dig out the core crystals with his short sword, his movements so slow it was nerve-wracking.
But… what was strange was! The core crystal bag in his hand… was slowly increasing at an extremely steady, yet "unremarkable" rate!
Tier 1 core crystals… five… eight… ten… twelve…
When the time reached two hours and forty-five minutes.
"Time's almost up! How many more do we… still need?" Zhang Lei leaned against a broken wall, panting, his face stained with black blood and dust, his voice filled with despair.
He only had seven core crystals! The others had even fewer! Wang Hao and Li Qiang only had a pitiful three or four!
"I… I have ten now…"
Ling Chen leaned "weakly" against the wall, coughing violently, and "blood" again spilled from the corner of his mouth.
He tremblingly opened his core crystal bag, and inside… exactly ten Tier 1 Heterocrystal , no more, no less! Each one stained with foul blood, emitting a faint glow.
As for the remaining two core crystals… he must have swallowed those himself.
"What?!" Wang Hao's eyes widened suddenly, looking at Ling Chen in disbelief. "How could you… have ten?! You… did you steal ours?!"
"I didn't…" Ling Chen shook his head "piteously," his voice weak. "I… dug them myself…"
"Bullshit!" Wang Hao jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "You're a useless person! A severely injured person! You can't even walk steadily! How could you have killed ten ghouls?!
You definitely stole them when we weren't looking!"
"Wang Hao! Watch your mouth!" Li Mingyu roared, his Buli (Brute Force) ability erupting in response, stepping forward to block Ling Chen. "Ling Chen's core crystals are all ones he dug himself! I saw it with my own eyes! If you dare to slander him again! I'll tear your mouth off!"
"Exactly! Even though Ling Chen is injured! He's been trying his best!" Sun Qiang also stepped forward, his metallic fists clenching with a cracking sound!
Chen Xue tightly shielded Ling Chen, silver light flowing in her palm, glaring angrily at Wang Hao: "If you dare to bully Ling Chen again! I… I'm not done with you!"
Lin Wei didn't speak, but her gaze, like a cold blade, fell on Wang Hao.
Her Discernment ability clearly "saw" the residual energy fluctuations and ghoul aura on Ling Chen's core crystal bag… which perfectly matched the ghouls killed by the others! There wasn't a single trace of "theft"!
Wang Hao was intimidated by their combined aura, his face turning pale then green. He opened his mouth but dared not say anything more, only glaring hatefully at Ling Chen.
"Alright! Stop arguing!" Zhang Lei interrupted irritably. "Time is running out! Quick, think of something! We still need three more! Who else has extra?!"
Everyone looked at each other. The core crystals in everyone's hands were barely enough for themselves to meet the standard (minimum ten), and some even had less.
Who is willing to take it out?
Just then!
"Roar—!!!"
A roar full of violent aura came from a half-collapsed warehouse not far away! Immediately after! A strength-type Corpse Ghoul, built like a bull, covered in bone armor, with exposed fangs, burst through the broken iron door, roaring as it charged out! Its crimson eyes locked onto the crowd!
Second-tier Corpse Ghoul! Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul!
"Oh no! It's a second-tier one! Run!" Zhang Lei's face instantly turned pale! He shrieked!
The crowd instantly erupted! Fear spread like a plague! Everyone turned to flee!
"Don't run!" Li Mingyu roared! He pushed Buli (Brute Force) to its limit! The rebar, carrying a sharp whistling sound, smashed fiercely towards the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul's head! "If we scatter, we'll die faster! Let's go together! Kill it!"
Bang!!!
The rebar struck the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul's head, emitting a dull thud! The bone armor shattered! Black blood splattered! But the Corpse Ghoul merely shook its head, becoming even more enraged! Its thick claws, accompanied by a shriek that tore through the air, slammed viciously towards Li Mingyu!
Li Mingyu hastily blocked!
Bang!
The immense force sent him flying back, rebar and all! He crashed heavily against a broken wall! A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out!
"Mingyu!" Sun Qiang's eyes were bloodshot! His metal-clad fist slammed out forcefully, striking the Corpse Ghoul's side ribs!
Pfft!
The bone armor shattered! But the Corpse Ghoul's defense was too strong! Sun Qiang's fist only sank in an inch before getting stuck in the tough muscle!
"Roar!" The Corpse Ghoul cried out in pain! It turned abruptly! Its other claw slammed viciously towards Sun Qiang!
Sun Qiang couldn't dodge in time! He was struck hard in the chest! His metal skin made a grating sound! He was sent flying back like a cannonball, crashing into a pile of rubble! He struggled to get up!
"Sun Qiang!" Chen Xue exclaimed! Silver light surged frantically towards Sun Qiang and Li Mingyu, attempting to heal their injuries!
But the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul had already shifted its target! Its crimson eyes locked onto the crowd! Especially... Ling Chen, who was closest to it and looked the most "weak"!
"Roar—!!!"
It let out a deafening roar! Its massive body was like an out-of-control truck! With an aura of crushing everything in its path, it charged straight at Ling Chen!
"Ling Chen! Be careful!" Chen Xue let out a heart-wrenching scream! She threw herself at Ling Chen, trying to shield him with her body!
Lin Wei's pupils constricted! Her Discernment instantly locked onto the Corpse Ghoul's joint weaknesses! But... it was too close! There wasn't enough time!
Everyone closed their eyes in despair, as if they had already seen the tragic sight of Ling Chen and Chen Xue being torn to shreds!
Just at this critical moment!
Ling Chen... moved!
He still leaned "weakly" against the wall.
His face was pale, his breathing rapid. But... his right hand! The right hand gripping the alloy short blade! Trembled... ever so slightly!
