Absolute Safe Zone

# Chapter 5: Absolute Safe Zone

The last traces of sunset sank completely behind the distant mountains, and the night of the Primordial World descended like a massive ink-black velvet cloth, swiftly enveloping everything. The light within the valley dimmed sharply; the lush green trees that had seemed so vibrant in daylight now transformed into ghostly silhouettes, rustling uneasily in the rising wind.

Chen An stood at the entrance of the thatched shed, gripping the freshly repaired chopping knife in his hand. The rough wooden burrs on the handle pressed into his palm, bringing a faint sense of reality. He swept his gaze one last time across the courtyard's outline—the mottled stone wall, the half-rotted wooden door, the silent well, and the patch of garden he had turned over that afternoon, still exuding the scent of fresh earth.

This was his only refuge.

He retreated inside, using a heavy stone slab to barely block the entrance, leaving only a gap for observation and ventilation. Then he curled up in the corner spread with dry grass, laying the chopping knife across his knees. He didn't light a fire, afraid the flames would become a beacon attracting danger in this thick darkness.

Darkness swallowed everything completely.

Unlike the scene at dusk yesterday, when there was still light in the sky, the true darkness of the Primordial World bared its vicious fangs. Outside the courtyard, all kinds of indescribable roars, shrieks, scraping sounds, chewing noises... surged like a tide from every direction, instantly surrounding the small yard. The density and terror of the sounds far exceeded Chen An's imagination.

Some sounds were like muffled thunder, shaking the ground slightly as if a giant beast was trampling nearby; some were sharp and piercing, easily penetrating the eardrums, reaching deep into the soul, causing physical discomfort; and there were low hums, as if from the depths of the Nine Abysses, making Chen An's heart beat erratically in rhythm with them.

He could even clearly hear, not far beyond the courtyard wall, the teeth-grinding sound of sharp fangs gnawing on bones, and the short, desperate wails of prey before death. The thick, rusty smell of blood drifted into the shed with the night wind, nauseating.

Fear, like a cold viper, coiled around his neck, tightening bit by bit. His whole body stiffened, his breathing became extremely shallow, afraid that the slightest movement would break some fragile balance and attract the terrors outside the wall.

He felt like he had been thrown into a prehistoric beast's arena, and he was the only tender morsel inside. The stone wall and wooden door, faced with this terrifying wave of sound and invisible pressure, seemed so flimsy, as if they could be torn to shreds at any moment.

Time, in the grip of extreme fear, stretched infinitely. Every minute, every second, was torture. Cold sweat seeped from Chen An's forehead; the clothes on his back were already soaked, clinging to his skin, bringing waves of chill. His eyes were fixed on the gap at the shed's entrance, his pupils dilated in the darkness, trying to catch any shadow that might approach.

Just then, an indescribable, soul-level heavy pressure descended like a tangible mountain, crashing down! This pressure wasn't directed at him—it was more like some supreme existence happened to pass by, and the aura naturally emanating from it made all living beings tremble.

Chen An grunted, feeling as if an invisible giant hand had slammed him to the ground, his internal organs displaced, even his thoughts nearly frozen. The beast roars and insect chirps outside the courtyard stopped abruptly at that moment! Absolute silence, a deathly stillness, was even more terrifying than the previous uproar!

It was an absolute, despairing silence, as if the entire world was holding its breath under the feet of some presence.

Chen An's heart nearly stopped. He understood that something unimaginable, of extremely high rank, was nearby! Perhaps some ancient remnant, or... a legendary Primordial mighty figure?

He couldn't even form the thought of prayer, left only with the most primitive sense of insignificance and powerlessness in the face of a natural disaster. He closed his eyes, waiting for the unknown fate—perhaps the next second, the entire valley, including his insignificant mortal self, would be reduced to ashes.

But the expected destruction never came.

That terrifying pressure, as abruptly as it had appeared, receded like a tide, quietly fading away. It came quickly, and left quickly.

But the moment the pressure vanished, the deathly silence outside was shattered. More frantic, more chaotic roars erupted violently, as if all the Demonic Beasts had snapped out of their shock and fallen into a hysterical state. The sounds of fighting and hunting intensified several times over!

