Chapter 44: Section 45: Unexpected Gains


    Following Lord Zhenjin’s plan, the exploration team rested for two more days.


    The construction of this camp had required considerable effort; not to utilize it properly would be a waste. With the surrounding area cleansed, and the Flying Squirrel group hunted down, the only threat was gone, thus it was very safe.


    The bodies of the Flying Squirrels still needed further processing.


    The members of the exploration team also continued to rigorously practice their archery.


    In addition, the previous hunting expeditions had used up many arrows and a few short bows, all of which needed replenishment.


    The successful hunt had greatly improved the situation of the entire exploration team.


    ...


    Now, Lord Zhenjin had enough time to craft better ranged weapons.


    However, after thorough consideration, Zhenjin sensibly abandoned this idea.


    The next day.


    Cang Xu sought an audience with Zhenjin: “Lord Zhenjin, I have good news. I’ve made a new discovery.”


    “Oh?” Zhenjin knew that Cang Xu had been examining the corpses of Black Iron head rats. “Did you find a Demon Crystal in the head rat’s body?”


    Cang Xu smiled and shook his head: “The Black Iron head rat didn’t have a Demon Crystal either, and the Magic Power within its body was in a chaotic state. Shortly after death, all the Magic Power dissipated.”


    Zhenjin muttered to himself, “The Black Iron head rat may not have a Demon Crystal, but I seem to have something quite similar in my body.”


    Cang Xu didn’t keep him in suspense and confessed candidly, “That’s the thing, my lord. I dissected the Black Iron head rat’s stomach and discovered that it had just feasted before its death. As a result, there’s still a lot of undigested food in its stomach, including meat, bones, bird feathers, tree fruits, grass, and more. Within these, I also found a type of tuber.”


    Zhenjin’s eyes subtly lit up: “It seems that these Flying Squirrels are omnivorous. We could try digging up this kind of tuber.”


    Cang Xu nodded, “Lord, it’s not just the tubers. I surmise that inside the Flying Squirrels’ nest, there may still be a large amount of food stored.”


    “Why do you think so?” Zhenjin asked.


    “From previous dissections and recent studies of these head rat bodies, I’ve found that they have an extremely strong digestive capability; their stomach acid can even mildly corrode blades. Typically, creatures with such strong digestive powers struggle with intense discomfort when they are hungry, as the secretion of stomach acid becomes unbearable. To counteract this hunger, they ingest some indigestible items temporarily, like stones, for instance. But, these Flying Squirrels’ stomachs don’t contain such materials. This means they have an ample food supply.”


    “We’ve basically explored the surroundings. I think that not only are these Flying Squirrels omnivorous, but they also have the food storage characteristics of squirrels. Normally, they roam around exploring and gathering food. When they can no longer bear the hunger, they can feed rapidly, preventing the entire group from being driven mad by hunger.”


    “Very good.” Zhenjin patted Cang Xu’s shoulder, showing his appreciation. “I’ll assign Lan Zao to handle this matter.”


    “Lord, please allow me to accompany him. I’m very interested in the specific structure of the Flying Squirrels’ nest,” Cang Xu requested at an opportune moment.


    “Of course,” Zhenjin agreed without any hesitation.


    Even though protecting this elderly scholar would require more manpower, ever since making contact with Cang Xu, Zhenjin had repeatedly received the old scholar’s assistance. If the situation allowed, Zhenjin didn’t mind indulging the scholar’s thirst for knowledge.


    When Cang Xu returned to the camp, his face was filled with satisfaction.


    Their findings also gave Zhenjin a pleasant surprise.


    As Cang Xu had speculated, the nest of the Flying Squirrels indeed contained stored food.


    Furthermore, the food stock was so extensive that many members of the exploration team lamented while raiding it: the Flying Squirrels lived better than humans!


    Although most of the food was inedible to humans, the quantity of tubers and tree fruits equaled a third of the Flying Squirrel meat, which was a significant addition to the exploration team’s food supply.


    Zi Di also achieved new results.


    Using the Flying Squirrels’ stomach fluid, Zi Di created several Corrosive Acid Agents. Blades coated with this agent would become unrecognizable within a few breaths. With enough of this agent, a hole could be corroded in the soil in just a few breaths.


    Combined with a vaporizing potion, a highly corrosive acid fog could be created. A normal person caught within would suffer lung necrosis after only a moment’s breath.


    Although the hunt for the Flying Squirrels was a great success, it used up the last of Zi Di’s Flammable Potions.


    This Corrosive Potion became a supplementary measure, providing the exploration team with a new way to confront enemies.


    Of course, both the previous Flame Burning Potion and the current Corrosive Acid Agent were not Magic Potions; they simply made use of, purified, and enhanced the original properties of the materials.


    The effects of a Magic Potion would be more pronounced. However, on this mountainous island, low-level Magic Potions were ineffective.


    Lord Zhenjin, on the other hand, made no progress.


    He had to temporarily abandon his original approach and switch to another direction.


    He began to contemplate: how exactly had the mysterious Crystal Core within his heart come into being?


    “Was it due to a potion?” This was the answer Zhenjin deemed most likely.


    Otherwise, why would both mutations be related to the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear?


    As night fell, Zhenjin summoned Zi Di once again, making a roundabout inquiry about the incident at that time.


    Zi Di’s response offered no new insights for Zhenjin.


    Zhenjin fell into a thoughtful silence: “If an accident occurred when Zi Di was treating me, leading to the formation of this Crystal Core, then taking a potion could possibly activate the Crystal Core again, causing a Mutation.”


