《My Abilities Are Changing Again!》 Chapter 1: Tieyu Base Chapter 1: Tieyu Base ¡°Good morning, dear compatriots. Today, Tieyu Base remains peaceful and secure. Open your eyes, and you can see a fractured sky and a scarlet sun. You can also see that the walls and gates of Tieyu Base are still standing, that our fortress guns are ready to fire at any moment, that our nuclear bombs are being properly maintained, and that our great leader, No. 43 Li Peipei, has returned safely from the Ember District to continue protecting the people. Today marks exactly the 400th day of the calendar in the Ashes District. Exactly 400 days ago, the Ashes District opened, and the world entered the end times! Despite the terrifying alien monsters, humanity has shown tenacity. We have established strongholds and rely on the strength of Ashes Walkers to protect the fragile embers of civilization. May the human race endure forever, and may civilization persist forever! This is the Iron Rain Base Radio, and now we will broadcast the morning news...¡± ... The voice from the television left Xia Lin dumbfounded. But he was clearly dumbfounded too early... because the real shock was yet to come. ¡°Name! I¡¯m asking you a question! Hey!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It took Xia Lin three seconds to respond before he came back to his senses and looked at the middle-aged man in formal attire in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the surroundings, taking in the simple furnishings at a glance. The room resembled an office, furnished only with a table, two chairs, and the two occupants sitting on them. One was Xia Lin, and the other was the man in formal attire. Seeing Xia Lin¡¯s bewildered expression, the man frowned. ¡°Huh? Name!¡± he repeated, emphasizing the question. ¡°Xia Lin,¡± Xia Lin obediently answered. Both his self from before the time of the journey and the original owner of the body were named Xia Lin. Hearing Xia Lin¡¯s normal response, the man¡¯s expression softened considerably. He picked up a pen and began writing, the strokes making a rustling sound on the paper. ¡°Gender, male?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Age?¡± ¡°Twenty-three years old.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± The man stopped writing, causing Xia Lin to raise an eyebrow. This line of questioning seemed a bit too simplistic... But then again, Xia Lin, who had just arrived, didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening. The integration of the two sets of memories was incomplete, making it difficult for Xia Lin to access the original owner¡¯s memories. The man in a suit set down his pen, picked up another piece of paper from the table, and read in a monotonous tone. ¡°Xia Lin, male, 23 years old, joined Tieyu Base three months ago.¡± ¡°According to your account, your parents both died after the disaster. You are currently without parents, without a spouse or children, and living alone.¡± ¡°After joining Tieyu Base, you were assigned to work as a general laborer in Iron and Steel Factory No. 3. Due to your outstanding performance, you were selected as an exemplary worker by the factory and volunteered during this recruitment to enter the Ember District as an Ember Walker.¡± ¡°Am I right?¡± No, you¡¯re not! I don¡¯t want to go to the Ember District! I don¡¯t want to become an Ember Walker! I don¡¯t want to fight monsters to the death! I don¡¯t want to! I don¡¯t want to! I don¡¯t want to! The memories belonging to the original owner of the body began to stir in his mind. He screamed and resisted internally. Scenes began flashing rapidly through Xia Lin¡¯s mind. His original home was shrouded in gray mist, his parents were torn apart by monsters, and he followed the main group on a thousand-mile trek to Tieyu Base. He worked hard at his job but offended the foreman, who held a grudge against him. During the monthly conscription, the steel factory was required to fill four forced recruitment quotas, and he was one of them. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.¡°Am I right?¡± The man in a suit asked again, staring at Xia Lin with burning eyes. By now, Xia Lin was sweating profusely. The man¡¯s words triggered the original owner¡¯s memories, causing Xia Lin to recall more details. The key issue was the Ember District. Four hundred days ago, the Ember Zones appeared, and one entrance after another emerged from the ground¡ªindestructible. Ten days after their appearance, monsters, alien creatures, and other anomalies began pouring out of the Ember Zones, destroying the old world. In a short time, the old order collapsed. Fortunately, in desperation, humanity discovered a method to combat the Ashes. They would enter the Ashes Zones, conquer them within ten days, and seal the entrances, thus halting the disasters at their source. Those who entered the Ashes were collectively called Ashes Walkers. Ashes Walkers possessed powers beyond ordinary human imagination and were granted significant privileges. It seemed like an enticing offer, but with a 95% mortality rate, most people were extremely reluctant to become Ashes Walkers¡ªand the original owner of the body was no exception. Perhaps the traumatic memory of his parents¡¯ gruesome deaths left such a deep scar that he lacked the courage to face the Ashes and the monsters within. And now, Xia Lin felt the same way. ¡°I...¡± Xia Lin suppressed the discomfort in his mind and had just begun to speak when the door to the room suddenly opened. The man in formal attire turned towards the door and was the first to see who entered. He stood up in surprise, a flattering smile appearing on his face. ¡°Lord Yue, what brings you here?¡± A somewhat pleasant female voice sounded from the doorway. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you chosen anyone yet? Sister Peipei is getting impatient, so she sent me to speed things up.¡± The man in a suit smiled obsequiously. ¡°It will be done shortly.¡± The female voice grew impatient. ¡°You people are so inefficient. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± Xia Lin sensed a gaze from behind. ¡°He¡¯s the first one.¡± Before Xia Lin could turn around, a sudden chill rose from his heart. He found himself unable to move. ... It was as if he had become a puppet. Xia Lin could no longer feel his limbs, but his senses remained sharp. He stood up involuntarily, turned stiffly, and gazed at the source of the beautiful female voice. It was a young, beautiful woman, her face full of arrogance. Who are you? What do you want? What have you done to me? Xia Lin felt a surge of panic, but these questions remained trapped in his chest, unspoken. He walked mechanically towards the woman, step by step, stopping in front of her like a loyal guard. The man in formal attire ignored this strange scene, continuing to apologize profusely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Yue. It¡¯s my inefficiency that nearly delayed this important matter.¡± ¡°I will reflect on my actions! I will reflect!¡± The woman, Lord Yue, merely snorted and turned to leave, with Xia Lin following closely behind. ... Numbly trailing behind her, Xia Lin watched as the woman randomly selected five other unlucky individuals. Together with Xia Lin, they formed the Unlucky Sky Team. The group of seven eventually arrived on the eighth floor of the building. Pushing open an ornate solid wood door, three women and one man came into Xia Lin¡¯s view. The most striking figure was undoubtedly the woman seated at the head of the table. She appeared to be the same age as Xia Lin, her face exceptionally beautiful, but her eyes exuded a fierce intensity, making her seem heroic. The original owner¡¯s memories surged again, informing Xia Lin of her identity. She was the supreme authority of Tieyu Base and its strongest warrior: Human Race Serial No. 43, Li Peipei. Chapter 2: The Ashes Zone With a ¡°pop,¡± the door closed, separating the inside from the outside. The unlucky six and the four women and one man led by Li Peipei were left alone in the room. Li Peipei raised her wrist and glanced at her watch. ¡°We still have an hour. Let''s take a break. Right, Rouyun, plant the flesh bombs first.¡± The woman named Rouyun stood up and went to the unlucky group of six, who were standing still. This very pretty woman reached out her hand and touched the hearts of the six one by one. Xia Lin, whose body was out of control, suddenly felt a warm current flowing from outside his body into his body, and finally taking root in his heart. As a result, his heart began to convulse, pumping with a strong feeling. It was as if a foreign body in his heart was absorbing the essence of Xia Lin''s body and nourishing itself. What is this thing! What have you done to me! The fear in his heart grew stronger. It also made Xia Lin realize that the group of people in front of him, led by Li Peipei, were not good people. However, no one cared about Xia Lin''s inner monologue. Li Peipei spoke again, her voice a little low. ¡°The frequency of the opening of the Ember Zone is getting higher and higher, and the Sequence War is about to begin.¡± ¡°This time, I will definitely obtain the target. With this object, my ranking in the Sequence Battle is expected to rise to within the top 30.¡± Sequence Battle... What is this? Despite the tension, Xia Lin''s thoughts still wandered. The memories of the two souls in his mind quickly integrated, while Xia Lin tried to listen to the five people''s idle chatter in the hope of finding information that could break the deadlock. But soon, Xia Lin despaired. Because there was no way to break the deadlock. In the memories of the original owner of the body, there was a rough concept of the walkers of the Ashes District. This group''s main purpose was to explore the Ashes District, taking on an extremely high risk of death on the one hand, but also gaining superhuman strength from the Ashes District on the other. They had physical qualities and demonic abilities that ordinary people could only dream of¡ªfor example, control of the moon, and the flesh bombs of Rouyun. Numerous cases have proven that even the lowest-level Ember Zone walkers can easily manipulate ordinary people. From the five people''s conversation, Xia Lin figured out their names and the purpose of finding cannon fodder. Li Peipei, An Yue, Rou Yun, Zhang Wen, and Xie Xiaotian. Four women and one man. A five-person elite squad led by Li Peipei, the forty-third in the sequence! Among them, Li Peipei is a Level 5 Ashen Zone Walker, while the other four are all Level 4. But what the levels indicate is something Xia Lin doesn''t understand. The purpose of this team''s trip seems to be to enter a certain broken Ashen Zone to find something. This thing can greatly enhance Li Peipei''s combat effectiveness, so that Li Peipei can obtain a better ranking in the upcoming sequence competition and receive a greater reward. But more... I don''t understand... I don''t understand, I don''t understand! I still don''t understand! It was his first time in this precious place, and Xia Lin was completely at a loss. The original owner of the body was just an ordinary unlucky person, and he had no experience or knowledge of the Ashes Zone at all. What''s more, he was currently under someone else''s control, and couldn''t even move. After about an hour, Li Peipei stood up and looked at her watch again. ¡°Let''s go.¡± An Yue snapped her fingers, and Xia Lin, unable to control himself, started walking, following the rest of the group. ... There was a dedicated elevator in the room, and it wasn''t crowded even with eleven people on it. Xie Xiaotian pressed the -5 button, and the elevator quickly descended, quickly reaching the fifth basement level. As the elevator doors opened, bright light entered Xia Lin''s eyes, causing his eyes to ache but unable to blink. A glance around the corner revealed an extremely large open area, surrounded by guns and cannons. Ashen Zone walkers and professional soldiers in strange costumes came and went, and the place was heavily guarded. