Snowflakes drifted down from beneath the giant trees, the biting wind like a razor-sharp blade.
Xiang Cong exhaled a puff of white breath, which condensed into tiny frost flowers on his mask.
He raised his right arm, making a gesture.
Ahead lay a clearing in the forest, but it wasn't empty; the ground was densely covered with a strange plant—the [Iron Stomach Mushroom].
It looked like large, rusty iron nails protruding from the ground.
Short, thick stems supported irregular caps, the caps a dull gray-black with an oxidized, rusty hue.
Without close inspection, one might mistake it for a junkyard left over from an old era.
"Arrived at Resource Point One," Xiang Cong's voice crackled in the comms.
"Squad One, perimeter security, activate sonar scan. Squad Two, grab your gear and go with Qi Quan to harvest the mushrooms. Hurry, the radiation level here is slowly rising."
"Roger that."
Qi Quan grinned, leading ten soldiers forward.
These soldiers have been completely upgraded; they wear brand-new cold-weather combat uniforms, their legs are equipped with the regimental-issued [Lynx Type III] exoskeleton gear, and their arms are adorned with the [Lightweight Exoskeleton Powered Arm (Mass Production Type)] recently issued by Cao Dan.
This exoskeleton gear not only provides extra strength but, more importantly, integrates a miniature heating module, keeping them warm in this sub-zero temperature environment and preventing limb stiffness.
Harvesting [Iron Stomach Mushrooms] is a skilled job, but also a physically demanding one.
A soldier approached an Iron Stomach Mushroom the size of a washbasin.
Instead of pulling it out directly, he extended his tactical-gloved hand and rhythmically tapped the hard, iron-like cap three times.
"Pat, pat, pat."
A plume of grayish-brown smoke suddenly erupted from the folds beneath the cap.
The soldier reacted swiftly, his miniature vacuum cleaner whirring as it sucked all the smoke into its pouch.
This was [Iron Stomach Mushroom Spores].
It's the only way to cultivate the [Iron Stomach Mushroom]. The survival rate of artificial cultivation is extremely low, but many pharmaceutical companies are eager to acquire it.
After harvesting the spores, the soldier grasped the mushroom stem. The hydraulic rod on the power arm emitted a slight "sizzling" sound, and power erupted instantly.
"Up!"
The incredibly hard Iron Stomach Mushroom was uprooted.
This thing was so hard; even an ordinary person might not be able to break it with a hammer.
But that wasn't all.
The soldier tossed the Iron Stomach Mushroom to his comrades behind him. Two small, portable roasting furnaces had already been set up behind them.
High-energy solid fuel burned inside the furnaces, blue flames licking the furnace walls.
"Sizzle..."
The Iron Stomach Mushroom was thrown into the furnace, and after only a few dozen seconds, accompanied by a burnt smell, the originally heavy mushroom body rapidly dehydrated and carbonized, shrinking in size by half, turning into black, charcoal-like chunks.
This was the pre-processed medicinal raw material of the [Iron Stomach Mushroom].
Its texture was no longer hard; instead, it became brittle.
With just a light grind, it turns into powder, ready for the pharmacist to refine.
The group moved with incredible speed, their assembly-line operation flowing smoothly.
In less than half an hour, the entire Iron Stomach Mushroom colony, the size of a basketball court, was completely cleared.
Only the small, undeveloped seedlings and spores scattered in the soil remained on the ground.
"Not bad, they know their stuff." Xiang Cong glanced at it and nodded in satisfaction. "They didn't wipe out the entire population; we can harvest again next year."
"That's right, the platoon leader taught us about sustainable development." Qi Quan sealed the last box of carbonized Iron Stomach Mushrooms and labeled it.
"Withdraw! Head to target number two!"
...
The team continued deeper, the surrounding environment growing increasingly cold and gloomy.
Giant trees blocked out the sun, the light as dim as dusk.
"Awooo!!!!"
As the team passed through a forest of dead trees, a wolf howl suddenly came from their flank.
From the shadows behind the dead trees, eight or nine pairs of bright green eyes lit up.
It was a pack of two-headed dire wolves.
These mutated wolves, adults the size of calves, have two heads on their necks.
This means they have two mouths to bite and a 270-degree wide-angle field of vision.
The leader was a massive female wolf, its fur silver-gray, baring its sharp fangs and emitting a low growl.
"Heh, I'm itching for a fight,"
Xiang Cong sneered, not intending to give these beasts a chance to get close.
"Everyone, fire freely! Let these pups taste the power of our shells!"
"Rat-a-tat-tat!!!!!"
Instantly, dense tongues of fire tore through the dim forest.
The assault rifles, improved by the [Dimensional Factory], not only had a faster rate of fire, but also, thanks to the recoil of the power arm, incredibly accurate.
Bullets rained down like a storm.
Before the female wolf could even give the order, several armor-piercing rounds grazed her scalp, slicing off one of her ears.
It was a sensible creature; knowing these two-legged beasts were not to be trifled with, it let out a mournful howl, tucked its tail between its legs, and led the pack away, disappearing instantly into the depths of the dense forest.
"Tch, coward,"
Qi Quan said, blowing a puff of smoke from the muzzle of his gun, still sarcastic.
...
They traveled another five kilometers or so.
The view ahead suddenly opened up, but everyone's pace slowed involuntarily.
A faint, pungent smell of blood filled the air.
It wasn't the smell of fresh blood, but rather a slightly foul odor.
Before them lay a forest tinged with an eerie, blood-red hue.
There were no towering trees, only countless intertwined vines.
These vines were an unsettling dark reddish-brown, their surfaces covered with irregular, wart-like protrusions, like ugly scars left after a wound had scabbed over.
[Bloodscar Vines].
The leaves of these vines grew in pairs, their edges edged with sharp serrations, like miniature saws.
In the dim light, the veins on the leaves appeared an unnatural deep red, as if hot blood were truly flowing within them.
This stuff was good.
Its sap contained a highly effective thrombin-like complex, the best external wound medicine in the wasteland.
Whether you were slashed or shot through, applying this sap would immediately seal and scab over the wound.
However, the Bloodscar Vine is a carnivorous plant. Although it doesn't actively attack like predatory plants, it attracts many "supplies" by using its sap to heal wounds.
These "supplies" are monsters; they pile the remains of their prey at the base of the Bloodscar Vine, allowing it to absorb nutrients from the corpses through its aerial roots.
The more abundant the nutrients, the better the healing effect of the Bloodscar Vine's sap.
Therefore, behind every lush patch of Bloodscar Vine, there is often a powerful "supplyer.
" "Stop!"
Xiang Cong suddenly raised his hand, his expression grave.
This patch of Bloodscar Vine was growing too well.
The vines were as thick as thighs, and the bloodscars on them were a deep, purplish-red, clearly indicating that it had been nourished for many years.
