Transcending Worlds: I Have an Invincible Shelter

Two figures moved swiftly, stepping over broken bricks and scrap metal, running wildly along the streets and alleys.

The wind whipped up dust, and in no time, the two of them had crossed three dilapidated streets, their movements swift and steady.

The silence was suddenly broken by a wet, gnawing sound. The sound grew closer and closer, and a strong smell of blood assaulted Zhao Xinyan's nostrils, making her feel panicked.

Jiang Xiaochen suddenly stopped, his face darkened, and he immediately became fully alert.

Zhao Xinyan, who was half a step behind him, frowned immediately upon hearing the jarring noise, and a wave of nausea washed over her.

Needless to say, both of them knew they had encountered a mutated beast.

They walked together quietly the whole way.

Previously, Su Yuyang had been recklessly charging around, making a lot of noise in fights, which scared away all the dangerous creatures hiding nearby.

Along the way, they didn't encounter a single powerful mutated beast, or even an ordinary zombie; it was unusually peaceful.

Jiang Xiaochen raised his hand and pressed down, signaling Zhao Xinyan to stay where she was and not move.

Without saying a word, he pushed off with his feet and leaped into the air.

He used his hands and feet alternately to climb up the mottled, broken wall next to him, with fragments of brick falling down continuously.

With a few quick movements, he landed steadily on a cracked and rusty open-air balcony on the third floor. He immediately bent down and lowered his body, hiding himself completely.

Zhao Xinyan originally wanted to climb up to check the situation, but Jiang Xiaochen turned around and made a gesture to stop her.

The wind downstairs carried the stench of blood, and the sounds of gnawing and tearing grew clearer, making one's stomach churn.

Zhao Xinyan suppressed her discomfort and asked in a low voice, her face turning a little pale.

"What's going on up ahead?"

Having grown accustomed to the comforts of the shelter building, she had long since relaxed her guard and almost forgot that the place beneath her feet was never safe.

This is a ruined city, inhabited by mutated beasts and zombies.

In the shadows of the balcony, Jiang Xiaochen crouched down, only his cold, deep eyes visible, staring intently at the place two streets away.

In the distance, five mutated beasts huddled together, frantically gnawing on a mangled corpse on the ground.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere, and bones were torn apart and scattered all over the ground.

He quickly counted the number, then immediately turned around and whispered, "There are five mutated beasts in total. I'll go scout ahead first; you act accordingly."

As soon as he finished speaking, a dark light emanated from Jiang Xiaochen's body, and his figure instantly merged into the shadows of the building, leaving no trace.

He fully activated his talent [Night Concealment], completely hiding his aura, footsteps, and figure, like an assassin lurking in the night.

A dark shadow crept along the blind spot of the building, silently making its way towards the mutated beast.

Zhao Xinyan stood there, her fingers gripping the gun tightly, feeling both worried and uneasy.

But Jiang Xiaochen was nowhere to be seen, so he could only suppress his worries and focus on keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.

Ahead, the roars of beasts echoed through the streets, carried on the bloody wind.

The corpse on the ground had long been torn to shreds, the flesh almost completely devoured, with only bits of meat clinging to the bones, making it unrecognizable.

Surrounding the corpse were five mutated, bristly wolf beasts.

They are covered with stiff, black hair. These wolves are huge, measuring seven or eight meters in length and more than three meters tall when standing.

Ordinary people would be completely powerless against them if they were to fight them bare-handed.

At this moment, their eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty red light as they frantically scanned their surroundings. If they sensed any living creature, they would immediately pounce on it to hunt it down.

Jiang Xiaochen moved with utmost care, using the broken walls and dilapidated beams as cover, slowly approaching without making a sound.

When he was only 100 meters away from the mutated wiry wolf in the very center, he immediately stopped and quickly scanned the surrounding terrain to make sure there were no other mutated beasts hiding there.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he raised his hand, held the light machine gun properly, and aimed the muzzle steadily at the core of the wolf pack.

"Click."

A crisp metallic sound broke the silence; the machine gun's safety latch was released, and this slight noise instantly alerted all the mutated beasts.

The five wolves pricked up their ears at the same time, their scarlet eyes locking onto the source of the sound. They stared intently at the shadow of the broken window across the street, baring their teeth and growling, preparing to pounce.