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.The most eye-catching thing was the strange sight in the middle of the open area. It was a black vortex with a diameter of about five meters, dark and spinning non-stop, like a black hole. Without needing to be explained, Xia Lin immediately realized the nature of this object. ¡ªThe entrance to the Ember Zone! More memories of the original owner of the body surged forth. The entrance to the Ember Zone will open at random in various corners of the world, an indeterminate number of times, for an indeterminate period of time. The contents of the Ember Zone are indeterminate, with only one certainty¡ªif the Ember Zone is not penetrated within ten days, and the entrance to the Ember Zone is closed, then disaster will inevitably seep out of the entrance to the Ember Zone and affect reality. It could be an anomaly, a monster, or an extreme weather disaster... But legend has it that the Emberswalker can receive a reward in the Embers. This reward can fix the randomly appearing Embers within a certain range in one location, which is also a basic condition for establishing a gathering place. And the black hole in front of Xia Lin''s eyes at this moment is the main entrance to the Embers of the Tieyu Base. ¡°Lord Peipei.¡± ¡°My lord is well.¡± Li Peipei''s arrival attracted greetings and salutes from the Ashen Zone walkers and soldiers around her, which showed Li Peipei''s status in the Tieyu Base. However, Li Peipei ignored the onlookers and led the group straight to the main entrance of the Ashen Zone. Standing in front of the entrance, Li Peipei took a deep breath and reached out to touch it. Then, a heavy mechanical voice suddenly sounded in Xia Lin''s ears. [Reality anchor in progress... [Anchor complete, reality passage 0375 open. [Ember Zone open. It felt like a heavy blow to the head, and Xia Lin''s vision went dark. When the dim light entered his eyes again, Xia Lin found that the scene around him had undergone a radical change. Around him was a dark underground space. Fluorescent creatures provided a weak source of light. In front of him, it was pitch black, and the howling wind was mixed with the low, hoarse growl of an unknown creature, which was chilling. In his head, more mechanical sounds rang out. [Welcome to the Ashes Zone. Current Ashes Zone: Level C, Dark Crypt, Small, Combat Type. Note: Equipment and props not produced in the Ashes Zone cannot be brought into the Ashes Zone. [It has been detected that you are entering the Ashes Zone for the first time, and datafication has begun...] [Datafication has ended. You can open the attribute panel to check your initial attributes and talents.] [Congratulations on becoming an Ashes Zone Walker! Current level, level 1! This time, Xia Lin understood a little. His previous life''s experience with web novels gave Xia Lin a vague understanding of the current situation. And the other situation was that Xia Lin suddenly realized that he could move... However, when he glanced at the other members of the unlucky group, he noticed that they were still stiff and numb, which made Xia Lin hold back from showing any abnormalities. He just silently recited the attribute panel in his heart, so that the lines of text clearly fell into Xia Lin''s retinas. [Name: Xia Lin] [Level: 1] [Occupation: None] [Basic attributes:] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: 6] [Agility: 6] [Spirit: 10] Note: The average attribute of a normal adult male is 6, the limit of a normal human is 10, and the extreme attribute of a Level 1 Ashen Walker is 10. Talent: Unstable Mutation Unstable Mutation (SS-class): The skills you possess will randomly mutate at the start of an Ashen Zone. All buffs and debuffs you receive will also randomly mutate. It has been detected that you possess a double buff. [Forceful Control (C-level skill effect): You have been forcibly controlled by an Emberwalker with a higher mental attribute. [Flesh Bomb (B-level skill effect): You have been planted with a flesh bomb, which will gradually consume your flesh and blood essence to grow and increase in power. [Buff mutating...] [Mutated! Chapter 3: Unstable Mutations [Forced Mutation Control: Slow Puppet.] Slow Puppet (A-rank temporary effect): Lasts for one Ember Zone. While in the state of a Slow Puppet, your Agility is reduced by 3 points, and your presence is reduced, making you very easy to ignore by other units. Flesh Bomb Mutation: Extreme Blood Seed. [Extreme Heavenly Blood Seed (Temporary Effect of SS Rank):] Your essence of flesh and blood is stored in the blood seed in your heart, which causes your overall attributes to decrease by 10 points. However, you can actively activate the blood seed to temporarily increase your attributes by 50. The duration of the burst is 30 minutes! [Current attributes:] [Strength: 1] [Stamina: 1] [Agility: 1] [Spirit: 1] Note: 1 is the lowest value and cannot be lowered further. A cold wind blew, and Xia Lin sneezed. It seemed like he had caught a cold. At the same time, he felt his body grow heavy, his footsteps weak, and his mind dizzy, as if he were about to fall asleep. These abysmal values of 1 for all attributes made Xia Lin experience what it meant to be in a critical state... The mechanical voice in his ear sounded again. [The current main quest in the Ashes Zone has been released.] Main Quest: Hunt! Hunt: Hunt ten monsters to complete the main quest. You can exit this Ashes Zone at any time after completing the quest. Reward: 100 Ashes Zone points. Clear Quest: Not triggered. Side Quest: None. The mechanical sound died down, but then Li Peipei''s voice rang out. ¡°Who sneezed just now?¡± She turned her head and looked at the others, but after glancing around, she didn¡¯t notice anything unusual, which made her shake her head. ¡°Forget it. Control yourselves and don¡¯t disturb the monsters in the Ashes Zone. Combat-type Ashes Zones can¡¯t be considered safe.¡± An Yue laughed, ¡°My sister is still so cautious... But for a C-level Ashes Zone, I believe my sister can carve her way through alone.¡± Sequence 43¡ªof course, she could carve her way through a C-level Ashes Zone. ¡°Achoo!¡± Xia Lin sneezed again. However, this time, Li Peipei ignored him, magnificently overlooking him. The Slow Puppet effect was in full force. Li Peipei: ¡°Prepare for battle.¡± ¡°An Yue, Rou Yun, buff up! Then the cannon fodder will clear the way.¡± As she gave the orders, Li Peipei''s eyes flashed with white light. She looked around, as if she had a vague perception of the goal of her trip: ¡°At three o¡¯clock.¡± The other members of the squad immediately grew solemn. There were dangers everywhere in the Ashes Zone. To survive, caution was a basic quality¡ªeven with a Sequence 43 leading them and even if they were only entering a C-level Ashes Zone, they couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. Various lights shone from An Yue and Rou Yun¡¯s hands, casting buffs on everyone present. As a result, more mechanical sounds exploded in Xia Lin¡¯s ears. [You have obtained the buff: Mute (Level A skill effect): You cannot speak.] [Mute has mutated into: Compensation of the Five Senses (Level A temporary effect): You have enhanced your vision and hearing at the cost of your sense of taste.] [You have obtained the buff: Petrified Skin (Level B skill effect): Hardens your skin.] [Petrified Skin mutates into: Clay Sculpture (Temporary D-class effect): Your presence is slightly reduced.] [You gain the buff: Taunting Aura (C-class skill effect): You attract the hostility and attacks of other units more easily.] The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.[Taunting Aura mutates into: I Am Pathetic (Temporary S-class effect): The lower your attribute values, the less likely you are to attract the hostility and attacks of other units, and vice versa.] [You gain the buff: Swift as the Wind (Level B skill effect): Your movement speed is enhanced.] [Swift as the Wind becomes Acrobatic (Level C temporary effect): You can perform acrobatic feats such as quick climbing and reverse joint movements.] [You gain the buff: All-round Enhancement (Level B skill effect): Your attributes are +3.] [The overall buff is changed to: Curse of Weakness (Temporary B-level effect): Your attributes are reduced by 3.] [You gain the buff: Rapid Healing (Level B Skill Effect): Greatly speeds up the healing of injuries.] [The variant of Rapid Healing is: Feast of Flesh and Blood (Level SS Temporary Effect): Your digestive system and mouth mutate, your digestion and biting power increase greatly, and you can temporarily strengthen your attributes and heal your injuries and diseases by devouring the flesh and blood of other creatures. The strengthening effect lasts for one entire Ember Zone.] ... The group began to move forward¡ªnot too fast, not too slow. Xia Lin was at the back of the group, barely keeping up with the others through sheer determination. The 1-point attributes almost killed him, even slowing his thoughts, but he still managed to integrate the effects of the mutation buffs. Luck favored the bold. The mutation effects were outstanding! And this would be Xia Lin¡¯s only hope of turning the tide against the odds. The Compensation of the Five Senses effect enhanced Xia Lin¡¯s vision and hearing, allowing him to vaguely hear the roaring and footsteps around him. However, it was clear that the perception of the advanced Ashes Zone walkers was even better than Xia Lin¡¯s enhanced senses! At the front, Li Peipei suddenly raised her hand, signaling the team to stop. As the increasingly clear footsteps approached, Li Peipei took a deep breath and pulled a one-person-tall greatsword from the void. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± An Yue and Rou Yun quickly retreated, pulling to the back of the line, while Zhang Wen and Xie Xiaotian stepped forward, taking up positions on either side of Li Peipei. After about ten seconds, with a hoarse scream, a half-human, lizard-like monster pounced out of the darkness, its blood-filled mouth open and ready to bite Li Peipei¡¯s head off. A flash of cold light made Xia Lin flinch. The stench of blood spread as Li Peipei retracted her sword, splitting the lizard-like monster in half. It was so fast Xia Lin couldn¡¯t even catch it. The whistling wind indicated the absolute strength of the slash. As a Sequence 43, she indeed had the ability to carve her way through a C-class Ashes Zone with just her sword. But the safety of such a method was not guaranteed. The level of the Ashes Zone does not fully indicate the difficulty of the area or the strength of the enemies. In the distance, more footsteps and shouts sounded one after another from the dark cave. The Ashes Zone creatures underground smelled the blood, and the riot began! Li Peipei looked back at the unlucky group. Her gaze swept past Xia Lin and settled on the first cannon fodder. ¡°Go,¡± she said to An Yue. The first unlucky individual took a step forward, its stiff and numb limbs rushing ahead. ... The enhanced cannon fodder¡¯s attributes were not low, and their combat effectiveness wasn¡¯t bad either. On the level of ordinary people, they were indeed little supermen. However, their stiff limbs weakened their combat effectiveness, and the strength of the creatures in the Ember Zone far surpassed that of ordinary people. The dim light of the fluorescent creatures in the cave seriously weakened everyone¡¯s vision. When An Yue sensed the danger, the distance between the cannon fodder and the Ember creatures was already too close. This was a naked humanoid creature with no eyes or hair. It pounced from the darkness, its mouth wide open, and bit toward the cannon fodder in one bite. But suddenly, a flash of cold light appeared¡ªLi Peipei¡¯s giant sword had already beheaded it. However, the appearance of this monster was like a starting gun. In the darkness, more hurried footsteps sounded. ¡°It¡¯s an underground humanoid,¡± Li Peipei said coldly, eliciting a gloomy smile from Xie Xiaotian. ¡°Just a random soldier.