"Something's not right here," Xiang Cong whispered into his earpiece. "The "supplies" of this forest are at least D+ level monsters, or even the territory of a D level monster clan. Everyone, don't move."
As he spoke, he pulled a palm-sized black box from the troop crate on his back.
The lid was opened, and a finely crafted drone, resembling a mechanical wasp, flew out.
[High-Pressure Wasp (Reconnaissance Type - Modified)]
This was Cao Dan's latest mass-produced gadget from the [Dimensional Factory].
Compared to the original, Cao Dan miniaturized its core circuitry and added a higher-precision compound-eye camera and radiation detection module to its tail.
"Buzz..."
Accompanied by an extremely faint buzzing sound, the High-Pressure Wasp nimbly burrowed into the dense thicket of vines.
Simultaneously, the wasp's perspective appeared on everyone's wrist terminals.
The image moved through the vines, like entering a red blood vessel maze.
[Scanning... Bloodscaly vine coverage area: 3.2 square kilometers... Quality: Excellent...]
As the drone continued deeper, the image began to shake slightly.
This was magnetic field interference.
"Attention, radiation levels are rising." Xiang Cong stared at the data bar on the screen, his brow furrowed.
[Radiation Index: 230... 450... 800... Warning! Warning!]
The data on the screen began to rise exponentially.
Just as the high-pressure wasp burrowed through a thick wall of vines, a huge cavity suddenly appeared on the screen.
In the center of the cavity, a yellow thing was curled up.
Because the surrounding blood-scarred vines were too dense, and the light was dim, its full appearance was not clearly visible at first.
The thing looked like a huge ball of yellow fur, squatting on the ground, its two front paws tightly covering its head, as if it were sleeping.
"What is this thing?" Qi Quan leaned closer and asked doubtfully, "A bear? It doesn't look like one, there's no such thing as a yellow bear."
Just then, the static on the screen suddenly intensified.
"Buzz buzz buzz..."
A piercing electrical sound came from the headphones.
The curled-up yellow fur seemed to sense something.
Its two round, furry little ears twitched, and it poked its head out from under its body. Its
pointed mouth and round, bulging eyes revealed a kind of intelligence.
The monster's eyes rolled around and instantly landed on the [high-pressure wasp] hovering in mid-air.
It looked like a magnified weasel.
But the aura emanating from it was terrifyingly suffocating.
The radiation alarm on the screen had turned a deep, almost purple red.
[High-energy reaction detected! Energy source: Unknown…]
In the video, the giant weasel suddenly grinned, its eyes flashing with an eerie yellow light.
"Bang!"
The terminal screen in Xiang Cong's hand instantly went black.
"The drone has lost contact." Xiang Cong's expression changed drastically.
"What kind of monster is that? I've never seen one before!" Qi Quan was also somewhat panicked. "It looks like an animal from an ancient era, but its agility is off. Could it be a radiation-induced evil spirit?"
"Very likely!"
Xiang Cong made a decisive decision. "The platoon leader said that we absolutely cannot engage in a direct confrontation with such an unknown target, especially since we don't yet know its true nature."
"Qi Quan, you take the collection team and the Iron Stomach Mushroom and retreat first. Go back to the vehicle and bring this video data to the platoon leader!"
"And what about you?"
"I'll take a squad to cover our retreat here, to prevent it from chasing us out. Get out of here!"
"Alright! Be careful yourself!"
Qi Quan didn't waste any words, waving his hand and leading his men to retreat.
Just as everyone turned around, the Bloodscaly Vine Forest suddenly seemed to come alive.
"Rumble..."
The earth began to tremble.
A thick, bloody smell instantly erupted from the depths of the forest.
A blinding yellow flash exploded among the vines, like a yellow flashbang.
"Screech!!!"
A sharp, piercing cry resounded through the sky.
"Damn! This aura is too strong! It's definitely more than D+!"
Xiang Cong felt as if his head had been hit by a hammer, buzzing.
"Retreat! Everyone retreat! Don't look back!"
Fortunately, the monster didn't seem to have any intention of chasing us out immediately, but was just venting its fury in the forest.
The vines danced wildly, like mad pythons.
...
Half an hour later.
On the outer defensive line of the Bone-Piercing Forest, beside the tank.
Xiang Cong and Qi Quan were panting heavily, their combat uniforms soaked with cold sweat.
Soldiers were frantically loading the [Iron Stomach Mushroom] onto the vehicle.
Inside the command vehicle, the atmosphere was tense.
Cao Dan sat at the control panel, the short video footage playing repeatedly on the screen.
The image froze on the last frame.
The enormous yellow-furred monster, its head in its hands, revealed a pair of cunning eyes, staring intently at the camera.
Its ambiguous, half-smiling expression sent shivers down one's spine.
"Platoon leader, what exactly is this thing?"
Jian Xinghe, standing beside him, adjusted his glasses, his tone hesitant. "There's no record of this size of mustelid in the database, and the radiation it emitted has extremely strong mental interference properties, which matches the characteristics of a radiation-induced evil spirit, but it also has a physical form..."
Cao Dan didn't speak immediately.
He reached out and tapped lightly on the frozen image, his fingertips tracing the monster's jaw.
As someone with memories of two lifetimes, how could he not recognize this thing?
"Isn't that just a weasel, only bigger?"
Cao Dan stroked his chin, remaining silent.
The officers beside him also stared at the screen.
"You guys take a break, this beast is tough to deal with."
With that, Cao Dan slammed the door shut and drew the one-way metal curtains.
The interior was dimly lit, with only the eerie blue light emanating from the dashboard.
Cao Dan leaned back in the driver's seat, his eyes slightly closed, his consciousness instantly sinking into the [Dimensional Factory].
With a thought, he locked onto the damaged drone that had been left deep within the [Blood Scar Vine].
At that moment
, in the center of that dense crimson vine, a giant weasel, five or six meters tall, was squatting on the ground like a human.
Its fur was golden and glossy, and it was holding a palm-sized [High-Pressure Wasp].
The weasel was like a mischievous child who had received a new toy, turning the metal lump over and over, occasionally sticking out its long pink tongue to lick the metal shell.
Not far from it, a huge corpse lay.
It was a giant snake, as thick as a bucket, with a single horn on its head. Its belly had been violently ripped out, its colorful entrails spilling onto the ground; its death was gruesome.
The weasel seemed disgusted by the smell of the dead snake, licking the drone while shaking its head and flicking its tail, making a slapping sound as it shook off the snake blood.
Suddenly, the air in the weasel's hand distorted, and a tiny, jet-black crack appeared out of thin air, instantly swallowing the [High-Pressure Wasp] drone. Then the crack closed and vanished without a trace.
"Squeak?"
The weasel's large, cunning eyes froze instantly.
It stared blankly at its empty palm, its two front paws scratching incredulously at the air, then turning its hand over to look at the back.
