Infinite Hunter

There was no rush for anything right now. Cheng Yijiu still hoped to return to normal domestic society and live a normal life. This mission wasn't too stressful for him, just a little confusing. He walked out of the alchemy room and into the second-floor hall. He casually admired his prey, then walked through the hall into the second hall—this was the exhibition hall for those supernatural creatures.

He discovered three new specimens.

The first specimen consisted of two: a model of a chupocabra, though remarkably lifelike, that Cheng Yijiu could tell was made of resin and silicone. The other was a large glass tank containing a chupocabra, soaked in what might have been formalin or some other unusual solution. "Ugly," Cheng Yijiu remarked even after seeing it again.

It truly resembled a mangy coyote, its fur stripped by tar. Its face resembled a cross between a possum and a pig, its mouth brimming with three tusks, and its tongue, a fleshy straw. It was small, about the size of a coyote, with large, seemingly lidless eyes. Its overall color was a bluish-gray, giving it the appearance of having crawled out of a grave.

The second one was a large, stinking ape, enclosed in a one-piece glass case, apparently to isolate the stench—perhaps even after treatment, the strong stench of this creature still couldn't be completely removed. If the first monster's sign was called "Zobocabra," then the stinking ape's sign had an additional line of words on it: "Transformed Ghoul?" Cheng Yijiu decided to investigate it later and improve his hunting notes.

Before the monster specimen, a glass case held the tips of three bullets, completely undeformed. "Does this mean the bullets penetrated directly, as if the creature's body were smoke?" But the ape was clearly a solid object. Examining the specimen closely, Cheng Yijiu suddenly realized, "Does this mean I actually killed this monster before I passed out?!"

This thing looks like a gorilla with a particularly prominent snout, but its face is basically skin and bones, its lips are withered and gone, and its gums are completely exposed. Its body is actually the same, just skin and bones.

The last one was the Mothman. Cheng Yijiu had disassembled it himself, so it was the one he was most familiar with. Like the Chubocabra model, this one didn't need to be covered in glass. The Mothman was simply a cross with outstretched wings. "Calling it a Mothman isn't quite right, because its wings don't look like those of a moth at all," Cheng Yijiu muttered, feeling quite satisfied with his hunt.

Chapter 24 Refining

These newly hunted supernatural creatures—the fact that they were all in this hall confirmed they were all supernatural creatures—were completely inferior to the werewolf specimens also in the hall. Even the stink ape wasn't as tall as a werewolf, let alone as powerful. In terms of combat power alone, Cheng Yijiu was certain it was no match for a werewolf—"The only question was whether the werewolf would be stank to death by the stink ape."

Of course there are trophies, small statues or wooden sculptures, but they can only be sold for a few dozen dollars.

Cheng Yijiu felt he couldn't continue like this. He needed a proper outfit. Now, with the passage of time, if he were lucky enough to go hunting in ancient times, he wouldn't expect muskets to be around. Crossbows might not even be around, so he'd have to hunt with spears and bows. Even from the current situation, it seemed almost certain that there would be supernatural, man-eating monsters. So, it was time to use alchemy to get some equipment.

Is Cheng Yijiu short of money? Not exactly, but not lavishly either. He still has enough to buy mercury and titanium ingots. To process these materials, he's also acquired a large quantity of synthetic gemstones—they're identical in composition to natural gemstones. In the alchemy he's currently studying, gemstones are the only materials used to process elemental metals. Gems act as catalysts and consumables, performing the alchemical "processing" of elemental metals.

This is why it used to be so expensive. Cheng Yijiu had no interest in exploring the fundamentals of alchemy, but rather in learning existing techniques and applying them to his needs. For example, he was looking at the half-filled suitcase of titanium and six glass bottles of mercury before him—he would process these items, and his first task was to create glasses using Mothman's eyeballs as the primary material.

With this thing, he could carry fewer binoculars and night-vision goggles, and it was far more useful than a telescope. "It would be even better if it could be used as a combat capability detector," Cheng Yijiu muttered. Now he felt quite human. After the hunt, he spent several days hanging out in parks, playgrounds, and shopping malls. The square dancing and the bustling crowds relaxed him nicely. Business at the pet supply store seemed to be picking up a lot too—probably because of the low prices.