¡± Chapter 4: Why? Subterranean humanoids. The most common creatures in the Ember Zone. They have similar body proportions to humans but are hairless and blind. They eat mushrooms as their staple food and domesticate subterranean lizard dogs as their meat source and hunting partners. They live in groups, are intelligent but far inferior to humans, and are naturally bloodthirsty, aggressive, and xenophobic. ¡°The entrance to this Ember Zone seems to be within the territory of an underground human settlement.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not a big problem, because these things are generally not very strong.¡± Xie Xiaotian said as he took out two curved swords from the void. The double swords in his hands rubbed against each other, spitting out sparks that grew fiercer until they ignited the blades. Level A Skill: Flaming Blade. Xie Xiaotian then accelerated and charged into the darkness, the burning double blades acting as a beacon. The blades cut through the air in a stunning arc, drawing out a large amount of dark blood. The attributes of the subterranean humanoids are similar to those of humans, with a limit of 10 and a common value of around 6. As a Level 4 Ashen Zone Walker, Xie Xiaotian¡¯s attribute limit is as high as 40 points. The excess attributes allow Xie Xiaotian to kill humanoids as easily as slaughtering chickens. He moved so fast he almost left afterimages, weaving through waves of humanoids and lizard dogs! The sound of tearing flesh was unceasing, the smell of blood grew stronger, and the screams of the subterranean humanoids continued to echo. In the midst of the slaughter, Li Peipei suddenly spoke, her voice like thunder. ¡°Retreat!¡± Xie Xiaotian¡¯s figure blurred, and he instantly appeared next to Li Peipei. Where he had originally stood, a strange glimmer of dark light appeared, carving a deep, knife-like scar into the ground. In the cave ahead, the group of humanoids automatically parted. A tall figure walked out from the front and approached the small team. It was nearly two meters tall, with a well-proportioned body and extraordinarily thick hands. Its ten fingernails were sharp, like long knives. When Li Peipei looked at this figure, the white light in her eyes grew even brighter. After a quick assessment, she said, ¡°A native professional in the Ashen Zone, Level 5. But the attributes are not yet full.¡± Upon hearing the words ¡°Level 5,¡± Xie Xiaotian and the others felt a cold chill run down their spines. However, Li Peipei remained calm. After all, she was also Level 5. After a brief weighing of the situation, Li Peipei formulated a plan. Grabbing the nearest cannon fodder, she threw it at the humanoid professional with a single arm swing. At the same time, Rou Yun activated the ambush that had been preset in advance. B-class Skill: Flesh Bomb! ... Rou Yun is a Level 4 Ashen Zone Walker, and her mental attribute has reached the Level 4 limit of 40 points. The power of the Flesh Bomb is linked to the mental attribute, and with a preparation time of up to an hour, its power had increased several times! The poor cannon fodder, like a weapon, flew toward the humanoid professional under the influence of great force. And because of the effect of the Taunting Aura, the humanoid professional¡¯s attention was also drawn to the cannon fodder. It bared its teeth and swung its arm, sending ten sword-like energy waves from its fingertips to slash at the cannon fodder. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.However, it did not notice that Zhang Wen, on the opposite side, had already pulled a shield out of thin air. The shield bloomed with a light wall, protecting everyone in the squad behind it. Before the energy waves could reach the cannon fodder, a red light began to shine from its heart, reaching its peak within a breath. The cannon fodder¡¯s numb face was expressionless, but its eyes contained unspeakable despair and pain. And then, with a loud bang, everything was blown to smithereens. The Flesh Bomb activated. The bones, blood, and flesh of the cannon fodder turned into a substance harder than steel, scattering in all directions with the force of the shockwave. The intense explosion shook the nearby walls and floor, and the confined environment amplified the power of the blast. The light wall in front of Zhang Wen trembled violently, and his feet sank deep into the ground, but it barely withstood the force of the Flesh Bomb. However, the humanoids and the humanoid professional were not prepared and were blown away! Screams of agony filled the air. The humanoid professional covered its face in agony, weeping in pain as dark blood dripped from its fingers. But its pain was quickly ended. In the howling wind, Li Peipei, like a valkyrie, charged through the aftermath of the Flesh Bomb and decapitated the humanoid professional with a single sword stroke. ... ¡°Easy!¡± Xie Xiaotian gave a frivolous snap of his fingers. Zhang Wen gasped for breath, put away his shield, and shot Xie Xiaotian a glare. An Yue and Rou Yun, on the other hand, looked at Li Peipei with undisguised admiration. Sequence 43, Level 5 Ashen Zone Walker. Killing someone of the same level was as easy as slaughtering a chicken. Although teamwork played a role, it was only to conserve energy. Everyone was convinced that even in a head-on fight, the humanoid professional would not have been a match for Li Peipei. After the leader of the underground humanoids died, the rest scattered and fled. Li Peipei didn¡¯t bother to chase them, simply waving her hand to signal the team to continue forward. The team crossed the messy explosion site, but Xia Lin suddenly stopped in his tracks. He looked down at his feet. There, half a face came into view. It was the face of the cannon fodder... The eyes had long since disappeared, leaving only dark, bloody holes silently telling a tragic story. Half of the mouth on the face was wide open, as if asking the heavens, ¡°Why? Why me? You clearly had the ability to defeat the enemy, so why did you have to sacrifice me? I gave my life to help you, but why won¡¯t you even look at me or say thank you? Why has such a miserable fate befallen me? Why, why, why!¡± Xia Lin looked at the backs of Li Peipei¡¯s squad, who were about to disappear into the darkness. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as if he were smiling, and at the same time, Xia Lin¡¯s heart provided the answer. ¡®Because they don¡¯t care. Because they are not good people. But fortunately, I am not a good person either. I can even stop being a person.¡¯ He bent over weakly and lay on the corpse of the humanoid professional. Then he opened his mouth, revealing his alienated, serrated fangs. ... Li Peipei¡¯s team worked well together. The difficulty of the C-level Ashen Zone was not high. A Level 4 Ashen Zone Walker would typically struggle in a C-level zone, but with a Level 5 Sequence powerhouse like Li Peipei leading them, they were well-prepared. The rest of the journey was uneventful. Any minor problems were handled by Li Peipei and Xie Xiaotian, and any major threats were cleared by the Flesh Bombs, which Li Peipei then finished off. They killed two Level 5s and nearly ten Level 4s along the way. By the time they were two hours into their journey and nearing their target location, they still had two spare cannon fodder left. ¡°Strange, I clearly remember recruiting six people. If I used three, there should still be three left, so why are there only two now?¡± It was only at this point that An Yue vaguely realized one cannon fodder was missing. On the one hand, this was due to the effects of Slow Puppet, Clay Sculpture, and I Am Pathetic, especially the S-class I Am Pathetic, which was particularly effective. Now that An Yue had finally noticed Xia Lin¡¯s absence, it also meant that the effect of I Am Pathetic was beginning to wane. But no one knew what it meant. Even less did they know that Xia Lin had been following behind the group, quietly cleaning up the mess they had left in their wake. Li Peipei closed her eyes, her senses fully open as her ears twitched slightly. Soon, she took a deep breath. ¡°Two cannon fodder is enough.¡± ¡°The key is that our goal is right in front of us.¡± ¡°And there are two big guys.¡± She drew her heavy sword, its imposing aura shifting as it became cold, sharp, and as heavy as a mountain. ¡°Prepare for the decisive battle.¡± Chapter 5: Heaven-Sent Primal Essence The rules of small combat-type Ember Zones are generally simple, emphasizing straightforward battles. There are no twists or turns¡ªjust raw, unrelenting combat that tests one¡¯s hard power. This time, the group had a clear goal: the hidden treasures within this Ember Zone. And there is an unspoken rule in combat-type Ember Zones¡ªtreasures must be guarded! This is the greatest challenge of their journey. ... Two cannon fodder guarded Li Peipei on her left and right as she strode forward, dragging her heavy sword with one hand. The blade scraped against the cold ground, creating sparks and a harsh, grating noise. White light shone in her eyes, piercing through the cavern walls and clearly revealing the treasure and its guardians ahead. As Li Peipei rounded the corner, her vision suddenly cleared, and an expansive underground cavern came into view. The cavern was spacious and free of clutter, with a flat terrain. Dense clusters of fluorescent plants dotted the area, illuminating the space as brightly as day. In the center of the cave, two enormous canine creatures, each ten meters long, sensed Li Peipei¡¯s arrival. They stood up, growling menacingly, their mouths brewing rolling lava. Resting Dogs, Tier 5 Xenobeasts. Li Peipei¡¯s gaze swept past the Resting Dogs and landed on the object floating between them. It was a colorful, diamond-shaped crystal suspended in midair. The crystal glistened and radiated a precious light. Li Peipei¡¯s eyes lit up as she murmured its true name. ¡°Heaven-Sent Primal Essence.¡± A treasure that could only be born in the Ashen Ruin region, it was also the object of desire for all Ashen Zone travelers. No one knew the true nature of the Heaven-Sent Primal Essence¡ªjust as no one understood the operating principles of the Ashen Ruin region. But it didn¡¯t matter if its essence remained a mystery. What mattered was its effect. This treasure had another name: Divine Gift Blind Box. It was exactly that¡ªa blind box. Once obtained, it would transform into a random reward, generously rewarding the brave. The rewards varied, but one thing was certain¡ªthe Heaven-Sent Primal Essence would never disappoint its possessor. Li Peipei thought about the upcoming Human Race Sequence Power Battle. She only needed a portion of the Divine Source Essence, and her strength would reach new heights. Breaking into the top 30 of the Human Race Sequence was not impossible. For those in the top 30, prestige and influence were secondary. The real prize was the immense benefits that came with the ranking. The strong would always remain strong. This was an unbreakable truth. ¡°Let¡¯s get started, then.¡± Li Peipei raised her heavy sword, and a sonorous, metallic sound resonated from her mouth. ¡°The White Dragon¡¯s True Eye grants me vision!