Gone?
Where was that flying, crackling little gadget that was just in its hand?
"Squeak squeak squeak!!!"
The next second, the giant beast completely broke down.
Enraged, it leaped three meters high, as if its tail had been stepped on, jumping and scrambling across the open space, emitting extremely sharp cries.
The weasel circled the ground, sniffing frantically.
After searching for a long time without success, the weasel, with nowhere to vent its anger, suddenly straightened its hind legs, its furious little eyes sweeping across the area before finally landing on the snake carcass beside it.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
It rushed forward in two strides, swinging its rather short front paws and brutally beating the thoroughly dead snake body, smashing it to pieces.
...
At this moment, inside the tank.
Cao Dan slowly extended his right hand, the space above his palm rippled, and a pitch-black crack opened.
"Plop."
The missing [High-Pressure Wasp] fell into his hand.
"It stinks!"
The moment he touched it, he felt the weasel's drool.
The entire surface of the drone was covered with a layer of sticky, shiny liquid, still dripping down.
"Beep beep beep, radiation warning."
A rapid warning sounded from inside the vehicle.
The radiation level of this saliva was off the charts; if an ordinary person got even a little bit on it, their skin would probably ulcerate immediately.
But Cao Dan was now a mid-level martial artist with an exceptional physique; this amount of radiation was like taking a sauna for him.
Cao Dan suppressed his nausea, and a surge of white-blue mechanical power welled up in his palm, instantly enveloping the sticky lump of scrap metal. The
microcircuit board was completely burned out, and the core chip melted due to some kind of high-frequency energy impact.
"This beast can actually release energy similar to bio-electromagnetic waves from its body." Cao Dan was secretly shocked.
He casually tossed it away.
A dark crack reappeared, throwing the lump of scrap metal directly into the recycling furnace of the [Dimensional Factory].
A few seconds later.
A brand-new [High-Pressure Wasp] fell out.
Cao Dan grabbed it, his eyes narrowed, and his Gold-level feat [Perfect Mechanical Sense] was instantly activated.
White-blue mechanical power flowed into the bionic intelligent machine like water, and the [Master of Machines] effect was activated: bestowing a unique mark upon the creation.
With a flash of eerie blue light, several extremely complex micron-level patterns appeared on the surface of the palm-sized drone before disappearing.
[Item]: High-Pressure Wasp (Special Edition - Cao's Brand Version)
[Quality]: Blue (Rare)
[Effects]: High-voltage current (instantly releases a 5000V high-voltage arc); High mobility (uses micro-vector nozzles, increasing turning speed by 50%); Low-level intelligence (possesses basic obstacle avoidance and cruise logic)
[Exclusive Brand (Cao Dan) Bonus]: Intelligent lateral movement +1 (can perform lateral evasive maneuvers that defy physical inertia when intercepted); Close-range remote control +1 (controller's mental connection delay reduced to 0.01ms, as precise as using an arm); Anti-interference layer (immune to electromagnetic pulse interference below Class D)
"This is the charm of a mechanic,"
Cao Dan said, satisfiedly playing with the little gadget in his hand.
The enhanced lateral movement and remote control were derived from his knowledge of [Advanced Mechanical Dynamics] and [Advanced Intelligent Technology].
He packed the drone into a silver alloy weapon case resembling a cello box, picked it up, and got out of the car.
The cold wind outside was still biting.
"Xiang Cong, Qi Quan!" Cao Dan's voice wasn't loud, but it was extremely penetrating.
"Here!" The two immediately ran out.
"Form up the team. This time, I'll personally confront that yellow-skinned monster."
...
Less than half an hour later,
Cao Dan led two full-strength squads to the outer edge of the [Bloodscar Vine] again.
As soon as they approached the area, everyone felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on their chests, their breathing becoming heavy.
It was the natural pressure emanating from the C-rank monster, a suppression from the level of life itself.
The soldiers instinctively gripped their weapons, their expressions tense.
Cao Dan stood at the forefront, looking at the dense blood-red vines.
"Snap."
He snapped his fingers.
The alloy weapon case at his feet automatically popped open, a fine blue arc of electricity flashing across its surface.
"Buzz!!!"
The specially modified [High-Pressure Wasp] instantly soared into the air, tracing an arc before quickly disappearing into the vines.
The drone's movements were incredibly agile, weaving freely through the dense vine gaps without touching a single leaf.
Soon, it reached the deeper area again.
The video feed was simultaneously transmitted to the terminal.
The enormous weasel was sprawled out on the ground, fast asleep, looking utterly content.
Beside it, the massive snake carcass was now remarkably clear under the high-definition lens.
A giant python, entirely grayish-white with scales like rocks, and a single spiral horn on its head.
"That's..." Xiang Cong gasped, his voice trembling.
"A one-horned rock python! That's a C-level monster! Its hide is so thick that even special rockets couldn't penetrate it, yet it was gutted?"
Everyone turned pale upon hearing this.
What did a C-level monster mean? It was a terrifying being capable of destroying a regular army platoon.
And this weasel had actually killed it and treated it like a snack?
Cao Dan stared at the screen and whispered,
"No wonder we haven't seen a single decent monster around here. This ferocious aura of a superior predator has scared away all the monsters within a few kilometers."
This weasel was definitely the overlord of this area.
"Xiang Cong," Cao Dan turned and called out.
"Take your men and retreat 500 meters. Lay a minefield along the only path leading out of this vine forest. Use all the high-explosive mines you brought; don't hold back."
"Platoon leader, what about you?"
"I'll go in alone." Cao Dan patted the weapon case in his hand. "Too many people will only alert it. I'll lure it out. Once it's inside the minefield, it's our territory."
"Yes, sir! Take care!" Although Xiang Cong was worried, he knew his platoon leader's abilities and immediately led his men to set up the traps.
After everyone dispersed, Cao Dan, carrying the silver zither case, circulated his inner energy and his figure quickly disappeared into the [Blood Scar Vines].
The closer they got to the core area, the stronger the pressure became.
Cao Dan concealed his aura, stepping on the roots of the vines without making a sound.
When they were still 200 meters away, the giant beast, which had been fast asleep, suddenly twitched its ears.
"Whoosh!"
It suddenly opened its eyes, its bright little eyes showing no sign of sleepiness, instantly fixing its gaze on the [High-Pressure Wasp] that was "secretly observing" it in mid-air.
"Squeak!!!"
Seeing its lost toy returned, the weasel excitedly sprang to its feet.
It completely failed to notice Cao Dan hiding in the distance, its eyes fixed only on the flying gadget.
"Good timing."
Cao Dan, hiding in the shadows, smiled slightly, his fingers flying across the terminal.
The [High-Pressure Wasp] in mid-air suddenly made an extremely provocative circling motion, even turning on its tail spotlight and waving it twice at the weasel's face.