Chen An collapsed onto the haystack, gasping for air, as if he had just been pulled back from the edge of drowning. In that moment, he had truly touched the breath of death.

"No... I can't stay here!" A strong thought exploded in his mind. The thatched shed couldn't give him any sense of safety! Outside the courtyard, every second could bring danger enough to crush him easily. He needed a sturdier shelter!

The instinct to survive overwhelmed everything. He shoved aside the stone slab blocking the door, and like a startled rabbit, bent over and rushed out of the thatched shed, heading straight for the main house—though dilapidated, it was at least built of stone!

He slammed his shoulder against the half-open door, stumbled inside, then turned and used all his strength to shut the wooden door tightly! Leaning against the cold door panel, he slid to the ground, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.

But the moment he rushed into the stone house and the wooden door closed behind him—

It was as if an invisible, soft yet incredibly resilient membrane gently brushed over his entire body.

The world fell silent.

Not the silence of death, but a kind of... tranquility after being completely "isolated."

The deafening, soul-piercing myriad of terrifying sounds outside the courtyard vanished. The omnipresent, suffocating wild pressure vanished. Even the thick, pungent smell of blood vanished.

It was as if someone had pressed the mute button and completely separated him from that terrifying Primordial World.

Inside the stone house, there was only his own heavy, rapid breathing and the buzzing sound of blood rushing to his head. The air became exceptionally fresh and mild, carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance like a mix of rain-soaked earth and grass. Inhaling it into his lungs actually brought a refreshing, cleansing comfort.

Chen An froze, his mind blank.

He raised his head in disbelief, looking around. The house was still dilapidated; through the hole in the roof, he could see the deep night sky dotted with several enormous, unfamiliar stars, their light falling quietly. Everything was the same as during the day—except the sounds and the feeling were completely different.

Trembling, he carefully stood up and pressed his ear against the wooden door.

Complete silence.

Not the kind of silence that good soundproofing could explain. This was an absolute silence, as if the world outside the door no longer existed.

Hesitating, he reached out and gently pushed the wooden door open a crack.

The scene outside the courtyard remained unchanged: the twisted tree shadows, the pitch-black night sky. But the sounds had indeed vanished completely. He could even see magical light flashing in the distant mountains and forests, and massive shadows sweeping across the treetops—yet all of it was like a silent film with the sound muted. Not a single sound reached him.

At the same time, a stream of inexplicable, warm, and clear information flowed naturally into his mind like a gentle stream, bringing no discomfort:

[Suitable host detected. Absolute Safe Zone System activating... Binding...]

[Binding successful!]

[Zone range: Within the courtyard walls, the space inside the yard.]

[Rule One: Within the safe zone, the host is immune to all external malicious attacks and harm.]

[Rule Two: Within the safe zone, the environment is constant, unaffected by extreme external weather conditions.]

[Rule Three: The safe zone cannot be moved or upgraded.]

[Wishing you a pleasant stay.]

The information stream ended. Chen An stood frozen, as if struck by a paralysis spell.

Absolute... Safe Zone?

Immune to all attacks? Constant environment?

This... this was... a Golden Finger?!

A colossal, almost unbelievable surge of joy erupted within him like a volcanic explosion, instantly obliterating all the fear, despair, and exhaustion that had accumulated over the past days. His body trembled with excitement, and his eyes even grew a little moist.

He wasn't dreaming! In this terrifying Primordial World, he had truly secured a foothold—a haven of absolute safety!

He shoved the door fully open and strode into the courtyard. Looking up, the stars were still there, but the soul-crushing pressure was gone. He took a deep breath; the fresh, pleasant air in the yard lifted his spirits.

He walked to the wall and reached out to touch the rough, cold stone. This seemingly ordinary ring of stone walls had shut out a maddening world.

Surviving against all odds!

Chen An could no longer hold back his emotions. He tilted his head back, wanting to burst into laughter, but it ended as a long, choked sigh. He turned and looked at this small, shabby patch of land that now seemed so incredibly dear, his heart brimming with unspeakable gratitude and relief.

He could finally live.

(End of Chapter 5)