Chapter 115: Section 116: Lost


    Tonight, there was no moon.


    In the pitch-dark forest, the cold wind weaved through like a ghost.


    The body of the Silver Level Bat Monkey leader had been put together, and since it was a warm-blooded creature, its body had not yet cooled completely.


    Zhenjin had now transformed into a complete Black Iron Bat Monkey.


    The previous multiple transformations had consumed a great deal of demon energy.


    “Based on my previous conjecture, a mutation is simply a type of life form, with organs and parts that are coordinated and share the burden. However, when multiple transformations occur, it is mostly the Heart Core in the heart that bears the load, so the consumption of demon energy is much more intense.”


    ...


    Zhenjin suppressed this further hypothesis and looked at the bat monkey corpse in front of him, ready to make a new attempt.


    Using the Heart Core, he once again released four blood threads from his palm.


    The blood threads wrapped around and then submerged, and after a few breaths, the blood threads re-emerged, transforming both bat wings of the bat monkey entirely and sending the essence into the Heart Core.


    Zhenjin checked it once more and felt a surge of happiness.


    “Now I can transform into a complete Silver Level Bat Monkey.”


    As this thought occurred, a surge of red light emerged and covered his entire body.


    Within the red glow, his blurry figure rapidly grew taller, and his back wings widened. After the red light dissipated, standing in its place was the Silver Level Bat Monkey, Zhenjin.


    “The strength has increased somewhat, but it still cannot be compared to the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear.”


    “The sound….”


    Zhenjin took a deep breath and listened intently, finding that the Silver Level Bat Monkey’s hearing was stronger than the Black Iron’s, with a wider sound reception range.


    He tried emitting ultrasound.


    He succeeded on the first try.


    A canvas appeared in his mind, displaying various things around him all on it. The canvas rapidly expanded, reaching over two thousand meters before the edges began to blur.


    “It seems the maximum distance of ultrasound exploration for a Silver Level Bat Monkey is twice that of the Black Iron Level.”


    Zhenjin closed his mouth, stopping the sound, and then opened it again.


    The ultrasound was successfully emitted once more.


    Time and time again, he found that he could emit ultrasound smoothly every time.


    “It seems my feeling was not wrong.”


    “The vocal cords of a Silver Level Bat Monkey are more stable, which is more conducive to making sounds.”


    “These days I have been training every night, and the Black Iron Bat Monkey form could achieve a success rate of about eight or nine times out of ten in emitting ultrasound. Now in the Silver Level Bat Monkey form, it has reached a hundred percent success rate.”


    “My experiment has also yielded results. For the same type of life, when I absorb enough lower-level individuals, the bloodline information storage is very complete. Absorbing higher-level life forms doesn’t require a complete individual, just a part, can provide the corresponding bloodline information to let me transform into a complete higher-level life form.”


    Zhenjin quickly cleaned up the surroundings.


    He had other tasks to perform.


    Tonight’s mission was not merely about a single Silver Level Bat Monkey.


    He grabbed the corpse of the Silver Level Bat Monkey with his feet and after a few flaps of his wings, he swiftly ascended and left this murderous scene.


    Half an hour later, he arrived at a gathering area of a Flying Squirrel group.


    This was the largest Flying Squirrel group near the camp and had two Silver Level Flying Squirrels.


    Zhenjin flew to the edge and tossed the corpse of the Silver Level Bat Monkey into the trees, then used ultrasound to explore.


    The flying squirrels lived in tree hollows and underground, but under the ultrasound exploration, they were revealed one by one.


    “`


    Because Flying Squirrels have different life levels, their sizes vary as well, and both the Black Iron and Bronze Flying Squirrels have some minor external features, allowing Zhenjin to determine their corresponding life levels.


    The exploration yielded no difference from before, so Zhenjin flew directly into the territory of the Flying Squirrels.


    Sensing an intruder, the swarm of Flying Squirrels became agitated, and soon a group led by a Silver Flying Squirrel surged towards Zhenjin.


    Zhenjin watched the approaching swarm, standing proudly on a branch.


    When they were close enough, he opened his mouth and suddenly unleashed a sonic wave attack.


    He had mastered the technique of sonic wave attacks long ago.


    As far as Zhenjin’s practice was concerned, producing ultrasound was more difficult than the sonic wave attack.


    Humans could hear sonic waves but not ultrasounds. The essence of a sonic wave attack was not high-frequency sound but a more powerful breath, which drove the vocal cords to produce louder sounds.


    The hearing of the Flying Squirrels was extremely sensitive.


    These creatures dug underground using their hearing and taste to locate food; their vision was poor, but their hearing was strong.


    This advantage became their fatal weakness under the sonic waves.


    Initially, Zhenjin had witnessed the Blue Dog Fox Wolf leading a large group of Black Iron Bat Monkeys, emitting sonic waves together that wiped out a group of Flying Squirrels including a Silver one.