"Squeak squeak!"
The weasel chuckled, its hind legs pushing off, its massive body displaying astonishing agility as it pounced like a yellow lightning bolt.
Just as its claws were about to touch the drone.
Whoosh!
Under Cao Dan's precise manipulation, the drone made an extremely strange lateral shift, abruptly moving three meters to avoid it.
The weasel missed its target, but instead of being angry, it became even more excited after landing.
"Fun!
This is even more fun than the last one!"
It pounced again, the drone dodged once more, and began to intentionally or unintentionally fly towards the edge of the forest.
The chase began.
Like a big cat, the weasel was teased by the drone, spinning around in circles, unknowingly lured out of the core area.
Finally, only a hundred meters remained to the edge of the forest.
Just a little further and it would enter the ambush circle they had set up.
Just then,
the weasel, which had been chasing the drone, suddenly stopped.
Its massive body braked abruptly, carving two deep furrows in the ground.
It didn't pounce forward again, but instead crouched on its hind legs, stood upright, and alertly pricked up its ears, observing the environment outside the forest.
The weasel's whiskers trembled slightly. "Squeak..."
It hesitated for a moment, glanced at the drone hovering in mid-air, and a struggle flashed in its eyes.
It actually shook its head in a human-like manner, then turned around and ran back without hesitation.
"Damn it!"
Cao Dan cursed under his breath, hiding in the shadows.
"This beast is too smart, it's practically a genius."
Seeing that its prey was about to escape, the trapping plan had failed.
He slowly straightened up; since outsmarting it wouldn't work, he would have to resort to brute force.
"Whoosh!"
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: Taiwan Novel Network, the first choice for reading Taiwanese novels, 𝖙𝖜𝖐𝖆𝖓.𝖈𝖔𝖒. Enjoy anytime!]
Without further ado, Cao Dan raised one hand, and a black iron-colored revolver with a dark golden sheen appeared in his hand. The [Electromagnetic Revolver - Thunderclap] instantly erupted.
Blue and white mechanical power surged like a rushing river, frantically pouring into the electromagnetic acceleration track within the barrel.
[Silent Thunder]!
A streak of azure electricity flashed and disappeared in the air.
The magnetized bullet was incredibly fast, almost instantly traversing a hundred meters the moment the trigger was pulled, aiming directly at the back of the weasel's head as it prepared to flee.
"Squeak!"
The weasel was extremely alert, but this sudden electromagnetic acceleration bullet left it no time to react.
It only had time to let out a short squeak before its somewhat comical-looking little head suddenly shrank back, its two front paws instinctively protecting its head.
"Clang!!"
A dull metallic clang rang out.
The magnetized bullet slammed into its forepaws, which were protecting its head.
Cao Dan's pupils contracted slightly; the expected carnage didn't materialize.
The weasel's soft, smooth, golden fur, upon contact with the bullet, quickly dented like bulletproof rubber.
Then, a dazzling golden light flashed across its fur, like electrified gold.
The magnetized bullet, dissipated by the shockwave, lost most of its kinetic energy and bounced off its muscles, falling onto the decaying leaves.
"Such tough skin," Cao Dan cursed under his breath.
Having suffered this unexpected setback, the weasel was thoroughly enraged.
It abruptly turned its head, its cunning little eyes now wide and bulging, staring angrily at Cao Dan, its cheeks puffed out, its whiskers trembling.
It even had a touch of cuteness.
But this cuteness was fleeting.
The next second, its fur shone with golden light once more.
"Sizzle!!!"
A burnt smell filled the air; this beast could actually generate electricity.
A yellow flash of lightning streaked through the forest, and the massive body vanished instantly.
Fast! Too fast!
Cao Dan only saw a blur before a gust of wind rushed towards him.
The weasel's sharp, knife-like claws, accompanied by a piercing shriek, aimed straight for his throat.
"Well done!"
Cao Dan didn't retreat but advanced, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit, and a dazzling white aura erupted around him.
"Bang!"
Cao Dan swung his fist, slamming it squarely into the enormous claw.
The shockwave rippled, shattering the surrounding blood-scarred vines.
Man and beast instantly clashed.
Although this weasel was enormous, standing five or six meters tall, its movements were as agile as a monkey in disguise.
It would suddenly tread on all fours, moving effortlessly among the vines; then it would stand upright, its two front paws lashing out in a dense, impenetrable flurry, circling Cao Dan with incredibly tricky attack angles.
"Whoosh!"
A vicious claw strike shot out from Cao Dan's blind spot, aimed straight for his back.
Cao Dan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; with a twist of his waist, the white aura around him instantly transformed into a deep black.
Specialty: [Qi Flowing Clouds]!
The exotic internal energy flowed seamlessly within him, like an extension of his arm.
The black aura carried immense force, withstanding the claw strike.
At the same time, Cao Dan used the momentum to turn, his fists swirling with black energy, like millstones, slamming them down hard on the weasel's head.
"Get down!"
"Thump!"
The punch landed solidly.
But the sensation made Cao Dan feel uneasy.
A layer of flowing golden light reappeared on the weasel's head.
"It's a bit like internal energy, and a bit like mechanical force..." Cao Dan wondered. "Could this beast be a dual-class user?"
The thought flashed through his mind, but the battle continued.
Man and beast, back and forth, fought from the ground to the vine-covered canopy.
It was ten o'clock in the morning.
Lush green leaves stretched beneath their feet, sunlight bathing the forest.
The weasel shone with a dazzling golden light.
Cao Dan had no time to spare.
The effects of his Gold-level feat, [Martial Arts Without Limits], began to take hold.
Cao Dan fought with increasing ferocity, each move executed with optimal power.
The energy within his body surged like boiling magma, growing from two or three inches to nearly half a foot high.
White, black, cyan, crimson...
various colors of energy shifted freely on his body, like a rainbow.
His feat, [Master of Fist Techniques], allowed him to seamlessly connect various martial arts techniques without any hesitation.
At first, the weasel was somewhat toying with its prey, intending to use its speed and its eerie golden light defense to outmaneuver the human.
But as the fight progressed, it realized something was wrong.
Why was this human getting fiercer and fiercer? Why were its punches getting heavier and heavier?
"Squeak!"
The weasel panicked, a hint of fear flashing in its eyes.
"Trying to run? Too late!"
Cao Dan roared, launching himself into the air like a cannonball.
He unleashed a punch, the crimson flames of which, like a burning meteor, slammed into the weasel's back with immense force.
"Boom!!!"
A deafening roar echoed.
The five- or six-meter-tall beast was slammed into the ground by Cao Dan, who had plunged it from the top of the vines dozens of meters high.
Countless thick, blood-scarred vines around it snapped in the shockwave, the cracking sounds like a string of firecrackers.
Dust billowed.
The weasel, covered in dirt and sap, crawled out of the pit, its once glossy fur now stained with mud and vine sap, a sorry sight.
