First Time Entering the Wilderness Area

Three days later, early in the morning, before the sky had fully brightened, Lin Yun was already up.

He stood in the training room on the second floor of his villa and began to put on his gear piece by piece. His combat trousers were D6 Series, made of a material that was soft yet tough; they clung to his skin, allowing him to move with almost no sense of restriction. On the outside of his thighs were sheaths for his throwing knives—six 7-Series Flying Blades and three 8-Series Flying Blades. He arranged them on his left and right sides according to his habits, making them easy to draw at any moment.

On his feet were alloy combat boots with special anti-slip treads on the soles, making almost no sound as he stepped on the floor. His upper body was covered by a black combat vest, over which he wore D6 Series arm and shoulder guards. His arms were bare, with bracers on his wrists, and a communication watch was fixed to his right bracer.

He shouldered his specialized backpack, hung his Hexagonal Shield on his back, and slung his Blood Shadow Battle Blade across his waist. Once everything was ready, he stood before the mirror and looked himself up and down.

The youth in the mirror no longer looked like a student in the slightest.

"Lin Yun, hurry up, time to head out!" Shen Yang's voice came from downstairs, full of vigor.

"Coming!" Lin Yun replied, turning to run downstairs.

In the living room, his grandfather Lin Guodong was already standing there. The old man wore an old cotton-padded jacket, his hands behind his back, watching silently as his grandson ran down the stairs. His lips trembled slightly, as if he had a thousand words he wanted to say, but in the end, it only distilled into one sentence:

"Xiao Yun, be careful."

Lin Yun walked up to his grandfather, reached out to straighten the old man's collar, and smiled: "Don't worry, Grandfather."

He didn't say too much. Some things, if said too much, only make people worry.

Lin Guodong nodded, said nothing more, and simply patted his grandson's shoulder firmly.

Lin Yun turned and pushed the door open to leave.

Outside, Shen Yang was leaning against an off-road vehicle, waiting for him. Seeing Lin Yun emerge, he grinned and looked him over: "Not bad. Wearing that gear, you look like a real warrior."

"You flatter me, Brother Shen." Lin Yun smiled and pulled the car door open to get in.

The car drove out of the Bright Moon Residential District and headed toward the central area of Jiangnan Base City. The city was just waking up in the early morning; there were few pedestrians on the streets, with only a few cleaning vehicles working along the roadside. The streetlights had not yet been turned off, their orange glow appearing exceptionally warm in the morning mist.

"Let's go, Lin Yun. We're heading to the HR Alliance Mall now to meet up with the captain and the others, then we'll set off together for the Wilderness Area," Shen Yang said while driving.

"Understood, Brother Shen."

About half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a skyscraper.

This building was a full 88 stories tall, covered entirely in a dark blue glass curtain wall that reflected a cold, sharp light in the morning sun. On the building's facade were the eye-catching letters "HR," each three stories high, making them exceptionally prominent from a distance.

Surrounding the building was a vast plaza, and in the center of the plaza was the largest fountain in Jiangnan Base City. The water columns swayed in the morning breeze, refracting a seven-colored glow. Around the plaza, over a thousand fully armed soldiers were patrolling, with multiple layers of cordon lines set up to prevent any outsiders from stepping inside.

Lin Yun and Shen Yang presented their warrior credentials, passed through security, and stepped inside the building.

The first floor was a lobby, decorated in a luxurious and grand style with crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and leather sofas, exuding an air of wealth. A few warriors sat scattered throughout the lobby, some drinking tea and chatting, others closing their eyes to rest.

"The first floor is for welcoming guests and resting; the mall starts from the second floor up," Shen Yang explained as they walked. "The prices for items at this Underground Alliance mall are generally lower than the full prices at the Limit Home, though of course, they are still higher than our half-price discounts."

Lin Yun nodded. Half-price was a perk only available to internal personnel of the Limit Dojo.

"The biggest advantage of the Underground Alliance mall is that they purchase the monster materials we hunt at high prices," Shen Yang continued. "Selling to the dojo gets you a lower price but earns you contribution points; selling to the Underground Alliance gets you a high price but no contribution points. How you choose depends entirely on yourself."