He owned the house, and he had no intention of profiting from it, so he kept the prices low and didn't try to sell fake goods for a huge profit. That's why, after a while, customers kept coming back to him. His lazy attitude was hard for others to imitate. He'd calculated the gross profit on this shabby shop, and it was less than 3,000 yuan a month. If he rented it out, he could make at least 10,000 yuan a month. Those strange people hadn't been here recently, and Cheng Yijiu had a half-baked idea about their situation...

He was currently processing mithril. Only processed titanium could be called mithril; otherwise, it was simply an unidentified metal. Cheng Yijiu placed the titanium block in the center of the alchemy array—a permanent array carved into the marble table. He then placed various gemstones at different points on the array, placed his hands on the input area, and began to chant. Processing mithril required a higher level of mental energy than both cold iron and red copper. Cheng Yijiu felt like he was about to fall asleep before completing this process.

The gems shattered into a ash-like mass, but their overall mass remained unchanged. A faint bluish sheen appeared on the titanium block. Cheng Yijiu examined it with an alchemy array. "In ancient times, this mithril alone would have made me the richest man in the world," he sighed. He would then convert the diagrams and formulas in the alchemy manual and work on other things after making the glasses.

Mithril is actually quite different from what's described in fantasy novels. It shares the same properties of being lightweight and harmless to mental energy, yet its strength is close to that of steel and its elasticity is excellent. Therefore, it's ideal for many special magical items, especially chain mail for self-defense. However, it's less effective for crafting weapons, and is typically used as the "bones" and "nerves" of magical weapons. Cheng Yijiu put away the mithril and leisurely went downstairs to look after the shop—he'd finish his work for today and deal with the mercury tomorrow.

This hunter's cabin was alive, something Cheng Yijiu already knew. The books in his study, especially the larger tomes like the alchemy manual, constantly had new chapters added later, proving this point. In the biological encyclopedia, Cheng Yijiu had previously found the encyclopedia about this prey. "The stinking ape is indeed a type of ghoul." Seeing this, Cheng Yijiu understood why his bullets were useless.

The mercury was treated in the same way. The condensed mercury was carefully returned to the glass bottle—it was impossible to tell whether the mercury had been treated, but the gemstones, reduced to ash on the table, proved it. The Mothman's eyeball also needed to be treated—otherwise, it would be impossible to create something larger than a fist. So, according to the requirements of the blueprint, Cheng Yijiu used metal, blood, and other random materials—it must be said that online shopping is almost unbeatable...

After processing, it needed to be soaked in a special solution for about a week before further processing. During this time, Cheng Yijiu began experimenting with crafting a mithril mail armor—or, in other words, a stab-proof suit. This was relatively low-profile, and at least it would prevent serious injuries from the claws of the beasts he hunted. The specially arranged buckles limited the amount of indentation in the mail, effectively making it a half-piece of plate armor.

Cheng Yijiu had some experience with this. After all, before he became what he is today, he was a combatant. While not a master, training with the Knights at least allowed him to play as a backup. "For a piece of chain mail, you need to calculate your height and dimensions according to the formula on the alchemy diagram to get the exact data, and then get the exact formula... For a sword and a hunting spear, mithril isn't strong enough, so they have to be made with cold iron."

Gunpowder weapons weren't important anymore, as Cheng Yijiu felt he already had enough—a double-barreled short-barreled shotgun for exorcism, and exorcism bullets that could be used in rifles. Perhaps he'd even need a pistol for exorcism. Pistols were easy; he could simply modify a Python revolver and make some Magnum ammunition for exorcism.

It is not difficult to refine glasses. It does not consume much mental energy, and the success rate of refining drawings is very high. Cheng Yijiu completed the refining in one go - a pair of ordinary-looking metal glasses appeared in the alchemy array. He put on the glasses, "I remember there was a starting action, pressing the right temple..." The glasses suddenly brought the distant picture closer, and could even focus on what Cheng Yijiu wanted to see according to his visual focus.

Pressing the left temple, the objects under the compound eye are magnified hundreds or even thousands of times—this function seems a bit useless? At least it is of no use to Cheng Yijiu's hunting.

So after he successfully refined it, he used up all his mental energy and went downstairs to look after the shop with this thing...

Chapter 25: Infinity

"It's not very convenient, and the effect seems..." Cheng Yijiu was a little dissatisfied after repeated use. The key problem was the glasses. It was a bit useless. Although the infinite zoom plus tracking thoughts or gaze pointing were actually quite useful, without the tagging function, it seemed to be just that. The most important thing was the inconvenience. If this thing was just a monocle, perhaps it would be much better.

