Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 137 The Flame of the Eagle, A New Route!
The life levels that had been locked down for so long after the collector was opened have finally achieved a huge breakthrough from 0 to 1.

As the assessment stated, this was an incredibly important step, a chasm that stood between ordinary people and extraordinary individuals, yet he crossed it in one stride.

Alongside this was Cheng Ye's long-awaited fourth skill slot.

This means that even if he is equipped with 'Heart Protection Fire' and 'Wild Grass Physique', he still has two permanent skill slots available for learning skills, so he doesn't have to slow down his progress in mastering basic abilities in order to gain extraordinary power.

But what's even more surprising is that, in addition to the expansion of the skill bar, a brand new section has appeared out of nowhere on the panel.

"ability?"

Cheng Ye was taken aback. He had never imagined that acquiring extraordinary skills would lead to accidentally unlocking new features.

The fiery red "Liaoying Co-existence" text flickered slightly, like an animated image, sometimes transforming into text, and sometimes condensing into the phantom of a Liaoying eagle flapping its wings.

If you can't find the tears of the starfish, and if you don't have a large number of search samples for reference.

Cheng Ye may not yet fully understand the weight of these words.

But now, a clear idea popped into my head.

The symbiotic ecosystem is probably the correct way to unlock extraordinary abilities in the transitional version before the S4 virus's rampage ends and S5 has even begun.

"Could it be that in this state, humans can absorb the power of extraordinary beings and transform themselves?"

Cheng Ye sat quietly in thought, the scene he had seen from the eagle's perspective resurfacing in his mind.

The volcanic eruption was magnificent, with lava flowing like a celestial river, and all of this was caused by a mere casual strike from a human figure.

That ability to change the world so easily is beyond imagination; even in the primordial world, it would be considered a divine power capable of summoning wind and rain.

If there had been many such extraordinary individuals back then, it wouldn't be surprising if Earth had become the wasteland it is today.

A decade or two is enough time for these "gods" to turn this vast planet into a meat grinder.

You destroy one of my cities, I'll overturn a piece of your land. The foundation of human civilization is as fragile as a French fry under the collision of forces of this magnitude.

If the gods were all enemies of humanity, perhaps humanity's technological weapons would still have a fighting chance.

The problem is that each extraordinary individual is not fighting alone; they have powerful backers, financial groups supporting them, and have even formed an alliance of extraordinary individuals.

The so-called struggle is no longer a personal grudge, but involves the fate of countless ordinary people and drags the whole world into the abyss.

If the S4 virus hadn't suddenly appeared and wiped out all the superhumans in an almost irrational way, Earth today would probably be a completely different place.
It may be an oligarchy where a few superhumans rule the world, or it may be a distorted civilization where superhuman power and technology coexist. But one thing is certain: the tragic transformation during this period will inevitably result in far more casualties among ordinary people than in the current wasteland era.

Therefore, future generations of humans who wish to access extraordinary powers will certainly not dare to imitate their predecessors.

Even if someone still possesses the extraordinary items from back then, they would absolutely not dare to use them to step into the extraordinary realm.

After all, based on the development of previous generations of viruses, the S4 virus must still have the power to preserve samples, and it may not have stopped spreading yet, it just hasn't affected ordinary people.

Once detected, a single virus sample can be sent, and an ordinary person can kill a superhuman.

"Symbiotic relationship with extraordinary beings"

"Is this some kind of opportunistic method where extraordinary beings take the risks while the supernatural beings themselves safely acquire extraordinary power?"

Cheng Ye could only guess, but regardless of whether it was true or not, he had finally grasped the threshold of using extraordinary abilities and was qualified to continue exploring the truth.

Suppressing the pounding in his heart, Cheng Ye turned his gaze back to the skill bar and gently clicked the expand button next to Heart Protection Flame.

This detailed description feature is not available in ordinary skills, but the special nature of extraordinary skills has long made him accustomed to it.

The text on the panel changed accordingly, and a detailed explanation appeared below the Heart-Protecting Fire:
【Heart Protection Flame (lv1; Extraordinary Talent)】

[Description]: Legend has it that the Crimson Jade Fire Lotus, which takes root and grows in magma, gives birth to three clusters of primordial fire.