¡± True Eye of the White Dragon (S-rank): Gain night vision and greatly enhanced visual perception, allowing you to easily detect enemy movements at close range. ¡°The Body of the Black Dragon grants me strength!¡± Body of the Black Dragon (S-rank): +20 to all attributes. Dragon scales grow on your body, granting massive damage reduction! ¡°The Protection of the Wind Dragon grants me agility!¡± Protection of the Wind Dragon (S-rank): +30 to agility, greatly increasing movement speed. She lunged forward and raised her sword. ¡°Dragon Flash Dance!¡± Dragon Flash Dance (S-rank): Requires 50 points in all attributes and can be performed with sharp weapons. Once activated, the skill allows you to dash toward the target at great speed, flashing back and forth between multiple targets, dealing devastating blows to the enemy! Profession: Dragon Warrior! Profession Trait: Greatly enhances the effects of skills with the word ¡°dragon¡± in the name! Light erupted from the ground. Li Peipei¡¯s figure instantly appeared above the head of the first Resting Dog, and her heavy sword came down hard on its skull, drawing a torrent of blood. Before the Resting Dog could let out a mournful howl, Li Peipei had already flashed to the head of the second Resting Dog. For a moment, Li Peipei seemed to vanish, leaving only the bright silver light of her constant flashing, which grew more and more dazzling. Just as Li Peipei was about to strike, Zhang Wen and Xie Xiaotian charged into the battle with their shield and dual blades, accompanied by the remaining two cannon fodder.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. As Li Peipei¡¯s teammates, they knew that her Dragon Flash Dance was an explosive skill that couldn¡¯t be sustained for long. Once its effect ended, Li Peipei¡¯s skill set didn¡¯t support fighting multiple opponents at once¡ªthe Dragon Warrior profession excelled in one-on-one combat. At that point, the combined efforts of Zhang Wen, Xie Xiaotian, and the two cannon fodder would need to temporarily hold off one Resting Dog, buying Li Peipei time to finish the battle. This was the plan. There were no difficulties or problems with its execution. Two Level 5 Resting Dogs were indeed terrifying, but the five-person team worked well together, and no one had ulterior motives. The outcome of the battle was predictable. That is, barring any accidents. ... ¡°There won¡¯t be any accidents.¡± At the cave entrance, An Yue and Rou Yun hid themselves far away, watching the battle unfold. As the team¡¯s support members, both were Level 4 and had no occupation, with only four skill slots each. For these slots, both had chosen support skills. An Yue: Forced Control, Petrify Skin, Swift as the Wind, and Overall Buff. Rou Yun: Flesh Bomb, Silence, Taunt Aura, and Quick Heal. Although their attributes met Level 4 standards, the lack of offensive skills meant the two women had almost no ability to fight head-on. On a Level 5 battlefield, all they could do was apply buffs and then hide far away to avoid slowing down their teammates. Inside the cave ahead, the effect of Dragon Flash Dance had ended. Li Peipei was now fighting the Resting Dog one-on-one, suppressing it with her sword. Even though both were Level 5, the gap in skill matching made a significant difference in combat power. It would likely take Li Peipei only about a minute to end the battle. Two loud explosions suddenly rang out. Rou Yun had taken the initiative to detonate the two Flesh Bombs on the other side to relieve the pressure on Zhang Wen and Xie Xiaotian. The two fought hard, but with the help of the Flesh Bombs, they managed to hold the line. They could clearly support Li Peipei until she finished her battle. ¡°It¡¯s settled,¡± Rou Yun declared. An Yue, however, frowned, her mind preoccupied with something else. ¡°I¡¯m still very confused...¡± ¡°I clearly recruited six cannon fodder, but now only five have been used. I couldn¡¯t remember the sixth one earlier, but now I can¡¯t forget him.¡± ¡°The first cannon fodder I found was that guy... tall and skinny, quite good-looking. How did he disappear?¡± Rou Yun pondered, nodding in agreement. ¡°I also remember planting six Flesh Bombs, but only five have detonated. I don¡¯t know where the last one went...¡± There was a crisp sound. Before Rou Yun could finish her sentence, her head was twisted a full 180 degrees! Her eyes widened, her anger quickly fading as she finally saw the figure that had appeared behind them at some unknown time. It was the missing cannon fodder... Xia Lin slowly released his hands and spoke calmly. ¡°My name isn¡¯t cannon fodder, nor am I a bomb. My name is Xia Lin.¡± After saying this, he turned to the stunned An Yue. He grinned, his lips curling up to the roots of his ears in an instant. A faint cold light flashed from Xia Lin¡¯s mouth, revealing teeth as terrifying as the circular fangs of a great white shark. A strong, bloody smell wafted from Xia Lin¡¯s mouth, enveloping An Yue in a cloud. ¡°And, thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you for calling me handsome.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to something delicious.¡± One of the lizard dog¡¯s hind legs, pulled from Xia Lin¡¯s waist, was shoved into An Yue¡¯s mouth with lightning speed. Her lips instantly burst, and blood mixed with teeth spilled from the side of her face. Her eyes were filled with terror. Because she saw red dots pulsing on Xia Lin¡¯s chest. It looked like the light of a Flesh Bomb, but not quite... She could also sense that Xia Lin¡¯s power far surpassed hers as a Level 4 practitioner. This didn¡¯t make sense. He had just entered the Ember Zone... How... ¡°Eat!¡± A furious roar interrupted An Yue¡¯s thoughts. Xia Lin¡¯s mouth was wide open, his eyes red, his beard and hair standing on end like a madman. ¡°Eat it!¡± ¡°You eat it! You eat it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s tasteless! It¡¯s not bad! It¡¯s not bad!¡± ¡°I ate it all, so why shouldn¡¯t you eat it? Why shouldn¡¯t you eat it?¡± The one-meter-long lizard dog¡¯s hind leg was forcefully shoved into An Yue¡¯s mouth by Xia Lin. It squeezed her throat, her stomach, and her abdominal cavity. Blood sprayed from An Yue¡¯s mouth and neck, staining Xia Lin red... But Xia Lin kept going! The despair and helplessness before entering the Ember Zone. The struggle and feasting after entering the Ember Zone. The slippery blood and cold, hard flesh. The nerves repeatedly torn and then rebuilt in the belief of survival. It had all reached its limit. An Yue¡¯s eyes were filled with terror, which gradually turned to despair. Her mouth had been destroyed, and she couldn¡¯t even beg for mercy! Until Xia Lin suddenly stopped and burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, I forgot. I don¡¯t have a sense of taste anymore, thanks to you.¡± ¡°So, was it delicious?¡± An Yue couldn¡¯t answer. Xia Lin didn¡¯t need her response. He pulled out the lizard dog¡¯s hind leg and swung it around, snapping it! With a crack, An Yue¡¯s pretty head shattered like a watermelon. ¡°Phew~~¡± He threw away the dog¡¯s leg and let out a long breath. ¡°That feels good... That feels really good...¡± The three greatest joys in life are revenge, revenge, and fucking revenge! Suddenly, a roar echoed from afar. ¡°How dare you!¡± The deaths of An Yue and Rou Yun had startled Li Peipei and the others in the cave. Li Peipei was in the middle of a fierce battle and couldn¡¯t break away, but Xie Xiaotian took the initiative to leave the fight and charged toward Xia Lin, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°You little thief! How dare you kill An Yue! You¡¯re dead!¡± Xia Lin slowly tilted his head, then smiled knowingly. ¡°You had a crush on her.¡± Then he lifted his leg and charged forward, faster and faster. He began running like a madman! ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you to join her!¡± Chapter 6: Charge! Slow Puppet: 3-point reduction in agility. Extreme Heavenly Blood Seed: 10-point reduction in all attributes (no longer in effect), 50-point increase in all attributes while in the burst state, 28 minutes and 36 seconds remaining! Weakness Curse: -3 in all attributes. These are the current buffs related to attributes that have been applied to Xia Lin. Overall, after activating the Extreme Heavenly Blood Seed, Xia Lin gained +47 strength, +44 agility, and +47 constitution. Combined with his original attributes, Xia Lin¡¯s current attributes are: These attributes have reached the standard of a Level 5 Ashen Zone traveler. However, because Xia Lin has no skills, his combat power alone wouldn¡¯t match most Level 5 opponents. The problem is that, in addition to these attributes, Xia Lin also possesses a mutant buff called Feast of Flesh and Blood! Thinking of the Feast of Flesh and Blood buff, Xia Lin¡¯s eyes filled with bloodlust, and he grinned. ... It was indescribable how slimy and disgusting the flesh tasted when it entered his mouth. Due to the loss of taste and the mutation of his digestive system, the physiological nausea was almost nonexistent. In fact, he even felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. But Xia Lin couldn¡¯t forget the psychological nausea he felt when he took the first bite. Humanoid... humanoid. They have the same proportions as humans... In short, they are very similar... ¡°But it¡¯s not my fault. No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m new here, and you¡¯re being rude! So rude!¡± The whistling wind passed by his ears¡ªa result of Xia Lin¡¯s high-speed sprint. He crouched, his feet planted firmly on the ground, his body forming a 45-degree angle with the ground. His steps left a series of pothole-like footprints, raising a large cloud of dust. The attribute panel automatically appeared in his vision. [Name: Xia Lin] [Level: 1] [Occupation: None] [Basic Attributes:] [Strength: 85] [Stamina: 85] [Agility: 82] [Spirit: 89] He recalled the sticky feeling of flesh and blood entering his throat, like savoring a bowl of spicy liquor¡ªbitter and spicy, but with a sweet aftertaste. The twin swords burning ahead of him served as beacons, lighting up his target. In the light of the fire, Xie Xiaotian¡¯s face looked particularly hideous and terrifying. It was easy to see the anger and sadness in his eyes. He really had a secret crush on An Yue. ¡°But what does that have to do with me?¡± ... Xie Xiaotian wasn¡¯t overwhelmed by anger. He still maintained a sharp fighting instinct. From Xia Lin¡¯s charge, Xie Xiaotian could tell that Xia Lin¡¯s attributes were seriously over-spec, far superior to his own. This defied common sense¡ªXia Lin was, after all, just a newcomer. Xie Xiaotian couldn¡¯t figure out the logic behind it, but he was convinced that with his combat experience and skill set, he could keep Xia Lin occupied until Li Peipei finished her battle. And once Li Peipei was free, Xia Lin would definitely die! This was absolute trust in Terran Sequence 43! The two sides closed in rapidly. Xie Xiaotian¡¯s gaze burned, and his Shadow Flicker was ready to activate! Flaming Blade, Shadow Flicker, Backstab, Armor-Piercing. These four skills combined to create Xie Xiaotian, nicknamed the Shadow Assassin! However, just as the two were only a few meters apart and Shadow Flicker was about to activate... Xia Lin suddenly accelerated! This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.He had been hiding his true strength! The attributes he had just displayed were only around 60 points. This sudden burst of strength caught Xie Xiaotian completely off guard. A howling gust of wind rushed toward Xie Xiaotian, who instinctively dodged to the side. But Xia Lin smiled cruelly and bent his arm in a strange arc. Acrobatics! Then, a one-handed throat lock! With Xie Xiaotian¡¯s neck firmly in his grip, Xia Lin slammed him into the ground with all his strength. The loud crash silenced the fierce battles in the other two battlefields. Xie Xiaotian¡¯s back bones shattered, and he vomited blood as his internal organs were crushed. But Xia Lin didn¡¯t stop! He clenched his fists and continued charging forward, using Xie Xiaotian as a broom to sweep the ground, leaving a straight trail of blood. His head was raised, his eyes locked on Zhang Wen. ¡°It¡¯s your turn!