Cheng Yijiu fiddled with his glasses, casually looking at his shop—he wasn't worried about being robbed, since all the merchandise was well-packaged, not loose. And stealing quickly under his watchful eyes? That was too much of a disrespect for Cheng Yijiu. There weren't many people in the shop right now, and the few who did quickly bought their pet food, checked out, and left. Only then did three people stand in front of Cheng Yijiu, staring at the glasses he was playing with.

"Oh, they look familiar." Cheng Yijiu recognized these three people. One was the fat guy who bought a knife from him, one was the girl who bought werewolf teeth from him, and the last one was the guy who bought bullets from him. These three people were also the ones that Cheng Yijiu believed were likely related to a certain "infinite flow" or at least a supernatural organization. Cheng Yijiu had some special suspicions, and the evidence was these people.

As expected, the three men were quite wary of each other. Although they were all standing in front of him, they spoke one after another, sounding a bit sarcastic. Fortunately, however, no fight broke out. From Cheng Yijiu's perspective, these three seemed quite impressive, and seemed quite capable. "How could someone who can recognize supernatural weapons and materials be a simple person?" Cheng Yijiu thought, smiling and trying to dissuade the three.

"Are you here to buy something?" Cheng Yijiu cut to the chase, speaking directly. "Let me make it clear, you can't sell weapons. It's illegal," he emphasized. He actually thought selling to these people wouldn't be risky, but that wasn't the right thing to say. The three of them were thrilled, but it was a shame they weren't buying pet food. The girl couldn't stop staring at the teeth, claws, and other items Cheng Yijiu had displayed in the cabinet.

"What a shame! These are all fake resins this time," Cheng Yijiu thought, while the fat boy and another boy stared at the glasses he was playing with with their eyes shining. It was true; Cheng Yijiu could actually see the "light" in their eyes. "Boss, are you selling this?" the two men asked almost in unison, and the girl, who had already looked around, ran over and stared eagerly.

Cheng Yijiu looked at the three of them and smiled. "Oh...you know what these glasses are for. They're not simple either." After he finished speaking, the little fat boy looked similar to Nohara Shinnosuke, patting his head and grinning as a cover-up. The other two also used silly grins to cover up. Cheng Yijiu didn't delve into it. He nodded his glasses and thought for a while. "Okay, the question is, what's your price? We accept barter."

Anyway, whether to sell or not was in his hands. "Why are you buying this? What are you going to use it for?" He was also a little curious. "Could it be that there is something unknown in this world? Considering your abilities." As soon as he said this, the three people's faces changed. "Boss, please don't say anything more, and don't ask any more. If you ask again, it will really cause trouble."

Cheng Yijiu laughed and stopped asking questions—he probably knew what was going on, and what had happened. Before becoming a hunter, besides swordplay, he also read a lot of online novels to pass the time. Cheng Yijiu himself was in a similar situation to Infinity, and he almost understood the current situation. "Isn't it just about revealing and erasing, and even silencing the characters who knew the truth... Hey? Am I a character in the plot?"

In his current state, Cheng Yijiu is an ordinary pet supply store owner who is kind and enthusiastic, completely different from the ruthless character he was when hunting.

Cheng Yijiu's guess was correct; these three were indeed participants in a certain infinite space, a world known as "Real World Beta." This so-called infinite space "kidnaps" participants from various "real worlds" and sends them to various "adventure worlds" to perform various missions. Its goal is to seize the "crystals of the world" and ultimately enslave these worlds into "bases" that continuously produce crystals to support its own advancement.

These three weren't actually from the same "real world," but when they chose to "vacation," they discovered a small anomaly: the "shopkeeper" in this place actually sold "equipment" that could be recognized by the space. They would also obtain equipment during their adventures, but the process of obtaining it was different: some were sold in the space, some were taken from enemies, and some were obtained by killing enemies.

The methods are different, and the spaces are also different. Some spaces allow you to seize anything as equipment, while others, even in the so-called "data body," still have a certain chance of equipment dropping from enemies and opening treasure chests, making it like a game. Cheng Yijiu has read these books and knows this. The spaces certainly don't want leaks, but many things in the real space series are beyond their control.

Cheng Yijiu was an example. Spaces could pull the dying into their ranks and crush participants who had been sent back for "vacation," but they couldn't simply erase anyone from the real space. Even the majority of people in the adventure worlds they didn't fully control couldn't do the same. Cheng Yijiu had roughly guessed what erasure meant. Could these three people "erase" him?