The next second, the strongest alpha wolf raised its head and howled, transforming into a black shadow, carrying a pungent, fishy smell, and charged at full speed toward the window.

The hundred-meter distance was covered in an instant, and a foul-smelling wind rushed towards us. A huge mouth opened, its sharp teeth gleaming coldly, and it headed straight for the window to bite.

In a flash, Jiang Xiaochen looked up and met the enormous mouth that could swallow a person whole, the stench filling his nostrils.

His pupils contracted, his heart tightened instantly, and without thinking, he forcefully pulled the trigger.

"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!"

A burst of gunfire erupted, and a dense barrage of bullets shot out in a straight line, precisely piercing the vital points of the charging wolf.

The hot, bloody wolf blood splattered all over Jiang Xiaochen's face and neck, sticky and cold, making it extremely uncomfortable to touch.

Using the momentum of its charge, the mutated beast sprinted forward several more steps before its heavy body crashed heavily into the brick wall.

The old wall shook violently, raising a large cloud of gray-yellow dust that completely blocked the view.

Jiang Xiaochen was prepared and immediately activated [Night Concealment] a second time, his figure becoming ethereal as he moved five meters horizontally, steadily dodging the impact.

The enormous wolf's body grazed his shoulder and crashed into him, the stench of the wolf making his clothes flutter loudly, and he almost got hit.

He didn't even have time to wipe the blood off his face. As soon as he regained his footing, the remaining four mutated wolves, drawn by the gunshots and the scent of blood, surrounded him. The four ferocious forces locked onto Jiang Xiaochen at the same time and pounced on him from both sides.

The sudden killing of their companion completely enraged the wolf pack.

They also realized that this person was not easy to deal with, so their attacks became fierce and ruthless, leaving no room for retreat.

Seeing four dark figures approaching at the same time, Jiang Xiaochen didn't dare to delay. He quickly checked the magazine, raised his gun, and fired another burst of bullets.

However, the four wolves were agile and dodged back and forth, so most of the bullets missed, with only two of them suffering minor glancing wounds.

This injury was nothing, but it only enraged the wolves, making the situation suddenly more complicated.

In this critical moment, Jiang Xiaochen's mind raced, and he immediately activated his talent to conceal himself.

Others vanished into thin air in the streets and alleys, leaving only a machine gun hovering in the air, moving nimbly back and forth on the battlefield.

The gun barrel would sometimes protrude from a high-rise window, sometimes hide behind a broken balcony wall, and sometimes move low to the ground, its position constantly shifting and completely unpredictable.

Intermittent firepower relentlessly suppressed the wolf pack, and the four ferocious wolves repeatedly missed their targets, constantly running back and forth.

He screamed wildly but couldn't find anyone. More and more bullet wounds were appearing on his body, and he was bleeding profusely. His physical strength and combat power were rapidly declining.

Two streets away, the chaotic and rapid sounds of gunfire continued to drift over.

The more Zhao Xinyan listened, the more panicked she became, fearing that something might happen to Jiang Xiaochen alone, and she couldn't wait any longer.

She immediately lifted her foot and rushed towards the direction of the gunshot. Instead of recklessly crossing the empty street and exposing herself, she meandered along the rooftops.

Using the buildings for cover, Zhao Xinyan approached the center of the firefight step by step, constantly on guard against any possible ambushes in the shadows.

Reaching a high vantage point with a good view, Zhao Xinyan looked down and immediately saw the machine gun floating in mid-air, but Jiang Xiaochen himself was nowhere to be seen.

The scene looked a bit comical, and she almost couldn't help but laugh.

Upon closer inspection, only three mutated, bristly wolves covered in blood remained on the battlefield. Their combat strength had long since waned, and their offensive had weakened considerably.

Zhao Xinyan instantly suppressed her smile, her eyes turned cold, she raised her hand to brace the Barrett sniper rifle, the muzzle steadily aimed at the heart of the battlefield, held her breath, and was ready to fire at any moment.

"Bang--!"

The dull, heavy sound of sniper rifles echoed throughout the block, the whistling sound of them cutting through the air both piercing and sharp.

Just then, a three-meter-tall wolf, disregarding everything, charged towards where Jiang Xiaochen was hiding.

The moment the gun fired, the high-energy sniper bullet pierced the wolf's head, causing the massive head to explode in a spray of blood. The mutated beast stiffened, then fell straight forward, crashing heavily into the old wall beside it.