Looking up, it saw the terrifying human descending from the sky, his fists wreathed in a chilling display of black and red flames.
"Squeak!!!"
it screamed in terror and took off running.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Cao Dan, engrossed in his martial arts, grabbed a thick red vine and swung across it like Tarzan.
"Whoosh!"
With a powerful leap, Cao Dan straddled the weasel's neck.
"Stop right there!"
Cao Dan gripped its neck tightly with his legs, his fists raining down like raindrops, bombarding the massive head with a barrage of blows.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The punches, imbued with internal energy, sent the weasel reeling, seeing stars and becoming dizzy.
The giant beast thrashed wildly, crashing into tree trunks, rolling on the ground, and even scratching at the man on its back with its hind claws, trying to throw Cao Dan off.
But Cao Dan seemed to be an extension of the beast, remaining motionless, only his punches growing faster and faster.
In the end, the weasel was completely defeated, even its cries becoming distorted.
Suddenly, a wave of nascent thought entered Cao Dan's mind.
It was a voice resembling that of a human girl,
"Squeak squeak squeak...so big...you're so big..."
Cao Dan's hand abruptly stopped.
"What the hell?" he subconsciously responded in his mind, "Who's talking?"
The mental fluctuation came again, this time clearer, but even more baffling:
"You're big...you're big...big...you're bad..."
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
he mentally cursed, but his fist didn't stop, instead, he punched even harder, "Damn it, idiot."
"Bang!"
Another heavy punch.
This punch completely enraged the weasel.
"Squeak!!!"
It let out a shriek, its body suddenly shrinking.
Cao Dan only felt the ground between his legs go empty.
"Whoosh!"
The weasel actually "whooshed" away, its speed as fast as teleportation.
When Cao Dan reacted and landed, all that was left in front of him were the still swaying vines and leaves.
The weasel had run away.
"...
You ran pretty fast."
Cao Dan stood up, dusted himself off, and looked around.
The chilling, ferocious aura was rapidly receding, until it completely disappeared into the depths of the Bone-Piercing Forest.
"You're good at running fast."
Cao Dan didn't intend to give chase.
After all, it was a C-rank monster, possibly even approaching the C+ threshold. He could kill it if he wanted, it would just be a bit of a hassle.
However, the telepathic communication he had just experienced made him more wary.
This thing was intelligent.
Cao Dan turned and walked back to the hollow area in the center of the Bloodscarred Vine Forest, his gaze falling on the giant snake corpse abandoned by the weasel.
It was a [One-Horned Rock Python], estimated to be at least seventeen or eighteen meters long and as thick as a bucket.
Although its belly was ripped out and its death was gruesome, its grayish-white scales were still as hard as iron, radiating a faint residual power.
"A C-rank monster..."
Cao Dan rubbed his hands together and slowly walked over.
He first crouched down, enduring the pungent stench, and reached into the emptied abdominal cavity, rummaging through a pile of colorful fragments of internal organs.
Last time he killed the [Azure Scaled Flood Dragon], he found a crystal core inside its organs.
This rock python, though not as high-level as the Azure Scaled Flood Dragon, was still a snake-like monster; perhaps it had
one too. After searching,
Cao Dan was somewhat disappointed and withdrew his blood-stained hand.
"Nothing at all." He frowned.
It seemed this rock python hadn't condensed a crystal core, or perhaps it had been taken by the weasel.
"Never mind, one shouldn't be too greedy."
Cao Dan stood up, shaking the blood off his hands.
Although there was no crystal core, the corpse of this C-rank monster was extremely valuable in itself.
"Rise!"
Cao Dan took a deep breath, his inner energy surging, and grabbed the huge snake's tail.
"Hah!"
With a low shout, he forcefully dragged the several-ton python's carcass, leaving a deep drag mark on the forest floor.
Cao Dan strode towards the edge of the forest.
"The platoon leader's out!"
Seeing Cao Dan dragging the corpse of the [Unicorn Rock Python] out of the [Bloodscarred Vine] forest, Xiang Cong, Qi Quan, and the others guarding the perimeter rushed forward, their eyes wide with astonishment.
Although the C-rank monster was dead, its lingering power was still palpable; just getting close was enough to send chills down their spines.
"Don't just stand there, lend a hand." Cao Dan casually tossed the several-ton snake carcass to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"That weasel escaped, but this big guy is our consolation prize. A C-rank Unicorn Rock Python, every part of it is valuable."
Cao Dan then briefly explained the situation inside, leaving Xiang Cong and the others stunned.
This book is first published online by 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞.
"Xiang Cong, take some men to the outskirts and bring over the logistics team. This area of [Blood Scar Vine] is currently unclaimed; those weasels definitely won't dare return anytime soon. While we have this opportunity, let's take everything we can. Remember, only take the thick, old vines; don't dig up the roots. A little bit helps."
"Yes!"
...
At noon, smoke curled from the campfires.
Cao Dan was a straightforward man; since he had good stuff, he had to reward his brothers.
He immediately ordered his men to skin the rock python, take a piece of snake meat, set up several large marching pots, and stew it on the spot.
Soon, an incredibly rich aroma of meat filled the entire temporary camp.
"Gulp."
Many soldiers' mouths watered at the smell.
The flesh and blood of a C-grade monster are extremely active. This snake meat is crystal clear, with a texture like fine marble, and it won't spoil even after two or three months.
"Dinner's ready!"
With Cao Dan's command, everyone wolfed down their lunchboxes.
"Phew!! So hot!"
After a mouthful of snake soup, Qi Quan felt a surge of heat explode from his stomach, instantly spreading throughout his body.
It felt like swallowing a hot coal; every pore on his body opened up, and his body instantly became scalding hot, making his temperature-regulating equipment unnecessary.
Many soldiers with weaker constitutions even ate until their faces were flushed, and their noses were almost bleeding. The energy contained in the C-grade flesh and blood was simply too immense.
"Take it easy, everyone. Don't burst yourselves," Cao Dan said with a laugh. "This stuff is very nutritious. Don't blame me if you can't sleep tonight after eating too much."
Xiang Cong sighed, holding his bowl.
"Platoon leader, to be honest, I used to work in other pioneering units. Forget about C-rank monster meat, even if those officers hunted a D-rank fire porcupine, they wouldn't give us common soldiers a single hair. Besides the nutritional supplements rationed for missions, we couldn't even get a bowl of hot soup."
"Yeah," Qi Quan wiped the grease from his mouth, echoing his sentiment. "In my old unit, the officers were even stingier. We brothers risked our lives to kill several D+-rank monsters, and in the end, we didn't get a single penny in reward; it all went to the higher-ups. It's only because we're with you that we not only have new equipment but also get to eat this kind of top-tier food."
Cao Dan smiled frankly, put down his chopsticks, and glanced at every soldier present.