"It's impossible. I don't think they can do it at all." He didn't bring his weapon down, but the hunting knife on the counter was enough for him to quickly deal with the three - if they were asked to do it. What special abilities did these three have? Cheng Yijiu felt that this might not be allowed to be used in the real world - because there was a key point, "Is this power really theirs?"

Cheng Yijiu had already pondered this question while reading the novel. Were the powers gained through "enhancement" in space truly their own? On closer inspection, it was definitely not, especially with the so-called "data bodies"—wasn't that just like game characters loaded with special abilities? Those so-called bonuses to hit rate and damage, weren't they just games? By comparison, the original infinite space might be the strongest...

As for Cheng Yijiu himself, is he in infinite space? Cheng Yijiu himself couldn't be completely sure at the moment - because after he first entered the hunting lodge, there was a high probability that he was no longer in his original world... Cheng Yijiu thought so.

Chapter 26 Equipment

Cheng Yijiu returned, lost in thought, while the other three, each sweating profusely, gazed eagerly at the glasses—perhaps in their eyes, the numbers would appear with different attributes… Since Cheng Yijiu had suggested an exchange, they each took out their items and quoted a price. Thus, a pile of incomprehensible objects appeared before Cheng Yijiu.

"These are all useless..." Cheng Yijiu was speechless. Something filled with this so-called infinite spatial power was like air. Once these people left, it would probably dissipate. Don't ask how he knew, Cheng Yijiu just had a feeling it would happen. These were materials containing spatial power, so it would be like this. "If you ask me, you might as well give me ordinary valuable metals or non-metallic elements."

Some metals were difficult to acquire, and without connections, they were practically impossible to find. Furthermore, some metals were extremely expensive. The Alchemy Materials Handbook listed many extremely precious metals, while refined gold and mithril were simply commonplace items. Of course, Cheng Yijiu now knew that mithril was titanium and refined gold was tungsten.

Compared to these "exotic materials," the elemental metals constructed from space energy were the most stable. So Cheng Yijiu directly offered them rare metals as a price... "No gold, you think gold is easy to sell?" Cheng Yijiu said. He also produced a hunting knife and several bullets. Knowing that these three were so-called infinite participants, he wasn't afraid of being caught if his scheme was exposed.

The three guys quickly ran off. "Boss, leave the stuff here. I'll be back soon!" All three sentences were the same. Cheng Yijiu was curious. "What do they think of me?" What else could it be? "Super dangerous NPC."

Cheng Yijiu also thoroughly studied the additional chapters in the alchemy manual, which now covered alchemy related to external enchantments. "The real-time rewriting of alchemy arrays and the calculations based on material changes and functional changes—this stuff is comparable to calculus," Cheng Yijiu thought, looking at the numerous diagrams and nonsense in the manual. He used to be a semi-coder, but his memory had improved since he started hunting. He could easily recall the level of knowledge he had in his senior year of high school—the highest level of knowledge in a person's life.

He could still recall his university textbooks, so his math skills were spot on. He could easily calculate the extremely complex transformations in alchemy using calculus, or even finite element analysis if he couldn't. This was also why alchemy was such an expensive profession, because in the past, alchemists had to advance their work through trial and error, and the cost of trial and error was exorbitant. Cheng Yijiu was a fast learner, but his problem was that his mental strength couldn't keep up.

He was currently forging handmade knives and experimenting with enchantments. While it wasn't as good as using cold iron as a single-use alchemy to create a weapon, it was strangely more difficult, though the cost was lower and it was easier to mass-produce. Cold iron was expensive... Cheng Yijiu already had a hunting knife, and he was currently trying to forge a half-hand sword. He'd tried forming cold iron in one go, but his mental energy wasn't up to par. Even if he'd created a blueprint and synthesized it according to the blueprint, he still couldn't achieve it.

So he took a different approach, enchanting it after forging—the same process would be applied to a short spear, and perhaps a shield. The titanium chain mail was a success in one go, but without the enchantment. Cheng Yijiu felt he needed to make a light helmet with a guard—all of these things were already very much in line with his original interests and hobbies. As a swordsman, forging his own equipment was like an unstoppable addiction, and he was bound to become addicted to it.