Lin Yun had known this for a long time—he had read many posts on the Warrior Forum. Selling to the dojo was for the sake of contribution points; selling to the Underground Alliance was for the money. Each had its pros and cons, depending entirely on the warrior's own needs.

He scanned the lobby but didn't see the girl Luo Feng had a crush on. He thought to himself that they were only in their first year of high school, so Xu Xin probably hadn't started working here yet.

"Lin Yun, let's go over. The captain and the others are already here." Shen Yang pointed to a lounge area in the corner of the lobby.

Lin Yun looked over and saw Lin Zheng, Liu Xu, Luo Fang, and Leng Bao sitting there. Lin Zheng was wearing a gray combat suit, and the prosthetic on his right leg was hidden by his trouser leg; one couldn't tell at all without looking closely. Liu Xu still had her lazy demeanor, arms wrapped around her precious sword, leaning back on the sofa with her eyes closed. Luo Fang and Leng Bao were sitting together, whispering to each other.

"Captain, the person is here." Shen Yang walked over and plopped down onto the sofa.

Lin Zheng looked up, glanced at Lin Yun, and nodded: "Have you checked your gear?"

"Checked," Lin Yun replied.

"Then let's go."

Lin Zheng stood up and walked toward the exit. His gait was steady, every step planted firmly; one could never tell he was a man with a prosthetic leg. Liu Xu followed behind him, and the others filed out one by one.

The six of them boarded an HR Alliance private vehicle and headed to the train station.

The train station in Jiangnan Base City was built specifically for warriors; ordinary civilian trains were not allowed to enter the Wilderness Area. Several teams of warriors were already waiting on the platform, gathered in small groups, some whispering, others resting with their eyes closed.

"Rumble—"

A silver-white train slowly pulled into the platform. The train was not long, consisting of only six carriages, but each one was reinforced with thick armor. The windows were bulletproof glass, and there were several obvious bullet marks on the body—scars left behind from monster attacks.

Lin Yun followed the Thunder Blade Squad onto the train and found an empty carriage to sit in.

Once the train started, it picked up speed, and the scenery outside the window retreated rapidly. High-rise buildings gradually disappeared, replaced by low-slung bungalows and barren fields. Further out, even the fields vanished, leaving only ruins and weeds as far as the eye could see.

Lin Yun leaned against the window, watching the scenery outside, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

This place was once a bustling city, the home of countless people. Now, only broken walls and ruins remained, having become a paradise for monsters.

The train traveled for about two hours before slowly stopping at a military station.

"We're here." Lin Zheng stood up and walked off the train, leaning on his cane.

Lin Yun followed the others off the train, and what met his eyes was a heavily guarded military base. There were towering walls, dense guard posts, patrolling soldiers, and—a steel tower standing fifty or sixty meters high.

"Lin Yun, do you see that tower?" Shen Yang pointed at the steel tower and said, "In every military region throughout the Huaxia Nation, and indeed the entire world, a special area is designated as a Warrior Supply Base. That tower is the symbol of the supply base. It signifies—lighting the way home for us warriors."

Lin Yun looked up at the tower, silent for a moment.

Lighting the way home for warriors... This sentence made an indescribable emotion surge within his heart.

The Warrior Supply Base is built inside the military zone, consisting of rows of quiet, small buildings with an excellent environment. Shaded by green trees and lush with flowers and grass, it forms a sharp contrast to the desolation outside.

"Thunder Blade Squad, you will be staying in A6, go ahead and rest." An officer at the supply base handed Lin Zheng a key and said with a smile, "Old Lin, how long do you plan to hunt this time? If you get your hands on any good goods, you're welcome to sell them to me at the Underground Alliance; I'll definitely give you a high price."

Although the service staff inside the supply base wear military uniforms, they actually come from the Limit Dojo, Thunder Dojo, government military, and the Underground Alliance. They are there to provide services, but they also purchase precious monster materials from the warriors.

"You know I'm with the Limit Dojo, so naturally, I will only sell materials to the Limit Dojo." Lin Zheng took the key, his tone indifferent.

"Ugh, you block of wood..." The man felt slightly awkward, but knowing Lin Zheng's personality, he didn't say anything more.

Nearby, Shen Yang quietly leaned toward Lin Yun and whispered, "The captain is great in every way—he cares for his team members and is loyal—but he's just a bit too rigid. Every time we hunt and get materials, we only sell them to the Limit Dojo, losing out on a huge pile of silver."

