The path to immortality: I'll crush every obstacle in my way

Night had fallen as if someone had knocked over a bottle of ink, leaving the sky purely, oppressively black.

Deep inside the shooting range, a room once used to store odds and ends had been roughly cleared out. Documents and blueprints lay scattered across an old wooden table.

Lu Chen stood at the table, carefully leafing through the materials he had brought back from Professor Zhao's base by the light of a dim yellow bulb.

He had to admit, the old man's character was lousy, but when it came to research, he knew a thing or two.

Lu Chen's gaze finally settled on a file labeled "Noah Project." Its cover bore the words "Top secret! Violators will be shot!" in bright red letters. Unfortunately, to him, it was just a piece of scrap paper now.

The file contained detailed records of research on the Doomsday Overlord, including its abilities, weaknesses, and possible paths of evolution.

The most crucial part was the description of its Immunity Talent.

"The Doomsday Overlord's Immunity Talent isn't absolutely invincible. There's a stacking effect..." Lu Chen murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly.

According to Professor Zhao's research, the Doomsday Overlord's Immunity Talent was powerful enough to make it immune to the vast majority of attacks and forms of energy, but it was not without weaknesses.

Its defensive mechanism could only be breached by repeatedly stacking attacks of the same type.

Simply put, to damage the Doomsday Overlord with fire attacks, one could not use just one kind of flame. It would take countless different flames bombarding it without pause to break through its defensive barrier.

"So, to deal with that guy, one or two SSS-rank talents won't be enough. I'll need enough talents of the same type..." A cold smile curled Lu Chen's lips. "Looks like I'll have to expand my Godslaying Legion some more."

"Well, well, what are you studying so intently?" A rough voice came from the doorway, interrupting Lu Chen's thoughts.

Tie Dun stood there, still sweaty and tired from training, but his gaze was unusually resolute.

Behind him, Old Lei and Xiaoyu also walked in, looking at Lu Chen curiously.

"Oh, working hard, are you? Good, good. You've got real potential as tools." Lu Chen looked up at them, casually picked up a map from the table, and spread it out. "Perfect timing. Let me show you what we're doing next."

Three red circles marked different areas of the city on the map.

"This is..." Tie Dun frowned, studying the markings.

"These are three survivor strongholds," Lu Chen said, pointing at the map. "Each one has at least one powerhouse who's awakened a talent of A-rank or higher."

"A-rank or higher?!" Old Lei's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "You mean... we're going to find them?"

Lu Chen nodded, the corners of his mouth rising in a meaningful smile. "That's right. But we're not going to invite them. We're going to take them."

"Take them?!" Old Lei's voice shot up an octave. "You mean... we're going to rob those survivors?!"

"That's right." Lu Chen's tone was calm and certain. "In this apocalypse, not every genius will come over to our side willingly. Some people need a few... special methods to make them understand who the real boss is."

"But..." Xiaoyu hesitated. "Wouldn't that be a little too... cruel? They're survivors too, after all..."

"Cruel?" Lu Chen scoffed, his gaze icy. "In a world where the strong prey on the weak, kindness will only get you killed faster. If you want to survive, you have to use any means necessary."

He walked to the door and glanced back at the three of them, his voice cold. "Remember, from today on, we're raiders. We'll seize resources, seize talent, seize anything that can help us survive!"

With that, Lu Chen was the first to leave the room, heading toward the shooting range's exit.

Tie Dun, Old Lei, and Xiaoyu exchanged looks, but ultimately chose to follow Lu Chen.

The night wind howled, blowing away the smell of gunpowder in the air, but it could not dispel the unease in their hearts.

The four left the shooting range and headed for the first survivor stronghold.

Not long after leaving the range, they encountered a group on the run.

There were about a dozen of them, dressed in rags and gaunt with hunger, looking like refugees.

They carried all kinds of weapons: machetes, iron rods, and even a rusty kitchen knife. They were a wretched sight.

Worse still, a pack of mutant dogs was attacking them.

The mutant dogs were huge, their bodies covered in festering sores. Their teeth were sharp, and their eyes gleamed with bloodlust.

They growled deeply as they closed in on the fleeing group, ready to attack at any moment.

"Help! Somebody save us!" the people in the group cried out in despair, but in this apocalypse, their pleas sounded so helpless and insignificant.

Lu Chen watched it all coldly from a distance, showing no intention of intervening immediately.

"There seems to be an awakened one over there..." Xiaoyu said, pointing at a young man in the fleeing group.

Lu Chen looked where she was pointing and saw a young man in a worn tracksuit surrounded by several mutant dogs.

He looked only fifteen or sixteen, with a thin, frail build and a terrified expression.

But a faint energy fluctuation emanated from him.

"B-rank [Energy Perception]... barely worth a look," Lu Chen said flatly.

"Are we going to save him?" Xiaoyu asked.

"No." Lu Chen shook his head. "Tie Dun, time for you to show what you can do."

Tie Dun paused and looked at Lu Chen, somewhat puzzled.

"Remember, your job isn't just to save him, but also to assess his potential." Lu Chen patted Tie Dun on the shoulder, speaking seriously. "See if he's worth our intervention."