Besides, he already had the equipment. There was a workshop on the first floor, complete with a full set of forging equipment, from electric hammers to furnaces and cooling oil. The workshop lacked some common metals, but it did lack some rare metals. Tungsten, for example, was not available, and titanium, while not rare, was also not available. Iron, copper, aluminum, lead, silver, and finally, zinc were all available. This was a bit lacking for forging—Cheng Yijiu felt that iron alone wouldn't be enough; steel would be necessary, such as spring steel.

Wouldn't it be nice to fold and forge it into a half-hand sword, then try enchanting the blade? "I can also make a set of greaves, and arm guards... that would almost complete it," Cheng Yijiu estimated. As for the bow, he thought he could just copy a common American hunting bow in his workshop using the same materials, and forget about the pulley bow. Arrows could be made from durable hollow aluminum rods with plastic tails, then forged with steel tips—they could even be stamped or wire-cut.

With this equipment, he could go hunting in medieval or even ancient times—he'd already had a similar experience. He now had a hunch that he might be thrown into ancient times to hunt—the reason was simple: when were cannibals most common? Of course, in ancient times, during slave and feudal societies, they were more common. After industrial civilization, cannibals were already prey. It's entirely possible that there were record-breaking man-eating tigers in ancient China or India, but the conditions at the time made it impossible to count them.

The girl ultimately bought the glasses. She offered a large piece of rhenium, at least the size of a human head, along with some strange teeth and fur, as payment for the glasses. The fat man and the other unlucky guy exchanged their belongings for some of Cheng Yijiu's bullets. Honestly, Cheng Yijiu was a little surprised, because in his mind, these metal elements weren't just infinite spaces where you could exchange them for a lot with just one or a hundred points. His glasses were estimated to be worth around a thousand in those spaces, but that was just an estimate. Why was this all they had to offer?

"Anyway, I'm not in those places, so I'm not very clear about it." Cheng Yijiu thought.

Blacksmithing wasn't easy. Cheng Yijiu wasted quite a bit of material, but he finally managed to forge three half-hand swords that he was quite satisfied with. The shield was relatively easy; the fur the girl had exchanged with him was quite useful. It was from an unknown animal, but the wooden shield was light yet sturdy. "This is probably some kind of lizard, right? It has armor on it." He used the remaining fur to make a simple half-leather armor, made from two pieces.

The greaves and arm armor weren't difficult to make, nor was the helmet—Cheng Yijiu's helmet was stamped, a task that took him considerable effort to complete. After the visor was assembled, Cheng Yijiu had a very good light helmet, painted with heat-insulating and rust-proof paint on the outside, and fitted with impact-resistant leather lining on the inside. "Next is enchantment," he said, looking in the mirror, fully equipped with a bow and short spear on his back, a sword and shield in his hands, and a quiver slung at his waist.

Volume: God's Prey

Chapter 1 Arrival

Is this set of equipment heavy? Cheng Yijiu actually thought it was okay - after all, he wasn't wearing full body armor. He was wearing a set of titanium chain mail and half-body leather armor, a helmet, arm armor and greaves, and the clothes, which weighed only about ten kilograms. The weapons in his hands were not heavy either. The half-hand sword was a little over a kilogram, the shield was about two kilograms, the spear was about the same weight, and the bow and arrows were less than a kilogram. With Cheng Yijiu's current physical condition, these weights were really nothing.

Failed enchantments don't damage the equipment; it simply wastes the enchanting materials. "It's still not scientific, more like idealism." Some enchantments require exotic, conceptual tools. All armor requires toughness runes. As for things like reflection and lifesteal, they're too advanced, and the materials are too rare to create. "Tough, lightweight... Too bad there's no self-repair, that's too advanced."

Weapons would at least have an additional "Sharpness," and arrows might even have "Armor Piercing"—but that wasn't possible, so it was just "Sharpness." Sharpness and Toughness were actually similar runes. Cheng Yijiu had experimented with them and found that Sharpness was about retention, improving the blade's ability to hold its edge. For enchantment, the first step was to engrave the rune onto the equipment. Cheng Yijiu had computer engraving, so replicating the rune was no problem—this step didn't require any mental effort.

Then, thin titanium wires were embedded into the runes, secured with a special glue. Next came the alchemical array, whose pattern needed to be adjusted based on the equipment. Fortunately, Cheng Yijiu had a computer and advanced calculus, allowing him to accurately calculate the array through drawing. "These exotic materials—tortoise shells, beast claws, feathers... Then there's the universal gemstone powder."

