《Global Catastrophe: I Became the World Tree》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 World Tree_1 ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: World Tree_1 Chapter 1: Chapter 1: World Tree_1 Parallel World, Hua Country, Yang City. July 30, 2050. It was a scorching summer, especially in the southern cities, where even after the sun had set, the heat remained unbearable. 20 kilometers southeast of Yang City, in a valley. Ye Feng had been in a daze for an hour, with only one thought in his mind. ¡°Why have I turned into a tree?¡± His ¡°gaze¡± shifted downward, looking at his own corpse beneath the tree, and in his heart, he already had a guess. ¡°No matter what, even being a tree is better than being dead. And in an era where all the flora and fauna of the world are mutating, being a tree might not be so bad,¡± Ye Feng murmured to himself. His words were not simply to comfort himself. Half a year ago, mutated beings had appeared on Blue Star. Of course, at that time there were only sporadic individuals, and the mutated beings were not large in size. But with the emergence of large-scale mutated locusts in Africa three months ago, the situation took a sudden turn for the worse, and the number of mutated beings surged. The smaller the organism, the greater the probability of mutation. Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches¡ªthese creatures commonly seen in human cities¡ªmost of them had already mutated. And they began to actively attack humans. Every day, there were hundreds of incidents involving mutated beings injuring people all over the world. Within the cities, mutated mice became the most dangerous creatures. They were bigger than the average house cat, agile in movement, strong in tearing and biting, and they possessed a fierce aggression. On the internet, there were videos of mutated mice fighting to the death with hunting dogs. Two months ago, even plants began to mutate. But since mutated plants can¡¯t move, they immediately became the best subjects for research. However, the mutated plants were all found in the wild. For instance, on Small Phoenix Mountain 30 kilometers east of Yang City, there emerged a tree that grew to a height of 300 meters. Without any surprise, it was targeted by research institutions. The Agricultural University where Ye Feng studied happened to cooperate with these institutions, and the school was responsible for the ¡°sampling¡± task. Normally, with the wilderness being so dangerous, only fools would go there. But the offer was too generous to resist. 100,000 in cash, plus 1 million in accidental insurance, and the accompaniment of a security company. For Ye Feng, who came from a family that was not wealthy and needed to work part-time to support himself, the temptation was truly too great. In the end, he gritted his teeth and signed up. Then, on the way there, they encountered mutated beings. It was a mutated wild boar as big as a small car, and with just two collisions, it flipped their bus over. In the end, everyone scattered and fled. Fortunately, the mutated wild boar did not pursue him. Unfortunately, he encountered a poisonous snake and was bitten. When he ¡°woke up,¡± he discovered he had become an Iron Birch Tree. ¡°Ding! Integration successful, congratulations to the host for obtaining the special ability: Devour!¡± The system prompt immediately brought Ye Feng¡¯s mind back from its wanderings. He couldn¡¯t wait to open the system panel. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 10 meters Tree Trunk Width: 0.5 meters Main Root Length: 20 meters Realm: Early Stage First Order Evolution Points: 0/10 Special Ability: Devour Spirit Points: 7/100 Bioenergy: 9/100 When he had just awakened, he found himself with a system and also received a newbie gift pack. Then he received a ¡°Heart of World Tree,¡± which after integration, would allow him to become a World Tree. In such a situation, Ye Feng naturally chose to integrate without hesitation. Only now had the integration finally succeeded. ¡°Is this what it feels like to become a World Tree?¡± Ye Feng was feeling this entirely new body. Although his appearance was still that of an Iron Birch Tree, in reality, he had completely transformed. He could control every branch, every leaf of the entire tree, causing them to sway. As his mind willed it, the whole tree began to sway from side to side without wind, its leaves rustling loudly, startling a flock of birds in the valley. ¡°The tree body can tilt up to 60 degrees, and each leaf can rotate 360 degrees,¡± he concluded. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What¡¯s most important is¡­¡± Roots burst forth from the soil, lashing the ground like whips with cracking sounds. ¡°Unfortunately, they can only perform simple lashing or entwining actions, still not flexible enough to use tools,¡± Ye Feng concluded. For a tree, this was already incredibly agile. But Ye Feng was still somewhat dissatisfied. He had previously fantasized that he could stand up like the War Ancient Tree in Warcraft and ¡°walk¡± home. ¡°However, I still have the system!¡± Ye Feng shifted his attention back to the system panel. During the time he waited for the fusion with the Heart of the World Tree, apart from contemplating life, he had been studying the system. The system¡¯s function was simple: it allowed him to grow and evolve rapidly. Of course, this required Spirit Points and Bioenergy. According to the information he had gathered from the system, Spiritual Energy was the mysterious energy that caused mutations in life forms and plants. So, to evolve quickly, Spiritual Energy was indispensable. As for Bioenergy, it was just as the name implied, an energy stored within living organisms, needed for both growth and evolution. Using the system¡¯s function, by spending 1 Spirit Point and 1 Bioenergy, he could rapidly grow a particular part of his body. Right now, he had 7 Spirit Points and 9 Bioenergy, which could allow for the rapid growth of his body 7 times. ¡°What I need to consider is which part of my body to grow,¡± Ye Feng stared at the system panel, pondering. He had contemplated this question for quite some time. Tree body height, trunk width, and root length each represented different directions of growth. Tree Body Height: Increases height, allowing for more leaves and faster absorption of Spiritual Energy from the air. Furthermore, photosynthesis from the leaves also generates some Bioenergy. Tree Trunk Width: Increases the storage capacity for Spirit Points and Bioenergy. Root Length: Accelerates the absorption of Bioenergy. According to his initial planning, among these three options, tree body height was of course the top priority. Enhancing tree body height would speed up the absorption of Spiritual Energy and also produce Bioenergy, unquestionably the choice with the highest cost-effectiveness. But as he evolved into the World Tree and acquired the ¡°Devour¡± Special Ability, the situation changed. According to the information provided by the system, he could use this ability to Devour the Spiritual Energy and Bioenergy within other living beings. However, to activate this ability, he needed to make physical contact with the target. Making contact with other beings using his leaves or trunk would be difficult. Thus, the roots were the best medium for using the ¡°Devour¡± ability. ¡°As long as I use my roots to bind other beings, I can slowly absorb them using the Devouring Ability, which should make the acquisition of Spiritual Energy and Bioenergy even faster,¡± Ye Feng decided to first increase the length of his roots. Beyond this factor, there was another even more important reason. That was, concealing himself. If he grew too tall, he was bound to be targeted under the scrutiny of satellites above. He did not want to become a subject of research. With his roots hidden underground, he could develop quietly. Thinking it, he did it, fixating on the system panel, he clicked the plus sign next to the root length. ¡°Ding! Would you like to spend 1 Spirit Point and 1 Bioenergy to increase the root length?¡± Seeing the system prompt that popped up, Ye Feng didn¡¯t hesitate to choose yes. As he clicked the button, he felt an instant sensation as if something had been drained from within him; then, his roots began to itch, growing at a visible rate. After becoming the World Tree, Ye Feng¡¯s 1 main root and 100 side roots could all be precisely controlled. The ones currently growing frenetically were these 101 roots. Within a mere minute, the length of his main root had increased by a full 20 centimeters. ¡°It¡¯s grown so much,¡± Ye Feng was pleasantly surprised. He promptly used all the remaining Spirit Points and Bioenergy to enhance the root length. Moments later, after checking the system panel, the root length had increased by a full 1.4 meters, from the original 20 meters to 21.4 meters. ¡°Now, by absorbing Spiritual Energy from the air on my own, I get 1 Spirit Point an hour, and the Bioenergy will be even more.¡± ¡°That means, without doing anything, I would gain 24 Spirit Points in a day, which can increase my root length by 4.8 meters.¡± When he calculated this number, Ye Feng was profoundly moved. Compared to ordinary plants, his growth rate was terrifying. What¡¯s more, the promising Devouring Ability he was banking on hadn¡¯t even been used yet! Chapter 2 - 2 2 Devouring Ability_1 ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Devouring Ability_1 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Devouring Ability_1 As a tree, unable to move, Ye Feng¡¯s targets for Devouring were limited. He chose his first target among the earthworms in the soil. With a dense network of roots, seeking out earthworms in the soil was a simple task, and he quickly locked onto one. It¡¯s worth mentioning that the earthworms of present times had also undergone some mutation, with their size now comparable to chopsticks. This was a bit frightening, but Ye Feng didn¡¯t care at all; his Main Root moved over and swiftly coiled around the earthworm. The Mutated Earthworm tried to struggle, but numerous lateral roots followed suit, and within a few seconds, the earthworm was completely subdued. Ye Feng¡¯s mind moved, and he activated his Devouring Ability. Then he could feel the tree roots continuously extracting specks of Spirit Points and Bioenergy from the body of the earthworm. In just a dozen seconds, the earthworm withered away, its vitality lost. ¡°Increased by 1 Spirit Point and Bioenergy,¡± Ye Feng glanced at the system panel and immediately felt elated. If left to his own devices, it would have taken at least an hour. But now it took less than a minute to achieve. Having tasted the sweetness, he naturally doubled his efforts. In the following ten minutes, Ye Feng managed to find a total of five earthworms and Devoured them all, increasing by 5 Spirit Points and Bioenergy. ¡°Is that all? There¡¯s really too few creatures underground,¡± Ye Feng swept the terrain with his roots once more to confirm there were no omissions, then heaved a light sigh. His attention could only turn to the ground above. Compared to the underground, there were far more creatures on the surface that could be Devoured. Passing ants, centipedes, and crickets¡ªall were his prey. His Main Root was now 21.4 meters, and the lateral roots were roughly 80% the length of the Main Root, which is about 17.1 meters. Under these circumstances, he could fairly easily hunt for any insects within 17 meters of his Tree Body. Beyond 17 meters, he had to rely on his Main Root to hunt, and the difficulty increased dramatically. However, he was located in a dense forest within a valley, where there were plenty of creatures within a range of 17 meters. The hunt was on! Centered around himself, centipedes, crickets, and ants swiftly vanished. These three types of creatures, the finger-thick Mutated Centipedes, could also provide 1 Spirit Point and Bioenergy, but unfortunately, they were too few in number. As for the crickets, they could offer only 0.7 Spirit Points, and the Mutated Crickets were extremely agile, able to leap one or two meters with a single bound, making them quite difficult to catch. Therefore, compared to these two creatures, Mutated Ants were Ye Feng¡¯s preferred prey. Although the fingernail-sized Mutated Ants could only provide him with 0.1 Spirit Point and Bioenergy, there were many of them. From time to time, an ant would pass through his territory while foraging, so overall, ants provided the most Spirit Points. An hour flew by. Ye Feng took a glance at the system panel. His Spirit Points had increased to 20 and his Bioenergy had reached 25 points. He was quite satisfied with the rate at which his Spirit Points increased; it was much faster than auto-accumulation. It was clear that his earlier decision was correct. ¡°Time to add points.¡± The longer the roots, the more convenient it was to use his Devouring Ability. Three minutes later. Ye Feng completed his third addition of points, and together with the previous seven, he completed a total of ten additions. At this moment, the value in the Evolution Points column on the system panel finally changed from 0 to 1. ¡°Huh! So this is how you get Evolution Points. Add points ten times to get one Evolution Point.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be too hard to accumulate ten Evolution Points and undergo an evolution,¡± Ye Feng said with a bit of surprise. Compared to extending the roots, evolving was of course more important. Only through continuous evolution could he grow stronger and stronger, and maybe at a certain level, he could break free from his current shackles. Next, Ye Feng continued to add points while hunting. His root length was steadily increasing at a rate of 20 centimeters per minute. It wasn¡¯t until 25 minutes later that Ye Feng completed 25 additions of points. Yes, 25 times. Because during these 25 minutes, with his hunting, he had gained another 8 Spirit Points and Bioenergy. At that time, Ye Feng opened the system panel to take a look. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 10 meters Trunk Width: 0.5 meters Root Length: 27 meters Realm: Early Stage First Order Evolution Points: 3/10 points Special Ability: Devour Spirit Points: 0/100 points Bioenergy: 8/100 points In just over an hour, his root length had increased by 7 meters, and he had accumulated 3 Evolution Points. ¡°Great, if all goes well, I should be able to complete my first evolution tonight,¡± Ye Feng was somewhat delighted, working even harder. However, when 8 o¡¯clock came and Ye Feng tallied the second hour¡¯s gains, he realized he was wrong. In that hour, he had only gained 16 Spirit Points and Bioenergy. ¡°The insects around here are lessening,¡± Ye Feng slightly furrowed his brow. This was rather bad news, and as time went on, with his constant devouring, the insects nearby would surely become scarcer and scarcer. Just as Ye Feng was feeling troubled, suddenly a Mutated Frog entered his field of vision. His vision now wasn¡¯t much different than when he was alive. If he shifted his viewpoint to the top of the tree, he could see even farther. Right now, he watched as the Mutated Frog hopped toward him. Following the path the frog was taking, it wasn¡¯t heading straight for his tree, but it would still cross his ¡°territory.¡± Ye Feng grew a bit excited; this Mutated Frog was as big as a person¡¯s foot. Devouring it would be worth at least two to three hundred Mutated Ants. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to capture it because with a light leap the Mutated Frog could cover a distance of 5 meters. Although his Main Root was now 27 meters long, at most he only had two or three chances to strike. He needed to prepare and was already ¡°marshaling his troops¡± underground. His Main Root and 100 lateral roots had silently completed a trap beneath the ground, unseen by the frog. Finally, the Mutated Frog entered his territory. Ye Feng didn¡¯t rush to act but quietly waited for the creature to venture deeper. When the Mutated Frog came within a range of 5 meters and was about to pass by, a root surged out of the ground, heading straight toward the Mutated Frog to entangle it. Ye Feng¡¯s roots were hidden just 1 centimeter below the surface. With such a short distance for an ambush, the Mutated Frog had no time to react, and its hind legs were entangled immediately. However, the Mutated Frog was incredibly agile. The moment it was entangled, it powerfully kicked off the ground, and flew up into the air. The subsequent roots couldn¡¯t continue their grip. Moreover, the root that had entangled the frog was directly torn apart. For the first time, Ye Feng felt pain, as if his finger joint had been dislocated. At this moment, he was filled with shock and anger, yet he also directly felt the threat these Mutated Beings posed to him. ¡°To think I¡¯ve been injured by a frog, I am still too weak. I must speed up my strengthening.¡± Ye Feng admonished himself, but his roots didn¡¯t slow down at all. Although a root had been torn off, it had still played a significant role; the Mutated Frog¡¯s leap was greatly shortened, covering only three meters. Moreover, while in the air, it had lost its balance and landed sideways. By this time, Ye Feng no longer needed to hide. Three roots near where the frog was going to land had already burst from the soil, waving in the air. Before the Mutated Frog even touched the ground, the three roots had entangled it. But the strength of the Mutated Frog was immense; even in such a situation, it continued to struggle, and seized an opportunity to leap up once more. In a desperate struggle, two more roots were torn apart, yet one remained attached, allowing the Mutated Frog to barely clear a meter before falling down. The remaining roots had already shifted over, especially the thick Main Root, which had arrived and wrapped around the frog, finally subduing it. Then came the activation of the Devouring Ability, beginning the absorption process. The Mutated Frog provided him with a full 25 Spirit Points and Bioenergy. This battle cost him three roots, but all of them had the ability to self-repair, and the torn sections weren¡¯t long. They would regenerate within an hour at most. A mere price to pay for earning 25 energy points was definitely a steal. ¡°Not bad at all, if there were more Mutated Frogs like this one, perhaps I could evolve directly,¡± Ye Feng was in high spirits. At this point, he even thought back to the Mutated Wild Boar that had overturned their bus. If he could devour such a huge Mutated Wild Boar, possibly he could evolve several times over. Chapter 3 - 3 3 Evolution Breakthrough_1 ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Evolution! Breakthrough!_1 Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Evolution! Breakthrough!_1 Of course, devouring a mutated wild boar was just wishful thinking on his part. If he actually encountered one now, it would likely not be him devouring it, but the mutated wild boar breaking his tree body instead. Still, one must have dreams; if he couldn¡¯t overcome it now, perhaps after evolving a few times he could. Next up was the allocation of points: 25 spirit points would directly increase the length of his roots from 27 meters to 32 meters. Then it was back to the monotonous hunting. As he had expected, the number of insects steadily declined hour by hour. If the bioenergy from the mutated frog was not taken into account, the spirit points he harvested in the third hour had diminished to 14. In the fourth hour, it decreased to 13 points. In the fifth hour, 8 points. In the sixth hour, 5 points. There was no helping this decline; as Ye Feng kept devouring, the number of insects in the vicinity was bound to plummet. Luckily, even in such a situation, by midnight, Ye Feng had finally achieved his goal. He had completed 100 allocations, and the length of his roots had reached a full 40 meters. Furthermore, for every 10 allocations, he could gain 1 evolution point. The evolution points on the system interface had also reached the maximum value of 10. He could finally evolve. ¡°Ding! Please choose a direction for strengthening.¡± Looking at the system prompt that popped up, Ye Feng was slightly surprised, and then he began to check the details. It turned out that during evolution, besides enhancing the tree body in all aspects, it was also possible to strengthen certain abilities in a specific direction of the body. For example, in the aspect of root length, it was possible to enhance: strength, flexibility, toughness, and repair speed. Every part of the body had similar enhancement directions, though there were certain differences. Tree height could increase the speed of spiritual energy absorption. Tree trunk width could increase the limit of energy storage, and so on. Of course, Ye Feng was currently only considering from the aspect of root length. The first thing he thought of was increasing strength, but after careful consideration, he ultimately chose to enhance the flexibility of his roots. What he lacked the most at the moment was flexibility. If his roots had been flexible enough, the mutated frog wouldn¡¯t have had any chance to escape earlier. Before the frog could react, a dozen roots could surge forward and firmly imprison it. After Ye Feng made his choice, the evolution officially began. A strange energy enveloped his entire body. With the help of this strange energy, drastic changes were happening throughout his body; his tree body was rapidly growing taller, the trunk was becoming thicker, and the roots were extending continuously. He felt a spiritual and physical sublimation. The evolution process was not long, taking merely 5 minutes, but he had undergone earth-shaking changes. Ye Feng immediately opened the system interface to check. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Height: 15 meters Tree Trunk Width: 0.75 meters Root Length: 50 meters Realm: Mid Stage First Order Evolution Points: 0/10 Special Ability: Devour Spirit Points: 0/150 Bioenergy: 20/150 The realm had broken through from Early Stage First Order to Mid Stage First Order. All three attributes had also significantly improved. Tree height increased by 5 meters, trunk width by 0.25 meters, and root length by 10 meters. ¡°To think it increased that much; my height has suddenly soared to 15 meters. If I keep evolving at this rate, I¡¯ll stick out like a sore thumb in this valley!¡± Ye Feng murmured to himself, unable to help it. In this valley, the tallest tree was just over 50 meters, and very few trees exceeded 20 meters in height. With his sudden spurt in growth, he had become somewhat conspicuous. If he evolved once more, advancing to Late Stage First Order, he would catch up to the top tier in terms of height. ¡°As long as my height doesn¡¯t exceed the 300-plus meter giant tree on Small Phoenix Mountain, the research institute shouldn¡¯t be targeting me yet, right?¡± Ye Feng felt a bit nervous; he did not wish to become a research subject. But soon he adjusted his mentality, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now; improving strength is what¡¯s most important. I can¡¯t just stop eating because I choked.¡± With the breakthrough in strength, it wasn¡¯t just that he had grown taller; in fact, his improvements spanned various aspects. His power, toughness, and repair speed all increased to varying degrees. If another mutated frog were to come along, it wouldn¡¯t be able to rip through the roots like before. However, these overall enhancements certainly couldn¡¯t compare to the abilities he specifically strengthened. A tree root burrowed out of the earth; before, he could only control the roots for whipping or simple binding. Attempting anything more complex was not possible. But now the flexibility was significantly greater; he could even use the roots to write on the ground. Although the writing was a little skewed and twisted, this was undoubtedly a major progression. At the same time, both the attack and movement speed of the roots had doubled from before. ¡°Previously, my success rate in hunting crickets was only about 70%. Now it can be increased to 100%,¡± Ye Feng assessed after familiarizing himself with his new capabilities for a moment. Next was to continue improving. In just 6 hours, he completed his first evolution, which naturally was cause for joy. But the problem hadn¡¯t been solved; the number of insects passing through his territory was still decreasing. ¡°If this continues, I estimate it will take a day¡¯s time to accumulate enough Evolution Points for the second breakthrough, and the speed of subsequent breakthroughs will probably slow down even more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even with my territory constantly expanding,¡± Ye Feng sighed to himself. Of course, there were solutions. After quickly clearing out the earthworms in the ground and insects on the surface, he directly aimed for the targets in the sky. For a tree to hunt targets in the air was sheer fantasy before. But now that the length of his main root had reached 50 meters, with lateral roots up to 40 meters. With the improved flexibility of the roots, he could weave them into a large net. If there were birds flying at low altitudes below 40 meters, he had at least a 60% certainty that he could catch them with his root net. Besides, the nearby trees, particularly a fig tree to the right, had cicadas on them, and one even had a bird¡¯s nest. All of these could be his food. Ye Feng scanned the area; there were no birds at this time. So, his first target was the cicadas still chirping on the Gingko Tree next door. A root broke through the soil, swiftly climbing up the trunk. But halfway up, the root stopped. Ye Feng was somewhat astonished to discover that when his root touched the Gingko Tree¡¯s trunk, he could activate his Devouring Ability. ¡°Right! Since my Devouring Ability can absorb the Spiritual Energy and Bioenergy of any creature, it naturally includes trees as well.¡± At this moment, Ye Feng, as if discovering a new treasure, spoke with an excitement that was hard to contain. He immediately activated his Devouring Ability and began to absorb Spiritual Energy and Bioenergy from the Gingko Tree. ¡°It really works!¡± As Ye Feng devoured, the leaves of the Gingko Tree began to yellow, and the part of the tree wrapped by his roots withered away. Watching this scene unfold, Ye Feng¡¯s excitement vanished instantly. Because he thought of a rather serious issue. He could devour other trees and grow quickly. But doing so, the surroundings would become bare in a few days. Then after a few more evolutions, as his tree body rapidly grew taller, it would stick out like a sore thumb, Probably even a casual satellite sweep over this valley would reveal something amiss. ¡°This won¡¯t do. If the trees wither away, not only will I be discovered, but it is likely to scare away the other mutated beings from coming close, effectively cutting off a large portion of Spiritual Energy,¡± Ye Feng felt troubled at that moment. He felt it out; this Gingko Tree could provide at least 30 Spirit Points if he absorbed it completely. It would be such a waste to let it go. ¡°Hm?¡± As he pondered over any good solutions, Ye Feng suddenly noticed that the Spiritual Energy inside the Gingko Tree had increased ever so slightly. Although it was weak, he caught it. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He instantly realized that these trees were also continuously absorbing the Spiritual Energy from the air. ¡°That means the Spiritual Energy inside these trees are renewable resources!¡± In this moment, Ye Feng¡¯s excitement caused even his roots to tremble. He could simply wait for the surrounding trees to absorb Spiritual Energy and then harvest it from them periodically. If he didn¡¯t consume too much Spiritual Energy at once, it wouldn¡¯t significantly impact the trees¡¯ growth. ¡°Yes, this is the best development path.¡± ¡°Later on, I could even have the entire forest sustain my growth.¡± Chapter 4 - 4 4 The Wonderful Use of Spiritual Energy_1 ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 The Wonderful Use of Spiritual Energy_1 Chapter 4: Chapter 4 The Wonderful Use of Spiritual Energy_1 Following that, Ye Feng conducted a meticulous study of the trees around him. Generally speaking, plants that are 20 meters tall can absorb about 0.1 Spirit Point per hour. This means that the absorption rate of these trees is only one-tenth of his. Of course, this is not hard to understand, as he is the World Tree and cannot be compared to other trees. He then tested other trees and found that as long as he devoured Spiritual Energy in a single instance without exceeding the amount the other absorbed in an hour, it would not have an impact on them. ¡°Good, then I can harvest once every hour.¡± Ye Feng turned his gaze to the other trees, as the length of his Main Root had now reached a full 50 meters. 50 meters might not seem long. But if you draw a circle with a radius of 50 meters, the area you get is 7850 square meters. Ye Feng¡¯s Main Root now controls an area that large. Within this vast area, there are roughly 150 trees growing. However, these trees vary in height, ranging from seven or eight to over twenty meters, and each absorbs a different amount of Spiritual Energy per hour. Especially those trees that are not even 10 meters tall, after an hour, the amount of Spiritual Energy they absorb is less than 0.05 Point. Of course, even a mosquito is meat, and all the numbers added up are sure to be substantial. Ye Feng dispatched hundreds of Tree Roots to quickly harvest a wave of Spiritual Energy, soon earning 10 Spirit Points. Besides the trees, the bushes and some thicker wild grasses also became his targets. All these plants together added another 3 Spirit Points for him. Furthermore, his Tree Body now stood at a height of 15 meters, allowing him to absorb 1.5 Spirit Points per hour. That is to say, even if he did nothing now, he could harvest 14.5 Spirit Points in an hour, which would be 348 Spirit Points in a day. After calculating this number, Ye Feng¡¯s leaves rustled excitedly. ¡°Stay calm, I must stay calm. After all, I¡¯m the World Tree, considered a king of this world, how can I be so proud over such a harvest?¡± ¡°Unless I really can¡¯t contain myself, hahaha!¡± After the excitement, Ye Feng viewed every tree around him with friendliness. These were his subjects, and he should fulfill his responsibilities as a ¡°Lord¡±. For instance, the Ficus tree to his right had several caterpillars nibbling on its leaves, which he promptly extended his roots to devour. He went from tree to tree like this, hunting down caterpillars, cicadas, and other insects one by one. He then began to Devour the weeds. Even though these weeds could also provide him with Spiritual Energy, the issue was that the amount they provided was too little, estimated at only about 0.001 Point per hour. Collecting them every hour would only waste his time, so instead, he chose to Devour them directly, which provided a decent amount of Spiritual Energy at once. Of course, Ye Feng didn¡¯t clear out all the weeds, just those he found unsightly. After about half an hour, he had ¡°taken care of¡± his territory. ¡°Mm, much more pleasing to the eyes now.¡± Ye Feng glanced over his territory. No insect disturbances and no randomly grown weeds, replaced by neatly maintained grasslands. Of course, the most important thing was that after half an hour of tidying up, he had gained another 35 Spirit Points. The only slightly irritating thing was the Gingko Tree next to him with its yellowing leaves. ¡°Ah~ little buddy, I won¡¯t drain your Spiritual Energy for a while. You grow well, and later when you work hard, I¡¯ll have your back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity, though, that I can¡¯t give the Spiritual Energy back to you¡­¡± Ye Feng mumbled to himself, then suddenly paused. ¡°Wait a second, perhaps it¡¯s worth a try.¡± Ye Feng pulled out a root and once again wrapped it around the ginkgo tree. This time, he used his Devouring Ability in reverse, and to his surprise, he felt the spiritual energy from his own body being injected into the ginkgo tree. ¡°It actually works.¡± Ye Feng was somewhat astonished. What astonished him even more was that as the spiritual energy was infused, the previously yellowing leaves of the ginkgo tree turned green at a rate visible to the naked eye. Even the section of the tree body that had been withered for some time regained vigor within just a few minutes. ¡°Spiritual energy really has such magical effects!¡± However, Ye Feng also noticed that the consumption for extraction and restoration was different. Previously, he had withdrawn 3 spirit points from the ginkgo tree, but he had to inject a full 6 spirit points into it to restore the tree to its original state. ¡°Although it¡¯s a bit of a loss, it¡¯s still acceptable.¡± After all, the difficulty of destruction and repair was never going to be the same. Using twice the amount of spiritual energy, he felt, was acceptable. Even though the ginkgo tree had been restored, Ye Feng didn¡¯t stop; he continued to infuse it with spiritual energy. He wanted to confirm another hypothesis he had. As he kept pumping spiritual energy into the ginkgo tree, just as he expected, the tree began to grow rapidly. But, unlike him, perhaps because these plants lacked consciousness, their growth was all-encompassing: the tip height, tree width, and main root length all increased. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ye Feng made a rough estimate; the growth rate of the tree¡¯s main root length was only about one-thirtieth of his own, which is to say, it grew about 0.66 centimeters per minute. He also discovered that the tree¡¯s capacity to store spiritual energy was very limited. After he injected 5 spirit points into it, he couldn¡¯t infuse any more. ¡°With this in mind, it seems that the potential for ordinary trees to mutate is quite limited.¡± ¡°Of course, not all are like this. For example, the one on Small Phoenix Mountain is very special.¡± While summarizing his findings, Ye Feng retracted the spiritual energy he had injected into the tree back into himself. Experiments were experiments, after all; he couldn¡¯t actually give away the spiritual energy. Helping the tree to restore its body was just a means to better serve his own purposes. Ye Feng glanced at the remaining 44 spirit points on the system panel, planning to allocate them in a new round of enhancements. It was at that moment, as his gaze swept over the corpse beneath the tree, that a thought emerged in his mind. ¡°If spiritual energy is so miraculous, could I resurrect myself by infusing spiritual energy into my original body?¡± Although he felt that being a tree wasn¡¯t too bad, it couldn¡¯t compare to being a human. With that thought in his head, he could no longer contain himself. He immediately extended a root to touch his own body, then applied his Devouring Ability in reverse, incessantly infusing a stream of spiritual energy into it. Then, to his delight, he found the body, which had been dead and stiff for some time, gradually became softer, and the livor mortis that had developed began to disappear. Eventually, the bite wounds from poisonous snakes began to heal, and even the venom inside seemed to be neutralized. In the end, he saw his own complexion become rosy, as though he might open his eyes at any moment. But, this scene ultimately did not happen. The heartbeat did not return, nor did the breathing. Unable to continue infusing spiritual energy, Ye Feng finally stopped, feeling a sense of wistful disappointment. His emotions were also quite complex. If his body had opened its eyes, would he still be himself? However, he quickly discarded this notion, determined to find a way to resurrect himself. Even if it was not possible now, he believed that with continuous evolution, there would come a day when he could do it. In regard to his original body, he discovered that as long as it was filled with spiritual energy, it could maintain its preserved state indefinitely without decay. The price he had to pay was merely 10 spirit points a day. Spending 10 spirit points every day to hold onto the hope for resurrection was well worth it. Chapter 5 - 5 5 Parents Call_1 ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Parents Call_1 Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Parents Call_1 After a series of trials, Ye Feng finally began to add points. However, aiding the Gingko Tree cost him 6 Spirit Points, and healing his own body took another 20 Spirit Points. In the end, to maintain his body¡¯s condition, he infused another 10 Spirit Points. After all that effort, the original 50 Spirit Points dwindled down to only 14. But discovering that Spiritual Energy had so many wonderful uses, he didn¡¯t feel the loss too painfully. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mainly, being able to ¡°collect¡± every hour gave him greater confidence. The 14 Spirit Points were quickly used up, and the length of his roots increased by another 2.8 meters. It¡¯s worth mentioning that Ye Feng found as he broke through to Mid Stage First Order, the speed of root growth during points addition had also increased significantly. Whereas it took one minute to complete points addition before, now it had shortened to 50 seconds. This meant that in the future, he wouldn¡¯t have to spend a lot of time on adding points. This was undoubtedly good news. Because as his territory expanded, the amount of Spirit Points was sure to increase. If the speed of adding points remained unchanged, there might well come a time when the collection speed of Spirit Points surpassed their consumption. Of course, that was a beautiful vision, but for now, it was essential to develop steadily. With an increase of 2.8 meters in root length, his territory naturally expanded. So, he first carried out a round of harvesting, clearing away weeds, and devouring any insects that had strayed into his territory. Having done all this, he finally began to rest and sleep. Of course, as a tree, he didn¡¯t actually need to sleep now. However, Ye Feng wanted to retain some human habits. Mainly because he no longer cared for the occasional ant passing by. Rather than wait foolishly, better to sleep and harvest a wave of Spiritual Energy every hour. The night passed in this tranquil atmosphere. The next day, at 6 a.m. Ye Feng glanced at his system panel, and his root length had reached 70 meters. At the same time, Evolution Points had reached their maximum value, allowing for another evolution. This time, Ye Feng chose to strengthen the strength attribute of his roots. After 5 minutes, the evolution was complete. He successfully broke through to Late Stage First Order. Now, his Tree Body had reached a height of 20 meters, which was considered tall in this valley. The width of his Tree Body was also 1 meter. But most importantly, his root length had reached a full 80 meters. With the current range of his territory, the Spiritual Energy harvested per hour had reached 18 points. Plus, with his current Tree Body height, he could absorb another 2 points of Spiritual Energy per hour. Without doing anything, he could gain 20 Spirit Points in an hour. But what was even more important¡­ He extended a root and gave a strong whip on the ground, immediately leaving a clear mark on it. Then he controlled another root, approaching a nearby bush, chose a shorter Juniper, and with force, he lifted it slowly from the soil. ¡°At this point, my root¡¯s pulling strength should reach about 30 pounds,¡± Ye Feng was quite satisfied. Considering this referred to the strength of a single root, hundreds of roots working together could even move an object weighing over 3000 pounds. ¡°With my current strength, I could even hunt some animals that are not too large,¡± Ye Feng thought. At this moment, he thought of that Mutated Wild Boar, the size of a small car. ¡°I must not get ahead of myself. That Mutated Wild Boar is at least Second Stage, or even Third Order. I cannot be reckless,¡± Ye Feng warned himself silently. He must remain cautious now because others, if unable to fight, could flee. But he could not run. Of course, the other plans could still be implemented. Such as weaving a network of roots to trap birds. With his current strength, as long as he could bind them, there were hardly any birds that could break free. Now that his Main root had reached 80 meters and the lateral roots were about 64 meters, the range he could hunt within was quite broad. After all, 64 meters was equivalent to the height of a 21-story building. By then the sky had gradually lightened, and Ye Feng saw birds starting to come out to forage in the distance. However, what he first encountered was not any bird but Mutated Bats. First came a bat flying by, closely followed by a flock of bats swooping in. At this moment, Ye Feng had already set aside his bird hunting plan. After all, he wasn¡¯t picky, any mutated being would do. Watching the large group of bats glide through the low sky, Ye Feng quickly used tree roots to weave a giant net, 5 meters wide. He then concealed this huge net within the dense foliage at the treetop. When the flock of bats soared over the treetop, the giant net enveloped them instantly. But bats are naturally agile, and now, after mutation, not only had their size increased but their speed was beyond comparison to before. At the moment they sensed danger, they turned into streaks of black shadows. Hundreds of bats scattered in a flash. Their flying speed was simply too fast for Ye Feng¡¯s tree roots to match. However, his sneak attack had placed the tree net hidden right above them, very close to the bats. Plus, with the net spanning 5 meters wide, it was indeed large enough that not all of the hundreds of bats could escape, and in the end, two were caught. These mutated bats, when spreading their wings, had a wingspan of half a meter each, and each flap could generate a tremendous force. They had also evolved sharp fangs and claws. The tree roots they attacked quickly bore slash marks. Watching this scene unfold, Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but feel alarmed. If he hadn¡¯t broken through to the Late Stage First Order, becoming stronger, he estimated that the struggle of just these two bats could have torn apart his tree net. But now, since they couldn¡¯t break free in the first instance, the tree net swiftly tightened, and they had no chance anymore. This huge tree net was woven by Ye Feng using 50 tree roots, and the combined strength of all the roots could exert a force of 1500 jin. Crack! Crack! As the tree net constricted, the sounds of bones breaking emitted from the two mutated bats. Next was the time to Devour. Together, the two mutated bats provided Ye Feng with a total of 50 Spirit Points. ¡°Hunting really does bring in a high income!¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but remark as he looked at the Spirit Point count on his system panel. With just two more bats, he would have enough Spirit Points to evolve again. However, it seemed that after mutation, not only had the animals¡¯ bodies become stronger, but they also appeared to have become smarter. The bats that had dispersed didn¡¯t dare to approach any closer, and they also surrounded Ye Feng, emitting shrill cries. This directly led to no other bats, or even avian creatures coming near his location. ¡°Dammit, they¡¯re even trying to sicken me now,¡± Ye Feng cursed to himself, but he didn¡¯t have a better plan. He could only continue to lie low and develop. Fortunately, hunting was just an additional source of growth; harvesting the Spiritual Energy of plants was his mainstay. He began silently adding points. With 50 Spirit Points, he could extend his tree roots another 10 meters and had additionally accumulated 5 Evolution Points. In just over two more hours, he would be able to evolve once more. Ye Feng adjusted his plans internally. It was then that the sudden ringing of a phone startled him out of his tree body. He looked down, eyeing the body that lay as if in deep slumber, and after a brief silence, he extended a tree root to fetch a mobile phone from the pocket. The caller ID clearly displayed the words ¡®Mother¡¯. Looking at the screen, Ye Feng felt a twinge of sorrow. According to the mission plan he received before, if all went well, he would have been able to return that very evening. Now it was already the second morning, and he guessed that the school must have assumed they were sacrifices and notified his parents. Ye Feng just watched silently as the phone, not able to speak even if he had answered the call, which was pointless. Even if he could talk, he hadn¡¯t yet decided on a good excuse to give. Following that, his parents made several more consecutive calls, and the school also called once. But Ye Feng could only silently watch. ¡°Just give me some more time, I can go back eventually,¡± Ye Feng assured himself firmly. He wasn¡¯t too worried about his parents¡¯ situation at the moment. Before carrying out the mission, the research institution had allocated funds, and he had already transferred 100,000 yuan to his parents¡¯ account. Moreover, according to the agreement signed with the insurance company, as long as they were missing for three days, an accidental insurance compensation of 1 million yuan would be deposited into his parents¡¯ account. After waiting for another fifteen minutes. Once the phone calls ceased, Ye Feng, controlling the phone with his roots, entered the password to unlock it, then immediately went online to check the news. As expected, on Yang City¡¯s news, there were reports regarding their squad. ¡ª¡ª New book seeks recommendation tickets, contributions, thanks! Chapter 6 - 6 6 Explosive News_1 ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Explosive News_1 Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Explosive News_1 ¡°It¡¯s really lucky that a survivor managed to escape back,¡± Ye Feng glanced at the photo, noticing that it was one of the security guards. In the picture, he was wrapped in several bandages, and according to his description, he had broken a rib while being chased by a wild boar. After successfully escaping, he encountered other mutated beings and fled all the way. He was fortunate enough to run into a large supply convoy on the road, which allowed him to return alive; otherwise, he would have faced certain death. ¡°The wilderness is getting more and more dangerous!¡± Ye Feng¡¯s expression was a bit solemn. Not to mention others, just the mutated bats that he had just hunted were quite dangerous for humans to encounter in the wild. If they encountered a flock, even armed, they would die. Of course, he only glanced at the report twice before closing it and started checking other information. For him, there was still one thing to confirm. That was whether the school or research institutions would send out search parties to look for their bodies. If they really came searching, it would definitely be a troublesome matter for him. But perhaps the news brought back by the rescued survivor was too horrifying, deterring other teams from taking on the high-risk task of searching for bodies, so he saw no such information. ¡°It¡¯s best if they don¡¯t come looking; it would also give me an excuse to return later.¡± While muttering to himself, Ye Feng opened up the international news section. This was something he used to do every day. Compared to domestic areas, some places had mutated animals evolving even more rapidly. Like the Amazon Jungle. The mutated beings there are often considered first-tier entities. He had just opened the international news section and glanced at the top news when he almost lost grip on his phone. #The 1st City Overrun by Mutated Creatures# Ye Feng hastily clicked to read this news, finding out that the city which had been wiped out was a small one in Ah San Country. Of course, even if that city was small, it still had more than 200,000 inhabitants, and the worldwide sensation caused by such news could be well imagined. Below this news was an attached video. Ye Feng clicked to watch it, and at the beginning, it was intense gunfire. From the video, that appeared to be a local militia organization, engaged in heavy combat with the mutated beings. And among the mutated creatures, what stood out the most were mutated buffalos the size of small trucks. As everyone knows, in Ah San Country, cows are sacred animals. The people don¡¯t eat beef, and there were even cases of wild buffalo overpopulation. Because of the large number, the mutated wild buffalos in Ah San Country were especially abundant, with more than a dozen charging together in the video. They were like a dozen tanks smashing everything in their path, houses collapsing one after another. They even withstood the firepower of automatic rifles, chasing down the humans who fought against them. Bullets hitting their body, although creating visible wounds, could penetrate only four or five centimeters at most before being stopped by their sturdy muscles, inflicting no fatal damage. It was not until a rocket shell was fired that one of the mutated wild buffalos was finally killed. But killing a single buffalo had no critical effect on the outcome of the battle. Moreover, the biggest harm to the militia was not from these mutated buffalos, but from the large and agile mutated mice. They nimbly maneuvered through the gunfire, quickly approaching the militia members before launching into a biting frenzy. Even if the armed members rapidly dispatched the mice with military knives, they were already torn and bleeding heavily in the process. Killing a few mutated mice was futile; just the ones captured by the camera numbered in the hundreds. If one were to count the entire city, the number would be unfathomably high. Although the mutated buffalos and mice were the main forces of this war, they were not the ones causing most harm to civilians. The most damage was caused by ubiquitous mutated mosquitoes. The latter half of the video was from a high-definition camera at the entrance of a bank. You could see people running frantically, pursued by a dense swarm of mutated mosquitoes behind them. They swarmed like dark clouds, even obscuring the sky. These mutated mosquitoes, the size of common cockroaches, could overwhelm and drown a normal adult in seconds. After a short ten seconds, as the mutated mosquitoes flew away, only a desiccated corpse remained. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. What followed was a large swarm of mutated flies and cockroaches quickly devouring the bodies on the ground. Even Ye Feng felt uneasy watching this scene, and the comments below the video were already exploding. ¡°Watching this, I¡¯m shaking with fear, just went to check my home¡¯s mosquito netting again.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Upstairs, if mosquitoes keep mutating like this, mosquito netting won¡¯t be able to stop them, let alone the cockroaches, mice, and the like! I¡¯ve decided, I¡¯ll join the city¡¯s pest control team as a volunteer tomorrow.¡± ¡°Does no one notice the huge size of those mutated mice in the video? Not counting their tails, they¡¯re 30 centimeters long. Does this mean the mutated mice in our country will also be this big in the future? [Terrified]¡± Watching the heated discussions online, Ye Feng grew solemn. This incident could be seen as a signpost, Although mutated animals varied in the extent of their mutations across the world, it was only a matter of time. The occurrences in Ah San Country were likely to happen in other countries, Hua Country included. ¡°I¡¯m still not strong enough. I have to become so powerful that, when faced with a crisis, I can protect my family and even the entire region,¡± Ye Feng thought to himself. He glanced at the news again and noticed his phone¡¯s battery was down to 51%, so he immediately chose to turn it off. Now this phone was his only means of getting information from the outside world, and he couldn¡¯t afford to waste even a bit of battery. Next, Ye Feng returned to his harvesting work. As insect activity increased in the morning, the speed of his Spiritual Energy earnings also picked up considerably. The Mutated Mosquitoes in the sky also caught his attention, While they were not as terrifying as those in the video, they were still significantly large. Each Mutated Mosquito was at least the size of a fingertip. Given the current situation, evolving to the size of a normal cockroach probably wouldn¡¯t take more than a month. So within his capabilities, he planned to conduct a sweep of these Mutated Mosquitoes. But as he actually set to work, he found it was not so easy; the mosquitoes had become much quicker in both reflexes and flight speed after mutating. Squashing them was harder than smashing a fly. His roots weren¡¯t that nimble. To hunt these Mutated Mosquitoes, he could only rely on his web of roots, but even so, he could catch at most two or three Mutated Mosquitoes at a time. And they only provided 0.1 Spirit Points each. It was time-consuming, strenuous, and the rewards were scant, Ye Feng chose to give it up. For now, it was more important to capture other insects and enhance himself first. After adjusting his strategy, it took only an hour and a half for his roots to reach a length of 100 meters. At the same time, his Evolution Points accumulated to 10, allowing him another chance to evolve. ¡°The speed of these breakthroughs is getting faster and faster,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but remark. ¡°Ding! Please choose a direction to strengthen.¡± Facing the system prompt that popped up once again, Ye Feng frowned in deep thought. This time, he chose to enhance the toughness of his roots. When he was hunting the Mutated Bats, his roots couldn¡¯t withstand their sharp claws and teeth at all. It was only because he moved fast that they barely avoided being cut. If he had hesitated for a few more seconds, his roots might have been severed. The toughness of the roots was equivalent to strengthening the defensive power, which was quite necessary. Otherwise, hunting larger beasts in the future would be no fun if his roots snapped at the slightest tug. After selecting the direction to strengthen, Ye Feng entered into the state of evolution. In just five minutes, he underwent another earth-shattering transformation. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 25 meters Trunk Width: 1.25 meters Root Length: 110 meters Realm: First Order Peak Evolution Points: 0/10 points Special Ability: Devour Spiritual Energy Value: 0/200 points Bioenergy: 30/200 points Looking at his system panel, Ye Feng was quite satisfied. All aspects had seen a great improvement, especially the roots, which were enhanced in strength, flexibility, and toughness. He felt like he could rightly claim to be unrivaled in this valley. Of course, there were aspects he was not satisfied with, The 25-meter height of his Tree Body after another breakthrough made him quite conspicuous in this valley. Now there were no more than 20 trees taller than him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid after a few more evolutions, I¡¯ll stick out like a sore thumb,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself. But the current him couldn¡¯t afford to stop; he could only hope to be discovered later rather than sooner. As his roots grew longer and his territory further expanded, Ye Feng could now gather a formidable 35 Spirit Points per hour. So, by the time noon arrived, he was ready to evolve again. And by now, he was at the First Order Peak. Next up was the breakthrough of a Big Realm. Chapter 7 - 7 7 New Abilities_1 ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 New Abilities_1 Chapter 7: Chapter 7 New Abilities_1 As he was about to make a breakthrough, Ye Feng opened the system panel to take a look. In the past two hours, he had added points to his root length a hundred times. His root length skyrocketed once again, reaching 130 meters. With the territory range increasing once more, he could now harvest 40 Spirit Points per hour without doing anything. To be honest, Ye Feng had not expected everything to go so smoothly. And now, he was about to face the biggest turning point in his tree life. He took a deep breath and clicked the evolve button. ¡°Ding! Please select the direction for enhancement.¡± Seeing the system prompt that popped up, Ye Feng did not hesitate; this time, he directly chose the repair speed. There were four options for root enhancement: strength, flexibility, toughness, and repair speed. Since he had enhanced the first three, he did not want to leave any flaws for himself, so he enhanced all four directions in turn. With his choice made, the evolution quickly began. This time, the evolution was more intense than it had ever been before. Moreover, the evolution time had extended from the original 5 minutes to 10 minutes. After the evolution was completed, he immediately opened the system panel to check. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 35 meters Trunk Width: 1.75 meters Root Length: 150 meters Realm: Stage Two Initial Evolution Points: 0/40 Points Special Ability: Devour, Capture Spirit Points: 0/350 Points Bioenergy: 115/350 Points Firstly, there were his own three attributes. In terms of height, it had jumped from the original 25 meters straight to 35 meters. Honestly, this gave Ye Feng quite the shock. Surveying the entire valley, his height could now rank within the top five. Furthermore, at this rate of growth, just two more evolutions would make him first without question. ¡°It seems I am truly standing out from the forest!¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself. Of course, asking him to stop evolving was out of the question; he could only take things one step at a time from here on out. As for the increase in trunk width, there¡¯s not much to say about it. It increased, but only served to boost the storage capacity for Spirit Points and Bioenergy. There¡¯s no need to mention Spirit Points; he basically never stored them since he would use them immediately to add points. In contrast, an increase in the storage capacity for Bioenergy seemed to have some utility. Although he was constantly using Bioenergy, its total amount was still increasing; after all, his Devouring Ability could absorb both types of energy back. Moreover, the main use for the increased root length was to absorb Bioenergy, leading to his ever-growing Bioenergy reserves. Not knowing whether Bioenergy had any other uses, all he could do was to save it up. Lastly, there was the root length, which underwent the biggest change. Needless to say regarding length, the 150-meter span allowed his territory to expand yet another circle. Compared to the extension of the roots, he cared more about the ¡°quality¡± of these roots. The breakthrough of the Big Realm was akin to an all-around strengthened enhancement. Compared to before, the roots had undergone a complete transformation. Whoosh! A tree root as thick as a forearm burst out of the ground like a swift whip and directly struck the nearby ginkgo tree. Bang! A dull thud echoed, and the ginkgo tree, losing bark, sported a 5-centimeter deep dent on its trunk. But Ye Feng¡¯s root was unscathed, and even the surface of the root system was undamaged. It was clear that the ¡°material¡± of the two was not on the same level. Ye Feng estimated that the force he had exerted with that lash was at least 100 pounds. He only needed to pull out 10 roots, twist them into a ¡°rope,¡± and a single strike would wield a force of over a thousand pounds, enough to snap the ginkgo tree in half. ¡°With my current strength, facing those mutated bats again, one root would easily subdue them.¡± ¡°In other words, my combat power now is at least equivalent to 200 mutated bats,¡± Ye Feng contemplated. Without a standard reference, he could only measure his strength against the mutated bats. The reason he said he could defeat 200 mutated bats, not 100, was because¡­ ¡­ upon breaking through to the Second Stage, he had grown an additional main root and 100 side roots!!! Without any exaggeration, this breakthrough to a Big Realm massively boosted his combat power. Of course, aside from the aspects mentioned above, there was another point on the system panel that captured his attention. His gaze fell onto the section for Special Ability. Besides the Devouring Ability, another ability had surfaced: Capture Ability. He tapped it with his thoughts, and immediately, the details of this ability appeared in his mind. ¡°After using the ability, there is a certain chance to capture other creatures. The success rate is determined by the difference in strength between both parties.¡± ¡°At the current stage, up to 20 creatures can be captured. Death releases the relationship.¡± While the description was somewhat simplistic, it was enough to light up Ye Feng¡¯s eyes. ¡°After capturing other creatures, can I directly control them?¡± As Ye Feng pondered, he began looking for a target. The first things he spotted were, of course, the various insects within his territory. But he passed over these immediately; capturing such small fry was of no use. Soon, his gaze shifted to the banyan tree to his left. In the tree was a bird¡¯s nest with two sparrows and several eggs inside. Originally destined to be his food, he refrained from eating them upon realizing he could Devour Spiritual Energy from other trees. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, he quite liked these small birds. He thought it would be nice to raise a couple to alleviate some solitude. Now, they were proving to be useful. If he could capture these sparrows, his control over the sky would undoubtedly be strengthened. Acting upon his thoughts, dozens of roots burst forth from the ground. Some crept silently up the trunk of the banyan tree, while others used the nearby trees for camouflage, hiding within their canopies. Ye Feng was exceedingly careful, setting up a trap even for two little sparrows. In fact, these two Mutated Sparrows were already very wary of Ye Feng, given that the growth rate of the World Tree was astoundingly fast. But there were eggs in the nest, and they were reluctant to leave. As the two approaching roots were spotted, the sparrows immediately took flight. If this had happened before Ye Feng¡¯s breakthrough, they might have escaped. But now, the speed of the moving roots almost matched their flight. Moreover, with the extensive trap Ye Feng had laid, roots shot out from the tops of the nearby trees as the sparrows took to the air. A large net formed in the sky, swiftly enveloping the birds. Without any surprises, the two sparrows were firmly entangled by the roots. As the roots entwined the sparrows, Ye Feng discovered he could now use his Capture Ability. ¡°Do not resist. Become my captives, and I assure you a life more comfortable than before,¡± Ye Feng said as he activated the ability. Chapter 8 - 8 8 Capture_1 ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Capture_1 Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Capture_1 These two little sparrows had no power to resist in front of Ye Feng. With the activation of the Capture Ability, the two sparrows quickly entered a stunned state. Of course, the process did not take too long, just a minute later, a smile appeared on Ye Feng¡¯s face. ¡°Done!¡± Ye Feng immediately opened the system panel, and now, below the main panel, an additional subordinate panel appeared. It displayed the basic information of the two Mutated Sparrows. Name: Mutated Sparrow Realm: Mid Stage First Order Loyalty: 80% ¡°Just Mid Stage First Order? No wonder they¡¯re so weak,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but say. Of course, Ye Feng understood that weakness, apart from realm, also depended on the type of animal. If it weren¡¯t a sparrow but a hawk instead, a Mid Stage First Order would probably possess decent combat power. After making a comment, his gaze was quickly drawn to the attribute of Loyalty. Following his thought, he clicked and soon saw the system¡¯s explanatory note. He then realized that for captured beings, their initial Loyalty level varied depending on their intelligence. Loyalty could increase or decrease, and if it fell below 60%, there was a possibility of breaking free from the capture effect. But if Loyalty could reach 100%, it would be akin to a suicide soldier; even if asked to commit suicide right away, they would carry out the command without hesitation. Also, reaching 100% Loyalty could trigger a hidden ability: Possession! It allowed putting one¡¯s consciousness into the captured target to take full control. After reading the system introduction, Ye Feng immediately understood the importance of Loyalty. ¡°The initial Loyalty is already at 80%, which is not too low, but how can I increase it?¡± Ye Feng wondered while extending his roots towards the two sparrows. Because they were already captured, the two sparrows were no longer afraid of Ye Feng and even approached his roots with a sense of familiarity. After entwining them, Ye Feng weighed the situation; in reality, the size of these two sparrows had grown considerably after their mutation, a few times larger than normal sparrows, almost the size of a pigeon. Of course, they were still very small in his presence. He first used the roots to play with the two little sparrows, wishing to see if playing with birds could increase Loyalty. Maybe this method was completely ineffective, or perhaps the duration of playing was not long enough. Either way, after toying with them for 10 minutes, the Loyalty rate on the system panel had not budged at all. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to cost me,¡± muttered Ye Feng. He first harvested a wave of Spiritual Energy from his territory, then wrapped the two sparrows with his roots and activated his Devouring Ability. Naturally, it was in reverse. He infused Spiritual Power into the two sparrows, and as the Spiritual Energy was injected, the sparrows began to chirp excitedly. At the same time, Ye Feng could see through the system panel that their Loyalty was soaring rapidly, rising from 80% to 85% in just a few minutes. After Ye Feng had infused 5 points of Spiritual Energy into each of the sparrows, he sensed they could no longer contain any more and stopped. ¡°Follow me, and you¡¯ll have plenty of Spiritual Energy,¡± Ye Feng communicated his intentions through the capture contract. Immediately the two sparrows became even more excited, and their Loyalty actually increased by another 1%. This invariably brought yet another smile to Ye Feng¡¯s face. Of course, these two sparrows, he wasn¡¯t raising them for nothing. After giving a wave of spiritual energy, he immediately issued them new commands. ¡°Go outside, and whether it¡¯s by luring, enticing, provoking, or other means, lead the other birds here.¡± He could capture up to 20 beings, and he had captured only two so far; naturally, he wanted to fill this quota. Moreover, since he could infuse these animals with spiritual energy in reverse, he was fully capable of helping them evolve quickly. He believed that soon, he would have a team of animals with exceptional combat power. Since he couldn¡¯t move now, capturing other animals to work for him became especially important. Upon receiving the command, the two sparrows quickly sprang into action. Truth be told, two mutated sparrows were absolutely at the bottom of the food chain compared to other mutated beings. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t dare provoke other birds, but at this moment, they seemed emboldened. They circled in the air, found a mutated crow, and flew straight at it, pecking with their beaks. Facing the mutated black crow, which was several times larger than themselves, the outcome of such provocation was predictable¡ªthey got a taste of their own medicine. One sparrow was slashed with a bloody wound on its back. But for some reason, the two sparrows seemed to become fiercer the more they fought. ¡°Damn, why aren¡¯t they smart at all?¡± Ye Feng watched this scene from a distance and immediately gave the order to retreat. Although the black crow held the upper hand and had one of its wings pecked, it relentlessly pursued the two fleeing sparrows. While the process wasn¡¯t smooth, the result was good¡ªthe black crow had been lured here. What came next was easy; Ye Feng had set up an intricate trap. The length of his main root had reached 150 meters, with lateral roots extending 120 meters. Additionally, having broken through to the Second Stage, the speed of his roots¡¯ movement was now not much slower than that of the average bird, so these mutated bird species couldn¡¯t escape once they got close. As the black crow approached, the roots that had been hidden in the treetops shot out, and in the blink of an eye, they bound the crow. Capturing it was next. What surprised Ye Feng was that capturing the black crow took significantly longer than capturing the sparrows, taking about two minutes, and he felt a will resisting him as he used his capture ability. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, due to the gap in strength, no matter how the black crow resisted, it was eventually captured. The next moment, Ye Feng saw the updated content on the attachment panel and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Name: Mutated Black Crow Realm: Mid Stage First Order Loyalty: 75% ¡°How is this initial loyalty calculated? It¡¯s 5% less.¡± While saying this, Ye Feng infused spiritual power into the black crow. The black crow was able to absorb more spiritual energy, taking a full 7 points of spiritual energy before it was enough, but what darkened Ye Feng¡¯s face was that, after absorbing 7 points of his spiritual energy, the loyalty had only increased by 4%. If he wasn¡¯t in urgent need of some subordinates, he would have devoured the black crow on the spot. Afterward, he used spiritual energy to help the three underlings heal. 10 minutes later, he sent them out again. It took ten minutes, but this time, they lured back two bats. Ye Feng devoured one directly and captured the other. He quickly found that this bat, just like the black crow, had an initial loyalty of only 75%, and even after filling them with spiritual energy, the loyalty increased by only 4%. An occurrence with one could be an accident, but the same issue with two indicated that there must be some sort of pattern to it. Chapter 9 - 9 9 The Team Grows_1 ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Team Grows_1 Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Team Grows_1 ¡°Whether it¡¯s a black crow or a bat, when I captured them, I felt a faint will to resist.¡± ¡°Does this mean that the stronger they are, the stronger their will to resist, and the lower the loyalty after they are captured?¡± ¡°But why does infusing them with spiritual energy yield different increases in loyalty?¡± Ye Feng frowned in thought. Just then, the two sparrows he had healed came chirping and flying over again. Through the capture ability, he could feel that these two little sparrows were growing more attached to him, and they felt very secure after coming close to him. Sensing the emotions the little creatures emitted, Ye Feng had an epiphany, ¡°Could it be that the weaker the creature is, the easier it is to increase the loyalty after receiving my help?¡± The more Ye Feng thought about it, the more likely it seemed; after all, the weaker creatures faced harsh survival conditions in the wild and could easily become prey for others. Providing them with protection and helping them to enhance their strength, it was only natural for their loyalty to skyrocket. As for the stronger creatures, they were already predators in nature and could survive well without anyone¡¯s help. In such a case, it made sense for the increase in loyalty to be less after receiving help. Ye Feng quickly stopped dwelling on this issue. In his opinion, it was sufficient as long as the loyalty of the creatures he captured was not below 60%. What he needed was simply that they would not betray him. However, this train of thought did not last long. Just an hour later, he discovered something that gave him a headache. The reason was his limited field of vision. Although his height had reached 35 meters and his ¡°vision¡± had greatly improved after breaking through to the Second Stage, even so, he could only see up to 3 kilometers away at most. Beyond that distance, things were unclear. That is to say, if the animals he captured left this range, he would not be able to see what they were doing and thus unable to give orders in real-time. He finally understood why after reaching 100% system loyalty, the ability for possession appeared. Only through possession could he command these animals without the constraint of distance! ¡°It seems that continuously building rapport is something I cannot interrupt.¡± Ye Feng made some adjustments to his following plans. ¡­ Time silently passed, and an afternoon quickly went by. When the afterglow of the setting sun cast a reddish hue over the valley, six animals were neatly lined up in front of him. Two sparrows, a black crow, a bat, along with a king cobra and a mouse. A mutated king cobra and mutated mouse¡ªthese were his accomplishments for the afternoon. Among the group, the strongest in cultivation was surprisingly the mutated mouse, which had reached the First Order Peak. Of course, if it came to a real fight, the snake, as thick as a thigh and over 5 meters long, was definitely the strongest. It also ranked second in realm, having reached the Late Stage of the First Order. Ye Feng was not satisfied with his afternoon¡¯s harvest. Apart from the king cobra, the other mutated beings were simply no match in a fight. But this was unavoidable, as the location he was in was merely a valley near a city, not a nature reserve or a large forest. The number of animals was naturally low. As for mutated animals, they were even rarer. In the afternoon, Ye Feng also experimented with capturing non-mutated animals, trying to infuse them with spiritual energy to see if it could directly cause them to mutate. But the results were not promising. These non-mutated animals seemed not to absorb the spiritual energy at all. The spiritual energy he infused was exhaled with their breath. Ye Feng could actually understand this situation; if they were truly capable of absorbing spiritual energy, they would have likely mutated already. ¡°An entire afternoon has passed, and I haven¡¯t seen any of the creatures I want to capture.¡± ¡°It seems I can only wait until the loyalty of these two sparrows reaches 100%, then use possession to search farther afield,¡± Ye Feng sighed lightly as he spoke. Actually, the animals on the ground weren¡¯t too bad. This was his home field, and in this valley, there was currently nothing that could threaten him. But the sky was different; he needed to capture a sufficiently powerful bird to hold sway there. Therefore, his target was the eagle. He had seen eagles near Yang City, but they were extremely rare. So, he couldn¡¯t be hasty and had to take it slow. After the six mutated animals lined up, Ye Feng extended six tree roots, infusing their bodies with spiritual energy. It is worth mentioning that these mutated beings absorbed spiritual energy at different rates, and it seemed there was some correlation with their combat abilities. The two little sparrows could only absorb 2 Spirit Points per hour. The mouse absorbed 3 Spirit Points per hour. The black crow and the bat could absorb 4 Spirit Points per hour. As for the fastest absorber of spiritual energy, it was of course the King Cobra, which could absorb 10 Spirit Points per hour. Just the King Cobra alone had absorbed a full 30 Spirit Points from Ye Feng in just a few hours. Of course, Ye Feng wasn¡¯t at a loss because, during that time, the creature had brought back 2 mice, 1 snake, and a pheasant for him. Ye Feng had devoured more than 70 Spirit Points from these mutated beings, there was no question that he had profited immensely. This was also why Ye Feng spared no effort in training his subordinates. However, what slightly annoyed him was that the loyalty of these animals became increasingly difficult to improve as time went on. After an afternoon, the two sparrows with the highest loyalty only increased by 5%, reaching 95%. Furthermore, after Ye Feng had infused another 2 Spirit Points into them, he glanced at the loyalty and found it had only increased by 0.5%. ¡°Take it slow, no need to rush. It¡¯s only been one day since I became the World Tree, after all. I still have plenty of time,¡± Ye Feng exhaled and sent the animals out to hunt for him once more. Then he opened the system panel and took a glance. Evolution Points: 39/40 Unknowingly, he had already accumulated 39 Evolution Points. With one more Evolution Point, he could break through again. ¡°I thought my evolution speed would slow down after breaking through to Level 2, but I didn¡¯t expect it to remain this fast,¡± a smile appeared on Ye Feng¡¯s face. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Compared to the First Order, the difficulty of evolving at the Second Stage had increased fourfold. To accumulate 40 Evolution Points, one would need 400 Spiritual Points. Originally, Ye Feng thought it would take at least half a day to evolve once. But as his territory expanded and he acquired a group of subordinates, the speed of accumulating spiritual energy was terrifying. This was still the case even though he had allocated a significant amount of spiritual energy to train his subordinates; otherwise, he would have evolved much earlier. Of course, it wasn¡¯t slow now either. He looked around at the trees, and 202 tree roots simultaneously sprang into action, harvesting spiritual energy from each tree rapidly. After about fifteen minutes, 48 Spirit Points had been added to his system panel. ¡°Very good, I can evolve again after I finish adding these points,¡± Ye Feng said with pleasure. Chapter 10 - 10 10 Continuous Breakthroughs_1 ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Continuous Breakthroughs_1 Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Continuous Breakthroughs_1 With sufficient Spiritual Energy, the next step was leveling up. It¡¯s worth mentioning that Ye Feng¡¯s speed of leveling up was very fast now. In the beginning, it took him one minute to complete a level-up. But as he evolved continuously, the speed of leveling up was also shortening. Now that he had broken through to the Second Stage, it only took him 20 seconds to complete a level-up. In other words, he only needed 20 seconds to absorb one Spirit Point, and when he thought about the animals he had captured, the speed at which they absorbed Spiritual Energy gave him a sense of wonder. If it weren¡¯t for the system¡¯s leveling-up function, no matter how massive the Spiritual Energy was, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to improve so quickly. As Ye Feng leveled up, in just 20 seconds, all the roots of the tree increased in length by 10 centimeters. Yes, after breaking through to the Second Stage, he now added one point each time, and the length of the tree roots increased from the original 20 centimeters to 10 centimeters. Of course, this was understandable, as previously he only had 101 roots, but after breaking through to the Second Stage, the number of roots doubled. Spending the same amount of Spiritual Energy on leveling up, it was only natural for the growth in the length of the roots to be halved. Moreover, the Second Stage¡¯s roots were much stronger than those of the First Stage in every respect, and even if the number of roots was the same, they should consume more Spiritual Energy. The roots grew wildly, and within three and a half minutes, Ye Feng had leveled up 10 times, and the roots of the tree had extended another meter. At the Second Stage, he needed 40 Evolution Points to break through. So, just by leveling up, the length of the roots could increase by 40 meters. At this moment, the length of his roots had increased from the original 150 meters to 190 meters. At the same time, he also met the requirements for evolution. ¡°Ding! Please choose a direction for strengthening.¡± Seeing the system prompt that popped up again, Ye Feng first chose to increase strength. He had thought it through; with one major stage consisting of four Minor Boundaries, he could strengthen each direction of the tree roots, so he just took turns choosing. After Ye Feng selected the direction of evolution, he began to grow rapidly once more. Ten minutes later, the evolution ended, and he glanced at the system panel. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tree Body Height: 45 meters Trunk Width: 2.25 meters Root Length: 210 meters Realm: Middle of the Second Order Evolution Points: 0/40 points Special Ability: Devour, Capture Spirit Point: 38/450 points Bioenergy: 150/450 points Looking at the updated system panel, Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but smile; the length of the roots had finally broken through 200 meters. Compared to the day before, it had increased tenfold. And the strength of each root had surged, from the original 100 jin, it increased to 200 jin. All 202 roots combined, the strength he could burst out instantaneously, could reach a terrifying 20 tons now. ¡°Hmm! I should have the strength to defend myself,¡± Ye Feng said contentedly as he swayed the roots. However, he glanced at the height of the tree body and couldn¡¯t help showing a look of concern on his face. His height had reached 45 meters, and there was no doubt that in this valley, he was now ranked second. And with the next evolution, he would inevitably become the first. ¡°If I keep evolving like this, I really won¡¯t be able to hide at all!¡± Ye Feng was a bit troubled. Indeed, there were more than a dozen Unusual Trees in this valley that grew very quickly, but they only grew about 1 meter at most in a day, which was far from comparable to him. ¡°Sigh~¡± Ye Feng let out a soft sigh and then began¡­ allocating points. He had no choice but to do so, for being too weak meant he feared not only human research but also being killed by other Mutated Animals, so he could only rely on point allocation to get by. Feeling the rapid growth of his roots, Ye Feng¡¯s originally somewhat gloomy mood once again became cheerful. In the blink of an eye, two hours had passed. Ye Feng glanced at the system panel, and he had gained another 10 Evolution Points. This was even given that he hadn¡¯t been focusing on allocating points, but rather using more Spiritual Energy to cultivate his subordinates. And now, after his great sacrifice, he finally saw results. The King Cobra, a major consumer of spiritual energy, had absorbed close to 50 Spirit Points from Ye Feng and had finally begun its breakthrough. Ye Feng carefully observed the other¡¯s breakthrough process, which took a full half-hour to complete the evolution. The evolved King Cobra grew another meter in length, and with the previous size increase from devouring Spiritual Energy, it now measured 6.5 meters long. The current King Cobra was definitely a top-tier dangerous species. And this was just a Minor Boundary breakthrough. After the breakthrough, the King Cobra¡¯s Realm had reached the First Order Peak, and he was somewhat excited about the change that would come when it broke through to the Second Stage. He estimated that by then, its length would reach more than 10 meters. At that time, he could give the order for the King Cobra to seek revenge on that Mutated Wild Boar. At the same time, he turned his gaze to his other subordinates, his face showing a hint of anticipation. Although the other animals couldn¡¯t compare to the King Cobra, as long as their Realm increased, their Combat Power would certainly be considerable. Especially that Mutated Mouse, which was the highest Realm among his Mutated Animal subordinates when captured, already at the First Order Peak. And now, it had Devoured 15 Spirit Points from him over time. Given its size, it was probably not far from a breakthrough. After filling each subordinate with Spiritual Energy, Ye Feng once again sent them off to hunt. This time, Ye Feng received a pleasant surprise. The King Cobra actually dragged back a Mutated Buffalo. As is well known, the larger the creature, the lower the chance of mutation; but similarly, the stronger they become after mutating. A Mutated Wild Boar, once grown, can overturn a bus with just two or three charges. A buffalo with better initial conditions than a wild boar can only be imagined in terms of its growth potential. Under the same Realm, it would definitely be stronger than a wild boar. Ye Feng looked at the Mutated Buffalo, which was obviously a size larger than a normal buffalo, clearly having just mutated. But even so, it still managed to wound the King Cobra. This scene made Ye Feng even more expectant. When the King Cobra dragged the buffalo into his territory, he extended 50 tree roots and easily lifted the buffalo, weighing at least a ton. The Mutated Buffalo, still struggling desperately, seemed petrified at that moment, not daring to move. The Capturing process that followed was rather smooth; the opponent¡¯s will to resist was not strong, and after successfully being Captured, the Loyalty astonishingly reached 75%. This was definitely considered high, even to the point of surprising Ye Feng. He knew that when he had Captured the King Cobra, its initial Loyalty was only 65%. ¡°Could it be because buffalos, being herbivorous, naturally have milder temperaments, making them especially easy to tame?¡± Ye Feng speculated. Next came infusing the creature with Spiritual Energy. The Mutated Buffalo was able to absorb 20 Spirit Points in one go, instantly becoming the highest among all his subordinates. Although the consumption was a bit high, Ye Feng didn¡¯t care at all, for the more Spiritual Energy absorbed, the greater the potential for the future. Then, Ye Feng went about his business of harvesting Spiritual Energy and then allocating points. And the King Cobra¡¯s breakthrough seemed like a signal; in the following hours, the rest of the Mutated Animals began breaking through in succession. Chapter 11 - 11 11 The Strongest Team_1 ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Strongest Team_1 Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Strongest Team_1 Within an hour after the king cobra broke through, sparrows, bats, and black crows also broke through one after another. They had reached the Late Stage First Order, their sizes had increased by a circle, and their strength had seen a significant growth. However, the mouse with the highest realm did not break through to the Second Stage as Ye Feng had hoped. It seemed to have reached a critical point, getting stuck there, and even the spiritual energy it absorbed per hour had reduced from 3 points to only 0.3 points per hour. Such a low rate of spiritual energy absorption was simply not enough to help the other party continue to enhance their strength. ¡°Could this be the legendary bottleneck?¡± Ye Feng felt somewhat troubled. He had never experienced this himself because as long as he had Evolution Points, he could break through. ¡°It should break through sooner or later, it¡¯s just unclear how much time it will need,¡± Ye Feng recalled the mice from Ah San Country, clearly, this was not the limit of the mutated mice. ¡°But fortunately, it¡¯s only the Big Realm¡¯s bottleneck that¡¯s stuck, the Minor Boundary can still be broken through,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself again. If these mutated beings couldn¡¯t quickly break through even the Minor Boundary, then he would truly have a headache. After that, Ye Feng stopped worrying about these mutated beings and began to immerse himself in adding points. When the time reached the wee hours of the morning, he had accumulated 40 Evolution Points again and was able to break through. ¡°Ding! Please choose a direction to strengthen.¡± Looking at the system panel, Ye Feng didn¡¯t hesitate and chose flexibility. 10 minutes later, the breakthrough was successfully completed. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 55 meters Tree Trunk Width: 2.75 meters Tree Root Length: 270 meters S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Realm: Late-stage Second Order Evolution Points: 0/40 points Special Ability: Devour, Capture Spirit Point: 0/550 points Bioenergy: 200/550 points ¡°It¡¯s been less than two days, and I didn¡¯t expect that I would become the tallest tree in this valley,¡± Ye Feng felt somewhat emotional, but was more concerned. Because now, he had become the most conspicuous existence in this valley. And one could imagine, as his strength increased, he would become even more conspicuous. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not think too much about that for now. I should focus more on those things that are worth being happy about.¡± Ye Feng soon shifted his focus to the tree roots. With another enhancement in flexibility, Ye Feng found that the agility of his tree roots had once again significantly improved, now on par with human fingers. He could now manipulate the tree roots to perform various actions exactly as he wished, and could even skillfully use all sorts of tools and weapons. Of course, aside from these, another more direct improvement was that the tree roots moved and attacked even faster. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! In response to Ye Feng¡¯s thought, hundreds of tree roots burst forth from the ground, attacking the mosquitoes flying in the air. It wasn¡¯t so easy to strike these mosquitoes before. A single tree root would definitely be avoided, they could only use the tree net, but that was too inefficient. But now, as tree roots lashed out, 90% of the mosquitoes had no time to react and were struck dead instantly. Even if they could react, dodging the first tree root¡¯s strike, there would immediately be a second and a third tree root lashing out. In this moment, within a range of 270 meters around Ye Feng, mutated mosquitoes fell like rain. From now on, the territory of Ye Feng would become a forbidden zone for these mutated mosquitoes. In the process, Ye Feng had originally wanted to deal with those mutated flies as well. Unfortunately, flies were already agile before mutation, and after mutating, they became even more terrifyingly nimble. Ye Feng¡¯s roots couldn¡¯t whip fast enough to keep up, and after trying twice, he gave up. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry about this, for with his current speed of evolution, he estimated it would take less than two days to deal with them. At the same time, as his roots grew longer, the territory under his control expanded further. Ye Feng roughly estimated that he could harvest about 100 Spirit Points per hour with the spiritual energy he was reaping now. ¡°At this rate, wouldn¡¯t I be able to break through again in another 4 hours?¡± Ye Feng felt somewhat excited. This gave him the illusion that the stronger he became, the faster he would break through. But soon, he discovered that things were not as he thought. It wasn¡¯t that there was a problem. Rather, he had forgotten to factor in the consumption of nurturing his Mutated Animals. During the day, they could hunt on their own, not only ¡°feeding¡± themselves but also producing excess spiritual energy. But at night, with fewer prey and increased difficulty in hunting, plus the need for the Mutated Beings to rest, they were essentially being sustained by Ye Feng. Now, the seven Mutated Animals under him together consumed a full 40 Spirit Points per hour. Even without the Mutated Mouse that was at a bottleneck, he needed to provide at least 37 Spirit Points per hour. Thus, the spiritual energy left for Ye Feng was only about 63 points. Of course, this was still a lot, but it just wasn¡¯t enough for him to achieve a breakthrough in 4 hours. ¡­ At 6 am, as the sun rose, Ye Feng woke up from his brief slumber. He looked at the Mutated Animals below the tree, waking up one by one, all bright and spirited, and his lips curved into a smile. Although he hadn¡¯t broken through in the latter half of the night, these Mutated Beings had successively made their breakthroughs with his continual feeding of spiritual energy. The sparrow, the black crow, and the bat had once again made breakthroughs. They had all reached the First Order Peak. It could be said that now, apart from the Mutated Buffalo that he had captured last night, all the other creatures had reached the First Order Peak. Even the Mutated Buffalo, which had been at Early Stage First Order, had now broken through to Mid Stage First Order and was not far from Late Stage First Order. The rapid breakthroughs of these Mutated Animals made Ye Feng realize that with enough spiritual energy, these animals could mutate much faster than humans could imagine. Luckily, the rest of the Mutated Animals did not possess his abnormal Devouring Ability. They could only rely on breathing to absorb the spiritual energy from Heaven and Earth, so the speed at which they accumulated spiritual energy was very slow. As for why some Mutated Beings evolved especially fast, he could only attribute it to biological variance. Meanwhile, with his observations and record-keeping, he discovered another thing. Just like him, all the other Mutated Animals had a maximum limit of spiritual energy they could absorb for each Realm, and once it was reached, they could break through. For instance, the sparrow needed to absorb 10 Spirit Points to break through a Minor Boundary. The mouse needed 15 Spirit Points to break through. The black crow and the bat needed to absorb 20 Spirit Points to break through. And the King Cobra required 50 Spirit Points for a breakthrough. As for the largest, the Mutated Buffalo, it needed as much as 60 Spirit Points. From the current situation, the larger the creature, the more spiritual energy it needed to absorb to break through. Of course, the amount of spiritual energy absorbed is not judged solely by size. After all, the Mutated Sparrow requires only 10 Spirit Points to break through, while the Mutated Buffalo needs 60 points. But the difference in their size is not a factor of six¡ªthe Mutated Sparrow is hundreds of times smaller. So Ye Feng concluded that the amount of spiritual energy absorbed, apart from their size, must also be related to their Realm. But undeniably, within the same Realm, those that absorbed more spiritual energy appeared to be stronger in combat. ¡°If I go by this, needing to absorb 100 Spirit Points to break through at First Order, I should be among the strongest tier,¡± Ye Feng surmised. Chapter 12 - 12 12 City Guard Team_1 ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 City Guard Team_1 Chapter 12: Chapter 12 City Guard Team_1 Ye Feng glanced at the gradually rising sun and immediately issued a hunting order to these mutated animals. Having sustained them through the night, of course, he expected them to make up for their consumption during the day. Soon, the mutated beings under the tree dashed out, leaving only the King Cobra still sprawled on the ground. The King Cobra was the only one that gave Ye Feng a pleasant surprise. Unlike the Mutated Mouse, which had hit a bottleneck and got stuck there, the King Cobra had begun to break through directly. However, its breakthrough was different from Ye Feng¡¯s¡ªit was very slow. The King Cobra had been in a breakthrough state for over an hour but still hadn¡¯t finished. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that its aura was slowly yet steadfastly rising, Ye Feng would have thought something had gone wrong. ¡°This must be what a normal breakthrough looks like,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself. After all, he had system assistance; he couldn¡¯t use himself as a reference. Whether it was a breakthrough in a Big Realm or a Minor Boundary, it was as easy for him as eating and drinking. As for the rest of the mutated beings, breaking through in a Minor Boundary might be manageable, but such a breakthrough in a Big Realm was not only slow, it probably also came with the risk of failure. All he could do was wait. Ye Feng glanced at the system panel¡ªEvolution Points had accumulated to 37; he was getting close to a breakthrough. Having just harvested a wave of Spiritual Energy and currently having nothing else to do, he manipulated a tree root to take out his phone from the pocket of his clothes underneath. It was about time he checked the news to find out if anything major had happened. As soon as the phone was turned on, a dozen missed call alerts popped up. His parents had stubbornly made several calls, and he¡¯d received calls from his classmates and friends as well. Looking at the list of names in the call log, he sighed softly, dismissed the alerts, and then opened the news app. International news was up first¡ªthe events in Ah San Country were still fermenting. There was no helping it; a mass slaughter by mutated beings wasn¡¯t something that celebrity scandals could compare to in terms of news heat. It was expected not to die down for several weeks. But he just gave it a cursory look before quickly switching back to the domestic news. Among the top stories, he indeed found the information he was looking for. The major incident in Ah San Country had caused ripples that went beyond the internet; he believed that in response to prevent a recurrence, countries would take action. Sure enough, just within a day, there were new arrangements posted. Firstly, there was a nationwide, large-scale campaign to clean up the four pests in the cities. Such actions had been taken before, but never on as grand a scale as this, and to achieve the intended goal, the government had specially arranged monitoring teams for each city. Ye Feng nodded in approval as he read; reducing the number of snakes, insects, mice, and pests in the city would significantly lessen the damage, even in the event of mutations. This would make his family safer. Of course, that was only one of the plans; what caught Ye Feng¡¯s attention even more was another piece of news. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Over the next week, a part of the garrison in various places would be withdrawn to be deployed in cities, joining forces with the local police, fire department, and other services to directly establish the City Guard Department. The purpose of creating the City Guard Department was to eradicate mutated beings and to be responsible for urban safety. Naturally, below this news release, there was a chorus of approval. Ye Feng looked at it briefly before immediately clicking on the local news. Indeed, on the official website for Yang City, he saw more detailed information. Yang City is a Level 2 city with a permanent population of over 5 million, so naturally, the support it receives couldn¡¯t be too shabby. The nation directly deployed a Field Army to the city. At the same time, by uniting various departments within the city, they could immediately assemble a City Guard Department with a strength of 15,000. But even so, these numbers were actually still insufficient. Compared to a normal war where the enemy can be blocked from the outside, waging war with Mutated Animals was far more complicated. Because whether it was Mutated Mosquitoes, Mutated Cockroaches, or Mutated Mice, they all hid scattered throughout every corner of the city. Therefore, military forces needed to be deployed to every corner of the city. According to the plan from above, in the future, every street and village must have a City Guard Team stationed there. In this situation, 15,000 people seemed hardly enough, even doubling the number might not suffice. Therefore, the official website of Yang City clearly stated that in addition to the 15,000 formal members, the City Guard Department planned to recruit another 15,000 auxiliary personnel within a month. Below this message was a hotline for registration, and various benefits were also listed. Ye Feng glanced at it, the benefits were indeed quite good, which directly led to a very high number of enthusiastic applicants. ¡°Although I can¡¯t say for the future, with such a series of measures taken in the short term, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems,¡± Ye Feng muttered. As he spoke, he continued to scroll through the information. Most of the news was of no use to him, or rather, had no bearing on him, so Ye Feng just gave it a quick look. But as he kept scrolling down, a piece of news quickly caught his attention. A pet store¡¯s parrot suddenly mutated yesterday, and the owner, who wasn¡¯t paying attention, was pecked and wounded during feeding. This news was quite trending since many people kept cats and dogs at home. At first, when the insects were mutating, nobody thought about the pets at home. But as time went on and more large animals began to mutate, how to deal with these domestic animals became a huge problem. In the comments section below, many people were even arguing. Some believed that these domestic animals should be disposed of in advance to avoid leaving hidden dangers. Others thought that once they mutated, if trained well, their ability to guard the house would be stronger, so they could be kept. According to relevant department research, after animals mutated, they retained their previous memory and emotions, so they could be tamed, and there were indeed several successful cases. Of course, there were also incidents where taming failed and the animals turned on their owners. However, Ye Feng had no intention of delving too deep into these issues; whatever decision was to be made was for those above to determine. What he was concerned with now was that Mutated Parrot. As everyone knows, parrots have a quite unique ability: they can mimic human speech. Ye Feng was very clear that as his strength continued to increase, he would eventually deal with other people or other organizational powers. In such cases, if he could capture a talking parrot, that would be very important. At the very least, it gave him a bit more room to communicate and negotiate. At this moment, Ye Feng almost wanted to immediately order his Mutated Animals to snatch the parrot back. But he quickly restrained himself; sending Mutated Animals into the city during the daytime was asking for death. ¡°I need to wait, wait until night to make a move.¡± Moreover, he couldn¡¯t take action right now. He glanced at the subordinate panel and focused on the two sparrows. Although their Loyalty was already at 99.5%, it had not yet reached 100%, and without it, Possession was not yet possible. ¡°It¡¯s close now. Once I get my hands on that Mutated Parrot and ensure safety, I¡¯ll be able to find an opportunity to contact other humans, even mom and dad,¡± Ye Feng said, his mood somewhat stirred. Chapter 13 - 13 13 On the List_1 ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13: On the List_1 Chapter 13: Chapter 13: On the List_1 For this Mutated Parrot, Ye Feng felt it was imperative to acquire it. He also clearly understood that often, the development of events would not shift simply because of one¡¯s will. Now that the Mutated Parrot was revealed, it would definitely have caught the attention of the Mutant Management Bureau. Based on the established procedures, they would take different measures according to the danger ranking of these mutated animals. Fortunately, this parrot had just mutated and was currently trapped in a cage, posing no immediate threat to people. Therefore, its danger ranking should only be the lowest level. According to the procedure, as long as it was taken away within three days, it would be fine; unless the Mutant Management Bureau was currently idle, they would likely prioritize higher-danger ranked Mutated Animals. In such circumstances, Ye Feng still had at least one day¡¯s time. Of course, it could not be ruled out that the Mutant Management Bureau indeed might be very idle. If this Mutated Parrot was really taken away before he made his move, he would have to initiate a backup plan. He would take all the remaining parrots in the shop, and possibly parrots from other pet shops, and wait slowly for them to mutate. Having formed a plan in his mind, Ye Feng continued to scroll through the news. After skimming through the main news of the day, he was about to turn off his phone when a popup suddenly appeared. #Yang City¡¯s Surrounding Mutated Animals Danger Ranking Update, 5 Mutated Beings Newly Listed# Seeing the content on the popup, Ye Feng was slightly startled; he was, of course, aware of this ranking¡ªit was introduced three months ago. Initially, the ranking was updated weekly. However, as time passed and Mutated Animals increased in number, it turned into twice weekly updates. Yet according to the schedule, the ranking should have been updated tomorrow. Without hesitation, Ye Feng almost subconsciously clicked on the ranking. At the very top of the ranking, there was a notice. ¡°Due to the accelerated mutation rate of Mutated Beings, this ranking will be updated daily from now on.