The World Dominated by Hunters

(Taking the lessons learned from the previous book, the pacing of this one will be slower and more detailed, but it's still a feel-good story. For those who haven't read Solo Leveling, you can still enjoy this.)

(Also, I've recently been engrossed in novels by author Gun Kai, like Extreme Dao Heavenly Demon and Ten Directions Martial Saint, so my writing style might... you know.)

(Deep Blue, add points!!!)

Country H, Z City on the border.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the dock a deep crimson.

Laborers in T-shirts, hunched over, shuttled back and forth between cargo ships and storage yards from various countries, like an endless herd of oxen and horses.

The sounds of shouts and commands, rising and falling, mixed with the fishy smell of the sea breeze, echoed across the dock.

At the edge of the dock, a yellow line cordoned off a large area.

Unlike the salty, fishy sea breeze, a faint scent of blood wafted from within the yellow line.

Outside the yellow line, soldiers armed and ready stood in neat rows, their gun barrels pointed deep into the restricted zone.

But the fingers on their triggers were trembling slightly.

It wasn't excitement.

It was bone-deep fear!

They wanted to retreat, to flee this land.

But the stars on their uniforms felt like a thousand-pound burden, pinning them to the spot.

In the center of the restricted zone, a faint blue vortex slowly swirled, its halo hazy.

On the ground around the vortex lay scattered remains of flesh and blood.

Most of them were severed human limbs, with many tattered scraps of cloth still clinging to the bones.

Mixed in were several bizarrely shaped tentacles, their suckers still stained with traces of human flesh and blood.

Swish, swish--!

The sound of air being torn apart suddenly rang out.

Several figures clad in various combat suits flashed out of the blue vortex, followed by over a dozen assistants carrying bulging backpacks.

The moment they landed, the swirling vortex flickered a few times, turning into wisps of smoke and completely dissipating into the air.

Most of these individuals were covered in blood, their injuries quite severe.

But without exception, their eyes burned with the joy of a successful harvest, and they exuded an air of arrogance.

Seeing their figures, the tense bodies of the soldiers outside suddenly relaxed.

The leading officer strode forward, a smile plastered on his face, as he approached the group.

And these people were the guardians of this land.

Hunters!

They possessed incredibly powerful special abilities, capable of slaying monsters that even artillery fire couldn't penetrate.

And that faint blue vortex was the gateway through which monsters descended upon the human world, known by Hunter organizations in various countries as "underground cities."

Underground cities were classified from E to S-class based on the danger level of the monsters within.

The ranks of Hunters also corresponded to these classifications, becoming an unshakeable rule for measuring strength.

Only they could defend humanity's territory from the claws and fangs of monsters.

"That's great! The portal disappeared! The Hunters succeeded in their raid!"

"Uncle Hunter is so amazing! They protected us!"

"My son... he was only seven years old... how could he be gone..."

"Mom, Dad, where are you... don't leave me..."

A crowd had already gathered outside the cordon, their clamor almost lifting the sky above the dock.

Some clenched their fists, their faces filled with excitement and admiration, staring intently at the Hunters emerging from the vortex.

Others collapsed on the ground, their cries heartbreaking, their sorrowful sobs mixing with the din, making one's nose sting.

Xu Feng was among the bustling crowd.

He wore a washed-out blue and white school uniform, his face handsome, his middle-parted hair neatly combed, the picture of a campus heartthrob.

But at this moment, his gaze fixed on the bloody mess within the cordon, his knuckles unconsciously clenched until they turned white.

He was actually a native of Country Z.

As a child, he had lived in the streets and alleys of Country Z until he was ten years old, when his father's job transfer led his family to move to Z City in Country H.

He was currently attending a local high school.

Two and a half years ago, one day.

Fragments of memories inexplicably flooded his mind, making him dizzy and drowsy, even causing him to doze off frequently in class.

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It took him a full week to barely digest the scattered memories.

They were fragments of a college student's life in another world.

In that world, there were no battles between Hunters and Monsters, nor the daily fear of Gate appearances.

Instead, he spent his days slacking off at school.

Skipping mandatory classes, attending optional ones only if required.

It was as peaceful as a dream.

But what truly shocked him was that these memories contained information about this world.

In the college student's understanding, the perilous world he inhabited was merely a comic book called Solo Leveling.

However, the memories were too fragmented; he only managed to grasp one key piece of information.

The savior of this world was a person from Country H named Cheng Xiaoyu.

This individual would become the renowned Shadow Monarch in the future, saving all living beings with his own power.

But there were so many people named Cheng Xiaoyu in the world; who was the destined savior?

This vague clue didn't even give him a chance to latch onto someone powerful.

No.

Xu Feng suddenly gave a self-deprecating smile.

He was just an ordinary person, incapable of even a chicken's fight, possessing no value that a Hunter would find appealing.

Even the lowest-ranked E-class Hunter probably wouldn't give him a second glance.

"Sigh... Am I just supposed to wait like the comic said, for Cheng Xiaoyu to reverse the cycle and save this world?"

He muttered to himself, his gaze falling on his own slightly thin arms, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over him.

"But by then, if I've lost my current memories, will I still be me?"

Moreover, this was a living, breathing real world; would it truly be saved by a so-called savior as the comic predicted?

Xu Feng sighed softly.

Being able to survive until now was already a stroke of luck for him.

Gates in this world were ubiquitous; one could suddenly burst open beside him at any moment, bringing man-eating Monsters with it.

Over the years, he had personally witnessed ten Gate appearance incidents.

On one occasion, a Gate even appeared directly in front of him.

If he hadn't reacted quickly and run for his life, he would have long since become monster chow.

His mother, Yang Lingxia, was also a victim of the Monster disaster.

Years ago, a Monster that leaped from a Gate had severely injured her internal organs.

From then on, she suffered from chronic illness, constantly weak and requiring continuous medication, which placed a heavy burden on the family's expenses.

To support the family, his father, Xu Shan, had no choice but to quit his stable job and come to Country H to engage in the more profitable but also more dangerous business of selling Monster scraps.

"Beep, beep, beep—"

The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

"Son, what time is it? Why aren't you home yet? The food is almost cold." Yang Lingxia's voice, laced with deep worry, came through the receiver.

"Mom, I accidentally rode the bus past my stop just now," Xu Feng replied softly.

"You must have been staring at your phone again and forgot! I've told you countless times, stop looking at that screen so much and focus on your studies..." His mother's nagging came through the waves, but it slightly dispelled the gloom in his heart.

Xu Feng helplessly raised a hand to scratch his ear, responding repeatedly.

"Mhm, mhm, mhm, I know, Mom, I'm almost home."

After patiently listening to another two and a half minutes of instructions, his mother finally hung up, satisfied.

Xu Feng put his phone back in his pocket, casting one last glance inside the cordon.

The soldiers were busy clearing the messy scene, the smell of blood still lingering in the air.

He turned around silently, his steps slowly merging with the crowd.

After walking a few steps, his lips parted slightly, and a barely audible whisper escaped his lips:

"What's the use of this thing...?"

At the same time, a semi-transparent screen, visible only to him, quietly appeared in his vision:

[Name: Xu Feng]
[Breakthrough Points: 15]

(The author of this chapter will explain the realm of Solo Leveling and its general setting)

If you can't find the book by its title, you can try searching for the author, maybe it was renamed!