"I, Cao, don't make empty promises. Follow me, and while I can't guarantee anything else, as long as I have a bite to eat, you brothers will definitely have a bite to drink. We're all in this together. Feeding you all will give you the strength to fight for me. I'm not losing out in this deal."
These words, though blunt, were more heartwarming to these wasteland soldiers than any grand pronouncements.
...
In the afternoon, the team broke camp again.
Considering the many variables deep within the Bone-Piercing Forest, Cao Dan decided not to remain in the command vehicle but to personally lead the way.
The residual C-rank ferocity of the [Unicorn Rock Python] was too strong, creating a temporary vacuum around the [Bloodscar Vine].
The low-level monsters that had originally inhabited the area had long since fled in terror.
Cao Dan led the team unimpeded until, two or three kilometers away from the [Bloodscar Vine], they began to see a few bold monsters lurking in the forest.
They advanced another two kilometers.
The surrounding giant trees became even thicker, their canopies blocking out the sun.
Suddenly, cries of agony echoed from the woods ahead.
"Waaah...ah..."
The sharp, piercing sound, like a woman's scream, reverberated through the dark forest, sending chills down everyone's spines.
"Everyone on alert!" The recruits gasped, raising their guns in alarm.
Xiang Cong quickly waved his hand, indicating it was alright: "Don't panic, the [Crying Sand Grass] resource point is just ahead. These sounds aren't ghostly cries, they're just the rustling of grass blades in the wind."
"Hmm." Cao Dan nodded, a glint of light in his eyes. "Go scout ahead first, and once it's safe, everyone collect it on the spot."
He took the lead, his [Beast Instinct] fully activated.
No movement of the grass within a radius of several dozen meters escaped his perception.
Passing through a grove of giant trees, they saw a large patch of pale yellow grass growing in a low-lying area of the forest.
[Crying Sand Grass].
These plants were short, less than 20 centimeters tall.
Their leaves weren't plant fibers, but rather composed of countless tiny, sand-like crystals, giving them a sickly grayish-yellow color.
This structure was extremely fragile, crumbling at the slightest touch.
A draft was blowing through the forest, causing countless leaves to sway and utter sounds like a woman's sobbing.
These sounds combined to create this terrifying, ghostly wail.
Beneath the grass, faint specks of pale blue fluorescence could be seen.
That was [Blue Salt].
These cubic salt crystals extracted from the roots of the Weeping Sand Grass are the hard currency of the wasteland.
The purified blue salt solution is a potent stimulant; a single injection can render someone painless and incredibly strong for a short time—a miracle cure for turning the tide in dire situations.
The dried leaves of the Weeping Sand Grass are excellent hallucinogenic tobacco, highly prized by the wasteland's upper echelons.
Cao Dan stepped on the fragile Weeping Sand Grass, his feet making a soft, crunching sound.
His short, black hair swayed slightly in the wind, the eerie blue light reflected from the blue salt beneath his feet illuminating his face, highlighting his sharp features and radiant glow.
Cao Dan glanced down at the map on his terminal.
"After harvesting here, the next stop is the [Skeleton Orchid]."
That's the territory of the [Armored Giant Lizard].
According to previous reconnaissance, it's a family unit of male and female, their strength assessed at D+ level or higher, possibly even higher.
"Hurry up, only take the blue salt and the best-quality grass leaves."
...
Half an hour later, the team continued their advance.
The closer they got to the habitat of the [Skeleton Orchid], the more deathly silent the surrounding forest became; even the chirping of insects vanished.
A faint stench of decay permeated the air. A
massive pile of bones came into view.
Countless bones of unknown behemoths were piled up like mountains, with the [Skeleton Orchid] growing in the gaps between the pale skulls and vertebrae.
Cao Dan raised his hand, signaling the team to halt.
He didn't approach rashly, but instead gently patted the silver violin case in his hand.
A surge of white-blue mechanical power erupted from his palm, instantly activating the [High-Pressure Wasps] inside.
"Buzz!!!"
Four or five [High-Pressure Wasps] flew out, spreading out in a fan shape like arrows, conducting a thorough reconnaissance of the bone mountain and the surrounding area.
Soon, a red warning box popped up on the terminal screen.
A colossal creature had entered the frame.
[Armored Giant Lizard (Male)].
This behemoth was a full 7 meters long and 2 meters tall at the shoulder; it was practically a living tank.
Its entire body was covered in thick bony plates, not external armor, but part of its skeletal system, a mix of dark gray and rust-red, covered with scratches from battle.
A row of sharp bony spikes along its spine resembled upright battle swords.
At this moment, the male monitor lizard was lying on a rocky hill several hundred meters from the pile of bones, where the sun was just setting. Its
wedge-shaped head was slightly raised, its nostrils flaring, clearly keeping watchful even while sunbathing.
"This size is tough," Cao Dan thought to himself.
But that wasn't the most troublesome thing.
The real problem was, where was the female?
Cao Dan maneuvered the drone around the area several times, even activating thermal imaging, but still couldn't find any trace of the other monitor lizard.
"Could she have gone out to hunt?"
After waiting for several minutes, Cao Dan grew impatient.
Although there were many bone orchids, only about twenty were in good condition and old.
If they were quick enough, they could snatch it and run before the male could react.
"Let's take a gamble."
Cao Dan's eyes narrowed, and his fingers flew across the terminal.
This time, he was directly controlling the [High-Pressure Wasps].
Under his control, the mechanical legs beneath the drones extended to collect the plants.
Buzz!!!
The drone swarm silently landed on the pile of bones and began its work.
The first plant, success.
The second plant, success.
...
However, just as one of the drones flew toward a relatively good-quality Bone Orchid,
a gaping maw full of fangs suddenly emerged from beneath the pile of bones, moving with lightning speed.
"Crack!"
The [High-Pressure Wasp] that was collecting the plants didn't even have a chance to react before being swallowed whole, along with the Bone Orchid, and chewed to pieces.
"I knew it, there was still one left." Cao Dan's pupils contracted.
It turned out that the female [Armored Giant Lizard] had been hiding in the pile of bones all along.
Using its camouflage, it concealed itself beneath the pile of bones. Being a cold-blooded animal, its body temperature was adjusted to match the environment, allowing it to evade both thermal imaging and visual detection.
"Roar!!!"
With a ferocious roar, the female monitor lizard emerged from the bone pile, shaking off a shower of broken bones.
Though slightly smaller than the male, it was far more menacing.
This roar stirred up a hornet's nest.
The male monitor lizard, basking in the sun in the distance, heard its mate's roar and instantly bristled.
"Rumble..."
It charged forward, its limbs throbbing, like a heavy truck, smashing through trees and kicking up clouds of dust and murderous intent as it raced back.
Its momentum truly surpassed D+ level.
"Since you can't hide anymore, let's fight."