The Killing Fire obliterates the body upon contact, the Protective Fire shields the body from harm for countless eons, and the Soul-Destroying Fire can annihilate any spirit.

Anyone who obtains any one of these three flames can transcend the ordinary.

[Growth Value]: Lv1 (0.0001%)

[Growth Path]:
1. The Heartfire is now bound to the Extraordinary Seed (Eagle Larva). Collectors must raise the larva, and its growth will simultaneously increase the Heartfire level.

2. It has been detected that the collector has selected the joint route and has the 'Information Fusion' feature, which can be unlocked:
Fusing with special skills marked with an asterisk (*) will grant additional growth points.

Note: Fusion has a certain probability of causing skill mutations, leading to irreversible consequences. Please attempt this with caution.
[Current Performance]:
1. When equipped, it automatically grants immunity to ranged mental interference effects (level less than Lv6).

2. When equipped, a special ability can be activated: Flaming Eagle Symbiosis.

"It's a growth-type skill?"

After reading all the information, Cheng Ye was slightly surprised.

Among the skills found so far, there are active skills like Iron Body, passive skills like Wild Grass Physique, and a whole bunch of ordinary skills that can be learned through training.

However, the Heart-Protecting Fire is the first skill to be able to continuously grow under certain conditions.

"The description says that the Heart-Protecting Flame is one of the three primordial flames of the Crimson Jade Fire Lotus. Hmm, it should be the fire lotus I saw after switching to the eagle's perspective."

Thinking of this, Cheng Ye suddenly felt a sense of doubt.

If the eagle on Liu Kun's shoulder is the same eagle that merged with the power of the Fire Lotus, then it is the same eagle that fused with the power of the Fire Lotus.

How could the skill level of those three flames be the lowest, Lv1?

Or is it that Liu Kun's Flaming Eagle is merely a descendant of the first generation of extraordinary Flaming Eagles, just like his current fledgling eagle, inheriting only a trace of extraordinary power?

Even the eagle that once soared through the sky has long since perished. The current Blazing Eagle has no direct blood relation to it. It was only later that another eagle inherited this power, allowing the extraordinary to be passed down.
If that's true, then what terrifying power must the original extraordinary eagle possess?

"Hmm, that might be right, because Liu Kun is also trying to improve his power. He chose to fuse with the Corrupted Vine, which is similar to my current method of using energy points to fuse information."

Cheng Ye suddenly recalled the scene of Liu Kun injecting the rotten vine into his body.

Without a clear control panel to display the status, Liu Kun managed to find a path to improvement through his own exploration.

Bearing the enormous risk of backlash from the source of infection, they use their own bodies as a medium to try to gain additional growth points.

How similar is this to the panel prompt "Fuse with skills marked with *"?
However, Liu Kun's method was more primitive and more dangerous.

Thinking of this, Cheng Ye turned his attention to the "Abilities" section and clicked on the detailed description of the "Blazing Eagle Co-ecosystem".

【Liaoying Symbiotic Ecosystem (Prototype)】

[Description]: After activating this ability, you will achieve extraordinary symbiosis with the larva of the Blazing Eagle, gaining shared skills, attributes, and abilities.

Current Status: Prototype
[Currently Shareable Skills]:
Flame-Eating Eagle (Lv0, None, can absorb a small amount of flame to heal injuries)

Hang Time (Lv0, None, grants the ability to hang briefly when falling from a great height)

[Currently Shareable Attributes]: None (Since the Collector's current attributes are far greater than those of the Flaming Eagle Lava Cub, no effective attribute sharing will be possible)
[Currently Shareable Ability]: Power of Firewood (Lv0, None, Slightly increases resistance to high temperatures)
As expected, once in a symbiotic ecosystem, one can fully share the abilities of extraordinary beings.

"Hey, the Blazing Eagle Devouring Fire?!"

Cheng Ye's gaze swept across the area and settled on the shareable skill bar, and he was overjoyed.

While searching for Liu Kun during the day, he coveted this skill, which allowed him to recover from injuries by consuming fire. Combined with Wild Grass Physique and Iron Body, it could further enhance his envisioned freakish path.