"Boom—!"

The wall, which was already on the verge of collapse, was hit by this blow and collapsed on the spot, with rubble and bricks falling down in a torrent.

Jiang Xiaochen anticipated the danger and had already dodged away. He retreated steadily to a safe place before the wall collapsed, with only a little smoke and dust coming from behind.

The battle turned in an instant, and now only two mutated wolves remained.

One of them, still warily watching the machine gun in mid-air, pounced around aimlessly.

The other end was extremely alert. It suddenly turned its head, its scarlet eyes fixed on the fifth-floor rooftop where Zhao Xinyan was, sensing danger up there.

Fortunately, Zhao Xinyan acted quickly. After firing the gun, she immediately changed positions and ran quickly along the shadows of the rooftop, leaving only a few light footsteps, and silently concealed herself.

Then she steadied herself, adjusted her angle, and fired two shots in quick succession. The remaining two wolves fell to the ground one after another, completely still.

The smoke slowly dissipated, and the stench of blood mixed with dust gently settled down.

The two walked together and met up. Jiang Xiaochen withdrew his [Night Concealment] talent, and his figure reappeared.

His face was pale, and his breathing was erratic and weak. He had been activating his talents at high frequency and consuming a lot of source energy, and his body could no longer withstand it.

At this point, Jiang Xiaochen was completely exhausted and was even swaying slightly while standing.

Zhao Xinyan still held the Barrett rifle in one hand, the muzzle pointing outwards, her sharp eyes scanning every shadowy corner around her, remaining highly vigilant at all times, fearing that there might still be any mutated beasts that had slipped through the net and launched a sneak attack.

After confirming that there was no unusual activity around her, she breathed a sigh of relief and asked in a low voice with concern.

"Are you alright? Did you overuse your source energy?"

Even though she was sniping from a distance and not fighting in close combat, the constant running and repositioning took a lot of energy, so she was inevitably a little short of breath.

Jiang Xiaochen waved his hand, barely managing to steady his breathing, and forced a relaxed smile as he joked.

"It's alright, I won't die. Speaking of which, your marksmanship is amazing; you're especially reliable in crucial moments."

The situation was dangerous just now, and Zhao Xinyan killed all three wolves with a single shot from a distance, which really helped him stabilize the battle.

Zhao Xinyan was speechless after hearing this, too lazy to play along with his joke, and got straight to business.

"Something's not right. This area isn't the territory of the headless, bristly wolves; they shouldn't be here."

Besides, how could there be survivors in this place?

There are too many suspicious points, and everything about it is strange.

Jiang Xiaochen stopped smiling, looked at Zhao Xinyan's tightly furrowed brows, and shook his head with a serious expression.

"I can't figure it out either; it's too abnormal. Neither the wolf pack nor the survivors' corpses make sense."

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the wariness in each other's eyes.

Suppressing his doubts for the time being, he bent down to examine the wolf carcass, scavenge battlefield supplies, and count the spoils of war.

Just as Jiang Xiaochen reached out and brushed aside the head of a mutated, bristly wolf, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he was instantly overjoyed.

Beneath the wolf's skull appeared a completely crimson crystal, which was the Blood Energy Crystal.

"Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—"

Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan went out to hunt mutated beasts. Taking advantage of this break, Lin Xuanzhi sat in the driver's seat and slowly explored the modified Rolls-Royce Cullinan, practicing driving little by little.

If Su Yuyang hadn't been watching closely, with her rusty driving skills, she would have recklessly driven the luxury car deep into the complex urban ruins.

By the time Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan returned from their hunt, Lin Xuanzhi's driving skills had improved considerably.

Now she can carefully start and stop the car smoothly, no longer as flustered as before, unable to even distinguish front from back and left from right.

"Sir~"

As the two slowly approached, they immediately saw Su Yuyang lying lazily on a folding chair, his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

It gives the impression that it's not like being in a post-apocalyptic wasteland at all, but rather like a relaxing outing.

Next to him was a portable hot pot, the bottom of which was bubbling with steam, filled with tender beef, succulent lamb and fish, along with fresh vegetables.

The aroma wafted on the wind among the ruined buildings, making one's mouth water.