¡± The murderous intent made Zhang Wen freeze for a moment and caused Li Peipei¡¯s brows to furrow. She finally realized that their team had provoked a madman. But soon, her frown relaxed. She had seen many madmen in the Ashen Zone¡ªafter all, few who entered the zone remained sane. And when faced with a madman, the solution was simple: Just kill him! The blade gleamed once more. After a short wait, the cooldown for Dragon Flash Dance had expired, and it could be activated again. A faint dragon¡¯s roar rippled out from Li Peipei¡¯s body. A silvery-white light flashed. The already badly beaten Resting Dog let out a mournful howl as a deep scar appeared on its neck out of nowhere. Before the blood could spray, the silver light leaped again, rapidly closing in on Xia Lin¡¯s position! The next second, the silver light flashed! But Xia Lin strangely shrunk his neck, his head almost retracting into his chest cavity¡ªanother acrobatic maneuver. The light of Dragon Flash Dance struck the open ground. At the same time, Xia Lin took a misstep, his body twisting like a clown in an acrobatic troupe. Without slowing down or changing direction, he cut across the path of the silver light, continuing to close in on Zhang Wen. The silver light flashed again. This time, however, it struck the Resting Dog in front of Zhang Wen. Dragon Flash Dance seemed unable to attack the same target continuously when facing multiple enemies. The demon dog opened its blood-red mouth and wailed endlessly. But the monster¡¯s howl was just background noise. Everyone present knew that the focus of this encounter was solely on Xia Lin and Li Peipei. This time, the silver light flashed toward Xia Lin¡¯s waist. It was too fast to dodge. But Xia Lin let out a loud laugh. He twisted his waist and pulled the half-dead Xie Xiaotian up, using him as a shield against the sword. The sound of tearing flesh exploded as Xie Xiaotian was instantly cut in half. But Li Peipei didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªthe sword continued downward, cutting through Xia Lin¡¯s waist and leaving a deep gash in the ground. Xia Lin felt a sharp pain in his waist. Even if he hadn¡¯t been cut in half, the wound was severe¡ªonly skin held his flesh together after taking a direct hit from Dragon Flash Dance. But the momentum of his charge didn¡¯t waver. He was already face-to-face with Zhang Wen! The wind from his charge hit Zhang Wen head-on. She could only watch as Xia Lin¡¯s devilish face grew closer and closer, until it was inches from hers. A pair of iron arms wrapped around her waist, the immense force making it impossible for her to resist. She felt her body being pushed backward, then falling into a slippery place. It was the mouth of the Resting Dog! The Resting Dog¡¯s howling suddenly paused, slightly stunned. It had intended to bite, but the foreign object in its mouth had already gone deep. Inside the dog¡¯s mouth, Zhang Wen was overwhelmed by the smell of sulfur and rot. But the force in front of her increased sharply once again. Xia Lin pressed Zhang Wen with one hand while swinging the other like a paddle, driving her deeper and deeper into the Resting Dog¡¯s body! From outside, Li Peipei¡¯s indistinct roars could be heard. ¡°How dare you! How dare you!¡± This time, she was finally furious! Because inside the Resting Dog was the best hiding place on this battlefield to avoid Dragon Flash Dance! There were still three rounds of Dragon Flash Dance left. But Xia Lin had already merged with the Resting Dog that Zhang Wen was facing. The silver light flashed three times, killing the Resting Dog that Li Peipei had been fighting. But it wasn¡¯t enough to take down the other Resting Dog. Li Peipei reappeared, her heavy sword clenched tightly in her hand. Three of the five-person squad were dead, and the fate of the fourth was unknown. This mission should have been a sure thing, but because of a crazy newcomer, they had fallen into chaos! ¡°I will kill you.¡± After the anger came calm. Li Peipei slowly uttered her declaration of revenge, as if she had forgotten that they were the ones who had done evil first. Hate is like that. If you repay evil with evil, the hatred only grows deeper. Fortunately, Xia Lin isn¡¯t someone who repays evil with good. The Resting Dog suddenly let out a mournful howl and fell to the ground, twitching. The already severely injured creature began to bleed from all seven orifices, its breath growing weaker and weaker. True Eye of the White Dragon allowed Li Peipei to vaguely see a figure moving rapidly inside the dog¡¯s abdomen, as if devouring something. She couldn¡¯t understand what was happening inside. Until there was a wet, tearing sound. A bloody hand stabbed through the dog¡¯s belly, and a bloody figure dragged another bloody figure out, standing tall in front of Li Peipei. Chapter 7: Accident ¡°She¡¯s still alive.¡± These were the first words Xia Lin said after crawling out of the Resting Dog with Zhang Wen in his arms. Then came the second sentence. ¡°I¡¯m going to return her to you.¡± Giving in? No way! The injury to his waist had already healed through devouring the flesh and blood of the Resting Dog, and his personal attributes had even reached new heights, nearing the 100 mark! The next second, Xia Lin bent over, his body coiled like a loaded bow, with Zhang Wen as the arrow on the string. ¡°You better catch her!¡± The roar was accompanied by the sharp sound of air cracking as Zhang Wen whistled through the air toward Li Peipei¡¯s right hand. In the state of True Eye of the White Dragon, Li Peipei clearly saw Zhang Wen¡¯s miserable, dying face. Without hesitation, she rushed toward Zhang Wen to prevent her from dying from the impact. At the same time, she remained on guard against Xia Lin¡¯s sudden attack. However, the corner of her eye caught Xia Lin¡¯s movement, startling her and reigniting her anger. Because she saw that Xia Lin wasn¡¯t rushing toward her¡ªhe was heading behind her. That was where the Heaven-Sent Primal Essence was located. Yes... Amidst the chaos of battle, everyone seemed to have forgotten that Li Peipei¡¯s goal was precisely this Divine Source Essence! In fact, Li Peipei already regarded it as her own. But she hadn¡¯t expected Xia Lin to use Zhang Wen, who was barely clinging to life, as bait to lure her away from the treasure. Xia Lin¡¯s true aim wasn¡¯t to save Zhang Wen¡ªit was to seize the treasure first! His thinking was crystal clear. So clear that Li Peipei even doubted whether this person was truly a pure lunatic... With a moment of hesitation, Li Peipei couldn¡¯t decide whether to save her teammate first or stop Xia Lin. Indecisive, clownish behavior! At this moment, Li Peipei perfectly embodied this... In the blink of an eye, Xia Lin had already reached the Heaven-Sent Primal Essence and grabbed it in his palm. Further away, with a loud crash, Zhang Wen hit the ground and died tragically¡ªand Li Peipei was only three meters away from her at the time. Her pretty face flushed with anger. Li Peipei felt like she had been made a fool of... Xia Lin poured fuel on the fire. ¡°You didn¡¯t catch her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re useless even when given a chance.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you Sequence 43? Aren¡¯t you awesome? Where¡¯s your awesome strength now?¡± The two were nearly a thousand meters apart. Xia Lin laughed wildly, while Li Peipei stood frozen in place. She slowly turned her head and looked at Xia Lin, who was tossing the Heaven-Sent Primal Essence up and down. The hideous, terrifying smile on Xia Lin¡¯s face pierced Li Peipei¡¯s heart. ¡°Give me the thing, and I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± She pointed at the Divine Source Essence in Xia Lin¡¯s hand. Xia Lin pursed his lips and pretended to be scared. ¡°Ouch, I¡¯m so scared.¡± This approach wasn¡¯t going to work. Xia Lin wasn¡¯t afraid of threats. This made Li Peipei take a deep breath and suppress her anger. ¡°The thing in your hand is very important to our Tieyu Base.¡± Her gaze was sincere, and her tone was solemn. ¡°As you know, the original human order no longer exists since the arrival of the Broken Ember Zone 400 days ago.¡± ¡°The entrance to the Ember Zone opens at random, and if it¡¯s not resolved within ten days, it will cause a catastrophe. We Ember Zone Walkers can obtain treasures in the Ember Zone. The Divine Source Essence in your hands is one of them.¡± ¡°Its effect is that it can stabilize the surrounding space, ensuring that the entrance to the Ember Zone opens at a designated location, protecting the safety of surrounding areas.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The original owner of Xia Lin¡¯s body had memories of this. This was the root of the world¡¯s transformation from its original political system to the current base system. ¡°This thing is useless for you to take because you don¡¯t have a base. Hand it over to me, and I can use it to save more people.¡± She took the initiative to sheathe her heavy sword and made a gesture of peace. At the same time, she struck her right hand against her heart and declared with a burning gaze: ¡°May the human race live forever, and may civilization endure!¡± ¡°Pfft~~¡± Xia Lin was amused. He laughed until his sides ached, his laughter growing louder and louder. It wasn¡¯t until Li Peipei¡¯s face turned purple with rage that Xia Lin stopped smiling and pointed to his mutated mouth. There, his uneven teeth glistened eerily in the fluorescent light. Then, he took off his clothes. This action made Li Peipei¡¯s eyes twitch. Because she saw that Xia Lin¡¯s abdomen had twisted into a strange shape! Three full 30-centimeter-long mouths had grown from Xia Lin¡¯s chest and abdomen, arranged in a triangular pattern. Their jagged fangs opened and closed, revealing shreds of flesh stuck between them. This was the flesh of the Resting Dogs. Xia Lin spoke, as if murmuring. ¡°Do you see how I look now? Do I still look human?¡± Li Peipei was at a loss for words. The Feast of Flesh and Blood had turned Xia Lin into a monster! ¡°So, all this talk of human righteousness and the eternal survival of the human race¡ªit¡¯s not going to work on me.¡± ¡°It just makes me laugh.¡± ¡°What about dedication and moral blackmail? Peipei, are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Have you not figured out what kind of person I am in the Ashen Zone?¡± ¡°In the human race and civilization you speak of, is there really a place for me, a cannon fodder!?¡± Li Peipei was still speechless. It wasn¡¯t guilt¡ªshe was thinking. Thinking about a way out of the situation, thinking about how she could get the Divine Source Essence into her hands under the current circumstances. The heavy sword in her hand flashed rapidly. Dragon Flash Dance was about to come off cooldown. However, just before Dragon Flash Dance could activate, Xia Lin suddenly reached toward his abdomen and shoved the Divine Source Essence into one of the mouths! He had been calculating Li Peipei¡¯s skill cooldown! ¡°Crunch!¡± ¡°Crunch!¡± It didn¡¯t taste like chicken, but it was very crispy. So crispy that it broke apart upon being bitten, then melted into his body and disappeared without a trace. The Divine Source Essence was gone. At this moment, Li Peipei finally tore off her mask of calmness. Her eyes were instantly bloodshot. She couldn¡¯t accept that her Divine Source Essence had been wasted on a cannon fodder! At the same time, a flood of notifications filled Xia Lin¡¯s ears, causing him to laugh arrogantly. ¡°You see, you¡¯re full of lies. You really deserve to die!