I never expected to acquire it in this way.

Of course, Liu Kun's Flaming Eagle's Fire-Eating ability is at the perfect level of Lv1, while his is only Lv0, without any rating, making it a complete blank slate.

But is it a big problem?
"If I take good care of this little guy, the stronger it becomes, the stronger I will become too?"

Cheng Ye was immediately excited.

This is much more satisfying than a dry, unchanging superpower.

As long as the larvae of the Flaming Eagle continue to grow, he will be able to directly inherit a large number of advanced skills in the future, unlocking a bunch of abilities that he could never have imagined.

Even.
The thought of the attribute boosts from the Starfish Tear made Cheng Ye's heart beat faster.

Compared to the frail human body, the growth potential of extraordinary beings is significantly higher.

Just like Liu Kun's eagle, he couldn't even get close to it. Even taking a closer look would be suppressed by its life level. He really didn't know how strong Liu Kun would become after coexisting with him.

"Well, the problem now is, we don't know how fast this fledgling is growing."

Cheng Ye looked down at the fledgling eagle on the bed, who had just finished eating. The little guy was dozing on its back, its pink beak slightly open and closed, looking adorable.

The brazier we found, with its three flames, could solve our short-term food problem.

In particular, the fledgling eagle gained the power of firewood after eating it.

Despite being a weakened version, it still provides him with increased high-temperature resistance after symbiosis.

In the future, once they have devoured enough of them, perhaps they will be able to ignore high temperatures after coexisting with them.

By the time the three flames are finished, the factory on the pedestrian street should have been built.

Purchasing firewood and coal will not be difficult at that time. As long as the young eagles' appetites are not excessive, the supply should not be a problem.

"At this time, the advantage of staying in a large sheltered city becomes apparent. As long as you have money, you can buy these supplies easily without having to go out and collect them yourself."

"However, this will mean another expense."

Cheng Ye smiled, but his thoughts suddenly took a turn. Could charcoal fire also be divided into different grades?

Just like milk powder, it's divided into different grades, and there's also the distinction between domestic and imported.

Thinking deeper, if it were Earth without supernatural powers, it would be quite difficult to find natural fire; there are only a few options available.

But in this environment, I wonder if there are any naturally occurring "strange flames"?
As he thought about it, Cheng Ye couldn't help but laugh, and quickly shook his head to shake off these wild ideas.

After a long pause, he realized that he hadn't yet experienced what symbiosis felt like.

"Little guy, this is the first time we've coexisted. If you're uncomfortable, you'd better make a sound."

Cheng Ye gently stroked the fledgling eagle's wings with his fingertips, his tone filled with curiosity.

Unexpectedly, the fledgling eagle chirped twice, as if responding to him.

"Hey, as expected of an extraordinary creature, it's already so clever right after it was born."

Thinking of the little black guy in Quarantine Zone C, Cheng Ye took a deep breath and focused his mind on the information transmitted by the collector.

Entering the symbiotic state is very simple, just like using a control panel; it can be done with only your mind. Previously, when he controlled the eaglet's body, the eaglet was the main body.

At this moment, the goal is to let the fledgling eagle attach itself to one's body.

A barely perceptible suction force rose from within, and the fledgling eagle on the bed vanished instantly, returning to the spirit space.

The next moment, Cheng Ye felt a warm sensation on his forehead, and he subconsciously turned to look in the mirror.

A faint, flame-shaped mark appeared on his forehead, and several fine lines spread out from the corners of his eyes, resembling the outstretched wings of a hawk upon closer inspection.

Unfortunately, the fledgling eagle was too weak, and these marks were very faint, almost invisible unless you looked closely.

He took out his lighter and pressed it. The moment the pale blue flame rose, almost without thinking, his body instinctively took a deep breath.

A magical scene happened.

Like a fledgling eagle swallowing flames, he inhaled the flame from the lighter into his mouth and nose.

There was no burning sensation as I had expected, and it wasn't even choking. Instead, it felt like swallowing some kind of warm, nourishing syrup, with a wonderfully indescribable taste.

"Nutritional paste, flame?"

Cheng Ye was somewhat taken aback.