It wasn't a tremble of fear! Rather... it was a precise premonition... like a viper flicking its tongue!
Just as the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul's sharp claws were about to touch Chen Xue!
Ling Chen's body, like willow catkins blown by the wind, "fell" to the side... in an extremely "disheveled" manner!
Thud!
He fell heavily to the ground! His body "just happened" to hit Chen Xue's leg!
Chen Xue gasped, lost her balance, and fell with him! They rolled into a heap! Narrowly... avoiding the Corpse Ghoul's fatal claw!
The Corpse Ghoul's sharp claws slammed heavily onto the spot where the two had just stood! The hard concrete ground shattered like tofu! Debris flew everywhere!
Having missed its attack, the Corpse Ghoul grew even more enraged! It abruptly lowered its head! Its massive, fang-filled maw opened, bringing with it a strong fishy wind! It bit viciously at Ling Chen and Chen Xue, who were rolling on the ground!
"No—!!!" Chen Xue closed her eyes in despair, shielding Ling Chen tightly beneath her!
Ling Chen was pressed beneath Chen Xue. His face was buried in Chen Xue's shoulder. No one saw... beneath his lowered eyelids, in his unfathomably deep black eyes... a trace of extreme cold... killing intent... flashed and disappeared!
His left hand! The left hand bandaged and seemingly "fractured"! Extremely subtly... reached out from beneath Chen Xue! At his fingertips! A wisp of highly condensed, almost invisible dark purple electric arc... like a venomous snake... silently... pierced into the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul's exposed throat area as it lowered its head to bite... the only relatively soft area not covered by bone armor!
Pfft—!!!
The electric arc was like a red-hot steel needle! It instantly pierced through skin and flesh, entering the windpipe! Violent lightning energy surged in madly!
"Roar—!!!"
The Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul let out a distorted, shrill shriek! Its massive body instantly stiffened! Its crimson eyes bulged out instantly, filled with unbelievable... pain and... fear!
Its huge body, as if its bones had been removed, crashed to the ground! It landed heavily beside Ling Chen and Chen Xue, kicking up a cloud of dust! Black blood gushed out like a fountain from the scorched, bloody hole in its throat! It twitched a few times... and then became completely still!
Dead?!
The second-tier Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul... just like that... died?!
Everyone was dumbfounded! They stood frozen in place as if petrified, staring in disbelief at the scene before them... like a miracle!
Coincidence?! Another coincidence?! Ling Chen "fell"... "just happened" to knock Chen Xue down... the two "just happened" to avoid the attack... the Corpse Ghoul "just happened" to miss... and then... it "just happened" to fall dead by itself?!
Or... was it "just happened" to be hit in a vital spot by flying debris?!
This... this luck... is too heaven-defying, isn't it?!
Chen Xue, still in shock, raised her head, looking at the massive Corpse Ghoul's corpse beside her, then at Ling Chen, who was beneath her, pale-faced, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, as if he might faint at any moment. Tears gushed out like a broken dam: "Ling Chen! Are you... are you okay?! You scared me to death!"
"Cough cough... I'm... fine..." Ling Chen coughed "weakly," struggling to sit up, "Crystal core... quickly... dig out the crystal core..."
Zhang Lei suddenly reacted! He lunged forward! He used his dagger to pry open the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul's skull! He dug out a dark yellow crystal core the size of a fist, emitting dense energy fluctuations!
Second-tier crystal core!
"Second-tier! It's a second-tier crystal core!" Zhang Lei's voice trembled with excitement! He suddenly looked at Ling Chen, his eyes filled with gratitude and... an indescribable awe! "Ling Chen! You... you saved everyone!"
Ling Chen shook his head "weakly," not speaking. He struggled to stand up, patting the dust off his clothes. The bandage on his left arm was completely stained red, making his injury appear even more severe.
He walked to the Bone-Armored Corpse Ghoul's corpse and silently squatted down. With the short blade stained with black blood, he "laboriously" dug out... a first-tier crystal core (left by the ordinary Corpse Ghoul he had killed earlier) from the wound in the Corpse Ghoul's chest.
Then, he silently placed this first-tier crystal core, seemingly into his cloth bag, but in reality, he held it in his hand, quietly refining it.
And in the cloth bag... no more, no less... ten first-tier crystal cores.
Just right... meeting the standard. Not more... and not less.
Time... pointed to two hours and fifty-five minutes.
"Let's go... back."
Ling Chen said "weakly," his voice hoarse and tired from his severe injury.
No one spoke again.
Everyone silently watched that slender, blood-stained, tottering figure. Their eyes were filled with complex, unclear emotions—gratitude? Admiration? Guilt? Or a trace of... indescribable fear?
Li Mingyu and Sun Qiang helped each other up, looking at Ling Chen's back with firm gazes. Chen Xue followed closely beside Ling Chen, never leaving his side.
Lin Wei silently watched Ling Chen. Deep within her amber pupils, that trace of doubt... completely vanished, replaced by a deep... scrutiny and... a barely noticeable... concern.
The reserve team, with the relief of surviving a disaster and... heavy crystal cores, silently embarked on the road back to the fortress.
Ling Chen walked at the very back of the team, his steps still unsteady, his figure... still slender.
No one noticed that his "fractured" left hand, very subtly... flicked in the air... once.
A barely perceptible wisp of dark purple electric arc, carrying a mental contamination aura, like an invisible venomous snake, silently... entered the back of Wang Hao's neck, who was walking at the very front of the team, grumbling about his bad luck!
Wang Hao's body stiffened abruptly! Then returned to normal. He subconsciously scratched the back of his neck, muttering: "Damn it... got bitten by a mosquito..."