Consecutive Battles

Everyone fell silent.

Second by second, time passed.

The sun climbed higher and higher, its light growing stronger.

One hour.

Two hours.

Just as everyone was beginning to grow restless from waiting, Song Chen suddenly spoke. "They're here."

Everyone perked up and followed his gaze.

At the edge of the ruins, a cluster of black dots was moving.

As they drew closer, everyone finally saw them clearly.

Wild dogs. Mutated Wild Dogs.

They were a size larger than ordinary strays, with gray-black fur, exposed fangs, and eerie green light glinting in their eyes.

There were more than forty of them. Leading the pack were three especially massive ones, nearly a meter at the shoulder and over two meters long. They were true First Rank mutant beasts.

Li Wei said quietly, "Three First Rank ones again. About the same as yesterday."

Zhang Zhenyun glanced at Song Chen.

"How are you fighting today?"

Song Chen rose to his feet and drew the saber from his back. "Same as yesterday. Kill them all."

Before his words had even faded, he had already charged out.

This time, he was far faster than yesterday.

With his Vitality Value exceeding 1.0, every aspect of his physical condition had improved.

He was stronger, faster, and more responsive. Charging at the mutant beast pack, yesterday he had been like a fish slipping into water; today, he was like wind sweeping over grass.

The wild dog pack sensed the danger and let out low growls.

The three First Rank wild dogs pounced on Song Chen at the same time.

Zhang Zhenyun rested a hand on his saber hilt, ready to intervene at any moment.

But he quickly let go, because there was no need.

Song Chen charged head-on at the three First Rank wild dogs. Just as they were about to collide, he suddenly twisted sideways and spun.

He moved too fast—so fast that the three wild dogs had no time to react.

He passed through the gap between them, the saber in his hand tracing an arc at the same time.

"Pfft!"

One First Rank wild dog had its throat slit, blood spraying out in a torrent.

It did not even have time to scream before crashing to the ground.

[First Rank mutant beast Mutated Wild Dog killed. Obtained 5 Killing Value.]

The system prompt sounded again, though killing the wild dog had earned two fewer points than killing the wild boar yesterday.

The other two wild dogs froze, but they had no chance to remain stunned.

Song Chen had already turned around, and his saber flashed again.

His movements flowed as though he were dancing. Every step landed in the best possible spot, every slash struck at precisely the right moment.

His saber no longer needed all his strength to hack into a First Rank mutant beast's body as it had yesterday. With a light swing, it could slice through flesh and sever tendons and bones.

The second First Rank wild dog fell.

[First Rank mutant beast Mutated Wild Dog killed. Obtained 5 Killing Value.]

The third one tried to flee.

Song Chen caught up and drove his saber through its heart from behind.

[First Rank mutant beast Mutated Wild Dog killed. Obtained 5 Killing Value.]

From first contact to total annihilation, the three First Rank wild dogs had lasted less than thirty seconds.

Li Wei had only just drawn her saber when the battle was already over.

She stood there blankly, staring at the wild dog corpses strewn across the ground, not knowing what to say.

Wang Jun was stunned as well, his saber still undrawn.

Sun Qiang and Liu Tingting were completely dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open like two statues.

Song Chen stood amid the corpses of the three First Rank wild dogs and glanced at the system panel.

Sixteen points. He would soon be able to buy another bottle of Spirit Blood Serum.

Song Chen raised his head and looked at the remaining Unranked wild dogs. The pack had been scared out of its wits and was scattering in every direction.

"What are you standing around for? Chase them!"

Li Wei was the first to snap out of it and rush out, with Wang Jun close behind.

Song Chen did not give chase.

He remained where he was, watching the four of them hunt down the wild dogs. Whenever one ran back his way, he casually finished it off with a slash.

They had all come for real combat. It would not be good for him to solve everything alone, and killing Unranked ones was useless to him anyway.

More than ten minutes later.

Of the forty Unranked Mutated Wild Dogs, they had killed half and let half escape, leaving Zhang Zhenyun sighing repeatedly.

Wild dog corpses covered the ground, blood seeping into the soil as a thick stench of blood filled the air.

Li Wei walked back, panting, her face flushed with excitement. She had finally gotten her fill of killing.

She looked at Song Chen. "I'm starting to wonder if you're even human."

Song Chen looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

Li Wei pointed at the corpses of the three First Rank wild dogs. "Three First Rank beasts. Before I even pulled out my saber, you were done. Our physical qualities are about the same, so how can the gap be this huge?"

Wang Jun spoke as well. "Monster."

Sun Qiang and Liu Tingting nodded furiously.

Song Chen fell silent for two seconds. "So are you praising me or insulting me?"

Li Wei smacked him on the shoulder. "Praising you!"

"Of course I'm praising you! I, Li Wei, am convinced. Starting today, you're my big brother."

The blow made Song Chen stagger.

"What if I'm younger than you?"

Li Wei waved a hand grandly. "That doesn't matter. Strength reigns supreme. You're stronger, so you're the big brother."

Wang Jun walked over, a rare trace of a smile appearing on his face.

"Big brother."

Song Chen: "..."

Sun Qiang and Liu Tingting exchanged a glance and spoke in unison. "Big brother!"

Song Chen looked at the people before him and suddenly did not know what to say.

Zhang Zhenyun walked over with a cigarette between his lips and an amused half-smile on his face. "What's this? Starting a gang?"

Li Wei said excitedly, "Captain, did you see that? Thirty seconds, three First Rank beasts!"

"I saw it. It's not like I'm blind."

He looked at Song Chen, admiration in his eyes.

"With a Vitality Value of 1.0, you kill First Rank mutant beasts like chopping vegetables."

"I said before that you were a genius. Now it seems I understated it."

Song Chen said nothing.

Zhang Zhenyun walked over, dug the Crystal Cores from the heads of the three First Rank wild dogs, and tossed them to Song Chen.

"Take them. Same rules as always—the one who kills them keeps them."

Song Chen caught the three Crystal Cores and slipped them into his pocket.

Together with the three from yesterday, he already had six. That was enough for his family to live on for years.

But he knew money was not the most important thing.

What mattered was Killing Value. The things sold there were far better than anything in human stores.

Zhang Zhenyun clapped his hands, interrupting his thoughts.

"Alright, stop standing around like fools."

"Clean up and get ready to withdraw. The blood smell is too strong. If we stay any longer, it'll draw something big."

Song Chen looked at him seriously. "Captain, let's change locations and keep going."

This was hardly anything. He had no intention of going back just like that.

Zhang Zhenyun raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Song Chen.

This kid had killed three First Rank wild dogs, and he still was not satisfied?

He flicked the cigarette butt into the grass. "You've got guts, but let me put the ugly words first. Continuous fighting is riskier. The blood smell will attract stronger mutant beasts. Whether you can run away then will depend on yourselves."

"Understood," Song Chen said.

Li Wei was the first to step forward. "I'm going with Song Chen."

Wang Jun silently walked to Song Chen's side.

Sun Qiang and Liu Tingting exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and said, "We're going too."

Zhang Zhenyun nodded and patted the roof of the vehicle.

"Get in. We're changing locations."