¡± The effect of stabilizing space was only one of the Divine Source Essence¡¯s abilities¡ªand even the most basic one at that. There was a reason why this item was valued by a Sequence-level powerhouse like Li Peipei. Thinking about this, Xia Lin spread his legs and slowly walked toward Li Peipei. ¡°Are you angry? Are you furious? Do you want to kill me?¡± ¡°Come on... today, only one of us can walk out of the Ashen Zone alive!¡± At this moment, Xia Lin¡¯s fighting spirit was surging, and his blood was boiling. He wanted to crush this Sequence 43 in the Ashen Zone! After all, temporary attributes nearing 100 points were likely a height Xia Lin couldn¡¯t reach again in the short term. He was in top form, his strength at its peak! In Xia Lin¡¯s eyes, a flash of light suddenly appeared. However, it wasn¡¯t the light of Dragon Flash Dance or the gleam of Li Peipei¡¯s heavy sword. A whistling pillar of light appeared out of nowhere and enveloped Li Peipei. In the light pillar, Li Peipei¡¯s eyes were red, but her reason remained intact. Xia Lin instantly suppressed his smile and frowned at Li Peipei. He didn¡¯t know what the light was or what kind of skill or technique Li Peipei was using. As a Sequence 43, Xia Lin didn¡¯t dare underestimate Li Peipei. Even with his current explosive attributes, he still lacked the confidence to defeat her. Any unusual movement from her was worthy of his concern, vigilance, and caution. Therefore, he stopped in his tracks. Eight seconds passed, and nothing happened. Li Peipei finally spoke. ¡°Ten seconds.¡± ¡°After completing the main mission in the Ashen Zone, you can leave at any time... This process lasts ten seconds, and any interference will interrupt the teleportation.¡± Xia Lin¡¯s face changed, and he instantly shot forward! He realized what Li Peipei was planning! Facing Xia Lin¡¯s charge, Li Peipei gave a faint smile, as if looking at a dead man. ¡°Next, I will return to the Tieyu Base... and if you don¡¯t die here, you¡¯ll also return to the Tieyu Base.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same entrance you came through.¡± ¡°So, look forward to it.¡± ¡°Look forward to my revenge and methods.¡± Ten seconds passed, and Li Peipei instantly disappeared without a trace. Xia Lin rushed to the spot where she had vanished, taking a deep breath. ¡°Damn it, bullying a newbie, huh?¡± Chapter 8: Six Pillars and Seven Occupations The damn Ember Zone didn¡¯t explain the return rules in advance. Xia Lin was new to the Ember Zone and had no idea what the return light looked like. A series of mishaps led to a sudden turn of events, leaving Xia Lin in an extremely awkward situation! From Li Peipei¡¯s expression earlier, it was clear that her claim about the return wasn¡¯t false. Li Peipei had returned. She was waiting for him at the entrance to the Ember Zone in the Tieyu Base. Xia Lin was now covered in nearly 100 attributes, but once he left the Ember Zone, they would vanish, and he¡¯d revert to the ordinary guy with a vitality of 6 points that he had been before. His death was imminent? Xia Lin sat cross-legged on the ground and slowly closed his eyes. He recalled everything that had just happened. In particular, he remembered the system prompt that had sounded in his ears when he swallowed the Divine Source Essence. After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and gave a grim smile. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily certain that I¡¯ll die.¡± He silently recited the word ¡°return¡± in his heart, and the system prompt sounded in his ears. [Main Mission: Hunt!] [Completed. You are permitted to return.] Xia Lin had already met the requirement of killing ten monsters. The light of return appeared above him, and Xia Lin waited quietly. Ten seconds later, accompanied by a slight sense of disorientation, Xia Lin¡¯s vision flashed, and he saw a dazzling starry sky. [Welcome to the Settlement Space.] After every Ember Zone, there is a settlement session, which takes place in the Settlement Space. [Settlement Begins:] [Main Mission: Hunt! Completed.] [You have earned 100 Ember Zone points.] And then? There was no ¡°then.¡± No side missions, no unexpected rewards. Xia Lin¡¯s first trip to the Ember Zone had only completed a main mission and earned 100 Ember Zone points. However, Xia Lin wasn¡¯t disappointed. He waited silently. Soon, he saw a small white light rising from within him, eventually disappearing as if it had merged into the Settlement Space. [You have been detected as having obtained a Divine Source Essence. Random reward generation is in progress...] [Generation complete.] [Reward Item: Profession!] Xia Lin let out a sigh of relief. The key to survival was within. He had to find a way out of the Tieyu Base through his profession; otherwise, he¡¯d face a fate worse than death. ¡°But this life was originally a gift, so what harm is there in taking another gamble?¡± He had arrived in a deadly situation from the start, with almost no room to maneuver. Fortunately, the talent of Unstable Mutation had saved Xia Lin¡¯s life. As he reviewed everything he had just done, Xia Lin had no regrets. There was nothing wrong with his actions. From the very beginning, he and Li Peipei¡¯s group had no option of reconciliation. It was a fight to the death! Without the talent, Xia Lin would have become a Flesh Bomb¡ªa disposable consumable. With the talent, he would inevitably be coveted. He didn¡¯t believe that an SS-level talent wouldn¡¯t attract people like Li Peipei, nor that they wouldn¡¯t find a way to exploit him. He trusted their character even less. Combined with the return rules Li Peipei had mentioned: Run, and you can¡¯t escape. Kill, and you don¡¯t kill. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.At this point, the fault didn¡¯t lie with Xia Lin¡ªonly in the tight timing and poor situation. The Ember Zone had also screwed him over... ¡°So, give me a way out, big brother!¡± He prayed to the Ember Zone, and the Ember Zone responded. [You can choose one of the following seven professions.] Good news: there were seven options. This greatly improved the odds of winning the bet. However, the second sentence from the Ember Zone system left Xia Lin confused. [Note: Your choice will determine your faction preference, so please choose carefully.] What did that mean? He didn¡¯t know. Was this a prompt every Ember Zone traveler received when choosing a profession, or was it special treatment just for him? He didn¡¯t know that either. The Ember Zone presented the options. [1: Monk.] Practice, refine equipment, and transform the way of heaven. We monks can do anything, from heaven to earth! Note: After choosing this profession, your stance naturally leans toward one of the Six Pillars: the Creator of the Heavens. The first profession left Xia Lin dumbfounded. Monk? Immortal cultivator? Wasn¡¯t this the cultivator from the xianxia novels of his previous life? And what were the Six Pillars? Who was the Creator of the Heavens? There were too many questions, so Xia Lin gave up thinking and moved on. Because it was useless. Based on his experience with online literature in his previous life, choosing to become a cultivator required a long period of training before gaining powerful strength. That wouldn¡¯t help him in his current predicament. He didn¡¯t need to think about the future right now¡ªhe needed to survive Li Peipei first. [2: Soul Master.] ¡°Accompanied by a soul beast, one level, one soul, ten levels, a hundred skills¡ªwho can compete with you!¡± Note: After choosing this profession, your stance naturally leans toward one of the Six Pillars: the Demon Emperor of Soul Control. Still one of the Six Pillars. But it still didn¡¯t fit. Let¡¯s look at the next option. [3: The Limit Breaker.] Attribute is power, and value is truth! Note: After choosing this profession, your stance naturally leans toward one of the Six Pillars: the Old Ruler. ¡°Value is truth...¡± Xia Lin muttered softly, repeating the profession description, feeling a little excited. Who wouldn¡¯t love superb attributes? Unfortunately, it still didn¡¯t meet his needs. [4: Lord of the Armies.] I came, I saw, I conquered! Note: After choosing this profession, your stance naturally leans toward one of the Six Pillars: King of Kings. Still not what he needed... Xia Lin¡¯s heart grew heavier. He realized that what he needed right now wasn¡¯t a profession that sounded impressive¡ªit was skills. But it seemed that professions in the Ember Zone didn¡¯t directly provide skills... [5: God of War.] Martial arts rule the heavens! Note: After choosing this profession, your stance naturally leans toward one of the Six Pillars: Super Star. [6: Divine Sin.] Ooooh (you don¡¯t have enough points). Note: After choosing this profession, your stance naturally leans toward one of the Six Pillars: Primordial Dark Side. No, no, no¡ªstill not what he needed! Despair began to creep in. Then the seventh option appeared. [7: Shadow of Indeterminacy.] A profession customized according to your talents. Note: After choosing this profession, your position will not lean toward any of the Six Pillars. This may be a good thing, but it could also be a disaster. Life without a powerful backer will not be easy, whether in the Ember Zone or in reality. ... The Ember Zone system presented all the options, leaving Xia Lin in a dilemma. He knew what he needed most was escape skills, yet none of the professions offered that. The system didn¡¯t rush him, and it wasn¡¯t until much later that Xia Lin let out a sigh. ¡°Choose seven.¡± Without Unstable Mutation, he would have died long ago from the Flesh Bomb. Given the situation, Xia Lin would rather place his hopes in a customized profession than gamble on the so-called ¡°hugging of thighs.¡± [Selection complete!] [Shadow of Indeterminacy¡ªJob Change Begins!] When the roaring prompt entered his ears, Xia Lin saw countless lights shining from the Settlement Space. The light was indeterminate, its colors flickering and changing without any consistency. Soon, the space began to distort, and countless kaleidoscopes of different colors and sizes appeared and disappeared. After a while, Xia Lin felt dizzy just from looking at them. He closed his eyes, not daring to look further, when suddenly he sensed a strange energy seeping into his body from outside. Then, a sense of drowsiness overcame him. A snore escaped him, and he fell asleep. The transformation continued. Chapter 9: The Shadow of Indeterminacy There was no concept of time in the Settlement Space. After an unknown period, Xia Lin woke from his slumber, and the system prompt sounded again. [Job change complete.] [Please open the attribute panel to view more details.] He stretched, feeling refreshed, but there were no immediate changes. The job change didn¡¯t seem to have enhanced Xia Lin¡¯s attributes, and even the temporary buffs from the previous Ember Zone were gone. He had returned to being the ordinary guy with 6 points of Strength... The good news was that he could be human again. The bad news was that, as a human, he was very weak. Following the Ember Zone¡¯s prompts, Xia Lin opened the attribute panel, and his personal attributes came into view. [Name: Xia Lin] [Level: 1] [Occupation: Shadow of Indeterminacy] [Occupational Talent 1: Uncertain Constant (S-class talent):] There is a constant amidst change, just like the constant in mathematics. Uncertain Constant provides the Shadow of Indeterminacy with three additional constant skill slots. Skills placed in the constant slots (whether normal or mutated) will not continue to mutate and will not