The two couldn't help but swallow hard from afar. They first glanced nervously at Lin Xuanzhi, who was standing next to them, looking reserved and a little flustered, and then bowed respectfully to Su Yuyang.

"Yes, you're back. How was the trip?"

Su Yuyang slowly opened his eyes, secretly thinking that it would be even more comfortable if the sun were shining on him right now.

Jiang Xiaochen paused for a moment, glanced at Lin Xuanzhi beside him, and without the slightest hesitation, took out a round, blood-red energy crystal from his pocket, presented it to Su Yuyang with both hands.

Su Yuyang accepted the blood crystal, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.

These past few days he's been spending all his savings, and the source crystals he received are almost gone, with no income coming in at all.

He didn't want to miss any opportunity to obtain a Source Crystal.

Fortunately, Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan did not disappoint him this time.

Su Yuyang picked up the DL100% blended grape juice next to him, took a sip, and gestured for the three of them to sit down and start eating.

Jiang Xiaochen, Zhao Xinyan, and Lin Xuanzhi were all stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

After a long while, Lin Xuanzhi finally spoke timidly.

"Sir, this whole pot... was it prepared especially for us?"

Su Yuyang turned to look at her, somewhat puzzled.

"What? Not to your liking? Or do you prefer pre-made beef rice?"

"No, no, no! Absolutely not!"

Zhao Xinyan quickly replied before Su Yuyang could give any further instructions. She strode forward, grabbed a bowl and chopsticks, and filled a large bowl with meat and vegetables from the hot pot.

She couldn't help but swallow, suppressing her craving, and respectfully handed a full bowl of food to Su Yuyang.

Jiang Xiaochen and Lin Xuanzhi, who were standing next to each other, froze in mid-air with their chopsticks that had just picked up some fish, only then suddenly remembering the rules of hierarchy in the apocalypse.

Upon seeing this, Su Yuyang chuckled softly, his tone quite casual.

"Stop with the formalities, just eat as much as you want. We're already in the apocalypse, there's no need to follow those rules."

Seeing that the two were still hesitant and dared not touch their chopsticks, Su Yuyang simply took the bowl handed to him by Lin Xuanzhi, picked up a few bites, and started eating.

With Su Yuyang taking the lead, Jiang Xiaochen and Lin Xuanzhi put aside their concerns and started eating heartily.

Before long, the three of them were sweating profusely from eating.

Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan were originally gifted individuals with awakened talents, possessing physiques far superior to ordinary people. They were not afraid of spicy food or heat at all, and were enjoying the long-awaited delicious food with great satisfaction.

After a satisfying hot pot meal, the three of them grabbed bottled water and gulped down several mouthfuls to quell the spiciness and heat in their mouths.

The aroma of hot pot still lingered in their noses, and all three had slightly red eyes.

Since they began struggling to survive in the apocalypse, they had never eaten meat and wild vegetables that were so natural and free of any radiation toxins.

At this moment, the three of them looked at Su Yuyang with even more deep respect and reliance.

"Alright, now that you've eaten and drunk your fill, tell me what happened on your trip."

Su Yuyang gently touched the crimson energy crystal in his hand, feeling quite satisfied with Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan's initiative in handing over the crystal.

The place where they were hunting this time was more than 300 meters away from the shelter building, and was no longer within the perception range of his [Listening to the Wind] talent.

Even if the two of them secretly hid the source crystal for their own use, Su Yuyang would never find out.

"Sir, we encountered five mutated wiry wolves on the road, and besides that..."

Jiang Xiaochen hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully, "We also found traces of survivors, but they were long gone, only bones remained."

"A mutated wiry wolf? There are survivors?"

Su Yuyang raised an eyebrow.

Lin Xuanzhi, Jiang Xiaochen, and the others had told him before that there had never been any mutated hard-haired wolves in the ruined streets around the shelter.

Moreover, the Ash Earth Camp had already thoroughly raided this area, destroying all the scattered survivor strongholds nearby, intending to capture people to be used as slaves.

The sudden appearance of survivors not only puzzled Jiang Xiaochen and his group, but also piqued Su Yuyang's curiosity.

"Could there be an undiscovered survivor hideout nearby?"

Su Yuyang muttered something under his breath, but then immediately dismissed the idea.

The Ash Earth Camp went to such great lengths to clear out the surrounding area; it's impossible that they missed any slightly larger settlements.