But cognition in a symbiotic state seems to naturally match the two, and everything happens logically.

As for the taste, it was bland with a very faint hint of fishy sweetness, like the aroma of egg yolk wafting from afar.

"Okay, I'm actually tasting a lighter... or rather, the taste of butane?"

Cheng Ye chuckled to himself; this experience of "not being human" was truly bizarre.

If this were modern times, with just these two skills, he could easily earn a reputation as a talented and extraordinary person.

After sucking for a while, about a minute, Cheng Ye felt a sense of fullness.

This must be what is called trace restriction. It is so little that the body cannot feel anything at all, and it is not even as strong as the recovery power brought by the wild grass totem.

However, considering it's a level 0 blank skill, achieving this level is already quite surprising.

As for hang time
Cheng Ye didn't dare to actually jump down from the fifth floor to test it; he just tried to gently jump from the bed to the ground.

Just as his feet were about to touch the ground, he stomped his left foot down sharply.

A strange sensation came over me, as if I had stepped on an invisible brick of air. My body was strangely suspended in mid-air for half a second, and even lifted slightly upwards.

However, the flame mark on his forehead and the feather-like lines at the corners of his eyes suddenly faded away in the next second.

The first symbiotic relationship has come to an end!

Inside the spirit realm, the fledgling eagle was noticeably more listless, its little head drooping, lying motionless on the ground.

Clearly, that power-sharing attack had exhausted all its strength.

"Not bad."

Cheng Ye rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming. "If used skillfully, this will give you an extra layer of protection even if you fall from a height."

The feeling of stepping on air is truly wonderful, like stepping on a fluffy cloud, brief yet clear.

He was willing to try again, but then a message popped up in the ability panel:
【Liaoying Co-ecology: 00:59:47】

"A one-hour cooldown period?"

Cooldown time wasn't unfamiliar to Cheng Ye, but seeing it so clearly still brought him a slight delight.

It's highly unlikely that those extraordinary beings without collectors could have such a clear understanding of the state of extraordinary creatures.

And this ability to observe directly, if used well and in the right direction, will only become more and more helpful in the future!
"Do you still want to eat?"

Cheng Ye summoned the fledgling eagle, turned on the lighter, and a pale blue flame danced on his fingertips.

But the little guy just lay listlessly on the bed, too lazy to even lift his eyelids. Clearly, he wasn't hungry, but rather had exhausted some kind of primal energy.

There's nothing we can do about it.

Cheng Ye smiled helplessly. Before transmigrating, he had raised dogs and knew how to feed and walk them, but raising extraordinary fledgling eagles was something he had never even heard of, let alone had any experience with.

I'll stop by the Survival Library tomorrow and see if they have any books on raising extraordinary creatures.

He squatted down by the bed and poked the fledgling eagle's bare back: "It's really not right for it to keep calling itself a 'fledgling eagle' or a 'fledgling eagle.'"

Cheng Ye thought for a moment, and suddenly the faint flame mark that appeared on his forehead after the symbiosis flashed through his mind.

"How about we call you Flame? That'll be your nickname for now. We'll talk about your real name when you grow some majestic feathers!"

"Yeah!"

The flame raised its head and let out a weak cry, as if in response.

"Okay, so that means you agree."

Cheng Ye smiled and rubbed its little head.

Seeing the little guy looking so listless, I felt a pang of heartache for no reason.

Fortunately, this state did not last long. About half an hour later, the flame regained its vitality and began to flutter and peck at things on the sheets.

Once the cooldown period of the symbiotic relationship was completely over, it was fully revived, pecking and rubbing against Cheng Ye's fingers, showing no signs of its previous fatigue.

This confirms Cheng Ye's conjecture: the symbiotic fusion state consumes the energy of the extraordinary organism, and has no direct connection with him, the host.

In order to reach the extraordinary, humans in the new era have really taken a different approach, transferring the risks to extraordinary beings and reaping the benefits of their power.

But in this way.
Recalling what Downs had said before about needing enough obsession to resist the contamination of supernatural beings, it meant that the risk had never disappeared, but rather the threshold for obtaining supernatural power had been raised dramatically.