"The captain is being loyal, what the hell do you know!" Liu Xu appeared behind the two of them out of nowhere, glaring at Shen Yang.

Shen Yang shrank his neck and shut his mouth sheepishly.

Lin Yun couldn't help but chuckle.

The supply base isn't very large, but the facilities are quite complete. A6 is a three-story building with an independent courtyard and garage. Lin Zheng swiped the chip key across the gate, and the lock clicked open with a "beep."

"Everyone, rest for a while. We'll set off early tomorrow morning," Lin Zheng instructed.

"Understood."

The group filed in, each choosing a room to settle down in.

Early the next morning, before the sky had even brightened, the six members of the Thunder Blade Squad were already fully armed and gathered at the entrance of the small building.

"Let's move." Lin Zheng walked at the very front.

Stepping out of the supply base and crossing the military zone's cordon, the true Wilderness Area lay ahead.

This was Lin Yun's first time stepping beyond the boundaries of the base city, and an indescribable feeling surged in his heart. The road beneath his feet was broken asphalt, with wild grass growing through the cracks. On both sides were collapsed buildings and abandoned vehicles; vines crawled over the walls, and the rusted car bodies were riddled with bullet holes.

The air was filled with an indescribable scent—putrid, damp, and a faint, lingering smell of blood.

"Lin Yun, our squad's strength is ranked quite high in the entire Jiangnan Base City, so the hunting grounds we choose are generally quite dangerous." Lin Zheng explained as he walked, "Before you joined, we had just returned from City No. 003. We originally intended to go back there, but considering this is your first time in the Wilderness Area, we decided to head to City No. 013 this time."

Lin Yun nodded.

He had done his homework on the Warrior Forum and understood what City No. 003 and City No. 013 meant.

City No. 003 was the SH City from before the Great Nirvana, one of the most terrifying regions in the entire Eurasian area. Bordering the ocean, it had a massive number of marine monsters appearing in the river channels and possessed one of the most dense building complexes in all of Asia, which caused the number of monsters there to reach an astonishing figure. Lord Level monsters were everywhere, and there were even monsters beyond the Lord Level lurking within.

Countless top-tier warriors gathered there; it was practically the largest battlefield for human warriors and monsters to slaughter one another.

As for City No. 013, it was Hangzhou before the Great Nirvana. Although it was safer than Shanghai, that was only relatively speaking. As a first-tier city in the Huaxia Nation, the density and strength of the monsters there were far beyond that of an ordinary county.

"Thank you, Captain," Lin Yun said sincerely.

He knew that Lin Zheng choosing to go to City No. 013 instead of City No. 003 was largely to look after him, the newcomer.

"No need to thank me," Lin Zheng said without looking back. "Since you are my team member, I must be responsible for your safety."

Following the old highway, the Thunder Blade Squad walked for nearly two days.

Along the way, they encountered quite a few monsters—Iron-Armored Lizards, Wind Wolves, Saw-Toothed Tigers... Most were Beast Soldier Level, with the occasional Beast General Level. But in front of a team where everyone was at least a Junior War General, these monsters posed no threat at all.

Shen Yang was responsible for long-range fire support; every roar of his heavy sniper rifle claimed the life of a monster. Luo Fang and Leng Bao were responsible for close-quarters clearing; wherever their blades and spears passed, monsters fell one after another. Liu Xu was responsible for reconnaissance and support; her movement technique was at the Micro-Level, moving like the wind across the battlefield and appearing wherever there was danger.

Lin Zheng rarely attacked, but his gaze constantly scanned the surroundings, controlling the rhythm of the entire battlefield.

Lin Yun was also arranged to strike a few times.

When facing real wild monsters for the first time, he deliberately suppressed his strength, showing only the level of a Junior War General. With one blade, he killed an Iron-Armored Lizard, clean and efficient.

"Not bad!" Shen Yang praised in the communication channel.

Luo Fang also nodded: "The blade technique is very solid, not like a newcomer in their first real combat."

Leng Bao didn't speak, but he gave a slight nod, which counted as approval.

Liu Xu glanced at Lin Yun, a flash of surprise in her eyes: "Better than I imagined."