    Now, in his transformed state as a Silver Bat Monkey, the sonic wave attack he emitted was even more formidable than the collective efforts of the Black Iron Bat Monkey group.


    Under the envelopment of the sonic waves, the previously fierce swarm of Flying Squirrels suddenly collapsed. The squirrels shrieked tragically, and a large number of them were killed directly by the sonic waves.


    The Silver Flying Squirrel tried to resist but Zhenjin increased the volume again, knocking it out on the spot.


    In an instant, Zhenjin resolved the battle.


    More Flying Squirrels scurried out of their holes, trying to escape.


    In a sense, the Bat Monkeys were natural predators of the Flying Squirrels.


    The leader of those trying to escape was another Silver Flying Squirrel.


    Of course, Zhenjin wouldn’t let them get away, another sonic wave bombardment killed most of the Flying Squirrels, and the other Silver Flying Squirrel was also stunned. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Next, he used the Heart Core to absorb the bodies of the Flying Squirrels strewn about.


    The reserves of demon energy in the Heart Core climbed to an all-time peak.


    So far, Zhenjin had not discovered the limit of demon energy storage.


    Zhenjin thought for a moment, killed both Silver Flying Squirrels, and used the Heart Core to absorb and transform one of them.


    With this step, Zhenjin’s Flying Squirrel form also upgraded to the Silver Level!


    “Too bad I can never emit electricity.”


    In this aspect, Zhenjin had tried many times but had never been able to decipher the technique of emitting electricity.


    Zhenjin was able to learn the ultra-sound emitting from the Bat Monkey because ultrasounds came from the vibration of the vocal cords. Zhenjin himself also used human vocal cords to talk, a very similar type of life activity.


    But emitting electricity was different.


    Humans never emit electricity.


    According to Cang Xu’s anatomy, Flying Squirrels emit electricity through tiny muscle filaments throughout their bodies. These muscle filaments are similar to a type of eel that can emit electricity in water.


    Thus, the Flying Squirrel’s electricity emission is an internal muscle movement. However, Zhenjin was completely unfamiliar with this area and utterly clueless.


    The difficulty of learning to emit electricity was greater than emitting ultrasounds.


    Therefore, this time Zhenjin did not kill the unconscious Bronze and Black Iron Flying Squirrels; he deliberately spared some.


    “These will be my pets now.”


    “`


    Lord Zhenjin observed them and learned how they discharged electricity.


    Once again cleaning the battlefield, removing the carbon ash left behind from the Heart Core transformation, Lord Zhenjin set out again with the bodies of the Silver Bat Monkeys, Silver Flying Squirrels, and an unconscious, yet alive, Flying Squirrel.


    Having spent considerable time, and being quite far from the camp, Lord Zhenjin decided to head directly back.


    The Silver Bat Monkey Lord Zhenjin flew through the air.


    Since he was holding onto corpses with his hands and feet, he could no longer climb or leap haphazardly through the bushes.


    The cold night wind did not chill Lord Zhenjin’s boiling hot blood.


    Once, to deal with a Flying Squirrel group that had only a Black Iron leader, he led everyone to fight with all their strength. Now, he alone had wiped out an even larger group of Flying Squirrels.


    After this night, his Bat Monkey and Flying Squirrel forms had both upgraded to Silver Level.


    His Gun Scorpion form was also Silver Level.


    Having eaten a lot of bear and snake meat these days, he could transform many parts of the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear and Crocodile Head Hammer Tail Boa. Especially the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear, he was not far from its complete form.


    “As long as I have enough time, I can become the king of this island!”


    The cold wind howled by Lord Zhenjin’s ears as he deftly flapped his Bat Wings, mastering every gust of wind.


    His wide Bat Wings brushed over the crowns of trees, and countless wild animals in the dark forest, sensing Lord Zhenjin’s Life Breath, all fled in panic or curled up, shivering with fear.


    Lord Zhenjin looked down at the forest beneath his feet and felt, at that moment, that he had the forest and the earth itself under his foot!


    Although he could not see clearly, his ultrasound explored within a two-thousand meter radius, and nothing could escape his detection.


    “Now, I’m the finest Hunter. There is no prey that can escape my pursuit!”


    “I choose not to kill them not because I can’t, but because I don’t want to.”


    Before long, the fires of the camp appeared on the horizon.


    Lord Zhenjin found a place to disrobe, temporarily discarded the Magic Beast bodies, and reverted to human form. After donning his gear, he approached the camp’s gates with the dead and alive beasts.


    “It’s Lord Zhenjin!”


    “My God, what has he brought back?”


    The guards started to exclaim upon seeing Lord Zhenjin.


    Lord Zhenjin gave a faint smile, yet he sighed softly in his heart, unable to avoid a sense of loss.


    “Compared to my Magic Beast forms, I’m really too weak like this. I can only see my surroundings because of the firelight, my ears feel as if they have been blocked.”