This is no longer an era where any ordinary person can obtain extraordinary items and arbitrarily control power.

This "obsession-based selection" mechanism significantly reduces the probability of superhumans going out of control, while the obsession itself restrains the behavior of superhumans, preventing them from causing further damage to the wasteland. This is how the delicate balance between ordinary people and superhumans is maintained.

However, upon thinking about this, Cheng Ye suddenly realized a very important issue.

Does he have an obsession?
It's not that there's none at all; if we had to say, perhaps it would be considered somewhat true in modern times.

However, during the process of merging with the flame, he did not use any obsession at all, nor was he subjected to any contamination.

The birth of the flame and the intimacy between them were like those of family, without any barriers.

This means he may now have taken a third path, a safer shortcut to gaining superhuman power.

"Without belief, there is an extraordinary biological symbiosis."

Cheng Ye muttered to himself, his gaze gradually becoming serious.

"This means that my path is completely different from that of the current superhumans. My strength is probably not even at the minimum level of a superhuman. In fact, because Flame is just a fledgling, I may not even be as strong as the weakest superhuman."

"But the advancement in my life level has made it easier for me to attract the attention of special creatures. From now on, I must be more cautious."

Even so, Cheng Ye had no intention of giving up on equipping his extraordinary talent.

If you're going to keep birds, you should start early.

Other people's extraordinary beings may be finished products, requiring strong willpower to restrain them. If they are not careful, they will suffer backlash, and they will not know how to improve them.

His flame, from the moment it was born, was in the spiritual space, connected to his aura, and there was absolutely no pollution or conflict between them.

This means that the further he develops, the more stable his foundation will become, and it's even possible that it will become even more solid.
"What would happen if I found other extraordinary beings' extraordinary creatures?"

"Is it possible to simultaneously enter the symbiotic ecosystem of two extraordinary beings and combine their powers?"

Cheng Ye's mind suddenly clicked, and his heart couldn't help but race.

This may be his unique and unparalleled advantage.

Other extraordinary individuals may only be able to bind to one extraordinary being throughout their lives, struggling to maintain a balance through their beliefs.

However, he was able to use the collector to search and forge an unprecedented path of "multiple pets coexisting".

Of course, it's not just pets, but also extraordinary plants and all sorts of extraordinary creatures.

Within the extraordinary system of the old era, the S3 virus created many biological miracles.

And he has the opportunity to search for all of these, and there is a possibility of coexisting with them!

Thinking of this, Cheng Ye let out a long sigh of relief, and the various emotions surging in his chest gradually subsided.

This new path is destined to be uncharted territory, with no precedents to follow and no experience to draw upon. But precisely because of the existence of the collector, his path does not have to follow the predetermined trajectory of extraordinary obsession.

And now all the facts point to one thing:
The path he has chosen will only become more and more solid, and its prospects and potential far exceed those of ordinary extraordinary individuals.

The room felt somewhat stuffy. Cheng Ye walked to the window, pushed it open halfway, and looked towards the direction of the Happiness Defense Line.

A cool breeze brushed against my face, dispelling the last trace of restlessness that had arisen from the impending arrival of the migrants, allowing my thoughts to settle completely.

Everything seems unchanged, yet everything seems to have changed.

The trepidation, fear, and confusion I felt upon arriving in this world have vanished without a trace as I now officially embark on the path of the extraordinary.

He was no longer that ordinary person who was lost and didn't know where to go or how to move forward.

Even if things are hopeless now and he has to leave Happiness City immediately, he now has the confidence to survive in the wilderness.

"Damn wasteland, here I come!"

Cheng Ye's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but no sound came out. Although it was a silent shout, the light in his eyes was frighteningly bright, like two clusters of ignited sparks.

Those civilizations hidden beneath the ruins, those extraordinary things buried deep in the wilderness.

Those mutated beasts that see humans as prey, those roaming waves of infection that cause disaster.

The world outside the city of Sanctuary is fraught with danger, yet also holds opportunities.

At this moment, we don't need to rely on anyone or be dictated by anyone's mood.

He finally had the qualifications and the confidence to step inside!
　P.S.: There will be another update later, it might be a little late~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)