be observed by any skills. You can swap the skills in the constant skill slots before the start of each Ember Zone and in the Settlement Space after the end of the Ember Zone. [Occupational Talent 2: Unstable Mutation (SSS-class talent):] (Individual talent converted to occupational talent. Talent upgraded due to job change stimulation.) Unstable Mutation: Whenever you acquire a skill or enter the Ember Zone, all of your skills that are not in the constant skill slots will randomly mutate. The buffs you receive will also randomly mutate. However, you can choose whether to retain the mutated effect. If you choose no, the skills and buffs will not mutate. [Basic Attributes:] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: 6] [Agility: 6] [Spirit: 10] Constant Skill Slots: 3 Current Skills: 0 Normal Skill Slots: 1 Current Skills: 0 Note: You will gain one normal skill slot for each level you reach. Xia Lin let out a small sigh. No skills... Until the system prompt sounded again. [Congratulations on your promotion to Shadow of Indeterminacy.] [When the Ember Zone completes the job transfer, it will randomly grant 1-3 occupation-related skills (S-level and below).] [The occupation of Shadow of Indeterminacy does not have any S-level or below related vocational skills, so random selection is in progress...] [Selection complete!] [You have obtained three skills.] What does it mean to have good news coming from nowhere! What does it mean to have a silver lining after a dark cloud! And he had directly drawn the maximum of three skills! Xia Lin¡¯s eyes widened, and even his breathing slowed. Until three capital letter Fs fell into his vision. [You have obtained the skill: Backstab (Level F skill):] Passive skill. Attacks from behind deal increased damage. [You have obtained the skill: Light Footsteps (Level F skill):] Passive skill. Your footsteps become quieter, while movement speed is slightly increased. [You have obtained the skill: Nourishment (Level F skill):] Active skill. Consumes 1 Spirit. After activation, it can nourish a single target, relieve fatigue, heal minor injuries, and cure minor illnesses. This skill has no cooldown time.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Xia Lin¡¯s smile froze on his face. The good news: he really drew three skills. The bad news: all three skills were the lowest-level F-class skills. ¡°So, what¡¯s the point of having a level like F in the Ember Zone?¡± Just look at these ¡°three great skills¡±... Backstab and Light Footsteps felt more like tricks than skills. Nourishment did have the flavor of a skill... but its effect was roughly equivalent to Red Bull + antibiotics + Yunnan Baiyao. Xia Lin had just finished complaining when a bright light flashed in front of him. Three spherical crystals appeared before his eyes out of thin air. [You do not have enough normal skill slots, so the skills are issued in the form of skill crystals.] Skill crystals are the manifestation of skills. As long as there is an empty skill slot, you can automatically master the skill by crushing the skill crystal. Xia Lin shook his head and took a skill crystal in his hand. [You have learned the skill: Nourishment (Level F skill).] The Nourishment skill appeared in the normal skill slot. Then, a flash of light appeared in the skill description, and Unstable Mutation took effect! [Your skill: Nourishment (Level F skill), mutated into Extreme Nourishment (Mutated).] [Extreme Nourishment (Mutated):] Active skill. Consumes 4 points of Spirit. Targets any single living creature and fattens the target to their genetic limit in a short period of time! This skill has no cooldown time. Xia Lin froze on the spot. ¡°This...¡± He knew that Unstable Mutation was very strong¡ªextremely strong! But he hadn¡¯t realized that this talent also had a humorous side. The appearance of Extreme Nourishment seemed a bit... off. Xia Lin¡¯s mind was in chaos, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t think of a practical use for this skill. But that didn¡¯t stop him from placing Extreme Nourishment (Mutated) in the constant skill slot. He then picked up another skill crystal and crushed it. [You have learned the skill: Backstab (F-class skill).] The light flashed again, and Unstable Mutation took effect. [Your skill: Backstab (F-class skill), mutated into Backstab (Mutated).] [Backstab (Mutated):] A limit-breaking passive skill. When you backstab an ally of the opposing faction, permanently increase all attributes based on the impact caused. ¡°Limit-breaking skills...¡± As he muttered these words, the Ember Zone system quickly provided an explanation. [Limit-breaking skills are a special type of skill in the Ember Zone.] The attribute limit of an Ember Zone traveler is directly related to their level. The attribute limit for a Level 1 Emberwalker is 10 points, 20 points for Level 2, and so on. However, the attribute bonus provided by limit-breaking skills can break through this limit, surpassing the level cap, and can be retained permanently. This means that a Level 1 Emberwalker can use limit-breaking skills to push their attributes to 100, 1,000, or even 10,000 or 100,000! Xia Lin thought of the Limit Breaker profession. ¡°Attributes are power, and numbers are the truth!¡± Without hesitation, he moved Backstab (Mutated) into the constant skill slot and crushed the third skill crystal. [You have learned the skill: Light Footsteps (F-class skill).] [Your skill: Light Footsteps (F-class skill), mutated into Farewell from a Thousand Miles (Mutated).] [Farewell from a Thousand Miles (Mutated):] Active skill. Consumes half of the remaining Spirit (minimum 5 points). The skill is activated after saying goodbye to the target and making a waving motion. After activation, you will immediately be transported to any location within 1,000 li of the target that can accommodate you. The cooldown time for this skill is half a month. Xia Lin¡¯s tense nerves finally relaxed. He had obtained what he needed most. ... ¡°Return.¡± After lingering in the Settlement Space a while longer and scanning the Ember Zone Mall to confirm that 100 Ember Zone Points couldn¡¯t buy anything he needed, Xia Lin decided to return. This time, the Ember Zone system finally provided a detailed explanation of the return process. [Returning from the Ember Zone will bring you back to the Ember Zone entrance.] [Additionally, because the time flow in the Ember Zone is different from reality, no matter how long you stay in the Ember Zone, only one hour will pass in real time.] This means that survivors who enter the same Ember Zone from the same entrance will return to the same place at the same time. Li Peipei had been telling the truth. [At the same time, you must find the Ember Zone entrance on your own within one month and enter the Ember Zone again.] [Those who exceed the time limit will be eliminated.] The Ember Zone was like a tiger and a wolf, forcing Ember Zone travelers to keep entering, keep falling into deadly situations, and keep struggling for survival. There was a reason why the original owner of the body hadn¡¯t wanted to be an Ember Zone traveler. No one likes to live a life of near-death. ¡°But I, Xia Lin, would rather take my fate into my own hands.¡± He slowly clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and returned completely to reality. Chapter 10: Goodbye, Fatty! The entrance to the Ember Zone in the Tieyu Base. The usually bustling entrance had been cleared, and no Ember Zone travelers were entering or exiting. This was the rule of the Tieyu Base: ¡ªOnce Li Peipei enters the Ember Zone, the entrance is completely closed, and no one is allowed to pass. The strong naturally have privileges. Li Peipei, Sequence 43, controls the lives and deaths of everyone in the Tieyu Base and establishes all the rules within it. A special person was timing the entrance to the Ember Zone to determine Li Peipei¡¯s status. The timer quickly reached the full 60 minutes¡ªthe time for Li Peipei to return. Suddenly, two flashes of light appeared in front of the Ember Zone entrance, stirring mixed emotions among the onlookers. The good news: two people had survived, and one of them must be Li Peipei. The bad news: the five-person team had lost three members, proving once again how dangerous the Ember Zone was. But it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Li Peipei had survived the loss of teammates before. It was just a matter of finding new ones. For the other Ember Zone travelers in the Tieyu Base, the deaths of An Yue and the others were actually a good thing¡ªthey had freed up positions. Before the murmurs of discussion could rise, Li Peipei¡¯s furious voice already resounded from the entrance! ¡°Capture him alive!¡± The light completely dissipated. Everyone saw the two figures appear in front of the Ember Zone entrance. One was naturally Li Peipei, her long hair disheveled and her anger overwhelming. Her once-beautiful features were now twisted with rage. The other person, however, was not a member of her squad but a young man no one recognized. The atmosphere froze. Everyone was stunned by the unexpected scene, and only Li Peipei¡¯s angry voice continued to ring out. ¡°Capture him alive! Do you hear me!?¡± ¡°Capture him alive! I want to pull out his tendons, skin him alive, and cut him into a human stick before throwing him into the cesspool!¡± Her scarlet eyes glared at Xia Lin, but she didn¡¯t make a move. This was to be expected, wasn¡¯t it? Li Peipei was cautious, as evidenced by her decision to leave the Ember Zone and set the battlefield at the Tieyu Base. At that time, Xia Lin¡¯s attributes in the Ember Zone had far exceeded the norm, and he could even contend with Li Peipei. But Li Peipei didn¡¯t know that Xia Lin¡¯s attributes were temporary. To play it safe, she chose to return directly. After returning, she wouldn¡¯t personally engage Xia Lin but would let other Ember Zone travelers wear him down before finishing him off herself. Because she was furious, she chose to capture Xia Lin alive, ensuring he suffered a fate worse than death to vent her rage! However, this was the wrong choice. If Li Peipei had acted decisively and killed Xia Lin on the spot, nothing would have happened afterward. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t make that choice. The consequence of this was... ¡°Whoosh.¡± A flash of light burst from Xia Lin¡¯s fingertips, rushing into Li Peipei¡¯s mouth at an impossible-to-dodge speed, interrupting her furious tirade. Li Peipei instinctively closed her mouth, staring at Xia Lin in shock, wondering what he had just forced her to swallow...If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Xia Lin grinned. He raised his hand and gave Li Peipei a farewell wave. ¡°Goodbye, you fat cow!¡± A whistling light enveloped Xia Lin. Before Li Peipei and the others could react, the light swept Xia Lin away, instantly penetrating the earth and shooting off into the distance. Farewell from a Thousand Miles had activated! Ignoring obstacles, it could instantly transport him thousands of miles away! It was difficult to track and impossible to find. At least, Li Peipei didn¡¯t have the ability to do so. Xia Lin had escaped. But one wave of trouble followed another. Before everyone could recover from the shock of Xia Lin¡¯s disappearance, Li Peipei suddenly screamed. The scream was harsh and piercing, as if she had encountered the most terrifying thing in her life. All eyes turned to Li Peipei. Then, everyone froze. They could see that Li Peipei¡¯s body was beginning to swell. Large amounts of fat grew under her skin, rapidly expanding her figure. The sound of tearing fabric echoed continuously. In just three seconds, Li Peipei¡¯s clothes had burst from her rapidly expanding body. She was now naked, and the process of her gaining weight continued! Li Peipei, the supreme authority of the Tieyu Base and its most beautiful woman, had burst out of her clothes... However, this did not inspire any romantic thoughts. It was because she had gained weight so quickly and so strangely¡ªand so solidly! When you gain weight, it ruins everything. By the time Li Peipei had reached an extreme level of obesity, what appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes was a grotesque, physiological nightmare! Her facial features were completely distorted by the fat, losing all recognizable shape. There were no more graceful curves or alluring contours¡ªjust layers of folds and furrows. Her strong physique kept her from collapsing under her own weight, and she even retained some mobility and fighting power. However, the fat on her buttocks and legs cascaded like a waterfall, covering her once-slender legs and drowning her feet, which were now splayed on the ground. ¡°What have you done to me...