¡± This ranking of dangerous Mutated Animals would list the top 100 dangerous Mutated Animals in the vicinity of Yang City. The Mutant Management Bureau also organized specialized hunting teams responsible for killing these high-danger Mutated Animals. So every update of the ranking would include new Mutated Animals, and many would also be removed from the list. Ye Feng glanced at the list and the first-ranked was still that Mutated Crocodile. According to the information, this crocodile must have escaped from a private breeding ground after mutating. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because it inhabited a river and was extremely difficult to hunt, it had been at the top of the ranking for three months. Ye Feng¡¯s gaze moved down, scanning swiftly, and soon his eyes landed on the 30th place, the giant tree on Small Phoenix Mountain. According to the information, the tree should have been an Old Chinese Scholar Tree before its mutation; of course, after mutating, it was completely unrecognizable. Moreover, according to the surveillance data, in the past two days, its height had shot up another 30 meters, reaching 360 meters. That was almost equivalent to the height of a 120-story building, rather terrifying. If judging by size, it absolutely ranked first among all Mutated Beings. However, its ranking wasn¡¯t high, because as of now, there had been no cases of mutated plants injuring people. And the entity was merely an immovable tree, which posed no threat to the residents inside the city; hence, the lower ranking. His gaze continued to sweep rapidly down, but when he reached the end of the list, his eyes suddenly sharpened. Rank 98: Mutated Iron Birch Tree He hurriedly clicked to view the detailed information. The Mutated Iron Birch Tree, located in Sunset Valley, had experienced a surge in growth, increasing its height by 45 meters in just two days. Assessment: Low attack power, high growth potential. And right at the bottom of the introduction were two satellite comparison images, the earlier one of which looked completely ordinary, but the latter one stood out like a crane among chickens. This sent a chill down Ye Feng¡¯s spine. The very thing he had hoped not to see had still happened. ¡°To think it was noticed so quickly, I should have slowed down the evolution speed,¡± Ye Feng said with some regret. He silently read through the comments, and as one of the five newly listed mutated beings, he didn¡¯t really receive much attention. After all, compared to mutated plants, mutated animals posed a much greater threat to them. Of course, not many people paying attention did not mean nobody did. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s soon to be another giant tree around Yang City!¡± ¡°Yeah! Moreover, Sunset Valley isn¡¯t far from us. When the time comes, I might be able to see it just by standing at home with a telescope. I¡¯m unexpectedly looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Why are you so happy about it above? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the tree will come alive?¡± ¡°So what if it does? It can¡¯t move. A single missile could send it to heaven.¡± Reading the comments in the discussion area, Ye Feng felt a mixture of alarm and a secret relief. Although he had made it onto the danger list, not many people were actually wary of him. And from his rank of 98, one could infer a bit of the official stance toward him. The authorities weren¡¯t very concerned about this type of mutated plant, at least not until those more dangerous mutated animals were dealt with. Of course, looking at the Old Chinese Scholar Tree on Small Phoenix Mountain, he presumed that being studied was an unavoidable fate. ¡°However, with careful handling, I might avoid the fate of being researched,¡± Ye Feng said as he turned his gaze towards the King Cobra that was evolving at the foot of his tree. If people from a research institute were to send a team over, he could take a leaf out of their book and directly deploy these mutated animals to drive the others away. He turned off his phone and looked up at the sky, uncertain if he was being watched at that very moment. But he felt like he needed to be more cautious going forward. He opened the system panel for a glance, ¡°I¡¯m about to break through soon!¡± Ye Feng felt a bit of a headache. If he kept evolving like this, he feared he might one day surpass the Old Chinese Scholar Tree on Small Phoenix Mountain. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s wait!¡± Ye Feng let out a sigh of relief internally. Waiting a little bit was something he could afford. There was no need to take risks against the wind at such a time. He could quite simply train up his subordinates first. If he had a batch of mutated animals that had reached the Second Stage, even if the Mutant Management Bureau started keeping an eye on him, he would at least have the capacity to respond. Although he definitely couldn¡¯t win against firepower, he could task those under his command to cause havoc elsewhere and draw the firepower away. Of course, training his subordinates didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t keep on improving; he just planned to slow down the pace of his breakthroughs a bit. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll break through to the peak of the Second Stage, and right now, I can store a full 550 points of Spiritual Energy. As long as I have Spiritual Energy in hand, I can break through the Realm whenever necessary,¡± Ye Feng planned in his heart. Having determined how to proceed, Ye Feng immediately focused more of his attention on training mutated animals. Chapter 14 - 14 14 New Pet_1 ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 New Pet_1 Chapter 14: Chapter 14 New Pet_1 Next, Ye Feng could be said to have taken care of the King Cobra meticulously. Almost every 10 minutes, he would use tree roots to check if it was lacking in Spiritual Energy, and if so, he would immediately transfer some over. This situation lasted for two hours, which was the third hour after the King Cobra¡¯s breakthrough, and finally, the coiled body of the serpent began to move. Sounds of cracking and popping erupted from its body, as if bones were grinding violently against each other. At the same time, its body inflated like a balloon, visibly swelling. The size was increasing, the body elongating. After dozens of minutes, the King Cobra finally completed its breakthrough. By then, its length had reached 10 meters, and the width of its body was almost as big as a human¡¯s waist. After the breakthrough, it seemed extremely excited, hissing and flicking its forked tongue, and very humanely nodding its head towards Ye Feng, its cold pupils even showing a rare hint of gratitude. Seeing this, Ye Feng immediately opened the affiliate panel and saw that the King Cobra¡¯s Loyalty had surged by 5%, reaching a level of 90%. ¡°Is it because I kept helping to infuse Spiritual Energy during their breakthroughs?¡± Ye Feng guessed. But soon, his attention shifted to the strength of the King Cobra. After sending the King Cobra a command to spar, five tree roots suddenly appeared from the ground, swiftly coiling towards it. The recently breakthrough King Cobra also seemed eager to test its strength, fearlessly meeting the challenge. Ye Feng¡¯s tree roots lashed at the King Cobra, seemingly having no effect whatsoever. The King Cobra, on the other hand, took this opportunity to coil around in return. In almost an instant, Ye Feng felt a tremendous squeezing force from the tree roots that were being bitten and coiled around by the opponent. However, even ordinary tree roots are quite resistant to pressure, not to mention those he had strengthened many times over. But when the King Cobra constricted its prey, the bite seemed only secondary; after coiling around, it immediately opened its mouth wide. Its fangs glinted coldly as it bit down hard. What¡¯s the most terrifying thing about a King Cobra? That would, of course, be its venom. The venom of the King Cobra contains neurotoxins and cytotoxins, a mixture of poisons, making it exceptionally troublesome if bitten. Of course, this is in reference to animals. As for plants, naturally, there¡¯s not much effect. But as the venom poured in, Ye Feng was shocked to find that the section of the tree root was quickly withering. ¡°Is this a corrosive effect?¡± Ye Feng was surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected the King Cobra¡¯s venom to have evolved as well. Of course, he was just surprised, as the withering of that section of the tree root quickly slowed down. After spreading out for five or six meters, it stopped, and then as if by some miraculous force, the withered tree root began to rejuvenate. ¡°As I thought, the effect of Spiritual Energy is truly miraculous; it can even remove venom, though the consumption is a bit high,¡± Ye Feng was somewhat emotional. He estimated that to entirely clear out the venom would cost at least 10 points of Spiritual Energy. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For other Mutated Animals, they would have to combat the neurotoxins and cytotoxins, and the energy consumption would likely be five or six times his. ¡°Other Mutated Beings would die from the poison if they didn¡¯t have enough Spiritual Energy,¡± Ye Feng concluded. The King Cobra, seeing that its venom seemed to have no effect, was also surprised. But it quickly adapted, changing its tactics to using its tail to lash out. Ye Feng, of course, did not show weakness either, and immediately twisted the five tree roots into a rope, lashing back as well. Thud! A muted collision sound resounded. Ye Feng¡¯s combined strike from the five tree roots could generate a force of over a thousand jin. But this time, when it came to a contest of strength, it was his roots that were sent flying. The tail of the King Cobra, after just a moment of concentration in midair, showed not the slightest damage to its scales. ¡°So strong!¡± Ye Feng was quite shocked; he calculated that the force of the opponent¡¯s strike was at least 1 ton, also known as 2000 jin. And this King Cobra had just broken through to the Second Stage! If it continued to breakthrough, and even reached the Third Order, wouldn¡¯t it be able to unleash a force of tens of tons with a single flick of its tail? At this moment, Ye Feng was not happy but rather worried. Even though humans possessed many lethal weapons, what would happen if just any mutated being could suddenly unleash a force of over a dozen tons? Could humans truly prevail? While Ye Feng was preoccupied with these concerns for his country and people, the King Cobra seemed to grow increasingly enthusiastic, charging straight towards him. Seeing this, Ye Feng stopped indulging it and immediately drew out 50 tree roots, which he combined together to unleash a force of 5 tons. In an instant, the King Cobra was sent flying over 50 meters away. As it landed, its body curled up on itself and a large area of scales flaked off its belly, revealing the bloody and mangled flesh beneath. ¡°Damn, I went too hard,¡± Ye Feng muttered, somewhat annoyed. He certainly didn¡¯t want the loyalty he had painstakingly built up to fall again. But when he glanced at the auxiliary panel, three question marks suddenly appeared over his head. Loyalty had actually surged by 3%. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A puzzled Ye Feng suddenly felt the King Cobra, through the capture contract, sending a signal of submission. ¡°So that¡¯s it? Increasing loyalty doesn¡¯t necessarily require currying favor, but thoroughly beating them into submission works too?¡± ¡°At least for creatures with more violent natures, this method seems to be effective,¡± Ye Feng concluded. At that moment, he decided that after these mutated animals broke through the Big Realm, they all needed a good thrashing. The King Cobra, which was in the midst of showing submission, shuddered suddenly, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease. Soon, the King Cobra was treated for its injuries and was also sent out to hunt. Of course, what Ye Feng was more looking forward to was the possibility of them bringing back even better and stronger mutated animals. Unfortunately, the vast majority of mutations currently occurred in small creatures, which were not what he wanted. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t keen on repeatedly forming contracts with the same type of creatures. After all, only with sufficient diversity among the mutated animals could the ¡°Mutated Animal Special Forces¡± that he planned to establish in the future comfortably face various challenges. Of course, if they were creatures at the top of the food chain, that would be a different matter altogether. Time flew swiftly, and soon it was noon. And Ye Feng received both good news and bad news. The bad news was that sparrows, black crows, and bats seemed to have all hit a bottleneck, just like the Mutated Mice, Their rate of absorbing Spiritual Energy had plummeted tenfold, and they were unable to break through. This was quite distressing for Ye Feng. Now, he could only set his hopes on the Mutated Buffalo. The Mutated Buffalo had already reached the Late Stage First Order, and at this rate, it should be able to hit the First Order Peak by evening. If all went well, it would break through to the Second Stage by dawn. Then, having an extra Second Order Mutated Animal as backup when going to capture the Mutated Parrot would allow for a relatively calm response, even in case of sudden incidents. Of course, the quick breakthrough of the Mutated Buffalo was within expectations and not exactly good news. The good news was that the King Cobra had once again made a contribution, capturing another mutated animal that met Ye Feng¡¯s criteria for capture. It was a Mutated Dog, to be precise, a Mutated Chinese Rural Dog, commonly known as a mongrel. From the numerous old wounds and its unkempt appearance, Ye Feng could tell that the creature had likely been a stray. This also explained why it had appeared in the area and then been captured by the King Cobra. At home, Ye Feng had dogs and he was quite fond of them. As soon as the King Cobra dragged the dog into his territory, he extended two tree roots to gently pat the dog¡¯s head. At first, the Big Yellow Dog was quite frightened. But as its head was stroked and a bit of Spiritual Energy was infused into its body, it immediately calmed down, Contently squinting its eyes, its ears perked up even more. ¡°Tsk! Quite obedient, aren¡¯t we?¡± said Ye Feng as he began the capture process. To his surprise, the process went exceedingly smoothly, facing almost no resistance. Upon completion of the contract, the initial loyalty was incredibly high at 81%, even higher than that of the two Mutated Sparrows. Chapter 15 - 15 15 The Special Big Yellow Dog_1 ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Special Big Yellow Dog_1 Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Special Big Yellow Dog_1 Loyalty was indeed a good thing for Ye Feng. He hurriedly injected Spiritual Energy into the Mutated Big Yellow Dog to test its ¡°Talent.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Ye Feng had injected a total of 9 Points of Spiritual Energy into it, adding to a previously captured point to reach 10 Points. ¡°Not bad¡ªit¡¯s on par with the King Cobra,¡± Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction. Judging from the current situation, the Mutated Big Yellow Dog should also absorb 10 Points of Spiritual Energy per hour, eventually breaking through with 50 Points like the King Cobra. While it couldn¡¯t compare to the Mutated Buffalo, in the Mutated Animal Special Forces he was putting together, it was definitely T1 Level. Aside from the Mutated Big Yellow Dog, another piece of good news was that the loyalty of the two little sparrows had finally reached 100%. This meant that he could perform a Possession now. There was no question¡ªhe had to give it a try! Opening the system panel, with a thought, he utilized his Possession Ability. In that instant, he felt his consciousness being pulled away, and when he came to his senses, his point of view had shifted. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ye Feng looked around, and all the objects appeared giant; every animal in the arena looked enormous. Of course, he understood that it wasn¡¯t the other animals growing larger, but that he had become smaller. ¡°Is this what Possession feels like? It¡¯s truly fascinating,¡± Ye Feng flapped his wings, beginning to circle in flight. Flapping his wings felt smooth, as if the ability to fly was innate. He flew upwards to elevate his view and then started issuing commands to the other animals. Then, these Mutated Animals promptly followed his commands, quickly arranging themselves in formation. As expected, even in Avatar Status, he could still instruct these animals from his original body, achieving a form of remote control. Moreover, this Possession state could be switched at will. Not only could he switch from the sparrow back to his original body, but he could also switch between the two sparrows. ¡°Quite impressive. With this, I can further optimize tonight¡¯s plan. We can split into two groups to infiltrate, more comfortably addressing various issues,¡± Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction. Next, he conducted other tests, such as controlling the little sparrows to fly towards a distant place¡ªhe was concerned there might be a distance limit to his Possession. However, Ye Feng¡¯s concerns were unfounded as he controlled the sparrows to fly nearly 20 kilometers, under the protection of black crows and bats, right above Yang City. Even at such a distance, the Possession connection stayed very stable. But Ye Feng also realized that Possession wasn¡¯t without its consumption; almost every minute, it drained one Point of Spiritual Energy from him. Of course, he could understand that every ability had its cost. Not to mention the Devouring Ability¡ªit definitely involved some loss during the process, which is a consumption. As for the Capture Ability, although it didn¡¯t consume Spiritual Energy, every capture left him feeling fatigued, probably using up his spiritual power. Compared to spiritual power, he¡¯d rather have it consume Spiritual Energy Points. After all, consuming one point per minute wasn¡¯t much, and it wasn¡¯t even as fast as the rate at which he absorbed Spiritual Energy. If necessary, he could maintain Possession continuously for 24 hours. After testing back and forth, Ye Feng spent a good half hour before concluding the tests. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for nightfall. This afternoon seemed exceptionally long. Finally, the sun began to set. But Ye Feng was not happy, instead, he felt quite troubled. Although he now had a Mutated Big Yellow Dog to take care of, the King Cobra, having broken through to the Second Stage, was absorbing spiritual energy at 20 points per hour, up from 10 points. However, due to sparrows, mice, bats, and black crows all being stuck at a bottleneck, they hardly absorbed any spiritual energy. Now, when all the mutated beings were combined, they were consuming a mere 46 points of spiritual energy per hour. Therefore, by the end of the day, the amount of spiritual energy he could store in the trunk was already full. As for bioenergy, it was already full by noon. ¡°I have no choice but to make a breakthrough, otherwise the unabsorbed spiritual energy would just be wasted,¡± Ye Feng sighed lightly, as he couldn¡¯t afford to let everything go to waste. Moreover, breaking through one or two minor boundaries shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue, right? Next, Ye Feng did not hesitate much and began the breakthrough process. This time, he chose to strengthen his toughness. With the system¡¯s help, the breakthrough went smoothly, and it was completed after 10 minutes. ¡°I¡¯m 65 meters tall now! I¡¯m becoming more conspicuous!¡± Ye Feng looked at the system panel and sighed internally. There was also good news: the trunk¡¯s width increased to 3.25 meters, and the storage capacity for both spiritual energy and bioenergy had been raised to 650 points. ¡°That¡¯s good, I can store more spiritual energy now.¡± What pleased him the most was the length of the roots, which, after previous enhancements, had increased by 40 meters, and with this breakthrough, increased by another 20 meters, bringing the total length of his roots to 330 meters. Moreover, with plenty of spiritual energy on hand, he was able to make 400 enhancements in one go, directly extending the roots to 370 meters. As the roots increased in length, the spiritual energy he harvested every hour also rose significantly. He roughly estimated that he could now accrue about 150 points of spiritual energy every hour. Without a doubt, all of this was cause for celebration. In addition to these, the Mutated Buffalo and Big Yellow Dog, under the ample supply of spiritual energy, were also breaking through. The Mutated Buffalo had reached First Order Peak, just one step away from entering the Second Stage, and given the current pace, it should reach the Second Stage by early morning. As for Big Yellow Dog, it had smoothly reached the Mid Stage First Order. But something that surprised Ye Feng occurred. After the breakthrough, even though Big Yellow Dog grew bigger, it did not bulk up like the other mutated beings. If the previous Big Yellow Dog was rather lean and frail, now it resembled a well-fed police dog. Such an increase in size, when considered among a multitude of mutated beings, was really not significant, and it fell far short of the expected ¡°talent.¡± Just as Ye Feng was feeling quite puzzled, through the contract, he vaguely sensed some changes in it. ¡°Hmm, interesting! Let¡¯s have a skirmish,¡± Ye Feng immediately issued a challenge. Although Big Yellow Dog was somewhat puzzled by Ye Feng¡¯s order, When it saw the thick roots suddenly shooting from the ground and wrapping towards it, it began to instinctively dodge. ¡°Wow, so fast,¡± Ye Feng was surprised. Compared to before, Big Yellow Dog¡¯s speed had at least doubled. Now among his subordinates, except for those flying ones, probably none could match Big Yellow Dog¡¯s speed. Moreover, it was not just about straightforward speed; Big Yellow Dog was extremely agile, dodging and weaving fluidly like flowing clouds and water. ¡°Could it be choosing a different kind of mutation?¡± Chapter 16 - 16 16 Start Action_1 ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Start Action_1 Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Start Action_1 Ye Feng was well aware that these animals¡¯ mutations, which led to their increased body size, represented just one direction of evolution. It was like when he added points, there were three choices to choose from. And at the moment of breakthrough, roots alone offered four directions of enhancement. It was likely the same for these animals. But the vast majority of animals lack intelligence, and they would simply follow their instincts, choosing to become stronger. In the animal kingdom, a larger size often implies greater strength. The Mutated Big Yellow Dog before him might have a different idea. Its direction of ¡°strengthening¡± might not be gigantism, but rather a tendency towards speed. Thinking this, Ye Feng immediately pulled out the second and third roots and entwined them towards the Big Yellow Dog, wanting to find out where its limits were. At first, the Big Yellow Dog could indeed dodge effortlessly, but with each additional root, the difficulty of its evasion increased exponentially. When Ye Feng extracted the fifth root, the dog finally became frantic, or rather, it stopped dodging passively and began to fight back. After once again dodging the root¡¯s strike, it pounced forward in a smooth motion, its jaws opening wide and its sharp fangs tearing towards the root. Ye Feng had reached the Second Stage and had already strengthened the root¡¯s toughness twice; now, the hardness of his roots could even compare favorably with that of an ordinary iron rod. In theory, a First Order mutated animal should not be able to harm him. But as the Big Yellow Dog bit down, its sharp fangs instantly pierced the root. And as it continued to tear at it, the root made a creaking noise until it was actually bitten through. As for the small section of root that broke off, Ye Feng didn¡¯t care at all; rather, he was more amazed by the Big Yellow Dog¡¯s bite force. ¡°To be able to break through the defenses of the Second Stage while at the First Order, impressive,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but praise. ¡°I wonder how its defensive power is?¡± As Ye Feng spoke, five roots had already completely ensnared the Big Yellow Dog. Of course, he didn¡¯t use his full strength right away, letting one root tighten first, then the second¡­ As two roots exerted force at the same time, reaching a strength of 400 catties, he suddenly heard a faint crack. It was the sound of bones being snapped, accompanied by the pitiful whimper of the Big Yellow Dog. ¡°Compared with mutated animals of the same size, its defensive power is a bit weaker. But with such speed and attack power, it¡¯s already quite good and worth focusing on for cultivation,¡± Ye Feng mused. After the test, Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction and channeled Spiritual Energy to heal the Big Yellow Dog¡¯s injuries. Next, he began allocating points to himself. He silently waited as time passed by. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the clock struck 9 pm, the King Cobra began its breakthrough to the Middle of the Second Order. Ye Feng silently calculated that for the King Cobra to break through a Minor Boundary in the Second Stage, it required a full 200 points of Spiritual Energy. ¡°The consumption is indeed much greater than at the First Order, but fortunately, I can afford it,¡± he said to himself. Ye Feng watched as the King Cobra grew from 10 meters to 12 meters and became thicker overall, feeling that the investment was well worth it. Time continued to flow, quickly reaching midnight. At this time, the Big Yellow Dog also had another breakthrough, reaching the Late Stage First Order. Its speed increased once more, now exceeding that of birds flying in the sky. But what puzzled him was that the Mutated Buffalo, on which he had pinned high hopes, remained quiet. ¡°That¡¯s not right, it should have started its breakthrough by now,¡± Ye Feng frowned and continued to wait. And with that wait, another hour passed. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there not enough Spiritual Energy inside?¡± Ye Feng immediately extended a tree root and twisted it toward the other. But when he injected Spiritual Energy into the Mutated Buffalo, he found that after inserting 1.5 points of Spiritual Energy, it reached its limit. ¡°This¡­ is it stuck at the bottleneck???¡± At this moment, Ye Feng was truly filled with question marks. By now, he understood that his previous guess was wrong. He glanced at the sparrow, the mouse, the bat, the black crow. Talking to himself, he said, ¡°So, them getting stuck at the bottleneck during the breakthrough isn¡¯t due to their small size, but rather a normal occurrence?¡± Then his gaze turned toward the King Cobra coiled at the base of the tree, ¡°Then, creatures like the King Cobra that can break through directly are considered to have exceptional talents?¡± Thought after thought circled in his mind until, in the end, he shook his head and stopped thinking about it. It was already 1 AM, and he could wait no longer. It was time to act promptly. Soon, Ye Feng gave the order to move out. The previously quiet forest was suddenly filled with thunderous noise, primarily due to the Mutated Buffalo running. Although it hadn¡¯t broken through to the Second Stage, its size had now grown larger than an average adult elephant¡¯s. Add to that the King Cobra was not suited for long-distance travel and had coiled itself on the back of the Mutated Buffalo. The combined weight of these two gigantic creatures made their running send tremors through the ground as if it were quaking, which was quite unsettling for the other animals. As for the other Mutated Animals, there was little commotion; the Big Yellow Dog ran swiftly and nimbly, carrying the Mutated Mouse on its back. The remaining animals could fly and did not make any sound at all. At this time, Ye Feng had possessed a sparrow and was directing from afar. While managing the other creatures was one thing, the Mutated Buffalo was too large. Even at night, he dared not let it run on the roads freely. Instead, it had to traverse through the dense forests as much as possible to avoid being detected by satellites overhead. Nevertheless, even in such circumstances, the Mutated Animals traveled extremely fast, covering a distance of over 20 kilometers in just half an hour. As they neared the suburbs of Yang City, they split up instantly under Ye Feng¡¯s command. The Mutated Buffalo stayed outside, waiting for support. The King Cobra, the mouse, and one of the sparrows formed one group. They found a sewer pipe and crawled inside, making their way from underground. Meanwhile, another sparrow, along with the bat and the crow, formed an aerial squadron, mainly taking charge of visual surveillance and guiding the direction from the sky. He could sense the relative distances between these animals, guiding the trio in the pipes to move forward. Otherwise, once the King Cobra entered the sewer pipe, it would have been all in darkness without guidance. Besides, there was a Big Yellow Dog on the ground, following the aerial squadron, responsible for making coordinated moves. At this time of night, neither the three little birds flying in the sky nor the Big Yellow Dog running on the ground would attract any attention from people. Conversely, it was the team moving through the sewer that experienced a bustling atmosphere. In there, every segment they advanced brought them face to face with swarms of Mutated Mice. Not just mice, but also Mutated Flies and Mutated Mosquitoes were numerous. Chapter 17 - 17 17 Smooth Capture_1 ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Smooth Capture_1 Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Smooth Capture_1 In the sewers here, the Second Stage King Cobra was the absolute overlord, and other mutated beings fled as soon as they saw it from afar. Yet this scene still caused Ye Feng to furrow his brow, because the number of mutated mice was far greater than he had anticipated. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± The mutated sparrow flying ahead suddenly came to a halt and turned to look to the right. That was a drainage outlet. The sewage from other houses was discharged into the sewers through these drainage outlets. Since the appearance of mutated mice, to prevent them from entering houses through the sewer pipes, reinforced iron wire mesh was installed at these drainage outlets. And the iron wire mesh in front of him clearly showed signs of being gnawed, with even one of the wires bitten through. ¡°Have these mutated mice already become this destructive?¡± Ye Feng¡¯s frown deepened. He started to feel anxious about his own home. However, right now, he didn¡¯t have much time to worry about this matter and after taking a brief look, he continued to lead the team forward. But as he delved deeper, his mood became increasingly heavy. Because after entering the urban area, the mutated mice became more numerous and their size had also noticeably increased. At the same time, instances of the iron wire mesh being gnawed through increased in frequency, and at one point, there was even a hole big enough for mice to pass through. However, the iron wire mesh in the sewers was only the first line of defense. In theory, every household¡¯s drainage pipe should also have a wire mesh installed as the second line of defense. But this was already a dangerous sign; if the mutated mice could chew through one iron wire mesh, they could chew through the second. If a household caught the attention of these mutated mice and they managed to chew through the second wire mesh during their sleep, the consequences would be unthinkable. ¡°The ¡®Four Pests¡¯ eradication campaign should start in the next two days, but with the vast scope of Yang City, there will inevitably be a sequence, and areas like the old street district where my parents live will mostly be dealt with later, probably having to wait another week.¡± ¡°But a week, with the mutation speed of these mice¡­¡± Thinking this, Ye Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Since I¡¯m here, I might as well go home and have a look.¡± Having made his decision, Ye Feng quickened his pace. He had done his homework before coming here. Although the news did not report the name of the pet store, their footage did not purposely hide it, displaying other shops on the nearby streets. Before setting off, Ye Feng had pinpointed the location of the pet store by comparison. However, what he saw on the map was bound to differ from what was in reality. And now, without the ability to use his phone for navigation, it was clearly a bit difficult to search. Fortunately, though slow, after 20 minutes, he had found the location of the pet store. But simply pinpointing the location was not enough; the real challenge was commanding the King Cobra to make its way through the underground sewers. After nearly half an hour, with the mutual positioning of his subordinates, Ye Feng, inhabiting the sparrow, finally led the King Cobra and the mutated mice to the sewers near the pet store. Ye Feng quickly identified the drainage pipe leading to the pet store. This drainage pipe was, of course, also protected by sturdy iron wire mesh, but Ye Feng had brought the King Cobra specifically for this purpose. The King Cobra flicked its tail slightly, and under the impact of thousands of pounds of force, the wire mesh rapidly deformed, and its rivets dropped off one by one. The rest was left to the mutated mice. Under Ye Feng¡¯s command, the Mutated Mouse quickly climbed in, following the drainage pipes to the bathroom¡¯s drain, where it began to gnaw wildly at the wire netting. The Mutated Mouse raised by Ye Feng had reached the First Order Peak. Whether in terms of size or the biting power of its teeth, it stood a level above the ordinary Mutated Mouse. After about 10 minutes, the obstructive wire netting was finally chewed through. The Mutated Mouse went first, and Ye Feng directed the Sparrow to fly in right after it. Until this point, everything had gone smoothly. But then Ye Feng started to feel a bit nervous. ¡°I hope it¡¯s still there, don¡¯t let it be taken away!¡± Ye Feng prayed silently in his heart while quickly flying around the pet store, searching for the Mutated Parrot. ¡°It should be over here,¡± Ye Feng took a turn and arrived in front of a row of iron cages on the right. These cages were uniformly filled with parrots. His eyes rapidly scanned them, searching, and his gaze soon settled on one particular parrot. The Mutated Parrot was easy to recognize, one could tell just by its size. ¡°Finally found you,¡± Ye Feng sighed in relief. Although he had braced for the worst and even had a backup plan, if it wasn¡¯t necessary, who would want to do that? After all, mutation was now purely a matter of luck. Really bad luck meant that even if he took all the parrots, no mutations might occur even after a month. Now that he had located his target, the next steps would be easier. The Mutated Mouse directed by Ye Feng gnawed apart the lock on the birdcage and then awkwardly opened the iron cage with its paws. The moment the iron cage opened, the Mutated Parrot inside swiftly flew out. Mutated animals often gained a bit more intelligence, and the first reaction of this Mutated Parrot to the weird situation was to escape immediately. Ye Feng didn¡¯t try to stop it; it couldn¡¯t escape from the room anyway. He commanded the Mutated Mouse to approach the window, first opened it, and then used its teeth to bite through the burglary-proof mesh on it. Soon, the Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crow that had been waiting outside flew in. What followed was their ¡°friendly conversation¡± with the Mutated Parrot. Neither the bats nor the black crows, both having reached the First Order Peak, were a match for this newly mutated parrot. After a ¡°friendly conversation¡± that lasted about 5 minutes, they carried the bruised parrot through the broken window and flew out. ¡°At least, that went smoothly,¡± Ye Feng thought, relieved, as he watched the parrot fly out of the pet shop. As for the possibility of it fleeing, he wasn¡¯t worried in the least. The disparity in combat power between them was too great for it to escape. If it resisted, injuring it severely and letting the Big Yellow Dog drag it back was also an option. With Spiritual Energy, as miraculous as it was, the Mutated Parrot could be healed as long as it still breathed. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, the parrot turned out to be quite obedient after being ¡°educated¡± and followed behind while flying submissively. Next, it was time for evacuation. The Mutated Mouse and Mutated Sparrow went back through the drainage pipes and entered the sewer. After that, it was time to take a look around the vicinity of the house. Chapter 18 - 18 18 Early Detonation_1 ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Early Detonation_1 Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Early Detonation_1 Ye Feng commanded the King Cobra, heading in the direction of his home. It was the same as before, divided into two teams. The ones in the sky were responsible for scouting and also served as coordinates, making it easier for Ye Feng to direct the team in the sewers. However, because they were escorting a parrot through the air, their speed of travel was a bit slower than before. Of course, as the parrot tried to escape time and time again, only to be disciplined over and over, it gradually settled down and obediently followed the team in flight. After spending more than 20 minutes, Ye Feng finally arrived near his home. His family¡¯s conditions were not good; they lived in an old neighborhood, and the house was a bit dilapidated. Of course, this alone wouldn¡¯t be much, but his mother was in poor health, with a surgery on her lumbar spine when she was young and had been unable to do heavy labor ever since, leaving the entire family dependent on his father alone. Originally, everything would have improved after enduring just one more year, waiting until Ye Feng graduated. But unexpectedly, a global biological mutation occurred. Ye Feng¡¯s sparrow avatar flew into the old street, his eyes looking at the buildings on both sides of the street, filled with an urge to cry. Although it had only been a few days since he had been back, it truly felt like he had died and come back to life. He controlled his emotions and landed on an electric pole near his home. While directing the King Cobra on its journey, he looked towards his home. After the animal mutations, basically, whether it was day or night, nobody would carelessly open their windows, and they would certainly be fitted with mosquito screens. Under these circumstances, even if the curtains weren¡¯t drawn, one could only get a vague glimpse inside through the windows. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was now 2 a.m., the whole street silent, and by all rights, his family should have been sound asleep. But suddenly, he saw a small head appear in front of a window. ¡°Xiao Rou,¡± Ye Feng called out in his heart. That was his six-year-old sister, who had just started elementary school. Due to the significant age difference between them, he doted on his little sister quite a bit, trying his best to satisfy her with treats and fun things. So the relationship between the siblings had always been good. At this moment, Xiao Rou came to the window, looked up at the sky, and seemed to be muttering something to herself. Ye Feng thought for a moment, then silently flew down from the electric pole, landing on the railing of the small balcony. At this point, he was less than three meters from the window. ¡°Brother! Mom said you became a star in the sky, when will you come back? Xiao Rou misses you so much!¡± As he clearly heard what his sister was saying, Ye Feng felt a moistness in his eyes. However, his sister¡¯s next words made him somewhat bittersweet, ¡°You promised me chocolate before but never bought it for me. How did you just become a star?¡± ¡°She really has a sweet tooth,¡± Ye Feng muttered in his heart without any good humor. But at that moment, he truly felt an urge to sneak into a convenience store at night and grab a couple of chocolate bars for his sister. ¡°Brother, today I saw Mom crying again, and when Dad came back from work, he was utterly silent too. Xiao Rou is so scared, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°And also! Today, when I went out to buy groceries with Mom, she just spaced out while walking¡­¡± Listening to Xiao Rou¡¯s soliloquy, Ye Feng felt a pang in his heart. His gaze then turned to the Mutated Parrot, peacefully perched on the electric pole, and a bold idea formed in his mind. Of course, to implement this idea would require some time¡ªthe most crucial matter right now was to ascertain whether his parents¡¯ location was safe. As his previous exploration had given Ye Feng a slight grasp on the layout of the sewers, directing the King Cobra through the tunnels this time was not too difficult. In just ten minutes, they had arrived at the nearby district. Ye Feng transferred his Avatar Status to a sparrow in the sewer, continuously observing the surroundings. The more he watched, the tighter his brows furrowed. Perhaps due to the old neighborhood, the number of Mutated Mice here was nearly double that of other places. In such a situation, one could imagine the condition of the wire mesh installed at the sewage outlet. Almost every piece of wire mesh bore bite marks, and more than half were damaged enough to allow Mutated Mice to pass through. Quickly, he arrived at the sewage outlet below his own home and glanced at the wire mesh. Although there wasn¡¯t a large hole in the mesh, three wires had been bitten through. He estimated that if he had come a few days later, the mice would have created an opening here as well. ¡°If this continues, it¡¯s only a matter of time before we encounter problems. It¡¯s even unclear whether we can hold out until the end of the large-scale ¡®Four Pests¡¯ eradication campaign,¡± Ye Feng said with a furrowed brow. He recalled the process during the previous ¡°Four Pests¡± campaigns, which usually started from the city center and then spread toward the suburban areas. During these operations, many Mutated Mice, Mutated Cockroaches, and Mutated Mosquitoes were eliminated, but some, sensing danger, fled towards the suburbs. As these rats and cockroaches began to take flight, the old district naturally became a badly affected area. During the previous campaigns, the mouse population in their block was particularly dense, and eventually, these Mutated Mice became so bold that they would stroll on the streets in broad daylight. And in just two days during that period, twelve people on this street alone were bitten by the mice. This time, the mice had become even stronger. He anticipated that the trouble they would cause would be greater. He did not want his own family to become the next unlucky victims of bites. In fact, given the current degree of mutation in these mice, being bitten might not be the only thing to worry about. Looking at the Mutated Mice that were scurrying rapidly through the sewers, Ye Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Since there¡¯s a high probability of issues arising during the later extermination, I might as well trigger it ahead of time.¡± As long as he was here to create sufficient commotion, attracting the attention of the Mutant Management Bureau, everything would be manageable. No sooner had he thought it than Ye Feng, controlling the sparrow, flew down onto the back of the King Cobra and issued a new command. The once leisurely King Cobra, as if casually strolling along, now had a gleam of murderous intent in its cold eyes. In the next instant, its massive body exhibited a terrifying speed, utterly disproportionate to its size, as it darted forward, a deathly aura permeating the entire sewer. Squeak, squeak! The Mutated Mice in the sewer, as if encountering the most terrifying thing imaginable, let out sharp squeals as they scurried in all directions. Although most of the mice fled along the sewer, many crossed the damaged wire mesh, burrowing into the sewage pipes of numerous homes. One could imagine that these households were in for trouble if the wire mesh in their kitchens or bathrooms wasn¡¯t secure enough. This scene made Ye Feng¡¯s expression even colder, but he had no intention of stopping. At home, Xiao Rou, who was looking up at the stars, suddenly heard a loud bang not far away. A manhole cover was struck by something and flew high into the air with a clang. Before she could react, a series of booming sounds followed. One after another, manhole covers on the street flew high, and giant Mutated Mice frantically burst out in a frenzied run. Chapter 19 - 19 19 Turbulence_1 ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Turbulence_1 Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Turbulence_1 ¡°Ah~¡± A piercing scream slashed through the night sky. But this was just a prelude, what followed was a cacophony of screams, roars, and cries. Manhole covers were pushed up dozens of meters before crashing down onto the pavement with an enormous thud. And it wasn¡¯t just one manhole cover, but the entire street¡¯s, all being lifted at once, creating a thunderous noise as if buildings were being demolished. In such a situation, even the soundest of sleepers were jolted awake. And upon waking, seeing swarms of Mutated Mice crawling out of the sewers, it was impossible not to panic. After all, these Mutated Mice were now the size of an average house cat and could rip off a large chunk of flesh with a single bite. Moreover, not just on the streets, but as these Mutated Mice frantically bit due to fear, many households found them crawling out from their bathroom and kitchen drain pipes as well. Of course, to prevent this problem at home, Ye Feng had already had his own trained Mutated Mice block the entrances to his home¡¯s drain pipes, keeping the other Mutated Mice at bay. His trained Mutated Mice had reached First Order Peak strength, and compared to these mid-to-late First Order Mutated Mice, they were significantly stronger and larger, making this task not at all difficult. Although it looked chaotic outside, as long as the family stayed indoors, they would be safe. At this moment, Ye Feng transferred his Possession back to the sparrow on the balcony and glanced at his younger sister standing by the window. To his surprise, facing such a terrifying scene, she only widened her big, round eyes in fear without crying or making a fuss. ¡°Xiao Rou, don¡¯t be afraid,¡± said Wang Shuwen, Ye Feng¡¯s mother, who rushed in at that moment and enveloped Ye Rou in a fearful embrace. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not scared, and you shouldn¡¯t be either,¡± Xiao Rou comforted her in return. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the living room and stay there for now. I¡¯ve prepared the rat-catching equipment, and if we¡¯re together, we can easily handle any emergencies,¡± said Ye Xiangfeng, the father, with a calm voice. ¡°Honey, maybe we should buy a set of Mutated Being monitoring equipment. We couldn¡¯t afford it before, but now, for safety¡¯s sake, we can¡¯t skimp on this expense,¡± Wang Shuwen¡¯s worried voice followed. Mutated Beings detection equipment was the latest monitoring system introduced just three months ago. It could monitor around the clock, detecting the presence of creatures like Mutated Mice, Mutated Cockroaches, and Mutated Mosquitoes in the home and pinpoint their locations. It¡¯s safe to say that with such equipment, you no longer need to sleep with one eye open, as you would be immediately alerted to any intruders. Of course, the price tag for such equipment was not cheap, costing at least 300,000 Huaxia Currency for the standard version. If the home exceeded 100 square meters, additional sensors would be required, further increasing the cost. It was simply not something the average person could afford. In the past, it was unthinkable for Ye Feng¡¯s family given their financial circumstances, but now¡­ ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯ll make a call to place an order tomorrow. However, we don¡¯t have enough money on hand right now; we¡¯ll have to wait for Xiao Feng¡¯s compensation to come through¡­¡± Ye Xiangfeng¡¯s voice faded toward the end. Ye Feng could vaguely hear his mother¡¯s sobbing. He sighed softly and controlled the little sparrow to fly away, though the situation here was far from over. A Mutated Mouse outbreak on just one street might attract higher-level attention, but the level of concern would likely be limited. So¡­ Boom! Boom! Boom! At that moment, the manhole covers in the neighboring streets were also flying into the air, one by one. In the following few minutes, the manhole covers on the nearby streets were flipped over, one after the other. The mutated mice, originally hiding in the sewers, were all being chased out. This commotion continued until the distant, faint sound of police sirens signaled its end. Only after Ye Feng gave the order did the king cobra slowly retreat. But this district was destined for a sleepless night. Animals like mice are very sensitive to the sense of smell, and even though the king cobra had left, its violent scent still lingered in the sewers. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The mice did not dare to return for a while and could only scurry chaotically through the streets. Given this situation, one could imagine the noise it caused. Ye Feng, controlling the possessed sparrow, took one last glance and quickly flew away from the scene. After they left, two patrol cars drove up and were startled by the scene on the street; they reported the incident and called for reinforcements simultaneously. If it had been before, dealing with something like this would have been incredibly bothersome, but fortunately, there was now the City Guard Department. Such incidents were reported directly, and the department would immediately dispatch the City Guard Team to take over. Very soon, two fully equipped teams, each with a hundred members, arrived at the scene and, after about half an hour, finally managed to quell the disturbance. But this was just the beginning. There were no mice visible on the streets, but that did not mean they no longer existed. The mutated mice had escaped to dark corners, some even fleeing the neighborhood. To truly resolve the aftermath would likely take at least an entire night. ¡­ ¡°Are you sure the source of the incident is here?¡± asked a middle-aged man in a black leather jacket to a police officer beside him. He was Xiao Hua, the director of the Mutant Management Bureau, who had been summoned overnight to address this emergency, and naturally, he was quite annoyed. Yet, when he actually arrived and saw the situation clearly, his complaints had long since vanished into thin air, replaced by solemnity and caution. ¡°Yes, sir, I¡¯ve inquired clearly. The scene where manhole covers were lifted on a large scale and mutated mice flooded out started right here on this street,¡± said the police officer hastily. ¡°Good, go inquire with the residents here. Before the incident occurred, ask if they witnessed anything out of the ordinary or heard any unusual sounds,¡± instructed Xiao Hua as he connected a specialized device in his hand to the street¡¯s surveillance cameras. As his identity information was entered and authorization was verified, the device quickly succeeded in connecting, and then the screen showed the surveillance footage from last night. Xiao Hua glanced at the time, dragged the progress bar back to just over half an hour ago. ¡°Hopefully, we¡¯ll find some useful information,¡± he muttered to himself. Then, as the booms echoed from the video, his eyes widened in shock. The young police officer, who had just received his orders and was about to leave, couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks at the sound and turned to glance at the screen. The next moment, his eyes too widened in astonishment. Chapter 20 - 20 20 Investigation_1 ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Investigation_1 Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Investigation_1 In the video, one could see the iron sewer covers, each weighing dozens of pounds, shooting up like skyrockets following a huge explosion. Their heights instantly surpassed the surrounding street buildings, reaching about as high as a ten-story building before their momentum was exhausted, and then they fell back down, smashing into the hard concrete of the street and creating a large crater. ¡°Could it be that someone set off explosives in the sewers?¡± the young officer murmured softly. That was the only explanation he could think of. Xiao Hua silently finished watching the video clip, then walked over to a sewer cover and crouched down to take a look. There were no signs of an explosion, but there was a quite noticeable dent on the cover. ¡°It wasn¡¯t explosives. It was directly pushed up by some kind of mutated beings,¡± Xiao Hua concluded, feeling a bit of dryness in his throat. The young officer opened his mouth in astonishment, finally managing to say, ¡°How is that possible! It would require an impact of at least a ton to achieve that effect!¡± ¡°At least it¡¯s one of the Mutated Beings in the top 50 of the danger list! With such a huge size, how could they silently make their way into our city center?¡± Xiao Hua¡¯s expression was more solemn than ever, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, so tell the brothers from the City Guard Team to go down to the sewers and take a look. Remember to bring heavy firepower weapons.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the young policeman left in a hurry. Before long, two elite teams from the City Guard Team rushed over here in a hurry. ¡°Vice Director Xiao Hua, is the information you provided accurate?¡± the leading middle-aged man asked in a deep voice. His name was Li Yongming, and he was one of the two chief officers who came to support. ¡°Here¡¯s the video. Take a look for yourself, Captain Li,¡± said Xiao Hua, handing over the device without further ado and queuing up the video. After just a moment, Li Yongming¡¯s expression became unprecedentedly solemn. ¡°This has to be a Mutated Being with a danger level of at least three, and the fact that it could silently come to the city center proves it also has terrifying stealth abilities.¡± Li Yongming took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, saying gravely, ¡°We may have encountered big trouble.¡± Such a terrifying Mutated Being hidden within the city, if not cleared out in time, would be like a ticking time bomb, and no one knew when it might be triggered. By then, it might not just cause a disturbance on a few streets as it had been lucky this time. ¡°I¡¯ll lead a team down to take a look personally,¡± Li Yongming eventually decided. ¡°Captain Li, isn¡¯t that too dangerous? Is it really appropriate for you to go down personally?¡± Xiao Hua asked, taken aback. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be in danger going down there? As the chief officer, I should lead the charge,¡± Li Yongming dismissed with a wave of his hand. He then looked at a member of the team beside him and instructed, ¡°Xiao Liu, send a message to headquarters. I need two armed helicopters equipped with Earth-penetrating Bombs dispatched here.¡± ¡°Yes, chief officer,¡± the City Guard Team member responded promptly. Before long, Li Yongming led two elite teams into the sewer through an opened cover. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet,¡± Li Yongming observed as soon as he entered the sewer, sensing something was amiss. He had been in the city¡¯s sewers before; it was essentially the territory of Mutated Beings like rats, cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. Normally, upon entering, one would encounter such creatures everywhere, and the chances of direct combat were quite high. Now, although the environment in the sewer was the same as before, with sewage flowing and a foul stench pervading, there were no creatures in sight. ¡°Everyone, be careful and maintain a defensive formation as we move forward,¡± Li Yongming flicked on his portable light source, raised his gun, and advanced with cautious steps. The rest of the squad members hurried to keep up. However, they became increasingly astonished as they went along because they couldn¡¯t spot a single mutated being on their path. ¡°Captain, could it be due to the residual smell?¡± a member asked in a low voice. ¡°Hmm! All animals have a sense of territory, and they haven¡¯t lost that after mutating; in fact, it could even be said to have become more terrifying,¡± replied the captain. ¡°According to our research, some powerful creatures can even emit a deterrence that subjugates other mutated beings,¡± Li Yongming explained while continuing to walk forward. Soon, he stopped in his tracks and reached out to touch a wall. There was a discernable scratch mark on the cement board. ¡°Usually, when creatures leave scratch marks, they¡¯re rough, but how come this is so smooth?¡± he murmured as he caressed the cement, which felt as though it had been polished anew. Unfortunately, no one could answer his question, so he could only continue to cautiously lead the team forward. Before long, they arrived at the first location they were searching for. If the authorities were aware of the threat posed by Mutated Mouse, how could they possibly be unprepared? Earlier, during several ¡°Extermination of Four Pests¡± campaigns, they had installed surveillance equipment in some hidden areas of the sewer system. ¡°Captain, the wire mesh has been chewed through, and the surveillance equipment inside is damaged,¡± a technician reported with a sigh after a quick check. ¡°Is the memory card damaged?¡± asked Li Yongming. ¡°It¡¯s intact, but the problem is, this surveillance device stopped working a long time ago. The most recent records are from a month ago,¡± the team member said with a sense of helplessness. ¡°No matter, we¡¯ll head to the next location. There is a disguised recorder there that should be undamaged,¡± Li Yongming said, glancing at his phone¡¯s map. It was a sewer map with markers for all the equipment installation sites. The team continued on, encountering no danger, or rather, it was quite peaceful as they reached the location of the hidden recorder. This hidden recorder was almost indistinguishable from an ordinary cement board, embedded directly into the wall, with the only difference being the three inconspicuous pinhole cameras. Even the pinhole cameras were camouflaged in color, hardly noticeable unless looked at closely. As expected, this recorder was undamaged. A smile crept onto Li Yongming¡¯s face as he immediately asked the technician to connect the device. But as they took a closer look, his smile froze on his face. All three pinhole cameras were covered with an unknown black adhesive substance, completely obscuring the lenses. Clutching onto his last shred of hope, he had the technician connect to the recorder, and pulled up the surveillance video on his phone. But unsurprisingly, it was pitch black. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next spot,¡± he said, taking a deep breath to suppress the frustration inside him. They then visited five more places with installed surveillance equipment, and without exception, all were damaged. It wasn¡¯t until they reached a neighboring street that they found a surveillance device that was undamaged and whose camera wasn¡¯t obstructed. ¡°Quickly export the video,¡± Li Yongming excitedly told the member who was operating the device. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 21 - 21 21 Breakthrough Third Order_1 ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Breakthrough! Third Order!_1 Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Breakthrough! Third Order!_1 Under Li Yongming¡¯s tense gaze, there were no more mishaps this time, and the video was successfully exported, containing all footage from two months ago to the present. ¡°Good! Move the time to around 2:10 AM and play it,¡± Li Yongming said. The member swiftly began to operate, and soon a rather blurry image appeared. Since it was filmed in the sewers, there was hardly any light, and even though these devices were equipped with enhancement tools, the captured scenes could only be described as barely visible. As the video played, soon there were loud booming sounds coming from the phone. Everyone¡¯s expression instantly tensed up; they all knew that the monster had appeared and was now lifting sewer covers into the air. Before long, a massive creature appeared in the video, its body almost filling up half of the sewer¡¯s space as it moved at an extremely fast speed. The expressions on their faces became even more solemn; the creature was bigger than they had anticipated. ¡°Captain, what is that?¡± a member asked in a low voice. Without directly answering, Li Yongming said, ¡°Bring up the infrared camera footage as well, and play them synchronously.¡± Since the sewers were very dim, all cameras came with an infrared filming function. However, as that member operated the equipment, everyone was surprised to find that the creature was almost invisible under the infrared camera. ¡°It¡¯s a cold-blooded animal,¡± Li Yongming exhaled deeply and said, ¡°In that case, the most likely possibility is that the monster is a mutated snake.¡± ¡°Send the video back for the expert team to restore and analyze. We¡¯ll continue advancing; we must find out where it came from and where it¡¯s gone now.¡± ¡°We cannot let it wreak havoc in the city.¡± ¡­ At this time, Ye Feng, of course, was unaware that such a commotion had unfolded subsequently. His group of mutated animals had already escorted the mutated parrot back to Sunset Valley. The capture process went incredibly smoothly, and after being captured, the mutated parrot¡¯s loyalty unexpectedly reached 80%. This made Ye Feng wonder whether the loyalty of all animals domesticated by humans would be exceptionally high after being captured. Anyway, high loyalty was undoubtedly a good thing; the next step was training. Ye Feng had no idea about the talent of his 9th captured animal. But regardless, with an ample supply of spiritual energy, it would be able to reach the First Order Peak within a day. If the creature had good talent, it might even break through to the Second Stage on its own. And by then, its loyalty would probably also be well-cultivated, and it would be ready for possession. Thinking about these things, Ye Feng was in an excellent mood, but when he glanced at the system panel, he became troubled again. Because unbeknownst to him, he had reached the upper limit of the spiritual energy he could store. This was still because he had reached the peak of Level 2, with a spiritual energy storage capacity of 650 points. ¡°Let¡¯s break through! If I don¡¯t, it¡¯s equivalent to wasting spiritual energy, which is too regrettable,¡± Ye Feng said. ¡°Moreover, in the past two days, the height has increased by 45 meters. Today it only grew by 10 meters, so another breakthrough shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± With a grit of his teeth, Ye Feng chose to break through in the end. The following procedures all proceeded in an orderly fashion. After choosing to strengthen the repair speed of his roots, his entire tree began to grow rapidly. This evolution took an unusually long time for him, extending from the original 10 minutes to a full half-hour. Of course, with such a long duration, the extent of this evolution was unprecedented, not to mention the tree body height, which according to his estimate, shot up by 30 meters. This gave Ye Feng a heart-pounding sensation, and to confirm, he immediately opened the system panel. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree height: 95 meters Trunk width: 4.5 meters Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Root Length: 430 meters Realm: Early Stage of the Third Order Evolution Points: 0/120 points Special Ability: Devour, Imprisonment, Evolution Fruit Spirit Points: 550/900 points Bioenergy: 550/900 points Ye Feng took a glance at his current height, which had actually reached 95 meters, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bitterness in his mouth. Previously, it took two days to grow by 45 meters. Now, within a single day, he had shot up by 40 meters. Without a doubt, in the eyes of the relevant departments, his ¡°potential¡± had risen once again. Moreover, he had become exceedingly conspicuous; the second tallest mutated Wutong tree was only half his height, and there was no need to mention the others. ¡°My ranking is most likely going to rise again,¡± Ye Feng felt quite distressed. Of course, having already evolved, it was impossible to go back now, so he could only look for things that would make him happy. Breaking through to the Third Order, his strength could be said to have risen in every aspect. The thickness of his trunk also increased significantly, especially his storage of Spiritual Energy, which had actually increased to 900 points¡ªa doubtless piece of good news for him. Of course, the most significant change was undoubtedly the roots. Upon breaking through to the Third Order, the length of the roots directly increased by 60 meters, and the total length of the roots also broke through the 400-meter mark. Of course, length was secondary; most importantly, with the breakthrough of the Big Realm, he gained 1 more main root and 100 more lateral roots. In other words, he now had a total of 303 roots. And every breakthrough in the Big Realm was like a comprehensive enhancement, so his combat power had significantly increased¡ªnot just by a little. For example, each of his roots now had a strength that had surged from the original 200 catties directly to 500 catties. The extent of enhancement was unprecedented. A single root had the strength of 500 catties, and when all 303 roots were combined, the force they could unleash would reach 75.75 tons. It could only be described as terrifyingly powerful. This was just the plain strength aspect; the flexibility, toughness, and recovery speed of the roots had also been greatly enhanced. It could be said that his strength now, compared to when he was at the Second Stage, had increased by at least threefold. Not just the roots. The trunk, branches, and leaves likewise underwent substantial enhancements. If he desired, he could even use a single leaf to punch a hole through a normal person¡¯s body. After fully sensing his own strength, Ye Feng was extremely satisfied with it now. Setting aside anything else, ordinary firearms were already unlikely to cause him much harm. The only thing he was concerned about was the heavy weaponry among humans. As for mutated beings, there was no need to say more; in this vicinity, he was definitely invincible. If he were to encounter that mutated wild boar again, he estimated that he would only need to deploy 50 roots to beat it into a pulp. After feeling all the changes within himself, Ye Feng immediately shifted his attention towards the column of special abilities. ¡­ Dear bosses, the new book is still in its seedling stage, so I¡¯m asking for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and investments! Crystal bows and gives thanks here! Chapter 22 - 22 22 Evolution Fruit_1 ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Evolution Fruit_1 Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Evolution Fruit_1 As his strength improved, Ye Feng found that his special abilities were also becoming stronger. Take the Devouring Ability, for instance. At the First Order, it took him at least 10 seconds to Devour a single Spirit Point, but at the Second Stage, it only took 1 second. And now, he tried it out, and Devouring a single Spirit Point took him, at most, only 0.1 seconds. Which means he could now Devour 10 Spirit Points in one second. Such a rapid rate of Devouring could even be utilized in actual combat. He estimated that for a large-sized First Order Mutated Being like a Mutated Buffalo, it would take him at most 30 seconds to completely Devour and break it down. Of course, against creatures of the Second or Third Order, it would definitely take longer, but during combat, he didn¡¯t need to Devour the opponent completely. With each attack, while making contact with the roots, Devouring some Spiritual Energy and Bioenergy could achieve a remarkable effect. Putting thought into action, he specifically sought out a King Cobra for a quick spar, and this time, he equally pulled out 5 root strands, but with his greatly increased strength, he was able to make the King Cobra retreat again and again. What¡¯s more, with each attack, when he made contact with the opponent, he triggered his Devouring Ability. After merely a dozen or so attacks, the aura of the King Cobra had weakened considerably, and even its body had slimmed down a notch, causing the King Cobra to howl in misery. ¡°Now, with every attack of mine, it¡¯s as if it comes with True Damage, and it also has a pretty good Healing Effect,¡± Ye Feng nodded, looking at the results with satisfaction. Moreover, after this battle, he gained a clearer understanding of his own Combat Power, figuring he was approximately equal to 60 King Cobras. Beyond his Devouring Ability, his Capture Ability had also been enhanced; previously, he could at most Capture 20 Mutated Animals, but now it had increased directly to 30. ¡°It seems I need to find more powerful Mutated Beings to fill up spaces; otherwise, it¡¯s a waste to leave these places empty,¡± mumbled Ye Feng. Simultaneously, his gaze involuntarily fell upon the last special ability that appeared. Evolution Fruit! S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just the mention of the name made his heart skip a beat. As he clicked on it with his thoughts, the information for the Evolution Fruit appeared on the system panel. After reading through, he became excited. ¡°To think it can condense Evolution Points into a fruit to help other Mutated Animals break through, simply magical. This resolves everything,¡± Ye Feng¡¯s eyes shone as he immediately began to attempt it. As he used the Evolution Fruit special ability, a crystal-clear fruit quickly appeared on his branches, growing at a rate visible to the naked eye. With further application, he had more insights; he could now condense two levels of Evolution Fruit. Corresponding to First Order and Second Order respectively. A Level 1 Evolution Fruit required him to expend a full 100 points of Spiritual Power and 100 points of Bioenergy, finally condensing 10 Evolution Points inside. A Level 2 Evolution Fruit, on the other hand, needed 400 Spiritual Points and 100 points of Bioenergy, finally condensing 40 Evolution Points. ¡°So, the consumption is calculated entirely based on my template,¡± Ye Feng pondered. In just one minute, a Level 1 Evolution Fruit was condensed by him. He thought for a moment and directly threw it to the Mutated Buffalo. The Mutated Buffalo that had been standing idly by, having no reaction as it saw a crystal-clear fruit fly towards it. But as the Evolution Fruit approached, with its scent wafting out, its mouth instantly began to drool, its eyes turned blood-red, and a feeling of intense craving rose from the depths of its being. It wasn¡¯t just it; the other mutated beings around it also felt an incredibly strong desire to devour at that moment. Fortunately, Ye Feng reacted immediately and ordered all the mutated creatures to stay put. Otherwise, the creatures might have started fighting each other at any second. After realizing what was happening, the Mutated Buffalo didn¡¯t hesitate to open its mouth wide and swallowed the fruit. The next moment, it roared towards the sky as the aura on its body began to climb steadily. But as it entered the breakthrough state, it lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Before, Ye Feng had witnessed the King Cobra¡¯s breakthrough scene, which also involved falling into a deep sleep. ¡°It seems these mutated beings are more dangerous than I imagined during their breakthroughs,¡± Ye Feng murmured to himself. Not to mention the chance of failing during their breakthroughs, just the act of falling into a deep sleep during the process was deadly. If they were attacked at that moment, the consequences would be unimaginable. If they were attacked, they might be able to wake up quickly, but that would mean the breakthrough had failed. If they couldn¡¯t wake up, the situation would be even worse. What awaited them wouldn¡¯t be rebirth but death. ¡°Fortunately, I don¡¯t have this problem,¡± Ye Feng felt somewhat relieved. He could remain conscious during his breakthroughs and even fight if necessary. Afterward, Ye Feng began to condense Evolution Fruits one after another. Previously, during his breakthrough, the Spiritual Energy stored inside Ye Feng was at its maximum, reaching a full 650 points. This was enough for him to condense six Level 1 Evolution Fruits in one go. This was perfect to give to six mutated creatures that were stuck at their bottlenecks¡ªone fruit for each beast. Soon, two sparrows, a rat, a bat, a black crow, and a buffalo all entered the state of breakthrough. Looking at his subordinates all breaking through, Ye Feng was quite satisfied. Once they completed their breakthroughs, the ¡°Mutated Animal Special Forces¡± he wanted to establish would have taken its initial shape. After all, at this stage, Second Order mutated creatures were still quite rare. Those that did appear would almost certainly be able to make it onto the danger lists. Of course, this refers to large creatures. The likes of a little sparrow might not cut it. But no matter what, after breaking through, a Second Order creature fighting a First Order should be no problem. After infusing his subordinates with Spiritual Energy, Ye Feng also started his routine addition of points. ¡°Ding! Do you wish to deduct 2 Spiritual Points and Bioenergy to add a point?¡± Seeing the system prompt that had popped up, Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but think to himself that things were indeed as expected. He knew that as his strength increased, the cost of each point addition would definitely get higher and higher. Ye Feng didn¡¯t hesitate in his selection. Then, the familiar sensation came; over 300 roots were wrapped in a comfortable warm flow and began to grow rapidly. In just 10 seconds, all of them had grown by 10 centimeters. ¡°One point addition requires 2 Spiritual Points.¡± ¡°One Evolution Point requires adding points ten times, which will use up 20 Spiritual Points.¡± ¡°Third Order needs 120 Evolution Points to break through, which means I need 2400 Spiritual Points to break through a Minor Boundary?¡± After calculating the results in his mind, Ye Feng was somewhat surprised. Indeed, after each Big Realm breakthrough, the difficulty of advancing would soar dramatically. Chapter 23 - 23 23 All Breakthroughs_1 ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23 All Breakthroughs_1 Chapter 23: Chapter 23 All Breakthroughs_1 It would require 2400 Spiritual Points to break through, which is quite an exaggerated requirement. If this were applied to a normal Mutated Being, I¡¯m afraid after reaching the Third Order, breaking through a Minor Boundary would take quite some time. But for Ye Feng, it was just so-so. With the breakthrough to the Third Order and the tree roots reaching 430 meters, the amount of Spiritual Energy he could harvest per hour had also greatly increased. By Ye Feng¡¯s estimate, he could now harvest approximately 215 Spiritual Points per hour. If all the collected Spiritual Energy was used for levelling up, he wouldn¡¯t need 12 hours to break through a Minor Boundary. Moreover, this was just the Spiritual Energy he could obtain from harvesting plants. If the Mutated Beings hunted by his subordinates were also included, this time could be reduced by a great deal. If he really wanted to, breaking through two Minor Boundaries in one day would still be no problem. Of course, Ye Feng was not planning to rush things to that extent, he still wanted to nurture his subordinates first. After that, breaking through one Minor Boundary a day would suffice. Time quietly passed, and about three hours later, all the animals that had just eaten the Mutated Fruit had successfully completed their breakthrough. After the breakthrough, these Mutated Animals had undergone huge changes. ¡°They¡¯ve grown so much! It¡¯s like they¡¯ve been inflated,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but remark. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two little sparrows, upon reaching the Second Stage, had grown to the size that could match ordinary eagles, and their beaks and claws became sharper, flashing a cold light. As for the Mutated Black Crows and Bats, their size change was even greater, standing on the ground with their wings folded, they were half a meter tall and over a meter in length. If their wings were spread, the wingspan could reach 5 meters. As for the Mutated Buffalo, needless to say, after reaching the Second Stage, its body was comparable in size to a van. This reminded Ye Feng of the Mutated Wild Boar he had encountered before, which must have also been of the Second Order. In the end, Ye Feng¡¯s gaze fell on the Mutated Mouse in the corner. ¡°Ah San Country¡¯s mice, as expected, have reached the Second Order.¡± Looking at the Mutated Mouse in front of him, he felt a bit dazed, as if he saw again the scene in the video where the armed forces of Ah San Country were beaten and defeated. He could now confirm that many of Ah San Country¡¯s Mutated Mice had already reached the Second Order. The Second Order Mutated Mouse, compared to the First Order, did not have too much of an increase in size, being only comparable to a small dog like Teddy. And this lack of significant change in size meant that they had ¡°levelled up¡± in other directions. From the previous videos, it was obvious that Ah San Country¡¯s Mutated Mice were incredibly agile, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to move through a hail of bullets. Clearly, some of their ¡°levelling up¡± points had been allocated to agility. This kind of ¡°non-standard¡± allocation often results in extraordinarily developed abilities in some areas. ¡°Come, let¡¯s see how your combat strength is after the breakthrough.¡± Ye Feng uniformly issued a sparring command to these Mutated Beings. Then he pulled out six tree roots and whipped them toward the six Mutated Animals. This was both to ascertain their combat power after the breakthrough and to see if it would be possible to refresh their Loyalty. After all, when the King Cobra was hit before, its Loyalty directly increased by 3%. Now, after these Mutated Beings¡¯ breakthrough, their Loyalty was basically above 90%, and hitting them might allow them to reach 100% even faster. The 6 mutated beings that received the command reacted immediately as Ye Feng swung the tree root. Except for the Mutated Buffalo, the rest basically chose to dodge. But the gap between them was evident; even though they chose to dodge at the first moment, it was futile. Ye Feng had reached the Third Order, and the flexibility of the tree roots had been enhanced again, greatly increasing their speed. Thus, the two sparrows had just taken flight when they were struck by the tree roots. With a thud, they were directly pulled back to the ground, and a large number of feathers fell where they were hit, with even blood seeping out. A single tree root could exert a force of 500 jin¡ªthis was no joke. Just one hit severely wounded them, and then the tree roots restrained them; in an instant, the two Mutated Sparrows were defeated. As for the Mutated Black Crow and the Mutated Bats, their overall strength was stronger than the two Mutated Sparrows. They could barely dodge the whip strikes of the tree roots, but it was still a close call; a slight touch would cause injury. And facing the relentless assault from Ye Feng, defeat was only a matter of time. The Mutated Mouse, however, performed rather well. After breaking through to the Second Stage, it was quite agile, and even managed to find opportunities to counterattack from time to time, using its sharp claws or teeth to gnaw at the tree roots. Unfortunately, its attack power was too weak to even break the tree bark. It wasn¡¯t until Ye Feng brought out a second tree root that it was driven into a dead end. In less than a minute, whether it was the Mutated Mouse or the Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crow struggling in the air, they all fell one after another. ¡°This combat power is a bit weak! They won¡¯t even win against stronger First Order creatures,¡± Ye Feng was slightly disappointed. Soon, only the Mutated Buffalo was left in the arena. It was the size of a minivan and could be described as tough-skinned and fleshly; a tree root¡¯s force of 500 jin merely tickled it when it hit its body. But unfortunately, that was all it could do¡ªpassive defense. Its body was too cumbersome to counterattack; it could only endure the beating passively. Of course, with Ye Feng, a stalemate was impossible. If one tree root wasn¡¯t enough, then two, then three. Ye Feng was surprised to find that when he stacked his tree roots to eight, creating a combined force of 2 tonnes, it finally caused the Mutated Buffalo to stagger and start backing away. Even with 2 tonnes of massive force, it only managed to push back the Mutated Buffalo, causing blood marks to appear on its skin. But to consider it seriously wounded was still far from the truth. In the end, Ye Feng kept increasing the number of tree roots to 12, finally bursting out with a full 3 tonnes of force, seriously wounding the Mutated Buffalo. ¡°This defensive power is really impressive,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but praise. In future actions, this would serve as the perfect meat shield. After all the testing was complete, the evaluation of combat power also came out. The sparrows were the weakest, and of course, the Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crow weren¡¯t much better, all of them could be dealt with a single tree root. The Mutated Mouse was slightly more troublesome, but just slightly; two tree roots were enough to handle it. As for the Mutated Buffalo, its combat power was hard to judge. Although it had great defensive power and strong bursts of force, it was too cumbersome. All the animals in the arena, when counted, probably none could be slower than it. In a situation where it couldn¡¯t counterattack, Ye Feng found it difficult to determine its combat power. Of course, even though these mutated animals weren¡¯t much on their own, if teamed up and with their abilities complementing each other, they should be able to unleash considerable combat power. Finally, he could seek revenge on that Mutated Wild Boar. Chapter 24 - 24 24 Follow-up Impact (Please Follow)_1 ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Follow-up Impact (Please Follow)_1 Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Follow-up Impact (Please Follow)_1 After a battle had concluded, Ye Feng first opened the subordinate panel to take a look, only to find that the loyalty of these mutated beings had not increased. ¡°Was my guess wrong? Is it only the combative mutated creatures whose loyalty increases after being taught a lesson?¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but glance at the king cobra beside him. The king cobra seemed to sense something, its head suddenly erect, looking around vigilantly. Ye Feng refocused his attention and glanced at the sky; it was now 6 a.m., and dawn was about to break. Ye Feng first infused spiritual energy into the bodies of his subordinates who had just finished sparring, helping them to recover from their injuries, so that they could go out and carry out tasks once daylight arrived. The first task was to seek out the mutated wild boar to see if they could avenge themselves. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, revenge was just one aspect. The mutated wild boar was, after all, ranked 35th on the list of dangerous creatures. So it was an excellent benchmark; hunting it would allow a clearer assessment of the combat power of his group of subordinates. In addition, such large-bodied mutated beings undoubtedly contained bountiful spiritual energy; hunting it down would save a few hours of hard work. As for the second task, that was to find the mutated eagle. Ye Feng had always been fixated on this matter. He had no fear of enemies on the ground; even without considering his own combat power, with the king cobra, mutated buffalo, and a mutated big yellow dog with decent potential, they could face any creature in the future. But the air was a different matter. Although more than half of his subordinates could fly, they were basically just there to make up numbers. Unable to even defeat a single tree root, they would all be brought to their knees when facing a strong, fierce bird. Therefore, finding a flying-type mutated creature that could ¡°hold the fort¡± was very important. In the blink of an eye, it was 7 a.m., and the sky was fully illuminated. After an hour of recuperation and continuous healing from spiritual energy, the injuries left by the battle in his flock of mutated beings had healed. At Ye Feng¡¯s command, all the mutated animals scattered in all directions to hunt for prey. Of course, based on their strength, the areas they searched were different. Ye Feng would not let the weak ones venture far, especially the mutated parrot that had not been easy to bring back; it had to stay within his field of vision. As for the king cobra and mutated buffalo, Ye Feng let them go outside to cause trouble. Meanwhile, the other flying creatures also transformed into scouts, beginning a comprehensive search. ¡°Not bad; breaking through to the second stage has also increased their intelligence a bit, and they can already understand some more complex commands,¡± Ye Feng said contentedly. Ye Feng was not idle either; he had another important task at hand, which was to open his phone to check on the developments from last night¡¯s events. Just as he imagined, the local news in Yang City indeed reported a riot of mutated mice in the old city area. And underneath, the comment section was already ablaze. Nine Sects: ¡°Why did they suddenly riot? Could there be a plague of mice?¡± Golden Dragon: ¡°A mouse plague isn¡¯t the scariest thing. I¡¯m worried about those mutated cockroaches and mutated mosquitoes staging a riot; if that happens, we¡¯ll truly be afraid to leave home.¡± Adrift with the Wind: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the city guard team has already blocked off those streets and is focusing on clearing them out. The riot last night seems to have been a sudden incident.¡± Passerby: ¡°This is a surveillance video I found. The mutated mice on our side are obviously smaller than those in Ah San Country; they should not be ready to riot yet.¡± Attached was a short video. Ye Feng briefly scanned through and, although the mouse riot had caused a certain degree of panic, it felt like it was still within controllable limits. Of course, it was mainly because the city guard teams were now patrolling the streets, which undoubtedly gave the residents a great sense of security. After this incident, more people signed up to participate in the ¡°Four Pests¡± campaign. This was a major project, and the manpower drawn from various departments was definitely not enough; a large number of volunteers were needed as well. Recruiting volunteers for this was not easy before, as there was an inherent risk involved, and most of the Four Pests work happened to take place in the sewers, an environment no one liked. But last night¡¯s event directly caused a surge in the number of registrants. However, Ye Feng looked over the news again and was somewhat surprised to find that, although the incident was described in great detail, not a single word was mentioned about its cause. ¡°Are they worried about causing panic among the general populace?¡± Ye Feng speculated. If that was the case, it also meant that the authorities might very well know about the King Cobra. He immediately exited and then opened the danger list. Just as he expected, the King Cobra had appeared. And it had directly landed in the tenth spot on the danger list. 10th place: Mutated Giant Snake. Evaluation: 12-15 meters in length, extremely high attack power, impact force of at least one ton, fast and agile, possesses hard scale armor, not yet determined if it has strong venom. If encountered, evacuate immediately, cannot be eradicated without heavy firepower. It doesn¡¯t matter: ¡°Right into the top ten, thankfully I don¡¯t have to leave Yang City. [sneer]¡± Unrelenting and steady: ¡°You think you¡¯re safe just because you¡¯re not leaving Yang City? That¡¯s a snake! It¡¯s not strange to see a snake in the city.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter: ¡°You¡¯ve got to be joking, a snake that long, do you really think the City Guard Team is blind and would let it in?¡± Unrelenting and steady: ¡°Not necessarily, it¡¯s said that the intelligence of mutated animals far exceeds their kind, so why would it make an obvious appearance? It might be hiding in your sewer right now.¡± The conversation then devolved into a verbal fight between the two, which Ye Feng didn¡¯t bother to follow. He simply gave ¡°Unrelenting and steady¡± a silent thumbs up. But this incident also served as a warning for Ye Feng, the King Cobra was now on the official radar, and he would have to be more discreet when letting it out in the future. Even more, it must not become known that it frequently appeared in Sunset Valley, otherwise the Mutant Management Bureau might be drawn here. The good news was that although the King Cobra was quite long, when it slithered along the ground, its height was only about 30 centimeters. At such a height, not to mention trees, even ordinary weeds could hide it. After all, with the beginning of plant mutations, not only trees began to grow taller, but most of the wild grasses had reached half the height of a person. Ye Feng thought about these matters while scrolling through the danger list, checking to see if his own ranking had increased. ¡°As expected, it went up!¡± When he saw that the 80th place on the danger list was now occupied by the Mutated Iron Birch Tree, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He had anticipated a rise in ranking, but he never expected to jump from 98th to 80th in one go. Each rise in rank meant the officials were paying more and more attention to him, definitely not good news. The reason for the rise in rank was made clear as he clicked on his profile. Note: Grew 40 meters in a single day, analysis suggests potential surpassing the Mutated Old Locust Tree, hence the rank increase. After reading the profile, he glanced at the comments below and found that, as he had predicted, the number of people following him had indeed increased quite a bit. ¡ª¡ª¨C Please don¡¯t just store away the book! Trouble yourselves to open and read it every day, as continuing readership is the most important metric. We are in the middle of a competition now, and your every click is very important to me, thank you! Thank you! Almost forgot to say: ¡°Vote for me~~~¡± Chapter 25 - 25 25 Yangcheng Research Institute_1 ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Yangcheng Research Institute_1 Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Yangcheng Research Institute_1 Fudi Qinghe: ¡°I started paying attention to the Mutated Iron Birch Tree yesterday, feeling it had great potential. And today, it really shot up in the rankings.¡± Yilanzhugao: ¡°Don¡¯t blow smoke, buddy. I was here all day yesterday and didn¡¯t see you post a single comment.¡± Men Are So Tired: ¡°It¡¯s a real shame that the ones on the list are either the Old Chinese Scholar Tree or the Iron Birch Tree. Why can¡¯t we have a fruit tree for once?¡± ¡°Lychee, longan, mango, ginseng fruit, jackfruit, pomelo, banana¡­ Why haven¡¯t any of these fruit trees mutated? I really want to taste their mutated fruits.¡± Da Fei: ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Does nobody care about the potential dangers of this Mutated Iron Birch Tree? What if it really becomes sentient?¡± Rihua Yueqing: ¡°To the person above, if you want the answer, just flip through yesterday¡¯s comments.¡± ¡°But I do have some news. A friend of mine works at the research institute. Small Phoenix Mountain is too far, so they¡¯ve set their sights on this Iron Birch Tree instead.¡± Reading this, Ye Feng¡¯s expression suddenly sharpened. Though he understood that information on the internet couldn¡¯t be taken as truth, judging objectively, the likelihood of being targeted was very high. ¡°This isn¡¯t good enough. I still need to continue strengthening my abilities. After finding that Mutated Wild Boar, don¡¯t kill it ¨C capturing it will also do.¡± ¡°I also need to speed up finding other large mutated animals to fill the 30 slots as soon as possible,¡± Ye Feng said in a low voice. As he amended his plan, he scrolled through the comments, but there was no more useful information later on. Then, he logged onto the official website of the Yangcheng Research Institute for a peek. There was no announcement of dispatching another sampling team. However, four days had already passed. Maybe they had to deal with compensation and such in the initial days, but without a doubt, there would be follow-up actions once that was settled. If not, the research would have to be postponed, leading to even greater losses. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t set their sights on me; otherwise, they are the ones who¡¯ll be out of luck.¡± ¡­ Yangcheng Research Institute. Xu Liang returned to his research team, looking quite displeased. ¡°Professor Xu, how did it go? Was the funding approved?¡± As soon as he entered, an eager researcher inquired. Xu Liang first nodded, then shook his head. Just as everyone was feeling perplexed, he explained, ¡°We did secure the research funds, but the amount is significantly less than what I applied for.¡± ¡°Director Liu is very dissatisfied with our last mission and the impact it caused. Thus, our Phase 3 research budget has been drastically cut to only 5 million.¡± Upon hearing Xu Liang¡¯s words, the color drained from the faces of those in the office. Yi Weihua, visibly enraged, said, ¡°Is this a joke? It would have been acceptable before, but now that we already have preliminary results, they still take us so lightly?¡± A colleague beside him sighed softly, ¡°You know the attitude upstairs. Currently, all priority projects revolve around Mutated Animals. Our studies on mutated plants are just an insignificant branch.¡± ¡°Moreover, our research on Life Essence is only a theoretical result. Without any concrete products, the level of attention it receives will certainly be limited.¡± Yi Weihua, though aware of the rationale, said with an unwilling expression, ¡°They want the horse to run, but they won¡¯t feed the horse. If we had enough research funds to start with, we would¡¯ve had results by now.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not just an issue of funding. The administrative support is also severely lacking. Every day, the Mutant Management Bureau helps other research teams eliminate Mutated Animals.¡± ¡°But what about us? Apart from helping us retrieve a tree branch at the very beginning, we¡¯ve had to figure out everything else on our own.¡± His words silenced everyone present. At this moment, Xu Liang, the professor leading the team, knew he couldn¡¯t let the silence linger. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°What we need to do now is not to complain, but to think about how to solve the problem.¡± ¡°Our theoretical research is complete, and we have a preparation plan. What follows is a continuous process of trial and error to successfully extract ¡®Life Essence.¡¯ ¡°What we¡¯re lacking now is research material. Just give us another 200 pounds, no, 100 pounds of branches from the Mutated Old Locust Tree and we should be able to extract a dose of Life Essence. Once we have the product, funding for subsequent research won¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Our situation is such that the theoretical research is finished, and we have the preparation equipment. The cost of consumables won¡¯t be much; with some savings, 2 million Huaxia currency can cover it.¡± ¡°So, with this 5 million in funding, we could even spare 3 million to obtain 100 pounds of branches from the Old Chinese Scholar Tree. Don¡¯t hesitate to share any good ideas you might have; let¡¯s discuss them together.¡± After listening to Xu Liang¡¯s words, the expressions of the people present seemed to relax a bit. Indeed, putting aside other issues, spending 3 million Huaxia currency to get 100 pounds of branches should not be difficult. If it were peacetime, not to mention 100 pounds, even 100 tons would not be a problem. As for now¡­ ¡°Can we use this 3 million Huaxia currency to ask the Mutant Management Bureau to make a move for us?¡± a researcher suggested. ¡°Perhaps we could have before, but as everyone knows about the rat plague that happened yesterday, the Mutant Management Bureau won¡¯t have time to spare for us now, plus the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ campaign is about to launch urgently, so we shouldn¡¯t count on them for the time being,¡± Xu Liang immediately shook his head. ¡°What if we issue the task again, to all relevant enterprises and units? Surely, someone is in need of money and willing to take on the task,¡± another person suggested. Xu Liang shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. The news that nearly the entire sample collection team was wiped out is still trending, from a 15-person team only one survived by luck, it¡¯s truly a harrowing ordeal.¡± ¡°Anyone with a bit of sense knows that this money is not easy to earn.¡± ¡°Moreover, we need professionals; otherwise, if we just pull together some people, the likelihood of failing the mission is high, and not only would it harm them, but our money would have been spent in vain.¡± ¡°These 3 million Huaxia currency are our last funds, we can¡¯t afford to lose them.¡± The one who had just made the suggestion said, ¡°Can we choose to pay upon completion of the task?¡± Xu Liang laughed wryly, ¡°Would you be willing to do it?¡± ¡°I must remind you that of the sample collection team sent out last time, only one person returned, and the insurance company paid out a total of 14 million.¡± ¡°After that incident, insurance companies are unwilling to take on any more policies, so there¡¯s no insurance payout even in the event of death.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to take on this task, I¡¯ll get the money ready immediately, and deposit it into your account the moment the job is done.¡± The person who had proposed the idea was immediately rendered speechless. 3 million is tempting, but with such a high risk of death and no compensation, no sane person would accept it. The atmosphere in the room fell silent once again. It was then that Yi Weihua spoke up again, ¡°Why don¡¯t we change our approach? I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve seen today¡¯s danger list.¡± ¡°The Mutated Iron Birch Tree in Sunset Valley has reached a height of 95 meters, which should have significant research value.¡± ¡°Sunset Valley is much closer, just 20 kilometers away, and we have a direct highway there. If we switch our target to the Mutated Iron Birch Tree, the difficulty would at least be halved. Could we consider changing our goal?¡± Small Phoenix Mountain is a full 50 kilometers away from them, and the latter half of the journey is particularly difficult because it involves mountain roads. By contrast, heading to Sunset Valley and saying the difficulty is halved is already an understatement. Chapter 26 - 26 26 Blessed General_1 ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Blessed General_1 Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Blessed General_1 His words immediately plunged the researchers in the room into deep thought. Eventually, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Xu Liang, as he had the most authority to speak. After a long contemplation, Xu Liang slowly said, ¡°Based on our research theory, all plants that have mutated to a certain extent can be purified to extract Life Essence, so in theory, this Iron Birch Tree should also be possible.¡± ¡°However, it isn¡¯t as tall as the Mutated Old Chinese Scholar Tree, so we will need more material, probably at least 300 pounds.¡± This immediately energized everyone in the room. As long as we reach the destination, whether we collect 100 or 300 pounds, the difficulty is the same. Seeing everyone¡¯s excitement, Xu Liang reminded, ¡°Although choosing the Mutated Iron Birch Tree in Sunset Valley will reduce the danger significantly.¡± ¡°But however much it¡¯s reduced, the risk is still great, and it may be very difficult to find someone to take on such a task.¡± Yi Weihua spoke again, ¡°I have a suggestion, I know the owner of a security company who might be willing to take on this task.¡± ¡°Security company?¡± Xu Liang¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. Compared to ordinary people, the personnel of a security company would certainly have a much higher success rate. ¡°Cough! It¡¯s not a regular security company.¡± Seeing the puzzled looks from everyone, Yi Weihua quickly explained: ¡°I mean, legally it¡¯s a security company, but they don¡¯t actually do the work of a security company.¡± ¡°What exactly do you mean?¡± Xu Liang frowned. ¡°To put it simply, their main business is lending, and that boss has quite a gang of hoodlums under him,¡± said Yi Weihua. The people in the room instantly understood what he meant. ¡°Is it reliable to find them for this task?¡± Xu Liang¡¯s frown grew tighter. ¡°They are one of the few groups daring enough to take on such high-risk tasks.