All three held their breath and stared at him. Su Yuyang turned to look at the gray, hazy sky to the north, filled with yellow dust and smog, and slowly asked a question.

"Is it possible that they are survivors who escaped from somewhere else? And that those mutated wolves are deliberately controlled by someone to hunt them down?"

Just as Jiang Xiaochen finished recounting his encounter with the five wolves, Zhao Xinyan immediately realized what Su Yuyang meant after his prompting.

"My lord, it's really possible! When I was holding back those wolves, I always felt like someone was watching me from the shadows. It wasn't just that I was being watched by the beasts because of their aura."

As soon as Zhao Xinyan finished speaking, Jiang Xiaochen also suddenly came to his senses and echoed her with great certainty.

"That's right, sir! These mutated beasts are clearly being controlled by someone!"

"I used the [Night Concealment] talent to hide myself, and ordinary mutated beasts couldn't find me at all, but those stiff-haired wolves seemed to have pinpointed my location and kept chasing me relentlessly."

Su Yuyang inwardly complained that a conspicuous light machine gun was mounted in mid-air, making it easy for anyone to pinpoint its location, let alone these alien beasts.

However, it's also clear that these mutated wolves are much more intelligent than ordinary mutated beasts.

"Sir, what should we do next?"

Jiang Xiaochen's expression turned serious, suppressing his growing concerns.

If it were just ordinary mutated beasts or zombies, he and Zhao Xinyan could easily handle them. But if there was a talented person secretly manipulating everything behind the scenes, things would be completely different.

"What, scared?"

Su Yuyang looked at the three people's tense and solemn expressions and a faint, cold smile appeared on his lips.

"There's no need to panic. Just focus on making your movements even faster, so fast that ordinary mutated beasts and zombies can't catch up with you."

With the added heavy weaponry at their disposal, they could easily suppress the enemy.

Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan both nodded in agreement, but Lin Xuanzhi, standing to the side, looked conflicted and hesitant, remaining silent for a long while, as if she had finally made a huge decision.

"My lord, I also want to awaken my talent."

"Are you really sure about this?"

In Su Yuyang's opinion, it didn't really matter whether Lin Xuanzhi awakened her talent or not.

If we encounter a large-scale beast tide in the future, we can simply use up one of the Invincible Protection slots to protect her in the Invincible Light Shield, and she will be safe.

"I...I've thought it through very clearly!"

Seeing that Jiang Xiaochen and Zhao Xinyan were able to hunt alien beasts and obtain source crystals just by going out once, Lin Xuanzhi couldn't contain herself any longer.

She also wants to become stronger, because only when she has the ability will she stop dragging everyone down.

"Since you've made up your mind, then wait until the shelter is completely built before awakening your talent."

Su Yuyang readily agreed.

Lin Xuanzhi is currently the only driver he can use, and he doesn't want her to rush into awakening her powers.

If the awakening fails and something goes wrong, I'll actually lose a roadside killer.

"Let's search that area. If we're lucky, we might find some more Source Crystals!"

The group headed north, venturing into the depths of the desolate ruins.

The journey was deathly quiet; there wasn't a single mutated beast, not even the lowest-level zombie.

Su Yuyang had been harboring a lot of frustration for a long time.

Now that he's finally stumbled upon signs of the mutated beast's activity, he certainly won't let it go easily.

As for going to the Ash Earth Camp, there's no rush at all.

The most important thing right now is to stockpile more Source Crystals, upgrade the shelter's invincible protective shield, and completely secure our escape route.

Su Yuyang knew perfectly well that he had too few capable people under his command, and the apocalypse was fraught with danger.

If you rush ahead and try to fight your way through, you might suffer a major setback. The safest path is to develop your strength steadily and gradually improve it.

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Xinyan, Lin Xuanzhi, and Jiang Xiaochen immediately responded and got to work, quickly packing up their personal supplies. Resources were extremely scarce in the apocalypse, but they never imagined that they could be so extravagant as to use bottled water to wash dishes and cookware.

In the past, they wouldn't have dared to even think about such a thing.

The things were packed up in no time.

Su Yuyang casually lifted his hand, and all the pots, pans, and odds and ends that everyone had just used were put into the system's virtual warehouse.

The three were dumbfounded. Although they had seen it several times before, it still shocked them greatly, and they wondered just how powerful this person was.