¡± A muffled, distorted voice emerged from the folds of flesh, faintly recognizable as Li Peipei¡¯s. The next second, a whistling airwave rippled out from the mountain of flesh, and the terrifying fat showed ripples. ¡°You! What have you done to me!?¡± The words ¡°fat woman¡± echoed in everyone¡¯s minds. Looking at the naked, spherical creature before them¡ªweighing at least two thousand kilograms¡ªsome shivered, some suppressed their laughter, and some vomited loudly. ¡°Doctor! I need to wash my eyes.jpg.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± Li Peipei¡¯s screams echoed at the entrance to the Ember Zone, lingering in the air. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away... Xia Lin¡¯s figure appeared out of thin air in an abandoned high-rise building. His head felt dizzy, and a slight pain throbbed in his temples. This was a sign of excessive mental energy consumption. One use of Extreme Nourishment and one use of Farewell from a Thousand Miles had consumed a total of 9 points of Xia Lin¡¯s Spirit. His total Spirit was only 10 points. Spirit was necessary to activate active skills. When Spirit drops to 0, the Ember Zone traveler will faint on the spot. Xia Lin wasn¡¯t far from that state. Without external support, his Spirit would slowly recover at a rate of 1 point per hour until it reached his attribute limit. However, a cool sensation suddenly appeared, nourishing Xia Lin¡¯s depleted Spirit. The Ember Zone system prompt sounded in his ears: [Backstab effect activated.] [You have backstabbed your faction. Effect assessed as: moderate.] [You have gained 3 points in all attributes.] In the room, Xia Lin¡¯s laughter suddenly erupted, raising a cloud of dust. Yes, he still had the Backstab skill. Was he from the Tieyu Base? Of course, he was! Although he didn¡¯t have his ID card on him, anyone could check the records. He, Xia Lin, was a citizen of the Tieyu Base! He had a job! He had just sent Li Peipei a burst of Extreme Nourishment, naturally satisfying the conditions for Backstab and gaining an attribute boost. At this, Xia Lin smiled, his eyes narrowing. A thought occurred to him as a matter of course. Chapter 11: A Broken World Four hundred years ago, the Broken Ember Zone descended. It brought with it the extraordinary system of Ember Walkers. But it also brought unstoppable destruction. Countless Ember Portals opened across the planet¡ªin the sky, the deep sea, underground caves, on the surface. They were everywhere and nowhere, difficult to find. Once an Ember Portal opened, if it wasn¡¯t cleared within ten days, it would transform into an abnormal disaster that affected reality before closing. It is rumored that the World Government¡¯s resistance lasted only 56 days before it dissolved, and each region was left to fend for itself. At this moment, Xia Lin stood in the east of the world, in Pearl City, once one of the most prosperous cities of the old world. He climbed the stairs to the roof of a building. In the fierce wind, Xia Lin stood on the uppermost floor of a CBD skyscraper and slowly narrowed his eyes. The shattered city came into view. Within his field of vision, nearly a hundred large and small black holes spun¡ªthe entrances to unsealed and unclosed Ember Zones. The city was split into irregular chunks. Some areas erupted with lava, some were barren, some were snow-covered, and some were pitch black. In the sky above, a giant floating city cast a massive shadow on the ground. S-class Disaster: Mechanical Sky City. In the distance, an unknown roar echoed through the city, its source a mystery. Even further away, in the suburbs, a towering black-and-red tree stood proudly, exuding an ominous aura. S-class Disaster: Demon Tree Paradise. Suddenly, the sound of a dragon¡¯s roar blasted through the air. Countless black dots appeared in the distance, growing larger as they approached. They were a swarm of over a thousand three-clawed pterodactyls, each over ten meters long. SS-class Disaster: Nest of Calamity Dragons. These dragon soldiers had flown thousands of miles, their target clear: the Mechanical Sky City. As the dragon¡¯s roar sounded, the Sky City¡¯s automatic defense system activated. Lasers and missiles of all colors erupted like a storm, filling the sky with flames. Disasters also had conflicts with each other, fighting and even destroying one another. The law of the universe was that the weak were prey to the strong. And humans struggled to survive amidst endless disasters. They were weak. But fortunately, their weakness meant they didn¡¯t attract targeted attacks from powerful disasters. Xia Lin suddenly understood the meaning of the system prompt: ¡°Life without a powerful backer is not easy, whether in the Ember Zone or in reality.¡± He recalled the structure of the Tieyu Base in his mind. The base was massive, sheltering an area spanning hundreds of miles. Such a large target would almost certainly attract the attention of powerful disasters. Yet, in the memories of the original owner of the body, the base had never faced a life-or-death crisis. He had also never heard of any disasters above Level A actively attacking the Tieyu Base. After pondering this, Xia Lin wasn¡¯t afraid at all. The Tieyu Base had backing? Most likely. But if Li Peipei¡¯s backers were so strong, how could she only be Level 5? Only Sequence 43? How could she have fallen to a newbie like him? No longer paying attention to the battle of disasters above, Xia Lin walked down the stairs and cautiously headed north. That was the direction of the Tieyu Base. ... Three days later. A truck rumbled along a broken road. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.On its side were the words ¡°Qing Guang Logistics, Speedy Delivery¡± in bold characters. This was a transport vehicle from Qing Guang Logistics. It was heavily armed, with machine guns mounted and protective decks covering its body. Rather than a truck, it looked more like a tank. Inside the vehicle sat two men and a woman. They wore the special combat uniforms of Qing Guang Logistics and carried large-caliber rifles. One drove while the other two kept watch, always alert to their surroundings. After the arrival of the Ember Zone, long journeys had become a luxury. Countless disasters of varying levels had become the protagonists of this world, and humans could only struggle to survive in the cracks. However, the flow of supplies between bases couldn¡¯t be interrupted. Weaker bases couldn¡¯t produce all categories of supplies, so logistics companies emerged in the new era. These days, anyone daring to operate in logistics was undoubtedly capable. They had their own armed groups, special forces teams of Ember Walkers, and founders who were at least Level 4 Ember Walkers with superhuman strength. The level of the logistics security team also varied depending on the cargo being transported. The three people in the truck were all Ember Walkers, but their levels weren¡¯t high¡ªone Level 2 and two Level 1. This meant the cargo they were transporting likely wasn¡¯t critical. ¡°Stop!¡± The captain¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, and Wang Ye slammed on the brakes. The tires left black marks on the ground as the truck skidded to a halt. The three in the truck looked in the same direction. A hundred meters ahead, a ragged figure sat on the highway guardrail, swinging his legs and wearing a hearty smile. ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey!¡± He waved enthusiastically, then jumped off the guardrail and ran toward the truck at a moderate pace. He stopped in front of the truck, took a deep breath, and said excitedly: ¡°I can finally see someone. This wilderness is really not a place for humans.¡± ¡°By the way, my name is Xia Lin. Handsome guys and beautiful girls, can you give me a ride?¡± Wang Ye rolled his eyes. The word ¡°idiot¡± almost escaped his lips. In the wilderness, the people you met weren¡¯t necessarily human. Kindness here only brought trouble. Keeping your distance was the way to survive. Asking for a free ride? Did this guy know the rules? Wang Ye didn¡¯t bother to complain or even respond. He started the engine, ready to continue, but suddenly felt the captain¡¯s hand on his thigh. The captain scratched out two words: ¡°Fat sheep.¡± ¡°Come on up, brother! We¡¯re all fellow travelers out here. Helping each other is the way to go!¡± ¡°Giving you a ride is no big deal. Come on, buddy, sit in the back.¡± Wang Ye laughed heartily, and the other two in the truck beamed as if they had met walking gold coins¡ªno, long-lost relatives. Xia Lin¡¯s smile widened. He climbed into the back seat and sat next to the woman. As the vehicle started, Xia Lin¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver as he said: ¡°This wilderness is really scary. I¡¯ve been wandering for three days, and it¡¯s been miserable.¡± ¡°Zombies and monsters have been bothering me day and night. Yesterday, a female ghost even climbed into my bed in the middle of the night, scaring the hell out of me.¡± ¡°You want her to sleep in a bridge hole? She¡¯s not picky, but don¡¯t tell her that. She actually looks quite good.¡± ¡°By the way, buddy, where are you guys headed?¡± Captain Li Qing, the only Level 2 in the car, spoke slowly. ¡°Guhua Base.¡± Xia Lin nodded. ¡°Oh, I know the Guhua Base. It¡¯s the closest base to the Tieyu Base. Oh, I forgot to mention¡ªI¡¯m from the Tieyu Base.¡± Li Qing and Wang Ye exchanged a glance. Then Xia Lin spoke again. ¡°Just now, my friend said something that really struck a chord with me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all fellow countrymen when we¡¯re away from home.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re all fellow countrymen, does that mean we¡¯re on the same side?¡± Wang Ye and Li Qing laughed. ¡°Of course.¡± Xia Lin said, ¡°Since we¡¯re all in the same gang, we must be considered to be in the same camp, right?¡± Wang Ye and Li Qing nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, we must be.¡± Xia Lin fell into thought. ¡°But what do you call our camp?¡± Wang Ye replied with a smile while tapping the steering wheel. ¡°Why do we need a name? We¡¯re all human. Since we¡¯re all human, we naturally belong to the human camp.¡± Xia Lin suddenly understood. ¡°You¡¯re right, buddy!¡± ¡°So, if I kill someone, does that count as betraying my camp?¡± As soon as the words ¡°kill someone¡± were uttered, the atmosphere in the car tensed. Li Qing frowned, about to speak, but Xia Lin interrupted him. ¡°How big a bounty has the Tieyu Base put on me?¡± ¡°Geez, being out here without any disguise skills is a problem...¡± ¡°Click.¡± Xia Lin acted first, lightning-fast, snapping the neck of the woman next to him. At the same time, two rays of light burst from his fingertips and merged into the bodies of Wang Ye and Li Qing.