First Battle

"Occultism?"

Xiao Wan tilted her head. She knew Jiang Yang's nature well—if he said it was just a hobby, then it was just a hobby.

Having served as his butler for years, she knew Jiang Yang never did anything serious.

This time, it was pure luck—a blind cat catching a dead mouse.

"Lucky break, you actually did something useful. Did you notify the family?"

Xiao Wan frowned. Jiang Yang's parents were her parents too, and she was deeply worried about their situation.

Jiang Yang waved a hand. "Already told them ahead of time. The old folks didn't believe me—thought I was pulling some stunt again..."

Before he could finish, a piercing scream cut him off. It came from a tenant downstairs.

This high-end hotel still had many guests; Jiang Yang had only booked their floors.

"Monster!"

"A lizard! Where did that lizard come from!"

"That's not a lizard—what is it?"

Cries of terror and the crash of shattered glass rose from below. Xiao Wan, Wu Lei, and the others grabbed their crossbows and rushed to the window.

When they saw what was down there, Wu Lei held steady, but Xiao Wan's delicate frame trembled.

Ye Qingwei's hair stood on end.

"Holy shit! If Third Brother saw this thing, he'd be saluting on the spot!"

Everyone knew Third Brother stood at attention at the sight of a lizard. With a giant lizard like this, it didn't bear thinking about.

That said, Jiang Yang still moved with considerable caution.

He carefully peered down from the window. A massive lizard, nearly six meters long, was crawling up the wall, a person dangling from its jaws.

"And you're still cracking jokes?"

Xiao Wan frowned. How were humans supposed to defeat a monster like this?

The giant lizard below was covered in festering blisters, its body a mass of rotting flesh that reeked of decay. In some places, bone was visible, and even more horrifying, parasite-like things writhed within those bones.

The giant lizard was already chewing on the screaming victim. Then it looked up at them, its gaze that of a predator eyeing prey.

Race: Lizard. Name: Foul Giant Lizard. Level: 1. Description: A weak monster from the Land of Filth, it dwells in highly corrosive swamps. The blisters on its body can spray highly corrosive liquid. Though only Level 1, it is not something ordinary humans can face head-on. If you can cut off the Foul Giant Lizard's head, you may gain some benefits.

Plunderer's Insight provided enough information. A monster from the Land of Filth?

So this wasn't an Earth creature.

The corners of Jiang Yang's mouth curled up involuntarily. In the original story, these mysterious monsters were treasure troves.

For example, the Foul Giant Lizard's teeth could be processed into weapons.

Some monsters' organs, when eaten, could enhance physical fitness. At the very least, these materials could be sold at the Apocalypse Store for the unified currency of the apocalypse—Apocalypse Coins.

Apocalypse Coins were a currency introduced after the apocalypse, coin-like objects with different denominations.

The old monetary system had collapsed, and the Apocalypse Store's Apocalypse Coins formed the new trading system. Professionals could exchange their finds for Apocalypse Coins to buy other goods.

Like the scrolls and badges needed for professional advancement.

Some zombies and monsters were special, containing other things within them. As Plunderer's Insight indicated, cutting off the Foul Giant Lizard's head could yield some benefits.

"This is a highly corrosive monster. Shoot its eyes with your crossbows from upstairs!"

Jiang Yang drew the Black Gold Ancient Blade. The Captain America Serum had made his body equivalent to a Level 1 professional.

Dealing with this Foul Giant Lizard should be no problem!

"Jiang Yang, what are you doing!"

"Boss!"

"Brother Jiang!"

Xiao Wan, Wu Lei, and Ye Qingwei had just raised their crossbows when they saw Jiang Yang leap straight down.

"Support me from up there!"

Jiang Yang gripped the Black Gold Ancient Blade. His physical abilities, five times that of an ordinary person, let him scale walls with ease.

But when he actually got close to the Foul Giant Lizard, he still felt a crushing pressure.

He didn't have Ye Fan's seven years of apocalypse experience. Facing such a behemoth head-on, he was deeply wary.

But as a transmigrator—and someone who went against the protagonist—if he didn't even have this much courage, how could he play the game later?

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Jiang Yang's eyes. He leaped directly onto the Foul Giant Lizard's body.

In an instant, several blisters burst under his feet. A scarlet liquid splashed onto him, and he felt a sharp, searing pain.

But the next moment, those burning pains vanished, replaced by a mild ache, and the skin where the liquid had splashed showed no abnormalities.

The Black Gold Ancient Blade had taken effect!

After opening the attribute panel, Jiang Yang could see the Black Gold Ancient Blade's stats.

This blade had a trait called Death Dance.

It delayed incoming damage, with the delay duration depending on the user's strength. If the user could kill the enemy, they would heal themselves.

Jiang Yang's current delay time was ten minutes.

More than enough to take down this lizard!

Just then, Jiang Yang slashed his blade into the Foul Giant Lizard's claw, an act that seemed to enrage the massive reptile.

It twisted its hideous head and lunged at Jiang Yang, but at that moment, three arrows struck the Foul Giant Lizard's cheek.

Xiao Wan and the others had made their move!

Now, two women and one man stood at different windows, attacking the Foul Giant Lizard.

But these crossbow bolts only managed to irritate the beast, failing to inflict any real damage, as every arrow that hit the Foul Giant Lizard was corroded away.

Their assault drew the Foul Giant Lizard's attention, and Jiang Yang seized the opportunity to drive his blade into its neck.

The Black Gold Ancient Blade was nothing like those arrows. In the original story, Ye Fan used this blade until the very end without it suffering any damage.

In the Apocalypse, its hardness might not be the absolute highest, but it was certainly top-tier.

The blade sank into the Foul Giant Lizard's neck, and torrents of corrosive liquid sprayed out, all negated by Death Dance.

Gripping the hilt, Jiang Yang twisted violently. The Foul Giant Lizard, overwhelmed by pain, fell from the wall.

Jiang Yang dropped with it, but the moment before impact, a Chainmail materialized over his body.

It was the armor rewarded by the system earlier.

The Black Gold Ancient Blade plus Chainmail, Captain America Serum plus Plunderer's Insight, and a big healer upstairs.

If he couldn't kill this lizard with all that, it would be downright embarrassing!

Upstairs in the hotel, seeing Jiang Yang and the monster crash to the ground, the three let out startled cries. Ye Qingwei gathered a green glow in her hand and hurled it downward.

"Brother Jiang, catch!"

The green light descended from the sky, landing on Jiang Yang, directly canceling out the damage delayed by Death Dance. At the same time, a warm, soothing sensation spread through his entire body, as pleasant as being serviced by a skilled blind masseur—every muscle felt blissfully relaxed.

So this is what it felt like to be healed?

But the color left a little to be desired.

After being healed by a beauty, Jiang Yang was brimming with energy. Gripping the Black Gold Ancient Blade, he charged straight into melee combat with the Foul Giant Lizard.