    “Facing Zong Ge in human form, my chances of winning are not good. I must learn to discharge electricity soon; stainless steel armor conducts electricity very easily.”


    “Seems like there’s some noise from the camp?” Inside his tent, Zong Ge sensed something, “Has Lord Zhenjin returned?”


    Zong Ge guessed, knowing Lord Zhenjin had a habit of patrolling at night.


    Tonight’s celebration dinner left him tasteless, and the exchange list made it difficult for him to sleep.


    He had learned that the system was conceived and provided by the old Scholar, Cang Xu.


    “This old man, he really has political skills.” Zong Ge’s understanding of Cang Xu deepened.


    If Lord Zhenjin forcefully incorporated people around him, it could spoil things. Too impatient, because Lord Zhenjin could not truly resolve the conflict between the two sides.


    Represented by Xi Suo, the crew, and Zong Ge, Sanda, and other mercenaries had long clashed. The conflicts were deep, and they were mutually wary, never truly trusting each other.


    If Lord Zhenjin forced incorporation, there would surely be significant internal conflicts, which would diminish his authority and distract his energy. Poor handling of such conflicts could lead to even worse outcomes.


    If mishandled, Zong Ge would then have a real opportunity. Only by disappointing the members of the Mercenary Group with Lord Zhenjin could Zong Ge take his chance to truly bind them with himself.


    But Lord Zhenjin adopted Cang Xu’s system, preventing Zong Ge from seizing this opportunity.


    With such a system in place, and Lord Zhenjin controlling essential production techniques, it was safe to say he had the upper hand completely.


    Fair?


    There was never true fairness!


    Controlling the production techniques and using the manufactured crossbows and potions to exchange for precious resources was priced by Zi Di himself.


    This alone contained substantial profits.


    The exploitation began the first time Zong Ge made an exchange.


    Going forward, with the exchange system, Lord Zhenjin’s side could easily gain maximum benefit, like in the competition between the jump-draw and the chest-draw crossbows. Lord Zhenjin’s side, possessing the more powerful jump-draw crossbow, began to suppress Zong Ge’s side in terms of long-range combat capabilities.


    Continuing to use this advantage, granting small personal favors in private, would easily make the former members of the Mercenary Group overwhelmed with gratitude. For instance, according to the exchange list you could only change for two bottles of potions, but if I took a liking to you and secretly gave you an extra bottle, wouldn’t you be happy?


    Having this initiative, Lord Zhenjin didn’t even need to show up personally to win people over, continuing to lure them with ongoing incentives, Zong Ge would end up isolated.


    Zong Ge was not blind or confused, but he had no choice.


    With immediate threats like the Blue Dog Fox Wolf, facing mighty enemies, and the distant necessity of escaping the island requiring sailors to operate ships,


    Zong Ge knew he had to cooperate.


    Since cooperation was necessary, the means of struggle were limited.


    Cang Xu’s soft knife stroke, a bloodless way of killing, combined with the map previously revealed by Lord Zhenjin, had suddenly thrust Zong Ge into the abyss.


    The lesser the cards, the more disadvantageous.


    Zong Ge was already at a disadvantage, now it was intensified, and he could already see his own defeat.


    “No, as long as I draw breath, I, Zong Ge, will not give up.”


    “I still have a chance.”


    “I am of Silver Cultivation, and even a step away from Gold.”


    “If I cannot even protect this foundation, how can I rise above and vindicate myself?”


    “How can I make sure my father’s expectations are not met with disappointment, making him proud of me?”


    The dim candlelight flickered in Zong Ge’s eyes, gradually transforming into a play of light and shadow.


    In the light and shadow, Zong Ge saw himself dominating the battlefield, endless honors and glories accumulated upon him.


    In the light and shadow, Zong Ge saw himself returning to his hometown, proudly returning to the castle he lived in as a child. But this time, he didn’t stay in that dark, damp room.


    He was welcomed into the hall, he attended a ball.


    The hall had a vibrant red carpet, crystal chandeliers, tables after tables of gourmet foods, enormous and expensive exquisite tapestries on the walls, and priceless masterpieces of famous paintings.


    He marveled within, finally able to truly step foot here.


    He became the protagonist of the ball, the focus of numerous high-class ladies’ attention.


    And after a dance, his father, the castle master who maintained the appearance of middle age due to his powerful abilities, Zong Ge’s lifelong idol, rose and raised a glass filled with red wine.


    Then, Zong Ge heard his father’s voice echoing in the hall, “Now, I am proud to introduce to you all, Zong Ge, my son!”


    The candle burned out.


    The light and shadow disappeared.


    Zong Ge came back to his senses, in the dark tent, he caressed his own arm.


    It was covered in thick fur, a feature of a Beastman.


    Just like many other moments in his life, this time too, a sense of loss emerged from the depths of Zong Ge’s heart.


    “If only I were a pure-blooded human, how wonderful that would be…”