¡± ¡°Moreover, after a recent crackdown, they no longer dare to engage in such grey business, and that boss is probably worrying about where to get money right now!¡± ¡°3 million would be enough to entice them, and we can sign a contract with them, pay half as a deposit, and upon successful completion, pay the rest. They would definitely work hard,¡± said Yi Weihua. ¡°Just paying half upfront, would they agree?¡± Xu Liang asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but we can try. And when dealing with such a group, we don¡¯t need to persuade every member; as long as their boss agrees, that¡¯s enough,¡± Yi Weihua said. The researchers exchanged glances, feeling the proposal was feasible. ¡°Alright, you contact that boss and have him come over to talk,¡± Xu Liang finally decided. ¡­ Ye Feng had no idea that what he worried about had already come true. Nevertheless, from the moment he chose to make a breakthrough, he was prepared mentally. So at this time, although he felt heavy-hearted, he wasn¡¯t panicked and methodically went about his work. Harvesting Spiritual Energy, leveling up, infusing Mutated Animals with Spiritual Energy, and occasionally possessing two little sparrows to check on their search progress. But for some reason, the Mutated Wild Boar was nowhere to be found, even after searching for three hours, nothing turned up. ¡°I¡¯ve searched nearly 10 kilometers around, it couldn¡¯t have left this area, could it!¡± Ye Feng furrowed his brow slightly. Of course, it couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that it was simply overlooked during the search. Although the Mutated Wild Boar was massive, with the mutation of plants, trees over a dozen meters high were common, and simply searching from high up, there was a great chance of missing it. But carpet searching was impossible with the few animals he had available. ¡°It¡¯s about time for them to come back,¡± Ye Feng muttered as he issued the return command. To boost the strength of his subordinates faster, Ye Feng infused them with Spiritual Energy every hour. Notably, after they broken through to the Second Stage, each animal¡¯s consumption of Spiritual Energy significantly increased. Now, the nine animals combined devour 84 points of Spiritual Energy in one hour. But Ye Feng didn¡¯t mind this consumption; he planned to advance one minor level daily, and the remaining Spiritual Energy was more than enough for him. According to the experience gained from the King Cobra, these Mutated Animals could make a breakthrough every 10 hours on a steady basis, provided they had enough Spiritual Energy, even in the Second Stage. In this case, he could cultivate this batch of Second Order Mutated Animals to the Third Order in no more than two days. Meanwhile, Ye Feng ranked the amount of Spiritual Energy they could absorb during each Minor Boundary breakthrough at the Second Stage. 1. Mutated King Cobra: 200 points of Spiritual Energy 2. Mutated Buffalo: 200 points of Spiritual Energy 3. Mutated Black Crow: 80 points of Spiritual Energy 4. Mutated Bats: 80 points of Spiritual Energy 5. Mutated Mouse: 60 points of Spiritual Energy S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. 6. Mutated Sparrow: 40 points of Spiritual Energy As for Big Yellow Dog and the parrot, currently at First Order, they were not included in the calculation. The amount of Spiritual Energy absorbed for breakthroughs often implied how much potential the animals possessed. It¡¯s worth mentioning that at the First Order, the Mutated Buffalo required 10 more points of Spiritual Energy for its breakthrough compared to the King Cobra. However, at the Second Stage, the amount of Spiritual Energy they absorb each hour had equalized. This led Ye Feng to speculate that Mutated Beings which broke through on their own might have greater potential. As he pondered these things, his subordinates returned one after another. Although they didn¡¯t find the Mutated Wild Boar, they hunted some other Mutated Beings they encountered and brought them back for Ye Feng to Devour. And now, with the return of these animals, one Mutated Animal after another was laid out before Ye Feng. 6 Mutated Mice, 3 Mutated Wild Chickens, 2 Mutated Toads, 2 Mutated Tree Frogs, 1 Mutated Weasel. In addition, the aerial squad brought back 3 Mutated Bats and 2 Mutated Pigeons. Some of these Mutated Beings were dead, others alive. Whether dead or alive, Ye Feng could Devour and absorb them directly. But once dead, they couldn¡¯t be captured. However, looking over the Mutated Animals in front of him, he had no intention of capturing any, and decided to Devour them all. ¡°Why is the King Cobra returning so slowly this time?¡± Ye Feng wondered. But before long, the King Cobra also appeared within his sight, its tail coiled around another Mutated Being. When he clearly saw what the creature was, Ye Feng¡¯s face immediately showed an interested expression. It was a Mutated Hedgehog. Although the hedgehog was a small-sized creature, its spiny body might make it quite powerful in combat at higher levels, so it was on Ye Feng¡¯s capture list. ¡°Really, my lucky general,¡± Ye Feng remarked as he looked at the King Cobra. Both the Mutated Buffalo and Big Yellow Dog were brought back by it. Chapter 27 - 27 27 The Old Chinese Scholar Tree Becomes a ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27 The Old Chinese Scholar Tree Becomes a Spirit_1 Chapter 27: Chapter 27 The Old Chinese Scholar Tree Becomes a Spirit_1 Ye Feng soon captured the Mutated Hedgehog with ease, reaching a total of ten captured mutated animals. As Ye Feng infused Spiritual Energy into the Mutated Hedgehog, he discovered its ¡°Talent¡± was ordinary, capable of storing only four points of Spiritual Energy. It was on the same level as the previous bats and black crows. Though its Talent was nothing remarkable, Ye Feng felt it was still of some use. Although it was only at Mid Stage First Order, its spines were already as sharp as steel needles. Now only the King Cobra and the Mutated Buffalo dared to provoke it with their formidable defenses, while the other mutated animals did not dare to touch it. Of course, the Mutated Hedgehog could only counterattack defensively due to its lack of speed. ¡°I hope there will be some surprises later on.¡± After teasing the Mutated Hedgehog with some roots, Ye Feng started to infuse Spiritual Energy into the other mutated beings. Once all the mutated beings had rested, Ye Feng let the King Cobra and others move freely. Meanwhile, he possessed a sparrow, commanding the black crows and bats to follow it as they flew straight towards Dongwu Mountain in the southwest. If the Mutated Wild Boar had left the vicinity, then continuing the search would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, so he decided to temporarily set aside that matter and start looking for eagles instead. He hadn¡¯t been idle that morning, using his phone to search online for places with eagle nests near Yang City. In the end, he actually pinpointed two locations: the first was Dongwu Mountain, and surprisingly, the second was Small Phoenix Mountain. So, he planned to visit these two places first. Dongwu Mountain was not far from Sunset Valley, only ten kilometers away in a straight line. Under Ye Feng¡¯s command, the entire aerial squadron progressed rapidly. He had dispatched all Level 2 Mutated Creatures; while their combat strength was lacking, their flying speed was not slow. So in less than ten minutes, they had entered the range of Dongwu Mountain. The north side of Dongwu Mountain was a cliff, a place where eagles generally liked to nest. Hence, finding their nests there shouldn¡¯t be difficult in theory. However, after circling the cliff twice, Ye Feng found nothing. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To ensure nothing was overlooked, he even searched the other directions around Dongwu Mountain, only to leave with a light sigh after half an hour. ¡°I hope I¡¯ll find something on Small Phoenix Mountain, otherwise I really don¡¯t know where to look,¡± Ye Feng prayed to himself. Fifteen minutes later, the aerial squadron he commanded was nearing Small Phoenix Mountain. But to anyone approaching Small Phoenix Mountain, the first thing to catch their attention wouldn¡¯t be the mountain itself, but the colossal Old Chinese Scholar Tree growing halfway up its slope. This Mutated Old Locust Tree stood at 360 meters in height, while Small Phoenix Mountain was a hill with an altitude of around 400 meters. That meant the height of the Mutated Old Locust Tree was nearly that of the entire hill, rendering an impressive and majestic sight against such a backdrop. Ye Feng, controlling a possessed Mutated Sparrow, approached steadily. There was a cliff on the south side of Small Phoenix Mountain as well, but Ye Feng did not head in that direction. Instead, he flew straight towards the Mutated Old Locust Tree. This was because, for the past few days, he had been pondering a question. After mutating, did other plants truly not develop intelligence? The present Old Chinese Scholar Tree, by Ye Feng¡¯s estimation, had reached Third Order, arguably the most highly mutated tree near Yang City, second only to him. From the state of the Old Chinese Scholar Tree, he could roughly infer the condition of other mutated trees. Soon, the sparrow controlled by Ye Feng drew closer and closer until it smoothly landed on one of the branches of the Mutated Old Locust Tree. The Old Chinese Scholar Tree remained still and quiet, swaying gently with the wind but with no other movements. Of course, this was within Ye Feng¡¯s expectations, and he began to scratch the bark with his bird claws, persistently striving until he finally broke through the bark. But the Old Locust Tree in front of him remained unresponsive. Could it be that mutated plants truly do not develop intelligence? While pondering, Ye Feng took flight, testing his idea on a whim. However, he had barely taken off when his movements suddenly halted. He had the feeling that he might have overlooked something. With this doubt in mind, he circled the Old Locust Tree and finally spotted something peculiar. Logically, such a large Old Locust Tree should be an ideal place for birds to rest or even build nests. But there were no birds at all on this Mutated Old Locust Tree, let alone bird nests. ¡°Huh!¡± He regained control of the little sparrow and flew back to the original position. But still, he discovered no issues. He could only have this sparrow stand by here while he switched his Avatar Status to another sparrow and sent it to scout the cliffs south of Small Phoenix Mountain. Disappointingly, after circling the area, he still did not find any trace of the hawk. Ye Feng felt somewhat unwilling to give up and continued to lead the search in other areas of Small Phoenix Mountain, hoping to find a clue. But contrary to his wishes, the hawk¡¯s trail was nowhere to be found. However, he did discover something special about Small Phoenix Mountain. The Spiritual Energy here seemed unusually abundant, at least in comparison to other places. This was also why, being in the body of a sparrow and absorbing Spiritual Energy at a much slower rate, he would have noticed immediately if he himself had been here. ¡°The Spiritual Energy here is probably 50% denser than other places, why such a difference?¡± Ye Feng wondered in surprise. It reminded him of the Amazon rainforest, where the rate of animal mutation was exceptionally fast; could it be due to an unusual concentration of Spiritual Energy? While he was thinking about these things, his main body, through their bond, received a surge of panic from the other sparrow. Hmm? Almost instantly, he switched his Avatar Status over. The next moment, he was shocked to find that he had been encircled by upright branches without realizing it, the leaves on the branches overlapping and completely sealing off any space for escape. Moreover, the ¡°Tree Cage¡± surrounding him was tightening continuously. He was greatly alarmed, and the only thought in his mind was one. The Old Locust Tree had truly turned into a spirit!!! Of course, his alarm was momentary, and he knew he needed to get the sparrow out first. He quickly chose a spot with fewer leaves and began to strike furiously with his claws. But to no effect; he had to exert his full strength just to tear through two leaves. He had anticipated this to some extent, knowing full well the strength of Third Order plants. These leaves seemed ordinary, but in reality, their toughness was comparable to that of metal sheets. So after trying just once, he immediately called for reinforcements. Chapter 28 - 28 28 Double Happiness Comes Knocking_1 ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Double Happiness Comes Knocking_1 Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Double Happiness Comes Knocking_1 The Mutated Black Crows, Mutated Bats, and Mutated Sparrows waiting outside received the order and swiftly flew in the direction of Ye Feng. Ye Feng switched to Avatar Status and from outside, he could see more clearly how this ¡°Tree Cage¡± was formed. The branches in the other directions were bending at this time, converging toward the place where the Mutated Sparrow was, and finally forming this cage. This was something he could easily do himself, but watching the Old Chinese Scholar Tree do it, he felt an inexplicable chill in his heart. As these trees continue to mutate, when the vast majority of the trees can ¡°hunt¡± like the Old Chinese Scholar Tree, the wilderness might become a no-go zone for humans. Of course, these thoughts were running through his mind, but his actions were not slow at all. He commanded the Black Crows and the Bats to fly down, and they used their talons to scratch the leaves together. Forget about the Mutated Sparrow, but after reaching the Second Order, the Mutated Black Crows and Mutated Bats were beings with a wingspan of 5 meters, talon length of half a meter, and they also carried sharp barbs. With one swipe of their claws, they could tear off a dozen or so leaves and their attacking speed was extremely fast. Under the joint efforts of the Mutated Black Crows and Mutated Bats, leaves fell like snowflakes. At this point, the Old Chinese Scholar Tree seemed to realize its prey was about to escape, so the Tree Cage closed faster, and the other branches stretched over, trying to trap the Black Crows and Bats as well. But compared to Ye Feng, its speed was really too slow, taking about a minute to move just a meter. To encircle the Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crows, it would take at least 4 or 5 minutes. Once he assessed the situation, Ye Feng felt secure, but his talons did not slow down at all. The Mutated Sparrow he possessed also kept clawing fiercely, and although its attacks were weak, their cumulative effect was significant. Within one minute, under the inside and outside attacks of the four Mutated Beings, they rescued the trapped Mutated Sparrow. Though he escaped quite easily, Ye Feng felt somewhat heavy-hearted as he flew into the sky. The fact that the Old Chinese Scholar Tree had developed intelligence was something he had not anticipated, although he estimated that the intelligence was probably very weak and only instinctive ¡°hunting.¡± But it¡¯s important to note that the Old Chinese Scholar Tree was currently just at Third Order, and as it continued to grow, it might reach the Fourth Order, Fifth Order, or even higher levels. Who then can be sure what level its intelligence might reach? Of course, worrying about the future was just one thing. What truly weighed on Ye Feng was the fact that if humans became aware the Old Chinese Scholar Tree had intelligence and could even hunt other creatures, how would they react? It is currently accepted that Mutated Plants pose no threat, partly because they can¡¯t move and partly because they lack offensive capabilities. Now the lack of offensive capabilities can be dismissed. In the situation just now, if the Mutated Sparrow couldn¡¯t escape, then a trapped human probably wouldn¡¯t be able to either. So how would humanity react upon discovering this threat? Any normal person would likely attempt to nip the danger in the bud. When that happens, not only the Old Chinese Scholar Tree but also his Mutated Iron Birch Tree, recognized for its greater potential, would inevitably be affected. ¡°No, I have to ¡®protect¡¯ the Old Chinese Scholar Tree as well, preventing other humans from getting close and discovering its anomaly,¡± Ye Feng whispered. Only by doing so could he suppress the matter temporarily. But it was only temporary. He suspected that other places might also have Mutated Plants with offensive capabilities. Right now, all he could do was try to delay as long as possible, allowing himself and his subordinates room to grow. ¡°Ah, what troubles.¡± Ye Feng flew back with a sense of disappointment. Not only had he gained nothing from this trip, but he had also received some bad news, so it was no wonder he felt down. Leading a group of his followers, he had not flown far when he heard the commotion of Mutated Black Crows cawing chaotically. Ye Feng looked over in confusion and a moment later, his face lit up with surprise. In the distance, he could see a hawk swooping low, its claws clutching a wild rabbit¡ªclear evidence it had just finished hunting. ¡°So much effort for nothing,¡± Ye Feng shouted inwardly and flew straight towards it. The hawk, which had just captured its prey, panicked upon seeing the four menacing birds approaching. Among them, there wasn¡¯t a single bird smaller than it, and the two with wingspans reaching 5 meters posed a severe threat to it. Yes, this was an unchanged hawk. There are only a few kinds of mighty bird species, which are rare to begin with, and mutated ones are even scarcer. Even though it hadn¡¯t mutated, Ye Feng wasn¡¯t disappointed. In fact, he had anticipated this situation. He had already decided to capture it if he encountered one and then just wait for it to mutate after captivity. Facing a powerful raptor like the hawk, Ye Feng didn¡¯t hesitate to offer a contract slot, even if it had not mutated. The subsequent actions were rather straightforward. Against an unchanged hawk, not to mention the Black Crows and Bats, even two Mutated Sparrows could easily suppress it. Although the two little sparrows weren¡¯t that strong, that was only relative to beings of the same order. Against an unmutated being, they could easily dominate. However, because unmutated creatures can¡¯t absorb Spiritual Energy to heal, Ye Feng was extra cautious when capturing them. He ordered a joint effort to capture the hawk without hurting it, if possible. A minute later, the hawk was wailing miserably, a large patch of feathers missing from its body, and in the end, its wings were firmly gripped by the Mutated Bats as it began to fly back quickly. Twenty minutes later, the group returned to Sunset Valley. And Ye Feng successfully captured the hawk. It¡¯s worth mentioning that although the hawk hadn¡¯t mutated yet, Ye Feng could distinctly feel its struggle was more intense than Mutated Hedgehogs and other creatures during the capture. It almost matched the strength of the King Cobra which was still at the First Order. After capture, the hawk¡¯s Loyalty was merely 70%. Seeing this, Ye Feng raised an eyebrow, only able to remark, ¡°It really lives up to the name of a raptor.¡± From then on, he had the 11th captured animal. The double joy was that Big Yellow Dog was about to break through to the Second Order. Of course, if it were merely breaking through to the Second Order, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise. But what was different was that Big Yellow Dog didn¡¯t need an Evolution Fruit to break through directly. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This meant that Big Yellow Dog, like the King Cobra, was a being with exceptional Talent. After breaking through on its own, its Combat Power would often be stronger than others of the same Order. Apart from Big Yellow Dog, considering the time, the King Cobra was also about to break through to the Late-stage Second Order, getting closer and closer to the Third Order. Chapter 29 - 29 29 Bold Ideas (Please Follow)_1 ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Bold Ideas (Please Follow)_1 Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Bold Ideas (Please Follow)_1 Ye Feng first injected a wave of Spiritual Energy into the Big Yellow Dog that was breaking through. At the same time, he looked towards the Mutated Parrot and the Mutated Hedgehog. Now, only they were still at the First Order. Of course, what Ye Feng was more concerned about was how their ¡°Talents¡± were and whether they could break through the Realm on their own. ¡°Come on, you guys! Although your initial conditions aren¡¯t great, as long as you can break through on your own, you might be able to turn the tide later and save me an Evolution Fruit,¡± Ye Feng said as he caressed them with his roots, conveying his thoughts. However, as he spoke, he suddenly paused. Because he had thought of something, if the Evolution Fruit could directly aid these creatures in evolving, breaking through to a higher Realm, then, would administering Evolution Fruit to normal animals also transform their very nature of life, turning them into Mutated Animals? If possible! Thinking of this, Ye Feng felt as if he could hear his own heartbeat. He forcefully suppressed the excited, yet tense emotions that were mixed within him. He then immediately utilized his abilities to start condensing an Evolution Fruit. Before long, an Evolution Fruit, crystal clear like a gem, grew from the branches. Ye Feng pulled it off with his roots and presented it to the eagle. As the scent of the Evolution Fruit wafted out, there was no need for Ye Feng to command; the eagle began to eat it voraciously. Soon, the entire Evolution Fruit was swallowed into its stomach. Ye Feng watched nervously, one second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ Merely after ten seconds, the eagle closed its eyes and fell into a deep sleep, with its aura slowly strengthening. This phenomenon was very similar to the other Mutated Animals when they were breaking through their Realms. ¡°Is it a success?¡± Ye Feng was uncertain, and all he could do was continue to wait. Fortunately, the eagle¡¯s sleeping time was not as long as the other creatures that underwent breakthrough, which would sleep for two or three hours. Just ten minutes later, the other party opened its eyes. ¡°Did it really succeed?¡± Ye Feng looked at the eagle in front of him. Its body seemed to have grown a bit. Of course, since it had just mutated, the change was not very noticeable. Even Ye Feng was a bit worried that he had seen wrong, but whether it was a Mutated Being or not could be determined with a test. He immediately extended a root and injected Spiritual Energy into the other¡¯s body. The Spiritual Energy did not dissipate; undoubtedly, it had truly become a Mutated Being, and its Talent was not bad¡ªit could absorb 10 Spirit Points in one go. ¡°As expected of an eagle, much stronger than bats and black crows,¡± Ye Feng smiled. At that moment, his thoughts drifted away. After this successful experiment, the status of the Evolution Fruit in his heart had risen to an immeasurable height. Now, he no longer needed to consider whether these creatures were mutated when he wanted to Capture them. This way, the range of animals he could choose from had expanded. For instance, Mutated Buffaloes might be hard to find, but ordinary buffaloes were easy; having the King Cobra go out for a spin, it could find at least ten or so in a day. Even other snakes like King Cobras and Five-step Snakes, he could directly Capture a bunch for cultivation. ¡°Better wait, don¡¯t rush.¡± Because the animals that could be found in the wild were just those. He had a bolder idea. Where are the fiercest and most powerful animals around Yang City located? Of course, it¡¯s the Yang City Zoo. Whether it¡¯s the ferocious tiger, the giant elephant on land, or the aquatic tyrant, the crocodile, all could be found there. Before, he hadn¡¯t considered targeting the Yang City Zoo, because as soon as a large mutated animal appeared, it would immediately be taken away by the Mutant Management Bureau staff. He simply had no chance to act. But now it¡¯s different; before these animals mutate, the oversight is very lax, and it might not be impossible to get them out. ¡°Huff~ I need to calm down first, this matter shouldn¡¯t be rushed, and it must be done covertly, with a long-term plan in mind,¡± he said. Ye Feng let out a long breath and temporarily put aside the issue, instead focusing his attention on the Big Yellow Dog. The evolutionary path chosen by the Big Yellow Dog was different from the other animals. Now it could even break through its own bottlenecks and advance to the Second Stage, he was really looking forward to seeing what changes would occur after its successful breakthrough. ¡­ While Ye Feng was overjoyed, the atmosphere in the conference hall of the Mutant Management Bureau headquarters was unprecedentedly grim. At the moment, a meeting was taking place here, not large in scale but with an exceptionally serious topic. ¡°Director Xiao Hua, Captain Zhang Ji, this is the detailed investigation report on the Mutated King Cobra incident, please review it,¡± said Li Yongming, the captain of the City Guard Team, as he personally handed over two documents. ¡°I¡¯m still not very clear about the details of the incident, please give me a brief explanation,¡± Zhang Ji said, rubbing his forehead. As the captain and also one of the ten captains, whether in terms of status or power, Li Yongming reported to him, and he certainly was not short on either. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t concern himself with matters involving a single mutated being. What¡¯s more, with the ¡°Four Pests¡± campaign about to commence, he had a pile of preparatory work to deal with and was already overwhelmed. But Director Xiao Hua had directly initiated a joint meeting in his official capacity, so he had no choice but to attend. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It could be said that Zhang Ji came suppressing his anger, and if the other party couldn¡¯t provide a reasonable explanation, he wouldn¡¯t mind blowing up in a thunderous rage. ¡°Yesterday, in the old city area of East City, from Donglin Street to Mingqi Street, there was a not-so-small surge of rats,¡± Li Yongming began. ¡°According to our final investigation, we found that the mastermind was a Mutated King Cobra, leading a Mutated Mouse and a Mutated Sparrow, together instigating the incident.¡± ¡°This is the first case we¡¯ve found of mutated animals cooperating, their intelligence may be higher than we estimated,¡± Li Yongming stated succinctly. Upon hearing this, the impatient look on Zhang Ji¡¯s face vanished in an instant. It was replaced with a grave expression, ¡°Mutated animals can cooperate, are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Li Yongming picked up a tablet computer next to him, turned it on, and handed it over. ¡°Here¡¯s a segment of high-definition video restored by experts, you can watch it first.¡± ¡°In fact, mutated animals cooperating is our positive assumption, but I¡¯m more worried¡­ that rather than cooperation, among the mutated animals, a king has emerged who can command the other mutated beings,¡± Li Yongming continued as he started the video. The video he took out, now pitch-black from the night before, was entirely different after technological restoration, and could be considered a standard-definition video at least, where some details were now discernible. One could clearly see that flying in front of the Mutated King Cobra was a Mutated Sparrow, and beside it followed a plump Mutated Rat. This was a video of them on the move, and because their speed wasn¡¯t very fast, it was easy to tell that the King Cobra was not chasing the Mutated Sparrow, but rather seemed to be following it. ¡ª¡ª¨C I heard that an update on Monday is crucial for climbing the rankings; the earlier the update, the better, so I¡¯m updating at dawn. The genre of ¡®Beast Flow¡¯ is already a niche, and with the protagonist being a tree, it¡¯s even more niche within the niche, so every click and every vote from you guys is crucial for this book. I hope you will cast your votes for me, bowing in gratitude! Chapter 30 - 30 30 Tense Mutant Management Bureau_1 ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Tense Mutant Management Bureau_1 Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Tense Mutant Management Bureau_1 If the first half of the video was still debatable, the latter half almost certainly nailed the final proof. The latter half of the video was obviously recorded by a different camera, and the scope of the video happened to cover a sewer junction. The leading Mutated Sparrow at the junction hesitated for a while, as if it was finding its way. At this time, neither the King Cobra nor the Mutated Mouse moved, waiting quietly by the side. Only after the Mutated Sparrow in front had determined the route did they follow. The video was short, just over a minute, but as it ended, the conference room fell into a dead silence. Even for Xiao Hua and Li Yongming, who were not watching this video for the first time, watching it again still sent chills down their spines. Because the implications behind this segment of the video were truly somewhat frightening. After a long silence, Zhang Ji spoke with a somewhat hoarse voice, ¡°Your speculations should be correct, among these Mutated Animals, there indeed appears to be a king that commands the others.¡± ¡°After all, cooperation must have a basis, what qualifies two ¡®pieces of food¡¯ to cooperate with a King Cobra?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take all these documents with me, this matter needs to be reported immediately.¡± ¡°If these Mutated Beings really start to unite, then mankind¡¯s situation will be in danger.¡± Zhang Ji finished speaking and was about to stand up, ready to take the documents and leave. But Xiao Hua spoke again, ¡°Captain Zhang, keep calm, this matter doesn¡¯t seem so simple.¡± A look of astonishment appeared on Zhang Ji¡¯s face. What did it mean it wasn¡¯t so simple? This was already a shocking discovery; could there be something more severe? At this moment, he realized how dry his mouth had become. He sat back down, fixing his gaze on the two, waiting for them to speak. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, after our all-night investigation, we¡¯ve put together the route map of the Mutated King Cobra after it entered the city,¡± Xiao Hua said. Xiao Hua pulled a paper map out of the documents and handed it to Zhang Ji, ¡°The Mutated King Cobra didn¡¯t seem to come in for a casual stroll; it might have had a purpose.¡± ¡°In other words, the intelligence of these Mutated Animals might be much higher than we estimated.¡± Zhang Ji wanted to blurt out: Impossible! But remembering the previous video, the words died on his lips. He took the paper map, which was a sewer system layout marked with a red line. Clearly, this was the path taken by the Mutated King Cobra. One location was circled in red, highlighted specifically. ¡°What does this mean?¡± Zhang Ji poked the red circle and asked. ¡°Our personnel used specialized equipment to track it and found that the Mutated King Cobra had stayed there for some time before returning.¡± ¡°Of course, that wouldn¡¯t normally be an issue, but next door there¡¯s a pet store that had a newly mutated parrot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Mutated Parrot assessed as a dangerous level one threat. According to the original plan, our colleagues would have gone this morning to take the Mutated Parrot away.¡± ¡°But upon arriving, they found it gone.¡± ¡°And the cage holding the parrot seemed to have been bitten open by some creature; likewise, the anti-theft netting on the window had been chewed through.¡± ¡°This immediately caught our colleague¡¯s attention, and after an investigation, they found that even the protective net on the bathroom drain had been chewed open.¡± Having said this, Xiao Hua pulled out a photo and pointed to the Mutated Mouse next to the King Cobra. ¡°If we connect all the information we have, we can come to a conclusion: the Mutated King Cobra possesses some special ability to sense the birth of Mutated Beings,¡± he said. ¡°Then on the same night, it staged a rescue operation, having the Mutated Sparrow lead the way and the Mutated Mouse execute the rescue.¡± Finally, Xiao Hua pointed at the Mutated King Cobra and said deliberately, ¡°It¡¯s gathering its followers!¡± ¡°This is impossible!¡± Zhang Ji exclaimed. Both people in the room remained silent, and the atmosphere once again settled into a dead silence. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ultimately, it was Zhang Ji who broke the quiet, asking with a hint of hope, ¡°Is it possible to track that Mutated King Cobra?¡± If they could track it, they could solve the problem once and for all. ¡°No,¡± Xiao Hua shook his head, ¡°We can only trace where it left the city, but with the plants having mutated and started growing wildly, there¡¯s no trace left.¡± ¡°The wild grass has a strong life energy; even if you flatten it, it will recover within half an hour.¡± ¡°So, tracking it in the wild is basically futile if more than half an hour passes, it¡¯s like losing the target.¡± Although Zhang Ji had anticipated such a result, he was unavoidably disappointed. He took a deep breath and asked in a serious tone, ¡°Then, what do you plan to do?¡± Despite still finding it hard to believe this was real, the incident had occurred, and the most important thing now was to find a solution. Xiao Hua, knowing he had convinced the other party, said directly, ¡°We specifically called you here in the hopes of using the City Guard Team¡¯s resources to conduct a comprehensive search of the dense forests in the northwest region.¡± ¡°We must eliminate the Mutated King Cobra and its influence before it grows stronger.¡± Zhang Ji¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he eventually said, ¡°Agreed, but this kind of extensive search requires a lot of manpower and resources.¡± ¡°Right now, clearing the city of dangers comes first, so the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ campaign is the top priority.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll suggest, after finishing the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ campaign, that we launch an operation to clear the surrounding urban areas of dangerous creatures.¡± ¡°I will provide you with enough personnel then to find that Mutated King Cobra.¡± Hearing this response, Xiao Hua breathed an inward sigh of relief, though he understood the City Guard Department¡¯s difficulties. The rat wave the day before had not resulted in any deaths, but the number of injuries reached 45 people, with three of them seriously wounded. While the city¡¯s order was still relatively stable, public opinion on the internet had already been boiling. The current ¡°Four Pests¡± campaign was an absolute high-priority event. As for the Mutated King Cobra, it was a future threat and not something that needed to be addressed immediately. ¡°Fine, but I hope you can resolve this within a week; delay leads to change, you should understand that,¡± Xiao Hua finally said. Chapter 31 - 31 31 Team Expansion_1 ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Team Expansion_1 Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Team Expansion_1 Hearing Xiao Hua¡¯s request, Zhang Ji nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Our department will take this matter even more seriously than you, after all, if there really is a danger, we are the ones at the forefront.¡± ¡°In addition, I would like to ask, how many people are aware of this matter?¡± ¡°Two Elite City Guard Teams, one investigation team, plus the members of the expert group, a total of 45 people. I¡¯ve already had them all sign a confidentiality agreement,¡± Xiao Hua answered. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll take all the information with me. Our department will come up with a plan today,¡± said Zhang Ji as he was organizing the files on the desk. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Yongming immediately came forward to help. After the files were organized, Zhang Ji patted his shoulder and said, ¡°Stay here and keep following up on this matter. If there is any new development, notify me immediately.¡± Because there was still one last doubt about this matter, if their conjecture was true, the Mutated King Cobra, being so intelligent, Must have had some purpose for going to the old city district, driving away rats, and triggering a rat tide. Therefore, the investigation had to continue. ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± Li Yongming saluted immediately. Xiao Hua watched Zhang Ji leave, but instead of feeling relieved, his heart grew heavier. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff before slowly saying, ¡°Although from a rational perspective, I also agree with the actions of the City Guard Department.¡± ¡°Ever since the Mutant Management Bureau was established, I come into contact with mutated animals every day and have personally killed many, but none of them have ever given me this kind of fear from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°I always have this feeling that if we don¡¯t take action today, we will never have the chance again.¡± Li Yongming opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Xiao Hua pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve been busy all night, and now it¡¯s almost noon. Let¡¯s go have a meal together and then get some early rest! We¡¯re going to be busy in what¡¯s to come.¡± ¡­ Ye Feng, of course, didn¡¯t know that the Mutant Management Bureau was investigating so thoroughly. If he had known, he could only sigh that their speculation was just a step away from the truth. However, regarding the potential exposure of his subordinates, he had actually anticipated this. He didn¡¯t care at all about the Mutant Management Bureau¡¯s conjectures and vigilance; in fact, the more wary the Bureau was of the King Cobra, the more advantageous it was to him to some extent. Because it could tie up most of the Bureau¡¯s energy, which meant there would be less focus on him. Of course, all this was under the premise that he couldn¡¯t let anyone discover the connection between these mutated animals and himself. At the moment, he was guarding the Big Yellow Dog, allowing it to safely break through, while also directing his other subordinates to go out and look for the animals he wanted. Ever since the idea of breaking into Yang City Zoo and capturing a large number of powerful animals came to him, he had become increasingly impatient and began to prepare. He had just looked over the map of Yang City Zoo and the surrounding area and realized that to execute this plan, relying solely on his group of animals was probably not going to be sufficient. Increasing the number of his subordinates was imperative. Yang City Zoo is located in the suburbs, and less than 3 kilometers to the west of the zoo is the Donglin Mountain Range. As long as he could get the animals into the mountains, it would be a half-success. Of course, doing so would not be easy, and as soon as he made a move, even if it was just capturing one animal, it would alert the authorities. Therefore, he had only one chance to make his move. In such a situation, it was either do nothing or go all out and make a big score. He had the King Cobra capture four more buffaloes, which would give him five Mutated Buffaloes in total. Once they were all nurtured to the Third Order, they would be almost ready to act. By then, the five Third Order Mutated Buffaloes could directly demolish the western wall. Then, he would deploy other Mutated Animals to destroy the cages and guardrails, leading a large number of animals to escape. As for the other animals, he wasn¡¯t going to capture them for the time being. After all, contract slots were limited, and if the plan went smoothly and he rescued a large number of animals, Ye Feng felt that his contract slots definitely wouldn¡¯t suffice. The animals he sent out this time were very efficient, capturing four strong buffaloes in just two hours. After contracting with them one by one, Ye Feng condensed four Evolution Fruits and fed them to the buffaloes. At this point, the number of Mutated Beings Ye Feng had captured had just reached fifteen, occupying half of his contract slots. The Spiritual Energy required hourly by these fifteen Mutated Beings was already somewhat terrifying, reaching a total of 158 points. If the Big Yellow Dog succeeded in its breakthrough, that number would likely reach 168 points. ¡°This consumption rate is a bit high! If I capture thirty Mutated Animals, won¡¯t the harvested Spiritual Energy not even be enough for their use?¡± thought Ye Feng, feeling somewhat vexed. After his breakthrough to the Third Order, he could harvest 215 points of Spiritual Energy per hour, which he originally thought was more than he could ever use, but reality proved him wrong so quickly! Fortunately, after spending most of the day increasing it, he had extended the roots to a length of 500 meters, greatly expanding his territory. Now, he was harvesting 250 points of Spiritual Energy per hour, and this number was continuously increasing as he added more points. ¡°Once I break through to the Mid Stage Third Order, the Spiritual Energy I can harvest per hour should exceed 300 points. Then it will be enough,¡± he thought. Moreover, these Mutated Animals weren¡¯t all reliant on him for sustenance; they would also go out and capture other Mutated Animals to bring back. However, most of the captured Mutated Animals were First Order, and Ye Feng would receive varying amounts of Spiritual Energy from them, ranging from a few points to several dozen, based on their size. As the power of the animals under his command continuously increased, so did their absorption of Spiritual Energy, which was definitely an unsustainable situation. But at least it could greatly alleviate his pressure. Ye Feng took a deep breath and stopped considering the problem because, at that moment, the aura about the Big Yellow Dog began to converge, clearly indicating an impending breakthrough. At this time, almost all the Mutated Animals around were looking at the Big Yellow Dog because they felt a deadly threat emanating from it. ¡°Eh! Why do I also feel a hint of threat?¡± Ye Feng was surprised as he looked at the Big Yellow Dog. Logically, this should be impossible. Even the King Cobra, which had now reached the Middle of the Second Order, hadn¡¯t given him such a sensation. Even though the Big Yellow Dog had reached the Second Order, its size was only about that of a typical cheetah, which made it seem ¡°pint-sized¡± compared to Second Order Animals. But far from being disappointed, Ye Feng was even more interested now. ¡°Come, let me see what kinds of enhancements you have,¡± Ye Feng murmured as he touched the dog¡¯s head with his roots. After reaching the Second Order, the Big Yellow Dog seemed to have gained higher intelligence and appeared to understand Ye Feng¡¯s words, immediately starting to perform. Whoosh! Its slender figure shot out like an arrow released from the bowstring. Chapter 32 - 32 32 The Powerful Big Yellow Dog_1 ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Powerful Big Yellow Dog_1 Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Powerful Big Yellow Dog_1 At this moment, the speed at which the Big Yellow Dog was running at full force was most definitely surpassing that of a cheetah. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. According to Ye Feng¡¯s estimate, the speed probably could reach up to 200 kilometers per hour. One should know that Sunset Valley here is a dense forest, with winding and complicated paths, and there are many obstacles; in this kind of place, there are essentially no roads at all. However, the Big Yellow Dog seemed to be unaffected, nimbly turning and jumping, and even in the complex terrain, it could shuttle through like a yellow lightning bolt. This scene made Ye Feng secretly click his tongue in astonishment. With such speed and such nimble movements, he felt that there were hardly any animals in the dense forest that could catch up to the Big Yellow Dog. Nonetheless, Ye Feng still felt somewhat puzzled, for if it was just the speed, the Big Yellow Dog wouldn¡¯t be able to evoke a sense of danger in him. At that moment, as if the Big Yellow Dog had a psychic connection with him, it suddenly halted in front of a huge rock, then it opened its mouth wide. Ye Feng could clearly see that the dog¡¯s teeth were unlike those of normal animals, actually shimmering with a metallic luster. Crack! The Big Yellow Dog didn¡¯t seem to exert much effort, and with one bite, it chomped off a large piece of the hard rock. And its mouth didn¡¯t stop there, as the sound of cracking continuously emitted from the boulder. A moment later, when about half of the over one meter tall rock was gnawed away, the Big Yellow Dog finally stopped and even bared its teeth, as if not quite satisfied. When the Big Yellow Dog returned, the rest of the mutated animals, somewhat fearful, shifted their gazes away. Even the King Cobra appeared to grow more docile. ¡°Good, let¡¯s try a cutting test!¡± Ye Feng, somewhat elated with the thrill of the hunt, gave a command and then drew out five tree roots, launching an attack directly. After breaking through to the Third Order, the attacking speed of the tree roots had become quite fast. Especially when the five tree roots attacked simultaneously, the group of mutated animals under him couldn¡¯t avoid them at all. But the Big Yellow Dog did it, very easily evading the five tree roots¡¯ attacks and even taking the opportunity to counterattack. Crack! As it clamped its jaws shut, a tree root was directly bitten off. One should know that the hardness of Ye Feng¡¯s tree roots could absolutely compare with that of quality iron. And after reaching the Third Order, the diameter of the tree roots had grown from the thickness of an arm to that of a thigh. That is to say, each of his tree roots now could be considered as a thigh-thick iron rod. General mutated animals can¡¯t manage to break it, not to mention those at the Second Order, and even those who reached the Third Order would find it very difficult. But the Big Yellow Dog bit through it in one go. Ye Feng was not upset but rather more delighted, and his offensive did not cease. His tree roots¡¯ length, having been increased by attribute points, had already reached 500 meters. The section that the Big Yellow Dog bit off, just a few meters in length, didn¡¯t affect it in the least. His tree roots swung faster and faster, while another root was pulled into the fray to encircle and attack the Big Yellow Dog. As time went on, the number of tree roots besieging the Big Yellow Dog kept increasing. When the number of tree roots increased to ten, the Big Yellow Dog could no longer easily dodge them. When the number increased to fifteen, it occasionally had to endure a whipping. By the time the number of tree roots increased to twenty, the Big Yellow Dog finally lost the battle, its body was covered in bruises and multiple fractures. Of course, none of the twenty tree roots that Ye Feng used to attack the Big Yellow Dog remained intact, as all of them were broken to some extent. He calculated that if you put together all of the broken roots, they measured up to 1000 meters in length. Of course, that sounded terrifying, but spread across 20 roots, each root was only broken by about 50 meters¡ªto just a tenth of its length. With his current root repair speed, even without using spiritual energy, half an hour was enough to fully regenerate them. If he used spiritual energy, it would take just two or three minutes to get the job done. So, this kind of injury, when you get down to it, was about the same as a person getting a scratched layer of skin. Of course, that was just him. If it were any of the mutated animals in the area, even the mutated buffalo with the strongest defensive power would probably be peeled like fruit if not killed outright at that moment. ¡°Not bad at all,¡± Ye Feng praised while he was healing Big Yellow Dog¡¯s wounds after the fight. He also noticed that creatures capable of breaking free on their own were not only strong but also seemed to possess some kind of special ability. Whether it was the king cobra¡¯s hybrid venom or Big Yellow Dog¡¯s terrifying bite force, creatures of the same order stood little chance against them. ¡°Eh! Loyalty has actually reached 100%.¡± When Ye Feng¡¯s gaze drifted to the subsidiary panel, he couldn¡¯t help but reveal a hint of joy upon seeing Big Yellow Dog¡¯s current loyalty. Without a doubt, this was the third subordinate after the two mutated sparrows to have its loyalty reach 100%. As for the other mutated animals, aside from those captured later, the first batch, including the king cobra, were just a bit short. As Ye Feng continuously provided them with spiritual energy, coupled with the loyalty bonus that came with breaking through realms, the loyalty of these mutated beings had already become quite high, basically ranging from 97% to 99%. However, loyalty becomes harder to increase the further it goes, especially after reaching 99%, when it could often only increase by 0.1% at a time. But now, with three mutated beings available for possession aside from the mutated parrot, Ye Feng was no longer in a rush to raise the loyalty of the other mutated animals. One hour after Big Yellow Dog¡¯s breakthrough, the king cobra began its own breakthrough. From the middle of the Second Order, it advanced to the late-stage Second Order. Watching his subordinates break through one after another, Ye Feng felt an intense eagerness and began to silently allocate points in preparation for tonight¡¯s breakthrough. An afternoon passed by in the blink of an eye. When the time reached 6 p.m. in the evening, the group of mutated beings returned to the base of the tree, bringing back a large amount of prey with them. Of course, among these prey, mutated beings only made up a small portion; the majority were ordinary animals. Mutated animals were naturally for Ye Feng, while the ordinary animals were their dinner. After all, mutating wasn¡¯t the same as cultivating immortality; food was definitely needed. Moreover, as they broke through to the Second Order and their sizes increased, their appetites grew rapidly just like their physiques. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for herbivorous animals, as there were plenty of weeds around for them to eat at will. But for carnivorous animals, it was not so friendly. For a creature like the king cobra, eating a wild boar in one meal was perfectly normal in order to maintain adequate energy. Of course, Ye Feng didn¡¯t actually send it off to eat wild boars, because such creatures were too rare and would be eaten up in a few days, leaving them to starve afterwards. Therefore, Ye Feng allocated five mutated bats to it. The energy contained within a First Order mutated being was roughly 10 times that of an ordinary animal. Giving five bats to the king cobra, combined with a bit of ordinary animals, should just about fill its belly. ¡ª¡ª¨C In the future, two chapters will be updated every day at 6 a.m. together, so everyone can start their morning with a read. I hope everyone will keep up with the story every day. Don¡¯t just hoard the book! Thank you! Chapter 33 - 33 33 Breakthrough Surge in Strength_1 ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Breakthrough! Surge in Strength_1 Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Breakthrough! Surge in Strength_1 ¡°This won¡¯t do, the food consumption at the Second Order is already so great; once it reaches the Third Order, the demand for energy to maintain a powerful physique will only increase. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising to eat 50 mutated bats a day by then,¡± Ye Feng felt a headache coming on. As for the even higher Fourth Order, he didn¡¯t even dare to think about it. Perhaps, this was also a way for nature to keep high-order beasts in check. If the ecological environment couldn¡¯t sustain them, they simply wouldn¡¯t be born. But this would pose a great trouble for Ye Feng. However, for the time being, he couldn¡¯t think of a better solution and could only put the problem aside. If things really got out of hand, he would have to feed them mutated animals as much as possible. After they finished dinner, the mutated buffalo, mutated bats, mutated black crows, mutated mice, and the two mutated sparrows¡ªthese first batch of captured mutated beings¡ªall entered a breakthrough state. They were about to break through to the middle of the Second Order. An hour later, all six mutated animals had successfully broken through, and their sizes had almost expanded again. It¡¯s worth mentioning that the mutated buffalo became the fourth minion with loyalty reaching 100%. ¡°You¡¯ve all made your breakthroughs, now it¡¯s my turn,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself. He opened the system panel and took a glance; Evolution Points had reached 100/120. Only 20 Evolution Points were needed to break through. That was equivalent to 400 Spiritual Points, and with the current rate at which he was harvesting Spiritual Energy, it wouldn¡¯t take long. But Ye Feng kept waiting, just waiting. When the time came to 1 AM, he finally started his breakthrough. In fact, he had filled up the Evolution Points three hours earlier. But the night sky was so perfect tonight, he had been afraid to evolve until now, when the clouds above his head started to cover him, that¡¯s when he began his breakthrough. No choice, he was now on the priority observation list, worried that satellites overhead might be watching him all the time. His speed of breakthrough, compared to ordinary creatures, was a little too fast, soaring 30 meters in just half an hour. If observed and recorded, he guessed that his rank on the danger list would soar significantly again tomorrow. So, he tried to avoid such troubles as much as possible, not only choosing to break through at night, but also doing so under the cover of clouds. And since he knew he was being closely monitored, Ye Feng stopped extracting Spiritual Energy from the surrounding dozen trees to prevent problems from satellite detection. Not only that, but he also transmitted 1 Spiritual Point to them every hour to make them grow faster. The trees might not need to be very tall, but they had to be dense enough to help him cover all the mutated beings underneath. Even for potential emergencies, he asked beings like the mutated buffalo, which were bulky and easy to give away, to stay away from a 500-meter radius around him. As for replenishing Spiritual Energy, extending the main root every hour would suffice. All this was done so governmental departments wouldn¡¯t find out he could tame mutated animals. Ye Feng opened the system panel and took one last look at the data. After assigning points, the length of his roots had grown from 430 meters just after the breakthrough to 550 meters. Just assigning points had increased it by 120 meters. This made Ye Feng realize that as the Realm gets higher, the increment from small advancement would become more and more exaggerated. Now, a small advancement for him was equal to a threefold small advancement when he was at the Second Order. ¡°Ding! Please choose the direction of enhancement.¡± Without hesitation, Ye Feng directly chose to enhance strength first. The next moment, his form began to surge wildly, with the height of the tree body increasing by one meter every minute. Furthermore, during this process, more branches and leaves grew out, and the range covered by his canopy became larger and larger. Of course, the greatest changes were actually happening underground with the roots. 303 roots, each as thick as a thigh and reaching lengths of up to 650 meters, if all these roots were gathered together, they would undoubtedly be more massive than his tree body. Now, these 300 roots were rapidly growing while also compressing the soil, which even caused the ground to tremble slightly. Although the area affected was not large, it was still frightening enough to hear about. Finally, after half an hour, the breakthrough ended, and Ye Feng immediately began checking his panel. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Height: 125 meters Trunk Width: 6 meters Root Length: 610 meters Realm: Mid Stage Third Order Evolution Points: 0/120 points Special Ability: Devour, Imprisonment, Evolutionary Fruit Spirit Point: 200/1200 points Bioenergy: 950/1200 points ¡°Already 125 meters! With the speed of my current breakthrough, I estimate it won¡¯t take a week or two to surpass the Old Chinese Scholar Tree on Small Phoenix Mountain,¡± Ye Feng predicted, although he had already expected it before the breakthrough, he sighed as he looked at the system panel. By that time, he estimated that the research team¡¯s attention would be entirely focused on him. Ye Feng glanced at the height, then his gaze continued to move downward. As the width of his tree body increased, the amount of Spiritual Energy and Bioenergy he could store also kept increasing, making it unlikely to face a situation in which he had to break through as before. After all, aside from the significant increase in his own storage capacity, he had an increasing number of subordinates to sustain. ¡°Although Spiritual Energy won¡¯t go to waste, I¡¯m still wasting Bioenergy!¡± Ye Feng felt somewhat distressed. Bioenergy could only be used by himself, so he would have more and more excess Bioenergy in the future until it was wasted. He had also tried to reverse the use of his Devouring Ability to see if he could replenish his subordinates with Bioenergy, but he had failed. Ye Feng suppressed these thoughts and turned his attention to the root length. This attribute never disappointed him. The breakthrough to a length of 600 meters was nothing short of astonishing. He estimated that with the current range of his territory, he could harvest at least 300 Spiritual Points per hour. Even deducting the 168 Spirit Points spent per hour on cultivating his subordinates, he would still have a surplus of 132 points, greatly easing the issue of insufficient Spiritual Energy. After all, if he saved 132 Spiritual Points in one hour, then in 24 hours a day, he would be able to accumulate 3168 Spiritual Points, which was entirely enough to meet his requirement of breaking through once a day. Beyond that, what thrilled him even more was the strength of these roots. With his power reaching the Third Order, this enhancement in strength was unprecedented; it increased the strength of each root from 500 jin to 1000 jin. Gathering the strength of all 303 roots, he could now unleash a colossal force of 151.5 tons. ¡°With a force of over 150 tons, one strike could turn other Third Order Mutated Creatures into mush,¡± Ye Feng felt invincible at this moment. Of course, Ye Feng¡¯s excitement didn¡¯t last long because he could only be invincible within his own ¡®territory.¡¯ If his opponents didn¡¯t come in, he would be powerless. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, he wasn¡¯t disheartened, after all, he was not alone; he had a group of powerful subordinates. He was now looking forward to the day when all his subordinates, a group of Mutated Animals, would break through to the Third Order, and how mighty they would be. Thinking about these things, he could not help but look towards the King Cobra. Because by his calculations, it was about to break through to the Second Order Peak, and from there, it would only be a step away from the Third Order. Chapter 34 - 34 34 Re-entering Yang City (Seeking Continued ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Re-entering Yang City (Seeking Continued Reading)_1 Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Re-entering Yang City (Seeking Continued Reading)_1 Indeed, half an hour after Ye Feng¡¯s breakthrough, the Mutated King Cobra also began its breakthrough. Apart from the Mutated King Cobra, the Mutated Eagle and the Mutated Hedgehog that had just been captured today were also breaking through, naturally to the Late Stage First Order. Even considering the timing, in another two to three hours, even the last captured four Mutated Buffalos would be close to breaking through to the Late Stage First Order as well. Under the continuous infusion of Spiritual Energy from Ye Feng, breakthroughs were this unreasonable, compressing what would normally take one to two months into completion within a single day. At this time, Ye Feng¡¯s gaze turned towards the Mutated Parrot perched on a tree branch. This was a subject of his focus for cultivation. After capturing it last night, almost every hour on the dot, he infused it with Spiritual Energy, and it had now reached the First Order Peak. In another two to three hours, it would be able to break through to the Second Stage. Moreover, this Mutated Parrot¡¯s initial Loyalty was extremely high, and its efficiency in improving Loyalty was faster than that of other Mutated Animals. Its Loyalty had already reached 98%. If nothing unexpected occurred, it should be able to reach 100% after helping it break through to the Second Stage, and by then, he would be able to possess the parrot and converse with others. The first person he wanted to talk to would definitely be his family members. Of course, considering the issues he currently faced that he was unable to explain, it would definitely be inappropriate to talk to his parents. However, his six-year-old sister could be an option, as he believed he could bluff his way through with her. ¡°There¡¯s no chance for it today, let¡¯s do it tomorrow night!¡± It was already two in the morning now, and he didn¡¯t believe his little sister would stay up so late every day. However, he still needed to make a trip into Yang City tonight. Because the remaining battery life on his phone was running low. Although he would turn off his phone after reading the news every morning to save battery power, over the past few days, the battery had dropped from 51% to just 12%. If he did not find a way to charge it, in at most two days, he would be unable to keep up with the outside world. Of course, compared to last night, Ye Feng was much more casual about entering the city today. He did not need to mobilize everyone this time, dispatching only two sparrows and a Mutated Mouse was enough to take care of it. This was also because the Mutated Mouse¡¯s Loyalty hadn¡¯t reached 100%, which prevented him from possessing it; otherwise, Ye Feng guessed he might manage with just two Mutated Animals. Soon the three Mutated Animals set off. The Mutated Sparrows, after reaching the Second Stage, had some uses besides scouting and being possessed by Ye Feng. Their size, comparable to an eagle, qualified them as mounts to some extent. Even though the animals suitable for riding were quite small, they were still serving their purpose for now. It wasn¡¯t long before the three Mutated Animals took off from Sunset Valley; after breaking through to the Second Stage, the two sparrows¡¯ speed had also greatly increased, reaching Yang City¡¯s borders in just 15 minutes. Just like last night, they landed in the suburbs and then planned to choose a sewer to enter. Out of caution, Ye Feng did not choose the sewer he used last night. Instead, he deliberately took a detour, intending to enter from another sewer on the opposite side. But despite his carefulness, an unexpected situation still arose ¡ª there were guards on watch at this place. Having no other choice, he had to move on to the next spot. However, after visiting three sewer entrances, he found guard posts at every one, without exception. ¡°They¡¯re really not giving me any way out,¡± Ye Feng muttered somewhat helplessly. Of course he understood that this was undoubtedly an arrangement made by the Mutant Management Bureau, fearful that the Mutated King Cobra would come visiting again. Luckily, today the King Cobra hadn¡¯t arrived, and even larger mutated beings had stayed away, so entering the city for him was a breeze. Modern cities don¡¯t have walls, so there¡¯s no barrier to entry. Shielded by the cover of night, the Mutated Mouse swiftly made its way forward. As long as it didn¡¯t brazenly stroll under the streetlights, it was very difficult to spot. The Mutated Mouse effortlessly entered the city, then casually flipped open a manhole cover and dove in with the Mutated Sparrow. Last night, the presence of the Mutated King Cobra was necessary because the strength of First Order Animals was limited. Moreover, in the sewers, there were many mutated beings, and without the protection of a powerful mutated creature, problems were likely to arise. But today was different, as both the Mutated Mouse and the Mutated Sparrow had reached the Second Stage. As the aura on their bodies was released without any reservations, the mutated beings in the sewers all retreated. Although also at the Second Stage, the deterrent power of the Mutated Sparrow and Mutated Mouse couldn¡¯t compare with the King Cobra¡¯s. Even though these mutated beings had retreated, they only moved a short distance away. If the King Cobra had been here, they would have likely fled in panic long ago. However, Ye Feng had noticed a peculiar phenomenon. His Mutated Mouse demonstrated less intimidation over the likes of Mutated Cockroaches and Mutated Flies. But against its own kind, the Mutated Mice, its deterrent force was especially strong. Quite a few mice even prostrated themselves on the ground, as if to indicate submission. Ye Feng watched this scene in slight astonishment. At this moment, a bold idea emerged in his mind. ¡°Could I use the Mutated Mouse to bring all the other mice in the city under my command?¡± Of course, this thought merely flashed through his mind before he discarded it. On one hand, even if he subjugated these mice, he could only control them indirectly, and one can imagine how effective that control would be. On the other hand, even if he succeeded in this effort, what then would he do with so many mutated mice under his command? Moreover, having so many Mutated Mice, just the daily food requirement was an insurmountable challenge for him. So, he decided to switch tactics. ¡°After the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ campaign is over, I¡¯ll leave the Mutated Mouse behind. How far it can go, whether it can become the Rat King, is entirely up to it.¡± ¡°Consider it a casual move in the game, it may be useful in the future,¡± mused Ye Feng. This way, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about issues like food, nor would he need to worry about carelessly causing a commotion and getting targeted by the authorities. The only concern was that the Mutated Mouse he left behind might be eradicated by the Mutant Management Bureau. However, losing one Mutated Mouse was something he could always cultivate again, so compared to the potential future gains, such an investment was insignificant. While contemplating these matters, Ye Feng rapidly moved through the sewers. With yesterday¡¯s experience, he was now adept, one sparrow searched targets from the sky, while the other led the Mutated Mouse through the sewers. In just 15 minutes, Ye Feng had located his target, a mobile phone store. Next, it was time to find some power banks. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 35 - 35 35 Successfully Obtaining _1 ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Successfully Obtaining _1 Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Successfully Obtaining _1 Just when Ye Feng thought he would complete the mission smoothly, he found himself in an awkward situation: after growing larger, the mutated mouse could no longer fit through the sewage pipes. Fortunately, this wasn¡¯t a big problem as using the sewers was only a means to avoid detection. If that route was no longer viable, they would simply go overground. Under Ye Feng¡¯s command, the mutated mouse arrived beneath the nearest manhole cover and forcefully pushed it open before climbing out. Thankfully, the mutated mouse had advanced to the Second Stage. If it were still at the First Order, there would be no way it could lift the manhole cover that weighed dozens of pounds. It¡¯s worth mentioning that during this process, Ye Feng controlled the mutated sparrows above to rip apart all the nearby cameras. The next steps were simple: he had the mutated mouse bite through the protective fence, then the window, and quickly slipped inside. Since breaking the window made some noise, Ye Feng didn¡¯t dare linger too long. He had the mutated mouse take three power banks and three chargers out and swiftly left the area. The whole process took less than three minutes. As he didn¡¯t know how much charge was left in the power banks, Ye Feng didn¡¯t have them return but instead took a flight around the perimeter of the city. In the old urban area, they found an unoccupied rental property. The next steps were the same as before, with the mouse biting through the protective net. But when dealing with the window, to avoid making noise, Ye Feng proceeded with extra caution. He sent the sparrows in directly, carefully using their sharp claws to slice the edges of the glass silicone. Once the glass was loosened, he had the mouse bite off the window¡¯s lock and successfully opened the window to fly in. The next task was charging the power banks. It was already 3 a.m., and for safety¡¯s sake, they would leave around 6 a.m., giving them roughly three hours to charge, which should fill them to seventy or eighty percent. Everything went smoothly, and when 6 o¡¯clock came around, they began their return journey. It took less than 15 minutes to get back to Sunset Valley. Worth mentioning is that upon leaving, Ye Feng carefully closed the window and then had the mutated mouse restore the shape of the protective net as much as possible to avoid detection, hoping to return here for charging next time. ¡°Three power banks, if used carefully, should last a month,¡± Ye Feng remarked with a hint of a smile as he took possession of the three power banks. ¡­ At 7 a.m. a new day began. Ye Feng sent the mutated animals away to fend for themselves and then turned on his mobile phone. This time, he went straight to the Danger List and started to check it. To his relief, his ranking hadn¡¯t changed at all and was still at number 80. However, his profile had been updated: his height had now reached 125 meters. And in the comment section below, where people were following him, there were new posts. Mountain Watcher: ¡°Not bad, not bad. I¡¯ve been following every day, hoping that one day when I wake up and open my window, I¡¯ll see you.¡± Da Fei: ¡°I don¡¯t even want to mock the guy above, but this growing speed is indeed terrifying! I went to check the Old Chinese Scholar Tree¡¯s latest data just now, it¡¯s only 380 meters, probably another day or two to hit 400 meters. With the growth speed of this Iron Birch Tree, it could surpass in just a month!¡± The Royal Inclination: ¡°I¡¯m only curious about one thing now, and that¡¯s just how tall these mutated trees can get? How gigantic can the mutated beings get? Will the Earth still be able to accommodate them?¡± A Second¡¯s Change: ¡°What¡¯s there not to accommodate? Weren¡¯t the dinosaurs alive and well in their time?¡± Ye Feng scrolled through the comments, noticing many familiar IDs, as well as some new ones, but none of their comments contained the information he needed. After a quick glance, he closed them. However, as he carefully reviewed the danger rankings from top to bottom, he was somewhat surprised to find that the Mutated King Cobra had risen to fifth place. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ye Feng: ??? He certainly hadn¡¯t sent the Mutated King Cobra out to do anything yesterday! He quickly clicked in to check and found that the information had been updated. A new note had been added to the information column: Intelligent, cunning, seems to be able to compel weaker mutated animals to work for it. Looking at this note, Ye Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. At that moment, he closed his eyes to recall the events of the night before last. Since becoming one with the World Tree, he found his memory had improved many times over; though not quite photographic, recalling the events of the past few days was not an issue. And as he recalled earnestly, he quickly ¡°saw¡± some camouflaged cameras from the perspective of the Mutated Sparrow. ¡°I¡¯ve been careless!¡± Ye Feng reproached himself. But there was no helping it, it was the first time he had sent these mutated animals on a mission the night before. With no prior experience and difficulty being on guard due to his mindset. If a mutated animal got into trouble, he could simply cultivate a new one. With this kind of mindset, being vigilant was actually quite difficult. ¡°So the authorities have discovered that there¡¯s cooperation among mutated animals,¡± he said, his gaze drifting involuntarily to the distance where he could just make out the slithering form of the Mutated King Cobra. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to keep it from coming within 500 meters, no, 600 meters of me in the future. Otherwise, if the Mutant Management Bureau suspects me, one missile would be the death of me,¡± Ye Feng sighed deeply. However, as his gaze swept over the neatly lined up power banks under the tree, his breath caught. If there were cameras in the sewer capturing the King Cobra leading the Mutated Sparrow and Mutated Mouse together, they were likely on the list by now. ¡°If they review the tapes today and follow the trail, won¡¯t they discover that I sent them to steal power banks?¡± ¡°No, the one under suspicion should be the King Cobra, not me.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not the point. The key question is what kind of deductions will they make if they learn that the King Cobra has been stealing power banks?¡± At that moment, Ye Feng didn¡¯t even want the King Cobra to stay in Sunset Valley anymore. ¡°I must be cautious in the future. It seems I have to put off sending the Mutated Parrot to find my sister tonight, at least until this situation blows over,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly. Indeed, at 3 a.m., the Mutated Parrot had reached its bottleneck but was unfortunately unable to break through on its own. In the end, Ye Feng gave it an Evolution Fruit, which allowed it to successfully advance to the Second Stage. Following the breakthrough, its Loyalty also reached 100%, allowing him to Possess it smoothly. Though speaking through the Possessed Parrot was very different from normal, with halting and stumbling words, this wasn¡¯t a problem as it could be resolved with practice. He had even planned to spend the entire day practicing speech today, but now¡­ The practice must continue, but the motivation had instantly dropped by more than half. Chapter 36 - 36 36 Superhuman_1 ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Superhuman_1 Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Superhuman_1 Ye Feng gathered his emotions and exited the danger ranking, beginning to browse through local news. As he had imagined, the local news of Yang City today was almost exclusively discussing the ¡°Four Pests Elimination¡± campaign. Ye Feng first opened the official website, where he could see the list of locations for the first batch of the ¡°Four Pests Elimination¡± operation. As he expected, after the disturbance caused by the King Cobra, the few streets where his home was located unsurprisingly made it into the first batch of targeted areas. Seeing this, Ye Feng smiled, relieved that his efforts hadn¡¯t been in vain. At the same time, he continued to scroll down to view the information disclosed. The main force of this ¡°Four Pests Elimination¡± campaign was undoubtedly the members of the City Guard Team. It¡¯s worth mentioning that after a few days of enthusiastic enrollment, all 15,000 reserve members of the City Guard Team had been recruited. What followed was a month of training, and of course, operations like this ¡°Four Pests Elimination,¡± which were not highly dangerous, were part of their training. The City Guard Team, besides keeping 5,000 personnel to ensure the safety of various parts of the city, would have the remaining 25,000 directly engaged in this operation. Apart from them, another 25,000 volunteers had been selected. In other words, the number of participants in the Four Pests Elimination operation would reach a staggering 50,000. And their goal was to eradicate 90% of the Mutated Mice, Mutated Cockroaches, Mutated Flies, and Mutated Mosquitoes in the city within a week. If this goal were achieved, there was no doubt that the potential threat within the city would be reduced to a safe level. Ye Feng exited the official website and glanced at other media information, which was quite a mixed bag. In fact, quite a few social media platforms, in order to gain traffic, had started live streaming. Ye Feng became interested and started searching, quickly finding a social media broadcaster whose filming location was Donglin Street, where his home was located. It seemed to be just at the start of the operation, and from the video, he could see armored vehicles arriving one after another from a distance. From these, numerous fully-armed City Guard Team members emerged. Each of them wore a set of dark green combat suits, army boots, leather gloves, and helmets with anti-poison masks, showing they were armed to the teeth. What they held in their hands wasn¡¯t firearms but, aside from a military dagger for self-defense, each person carried a bulging item on their back, which Ye Feng guessed probably contained some insecticide. Of course, to cope with emergencies such as a fierce creatures suddenly emerging from the sewers, there were also City Guard Team members carrying thermal weapons standing guard nearby. Soon, thousands of people had arrived on this street. All the manhole covers on the street had already been opened. Then, teams of City Guard Team personnel jumped down one after another through the manhole covers. Before long, thick white smoke billowed from beneath the manhole covers. That must have been some kind of insecticidal spray, and as the dense white smoke continued to pour out, Mutated Mice, Mutated Cockroaches, Mutated Flies, and Mutated Mosquitoes continuously rushed out from the open manholes. It was apparent that some of these Mutated Beings, upon emerging, were already sluggish, stopping in their tracks after just a few steps, clearly dead. As for those that weren¡¯t dead, they were merely delaying the inevitable for a little while. Because around every manhole cover, a wire mesh had been erected, and duly armed City Guard Team members stood outside the wire meshes. Upon seeing the mutated pests emerge, they activated something in their hands that resembled a showerhead, and like falling raindrops, the insecticide sprayed forward, enfolding the mutated beings. Immediately, barring the most robust mutated mice, the cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes were almost entirely annihilated in a single wave. As for the mutated mice, although they withstood the double baptism of the pesticide fog and water, their fate was no different. For they had to face the iron mesh circling the well cover if they wished to escape. Under normal circumstances, the iron mesh certainly could not stop these mutated mice, but an iron mesh with high voltage electricity running through it was a different story entirely. As these mice touched the electrified mesh, there was an immediate crackling sound, and electric arcs could even be seen jumping off their bodies. The mutated mice fell one after another. It was useless even for those that reacted in time or sensed the danger and did not dare to rush towards the mesh. As the City Guard Team members standing outside the mesh were continuously spraying insecticide. As time passed, the accumulated toxins took their toll, and the mutated mice did not last long. Of course, some turned around and fled back down the well cover, but what they faced there was the insecticidal fog; staying too long inside led only to a dead end. In the situation where the relevant departments went all out, if they couldn¡¯t escape in advance, their demise was inevitable. That¡¯s not to say, of course, that their death was guaranteed. A portion of the mutated beings managed to turn and flee down the sewers toward other areas as soon as they encountered the insecticide spray. As long as they could avoid the City Guard Team¡¯s blockade, they could survive. But those capable of this feat were probably less than one-tenth. Ye Feng watched silently through the screen. In just 15 minutes, the sewers of Donglin Street, where his home was located, were almost devoid of any mutated beings. By then, the bulk of the City Guard Department had begun to move on to the next area, leaving only a few to maintain order. Volunteers were soon to enter the scene. Before long, piles and piles of mutated being carcasses were carried out of the sewers, filling an entire truck in less than 10 minutes. It wasn¡¯t until then that Ye Feng exited the live stream. His parents should be out of danger by now, especially since he had heard his mother say they were going to purchase monitoring equipment for the mutated beings; that would almost ensure their safety. He closed the local news app and took a glance at the national news to find that nearly all over the country, the national ¡°remove pests¡± campaign had been launched today. One could easily imagine that once this campaign was over, tragedies like those in Ah San Country were unlikely to reoccur. Even if there was an uprising of mutated beings, it would be difficult for it to escalate, and with the presence of the City Guard Team, stability could be quickly restored. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, as Ye Feng continued to peruse the news, he was somewhat surprised to find that the top ten trends were not all about the ¡°remove pests¡± campaign. Several news items were rapidly climbing in popularity. #America Witnessed Fire Girl Annie# #The Real Spiderman Has Appeared# Ye Feng clicked on the first link and then saw a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl with blond hair and blue eyes. At that moment, she was holding a red flame in her hand, which she then flung forward. In the next instant, the fireball rapidly expanded, becoming, in the blink of an eye, a three-meter-tall bear wrapped in flames. Chapter 37 - 37 37 Gun Permit_1 ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Gun Permit_1 Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Gun Permit_1 The video was short, just a few dozen seconds, but the information it conveyed was astonishing. Golden Pig Scalp: ¡°The team that made this video is pretty good! I¡¯ve watched it 10 times and still can¡¯t spot any issues.¡± Fisher¡¯s Evening Song: ¡°Is this League of Legends movie coming out? The actress who plays Annie?¡± Wanderlust: ¡°The superhuman news I¡¯ve been anticipating has surfaced again. Everyone, watch and cherish it while you can! I bet it won¡¯t be long before this video is gone.¡± Ye Feng flipped through the comments and fell into silence. Indeed, this wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen news about superhumans; it started circulating about three months ago, around the time when plants began to mutate. But each time the news appeared, it was fleeting, vanishing before it could gain any heat. However, rumors were rampant, some people swore on the internet, saying that their neighbor was a superhuman and that they had seen them sprout wings on their back and fly away. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then they were taken away by the authorities. Ye Feng neither disbelieved nor fully believed such messages. Things on the internet are certainly not all true. But he also believed that the emergence of so-called superhumans among humans wouldn¡¯t be strange. After all, so many animals had undergone mutations, even plants had mutated, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising at all if some individuals in the human population mutated and acquired so-called superpowers. As for why humans developed abilities instead of just growing in size, Ye Feng guessed it had something to do with humans being intelligent beings, capable of controlling the way they ¡°allocate their points.¡± It¡¯s like the Big Yellow Dog, whose speed and bite force increased significantly, while compared to other animals, its change in size was truly minimal. If animals could do this, it was understandable that humans could take an extreme approach, with no changes in body size, but ¡°allocating points¡± to other areas. He glanced at the trending search list and was surprised to find that 15 out of the top 50 hot searches were related to superhumans. This made him suspect that the officials were doing it intentionally. ¡°Are they preparing to bring the superhuman matter to light and start hyping it up in advance?¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but mutter. Of course, such matters didn¡¯t concern him much. Superhumans were so exceedingly rare that saying there were only a few in a city, or even unsure if there were any at all, wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. Even if there were any, the government¡¯s organized forces would counteract them, dealing mainly with those at the top of the danger list; he didn¡¯t need to worry about it for the time being. Ye Feng considered these things while also scrolling on his phone. Now that he didn¡¯t need to worry about his phone¡¯s battery life too much, he spent more time using it. But unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t keep playing on it indefinitely, not because of battery or data limitations but because he needed to harvest Spiritual Energy every hour. Moreover, as his territory expanded, the time it took to harvest Spiritual Energy each hour also increased, now taking at least 10 minutes for each harvest. Although he could grow one Main root and a hundred lateral roots every time he leveled up, he could currently control only up to 30 of them at the same time. And that was just a rough control. If it were during battle, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad; he could simply twist 10 tree roots into one group, and by controlling 30 groups of roots, he would be able to command all of them to fight together. Furthermore, all that¡¯s needed in battle is to forcefully smash things, which doesn¡¯t exhaust the mind too much. Even if the number of roots to control doubled, he would be able to manage it with some effort. However, using his Devouring Ability to extract Spiritual Energy without causing damage to the trees was a delicate task. ¡°Sigh, I still need more practice, and try to control more roots at the same time. Otherwise, as my territory expands, won¡¯t I just become an emotionless harvesting machine?¡± As Ye Feng grumbled to himself, he continued to control the tree roots, skimming them over trees and bushes alike. While he was busy harvesting Spiritual Energy in Yang City, an event closely related to him was unfolding. ¡­ ¡°Here are five gun permits for your security company; with these, you can go to the City Guard Department and get five hunting rifles and 150 bullets.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done what had to be done. I hope you can successfully retrieve the branches I need, so there may be more opportunities for cooperation in the future,¡± Xu Liang said seriously as he looked at the tattooed, muscular, middle-aged man before him. ¡°Haha, Professor Xu, don¡¯t worry. With a hunting rifle in hand, not to mention 300 pounds of branches, even 3000 pounds I can get for you,¡± Chen Dalong immediately thumped his chest with confidence. Xu Liang smiled and echoed a few words. He took such assurances with a grain of salt, having personally experienced how tough negotiations with the other party had been just yesterday. They started with a lion¡¯s share, demanding ten million Huaxia Currency right off the bat. When they realized they couldn¡¯t get that much money, they started asking for various benefits. After nearly three hours of negotiations, they finally came to terms. So, in addition to the 1.5 million Huaxia Currency advance payment, he also had to get them five gun permits, along with the corresponding firearms and bullets. Of course, if they could bring back 300 pounds of material, it would all be worth it. Heck, probably even 200 pounds would be enough, especially since he found an unexpected boon this morning¡ª the Iron Birch Tree had grown another 30 meters, as noted on the danger list. Soon, Chen Dalong left with the gun permits in hand. ¡°Boss, how did it go?¡± As he left the research institute, the underlings waiting outside quickly surrounded him, their faces full of eager anticipation. ¡°Haha, got the goods. These guys really have the connections! Things we couldn¡¯t get no matter what, they managed to snag five for me just like that,¡± Chen Dalong took out the five gun permits and waved them with a proud laugh. ¡°The boss is mighty!¡± the underlings excitedly chimed in. Everyone was sucking up for a simple reason¡ªthe gun permits! Whom to allocate them to was a matter easily decided by a single word from Chen Dalong. ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty¡ªthis is a big fat sheep. If we do a good job this time, there¡¯ll be more benefits to shear later on.¡± Chen Dalong said with a smile, then named four of his confidants, ¡°Zhao Rong, Qin Fang, Li Huosheng, and Zhang Chenggang, these are your gun permits. Come with me to the City Guard Department to enter your information, and that¡¯ll be the whole process done.¡± After handing out the permits to the four, Chen Dalong turned to reassure the rest: ¡°As for everyone else, don¡¯t worry. The policy is becoming more and more relaxed. You¡¯ll definitely get your permits. Maybe later, our company can apply for them by itself.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying. As animals around the world began mutating and danger levels rose year after year, it wasn¡¯t just police officers who could get firearms. Even other government employees could now apply for them after undergoing training. In the past three months, policies have become more lenient, and many security companies have likewise received gun permits. It¡¯s just that Mad Dragon Security Company, established by Chen Dalong, had applied several times without passing the review, and this time he¡¯d finally caught a break. If things go well this time, it might even be an opportunity for redemption. Chapter 38 - 38 38 Unwelcome Guest (Seeking Investment)_1 ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Unwelcome Guest (Seeking Investment)_1 Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Unwelcome Guest (Seeking Investment)_1 Chen Dalong, leading his subordinates, directly went to the City Guard Department and submitted an application. ¡°The documents are checked and have no errors. They¡¯ve been registered for you,¡± a soldier sitting at the registration desk glanced up at the five people before him, his brows furrowing slightly when he saw the tattoos on their bodies, showing a clear distaste. But still following the process, he continued, ¡°You must understand that each gun has its unique rifling and serial number, some things can¡¯t be hidden.¡± ¡°So you need to take responsibility for every shot you fire. My suggestion is that you should buy a recorder; submitting the video is the most convenient for subsequent audits.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no video to bring back, mutated being carcasses can also suffice. But without either, your battle report will be difficult to write.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t explain the whereabouts of the bullets, you¡¯ll not only have your firearms permit confiscated, but you¡¯ll also face punishment,¡± the soldier said with a significant increase in his tone at the last sentence, implying a warning. ¡°Understood, understood, we are all aware of that, don¡¯t worry, we are law-abiding good citizens. We¡¯re also contributing to the country this time,¡± Chen Dalong replied with continuous laughter. ¡°Alright, this is your proof. With this, you can go to the logistics department and collect 5 hunting rifles and 150 bullets,¡± the registration officer said, not saying much more, handing over the documents directly. Chen Dalong left the registration office with his four men and headed towards the logistics department. ¡°Boss, this is really annoying! Having to write a report for firing a shot, it feels like he¡¯s giving us a hard time,¡± Li Huosheng said in a lowered voice at this moment. ¡°It¡¯s not giving us a hard time, it¡¯s just an attitude problem. These are their internal rules,¡± Chen Dalong shook his head unconcerned. At that moment, Zhang Chenggang, walking on the other side, also lowered his voice and said, ¡°Hey! You have to write a report if you use their bullets, but if you don¡¯t use theirs, you won¡¯t. I know a place in the underground market where you can buy bullets of various calibers.¡± Chen Dalong glanced at him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you all think about all these messy things. We¡¯re carrying out a normal mission this time, not going around shooting illicitly. Just do it in an aboveboard manner.¡± ¡°Later, I¡¯ll buy each of you a miniature camera to wear on your person. Make sure to keep it turned on throughout.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The process of collecting the firearms went smoothly; each person received a hunting rifle and was issued 150 bullets, including 50 armor-piercing rounds. Obviously, the armor-piercing rounds were prepared for dealing with large mutated animals. These hunting rifles were actually converted from rifles, but instead of being fully automatic, they were semi-automatic. For novices, semi-automatic might be more user-friendly. After all, with 150 bullets distributed among five people, that¡¯s 30 per person, just enough to fill a magazine. If they were fully automatic rifles, in a tense situation, one might keep pulling the trigger, emptying the magazine in a burst, and then be stupefied. It¡¯s worth mentioning that when they received the rifles, they all had the opportunity for one training session, where each person could practice with 5 bullets at the shooting range. Of course, this was more about them getting used to the recoil rather than actual training, so they wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard when they fired. As for whether Chen Dalong and his people could shoot, of course, they could. Thanks to global animal mutations, certain industries had rapidly developed. Take shooting ranges, for instance ¨C they popped up like bamboo after rain in cities all across the country. Chen Dalong had also organized his subordinates to train a few times. After several trips, they certainly knew how to shoot; whether they were accurate was another question. Hitting a target within 3 meters wasn¡¯t a problem. As for anything further, it would depend on one¡¯s grip and luck at the time. But according to Chen Dalong, even if one¡¯s marksmanship was poor, putting the gun barrel against an opponent¡¯s head before shooting was better than charging with a cold weapon. After receiving the firearms, Chen Dalong told the others to go back to the company to get equipment, while he took four of his trusted men to an electronics city. There, he selected a high-definition recording device worth 5000 yuan that could be carried around, and bought five of them. ¡°Boss, why did you get such expensive stuff? Just buying a regular one for five or six hundred would have been enough to get by,¡± Li Huosheng couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Hey, you just don¡¯t get it! With a high-definition camera, we can capture the ferocity of those mutated beings crystal clear. With these videos in hand, we can totally exaggerate the difficulty a bit, then jack up the price,¡± Chen Dalong said with a smile. ¡°Even if they can¡¯t pay, getting us a few more gun licenses would be good too,¡± Chen Dalong said, laughing. ¡°Boss is mighty!¡± The rest of the people were impressed and quickly started slinging flattery. Half an hour later, Chen Dalong returned to the company and looked at the 20 best operatives standing in front of him. By this time, they were truly fully armed, mostly wielding customized and sharpened swords and spears. It was only now possible; half a year ago, no one would have dared to carry these things openly. Besides the weapons, each person was wearing a bulletproof vest, camouflage pants on the lower half, a military helmet, as well as arm guards, knee pads, and army boots¡ªarmed to the teeth. In contrast to the cold weapons, these protective gears could be directly purchased online. ¡°I won¡¯t bother with a big speech, the money has been sent out in advance. After this mission, I¡¯ll treat you guys to good food and drink,¡± Chen Dalong declared. ¡°The target is Sunset Valley, let¡¯s move out!¡± Chen Dalong called out loudly. ¡­ At this moment, Ye Feng was very relaxed. After harvesting a wave of Spiritual Energy, he began scrolling through his phone again. This leisure time lasted until 9 PM when a sparrow on lookout duty outside sent a warning through their contract, pulling Ye Feng away from the joy of his show. Ye Feng had always been wary of the research institute, so he made a point of stationing an operative on the highway leading to and from Sunset Valley for long-term surveillance. Anytime they spotted a vehicle or person, they were to notify him. Of course, almost every alert Ye Feng got before now had been about transportation convoys, but even so, he never let his guard down. That¡¯s why, when he received the sparrow¡¯s alert, he immediately exercised his possession ability and shifted his consciousness there. This time, when he saw the approaching bus slowly driving down the highway, his eyes narrowed slightly. This was not a transport convoy, and somehow, the bus looked hauntingly familiar. Indeed, just a few days ago, they had taken a similar vehicle aiming to collect samples from Small Phoenix Mountain. ¡°I hope I¡¯m wrong, otherwise it¡¯s bad luck for you,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself. If these were people from the research institute, whether coming to him or heading to Small Phoenix Mountain, he had to find a way to stop them. After all, the secret of the Old Chinese Scholar Tree turning into a spirit couldn¡¯t be exposed. While Ye Feng watched, the approaching vehicle stopped slowly before Sunset Valley, and then twenty fully armed men got out. Especially when Ye Feng saw the firearms in their hands, his gaze became even sharper. ¡°Huh, seems they¡¯ve come prepared! What a coincidence, so have I.¡± ¡ª¡ª¨C A new month has begun, and everyone¡¯s opportunity to invest has reset. Come on, bosses, why not make an investment? I was supposed to ask for it yesterday, but I forgot. Crying~ Chapter 39 - 39 39 Bats_1 ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Bats_1 Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Bats_1 As soon as Ye Feng got a clear view of the people approaching, he immediately began recalling his underlings through the contract. However, he was also contemplating which underlings to dispatch to handle the current situation. Dealing with just 20 humans didn¡¯t require full deployment, as sending out only the King Cobra would suffice to take care of them. But unless absolutely necessary, Ye Feng didn¡¯t wish to kill; a deep impression that deterred the enemy from coming back would be enough. After some thought, he eventually chose to dispatch the Mutated Bats and the Mutated Buffalo. He sent the Mutated Buffalo because this group of people was armed with shotguns. The hide of a Mutated Buffalo in the Middle of the Second Order was tougher than that of ordinary steel, and it also possessed a resilience that steel didn¡¯t have. It was the only one among his subordinates that could take gunfire head-on. As for the Mutated Bats, although their Combat Power was mediocre, they possessed an ability that other Mutated Beings didn¡¯t have, which was to summon underlings. This was something Ye Feng had realized through the Mutated Mouse. If the Mutated Mouse could make its own kind feel fear and submit, there was no reason the Mutated Bats couldn¡¯t do the same. Thus, Ye Feng let the Mutated Bats give it a try and discovered that, at the Second Stage, they indeed could influence their kind to a certain extent. Now calling it the ¡°Bat King¡± wasn¡¯t an exaggeration as it had already gathered a following of over a hundred First Order Mutated Bats as subordinates. Of course, this was the limit. Any more than that and it would be difficult to control. Since these Mutated Beings weren¡¯t highly intelligent, controlling them required the oppression of similar beings¡¯ aura. This was also why the number under control was limited. Of course, as the Bat King grew stronger, the number it could control would surely increase as well. While Ye Feng was summoning his underlings, Chen Dalong and his 20 men had already gotten out of their vehicles and were gazing at Sunset Valley. ¡°This Mutated Iron Birch Tree really is huge!¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but exclaim as he looked at the conspicuous giant tree in the valley. Though they had already seen the information and knew the Mutated Iron Birch Tree stood at 125 meters tall, the number on paper and what they saw with their own eyes felt completely different. 125 meters was the equivalent of a 40-story building, and typical tall buildings rise straight up. From a distance, you merely think it looks tall. But it¡¯s different with trees. Generally, the taller the tree, the larger its crown. At that moment, the width of the Mutated Iron Birch Tree¡¯s crown was also over a hundred meters. It looked as if a green hillock had appeared over the valley from a distance. ¡°Boss, with such a big tree, just think how many tons that is! If we haul more back, aren¡¯t we going to strike it rich?¡± Li Huosheng couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Some things are only valuable because they¡¯re rare. If you really haul back tons of wood, it¡¯s actually going to be worth less.¡± ¡°So, a steady stream, just graze slowly, that¡¯s the way to go,¡± Chen Dalong said. ¡°That¡¯s a sound lesson from the boss.¡± ¡°The boss really has an eye for value.¡± The subordinates began to flatter him again, but they were abruptly interrupted by Chen, ¡°Enough, less chatter, be alert. If you really want to compliment me, wait until after this operation is successful. It won¡¯t be too late to do so when we get back.¡± ¡°Now follow the plan and start advancing.¡± As Chen Dalong spoke, everyone quickly shut their mouths, picked up their weapons, and began advancing into the valley. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although this group hadn¡¯t received professional training, they weren¡¯t strangers to fighting and managed to coordinate without any awkwardness. 