It took several weeks to finally enchant all of these items. The chain mail was the most difficult, requiring runes to be woven from specially treated tungsten wire—after all, this "fine gold" has better mental conductivity than mithril. When Cheng Yijiu was almost done, he also placed wooden stakes in the open space behind and began to hone his somewhat lagging sword fighting skills, still wearing full armor.

The shoes were naturally very comfortable half-high boots with puncture-proof soles, which could be called iron shoes for infantry combat. As for the pants on his legs - he used pads instead.

The new mission had indeed begun, and upon seeing the era on the page, Cheng Yijiu could only sigh, "My premonition was indeed amazing! Damn, it was a good one." He grabbed his gear and wrapped it in a piece of very tough, durable canvas. He then donned the linen short-sleeved shirt, robe, and sandals he had exchanged for. He pushed open the door, his huge package on his back.

Before him lay the beautiful sea, bathed in sunlight. Standing on a small hill by the sea, he looked left and right, covered in low shrubs. In the valley, he spotted olive trees. The climate was quite warm, but also quite dry. Overall, it felt quite comfortable. "Limestone mountain." Cheng Yijiu kicked the stone under his feet and strode down the mountain. Not far away, he saw a herd of cattle and a herder beside them.

This middle-aged man had curly hair and a thick beard, was a head shorter than Cheng Yijiu, and wore a dirty robe that revealed half his body. He held a wooden pole in his hand. "I remember exchanging points for several languages. If I'm not mistaken, this image should be in a long-dead language." This was also a magical item that could only be exchanged in the Infinite Hunting Lodge. Cheng Yijiu had just recently exchanged it for Ancient Greek—a long-dead and extremely difficult language.

There are probably no more than a hundred people in the world who can read and translate this language fluently? And Cheng Yijiu only spent a few points to get it done.

But there seemed to be nothing much to say at the moment, because the task was simple and clearly stated - "Kill the man-eating lion." Cheng Yijiu took a deep breath of the unpolluted air and simply smiled at the cowherd who bowed respectfully to him. Cheng Yijiu looked healthy, tall, and his exposed half-body was also muscular. His robe was also very clean. Most importantly, his teeth were white and neat, which were all characteristics of a wealthy person.

"It's better to say that this cowherd treats me as a god? This guy even knelt down." Cheng Yijiu thought. His appearance can only be considered ordinary. Perhaps it is because of his temperament and figure that people misunderstood. So Cheng Yijiu said, "Bless you, my friend."

It didn't look like there were any man-eating lions here, otherwise the herders wouldn't have looked so peaceful, and it was unlikely they were just grazing their cattle. Cheng Yijiu walked along the path and soon saw the market in front of him and the city wall behind him. Cheng Yijiu's appearance didn't seem particularly strange, and the people at the market only glanced at him a few times—but then some of them bowed in greeting, which made Cheng Yijiu feel a little overwhelmed.

A closer look revealed many of these people to be half-naked, some even completely naked. Not all of them were in good health, especially with bad teeth. Some were hunched over. So, was Cheng Yijiu truly one of those "gods" with straight backs, like marble statues? This was ancient Greece, the legendary realm of gods and humans. Cheng Yijiu was a head taller than anyone else here, his skin was fairer, and his hair was sparse, making him look like a moving statue...

"Excuse me, where is this?" he asked a vendor selling bread. This was ancient bread, made from unleavened dough, and the baked goodness could kill someone. The vendor's answer was vague, and he lowered his head respectfully. Cheng Yijiu sighed, patted his hand, and continued on his way to the city.

"If the ancient Greek lion is mythological, then it can only be the Nemean lion. If it's real history... were there lions in the Peloponnese? Or were they actually lions in Asia Minor and North Africa?" Cheng Yijiu felt that the Nemean lion was more likely, even though it was a myth. "Well, the first of Hercules' twelve great labors was the Nemean lion, the Leo constellation in the sky."

Cheng Yijiu walked into the city—it was surprising that there were no soldiers guarding the gates. However, the people in the city were obviously healthier, and Cheng Yijiu saw quite a few strong men. He went to the tavern, which also provided accommodation and a bathhouse. From the entrance, he could see the temple in the center of the city. "I wonder who is enshrined here?"

Chapter 2 News

Cheng Yijiu has black hair and black eyes, which does not seem strange in the Mediterranean coast near Asia Minor - although the ancient Greeks were called white people, they also had black hair and black eyes. As a Han Chinese, Cheng Yijiu's skin color is very light, and compared with the ancient Greeks, his facial features may be a little weird.

