Demonic Beast Invasion

Chu Ge slept straight through until the early hours of the morning, when the system's notification that the daily check-in had refreshed woke him.

He opened his eyes in a daze and found himself lying in bed, a blanket over him.

Wait, that wasn't right. He distinctly remembered being unable to withstand the backlash as soon as he got home and collapsing in the doorway. How had he ended up here?

Soft breathing came from beside him.

He turned his head and, by the faint glow of the nightlight, saw a familiar face.

It was Xiao Yan.

The silly roe deer was slumped over the bedside, her head resting on her arms, fast asleep.

That explained everything. Xiao Yan must have come looking for him after school, found him unconscious in the doorway, and carried him to bed.

Honestly, the silly roe deer might not have been very bright, but she had a good heart.

After staring at her face for a few seconds, Chu Ge looked away and completed today's check-in in his mind.

Sure enough, it was another piece of Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo.

Chu Ge tiptoed out of bed and went around to Xiao Yan's side. Looking down at her, he thought, Young people really can take a beating. She can even fall asleep in an awkward duck-sitting position like that. Aren't her legs numb?

He carefully picked the girl up, laid her gently on his bed, and pulled the blanket over her.

The two had grown up together and had shared a bed before, so Chu Ge didn't think much of it.

Of course, this was purely an exception, solely because she had moved him from the cold floor to the soft bed.

Perhaps she was exhausted. Xiao Yan breathed evenly, occasionally mumbling in her sleep:

"No... I can't... I really can't anymore..."

Chu Ge shook his head. He had no idea whether she was dreaming about an all-you-can-eat buffet or something else.

A glance out of the corner of his eye caught paper and pen spread out on the nightstand. Black lines crisscrossed the white paper, forming one little figure after another.

So the silly roe deer had actually been drawing doujinshi in his room.

Her nerve was truly fat and plump.

Chu Ge took one look and hurriedly looked away, afraid he might see something he shouldn't and needlessly burn his eyes.

He quickly got ready, picked up his bronze Tang saber, and left home.

After sleeping for so long, the Primordial Force he had expended during the day had fully recovered, and the toxins had mostly faded. He was now too wide awake to sleep, so it was the perfect time to go out and stretch his muscles.

Unsurprisingly, his walk brought him to Lakeside Park.

He found an open spot and drew his Tang saber. Its blade glimmered coldly beneath the starlight.

Without activating an entry, he relied on his own foundation to swing the saber, practicing basic saber techniques one move at a time.

Besides his fist and foot techniques, Chu Ge's skills with the saber, spear, and bow were all top-notch among his peers.

He had reached this level not only through his own hard work, but also thanks in no small part to Uncle Gu.

Uncle Gu was the Chu Family's old steward. His background was rather mysterious, and no one could say for sure how old he was.

Even Chu Ge's father had to respectfully address him as Uncle Gu.

Chu Ge called him Grandpa Gu, though the man was more like the master who had first taught him.

He hadn't practiced for long before the wind picked up.

It was strong enough to rock the park's great trees back and forth and send leaves rustling down.

Chu Ge's lips curled up instead.

Perfect timing.

He put more strength into his hands and swung the Tang saber faster.

Swish, swish, swish.

Flash after flash of saber light swept past, slicing the falling leaves that filled the sky into tiny diamonds. They drifted gently down like a shower of green rain.

"Squeak, squeak."

Just as Chu Ge was getting into the swing of cutting leaves, he suddenly heard a sharp cry.

He frowned, stopped, and listened intently to the sounds around him.

The clearing beneath his feet was small, with woods just a few meters away and weeds growing tall.

The wind shook the trees and grass, and even stirred the hem of his clothes, constantly interfering with his senses.

"Squeak, squeak."

It cried out again.

This time, Chu Ge heard it clearly. He hadn't imagined it.

The sound instantly brought back some unpleasant memories, and his previously relaxed expression darkened.

Before he could pinpoint the source, a sudden sound cut through the air.

Swish.

A huge black shadow suddenly sprang out of the grass nearby and lunged straight at his back.

Chu Ge reacted swiftly. The instant he turned, he activated [Instant] and struck backhanded with his saber without even looking.

Swish.

The gleaming blade sliced through the night sky and struck the shadow precisely, sending hot blood splattering down in an instant.

Thud, thud.

Two heavy objects hit the ground with muffled thumps, kicking up a little dust.

It had been cut cleanly in two. By the look of it, it couldn't have been any deader.

Chu Ge didn't rush to see what it was, remaining on guard.

Who knew whether a second or third one was hiding in the grass?

He stood there for quite a while, until Instant automatically entered its second stage. Only after confirming there was no more movement around him did he deactivate the entry, take out his phone, and turn on its flashlight, aiming it at the shadow he had just killed.

Once he got a clear look at the thing, Chu Ge's frown deepened.

It was several times larger than an ordinary rat, with a pointed snout, sharp fangs, and scarlet eyes. Its fur was an unnatural grayish black. One look was enough to tell it wasn't an ordinary wild animal.

It was a demonic beast.

And one that had made its way into a city park at that.

Something was wrong.

The city was supposed to have a Primordial Force barrier, with Martial Arts Association members patrolling the outskirts. A demonic beast shouldn't have had any chance of sneaking in.

How had this thing gotten into Lakeside Park?

Several thoughts went through Chu Ge's mind. Without much hesitation, he called the Martial Arts Association.

The call was answered after two rings, and the voice of the person on duty came from the other end:

"Hello, East Sea City Martial Arts Association. How can I help you?"

"A demonic beast appeared in the north section of Lakeside Park. I've already killed it. Send someone over to deal with it." Chu Ge gave the location, speaking at a steady pace.

"A demonic beast?! All right, all right, we'll send someone over immediately. May I have your name?"

"Chu Ge."