The group turned around and walked toward the Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked to the side.

Zhao Xinyan and Jiang Xiaochen exchanged a glance, subconsciously stopped and stood aside, waiting in tacit agreement.

Just then, Lin Xuanzhi, who was standing next to her, suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with a hint of trepidation mixed with excitement.

"Sir, how about I drive today?"

Lin Xuanzhi understood perfectly well that Su Yuyang always drove, cleared the road, and took care of everything, so she wanted to lend a hand and share some of the burden.

Su Yuyang glanced at her sideways, then at the two people waiting beside him, sighed helplessly, and refused outright.

"Forget it, I'm more open-minded. If you really put yourself on the wheel, who knows how many broken walls and pillars you'd crash through in the rubble? You'd just be asking for trouble."

Lin Xuanzhi couldn't help but secretly complain to herself, "As for driving skills, sir, you used to drive recklessly on the road, and you still bumped and scraped around, didn't you? You're really underestimating me."

"Stop standing there dazed, everyone get on the bus, let's go immediately."

Su Yuyang walked over first, opened the car door, and got into the driver's seat.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Xinyan, Lin Xuanzhi, and Jiang Xiaochen got into the car one by one, closed the door, and immediately kept an eye on their surroundings after they were settled.

This time, Su Yuyang didn't use his super-strong telekinetic power to forcibly demolish the ruins and dilapidated buildings along the roadside. Instead, he deliberately drove slowly along the remaining dilapidated main roads in the city, searching for traces of the mutated beasts.

"Everyone, stay alert and keep a close eye on the blind spots of the surrounding ruins, paying particular attention to any traces of the mutated wiry wolves."

The car wasn't going fast; the speed was just right so everyone could easily survey their surroundings.

Zhao Xinyan and Jiang Xiaochen both awakened their talents and stared intently at the collapsed buildings and broken walls on both sides of the road, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

The mutated wiry wolf is large and strong, leaving deep and clear paw prints wherever it goes, making it easy to identify and track.

"Sir, there's something going on around the corner of the ruins to the right! There's a huge, messy patch of giant claw marks there; it must have been left very recently!"

Zhao Xinyan has sharp eyesight and immediately spotted the key clue, loudly alerting everyone.

Su Yuyang's eyes darkened, and he slammed on the gas pedal. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan's engine roared to life, and the car swerved sharply to the right, coming to a steady stop at the base of the dilapidated wall beside it.

"You two get out of the car and investigate closely. Follow the paw prints and find out which way the wolves ran. Come back and report immediately once you've found out."

The two men received their orders, got out of the car without saying a word, and worked together to thoroughly search the entire surrounding area.

They all knew very well that they were going to be "hunting dogs" for a while.

After carefully investigating for more than half an hour, the two returned and accurately determined the core direction of the wolf pack's escape. They immediately reported this to Su Yuyang.

Su Yuyang immediately turned the steering wheel and sped off towards the target.

The next second, in the dark and desolate wasteland city, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan broke through the dust and sped through the broken streets and alleys, following the claw marks all the way, and soon arrived at an area with dense claw marks and the faint sound of wolf howls.

......

Deep underground on the outskirts of the city, there is a large and dark underground cave.

A cold wind, carrying bits of dirt and debris, blew wildly through the cave. Hundreds of mutated, bristly wolves circled back and forth inside, their eyes a dark, menacing red.

Inside this underground mine, the mutated wolves vigilantly watched every corner of the cavern, preventing any more slaves from escaping.

Deep inside the cave, the clanging and tinkling sounds of metal striking rocks echoed back and forth in the empty space.

After the cataclysm, all the sophisticated mining machines in the world broke down and rusted. The rare mineral veins buried underground could only be mined by slaves by hand, which was extremely inefficient and the working conditions were terrible.

In a corner of the cave, an old shipping container with fairly good sealing has been converted into a temporary resting place.

The cabin was dimly lit, which was just enough to block out the cold, damp air from underground.

A middle-aged man, dressed smartly, stood out starkly from the dilapidated and chaotic surroundings.

He leisurely stroked his thick beard, sipping his bitter black coffee with a contented air.

The faint aroma of coffee wafted to his nose, allowing him to temporarily forget the oppression and cold of the underground and rest peacefully for a while.