10 members holding short weapons and explosion-proof shields dispersed into an arc formation at the very front. Directly behind them were members holding spears and broadswords, weapons that required both hands to wield. If those at the front were attacked, those at the back could provide support immediately. Chen Dalong and another five members armed with shotguns were protected in the middle, ready to provide firepower support to any location at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Qin Fang, come stand in the middle here, your marksmanship is the best, and this prime shooting spot should belong to you,¡± Chen Dalong arranged. ¡°Boss, this is your¡­¡± Qin Fang didn¡¯t finish his sentence before he was interrupted. ¡°Enough, don¡¯t talk nonsense. No matter how nice it sounds, it doesn¡¯t compare to showing a little more effort when we face danger later. We all have recording devices on us, and when we get back, I¡¯ll reward those who kill the most enemies based on their merits,¡± Chen Dalong said. His words were not only for Qin Fang but also for everyone else to hear. The message he conveyed was very clear, and at this point, everyone else put away their small schemes and began to move forward with heightened vigilance. ¡°There¡¯s a mutated giant spider over there, Ah Niu, go stab it to death.¡± ¡°Damn! Such a huge centipede, who¡¯s got the insecticide? Hurry up and hand it over for me to spray.¡± ¡°Shit, that thing in front isn¡¯t a mound, it¡¯s an ant hill, back up, back up, let¡¯s take a detour.¡± The deeper they went, the more terrified they felt. Even ordinary insects had become dangerous after mutation, and if they hadn¡¯t been fully equipped and accustomed to fighting with quick reactions and good physical abilities, injuries would probably have occurred by now. Even so, their progress was extremely slow. It took them 10 minutes to advance less than 300 meters. ¡°Stop! What¡¯s that sound?¡± Chen Dalong, who was always on the alert, suddenly spoke. As he spoke, the team instantly halted, and everyone listened intently. Indeed, there was a sound growing louder, quickly approaching their direction. Just then, a member looked up and caught a glimpse of the sky through a gap in the leaves, his pupils shrinking suddenly. ¡°Bats, so many bats,¡± he cried out in alarm. Warned, everyone looked up in unison to see a large swarm of bats cutting through the dense branches and diving towards them. Although there were only about a hundred bats, the mutated bats had a wingspan of at least a meter each, and even only a hundred of them diving down together gave off a feeling of dark clouds engulfing the sky. ¡°Everyone, gather together, point the explosion-proof shields upwards, and the rest of you get ready to strike back. Keep calm, don¡¯t get disorganized,¡± Chen Dalong was the first to react, shouting out loudly. Upon his reminder, the rest of them quickly reacted. Those holding explosion-proof shields swiftly raised their shields high. The others also gripped their weapons tightly, ready to counterattack at any moment. Bang! Bang! Bang! The bats, hurtling down at high speed, some smashed into the explosion-proof shields, while others quickly changed their flight path to attack from the sides. After all, there were only 10 shields, not nearly enough to cover all directions. But the members of the security company were not lambs waiting to be slaughtered. ¡°Kill!¡± With a loud roar from Chen Dalong, everyone launched an attack on the mutated bats that were only a few feet away. Chapter 40 - 40 40 Flee in Panic_1 ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Flee in Panic_1 Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Flee in Panic_1 Bang bang bang! Chen Dalong and his men were the first to pull their triggers, bullets racing out one after another. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an almost face-to-face situation, even though the flight speed of these bats was fast, it was still hard for them to completely dodge the bullets. But after only a few shots, Chen Dalong frustratingly found that even though he could hit these Mutated Bats, most of his shots hit their wings. The bullets passing through their wings could only injure them, not kill them. On the other hand, those armed with cold weapons, especially those wielding large knives, if they struck, generally incapacitated or killed with a single slash. Seeing this, Chen Dalong could only draw his military dagger and switch to attacking with cold weapons, after all, ammunition was limited and had to be conserved. Li Huosheng and a few others followed suit immediately. The swarm of Mutated Bats kept taking casualties, but Chen Dalong¡¯s subordinates couldn¡¯t possibly come out unscathed. Although they were fully armed, with bulletproof vests and helmets, the problem was that this gear did not protect their entire bodies. For example, arms and thighs, although there were arm guards and knee pads, these couldn¡¯t possibly cover every part. After these Mutated Bats flew close, they could easily shred the camouflage suits with a swipe of their claws, and if they attacked the arms or thighs, they could slice open flesh, leaving behind long, bloody wounds. But ultimately, it was the security company that had the advantage. After a fierce battle of three minutes, about thirty Mutated Bats were killed, losing about one-third of their number. The security company also had ten injured, with seven sustaining minor injuries, and three with more severe wounds. However, none had lost their combat ability; after bandaging with hemostatic bandages, they still had the strength to fight. Just when everyone thought victory was in their grasp, suddenly a member cried out, ¡°Look to the front right, such a huge bat!¡± Hearing this, everyone looked in that direction as if by agreement. Then they watched in horror as a giant bat with a wingspan of about 5 meters rapidly swooped toward them. This bat was not only huge but also extremely agile, moving effortlessly through the trees and closing in rapidly. ¡°Fire!¡± Even the experienced Chen Dalong felt a pang of fear in his heart and hurriedly shouted. Bang bang bang bang bang! Immediately, the sound of gunfire rang out, the five with firearms unanimously shifted their target. But the Mutated Bat flew too fast; with the marksmanship of the men, most bullets missed, and the ones that hit, at most, struck its wings, not causing much damage. And the Mutated Bat had been discovered only when it was within 50 meters, nearly halving the distance in the blink of an eye. Watching as this Bat King was about to plunge into the crowd¡­ Qin Fang, the best shooter in the team, took a deep breath, stepped forward, stopped shooting blindly, and instead, aimed his gun, holding his breath to concentrate. Finally, as the giant Mutated Bat flew within 5 meters, at the very instant it changed direction and there was a brief pause, he pulled the trigger. Bang! A crisp gunshot sounded, and at the same moment, a burst of blood erupted from the bat¡¯s abdomen, and the Mutated Bat let out a painful screech. It was a hit! Joy appeared on everyone¡¯s faces. But the next instant their expressions froze, although the Bat King was hit and seemed seriously injured, it was far from losing its fighting ability, and that shot seemed to have provoked its ferocity even more. After a brief stagnation, it lunged even more fiercely toward them. Before anyone could react, the Bat King extended its sharp claws and reached out to grab Qin Fang, who had dared to shoot at it. ¡°Ah!¡± Qin Fang let out a painful scream. The hunting shotgun he had been holding was snatched away, but more importantly, his right camouflage sleeve was shredded into ribbons, revealing the bloody arm beneath. ¡°Kill!¡± Chen Dalong was the first to react, roaring as he raised his gun to shoot. In the wake of his roar, the others quickly came to their senses and began pulling their triggers frantically as well. But their brief moment of stupefaction, or rather the instant they were frozen in fear, had already cost them the best opportunity to kill the Bat King. After striking a blow, the Bat King didn¡¯t linger at all and swiftly flew into the sky with the hunting shotgun in its grasp. Watching the Bat King circle in the sky, the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces were extremely grim. But to their relief, the Bat King showed no intention of continuing its attack. And the Mutated Bats that had been circling around them also began to retreat, gathering around the Bat King. ¡°Are they retreating?¡± someone asked in a low voice. ¡°It seems so! After all, the Bat King was hit by bullets. Although it didn¡¯t die, I reckon the injury is not light,¡± someone else chimed in. ¡°Stop chattering, damn it. Get the hemostatic gel and the bandage quickly,¡± Chen Dalong scolded in a low voice. Seeing their leader get angry, the group snapped out of it. Someone hurriedly passed over the hemostatic gel they were carrying; Chen Dalong hurriedly took it and swiftly applied it to Qin Fang¡¯s wounds. ¡°Are you all dead? Where¡¯s the bandage? Hurry up and wrap it,¡± Chen Dalong cursed when he had finished applying the gel and the bandage had still not been passed to him. However, after his curse, there was still no movement from those around him, and he immediately sensed something was wrong. He quickly looked up and the next instant, his eyes widened and his heartbeat seemed to skip a beat. A Mutated Buffalo the size of a truck was slowly approaching them. With every step it took, the ground would tremble slightly, and the horrendous sense of oppression was almost suffocating. ¡°Guns, guns, shoot!¡± At that moment, even Chen Dalong felt his voice shaking. Li Huosheng, Zhang Chenggang, and Zhao Rong, who still had guns, hurriedly raised their weapons and desperately pulled the triggers. Such a large Mutated Buffalo, even if their marksmanship was poor, would be hard to miss. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, the regular bullets that hit the creature only barely pierced its hide, with hardly any blood seen, and the bullets were squeezed out by its muscles. Even armor-piercing bullets, designed to take down large Mutated Beings, though able to create thumb-sized holes, clearly didn¡¯t inflict a fatal wound. This only enraged the Mutated Buffalo, which lowered its head to show its hard horns and then began to charge. In this moment, the Mutated Buffalo was like a full-powered bulldozer. As it charged, trees fell, and with the force of an avalanche, it rushed towards the group. Seeing this, everyone finally collapsed. With Mutated Beings that could withstand bullets appearing, how were they supposed to fight? Someone shouted, ¡°Run!¡± and the formation instantly collapsed. All of them fled in panic. Chapter 41 - 41 41 Everyone Injured_1 ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Everyone Injured_1 Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Everyone Injured_1 Fleeing in the face of an unbeatable monster is normal. However, Chen Dalong, even during his escape, still maintained his rationality. Looking at the Mutated Buffalo close behind, he bellowed, ¡°Split up and run, get into the areas with more trees, or none of us will escape!¡± ¡°Li Huosheng, Zhang Chenggang, Zhao Rong, we just need to get 30 meters away from the Mutated Buffalo, then start shooting to draw its attention and buy time for our brothers to escape.¡± As he spoke, he proactively pulled the trigger, using his actions to prove his words weren¡¯t empty. Following his gunshot, the Mutated Buffalo, hurt by the pain, instantly changed its course and charged at him. Li Huosheng and the others had been through life and death experiences when they first followed Chen Dalong to fight for territory, and it was not just once or twice, they were the kind of people who could give their lives in a critical moment. Seeing their leader firing first, they didn¡¯t hesitate; those who were at a farther distance immediately began to shoot, drawing the Mutated Buffalo¡¯s attention back to them. If they were facing a normal Mutated Buffalo, there was a real chance they could¡¯ve outsmarted it, but unfortunately, this particular Mutated Buffalo was ¡®possessed¡¯. When Ye Feng saw that the Mutated Buffalo was being led by the nose, he directly used ¡®Possession¡¯ to personally pursue and kill. Then Chen Dalong and the others discovered that their gunfire no longer attracted the Mutated Buffalo¡¯s attention; once it had locked its sights on someone, it pursued them relentlessly until it made contact. ¡°Ah!¡± A scream resounded through the jungle as Li Huosheng became the first person to be hit by the Mutated Buffalo. He felt as if he had been struck by a large truck, his arm snapping instantly with a crack, probably broken, and he was flung five or six meters away, landing on the ground. Just one hit severely injured him, and this was with Ye Feng pulling his punches at the critical moment; otherwise, Li Huosheng wouldn¡¯t be just severely injured, he would¡¯ve been killed on impact. After flinging him away, Ye Feng immediately turned his gaze to Chen Dalong and several others. After ¡®Possession¡¯, even while the Mutated Buffalo could withstand the gunshots, he still felt pain. Especially when hit by armor-piercing bullets, it felt like being viciously stabbed with a needle deep into the flesh, not ordinary pain at all. It¡¯s worth mentioning that Chen Dalong and his people had mixed armor-piercing bullets with regular ones in their magazines. They each had 10 out of the 50 armor-piercing bullets, and since a magazine could hold 30 bullets, precisely one-third could go in, so roughly every three shots, one armor-piercing bullet would fire. In pain, Ye Feng naturally wanted to end the fight as soon as possible. In the following half a minute, Chen Dalong, Zhang Chenggang, and Zhao Rong were also successively knocked away by him. Then, Ye Feng leisurely pursued the others. Only after driving everyone out of Sunset Valley did he return. And by this time, not one of the twenty people was without injuries. Boom! Boom! Boom! Watching the Mutated Buffalo leave with heavy steps, the five who escaped Sunset Valley finally took a long breath, relieved as if they had escaped death. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it chasing us anymore?¡± someone panted, asking quietly. ¡°If you can¡¯t talk, shut up, no one will take you for a mute. If it really comes back, I¡¯ll be the first to not let you off,¡± his companion immediately snapped back viciously. The one who had just spoken realized his mistake and fell silent promptly. Another companion ventured a guess, ¡°Don¡¯t they say that animals have a sense of territory? Maybe it stopped chasing us because we left its territory.¡± This speculation was instantly accepted by the rest. It was the most reasonable explanation. ¡°Then we probably can¡¯t come here anymore, but what about the mission?¡± ¡°Who cares! It¡¯s not like I can handle this sort of thing anyway, and if I ever come to Sunset Valley again, I sure as hell won¡¯t. Let whoever wants to come, come.¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Who knows if there will even be a next time? When I was running away, I saw the boss get knocked flying. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s probably dead.¡± ¡°Watch your mouth and show some respect! If it weren¡¯t for the boss and the others firing their guns, drawing that monster¡¯s attention, could you have escaped?¡± While the five of them were all talking at once, they saw a comrade limping out with a twisted left leg. Then two more came towards them, supporting each other. ¡°Holy shit! Some really did make it out.¡± Someone exclaimed in surprise and hurried over to help. More and more wounded escaped from Sunset Valley, including Chen Dalong. He clutched his chest and used the butt of his gun for support, taking one step at a time to get out, with seven injured subordinates following behind him. He was hit directly in the chest by the Mutated Buffalo, but thankfully he was wearing a bulletproof vest, otherwise he would probably be dead. Even so, he had still broken two ribs in his chest. Then Chen Dalong noticed that after knocking people flying, the Mutated Buffalo didn¡¯t seem to follow up with another attack. After the Mutated Buffalo left, he quickly returned and, as expected, found that the other brothers hadn¡¯t died, so they helped each other out. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s so good you¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°Boss, let me help you. Where are you hurt?¡± As soon as Chen Dalong left the range of Sunset Valley, a group of his subordinates surrounded him. ¡°Alright, quiet down. Huosheng, do a headcount.¡± Chen Dalong interrupted them with a wave of his hand. Li Huosheng quickly finished the count and with a slightly somber tone said, ¡°Ah Niu and Ah Guang, they both didn¡¯t make it out.¡± The others all understood that it probably meant those two were more likely dead than alive. After a brief silence, Chen Dalong gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Whoever still has the strength, come with me back in there.¡± However, after Chen Dalong finished speaking, the subordinates who had just enthusiastically crowded around all lowered their heads, staying silent and refusing to meet his gaze. ¡°Boss, let me go with you! It¡¯s just a dislocated shoulder, I¡¯m not too bad off.¡± The tense atmosphere didn¡¯t last long before being broken by Zhang Chenggang. He was the strongest of Chen Dalong¡¯s four closest subordinates. Although he too had been hit by the Mutated Buffalo, his injuries were the lightest. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go in.¡± Chen Dalong nodded. Then he had Li Huosheng and Zhao Rong distribute the remaining scant bullets. After loading their guns, they re-entered the dense jungle. There was a feeling of a cold wind blowing over still waters. Of course, Chen Dalong dared to do this partly because he had witnessed the Mutated Buffalo return to the depths of the jungle. Another reason was, after the Mutated Buffalo showed its power, the previously troublesome mutated insects in the jungle seemed to have all hidden themselves. He hadn¡¯t encountered any danger on his way out just now. Going back at this time to save others seemed risky but was actually the safest window of opportunity. Of course, all this depended on one condition¡ªthat the Mutated Buffalo wouldn¡¯t come out again. That was a gamble. Therefore, he decided to go in for a maximum of 10 minutes; if they couldn¡¯t find anyone, they¡¯d come back out. After that, he felt his luck was incredibly good. Not long after entering, they found the two people who were severely injured and unable to get up. And they managed to drag them out of Sunset Valley without encountering any danger. Chapter 42 - 42 42 Combat Power Assessment_1 ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Combat Power Assessment_1 Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Combat Power Assessment_1 When the people waiting outside saw that Chen Dalong and Zhang Chenggang had actually safely brought out the two injured members, they couldn¡¯t help but reveal genuine smiles amidst their disbelief. Although the mission had failed, the crowd¡¯s respect for Chen Dalong, their leader, had actually grown. When trouble arose, he was truly willing to shoulder the burden, and this alone was enough to earn their admiration. They might all be gangsters, but that didn¡¯t mean they lacked loyalty, especially for those who had seen Hong Kong gangster films, who didn¡¯t admire Chen Haonan? ¡°Alright, stop staring and get on the bus quickly. We¡¯re going back. A few of our brothers are seriously injured and need to go to the hospital immediately,¡± Chen Dalong said in a deep voice. ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone helped each other onto the bus quickly and then swiftly returned. However, although they had escaped death, the atmosphere on the bus was somewhat silent. There was no helping it; the failure of the mission meant they would not be getting the rest of the money. And what they feared even more was that Chen Dalong would not be willing to give it another try. For a while, everyone looked at each other, until finally, Li Huosheng spoke up and asked, ¡°Boss, what do we do now that the mission has failed?¡± ¡°Damn it, this mission is too dangerous. After we go back, I¡¯ll go to the research institute and extort a good sum. They owe us compensation for medical and lost wages, it¡¯s not over until they pay up.¡± ¡°As for the mission¡­¡± Chen Dalong wanted to say they wouldn¡¯t do it anymore, but he was reluctant to give up the money. In the end, he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°We ask for more money. If they don¡¯t double the price, they can forget about us continuing to collect materials.¡± ¡°But¡­ boss, that mutated buffalo is too terrifying! Our firearms can¡¯t deal with it, how can we fight?¡± A little brother couldn¡¯t help but ask, shivering with fear. ¡°Are you stupid? We don¡¯t have to deal with that mutated buffalo,¡± Chen Dalong glanced at him and said. ¡°Boss, do you mean, we should shift our target to the Old Chinese Scholar Tree on Small Phoenix Mountain?¡± At this moment, Chen Huosheng spoke up and asked. ¡°Not necessarily. We¡¯ll see what the situation is like at the time and make a specific plan then,¡± Chen Dalong replied. ¡°We were careless this time and weren¡¯t well-prepared. Next time, we¡¯ll buy a few drones to come with us; we¡¯ll send the drones to fly around first to determine the location of the mutated buffalo.¡± ¡°Then, based on the specific situation, decide whether we can bypass the mutated buffalo. If not, we¡¯ll head to Small Phoenix Mountain,¡± Chen Dalong said. Hearing this, many people¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, but there were still many who felt afraid. It was then that Qin Fang spoke up to remind, ¡°Boss, we also need to think about how to deal with those mutated bats.¡± By this time, his right arm had been bandaged, but recalling the Bat King still gave him a shuddering feeling, as his arm had nearly been rendered useless. ¡°The Bat King is not impossible to deal with; our main issue is that we don¡¯t have enough firearms.¡± ¡°Luckily, we¡¯ve got the footage we recorded this time. When we go back, we¡¯ll show it to those researchers sitting in their offices. I bet it¡¯ll scare the piss out of them.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t approve at least 10 more gun permits for us, they can forget about us continuing the mission,¡± said Chen Dalong. Listening to Chen Dalong¡¯s reasoned analysis, the originally anxious members also calmed down and nodded in agreement. Indeed, although the wilderness was dangerous, they were not totally unprepared to deal with it. Of course, the precondition was to avoid encountering a boss-level being like the mutated buffalo that was immune to bullets. Chen Dalong¡¯s idea of buying drones to scout first and then act was undoubtedly a solution to this problem. This immediately raised the previously dampened morale. Now they even started a new round of praise for Chen Dalong, hoping that the newly applied-for firearms could be assigned to them. At that moment, Ye Feng watched as the vehicles drove off, then he ordered all the Mutated Beings to return. The truth was, driving those people away was no challenge at all for Ye Feng. Instead, it was afterward, during their period of severe injury, that figuring out how to safely evacuate them took more time. After all, he couldn¡¯t let other mutated insects get close and cause secondary injuries. In the end, he sent out the King Cobra and Big Yellow Dog to hide in the dark, releasing their presence to deter, and only then did he complete this task. Now that the battle was over, he first checked the wounds of the Mutated Bats. Their abdomens had been hit by bullets, with the bullet heads penetrating inside and damaging one of the organs. However, the life energy of mutated beings really was incomparable to that of normal animals. Less than 20 minutes after the battle had ended, the internal bleeding was almost stopping. According to Ye Feng¡¯s estimation, even if he did nothing, the creatures would recover in a few days as long as they didn¡¯t engage in intense combat. Of course, leaving the bullet inside the Mutated Bat was ultimately a hidden danger, so Ye Feng decided to help remove it. His method for removing the bullet was simple and crude; he extended a tree root which, under his control, grew numerous hair-thin rootlets at the tip. These rootlets directly drilled into the wound of the bat, wrapped around the bullet, and yanked it out. Then it was a matter of injecting Spiritual Energy, and it wouldn¡¯t take many hours to heal. But from this, it was clear that the majority of Second Order Mutated Organisms could be killed with bullets. For instance, a Mutated Bat could barely withstand one shot, but a few more rounds would probably kill it on the spot. And this was with regular bullets; armor-piercing rounds would definitely cause more severe damage. If the organs inside were not just pierced but completely shattered, then whether the Mutated Bat could survive would be a question. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After inspecting the Mutated Bat, Ye Feng began to check the Mutated Buffalo. Looking at the injuries on the creature, Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed by the Mutated Buffalo¡¯s defensive power. He counted; it had been hit by 56 bullets, 18 of which were armor-piercing rounds, with the rest being regular bullets. Ye Feng carefully observed the body structure of the Mutated Buffalo through these wounds. The buffalo¡¯s hide was as thick as 0.5 centimeters. Below the skin was a fat layer that was 3 centimeters thick. And then there was the muscle layer, almost 30 centimeters thick. When bullets hit the hide, the fat layer below would quickly disperse the kinetic energy throughout the body. It was like having an extra cushion for defense. So, after piercing the tough hide, the kinetic energy of the regular bullets was almost depleted, getting stuck in the fat layer. Even armor-piercing rounds, after penetrating the hide and fat layer, faced the nearly 30-centimeter-thick muscle layer as defense. Most of the armor-piercing rounds got stuck in the muscle layer, with only two managing to penetrate through weaker spots and hit the internal organs. But even the armor-piercing rounds had almost no kinetic energy left after piercing through these three layers of defense. These two bullets ultimately left not-too-small nor-too-large wounds in the Mutated Buffalo¡¯s lungs and small intestine. And at that moment, these two wounds had already healed. ¡°So it seems, large Second Order Mutated Beings can basically ignore ordinary firearms,¡± ¡°The only things that can injure them are heavy machine guns and other heavy weapons,¡± Ye Feng said while helping to remove the bullets and summarizing the situation. Chapter 43 - 43 43 Second-class Merit_1 ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Second-class Merit_1 Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Second-class Merit_1 Through this battle, Ye Feng estimated that his group of subordinates could roughly match forty to fifty fully armed members of the City Guard Team. Of course, this was in the case of a head-on conflict. If they were to engage in guerrilla warfare outdoors, even if the enemy¡¯s numbers were multiplied by ten, he reckoned they would still not be able to handle them. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Our strength is still a bit weak! But once we break through to Third Order, and our physical conditioning improves by one rank, we should be unafraid of general firearms,¡± Ye Feng muttered. After quickly treating their wounds, Ye Feng sent the animals back out to hunt. In fact, for these Mutated Animals, this incident was just a trivial interlude. In their eyes, humans were nothing more than slightly larger prey. If it weren¡¯t for Ye Feng¡¯s intervention, they would have already become their feast. Soon after, Ye Feng picked up his mobile phone and resumed scrolling. Since he no longer had to worry about battery life, his internet addiction had returned. However, before long, he quickly set aside all his ongoing activities. Because the Mutated Hedgehog and the Mutated Eagle were about to breakthrough to the Second Order. Of course, a simple breakthrough wouldn¡¯t prevent Ye Feng from using his phone, but the Mutated Eagle was actually breaking through on its own. That was a completely different situation. As everyone knows, Mutated Animals that breakthrough on their own seem to be exceptionally strong, which was enough to draw Ye Feng¡¯s attention. As for the Mutated Hedgehog, it was breaking through with the help of Ye Feng¡¯s Evolution Fruit. Although there were no surprises, Ye Feng was also not disappointed because that was the norm. Moreover, Ye Feng had noticed that the Mutated Hedgehog didn¡¯t grow much in size during its previous Minor Boundary breakthroughs. Instead, its quills became sharper and sharper. Clearly, it had chosen a different direction in terms of development. So even though it hadn¡¯t managed to breakthrough on its own, Ye Feng still held certain expectations for its future performance. At the same time, Ye Feng also turned his attention to the four First Order Mutated Buffalos in the distance, which had also reached the First Order Peak. Judging by the timing, he estimated they would breakthrough by the afternoon. By then, the whole team would be at Second Order. While Ye Feng was watching his two subordinates breakthrough, Chen Dalong and his colleagues had already returned to Yang City. They drove the bus directly to the First Hospital of Yang City. When twenty menacing and injured individuals alighted from the bus, they truly startled the medical staff and nurses there. Even the nearby patrolling City Guard Team was alarmed and came over to investigate. A new round of anti-gang operations had just passed, so during this period, fights and brawls were strictly investigated. However, Chen Dalong wasn¡¯t worried about the investigation this time. He plainly stated the mission he had accepted from the Yangcheng Research Institute and then showed the officers the battle footage. After going through the process, Chen Dalong thought it was all over, but to his surprise, things were not as simple as he had thought. After watching the video, the captain¡¯s expression turned serious in an instant. He copied the video and immediately reported it. In just ten minutes, a captain from the military and personnel from the Mutant Management Bureau came together to inquire about the details of the incident. Naturally, their treatment was upgraded, and all the injured were transferred to a field hospital. This was the newest hospital established in Yang City, staffed with the best surgical experts. Both hardware and software facilities were of top quality. All these changes overwhelmed Chen Dalong a bit. After he had explained all the details, the two investigators finally left. As they were leaving, the captain laughed and said, ¡°Comrade Chen Dalong, thank you for providing the mutated beings¡¯ data. I¡¯ll apply for a Second-class Merit for you.¡± ¡°In addition, the firearms and ammunition you used during this mission can be replenished for free, and with the merits of this mission, you should be able to write an application to increase your ammunition quota a bit.¡± Watching them go, Chen Dalong stroked his bald head, unable to help saying, ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t expect such good treatment just for bringing back a video.¡± Li Huosheng hastened to say, ¡°Boss, you¡¯re wise; you bought the recording equipment in advance. Who would have thought a video of a mutated being could get a Second-class Merit? Next time, we should go shoot some more¡­¡± ¡°Stop right there, shut your crow¡¯s mouth; I don¡¯t want to face those terrifying mutated beings again,¡± Chen Dalong quickly interrupted. After getting treated and bandaged by the doctors and without lingering in the hospital, he went straight to the Yangcheng Research Institute. What followed was another round of negotiations with Xu Liang, but this time with the video in hand, he really had a strong bargaining position. He made it clear that besides his Mad Dragon Security Company, nobody dared to take such a risky mission, and even implicitly threatened that if they didn¡¯t increase the payment, he would release the video. After watching the video several times, Xu Liang compromised, but he also stated that there was simply no funding available. In the end, the two signed an additional agreement that once the Life Essence was successfully developed, they would compensate the security company with 10 million Huaxia currency. Of course, besides that, a gun permit was indispensable. After more wrangling, Xu Liang finally agreed to arrange for 5 gun permits for Chen Dalong¡¯s security company, which was the limit of his authority. Chen Dalong spent the entire day preparing, strengthening the capabilities of his team. But what he didn¡¯t know was that no matter how hard he worked, the speed of his power enhancement could never match that of the mutated animals in Sunset Valley. When it was almost noon, the Mutated Hedgehog and the Mutated Eagle finally achieved a breakthrough. The Second Order Mutated Hedgehog, now only one meter in height, could only be described as miniature among the Second Order Mutated Animals, even smaller than Big Yellow Dog. But after breaking through to the Second Order, its spikes were 50 centimeters long and as thick as a finger. What mattered most was the hardness, each spine was as if it were made of steel, its toughness even surpassing Ye Feng¡¯s tree roots. Such a spiked iron ball, basically no one dared to provoke. Of course, under Ye Feng¡¯s instigation, Big Yellow Dog eagerly tried to take a bite. The end result was that it bit off over a dozen spikes, while it was left with its mouth full of blood. It was a practical demonstration of what¡¯s called mutual harm. ¡°Well done, keep ¡®leveling up¡¯ like this; I¡¯m looking forward to your next transformation, don¡¯t disappoint me,¡± Ye Feng praised, extending a tree root to caress the hedgehog. He then turned all his attention to the Mutated Eagle. If the Mutated Hedgehog was a little surprise, then the Mutated Eagle was a big one. ¡ª¡ª¨C Regarding the storyline of Chen Dalong, don¡¯t be anxious, everyone! This is a very, very important supporting character, so naturally, more time will be spent on him. I won¡¯t say any more than that, otherwise, it would be a spoiler. Chapter 44 - 44 44 King Cobra Breaks Through to Third ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44 King Cobra Breaks Through to Third Order_1 Chapter 44: Chapter 44 King Cobra Breaks Through to Third Order_1 The Mutated Eagle that broke through to the Second Order, even when it stood with its wings folded on the ground, was only just smaller than the King Cobra. As for when it spread its wings and took to the sky, that was even more terrifying. The wingspan reached a full 15 meters, making it larger than the Mutated Black Crow, Mutated Bats, and Mutated Parrot combined. As for the Mutated Sparrow, there¡¯s even less to say¡ªit was just a tiny speck. This was truly the overlord of the skies! Of course, Ye Feng was aware that some things can¡¯t just be measured by data, which is why he let the Mutated Eagle single-handedly challenge the other Mutated Bird Species. In this 1V5 battle, although the Mutated Bats and company had the advantage in numbers, they dared not underestimate their opponent and began with a surround and attack strategy from the get-go. Facing this situation, the Mutated Eagle didn¡¯t show the slightest weakness and met the challenge head-on. With an extremely fierce approach, it charged into the formation, and with a beat of its wings, sent the two weakest sparrows flying. Then, with its sharp talons thrashing, the Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crows were completely unable to defend themselves. Just two moves left them with large wounds on their bodies. Seeing its four companions defeated in an instant, the remaining Mutated Parrot didn¡¯t even wait for the Mutated Eagle to make a move but instead took the initiative to dive straight down toward the ground. Witnessing this scene, the Mutated Eagle let out an excited and piercing screech of triumph. Just that one sound caused all other Mutated Bird Species residing in Sunset Valley to fall silent as if they were chilled to the bone. The demeanor of a king was unmistakably exhibited. ¡°Beautiful!¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but wave a tree root in excitement. He had finally trained a ruler of the skies, filling the weakest link in his own strength. By the afternoon, it was as if the other animals had a collective outbreak and began breaking through one after another. The Mutated Buffalo, Black Crows, Bats, rats, and two sparrows, which were the first batch of captured beings, began to break through to the Late-stage Second Order, one after another. Ye Feng only glanced briefly at them, of course. What he was most concerned about was the Mutated King Cobra, because, according to the time, it was almost ready to break through to the Third Order. He wasn¡¯t sure if the King Cobra could break through on its own this time. In fact, he had already prepared to spend 400 Spiritual Points to condense a Second-order Evolution Fruit if needed. Under Ye Feng¡¯s somewhat nervously watchful eye, the other party fell into a deep sleep. But it was different from a normal breakthrough, as there was no enhancement in its aura. Confused by this, Ye Feng checked and found plenty of Spiritual Energy within the snake, which didn¡¯t require his input, leaving him no choice but to wait quietly. And this wait lasted for 3 hours. At this time, even the last four captured Mutated Buffalos were also preparing to break through to the Second Order. The King Cobra laying on the ground finally began to stir. Its aura started to rapidly increase, and its body size also began a new round of explosive growth. It¡¯s worth mentioning that at the peak of the Second Order, the King Cobra had already reached a length of 20 meters, with a width of half a meter for its body. Its size was already exaggerated, but now it continued to grow visibly to the naked eye. Ye Feng was quite looking forward to seeing just how strong the other party would be once the breakthrough was truly complete. However, when mutated animals break through to a Big Realm, the time required is exceptionally long. It takes 2 hours to break through to the Second Order, and even longer to break through to the Third Order. Ye Feng had to wait a full 4 hours. By the time the Mutated King Cobra completed its breakthrough, the sky had already completely darkened. After a successful breakthrough, the Mutated King Cobra¡¯s body length reached an astonishing 50 meters, and its body width was a full meter. Even if the Mutated King Cobra coiled up its body, it would be as tall as a three-story building. No matter from which angle, it could absolutely be called a gigantic creature. Of course, size was one thing, but what Ye Feng was more concerned about was its progress in strength. He conducted a simple test and found that the tail of the King Cobra, after its breakthrough, could exert an explosive force of 10 tons. ¡°Not bad! It¡¯s almost exactly what I had estimated,¡± Ye Feng praised. A lashing force of 10 tons was definitely considered monstrous, at least for now. After testing its attack power, naturally, it was time to test its defensive power. For the defense test, Ye Feng was even more straightforward and brutal. He extended a tree root, lifted the shotgun placed next to the tree, and aimed at the King Cobra, which was within an arm¡¯s reach. This shotgun, of course, was the one that the Bat King had snatched from Qin Fang¡¯s hands. Now, he could indulge in a bit of shooting practice. Bang! The muffled sound of the gun echoed. The bullet, traveling at twice the speed of sound, shot out from the chamber and struck the Mutated King Cobra close by, instantly creating sparks. Yes, the bullet hitting the Mutated King Cobra was like striking a metal object, instantly producing sparks from the friction. When Ye Feng took a closer look, he found that the regular bullet had only cracked a scale on the Mutated King Cobra¡¯s body and hadn¡¯t even penetrated it. ¡°It didn¡¯t even break the skin, this defensive power is much stronger than that of the Mutated Buffalo!¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in wonder. This was the massive change brought about by the breakthrough to a Big Realm. Of course, this was not the end. Following this, Ye Feng also tested using armor-piercing bullets. This time it managed to penetrate the defense, but after the bullet went through the scale and skin, its kinetic energy was almost depleted, getting stuck after penetrating less than two centimeters. Such an injury didn¡¯t even require Ye Feng¡¯s help; the Mutated King Cobra could simply squeeze the bullet out with its muscles. ¡°It seems that after reaching the Third Order, most of these mutated beings should no longer fear ordinary firearms, only heavy weapons like machine guns or rocket shells can pose a sufficient threat,¡± Ye Feng concluded excitedly. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Originally, according to his estimate, the chances of his animals, once all reaching the Third Order, successfully capturing the rest of the animals from Yang City Zoo, was about 60%. But now, seeing the strength of the King Cobra, he felt the success rate could exceed 90%. Next, Ye Feng conducted a comprehensive assessment of the Mutated King Cobra. In the end, he found that the strength of the Mutated King Cobra was even greater than he had imagined. Firstly, its speed. When bursting with full power, it could reach speeds of 100 kilometers per hour. Although this potential burst couldn¡¯t last too long, at most only about fifteen minutes, in the dense jungle warfare, this was enough to shake off pursuers. Beyond that, its recovery speed was also astonishingly fast. The wound caused by the armor-piercing bullet, without any treatment, healed completely in just 15 minutes. Lastly, Ye Feng discovered that the Mutated King Cobra¡¯s most powerful mode of attack was not its tail, which could exert a tremendous force of 10 tons, but rather its terrifying venom. Chapter 45 - 45 45 Scaled Dragon_1 ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Scaled Dragon?_1 Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Scaled Dragon?_1 Ye Feng looked at the King Cobra as it bit down on a huge rock, only to find that more than half of the rock had corroded away in just a half-minute. This scene truly gave Ye Feng quite a shock. Keep in mind, this was merely the corrosive nature of the venom itself. What was truly frightening about the venom were the neurotoxins and blood toxins within. One could easily imagine, during a fight, just one bite from the King Cobra, injecting its toxin into the body, would likely result in a fate worse than death. Having assessed the combat power, Ye Feng began to inject spiritual energy into the King Cobra. To his surprise, he had poured in 100 Spirit Points before the creature could no longer absorb it. Clearly, after the breakthrough to the Third Order, the internal spiritual energy storage of the creature had increased significantly compared to the Second Stage. As for how many Spirit Points it could absorb each hour, that would need further observation. Moreover, how much spiritual energy the King Cobra needed to absorb to break through a Minor Boundary was another issue of concern to Ye Feng. But these were not conclusions that could be reached in a moment or two; they required ongoing observations and records. However, after completing a series of tests, as Ye Feng was about to let the King Cobra go, he was somewhat astonished to discover two protrusions on its head. The protrusions were only about 5 centimeters each, which was inconspicuous compared to the King Cobra¡¯s massive size, causing Ye Feng not to notice them at first. Located on either side of the head, perfectly symmetric, they couldn¡¯t help but trigger a flood of speculation in Ye Feng¡¯s mind. ¡°If these two protrusions grow a bit longer, they would really look like horns!¡± Ye Feng said, and as he did, his gaze towards the King Cobra turned a bit odd. If the creature continued to evolve in this manner, would it eventually become a Scaled Dragon? ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it for now, or you¡¯ll just trouble yourself. Wait until its next evolution to find out,¡± Ye Feng was quite expectant. The loyalty of the Mutated King Cobra finally reached 100% after its breakthrough to the Third Order. This not only meant that he could directly perform Possession, but also indicated that the loyalty had been ¡°locked¡± and would never decrease. This allowed Ye Feng to boldly cultivate the creature without the fear of betrayal. ¡­ As night fell, the bustle of Yang City gradually subsided. After a day of intense ¡°Four Pests¡± cleaning campaigns, both the City Guard Team and the volunteers had gone home to rest. But the fervent discussions online were far from over. At the moment, Ye Feng was browsing through a forum. He found that some netizens, taking an interest in the day¡¯s events, calculated the number of rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and flies that were cleaned up from various streets and created a table. All the carcasses piled up amounted to a staggering 125 truckloads. This undoubtedly proved the success and smooth proceedings of today¡¯s operation, having eliminated such an abundance of ¡°Four Pests.¡± However, this news also caused a lot of panic, as no one had expected there to be so many mutated beings in the city in which they lived. Given that today¡¯s cleaning covered, at most, only one-sixth of Yang City, one could imagine just how many mutated beings lurked underground. At present, many people were discussing this thread. Ice Cream Coffee: ¡°There are way too many mutated creatures!¡± Chunsheng: ¡°Exactly! Cleaning up one-sixth of the area filled 125 trucks, if the whole city is cleaned up, these ¡®Four Pests¡¯ could easily fill 750 trucks at least.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the scariest part. The scariest thing is that the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ campaign was just conducted two months ago. This is such an alarming reproduction rate!!!¡± Time Goes By: ¡°The person above, I just checked some past data, let me tell you an even more terrifying fact, the last ¡®Four Pests¡¯ campaign resulted in carcasses that filled up 20 trucks.¡± ¡°So it means not only have they revived from the ashes, but they¡¯ve also increased nearly 40 times in the past two months.¡± Underdog: ¡°Oh come on! Don¡¯t make stuff up! That¡¯s too scary. If this continues for another two months, won¡¯t we be doomed?¡± Time Flies: ¡°Who¡¯s making things up? Go see for yourself (link).¡± Comrade Zhou Ke: ¡°Everyone stay calm. Once I become a superhuman, I¡¯ll solve all your problems in one fell swoop.¡± Qi Heishi: ¡°There¡¯s so much news about superhumans today, are they for real? Hurry up and confirm it officially, I¡¯m dying of curiosity here. Most importantly, tell me how to become a superhuman, that¡¯s the key point.¡± Ye Feng glanced at the comments and quietly closed the web page. He had already possessed and personally seen how many mutated beings were in the city. If things were left unchecked, the slaughter that happened in Ah San Country would inevitably be repeated. But even if humans managed to clear the ¡°Four Pests¡± from the cities, it wouldn¡¯t be nearly enough to ensure safety. Since his rebirth, he had been observing the situation with mutated animals. Those mutated animals, especially the ones living in groups, would undergo collective evolution at a certain point in time, drastically increasing their threat. Just like with the ant colonies here in Sunset Valley, Ye Feng had recently noticed several ant colonies undergoing this phenomenon of collective evolution. The originally fingernail-sized ants had morphed into the size of ping-pong balls. Ants that size pose a fatal threat to ordinary humans. He had a vague feeling that perhaps at a certain point in time, all creatures stuck at a bottleneck would break through together. By then, the danger to humanity might not come from within the cities, but from the wilderness. ¡°Forget it, breaking through is the most important thing right now.¡± Ye Feng no longer dwelt on such matters. As long as his strength was sufficient, even if a calamity like what occurred in Ah San Country arose, he would have the ability to protect his family. Although it was only 7 p.m. and the night had just begun, since there were clouds overhead, Ye Feng decided not to wait any longer and to break through immediately. However, he still needed 15 Evolution Points and 300 Spirit Points. But that was not a big deal, as it was almost time to harvest Spiritual Energy and then he could add points. After being busy for half an hour, Ye Feng finally completed harvesting Spiritual Energy and adding points, and he was immediately ready to break through. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time, after strengthening the ¡°Flexibility¡± of his roots, he began the breakthrough. Half an hour later, the breakthrough was successfully completed, and Ye Feng couldn¡¯t wait to open the system panel. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 155 meters Trunk Width: 7.5 meters Root Length: 790 meters Realm: Late Stage of Third Order Evolution Points: 0/120 points Special Ability: Devour, Capture, Evolution Fruit Spirit Points: 30/1500 points Bioenergy: 1200/1500 points ¡°Feels pretty good, I¡¯ve become more powerful, especially the attack speed of my roots, which is about twice as fast as before.¡± ¡°If I were to spar with Big Yellow Dog now, I reckon about ten roots would easily take care of it.¡± Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction, feeling his enhanced body after the breakthrough. Chapter 46 - 46 46 Arrival Again_1 ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Arrival Again_1 Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Arrival Again_1 The increased flexibility of the tree roots significantly enhanced Ye Feng¡¯s combat power. It was especially effective against small-bodied but exceptionally agile beings, such as the Mutated Flies that had been a headache for him before. Flies were already very flexible before mutation, and they became even more fearsome after mutating. To deal with Mutated Flies before, Ye Feng had to rely on his tree net, but now it was different. With a thought, numerous roots broke through the soil within a 700-meter radius of him, whipping towards the Mutated Flies in the air as if leaving afterimages. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! As the roots lashed out, the cockroach-sized Mutated Flies were struck mid-air, bursting into mists of blood. ¡°That¡¯s more like it; finally rid of those annoying things,¡± Ye Feng said with satisfaction as he retracted the roots. As for the other data, he glanced at it briefly and didn¡¯t pay much attention. After all, the enhancement with each advancement through a Minor Boundary was always the same. The Tree Body grew by 30 meters in height, but Ye Feng was no longer so concerned about that. Until he exceeded the height of the Old Chinese Scholar Tree, the amount of attention he drew should not increase by much. The trunk¡¯s diameter increased by 1.5 meters, which also increased the storage capacity by 300 points. The only thing Ye Feng paid more attention to was the length of the roots. Upon reaching the Third Order, his root length had already reached 610 meters, and after a day of adding points, the length had increased to 730 meters. Now, with this breakthrough, it shot directly to 790 meters, approaching 800 meters. This directly expanded his ¡°territory range¡± by a large margin, and the Spiritual Energy he could harvest every hour increased accordingly. Ye Feng estimated that he could now harvest a full 400 Spiritual Points per hour. After calculating this number, Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath of relief. There was no helping it, currently all of his subordinates had advanced to the Second Stage and were really consuming a lot. Not to mention others, just the five Mutated Buffalos alone consumed 100 Spiritual Points per hour. Adding in the other Mutated Animals, a total of 226 Spiritual Points were consumed every hour by Ye Feng¡¯s forces. It¡¯s worth mentioning that after the King Cobra broke through to the Third Order, the amount of Spiritual Energy it absorbed per hour didn¡¯t increase much. It went from 20 points per hour to only 40 Spiritual Points. However, how much Spiritual Energy the King Cobra would need to break through a Minor Boundary after reaching the Third Order was still unknown. That would only become clear once the King Cobra advanced. But no matter what, the amount of Spiritual Energy Ye Feng could harvest per hour was more than sufficient. After accounting for the consumption of the Mutated Animals every hour, he still had 174 Spiritual Points left, totaling 4,176 points a day. If he advanced through a Minor Boundary each day, he would still have plenty left over. Having completed his breakthrough, there was nothing much left for Ye Feng to do, and the night passed in a blink. ¡­ Early the next morning, he opened the danger list to take a look. To his surprise, his ranking did not increase; instead, it had dropped by two places. This was because the Mutated Buffalo had appeared in the 30th position, and the Mutated Bat showed up in the 75th. ¡°I never thought Mutated Bats with such combat power could actually make the list,¡± Ye Feng murmured to himself. But this also showed that the credibility of the danger list wasn¡¯t really something to write home about. He reckoned that if he let his group of subordinates out, except for the two Mutated Sparrows, it was likely they would all make the list. He gave it a quick look and didn¡¯t dwell on it, after all, what did the Mutated Buffalo and Mutated Bat have to do with him, Ye Feng? Of course, the appearance of two creatures from the danger list in Sunset Valley might attract the attention of the Mutant Management Bureau for hunting. But he had already sent two sparrows to keep watch on the outside. If people from the Superpower Management Bureau did come, they could simply let them slip away in advance. Or send them to fly around the outskirts of Yang City, and if they appeared in other places, the Mutant Management Bureau wouldn¡¯t come here. Anyway, Ye Feng wasn¡¯t too worried about these things, as long as he could clear himself of any involvement, he¡¯d be able to handle it with ease. At this time, his attention was more on the news about superhumans. ¡°There¡¯s even more news about superhumans today, it really seems like the relevant departments are pushing things along behind the scenes! But why is that?¡± Ye Feng frowned in thought. He looked through the myriad comments online, and in just one day no one doubted the reality of superhumans anymore, the vast majority of people were envious of those who could become superhumans. ¡°This is clearly an intentional guidance of public opinion.¡± After scanning the comments, Ye Feng confirmed his own speculation. As for the reason, he guessed it wouldn¡¯t take more than a few days for him to see the signs. ¡­ ¡°Brothers, we are well-prepared today, we¡¯ll definitely complete the mission.¡± ¡°No need for more nonsense, as long as we succeed this time, everyone gets a bonus of 100,000,¡± Chen Dalong said passionately, standing in front of the bus. In front of him, a group of ready and eager members couldn¡¯t help but cheer. This was definitely an unexpected delight for them. Of course, the 20 people now standing in front of Chen Dalong had already seen half of their numbers replaced, with the severely injured still lying in the hospital. In fact, with his own injuries, he should have been in the hospital for a few days, but he had forced himself to come for the 10 million Huaxia currency that Xu Liang had promised. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After rallying everyone¡¯s spirits, the group quickly boarded the bus and set off once again towards Sunset Valley. ¡°Li Huosheng, Zhao Rong, Zhang Chenggang, tell the new brothers about the precautions for later.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to put into practice the lessons we learned yesterday and try to minimize casualties,¡± Chen Dalong called over his three henchmen and instructed. As for Qin Fang, although he wanted to force himself to come, the injuries sustained from the attack by the Bat King were too severe. Now unable to even lift a gun, it was useless for him to come, so he was directly ordered to rest in the hospital. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss, I know what to do,¡± Li Huosheng promised, then started to chat with the other brothers. Chen Dalong sat at the front of the bus, rubbing his brow. For some reason, he had a bad premonition, as if something unfortunate was about to happen. ¡°It must be because I didn¡¯t sleep well last night,¡± Chen Dalong rubbed his face, forcing away the irritation in his heart. The vehicle sped along, and fortunately, they encountered no attacks from mutated beings on the way, safely arriving near Sunset Valley without incident. ¡°Prepare the drone, let¡¯s scout the area first to find the location of that Mutated Buffalo,¡± Chen Dalong was the first to get off the bus and give the order. Meanwhile, in Sunset Valley, Ye Feng was naturally aware of these unwelcome visitors. ¡°Was I too lenient yesterday? Didn¡¯t I break at least one bone for each of them? And they still dare to come?¡± Ye Feng doubted himself. In the end, he made a decision, ¡°If they dare to come in again, I¡¯ll break a leg for each of them.¡± As for killing these people, Ye Feng wasn¡¯t that extreme, after all, just a few days ago, he was still an ordinary student. Of course, all of this was based on the condition that he was not threatened. However, when Ye Feng¡¯s possessed sparrow saw that the other side had taken a drone from the bus, his eyes immediately turned cold. ¡ª¡ª¨C Everyone can guess what happens in the story next, a minor climax is coming up! Chapter 47 - 47 47 Subduing Chen Dalong (Part 1)_1 ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Subduing Chen Dalong (Part 1)_1 Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Subduing Chen Dalong (Part 1)_1 Ye Feng didn¡¯t care about those people and entered Sunset Valley. If he turned Sunset Valley into a forbidden area and kept people from entering, it would seem very unusual. However, this didn¡¯t mean that Ye Feng allowed others to explore the place. Sunset Valley was large, and it wasn¡¯t surprising to have one or two of the mutated beings from the danger list. But when the number increased to a dozen or so, people from the Mutated Animal Management Bureau would definitely notice something was amiss. Swoosh! The mutated bats, ordered by Ye Feng, had arrived at the outskirts of the valley before anyone else and soared into the sky at this moment. At the same time, on the roof of the bus, a quadrotor drone had already taken off. At this point, everyone was huddling around the operator of the drone, staring at the real-time images being transmitted back to the screen. ¡°The trees in the valley are too dense. Fly lower or we won¡¯t see anything,¡± Chen said with a slightly furrowed brow as he looked at the screen. The member operating the drone complied immediately upon hearing this. However, just then, a dark shadow flashed across, and the screen instantly turned black, indicating a loss of signal. ¡°What happened? Did you press the wrong button?¡± ¡°Is there a problem with the signal?¡± Everyone was discussing this. Chen¡¯s heart tightened when he saw that dark shadow. After the screen went blank, he immediately looked up into the distance, his face involuntarily revealing a bitter smile. ¡°Don¡¯t bother, it¡¯s the Bat King. It¡¯s still here in the valley and mistook the drone for an enemy. There¡¯s nothing we can do with it around,¡± Chen said with a sense of helplessness. Upon hearing this, everyone couldn¡¯t help but look up. Sure enough, they spotted a huge bat flying leisurely in the distance, clutching the now-damaged drone in its claws. Seeing this scene, everyone was at a loss for words; they hadn¡¯t anticipated this. What they had always been concerned about was avoiding the Mutated Buffalo¡ª they had somewhat overlooked the Bat King. But now, the Bat King had taught them a tough lesson indeed. ¡°What do we do now, boss?¡± Li Huosheng asked with a hint of pain in his voice. ¡°What can we do? The sky is its domain. Even if we sent out the other two drones, we would just be giving it targets,¡± Chen said irritably. ¡°So, are we still going in?¡± Zhang Chenggang asked a very practical question. Now Chen hesitated. Without the drone to lead the way, going in would simply be a gamble. It would be all right if they didn¡¯t encounter the Mutated Buffalo. But if they did, it would mean certain death. Chen took a deep breath and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not go in. We¡¯ll head straight to Small Phoenix Mountain instead. I refuse to believe we¡¯ll be so unlucky as to meet such a ferocious bird again.¡± The others, hearing this, had nothing more to say and packed up their equipment to return to the vehicle. Soon enough, the vehicle restarted and headed towards Small Phoenix Mountain. However, the atmosphere in the car was somewhat silent. They had all thought they had found a solution, only to encounter problems at the first attempt. Chen wanted to say something upon seeing this, but after opening his mouth, he closed it again. Encouragement wasn¡¯t always useful, especially after a series of setbacks. Meanwhile, Ye Feng, through the possession of the sparrow, was surprised to see the other party leaving. But he quickly realized they were heading to Small Phoenix Mountain. ¡°Sigh, why bother?¡± he exhaled softly. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Knowing that the Old Chinese Scholar Tree had become sentient, Ye Feng could only help it to stay hidden. He thought for a moment and quickly issued a command. Thus, a flight formation was formed, consisting of Mutated Eagles, Mutated Black Crows, Mutated Parrots, and two Mutated Sparrows. They flew directly towards Small Phoenix Mountain. As for the Mutated Bats, to prevent the other side from making any associations, he temporarily left them here. Soon, a large flock of Mutated Birds took off from Sunset Valley. Yes, a large flock. Because in addition to Ye Feng¡¯s subordinates, there was also a large group of Mutated Sparrows. Since he had the Mutated Bats subdue a group of underlings, Ye Feng found this method to be very effective. Therefore, he planned to try it on other animals where possible. However, the number of Mutated Eagles was too few, and he hadn¡¯t found a second one yet, so he did not consider this for the time being. Mutated Parrots were also extremely rare. As for Mutated Black Crows, although he had found 10 of their kind, they were still far from being ready to form an effective unit. Only the most common Mutated Sparrows were the easiest to gather into a Mutated troop. And he had two Mutated Sparrows under his command, controlling twice the number of Mutated Beings compared to the Mutated Bats, reaching a total of 200. With such a large group of expendables, he could have the Mutated Sparrows attack first, followed by the Mutated Black Crows and Mutated Parrots. If that didn¡¯t work, then he would deploy the trump card, the Mutated Eagles. But what happened next was something Ye Feng hadn¡¯t anticipated. The other party¡¯s vehicle had driven less than 3 kilometers when it encountered a Mutated Wild Boar. That¡¯s right, it was the very same Mutated Wild Boar that attacked Ye Feng and caused his death. He had previously spent a great deal of effort searching for it, to no avail. He thought it had left the area, but now it had surprisingly returned, and, coincidentally, attacked a convoy en route to Small Phoenix Mountain for ¡°materials.¡± If he hadn¡¯t observed the Old Chinese Scholar Tree himself, he would have suspected that the creature, like him, could control other animals. The ensuing events unfolded as they had before; the bus was flipped over outright. The people on the bus immediately started to fight back. Last time, the security personnel escorting them had only carried tranquilizer guns. But this group had real firearms, and the situation was completely different. Moreover, Ye Feng noticed that the number of firearms on the other side had increased to 10. The firepower poured out in an instant was quite considerable, especially since they were equipped with armor-piercing bullets. The defense of the Mutated Wild Boar was clearly inferior to that of the Mutated Buffalo; even being hit by ordinary rifle bullets could inflict gaping flesh wounds. Not to mention armor-piercing bullets, which could directly damage internal organs. But it was precisely this fierce firepower that caused the Mutated Wild Boar to go berserk. In its rampaging state, it immediately killed one person and trampled another to death. Watching the Mutated Wild Boar stomp a comrade into two pieces with one foot, the group of employees, composed of thugs, instantly lost all morale and began to scatter and flee. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll cover you, get out of here quick,¡± Li Huosheng roared as he rushed to Chen Dalong¡¯s side at that moment. Seeing this, Chen Dalong was somewhat moved, but he immediately cursed, ¡°Get lost, grouping together now would just draw the attention of the Mutated Wild Boar. Quick, scatter and run, save whoever can be saved.¡± Li Huosheng was slightly taken aback, then nodded and quickly ran off. Seeing that the other party did not persist, Chen Dalong let out a sigh of relief. But the next moment, his face turned green. After the Mutated Wild Boar had killed another person, it unexpectedly set its sights on him. Chapter 48 - 48 48 Subduing Chen Dalong (Part 2)_1 ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Subduing Chen Dalong (Part 2)_1 Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Subduing Chen Dalong (Part 2)_1 ¡°Fuck!¡± Upon seeing the mutated wild boar charging at him, Chen Dalong turned and fled. Of course, he knew very well that with his speed, it would be very difficult to escape the pursuit of the mutated wild boar, so he didn¡¯t foolishly run along the highway but headed straight for the forest. He dove into the thickest part of the woods. The size of this mutated wild boar could now rival that of a minivan, and such a behemoth would find it extremely inconvenient to navigate through the dense forest. Let¡¯s not even mention the wild grass and shrubberies¡ªsome trees stood so close together that the boar couldn¡¯t just barge through but had to break them down. In doing so, its speed would inevitably slow down. Therefore, after chasing after Chen Dalong for a while and realizing it couldn¡¯t catch up, the mutated wild boar changed its target when it saw other people. Watching the mutated wild boar gradually disappear, Chen Dalong sat down on the ground with a thud, panting heavily. He was so close to losing his life here. Moreover, this mutated wild boar was much more ferocious than the mutated buffalo he had encountered the day before; it wouldn¡¯t stop until it had crushed someone to death. Even playing dead on the ground was useless¡ªone person had tried just that, but the mutated wild boar started ¡°whipping the corpse¡±, stomping the person into a bloody pulp with a single foot. ¡°Shit, if I knew it was this dangerous, I wouldn¡¯t have come,¡± cursed Chen Dalong once again. Although everyone was injured yesterday, no one died. That gave Chen Dalong the false impression that mutated beings weren¡¯t all that dangerous. But just a moment ago, he had watched helplessly as four of his men died before his very eyes. And it was foreseeable that the number of deaths would likely increase; he didn¡¯t even know if he could make it back alive, which made him shudder with fear. Thinking this, Chen Dalong quickly got up. He didn¡¯t know when the mutated wild boar might return, so it was best to leave quickly. However, he had only taken a few steps when he saw an ant trail ahead of him, with a group of ants transporting food. Under normal circumstances, this would be a common sight, not just outdoors, but also in the city. But when these ants were the size of ping-pong balls, that was anything but normal. What made Chen Dalong¡¯s scalp tingle was that this group of mutated ants, from a distance of more than ten meters, could detect his presence and directly sent over a hundred mutated ants sprinting towards him. Clearly, they regarded him as food. What¡¯s more tragic was that he probably couldn¡¯t beat this swarm of mutated ants and would be torn apart and eaten. Without any other choice, Chen Dalong turned and ran. Then, during the ensuing minutes of flight, he encountered a vividly colored mutated centipede the length of chopsticks, a mutated praying mantis standing half a meter tall, and mutated bees the size of fists. These creatures made Chen Dalong¡¯s skin crawl and presented grave dangers. Especially the mutated praying mantis; its sharp forelimbs slashed through the air, cutting open his camouflage pants and leaving a ghastly wound on his thigh. If he hadn¡¯t fired his gun to scare it off, he doubted whether he could have beaten the mutated praying mantis. ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s going on? Why are there so many mutated insects here?¡± Chen Dalong cursed as he bandaged his wound. The number of mutated insects here was at least twice that of Sunset Valley, which had led him to a wrong assessment of the dangers of the wilderness. By now, Chen Dalong had realized that if he continued like this, it would be very difficult to make it back to Yang City. ¡°Continuing like this won¡¯t do, I must find other people. No, even if I did find people, the dozen kilometers back would likely result in serious casualties.¡± ¡°We must get the bus upright and drive back; that¡¯s the safest way.¡± Chen Dalong gritted his teeth, took a different direction, and prepared to return to the site of the overturned bus. But he was well aware that executing this plan would be anything but easy. After all, by himself, he had no way to right the overturned bus¨Che would need to find others to figure it out together. ¡°I hope that there are still others nearby.¡± Chen Dalong prayed silently. Still, he didn¡¯t know whether it was just his extraordinarily bad luck today. He finally made it back to the vicinity of the bus. The first thing Chen Dalong saw was not other people but a Mutated Wild Boar gnawing on a corpse. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What¡¯s more, the Mutated Wild Boar had already spotted him. ¡°Fuck!¡± he couldn¡¯t remember how many times he had sworn today; he felt his luck was truly abysmal. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Chen Dalong turned around and fled, diving back into the dense forest, just as before. But this time, the Mutated Wild Boar seemed to have singled him out, relentlessly pursuing him. At first, Chen Dalong was extremely panicked, but he quickly realized that perhaps the Mutated Wild Boar wasn¡¯t as fast as before¨Cotherwise, he would probably have been caught by now. When he turned his head in confusion to look, he noticed the Mutated Wild Boar was covered in blood. Most of that blood was the result of killing, smeared over its body, but quite a bit was also flowing from its own wounds. Having been hit by so many bullets, especially those that were armor-piercing rounds, how could the Mutated Wild Boar be unscathed? It was severely injured, and even its speed had been affected. Seeing this, Chen Dalong¡¯s eyes brightened. He raised the shotgun in his hands and fired two blasts behind him. The previously reckless Mutated Wild Boar, which had charged without care, was now wary of being reckless and began to dodge upon hearing the gunshots. However, with its massive size, it was truly hard to evade the shots, and it was hit instantly. ¡°Aoow!¡± The Mutated Wild Boar let out an angry howl and quickly began to chase again. ¡°Fuck! Why won¡¯t it die.¡± Chen Dalong looked back and fired two more shots. In the ensuing chase, less than a minute passed before 10 more bullet holes appeared on the Mutated Wild Boar, its injuries worsened, and its running speed slowed even more. But there was no smile on Chen Dalong¡¯s face; instead, there was only desperation. Because he had no more ammunition left in his gun. Now all he could do was run frantically, to see if he would collapse from exhaustion first, or if the Mutated Wild Boar would give in. ¡­ Ye Feng, possessing a sparrow, witnessed the entire scene unraveling before his eyes, the turn of events unsurprisingly shocking him. Moreover, as he watched Chen Dalong nearing Sunset Valley, a somewhat crazy idea surfaced in his mind. ¡°I might try to capture Chen Dalong, making him my subordinate.¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself quietly. According to the system¡¯s notes, his Capture Ability could be used on any living creature, which naturally included humans. Of course, humans are intelligent creatures, so the success rate of capture might be quite low, but that didn¡¯t matter. If capturing once didn¡¯t work, then he would try twice, three times, until he succeeded. Chapter 49 - 49 49 Bluffing Becomes Lame (Part 1)_1 ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Bluffing Becomes Lame (Part 1)_1 Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Bluffing Becomes Lame (Part 1)_1 Yesterday, when Chen Dalong led his team into Sunset Valley, Ye Feng had already noticed the opposition. He knew that this bald, muscular man with a face full of horizontal flesh was the leader of that team. Since the other party could muster such a squad and even bring firearms, they must hold some status and position in society. Capturing him would undoubtedly bring substantial assistance to himself, and most importantly, allow him to have someone handle matters he couldn¡¯t conveniently involve himself in during critical times. Like stepping forward to protect his own family. Of course, even though he had firmly decided to capture the opposition, safety measures were still necessary. After all, there was always the possibility of betrayal before the other party¡¯s loyalty reached 100%. So, after some deliberation, he still decided to stay behind the scenes, at least until the other party¡¯s loyalty reached 100%. It wasn¡¯t long before Ye Feng devised a plan and began issuing orders. ¡­ At this moment, Chen Dalong was running for his life when suddenly he slipped and fell to the ground with a thud. Luckily, he reacted promptly, propping himself up with his elbow, and scrambled to his feet, not caring about his scraped skin, and continued running. He was covered in bruises in many places, making it clear this was not the first or second time he had fallen. But that wasn¡¯t the most important thing; the most important was that he started to feel his legs growing weak and powerless. Glancing backward, he saw the Mutated Wild Boar still rampaging and pursuing him, filling his heart with despair. He didn¡¯t know how much longer the Mutated Wild Boar could keep up, but he was well aware that he himself could not continue running for more than a couple of kilometers. And yet, he was still more than a dozen kilometers away from the suburbs of Yang City, which simply deepened his despair. He had already cursed his greed more than once in his heart, wondering why he had to take on such a dangerous mission. He staggered through another dense forest and suddenly found the scene before him familiar. Thump! Thump! Just then, the muffled sound of footsteps arose. The trees ahead shook, and an even larger figure than the Mutated Wild Boar emerged before him. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Chen Dalong stumbled, falling face-first to the ground. But this time, he didn¡¯t immediately get up; instead, he weakly collapsed onto the grass, his eyes filled with nothing but despair. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Roar!¡± The two massive roars pulled Chen Dalong back from the brink of his despair. The scene he had envisioned, of being torn to pieces, did not occur. Instead, the two colossal beings confronted each other, with him lying right in the middle. Seeing this, Chen Dalong hurriedly got to his feet, his eyes once again alight with hope. A silver lining had appeared in his dark cloud; this might be his only chance to escape. But before he could make any move, the Mutated Buffalo made its move, taking just one step forward, and Chen Dalong felt as if he were about to suffocate. The Mutated Buffalo was actively releasing its aura, a suppression of life hierarchy to creatures of lesser strength. To those of the same Realm, however, it was a signal of provocation and a declaration of war. Feeling the aura emitted by the Mutated Buffalo, the Mutated Wild Boar hesitated only slightly before it began to step back. Despite its reluctance, the Mutated Wild Boar could sense that the other was a being of the same level as itself. The opponent¡¯s size was even more colossal, and it doubted it could win even at full strength, let alone now that it was gravely injured. Watching the Mutated Wild Boar slowly back away, Chen Dalong¡¯s face was unsure of what expression to show. However, due to yesterday¡¯s experience, he felt that facing a Mutated Buffalo was somehow preferable to facing a Mutated Wild Boar. He took a deep breath and tried to smile, regardless of whether the creature could understand him or not, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know this is your territory. I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± As he spoke, he began to step backward gradually. He had already figured out what to do if the creature charged at him to knock him down; he would just drop to the ground and play dead. Based on the encounters from the day before, he judged that by doing this, he had at least a fifty percent chance of survival. ¡°This is not a place where you can come and go as you please.¡± A voice interrupted all of Chen Dalong¡¯s thoughts. This moment left him stunned; how could there be someone else here? And the voice seemed to come from above? As he looked up in confusion, he saw a huge predatory bird descending from the sky. The creature folded its wings and stood on the ground, as tall as an adult and even more robust. Especially its beak, which was immense and glinted coldly, as if two curved swords were merged together. Standing in front of the creature, Chen Dalong involuntarily gulped. He felt that it could peck him to death with a single bite. However, when Chen Dalong got a clear look at the creature, his expression became one of mild astonishment. Despite some changes in appearance, he could still tell it was a Mutated Parrot. Recalling the voice from the sky that came previously, his expression shifted from surprise to disbelief. ¡°You, you can talk?¡± Chen Dalong asked with slight stutter. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that parrots are capable of speaking?¡± the Mutated Parrot said, tilting its head. What Chen Dalong really wanted to ask was: how have you become sentient? But the words at the tip of his tongue changed to, ¡°Your wisdom is truly profound.¡± ¡°Enough flattery, it won¡¯t work on me. The King wants to see you. Follow me,¡± the Mutated Parrot said, then started walking ahead like a human, leading the way with its bird claws. The King? These two words made Chen Dalong¡¯s imagination run wild, further confirming that some Mutated Beings might truly have become sentient. But no matter what he was thinking, in this situation, he had no choice but to follow, even if reluctantly. However, just after he took two steps, a thunderous ¡®thud¡¯ came from behind him. Turning back, he saw the Mutated Buffalo also walking towards them. Startled, Chen Dalong shivered and quickly said, ¡°Lord Parrot, what about the buffalo behind us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem; it¡¯s also one of the King¡¯s subordinates. Let¡¯s go!¡± the Mutated Parrot replied indifferently. This sent a shock through Chen Dalong¡¯s heart. It was one thing for this so-called King to have sheer individual strength. But the situation was entirely different if that strength was coupled with command over an entire force. They were not even on the same level. At this moment, Chen Dalong felt his mouth go dry. He knew he was about to uncover a tremendous secret. And for that very reason, his anxiety grew even more. Because he had no idea what he was about to face. Chapter 50 - 50 50 Bluffing Becomes Lame (Part 2)_1 ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Bluffing Becomes Lame (Part 2)_1 Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Bluffing Becomes Lame (Part 2)_1 At this moment, a bizarre scene unfolded in Sunset Valley. A mutated parrot led the way, a human walked in the middle, and a gigantic mutated buffalo followed, guarding the rear. If this scene were captured on camera, it would surely make countless experts studying mutated beings¡¯ eyes pop out. Chen Dalong, protected in the middle, had gradually calmed down after the initial panic and started observing his surroundings. He quickly noticed that the dense jungle, which was previously impenetrable, now seemed as if it harbored no danger at all. Of course, he understood that it wasn¡¯t that there was no danger anymore; rather, all the mutated insects were actively hiding as they approached. He had already witnessed such a scene before; he had seen it once when the mutated buffalo showed its might yesterday. He had noticed the same thing earlier while being chased by a mutated wild boar. Previously, he couldn¡¯t find answers to his questions and could only suppress them, but now¡­ After hesitating for a moment, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but break the silence and asked, ¡°Lord Parrot, why do those mutated insects actively hide from you?¡± If he knew a viable method, it would become extremely convenient for future outdoor exploration should the opportunity arise. ¡°It¡¯s because of the aura! The more powerful the being, the more terrifying its aura. That¡¯s also why you were shivering in fear.¡± ¡°Those mutated insects are much more sensitive to aura, so they hide away well in advance,¡± Ye Feng, possessing the parrot, casually answered. These matters were no secret, so he had no reason to conceal anything. Chen Dalong nodded in understanding, feeling slightly disappointed inside. Such an answer meant little difference to him whether he knew it or not. The group continued to move forward, and with no disturbances, they progressed quite quickly. Before long, they had advanced several hundred meters. At that point, Chen Dalong was shocked to discover a metallic wall ahead. Why would there be a wall here? This thought swirled in his mind but before he could ask, he saw the mutated parrot fly past it. Chen Dalong could only suppress his doubts as he walked over. ¡°Such a strange material. What kind of metal is this, some unknown alloy? But why is there a wall here?¡± he murmured to himself after tapping the wall lightly with his hand. The wall was only one meter tall, and just as Chen Dalong was about to climb over, the parrot sternly scolded, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing to our King?¡± ¡°King?¡± Chen Dalong was somewhat puzzled, and then he watched in horror as the metallic wall in front of him began to wriggle slowly. Then a colossal head lifted from the nearby bushes, a pair of eyes as big as bronze mirrors, coldly observing him. ¡°Gulp!¡± Chen Dalong swallowed hard. His legs shook uncontrollably, trembling like a pendulum, and it was only by sheer force of will that he managed to hold back from urinating. ¡°Gr-Great¡­ Great King,¡± Chen Dalong stammered out a greeting. ¡°Hiss!¡± The mutated king cobra hissed as its tongue flickered in and out. At that moment, the mutated parrot¡¯s voice came just in time, ¡°The King says: considering it¡¯s your first offense, you will be spared this time, but if there¡¯s a next time¡­¡± Boom! Chen Dalong saw a shadow flash by him, and a massive boulder not far from him shattered into pieces. ¡°That will be your end.¡± Terrified, Chen Dalong shuddered all over, his gaze filled with fear as he looked at the mutated king cobra. Even though he was seven or eight meters away from the boulder, the strong wind from the cobra¡¯s passing tail was enough to cause him intense pain on his face. Had that tail struck him, he doubted anything would be left of him. ¡°Understood¡­ clearly understood,¡± Chen Dalong quickly said after coming back to his senses. The Mutated King Cobra nodded its head, issuing a hiss once more. At its side, the Mutated Parrot began translating in sync, ¡°Do you know why I asked you to come here?¡± ¡°Your subordinate doesn¡¯t know,¡± Chen Dalong quickly continued along the line of questioning. Hiss! The Mutated Parrot translated, ¡°I am still in need of a human subordinate, are you willing to join me?¡± Chen Dalong wanted to say no, but he sensibly swallowed that word back down. If he said it out loud, he feared the next moment he would be smacked into mush by the other¡¯s tail. ¡°I am willing,¡± Chen Dalong hurriedly said, for no matter what, it was most important to bluff his way through first. Hiss! The Mutated Parrot translated, ¡°Good, in that case, let¡¯s follow the ancient ritual and sign a contract then!¡± ¡°Let Heaven and Earth bear witness, reveal the ritual platform!¡± As the Mutated Parrot¡¯s voice dropped, Chen Dalong felt a slight tremor on the ground, then the earth in front of him parted. A ritual platform, assembled from numerous wooden sticks, slowly rose before his eyes from the ground. This spectacle was more shocking to Chen Dalong than anything else before. Especially the last sentence spoken by the Mutated Parrot, which had taken Chen Dalong¡¯s thoughts straight into the gutter. ¡°A miracle?¡± Chen Dalong¡¯s voice trembled once again. Because this scene before him truly could not be explained by science. ¡°My king is the reincarnation of an ancient True Dragon who is about to transform into a Scaled Dragon and has already been able to perform some Minor Divine Powers,¡± the Mutated Parrot explained by his side. The reincarnation of an ancient True Dragon? sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A Scaled Dragon? Chen Dalong looked up in a daze, and only after being reminded did he notice the protrusions on the head of the massive King Cobra before him. They were inconspicuous, but they indeed seemed to be the legendary Dragon Horns. At this moment, Chen Dalong truly wanted to kneel. There was no helping it; the position dragons held in the hearts of his people was well known. ¡°What are you standing around for? This is a great opportunity for you. With the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, it¡¯s likely that many ancient creatures will reappear in this world.¡± ¡°Becoming a subordinate of our Dragon Lord is certainly the best foundation for your life,¡± scolded the Mutated Parrot from the side. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Chen Dalong scrambled toward the ritual platform, meanwhile voicing the curiosity in his heart, ¡°Lord Parrot, what is the Spiritual Energy Resurgence?¡± ¡°The Spiritual Energy Resurgence refers to the presence of Spiritual Energy once again amidst Heaven and Earth. Spiritual Energy is the source of evolution for all beings, which is what your humans call ¡®mutation.¡¯ ¡°As Spiritual Energy returns, more and more powerful creatures will emerge,¡± the Mutated Parrot answered. Chen Dalong was slightly stunned; the origin of mutation was indeed this so-called Spiritual Energy. ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t there been any mutation among our humans?¡± Chen Dalong continued to ask quietly. ¡°Who says it hasn¡¯t happened? The superhumans among you humans are the result of mutation, aren¡¯t they? This path is even more difficult than mutating, which is why it occurs even less frequently,¡± the Mutated Parrot casually fibbed. Seeing Chen Dalong about to ask another question, the Mutated Parrot said impatiently, ¡°Enough, no more talking. Dragon Lord is waiting!¡± ¡°Once the contract is complete, you¡¯ll be a subordinate of Dragon Lord. Should Dragon Lord be pleased, he might even grant you an opportunity to become a superhuman.¡± ¡ª¡ª¨C Sorry for being late again, let¡¯s see if I can adjust back tomorrow; if not, updates will change to the afternoon! Chapter 51 - 51 51 Arrangement (Part 1)_1 ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Arrangement (Part 1)_1 Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Arrangement (Part 1)_1 Hearing the words of the Mutated Parrot, Chen Dalong was first stunned, then his face quickly turned to one of surprise. He had never anticipated that after becoming a subordinate of the Dragon King, he would enjoy such benefits. After all, even if the existence of superhumans was true, that was an extremely rare occurrence. Perhaps out of the entire population of 5 million in Yang City, there might not even be 5 superhumans. After all, he was a man of some status. It was hard to say for the lawful society, but in the criminal underworld, whenever something significant happened, he could always catch some hint of it. Yet, he had never heard anything concerning superhumans. This meant that the number of superhumans in Yang City was very, very small. There could be less than ten, and no rumors had leaked from official channels. To say that superhumans were one in a million was not an exaggeration. And today, Chen Dalong might become one of those people. More importantly, he had the backing of the Dragon King, which made him much more formidable than other superhumans! At this thought, he could not help but shiver. As for the initial resistance he felt at becoming someone else¡¯s subordinate, it was completely gone. Standing on the ritual platform, he quickly asked in a quiet voice, ¡°Lord Parrot, what should I do next?¡± ¡°Kneel down, and kowtow!¡± said the Mutated Parrot. Only by doing so could the other party unknowingly make contact with the tree roots through their skin and thereby activate the Capture Ability. Indeed, this so-called ritual platform was actually a creation of Ye Feng manipulating the tree roots, gathering them together before raising them up. Chen Dalong did not hesitate at all. Upon hearing this, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed. Bang! Bang! Bang! He kowtowed three times in succession, each time with great force. After three times, his forehead was even bleeding. Finally, he pressed his forehead tightly against the ritual platform to show his respect. ¡°Very good, now relax your body and mind. Dragon Lord is about to cast a spell and form a contract with you.¡± The voice of the Mutated Parrot came from the side. As its last word fell, Chen Dalong suddenly felt as if his soul had left his body. At this moment, he had lost all sensation in his body, and his being was floating in an irregular shape within a white space. The unknown situation filled him with fear. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was then that he sensed a strange energy wanting to enter his soul. Chen Dalong almost instinctively resisted, and he did indeed block the incursion of this energy. But in the next instant, he felt the energy convey a sense of anger. The final words of the Mutated Parrot then flashed in Chen Dalong¡¯s mind, immediately causing him to break out in a cold sweat. Obviously, this was supposed to be the establishment of the contract. Although he didn¡¯t know what would happen after this energy entered his soul, he was very likely to be whipped to death by the Dragon King if he refused to let this energy in. With this in mind, he did not dare to resist anymore and allowed the strange energy to enter his soul. He could also feel the energy forming chain after chain within his soul, eventually securing his spirit firmly in place. This gave him an inexplicably terrifying feeling as if the tightening of these chains would cause his soul to scatter. Before he could ponder further, Chen Dalong found himself back in his body. Everything that had just happened felt like an illusion. But he was clear, everything that had just happened was real. At the same time, he became even more afraid. Because he had just resisted the establishment of the contract. So he still lay there, motionless, fearing that the Dragon Lord might whip him with his tail. ¡°Alright, you can get up now, you did well. Although you resisted a bit, the contract has been successfully established. From today on, you are also a subordinate of the Dragon Lord,¡± the voice of the Mutated Parrot came from the side. Relieved that he wasn¡¯t punished, Chen Dalong let out a sigh of relief and slowly stood up. ¡°Dragon Lord, what do you need me to do?¡± Chen Dalong asked cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s simple, help me gather some information on which powerful Mutated Beings still exist around the world, so that I know which old friends have awakened.¡± Hearing that the task was this straightforward, Chen Dalong inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly. But soon, his expression froze. Because the voice he had just heard wasn¡¯t from the Mutated Parrot speaking out loud; it had appeared directly in his heart. ¡°Stay calm, this is the Dragon Lord using the Sound Transmission Technique to communicate with you,¡± the Mutated Parrot at his side explained in a timely manner. After a successful Capture, Ye Feng could issue commands to each subordinate through the contract, which would naturally be transformed into a language the other party could understand, hence this effect. Chen Dalong¡¯s gaze towards the Mutated King Cobra became even more reverent, as if he were worshipping a Divine Spirit. ¡°Dragon Lord, rest assured, I will definitely take care of this matter,¡± Chen Dalong hastened to say. After a pause, he continued to inquire, ¡°Then, Dragon Lord, how should I contact you after I have gathered some vital intelligence?¡± ¡°I will send the Raven Envoy to assist you. If there¡¯s anything, just report directly to it,¡± the voice echoed again in Chen Dalong¡¯s heart. As the voice faded, Chen Dalong heard the sound of beating wings. When he looked up, he was shocked to see a massive Mutated Black Crow with a wingspan of 5 meters descending from the sky, while a dozen smaller black crows circled around it. Quack quack! After the Mutated Black Crow landed, it immediately cawed at Chen Dalong twice. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t understand what it was saying and could only turn to look at the Mutated Parrot beside him, waiting for it to translate. ¡°The Raven Envoy says that it is not only your superior but also your watcher,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°It hopes that once you return to the human city, you won¡¯t try any smart moves. If you do something against the interests of the Dragon Lord, it will personally twist off your head,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°Haha, the Raven Envoy jokes. How could I, so loyal to the Dragon Lord, do such a thing?¡± Chen Dalong quickly affirmed. At the same time, his heart grew even more astonished; he was very curious to know just how many powerful Mutated Beings were subordinates to the Dragon Lord. ¡°This is the opportunity I promised to give you.¡± Hearing the Dragon Lord speak, Chen Dalong quickly turned around and respectfully looked over. But the Dragon Lord didn¡¯t take out anything. Just as Chen Dalong was puzzled, he suddenly saw a luminous glow appearing on the contract platform beneath his feet. Then a crystal-clear fruit grew out of thin air before his eyes. Another unfathomable event occurred, and all Chen Dalong felt was reverence. ¡°I¡¯m going into seclusion now. Work hard,¡± said the voice. Upon hearing this, both the Mutated Parrot and the Mutated Black Crow came to the contract platform and bowed. ¡°We send off the Dragon Lord with respect!¡± Chen Dalong hurriedly did the same. When he raised his head again, he found that the Dragon Lord had already disappeared. Chapter 52 - 52 52 Arrangement (Part 2)_1 ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Arrangement (Part 2)_1 Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Arrangement (Part 2)_1 Hu~ Seeing the Dragon King depart, Chen Dalong let out a sigh of relief in his heart. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go! This is the Dragon Lord¡¯s secret cultivation spot. Without important matters, we shall not disturb,¡± the Mutated Parrot spoke and took the lead in walking down from the contract platform. Upon hearing this, Chen Dalong hurriedly plucked the crystal-clear fruit and scurried after the Mutated Parrot. He had just left the contract platform when the ground started to tremble slightly. Then he watched, wide-eyed, as the contract platform sank into the ground below, disappearing without a trace. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be dazed, let¡¯s talk while walking. There are some things I need to ask you,¡± the Mutated Parrot urged. ¡°Oh, okay!¡± Chen Dalong snapped back to reality and quickly responded. He promptly adjusted his mindset and said respectfully, ¡°Lord Parrot, feel free to ask me anything. I will withhold nothing and provide full answers.¡± ¡°Fine, then let¡¯s start with your identity and status among humans,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°It¡¯s like this. I¡¯ve set up a security company¡­¡± Chen Dalong began to provide a detailed account of his background. How the research institute found him, the mission they assigned, and how he acquired the firearms¡ªall of this, he laid out. ¡°It sounds quite good.¡± The Mutated Parrot first praised him, then offered some advice, ¡°As the Spiritual Energy Resurgence continues, the wilderness will only become more chaotic. Your security company has good prospects, and you can develop it vigorously.¡± ¡°If you need it, I can request the Dragon Lord to provide you with some assistance.¡± Chen Dalong¡¯s eyes gleamed at this statement; he never imagined such good fortune could come his way. If he could obtain the support of the Dragon King¡­ No, even the help of the Dragon King¡¯s subordinates, he felt he could stride confidently through the dangerous wilderness! ¡°Lord Parrot, that would really trouble you. If I could get the assistance of the Dragon Lord, I am confident that within a month, I could turn our company into one of the best security companies in Yang City,¡± he said. Chen Dalong habitually began to boast, but he quickly realized who he was facing. He hastily coughed lightly to correct himself, ¡°Ahem! I mean in terms of numbers and scale, that¡¯s relatively easier to increase.¡± He glanced at the Mutated Parrot and, seeing no significant reaction, he ventured, ¡°Um, Lord Parrot, our company is currently short on funds, and this mission we¡¯ve undertaken is very important¡­¡± Before Chen Dalong could finish, the Mutated Parrot interrupted him abruptly, ¡°Are you looking for death?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, this place is the Dragon Lord¡¯s cultivation ground. Not a single grass or tree in Sunset Valley is for you to touch. Do you understand?¡± With the scolding from the Mutated Parrot, cold sweat instantly began to bead on Chen Dalong¡¯s forehead. ¡°My apologies, look at my pig¡¯s brain, completely forgetting such an important matter.¡± While apologizing, Chen Dalong sneakily glanced at the Mutated Parrot from the corner of his eye. Seeing that the other party didn¡¯t seem to continue being angry, he cautiously proceeded, ¡°Then, Lord Parrot, could you perhaps arrange to escort me to Small Phoenix Mountain to collect some leaves from the Mutated Old Chinese Scholar Tree?¡± ¡°No!¡± the Mutated Parrot said bluntly. Chen Dalong looked somewhat puzzled and bewildered. Hadn¡¯t they just agreed to help his company grow? Being refused twice felt like a slap in the face! ¡°Small Phoenix Mountain over there is the territory of another resurrected being, don¡¯t go looking for death without a good reason,¡± the Mutated Parrot said indifferently. Chen Dalong was immediately jolted to attention, swallowing hard; he felt this world was too dangerous. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then, this¡­¡± Chen Dalong opened his mouth, at a loss for words. The Mutated Parrot¡¯s words might as well have declared his mission a failure. ¡°Your company wants to grow, you lack money, but there are more ways to make money than just this one,¡± the Mutated Parrot then said slowly. Chen Dalong¡¯s eyes lit up again, his emotions stirred by the Mutated Parrot, like riding a roller coaster, fluctuating between peaks and valleys. ¡°Lord Parrot, what do you mean?¡± Chen Dalong asked, even more humbly. ¡°As far as I know, the main business of security companies like yours should be convoy protection, for the freight teams traveling between cities,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, but only the stronger security companies dare to take on such escort tasks,¡± Chen Dalong quickly replied. The logistics escort missions between cities often required traveling hundreds of kilometers, and those spanning several cities could be even longer. Such long distances came with an understandably high danger quotient¡ªencountering Mutated Beings was almost a certainty, possibly more than once. His Mad Dragon Security Company didn¡¯t dare even touch such tasks. Of course, with such high risk also came extremely lucrative rewards. Escorting just once could earn millions of Huaxia Currency, and the time spent wasn¡¯t long either. If all went well, it was even possible to complete a round trip in a single day, doubling the earnings. ¡°Then your company will undertake this task from now on. Rest assured, I will ask the Dragon Lord for permission to send stronger envoys to secretly protect your convoy,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°We will ensure that no Second Order Mutated Organisms approach your convoy,¡± the Mutated Parrot continued. Chen Dalong¡¯s heart pounded with excitement; it was as if the other party had laid out a road of wealth before him! However, with confusion still in his heart, he quickly asked, ¡°Lord Parrot, what are Level 2 Mutated Creatures?¡± ¡°Those are the ones with considerable strength. Basically, all the creatures on the danger list are Second Order Creatures. Simply put, only those that have reached Second Order can withstand gunfire and bullets,¡± the Mutated Parrot explained. Hearing this, Chen Dalong was completely reassured. ¡°Thank you, Dragon Lord, thank you, Lord Parrot. If it pleases you, I shall take my leave now,¡± Chen Dalong said, bowing deeply. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. You can eat this ¡®Evolution Fruit¡¯ first. Transforming into a superhuman requires a process, I can help you with the possession,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. Ye Feng wasn¡¯t sure if humans could truly become superhuman after eating the Evolution Fruit, so he wanted to witness it himself. ¡°Very well!