Cheng Yijiu spoke to the tavern owner, a place he had never heard of. "Ules?" Cheng Yijiu repeated, confirming he had never heard of it. The Nemean Lion must be nearby, there was no doubt about that.

The town had a small population of around 3,000, making it one of the larger city-states nearby. Grapes and olive oil were abundant here, and the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, was worshipped there. Cheng Yijiu had come here to enjoy the famous ancient Greek public baths.

Even in this town of 3,000 people, there were several public baths and even two theaters. Cheng Yijiu left his weapons in his room and went to the city's largest public bath. He took off his robe and let the laundry women wash it. His strong body was admired by everyone in the bathhouse.

Two young men came over to smear grease and ash on his body, let him steam it in the steam room for a while, and then scraped his body with wood chips. After the scraping, Cheng Yijiu felt really good in the pool. He chatted with the other guests who were also soaking in the water, and of course, they mainly talked about stories about gods.

"Do gods really exist..." Cheng Yijiu muttered, but the so-called gods in these stories didn't seem to possess any extraordinary powers. Cheng Yijiu was more inclined to believe that these were just exaggerated legends. As for the monsters and giants in the stories, they sounded like they had some basis in fact.

He did find out about the lion's situation. "I heard that over the mountain, there are wild beasts wreaking havoc in the fields. Many people have been injured." said a guy who should be a merchant. He had a necklace of two snakes around his neck - those who wore this were either merchants or doctors, because it was the symbol of Hermes.

"Really? Thank you. May the glory of Hermes protect you forever," Cheng Yijiu said with a smile. He had a rough idea. If it was the wild boar ravaging the fields, the Calydonian boar was a possibility, but the lion was more likely. After bathing, Cheng Yijiu returned to the inn and ordered a bowl of bean soup with honey-smeared grilled meat and bread. Then he returned to his room and began to dress.

"It's better not to stay overnight. Let's go straight there. If nothing happens, we can spend the night on the road." Cheng Yijiu had made up his mind. He put on a wear-resistant linen short-sleeved shirt and a short-sleeved chain mail, hung the sword around his waist, carried the shield on his back, put the rest of the equipment in the canvas bag, and picked it up with a short spear - he even changed his shoes, replaced them with shoes with puncture-proof soles but breathable and waterproof.

He gave the shopkeeper a silver drachma, carried his package, and walked out, preparing to cross the mountain along the mountain road. The wilderness in this era was not owned by humans, but by numerous wild animals. Fortunately, this place might not have any large carnivores except bears and wolves? Maybe?

Cheng Yijiu knew this was impossible, otherwise where did the lion come from? One theory was that it might be a European cave lion. Cave lions were theoretically extinct 10,000 years ago in Cheng Yijiu's time, so it's not impossible that some of them have escaped and survived to this day - although it's certainly unlikely.

Cheng Yijiu was a head taller than everyone here, so when he finished dressing and came out carrying the package, many people made way for him, and there was also a group of people standing on the roadside admiring him - many women showed longing expressions, of course they could also be said to be "naked".

As Cheng Yijiu was leaving, a young man came forward and offered to be his servant. "Why? What made you want to be my servant?" Cheng Yijiu was very curious; he had never encountered such a thing before. "Because you're a hero," the young man looked at Cheng Yijiu with admiration.

It's no wonder, Cheng Yijiu was tall and strong, with a handsome appearance, at least for his time. His good teeth were a huge plus. He looked like a hero from a story, so the child wanted to be a hero's servant. Cheng Yijiu was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "I'm not a hero, I'm just a stranger."

Well, the boy was caught by his mother, who pinched his ear and apologized to Cheng Yijiu while pulling him back, completely and thoroughly ready to dispel the boy's whimsical ideas. Cheng Yijiu thought this was a good thing, otherwise if the child followed him and encountered danger, Cheng Yijiu himself would feel guilty.

Because he might not be able to save the kid by then.

After Cheng Yijiu finished making the bow and arrow, he practiced archery - he had practiced before, because there was a period of time when archery halls were opened everywhere, and there was a wave of archery craze. This guy just followed the crowd and stepped into the pit to become a swordsman... So he can shoot arrows, but Cheng Yijiu also knows very well that with his level, he can only guarantee accuracy of about 20 meters. There is no point in shooting farther because it is purely a gamble on luck.