He was savoring the taste of his coffee with his eyes closed, enjoying the rare tranquility, when he suddenly heard hurried, chaotic footsteps coming from the stone steps outside the cabin, instantly breaking the silence.

Immediately afterwards, the container door was suddenly pushed open, and a blast of cold air mixed with dust rushed in.

The bearded man frowned instantly, his eyes flashing with malice, and he coldly rebuked him.

"I've already said it before, no one is allowed to barge in and disturb me when I'm resting, OK?"

After saying that, he grabbed a rough pottery cup from the side and smashed it hard against the solid stone table next to him.

With a loud crash, the sturdy stone table shattered into several pieces, scattering shards everywhere. However, the ceramic cup that had been thrown out remained completely intact, without even a crack.

The mutated henchman who barged in felt a chill run down his spine, his hair stood on end, and his face turned deathly pale. He immediately knelt down and hurriedly began to report.

"My lord, something terrible has happened! The pack of mutated wolves we sent out to capture the slaves has all gone missing!"

The bearded man moved swiftly, instantly teleporting in front of his subordinate. He looked down at him, his powerful aura making it hard for the subordinate to breathe.

"explain!"

Overwhelmed by his anger and terrifying aura, the mutant trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering, and he quickly gave a truthful reply.

"The...the wolves we sent out have just vanished into thin air!"

The bearded man puffed out his round belly, his eyes growing increasingly cold, and asked in a deep voice.

"Did they simply disappear without a trace, or are they all dead?"

"They're all...they're all dead."

Before the mutant could continue, the bearded man instantly flew into a rage and kicked forward hard.

With a muffled thud, the force was fierce and brutal, sending the mutant flying hundreds of meters away.

"If you can't answer the key points, then don't waste your breath."

His tone was icy, and his large belly heaved.

A deafening roar!

The mutant was embedded hard in the dark mountain wall, his bones aching and numb, unable to move at all.

He was in unbearable pain, and despite the excruciating agony, he quickly bowed to the bearded man and begged for mercy.

"My lord, spare my life! I know I was wrong! Please, my lord, have mercy and give me another chance to make amends!"

Despite possessing the formidable physique of a mutant, capable of easily breaking free from the mountain wall, he dared not move an inch.

Fearing that he might completely anger the person in front of him and have his neck snapped with his bare hands in the next second, thus losing his life on the spot.

The bearded man remained expressionless, raised his hand, and the mug reappeared in his hand.

He slowly finished the rest of his coffee in one gulp, showing no sign that he had just lost his temper.

The next second, he casually waved his hand towards the dark shadows in front of him.

A hidden black shadow, almost blending into the darkness, moved. The mutant who had just been kicked away and embedded in the mountain wall floated over uncontrollably and landed steadily on the ground.

The mutant didn't dare to look up at all, and immediately lay prostrate on the ground with his head pressed tightly against the ground.

Extending its long, cool, and sticky tongue, like a lizard, it carefully licked the dust off the bearded man's shoes, not daring to be perfunctory or careless in the slightest.

The bearded man licked the shoe until it was spotless and shiny before slowly lifting his foot and gently pressing the mutant's tongue against the sole of his shoe, his tone indifferent.

"If you continue to be so tongue-tied and unable to respond properly, keeping this tongue will be of no use whatsoever."

The mutant's tongue was pressed down hard by the sole of the shoe, causing him excruciating pain, but he dared not utter a sound. He could only nod frantically in submission, fearing that his tongue would be crushed on the spot in the next second.

After a while, the bearded man slowly lifted his foot, let go, and turned to walk towards the steep stone steps.

As he passed the guardrail, he glanced down at the source crystal vein below, then gave a casual instruction without turning his head.

"Start from the beginning and explain the whole story in detail."

The mutant quickly composed himself, not daring to utter another word of nonsense, and hurriedly reported the truth.

"Reporting to you, sir, we previously thought that the five mutated wolves had gone off to hunt and roam after eating our servants..."

"Get to the point!"

The bearded man's tone suddenly turned cold, and his imposing aura instantly intensified.

The mutant immediately stopped talking and sped up, giving a concise report.

"After this inventory and verification, all of the more than 30 elite mutated wolves have gone missing and are all dead."

The last mutated wolf disappeared in the ruins of the abandoned city outside the mine.