¡± Chen Dalong eagerly agreed. After asking the Mutated Parrot about how to consume the Evolution Fruit, he swallowed it without hesitation. Less than 10 seconds later, he collapsed to the ground, asleep, while his aura began to slowly strengthen. ¡°Tsk! It actually works,¡± Ye Feng, possessed in the Mutated Parrot, couldn¡¯t help but remark. If it really worked, he could find a chance to let his family eat the Evolution Fruit later. That way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much about their safety. Chapter 53 - 53 53 Evolutionist (Part 1)_1 ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Evolutionist (Part 1)_1 Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Evolutionist (Part 1)_1 10 minutes later, Chen Dalong awoke. He felt as though he had a very long dream during those 10 minutes, yet it also seemed to have passed in a blink of an eye. ¡°What happened to me?¡± he sat up from the ground in a daze. ¡°Nothing, this is a normal phenomenon after consuming the Evolution Fruit. Now, feel your body for any changes and discover what superpower you¡¯ve acquired,¡± came the voice of the Mutated Parrot from nearby. Chen Dalong suddenly shivered with realization, recalling his current predicament. ¡°Understood, Lord Parrot,¡± he quickly stood up, feeling a bit excited, and closed his eyes to perceive any changes. But gradually, a look of confusion and perplexity appeared on his face, ¡°Lord Parrot, I can¡¯t feel any superpowers!¡± ¡°However, my body does feel very comfortable, as if reborn.¡± As he spoke, he observed his own body, his face gradually showing surprise, because during his previous escape, he had fallen many times, and his hands were covered with wounds. But now, these wounds had healed without him realizing it. Not only that, but he also felt a powerful force within his body. ¡°Also, I feel that my strength has increased a lot,¡± Chen Dalong commented while still sensing his strength. ¡°Try it out and you¡¯ll know,¡± the Mutated Parrot suggested, pointing with its wing to a large poplar tree nearby. Chen Dalong immediately understood and walked over to the tree, taking a deep breath. ¡°Ha!¡± He threw a punch with all his might. Bang! A muffled impact sounded, and the trunk of the poplar tree immediately bore an indented fist imprint. Chen Dalong stared blankly at the fist imprint he had made, something the old him could never have accomplished. Moreover, despite throwing such a powerful punch, he didn¡¯t feel much pain in his fist, and not even the skin had broken. ¡°Not bad, that punch could have been around 300 pounds of force.¡± ¡°More importantly, the toughness of your skin, muscles, and bones has improved, probably only slightly inferior to that of a mutant wild boar of the same level.¡± ¡°However, that¡¯s quite normal since, with the size of humans, you are definitely considered a large creature,¡± the Mutated Parrot observed and said. Chen Dalong listened in bewilderment, ¡°Lord Parrot, does this count as a superpower?¡± Although he felt strong, there was something odd about it, completely different from the superhumans he had read about online. ¡°It probably doesn¡¯t count. The path you¡¯ve taken is closer to that of us Mutated Animals, which is purely physical enhancement.¡± ¡°Rather than calling you a ¡®Superhuman,¡¯ it would be more accurate to say you are an ¡®Evolutionist,¡¯ since it was after consuming the Evolution Fruit that you obtained this power,¡± the Mutated Parrot explained. ¡°Evolutionist!¡± Chen Dalong softly repeated the word, then promptly asked, ¡°Then Lord Parrot, who is stronger, a superhuman or an evolutionist?¡± ¡°How would I know, since you haven¡¯t fought a superhuman,¡± the Mutated Parrot couldn¡¯t help but roll its eyes. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But after a pause, it continued, ¡°However, rest assured, evolutionists are definitely not weak.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve just become an evolutionist and already possess such physical qualities. As you continue to absorb Spiritual Energy and cultivate, you will become stronger and stronger.¡± ¡°The Mutated Wild Boar that chased you was quite powerful, a strength you¡¯ve felt firsthand,¡± ¡°Its cultivation level was probably at the late-stage Second Order. Once you reach that Realm, you¡¯ll be able to fight it with your bare hands.¡± ¡°When you cultivate to the Third Order, you could even physically withstand bullets.¡± Chen Dalong¡¯s breathing grew heavy upon hearing the Mutated Parrot¡¯s analysis, especially at the last statement about ¡°physically withstanding bullets.¡± The Mutated Parrot glanced at him and reminded, ¡°Remember, your evolution path is different from other humans, so make up a good excuse for yourself.¡± ¡°You can say your superpower is enhancing strength or improving physical fitness or something.¡± ¡°Be smart about it, don¡¯t cause trouble for yourself, and most importantly, don¡¯t cause trouble for the Dragon Lord.¡± Upon hearing the Mutated Parrot¡¯s thinly veiled warning, Chen Dalong hurriedly promised, ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I will come up with a good excuse. No one will find out.¡± After making his promise, Chen Dalong immediately followed up with an ingratiating question, ¡°Lord Parrot, I would also like to know, how should I cultivate?¡± ¡°Spiritual Energy exists in the air. As you breathe, it naturally gets absorbed into your body, then enhances it.¡± ¡°You could say that you are cultivating every moment, or that there isn¡¯t really an active cultivation method.¡± ¡°When you have the chance later, you can reveal your strength and get in touch with relevant organizations to see if humans have made any research progress in this area,¡± said the Mutated Parrot. Chen Dalong felt a bit disappointed after hearing this. The Mutated Parrot glanced at him and continued, ¡°If you want to quickly increase your strength, then work hard for the Dragon Lord. As long as you make a contribution, you can come here and have the Dragon Lord infuse you with Spiritual Energy to enhance your power.¡± ¡°If the Dragon Lord makes a full effort, he could help you reach the strength of that Mutated Wild Boar in at most three days.¡± Chen Dalong was a bit stunned by this but quickly realized that the other party was dangling a carrot in front of him. That Mutated Wild Boar was among the top 30 on the danger list, and it had not just surfaced recently, but had been on the list for two months already. He believed in the Dragon Lord¡¯s strength, but to elevate him to the Mutated Wild Boar¡¯s level in just three days, This carrot was drawn a bit too fancifully. As if seeing through Chen Dalong¡¯s thoughts, the Mutated Parrot raised an eyebrow, ¡°Don¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°Not at all, I have absolute faith in the Dragon Lord¡¯s abilities,¡± Chen Dalong quickly responded. ¡°You can¡¯t be blamed, hearing is believing, but seeing is believing. Let¡¯s have you experience it firsthand. Come, kneel with me.¡± Saying this, the Mutated Parrot knelt down first. Chen Dalong hurriedly followed suit and knelt as well. ¡°Dragon Lord, I wish to use 10 contribution points to request a Spiritual Energy infusion for Chen Dalong,¡± the Mutated Parrot respectfully said. ¡°Granted!¡± A voice resounded within Chen Dalong¡¯s mind; he knew it was the Dragon Lord¡¯s ¡°Sound Transmission Technique.¡± Before Chen Dalong could react, he felt something pressing against his forehead, which was touching the ground. Just as he thought to raise his head and see what it was, he heard the Mutated Parrot¡¯s stern command. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Chen Dalong¡¯s body instantly tensed, and the next moment, he felt a stream of bizarre energy flowing into his body through his forehead. As this energy entered, every cell in his body greedily absorbed it, strengthening at a visibly rapid pace. It was a wonderful feeling of becoming stronger with every passing second. Chen Dalong was so comfortable that he almost moaned. Chapter 54 - 54 54 Evolutionist (Part 2)_1 ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Evolutionist (Part 2)_1 Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Evolutionist (Part 2)_1 ¡°All right, get up now! Once you¡¯ve absorbed all this Spiritual Energy, you¡¯ll find yourself a lot stronger,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. Chen Dalong stood up, seemingly reluctant for the experience to end. At this moment, he no longer doubted the words that the Mutated Parrot had previously said. If he could keep receiving Spiritual Energy like this, getting stronger by the minute, then in three days¡¯ time, his physical strength might truly reach that of a Mutated Wild Boar. ¡°Okay, now that you¡¯ve personally experienced the effects of Spiritual Energy channeling, work hard and accumulate contribution value,¡± ¡°When you¡¯ve accumulated enough, you can apply for twenty or thirty more sessions of Spiritual Energy channeling and directly break through to the Second Stage,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°Thank you, Lord, for your guidance. I understand,¡± Chen Dalong said, his eyes brimming with excitement. ¡°Alright then, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave,¡± the Mutated Parrot said, waving its wings with a hint of impatience. ¡°Yes, Lord Parrot,¡± Chen Dalong quickly responded. Just as he turned to leave, the voice of the Mutated Parrot came from behind him. ¡°Oh, and about that Mutated Wild Boar, I¡¯ve had the Bat Messenger take care of it. Consider it a gift for you,¡± ¡°Also, your subordinates have been watched over in secret by the other messengers sent by the Dragon Lord. You can find them if you follow the Raven Envoy,¡± the Mutated Parrot said, then turned and walked away into the depths of Sunset Valley without looking back. Chen Dalong stood there stunned for a moment before he came to his senses. He felt an indescribable sense of gratitude and bowed deeply toward the depths of Sunset Valley. ¡­ ¡°This Loyalty is really not easy to build up! These two grand gifts only managed to increase his Loyalty by 2%,¡± Ye Feng muttered as he checked the system panel. Before the capture, after a series of bluffs, he utterly bamboozled Chen Dalong, but even so, after successfully capturing him, his Loyalty was still just 65%. As he displayed a series of ¡°miracles,¡± each time the other party was shocked, the Loyalty only increased by a tiny bit. Even after adding the 2%, his Loyalty had only reached 70%. In response, Ye Feng could only lament that humans truly deserve their status as the smartest beings on Earth. However, he wasn¡¯t too worried about this because as long as Loyalty was above 60% and he didn¡¯t issue a suicidal command, he wouldn¡¯t be betrayed. Of course, Ye Feng wouldn¡¯t fully commit to nurturing Chen Dalong until his Loyalty reached 100%. But, to be fair, humans¡¯ body size is larger than most animals, so they do have a decent base Talent. He had just infused Chen Dalong¡¯s body with a full 13 points of Spiritual Energy. This might be 2 points less than the Mutated Buffalo, but compared to the King Cobra, the Big Yellow Dog, and the eagle, his base attributes were stronger. Of course, whether he would be able to break through to the Big Realm on his own was another matter entirely. These thoughts briefly flashed through Ye Feng¡¯s mind before he pushed them aside. He wasn¡¯t concerned about Chen Dalong¡¯s Talent, as his role for Ye Feng wasn¡¯t as an ¡°enforcer,¡± but as a bridge connecting him to human society. Having subdued Chen Dalong was like inserting a hand into human society. If handled well, developing it into a formidable civilian organization would mean that even if the Mutant Management Bureau were to discover his secret, he would have an additional means of maneuvering. With that thought, he opened the notepad on his phone and started to revise his subsequent development plan. ¡­ Meanwhile, Chen Dalong had finally exited the bounds of Sunset Valley, but unlike his previous frantic escape, he was now brimming with high spirits. He took a deep breath, the fantastical events he had witnessed today were more than all those he had experienced in the previous 30 years combined, making him feel as if he had seen the doorway to a new world. Gua gua! Just as he was riding a wave of excitement, the call of a black raven interrupted his high spirits and flew straight toward the distance. ¡°Raven Envoy, wait for me,¡± Chen Dalong hurriedly jogged after it. Soon, he found the body of a Mutated Wild Boar in a dense forest beside the road. At that time, a massive Bat King was standing atop the carcass, looking down at him from a commanding height. Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but shrink his neck a little. Even though he now knew that this Bat King was also a subordinate of the Dragon Lord, he had still injured the creature the day before. He was genuinely afraid that the other would come straight at him with its claws. Fortunately, what he feared did not happen. After the Bat King saw him arrive, it flapped its wings and flew away. Chen Dalong let out a sigh of relief and quickly went to examine the Mutated Wild Boar. Most of the injuries on the Mutated Wild Boar were from gunfire, and there were some bite marks on these wounds, though the bite marks were not large. Based on his guess, these were likely caused by ordinary Mutated Bats clinging to the wounds and sucking blood. This was also the main cause of its death. After a careful observation, he quickly concocted a story in his mind. ¡°This Mutated Wild Boar was relentless in pursuit, but I counterattacked, causing severe injuries throughout its body.¡± ¡°The fresh blood on its body attracted a swarm of Mutated Bats, and in the end, the excessive blood loss led to its death.¡± With that in mind, he removed the mini camera from his body and with one stomp, crushed the camera as well as the memory card inside it. After completing these actions, he turned respectfully to the nearby black raven and said, ¡°Raven Envoy, I wish to search for my subordinates, please guide the way.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black raven itself did not move but simply cawed at a small raven beside it, which then quickly took flight and headed into the distance. Then it stretched out its wing to point first at Chen Dalong, then at the small raven flying away. Chen Dalong instantly understood; the envoy was sending a subordinate to guide him to his people. And Chen Dalong had to admit that this method was indeed the best. After all, with the Raven Envoy¡¯s large size, it would be hard not to be noticed. What sort of conjectures his own subordinates might make in such a case was anybody¡¯s guess. But these small ravens were different, though they too had mutated and were much larger than ordinary birds. But even so, this was still the wilderness with dense trees, and with the plenty of Mutated Beings around, as long as they stayed well hidden, they wouldn¡¯t stand out too much. Under the guidance of the small raven, the first person he found was actually Li Huosheng. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s really great that you¡¯re okay,¡± Li Huosheng said excitedly. At that moment, he was covered in injuries, but most significantly, his lower leg displayed signs of blackening and suppuration. ¡°What happened? Are you poisoned?¡± Chen Dalong quickly knelt down, looked at the injury, and said in surprise. Chapter 55 - 55 55 Return (Part 1)_1 ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Return (Part 1)_1 Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Return (Part 1)_1 Hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s question, Li Huosheng¡¯s excited expression immediately stiffened. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t even mention it, I don¡¯t know why, but there are so many mutated insects in this damn place. I was just chased by a few mutated bees, and one of them stung my calf with its stinger.¡± ¡°If they hadn¡¯t suddenly retreated, I¡¯m afraid my luck would have run out.¡± Towards the end, a hint of terror crept into Li Huosheng¡¯s eyes. Walking alone in the jungle today, he truly realized how terrifying these mutated insects could be, even though he didn¡¯t think much of it in Sunset Valley yesterday. Hearing what Li Huosheng said, Chen Dalong had a thought; it must have been the envoys of the Dragon Lord who arrived in time to deter the bees. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all in the past. Come on, let¡¯s go find the other brothers,¡± Chen Dalong said, patting Li Huosheng on the shoulder. Li Huosheng gave a wry smile upon hearing this, ¡°Boss, I can¡¯t. My right leg is completely numb; I can¡¯t walk.¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Chen Dalong said nonchalantly, then crouched down. At this scene, Li Huosheng¡¯s eyes filled with gratitude, but his mind was clearer than ever. ¡°Boss, I really haven¡¯t followed the wrong person. But I can¡¯t drag you down.¡± With that, his gaze hardened, ¡°If you carry me, the two of us will just end up dying together.¡± ¡°If you can make it back to Yang City and bring a rescue team before tonight, then there might still be a slim chance for me to survive.¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at this, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s no trouble at all for me to carry you.¡± Seeing Li Huosheng still refusing to budge, he intensified his tone, ¡°Come on, get on, don¡¯t dawdle. I still need to find the other brothers so we can get the bus going and head back to Yang City.¡± But all that came back to him was Li Huosheng¡¯s steadfast shake of the head. He felt a headache coming on; what a mess this all was. After a moment¡¯s contemplation, Chen Dalong decided he could reveal a bit of his strength, which might make executing his plan easier. ¡°Do you know what? I killed that Mutated Wild Boar,¡± Chen Dalong suddenly said. ¡°What? Boss, you¡­¡± Li Huosheng was speechless, his eyes wide with shock. ¡°You¡¯ve been paying attention to the news about superhumans, right! Just now, when I was being chased by the Mutated Wild Boar, at the brink of life and death, it seemed like the potential within my body was unleashed, and I acquired superhuman abilities.¡± Chen Dalong didn¡¯t care what the other thought; he kept on speaking while moving next to a Longany Tree and threw a punch at it. Boom! A dull thud sounded, leaves rustled down, and a clear, 5 centimeter deep fist print was left on the trunk. ¡°My superpower significantly enhances my physical attributes; my strength, speed, defensive power, and more are now far beyond that of a normal person,¡± Chen Dalong continued. Meanwhile, he couldn¡¯t help feeling impressed by the effects of being bathed in Spiritual Energy; his strength seemed to have increased even more within these few minutes. Li Huosheng, watching from the side, was already dumbfounded. ¡°Alright, the officials¡¯ stance on superhumans is unclear as of now. You can talk about this matter with Zhang Chenggang, Qin Fang, and Zhao Rong, but keep it from the others for the time being,¡± he said. ¡°Also, with this kind of power, I plan on making the company legitimate. Later on, we¡¯ll take on some tasks like escorting convoys.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp-minded, so later, I¡¯ll need your help to do some groundwork with the others.¡± Chen Dalong didn¡¯t care whether or not Li Huosheng was listening, and simply spilled out his thoughts in a breath. After saying this, he directly hoisted the other person onto his shoulders and began to follow the black crow to the next location. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, boss, you should carry me on your back instead! I¡¯m getting knocked to death this way,¡± Li Huosheng finally reacted a moment later, and quickly shouted. ¡°Such an important matter, you should have told me,¡± Li Huosheng couldn¡¯t help but say. Chen Dalong had to laugh when he heard this. He simply didn¡¯t want to expose things too soon¡ªit wasn¡¯t that they were shameful, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t speak recklessly about them. But what came out of his mouth was, ¡°It¡¯s okay, back in the day, the five of us had sworn brotherhood under Lord Guan and shared blood wine.¡± Li Huosheng was even more moved, truly feeling the sentiment of a brother willing to die for his confidant. ¡°Boss, don¡¯t worry, if you want to lead the brothers to a legitimate business, that¡¯s a good thing. I will take care of their ideological work,¡± Li Huosheng said, patting his chest. Following that, the two chatted sporadically. About the affairs that had to be done by a regular company, Chen Dalong only had a general idea; many details were unclear to him. However, during their conversation, the plan quickly became more refined. Meanwhile, with Chen Dalong carrying Li Huosheng, they moved swiftly, rapidly making their way through the forest. After 5 minutes, they found the second brother. Seven minutes later, they found the third person. It took about an hour, but under the guidance of the little crow, Chen Dalong finally gathered all the people who were scattered around. At this point, those who were alive all felt like they had survived a great calamity. However, there were not many smiles on their faces, for they had lost a total of seven brothers during this ordeal. And those who hadn¡¯t died were all covered in injuries, especially those who had already made the trip yesterday; their injuries were compounded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s lift the bodies of these three brothers onto the vehicle, and head back to where the bus is,¡± Chen Dalong said. Upon hearing this, many people showed expressions of fear on their faces, but quite unusually, no one objected. The reason for this was that during the hour Chen Dalong spent searching for everyone, he had demonstrated the strength of a special forces soldier. Almost all the mutated insects they encountered, or the smaller mutated animals, were solved by Chen Dalong alone. Especially when they encountered a mutated lizard that was 2 meters long, everyone was so frightened that they were ready to shoot it dead. But Chen Dalong stopped them, reasoning that the gunfire might attract more mutated animals. Then, with an excited face, he charged forward and engaged the mutated lizard in close combat. The muffled sounds of their struggle made the others¡¯ scalps tingle with anxiety. If the sounds alone were not graphic enough, then when the fight ended and they passed through the battlefield, seeing the fist impressions Chen Dalong left on the trees and the boulder cracked by his kicks, everyone went a bit silent. This was simply inhuman. But as they made their way back, the fear of the mutated wild boar began to spread among the people once again as the distance to the bus drew nearer. Finally, one of the members couldn¡¯t help asking in a low voice, ¡°Boss, what do we do if the mutated wild boar is still there?¡± Even though Chen Dalong had shown superhuman strength, capable of dealing with a mutated lizard that was 2 meters long with his bare hands, they didn¡¯t believe that Chen Dalong could possibly defeat the mutated wild boar. Chapter 56 - 56 56 Return (Part 2)_1 ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Return (Part 2)_1 Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Return (Part 2)_1 With that member¡¯s inquiry, the pace of everyone¡¯s advance seemed to slow down. Clearly, none of them wanted to experience that kind of life-and-death escape again; there was no guarantee that anyone could survive it another time. Before Chen Dalong could speak, Li Huosheng, who was being supported as he walked, glared over and said, ¡°Whatever the boss says, you do, there¡¯s no need for all this fuss!¡± After scolding him, Li spoke with an indifferent tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that Mutated Wild Boar has already been killed by the boss.¡± ¡°Later we have to drag its body back! Such Mutated Beings that are on the danger list can be exchanged directly for money at the Mutant Management Bureau.¡± Li Huosheng¡¯s words were like a hammer blow, causing everyone¡¯s head to buzz. What did they hear? The terrifying Mutated Wild Boar was killed by Chen Dalong? Along the way, Chen Dalong¡¯s display of his extraordinary abilities, coupled with the killing of the Mutated Wild Boar and the recent online buzz about the Superhuman incident, instantly made everyone think of a possibility. ¡°Boss, have you become a Superhuman?¡± Another member asked hesitantly. ¡°Is this something you should be asking?¡± Li Huosheng snapped coldly. It wasn¡¯t just him; Zhang Chenggang and Zhao Rong also looked over with unfriendly eyes. The two of them had already gotten the news of Chen Dalong becoming a Superhuman from Li Huosheng¡¯s mouth and had also received orders to keep silent. Under the scrutiny of the three, the junior member swallowed nervously and quickly apologized, ¡°Brother Huosheng is right; I really didn¡¯t think before I spoke.¡± Although nothing much was asked, such an attitude in fact revealed quite a bit. Following that, the group proceeded in silence and soon returned to the side of the coach bus. There were another four brothers who had died tragically nearby; they first cleared the scene and arranged the bodies. Whenever possible, these brothers had to be taken back for proper burial. After tidying up, the group then approached the coach bus, which by now had completely rolled over, making it quite a challenge to right it. Fortunately, they were fully equipped for this outing, which included ropes and pulleys. Even so, it took them a full half-hour to turn the overturned coach upright. Due to concerns about the dangers in the wilderness, they had chosen a coach of quite good quality. Although many windows were shattered, the overall structure of the coach remained intact, and more importantly, the engine was not damaged. They successfully started the vehicle and began the return journey. The road ahead was easier by several orders of magnitude with the protection of the coach¡¯s body, allowing them to ignore most Mutated insects. Following Chen Dalong¡¯s guidance, they quickly arrived at the forest where the Mutated Wild Boar had died. It took nearly an hour to drag the Mutated Wild Boar out of the forest and onto the roof of the bus. ¡°Boss, this Mutated Wild Boar is too heavy; I wonder if it will cause problems,¡± Li Huosheng said, somewhat worried by the creaking sounds coming from the vehicle. ¡°No matter what, we have to bring the Mutated Wild Boar back,¡± Chen Dalong said gravely. ¡°Pass the word, have the brothers prepare. If there¡¯s really a problem with the vehicle, even if we have to push, we¡¯ll push the vehicle back.¡± ¡°Mutated Beings in the top 50 of the danger list can fetch at least 5 million Huaxia Currency upon their death, and this Mutated Wild Boar is in the top 30. I estimate the award could be between 7 and 8 million.¡± His bank balance was nearly depleted; to rapidly develop his company, this was arguably the most important initial capital. However, the development of events did not turn out as badly as they had anticipated. Despite the groaning and creaking, the vehicle steadfastly continued on its way. As they closed in on the suburbs of Yang City, everyone¡¯s hearts gradually settled back into their stomachs. Finally, after about half an hour of driving and with Dangyang City within sight, Chen Dalong cleared his throat softly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I have something to announce,¡± he said. He paused, scanning the dozen or so people present before continuing, ¡°The company¡¯s development plans from here on out will be adjusted. Those things we did before, I don¡¯t plan to touch them anymore.¡± ¡°Going forward, like other major security companies, we will take on the task of escorting transport convoys.¡± Upon hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s words, many faces in the crowd changed. Escorting transport convoys might seem simple, but it was genuinely dangerous work. As the mutation of animals intensified, the wilderness became increasingly perilous. Not to mention just last month, there were two incidents involving large convoys. Each time, the casualties numbered in the dozens, sometimes hundreds. Keep in mind that those major security companies not only had more people and firearms than them but even heavy weapons, including machine guns and rocket shells. Even under those circumstances, they had incidents, which tells you how terrifying the mutated beings attacking them must have been. What would happen if they encountered them? You¡¯d know just by thinking with your behind. Chen Dalong ignored everyone¡¯s thoughts and continued, ¡°I¡¯m just giving everyone a heads-up. It¡¯s no problem if you¡¯re unwilling to stay; we can part on good terms.¡± ¡°Even to put it unpleasantly, even if everyone leaves, it won¡¯t have much effect on me.¡± ¡°Boss¡­¡± Li Huosheng was about to speak when Chen Dalong raised his hand to stop him. ¡°You might think I¡¯m just speaking out of anger, but that¡¯s not the case. I believe you all can guess why I have suddenly become so powerful,¡± he continued. ¡°If I were to divulge my secret, I might lose some freedom, but I would definitely gain more wealth and power. Perhaps the next time you see me, you¡¯ll have to address me as commander.¡± ¡°But you guys have been with me for so long, I can¡¯t truly leave you behind. That¡¯s why I plan to develop the company, to put us on the right track.¡± ¡°Compared to other companies, we might have fewer people and inferior firearms, but just a few more missions and some achievements, along with some money in hand, and all of that can be taken care of.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, with me here, Mad Dragon Security Company has advantages that no other security company can match.¡± ¡°And this advantage will only grow over time.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said my piece. There¡¯s no need to rush your answer. You can think it over after you go back and let me know at the company tomorrow morning.¡± After Chen Dalong had finished speaking, he closed his eyes to rest, not saying another word. In actuality, his words weren¡¯t just offhand remarks. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If he truly revealed his strength, the benefits he could gain would undoubtedly be immense. Lord Parrot had also mentioned that he could look for opportunities to reveal his abilities when appropriate; this was allowed. However, once his strength was revealed, he would likely have to act on command and his freedom would be severely limited. Without him, the security company would struggle to grow, which wouldn¡¯t meet Lord Parrot¡¯s expectations. Consequently, the sequence of events couldn¡¯t be reversed. He had to develop the security company and set it on the right path before exposing his identity as a superhuman. Of course, these inner thoughts were slightly polished by him and turned into ¡°I¡¯m staying for your sake.¡± Chapter 57 - 57 57 Getting the Bonus_1 ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Getting the Bonus_1 Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Getting the Bonus_1 As Chen Dalong finished speaking, everyone in the car fell silent, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Li Huosheng followed Chen Dalong¡¯s previous instructions and had a quiet ¡°heart-to-heart¡± with the others. He mainly talked about the benefits that everyone would receive after the security company got on the right track. In other words, he was painting a big picture. Of course, compared to the empty promises made by other bosses, the picture Li Huosheng painted was much more tangible. As long as they worked hard, they could make it a reality. Of course, at the end of the conversation, Li Huosheng always reminded them to keep quiet even if they guessed something. All of them were quick to agree to this request. After all, for those who chose to stay, Chen Dalong, the superhuman, was the foundation of their confidence to progress. As for those who planned to leave, leaking the news wouldn¡¯t bring them any benefits. If their disclosure forced Chen Dalong to leave, then the brothers who wanted to stay would surely vent their anger on the whistleblower, and when that time came, there would be a real risk of violence with knives involved. Soon, the vehicle entered into Yang City. It was 11 o¡¯clock in the morning, a busy time, and a bus carrying a huge Mutated Wild Boar was a sight that could turn heads at a 200% rate. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Many people even took out their phones to start filming right away. Although the Mutant Management Bureau would kill a few top-ranking threats every few days, when they brought them back, they would be transported in trucks with tarps covering them, so you couldn¡¯t see the mutated beings. Although some photos were published on the official website of the Mutant Management Bureau, the shock and impact of seeing them in person was incomparable to mere pictures. It wasn¡¯t just the passersby, the nearby City Guard Team on patrol was also startled and came over. This time, these soldiers were much more enthusiastic in their approach, not even asking many questions, but directly inquiring about Chen Dalong¡¯s destination and then helping to clear the way ahead. Soon, the group arrived at the Mutant Management Bureau. Hunting a top 30 dangerous prey like the Mutated Wild Boar, even for the Mutant Management Bureau, was extremely difficult. After all, once animals mutated, not only did their strength increase, but their intelligence also grew, so if they saw a large group of people coming to hunt them, they would immediately run away. Therefore, generally speaking, when a top 50 ranked mutated being was killed, it wasn¡¯t something a low-level employee could handle, and the news would quickly be reported up the ranks. Soon the news reached Xiao Hua¡¯s desk. ¡°Impressive! A team actually killed a Mutated Wild Boar,¡± Xiao Hua said as he pinched the bridge of his nose and called out to Li Yongming beside him, ¡°A rare piece of good news; come with me and have a look at that Mutated Wild Boar.¡± Li Yongming, who was rubbing his somewhat sore eyes, replied with a hint of helplessness, ¡°But we haven¡¯t finished watching the video yet.¡± ¡°There are too many sewer videos, and we need to start from at least two months ago to possibly find a clue about the Mutated King Cobra. It¡¯s not something we can finish in a short while, and besides, a slight delay won¡¯t matter,¡± said Xiao Hua, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Then I¡¯ll come have a look too! But according to your data, the Mutated Wild Boar can withstand ordinary firearm bullets. How did non-official personnel manage to kill it?¡± asked Li Yongming. ¡°I want to know that too,¡± Xiao Hua replied as he walked outside. A few moments later, the two arrived at the parking lot adjacent to the Superpower Management Bureau. There was a designated area for unloading mutated beings, and even from a distance, they could see the immense size of the Mutated Wild Boar. At that moment, a staff member approached and whispered the situation into Xiao Hua¡¯s ear. Xiao Hua nodded in understanding, then walked over to Chen Dalong and gave him a thumbs-up, ¡°Impressive. Your Mad Dragon Security Company is the sixth in Yang City to have hunted such a large mutated being.¡± ¡°You flatter us. We were just lucky. Moreover, we¡¯ve lost quite a few brothers, barely escaping with our lives,¡± Chen Dalong said with a solemn expression. Xiao Hua was slightly taken aback and glanced behind at the members who indeed were covered in wounds. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Xiao Hua patted Chen¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let me arrange a vehicle to take them to the field hospital.¡± ¡°That would be great, thank you,¡± Chen Dalong responded without any pretense, wishing the best care for his subordinates. Soon, most of the injured were sent away, leaving only a few with minor injuries to stay with Chen Dalong. Next, Chen Dalong began recounting the events. Naturally, he omitted all the parts that should be kept secret. While listening, Xiao Hua scrutinized the Mutated Wild Boar, which had at least a hundred bullet holes, some having damaged internal organs, evidently caused by armor-piercing rounds. But even so, according to Chen Dalong¡¯s account, it still didn¡¯t die, and in the end was killed by a group of Mutated Bats attracted by its blood and drained to death. After getting a rough understanding of the events, Xiao Hua nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to assist you with the procedures shortly. If all goes well, the bounty should be transferred to your designated account today.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Chen Dalong hurriedly expressed his gratitude, then inquired, ¡°May I presumptuously ask about the amount expected?¡± ¡°7.5 million,¡± Xiao Hua said. Hearing that number, Chen Dalong finally let out a long sigh of relief. Then, accompanied by a specialist, he began filling out various forms. He had a lot of matters to attend to that day. Seven brothers had died, and their compensation needed to be promptly delivered to their families, so as not to dishearten the others. Besides that, he had to make a trip to the City Guard Department. Only after yesterday¡¯s event did he realize that whether submitting important information or killing these mutated beings, one could earn military honors. And the benefits of military honors were hardly any less significant than the bounty. While Chen Dalong was busy, Xiao Hua and Li Yongming began to head back. ¡°What¡¯s your take on this incident?¡± Xiao Hua suddenly asked. ¡°The situation he described must have omissions,¡± Li Yongming stated outright. Xiao Hua just smiled noncommittally, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°The others are seriously injured, but he is unscathed. If he really was chased by the Mutated Wild Boar, how could he be without any injuries?¡± ¡°But when he was describing the chase, I watched the reactions of the others. They didn¡¯t seem to be lying; it truly was him who the Mutated Wild Boar was after in the end.¡± ¡°Although by that time, the Mutated Wild Boar was already severely wounded, there are dangers in the wild beyond just the boar behind you.¡± ¡°If he remained uninjured under such circumstances, the only explanation I can think of is that he is a superhuman,¡± Li Yongming concluded with his deduction. Chapter 58 - 58 58 Second Lieutenant_1 ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Second Lieutenant_1 Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Second Lieutenant_1 After listening to Li Yongming¡¯s speculation, Xiao Hua neither agreed nor objected but instead asked, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± ¡°Follow the protocol, report it to the higher-ups of course!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s confirmed that the other party is a superhuman, they will probably be taken away by a special aircraft to the capital for training soon. By the time they return, they¡¯ll at least be a Major.¡± As he said this, Li Yongming¡¯s face was filled with envy. This was literally a skyrocketing opportunity. Xiao Hua didn¡¯t continue on the topic and instead asked, ¡°Yongming, are you a local from Yang City?¡± Li Yongming didn¡¯t understand why he was asked this, but he still answered, ¡°No, I¡¯m from the neighboring Qingshui City.¡± Xiao Hua then asked, ¡°With the situation getting more and more severe, why did you come to Yang City instead of going back to Qingshui City?¡± ¡°That¡¯s obviously because¡­¡± Li Yongming began, but then he fell silent. He understood what Xiao Hua meant. ¡°Since the mutation of animals, a total of seven superhumans have appeared in our Yang City. They all went to the capital for a three-month special training. Counting the time, some of them should have already finished their training.¡± ¡°I looked into it, and it seems like they all went to other frontline cities. Yang City is just a second-tier city, and if we have to wait for a placement, who knows how long it will take before a superhuman is assigned here.¡± ¡°Moreover, the other party being a superhuman is purely your speculation.¡± ¡°Even if we take a huge step back and assume that Chen Dalong truly is a superhuman, he¡¯s obviously unwilling to reveal it now. If you report this, won¡¯t you be offending somebody?¡± Xiao Hua said quietly. At this point, Li Yongming also realized it and quickly nodded, ¡°Thank you for the reminder. So, Director Xiao, shall we just pretend we don¡¯t know anything?¡± ¡°Of course not, now is a good time to do someone a favor,¡± Xiao Hua said with a smile. During their conversation, they had returned to the office. Xiao Hua promptly picked up the desk phone and made several calls. Without exception, they were all to instruct the staff below to use the green channel to prioritize and complete the review for Chen Dalong. Seeing this, Li Yongming hesitated slightly then took out his mobile phone and called Captain Zhang Ji. He detailed what had happened here. ¡­ Meanwhile, Chen Dalong, of course, had no idea his identity had been exposed just after he got back. Right now, he only felt that the efficiency of the Mutant Management Bureau was extraordinarily high. He had priority in many places that required queuing, and every staff member was unusually enthusiastic toward him. And they would subtly mention Director Xiao, saying it was Director Xiao¡¯s instruction to speed things up. This surprised Chen Dalong somewhat, but regardless, he gratefully accepted the favor extended to him. In less than half an hour, with the help of the staff, he submitted all the necessary application documents. Moreover, the staff even promised to get everything done for him before the end of the workday, which suddenly made the world seem a brighter place for Chen Dalong. Next, he hurried to the City Guard Department. Armed with the proof from the Mutant Management Bureau, he quickly passed the review. ¡°Greetings, comrade. The review is complete, and the Military Merit Points have been deposited into your personal account. You can go to that machine over there to log into our military district¡¯s internal network and check,¡± the staff member said. ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Chen Dalong replied with gratitude, then hurriedly trotted over. He had already inquired before coming: Military Merit Points were very important. The reason other security companies were so powerful, even having heavy machine guns and rocket shells, was that they had Military Merit Points. These points allowed them to legitimately purchase weapons. Quickly he arrived at a nearby machine, went through facial recognition to log into the system, and began checking his Military Merit Points. Soon, the screen showed that he had 100 points, and there were detailed notes on how he had earned these points. Twenty of those points had been earned yesterday when he submitted important video footage. As for the other 80 points, they came from killing a Mutated Wild Boar today. ¡°What can I buy with 100 Military Merit Points?¡± Chen Dalong muttered to himself as he returned to the main interface and opened the military commerce shop. There was a dazzling array of equipment on display, ranging from ordinary pistols to main battle tanks, all available for purchase with Military Merit Points. ¡°They sure give a lot of access with this!¡± Chen Dalong was somewhat surprised. You should know that this isn¡¯t just for internal military use; civilians who earn Military Merit can also spend it here. In other words, this is almost a platform for all citizens. Realizing this, he could faintly sense that some national policies were already encouraging civilian organizations to arm themselves. However, this wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing; it meant that the situation was more severe than he had imagined. Of course, what he was more concerned about right now was what he could buy with these 100 Military Merit Points. He quickly began to carefully inspect the selection. Various models of pistols were priced between 5 and 10 Military Merit Points. The shotguns they were currently using cost 10 Military Merit Points each. Submachine guns and automatic rifles ranged from 15 to 20 Military Merit Points. Machine guns were 100 Military Merit Points, and rocket launchers were 100 Military Merit Points. As for those with higher prices, he didn¡¯t even look. And the cheaper items, such as tactical scopes, bulletproof vests, and military knives, which could be bought with money, weren¡¯t worth exchanging for with Military Merit Points. ¡°Sigh, I want to buy them all, but 100 Military Merit Points are simply not enough!¡± Chen Dalong was a bit distressed. After some comparisons, Chen Dalong felt there were three potentially useful options for himself. The first was to purchase 10 shotguns so that they would have a total of 20 guns; it was the best for making a show of force. The second option was to buy 5 of the best-performing automatic rifles. The firepower burst from automatic rifles was simply incomparable to semi-automatics. For instance, during their encounter with the Mutated Wild Boar, if the 10 shotguns in their hands were replaced with automatic rifles, they would have been able to unload all the ammunition in a matter of seconds. Perhaps they would have killed the Mutated Wild Boar right then and there. The third option was to purchase a machine gun, which was unquestionably intended for dealing with large Mutated Beings. But this thing could only be used against large Mutated Beings; it would be pretty helpless when faced with attacks from small Mutated Creature Groups, like Mutated Bees and Mutated Ants. It could be said that all three options had their advantages and disadvantages. As Chen Dalong pondered, his fingers unconsciously scrolled down. Suddenly, his eyes locked on an item, ¡°Holy shit, this can also be exchanged?¡± Second Lieutenant: Exchange price 100 Military Merit Points. Yes, he hadn¡¯t misread, ranks could also be directly exchanged with Military Merit. Of course, this could also be considered as a promotion. However, after looking closely at the description, these honorary ranks carried no actual authority, but they did come with corresponding welfare benefits. He didn¡¯t care much for those minor benefits, what caught his eye was the weapon ammo quota for becoming a Second Lieutenant. To put it simply, after becoming a Second Lieutenant, he had the right to purchase 10 more firearms. And these wouldn¡¯t just be any shotguns, but military-grade automatic rifles. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Furthermore, the ammo quota would be significantly increased; he could directly apply to buy 1000 rounds of ammunition. There was nothing to hesitate about, Chen Dalong decisively chose to purchase the rank of Second Lieutenant. Chapter 59 - 59 59 Change of Attitude_1 ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Change of Attitude_1 Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Change of Attitude_1 As Chen Dalong clicked to purchase, the Military Merit Points in his account were quickly reset to zero. At the same time, in the top right corner of his profile, the citizen identity symbol instantly transformed into that of an Honorary Second Lieutenant. ¡°This should do it, right?¡± Chen Dalong wasn¡¯t quite certain and, with a somewhat anxious heart, he headed towards the logistics department. He had been here before to collect firearms and ammunition, so he had come twice and was relatively familiar with the place. After entering, he made his way quickly and confidently to the weapon purchase window. ¡°Hello, I would like to purchase a weapon,¡± Chen Dalong said politely. ¡°Buy a weapon? You¡¯re not an officer, are you? Then please show proof,¡± the staff member said after glancing at Chen Dalong. ¡°Uh¡­ I am an Honorary Second Lieutenant. Can I purchase directly?¡± Chen Dalong asked. The look of surprise was obvious on the staff member¡¯s face, ¡°Indeed you can purchase directly. Please provide your fingerprint to confirm your identity.¡± His identity was quickly verified, and the staff member then produced a tablet computer, gesturing for Chen Dalong to make his selection on it. The firearms listed on the tablet were the same as those in the military industrial mall, only the Military Merit Points were directly converted into Huaxia Currency. Chen Dalong had already made up his mind about what to purchase, so without any hesitation, he scrolled down the list directly to the section for automatic rifles. Then he selected the option at the very bottom, the most expensive first generation field automatic rifle. This was the latest developed automatic rifle, specially designed for killing large Mutated Beings. Compared to other automatic rifles of the same type, its lethality was increased by nearly 30%, but correspondingly, its effective range was reduced to only 150 meters. A 30% increase in power was certainly not a small number, and as for the reduced effective range, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t care at all. With his marksmanship, even 15 meters, let alone 150, would be sufficient. A first generation field automatic rifle cost 30,000 a piece; 10 rifles would be 300,000 Huaxia Currency. However, this sum of money was nothing compared to a human life. If there were no restrictions, he wouldn¡¯t even frown if he had to take out a loan to buy 100 automatic rifles. After purchasing the firearms, it was time for the bullets. There were three types of bullets available for his selection. They were the ordinary bullets at 3 currency units each, the armor-piercing bullets at 30 units each, and the incendiary grenades at 50 units each. He had used both the ordinary and armor-piercing bullets before, so he briefly looked over the description of the incendiary grenades. These bullets would burst into intense flames upon impact. Moreover, the bullet would release a chemical substance that could ignite objects around it. A single bullet could make one square meter of land burn for over 10 minutes with the chemicals it released. These bullets might not have a strong frontal lethality effect, but they possessed the ability to cause damage to groups. When used against dense yet weak Mutated insects, they could have an extraordinary effect. Chen Dalong only glanced briefly before deciding to purchase, of course, the quantity was the question. As an Honorary Second Lieutenant, he was entitled to a quota of 1,000 bullets, which meant he could choose any type of bullet as long as the total did not exceed 1,000. Initially, he had not planned to buy ordinary bullets, intending to replace them all with armor-piercing bullets, but after looking at the prices, his brows furrowed tightly. He was beginning to understand why they say waging war is like burning money. If he were to purchase only armor-piercing bullets, a spray of bullets would cost several hundred currency units. If it were against large Mutated Beings, then naturally there was nothing to discuss¡ª the more powerful, the better. But behind him stood the Dragon King, and Lord Parrot had assured him that they wouldn¡¯t encounter Second Order Mutated Organisms while escorting the convoy. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So buying all armor-piercing bullets wasn¡¯t really worth it. Finally, after some thought, he purchased 600 regular bullets, 600 armor-piercing bullets, and 100 incendiary grenades. A total of 1300 bullets. The extra 300 bullets he used were from the quota for the 10 shotguns. After selecting everything, he immediately swiped his card to pay. 10 battlefield automatic rifles for 300,000, 600 armor-piercing bullets for 18,000 Huaxia Currency, 600 regular bullets for 1,800 Huaxia Currency, 100 incendiary grenades for 5,000 Huaxia Currency, for a total of 324,800 Huaxia Currency. Over 300,000 was gone in an instant, and Chen Dalong¡¯s bank account was almost drained. But thinking about the 7.5 million that would soon be deposited, he wasn¡¯t worried at all. Next, he went to the warehouse to collect the equipment, and also called Zhang Chenggang, who wasn¡¯t seriously injured, to come pick him up. It wasn¡¯t long before the two of them returned to Mad Dragon Security Company with these weapons. The events of that day were a major incident for the employees of the security company. A single mission had resulted in the death of seven people, but in the end, they were able to bring back a Mutated Wild Boar. According to Chen Dalong¡¯s previous promise, each person who made it back alive would receive 100,000, and the families of those who died would receive 300,000 in compensation. Though the money had not been distributed yet, the Mutated Wild Boar had sold for 7.5 million, so no one doubted that Chen Dalong could come up with the cash. There was no doubt that this kind of high-risk, high-income situation made them itch with anticipation. On one hand, they were envious of those who had gotten the money. On the other hand, they were worried that if they went on a mission, they might be the ones to die. Under these circumstances, nearly all of the employees had come to the company to discuss loudly whether to stay or go. ¡°Damn, one mission for 100,000 Huaxia Currency! Although the pay isn¡¯t this high every time, even if it is two or three times less, that¡¯s still 30,000 or 40,000, right? That¡¯s equivalent to several months¡¯ salary,¡± a thug known as Little Knife said enviously. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say! The reason for the high payout last time was because there were few people and the risk was high. A standard security company sends out hundreds of people on a mission, and it¡¯s pretty good if each person can get 10,000,¡± Red Hair, sitting next to him, retorted. ¡°10,000 would still be okay! And with so many people going, that means safety, the risk factor is lower, and it makes sense to earn a bit less, right?¡± Little Knife insisted on his opinion. ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t talk like that. Have you forgotten what happened to Heiyao Security Company half a month ago?¡± ¡°Out of a team of 150 people, less than 50 returned, and now the company might go bankrupt,¡± Red Hair immediately cited as a counterargument. It was at this time that Chen Dalong and Zhang Chenggang came back, and the sight of 10 automatic rifles with a whole box of ammunition had a significant impact on them. In front of everyone, Chen Dalong locked all the firearms in the safe, and asked Zhang Chenggang to stay and guard it. Then, without saying a word, he left the company. ¡°Damn, what was that? If I¡¯m not mistaken, those were automatic rifles! And not just any, but the latest field automatic rifles, supposedly with a lot of power,¡± Little Knife couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. ¡°Really? You can even recognize the model of the firearms?¡± Red Hair, somewhat skeptical, said. ¡°Hey, you can find all sorts of firearm models online; what¡¯s so strange about recognizing them?¡± ¡°Not going to talk to you anymore, I¡¯m going over to the HR department to say that I want to stay,¡± said Little Knife, as he turned and walked away. Chapter 60 - 60 60 Task_1 ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Task_1 Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Task_1 The incident with Little Knife was not an isolated one. In fact, many who were still hesitant made up their minds instantly upon seeing the weapons Chen Dalong brought back. That¡¯s also why Chen Dalong had the weapons delivered back immediately, to add a significant chip in the hands of those who were wavering. However, he had a lot to do and no time to work on these people¡¯s thoughts. After leaving the company, he headed straight for the talent market. The Mad Dragon Security Company had only 108 employees, nearly 20 of whom were logistical staff, including human resources, finance, procurement, cashier, and so forth. Real enforcers, including himself, only numbered 88, and on top of that, seven died on the mission, leaving only 81. Furthermore, 15 were in the hospital and temporarily unable to come out. In other words, only 66 people were left available for him to use. And out of these 66, there might be some who would leave, so whether he could muster 50 people to carry out the mission was an unknown. When the security company carried out escort missions, they would deploy at least a hundred people each time; he still needed twice the number. Therefore, recruiting manpower was extremely urgent. ¡°Hello, how may I assist you?¡± a receptionist asked politely. ¡°I¡¯m the General Manager of Mad Dragon Security Company. Please post a recruitment announcement for me,¡± Chen Dalong stated his purpose right away. ¡°Alright, please fill out this form. What kind of position are you hiring for, what are the requirements, and what salary benefits can you offer? Please write everything down clearly,¡± the receptionist said as she handed a long form to Chen Dalong. Looking at the form, Chen Dalong felt his head spinning¡ªjust filling out this thing would probably take half an hour. He somewhat regretted not bringing someone else along. Just as he was about to fill in the form, an idea struck him. He took out his military officer¡¯s credentials and asked, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m a Second Lieutenant. Do I have the right to priority service?¡± The rights of a Second Lieutenant weren¡¯t many, but he did have priority in dealings with national institutions. Upon hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s words, the female receptionist took the military ID with some surprise, checked it, and found it to be authentic; she immediately called for the supervisor. A woman wearing a professional suit with a delicate appearance approached Chen Dalong, extended her hand for a gracious handshake, and introduced herself with a smile, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the supervisor here, Xiao Lin.¡± Although she appeared to be in her thirties, her skin was still smooth and fair, and her business outfit perfectly accentuated her shapely figure, reminiscent of a ripe peach. Without doubt, she was a beauty. Had it been the old Chen Dalong, he might have started chatting her up by now. But now, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he went straight to the point, ¡°Hello, my name is Chen Dalong. Our company urgently needs to recruit staff. I hope Supervisor Xiao can give us a hand here.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re out there fighting mutated beings, it¡¯s only right for us to offer the necessary logistical support. Tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± Xiao Lin said, guiding Chen Dalong to a side tea table and gesturing for the attendant to serve up tea. ¡°Here¡¯s the situation, my Mad Dragon Security Company hopes to recruit 100 security guards in a short time.¡± ¡°Preferably ex-military personnel, followed by those with shooting experience, or those with actual combat experience.¡± Chen had barely started when Xiao Lin interrupted him, ¡°Please wait, you want to recruit 100 people, all with experience? Forgive me for being frank, but this might take some time.¡± ¡°I understand, so I¡¯m willing to pay a higher reward. If they lack experience but can meet the physical standards, I¡¯m willing to offer 50,000 a month.¡± ¡°If they are sufficiently experienced, the salary can reach 100,000.¡± ¡°In addition, each time a mission is carried out, a bonus will be granted based on the difficulty. As for the Five Insurances and One Fund, I can offer them the highest standard in the industry,¡± Chen Dalong said with the air of someone who could afford it. In fact, once the security company is on the right track, the net income in a day could reach millions; these amounts are trivial. After listening to Chen Dalong¡¯s explanation, Xiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but hold her breath. The salary he offered was nearly three times the industry average. ¡°Are you really willing to offer 100,000 a month for experienced guards?¡± Xiao Lin asked, afraid she had heard wrong, repeating the question. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! And you can tell them that the salary is secondary. The real money is in the bonuses. If they¡¯re truly experienced, especially those who are good with guns, earning four or five hundred thousand a month, including bonuses, is not a problem,¡± Chen Dalong nodded with certainty. He then filled out a simple form and left the talent market. Today, he had one last place to visit, the Security Association. This was an association applied for by the combined security companies. Initially, the authority of this association was decentralized, but with changing circumstances, especially after some large security companies acquired firearms, the power naturally needed to be re-centralized. Now, security associations in various cities are directly overseen by official appointees, and the Security Association has fully become an official organization. The role of the Security Association is simple¡ª it serves as a platform for receiving and issuing tasks, and guarantees fairness and justice on behalf of the official authority. Simply put, major logistics companies would directly publish tasks at the Security Association. Naturally, aside from logistics companies, other major institutions would also publish tasks here. For instance, there are always tasks for hunting Mutated Beings and collecting various materials in the wild posted by research institutes here. Chen Dalong now wanted to see if there were any suitable tasks for his company. After all, Mad Dragon Security Company was just a startup, and more importantly, it had no experience in carrying out any tasks. Under such circumstances, it likely wouldn¡¯t even meet the basic requirements set by the large logistics companies. Therefore, according to his plan, during the first month, he would take on the low-threshold tasks issued by the officials to build up the number of tasks completed and his success rate. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once the data looks good on paper, it would be more convenient to approach those logistics companies for big contracts. With a somewhat nervous heart, Chen Dalong arrived at the Security Association. This was a three-story building covering an area of about 800 square meters. The decoration was not luxurious, but it gave off a feeling of grandeur. It was Chen Dalong¡¯s first visit here, and he took a deep breath and walked in. After entering, there was a large hall of about 500 square meters, and in the center of the hall, there was a huge LCD screen. Chen Dalong looked up and at first thought he had seen wrong. After rubbing his eyes and realizing he hadn¡¯t made a mistake, a look of surprise appeared on his face. Because, at the very top of the mission list, there was a red-highlighted, pinned task. It was a large joint mission issued by the military. Chapter 61 - 61 61 The Envoy Returns Again_1 ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The Envoy Returns Again_1 Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The Envoy Returns Again_1 If Chen Dalong were to anticipate one type of mission above all others, it undoubtedly would be those assigned by the military. Because with military tasks, aside from money, they also granted Military Merit Points. With Military Merit Points, he could rise in military rank, or directly purchase weapons; either choice would greatly enhance the overall strength of the Mad Dragon Security Company. Such rewards, compared to just receiving money, were much more valuable. After all, firearms aren¡¯t something you can buy simply because you have money; what¡¯s more important is having the necessary access. The reason for Chen Dalong¡¯s excitement, besides the above, also stemmed from the task being a large-scale joint operation. Generally speaking, large-scale joint operations are only announced when there is a need for a significant manpower influx. Usually, the entry requirements aren¡¯t too steep, allowing more security companies to participate. Chen Dalong immediately moved to a nearby computer terminal, where he could view detailed information about the tasks. After displaying his ID, he opened the first task to take a closer look. As he scanned through, he quickly discovered that this was an extermination mission. The City Guard Department would dispatch a battalion, in conjunction with various major security companies, to carry out a large-scale clearance around Yunyang Highway and its surrounding areas. Yunyang Highway is a crucial traffic artery that connects Yang City with Yunshang City. Despite the total length of the highway being only 130 kilometers, it crosses the Donglin Mountain Range, making the clearance operation exceptionally challenging. Moreover, given that it was a pivotal moment in the ¡°Eliminate the Four Pests¡± campaign, the City Guard Department simply could not spare much manpower. That was likely the reason behind announcing such a large-scale joint task. As he pondered this, his gaze shifted downward to continue reading. Participation requirements: The action team must consist of at least 100 people and possess more than 10 firearms. Such requirements were honestly not very high¡ªit was basically the standard outfit for conducting field operations. If a team couldn¡¯t meet these, they generally couldn¡¯t take on even escort missions. Yet, even these basic requirements made Chen Dalong frown. For other companies, the hardest thing to come by¡ªthe firearms¡ªhe had enough, but the manpower¡­ ¡°Sigh, if it really comes to it, I¡¯ll just have to spend more money hiring some temporary staff,¡± Chen Dalong muttered to himself. He used to be involved with the underworld, so he was somewhat familiar with the nearby gangs and groups; getting them to come over shouldn¡¯t pose much of an issue. However, getting ripped off was a certainty. As Chen Dalong continued to read on, his eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Now, that¡¯s a generous reward!¡± All security companies participating in this operation would receive a basic reward of 1 million Huaxia currency plus 50 Military Merit Points. That was just the basic reward, guaranteed just for participation, and more importantly, this reward was to be distributed in advance. Chen Dalong soon realized that this was intended for those security companies that were just short of meeting the conditions. After all, with those extra Military Merit Points paid out in advance, some security companies might meet the requirements to purchase honorary military ranks. If not, they could at least buy 5 shotguns. In effect, these rewards, once dispatched, were essentially lowering the threshold by half. And this was still just the basic reward. What truly convinced Chen Dalong of the substantial bounty, however, was outlined in the next line. ¡°All Mutated Animals killed will yield double Military Merit Points based on their danger level.¡± It should be noted that under normal circumstances, only hunting Mutated Beings listed on the danger list would yield Military Merit Points. But now, this threshold was widened to include all Mutated Beings, with the crucial point being that all Military Merits were calculated at double value. Furthermore, their destination this time was the Donglin Mountain Range, known for its dense population of Mutated Beings, making it an excellent place for farming Military Merits. Of course, the prerequisite is having sufficient strength; otherwise, it would be tantamount to delivering oneself as fodder. Chen Dalong¡¯s heart burned with eagerness, but he did not immediately take on the mission. Because Lord Parrot had previously assigned him an escort task, and now it had changed to a purge mission, he was unclear whether killing Mutated Beings in the Donglin Mountain Range would breach any taboos. ¡­ After noting the details of the task, he left the Security Association and returned to his residence. Being a local of Yang City, he owned a self-built house in the old district that occupied a sizeable plot of land. After returning home, he began to wait. Lord Parrot had told him earlier that the Raven Envoy was too conspicuous during the day and only appeared at night, so he had no choice but to wait. And wait he did, for a full four hours. After he had finished his dinner and the sky had turned completely dark, he finally saw the bird he had been waiting for. A Mutated Black Crow, half a meter tall, landed in front of his window. It was evident that this was a subordinate of the Raven Envoy. He immediately approached the window, opened it to allow the black crow to fly in, and said respectfully, ¡°Raven Envoy, I have a report to make about tomorrow¡¯s mission¡­¡± Chen Dalong recounted the mission he saw at the Security Association and his thoughts on it. However, the more he spoke, the more he felt something was amiss; the black crow before him was looking around, seemingly not listening to him at all. Suddenly, the crow shifted its gaze, then flapped its wings and flew straight into the kitchen. When Chen Dalong followed, he found it pecking at the fruit in the fruit basket. ¡°Raven Envoy!¡± Chen Dalong tried calling out, but there was no response. At this point, Chen Dalong gradually realized¡ªthese Mutated Black Crows. They couldn¡¯t understand human speech!!! But when he thought about it, this made sense. The intelligence of Mutated Beings was only slightly higher than that of their normal counterparts. Even if they could understand human language, normal communication would be difficult. Only the messengers of the Dragon Lord could communicate properly. But now¡­ he felt a headache coming on. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s not right! The Raven Envoy must be aware that its subordinates can¡¯t communicate with me; why then did it send one over?¡± Chen Dalong approached, looking it over from head to toe, and finally noticed a small bamboo tube attached to the crow¡¯s leg. He removed the small bamboo tube and, to his astonishment, found a small note inside. This scene, often seen in TV dramas, left him feeling somewhat dazed. ¡°Is this a case of using a crow to carry messages?¡± Chen Dalong murmured to himself as he unfolded the note and started reading. The content was simple, just one brief line of text: Write down the contents of your report on paper! Without a word, Chen Dalong immediately went to his study and began to write furiously. Soon after, he stuffed the note back into the bamboo tube. The black crow had eaten most of the fruit by now and, seeing Chen Dalong insert the note back into the tube, seemed reluctant to stop but did so. Then, it flew back out through the window that had been left open, merging with the night and vanishing in the blink of an eye. Within moments, the black crow returned. Chen Dalong quickly opened the bamboo tube and pulled out the note inside. Scrawled on it were three lopsided characters: Follow me! Chapter 62 - 62 62 Donglin Mountain Range_1 ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Donglin Mountain Range_1 Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Donglin Mountain Range_1 Post now, revise later! Tomorrow, I will definitely adjust my schedule. ¡ª¡ª¨C At this moment, Ye Feng, who was in Sunset Valley, had just ended his Avatar Status. ¡°Sigh, my tree roots are more flexible; the writing from possessing the black raven is truly ugly,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but mutter. In the afternoon, the first batch of creatures he had captured, including buffaloes, black ravens, bats, rats, and two sparrows, had all broken through to the Second Order Peak. And with this breakthrough, not only had their strength increased, but their loyalty also reached 100%, allowing Ye Feng to possess them directly. However, the intelligence brought to him by Chen Dalong surprised him. Possessing the black raven clearly wasn¡¯t the way to solve the problem; he needed to send the Mutated Parrot over to have a private chat with them. As he thought about it, he took out his phone and started checking the map. Yunyang Highway is a major traffic artery, especially for Yang City, calling it the lifeline of the economy isn¡¯t an overstatement. Yang City¡¯s rapid development owes a great deal to Yunshang City. Yunshang City is one of Hua Country¡¯s busiest first-tier cities, with a permanent population close to 20 million, and what¡¯s more important is that it hosts numerous high-tech enterprises. The high-end equipment produced by these enterprises satisfies not only the demands of national high-end industries but also sells well overseas. Such a city requires massive amounts of basic resources, which necessitates provision from the surrounding cities. And Yang City is one of them. Surrounded by mountains rich in mineral resources, especially two high-quality mines, Yang City thrives. Yang City also has over a dozen steel smelting companies, with their high-quality steel and alloys being the pillar industries of Yang City. A large portion of these smelted high-quality steel and alloys are delivered to Yunshang City. However, under normal circumstances, major security companies would be sufficient to undertake the escort missions. Theoretically, there would be no need for the military to get involved. Even more so during the ¡°Four Pests Campaign.¡± This made Ye Feng feel there was something abnormal. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I know too little; I can¡¯t analyze it!¡± Ye Feng sighed. At this time, he recalled the information Chen Dalong had entrusted to him. ¡°I never expected that military ranks could be directly exchanged for Military Merit Points; capturing him was the right move,¡± he mused. ¡°Moreover, the higher Chen Dalong¡¯s status, the more intelligence he can provide me.¡± This extermination mission was an excellent opportunity for Chen Dalong, who would naturally lend a hand. Furthermore, he had planned previously to get the animals out of Yang City Zoo, and the retreat route chosen was through Donglin Mountain Range. Assisting Chen Dalong this time coincides with his plans to scope out the area in advance. ¡­ Meanwhile, Chen Dalong, upon seeing the writing on the note, did not hesitate and followed its instructions. Originally, he assumed he would meet the Raven Envoy in a deserted area outside, but after following for a while, he quickly sensed that something was off. This black raven in front of him was clearly flying towards the outskirts of the city. He immediately returned and drove after it. Just as he thought, even when he reached the outskirts, the other party did not stop but flew straight toward the dense forest outside the city. Ten minutes later, he parked his car beside the highway, then walked alone into the dense forest. Such behavior would certainly scare anyone to death if others saw it. After all, it was just after nightfall, when many nocturnal animals began to hunt for food. Moreover, visibility in the wild was extremely poor at this hour; entering the jungle now was akin to seeking death. But Chen Dalong, with his exceptional skills and boldness as an Evolutionist, was not only physically formidable but had also experienced a significant transformation in his senses. He discovered that his ability to see things in the dark had improved greatly compared to before. He casually crushed a Mutated Centipede that was crawling towards him. Then, with a backward slash of his military dagger, he cut a Mutated Poisonous Snake leaping down from a tree in half. ¡°Fighting like this will exhaust you; you should learn to release your own aura to intimidate other Mutated Beings,¡± a voice sounded from beside his ear at that moment. When Chen Dalong looked up, he noticed the Mutated Parrot had somehow arrived by his side without him noticing. This scene made Chen Dalong¡¯s heart chill slightly. The pride he had just felt from effortlessly killing Mutated Beings immediately dissipated. ¡°Lord Parrot is right in his teachings!¡± Chen Dalong bowed respectfully. However, when he raised his head, he was surprised to find that the Mutated Parrot seemed to have grown significantly larger in the short half day since he had last seen it. The parrot had previously been the same height standing up, but now it was a head taller than him, and its oppressive aura had grown stronger. He instantly thought of a possibility and asked, ¡°Lord, have you made a breakthrough?¡± ¡°Hmm! Being around the Dragon Lord, I often receive infusions of Spiritual Energy, which allows for rapid advancement,¡± answered the Mutated Parrot. Chen Dalong felt a pang of envy at this. ¡°Alright, explain in detail what exactly happened,¡± the Mutated Parrot inquired. Although Chen Dalong had written down what had happened on a slip of paper, the limited space allowed for only a brief summary. ¡°Here¡¯s the situation¡­¡± Chen Dalong immediately recounted the day¡¯s events in full detail. After finishing, Chen Dalong looked at the Mutated Parrot with some anxiety and asked, ¡°Lord Parrot, may I participate in the extermination task?¡± ¡°You may! Perform well. The Dragon Lord is also paying attention to this matter and will assign a few envoys to assist you,¡± the Mutated Parrot immediately offered reassurance. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Knowing that the Dragon Lord himself was watching made Chen Dalong all the more cautious. He earnestly asked, ¡°Lord Parrot, is there anything I need to pay attention to during the mission? Is there any revived being within the Donglin Mountain Range?¡± ¡°No, you can act with confidence. Seize this opportunity to try and gain one or two more ranks in military status,¡± said the Mutated Parrot. These words made Chen Dalong feel somewhat abashed. ¡°Lord Parrot, that¡­ that might be very difficult,¡± said Chen Dalong in a quite understated manner. ¡°Oh, why is that?¡± asked the Mutated Parrot. ¡°Because the merit needed for promotion is too much.¡± ¡°To rise from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant requires 500 Military Merit Points, and going from First Lieutenant to Captain requires a full 1,000 points,¡± said Chen Dalong immediately. One should know that the Mutated Wild Boar, ranked within the top 30 of the danger list, was only worth 80 points, and lower-ranked creatures would yield even less. Therefore, under normal circumstances, to advance from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant, one would probably need to slaughter nearly a tenth of the creatures on the danger list to have a chance. ¡°I know, which is why this opportunity is perfect. You¡¯ve never entered the Donglin Mountain Range and might not be aware that it teems with an alarming number of Mutated Beings, exceeding what any small forest can offer. I even suspect there are quite a few Second Order Mutated Creatures there.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re just clearing out the area near the Yunyang Highway, with some extra effort, you can rapidly accumulate merit,¡± Ye Feng, inhabiting the Mutated Parrot, said. Before, his subordinates were only Second Stage, so they didn¡¯t dare to venture into the Donglin Mountain Range recklessly. But now, with a Third Order Mutated King Cobra, it was possible to take a look inside. Chapter 63 - 63 63 Mutated Parrot I Like Electronic ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Mutated Parrot: I Like Electronic Devices_1 Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Mutated Parrot: I Like Electronic Devices_1 Hearing the Mutated Parrot say this, Chen Dalong immediately felt spirited. He may not have confidence in himself, but he had complete faith in the Dragon Lord. The thought of being able to advance in military rank excited him greatly. Although he had been waiting at home all afternoon, he hadn¡¯t been idly doing nothing; he had sent Li Huosheng and others to gather information. He also learned that the CEOs of the top three security companies¡ªStar Shield, Cheetah, and Yan Huang¡ªhad all attained the rank of Lieutenant. It was a position that came with the authority to allocate 50 firearms, and considering they would also use Contribution Points to exchange for heavy weapons, it was no wonder the top three companies had such exceptional status. If he could take this opportunity to also rise to the rank of Lieutenant, he might not overtake these three major security companies, but at least he would be on the same level. Business negotiations would be much easier then. ¡°Lord Parrot, I will definitely not let you down,¡± said Chen Dalong immediately. ¡°Very good!¡± the Mutated Parrot nodded in approval. Then, shifting the topic, it asked, ¡°What do you think about today¡¯s method of communication, similar to sending a message by carrier pigeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, of course, excellent, very secretive, and safe,¡± praised Chen Dalong immediately. ¡°Enough with the flattery, just tell me the drawbacks directly!¡± the Mutated Parrot said. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chen Dalong glanced up and, seeing the Mutated Parrot wasn¡¯t joking, plucked up the courage to say, ¡°Just that the timeliness may be slightly lacking.¡± As he spoke, he immediately made a suggestion, ¡°If Lord Parrot can speak to the Raven Envoy and have a black raven on standby at my home 24 hours a day, that would be even better.¡± This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to wait an entire afternoon for nothing. ¡°Not a bad suggestion,¡± the Mutated Parrot first nodded, but then changed its tone, ¡°However, even if we did as you suggest, the timeliness would still be poor. For example, if you were to go on a mission tomorrow, we wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in contact in real time.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes, then¡­¡± Chen Dalong¡¯s brain worked at high speed, but he couldn¡¯t think of a better solution right away. His initial idea was to have a black raven follow him, but since the raven wouldn¡¯t understand what he said, if there was something to convey, it would probably have to be done through carrier pigeons. Yet in the wild, such a method of contact seemed unreliable no matter how he thought about it. Just as he was stumbling over his words, unsure of what to say, the Mutated Parrot spoke up, ¡°I do have a good idea; buy me a mobile phone, and then we can be in touch anytime.¡± This statement left Chen Dalong stunned. The Mutated Parrot continued, ¡°When you go on a mission, just take a Bluetooth headset with you. That way, we can achieve real-time communication, and you can call for support whenever you encounter danger.¡± Finally, Chen Dalong came back to his senses and hurriedly managed his facial expressions. Aside from the fact that the other party was a parrot, this method was indeed convenient and useful. However, when he looked up and saw the over two-meter-tall parrot in front of him, he experienced a sense of cognitive dissonance. But having been shocked not once but many times before, he quickly adjusted his mindset. Still, he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Lord Parrot, do you know how to use a phone?¡± ¡°Of course. I quite like electronic devices, not just phones¡ªtablets, laptops, I can use all of them. You might as well bring those back for me too!¡± ¡°Right, also buy a projector, a surround sound system, and a screen for me; I plan to watch movies.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget a generator and a wireless network card; make sure to get these supporting devices for me too,¡± Ye Feng, now in possession of the Mutated Parrot, unapologetically made his demands. As a modern person, life without these forms of entertainment would be unbearable. Considering his own phone could possibly be canceled at any time following his ¡°death.¡± He certainly had to prepare for that eventuality now. Meanwhile, Chen Dalong was feeling somewhat numb from listening. He didn¡¯t understand why the mutated parrot before him knew so much, but he dared not say or ask anything. Whatever the other party said, he took out his notebook and noted everything down diligently. ¡°Okay, Lord Parrot, I¡¯ll go back immediately and buy these things. Should I deliver them directly here?¡± Chen Dalong inquired. ¡°Hmm! That¡¯s right,¡± the mutated parrot nodded, its tone brimming with anticipation. Seeing this, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t dare to delay; while heading back, he made phone calls, ordering others to purchase these items. However, some items required him to make a trip in person, like getting a SIM card and a wireless internet card, which needed real-name registration. After handling these, he also topped them up with a significant amount of credit. An hour later, Chen Dalong drove back to the small woods. ¡°Very well, that was hard work. When you return, I¡¯ll apply to the Dragon Lord for 20 Contribution Points for you,¡± the mutated parrot said, quite satisfied with the items unloaded from the car. A look of pleasure instantly spread across Chen Dalong¡¯s face; he had not expected that buying some items could earn him 20 Contribution Points. That was equivalent to two opportunities for Spiritual Energy infusion! The money was really well spent. Now that his 7.5 million was in his account, Chen Dalong felt flush with cash. If possible, he wouldn¡¯t mind spending a few million to purchase Contribution Points. Of course, that was just wishful thinking on his part. Chen Dalong quickly expressed his thanks, then drove back in high spirits. After all the hustle, it was now past 8 p.m., but he immediately rushed to the Security Association to undertake a clearing task. It¡¯s worth mentioning that all government departments related to the military don¡¯t have the concept of closing since they are manned 24 hours a day to respond to emergencies. Having completed the last important task, Chen Dalong let out a sigh of relief, but he couldn¡¯t rest yet. First, he visited the field hospital to check on his injured brothers. Then he gathered his company¡¯s members to console the families of the fallen brothers, primarily to distribute the consolation money. Although these tasks were tedious, such efforts to win over people¡¯s hearts were essential. By the time Chen Dalong got home, it was already 11 p.m. He simply lay down on the bed, not wanting to move at all. His body wasn¡¯t too exhausted; it was mainly his spirit. He had encountered too much today, so as soon as he got home, he fell asleep. But just then, his phone began to ring. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t want to answer at all, thinking about just hanging up, but his finger paused halfway. Because he feared it might be Lord Parrot calling. However, when he picked up the phone and glanced at the caller ID, a look of surprise appeared on his face. The phone displayed ¡°Professor Xu Liang.¡± If not for this call, Chen Dalong would have almost forgotten about the task at Yangcheng Research Institute. He couldn¡¯t help it; he had been too busy today, and for him, the task for Yangcheng Research Institute had become rather inconsequential. But since the other party had already made the call, some matters still needed to be clarified. Chapter 64 - 64 64 Cant Stop Just Join_1 ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Can¡¯t Stop, Just Join_1 Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Can¡¯t Stop, Just Join_1 Chen Dalong answered the phone, and the first thing he said was, ¡°Professor Xu, sorry, we can¡¯t complete the task on your end anymore, and we¡¯ll return the 1.5 million deposit to you in a couple of days.¡± If it had been before, Chen Dalong would definitely have kept the deposit, but now he wants to continue moving up, especially to promote his military rank, so he can¡¯t afford to fall out with these official institutions. On the other end of the phone, Xu Liang silently listened before responding, ¡°I understand, and I¡¯ve heard your team lost seven members. I deeply apologize. As for the 1.5 million deposit, I am willing to offer it as compensation to their families.¡± This time, it was Chen Dalong¡¯s turn to be surprised, but he immediately nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I thank you on behalf of those deceased brothers.¡± ¡°No need to thank me; it¡¯s the least I can do. Besides, are you really not considering continuing the task? I¡¯ve heard that your team can even hunt down Mutated Wild Boars ranked within the top 30 danger list.¡± ¡°How about we sign a new contract? As long as the ¡®Life Essence¡¯ is successfully researched, I am willing to pay you 20 million Huaxia Currency,¡± Xu Liang once again proposed a deal. This afternoon, when he received this news, he was shocked, then worried all afternoon. Based on his understanding of Chen Dalong¡¯s character, there was an eight out of ten chance that the man would come knocking on his door, ready to negotiate compensation. He was prepared to bleed a significant sum of money but to his surprise, Chen Dalong did not show up. Then, through his own connections and after a series of inquiries, he came to understand the full details of the incident. After that, he began to contact other security companies, hoping someone would take on the task. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But without exception, all of them refused. Later, after talking to acquaintances, he learned that security companies usually would not accept tasks requiring them to venture deep into the forest, as they were too dangerous. Security companies carrying out escort missions might also encounter attacks by Mutated Beings, but the situation was completely different. Because if they were attacked, the battlefield would be on the highways where the terrain is open and conducive to their use of firearms. Moreover, with vehicles as cover, the safety factor could be significantly increased. But once deep in the forest, that was the domain of the Mutated Beings and the danger level would spike two or three times higher. Of course, at the end of the day, it was because Xu Liang wasn¡¯t offering enough money. If he could offer not just 3 million, but 30 million Huaxia Currency, then inviting Star Shield Security Company, ranked first in Yang City, to undertake the task would be no issue. Xu Liang had no choice but to make the rounds and eventually come back to Chen Dalong. According to the information he had, Mad Dragon Security Company¡¯s capabilities were not lacking in the slightest. They could even hunt down Mutated Wild Boars. And now that Chen Dalong had been promoted to Second Lieutenant and had purchased ten battle rifles, saying their strength had doubled was not an exaggeration at all. More importantly, the other security companies required cash payments, but Chen¡¯s company was the only one agreeing to sign a results-based contract. According to his estimate, 20 million should be enough to tempt Chen Dalong. If that wasn¡¯t sufficient, he was even willing to raise the offer to 30 million. But what Xu Liang didn¡¯t expect at all was that Chen Dalong did not hesitate in the slightest and outright refused the proposal. ¡°Sorry, Professor Xu, I absolutely will not take on the task, and you can try contacting other security companies,¡± Chen flatly declined. ¡°Can you tell me the reason why?¡± Xu Liang asked, unwilling to give up. ¡°I believe in fate. I¡¯ve already fallen there twice. It¡¯s a sign from the heavens for me not to go again,¡± Chen Dalong made up some excuse casually. Xu Liang: ¡°¡­¡± Not knowing how to continue from there, Xu Liang awkwardly changed the subject, ¡°Mr. Chen, I heard your security company took on the task of clearing the Yunyang Highway?¡± ¡°Professor Xu, you¡¯re quite well-informed, aren¡¯t you!¡± Chen Dalong teased, but did not bite. ¡°Ahem! Then the main area you¡¯re focusing on clearing must be the Donglin Mountain Range, right!¡± ¡°There are also many Mutated Plants in the Donglin Mountain Range, and I hope you can bring some back for me. I¡¯m not asking for much, just any that are over 50 meters tall.¡± ¡°If the quantity is sufficient, I might also be able to extract Life Essence, and at that time, I will likewise pay you 20 million Huaxia currency. How does that sound?¡± Professor Xu Liang proposed his final plan. These words instantly stirred something in Chen Dalong¡¯s heart. The plants in the Donglin Mountain Range are extremely tall; forget 50 meters, even those around seventy to eighty meters should be findable. It¡¯s just that the area is too dangerous, and unless there¡¯s important business, not even the military would venture there, nor does anyone else entertain the notion. However, if it¡¯s on the way, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Most importantly, there weren¡¯t any revived creatures inside, which should make it feasible. Still, he didn¡¯t commit fully and instead said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡± ¡°Great! No problem, I¡¯m truly grateful. If it really works out, you will be our research group¡¯s permanent partner, and we can entrust you with similar tasks in the future,¡± Professor Xu Liang added another incentive in the end. After exchanging a few more words, they ended the call. After mulling it over briefly, Chen Dalong picked up his phone and dialed Lord Parrot. ¡°Hello! What is it?¡± the Mutated Parrot¡¯s impatient voice came through the receiver. At that moment, Ye Feng was watching a movie, right at the climax, so he was understandably annoyed at being disturbed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s like this, Yangcheng Research Institute called me again just now¡­¡± Chen Dalong recounted the entire conversation in detail. Ye Feng, who had been slightly impatient at first, narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this. He knew that organizations had been studying Mutated Plants, but he wasn¡¯t clear about the specifics of the research. But now¡­ ¡°Did you just say that the function of the Life Essence is to heal wounds rapidly? If the Yangcheng Research Institute¡¯s experiment succeeds, could it be produced on a large scale afterward?¡± Ye Feng asked, squinting. ¡°Yes! According to Professor Xu Liang¡¯s description, once the Life Essence is extracted, it could at the very least increase our wound healing speed by tenfold, and it has a very broad range of applications,¡± Chen Dalong answered honestly. His words sent a chill up Ye Feng¡¯s spine. Just think, what would be the outcome if this Life Essence were really developed? Without a doubt, all the Mutated Plants would suffer and become raw materials for producing Life Essence. His first thought was to halt this research. But he quickly realized that this idea was not feasible. He could get Chen to refuse the task, but others could easily hire a different security company. Of course, with the strength of his forces, he could even stop all the security companies from collecting materials from Mutated Plants. But what then? He didn¡¯t believe that the research would just stop there. If the experiments couldn¡¯t be completed in Yang City, the parties involved could partner with research institutes in other cities. How could he stop them then? Moreover, if the Yangcheng Research Institute could develop such a thing, he didn¡¯t believe that other research institutes, especially those in the major cities, let alone the Chinese Academy of Sciences, hadn¡¯t started research in this field. Therefore, Life Essence would appear sooner or later, and the result would be the same. If he wanted to protect himself from being targeted, there was only one solution. He not only had to refrain from stopping it, but he also had to join in and, while the other party was at a disadvantage, gain the upper hand. Once he had the upper hand, then there would be considerable room for maneuvering in the future. Chapter 65 - 65 65 Exclusive Patent License_1 ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Exclusive Patent License_1 Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Exclusive Patent License_1 Ye Feng considered his words and said solemnly, ¡°The other party¡¯s demands are fine, we can even provide materials without limit until they complete their research.¡± ¡°But there is one condition they must agree to, which is that we must obtain the exclusive patent authorization for producing ¡®Life Essence.¡¯ ¡°Even if we can¡¯t get it nationally, we should at least secure it for Donghai Province, or, at the very least, for Yang City.¡± ¡°If they can¡¯t even agree to this, then you can cease cooperation.¡± Upon hearing the Mutated Parrot speak thus, Chen Dalong was taken aback at first, but then his eyes brightened, ¡°Lord Parrot is truly wise!¡± ¡°If the Life Essence produced from the research is indeed that effective, securing the exclusive authorization would be like owning an endless gold mine.¡± ¡°Alright, flattery gets you nowhere, I want to see results. I¡¯ll wait for your news, if you pull this off, I¡¯ll give you 50 contribution points,¡± Ye Feng said. ¡°Got it, boss, I¡¯ll get right on it,¡± Chen Dalong quickly agreed. After ending the communication, Chen Dalong¡¯s expression turned grave. He hadn¡¯t seen Lord Parrot take such an interest in anything before, even mentioning the reward in advance. Taking a deep breath, Chen Dalong pondered for a moment before dialing Xu Liang¡¯s phone number. ¡°Hello! Is that Professor Xu? I have a new idea regarding our cooperation, where are you? Let¡¯s meet to discuss¡­¡± Chen Dalong then drove straight to the Yangcheng Research Institute after briefly sharing his thoughts. Their discussion lasted for two whole hours, and it wasn¡¯t until 1 AM that he finally emerged, heaving a long sigh of relief. Without attending to anything else, he made sure no one was around after he got back to his car and immediately called Lord Parrot. ¡°Hi! Lord Parrot, the discussion is done. According to Professor Xu, while his project isn¡¯t given much attention, it¡¯s still one of the state¡¯s key scientific research projects,¡± Chen Dalong reported. ¡°So even if we have research results, it¡¯s impossible for us to secure an exclusive national patent authorization.¡± ¡°As for the exclusive patent authorization in Donghai Province, Professor Xu will try his best to fight for us. If that¡¯s not possible, he will give us 10% of the patent income as compensation.¡± ¡°Regarding the exclusive patent authorization for Yang City, he said there would be no problem. He also mentioned that after they receive additional funding from the state, they will allocate 30 million yuan for us to build a factory as a reward.¡± Chen Dalong relayed the situation in one breath, then waited somewhat anxiously for a response. ¡°Not bad at all!¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but praise. Actually, just securing the exclusive patent authorization for Yang City was enough to achieve his goal. Later, he would have Chen Dalong build a factory to produce the ¡°Life Essence,¡± which meant he would have the final say on which mutated plants to harvest. Upon hearing the praise from Lord Parrot, Chen Dalong heaved a long sigh of relief and relaxed. When Chen Dalong finally could rest, Ye Feng was still busy at work. Because only now had clouds appeared above, signaling an opportunity for a breakthrough. This time, Ye Feng chose to strengthen the tenacity of his roots. He then entered a state of breakthrough. It wasn¡¯t just Ye Feng; at least once today, each of his subordinates had completed a breakthrough, with some having completed two. Now, except for the recently captured Mutated Hedgehog, Mutated Eagle, and the four Mutated Buffalos, the rest had already reached the Second Order Peak. If everything went smoothly, they would be able to break through to the Third Order by the next morning. However, apart from the Big Yellow Dog, the rest of his subordinates would need his help by congregating Second Order Evolution Fruits to assist with the breakthrough. A Second Order Evolution Fruit requires a full 400 Spiritual Points, and if everyone were to break through, it would certainly slow down his own progress. He planned to congregate only 2-3 Evolution Fruits per day and have them break through in batches. It is worth mentioning that yesterday evening, the King Cobra had already broken through to the early stage of the Third Order. More than a day had passed since then, and there was still no sign of it moving towards the mid-stage. This also made Ye Feng truly realize that the further he progressed, the harder it was to achieve a breakthrough. None of these matters that Ye Feng pondered delayed the process of his breakthrough. Half an hour later, after the breakthrough had ended, he immediately opened the system panel to check it. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Body Height: 185 meters Trunk Width: 9 meters Root Length: 970 meters Realm: Third Order Peak Evolution Points: 0/120 points Special Ability: Devour, Capture, Evolution Fruit Spirit Points: 500/1800 points Bioenergy: 1500/1800 points ¡°Unconsciously, the height is almost reaching 200 meters,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but lament. Before his rebirth, he found the old Chinese scholar tree on Small Phoenix Mountain to be incredible, but now he had reached this height in just a few days. Moreover, according to his plan, he would break through to the Fourth Order tomorrow, at which time the height would surely surge rapidly. ¡°I hope the height increase isn¡¯t too outrageous when breaking through to the Fourth Order.¡± Though he knew it was unlikely, he still offered a prayer in his heart. Then he looked at the trunk width; there was nothing noteworthy there, so his gaze quickly moved downward, landing on the root length. The main root was 970 meters long, and just a few more points would soon bring it to 1,000 meters. With his current territory range, he could easily harvest 500 Spirit Points in one hour. ¡°Then, when it comes to the mass capture of mutated beings later on, I probably don¡¯t need to worry too much about the consumption of Spiritual Energy. In fact, solving the food issue might be more troublesome than dealing with the Spiritual Energy problem,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but complain. This afternoon, just the King Cobra alone consumed five hundred pounds of meat to be barely satisfied. So now, Ye Feng could hardly count on his subordinates capturing mutated animals to increase his Spirit Points; he would be grateful if they could feed themselves through hunting. And now it was only the King Cobra; if other carnivorous mutated animals also reached the Third Order, he would have no idea how to sustain them. ¡°Maybe I could ask Chen Dalong to send a few hundred pounds of meat over every day,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself. But he quickly abandoned this idea; it might be manageable for a day or two, but if it were every day, keeping it a secret would be too difficult. ¡°The food issue still needs to be solved on our own. It just so happens that I¡¯m going to the Donglin Mountain Range tomorrow; I¡¯ll send them all out to find food.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, the night passed. As usual, Ye Feng opened the news to check it. There were no significant events; the trending topics were still about superhumans and the ¡°Four Pests¡± campaign. Besides that, he opened the danger ranking to take a look, and his rank had risen again, reaching the 60th place. At this pace, he thought he might surpass the Mutated Old Locust Tree in just a few days. Just as he was about to close his phone, he suddenly saw a piece of news, which was rapidly rising in popularity. #City Guard Department and 11 security companies launch joint operation to clear the Donglin Mountain Range# Chapter 66 - 66 66 New Employee_1 ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66 New Employee_1 Chapter 66: Chapter 66 New Employee_1 Seeing the news, Ye Feng clicked in and took a quick glance, unable to help raising an eyebrow, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s quite popular.