Tie Dun took a deep breath and nodded, his gaze turning resolute.

"Understood!" he growled, charging into the fight.

Watching Tie Dun charge toward the pack of mutant dogs, Lu Chen's lips curved into a meaningful smile.

The real show had only just begun.

Tie Dun roared as he charged into the fight like a heavy tank, his body, strengthened by the [Steel Gene], erupting with astonishing power.

He swung a fist the size of a cooking pot and smashed it into a mutant dog's head.

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, the mutant dog's head burst like a watermelon, splattering red and white matter across the ground.

The other mutant dogs were startled. They stopped in their tracks and watched the giant who had suddenly appeared with wary eyes.

"Roar!"

The largest mutant dog was the first to attack. It opened its bloody maw and lunged for Tie Dun's neck.

Tie Dun neither dodged nor backed away. He simply reached out with a massive hand and seized the mutant dog by the neck.

"Crack!"

With a sharp snap, Tie Dun twisted the mutant dog's neck until it broke.

After dealing with two mutant dogs, Tie Dun did not stop. He charged at the others, every punch carrying the force to split mountains and shatter stone.

The mutant dogs were no match for Tie Dun. He beat them bloody one after another, leaving them howling on the ground.

In just a few minutes, Tie Dun had finished off all dozen or so mutant dogs.

The whole process was simple and brutal, yet full of raw power, leaving the people in the fleeing group dumbstruck.

"Monster... he's a monster..." someone murmured, terror written on their face.

After dealing with the mutant dogs, Tie Dun did not return immediately. Instead, he walked up to the young man, crouched down, and studied him closely.

Overwhelmed by Tie Dun's powerful presence, the young man trembled with fear, scarcely daring to breathe.

Tie Dun carefully observed the young man's expression, eyes, and physical reactions, seemingly assessing his potential.

Lu Chen watched Tie Dun, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Looks like he's made his decision," he murmured, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

He started toward the fight, each step firm and forceful.

His figure gradually emerged from the darkness, carrying an oppressive presence that could not be ignored.

The smell of blood hung in the air. All around was silent, save for the low whimper of the night wind.

Lu Chen walked slowly up to Tie Dun and the young man, his gaze deep and inscrutable.

"What's your name?" he asked the young man flatly.

The young man raised his head.

"I... my name is..."

He opened his mouth, only to find that he could not make a sound.

Lu Chen did not press him, simply waiting in silence.

Suddenly, he reached out and gently patted the young man's shoulder.

"It's all right. Don't be afraid." His voice was soft, yet carried a reassuring power. "From today onward, your fate will be in my hands."

With that, Lu Chen paid the young man no further attention. He turned to look at Tie Dun.

"Let's go," he said flatly.

Then he turned and walked into the depths of the darkness.

Tie Dun followed close behind, matching Lu Chen step for step.

The young man stood there in a daze, watching Lu Chen and Tie Dun walk away.

He did not know what to do next, nor what would become of him.

He only knew that from today onward, his life would change beyond recognition.

"Wait, take me with you... where are you going?!" The young man finally mustered the courage to call after Lu Chen and Tie Dun, his voice trembling but tinged with hope.

Lu Chen stopped, but did not turn around.

"To a place... full of hope," he said flatly, his voice low and magnetic.

His figure slowly vanished into the darkness, leaving only those words echoing in the air, lingering for a long time.

Hope?

The young man froze. He did not know whether hope truly existed in this apocalypse.

But he knew he had no other choice.

He took a deep breath, wiped the tears from his face, and ran in the direction Lu Chen had disappeared.

He had to catch up with them. He had to find that place full of hope.

Meanwhile, a meaningful smile curved Lu Chen's lips.

A new game was about to begin... The smell of gunpowder filled Lu Chen's nostrils, and the firelight made his chiseled face look especially unruly.

Tie Dun really was a "humanoid Gundam." One punch from him would scramble a mutant dog's brains.

Saving people?

No, Tie Dun was just demolishing things!

Lu Chen walked up to the trembling young man and grinned. "What's your name?" His voice was not loud, but it seemed to carry an electric current that made people's hearts tingle.

The young man took several ragged breaths, the terror of his narrow escape still written on his face. He managed to stammer out, "Chen... Chen Hao."

Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction and grabbed Chen Hao's shoulder, gripping it hard enough to crush his bones. "Welcome to the Godslaying Legion."

Behind him, Xiaoyu's large, limpid eyes were full of confusion. She came closer and asked softly, "Brother Chen, are you really planning to take everyone who comes, no matter how many?"

Hearing this, Lu Chen looked up at the burning city ruins in the distance. The crimson firelight reflected in his eyes, flickering with a dangerous gleam.

"No, Xiaoyu, you're thinking too small. What I want isn't recruitment. It's conquest."

He licked his lips, as if he had already tasted power. The night wind tousled his hair, making him look even more unrestrained.

"Come on. It's time to show this lifeless apocalypse what we're made of." A playful smile curved Lu Chen's lips as he took the lead, leaving them with those meaningful words, unable to guess his next move.

Night hung low outside an abandoned warehouse. The sound of tank treads crushing gravel drew closer from afar.