After speaking, the mutant was covered in sweat, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, cheeks, and neck, soaking through his clothes.

.....

The sky was as dark as if it had been splashed with thick ink, pressing heavily overhead.

Collapsed high-rise buildings stand crookedly in various places, cutting the streets of the ruined city into pieces.

In the middle of the ruined street, a lone bonfire burned.

The orange flames flickered and danced, desperately tearing through the deep darkness.

The firelight looked somewhat warm, but it was particularly jarring in this dark, desolate wasteland where there wasn't a single ray of light.

Beside the campfire lay the corpses of more than ten mutated, bristly wolves.

This place is open on all sides, with no high walls to block it or any protective measures. Lighting a campfire here is tantamount to exposing yourself to the elements.

The firelight flickered, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, casting shadows on the faces of several people, revealing their tense expressions.

Zhao Xinyan frowned instantly, her eyes filled with disbelief as she stared intently at the boy in front of her. She lowered her voice and asked, "You said...you are slaves from the Grass Camp?"

Her tone was full of surprise; she simply couldn't accept it. The boy in front of her was only fifteen or sixteen years old, and although he looked thin, he was a genuine second-tier talent.

In the ruined city, there are already few gifted individuals.

Any second-tier talent would be a core combat force that every camp would fight to have and protect.

If he hadn't awakened a second-tier talent, making his physical abilities far superior to those of ordinary survivors, he wouldn't have been able to escape from the underground cavern controlled by the Grass Camp at his age.

Yet this valuable fighting force was treated as the lowest of slaves and exploited at will by the Grass camp.

Jiang Xiaochen, who was standing to the side watching, had a very cold expression on his face, and his fingers unconsciously clenched tightly. He was filled with sighs.

Even the gentle and composed Lin Xuanzhi's eyes flickered, her brows furrowing as she felt both reluctant and surprised.

The three of them exchanged glances, and each saw the same shock and bewilderment in the other's eyes.

I really can't understand how arrogant the Grass Camp must be to do this.

The boy's hands, hanging at his sides, were clenched into fists, his eyes surging with a strong and piercing ferocity, as well as an uncontrollable sense of humiliation.

Su Yuyang watched coldly from the side, his mind clear, and he immediately saw through the boy's thoughts.

The young man was furious. He felt that he clearly had second-tier talent and should be respected, but instead his dignity was trampled underfoot and he was forced to do the hardest and most tiring manual labor like a slave.

This sense of loss and humiliation is the biggest obstacle he can't overcome.

After a long while, the boy forcibly suppressed the surging anger in his heart, looked up at the group of people in front of him, and spoke with a condescending tone.

"I advise you to quickly return to your camp and leave this ruined city as soon as possible with the camp leaders."

He paused, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the mutated, bristly wolf corpse at his feet, his tone becoming even more arrogant.

"Even if you join forces to kill these wolves, it won't matter. It won't be long before the people at the Glass Camp send out mutant squads to conduct a thorough search of the entire area."

"The entire street and the whole area will be thoroughly investigated, and none of you will be able to escape it."

After saying this, he made no attempt to hide the disdain in his eyes, glancing sideways at Su Yuyang and his group.

He completely disregarded the fact that everyone had risked their lives to save him from the wolf's jaws, showing no gratitude whatsoever, and exuding arrogance.

Su Yuyang remained calm and composed, his eyes steady and collected, completely disregarding the boy's arrogance and warning.

Not wanting to waste time with small talk or beat around the bush, I went straight to the point and asked in a deep voice.

"Where exactly is the underground mineral vein in the ruined city located?"

"What?"

The boy froze on the spot, then looked up abruptly. The tense and fierce look on his face vanished instantly, leaving only a look of utter astonishment, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

He stared blankly at Su Yuyang, then quickly turned his head and glanced around at the people next to him.

Zhao Xinyan and Jiang Xiaochen are both gifted individuals. Lin Xuanzhi, the remaining survivor, appears to be just an ordinary one.

The next second, the boy sneered, his eyes full of mockery. He thought to himself that these people were overestimating themselves and were simply courting death.

"They're utterly courting death! How dare they attack the mines at Grass Camp!"

The boy glanced at Su Yuyang with disdain, as if he were an idiot, and then turned and left.

He's a second-tier talent user; he doesn't want to be around idiots, or he'll become an idiot himself.