¡± In fact, the residents of Yang City were all quite concerned about the Donglin Mountain Range. Because everyone knew that there were definitely many mutated beings in the Donglin Mountain Range. Some even estimated that the mutated beings in the Donglin Mountain Range made up about eighty percent of the total number in the vicinity of Yang City. More importantly, most of the dangerous creatures on the danger list have fled into the mountains, and it is for this reason that they have been able to evade the hunting of the Mutant Management Bureau. With these factors at play, it was not surprising that the news gained popularity quickly. Ye Feng opened the comments and saw that many people agreed. Old Bull Pulling a Cart: ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve finally waited for this day. I had suggested before that we should sweep the Donglin Mountain Range, or else it would definitely become a bigger hidden danger.¡± Thirteenth Young Master of East Street: ¡°I¡¯m kind of looking forward to seeing how many mutated beings will be removed from the danger list after this operation. With the extermination of the four pests + cleansing of the Donglin Mountain Range, we should be able to rest easy in Yang City for a while.¡± Of course, where there is agreement, there are inevitably voices of opposition. Tasty Sausage: ¡°I¡¯m not against cleansing the Donglin Mountain Range, but why now? Shouldn¡¯t we be focusing all our efforts on eliminating the four pests? With all this downtime, might as well come and cleanse the sewers on my street.¡± Forgotten: ¡°Exactly, we should be doing one thing well, not haphazardly. I¡¯m not against the cleansing operation, but I am against doing it now.¡± Ye Feng glanced at the hot comments and then closed the webpage, turning his gaze to the array of mutated beings in the valley. ¡°Go! The target is the Donglin Mountain Range, let¡¯s see how the mutated beings there compare to us,¡± ordered Ye Feng. Immediately, the mutated beings in Sunset Valley split into two groups. The ground unit was led by the Mutated King Cobra, followed by Big Yellow Dog, five Mutated Buffalo, Mutated Hedgehog, and Mutated Mouse. As for the air unit, it was led by the Mutated Eagle, with Mutated Black Crow, Mutated Bats, Mutated Parrot, and Mutated Sparrow following behind. It¡¯s worth mentioning that the air unit was much larger than the ground unit, since aside from the Mutated Eagle and Mutated Black Crow, the others had already gathered a number of subordinates. Even the Mutated Black Crow¡¯s followers had increased from a dozen to over thirty, and it was estimated that in a few days, they could gather a hundred. Of course, due to the large size of the troops, in order not to attract attention, they needed to head to their destination in batches. ¡­ While Ye Feng was busy dispatching his forces, in Yang City, Chen Dalong was also quite busy. By 6 o¡¯clock in the morning, he had already arrived at the company and then started checking the number of people. After a night of consideration, many people had made their decisions; from Mad Dragon Security Company, 16 had chosen to leave. Honestly, this was somewhat beyond Chen Dalong¡¯s expectations. Initially, he had thought that even if twenty or thirty people left, it would not have been surprising. But now, with only 16 people leaving, he felt somewhat reassured. However, with so many people gone, even after adding the five who had been discharged from the hospital, they could only muster 55 people. Fortunately, early in the morning, he had already contacted Xiao Lin, who was in charge, and received good news. After a whole afternoon of emergency recruitment yesterday, they managed to recruit 30 new members. The high efficiency was partly due to the job market doing extensive promotion, but more so because the salary offered by Chen Dalong was high enough. Chen Dalong looked at the 75 people in front of him, which included 20 logistics staff, and said in a loud voice, ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is clear about the task we are going to execute today.¡± ¡°At the same time, we have recruited 30 new colleagues who will arrive shortly. But even so, we are still short by 15 to reach the basic number of 100 people. Does anyone in logistics want to go?¡± Chen Dalong said this, his gaze shifting to the 20 logistical staff standing to one side. These employees were not hoodlums, they were specially recruited when he established the security company to build a complete company framework. These people usually wouldn¡¯t even get into a fight, let alone go into battle with mutated beings. Now, hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s question, some averted their eyes, some stared at their own toes, in short, no one met Chen Dalong¡¯s gaze, and no one dared to step forward. Seeing this scene, Chen Dalong wasn¡¯t surprised, and he opened his mouth to throw out the first bait. ¡°Everyone knows that the tasks our company will carry out in the future will be quite dangerous, so maintaining the previous salaries is unreasonable.¡± ¡°From now on, the official security personnel of the company will be classified as combat personnel, with a monthly salary of 50,000.¡± ¡°Those who demonstrate particularly outstanding combat capabilities, such as Li Huosheng, Zhang Chenggang, Zhao Yong, Qin Fang, and the four others, will have their salaries raised to 100,000 per month.¡± When he said this, it was as if a bomb had been dropped among those present, and everyone¡¯s breathing became more rapid. ¡°Boss is mighty!¡± ¡°Long live the boss!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After everyone had recovered, they immediately shouted in excitement; this time their flattery was heartfelt. Chen Dalong waved his hand to signal for silence, then looked towards the 20 logistical staff and asked, ¡°Is there anyone among you who wishes to become a combatant?¡± This time, after a slight silence, five people stood out one after another. Seeing the reaction of the crowd, a smile appeared on the corner of Chen Dalong¡¯s mouth; the feeling of splurging money was truly exhilarating. Of course, that¡¯s provided the wallet is thick enough. Now still short by 10 people, he immediately threw out the second bait, ¡°For this extermination mission, each person will receive a bonus of 10,000 before departure.¡± ¡°During this operation, logistical staff can also join temporarily, and I promise you that you¡¯ll only need to be drivers, there is no need to fight. Is anyone willing?¡± That was tantamount to just going for a run and getting ten thousand yuan, although there was some risk, it was not significant. Almost as soon as Chen Dalong¡¯s words fell, 12 people promptly stood up in unison. In the end, Chen Dalong eliminated two rather skinny staff members, thus making up the 100 people needed for this cleansing operation. ¡°Good, time is almost up, everyone go down first and meet our new colleagues,¡± Chen Dalong immediately led everyone outside the company. By this time, Xiao Lin was also diligent enough to personally bring 30 people over. Since the two sides had already agreed on a time, as Chen Dalong¡¯s group arrived at the front gate to welcome them, Xiao Lin also just arrived in a coach bus. ¡°Manager Xiao Lin, to have you come in person, it¡¯s really quite troublesome for you this time,¡± Chen Dalong hastened to step forward and thank her. Xiao Lin rolled her eyes in annoyance, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the commotion over cleaning up the Donglin Mountain Range being so big, I¡¯d be afraid of my people messing up the job. Do you think I really wanted to come over?!¡± ¡°Haha! If I can make a meritorious deed this time, I¡¯ll definitely set up a meal to treat you afterward,¡± Chen Dalong said with a hearty laugh. ¡°All right, this is the list; take a look and see if there are any issues. If not, sign this agreement and they will officially become your employees,¡± Xiao Lin didn¡¯t beat around the bush and pulled out a document, speaking in a strictly businesslike manner. Chen Dalong immediately took it and flipped to the page with the new employees¡¯ statistics. From there, one could judge their experience based on the employees¡¯ previous work history. He merely glanced at it and a pleased expression appeared on his face. Chapter 67 - 67 67 Veteran_1 ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Veteran_1 Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Veteran_1 Xiao Lin had provided a list with 30 people, and astonishingly, 15 of them were military veterans. As for the other 15 people, 10 had security experience, to be precise, they had jumped ship from other security companies. The remaining 5 also absolutely met the physical requirements, and they all practiced combat or shooting regularly. After a cursory glance, he looked at Xiao Lin with some surprise, ¡°Did you preliminarily screen this list?¡± ¡°Are you mocking my professionalism? You¡¯re offering a guaranteed salary of at least 50,000 a month, so even though we¡¯re pressed for time and can¡¯t select those who are a perfect match, we at least can¡¯t fall too far short, right?¡± Xiao Lin said, not very happily. ¡°I¡¯m just too surprised. Although there are only 30 people here, I feel that with their inclusion, our company¡¯s combat capability could at least double! Especially these two sharpshooters.¡± Chen Dalong said somewhat emotionally as he looked at the top two names on the form. These two were specially marked; their shooting at fixed targets was almost always within the bullseye at 100 meters. Although outdoor mutated animals were not fixed targets, Chen Dalong did not require them to shoot within 100 meters. As long as they could hit the target every time within 10 meters, they were sharpshooters in his eyes. Chen Dalong quickly finished reviewing and briskly signed his name before handing it back, saying, ¡°For the upcoming recruitment, I¡¯ll have to trouble Director Xiao to be more attentive.¡± Xiao Lin took the document and nodded, then said before getting into the car, ¡°I wish you success on this mission in advance.¡± Watching her graceful figure get into the car, Chen Dalong withdrew his gaze and turned to the 30 people standing before him. ¡°Let me introduce myself. I am Chen Dalong, the owner of Mad Dragon Security Company.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say anything empty. For carrying out this mission, each person will have a 10,000 basic bonus, and those who perform excellently will receive additional rewards.¡± ¡°Now, when I call your name, the veterans will step forward and take a gun. Liu Wenhua, Xie Guanzhong¡­¡± Every time Chen Dalong read a name, one person stepped forward. He planned to issue firearms to all 15 military veterans. The five with the best marksmanship would get field automatic rifles, and the other 10 would get shotguns. As for the remaining five field automatic rifles, they naturally went to him and his four trusted subordinates, one for each of them. ¡°Sigh, I haven¡¯t even warmed up the gun and I have to give it away,¡± Red Hair said with some reluctance as he handed over his shotgun. Little Knife, who was standing next to him, couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°Come on, we all know each other, and how well everyone shoots. You know it too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? These are all veterans. It¡¯s undoubtedly the best choice to hand over the guns to them. It¡¯s most important that we can all come back safe and sound.¡± Their conversation also reflected the thoughts of most of the gang. Learning that Chen Dalong had actually recruited so many military veterans, many felt more at ease. Thus, the atmosphere on the field quickly shifted from serious to relaxed. Chen Dalong, of course, noticed this, but he understood even more that if they encountered mutated beings from the danger list, even with 15 veterans, it might not be effective. Although there was a high likelihood of killing the mutated beings, how many of them would die was another matter. Thinking of this, he nervously took out his phone and started composing a message, ¡°Lord Parrot, we are about to depart.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before a text message came back. ¡°Understood. Dragon Lord has already sent 15 messengers to the Donglin Mountain Range; rest assured!¡± Chen Dalong read the message three times over, feeling greatly reassured. ¡°Truly worthy of being Dragon Lord; to have 15 messengers under his command, I really want to see their elegance!¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon enough, the firearms were distributed, and all the equipment was donned. Chen Dalong declared energetically, ¡°Get on the trucks, let¡¯s move out!¡± Immediately, a mighty convoy of 10 trucks left the company. These trucks are all prepared for transporting mutated plants. Per Lord Parrot¡¯s orders, the quantity must be sufficient; he planned to get 10 tons of lumber in one go. ¡­ North City, Tianhe Plaza. At this moment, over 2000 people had densely gathered here in the plaza. Even though the crowd was extremely dense, it was also well organized, divided into two parts. One part was naturally the City Guard Team. These were all military personnel; just standing there, they projected an oppressive presence. And the other part was naturally the members from various private security companies. They formed individual groups, dispersed throughout the plaza. Chen Dalong¡¯s Mad Dragon Security Company was among the later arrivals. The moment they arrived, they immediately attracted a lot of attention. Not for any other reason, but simply because they had come driving a total of 10 trucks. Instantly, someone laughed and said, ¡°Tell me, which security company are they from? Bringing 10 trucks over, isn¡¯t that funny?¡± Others joked, ¡°Maybe they¡¯re planning to ensure logistical support; we¡¯ll hunt Mutated Beings, and they¡¯ll help transport them!¡± However, after the people from the vehicles got down, these jesting voices immediately became much fewer. Because they saw a total of 20 rifles, and moreover, 10 of them were field automatic rifles. Such equipment was already quite formidable among the private security companies. Especially when they saw those holding the rifles stand upright with a stern aura upon disembarking, anyone with a decent eye could tell that these people were likely ex-military personnel. The effectiveness of firearms in the hands of these individuals was not something average security personnel could compare with. After getting off the vehicle, Chen Dalong looked around and then directly led his team to the temporary tent set up by the City Guard Department to report for duty. Upon arriving at the reporting station, Chen Dalong saw that the officer seated there had the rank of major, and his heart grew cautious. He quickly respectfully said, ¡°Reporting, sir, I am Chen Dalong, the boss of Mad Dragon Security Company, here to report.¡± ¡°Oh? You are Chen Dalong?¡± Zhang Ji, seated in his position, immediately looked up upon hearing the name. ¡°Sir, do you know me?¡± Chen Dalong asked somewhat puzzled. ¡°Well, sort of! One of my subordinates, Li Yongming, specifically called me about you, saying you¡¯re a talented individual,¡± said Zhang Ji with a smile. Li Yongming had hinted that the man before him was potentially a Superhuman; how could his impression not be deep? ¡°Li Yongming?¡± Chen Dalong was completely bewildered. ¡°You met him yesterday when you submitted the Mutated Wild Boar corpse,¡± Zhang Ji reminded. At that moment, Chen Dalong also remembered. Indeed, beside Director Xiao Hua the previous day, there was a military officer who must have been that man. But why would he say I¡¯m a talented individual after having seen each other only once? Did killing a Mutated Wild Boar really have such a huge impact? While Chen Dalong was still pondering over this, Zhang Ji continued, ¡°I also have high hopes for you. I hope to see more of your performance this time. If you face any difficulties, you can come directly to me.¡± ¡ª¡ª¨C The next chapter isn¡¯t finished yet, sorry for the late update. Chapter 68 - 68 68 Purpose_1 ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Purpose_1 Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Purpose_1 Hearing Zhang Ji¡¯s frank words, Chen Dalong was a bit stunned. He couldn¡¯t understand why the other party was so optimistic about him. But no matter what, this was undoubtedly a good thing for him. Chen Dalong immediately responded with a smile on his face, ¡°Thank you for your high regard, sir. Our security company will definitely go all out in this operation to help solve problems for the City Guard Department.¡± ¡°Then I shall look forward to it.¡± Zhang Ji said with interest. Chen Dalong had originally just said a few words of politeness, but to his surprise, the other party seemed to take it seriously, giving him the urge to slap himself. He gave a dry laugh, made a few more polite remarks, and then left the tent. Back in the square, he glanced around and then led his members towards the security company area. This was his first time participating in such an operation, and Chen Dalong intended to find someone experienced to get more information. Chen Dalong¡¯s gaze swept around, and as he looked over a corner of the square, his eyes suddenly stopped. Although he had not interacted with other peers, he had at least seen the files and could recognize the other company bosses. At that moment, in the corner, several bosses were standing and chatting softly among themselves. Chen Dalong immediately signaled for the others following him to stop, and he walked over alone. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Chen Dalong, the boss of the Mad Dragon Security Company. I¡¯m very pleased to meet my seniors,¡± Chen Dalong introduced himself cheerfully. However, no sooner had he spoken than he realized that most of the people there were looking at him with unfriendly eyes. This left Chen Dalong somewhat puzzled. Had he said something wrong? But he had one quality on his side¡ªhe had thick skin. Glancing around, he immediately approached Wu Kun, the boss of Star Shield Security Company, who was ranked number one. ¡°Boss Wu, I have long admired you! You are a benchmark in our security industry,¡± Chen Dalong said cheerfully as he walked over and extended his hands. As the saying goes, you can¡¯t smack a smiling face, but this Boss Wu Kun just snorted coldly, ¡°I dare not claim to be a benchmark.¡± With that, he walked away, leaving Chen Dalong¡¯s hand hanging in the air, slightly stiff. But as always, he was thick-skinned. Rubbing his extended hands together as if nothing had happened, he moved on to another side. Standing there were Liu Guang, the boss of the Cheetah Security Company ranked second, and Song Yuanlin, the boss of the Yan Huang Security Company ranked third. ¡°Good day to you both¡­¡± Chen Dalong had just started speaking when Liu Guang interrupted him, ¡°Boss Chen, your company really lives up to the name of Mad Dragon. Our companies can¡¯t afford to associate with you. Please do as you like.¡± Having said that, he turned to Song Yuanlin, ¡°Old Song, let¡¯s continue our conversation over there. Cooperation is not a problem, but there are a few details I think we need to discuss further¡­¡± Watching the two leave, even someone as slow as Chen Dalong understood that there was a problem. But he couldn¡¯t figure it out. His Mad Dragon Security Company was, strictly speaking, just a start-up, hardly a threat, right? Why were these security companies uniting to boycott him? Could it really be because of the company¡¯s name? Just as Chen Dalong was pondering deeply, someone quietly came over, ¡°Hello, Boss Chen, I¡¯ve heard great things about you.¡± Seeing that someone was finally willing to talk to him, Chen Dalong quickly looked up and replied with a smile, ¡°Hello, hello, I¡¯ve heard great things about you as well.¡± As he said this, he sized up the other person and soon recognized him. This man was indeed a celebrity, the boss of the Heiyao Security Company, Qin Yaowen. Half a month ago, the Heiyao Security Company was still counted as one of the top three security companies, but while transporting materials, they were attacked twice by creatures on the danger list. Not only did the mission fail, but the death toll also exceeded 50 people, and rumors even circulated that the Heiyao Security Company was going to go bankrupt. That incident can be said to have caused a sensation in Yang City, making the hot search for several consecutive days. So, let alone these security companies, even a few people who keep up with current affairs could likely recognize the person in front of them. ¡°Hehe, are you curious why they are all targeting you?¡± Qin Yaowen said with a smile. ¡°Yes! Please, may Elder Qin enlighten me,¡± Chen Dalong immediately asked with a nod. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the generous move you made yesterday, Boss Chen? The minimum salary of 50,000 a month, even my guys are thinking about jumping ship to your company,¡± Qin Yaowen said with a smile. Chen Dalong suddenly realized, ¡°This¡­ really? It¡¯s just a bit more in terms of salary, isn¡¯t it? And they could just raise theirs, couldn¡¯t they?¡± Hearing Chen Dalong say this, Qin Yaowen sized him up and down, finally unable to help saying, ¡°Boss Chen, haven¡¯t you calculated the costs?¡± ¡°I have though, and the costs aren¡¯t that much, right? A security company with 100 people, 50,000 per person, that¡¯s just 5 million a month.¡± ¡°Even if I recruit more people, I feel like I can keep the salary within about 10 million, which doesn¡¯t seem too much! It¡¯s only the matter of two or three missions,¡± Chen Dalong said with some confusion, looking at the other. Qin Yaowen was really speechless, ¡°You can¡¯t just calculate based on the missions going smoothly!¡± ¡°Think about it, if your team is attacked by powerful mutated beings and there are casualties, you¡¯ll need money for medical treatment! The families of those who die must be compensated, plus the wear and tear on firearms and ammunition need to be accounted for!¡± ¡°Lastly, even if you repel the mutated beings, the damage to the goods during the process is your responsibility too, and you¡¯ll need to compensate the logistics company accordingly.¡± ¡°So sometimes, after a mission, you don¡¯t really make much profit, and that¡¯s if the mission is completed.¡± ¡°If the mission isn¡¯t completed or there are significant losses, sigh~¡± ¡°Take my advice, unless you can ensure every mission is completed successfully, you should think twice about the expenses,¡± Qin Yaowen said. Chen Dalong took out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth, ¡°Brother, those things you just said are making me nervous, but after hearing your last sentence, I immediately felt relieved.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, as long as I can ensure that the missions are completed successfully, there¡¯s no problem,¡± he said. With the support of the Dragon Lord, he really was brimming with confidence. Qin Yaowen: ??? Is that what he meant? ¡°Cough! Boss Chen, you have quite the spirit. Since that¡¯s the case, how about we team up for the upcoming eradication mission?¡± Qin Yaowen coughed lightly, dropping the subtlety and going straight to the point. Chen Dalong knew that the other party had said so much, even revealing information to curry favor, all as a prelude, and the main event was finally approaching. ¡°Haha, I love going into partnerships for business, I just wonder what kind of cooperation it is?¡± he immediately asked with a laugh. Qin Yaowen didn¡¯t reply right away but countered with a question, ¡°Brother Chen, do you know why the military suddenly wants to clear out the Yunyang Highway?¡± On hearing this, Chen Dalong suddenly became alert, his gaze sharpening. One of the tasks Lord Parrot had given him last night was to find out the purpose behind the military¡¯s sudden operation to clear the Yunyang Highway. ¡ª¡ª¨C I¡¯ve seen some say the side characters are getting too much screen time, so I¡¯ve thought about it, and I plan to switch the perspective later on. But for now, Chen Dalong is the only window through which Ye Feng influences human society, so this part of the story will definitely be the focus. His role will be reduced only after the crisis breaks out and Ye Feng begins his collaboration with the military. Chapter 69 - 69 69 Military Exoskeleton_1 ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Military Exoskeleton_1 Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Military Exoskeleton_1 Qin Yaowen felt that Chen Dalong, standing before him, suddenly exuded an oppressive presence. Chen Dalong swiftly adjusted his mindset, collecting his composure and his smile became more genuine, ¡°Brother Qin, this matter has indeed puzzled me all night! I would appreciate any insights you could share.¡± Qin Yaowen thought he might have been mistaken, so he didn¡¯t dwell on it and went straight to the point, ¡°You must have heard about Red Star Tech, right?¡± ¡°Of course I have heard of it,¡± Chen Dalong nodded and said. ¡°One of the top technology companies, it is said that they have many cooperative projects with the military, and some of the new weapons and equipment were developed by their company.¡± ¡°Yes, this matter is related to them. In 2030, Red Star Tech had already developed exoskeleton equipment capable of shouldering a ton of weight, and by 2040, they had completed the research and development of power armor.¡± ¡°But for some reason, these pieces of equipment have not been put into production. Some speculate that they want to hold back and release something big all at once, like bringing out mechas directly.¡± ¡°Now, Red Star Tech is finally ready to start mass production of military-grade exoskeletons, and if everything goes well, they¡¯ll thereafter establish a production line for power armor.¡± ¡°At first, Red Star Tech planned to build their factory in the city center of Yunshang City.¡± ¡°But you also know how expensive the land is in the city center of Yunshang City.¡± ¡°The government of Yunshang City negotiated with Red Star Tech, hoping they would build the factory in the suburbs.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re aware of the current environment, the suburbs are definitely not as secure as the city center. Our city leaders seized this opportunity and took the initiative to reach out to Red Star Tech.¡± ¡°It is said that a deal has been reached. When the time comes, both the Yang City Central Park and the neighboring stadium will be demolished to make way for Red Star Tech¡¯s factory construction.¡± ¡°At the same time, Red Star Tech¡¯s subsidiary in Yunshang City will also move here. To ensure safety, it¡¯s natural to thoroughly clean up the area around the Yunyang Highway.¡± Qin Yaowen laid out the situation in detail. Chen Dalong was somewhat astonished upon hearing this, surprised by the bold move from Yang City¡¯s government, but there was no doubt this was a very worthwhile deal. A major corporation like this investing in Yang City would boost the economy, which was a secondary benefit. The main point was that the military exoskeleton devices produced by Red Star Tech would be available for purchase right on their doorstep due to proximity advantages. ¡°So, Brother Qin, what does this matter have to do with our cooperation?¡± After digesting the information, Chen Dalong asked. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s related. Red Star Tech is moving its subsidiary to Yang City, and although it¡¯s just a subsidiary, given the size of Red Star Tech, it¡¯s certainly a huge project. It won¡¯t be done in a month.¡± ¡°And they will need a security company to escort their cargo during transportation, right? I¡¯ve heard that Red Star Tech has already sent a person in charge to observe our upcoming cleaning operation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the purpose of selecting the best security company to sign a long-term contract worth hundreds of millions.¡± ¡°Although our usual escort missions range from a few hundred thousand to four or five million, which seems about the same.¡± ¡°But the issue is that not even the top three security companies get tasks every day.¡± ¡°Take the top-ranked Star Shield Security Company for example, based on what I¡¯ve found out, their total income last month was about 61 million, and after deducting various expenses and fees, they would be thankful to have a net income of 30 million.¡± ¡°However, if we could land this big deal with Red Star Tech, we could easily make seventy to eighty million a month.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more important is that developing a good relationship with Red Star Tech might allow us to acquire some of their high-end, precise weaponry in the future.¡± ¡°Therefore, all the major security companies are green with envy. Star Shield Security Company is most likely to get this quota, but that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no chance for other companies. If we cooperate, we might be able to secure it.¡± ¡°What do you think, Brother Chen? If our two companies worked together, we might just pull it off,¡± Qin Yaowen extended the invitation once more. It¡¯s true that the top three security companies typically possess over 50 automatic rifles each. But Qin Yaowen¡¯s Heiyao Security Company possessed 30 firearms, and Chen Dalong also had 20 firearms, and those holding the firearms were ex-soldiers. Together, the two groups were no weaker than the top three security companies. Chen Dalong did not reply immediately but after a little thought, he asked, ¡°According to what I know, the rules don¡¯t seem to allow for teaming up. The mutated beings we hunt are counted separately, so how can we cooperate?¡± Qin Yaowen replied at once, ¡°That¡¯s simple. You hand over the mutated creatures you kill to Heiyao Security Company, and I¡¯ll take care of the delivery.¡± ¡°Of course, you won¡¯t miss out on any Military Merit Points. Just let me know what firearms you¡¯re planning to buy with the points, and I¡¯ll purchase them for you directly.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Dalong almost laughed out of frustration, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t need firearms. What I need is to use the points for military rank promotion.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yaowen sighed internally, realizing the other party was also a shrewd person. ¡°Promoting one¡¯s military rank requires 500 Military Merit Points; you must still be quite far from that. You definitely won¡¯t be able to accumulate enough in this mission, so wouldn¡¯t it be more worth it to use them to purchase firearms and enhance overall strength?¡± ¡°With increased strength, wouldn¡¯t obtaining Military Merit Points be more convenient in the future?¡± Qin Yaowen tried hard to persuade. ¡°Is that so? But I don¡¯t think 500 Military Merit Points is a lot. I am here on this eradication mission aiming to be promoted to Lieutenant, which for me is even more important than securing a long-term contract with Red Star Tech,¡± Chen Dalong immediately made his stance clear. Qin Yaowen was left speechless by this declaration, unable to understand where the other¡¯s confidence came from. But with the conversation having reached this point, it was basically a breakdown in negotiations. ¡°All right then! I hope you¡¯ll give it some thought, and if you change your mind, feel free to look for me,¡± Qin Yaowen said in the end. ¡°Hmm! The same goes for you,¡± Chen Dalong responded as well. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After their conversation, Chen Dalong did not stay any longer. He returned to his team while taking out his mobile phone to send a text message. ¡­ Meanwhile, Ye Feng, possessing a Mutated Parrot, was not flying over with the aerial formation but stood on top of the head of a King Cobra, progressing at a leisurely pace. Of course, ¡°slow¡± here is relative. The Mutated King Cobra maintained a straight-line speed of 30 kilometers per hour. In a few more minutes, it would enter the range of the Donglin Mountain Range. Just then, Ye Feng felt his mobile phone vibrate under his claw. With a somewhat awkward posture, he used his claw to pick up the phone and started to flip through it. Soon, his eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Military exoskeleton? Power Armor?¡± It had to be said that these things really did put Ye Feng on alert. The military exoskeleton was manageable; although it could greatly enhance the combat capability of the soldiers, it had clear drawbacks ¡ª it didn¡¯t provide much increase in defensive power. At least, his minions could easily handle that. But Power Armor was different; it could offer all-around protection. When armed with heavy weaponry, it was virtually a harvester on the battlefield. ¡°Sigh, even with a group of powerful subordinates, one can¡¯t afford to be arrogant or complacent!¡± Ye Feng admonished himself. At the same time, he picked up the phone and called Chen Dalong back. Chapter 70 - 70 70 Earning Military Merits_1 ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Earning Military Merits_1 Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Earning Military Merits_1 After Ye Feng dialed the number, it rang only once before being swiftly answered. ¡°Lord Parrot, what instructions do you have for me?¡± came the respectful voice of Chen Dalong from the speaker. ¡°How much longer before you set out?¡± Ye Feng asked. ¡°Soon. A total of 15 security companies have signed up for this extermination operation.¡± ¡°Thirteen have already arrived, and the last two are on their way. We should be able to depart within ten minutes,¡± Chen Dalong replied promptly. ¡°Good, I¡¯m about to reach Donglin Mountain Range. I¡¯ll go in for a recon first. Ask the military about the specifics of exchanging kill counts of mutated beings for military merit.¡± ¡°Once I have the details, I can plan the extermination route for you, allowing you to earn as much military merit as possible,¡± Ye Feng said. ¡°Thank you, Lord Parrot; I will inquire right away,¡± Chen Dalong said somewhat impatiently. ¡°Mmm,¡± Ye Feng nodded. He was about to hang up the phone when Chen Dalong¡¯s somewhat anxious voice came through, ¡°Lord Parrot, will the production of military exoskeletons pose a threat to Dragon Lord?¡± Upon hearing this, Ye Feng¡¯s first thought was that the other party was just putting on a show, expressing concern as most subordinates do for their superiors. But the other party¡¯s nervous and anxious tone didn¡¯t seem feigned, which immediately made Ye Feng think of the effects of the capture ability. He opened the sub-panel and saw Chen Dalong¡¯s loyalty had, unbeknownst to him, risen to 73%. 100% loyalty means the unconditional sacrifice of life. Now, judging by Chen Dalong¡¯s reaction, one could basically determine that 70% loyalty meant putting oneself in one¡¯s shoes wholeheartedly. So what exhibits at 80% and 90% loyalty? This made Ye Feng somewhat curious; after all, such things are hard to reflect in animals, as they generally follow orders without question. Ye Feng was lost in thought momentarily until Chen Dalong¡¯s voice came through again, ¡°Lord Parrot, can you hear me? Is there a problem with the signal?¡± ¡°No problem, don¡¯t worry about the military exoskeletons; those things are no threat to Dragon Lord. Just focus on your tasks,¡± Ye Feng said before hanging up. Soon, a message came from Chen Dalong¡¯s side. Ye Feng opened it and immediately showed an ¡®as expected¡¯ expression. It¡¯s true that the military had agreed that hunting mutated beings could earn military merit. But trying to find a loophole, to kill weaker mutated beings and fish for military merit, was impossible. For instance, the most common in the wild were the likes of mutated ants and mutated bees. Crazily, one would need to kill 200 mutated ants to gain just 1 point of military merit. As for mutated bees, since they¡¯re harder to kill, only 100 are needed for 1 point of military merit. Obviously, it¡¯s extremely difficult to farm military merit by killing weak mutated creatures. If there are few mutated ants, they are easy to kill, but the merit gained is also low. Of course, one could go after an ant nest, but now every mutated ant is the size of a ping pong ball, and their nests in the wild look like small mounds. If one were to disturb an ant nest, seeing thousands of mutated ants swarm out could aptly be described as overwhelming. By then, the roles of hunter and prey would likely be reversed. Of course, one could try to cover the area with fire, using grenade launchers and grenades for saturation bombing; certainly, that could annihilate an ant nest, but the consumption would be terrifying. And even if you killed 10,000 mutated ants, you¡¯d earn only about 50 military merit points, assuming you could recover their bodies after the blast. It¡¯s simply not worth it. So, the military setting such conversion terms clearly indicates that they want these mercenary corps to hunt the truly dangerous, large mutated creatures. There¡¯s a standard here, too, which is that killing a mutated being the size of a basketball earns you 1 Military Merit Point. The larger the creature, the more points you get. Additionally, killing flying mutated beings, due to the increased difficulty, may result in more points being awarded. The last one is, killing creatures that are far more mutated than their counterparts can significantly increase one¡¯s Military Merit. When Ye Feng saw the last item, his eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°It seems the military is also aware of the concept of First Order and Second Order mutated beings.¡± Being far more mutated than their kind generally refers to Second Order mutated beings. As for the Third Order mutated beings, they are still extremely rare. ¡°According to the conditions listed, earning Military Merit isn¡¯t exactly easy,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself. Typical mutated insects rarely reach the size of a basketball, so one has to set their sights on those mutated animals instead. But even in the wild, mutated snakes that are relatively easier to find don¡¯t grow too large when in First Order. Probably if you curl them up, they would be about the size of two or three basketballs, killing one would only yield 2 or 3 Military Merit Points, which is too little. Ye Feng¡¯s goal was to let Chen Dalong amass 1,500 points of merits, to leap two ranks from Second Lieutenant to Captain in one go. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to hunt for Second Order mutated beings after all!¡± Of course, he actually had a method to exploit a bug. Find an anthill and have the Third Order Mutated King Cobra release its aura at full force to intimidate. In a situation where it vastly surpasses two Orders, the Mutated King Cobra can simply use its aura to stun those mutated ants. Then, all Chen Dalong has to do is go and collect the bodies. However, Chen Dalong would have no way to explain this. Idea after idea flashed through Ye Feng¡¯s mind but he dismissed them, and in the end decided to wait and see what the situation was like. Soon, Ye Feng arrived at Donglin Mountain Range and ordered the Mutated King Cobra to stay put. Then his avatar status switched continuously among the mutated bats, the Mutated Black Crow, and two Mutated Sparrows. Before long, he had successively found mutated beings larger than a basketball. Upon discovering each one, he would switch his avatar status back to the Mutated Parrot, then open his smartphone map and mark these locations. Latter on, all he had to do was send the map to Chen Dalong. ¡°Not bad, the number of mutated beings is greater than I expected. However, most of those larger mutated beings are beyond the ¡®one kilometer from the road¡¯ range.¡± Ye Feng frowned slightly but then relaxed, ¡°No matter, if need be, I¡¯ll exert some extra effort, either driving these mutated beings towards us or beating them half dead before letting Chen Dalong deliver the coup de grace.¡± There are always more solutions than problems. He truly didn¡¯t believe that earning Military Merit could hold him back. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ While Ye Feng was making plans, everyone had finally gathered at Tianhe Plaza. Following Captain Zhang Ji¡¯s order, the formidable team set out. He sat in the command vehicle, rubbing his temple, and turned to his aide, ¡°After the headcount for the security company is complete, report back immediately.¡± ¡°Also, pass the word to all squadron leaders to come and discuss the combat plan.¡± Chapter 71 - 71 71 Action Begins _1 ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Action Begins! _1 Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Action Begins! _1 Hearing Zhang Ji¡¯s words, Adjutant Zhao Zhong pressed the communicator to summon the remaining battalion commanders while picking up the documents beside him. ¡°Captain Zhang, I¡¯ve tallied the numbers. We have 1,850 people from 15 security companies, but together they have only 230 firearms, and most are just ordinary shotguns. Their combat capability¡­¡± Zhao Zhong didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant. Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji hadn¡¯t said anything when a man in his forties sitting nearby couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. ¡°Captain Zhang, this won¡¯t delay our subsequent evacuation plan, will it?¡± He was Sha Weiping, the representative from Red Star Tech, and his words carried significant weight. ¡°Haha, Comrade Sha, you can rest assured. The combat strength of these security company personnel cannot be judged solely by their numbers on paper.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that if we were to take these 1,850 personnel onto a battlefield with equipment like theirs, they would probably be no match for even 180 regular soldiers.¡± ¡°But when it comes to clearing out Mutated Beings here, it¡¯s a different story. The heavy burden will, of course, fall on our 6th Battalion¡¯s shoulders. We called them here mainly to deal with those Mutated insects.¡± ¡°When it comes to fighting those little things, shooting them isn¡¯t necessarily as effective as the machetes they carry. Sometimes a battle can also be fought like the strategic divisions of Tian Ji¡¯s horse racing,¡± Zhang Ji explained with a smile. At the same time, he cast a meaningful gaze at Zhao Zhong. Zhao Zhong immediately lowered his head, knowing he had misspoken. Hearing Zhang Ji¡¯s explanation, Sha Weiping¡¯s brows relaxed; he only hoped everything would proceed smoothly. As the two talked, one by one, the battalion commanders arrived at the command vehicle. These battalion commanders were essentially the former company commanders, experienced in battle, so Zhang Ji didn¡¯t waste words and got straight to assigning tactics. ¡­ Ten minutes later, the massive convoy left Yang City and headed onto Yunyang Highway. There were almost no other vehicles outside the city, and the regular highway allowed speeds comparable to a freeway. In just five minutes, they could already see the Donglin Mountain Range. It was then that the lead military vehicle began to slow down and stop. Chen Dalong quickly signaled his convoy to do the same. Soon, he saw a messenger sprinting over, calling out loudly, ¡°Who¡¯s the person in charge of Mad Dragon Security Company?¡± ¡°Comrade, good day, I am the company boss. May I know what it¡¯s about?¡± Chen Dalong immediately got out of the car to inquire. ¡°Take these. These three signal flares are for when you encounter danger; they¡¯re for calling for help and pinpointing your location,¡± ¡°And this is a military communicator. It can be used reliably even in the mountains, allowing direct contact with our temporary command post.¡± ¡°Put these things away and then follow me to the command vehicle for a brief meeting,¡± the soldier said while handing over the items to Chen Dalong. Chen Dalong straightaway handed the items to Li Huosheng, then followed the messenger towards the command vehicle. By the time he arrived, nearly all the other security company bosses were already present. At that moment, the armored plating on the side of the command vehicle opened, revealing an interior screen displaying an aerial view of the Donglin Mountain Range. After gathering, Zhang Ji wasted no time and began speaking, ¡°To put it succinctly, the Yunyang Highway cuts through the Donglin Mountain Range for a stretch of 30 kilometers.¡± ¡°We have only one day for the clearance operation, to be precise, about 12 hours, so the mission is urgent and chock-full. That¡¯s why we¡¯ll be directly dividing into three teams.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he spoke, Zhang Ji picked up a marker and drew three circles on the screen. ¡°Each team will be responsible for a section, around 10 kilometers each.¡± ¡°When the operation begins, our military units will go through first to clear the area. You can follow afterwards; your safety should be guaranteed,¡± At this point, Chen Dalong raised his hand and shouted, ¡°Report!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Ji stopped his briefing to ask. ¡°Commander, I don¡¯t want to just follow behind the military personnel. I¡¯m here to earn military merits, not to be a bystander,¡± Chen Dalong said candidly. The other security company bosses looked on speechlessly at Chen Dalong. While some of them felt the same, none dared to express such thoughts so openly at this gathering. They all waited to see Chen Dalong become the butt of a joke, but unexpectedly, Zhang Ji wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible, but it will be very dangerous, and if you stray far from the group, you won¡¯t be able to receive immediate rescue if you encounter danger, so consider the consequences carefully.¡± Although Zhang Ji was a battalion commander, he had yet to encounter other Superhumans and was quite looking forward to Chen Dalong¡¯s performance. Next, Zhang Ji detailed the precautions while marking the clearance route on the map. ¡°Alright, the plan is roughly as follows. If there are any questions, now is the time to ask,¡± Zhang Ji said. Seeing no one spoke up, he continued, ¡°Well then, since that¡¯s the case, please choose a clearance area. There are 15 security companies in total, just right for five companies per area.¡± No sooner had Zhang Ji finished speaking than Chen Dalong immediately said, ¡°I choose the middle area.¡± He had already received the map from Lord Parrot, showing the middle area teeming with the most Mutated Beings and thus the most dangerous. Seeing Chen Dalong take the initiative, the other bosses were not to be outdone and began to make their choices. Especially those intent on making a significant impact wanted a spot in the middle area. However, with only five slots per area, eventually Zhang Ji assigned the top-ranked companies, Star Shield, Cheetah, and Yan Huang, to that region based on their strength. The last slot was taken by Qin Yaowen¡¯s Heiyao Company. As for the remaining companies, although somewhat unwilling, they were allocated to either the area in the front or the back. With the team distribution complete, the convoy split into three. Soon the teams continued forward, and before long, they officially entered the Donglin Mountain Range. Here, the rear convoy stopped, ready to begin the clearing operation. The other two teams kept moving. About 10 minutes later, Chen Dalong¡¯s team, in the middle region, also came to a halt. Their team was the largest. For the front and back regions, the military had assigned only three company-sized units each. However, for the middle region here, there were four company-sized units, and even Captain Zhang himself was personally in charge. Just as the vehicles stopped, Zhang Ji¡¯s voice resounded over the communicator, ¡°All combat teams, proceed as planned. Security companies may follow or operate independently.¡± ¡°Received!¡± ¡°Received!¡± The communicators were promptly filled with the voices of the other team leaders. Chen Dalong hastily chimed in with a ¡°Received!¡± as well. Immediately after, he eagerly gathered all of his company¡¯s combat personnel. Chapter 72 - 72 72 Incredible Skills_1 ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Incredible Skills_1 Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Incredible Skills_1 Before long, 85 combat personnel had assembled. As for those 15 logistic staff members who were just there to make up numbers, Chen Dalong did as he had previously said, letting them stay in the vehicles¡ªthey would be the drivers later on. ¡°Everyone, everything that needed to be said has been said before. As long as you distinguish yourselves, I won¡¯t be stingy with rewards.¡± ¡°Now, you have three minutes to check if your equipment is complete, then we¡¯ll set off,¡± Chen Dalong announced loudly. ¡°Yes!¡± The crowd responded in unison. At this moment, it wasn¡¯t just Mad Dragon Security Company taking action; the other security companies also began to mobilize. Of course, the fastest was the City Guard Team, who entered the thick forests on either side of the highway, following the prearranged routes. Every soldier was so well-trained, moving swiftly and silently. After entering the forest, they dispersed, seemingly randomly, but in reality, each person was able to cover for one another. At the same time, a number of rotary-wing drones took to the sky, clearly adopting a coordinated attack pattern. This spectacle made Chen Dalong envious, wondering when his own men might be as well-trained. But it was also at this time that a large flock of Mutated Bats flew up from the forests, swooping over their heads, causing one drone after another to fall from the sky. The military teams that had been advancing in an orderly fashion couldn¡¯t help but stop in their tracks at this sight. This familiar scene made Chen Dalong¡¯s expression quite interesting. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Alright! Time¡¯s up, follow me inside.¡± Holding a large machete, he took the lead and walked at the front. ¡°Boss, it seems there is some trouble with the military over there, shouldn¡¯t we wait?¡± At that moment, one of the sharpshooters, Liu Wenhua, couldn¡¯t help but speak up. He felt that their boss was really quite bold and reckless. Hadn¡¯t he seen that even the military had stopped? ¡°This area is probably the territory of that group of bats; they¡¯ll attack anything that flies¡ªthere¡¯s nothing surprising about this. We¡¯ve encountered it before,¡± Chen Dalong said nonchalantly. He really didn¡¯t care. It was obvious that the Bat Messenger had acted. Their goal was likely to cover the tracks of other messengers and avoid detection. Chen Dalong¡¯s words instantly won the approval of Li Huosheng and others. ¡°Exactly that. The desire to attack of these Mutated Bats is really strong. The drones we released in Sunset Valley yesterday were immediately taken down by Mutated Bats,¡± Li Huosheng explained to the others to reassure them. After all, most of the employees here were facing Mutated Beings for the first time. Liu Wenhua suddenly found himself at a loss for words. His previous combat experience told him that things might not be that simple. He clenched his teeth, wanting to voice his concerns again, when suddenly his pupils dilated, and he urgently shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡± At that moment, Chen Dalong had reached the side of the road, and from a tree only 5 meters away, a shadow sprang down, attacking Chen Dalong¡¯s face with incredible speed. With the speed that the dark shadow exhibited, a normal person, even if they saw it, probably wouldn¡¯t be able to react in time, not to mention that at this moment, Chen Dalong had just happened to look the other way. But the next instant, the flash of a blade sent the dark shadow splitting in two, and throughout the entire process, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t even turn his head. It wasn¡¯t until after he had killed it that Chen Dalong looked down and said, ¡°Tsk! It¡¯s actually a Mutated Woodpecker, this bird¡¯s beak is really long and sharp enough.¡± ¡°Stop dawdling and pack this thing up, let¡¯s move out quickly, time is pressing,¡± he shouted back to those behind him, then without turning his head, he walked into the forest. Liu Wenhua was watching this scene with his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, thinking that such reflexes could probably match those of the freaks in the special forces. Even members of the special forces had to hold their breath and concentrate to achieve what had just happened; it was simply impossible to do so with such ease as Chen Dalong. ¡°Old Xie, am I seeing things?¡± he asked the Sharpshooter beside him, Xie Guanzhong. The two of them had been comrades in arms before, and it was Xie Guanzhong who had first seen the recruitment ad yesterday and then pulled him along. Before Xie Guangzhong could speak, Li Huosheng, who was nearby, said, ¡°Alright, hurry up and catch up! Yesterday, our boss killed a Mutated Wild Boar ranked in the top 30 of the danger list, this is nothing.¡± After saying this, he followed Zhang Chenggang and the others. In fact, the people who returned alive from Sunset Valley yesterday were no longer surprised by what they saw now. After killing the Mutated Wild Boar, Chen Dalong had displayed this ability to watch for danger in every direction while leading them through the dense forest. And they were even less surprised after learning that Chen Dalong was a ¡°Superhuman,¡± an Evolutionist. Hearing what Li Huosheng had said, and then glancing at the corpse of the Mutated Woodpecker on the ground, Liu Wenhua and the other new members instantly updated their impression of their new boss. For Chen Dalong, this was just a minor episode, and at the moment, he was talking on the phone through a Bluetooth earpiece with Lord Parrot. ¡°Head 50 meters forward in the 2 o¡¯clock direction, there¡¯s a Mutated Chameleon hidden among the rocks; judging by its size, it should be worth about 4 military merits.¡± ¡°Hm!¡± Chen Dalong responded in a low voice, abruptly changing direction and walking towards the pile of stones that Lord Parrot had mentioned. During this process, he was also constantly vigilant of the movements around him, ready to kill those foolish Mutated Insects. This intuition for danger was something he had obtained after becoming an Evolutionist. However, regrettably, in such a short time, he still hadn¡¯t been able to learn how to release his own aura for deterrence as Lord Parrot had mentioned; otherwise, it would have been much more convenient. As he progressed, one Mutated Insect after another appeared, each trying to cause harm. Mutated Crickets, Mutated Golden Tortoises, Mutated Dragonflies, Mutated Stick Insects, Mutated Wood-boring Louses, and even many Mutated Insects that Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t recognize. Of course, when these Mutated Insects showed up, their endings were all the same: either being sliced in half by Chen Dalong or being kicked to death. With him leading the way, the team advanced swiftly, and the people behind didn¡¯t need to worry about much; they just had to follow Chen Dalong and collect the corpses. Employees of the Mad Dragon Security Company were excited to see their boss so formidable, but Liu Wenhua and the other veterans became more silent the more they watched, and more puzzled, too. They could tell that Chen Dalong hadn¡¯t undergone any professional training, and that he was able to deal with these Mutated Beings with such nonchalance due entirely to his extraordinary physical capabilities which defied common sense. While various thoughts emerged in everyone¡¯s minds, Chen Dalong, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 73 - 73 73 Sweep _1 ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Sweep _1 Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Sweep _1 When everyone saw Chen Dalong stop, they immediately became alert and hurriedly looked around. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the boss?¡± Li Huosheng asked in a low voice. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t answer, but instead gestured to Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong on the other side, and then pointed at the pile of rubble ahead. He had already seen the Mutated Chameleon; it was one meter long and lying there stealthily like a silent hunter. Although Chen Dalong was confident that he could handle it himself, if he were to do everything, why would he recruit so many subordinates? Now was the best time to test them. Upon seeing Chen Dalong¡¯s gestures, Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong immediately looked in that direction. Both had been sharpshooters with exceptionally keen eyesight. After being alerted, they almost instantly spotted the target. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their rifles rose in unison. Without any visible aiming, two shots rang out. Then, the distant chameleon¡¯s head showed two bloody holes, and it was dead beyond any doubt. From detecting the target to neutralizing it, the whole process took no more than a second. ¡°Good job!¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but clap and cheer, feeling that his 100,000 yuan was well spent. Had these two been there yesterday during the Mutated Wild Boar encounter, no, even if just one was present, that boar could have been taken down. At this time, the other members of the security company finally reacted, and they all promptly offered their flattery. ¡°Impressive! Truly worthy of the title sharpshooters. I didn¡¯t even react, and that thing was already taken down.¡± ¡°With the boss unbeatable in close combat and two sharpshooters for long-range, our company is on the fast track to soaring!¡± Hearing the praise from everyone, Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong felt somewhat sheepish. The distance between them and that pile of rubble was only fifteen or sixteen meters. Any sniper could have hit the target with certainty. ¡°Well shot, I¡¯ll commend you both for this,¡± Chen Dalong said with a mild and smiling voice. He then arranged for people to carry the corpse of the Mutated Lizard and proceeded to move forward. At this moment, the voice of the Mutated Parrot came through his Bluetooth headset again. ¡°At ten o¡¯clock, move forward 70 meters, and you will see a huge rock. Go around it, and you will find three Mutated King Cobras.¡± ¡°Be careful when taking them down. Don¡¯t get bitten. Even with your physical fitness, you won¡¯t withstand their venom.¡± Hearing the previous words, Chen Dalong subconsciously lifted his foot to turn and walk in that direction, but when he heard that the target for elimination was Mutated King Cobras, his step faltered, almost causing him to stumble. He quickly steadied himself and discretely took off one of the Bluetooth earpieces, bringing it to his mouth and asked in a very faint voice, ¡°Lord Parrot, are you asking me to take down the King Cobras?¡± ¡°Yes! Is there a problem?¡± the Mutated Parrot asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ the Dragon Lord, he¡­¡± Chen Dalong started, feeling a little anxious, not quite sure how to express himself all of a sudden. The Mutated Parrot snorted, asking in a slightly mocking tone, ¡°What? Do you have to respectfully address other parrots as ¡®Lord Parrot¡¯ too?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Chen Dalong was slightly at a loss for words. ¡°The Dragon Lord is a reincarnation of the True Dragon. You can¡¯t possibly equate these ordinary King Cobras with the Dragon Lord, otherwise, if he were to hear such a thing, the Dragon Lord would truly be angry.¡± ¡°So you can go ahead and kill with confidence, not just the King Cobra, but even the kind of other envoys as well. As long as you have my command, you can boldly go ahead and kill,¡± the Mutated Parrot said seriously, without any hint of joking. Hearing the other party¡¯s confirmation again, Chen Dalong no longer hesitated. He immediately led his team towards the location of the Mutated King Cobra. What happened next was almost identical to earlier events. Taking the lead, Chen Dalong cleared the way for his team and quickly headed towards the target location. The team advanced in silence, which was one of Chen Dalong¡¯s requirements, to make as little noise as possible in order not to startle the prey. This was a mountain forest, naturally filled with various animal cries and the constant, intermingled sounds of Mutated Beings fighting, tearing at each other, and calling out. Apart from that, gunshots could occasionally be heard in the distance. As long as they moved quietly and refrained from firing, their own noise could be completely masked. Moments later, Chen Dalong made a gun-firing gesture to the people behind him. He also took out the automatic rifle from his back and moved behind a boulder, where indeed he saw three Mutated King Cobras on the other side. He decisively pulled the trigger. Bang, bang, bang! Three gunshots rang out in succession, but to his embarrassment, of the three King Cobras just 10 meters away, only one was hit by a bullet, and it was just in the tail, failing to inflict a fatal wound. Of those three King Cobras, the longest measured 7 meters, and even the shortest was 5 meters. They were startled by the attack but instantly swam rapidly towards Chen Dalong¡¯s position. This frightened Chen Dalong into retreating again and again, but fortunately, the rest of the team arrived just in time. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! What followed was a well-coordinated series of gunshots, with nearly 15 veterans each firing a shot. After a volley of fire, the three King Cobras were shot into a mess, with each of the serpent¡¯s foreheads hit by at least three bullets. Seeing this, Chen Dalong slightly furrowed his brow and said, ¡°Shooting all at once like this is too wasteful of bullets. Next time, the twenty of us armed with guns will split into four groups and take turns firing.¡± Upon hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s words, the people who had been eager to fire showed a hint of embarrassment on their faces. However, Chen Dalong understood that the team had just been formed. During combat, it was necessary to determine who was in charge of laying down fire, who provided cover, and who delivered the finishing blows. All these things required teamwork and adjusting through several battles. So, he merely pointed this out before promptly having Li Huosheng quickly divide the team, and then they continued forward. What followed seemed to be a constant repetition. Following behind Chen Dalong, the team seemed to have a knack for knowing exactly where the Mutated Animals were hiding, finding them with remarkable precision every time. Once a target was located, not to mention the two sharpshooters among them, the rest of the veterans could handle it with ease. Moreover, by splitting into new groups and taking turns to fire, they could avoid the issue of competing for credit. In this process, to keep a low profile, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t make a point of showcasing his strength. But even so, he became an increasingly mysterious figure in the eyes of the others. It was obvious why. Cheng Long always led at the front of the team, encountering the most attacks from Mutated insects. At least ten Mutated insects attacked him every minute. Yet, even so, Chen Dalong easily neutralized each and every assault. Chapter 74 - 74 74 Generous Harvest_1 ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Generous Harvest_1 Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Generous Harvest_1 Compared to Chen Dalong¡¯s ease, the performance of the others was somewhat disappointing. The rest of the team encountered attacks fewer times in total than Chen Dalong alone, and there were at least two or three people watching in every direction. But even under these circumstances, within just half an hour, 15 people had been injured. Fortunately, everyone had protection, and the injuries they suffered were not fatal. With some simple bandaging, they could continue to fight. The only bit of trouble was that one of the members was stung by a poisonous scorpion, and the wound started to turn black, clearly a sign of poisoning. Although they also had antidotes which temporarily suppressed the toxicity after being used, it still cast a shadow over everyone¡¯s hearts. If it weren¡¯t for Chen Dalong¡¯s brave performance, if it weren¡¯t for the 15 veterans stabilizing troop morale, if it weren¡¯t for the rich gains over the past half hour, chances are some would have quit already. Chen Dalong could certainly sense the change in everyone¡¯s mentality, but he didn¡¯t care. He was well aware that with many messengers secretly protecting them, there was no real danger at all. If anyone couldn¡¯t handle that, he wouldn¡¯t mind dismissing them and recruiting better ones. Compared to everyone¡¯s mentality, he was more focused on the gains during this period. Although they had only cleared the area for half an hour, they had already killed a total of 10 large Mutated Beings. Chen Dalong did a quick calculation and estimated that these 10 Mutated Beings could be exchanged for at least 40 Military Merit Points. Counting the Mutated Insects they killed along the way, they should also make up another ten or twenty points. So together, the total Military Merit Points would exceed 50. At this pace, they could earn 100 points in an hour and accumulate enough points to be promoted to Lieutenant in at most five hours. At this thought, his heart blazed with excitement. Just then, the voice of the Mutated Parrot came through the Bluetooth headset again, ¡°The Mutated Beings in this area that can be exchanged for Military Merit Points have been almost completely cleared out.¡± ¡°Now there¡¯s only one left. If you go in the four o¡¯clock direction for 100 meters, you¡¯ll see it. It¡¯s a big gift for you!¡± Surprised by these words, Chen Dalong asked in mild surprise, ¡°Lord Parrot, what kind of big gift?¡± ¡°Hey! You¡¯ll know it when you see it,¡± said the Mutated Parrot. Seeing Lord Parrot playing coy, Chen Dalong inexplicably started to look forward to it. He quickly led the team in a new direction, heading straight for the direction Lord Parrot had indicated. A hundred meters wasn¡¯t a long distance. Chen Dalong, walking at the front, kept parting the thickets and casually killing Mutated Insects that jumped out from them. As he passed through two small banyan trees once again, he suddenly felt the trees in front of him grow dramatically taller. Of course, in the forest here, it was normal for the heights of the trees to be varied, so this wasn¡¯t odd. But when Chen Dalong clearly saw the scene before him, his body hair instantly stood on end. Among these tall trees, there were a dozen Spider webs, each expanding twenty to thirty meters in width. More importantly, the Spider webs were laden with various Mutated Beings. The Mutated Insects go without saying, but even more shocking were the dozen or more Mutated Bird Species with wingspans of one to two meters caught in them. The most terrifying was a Spider web with a Mutated Gray Goose hanging from it, its wingspan reaching 5 meters. A Mutated Bird of such size, even if encountered by their team, would have to be dealt with cautious care, for one slip could lead to death. Yet all these were merely prey. In a Spider web near the center, there was a giant Spider whose size exceeded three meters. Compared to other Mutated Beings, its size was not particularly massive, but Chen Dalong felt a fatal threat emanating from the creature. Almost instantly, he deduced that the Mutated Spider he was facing had definitely reached Second Stage, an existence worthy of the danger list. What frightened him even more was that the Mutated Spider¡¯s eyes were staring at him unblinkingly. Gulp! Chen Dalong swallowed hard, his legs trembling at this moment, overwhelmed by an impending sense of dread. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ve already broken three of its legs; it¡¯s just bluffing and trying to intimidate us. Hold back that fear and just shoot, and it¡¯ll be done,¡± the voice of the Mutated Parrot came through the Bluetooth earpiece. Its words seemed to possess a magical power that immediately stabilized Chen Dalong¡¯s restless heart. Especially when he clearly saw that the Mutated Spider indeed had three unnaturally bent spider legs, the fear in his heart vanished in an instant. In its place, excitement took over. Even without talking about the Second Stage Mutated Spider, just by clearing the Mutated Beings off the spiderweb could probably net him twenty to thirty points. Adding the Second Stage Mutated Spider to the tally, his points would easily surpass a hundred. This was truly a generous gift. Killing this Mutated Spider could mean greater rewards than slaving away for half an hour. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These thoughts flashed through Chen Dalong¡¯s mind in an instant, and the next moment he roared out loud. ¡°Kill!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots rang out instantly as Chen Dalong pulled the trigger towards the Mutated Spider. At this moment, the others following behind Chen Dalong had gradually emerged from the thicket, and when they saw the situation here, they too were greatly shaken. But Chen Dalong¡¯s roar and gunfire served to quickly snap them out of their shock; almost reflexively they began shooting. The Second Stage Mutated Spider, extremely sensitive to danger, nearly moved the instant Chen Dalong raised his gun. With the few limbs it had left, it moved swiftly. At the same time, it shot out strands of web from its mouth, casting them over a distance of more than ten meters towards Chen Dalong and the others. It was also closing in rapidly, intending to bite and kill them. The counterattack of the Mutated Spider was initially effective. Two veterans who had just passed through the bushes didn¡¯t even have time to react before they were hit by the spiderweb and stuck to a nearby thicket, unable to move. However, as more and more people arrived, the gunfire became increasingly dense, soon forming a suppressive fire against the Mutated Spider. Especially when Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong arrived, their extremely precise marksmanship ensured that even if they couldn¡¯t hit vital spots, their shots landed on the body of the Mutated Spider. As the Mutated Spider accumulated more gunshot wounds, it felt the threat of death and attempted to flee. But by then it was too late; hit by multiple bullets, its speed had slowed down. Not just its escape, but even its reaction time had decreased. Under such circumstances, everyone¡¯s hit rate skyrocketed. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! After another round of gunfire, the Mutated Spider¡¯s body sported a dozen more bullet holes, dead beyond doubt. This time Chen Dalong didn¡¯t care about wasting bullets. With a grandiose wave of his arm, he exclaimed in high spirits, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Take this big fellow with us and exchange it for Military Merit Points.¡± Chapter 75 - 75 75 So Terrifying_1 ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75: So Terrifying!_1 Chapter 75: Chapter 75: So Terrifying!_1 After the battle ended, everyone heaved a long sigh of relief. The Mutated Spider they had just faced was truly terrifying. Among all the Mutated Beings they had encountered before, they had never seen one with such a fast reaction time and moving speed. In the midst of its rapid and irregular movements, even these retired soldiers found it difficult to aim and hit their target. Luckily, they had snipers in their team and, in the end, they still won. And, very fortunately, no one was injured. Even those two who were stuck to the trees by spider silk were just immobilized. As everyone relaxed and began to survey the battlefield, their feelings gradually turned to excitement. There was no helping it; their haul this time was incredibly rich. ¡°This Mutated Spider actually captured so many preys. I just counted, and there are at least 23 Mutated Bird Species here, not to mention the Mutated Insects, which number at least 100.¡± Red Hair couldn¡¯t help but remark. ¡°Heh, if we encounter more of these hunting kind of Mutated Beings afterward, it would be easy. We can just charge straight in and reap so many spoils.¡± Little Knife immediately chimed in. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what to say, then don¡¯t say anything. Didn¡¯t you see how dangerous it was just now? That Mutated Spider was just four or five meters from breaking into the crowd.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because that thing has a bit less defensive power. If it was one of those Mutated Wild Boars with thick skin and flesh, we might have ended up with dead people by now,¡± Red Hair said irritably. The two of them talked as they made their way through the spider webs, collecting the spoils of war. But to their surprise, collecting the spoils turned out to be harder than dealing with the Mutated Spider. The spider silk had stuck the preys so firmly that it usually took three adults teaming up to barely tear one prey off the web. And not only was the spider web extremely sticky, but it was also very elastic. When you tore the prey off, the silk would rebound left and right due to the pulling force. If one was not quick enough to dodge, they could get the prey down but end up stuck themselves. In the end, it was Chen Dalong who couldn¡¯t stand to watch anymore, or perhaps he was just impatient, and he personally started tearing the prey from the spider webs. At this moment, everyone truly witnessed just how strong Chen Dalong was. What they needed three people to barely accomplish, Chen Dalong could easily do with one hand. And given his various performances, anyone who wasn¡¯t foolish had a vague guess in their minds. Ten minutes later, Chen Dalong led the people out of the forest and back to Yunyang Highway. At this time, every person in the team was either carrying a Mutated Animal on their shoulder or hauling Mutated Insects in cloth bags. No one was idle. Especially Chen Dalong, who was walking at the front of the team, holding a Mutated Spider in one hand and dragging the largest Mutated Gray Goose with the other, creating an impactful visual. ¡­ Meanwhile, inside the command vehicle, Zhang Ji rubbed his forehead with a headache as he looked at the report in front of him. The dangers in the Donglin Mountain Range were clearly much higher than what the staff department had analyzed. In just over half an hour, those security companies had started to complain bitterly. Star Shield, Cheetah Security Company, Yan Huang, and Heiyao had all returned beaten and disheveled. All four of these security companies now had at least ten members with severe injuries. Yes, severe injuries. Those who were carried back, no longer able to take part in the upcoming fights. Even two security companies had casualties, with fatalities. One person died in Cheetah Security Company, and Heiyao Security Company, being less capable, suffered three deaths. As for minor injuries, those were even more numerous, with at least half of the staff in every security company falling into that category. It can be said that in just over half an hour, the competitive spirit these security companies once had was thoroughly crushed. And it wasn¡¯t just the security companies that were having a hard time, even the military forces sent out for cleanup operations were struggling significantly. Due to drones being shot down, the difficulty of searching for Mutated Beings increased two or threefold. During the search, they were constantly under attack from Mutated insects. After undergoing mutations, these insects became highly aggressive and showed no fear of humans. You might casually walk past a bush, and a Mutated Praying Mantis might leap out; if you didn¡¯t react in time, it could slash open a long wound on your leg with one swipe. Now, just over half an hour into the operation, all four hundred-person squads had already experienced serious injuries. Zhang Ji took a deep breath, suppressing various irritable thoughts in his mind, and said to Adjutant Zhao Zhong beside him, ¡°Go and talk some sense into those security company bosses again.¡± ¡°Tell them to change their combat style and to follow behind our troops later on. As for their desire for military honors, that¡¯s negotiable. We can increase the military accolades for killing Mutated insects. In any case, we won¡¯t let their efforts be in vain.¡± Zhao Zhong looked somewhat troubled, but still nodded, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± As he watched the man leave, Zhang Ji sighed again. He knew that such arrangements could only stabilize the situation temporarily, and gathering manpower meant the pace of the cleanup would slow down. It seemed unlikely that they would be able to complete the mission today unless they called for reinforcements now. But his Sixth Corps had already been assembled after much negotiation yesterday, barely scraping together the necessary operatives. After a brief silence, Zhang Ji approached the telephone at the side. He was already prepared for a scolding. Just as he picked up the handset and was about to dial, a messenger rushed in, flustered. ¡°Report! Mad Dragon Security Company has returned, and they¡­ they¡¯ve had a rich haul,¡± the messenger said excitedly. Zhang Ji¡¯s hand, poised to dial, stalled, and he turned around in surprise. His staff would contact each team every ten minutes to inquire about their status. Mad Dragon Security Company was one he paid special attention to, and he was familiar with their reports. Although they had been repeatedly assuring that everything was going smoothly, the definition of smooth is broad, so he had stopped paying much attention to it afterward. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, seeing the messenger¡¯s excited expression, a wave of anticipation stirred in his heart. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s have a look,¡± he said, putting down the handset and stepping out of the command vehicle. When he looked in the direction pointed out by the messenger, even though he was mentally prepared, he was momentarily stunned. It couldn¡¯t be helped, the sight of Chen Dalong¡¯s ¡°diminutive¡± figure, carrying a 3-meter-long Mutated Spider in one hand and dragging a 5-meter-long Mutated Bird in the other, was somewhat shocking. At that moment, four words involuntarily surfaced in his mind: Terrifying indeed! While thinking this, he quickly walked towards the scene. But a group of individuals were faster and more excited than him. With just a glance, he knew; they were the research personnel sent by the Yangcheng Research Institute. Chapter 76 - 76 76 Green with Envy_1 ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Green with Envy_1 Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Green with Envy_1 The military was launching its first large-scale incursion into Donglin Mountain Range to eliminate Mutated Beings. It was obvious that this eradication mission would yield a massive number of mutant corpses. Therefore, both Yangcheng Research Institute and the Mutant Management Bureau had sent people over specially. Naturally, the military welcomed this since it was a win-win situation. With these professionals on site, the task of identifying Mutated Beings could be entrusted to them. Compared to Zhang Ji, who cared more about whether the mission was completed, these accompanying researchers were only interested in what kind of Mutated Beings had been hunted. When the four security companies returned earlier, Zhang Ji was troubled, but the researchers were thrilled. For them, many of the Mutated insects brought back by the security companies were rare species. Therefore, they were even more expectant about the military team and Mad Dragon Security Company that hadn¡¯t returned yet. Their expectations weren¡¯t disappointed. When they saw members of Mad Dragon Security Company returning, each carrying a Mutated Being, the researchers rushed up as if they were on adrenaline. ¡°My God, that¡¯s a Mutated Spinning Sparrow, Mutated Silverbill, Mutated Great Tit, Mutated Mallard, and such a huge Mutated Greylag Goose¡ªhow did they capture so many of these elusive Mutated Bird Species?¡± exclaimed one excited researcher, gesturing wildly. ¡°Wow, there are so many Mutated insects too, what¡¯s this, a Mutated Dragon Louse? Awesome! We don¡¯t have such a specimen in the institute,¡± shouted another researcher jubilantly. At that moment, Professor Liu Zhi, who was in charge of leading the team, didn¡¯t bother with other Mutated Beings and went straight to Chen Dalong with his assistant. He looked at the Mutated Spider in Chen¡¯s hand as if it were a rare treasure. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What species of Spider is this? Why has it mutated so large? Quick, the Spirit Energy Detector!¡± he urged his assistant while examining the creature. The assistant promptly took out a precise instrument from his backpack and placed it on the Mutated Spider. Soon, when the value appeared on the device, the assistant excitedly said, ¡°Professor Liu, this is really a Second Order Creature, the first Second Order Mutated Spider we¡¯ve encountered.¡± Professor Liu Zhi was thrilled and said, ¡°Then quickly contact the logistics department there, have them ready a vehicle, and send it back to the institute immediately to be preserved using special equipment.¡± ¡°As long as we thoroughly research it, we can greatly advance our research achievements.¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Chen Dalong cleared his throat, interrupting him, ¡°Excuse me, I don¡¯t mind you taking it away, but you should settle the Military Merit Points, right?¡± Only then did Liu Zhi look at Chen Dalong and say somewhat apologetically, ¡°Sorry, I neglected that. On behalf of Yangcheng Research Institute, I thank you for your significant contribution to our research.¡± ¡°Besides, don¡¯t worry about the Military Merit Points¡ªit just so happens that it¡¯s tallied by our research institute and the Mutant Management Bureau together. I¡¯ll have someone calculate it for you right away.¡± Chen Dalong naturally had no objections to this, and was about to speak when he saw Zhang Ji, the team leader, approaching. Zhang Ji, upon his arrival, didn¡¯t look at the trophies brought back by Mad Dragon Security Company but scanned each security member, showing an expression of surprise and amazement on his face. ¡°You didn¡¯t have anyone seriously injured this time out?¡± Zhang Ji asked while observing. ¡°Seriously injured? One person was stung by a Mutated Venomous Scorpion, does he count?¡± inquired Chen Dalong. ¡°He counts! So that means only one person?¡± Zhang Ji said, somewhat emotional. ¡°Uh¡­ yes, what about it?¡± Chen Dalong asked. Zhang Ji didn¡¯t answer but continued to ask, ¡°Then how much area did you clear?¡± Chen Dalong could hear the anticipation in his tone. So he didn¡¯t play coy and took out his smartphone to open the map where he drew a circle. ¡°This area has already been cleared, so there are basically no dangerous mutated beings left,¡± Chen Dalong promptly said. ¡°Such a vast area!!!¡± Even though Zhang Ji had mentally prepared himself when he saw the mutated creatures that the other party had brought back, he still couldn¡¯t help but exclaim at this moment. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s all right!¡± Chen Dalong said modestly. ¡°It¡¯s not just all right, it¡¯s very good, The other four security companies combined haven¡¯t cleared as much ground as you have,¡± Zhang Ji praised without stinginess. If earlier he had any doubts about whether Chen Dalong was a superhuman, by now, he had none whatsoever. The Mad Dragon Security Company was just a startup, and although it had recruited some veterans who may not be inferior to the Heiyao Security Company, it simply couldn¡¯t compare to the top three ranked security companies. Yet now, with such a record of accomplishment and although it was unclear how they managed it, there was no doubt that all credit was due to Chen Dalong. Upon hearing Zhang Ji¡¯s words, Chen Dalong was somewhat astonished. ¡°Really? Are they that bad?¡± He nearly blurted out, but quickly coughed lightly and corrected himself, ¡°Cough! What I mean is, they aren¡¯t taking it seriously enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of not taking it seriously, they just lack the capability,¡± ¡°Apart from you, the other security companies have all suffered heavy casualties, Every outing ends with a dozen people being brought back lying down, and the ones with minor injuries make up the majority,¡± ¡°Really, if you don¡¯t have the diamond drill, don¡¯t take on jobs fit for porcelain work.¡± Toward the end, Zhang Ji also couldn¡¯t help but complain. Actually, this whole situation was set off by Chen Dalong¡¯s leading example. If it wasn¡¯t for him taking the lead to leave first, the other security companies might not have made such impulsive and reckless choices. But these were thoughts Zhang Ji could only keep to himself. There was no helping it; Chen Dalong and his company were just too competent, one company was worth more than the combined might of the other four. Whether they could successfully complete the clearing operation today really depended on how efficient the other party could be. By this time, more and more people were coming out of the vehicles at the temporary camp, and soon the staff from the Mutant Management Bureau and other security companies also arrived with expressions of astonishment and disbelief. Especially members from the top three security companies, they doubted if what they were seeing was real. Or perhaps, the place they went to wasn¡¯t the same location? You see, based on the paper figures, the strength of the Mad Dragon Security Company was only half that of theirs. But now, the number of mutated creatures brought back by the other party was at least three, no, at least five times theirs. All of this gave them a ridiculously absurd feeling. However, the course of events wouldn¡¯t swerve for anyone¡¯s will, they watched stupefied as the team from the Mutant Management Bureau and Yangcheng Research Institute worked together in tallying. They started with tallying the mutated insects, and after each bag of mutated insects was counted, a staff member would immediately announce the corresponding Military Merit Points on the spot. After these mutated insects had been tallied, the accumulated Military Merit Points of the Mad Dragon Security Company had reached 68 points. Such a figure made the bosses of Star Shield, Cheetah, and Yan Huang ¨C the other three security companies ¨C green with envy. Because the combined points of honor of their three companies didn¡¯t even match up to the mutated insects brought back by the opponent. And keep in mind, those mutated beings were the main source of Military Merit Points! ¡ª¡ª¨C Sorry for being late today, I will adjust it tomorrow. Chapter 77 - 77 77 Cooperation_1 ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Cooperation_1 Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Cooperation_1 At that moment, Wu Kun, the boss of Star Shield Security Company, Liu Guang, the boss of Cheetah Security Company, and Song Yuanlin, the boss of Yan Huang Security Company, exchanged glances, each seeing the wariness and helplessness in others¡¯ eyes. Originally, each of them had believed their biggest competitors to be each other. Even this competition had begun last night. But none of them had expected that now, an obscure company had suddenly taken the lead. Although Chen Dalong¡¯s Mad Dragon Security Company hadn¡¯t secured the final victory yet, anyone with eyes could see which security company was stronger. At this time, only Qin Yaowen of Heiyao Security Company managed to maintain a calm demeanor. His conversation with Chen Dalong before they set off resurfaced in his mind. The other party had not outright rejected collaborating with him, but merely wanted to take the initiative. Previously, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have agreed, but the shock of the past half hour was too great; out of 150 people from Heiyao Security Company, 15 were seriously injured, and 3 had died, which already exceeded a tenth of their forces. What¡¯s more terrifying was that despite such a huge sacrifice, they had only obtained 19 Military Merit Points. His previous plan to use this extermination mission to promote himself to Honorary Lieutenant could now be declared a bust. But now, as the saying goes, ¡°every cloud has a silver lining.¡± As long as he cooperated with Chen Dalong, he could at least get a share of the long-term major order from Red Star Tech. While everyone harbored their own schemes, the tallying of military merit points continued. There weren¡¯t many mutated beings in total ¡ª only 28, with the vast majority being mutated snakes and birds. Owing to the small number, the tallying process was quick, and before long the military merit points were calculated. They had obtained a total of 83 points, adding to the previous 68 points, the current military merit points now amounted to 151. When Chen Dalong heard the tally, his breathing became somewhat rushed. What was more significant was that the Level 2 Mutated Spider hadn¡¯t been tallied yet! At this time, Professor Liu Zhi stood before the Mutated Spider, speaking to the staff of the Mutant Management Bureau, ¡°This is a Second Stage Mutated Spider. You should also be aware of how terrifying Second Order Mutated Organisms are.¡± ¡°Moreover, I have found out that on its territory, Mad Dragon Security Company has obtained a large number of mutated beings as spoils of war, including the largest Mutated Greylag Goose.¡± ¡°Clearly, based on the danger level, it could at least rank within the top 50 of the danger list.¡± ¡°Normally, this Mutated Spider can be exchanged for 50 Military Merit Points. Now that the cleanup operation is being calculated at double the points, giving 100 points shouldn¡¯t be excessive, right, Team Leader Hua Rui?¡± Liu Zhi spoke at length, as he was securing benefits for Chen Dalong ¡ª the reason being, of course, he wanted the other party to work even harder to collect more mutated organism samples. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And as for whether the issuing of too many Military Merit Points would be a problem, that was a matter for the military, not his concern. His words caused many in the crowd to hold their breaths. The eyes of the three bosses¡ªWu Kun, Liu Guang, and Song Yuanlin¡ªreddened even more, Qin Yaowen forcibly suppressed the turbulence in his heart, trying to keep his expression nonchalant. As for Chen Dalong, he felt dry-mouthed and thirsty; at this moment, he found Liu Zhi exceptionally agreeable. Then his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Hua Rui, the team leader of the Mutant Management Bureau. ¡°Not excessive at all, it¡¯s justified,¡± Hua Rui replied directly. Although he felt that this mutated being was only worth 80 Military Merit Points, it wasn¡¯t his money to pay, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t dismiss Professor Liu Zhi¡¯s face. Standing aside, Zhang Ji opened his mouth, but ultimately considering Chen Dalong¡¯s identity as a superhuman and the capabilities he had displayed, he decided not to voice any opposition. After the military achievements were tallied, the total was 251 points. The forms were filled out and finally passed to Zhang Ji for his signature. Having made up his mind, Zhang Ji no longer hesitated and swiftly signed his name, also not forgetting to encourage Chen Dalong, ¡°You performed very well; I hope you can continue to excel.¡± ¡°Guaranteed to complete the mission!¡± Chen Dalong said loudly as if issuing a military decree. This attitude pleased Zhang Ji greatly. He then briefly inquired about the areas Chen Dalong planned to clear next. There was nothing to hide about these matters, and Chen Dalong told him directly. Soon Zhang Ji left. He had to adjust the combat plan, as Chen Dalong had become the biggest card in his hand. One security company from his side could match two hundred-man battalions with even fewer casualties. In this situation, he would accommodate the other party as much as possible. With the departure of Captain Zhang Ji, the atmosphere on the field suddenly became strange¡ªespecially for Wu Kun, Liu Guang, and Song Yuanlin, whose gazes towards Chen Dalong began to flicker subtly. According to their past styles, the sudden emergence of a strong rival might have led the three companies to join forces and suppress it. However, the current rival was too strong for even their combined forces to be certain of victory. More importantly, from the start, Zhang Ji¡¯s attitude towards Chen Dalong had been quite amicable, which left them somewhat confused. This restrained them from daring to use their overt or covert tactics. Given this situation, the only option they could think of was if you can¡¯t beat them, join them¡ªcollaborate with Mad Dragon Security Company. But they hadn¡¯t yet made up their minds when Qin Yaowen, who was beside them, stepped forward without hesitation. ¡°Chen, you are truly formidable! Bringing back so many mutated beings in one go¡ªI¡¯m stunned,¡± Qin Yaowen said with a smile on his face. ¡°Brother, I really didn¡¯t recognize a great man when I saw one. I don¡¯t know if you could give me a hand, but regarding our previous collaboration, we can follow your lead in everything,¡± Qin Yaowen said with a smile. His attitude was now many times more respectful than it had been initially. Chen Dalong frowned slightly; having personally experienced the power of the envoys¡¯ escort, he knew he didn¡¯t need any collaborators. Just as he was about to refuse, Lord Parrot¡¯s voice suddenly came through the Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°Agree to it.¡± The two had been on the call all this time, so Ye Feng could hear what was being said on Chen¡¯s end. Ye Feng didn¡¯t care whether the cake would be shared; money was of no importance to him, as he sought greater social influence. Having another security company work for him was undoubtedly a better choice. Hearing the Mutated Parrot say this, the words of refusal that Chen Dalong was about to utter were forcefully swallowed back. He immediately changed to, ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± Qin Yaowen was slightly taken aback; he had been ready to be severely exploited but had never expected the other party to agree so readily. ¡°Thank you, Chen. From now on, Heiyao Security Company will look to you for direction¡ªjust command me, and I¡¯ll do whatever you need,¡± Qin Yaowen immediately stated after coming to this realization. Chapter 78 - 78 78 Change of Mindset_1 ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Change of Mindset_1 Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Change of Mindset_1 ¡°Haha, this is easy to discuss, let¡¯s chat aside.¡± Chen Dalong laughed heartily, put his arm around Qin Yaowen¡¯s shoulder, and walked to the side. Once they reached the clearing, Chen Dalong listened to Lord Parrot¡¯s instructions through his earpiece while speaking frankly. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the strength of our Mad Dragon Security Company, and we are definitely going to develop vigorously. My goal is to replace Star Shield Security Company¡¯s position and become the undisputed strongest security company.¡± ¡°However, you also know how it is, blocking their money will surely trip us up. That¡¯s the reason I want to cooperate with you, you were previously in the top three security companies, so you must still have connections, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for much, just help me smooth over the troubles from the officials.¡± ¡°As for the profits from Red Star Tech, we won¡¯t let you down. When my Mad Dragon Security Company reaches the top, I will restore you to the top three positions.¡± Qin Yaowen knew that Chen Dalong was just painting a big pie, but he was still tempted. As long as half, no, even one-third of that big pie Chen painted could be realized, he could escape his current predicament. Although the status of Star Shining Security Company seemed strong now, with over 150 people and 30 firearms, it appeared to be one of the best. But only he knew, just to pull the company back up, he had sold all his assets and even accumulated a mountain of debt. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One could say, attending this extermination operation was a major gamble. His prior assessment of the risks in the Donglin Mountain Range had been totally wrong, and he had already lost that bet. But now, having boarded Chen Dalong¡¯s ship, he at least could secure a minimum guarantee and maybe even a chance to turn things around. ¡°I cannot thank you enough, from now on, whatever you say, I will follow,¡± Qin Yaowen said as he bowed deeply to Chen Dalong. ¡°Haha, no need to be so polite!¡± Chen Dalong said while helping him up, ¡°For now, there¡¯s nothing in particular you need to do. Just follow the military team later and help clear out the mutated insects as needed, and I¡¯ll call on you when the time comes.¡± Soon after their conversation ended, Chen Dalong returned. Meanwhile, still standing where they were, Wu Kun, Liu Guang, and Song Yuanlin came forward with smiles on their faces to greet him. ¡°Boss Chen, you are quite impressive. We have a business proposition for you and wonder if you have a moment to discuss it?¡± Wu Kun spoke on behalf of the others. As long as they struck a deal and met the higher-ups at Red Star Tech, they could kick Chen Dalong to the curb. But what happened next took them completely by surprise. Chen Dalong glanced at the three men, his gaze finally resting on Liu Guang from Cheetah Security Company, ¡°Boss Liu, if I recall correctly, before we set out, you said our company truly deserves to be called Mad Dragon, and that your company can¡¯t match us, right?¡± ¡°Well now, my answer is: you¡¯re right, you can¡¯t match us. Get lost.¡± With that, he left straight away, heading towards his own fleet of vehicles, leaving behind the three with darkened expressions. ¡°Hmph, so full of himself. Thinks he¡¯s something special just because he¡¯s got some power,¡± Liu Guang said, feeling his pride stung, with a cold snort. ¡°Right now, he indeed is something special,¡± Wu Kun remarked. Just as Liu Guang was about to lose his temper, he heard Wu Kun continue, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that this Mad Dragon Security Company used to run with gangsters!¡± ¡°As upstanding citizens, we have the duty to report to the authorities, how can we allow such a harmful element to continue in this industry!¡± Liu Guang and Song Yuanlin both perked up at this suggestion, their eyes lighting up; this move was like pulling the rug out from under someone! Chen Dalong was unaware of the trio¡¯s plotting, and even if he knew, he wouldn¡¯t care, as having Qin Yaowen on his side was just an extra precaution; more importantly, he relied on his ¡°superhuman¡± status. However, upon his return to the fleet, he was somewhat surprised to find Professor Liu Zhi waiting for him. ¡°Professor Liu, what brings you here?¡± Chen Dalong asked politely. He had a very good impression of the man. Just now, when assessing the military merit value for the mutated beings, Chen had noticed that Professor Liu slightly favored him. It wasn¡¯t just the last Second Stage mutated Spider, even with the other mutated beings that came before, Professor Liu and his group of researchers would intentionally, or unintentionally, quote a slightly higher price. Though each increase wasn¡¯t much, just an extra 0.5 or 1 point of military merit, these small amounts added up significantly, resulting in at least an extra twenty to thirty points. ¡°Haha, I do have a little matter for you.¡± Liu Zhi carefully took out a piece of cloth from his pocket, unfolded it, and inside it was coated with spider silk. ¡°I heard from your security company¡¯s employees that at the site where that Second Stage Mutated Spider was killed, there is a lot of this kind of spider silk. Can you help me collect it all and bring it back?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not for free. I am willing to offer 300,000 for the task. What do you say?¡± Liu Zhi asked with a face full of anticipation. ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± Chen Dalong agreed without hesitation. In fact, the price was not high for what was being asked. 300,000 might not be enough to motivate other security companies to make the trip. After all, setting aside those mutated beings, just the mutated insects alone are enough to cause a headache. If carelessness results in one or two people being seriously injured, with the medical costs deducted, it¡¯s questionable if there would be any profit at all. However, for Chen Dalong, this was but a task easily handled. More importantly, he hoped that the other party would continue to favor him when it came to tallying military exploits in the future. Once the terms were agreed upon, Chen Dalong gave everyone a 15-minute rest before setting out again with his team. It is worth mentioning that during this process, the four hundred-member squads that went out for extermination missions had also gradually returned. But the spoils they brought back were surprisingly less than Mad Dragon Security Company had acquired, instantly giving the other companies¡¯ bosses a deeper recognition of Mad Dragon Security Company¡¯s capabilities. In fact, not only were other people affected, the most shocked were the employees of Mad Dragon Security Company themselves. They truly didn¡¯t expect their own company to be so awesome. So when the 15-minute rest ended, there was no need for Chen Dalong to say much. Everyone lined up energetically, with a tremendous change in mindset. Seeing this scene, Chen Dalong also felt a bit emotional and sighed. ¡°Move out!¡± he shouted loudly, leading the way at the front. They first went to the place where the Mutated Spider had been killed and collected the spider silk, packing it into a special white plastic bag. Then they officially started a new round of extermination. Just like before, Chen Dalong, as if he had opened a third eye, directly headed to places where mutated beings were hiding. As long as they found mutated beings, with people and guns on their side, dealing with them was a matter of simply catching them. Moreover, with previous experience, the vigilance of the employees in the security company had undoubtedly increased, and the number of injuries had significantly decreased in the following actions. Half an hour later. Everyone was either shouldering a mutated being or carrying a bag of mutated insects. Another return loaded with spoils. ¡°Your 5 o¡¯clock direction, advance 200 meters and you¡¯ll see a grassland. There are five Mutated Gazelles there, the leader is a Second Stage one.¡± ¡°To prevent others from seeing an issue, I can¡¯t always injure them severely.