Lin Zheng didn't comment, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Over the two days, Lin Yun's performance won the approval of everyone. Although he was the youngest, his calmness and decisiveness during combat were nothing like a fifteen-year-old boy. The techniques he had honed in the training hall were used perfectly in actual combat, without a single wasted movement or a hint of hesitation.

"This kid is a natural warrior," Shen Yang said to Liu Xu while camping that night.

Liu Xu glanced at him: "You just realized?"

Shen Yang chuckled and didn't refute.

After entering the city, everyone's expression became tense.

The streets were narrower, the buildings on both sides were denser, and monsters could jump out from any corner at any time. Lin Zheng walked at the front, his right hand resting on the hilt of his blade, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Liu Xu followed behind him, her precious sword already unsheathed, the blade glinting coldly in the sunlight.

"Go up." Lin Zheng pointed to a former hotel building by the road. The group filed in, climbing the stairs all the way to the roof.

The rooftop was spacious with an open view, allowing them to overlook a large area of the surroundings. Shen Yang immediately began assembling his heavy sniper rifle, setting up a firing position at the edge of the roof. The others dispersed to check the situation around them.

After confirming it was safe, the group finally relaxed a little.

"We are currently in the Gongshu District of the former Hangzhou; it is relatively safer here." Lin Zheng crouched on the ground, drawing a simple map on the concrete floor with the tip of his blade. "However, not far away is the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, which leads directly to the Qiantang River, so there are quite a few amphibious monsters inside. Everyone must be careful and cautious."

"Understood, Captain," the group replied in unison.

These words were mainly for Lin Yun, as everyone else had been here before.

"Our target is the Yuexiu-Xinghui Shangcheng residential complex, located five kilometers away," Lin Zheng continued drawing on the map. "There are many water features there, and a Wanda Plaza nearby. Monsters are concentrated in that area, but Lord Level monsters are rare, making it quite suitable for us."

"Yes, Captain."

A mere five-kilometer journey would take only a minute or two at full speed. However, the Thunder Blade Squad took over half an hour to cover the distance.

The group moved along the edges of the streets, utilizing collapsed buildings and abandoned vehicles as cover, constantly lurking, moving, and lurking again. Lin Yun followed in the middle of the team, his Spiritual Force spreading out to a range of two hundred meters; any movement or sound could not escape his perception.

They encountered a few scattered monsters along the way, all of which were silently dispatched by Shen Yang from a distance using his sniper rifle.

Finally, the group ascended to the top floor of the Yuexiu-Xinghui Shangcheng complex.

"For the time being, this will be our resting place." Lin Zheng looked around, confirming it was safe before speaking. "Everyone, rest for the night. We begin hunting early tomorrow morning. Leng Bao, Luo Fang, you two will take turns keeping watch tonight."

"Yes."

Everyone found a room to settle into. Lin Yun chose a room in the corner, set up a simple tripwire at the door, then sat down against the wall, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

His body in the Coiling Dragon World simultaneously entered a state of meditation, his magic power flowing slowly as his Spiritual Force recovered rapidly through the Dual World Resonance.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, as the sky began to brighten, everyone was ready and stood together by the top-floor windows, overlooking the streets below.

Morning mist shrouded this city of ruins, with distant buildings appearing and disappearing within the haze. The streets were deathly quiet, save for the occasional monster passing through the fog, emitting low, guttural growls.

"Lin Yun." Lin Zheng's voice sounded from behind him.

"Here."

"City No. 013 is not like other small counties; the monsters here are highly concentrated, and it is rare to encounter stragglers. Therefore, the test for you will be immense." Lin Zheng's gaze fell upon the distant street, his tone indifferent. "However, your physical fitness is excellent, and I believe you will adapt quickly."

"Yes, Captain. I will not let you down," Lin Yun said with a determined expression.

"Good." Lin Zheng nodded, stood up leaning on his cane, and swept his gaze over everyone. "Let's move out."

Six figures filed out of the rooftop window, descending rapidly along the external fire escape, and landed silently on the ground.

The morning mist enveloped them, their figures flickering in and out of sight like six Ghosts, disappearing into the depths of the ruined city streets.

Ahead lay the monsters' lair.

Ahead lay the battlefield of life and death.

Lin Yun gripped his Blood Shadow Battle Blade tightly, took a deep breath, and followed the pace of the team.