His current equipment seemed elite to others—this city-state didn't have a standing army; all the city's adult men served, each with their own weapons and equipment. Cheng Yijiu's chain mail was rarely seen, as armor at the time was reserved for the wealthy, and typically consisted of just leather. Metal chain mail was incredibly rare, and for most, it was probably their first time seeing it.

The same was true of the sword hanging from his waist. Bronze swords were the mainstream weapon of the era, and with the casting standards of ancient Greece, bronze swords were not very long. However, the steel sword in Cheng Yijiu's hand was a half-length sword, almost twice as long as the commonly used bronze swords. This was probably why people regarded him as a hero.

"If I kill the lion, will it also become a 'myth'? Then even the equipment I have might become a myth." Cheng Yijiu thought about this and bought some fruit and bread at the market to eat on the way. He walked along the road and soon he was alone.

There were many mountains here, but they were only hills. From what he had observed, the mountains were mostly limestone. This barren land could only be used to grow olive trees and grapes, not wheat. He saw many animals in the mountains, mainly deer, running wild in the mountains - these deer were a relatively important meat provider in this area.

Walking along the mountain path until nightfall, Cheng Yijiu cut down a lot of branches and leaves, spread them on the ground, covered them with a piece of cloth as a blanket, stretched a canvas over his head and tied it to a tree trunk as a roof, and built a bonfire to prepare for the night. The hunter sat cross-legged on the blanket, watching the flying insects fluttering into the bonfire to their deaths, his mind clear.

Cheng Yijiu turned his head and looked at the mountain road on one side, "Someone is coming."

Chapter 3: Outsiders

Cheng Yijiu watched the five people approaching. In his eyes, they were completely out of place in this era—he himself was already unique enough, and their attire was even more outrageous. The five people Cheng Yijiu saw were both men and women, and none of them wore the typical robes and sandals of this era. He saw a man wearing a jacket that clearly had bulletproof patches embedded in it.

Next came a fat man in mismatched armor, a woman in what looked like a silk robe, and a man and woman in what looked like military uniforms. Their weapons were equally varied, ranging from cold weapons to firearms. This mixed style undoubtedly identified them as participants in the Infinite World, though it was unclear whether they were part of the "quasi-real" or "digitalized" group. Soon after, these five also spotted Cheng Yijiu, who was resting by a fire, but they didn't seem to recognize his unusual behavior.

Perhaps it was because Cheng Yijiu's attire really resembled the people here, and because many people in ancient Greece also had black hair and dark eyes. Of course, it could also be that they were acting. Anyway, after these five people came over, one of them came up to Cheng Yijiu and spoke. "Hello friend, can you let us rest here for a while?" Cheng Yijiu heard that it was Chinese. "Do they think that Chinese, Japanese, and English are the universal languages ​​of the universe and all ages?"

Cheng Yijiu had no intention of exposing himself, so he replied in ancient Greek, "Since we met on the road, it must be God's will. Please take a seat, friends." Sure enough, the other party understood. It seemed that the so-called infinite world had indeed given them the ability to directly transmit their thoughts, allowing them to communicate normally regardless of their language. "It's a universal translator, but unfortunately, written materials are probably not suitable," Cheng Yijiu thought.

He surveyed the five people gathered around the fire with curiosity, his gaze sweeping over their clothing and weapons. He specifically ignored their firearms—since, logically, he was an ancient person who knew nothing about firearms. Perhaps some of the five suspected he was one of their kind, but Cheng Yijiu's attire, his words, and his actions dispelled their suspicions. Cheng Yijiu didn't ask about their origins, but instead, one of the five began scratching his head.

As expected, they took the initiative to start a conversation with Cheng Yijiu. Cheng Yijiu didn't want to lie to them about this. "I'm a hunter. I heard there's a wild beast on the other side of the mountain that's wreaking havoc on the fields and killing people, so I'm going over there to kill it. I think there's a bounty there?" When they asked about his situation and where he was going, Cheng Yijiu answered the questions very directly. As for the situation of these five people - there was no doubt that everything they said was a lie, and Cheng Yijiu only lied, "My name is Phillips."

This is an ancient Greek name, and those who have it are at least quite wealthy, and the chain mail on Cheng Yijiu and the half-sword at his waist prove this. The five people are most concerned about his weapons. They are probably talking and flirting with each other about the armor and weapons on Cheng Yijiu. Fortunately, they didn't see the bow, otherwise Cheng Yijiu would have been exposed in minutes.