    “Did something happen, or do you believe there’s some potential danger, my lord?” Zi Di inquired.


    “There’s nothing, I just want to understand a bit more,” Zhenjin smiled, comforting Zi Di. “It’s getting late, we embark on our journey tomorrow. Go back and rest well.”


    Zi Di nodded, her eyes sparkling with brilliance, “Lord Zhenjin, with you here, I believe we can surely leave this island.”


    Zhenjin nodded. “We must not only leave this island but also gather people’s hearts as much as possible, assemble a team, and form a preliminary basis. Otherwise, once we arrive at White Sand City, with only the two of us, it will be difficult to compete for the position of City Lord. Do not blame yourself, Zi Di, you’ve actually done very well this time.”


    Zi Di was slightly startled, then let out a bitter laugh, “Lord, your insight is indeed keen. To tell you the truth, I detest the environment here. It’s too unfriendly to Mages. The only help I can offer you is with potions. But the current conditions are really too rudimentary. If I had some alchemy tools, I believe I could promptly concoct poison against those Flying Squirrels.”


    Zhenjin sighed, “That’s just how it is. We’ve fallen onto this strange island, surrounded by dangers. We’re fighting for survival, anything can happen. We just need to do our best, and can only do our best. Good night.”


    “Good night,” Zi Di departed.


    Zhenjin, however, had not told Zi Di the truth.


    On one hand, Zhenjin didn’t want Zi Di to bear more worries, as she was already feeling too guilty. Although they had only been together for a short while, Zhenjin had discovered that this purple-eyed girl had a sense of pride within her. For such a person, Zhenjin only needed to offer reassurance, not scolding or whipping. Because without any other external pressure, such a person was capable of striving hard on their own.


    On the other hand, Zhenjin was also aware of Zi Di’s capability with potions. Even if he unfolded the truth, Zi Di was powerless to solve the problem.


    Since he had hidden the truth from Zi Di the first time, Zhenjin didn’t mind concealing it a second time.


    The mutant ability brought by the mysterious Crystal Core, in Zhenjin’s view, was a trump card, allowing him to cope with dangerous situations and formidable enemies. But at the same time, it also had significant hidden dangers.


    “What harm does this Mutation carry anyway? How can a human heart have a Crystal Core? Could this foreign organ possibly be rejected by the rest of the body’s tissues?”


    “What kind of damage will a rash Mutation cause to oneself? Will it be physical disability or a muddling of the Bloodline?”


    “I can’t sense the Crystal Core, and the Mutation is not under control; could it be because the Crystal Core has just grown and hasn’t fully merged with my body yet?”


    “If Mutations occur frequently, will I become a wild beast, losing all humanity?”


    His worries were not only about his body and bloodline but also about the entire exploration team.


    Zhenjin knew that he could lead these people because, firstly, he was strong enough, and secondly, because of his identity.


    He was a Noble, and more importantly, he was a Holy Temple Knight.


    The latter identity was more inspiring than the former.


    If Zhenjin’s Mutation was discovered and seen as a monster, the advantages that identity brought would be greatly diminished.


    Although they had successfully hunted the mouse swarm, Zhenjin knew that this success was merely a last-minute save, pulling the exploration team back from the brink of annihilation.


    The upcoming journey would surely face many hardships and obstacles.


    Whether the exploration team could deal with these trials and tribulations was still uncertain.


    Zhenjin did not want the small team to become unsettled.


    Therefore, he chose to keep this secret to himself, nipping the potential spread at the bud.


    The deep night in the forest was not peaceful.


    The howling of wild animals could be heard frequently, with bizarre and odd sounds; some indeed howling, some whimpering, some resembling dry coughs.


    Zhenjin knew he needed to rest well, for they would set off early in the morning.


    But lying on his mattress, he found it difficult to fall asleep.


    He decided to summarize his thoughts from the past few days.


    “It seems that there are three potential triggers for the body’s Mutation. The first is the pressure of a near-death experience, which triggers the Crystal Core’s instinctive reaction in the heart. The second is the intense emotions generated under immense pressure. The third is blood-based potions. The heart Crystal Core is likely a result of the potions, though I haven’t absorbed any foreign potions during these two Mutations, there might still be residuals in my body.”


    Zhenjin sighed deeply. S~ea??h the N?velFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite his many thoughts, the current situation made him hesitant to try any possibilities recklessly.


    On one side, he lacked security for himself.


    On the other, he bore a responsibility and could not take risks lightly. He had to lead the entire exploration team, protect his fiancée, and he had to revive the Hundred Needle Family.


    He had many things to do.


    “Furthermore, after the Mutation occurs, the heart Crystal Core consumes a substantial amount of Magic Power. Afterwards, it causes me to feel a very strong sense of emptiness and fatigue.”


    With a heavy heart, Zhenjin eventually drifted off into a groggy sleep.


    The young man, even in sleep, still furrowed his brow slightly, as if he were still struggling with thoughts in his dreams.


    Who knows how much time had passed when suddenly, with a loud bang, the entire tent collapsed.


    Zhenjin woke up instantly.


    Even though he had fallen asleep inside the camp, he had maintained a vigilant heart, thus reacting swiftly.


    “How could the tent collapse all of a sudden, what on earth happened?!” Grabbing the spider blade that was placed by his side, Zhenjin swung it fiercely.


    The sharp blade easily cut through the collapsed tent, allowing Zhenjin to observe everything outside.


    In the next moment, he felt a jolt in his heart and a look of horror crossed his face.