Cao Dan sneered, showing no intention of retreating.
He moved his fingers rapidly, controlling the remaining four [High-Pressure Wasps] to take to the air, charging towards the charging male monitor lizard.
"Sizzle!!!"
The drone hovered nimbly in the air, its tail spitting out streaks of high-voltage blue electricity that struck the male monitor lizard's eyes and nostrils—sensitive areas.
"Roar!!!"
The male monitor lizard roared in anger, forced to stop and swat at the annoying flies.
The female, however, was stubborn, clinging to the pile of bones, refusing to budge, baring her teeth and claws at the drone in the air.
"Since you won't move, I'll move for you."
Cao Dan leaped down from a giant tree branch.
Boom!
White flames instantly enveloped his body, boosting his speed.
A dazzling arc of electricity flashed from his [Magnetic Levitation Military Boots (Improved)] beneath his feet.
Cao Dan transformed into a white streak of light, instantly traversing a hundred meters, appearing above the female monitor lizard's head.
"Die!"
He spread his arms in mid-air, his palms frantically compressing white and blue mechanical power.
[Air Compression Cannon]!
Bang!
A visible shockwave, like a cannonball, slammed into the female monitor lizard's raised head.
"Crack!" A
sound of bone breaking rang out.
The impact was immense; blood instantly gushed from the female's mouth and nose, and the sensory glands encased in her bony armor were shattered.
She let out a piercing scream, her massive body staggering backward.
Hearing his mate's scream, the male monitor lizard in the distance went completely berserk. Ignoring the drones, he charged forward, head down, despite the electric shocks.
Cao Dan gave him no chance to help.
Using the recoil, he somersaulted in mid-air, a red light flashing on his wrist.
[Wrist Heating Wire (Improved Version)]!
*Whoosh!
* A single-molecule alloy wire, barely visible to the naked eye, instantly shot out, its temperature soaring to 3500 degrees Celsius under the high-frequency vibrations of the mechanical force.
Cao Dan's figure blurred past, the heating wire in his hand slicing through the female monitor lizard's neck with effortless ease, like cutting tofu.
*Sizzle!*
A strong, burnt protein smell filled the air.
The massive, bony head slowly slid off, the cut as smooth as a mirror.
Blood gushed out like a fountain.
"Roar!!!"
Seeing its mate's head severed, the male giant lizard that had just charged forward let out a deafening roar.
Its eyes instantly turned bloodshot, its bony spikes stood on end, and a violent biological pressure erupted, actually breaking through the D+ level and reaching the C level.
Ignoring everything around it, it charged towards Cao Dan like a madman.
Cao Dan acted too quickly; Xiang Cong and the others only reacted at this moment. They had just raised their guns when they were overwhelmed by the terrifying aura of the male giant lizard, their hands trembling.
"Bang!" Xiang Cong gritted his
teeth and pulled the trigger. The large-caliber bullet struck the giant lizard's bony armor, but only produced a string of sparks, leaving not even a mark.
Facing this berserk C-level monster, Cao Dan remained calm.
He stepped onto the still-convulsing corpse of the female monitor lizard, flicked the blood from his wrist, and coldly stared at the charging behemoth.
"Get away from me."
"Rumble!!!"
The earth trembled as the male [Armored Giant Lizard] went completely mad.
The gruesome death of its mate had forced this D+ level behemoth, already on the verge of evolution, to break through the shackles of its biological level and enter the C level.
Its massive seven-meter-long body was covered inch by inch by thick bone plates, beneath which flowed blood as hot as magma. As
it ran, everything in its path, whether giant trees, rocks, or frozen snow, was smashed to pieces.
"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"
Xiang Cong only managed to shout half a sentence.
An invisible, terrifying pressure swept over them like a tsunami.
It was an absolute crushing force from the level of life, the natural intimidation of a superior predator over a lower-level creature.
"Thump."
The soldiers behind them didn't even see the monster's shadow before their eyes rolled back, white foam appeared at the mouth, and they were directly knocked unconscious by this ferocious aura.
Xiang Cong, this tough guy who was a novice martial artist, was now deathly pale, his pupils dilated, and his heart felt like it was being squeezed.
His mind was buzzing, and in a daze, he seemed to see a moving mountain of bones pressing down on him.
"Bang!"
With his last bit of instinct, Xiang Cong pulled the trigger.
The large-caliber bullet struck the giant lizard's forehead armor, scattering a weak spark.
The next second, a huge gust of wind hit, and Xiang Cong's vision went black. He was thrown to the ground like a kite with a broken string, completely losing consciousness.
...
"Is that it?"
In the center of the battlefield, Cao Dan glanced at his men lying on the ground, not too surprised.
A C-level monster was a watershed moment.
It was the beginning of a leap in life. Ordinary humans didn't even have the right to stand in front of creatures of this level.
"Good, saves me the trouble of taking care of you."
Cao Dan withdrew his gaze, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp.
At this moment, the male giant lizard had already reached them.
The bio-thermal energy emanating from its body was ridiculously exaggerated, like a walking steel furnace.
The hard icicles hanging from the branches of the surrounding giant trees melted rapidly under this heat, falling in streams of water that instantly evaporated into a white mist upon contact with the giant lizard's body.
Through the swirling mist, a pair of rapidly approaching crimson beastly eyes appeared.
"Trying to kill me? Dream on!"
Cao Dan sneered, his [Magnetic Levitation Military Boots] instantly overclocking, a blinding blue arc of electricity flashing across the soles.
Finger-length white flames erupted from his pores, increasing his speed further.
"Whoosh!"
Just as the giant lizard's head was about to strike, Cao Dan transformed into a blur, instantly appearing on a towering tree to his side and behind.
"Boom!"
The giant lizard crashed into empty space, the immense inertia carving two deep furrows into the ground.
But the monster's reaction speed was astonishing.
Its forelimbs plunged deep into the soil, acting as brakes, and its massive body came to an abrupt stop in an extremely short distance.
Its thick, battering ram-like tail, whistling through the air, swept across the ground.
The special chamber behind its nostrils throbbed wildly, rapidly detecting Cao Dan's scent.
Its wedge-shaped head, encased in its exoskeleton, whirled sharply, locking onto the giant tree where Cao Dan had landed.
"Roar!"
A roar erupted.
The giant lizard's hind leg muscles bulged, like compressed springs, and it pushed off with a powerful leap.
Its seven-meter-long body soared into the air like a cannonball, crashing directly into the giant tree.
"Crack!!!"
With the sound of breaking wood, sawdust flew everywhere.
The giant tree, which had grown for countless years, was snapped in half, its massive crown, laden with snow, collapsing with a deafening crash that shook the ground.
A split second before the trunk broke, Cao Dan had already leaped to another branch thirty meters away.
"This beast is incredibly strong."
The giant lizard, having missed its attack, didn't pursue.
It lay prone, its hind limbs compressed to the extreme, its forelimbs extended forward, and the thick bony plates on its back strangely opened, revealing rows of air vents like fish gills.
"Hiss!!!!"
The surrounding air rushed wildly into those air vents, emitting a sharp whistling sound.
Cao Dan's pupils contracted.
"Is this biological structure compression?"
As a mechanic skilled in crafting [Air Compression Cannons], he was all too familiar with this pre-cast animation.
This monster actually knew how to use its own skeletal cavity structure to compress air.
"Not good!"
Arcs of electricity crackled beneath Cao Dan's feet. Without thinking, he turned and leaped towards the higher treetops.
Too late.
"Boom!!!"
A deafening roar, like a bolt from the blue.
It wasn't the sound of gunpowder exploding, but a sonic boom released from the instantaneous compression of air.
A visible, transparent shockwave, centered on the giant lizard, swept forward in a fan shape.
The bark of several giant trees along the way instantly burst open, as if they had been slowly sliced to death.
The hard permafrost layer cracked open, sending shards of rock flying like bullets.
Using this terrifying recoil, the giant lizard doubled its speed, instantly covering dozens of meters, crashing into Cao Dan in mid-air like a flying mountain of bones.
"I can't dodge!"
Cao Dan tried his best to avoid the direct impact, but the hurricane and sonic boom generated by the monster felt like countless invisible hands, pulling him in.
At the same time, the violent pressure unique to C-level lifeforms erupted at close range.
Cao Dan felt a tightness in his chest; the previously flowing white internal energy within him momentarily stagnated.
This was the suppression at the biological level.
Without breaking through this pressure, no matter how skilled he was, he would only be a punching bag.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
In mid-air, a fierce glint flashed in Cao Dan's eyes.
[Qi Shifting to Clouds]!
The agile white flame within his body instantly dissipated, replaced by a domineering flame, crimson as blood and blazing as fire.
[Blazing Yang Inner Qi]!
"Boom!"
A crimson aura, over a foot high, suddenly erupted from Cao Dan's body, transforming him into a burning firecracker.
The surrounding low-temperature air instantly ignited, and a rolling heat wave spread outward from him, even charring the branches beneath his feet.
With this extremely powerful and yang aura, Cao Dan felt his body lighten, regaining control.
He forcefully twisted his waist in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the giant lizard's headbutt, a strike powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks.
However, the rough bony plates still grazed his clothes, tearing his thermal suit to shreds, and the memory metal in his magnetic battle suit automatically concentrated at the point of friction.
"Bang!"
Cao Dan landed, his feet leaving two deep footprints on the tree trunk.
But before he could even catch his breath, the giant lizard had already adjusted its posture and pounced again.
Tail whip, bite, claw strike, charge...
the attacks of this C-rank monster were like a storm, giving no chance to breathe.
Each of its attacks was powerful and heavy; even a mere glancing blow caused Cao Dan's bones to ache.
Cao Dan dodged while attempting to counterattack.
He raised his left hand, his palm surging with mechanical power.
"Pfft! Pfft!"
Two [Air Compression Cannons] struck the giant lizard's face, only causing it to pause slightly, its head tilting to the side, unable to even break its defense.
"No, if this continues, I'll be the first to die."
Cao Dan leaped onto a horizontal branch again, his chest heaving violently.
Although his internal energy was abundant and his physique exceptional, this monster's stamina was a bottomless pit.
Cao Dan took a deep breath, activating his Gold-level feat, [Martial Arts Limitless].
"Spin!"
Suddenly, wisps of black appeared within the crimson aura surrounding him.
The [Qi Flowing Clouds] feat only allowed Cao Dan to quickly switch between internal energies; it couldn't simultaneously control two different energies.
But [Martial Arts Limitless] allowed him to do so, and these two completely different energies achieved a dynamic balance within his body.
Red and black intertwined!
"Roar!!!"
A deep roar escaped Cao Dan's throat, a sound that didn't even sound human.
Specialty: [Iron Bones]!
"Crackling!!!"
A series of rapid bone-crackling sounds emanated from his body.
Cao Dan, who was already over 1.8 meters tall, visibly grew taller.
His spine stretched segment by segment, and his muscle fibers expanded rapidly like inflating balloons, stretching his tattered combat suit to the point of tearing.
1.9 meters... 1.95 meters... 2 meters!
In the blink of an eye, Cao Dan transformed into a two-meter-tall, muscular little giant.
His skin, enveloped in red and black flames, was like bronze.
The feeling of power surging to the point of explosion made Cao Dan want to unleash it.
"Come on!"
Cao Dan roared, no longer dodging.
"Bang!!!"
The giant tree branch beneath his feet instantly shattered into dust.
Cao Dan charged head-on into the charging [Armored Giant Lizard].
This scene was like an ant trying to shake a tree.
One was a two-meter-tall human, the other a seven-meter-long heavily armored monster.
The difference in size was enormous.
The [Armored Giant Lizard] clearly hadn't expected this darting insect to turn around; a flicker of excitement flashed in its eyes.
It turned sideways, its tail, covered in bone spurs and as thick as a bucket, sweeping across with immense force.
The air was torn apart, emitting a sharp, explosive sound.
Facing this attack, Cao Dan was suspended in mid-air, with nowhere to grab hold.
But he neither dodged nor evaded.
Crimson and black flames frantically gathered on his arms, which he crossed, protecting his chest, his eyes burning with fervor.
"Block!!!"
"Boom!!!"
His fists and arms collided violently with the bone tail.
In that instant, time seemed to stand still.
A visible white shockwave spread wildly outwards from the point of impact.
Cao Dan felt as if his arms were crashing into a high-speed train; the immense recoil made his bones groan.
But with the support of his [Iron Bones] and dual internal energy, he withstood the impact, his bones remaining intact.
However, the size difference between them was still too great.
"Whoosh!!!!!"
Cao Dan was sent flying like a baseball being hit.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
His body traced a straight line through the air, crashing into three trees as thick as washbasins, finally slamming into the trunk of a giant tree with a loud "bang," embedding himself completely, splintering wood.
Although he looked utterly disheveled, Cao Dan's aura didn't weaken at all; instead, the shock of the impact made it even more ferocious.
"Roar!"
Seeing this, the [Armored Giant Lizard] thought the insect was finally dead and roared excitedly.
It gripped the ground with all four limbs, charging madly towards where Cao Dan had fallen, like a bulldozer, preparing to deliver the final blow to its prey that dared to provoke it.
Just as the Armored Giant Lizard was about to charge
, the figure embedded in the tree trunk suddenly moved .
A large, bronze-colored hand emerged from the wood chips and gripped the edge of the trunk.
Cao Dan slowly raised his head, crimson and black flames burning in his eyes, a ferocious smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"That's impressive."
"Now, it's my turn."