¡± ¡°You need to make the first move. It will try to run away later. You break away from the others and chase it alone, and I¡¯ll help you handle it,¡± the voice of the Mutated Parrot came from the Bluetooth earpiece. Chen Dalong coughed lightly to show he understood, then after making a pretense of surveying the area seriously, he headed straight in the direction the Mutated Parrot had indicated. As for whether others would notice any issue, it doesn¡¯t matter. The three words ¡®superhuman powers¡¯ can explain everything. However, this time he approached with extra caution, also instructing everyone to lower their voices as much as possible. When everyone crossed a hillside, they saw the grassland below and the five Mutated Gazelles that were grazing. Many widened their eyes and held their breath when they saw this scene. Because the largest gazelle, standing 3 meters tall and 5 meters long, likely weighed two to three tons. Without a doubt, this was another creature that could make it onto the danger list. Chapter 79 - 79 79 The Knife-Wielding Big Yellow Dog_1 ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Knife-Wielding Big Yellow Dog_1 Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Knife-Wielding Big Yellow Dog_1 ¡°Prepare yourselves, that¡¯s our target for this mission,¡± Chen Dalong said in a lowered voice, his tone somewhat excited. Because the Mutated Gazelle was much larger than the Mutated Spider, it was expected to yield more military exploits based on size alone. Moreover, besides the Second Order Gazelle, the remaining four First Order Gazelles were also quite substantial in size. Although not quite a ton, they were each certainly over a thousand pounds. However, in contrast to Chen Dalong¡¯s excitement, the expressions on the faces of the rest of the team were much more cautious. ¡°Boss, is it too dangerous to take on this thing? If it runs faster than the Mutated Wild Boar, and if it charges into our formation¡­¡± Li Huosheng didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant. Even ordinary gazelles are fast runners, let alone Mutated Gazelles; if one were to charge with that size, it would likely be fatal upon impact. Everyone present could conceive of this, whether they had experienced the attacks of Mutated Wild Boars or Mutated Buffalos; an involuntary sense of dread surfaced on their faces. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t answer directly but analyzed, ¡°It took me about 100 bullets to kill the Mutated Wild Boar, and only a third of those were armor-piercing.¡± ¡°Considering the size of this Mutated Gazelle, its defensive power obviously isn¡¯t as strong. I reckon about 50 armor-piercing bullets should be enough to take it down.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s all take out some armor-piercing bullets and hand them to Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong. We¡¯ll have them use exclusively armor-piercing bullets for shooting, and with our coordinated firepower, there shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem.¡± As he spoke, his gaze inevitably drifted to Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong, the two snipers. After exchanging glances, Liu Wenhua said, ¡°We¡¯ve never seen its running speed, so we can¡¯t guarantee success.¡± ¡°But if its speed doesn¡¯t exceed twice that of the Mutated Spider, we are more than 70 percent sure we can take it down.¡± ¡°Okay, in that case, let¡¯s move out!¡± Chen Dalong declared instantly. The rest of the team quickly prepared, each finding their own shooting position. Chen Dalong joined Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong. Seeing them meticulously adjust their firearms, understanding their nervousness, he couldn¡¯t help but pat them on the shoulders. ¡°Relax, don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourselves. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯m still here. You probably have some guesses about my identity,¡± Chen Dalong reassured them, then lifted a large machete and moved to the forefront of the group. At that moment, there was an aura about him, as if one man were guarding a pass against ten thousand enemies. Watching his increasingly towering figure, everyone¡¯s confidence surged and their anxiety eased. But if someone could see Chen Dalong¡¯s face up close, they would notice that it too was tinged with nervousness. ¡°Lord Parrot, is this really going to be okay?¡± Chen Dalong asked in a hushed tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. You need to show your strength now; otherwise, how will you be able to pursue them convincingly later?¡± The composed voice of the Mutated Parrot sounded. Chen Dalong stopped overthinking it, took a deep breath, and slowly raised one hand. Upon seeing this gesture, everyone aimed their guns. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whoosh! The next instant, his arm dropped. Bang bang bang bang bang! An intense barrage of gunfire suddenly erupted in the woods. The unexpected ambush took the five Mutated Gazelles by complete surprise, and all of them were hit. The four First Order Gazelles fell into a pool of blood after the first volley of gunfire, each having been struck by four or five bullets. Even if they weren¡¯t dead, they had lost all mobility. But the Second Order Gazelle was different. It was targeted by at least half of the people, but after a round of shooting, it was hit only three times. In fact, the moment everyone fired, it seemed to have sensed the danger and moved rapidly. The mutated antelope, although massive in size, moved at a speed that was simply astounding, at least four or five times faster than the previously encountered mutated spider. It was like a sports car at full throttle. Just after a sidestep, it locked onto Chen Dalong and the others, charging straight at them. Bang bang bang bang bang! The gunfire continued, but the Second Order antelope was too fast, and it didn¡¯t move in a straight line. Instead, it kept changing direction, causing the bullets of most people to miss. Even though the bullet holes on its body were increasing, the distance between them was only about thirty to forty meters. Under these circumstances, it was simply impossible to take it down before it broke through their ranks. Chen Dalong¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat, his hand holding the blade was also trembling unconsciously. It was at this moment that Chen Dalong suddenly felt a chilling sensation make his hair stand on end. A terrifying presence emerged. But this aura was not emanating from the mutated antelope ¡ª it was coming from behind him. The moment this presence rose, the mutated antelope, as if encountering the most terrifying thing, stopped its frenzied charge instantly, whirled around, and fled desperately. ¡°Quick! Chase after it,¡± Chen Dalong had no time to relax before he heard the urging voice of the mutated parrot. Without the time to think, he took off at top speed, holding the knife in one hand and the gun in the other, and disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye. Behind the group, a giant king cobra over 50 meters in length was slowly making its retreat, leaving dead silence in its wake. On the other side, after a panicked dash for over two hundred meters, the mutated antelope passed by a bush, from which a gigantic mutated buffalo suddenly burst out. Caught off guard, it was knocked into the air and flew over a dozen meters. The antelope rolled over, got up, and fled in the other direction, but this delay allowed Chen Dalong to pull away from the others. Once Ye Feng, who had possessed the mutated parrot, was sure he wouldn¡¯t be discovered, he swooped down toward Chen Dalong. At the same time he said, ¡°Throw the knife over!¡± Seeing Lord Parrot, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t hesitate and threw the knife over, but after the mutated parrot caught the big knife, it threw it toward the bushes on the other side. Before the big knife hit the ground, a large yellow blur leaped out from the bushes, catching the handle of the knife in its mouth. Before Chen Dalong could clearly see what it was, the figure turned into a bolt of yellow lightning, vanishing from his sight in a flash. Chen Dalong paused slightly, but he didn¡¯t hesitate and chased after it. When he had rushed another two hundred or so meters, he witnessed a sight that shocked him. A big yellow dog was holding a large knife in its mouth, running around the mutated antelope at a terrifying speed. Each time it got close to the antelope, the big knife left a long gash on its body. By the time Chen Dalong arrived, the mutated antelope was already covered in knife wounds. At that moment, the big yellow dog seemed to glance at Chen Dalong. Its figure flashed again, leaping past the front of the mutated antelope. As it did so, the big knife in its mouth slashed across the antelope¡¯s throat. Thud! The mutated antelope finally could not hold on any longer and fell to the ground, dead. ¡ª¡ª¨C The next chapter may have to wait until tonight. I haven¡¯t saved any drafts, so when it gets busy, it¡¯s like this, sigh~ Chapter 80 - 80 80 Heart-to-Heart Talk_1 ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Heart-to-Heart Talk_1 Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Heart-to-Heart Talk_1 Chen Dalong stared in astonishment at the scene before him; never in his wildest dreams had he imagined a Big Yellow Dog wielding a sword. ¡°To help you, it¡¯s really quite troublesome. Originally, I could have bitten it to death with one bite, but now I have to hack it to death with a sword,¡± said the Mutated Parrot, flying down at this moment. Just as Chen Dalong was about to say something, he saw the Big Yellow Dog approaching with a sword in its mouth. Looking at the giant dog towering over him, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard, even though he knew it wouldn¡¯t hurt him. The Big Yellow Dog spat the sword out onto the ground, then barked a ¡°woof¡± at Chen Dalong. Chen Dalong managed a forced smile and awkwardly turned his head to look at the Mutated Parrot, ¡°Lord Parrot, could you please translate what the Dog Envoy has said?¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Woof!¡± Hearing this, the Big Yellow Dog barked again, baring its teeth. ¡°It says it¡¯s very dissatisfied with the title ¡®Dog Envoy,''¡± the Mutated Parrot relayed. Cold sweat instantly formed on Chen Dalong¡¯s forehead. What should he call it? Great Envoy? Yellow Envoy? Or Great Yellow Envoy? Fortunately, Chen Dalong was quick to react and respectfully called out, ¡°Great Envoy.¡± The Big Yellow Dog then nodded in satisfaction, and the Mutated Parrot added, ¡°Earlier, he was asking you how his swordsmanship was.¡± The flurry of moves just now had been performed by Ye Feng in possession of the Big Yellow Dog, and naturally, he wanted to hear others¡¯ opinions. Pity that dogs¡¯ paws can¡¯t hold swords, otherwise, he felt he could have showcased the Three Sword Style. ¡°Of course it was good¡ªit was simply superb, an unrivaled display of power!¡± Chen Dalong burst out with praise. ¡°Really? Then can you elaborate on what exactly was good about it?¡± the Mutated Parrot asked with keen interest. Chen Dalong¡¯s mind went blank. How could there be follow-up questions about details? He felt the sweat on his forehead about to break out again. But in a stroke of quick thinking, he immediately said, ¡°The best part of that swordsmanship is, of course, its ultimate speed¡ªafter all, in all of martial arts, speed is the essence!¡± Upon hearing this, the Mutated Parrot nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Well said!¡± Chen Dalong inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to say something, he looked up and both the Big Yellow Dog and Mutated Parrot had disappeared. Chen Dalong wanted to sit down and digest the spectacle he had just witnessed, but the situation didn¡¯t allow for it. He had to ¡°tie up loose ends¡± before others arrived. Picking up the large saber, he approached the dead Mutated Gazelle. First, he fired a dozen shots into its body with an automatic rifle, then stabbed a few vital areas with the saber, and finally, he smeared some fresh blood on his clothes. ¡°This should be about right,¡± he thought. After inspecting himself to make sure there were no mistakes, Chen Dalong decided to drag the Mutated Gazelle¡¯s body back. However, to his embarrassment, even with his current strength of over 800 pounds, he couldn¡¯t budge it. But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He simply sat on the corpse and waited. Before long, he could hear intermittent noises coming from the distant jungle, clearly someone was approaching, but not quickly and even with a tentative air. ¡°I¡¯m over here,¡± Chen Dalong shouted. Li Huosheng and the others, advancing cautiously, grew excited upon hearing the shout. ¡°The boss is over there, hurry up,¡± he said as he dropped the Mutated Rooster he was carrying and rushed over with his gun at top speed. The other armed members also quickly followed suit. Especially Liu Wenhua and the other retired soldiers with their superior physical strength, they ran the fastest. When they got close enough and no longer had trees for cover, they witnessed a sight they would never forget. They all had a clear understanding of how powerful a Mutated Gazelle was from their brief encounter; these battle-hardened veterans didn¡¯t doubt that if the Mutated Gazelle hadn¡¯t turned away at the crucial moment, more than half of their team would have perished. Although they didn¡¯t understand why the Mutated Gazelle chose to flee at the last moment or how Chen Dalong managed to chase it down, everything they had experienced still left them shaken to the core. According to their hopes, the best outcome would have been the mutated gazelle running away, with Chen Dalong returning safely. But at this moment, the huge mutated gazelle lay on the ground, covered in countless knife wounds, with almost no intact skin to be found. And Chen Dalong, this seemingly ¡°insignificant¡± human, was sitting nonchalantly on top of it. The visual shock of this scene was immense, leaving these military veterans at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Li Huosheng and the others who were slightly behind had also caught up, but their shock wasn¡¯t as great. After all, in their minds, after having killed a large wild boar yesterday, it seemed reasonable to kill another mutated gazelle today, didn¡¯t it? Instead of focusing on how Chen Dalong had killed the mutated gazelle, they were more concerned about whether he had been injured. ¡°Boss, are you alright?¡± Li Huosheng hurriedly rushed over to ask. ¡°I¡¯m fine, all this blood is from the mutated gazelle.¡± Chen Dalong waved his hand and looked at the others, loudly asking, ¡°Who has the ropes? Bring them out and tie this thing up, let¡¯s haul it back together.¡± Hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s arrangements, everyone started to move with smiles on their faces, their hearts bursting with joy. Killing the mutated gazelle was one thing, but what excited them the most was witnessing Chen Dalong¡¯s terrifying combat power. At this point, they were all excited about their bright future. As for those retired soldiers, they had also recovered from their shock by now. After a low discussion among themselves, Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong stepped forward to approach Chen Dalong. ¡°Boss, I want to ask, are you really a superhuman?¡± This time it was Xie Guanzhong who spoke. ¡°What if I am, what if I¡¯m not?¡± Chen Dalong asked with a smile. ¡°Uh¡­ well, doesn¡¯t the country have policies? It would benefit you; why don¡¯t you go?¡± Xie Guanzhong inquired. Instead of answering, Chen Dalong asked back, ¡°You all are from Yang City, right?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right.¡± They both nodded. ¡°Tell me, in times like these, how long can we remain at peace?¡± ¡°With these creatures mutating continuously, I guess a war is bound to break out sooner or later, and when that time comes, every place will be short-staffed.¡± ¡°I just want to stay and contribute more to my hometown. Don¡¯t you also want your family and friends to live a little safer?¡± ¡°Besides, as long as we are fighting these mutated beings, we are defending our home and country, so what does it matter where we are!¡± Every word from Chen Dalong struck a chord with the two men. They exchanged a look and suddenly both broke into smiles. They had come over to ask simply because they couldn¡¯t overcome the unease in their hearts, but now, having heard what Chen Dalong said, it was like an enlightenment. Right! As long as we¡¯re fighting against mutated beings, wherever we are, aren¡¯t we defending our home and country! While the few of them were talking, the others had already tied up the mutated gazelle, and now it was time to drag it back. It was, without a doubt, a major task. It took no fewer than 10 people, Chen Dalong included, to successfully drag the mutated gazelle. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t need to return by the same route; they just had to drag the mutated gazelle to the Yunyang Highway, 400 meters away, and then they could come with a truck to haul it back. Even so, it took them a full 20 minutes. Then they sent a group back to get the vehicle. It took nearly another 10 minutes just to get the mutated gazelle onto the truck. And when they returned to the temporary camp, it unsurprisingly caused another sensation. Chapter 81 - 81 81 Cooperation Achieved_1 ?Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Cooperation Achieved_1 Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Cooperation Achieved_1 The truck had just delivered the mutated gazelle¡¯s corpse back to the temporary camp, and instantly, a surging crowd had surrounded it. Rushing to the forefront were still Professor Liu Zhi and his team of researchers. ¡°My goodness, such a large mutated gazelle, and it¡¯s a specimen not present at the research institute, we¡¯ve hit the jackpot!¡± He exclaimed excitedly, but almost immediately, his eyebrows furrowed, ¡°Wait a minute, there shouldn¡¯t be any wild gazelles in our area, right?¡± ¡°Did these gazelles escape from a zoo, or have they migrated here?¡± If it was the former, that wouldn¡¯t be a big problem, but if it was the latter, then the situation would become troublesome. It meant that after mutating, these creatures could travel to farther areas, and humans would face even more complex challenges in the future. While Liu Zhi pondered these issues, higher-ups from the Mutant Management Bureau and the military had also arrived. Although Zhang Ji didn¡¯t praise openly, the look he gave Chen Dalong was more satisfied. This time, because the transportation of the mutated gazelle had taken a little longer, the military¡¯s four units had already returned ahead of time, and all the unit commanders had also gathered around, full of exclamations of astonishment. Although they had heard that Mad Dragon Security Company had killed a large number of mutated beings, by the time they returned, those mutated beings had been carted away. Seeing it with their own eyes this time had a decidedly greater impact on them. Even setting aside the mutated gazelle, just the sight of each member carrying mutated beings, and the bags of mutated insects in their hands, was proof of the team¡¯s strength. What¡¯s more important was that they had killed so many mutated beings, yet there were no seriously wounded in the team, and even the lightly wounded weren¡¯t that numerous. This made some of the unit commanders¡¯ faces redden with embarrassment, and after looking twice, they immediately went back, planning to give their subordinates a good talking-to. As more and more people gathered, representatives from other security companies were naturally drawn over. The expressions on Wu Kun, Liu Guang, and Song Yuanlin¡¯s faces were worse than before. The previous time, they could console themselves by thinking that the other party had just gotten lucky. But one time might be luck, the coincidence of it happening twice was almost zero. This made them increasingly wary of Mad Dragon Security Company. ¡°Let¡¯s go! With the strength that the other party has shown, we can¡¯t possibly engage in any tricks during this mission,¡± Wu Kun sighed lightly after just a glance. Some minor schemes might work when both parties were evenly matched, but when there¡¯s too great a disparity in strength, it was just asking for trouble. The other two didn¡¯t say much, but as they were about to leave, they spotted Sha Weiping, the representative from Red Star Tech, hurrying over towards them. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This made their expressions turn even uglier. The clearance mission had only just started, but the other party seemed to be about to make a decision! In fact, it was exactly as the three had guessed, Sha Weiping had the data of all the security companies in his hands. Previously, Mad Dragon Security Company had brought back so many mutated beings¡¯ corpses that he became a bit restless, but since it was only the beginning, he held back. But now, after their second clearance operation turned out to be such an overwhelming success, he didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. Such a security company was worth courting ahead of time. ¡°Hello! My name is Sha Weiping, I¡¯m a representative from Red Star Tech.¡± Arriving in front of Chen Dalong, Sha Weiping extended his palm with a smile. ¡°Hello! I¡¯ve heard so much about you.¡± Hearing the introduction, Chen Dalong quickly reached out, warmly shaking his hand. ¡°Haha, I won¡¯t dwell on pleasantries. Your Mad Dragon Security Company is very impressive. I was wondering if you¡¯d be interested in discussing a long-term cooperation agreement with Red Star Tech.¡± Sha Weiping got straight to the point. Chen Dalong had not expected such candor from the other side; he immediately replied, ¡°It would be my honor.¡± Soon, the two took a brief leave from there and got into the company car provided by Red Star Tech. Their conversation proceeded very smoothly; the terms set by Red Star Tech had already been prepared in advance. Now, the choice of which company to select was the only issue. Chen Dalong only glanced at the conditions and compensation before agreeing outright. It was nearly identical to what he had gathered from Qin Yaowen; this was indeed a long-term contract worth hundreds of millions of Huaxia Currency. The compensation was even better than he had anticipated, since the one hundred million Huaxia Currency was just the base salary, with bonus compensation on top. If Mad Dragon Security Company could transport the goods without any damage over the next month, Red Star Tech was willing to offer a bonus of another one hundred million Huaxia Currency, bringing the total to two hundred million. Of course, this was challenging, as any number of unforeseen incidents could occur over the span of a month. The second condition was what Chen Dalong was interested in: if the damage to the goods stayed below 5% over the month, there was a reward of fifty million Huaxia Currency. This reward seemed far more achievable, and Chen Dalong felt very confident that he could secure it. That would bring the total to one hundred and fifty million. Naturally, with rewards, there were also penalties: if the goods were damaged beyond 10%, Red Star Tech would unilaterally terminate the collaboration and demand compensation at 10% of the value of the damaged goods from Mad Dragon Security Company. Other security companies would have carefully considered this, as even a 10% penalty could represent tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of Huaxia Currency¡ªa significant sum indeed. But Chen Dalong accepted the terms without hesitation, reassured by the support of Lord Parrot, he had the confidence to do so. He even saw the potential for some shrewder maneuvers, such as personally handling the initial few shipments before passing the subsequent tasks over to Heiyao Security Company, then simply waiting to collect their dues. This way, he could free up time to take on other tasks, rather than being tied down to Red Star Tech indefinitely. The two reached a preliminary consensus; the specifics of the contract would be finalized after returning to the Security Association to make it effective. As Chen Dalong left the company car, his face was flush with a triumphant air. Upon exiting, he saw Qin Yaowen standing nearby. ¡°Chen, how did it go? Did the talk go smoothly?¡± Qin Yaowen quickly approached him and asked eagerly. To the uninformed, it might have seemed as though it was his security company negotiating a partnership with Red Star Tech. ¡°Rest assured, everything¡¯s settled,¡± said Chen Dalong. ¡°Then, Chen, about our earlier discussed partnership¡­¡± Qin Yaowen sounded somewhat anxious. His company hadn¡¯t contributed yet, and Mad Dragon Security Company had already successfully negotiated with Red Star Tech; they could kick him to the curb at any moment! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all good. We¡¯ll still need your help at Heiyao Company with the upcoming Red Star Tech escort mission,¡± said Chen Dalong, clapping him on the shoulder. ¡°Haha, you must be joking, Chen. Your Mad Dragon Security Company is so strong that¡­¡± Qin Yaowen¡¯s words were cut off halfway by Chen Dalong, ¡°I¡¯m serious¡­¡± Chen Dalong proceeded to explain his plan, leaving Qin Yaowen speechless. ¡°How does that sound? You know that in a regular partnership, if I can give your company twenty to thirty percent of the profits, that¡¯s already quite generous. But if you escort the goods, I can directly give you a fifty percent share. I¡¯m more than fair, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Chen Dalong said with a grin. Qin Yaowen was at a loss for words, having never met someone so brazenly shameless. Chapter 82 - 82 82 Ambition_1 ?Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Ambition_1 Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Ambition_1 Although Qin Yaowen had many complaints in his heart, the crux of the matter was not about the distribution of benefits but that they simply couldn¡¯t do it. So, Qin Yaowen straightforwardly said, ¡°Chen, you¡¯re overestimating us at Heiyao Security Company.¡± ¡°If we were to transport it alone, I really can¡¯t guarantee that we could deliver the goods safely. If any significant loss occurred, we would have to compensate¡­¡± Chen Dalong patted the other¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. For the first few trips, Mad Dragon Security Company will accompany you, trying our best to eliminate those hidden dangers.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°As for later, when you really have to carry out the mission alone, we¡¯ll provide you with enough weapons.¡± Qin Yaowen hesitated slightly, ¡°Enough weapons?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chen Dalong, with an arm around the other¡¯s shoulder, persuaded gently, ¡°As soon as I get promoted to Honorary Lieutenant, I can apply for 100 automatic rifles, plus 2 heavy machine guns.¡± ¡°At that time, I can lend you half of the weapons until you¡¯re promoted to Honorary Lieutenant. How does that sound? Fair enough, right?¡± With Dragon Lord¡¯s support, he didn¡¯t need many firearms for his missions. To reassure the other party and get them to work confidently, offering a significant number of firearms was essential. Hearing this, Qin Yaowen was somewhat startled¡ªnot so much by the number of firearms Chen Dalong was willing to offer him, but rather¡­ ¡°Chen, are you really confident that you can be directly promoted to Honorary Lieutenant?¡± Qin Yaowen asked in disbelief. To him, even becoming an Honorary Lieutenant seemed like a distant dream. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t answer directly but said with a smile, ¡°Professor Liu Zhi should be about finished tallying the Mutated Beings. Let¡¯s go over and see how many military merits we¡¯ve earned this time.¡± As they talked, they walked back, and before they even got there, they heard a burst of cheers in the distance. Then Li Huosheng came running over, shouting before he even arrived, ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got a total of 310 military merits this time.¡± Although Chen Dalong had anticipated that they¡¯d get more military merits this time than the last, he was still taken aback when he heard the actual number. As for Qin Yaowen, who was being embraced by Chen, he stood there in a daze. ¡°Look, Qin, I got 251 military merits on the first trip. Add the 310 from this time, and that¡¯s 561 military merits! An Honorary Lieutenant is already in the bag,¡± said Chen Dalong with a beaming smile. ¡°Next, as long as I earn another 939 military merits before the eradication mission is over, I can skip a rank and be directly promoted to Honorary Captain,¡± Chen continued cheerfully. Even if the efficiency of the hunts slows down, five or six more trips at most should seal the deal. It was only then that Qin Yaowen seemed to wake from a dream, taking a deep breath and saying earnestly to Chen Dalong, ¡°Alright! Chen, let¡¯s do it your way.¡± ¡°Oh, and my company hasn¡¯t turned in the Mutated Insects we brought back this time. We¡¯ve been waiting for your return. They might not be much, but please don¡¯t look down on them,¡± he added. It was the agreement from their previous cooperation: to pool the military merits earned by both companies and push all efforts to help Mad Dragon Security Company get promoted. Even though Mad Dragon Security Company didn¡¯t need his help now, Qin knew it was essential to show willingness. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t reject the offer, nodding his appreciation, ¡°Thanks for the thought.¡± Qin Yaowen immediately went to make arrangements, while Chen instructed Li Huosheng to handle the handover. As for himself, he went to a secluded corner. Only then did he lower his voice with some trepidation and said, ¡°Lord Parrot, assigning the escort mission from Red Star Tech to Heiyao Security Company was something I thought of on the spot. I didn¡¯t have time to report to you, please forgive me.¡± After saying that, Chen Dalong held his breath and concentrated, waiting for a reply. In fact, he could have reported earlier, he just did it on purpose. This was his subtle test. He was testing how much autonomy Lord Parrot would actually grant him. ¡°No problem, you can handle this kind of thing by yourself,¡± Mutated Parrot¡¯s voice soon came through the Bluetooth headset into his ears. Hearing these words, Chen Dalong excitedly clenched his fist. He had ambitions of his own. Although Lord Parrot had been quite good to him, the bird was still just a subordinate of the Dragon King. Chen Dalong wanted to climb higher in this organization, to gain more power. Compared to other envoys, he had a unique advantage: his human identity. No matter what the situation was in the future, humanity¡¯s dominant status remained unshakable at present. As long as he had enough autonomy, he was confident that he could create impressive achievements. As his status continued to improve, he would certainly gain the attention of the Dragon King. Perhaps in the future, he could sit on an equal footing with Mutated Parrot, or even surpass him. Ye Feng, naturally unaware of Chen Dalong¡¯s ambitions, would have surely given his encouragement if he had known. At the moment, Ye Feng was also busy, planning routes for the area Chen Dalong would clear next. This third clearing operation was different from the previous ones, for there were two mutated trees over 100 meters tall in this area, one willow and one poplar. Even when considering the entire Donglin Mountain Range, the degree of mutation of these two trees was nearly top-tier. Therefore, without any surprise, they became the test subjects chosen by Ye Feng. Before long, Chen Dalong received the information sent by Ye Feng. When he saw its content, his face couldn¡¯t help but show a touch of surprise. After thinking briefly, he walked toward Qin Yaowen. ¡°Boss, the count of mutated beings on their side is done, a total of 21 military merits,¡± said Li Huosheng, who was in charge of liaising, as Chen Dalong approached, his tone carrying a hint of disdain. This made Qin Yaowen¡¯s face a bit embarrassed; the military merits they had hardly compared to the haul of the Mad Dragon Security Company and could only be considered a modest addition. ¡°Okay, got it,¡± Chen said nonchalantly, then turned to Qin Yaowen and continued, ¡°Brother Qin, I need to trouble your Heiyao Security Company with a task later.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yaowen immediately perked up and eagerly replied, ¡°Haha, no trouble at all, just tell me what you need, Chen.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. Later on, I¡¯ll need your company¡¯s people to help us chop down trees.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about safety issues, we will clear the mutated beings in that area as thoroughly as possible beforehand,¡± Chen Dalong stated plainly. Chopping down trees over a hundred meters tall was one thing, but transporting them was an enormous task. One tree might take an hour or two of labor, and he didn¡¯t have that much time to spare. Such tasks, of course, should be left to Heiyao Security Company. Qin Yaowen: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 83 - 83 83 Puzzling_1 ?Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Puzzling_1 Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Puzzling_1 Hearing that he was needed to chop down trees, Qin Yaowen quickly thought of something and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Chen, is it a task from Professor Xu Liang of the Yangcheng Research Institute?¡± ¡°So, Xu Liang has also approached you?¡± Chen Dalong asked casually. ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Yaowen nodded and after a slight hesitation, he still spoke up, ¡°Brother, I actually feel that this deal is too unfavorable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad enough they want to sign a bet agreement, but they¡¯re not even going to pay right away. Although they say they¡¯ll pay 20 million all at once after the research is successful, it sounds tempting, but who can guarantee the research will definitely succeed?¡± ¡°And even if the research is successful, who knows how long it will take. They might say it will be completed soon, but I estimate it will take two to three months.¡± ¡°In the current situation, we can¡¯t afford to wait two to three months! These mutated beings have new changes every day, and two to three months ago, if I had this equipment, I probably could have walked around unchallenged.¡± Chen Dalong nodded, knowing that Qin Yaowen¡¯s analysis was very realistic. Even the conclusion that it would take two to three months to complete the research might have been obtained by calling upon his own contacts and specially asking around. But this was Lord Parrot¡¯s request, and it wasn¡¯t just about two to three months¡ª even if it took two to three years, he would still carry it out. Besides¡­ ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but what I want isn¡¯t the money,¡± Chen Dalong said with a smile. ¡°Not the money?¡± Qin Yaowen was somewhat surprised. ¡°Yep! I¡¯ve secured the exclusive patent authorization for Donghai Province,¡± Chen Dalong said with twinkling eyes. Qin Yaowen was at first stunned, but soon took in a cold breath. He knew about the Life Essence too, and if its ultimate effect was really that good, then securing exclusive authorization would mean a continuous gold mine! ¡°Chen, you really have great vision!¡± Qin Yaowen exclaimed, then said, ¡°Just let me know which trees you need me to chop, and I¡¯ll get it done.¡± ¡°No rush. As I said before, to ensure your safety, I still need to clear out the mutated beings from that area,¡± Chen Dalong said with a smile. Hearing again that the other party was concerned about safety, Qin Yaowen felt a touch of warmth in his heart, showing that the other side was truly considering their well-being. After a brief conversation, both parties went back to rest. After all, rest time after each return was not very long¡ª at most just about fifteen minutes. Before long, the military¡¯s four major squads set off again, and the security companies led by Qin Yaowen immediately followed. Chen Dalong was not in a hurry; he let his members have some food, rest up, and even lie down for a while. Half an hour later, he formally led the team out. After a sufficient rest, the team¡¯s speed increased noticeably once they set off again. This was not only due to the recovery of their physical strength but also because of the experience they had accumulated over the previous outings. When attacked by mutated insects, they no longer panicked. Even if they couldn¡¯t counterattack immediately, they had learned how to dodge or block attacks, minimizing injury. After all, everyone was wearing bulletproof vests, along with arm and leg guards. As long as they were careful, they could use these parts to fend off attacks and achieve ¡°no damage.¡± Seeing the change in the team, Chen couldn¡¯t help but show a smile on his face. Once this clearing operation was over, the team¡¯s combat capability would at least improve by one level. Then, everything proceeded methodically. In that area, mutated beings of larger size were found and killed one after another. The only difference was that Chen Dalong led his team to circle around the two hundred-meter-tall willow and poplar trees a few times, clearing as many mutated insects as possible. After the team left, Ye Feng would even have the Mutated King Cobra make a round there, leaving its scent behind. This directly turned the area around those giant trees into a no-go zone for mutated insects. On this trip, Chen¡¯s group only took a little over forty minutes to return to the temporary campsite. But the mutated beings they brought back were not few in number, and there was even a Second Stage Mutated Ringed Snake among them. ¡°Impressive! How do you do it? Every time you come back with a Second Stage Mutated Creature,¡± Liu Zhi remarked. Usually, even if the Mutant Management Bureau sends out a specialized hunting team, and they¡¯re unlucky, they might not be able to kill a Second Order Mutated Creature in a day or two. After all, the intelligence of a Second Order Mutated Creature is not low, and if they can¡¯t win, they will flee. But at Chen Dalong¡¯s place, it was as if he was running a wholesale business. In just half a day, he had secured three different ones. ¡°Actually, if you search carefully, you can almost always find a Second Order Mutated Creature in each relatively stable area,¡± ¡°It¡¯s only when a powerful Mutated Being appears in an area that it can create sufficient deterrence to gradually stabilize that area,¡± said Chen Dalong. ¡°Boss Chen, I didn¡¯t expect you to have researched this, too. We just have theoretical research, but it¡¯s not yet confirmed.¡± ¡°Do you think that if this continues to develop, a new ecology will form?¡± Liu Zhi inquired. Chen Dalong didn¡¯t expect the other party to engage in such an academic discussion with him. Clearing his throat, he said, ¡°Professor Liu, these things I do not understand. I¡¯m just stating what I¡¯ve observed, please help me settle the accounts.¡± Liu Zhi felt slightly disappointed, but quickly got his researchers to start their work. Before long, the Military Merit Points were tallied up, 235 points. Even though it was the smallest haul this time, it still trounced other security companies. This scene also made Captain Zhang Ji¡¯s eyelids twitch. Fortunately, the highest military rank available for conversion was currently only up to Honorary Captain. Otherwise, after one cleaning mission, Chen Dalong¡¯s rank could have been on par with his own, which was not impossible. Not long after Mad Dragon Security Company had finished tallying their merits, military teams began to return one after another, and naturally, the other security companies followed suit. Qin Yaowen¡¯s security company had just returned when they were immediately pulled aside by Chen Dalong¡¯s team. ¡°Leave two injured brothers here to assist with tallying the Military Merit Points. Take the rest and come with us,¡± Chen Dalong instructed. ¡°Okay!¡± Qin Yaowen was well-prepared and had already briefed the others. As Chen Dalong spoke, the two teams sprang into action once again. The Mad Dragon Security Company was now the center of attention, and the unusual actions of these two companies naturally caught everyone¡¯s eye. The Mad Dragon Security Company, besides taking up arms, also took a large number of tools from the truck. Especially when everyone was seen carrying a car wheel, it left everyone puzzled. The bosses of the three major companies gathered again, and Liu Guang couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What do you think they¡¯re doing? It can¡¯t be that they found a gold mine, can it?¡± ¡°What are you thinking? It¡¯s been so many years since the country was founded, how could there still be undiscovered gold mines? I think it¡¯s more likely that they¡¯re tomb raiding,¡± theorized Song Yuanlin. Wu Kun rolled his eyes, ¡°Could your guesses be any more reliable?¡± After hearing that, Liu Guang immediately got irritated and shot back, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you come up with a couple of plausible guesses?¡± Wu Kun glanced at the other two and said, ¡°The most likely explanation is that the military has assigned some special mission.¡± ¡°Special mission?¡± The two looked at each other and both felt that this guess was closest to reality. ¡°Captain Zhang Ji is being too unfair. Are we not even given a chance for fair competition now?¡± muttered Liu Guang. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhang Ji, who had just been labeled as unfair, suddenly sneezed. ¡°Who¡¯s talking about me.¡± He murmured to himself and then turned to his side to ask Adjutant Zhao Zhong, ¡°Those two companies, they really didn¡¯t report what they¡¯re going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked, they didn¡¯t,¡± Zhao Zhong immediately replied, then asked, ¡°Should I send someone to follow up and ask?¡± ¡°Forget it, that¡¯s too much trouble; we¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Zhang Ji waved it off, anticipating somewhat, ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll bring me another surprise.¡± Chapter 84 - 84 84 Logging_1 ?Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Logging_1 Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Logging_1 The Chen Dalong who was the subject of everyone¡¯s discussion was currently blazing a trail, not metaphorically, but in the literal sense. Chen Dalong was leading at the front, and each swing of his large knife severed a great swath of weeds or brambles. It was not just him doing this; the people following behind were doing the same. The others were responsible for cutting down the weeds that hadn¡¯t been thoroughly cleared, thereby widening the path further. In the process, they inevitably faced attacks from mutated insects, but this path had already been taken once, leaving at most only a fifth of the insects they encountered before. This was definitely easier for the whole team, but for Chen Dalong taking the lead, the mutated insects attacking him were anything but scarce. For he was stirring up the hornet¡¯s nest¡ªas the undergrowth was cleared, the otherwise possibly hidden insects that wouldn¡¯t attack now unsurprisingly launched their assaults. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet, facing the attacks of these mutated insects, Chen Dalong either chopped, slapped or stomped, effortlessly killing them. This scene had become commonplace for the members of the Mad Dragon Security Company. But for Qin Yaowen and the people from the Heiyao Security Company following behind, it was nothing short of mind-blowing. ¡°Gulp!¡± Qin Yaowen couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva, and it was at this moment he finally realized why the Mad Dragon Security Company could always bring back so many mutated beings. Having understood this, however, he was left with an even greater puzzle¡ªjust how did Chen Dalong achieve this? ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Chen Dalong suddenly spoke up, snapping everyone out of their advancement. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived so soon?¡± Qin Yaowen glanced at his watch, unable to help but remark. They had just walked approximately 400 meters, a distance that obviously wouldn¡¯t count for much in a city. However, there were no roads in the Donglin Mountain Range, and with the constant threat of mutated being attacks, 400 meters was a considerable distance. Yet, they had arrived in 5 minutes, and only one member had suffered a minor injury during the entire journey. If the Heiyao Security Company had made this trip alone, it would have taken at least 15 minutes, not to mention the number of members with minor injuries would probably not be less than five or six. Of course, such musings were fleeting, and Qin Yaowen immediately directed his company¡¯s members to help out. Felling a hundred-meter-tall giant tree was not difficult, but the real challenge lay in how to transport the lumber out. Thankfully, Chen Dalong had come well-prepared, bringing along tools to make flatbed carts. This was also the reason why each member had carried at least one wheel over, while other materials could be sourced locally. As the chainsaws roared into action, trees fell one after another, then were cut into planks and sticks, and so on. Some were in charge of cutting, others assembling, and with the help of over two hundred people, the assembly work sped along rapidly. It¡¯s worth mentioning that even in such a situation, Chen Dalong still displayed strength that left others in the dust. Assembling a simple flatbed cart mostly required planks, and even with chainsaws, it took everyone else twenty or thirty seconds to cut a single plank. But for Chen Dalong, it was a matter of one slice. Watching Chen Dalong cut planks was like watching someone else chop firewood; a lift of his hand and a swing of his blade, and a plank appeared. Additionally, his precision and steady hand ensured that the planks were nearly identical in size, which left Qin Yaowen beside him utterly astounded. By this time, even if he was slow on the uptake, he could tell something was off. This had already gone beyond what normal humans could do. And the non-humans of the current era all shared the same term: superhumans. After considering this possibility, Qin Yaowen secretly swallowed his saliva, then excitement ensued. If the pie in the sky that Chen Dalong had painted for him before seemed to hold at most a twenty to thirty percent chance of success, now that probability had shot up to seventy to eighty percent. With the concerted efforts of over two hundred people, it took just half an hour to assemble fifty flatbed carts. Although these flatbed carts were somewhat ugly, and not necessarily even level¡ªand their quality was an unknown factor¡ª none of that mattered. As long as they could make it through today, or even just get these two giant trees onto the highway, that would suffice. Next came the felling. Over a dozen chainsaws got to work simultaneously, and soon the giant trees were toppled. Then began the job of dividing and transporting them. The trunks were relatively easy to deal with; they just needed to be cut into sections. But the branches and leaves required a bit more time; they had to be chopped off, then bundled together like firewood. After another tumultuous ten minutes, they had managed to load all fifty flatbed carts, but this was merely one third of the entire poplar tree. ¡°Brother Qin, the rest is up to you. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems, right?¡± Chen Dalong inquired. ¡°No problem at all. The mutated insects in the area have been thoroughly cleared. If we can¡¯t handle things under these circumstances, then we really have no excuses,¡± Qin Yaowen assured him, patting his chest. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back then!¡± Chen Dalong nodded. Soon, the sizable convoy began to make their way back. Since the road had already been cleared once, pushing the flatbed carts was not too arduous. Most importantly, the distance was not far, just over four hundred meters. Even so, two of the flatbed carts encountered problems. Fortunately, there was no great skill involved in making these flatbed carts. As long as the wheels were not damaged, any other parts could be easily patched up. Wherever a problem arose, a few extra nails were hammered in for reinforcement. Before long, the group had arrived back at Yunyang Highway. At that moment, Chen Dalong felt a touch disoriented. Previously, he had risked his life twice for a few hundred pounds of mutated plants and had failed to secure them. But now, he was able to obtain several tons of wood with ease. The contrast between then and now was stark. He quickly adjusted his mood and then called for ten trucks to load up the timber. The capacity of these trucks was far beyond that of the flatbed carts; the wood hauled by fifty flatbed carts filled only five trucks. Therefore, Qin Yaowen and his team needed to make another trip. As for Chen Dalong, he led the remaining members of the Mad Dragon Security Company, along with the five trucks full of timber, back to the temporary camp. This time, they once again caused a sensation. In fact, the repeated success of the Mad Dragon Security Company in bringing back a massive haul of mutated beings had already raised everyone¡¯s expectations considerably. Furthermore, given the secretive nature of the company¡¯s departure, even if the number of mutated beings they brought back doubled, people wouldn¡¯t have been overly surprised. However, when they saw the five trucks loaded with timber arriving, everyone began to wonder if they were experiencing an hallucination. The area around Yang City was rich with forests, a city blessed with abundant natural resources. Timber was certainly not scarce, and its price was quite low. Under such circumstances, who would bother to travel all the way to the Donglin Mountain Range to cut down trees? This was simply absurd, especially at such a critical moment. ¡°Comrade Chen Dalong, if you needed timber, you only had to say so. I could have directly arranged for the military logistics department to allocate a batch to you. Right now, our main focus should be on eradicating the mutated beings,¡± Zhang Ji said gravely as he promptly arrived on the scene. If Chen Dalong decided to shirk his duties, today¡¯s goal of clearing out the mutated beings would definitely not be fulfilled. Chapter 85 - 85 85 Rank No. 2 Mutated Wolf King_1 ?Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Rank No. 2: Mutated Wolf King_1 Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Rank No. 2: Mutated Wolf King_1 Chen Dalong had not expected such an intense reaction from Zhang Ji. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Captain Zhang Ji, this is not ordinary timber, but highly mutated poplar trees reaching a hundred meters tall. They¡¯re for Professor Xu Liang¡¯s research team at Yang City Research Institute, for their research purposes.¡± ¡°If they can truly create the Life Essence they¡¯re researching, it would be a tremendous contribution to humanity.¡± Hearing Chen Dalong invoke the greater good for humanity, Zhang Ji was suddenly at a loss for words. ¡°How about this, research isn¡¯t a day or two¡¯s affair; after we finish today¡¯s clearing operation, tomorrow I¡¯ll allocate a battalion to accompany you into the mountains for lumbering,¡± Zhang Ji offered as a compromise. ¡°Cough! No need,¡± said Chen Dalong. To avoid any misunderstanding, he specifically clarified, ¡°What I mean is, a single trip by our Mad Dragon Security Company will suffice; subsequent work will be handled by Heiyao Security Company.¡± Hearing this, Zhang Ji was truly relieved. Compared to Mad Dragon Security Company, the other security companies were a bit of a non-issue, and having them chop down trees was not a big deal. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s good then. It¡¯s almost noon; how about joining me for a simple meal?¡± Zhang Ji invited. ¡°Sure, a meal will let the boys relax properly. After they¡¯ve rested, I¡¯ll lead them to clear two areas in one go,¡± Chen Dalong reassured Zhang Ji. With this, the smile on Zhang Ji¡¯s face grew even warmer. He didn¡¯t just include Chen Dalong in the invitation but also all the combatants from Mad Dragon Security Company, preparing officer meals for them. In the military, this kind of treatment was only available to squad leaders. No doubt, it was much better than the dry rations they brought with them. As news spread, it quickly reached the ears of the three major security companies. Everyone started talking, and the three bosses also expressed their opinions. Liu Guang felt that Chen Dalong was wasting time. Song Yuanlin, on the other hand, thought that the other party was only wasting a bit of time, and afterward could potentially gain 20 million, which seemed like a good deal. However, for them, this was just a bit of gossip. Although 20 million was not a small amount, if it was uncertain when that money would be available, then it was a different matter entirely. Considering the speed of these creatures¡¯ mutations, in two or three months, 20 million Huaxia currency might not be as important as 20 automatic rifles. Chen Dalong knew full well that many people were watching him, but he didn¡¯t care in the slightest. At that moment, he boarded the command vehicle for the first time at Zhang Ji¡¯s invitation. He immediately saw the large map on the command platform, where several areas of the Donglin Mountain Range were marked with green arrows, indicating the regions that had been cleared. The most difficult central region was being cleared at the fastest pace, with half of it already done. ¡°If we go by the current progress, by 4 pm, we should have the central region cleared. Then, the troops will split into two groups to provide support to the front and back regions,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll aim to finish all clearing operations before the sun sets, as the danger significantly increases here at night,¡± Zhang Ji added. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. If it is before 4 pm, the area can be left to our Mad Dragon Security Company,¡± Chen Dalong said while drawing a circle on the map with his finger. The area he circled almost covered a third of the remaining region, which was also the clearing zone arranged by Lord Parrot for him. ¡°No problem?¡± asked Zhang Ji. ¡°Yeah! It should be fine. After a morning of teamwork, the members of my company have made significant progress, and the speed can be increased further,¡± Chen Dalong said with confidence. This made Zhang Ji smack his lips, wondering how much quicker the clearing speed could be if Chen Dalong were recruited into the military and given an Elite Squad. Of course, he was just thinking about it. Such matters were beyond his control, and once Chen Dalong entered the army as a Superhuman, he was beyond his command as well. At this moment, a member of the logistics department brought up their meal: spiced beef, Kung Pao chicken, fish head with chopped chili peppers, and a dish of hand-torn cabbage. In the wilderness, a meal like this was truly extraordinary. Chen Dalong ate happily, and the conversation between them was pleasant, but the pleasant atmosphere didn¡¯t last long. They had just started eating for less than five minutes when an alarm next to the central control console suddenly went off. On the screen map, a dangerous signal was marked in a certain area ahead. Right after that, the communication device also started to ring with a ding-ding sound. This sudden turn of events caused Chen Dalong¡¯s heart to skip a beat. Clearly, something big was about to happen. Zhang Ji on the other side reacted very swiftly. Almost the moment the communication device rang, he answered it and asked in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhang Ji couldn¡¯t help but curse after listening for a moment, ¡°Damn! How could the Mutated Wolf King be there and even dare to lead a wolf pack to attack us?¡± He only let off a single grumble before he continued to listen to the other party¡¯s report. ¡°Alright, I got it. We¡¯ll arrange for fire support immediately. Inform them to prepare for laser guidance,¡± Zhang Ji said before hanging up the communication, then he picked up the walkie-talkie and quickly issued orders. Chen Dalong, sitting quietly to the side, knew very well that he couldn¡¯t intervene in this kind of matter. The best he could do was not to get in the way. At the same time, he was processing the information he had heard: a team in the region ahead had been attacked by the Mutated Wolf King. And it had caused significant losses. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Wolf King mentioned by them was, he estimated, most likely the second-ranked Mutated Wolf King on the danger list. Ordinary Mutated Wild Wolves couldn¡¯t possibly have such strength. ¡°A hundred-man squad couldn¡¯t hold out. Are the mutated beings at the top of the danger list really that terrifying?¡± Chen Dalong muttered to himself. But his attention was quickly diverted as one of the armoured vehicles in the convoy opened its top armour plate. Following that, a launcher rose slowly, equipped with two ¡®Reaper¡¯ missiles, each 3 meters long, 26 centimeters in diameter, and weighing 80 kilograms. At that moment, Zhang Ji¡¯s walkie-talkie rang again, ¡°Missile squad has locked onto the target area, request permission to launch.¡± ¡°Fire!¡± Zhang Ji immediately gave the command. Whoosh! Whoosh! The two small, guided missiles were launched instantly and disappeared from Chen Dalong¡¯s view in the blink of an eye. Just a few seconds later, thunderous explosions echoed from the distant woods. Zhang Ji walked over to the communication device and waited quietly. The communication device rang soon after, and he immediately answered. Chen Dalong pricked up his ears and focused, faintly making out the report coming from the other side. ¡°Target not fully hit¡­ injury status unclear¡­ wolf pack suffered heavy casualties, temporarily retreated¡­ awaiting instructions,¡± came the intermittent report. Hearing the broken report, Chen Dalong¡¯s eyes widened in shock, barely stopping himself from swearing out loud. Although only small missiles had been launched, he hadn¡¯t expected the Mutated Wolf King to escape. After a few seconds of silence, Zhang Ji said, ¡°Tell Captain Zhang Haifeng, if he is confident he can kill the Mutated Wolf King, then pursue it. I can provide another 8 ¡®Reaper¡¯ missiles for long-range strikes.¡± ¡°But if he¡¯s not certain he can kill the Wolf King, do not pursue the wolf pack, and retreat immediately,¡± he continued. ¡°A lone wolf without the hindrance of a pack is only more dangerous to us,¡± he concluded. Chapter 86 - 86 86 Dragon Lord is Interested_1 ?Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Dragon Lord is Interested_1 Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Dragon Lord is Interested_1 Zhang Ji finished speaking and waited for a moment before the other side replied. After listening, Zhang Ji sighed softly and ended the communication. ¡°How did it go, Captain Zhang? No luck?¡± Chen Dalong, seeing the conversation had ended, couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°No use, the Mutated Wolf King is too fast, and it has an extremely keen intuition for danger. Bullets can hardly hit it, let alone missiles.¡± ¡°As long as the hits aren¡¯t precise, given the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s defensive power, the shockwave from these small missiles can hardly inflict significant damage. Unless we utilize medium or larger ones¡­¡± At this point, Zhang Ji couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, ¡°If we really use missiles of that level, it¡¯s not just the Mutated Wolf King that¡¯ll be destroyed, the entire Fifth Brigade would be done for.¡± Hearing what Zhang Ji said, Chen Dalong felt an especially complex mix of emotions. He didn¡¯t know whether to be happy about the strength of the mutated creatures or to mourn the decline of human weaponry. Just then, the voice of Lord Parrot came through his Bluetooth headset, ¡°Go and find out which direction the Mutated Wolf King has fled.¡± ¡°It must have reached Third Order, I think the Dragon Lord would be interested in taking it as a messenger.¡± Chen Dalong felt a jolt of electricity rise from his tailbone to his brain, sending a shiver through his body. There was no way around it, such news was too exciting for him. A Mutated Wolf King that even small missiles couldn¡¯t kill, was about to be taken under the Dragon Lord¡¯s command. In the future, when he was on a mission, it might very well be the one protecting him. Chen Dalong forcefully suppressed the various thoughts in his mind. His face showed worry as he asked, ¡°Captain Zhang, which direction did the Mutated Wolf King escape? Should we make preparations to prevent it from coming back to attack?¡± Zhang Ji pondered briefly before answering, ¡°It fled to the south. Although the Mutated Wolf King isn¡¯t dead, it must be injured and has escaped deep into the mountains. For the time being, the likelihood of it returning for revenge is not significant.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s possible that it might retaliate against the convoys passing by at a later time. We should still find a way to deal with it.¡± As he said this, Zhang Ji also felt a headache coming on. If the situation wasn¡¯t handled well, there would definitely be big trouble later on. The voice of Lord Parrot came through the Bluetooth headset again, ¡°Next, I will lead the other messengers in pursuit of the Mutated Wolf King. Until I return, your security company is to stay put.¡± Chen Dalong gave a light cough to signal his understanding. The two of them hastily finished their lunch and then Zhang Ji led the command vehicle and a group of logistics personnel towards the front area. He was going there to take command in person. As for this location, Adjutant Zhao Zhong who was left behind would be in charge. Such a major event naturally sparked discussion among the major security companies. Even Qin Yaowen, who had just finished transporting the second batch of wood and followed the convoy back, immediately started inquiring about the situation. However, Chen Dalong wasn¡¯t interested in discussing or speculating with everyone. To find out, he¡¯d just wait for Lord Parrot to return, and everything would be clear then. So he started arranging for the transportation of the mutated poplar trees back to the Yang City Research Institute. Although the highway area of Donglin Mountain Range had been cleared and was now relatively safe, he still planned to arrange for an escort, just to be on the safe side. But the Mad Dragon Security Company was already short on people, so after discussing with Qin Yaowen, they ultimately decided to entrust the task to the Heiyao Security Company. He only assigned Li Huosheng to go there, for easier liaison with Professor Xu Liang. ¡­ While Chen Dalong was busy with these arrangements, Ye Feng was already directing the Flying Squadron to head straight to the recent battlefield. It wasn¡¯t just the Flying Squadron; under his command, the ground troops were also advancing quickly. However, compared to the Flying Squadron, the ground troops had to avoid the military and security company personnel, which was a bit troublesome. Of course, these were minor issues. As long as they could find the Mutated Wolf King, there was no way it could escape. For this purpose, he directly possessed the Mutated Sparrow, then had the Mutated Sparrow stand on the back of the Mutated Eagle, proceeding at the fastest speed. What made him slightly regretful was that the loyalty of the Mutated Eagle was only 95%, preventing possession; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be so much trouble. In just a few minutes, the Mutated Eagle had already reached the high skies of the battlefield, then slowed down and began to search starting from the south side. Besides the aerial search, there was also activity on the ground. The fastest, the Big Yellow Dog, was only two minutes slower than the Mutated Eagle and soon arrived at the battlefield. Then, following the scent of fresh blood, it rapidly tracked the scent. But the Mutated Wolf Pack was indeed quick; it took nearly 2 kilometers of chasing for the Big Yellow Dog to find them by a pond deep in the Donglin Mountain Range. A giant white wolf nearly 5 meters tall was standing by the lake, grooming its fur. At the moment, its snow-white fur was slightly scorched, clearly a result of the aftermath of a small missile blast. But that was only the fur; not many bullet holes could be seen on its body, and its breath was still strong. For the Mutated Wolf King, this was probably no more than a light injury. ¡°True to being a Third Order Mutated Creature, if it wasn¡¯t for the wolf pack, it probably wouldn¡¯t even need to flee,¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but remark. The initial number of the wolf pack was unclear, but now, there were only 15 wolves left. Among these 15 Mutated Wild Wolves, amazingly, 7 had reached the Second Stage; such a ratio was rather alarmingly high. Fortunately, their injuries were very severe. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Otherwise, one Third Order Mutated Wolf King leading 7 Second Stage Mutated Wild Wolves would have been a challenge for Ye Feng, and even if he could subdue them, his side would definitely suffer heavy casualties. However, it was no surprise that Second Order Mutated Creatures couldn¡¯t withstand armor-piercing rounds, let alone small missiles. Being hit by the shockwave of an explosion and not dying was already a stroke of great fortune. As for those First Order Mutated Wild Wolves, their fate could be described as tragic, given that even a stray shrapnel from a missile could end their lives. The most severely injured Mutated Wild Wolf had its abdomen torn open with its intestines visible ¨C had it not been a mutated being, it would likely have died on the spot. But now, it was simply clinging on; unless it could receive a large amount of Spiritual Energy for healing, death was just a matter of time. After observing for a moment, Ye Feng concluded: subduing all of them wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Indeed, Ye Feng didn¡¯t plan to subdue just one Mutated Wolf King; he intended to subdue the entire wolf pack to form sufficient combat power. After all, those Second Stage Mutated Wild Wolves had broken through on their own and clearly belonged to the category with ¡°exceptional talent.¡± They were definitely worth cultivating. While pondering these thoughts, Ye Feng controlled the Mutated Eagle to slowly land on a tree. The Mutated Wolf King, which had been grooming its fur, immediately sensed danger and looked over, even issuing a wolf howl. But the Mutated Eagle remained unmoved, and the two stood at an impasse. The Mutated Wolf King instinctively felt uneasy and wanted to lead the wolf pack away. However, seeing some of the severely injured Mutated Wild Wolves unable to move, it had no choice but to stay behind and continue the standoff with the Mutated Eagle. When a threat is made evident and you¡¯re forced to keep constant vigilance against it, it effectively weakens your sense of impending danger. This was the case with the Mutated Wolf King; under normal circumstances, its acute danger perception would have made it difficult for an encirclement to be formed silently. But when its attention was entirely on the Mutated Eagle, encircling it became much easier. In the sky, the Mutated Eagle, Mutated Black Crow, Mutated Bats, Mutated Parrot, and two Mutated Sparrows took their positions first. On the ground, the Mutated King Cobra, Mutated Big Yellow Dog, Mutated Hedgehog, Mutated Mouse, and 5 Mutated Buffalo also gradually arrived, completing the encirclement. Chapter 87 - 87 87 Siege_1 ?Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Siege_1 Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Siege_1 At this point, aside from Chen Dalong, all of Ye Feng¡¯s subordinates had assembled. But even so, Ye Feng still did not launch the attack. He was waiting, waiting for the arrival of his minions. After a moment, 200 First Order Mutated Sparrows, 100 First Order Mutated Bats, and 50 First Order Mutated Black Crows arrived in succession. A few minutes later, 100 First Order Mutated Mice finally arrived. Only then did Ye Feng issue the command to attack. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The 200 Mutated Sparrows took the lead and rushed out. Seeing a large flock of Mutated Sparrows flying towards them, the Mutated Wild Wolves did not care much; some even showed a desire to eat in their eyes. Obviously, to them, this was simply a large batch of flying food. But soon, they were shocked to discover that behind the flock of Mutated Sparrows, there was a group of Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crows following closely. When the three flocks of birds gathered together, the number was significant, not to mention that both Mutated Bats and Mutated Black Crows could threaten them. This was particularly true for those injured First Order Mutant Wild Wolves. But the ordeal was not over yet; soon, 100 Mutated Mice charged from the ground. If it were any other day, the sight of so many Mutated Mice would delight them, as they couldn¡¯t fly, making Mutated Bird Species difficult to catch. Mutated Mice, on the other hand, truly were moving rations to them. But even ordinary wolves were known for their intelligence, let alone these Mutated Wild Wolves. This eerie scene made them feel increasingly uneasy. The wolf pack immediately became alert. Following behind the flock of birds were Second Stage Mutated Bats, Mutated Black Crows, Mutated Parrots, and two Mutated Sparrows. Feeling the presence of Second Order Mutated Organisms, the wolf pack began to grow somewhat restless; the crisis before them had exceeded their expectations. At this time, even the Third Order Mutated Wolf King could not help but turn its attention their way. It was ready to take action. But it was at this moment that the Mutated Eagle, which it had been watching all along, made its move. Flapping its wings, a Wild Wind surged as it firstly ascended to the sky, then directly dived down. Seeing this, the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s eyes gradually grew fierce; it had refrained from attacking the Mutated Eagle earlier because it was on a tree and could only watch helplessly. But now, as its opponent dared to swoop down from the sky, the situation was completely different. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Mutated Wolf King¡¯s body began to crouch slightly; it was gathering strength, confident that it could kill its opponent if it dared to come close enough. But at this moment, the Mutated Wolf King sensed a threat again, this time an extremely lethal one. It could not help but shift its attention to its front. The grass was flattened, and a gigantic King Cobra over 50 meters long appeared in its field of vision. At that moment, the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s pupils dramatically constricted; it felt the aura emitted by its adversary, realizing that it was on the same level as itself. Awoo! Sss! After emitting piercing territorial cries, the two massive creatures charged directly at each other. The Mutated Wolf King opened its gaping jaws wide, revealing a row of sharp teeth that shimmered with a chilling sheen in the sunlight. The King Cobra also opened its mouth wide, its two fangs gleaming with a ghostly green light that no one would dare underestimate. Just when the two were about to collide and tear at each other, the Mutated Wolf King backed off. Perhaps it sensed the lethal threat of those two poison fangs or maybe it was planning to use its high mobility to adopt a hit-and-run tactic. Just before the clash, the Mutated Wolf King pivoted instantly and, with its extremely high speed, appeared at the King Cobra¡¯s side in the blink of an eye, biting towards its body mercilessly. Although the King Cobra was long in length, its body was just over a meter wide, and with a powerful enough bite, the Mutated Wolf King could potentially sever it in two. The King Cobra, of course, also felt the fatal threat, but its means of attack were not limited to its poison fangs. Whoosh! In the nick of time, a thick black shadow was flung at it; the beefy snake tail, unleashing a force of 10 tons, struck the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s cheek, leaving a deep bloody mark and turning its head to the side, making the bite impossible to complete. But the Mutated Wolf King did not suffer either, for as it retreated, its front paw lashed out, unsheathing sharp claws that sliced through the snake scales, leaving three deep gashes. The first round of the fight left neither side with an advantage. However, Ye Feng had never planned to fight the enemy one-on-one. Before the Mutated Wolf King could regain its footing, a yellow figure sprang out from nearby. Before the enemy could react, it bit down directly on its thigh. Chii! The Mutated Wolf King¡¯s fur and skin, which could withstand ordinary bullets, seemed as fragile as paper mache before this yellow figure, tearing off a full ten pounds of flesh with one bite. This sudden sneak attack filled the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s eyes with rage. Besides being ambushed, it never imagined the audacity of one so diminutive to attack it. The Big Yellow Dog¡¯s size was barely larger than that of a cheetah, a pocket-sized figure that might not even be a match for a newly mutated wild wolf. Without any courtesy, it kicked out fiercely. But this Big Yellow Dog was not only as fast as the Mutated Wolf King, it was even more agile, and its continuous dodging and weaving made the Wolf King¡¯s attacks miss every time. The King Cobra, on the other hand, was not just a bystander; it too launched an attack. Outnumbered, the Mutated Wolf King quickly found itself at a disadvantage. If it were just a matter of these odds, the Mutated Wolf King wasn¡¯t too worried, as the King Cobra was too slow, and its attack rhythm didn¡¯t synchronize with the Big Yellow Dog¡¯s, allowing it to maintain the initiative and defeat them one by one. But when it took the chance to survey the battlefield, its eyes turned blood red with fury. By now, seven of its underlings, the Second Order Mutated Wild Wolves, had lost two members, and the remaining five were desperately struggling on. The combat strength of the individual Mutated Wild Wolves was quite impressive, but regrettably, they were completely outnumbered at the moment. Five thick-skinned Mutated Buffalo charged at the front, making it impossible for the Mutated Wild Wolves to mount any effective offense. Meanwhile, airborne Second Order Mutated Black Crows, Mutated Bats, Mutated Parrots, and even a pair of Mutated Sparrows carried out incessant harassing attacks, leaving the five Mutated Wild Wolves with no respite. They had to fend off the head-on attacks of the Mutated Buffalo while guarding against aerial sneak attacks. Suffering from various wounds, their defeat was only a matter of time given the circumstances. But Ye Feng clearly couldn¡¯t afford to wait it out. Suddenly, a piercing sound shattered the air; the Mutated Eagle dived down from the sky at a terrifying speed, and before one of the Mutated Wild Wolves could respond, its sharp talons aimed straight at its prey. Chii! A long wound appeared on the body of the Mutated Wild Wolf, nearly disemboweling it. It howled in agony, but the attack was not over yet; the robust Mutated Buffalo seized the chance, charging at it with its horns. Boom! The Second Order Mutated Wild Wolf was sent flying five or six meters away and crashed heavily onto the ground, unable to rise again. In the blink of an eye, only four of the Second Order Mutated Wild Wolves remained standing in the fray. Chapter 88 - 88 88 Capturing the Mutated Wolf King_1 ?Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Capturing the Mutated Wolf King_1 Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Capturing the Mutated Wolf King_1 In fact, the Level 2 Mutated Wild Wolves were relatively okay. It was the First Order Mutant Wild Wolves that truly had it rough, with only a single one left on the field. There was no way around it, for this battle was most desperate for them. They faced an onslaught from a whopping 350 Mutated Beings. Although these Mutated Beings were not particularly strong, even ants can kill an elephant in great enough numbers, let alone that these were no ants. Take the Mutated Mice, for example, each bite capable of breaking skin and tearing away a small chunk of flesh. And those that inflicted the greatest damage to the wolf pack were the Mutated Bats, which after biting would suck the blood frantically, especially from the severely wounded ones who could not withstand it and would soon collapse. This battle had only lasted just over a minute, but the Mutated Wolf Pack had already shown signs of a complete rout. Upon seeing this, the Mutated Wolf King went utterly mad, but instead of choosing to flee immediately, it fixed its gaze on the King Cobra. Whoosh! The Mutated Wolf King once again sprang into motion, and perhaps it was the anger that unleashed its potential, for its speed surged once more, to the extent that even Big Yellow Dog could barely keep up. It circled the King Cobra at high speed, twisting and turning. To protect its relatively fragile body, the King Cobra could only keep changing direction, always positioning its head towards its opponent, with its venomous fangs at the ready. However, as the Mutated Wolf King moved at high speeds, the King Cobra seemed to be struggling to keep up, and at one moment its turn was a tad too slow. This was the breach the Mutated Wolf King had been waiting for! Whoosh! The Mutated Wolf King lunged at its adversary with its fastest speed to bite down. But at that very moment, a large flock of Mutated Sparrows coincidentally appeared, swooping towards the Mutated Wolf King. Of course, they couldn¡¯t possibly harm the Mutated Wolf King, but they could block its line of sight. Yet the Mutated Wolf King was determined to land this blow; even with its vision obstructed, it bit down based on the position in its memory. Crack! The massive jaws of the wolf indeed clamped onto something hard, and it could even feel the opposing creature¡¯s spikes snapping off under its sharp fangs, one by one. And then¡­ Ow~ A pained howl emanated from the Mutated Wolf King as the Mutated Sparrows scattered around it, revealing a ¡­ Mutated Hedgehog tumbling from its mouth. The spikes on the hedgehog¡¯s body, as sharp as steel needles, had over a dozen broken off, and its body now bore two holes, likely punctured by the wolf¡¯s sharp canines. Although the Mutated Hedgehog was injured, it was the Mutated Wolf King that suffered more grievously. Its wolf jaws were spouting fresh blood, with the upper and lower jaws riddled with numerous holes; its tongue had nearly been severed. The intense pain caused the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s body to convulse uncontrollably. It never expected this outcome; had its vision not been blocked by that flock of Mutated Sparrows, had the Mutated Hedgehog not hidden in advance, it would never have bitten down. But there were not so many ¡®ifs¡¯, and this was a trap purposely designed by Ye Feng. The situation was now settled; the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s most powerful offensive move was essentially disabled, and with only its claws, it could hardly pose enough threat to the King Cobra. Upon realizing the situation, the Mutated Wolf King did not hesitate to turn tail and flee. But Ye Feng would not let the adversary leave so easily. Seeing it retreat, Big Yellow Dog immediately gave chase. The nearby Flying Squadron also turned en masse, no longer attacking the remaining Mutated Wild Wolves, opting instead to pursue the Wolf King directly. With the Mutant Wild Wolves hell-bent on escape, only Big Yellow Dog and the Second Stage Mutated Bird Species capable of flying could keep up with it. In the chase, the only ones who could truly injure the Mutated Wolf King were Big Yellow Dog and the Mutated Eagle. Ye Feng watched the scene with growing eagerness; the stronger the Mutated Wolf King, the greater the help its capture would bring him. The hunter and the hunted continued their chase, with the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s injuries becoming more severe. Every time Big Yellow Dog bit, it would tear off a piece of flesh from the adversary. And the claws of the Mutated Eagle could leave one scar after another on the opponent. As for the rest of the Mutated Bird Species, they were there to provide supporting attacks. Although their attack power was not high, it mattered where they struck. If they attacked an opponent¡¯s wound, then the situation was different. The Mutated Wild Wolves could only endure begrudgingly; Big Yellow Dog was too agile for them to hit. As for the Mutated Bird Species in the sky, while their mouths were still bleeding, preventing them from tearing flesh, they weren¡¯t able to pose a lethal threat. In the end, after a chase of a full 5 kilometers, with the Mutated Wolf King bleeding too much to hold on, it finally collapsed to the ground with a thud, bringing an end to the pursuit. Upon seeing this, Ye Feng finally let out a long sigh of relief. Of course, it wasn¡¯t over yet; he still needed to transport these Mutated Wild Wolves back, not just one, but including the Mutated Wolf King, there were a total of 16. Luckily, Ye Feng had many subordinates at his disposal, especially the Mutated Buffalos, which had become the main force in transportation. Five Mutated Buffalos, with the strongest one, went off on its own to carry the Mutated Wolf King. The remaining four Mutated Buffalos could each carry two Second Stage Mutated Wild Wolves. As for the First Order Mutant Wild Wolves, they were only about three times larger than a regular wild wolf. The Mutated Eagle directly grabbed two of them. The rest of the Mutated Bird Species could basically fly off with one wolf in each claw. The remaining wolves were all handed over to the Mutated King Cobra, which coiled its tail around them to bring them back. Of course, to be on the safe side, Ye Feng had the King Cobra inject a certain amount of poison into their bodies, ensuring that they wouldn¡¯t be able to pull any tricks. On the way back, he notified Chen Dalong, informing him that everything had gone smoothly, but transporting the wolf pack was difficult, so they might have to wait a bit longer. This message immediately had Chen Dalong pacing back and forth in excitement, hardly able to stay calm. In his mind, defeating the Mutated Wolf King would have been challenge enough, but now they were bringing back an entire wolf pack. This instantly enhanced his understanding of the Dragon Lord¡¯s power. Half an hour later. The massive troop returned majestically to Sunset Valley. Upon entering his domain, Ye Feng couldn¡¯t wait to stretch out his roots and bind all of the Mutated Wolf Pack, pulling them under his tree. First, he ordered his subordinates to return to the Donglin Mountain Range and continue assisting Chen Dalong in clearing out the Mutated Beings. Then, it was time for Capturing. One of the roots wound around the Mutated Wolf King, and the Capture Ability was instantly activated. Previously, Ye Feng¡¯s captures of other Mutated Beings, though not exactly smooth, had at least been successful every time. But this time, when he activated his Capture Ability, he could distinctly feel a strong resistance to the Special Energy he was trying to inject into the opponent¡¯s body. Ye Feng frowned slightly and continued to exert his Capture Ability, injecting the Special Energy. The two forces were engaged in a tug-of-war. Ye Feng could feel that as he continuously used his Capture Ability, a sense of dizziness emerged. He now realized that his Capture Ability was more like a mental contest; only by completely overwhelming the opponent could he implant the mark of Capture. So he could only grit his teeth and persist. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After five minutes, Ye Feng had to stop. Because his head was ringing and he felt that he might lose consciousness if he continued. As for the Mutated Wolf King, it had already rolled its eyes back, fainting. But what made Ye Feng feel helpless was that even though the opponent had passed out, its subconscious was still resisting. ¡°Both are Third Order, but this one¡¯s tough to Capture!¡± Ye Feng now also felt a headache coming on. However, when he glanced at the other injured Mutated Wild Wolves under his tree out of the corner of his eye, a new idea suddenly struck him. Chapter 89 - 89 89 Delivery of Materials_1 ?Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Delivery of Materials_1 Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Delivery of Materials_1 Ye Feng recalled the time he captured Chen Dalong. If the opponent had desperately resisted, capturing him wouldn¡¯t have been easy, but because Ye Feng demonstrated various ¡°miracles,¡± Chen Dalong gave up resistance. The current situation was somewhat similar. Of course, making the opponent give up resistance was impossible, but it was possible to reduce their hostility. As long as their hostility was reduced and their will to resist not so strong, capturing them should be possible. Thinking thus, he acted. Ye Feng first infused some Spiritual Energy into the Mutated Wolf King to quickly awaken it. Then, using tree roots, he tied up the 15 seriously injured Mutant Wild Wolves and placed them in front of the Mutated Wolf King. Howl! The Mutated Wolf King didn¡¯t understand what Ye Feng wanted to do, but seeing the injuries on its companions, it couldn¡¯t help but let out an angry howl. Ye Feng completely ignored the creature¡¯s emotions, extending a tree root and touching the top of the head of the most severely wounded Mutant Wild Wolf. As Spiritual Energy was infused, the weakening vital signs of the wolf suddenly stabilized and then began to rise slowly. At the same time, the bleeding wounds on its body also stopped quickly and healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. This scene made the Mutated Wolf King pause, somewhat puzzled, but it didn¡¯t howl anymore. Then it watched as Ye Feng¡¯s tree roots touched the third, fourth, fifth¡­ Mutant Wild Wolves. Each wolf touched by the tree root on its head had its injuries heal rapidly. Watching the changes in the wolf pack, the vicious light in the eyes of the Mutated Wolf King noticeably lessened. Finally, when Ye Feng had healed the last Mutant Wild Wolf, the tree root moved to the Wolf King¡¯s head and touched it. The next instant, the Mutated Wolf King felt a strange energy enter its body, giving it a warm and soothing sensation. At the same time, the pain in its mouth receded rapidly; it tentatively licked its tongue and found the previously riddled and nearly severed tongue healing at an incredible pace. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This miraculous scene made the ferocity in the Mutated Wolf King¡¯s eyes completely vanish. Seeing this, Ye Feng was somewhat surprised in his heart, as his approach was evidently effective. But how effective it would ultimately be and whether he could capture the beast was uncertain. ¡°One more attempt¡ªhopefully you¡¯ll cooperate, or you¡¯ll just be imprisoned here until I breakthrough to the Fourth Order and try again.¡± Ye Feng exhaled slowly in his mind, then once again activated his Capture Ability. Hum! Soon, Ye Feng felt a humming in his mind again; the opponent was still resisting, but Ye Feng could feel that this time their resolve wasn¡¯t as strong, just an instinctual resistance from the creature. This greatly increased Ye Feng¡¯s confidence, and with all his effort, the Mutated Wolf King fainted again after just three minutes. This time, after completely crushing the opponent¡¯s will and with no hatred left to sustain it, the Special Energy released by Ye Feng finally entered the creature¡¯s mind and condensed into a special brand. ¡°Success!¡± Ye Feng was elated. Subduing this wolf pack, his overall combat ability would at least be enhanced by half. If all the First Order Mutant Wild Wolves could be advanced to the Second Stage, it was possible to double their fighting power. Of course, Ye Feng merely entertained the thought; he definitely wouldn¡¯t do so in the short term. After all, he had a large group of mutated beings under him, waiting for him to condense the Second Order Evolution Fruit and break through to the Third Order! At this moment, Ye Feng was extremely happy, but someone was even happier than him. Yangcheng Research Institute! Half an hour ago, Xu Liang received a call from Chen Dalong and immediately brought the entire research team to wait at the entrance. There was no helping it; without experimental materials, they could only sit idly in the laboratory. It was better to gather everyone outside. ¡°Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon. I heard they cut down a mutated plant over 100 meters tall. I wonder how much research material they could bring back,¡± Xu Liang muttered as he checked his watch. ¡°Professor, didn¡¯t they tell you?¡± someone asked. ¡°No, they said they wanted to surprise me. But the more they say that, the more curious I get,¡± Xu Liang replied. ¡°Since it¡¯s a surprise, the quantity definitely won¡¯t be small. I estimate there might be five to six hundred pounds,¡± Yi Weihua, who was standing on the other side, chimed in. ¡°Brother Hua, it can¡¯t be that much!¡± the person who had spoken earlier protested. Based on their expectations, if they could get a couple of hundred pounds, they would be grateful. ¡°Maybe not!¡± Xu Liang couldn¡¯t help but respond with a laugh. He remembered the agreement he had signed with Chen Dalong the night before, and the other party¡¯s guarantee that there would be enough research materials. Under such a premise, it was quite possible for them to bring back five to six hundred pounds. As he spoke, he patted Yi Weihua on the shoulder, ¡°Weihua, you also deserve credit for this. If it weren¡¯t for you introducing such a reliable security company, we wouldn¡¯t know how long we would have to wait to get the materials.¡± Yi Weihua hurriedly responded, ¡°Professor Xu, you¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s what I should do.¡± Xu Liang smiled and didn¡¯t bring up the topic again, but he took note of this favor in his heart. The group chatted idly as they waited, and finally, they saw the approaching truck from a distance. ¡°Here it comes!¡± Xu Liang immediately perked up. But soon, the smile on his face faded, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s actually a whole convoy. I got excited for nothing. But which research group is so generous to have bought a whole fleet of goods?¡± Chen Dalong had told him over the phone that the materials would be transported by truck, which in his mind meant at most one small truck. So, he subconsciously attributed this convoy to ¡°someone else¡¯s.¡± He and his research team stepped aside to make way. What happened next, however, was completely beyond his expectations; the lead vehicle braked to a halt right in front of him. Then, a young man jumped down and said with an enthusiastic face, ¡°Professor Xu, hello. I¡¯m Li Huosheng. We meet again.¡± Xu Liang looked closely for a moment before he remembered; when Chen Dalong came to apply for a gun permit, Li Huosheng was indeed with him. ¡°Hello, hello! You really went through a lot of trouble to deliver the materials. It seems you had a big haul this time, using so many trucks to transport the bodies of mutated beings,¡± Xu Liang said with some astonishment. That was the only reasonable explanation he could think of. At the same time, he felt that his estimation of Mad Dragon Security Company¡¯s capabilities needed to be upgraded a notch. Hearing Xu Liang speak thus, Li Huosheng had a slightly odd expression, ¡°It was a bit of a struggle, indeed. After all, it¡¯s not easy moving the mutated plants for these 10 trucks from the mountains into the vehicles.¡± Xu Liang: ??? Chapter 90 - 90 90 Abnormal_1 ?Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Abnormal_1 Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Abnormal_1 Hearing what Li Huosheng said, Xu Liang¡¯s first reaction was that he must have misheard, and his second reaction was that the other party was joking with him. After all, to load mutated plants onto 10 trucks, how much would they be bringing back? It was an amount he wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream of. ¡°Cough! Mr. Li really loves to joke. May I ask how many materials Boss Chen brought for me?¡± Xu Liang, fearing the other party would continue to joke and his heart couldn¡¯t take it, directly brought up Chen Dalong. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Huosheng was somewhat speechless, too lazy to waste his breath explaining, he simply waved his hand behind him. Soon, members of the Heiyao Security Company began descending from the vehicle, then they directly opened the cargo containers. So that Xu Liang and others could see more clearly, the drivers thoughtfully adjusted the angle of the vehicles. In an instant, everyone in Xu Liang¡¯s research group was as if struck by a freeze spell, eyes glued to the cargo containers. After a long while, someone swallowed their saliva quietly and couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°How can there be so many mutated plant materials? They couldn¡¯t have just randomly chopped down some trees and hauled them back, right?¡± Although the speaker¡¯s voice was low, Xu Liang still heard it and glared fiercely at the person. But he couldn¡¯t help but have similar thoughts in his heart. It wasn¡¯t until he saw the nearly 5-meter-thick giant tree trunk inside the carriage that he finally calmed down. ¡°Professor Xu, you might want to call more people. It¡¯s not easy to move so much material,¡± Li Huosheng said. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll call for people right away. But how much material did you bring over in total?¡± Xu Liang asked, then added by way of explanation, ¡°It will be easier for me to know how many people to call once I have the details.¡± ¡°Roughly 50 tons!¡± Li Huosheng said candidly. Xu Liang¡¯s hand trembled, nearly dropping the mobile phone he had taken out. ¡°This¡­ this is so much, the research institute definitely can¡¯t hold it all. I need to find someone to urgently rent a warehouse,¡± Xu Liang finally understood what it was to suffer from happiness. ¡°Okay, but make sure the warehouse you rent is big enough. This is just the first batch; there are two more to come. In total, there will be about 150 tons of mutated plant materials,¡± Li Huosheng reminded him. ¡°This, this, this¡­¡± Xu Liang stammered for a long time before he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°We can¡¯t use up so much research material.¡± ¡­ While Li Huosheng was handing over the materials, Chen Dalong in the Donglin Mountain Range, after nearly half an hour of rest, finally led his team out. He had told Zhang Ji before that they would clear out two areas in one go this time. Chen Dalong had no intention of going back on his word, and that¡¯s exactly what he did next. He led the Mad Dragon Security Company on a sweep for half an hour, returned to camp to drop off the Mutated Beings they had hunted, then immediately led the team out again. This high-intensity work efficiency, let alone other security companies, even the military¡¯s four large squads, watched with somewhat dazed eyes. Because they couldn¡¯t do this either. Rest was necessary to ensure there was enough stamina to deal with emergencies. Plus, during rest, one had to dress wounds and such. Every outing faced so many dangers, casualties were inevitable. Even though the military squads were well-coordinated, they could only ensure there were no serious casualties. However, those from the Mad Dragon Security Company not only didn¡¯t have any seriously injured, but they also had only two or three minor injuries each trip. What baffled them most was that the Mad Dragon Security Company always managed to hunt and bring back a Second Order Mutated Creature each time. Logically, encountering a Mutated Creature of this level, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to have one or two fatalities, let alone severe injuries. Everyone wanted to know how the Mad Dragon Security Company did it. Some even wanted to seek advice but were casually brushed off by Chen Dalong with a laugh. Just like that, mission after mission was completed. By 3 p.m., Mad Dragon Security Company had completed another clearing mission, and when the military merits were calculated, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but excitedly clench his fist. Because with this mission, his accumulated military merits had reached 1598 points. That is to say, he had achieved his mission goal. After returning, by deducting 1500 points of military merits, he would be able to be promoted directly to Second Lieutenant. Of course, reaching the goal did not mean they could relax afterwards. After all, such an opportunity was too rare, and normally killing these mutated insects would not yield any military merits, let alone calculating them at double the rate. And military merits are something no one would consider too much of. Even if they could no longer be promoted after becoming a Second Lieutenant, they could still use their military merits to purchase weapons directly. According to Chen Dalong¡¯s plan, if he wanted to become the undisputed strongest security company in Yang City, then he had to have enough guns in his hands. ¡°Brothers, rest for 15 minutes, then we¡¯ll continue,¡± Chen Dalong shouted loudly. ¡°Yes!¡± all the members answered in unison, full of morale. Because Chen Dalong had previously promised them that for every 100 points of military merits accumulated, he would take out an additional 100,000 Huaxia Currency as a bonus to be distributed according to merit. Now that they had earned 1598 points of merit, it meant that Chen Dalong would take out an additional 1.5 million Huaxia Currency. This also caused everyone to work hard, for the larger the bonus pool, the more money they would get. After 15 minutes, the team regrouped, ready to depart. Meanwhile, a large military unit along with Star Shield Security Company returned. ¡°Make way, make way, medical soldiers, come and save people.¡± Someone was carrying a stretcher and rushed forward to the temporary logistics area. Chen Dalong glanced over and noticed there were actually 5 stretchers. That is to say, during this trip out, there were actually 5 seriously injured personnel. ¡°That¡¯s bad luck. What kind of terrifying mutated beings did they run into?¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself, but he didn¡¯t take it too much to heart and directly ordered to move out. After all, with Lord Parrot and a host of envoys secretly protecting them, he was full of confidence, fearing no danger. However¡­ He had been in the Donglin Mountain Range for less than 5 minutes before the smile on his face disappeared. ¡°Everyone, sharpen up, watch your step, I don¡¯t want to see anyone get hurt again,¡± Chen Dalong rebuked sharply to those behind him. In just 5 minutes, two people had already sustained minor injuries, when under normal circumstances, it would take a whole trip to incur two or three injuries! After scolding them, Chen Dalong continued to lead the way in front, with his greatsword swinging out now and then, slicing each of the mutated insects that dared to attack him into two. ¡°This is ridiculous, why are there so many mutated insects in this area?¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but curse under his breath. ¡°Increased number of mutated insects?¡± Just then, the slightly puzzled voice of the Mutated Parrot came through the headset. This immediately gave Chen Dalong a jolt. This area was one that Lord Parrot had selected, and wasn¡¯t his previous remark implying that the other party had poor judgment? ¡ª¡ª Came down with a cold, feeling groggy and lethargic all over. Will see how I feel tomorrow, I might take a day off, just giving a heads-up in advance. Season is changing, everyone take care of your health. Chapter 91 - 91 91 Intensifying Spiritual Energy ?Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Intensifying Spiritual Energy Resurgence_1 Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Intensifying Spiritual Energy Resurgence_1 ¡°Lord Parrot, the number of mutated insects here seems to have increased a tiny bit¡­¡± Chen Dalong said stiffly. After speaking, he began to anxiously wait. If Lord Parrot truly felt that he was insinuating his failure to choose a good area, he feared a storm was about to descend upon him. On the other hand, Ye Feng was genuinely puzzled. Logically, he had thoroughly explored each territory before selection; if there was an unusually high number of mutated insects here, he shouldn¡¯t have failed to notice. With this thought, the Mutated Parrot he had possessed hopped down to the ground and walked towards the nearby bushes. However, as he approached, all the mutated insects around swiftly leapt away. ¡°Almost forgot,¡± Ye Feng muttered to himself and began to retract his aura. Before long, the mutated insects that had been avoiding him now actively came to attack. Ye Feng did not fight back; the feathers on the Mutated Parrot¡¯s body were enough to fend off the attacks of these mutated insects. Thus, he observed as he moved forward. Soon, his brows slightly furrowed; he too had noticed something amiss. Chen Dalong, who had been anxiously awaiting on the other side, suddenly heard the explanation from the Mutated Parrot. ¡°It¡¯s not that the number of mutated insects has increased, but their aggressiveness has intensified. Many originally docile mutated insects have now become highly aggressive.¡± ¡°Furthermore, their range of hostility has expanded; they would attack even from four to five meters away.¡± Chen Dalong sighed with relief inside, yet more doubts emerged in his mind. ¡°Lord Parrot, why is this happening? Is there any good way to deal with it?¡± Chen Dalong promptly asked. However, the Mutated Parrot fell silent again, leaving Chen Dalong to continue leading the team while waiting. Meanwhile, Ye Feng had already shifted his consciousness back to his original body. From the perspective of the Mutated Parrot, his observations were limited. Once back in his original form, it was different; his perceptive abilities could spread from any part of his body, allowing him to clearly understand everything happening in the sky or beneath the ground. He began to sense everything occurring within his territory. His tree roots had now extended beyond one kilometer, and as Ye Feng purposefully sought to Devour, his realm had a significant number of mutated insects within it. At this moment, these mutated insects were behaving very aggressively, and they were not only attacking humans but also fighting among themselves. Ye Feng saw a Mutated Stick Insect pass by a clump of weeds, and the Mutated Praying Mantis on top instantly pounced down. It shredded the Mutated Stick Insect in just a few moments, stacking the dead body around as if¡­ intimidating its enemies. The Mutated Praying Mantis then returned to the weeds and lay there quietly. And the aura of the defeated party was slowly strengthening. This enhancement was very subtle, almost imperceptible unless Ye Feng was controlling the tree roots close to the soil underneath. Very quickly, Ye Feng deduced that this should be a sign of an imminent breakthrough. And for that reason, the Mutated Praying Mantis was eager to eliminate any danger in its vicinity, as it would be immobile during the breakthrough process, vulnerable to enemies and ready to be slaughtered. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be anything special; with so many mutated insects, breakthroughs in their Realms were not unusual. However, Ye Feng swept his gaze around and discovered that almost half of the mutated insects in his territory had entered a state of preparation for breakthrough. This was quite unusual. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are there so many mutated insects about to break through?¡± Ye Feng frowned deeply. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and immediately retracted his perceptive power that had been gathered at the roots of the tree, then spread it to the leaves, slowly sensing the changes in the wind. ¡°Indeed, the concentration of Spiritual Energy has increased, by about 2%.¡± ¡°But such a slight increase shouldn¡¯t cause such a mass breakthrough event!¡± Ye Feng was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Hmm?¡± He seemed to have noticed something. At this moment, the leaves of the entire Iron Birch Tree rustled without wind, and Ye Feng¡¯s perceptive power reached its limit. ¡°The concentration of Spiritual Energy is actually increasing every moment!¡± Ye Feng was truly surprised. If the concentration of Spiritual Energy had increased by 2% before, then in just a dozen seconds, it had increased to 2.01%, and this increase was still ongoing. He couldn¡¯t help but remember a term he had casually used when bamboozling Chen Dalong before: ¡°Spiritual Energy Resurgence.¡± At this time, Ye Feng looked again at the mutated insects, his face revealing a contemplative expression. ¡°The increase in Spiritual Energy concentration is just one aspect, the most important thing is that Heaven and Earth are changing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very likely because of this change that makes it easier for them to break through, thus giving many mutated insects that were stuck at bottlenecks the opportunity to break through.¡± After figuring out the reason, Ye Feng¡¯s brows furrowed tightly because humans were likely to have big troubles coming up. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I subdued Chen Dalong; otherwise, just figuring out how to take care of my family would be headache enough.¡± ¡­ ¡°Everyone stop for a moment, rest where you are.¡± Chen Dalong arrived at the designated location, killed a mutated swan there, and then gave the order. The rest of the people were somewhat surprised by such a command, while Chen Dalong said with a stern face, ¡°Those who got hurt before, quickly treat your wounds. The rest need to ponder how to reduce injuries in the upcoming battles.¡± Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement without any doubt. Chen Dalong sighed inwardly as he recalled that after he had inquired earlier, there had been no message from Lord Parrot, nor had there been any further instructions. He was unclear on which direction to head to find the next Mutated Being and could only wait on the spot. Suddenly, a voice came through his Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°Sorry for the wait, I wasn¡¯t clear about your question just now, so I asked Dragon Lord.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At these words, Chen Dalong was immediately invigorated. Before he could ask, the voice from the other end continued, ¡°Dragon Lord said that the process of Spiritual Energy Resurgence is intensifying, put simply, your cultivation speed will be faster and breaking through bottlenecks will be much easier.¡± ¡°Not just for you, but for all Mutated Beings.¡± ¡°Those mutated insects are so irritable because they are on the verge of breaking through, and you have entered their hiding places, naturally, you will encounter their attacks.¡± The information from Mutated Parrot was a bit overwhelming, and it took Chen Dalong a while to digest the contents. Then he immediately understood what it would mean¡­ He couldn¡¯t care less about whether he would be suspected by others, and hastily took off one Bluetooth earpiece, bringing it close to his mouth to ask. ¡°Lord Parrot, do you mean that all mutated insects are about to break through? Then¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean that humans are about to have major trouble?¡± Chapter 92 - 92 92 The Change of the Situation_1 ?Chapter 92: Chapter 92 The Change of the Situation_1 Chapter 92: Chapter 92 The Change of the Situation_1 After a brief silence, the Mutated Parrot said, ¡°You might have misunderstood, not all mutated insects will break through.¡± ¡°Only those previously stuck at a bottleneck will be able to break through, and this proportion is about one-third.¡± Hearing this, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief, the situation wasn¡¯t as bad as he had imagined. However, before he could relax, he continued to hear a voice through his Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°Additionally, when I spoke of mutated beings, I didn¡¯t just mean mutated insects, all the mutated animals that were previously at a bottleneck will also break through.¡± ¡°When that time comes, there will probably be a considerable number of Second Order Mutated Animals, the kind that could make it onto the dangerous species list.¡± Hearing these words, Chen Dalong felt a suffocation grip him. The gap between First Order and Second Order ? he had learned today just how vast it really was. Take the First Order Mutant Swan he had just killed for example, when it was First Order, any one of his security guards could take it down with an automatic rifle. But once it reached Second Order, it wouldn¡¯t just be one person; even if three or four people armed themselves and attacked together, they might be the ones getting killed instead. ¡°So, Lord Parrot, what should we do?¡± Chen Dalong asked with some difficulty. ¡°Do what you must do, these great movements of Heaven and Earth can¡¯t be changed by you or me, even Dragon Lord cannot alter them.¡± ¡°Besides, when the sky falls, there are tall ones to prop it up. Such big matters will naturally be worried over by the higher-ups among your humans, you just need to take care of your own plot of land,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. Hearing this, Chen Dalong actually calmed down. Indeed, taking care of himself was enough, and with the protection of Dragon Lord, he did not need to worry too much about his own safety. The team quickly got back on the road, but to consider the others, Chen Dalong slowed down a bit this time. Additionally, when breaking a path ahead, if he saw bushes, he would take the initiative to approach them, draw out any hidden mutated insects, and then kill them. With his deliberate protection, combined with everyone else becoming increasingly cautious, the number of casualties was significantly reduced. Seeing this, Chen Dalong breathed another sigh of relief. The rest of the journey went quite smoothly, the only difference being a slower pace. Before, they could clear an area in about half an hour. Now, it took closer to 45 minutes. But seeing that only five people had sustained minor injuries, Chen Dalong felt it was completely worth it; if they had continued at the previous pace, the number of injured would have doubled at least. By the time he returned to the temporary camp, it was already 4 o¡¯clock. As soon as he arrived, he immediately sensed something off about the atmosphere. Fighting outside constantly had them on edge, so upon returning to the temporary camp, everyone would try to relax as much as possible, and there would certainly be conversations and laughter. But at this moment, the atmosphere at the temporary camp was somber, and aside from the occasional pained grunt, even those who spoke kept their voices deliberately low. This scene caused a slight frown on Chen Dalong¡¯s face, his gaze sweeping around, quickly focusing on Qin Yaowen not far away, and he immediately led his team towards him. As soon as Chen Dalong approached, Qin Yaowen saw him and came forward to meet him. ¡°Brother Chen, how are the injuries in your team?¡± Qin Yaowen asked while sizing up the people from Mad Dragon Security Company, his eyes betraying an undeniable surprise. ¡°Thankfully, only 5 people were lightly injured,¡± Chen Dalong replied before asking, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? The atmosphere is so serious, and nobody is talking.¡± Hearing that only 5 people were lightly injured, Qin Yaowen¡¯s mind was filled with a string of exclamation marks. But upon hearing the rest of what Chen Dalong said, he couldn¡¯t help but show a bitter smile, ¡°What else could have happened? Too many people were injured!¡± ¡°Just now, our Heiyao Security Company lost 2 people, 5 were seriously injured, and as many as 31 were injured.¡± ¡°At first, I thought it was just our bad luck, that the mutated insects in that area were so crazy, but after getting back, I found out everyone was in the same boat. I don¡¯t even know what happened.¡± ¡°Now everyone is just waiting for the higher-ups in the military to arrange the next steps.¡± ¡°Ah, now my Heiyao Security Company has fewer than 100 people still combat-capable; we¡¯re basically half-disabled.¡± After listening to the other party, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but pat him on the shoulder. He wanted to comfort him but did not know what to say at the moment. Finally, he turned his head and said to Li Huosheng next to him, ¡°Tell the other brothers to hand over all the mutated beings we harvested this time to the Heiyao Security Company.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, Chen. I didn¡¯t tell you those things because I was looking for sympathy or trying to get benefits,¡± Qin Yaowen immediately stated. ¡°I understand, but you deserve these.¡± Chen Dalong said earnestly, ¡°When you were helping me accumulate military merits, the mutated insects you handed over were worth about sixty or seventy points of military honors. I owe you that.¡± ¡°Plus, you helped transport the mutated poplars, which saved us a lot of time. Those efforts should also count towards your merits.¡± ¡°I estimate this batch of mutated beings could be exchanged for about 230 points of military honors; any excess is your interest.¡± ¡°Stick with me, and I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Qin Yaowen was moved. Honestly, the other party could have completely withheld these military honors or delayed them. After all, as long as Chen Dalong held cooperation with Red Star Tech, Qin Yaowen wouldn¡¯t dare to turn hostile. Yet, now the other party hadn¡¯t taken any advantage but instead had generously given him benefits. Even though it might seem like buying favor, Qin Yaowen was grateful for the gesture. ¡°Alright! Then I won¡¯t be polite with you. I really need this military honor. Just like before, if there¡¯s anything you want our Heiyao Security Company to do, just say the word,¡± Qin Yaowen said sincerely. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chen Dalong was just about to make a playful remark when he saw a messenger rushing toward him. ¡°Comrade Chen, Captain Zhang Ji is asking you to come to the command vehicle,¡± the messenger said to Chen Dalong after giving him a military salute. Chen Dalong was somewhat surprised. That¡¯s when he noticed the command vehicle had returned without him knowing. This was Zhang Ji¡¯s exclusive ride. Clearly, he had returned from the front-line area. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go now,¡± Chen Dalong nodded immediately and quickly followed the messenger toward the command vehicle. When he arrived, the door of the command vehicle was already open, and Chen Dalong went straight up. At that moment, Zhang Ji was frowning at a report in his hands. Upon seeing Chen Dalong enter, he finally put down the report and squeezed out a smile, ¡°Boss Chen is impressive! I didn¡¯t expect you to have really cleared that huge area before 4 o¡¯clock.¡± Chapter 93 - 93 93 Mutated Monkeys_1 ?Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Mutated Monkeys_1 Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Mutated Monkeys_1 Hearing Zhang Ji¡¯s praise, Chen Dalong laughed embarrassedly, ¡°I think it¡¯s okay! I just completed the task on time, as we agreed before.¡± Zhang Ji sighed lightly, ¡°Yeah! If only the military teams could also complete their tasks on time.¡± Chen Dalong felt a sinking feeling in his heart upon hearing the implied meaning behind the other¡¯s words, ¡°Captain Zhang, is the situation really bad right now?¡± Apart from Zhang Ji, he was probably the most eager person for the cleanup mission to be successfully completed. Because this was the basis for cooperation with Red Star Tech. One could imagine that if even the mutated beings near the road could not be cleaned up, how could the other party feel assured to move their branch company over. If they changed their decision, the escort mission would naturally fall through as well. ¡°The situation is indeed bad. The current conditions are too abnormal, and it¡¯s not just one area; the entire Donglin Mountain Range is like this.¡± ¡°I even contacted the monitoring team in Yang City, and they also found that around the city, in the mountains and forests, the mutated insects have become extremely aggressive.¡± ¡°Now, an expert group has been organized to study this situation, but there are still no conclusions.¡± ¡°I called you over this time to hear your thoughts,¡± Zhang Ji said directly. He knew Chen Dalong was a superhuman, and he had just returned from the mountains; he was an eyewitness. For this matter, he might have his unique insights. Hearing such a straightforward question from the other side, Chen Dalong hesitated slightly. As he was deciding whether he should answer or not, the voice of the mutated parrot came through the Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°You can tell him the situation.¡± Chen Dalong no longer hesitated but said directly, ¡°As you are aware of my situation, Captain Zhang, I indeed can sense some details that others cannot detect.¡± Zhang Ji¡¯s spirits lifted immediately, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Chen Dalong, waiting for him to continue. ¡°I can feel that the concentration of spiritual energy between heaven and earth is increasing, and the mutation speed of all beings is also accelerating.¡± At this point, Chen Dalong added an extra explanation, ¡°Spiritual energy is the thing that causes beings to mutate.¡± ¡°I know that, but what¡¯s the connection between their accelerated mutation speed and becoming extremely aggressive?¡± Zhang Ji asked. ¡°The increase in spiritual energy concentration indicates that this part of heaven and earth is undergoing some special change.¡± ¡°This has led to the weakened or vanished bottlenecks for these mutated beings. That is to say, they are about to break through to a higher realm.¡± ¡°When they are about to break through, they become very sensitive and aggressive towards any humans that enter their hiding places,¡± Chen Dalong explained as succinctly as possible what he knew. After hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s speculation, Zhang Ji¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly. Suddenly, something occurred to him and he asked somewhat urgently, ¡°When you talk about breaking through, are you referring to the mutated insects or all mutated beings?¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but feel impressive that the captain had immediately thought of this concern. ¡°Just as you¡¯re worrying, it¡¯s all mutated beings. I estimate that soon there will be a large number of mutated animals that could be on the danger list,¡± Chen Dalong said, himself sighing lightly. ¡°Are¡­ are you saying all this is true?¡± Zhang Ji couldn¡¯t help standing up, unable to stay calm any longer. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°These are all my speculations. However, I¡¯m seventy to eighty percent certain they¡¯re true,¡± Chen Dalong said with a serious expression. Although he also wanted to say he was completely certain, he knew that the other party wouldn¡¯t believe such a claim. It was better to understate his confidence, increasing the likelihood of being believed. Zhang Ji sat back down in his chair and after a long silence, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ll report your speculations to my superiors immediately.¡± ¡°And with the current situation, do you think we should continue our extermination operation?¡± This time, Chen Dalong hardly hesitated before immediately responding, ¡°We definitely have to continue carrying it out.¡± ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear your reasoning,¡± said Zhang Ji. ¡°The mutated insects have only become more aggressive, not stronger,¡± he explained. ¡°But if we wait for them to complete their evolution and all become Second Stage mutated insects, killing them will not just cost us a few men,¡± Chen Dalong immediately added. Zhang Ji nodded in agreement. In fact, he also leaned toward continuing the extermination mission, though he had more to consider. If the developments unfolded as Chen Dalong speculated, then they should place an even greater emphasis on Red Star Tech. A large-scale appearance of Second Order mutated beings was imminent, and if humanity wanted to keep up its combat power, military exoskeletons were indispensable. ¡°I also plan to continue the extermination mission, but compared to before, the difficulty has increased by at least 50%,¡± he said. ¡°The military side is still manageable, with casualty rates still within an acceptable range, but the security companies are starting to struggle. I¡¯ll mobilize them again and increase the financial incentives.¡± ¡°But that alone is not enough. There are some tricky issues that require sufficiently strong individuals to resolve,¡± Zhang Ji remarked. Chen Dalong clearly understood the implied meaning in the other¡¯s words and immediately patted his chest, asserting, ¡°Captain Zhang, rest assured, no matter what difficulties you face on your end, as long as the reward is good enough, I¡¯ll rise to the challenge.¡± Zhang Ji¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily with amusement. It was the first time he had seen someone so nobly negotiate about money. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Take a look at this. How many military merits do you need to take action?¡± Zhang Ji handed over a file he had just received to Chen Dalong. Chen Dalong immediately took it, but after a glance, a puzzled look appeared on his face. ¡°A group of mutated monkeys, although there are over a hundred of them, there are no Second Stagers! Can¡¯t the military handle them?¡± Chen Dalong asked, puzzled. Zhang Ji sighed, ¡°No, they can¡¯t handle them. These mutated monkeys are too clever; they never get close to our troops, always staying at least fifty to sixty meters away.¡± ¡°Just look at the environment of Donglin Mountain Range. How can we shoot at them from such a distance, especially when they¡¯re hidden among the trees, fully camouflaged by the foliage?¡± ¡°They run too fast, and our soldiers can¡¯t keep up with them,¡± said Zhang Ji. Chen Dalong nodded, understanding, yet his doubts persisted as he then asked, ¡°Then how are those mutated monkeys attacking from fifty to sixty meters away?¡± ¡°Stones,¡± Zhang Ji rubbed his forehead and said. ¡°Those mutated monkeys are incredibly strong. They throw stones the size of watermelons, weighing three to four tens of pounds each.¡± ¡°The Seventh Squad, which went to besiege the mutant monkey group, has already suffered five broken arms, two broken ribs, and one death by blunt force,¡± he lamented. Listening, Chen Dalong was somewhat astounded, able only to say that the combat power of mutated beings that learned to use tools was frighteningly amplified. Chapter 94 - 94 94 Abundant Military Achievements_1 ?Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Abundant Military Achievements_1 Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Abundant Military Achievements_1 ¡°How confident are you that your Mad Dragon Security Company can take on the Mutated Monkey swarm?¡± After introducing the situation, Zhang Ji immediately asked. Chen Dalong pretended to ponder, but he was actually waiting for a reply from Lord Parrot. ¡°No problem, it¡¯s a piece of cake,¡± came the voice of the Mutated Parrot through the Bluetooth headset. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With certainty in his heart, Chen Dalong looked up at Zhang Ji, ¡°Our Mad Dragon Security Company will definitely have no problem taking on the monkey swarm.¡± ¡°Considering the difficulty in exterminating this swarm of Mutated Monkeys, I believe the calculation of the Military Merit Points should not follow the previous standards.¡± ¡°How about 30 Military Merit Points for killing a Mutated Monkey?¡± Chen Dalong said enthusiastically. Zhang Ji almost laughed out of annoyance, ¡°30 Military Merit Points? You¡¯ve got some nerve. A normal First Order Mutated Being only gets about three or four points.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I won¡¯t take advantage of you, how about 5 Military Merit Points for killing a Mutated Monkey?¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Dalong put on a distressed face and said, ¡°Captain Zhang, you can¡¯t slash the price like that. Although these Mutated Monkeys are First Order, they are tough to handle! If you pay too little, I might not even have enough to cover the medical expenses!¡± ¡°How about a flat rate then, 20 Military Merit Points for each Mutated Monkey?¡± Zhang Ji shook his head, ¡°Max of 6 Military Merit Points. That¡¯s already double the amount for a standard First Order Mutated Being, I can¡¯t offer any more.¡± And so, after a brief and intense round of haggling, the final agreed price was 10 Military Merit Points for each Mutated Monkey taken out. ¡°Captain Zhang Ji, I won¡¯t bother you any longer. I¡¯ll take my team and set out now, and I should have the Mutated Monkeys exterminated within half an hour,¡± said Chen Dalong with a smile all over his face. You have to know, that swarm of Mutated Monkeys numbered over a hundred! Even if you calculate it at 100 monkeys, with 10 Military Merit Points each, wiping them all out would net a total of 1000 Military Merit Points. At that moment, in Chen Dalong¡¯s eyes, the Mutated Monkeys were like a pile of moving gold. ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t get careless, be careful. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, just pull back. We still have Reaper Missiles to use,¡± Zhang Ji warned seriously. He was not kidding; as long as they could pinpoint the location of the monkey swarm, a maximum of three Reaper Missiles could wipe them all out. Of course, the cost of doing so was a bit high. If exchanged for Military Merit Points, a single Reaper Missile would cost at least 3000 points; three would be 9000 points. But sending Chen Dalong would only cost 1000 Military Merit Points, which was clearly the more economical option. ¡­ At this moment, Chen Dalong was as jubilant as if he had just made a billion. He immediately gathered his team and headed straight to the frontline area without stopping. When Chen Dalong told the others about dealing with the Mutated Monkey swarm, everyone also became excited. As for the difficulty of tackling the Mutated Monkey swarm, they hadn¡¯t thought about it at all; the vast majority had a kind of blind confidence in Chen Dalong. Of course, there were still those who remained sensible. ¡°Boss, how are we going to deal with those Mutated Monkeys later?¡± Liu Wenhua asked with a frown. In that kind of situation, neither he nor Xie Guanzhong were confident they could hit those Mutated Monkeys. After all, without visibility and with the interference of tree leaves affecting the bullet¡¯s trajectory, there would be some degree of deviation. What¡¯s more, these Mutated Monkeys are not dead; they wouldn¡¯t just stand there and let you shoot them. On the contrary, these mutated beings have a keen intuition for danger. When you aim your gun at them, they instinctively start dodging. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this,¡± Chen Dalong patted the other person¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile. He had the same blind confidence in Lord Parrot. At that moment, the voice of the Mutated Parrot came through the Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°Dealing with these Mutated Monkeys isn¡¯t as hard as you think. They are first-order, just like you, and your speed won¡¯t be slower than theirs.¡± ¡°When the time comes, you don¡¯t even need to bring others. You chase them down by yourself, close in to a distance of five or six meters, then fire away, and that¡¯s that.¡± Upon hearing such a ¡°simple¡± plan, Chen Dalong inexplicably felt a pang of panic in his heart. Asking him to take on over a hundred Mutated Monkeys alone, it just didn¡¯t seem reliable to him no matter how he thought about it. At this time, Li Huosheng, who liked to stir things up, came over and asked, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t keep us in suspense. Tell us the plan so everyone can mentally prepare!¡± Chen Dalong forced a smile and said, ¡°Simple, I¡¯ll just rush over and take them down myself. You guys can just cheer from the back.¡± If it were anyone else who dared to say such things, everyone would certainly think it was just blowing smoke without even a thought. However, with the aura of a Superhuman, everyone felt that it all made so much sense. The convoy quickly reached the forward area, and after getting out of the vehicle, Chen Dalong, without any delay, led the team into the woods. Although he only needed himself for the upcoming fight, it still required people to collect the spoils of war, so he ended up taking the whole team with him anyway. The actions of the Mad Dragon Security Company naturally attracted everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°They¡¯re really pushing their luck! Which security company is that, daring to go in there at this time, and it¡¯s just one company alone. Isn¡¯t that suicidal?¡± someone from another security company remarked. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s Mad Dragon Security Company¡¯s people. I remember they chose the middle area, right? Why are they here?¡± someone else said in confusion. While other security companies were abuzz with discussion, the atmosphere among the Seventh Division still on the scene was much more grave. ¡°What is Captain Zhang thinking, just sending one security company over there? Can they really handle it?¡± Feng Jun, the head of the division, couldn¡¯t help muttering. ¡°Captain, didn¡¯t our leader say it? This Mad Dragon Security Company is different; their combat power can match at least two divisions,¡± his deputy, Wang Junchang, said. ¡°That¡¯s absolute nonsense! No one would believe that if you said it out loud,¡± Feng Jun immediately retorted. ¡°Captain, you¡¯d better keep your comments to yourself! Otherwise, if it gets back to Captain Zhang, you¡¯ll be in for another punishment. And we¡¯ll see if they are a mule or a horse once they finish their round,¡± Wang Junchang reminded him. Feng Jun as if recalling a bad memory, suddenly shuddered. Then he gave his subordinates a stern look and warned them with his eyes not to gossip indiscreetly. Chen Dalong was unaware that his arrival had made him the center of attention. At that time, he was moving swiftly through the woods, and with the guidance of the Mutated Parrot, he didn¡¯t even have to spend time searching. Quickly making his way, in just 5 minutes, he had already approached the area where the monkey troop was located. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go ahead; you guys come over to clean up the battlefield later, and give me two more magazines,¡± said Chen Dalong as he spoke and organized his equipment. Chapter 95 - 95 95 All Resolved_1 ?Chapter 95: Chapter 95 All Resolved_1 Chapter 95: Chapter 95 All Resolved_1 As Chen Dalong spoke, someone quickly passed him two magazines. At this time, he carried a total of six magazines on him; adding the bullets that filled his firearm, he had 210 rounds in total. Dealing with over a hundred Mutated Monkeys should pose no significant problem. After checking his equipment one last time and making sure everything was correct, Chen Dalong charged towards the forest ahead without hesitation, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye. ¡°The Monkey Troops are on the move, and it¡¯s unclear whether they¡¯ve spotted you. Pick up the pace,¡± the Mutated Parrot said. ¡°Understood!¡± Chen Dalong roared in response, quickening his steps. Even in this rugged mountainous forest, he was able to reach a speed of 15 meters per second at this moment. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he passed by, a swarm of Mutated Insects was startled, countless Mutated Insects attacked Chen Dalong. But in the face of the sprinting Chen Dalong, the majority of Mutated Insects missed their target, and those that didn¡¯t were mostly knocked away on impact. Only a very few Mutated Insects were lucky enough to strike Chen Dalong, but their sharp claws and spikes could barely scratch his skin, causing no substantial harm. Under such circumstances, Chen Dalong rapidly closed in on the Mutated Monkey Troop. ¡°Take this shot.¡± When Chen Dalong got within 10 meters of the Monkey Troop, he didn¡¯t hesitate to pull the trigger. Ratatat! He fired three consecutive shots, and amazingly, two hit the Mutated Monkeys. The armor-piercing bullets carried great kinetic energy, penetrating into the bodies of the monkeys. One Mutated Monkey¡¯s shoulder was blown open with a fist-sized hole. Although it didn¡¯t die on the spot, without prompt treatment, it would eventually bleed to death. As for the other monkey, the bullet entered through its chest. It didn¡¯t even manage to grunt before dying instantly. Seeing their comrades killed, the Mutated Monkey Troop immediately counterattacked, hurling huge rocks at Chen Dalong. Chen Dalong, however, relying on his strong physical condition, dodged, weaved, and avoided the majority of the huge boulders. As for the ones he couldn¡¯t dodge, with his physical condition, it was no issue at all to take a few hits. And during this process, Chen Dalong did not stop firing. Within the 10-meter range, even against the extremely agile Mutated Monkeys, he managed a 50% hit rate. This hit rate, to be honest, wasn¡¯t much worse than that of some soldiers. The reason Chen Dalong improved so quickly in just over a day wasn¡¯t due to some extraordinary talent but simply because his physical condition was too good. After becoming an Evolutionist, his nerve response, dynamic capture ability, the stability of his arms, and other aspects were far superior to ordinary people. With a significant upgrade to his ¡°physical hardware,¡± his marksmanship improved naturally as well. In less than half a minute of chase, more than 10 Mutated Monkeys had died at the hands of Chen Dalong. At this point, Chen Dalong had completely shed his initial worry and fear, now feeling a thrilling sense of domination. ¡°I had no idea I was this powerful,¡± Chen Dalong roared inwardly, becoming even more vigorous in his killing. But it was at this moment, the Monkey Troop, realizing they couldn¡¯t escape, suddenly stopped running at the piercing scream of an exceptionally burly Monkey King. Then they turned around in unison, charging at Chen Dalong. This abrupt development caused an adrenaline surge in the self-engrossed Chen Dalong, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead as he immediately turned and ran back. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the rocks thrown by the Mutated Monkey Troop. But being of the First Order, when these Mutated Monkeys charged with their sharp fangs and claws, they could definitely tear out chunks of flesh. ¡°Lord Parrot, save me!¡± Chen Dalong cried out urgently. ¡°Can¡¯t you have a little dignity? Knife!¡± As the last word from the Mutated Parrot fell, a Big Yellow Dog bolted out from the adjacent forest. Chen Dalong immediately understood and in an instant, he drew the large machete from his waist and threw it over. Big Yellow Dog¡¯s figure flashed, it caught the machete in its mouth and then turned to charge towards the monkey horde. Although Big Yellow Dog was only Second Stage, its speed was not at all inferior to that of Third Order mutated beings. Chen Dalong only saw flashes of Big Yellow Dog¡¯s figure, and the heads of the pursuing mutated monkeys flew one after another. By the time he realized what was happening, more than a dozen mutated monkeys had already been killed. Squeak squeak! By this point, the mutated monkey horde truly began panicking and started to scatter and flee. ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t run!¡± Chen Dalong was getting anxious, as these were all military merits. ¡°You go after their main force and slaughter them, and as for the rest of the mutated monkeys, Lord Parrot will take care of them for you,¡± the Mutated Parrot¡¯s voice came over in a timely manner. Without any hesitation, Chen Dalong immediately acted on the advice. What followed was a trail of pursuit and slaughter. However, the chase didn¡¯t last long. After only 5 minutes, the pursuit battle came to an end. ¡°Alright, go count the number for me! I¡¯ve killed a total of 82 on my side, I¡¯ll send you the locations to mark later,¡± said the Mutated Parrot. ¡°Hmm hmm!¡± Chen Dalong carried a mutated monkey back, all the while continuing to count the number. As he returned, he quickly tallied up the numbers, having killed a total of 28 himself. That meant, including the number from Lord Parrot, the total count of this mutated monkey group came to 110. After calculating this number, Chen Dalong¡¯s breathing quickened, as it meant 1,100 Military Merit Points! ¡°I¡¯m rich, I¡¯m rich!¡± Chen Dalong was overwhelmed with excitement that he wanted to dance with joy. However, he restrained himself because by that time, the rest of the Mad Dragon Security Company had caught up. ¡°Boss, how¡¯s the situation?¡± Li Huosheng was the first to run over and ask. Although a ground littered with the bodies of mutated monkeys had already proven everything, asking some questions wasn¡¯t really about ignorance, but could serve as a set-up for praise. As expected, upon hearing this question, Chen Dalong shot him a look of approval. Then he proclaimed loudly, ¡°Of course it¡¯s taken care of, the total number of the mutated monkey group is 110. Everyone, get moving, clean up the battlefield quickly, and let¡¯s hope we can clear out more mutated beings later.¡± Upon hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s words, the field was quiet for a moment, and then erupted in thunderous cheers. An additional 1,100 Military Merit Points meant that Chen Dalong would contribute 1 million Huaxia currency to the bonus pool, which of course sent everyone into a state of excitement. Driven by monetary incentives, everyone buzzed around like chickens on steroids, cleaning the battlefield in record time. After the final count of mutated monkeys and confirming the correct number, the team couldn¡¯t wait to return. And at that time, only 15 minutes had passed. Back at the temporary camp, the crowd had just shifted the topic from the Mad Dragon Security Company to strategizing about how to conduct future clearance operations. Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with grim looks, especially the security company bosses who were nearly scratching their heads bald. Although they had just been notified that Zhang Ji was willing to raise the base reward from 1 million Huaxia currency to 3 million, and the reward of Military Merit Points for killing mutated insects was increased by 50%, it was still a losing deal. And at this moment, the Mad Dragon Security Company returned. ¡ª¡ª¨C It¡¯s uncertain whether I can write chapter two. I caught a cold and started coughing the past two days, especially at night when my sleep is heavily disturbed by the coughing. My mental state is too poor these last few days. If there¡¯s no update by 11 o¡¯clock, everyone shouldn¡¯t wait; consider this half a day off for me. Chapter 96 - 96 96 The Undisputed Number One_1 ?Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Undisputed Number One_1 Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Undisputed Number One_1 Hunter Security Company¡¯s temporary camp, a young man turned to the middle-aged man beside him and said, ¡°Old Chen, lend me some gauze please!¡± ¡°What for?¡± Old Chen asked impatiently. ¡°We¡¯re heading into the forest in ten minutes! Wrapping some gauze around my calves could be useful. I don¡¯t want to be carried out lying down later,¡± the youth said. ¡°Right, you¡¯re pretty clever, kid.¡± Old Chen gave a thumbs up, took out some gauze, and said, ¡°Here, I¡¯ll give you half. The boss too, why didn¡¯t he just refuse this task?¡± ¡°Refusing is impossible; otherwise, we¡¯d be blacklisted and then unable to buy firearms. The company wouldn¡¯t be able to grow,¡± the youth sighed. ¡°What do I care whether the company grows! I¡¯m just here to scrape by. Do you think this is something people should do? Even soldiers get injured in droves, and yet they send us security guards, who are frankly nothing more than¡­¡± Old Chen¡¯s voice trailed off as he began cursing, his eyes gradually widening in shock. The young man looked up in curiosity when he saw the other stop speaking and followed his gaze, becoming instantly dumbstruck. ¡°Good heavens, after getting back, I¡¯m resigning immediately,¡± Old Chen said excitedly after coming to his senses. ¡°Why?¡± The youth felt completely baffled; the scene before him was truly mind-boggling. ¡°I¡¯m job hopping, of course! I saw yesterday that Mad Dragon Security Company is recruiting at the job market, I¡¯ll sign up right away after I get back,¡± said Old Chen, rubbing his hands together eagerly. ¡°Count me in,¡± said the youth, regaining his composure instantly. Chen Dalong had expected that his return would cause a sensation, but he had not anticipated such a huge commotion. He had just returned to the temporary camp when he was swarmed by people. There was no helping it. Typical security companies might not even kill one mutated being in a trip, usually just making up numbers with mutated insects. But Mad Dragon Security Company had brought back more than 100 in one go, and upon examination, only two people had minor injuries!!! The onlookers were stunned, unable to comprehend the existence of such an extraordinary security company. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just them; all members of the Seventh Squad were petrified at that moment. They could still remember the terror dominated by the Mutated Monkeys just over half an hour ago. They might have succeeded if they really fought back, but by the end, the Seventh Squad could have been completely wiped out. However, this security company had annihilated the Mutated Monkeys in just 15 minutes, without any casualties to boot. The two who had been scratched couldn¡¯t truly be called injured. ¡°Dammit, could it be that the toxins from my wound haven¡¯t been fully cleared and I¡¯m hallucinating? Is this even reasonable? Is this normal?¡± Feng Jun, the commander of the Seventh Squad, cursing loudly, slapped his thigh. ¡°Commander, although it¡¯s exaggerated, it seems reasonable,¡± Wang Junchang, the deputy commander, said seriously, ¡°If they couldn¡¯t handle it, why would Captain Zhang send them here?¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go and see if he has three heads and six arms,¡± said Feng Jun as he stood up. Wang Junchang could only shake his head helplessly, hurrying to follow. But at this moment, the craziest ones were Professor Liu Zhi and his research team. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yes, they had come along too, and as Professor Liu Zhi put it, ¡°If we don¡¯t come along, should we stay there and count insects for other security companies?¡± ¡°Boss Chen, I just knew you wouldn¡¯t let me down. My God! Over a hundred Mutated Monkeys, in the coming month, our research group will not lack material.¡± Professor Liu Zhi said excitedly. Hearing this, Chen Dalong suddenly became somewhat interested and casually asked, ¡°Professor Liu Zhi, what is the project you¡¯re working on?¡± ¡°Biological alloy! This is a versatile new material that, if truly successfully researched, could take our human industrial revolution a huge step forward.¡± ¡°Of course, our research group is only responsible for one branch of it, and once we achieve results, your firearms can be upgraded.¡± Professor Liu Zhi said quite proudly. The branch he was working on held a leading position nationwide, and with so many Mutated Beings harvested from this operation, he now had at least an eighty percent confidence that he could publish results before other institutions. However, Chen Dalong was not very interested in all this. He just chuckled and gave a few perfunctory responses, then went off to talk to other people. There was no helping it; he still had to give face to the bosses of the major companies, since they would inevitably cross paths in the future. Additionally, there was Commander Feng Jun of the Seventh Brigade, whose enthusiastic attitude made Chen Dalong feel somewhat uncomfortable. After chatting for a bit, the two were soon patting each other on the back and even made plans to have drinks together after the mission was over. Of course, such excitement couldn¡¯t last too long. Because in the area ahead, there was still about a quarter that had not been cleared, and there were less than two hours left until sunset, making the task extremely heavy. In the time that followed, Mad Dragon Security Company demonstrated what real strength was. They were basically able to make a run every half an hour, clearing a large area each time, and the amount of Mutated Beings they brought back was astonishing. Even because Chen Dalong¡¯s side was so efficient, Zhang Ji only symbolically sent over one brigade for support, while the rest of the teams were dispatched to the rear areas. Finally, just before the sun set, the clearing operation was completed in a rush. When the last batch of Mutated Beings was tallied and Military Merit Points were calculated, Chen Dalong immediately worked out the total Military Merit Points they had earned that day. 3385 points. After deducting the 1500 points spent on his promotion to Honorary Captain, there were still 1885 points left. These nearly 2000 Military Merit Points were enough to completely re-equip Mad Dragon Security Company. If it were not for the time and place being inopportune, the people of Mad Dragon Security Company would have broken out in song and dance. Soon the team regrouped and then set off triumphantly toward Yang City. At this moment, the moods of the bosses of the major security companies were almost the complete opposite of when they had left. When they had set out in the morning, many were full of confidence, even ambitious. But now, they were anxiously calculating whether they could break even on this mission. There was no help for it; the casualties were too high, and these casualties were not ones who could be treated quickly¡ªthey couldn¡¯t work while laid up in the hospital. And when the number of casualties reached a certain level, the companies didn¡¯t dare to take on missions, resulting in a stalemate situation, and these invisible losses were the greatest. At this time, Zhang Ji gave everyone a metaphorical stab in the heart, as he directly announced the Military Merit Points that each security company had earned that day. Mad Dragon Security Company took first place with a terrifying score of 3385 points. And Star Shield Security Company, ranked second, had only 353 Military Merit Points, merely a fraction of what Mad Dragon Security Company had secured. Chapter 97 - 97 97 The Wave of Spiritual Energy Resurgence_1 ?Chapter 97: Chapter 97 The Wave of Spiritual Energy Resurgence_1 Chapter 97: Chapter 97 The Wave of Spiritual Energy Resurgence_1 The company that got 3rd place is Cheetah Security Company with 330 military merit points. The 4th place went to Yan Huang Security Company with 315 military merit points. It¡¯s worth mentioning that Heiyao Security Company actually got 5th place, with 255 military merit points. Of course, 230 of these merit points were given by Chen Dalong. There¡¯s no need to look at the companies ranked below this point, as they basically just scored slightly above 100. After Zhang Ji finished reading the rankings of all the security companies, the communication channel suddenly went silent. Everyone understood that the security industry was probably about to experience a major upheaval. When formulating the rankings, the Security Association takes into account the number of missions completed by the companies and the success rate of these missions, among other factors. However, not every mission is of the same value, so the weighting applied in the evaluation differs. Without a doubt, military missions are of the highest value, and thus, their weighting in the scoring is also the highest. Moreover, this time the military even released a direct ranking, presenting the strengths of each security company in the most tangible way possible. Eventually, the Security Association will definitely take the results of this mission into account and readjust the rankings among the security companies. No one doubts that Mad Dragon Security Company has a very high chance of leaping to the first-place ranking. And in the future, this gap might grow even wider. At this moment, bosses of these security companies, whether acquainted with him or not, were all privately messaging Chen Dalong. They all understood that their attitude toward Mad Dragon Security Company needed to change. ¡­ While Chen Dalong was using this achievement to build connections and expand his influence as much as possible, Ye Feng had already had all the mutated beings return to Sunset Valley, closely observing the changes around with furrowed brows. The concentration of Spiritual Energy had been steadily increasing, and by now, it had increased by 5%. And as night fell, the rate of Spiritual Energy concentration was still increasing. ¡°This change is too great! It feels like the impact this time will surpass any previous occurrences.¡± Ye Feng furrowed his brows and investigated once again. Some of the mutated insects that he had observed to be on the verge of breaking through had already begun to enter that state. And it wasn¡¯t just the mutated insects¡­ ¡°It seems that a large number of mutated beings are about to appear!¡± Ye Feng¡¯s gaze fell on two magpies in a nearby tree. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were just two ordinary magpies that hadn¡¯t had the chance to mutate before. But now Ye Feng could feel their aura strengthening bit by bit, a sign that they were about to mutate. And they were not the only ones. Ye Feng switched to Avatar Status, taking on the form of a mutated sparrow. He flew to the east side of Sunset Valley, where there was a pond, and he remembered there was a group of mallards nearby. He quickly found them on a grassy area not far away. Just as Ye Feng had thought, a large number of these mallards were about to mutate. Flapping his wings, Ye Feng soared over the grassland, where a goat was grazing nearby. It seemed no different from usual, but Ye Feng could sense the creature¡¯s aura slowly rising, indicating that it might become a mutated being in the next few hours. As he flew along, this kind of scene was not uncommon. And as the concentration of Spiritual Energy increased, it was likely that most animals would undergo mutations, just like the insects. As for those that failed to seize the opportunity to mutate, they naturally fell victim to the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, and were eliminated. ¡°It seems I need to implement my plan ahead of schedule,¡± Ye Feng frowned slightly as he looked in the direction of Yang City Zoo. The scope of this mutation was not confined to a single city or area; it was likely that a large number of animals in Yang City Zoo would undergo mutations in a short period of time. If he wanted to make a move, he had to act quickly, or rather, he only had tonight. Of course, he couldn¡¯t be hasty; he needed to wait for the right moment. This moment wouldn¡¯t be too far off; a large batch of Mutated Beings that reached Level 2 would be born amidst this wave of Spiritual Energy Resurgence. This naturally included those Mutated Mosquitoes, Mutated Flies, Mutated Cockroaches, and Mutated Mice that hadn¡¯t been cleared from the city in time. In addition, many families in Yang City kept cats and dogs, and it was estimated that a large number of them would mutate as well. There had been quite a debate online about how to deal with them; after tonight, there would be no need for further argument. Of course, he also needed to make preparations. Whoosh! Ye Feng controlled the Mutated Sparrow to return. Quickly, he shifted his consciousness back to his main body and stretched out a root to pluck the six Second-order Evolution Fruits from the tree. Today, nearly all of his subordinates were out helping Chen Dalong, and in this situation, Ye Feng was unable to supply them with Spiritual Energy on time. If he was the only one increasing points, there would be an excess of Spiritual Energy that he wouldn¡¯t be able to use up, and just when his body could no longer store any more Spiritual Energy, he came up with this alternative storage method. He used the excess Spiritual Energy to create Second Order Evolution Fruits for storage, and now they would come in handy. At this moment, as his command was given, the Mutated Buffalo at the Second Order Peak, the Mutated Black Crow, the Mutated Bats, the Mutated Mice, and the two Mutated Sparrows all immediately arrived under Ye Feng¡¯s tree. ¡°Come, one for each of you. No need to fight or scramble,¡± Ye Feng dropped the Second-order Evolution Fruits below. The allure of the Second Order Evolution Fruits to these creatures was much greater than that of the First Order, almost as soon as he plucked them, the fragrance released was enough to stir all nearby Mutated Beings. It was fine for the rest of Ye Feng¡¯s subordinates, many of them had eaten them before, and even those who hadn¡¯t enjoyed a high level of Loyalty and had no thoughts of their own. But the Mutated Wolf Pack beneath the tree was a different story; they were immediately agitated. Especially the Mutated Wild Wolves at Level 2, their eyes glazing over as if they were ready to pounce at any moment to fight over the Evolution Fruits. Even the eyes of the Mutated Wolf King gleamed with greed. But at that moment, a thick root lay in front of them. Instantly, the greed in their eyes, including that of the Mutated Wolf King, turned to terror, and their bodies couldn¡¯t help shaking. All this began at noon, after capturing the Mutated Wolf King, Ye Feng found that its Loyalty was only 60%. In such a situation, of course, a ¡°friendly sparring¡± was in order. Not just the Mutated Wolf King but also its subordinate wolf pack got to enjoy such ¡°treatment.¡± After an afternoon of ruthless sparring-healing cycles, Ye Feng had become the nightmare of every Mutated Wild Wolf. Including the Mutated Wolf King, they were thoroughly subdued. And after an afternoon of ¡°friendly sparring,¡± the Loyalty of the Mutated Wolf King increased from 60% to 65%. It wasn¡¯t until Ye Feng realized that such sparring was no longer effective in increasing Loyalty that he stopped, otherwise they would still be enduring the beatings. ¡°Perform well, and I will never be stingy with rewards,¡± Ye Feng said as he stroked the head of the Mutated Wolf King with the root he had extended and conveyed his intentions through the contract. The Mutated Wolf King was quite intelligent, nodding obediently as if it understood Ye Feng¡¯s words. Chapter 98 - 98 98 Bird Guns Replaced by Cannons_1 ?Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Bird Guns Replaced by Cannons_1 Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Bird Guns Replaced by Cannons_1 Ye Feng began to take stock of the forces under his command. Once the Mutated Buffalo and the others had broken through to the Third Order, he would have a total of eight subordinates who had reached the Third Order. Of course, apart from the King Cobra, Mutated Wolf King, and Mutated Buffalo, the others were to some extent inflated in their capabilities, but treating them as top-tier Second Order Creatures definitely posed no problem. When the time came to make a night raid on Yang City Zoo, as long as they didn¡¯t encounter a large military force, he felt they could put up a fight. After drafting a preliminary plan, Ye Feng picked up his phone. This time, he wasn¡¯t just playing around but browsing the local real-time news of Yang City online. Once those Mutated Beings had a large-scale breakthrough, there would certainly be a certain degree of turmoil in Yang City, and he could infer the military¡¯s movements through the news. ¡­ While Ye Feng was making various preparations, Chen Dalong had also followed the main force back to Yang City. Upon arriving, he could no longer afford to keep up the pretense of pleasantries with others and, after saying goodbye, directly led his subordinates to the office hall of the City Guard Department. He first collected the basic reward for the mission. It amounted to 3 million Huaxia currency plus 50 Military Merit Points. His Military Merit Points had now increased to 3435. After collecting his rewards, he made his way to the terminal with practiced ease, logged into his account after facial recognition. Opening the Military Merit Store, he scrolled down to the bottom of the exchange list. He first spent 500 Military Merit Points to promote himself to Lieutenant. Then he spent another 1,000 Military Merit Points to promote himself to Senior Lieutenant. ¡°Done!¡± Chen Dalong, looking at the icon representing Senior Lieutenant in his profile, clenched his fist excitedly. It wasn¡¯t just a symbol of status but also of power. From that moment on, his weapons allowance had increased to 100 automatic rifles and 2 heavy machine guns. Of course, since he had already purchased 10 field automatic rifles, this meant he could only buy another 90 automatic rifles and 2 heavy machine guns. He had also promised Qin Yaowen that he would lend half his weapons to him. ¡°What do you think, guys? With the remaining 1935 Military Merit Points, what weapons should we buy?¡± Chen Dalong looked back at his followers and asked. ¡°Boss, definitely buy all heavy machine guns and rocket launchers! That way we¡¯ll have fierce firepower,¡± Li Huosheng immediately said. ¡°The money for the bullets will come out of your salary?¡± Chen Dalong rolled his eyes in annoyance. He had seen before that bullets for heavy machine guns cost 30 Huaxia currency each; it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that each heavy machine gun was a money-burning machine. Hearing Chen Dalong¡¯s retort, Li Huosheng closed his mouth resentfully, not making another peep. Of course, Chen Dalong understood that he certainly had to buy heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, but he needed to control the quantity. After some thought, he spent 900 Military Merit Points to purchase 4 heavy machine guns and 5 rocket launchers. After deducting what he was going to lend to Qin Yaowen¡ª50 automatic rifles and 1 heavy machine gun¡ª He would still have left, 50 automatic rifles, 10 shotguns, 5 heavy machine guns, and 5 rocket launchers. Looking at the remaining 1,035 Military Merit Points, he scrolled through the list, his gaze settling on the sniper rifles. He beckoned for Liu Wenhua and Xie Guangzhong to come over, and they each chose a model they liked before placing an order. All models of sniper rifles were 60 Military Merit Points each, so these two firearms deducted another 120 Military Merit Points. Looking at the remaining 915 Military Merit Points, Chen Dalong purchased 45 field automatic rifles in one go. Each automatic rifle was 20 Military Merit Points, and 45 rifles equaled 900 Military Merit Points. In the blink of an eye, only 15 Military Merit Points were left in the account. ¡°Phew, that will do!¡± Chen Dalong nodded in satisfaction. This way, after deducting the 50 automatic rifles lent to Qin Yaowen, there would still be 95 automatic rifles left, which was more than enough. Although Chen Dalong¡¯s goal was to equip every security company employee with a gun, it was under the condition that their shooting skills were not too poor. Otherwise, wasting bullets would cause him, Chen Dalong, the heartache. After purchasing the weapons, the next step was to go to the Logistics Department to collect them. However, just as Chen Dalong stepped out of the office hall, he saw Qin Yaowen and a group from Heiyao Security Company at the entrance. ¡°Chen, how¡¯s everything going?¡± Qin Yaowen came up to meet Chen Dalong as soon as he saw him, asking with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Chen Dalong, clearly understanding the other party¡¯s intentions, immediately replied, ¡°Everything went smoothly. I¡¯m now a Lieutenant. Let¡¯s go together to the Logistics Department, I¡¯ll hand over the firearms to you there so I don¡¯t have to make another trip.¡± Qin Yaowen wanted to offer some polite words of refusal, but he feared that Chen might take him seriously, leaving him nowhere to cry, so he thickened his skin and nodded. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll trouble you, Chen.¡± After that, the two teams merged and marched towards the Logistics Department. The Logistics Department was very close to the City Guard Department, in fact, both departments used to belong to the military, so they were just next door to each other. Within a few short minutes, they arrived at the Logistics Department. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to collect firearms,¡± Chen Dalong approached the staff and presented his officer¡¯s certificate. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Here for firearms again?¡± Xiao Wu, the staff member at the department, had some recollection of Chen Dalong as he had just been there yesterday. ¡°That¡¯s right! I participated in a clearance operation today and managed to earn some merit,¡± Chen Dalong humbly said. Xiao Wu immediately slapped his forehead, ¡°Look at my memory. Today all of you security companies and the military joined forces to clear out the Donglin Mountain Range, such an important event and I forgot.¡± As he spoke, he took Chen Dalong¡¯s officer¡¯s certificate and inserted it into the card reader beside him. However, when he saw what was displayed on the screen, he was a bit taken aback. He checked the screen three times and reconfirmed the data, still finding it somewhat unbelievable. ¡°Uh¡­ you guys are claiming a lot of firearms, I need to report this to my supervisor,¡± Xiao Wu said somewhat awkwardly. In reality, there was no such procedure, but he was genuinely worried that there had been a system error because the content displayed was too outrageous, warranting a check with the City Guard Department. 10 minutes later, Xiao Wu and the supervisor of the Logistics Department, Xie Dan, came over together. ¡°Sorry for the wait, we have verified the situation. Please come this way to collect your weapons,¡± Xie Dan called over to Chen Dalong with great enthusiasm. In fact, as the supervisor, he did not need to come out personally by the book. But when he phoned Zhang Ji for verification and learned of Chen Dalong¡¯s incredible performance today, especially his identity as a superhuman, he decided to come out decisively. To a superhuman, no amount of attention was excessive. Chapter 99 - 99 99 The Aftermath of the King Cobra_1 ?Chapter 99: Chapter 99 The Aftermath of the King Cobra_1 Chapter 99: Chapter 99 The Aftermath of the King Cobra_1 Seeing that it was the head of logistics personally welcoming him, and with such enthusiasm, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but feel flattered. After all, the man before him was the head of the department, and in charge of such a lucrative position within the logistics sector. Chen Dalong immediately demonstrated his shameless social skills as they exchanged pleasantries and compliments. Both were eager to make connections, so unsurprisingly, the atmosphere was extremely harmonious. ¡°These are the weapons you¡¯ve purchased with Military Merit Points. Additionally, these 90 automatic rifles and 2 heavy machine guns are the ones you¡¯ve applied for according to quota. You¡¯ll need to pay for them.¡± ¡°However, as an honorary captain, you are entitled to a 10 percent discount when purchasing weapons and ammunition,¡± Xie Dan said with a smile after having the equipment brought out. Looking at the pile of weapons that had been moved out, especially the 6 heavy machine guns and 5 rocket launchers, Qin Yaowen standing beside him was almost drooling. These arms would instantly elevate the combat power of any security company by at least two levels. Of course, he was keenly aware of why he had come this far. Hearing what manager Xie Dan said, he quickly spoke up, ¡°Chen, let me cover the cost of these weapons. Consider it as interest for borrowing your guns.¡± Qin Yaowen knew too well that friendships don¡¯t last forever, only interests do. Even though Heiyao Security Company was currently a bit tight financially, he was prepared to pay the price. Chen Dalong was surprised, but who doesn¡¯t like a freebie? He immediately clapped Qin Yaowen on the shoulder and said, ¡°Brother, I am indeed a bit short on funds, so I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± An automatic field rifle was 30,000 Huaxia Currency each, 90 of them amounted to 2.7 million Huaxia Currency, and the 2 heavy machine guns together cost a total of 500,000 Huaxia Currency. The total for these weapons was 3.2 million, but with the discount, it still came up to a substantial 2.88 million. This sum wasn¡¯t insignificant for Chen Dalong. Although the military had given him 3 million as compensation for the mission, he was set to pay out 3.3 million in bonuses alone, meaning he would actually end up spending more than he earned. Though he had received a large sum of money yesterday, after disbursing the pensions, covering medical expenses, recruiting personnel, and buying ammunition, his account balance had dwindled to just over 4 million. So, naturally, he was looking to save wherever possible. Without hesitation, Qin Yaowen paid up, and Chen Dalong in turn lent him 50 automatic field rifles and one heavy machine gun. Of course, such a loan needed to be registered with the military, as transferring weapons meant also transferring the ammunition quota. Without bullets, firearms were no more than lumps of metal. Normally, this procedure would be quite complicated, but upon hearing of the matter, Xie Dan immediately said that all that was needed was for the two to sign, and he would arrange for someone to handle the rest. ¡°I really appreciate that, manager Xie. I¡¯m a bit busy today, but I¡¯ll treat you to dinner tomorrow,¡± Chen Dalong said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. If there¡¯s anything related to logistics in the future, feel free to look for me,¡± Xie Dan said cheerily. Soon, Qin Yaowen left contentedly with 50 automatic rifles and one heavy machine gun. Meanwhile, Chen Dalong also did a quick inventory of the remaining weapons. 95 automatic field rifles, 10 shotguns, 5 heavy machine guns, 5 rocket launchers, and 2 sniper rifles. With so many weapons, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to directly recruit up to 200 combat personnel for the company. And if there weren¡¯t enough guns? Obviously, the ones who shot well would get to use them, and those who didn¡¯t would have to pay for practice at the shooting range. Of course, having weapons wasn¡¯t enough¡ªthere were still bullets to buy. After purchasing weapons at the Military Merit Store, there is a default quota of ammunition provided. First comes the automatic rifles, with each having a quota of 100 rounds of ammo, meaning Chen Dalong could purchase up to 9500 rounds in total. Of course, the ammo purchased before had not been used up, so buying around 8000 rounds should suffice, but even when buying ordinary bullets mixed with armor-piercing rounds, it would still cost 132,000 Huaxia Currency. Then, there are two sniper rifles which can have a total of 200 sniper rounds, with each round costing 100 yuan, so that¡¯s another 20,000 Huaxia Currency. In addition, 5 heavy machine guns can be equipped with 5000 rounds of ammo, with each round of machine gun ammo costing 30 yuan, which requires another 150,000. Lastly, there are 5 rocket launchers which can be equipped with 50 rocket shells, each costing 1000 yuan, totaling 50,000. Altogether, that comes to 352,000, and after a 10 percent discount, it is 316,800 yuan. ¡°Fortunately, I have some money now. If I had to buy just the ammo in the past, it would¡¯ve given me a headache,¡± Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but murmur. And these amounts of ammo sound plentiful, but if they really encountered a sizable group of mutated beings, a single battle could use up most of it. Once everything was purchased, Chen Dalong found everyone staring at him with eager eyes ¨C to be precise, staring at the firearms beside him. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone will have firearms this time, no need to fight or scramble for them,¡± he said. ¡°But let me put it straight, I¡¯m giving you a week to practice shooting. In a week¡¯s time, at a 10-meter target, you must hit within the 5th ring with 10 consecutive shots, or else surrender the firearms to the new colleagues,¡± Chen Dalong announced loudly, making sure everyone could hear him. ¡°No way! To achieve a 10-meter target, hitting within the 5th ring within a week is too hard!¡± Little Knife couldn¡¯t help but mutter. ¡°Yeah, even now, I still miss half the time at a 10-meter target,¡± Red Hair chimed in from beside him. It wasn¡¯t just the two of them who were complaining, but rather the majority of the team. Chen Dalong naturally heard the complaints from the crowd and continued, ¡°It¡¯s all up to you. Haven¡¯t you thought about how much you¡¯ve earned on this mission?¡± ¡°The 3.3 million from the bonus pool, divided among the 85 of you, each person could get about 40,000, plus the 10,000 base reward I promised earlier. That means most of you will be getting 50,000 each for one trip out.¡± ¡°So why don¡¯t you think about what makes you deserving of such money? Is your ability really irreplaceable by others?¡± ¡°Hence, those who fail to meet the standard, after receiving the bonus, should go to the shooting range and practice well. You are some of the first to follow me; don¡¯t let us down!¡± With these words, Chen Dalong instantly silenced all those who were complaining. ¡­ While Chen Dalong was engaged in ideological work with his subordinates, Zhang Ji was summoned to the Mutant Management Bureau by an urgent call. He looked at Xiao Hua and Li Yongming in the conference room, their expressions somewhat haggard but their demeanor extremely grave. ¡°Mutated King Cobra, what exactly have you discovered that warrants its danger level being elevated to the highest?¡± Zhang Ji asked with a frown. He had carefully reviewed the information on the Mutated Eyed King Snake, and based on combat power alone, the creature barely ranked within the top ten threats. The final decision to place it third was entirely because of its ability to command its subordinates. However, its subordinates were merely a Mutated Mouse and a Mutated Sparrow, indicating it could only dominate creatures of lesser strength. Under these circumstances, its danger level was limited. At least in his view, it simply could not threaten the beings ranked in the first two positions. Chapter 100 - 100 100 Peeling Back Layers of Deduction_1 ?Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Peeling Back Layers of Deduction_1 Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Peeling Back Layers of Deduction_1 You should know, the top two Mutated Beings have reached Third Order. The difference between Second Stage and Third Order is immense, with combat power typically varying by as much as tenfold. Moreover, whether it¡¯s the second-ranked Mutated Wolf King or the first-ranked Mutated Crocodile King, they both have their own kind as subordinates. So from any perspective, Zhang Ji did not believe that the Mutated King Cobra could surpass those two Mutated Beings. Facing Zhang Ji¡¯s inquiry, Xiao Hua and Li Yongming exchanged glances before Li Yongming finally spoke, ¡°Captain, according to our judgement before, the intelligence of the Mutated King Cobra is higher than that of other Mutated Beings. Do you agree with this?¡± Zhang Ji nodded. They were paying attention to the King Cobra because it actually went out of its way to rescue a newly mutated parrot, which clearly indicated it was consciously cultivating its own forces. This behavior was fundamentally different from that of other Mutated Animals commanding their own kind. The two are qualitatively different. Li Yongming continued, ¡°In the past few days, we¡¯ve sent people into the sewers to collect and review videos from various locations, hoping to find clues.¡± ¡°We originally thought it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but unexpectedly, we really found something.¡± ¡°Just two days ago, the Mutated King Cobra made its move again.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°How is that possible? I¡¯ve had all sewer entrances and exits guarded, so how did the Mutated King Cobra get in?¡± Li Yongming explained, ¡°The Mutated King Cobra didn¡¯t act personally. It was its subordinates, that Mutated Mouse and Mutated Sparrow, we¡¯ve discovered them in the sewer surveillance again.¡± Zhang Ji then nodded and asked curiously, ¡°What did they do this time? Did they rescue another Mutated Being?¡± Li Yongming shook his head, but he did not answer directly. Instead, he continued, ¡°This time, the Mutated Mouse and Mutated Sparrow that appeared in the video were much larger in size. We suspect that they have both broken through to Second Stage.¡± ¡°Both broken through to Second Stage?¡± Zhang Ji mused, ¡°You mean, the Mutated King Cobra has the ability to rapidly grow and advance its subordinates? Is that why it¡¯s developing its power aggressively?¡± ¡°We indeed have such suspicions, but that¡¯s not the main point of our report.¡± At this point, Li Yongming turned on the computer screen and opened a video. ¡°The place they were trying to enter this time is a cell phone store, but because the Second Stage Mutated Mouse had grown much larger, it couldn¡¯t enter through the sewer, so it ultimately pushed open the manhole cover and went over from the street.¡± In the video, a Mutated Mouse as big as a Teddy Dog tried to squeeze into a drainpipe but got stuck. But Zhang Ji wasn¡¯t focusing on the video; he zeroed in on a detail in Li Yongming¡¯s words, ¡°You said they were trying to get into a cell phone store?¡± ¡°Yes! Exactly.¡± Li Yongming nodded and said, ¡°And they took away three chargers and three power banks.¡± Zhang Ji: ??? ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhang Ji asked. Either he heard wrong, or the other party misspoke. ¡°Captain, you heard correctly, they took chargers and power banks, and of course I know you must have many questions.¡± ¡°In fact, when we first went to investigate, we never considered this possibility. We just thought that the cell phone store might have been harboring some animal that mutated, attracting their visit.¡± ¡°But after our questioning, the store¡¯s owner stated that he didn¡¯t have any pets, although on that night, three chargers and power banks had gone missing, and the windows and security nets were damaged.¡± ¡°At first, we didn¡¯t believe it. Then we called the criminal investigation department to take a look. They soon found mouse prints on the walls, window sills, and such places.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°After detection and reconstruction with instruments, it turned out that the mouse prints did indeed go from the window to the counter and then back again.¡± ¡°Even so, we still couldn¡¯t believe that an animal would steal these things.¡± ¡°Then, we discovered that from the manhole cover where the mouse emerged to the store, there were three cameras that could have captured it.¡± ¡°Two were our road surveillance cameras, and another was the hotel entrance camera across the street.¡± ¡°However, when we tried to retrieve the video records, we found that all three cameras had been damaged without exception.¡± ¡°What was even more unbelievable was¡­¡± Li Yongming paused here, swallowing before continuing, ¡°All three cameras were damaged precisely at the moment before the Mutated Mouse emerged.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhang Ji couldn¡¯t stay seated any longer, as he understood what that implied. His eyes were fixed on Li Yongming, and every slight expression on his face told him this was no joke. By now, Xiao Hua had also stood up and walked over to the computer, opening another segment of video. ¡°This is the footage from those three cameras,¡± Xiao Hua explained. On the screen, three separate images were displayed, each with a timestamp. At first, everything appeared normal, but within less than half a minute, all screens went black. Xiao Hua zoomed in on one of the videos, rewinding it to a moment before the screen went black, then paused right before the darkness ensued. At this frozen moment, one could see a dark, hook-like object. Zhang Ji stared intently, saying, ¡°That¡¯s a bird¡¯s beak!¡± Xiao Hua nodded, ¡°Right, that¡¯s likely the lookout Mutated Bird.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not the important part. What¡¯s important is that they would deliberately destroy the cameras, showing that the Mutated King Cobra understands the function of these electronic devices.¡± Zhang Ji let out a long sigh. After hearing from Li Yongming that the cameras had been deliberately destroyed, he had already connected the dots, which is why he had such a strong reaction. Now, the footage on the video was the most compelling evidence. Zhang Ji continued where Xiao Hua left off, inferring, ¡°Since they understand the function of these electronic devices, it means that the Mutated Mouse¡¯s theft of chargers and portable chargers wasn¡¯t random.¡± ¡°The Mutated King Cobra needs these things, which suggests that it possibly possesses a cell phone and knows how to use it.¡± ¡°This snake, it¡¯s become sentient!¡± Chapter 101 - 101 101 Sudden Incident_1 ?Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Sudden Incident_1 Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Sudden Incident_1 After Zhang Ji himself voiced his hypothesis, the atmosphere in the room instantly fell silent. Moments later, Zhang Ji collected himself and took the initiative to break the silence, ¡°You¡¯re right, this Mutated King Cobra indeed deserves the top spot in terms of danger.¡± ¡°Even though its threat level might not be that significant at present, such intelligence has limitless potential for growth.¡± Other Mutated Beings, no matter how strong, have their limits. Even the Mutated Wolf King that ambushed him today in the Donglin Mountain Range and was impervious to even small missiles¡ª But that was only because the terrain of the mountain range was complex. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If the enemy dared to come to the city, no, even just a slightly more open area, by setting up heavy machine guns and forming a fire net, they would certainly die without question. But this King Cobra was different; if the adversary truly possessed human-like intelligence, targeting it would become exceedingly difficult. What¡¯s more worrisome is, it¡¯s one thing for the enemy to use electronic devices now, but what if they start using human weaponry in the future? That would truly be a significant threat. For a time, Zhang Ji had myriad thoughts racing through his mind. But this contemplation did not last long as Xiao Hua interrupted him with a light cough. ¡°Captain Zhang, we urgently called you here not to discuss the rankings of the Mutated King Cobra.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Zhang Ji looked over with some confusion, waiting for the other to continue. ¡°Don¡¯t you see this as an opportunity? If the adversary is indeed using a cellphone, maybe we can use this lead to pinpoint their location.¡± ¡°After all, under the current circumstances, there aren¡¯t many humans staying out in the wild. As long as we use cellphone tracking, and investigate one by one, we might be able to find the Mutated King Cobra¡¯s position.¡± ¡°Of course, this will require the full cooperation of the communications department. Our authority is insufficient. If we go through normal channels to report to the municipal department, that would take at least one or two days.¡± ¡°So, I hope you here can directly exercise a crisis state authority,¡± Xiao Hua said earnestly. The crisis state authority is a power that officers above the rank of military district regimental commander may use under extremely urgent circumstances. After it is activated, it can bypass the redundant vetting process, requiring all related departments to cooperate unconditionally. However, if this authority is used, it will be subject to investigation by the military¡¯s disciplinary committee afterward. If the facts prove that the situation indeed required activating this ¡°crisis state,¡± then it is acceptable. But if the investigators feel that the criteria for using this power were not met, then it will lead to a military tribunal. Therefore, this command is not easy to give at all. The two individuals in the room both stared at Zhang Ji. Caught in contemplation, Zhang Ji asked after a moment, ¡°If I get the communications department to cooperate with you, how long will it take to lock down the Mutated King Cobra¡¯s location?¡± Xiao Hua had already considered these issues and replied without hesitation, ¡°If the Mutated King Cobra¡¯s cellphone is on, we can locate it within an hour at most.¡± ¡°But if their cellphone is off, and we need to check historical data and compare it one by one, I¡¯m afraid it might take about four to five hours.¡± At this time, Li Yongming added, ¡°After locking down the location, we must launch an immediate operation and dispatch an assault team with sufficient firepower.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take this responsibility. Don¡¯t let me down,¡± Zhang Ji clenched his teeth and took out his cellphone. But before he could make the call, his phone began to ring. Checking the caller ID showed a surprised look on his face; he promptly stepped aside to answer the call. Xiao Hua and Li Yongming, although unable to hear the content of the conversation, could see Zhang Ji¡¯s expression growing more grave. A moment later, Zhang Ji hung up the phone and came back, saying solemnly, ¡°Your plan will have to be postponed.¡± ¡°Why? Is there something even more important than dealing with the Mutated King Cobra as soon as possible?¡± Xiao Hua asked, puzzled. ¡°I forgot to mention something to you. Around three o¡¯clock this afternoon, all Mutated insects displayed abnormal behavior, becoming highly aggressive.¡± ¡°I spoke to Chen Dalong, the Superhuman you previously discovered, and he made a guess. Now, that guess has come true,¡± Zhang Ji said, massaging his forehead. ¡°What guess?¡± Xiao Hua and Li Yongming asked in unison. ¡°Those Mutated insects are about to undergo a collective breakthrough.¡± Zhang Ji knew the two of them might not understand what that meant and continued, ¡°Not just the insects in the wild, this includes the Mutated Mosquitoes, Mutated Flies, Mutated Cockroaches, and even Mutated Mice within our city; we now observe the signs of their impending breakthroughs.¡± This information changed the complexion of both Xiao Hua and Li Yongming. Scenes of a city in Ah San Country almost being massacred by Mutated Beings involuntarily surfaced in the minds of both men. ¡°How could this happen!¡± Xiao Hua murmured softly. ¡°Actually, our military has already had contingency plans for this, as biological mutation is a global issue, only with some regions affected earlier and some later.¡± ¡°The incident in Ah San Country gave us several days¡¯ buffer. So, our luck is not that bad; at least we¡¯re not the first to erupt,¡± Zhang Ji said with a sigh. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not good either. If it could have been delayed a few more days, that would¡¯ve been better; then the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ in the city could have been completely eradicated,¡± Zhang Ji sighed again. The originally planned 7-day extermination mission was only three days in, and while the progress was faster than initially anticipated, only half the city had been cleansed. Meaning, they still had half the city¡¯s ¡°Four Pests¡± to deal with. ¡°So, what does the military plan to do next?¡± Xiao Hua asked. ¡°Evacuate the population, establish defenses; the specifics will depend on the situation in each area. I¡¯m guessing orders will soon reach the Mutant Management Bureau as well, and you¡¯ll know the details very soon.¡± ¡°I must go now. Li Yongming, regroup. Our 6th regiment is responsible for the security defense of the large area from Mingzhu Street to Huanbao Road; it¡¯s going to be a tough fight,¡± Zhang Ji said as he walked out. ¡°Yes!¡± Li Yongming responded immediately and hurried after him. Xiao Hua, left standing on the spot, looked at the stack of untouched documents on the table, somewhat dazed. He opened the first page, which was a snapshot of the Mutated King Cobra. ¡°What a pity, if we could have caught you even one day, no, just half a day earlier,¡± Xiao Hua murmured to himself. But now, he had a premonition that they might have missed their last chance. Chapter 102 - 102 102 Protecting Family_1 ?Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Protecting Family_1 Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Protecting Family_1 Twenty minutes after Zhang Ji left, the military and various departments, after brief communication and integration, At 7 o¡¯clock sharp, officially commenced the unified evacuation operation. On Xihua Street, a military vehicle weaved through the roadway, a high-powered loudspeaker on top repeating a phrase non-stop. ¡°Emergency notice, the mutated beings here are about to riot, all residents of Xihua Street, proceed to the neighborhood square for assembly, ready to evacuate. Note, this is not a drill.¡± ¡°Emergency notice, the mutated beings here¡­¡± As the military vehicle passed by, whether it was pedestrians on the streets or residents in apartment buildings, all displayed stunned expressions, followed by panic. This incident was also captured and uploaded online immediately. Shadowless: ¡°What the fuck! How can they suddenly announce a riot of mutated beings, and also demand immediate relocation?¡± Lonely Wind: ¡°I¡¯ve got some inside information; I heard that those rats, cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes are moving up to the next stage.¡± Rise and Fall: ¡°I don¡¯t get it, what does moving up to the next stage mean? How powerful will they become after advancing?¡± Lonely Wind: ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the video of Ah San Country being slaughtered by mutated animals? Those in the video are second-stage mutated beings, the ones we have now are all first-order, those are second-stage.¡± The river flows eastward: ¡°The internet is not beyond the law, do not spread rumors!¡± Lonely Wind: ¡°Use your head and you¡¯ll know, the areas being evacuated are all places that haven¡¯t been cleared of the ¡®Four Pests.¡¯ Isn¡¯t that telling enough?¡± It can be said that the internet exploded with discussion all at once. Just then, an announcement was released on the Yang City official website. Instead of a long, drawn-out exposition, it was a concise statement of the situation, followed by a map. On the map, which areas were safe zones and which were dangerous zones were marked. Almost all places that had been cleared of the ¡®Four Pests¡¯ were now marked as safe zones. Residents could either make their own way to the safe zones or proceed to specific locations to gather, where transportation would be arranged to escort them. Beyond that, some dangerous areas that hadn¡¯t had time to clear the ¡°Four Pests¡± also had designated safe points. Soldiers would be stationed behind these safe points, set up to assist those residents who hadn¡¯t been able to evacuate in time. After reading this announcement, the public¡¯s fearful emotions were slightly alleviated. Meanwhile, the military also made a statement, claiming that with the current military strength within Yang City, all mutated beings within the city could be cleared within a maximum of three days, enabling everyone to return home. Below the announcement was a video, which showed the overwhelming manner in which the military exterminate the mutated beings during the pest control operation. Without a doubt, this further reassured the public. At the same time, many analytical posts appeared online. These posts mainly described why a small city in Ah San Country was overrun by mutated beings. First, of course, was because authorities likely didn¡¯t respond quickly enough when the mutated beings suddenly appeared, leaving no chance to organize an effective resistance. Second, the total armed forces there probably didn¡¯t even exceed 500 people which, in the face of a vast group of mutated beings, was insignificant. Third, regarding equipment, firearms could kill large mutated beings, but were less effective against smaller mutated insects, and the military in Yang City had already prepared for this. Fourth¡­ Fifth¡­ As more and more information was listed, the public¡¯s mindset underwent a complete change. Although many people could tell that the narrative was being intentionally steered, the information listed was indeed true. The direction of the Internet started to change. In reality, what this resulted in was the once slightly chaotic evacuation teams becoming gradually more orderly. Ye Feng, who had been closely monitoring the Internet, of course learned of the explosive news the moment it broke. Ding-ling-ling! At the shooting range, Chen Dalong was practicing his marksmanship along with a group of his subordinates. As an Evolutionist, he now possessed the best physical conditions, making his practice of marksmanship doubly effective. What¡¯s more, with the personal guidance of two sharpshooters, Liu Wenhua and Xie Guanzhong, his progress could be described as rapid. But just as he was getting into the groove, his phone rang in his pocket. Chen Dalong jerked, nearly missing the target with his shot. Since so many people were trying to reach him, he had set his phone to do not disturb mode. Under do not disturb mode, the only calls that could come through were from those he had set as special contacts, like Lord Parrot. He handed over the firearm to Liu Wenhua and, while answering the call, quickly walked toward a corner. ¡°Lord Parrot, do you have any orders for me?¡± Chen Dalong asked hurriedly. ¡°Have you been paying attention to what¡¯s happening on the internet?¡± the Mutated Parrot inquired. ¡°Uh¡­ What¡¯s happening? I¡¯ve been practicing shooting with the brothers at the range,¡± Chen Dalong was a bit confused. Since they were in a safe zone where order still prevailed, they had not immediately noticed anything amiss. The Mutated Parrot promptly explained the situation, and Chen Dalong¡¯s expression changed drastically. He had known that Mutated Insects were about to evolve and had only thought it would be troublesome in the future, but he had never associated it with the ¡°Four Pests¡± inside the city. It was only now that he realized how serious the situation was. ¡°In fact, this is just the first step. Next, the majority of cats and dogs in the city will also mutate. If not handled properly, it could become even more troublesome,¡± the Mutated Parrot dropped another bombshell. ¡°This¡­¡± For a moment, Chen Dalong felt his mind go blank. He had only been practicing his shooting for a while! sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. How had the city become so fraught with crises in just the blink of an eye? The Mutated Parrot continued, ¡°The upcoming period will be very dangerous for ordinary people. So, I have a very important task for you to undertake.¡± ¡°You are to immediately take your men to 56 Donglin Street. There is a family there with the surname Ye. Protect them well, and once the task is complete, you will be awarded 100 Contribution Points.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Dalong felt his breath quicken. 100 Contribution Points¡ªthat was equivalent to ten sessions of Spiritual Energy Empowerment! This was more rewarding than the combined rewards of the two tasks previously issued by Lord Parrot. But precisely because of this, Chen Dalong became even more cautious. ¡°Yes! Lord Parrot, I promise to complete the task,¡± Chen Dalong assured first. Then he carefully asked, ¡°Additionally, my lord, may I inquire if there¡¯s anything special about the family you want me to protect? Or is there anything in particular I need to be aware of?¡± As he asked this question, the other side of the phone went silent. This made Chen Dalong¡¯s heart race, ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve asked something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± While his mind was running wild with thoughts, the Mutated Parrot sighed softly and said, ¡°Actually, I shouldn¡¯t tell you the secrets involved so soon.¡± ¡°But Dragon Lord hadn¡¯t expected the second wave of Spiritual Energy Resurgence to come so soon. Now, with limited manpower, I have no choice but to entrust you with this important task.¡± ¡°I will only say the following once, and you must keep it to yourself. If you speak carelessly, no one can save you from punishment.¡± Chapter 103 - 103 103 Task_1 ?Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Task_1 Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Task_1 Hearing Lord Parrot speak so seriously, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but swallow. It was the first time he had seen such a solemn attitude from the other party. A drum started to beat in his heart as he considered whether he should listen to this secret or not. But before he could say anything, the Mutated Parrot said, ¡°In fact, during Ancient Times, although the Dragon Lord was a True Dragon, the Dragon Clan was not the strongest force at that time, because there were Divine Spirits.¡± ¡°Back then, the Dragon Lord was a follower of a powerful Divine Spirit.¡± Hearing these words, Chen Dalong was deeply shaken; he had never imagined that Divine Spirits truly existed in this world. ¡°When the Ancient Times came to an end, that powerful Divine Spirit used Ancient Mystical Techniques to give all followers a chance to reincarnate.¡± ¡°Now that the Spiritual Energy Resurgence has begun, the Dragon Lord has revived first, and at the same time, he has felt that other followers are also in the midst of reviving.¡± ¡°The Ye Rou whom you are going to protect is one of them. She was once a comrade in arms with the Dragon Lord and even saved the Dragon Lord¡¯s life, but now she is very weak without having revived and needs someone to protect her.¡± Ye Feng told the fabricated reason he had come up with. By saying so, he was, on one hand, arranging an identity for his family and, on the other hand, laying the groundwork for the future appearance of the World Tree Body. At this moment, Chen Dalong felt an overwhelming surge of emotions, both from the excitement of hearing such ancient secrets and from the realization that such a terrifying and immense force stood behind the Dragon Lord. ¡°You behave, and the Dragon Lord will also be watching this matter at all times. I will send you the details of that lady, who has not yet recovered her memory, so you¡¯ll have to make up the reason yourself,¡± the Mutated Parrot instructed. ¡°Understood, Lord Parrot,¡± Chen Dalong had come back to his senses by then and quickly responded. After the communication ended, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t hurry to make arrangements but went online to understand the situation first. He also received the information sent by Lord Parrot. When Chen Dalong saw that the powerful being who had not yet revived was just a 6-year-old girl, he was clearly stunned for a moment. Of course, that was all. Having witnessed the various God Techniques used by the Dragon Lord, he did not dare to underestimate this little girl. After reading the information and pondering it in his heart for a moment, he called all the members over. ¡°You all have 5 minutes to go online and check out the situation with the advancement of Mutated Beings. Those of you who live in the danger zones can go home and take your families to the company for temporary shelter.¡± ¡°Those in safe areas, come with me. We have a protection mission to execute,¡± Chen Dalong announced loudly. While Chen Dalong had been on the phone, some of the members who had been practicing shooting had already received phone calls from their families and were more or less aware of the situation. So as Chen Dalong finished speaking, about a dozen people raised their hands, indicating they needed to go and meet their families. Chen Dalong, of course, had nothing to say about it and simply told them to go and return quickly. The remaining nearly 60 people picked up their gear and boarded the bus, heading straight toward Donglin Street. ¡°Boss, who are we going to protect?¡± After the vehicle had been driving for a while, Li Huosheng couldn¡¯t hold back and came over to ask. At first, he thought they were being hired by a rich person for protection, but now the vehicle was heading in the direction of the old city. As everyone knows, the wealthy quarters of Yang City are around the city center. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We¡¯re protecting just an ordinary family. But this is a very important friend¡¯s assignment, and we can¡¯t afford any mistakes, got it?¡± Chen Dalong said with a serious expression. Li Huosheng glanced at Chen Dalong and, seeing that there was no sign of joking on his face, although he was still puzzled, nodded, ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll go and tell the other brothers.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead!¡± Chen Dalong nodded, this was exactly what he wanted. After all, the information provided by Lord Parrot made it clear that the family was too ordinary. Once they got there, his subordinates would inevitably have questions, so instead of explaining later, it was better to set things straight now. Just then, a phone call came in. Chen Dalong picked up his cellphone and his brows furrowed slightly. The caller was Captain Zhang Ji, and Chen Dalong could guess the reason for the call without much thought. Still, he decided to answer the phone. ¡°Hello, Captain Zhang, how can I help you?¡± ¡°Boss Chen, do you have a moment? I need the assistance of Mad Dragon Security Company,¡± Zhang Ji said straightforwardly as soon as the call connected. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Captain Zhang Ji, but I¡¯ve taken on a protection mission and am currently unavailable,¡± Chen Dalong replied politely yet firmly. On the other end, Zhang Ji was noticeably taken aback. ¡°How did you take on a mission?¡± The Security Association had canceled all other tasks immediately, leaving only various defense assistance missions available for acceptance. He had looked into it and knew that Mad Dragon Security Company had not taken any missions before he called Chen Dalong. ¡°A request from a friend,¡± Chen Dalong answered succinctly. Zhang Ji: ¡°¡­¡± Clearly, Zhang Ji on the other side of the phone had not expected this and didn¡¯t know what to do for a moment. After all, Mad Dragon Security Company was neither part of the military nor any government agency; it was just a company. Strictly speaking, at this time, they were no different from the citizens who needed protection. Unless the higher-ups ordered militarized management of the entire city, he really had no reason to forcibly conscript them. However, with the current shortage of manpower and Mad Dragon Security Company¡¯s combat effectiveness proven in previous cleaning missions, he had no intention of giving up. After a brief moment of thought, he proposed, ¡°How about this: I send a combat team to protect your mission target, and you lead Mad Dragon Security Company to carry out the task. I guarantee you a generous reward for the mission.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ This¡­¡± Chen Dalong was still hesitant, not completely at ease without overseeing it himself. ¡°Then tell me, where are you carrying out the protection task?¡± Zhang Ji, of course, discerned the hesitation in Chen Dalong¡¯s voice and switched the question. ¡°Donglin Street,¡± Chen Dalong said promptly. ¡°Hold on¡­¡± The voice on the other end said two words and then went silent; Chen Dalong could vaguely hear Zhang Ji apparently talking with someone else. ¡°I¡¯ve checked, and West Tai Street, which is one block west of Donglin Street, falls within a danger zone,¡± Zhang Ji explained. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a combat team to protect your mission target. It¡¯s not too far for you to carry out your task on West Tai Street, and should anything happen, you can return immediately. What do you think?¡± Zhang Ji asked again. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll discuss it with my employer,¡± Chen Dalong responded. After all, Zhang Ji had gone this far in his request, and it would be quite disrespectful for Chen Dalong to refuse now. Chapter 104 - 104 104 The Luxurious Security Force_1 ?Chapter 104: Chapter 104 The Luxurious Security Force_1 Chapter 104: Chapter 104 The Luxurious Security Force_1 Chen Dalong ended the call with Zhang Ji and with some trepidation called Lord Parrot. The phone was quickly connected, and Chen Dalong immediately recounted the situation in detail. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but you must keep an eye on the Ye Family and if they encounter any danger, you have to rescue them right away,¡± the Mutated Parrot said after a moment¡¯s consideration. Relieved upon hearing this, Chen Dalong immediately assured that he would handle the matter flawlessly. He then called Zhang Ji again, ¡°Captain Zhang, the employer has agreed.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange for people to swap guard on West Tai Street for better coordination with you. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to hang up,¡± Zhang Ji said briefly, ready to end the call. ¡°Captain Zhang, wait a moment,¡± Chen Dalong hurriedly interjected. ¡°What else is there?¡± Zhang Ji asked. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re aware of, but the increase in Spiritual Energy concentration and the advancement of Mutated Insects is just the first step.¡± ¡°Next, there will be a massive mutation among animals, including the cats and dogs in our city,¡± Chen Dalong disclosed the news he had just learned. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What did you say!!!¡± Zhang Ji¡¯s voice rose sharply. Because he was fully aware of what that meant. Although cats and dogs retained their memories and emotions after mutation, they also became significantly more aggressive. This was likely a result of their dramatic increase in strength. If not dealt with promptly, it could easily lead to people getting hurt. Research suggested that these domestic animals had a fifty percent chance of turning on their owners if commanded to work as before after mutating. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean they would be harmless just by being pampered with good food and care. They wouldn¡¯t attack their former owners, but they would attack other people. House cats were somewhat manageable because of their small size; their attacking ability wouldn¡¯t be too strong in the first few days after mutation, giving some time to handle the situation. But it was different for domestic dogs, especially the larger breeds that had considerable fighting ability to begin with. After mutation, they could compete with tigers and leopards. Zhang Ji took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and asked in a grave tone, ¡°Will all the cats and dogs in the city mutate?¡± ¡°Not all, but a large portion will,¡± Chen Dalong replied. Even though it wasn¡¯t all, the thought of a large portion was enough to give Zhang Ji a throbbing headache. ¡°Lastly, I want to confirm, how sure are you about this guess?¡± Zhang Ji asked seriously. ¡°Seventy to eighty percent,¡± Chen Dalong said, which was the same answer he had given for the previous guess about Mutated Insects advancing. Zhang Ji, recognizing the familiar response, felt a twitch in his eyelid. ¡°I understand, if your guess is correct, you¡¯ll be credited for this,¡± said Zhang Ji before quickly hanging up the call. Their manpower was already stretched thin, and this news only added fuel to the fire, indicating how busy the upcoming period would be. After hanging up, Chen Dalong didn¡¯t worry about it any further; he had said what he needed to and made the necessary warnings. Vehicles were speeding down the road. Due to the impending outbreak of Mutated Beings, the government had advised residents to stay indoors, leaving the streets nearly empty of cars. In less than ten minutes, Chen Dalong and his companions arrived at Donghua Street and quickly located number 56. ¡°Wait here!¡± Chen Dalong instructed. He then got out of the car alone, straightened his suit and tie, making sure his appearance was acceptable, before politely knocking on the door. Creak! The door opened, and a middle-aged man in his fifties wearing work clothes peered out, asking with puzzlement and caution, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Hello, may I speak with Mr. Ye Xiangfeng, please?¡± Chen Dalong asked gently, trying to sound calm and friendly. ¡®Yes!¡¯ Ye Xiangfeng nodded and asked, ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Chen Dalong, the owner of Mad Dragon Security Company. Here¡¯s my business card,¡± Chen Dalong said as he took out a gold-embossed card from his jacket pocket and handed it over. Ye Xiangfeng took the card and glanced at it, and the wariness in his eyes diminished somewhat. ¡°We didn¡¯t call for security service, did we?¡± Ye Xiangfeng said. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, on August 29th, we accepted a commission from your son, Ye Feng. If a crisis with Mutated Animals erupts within the year, our company will come forward to protect your family three times. And now we¡¯re here to provide the first protection,¡± Chen Dalong relayed the made-up reason, then added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s been paid for.¡± Hearing this, Ye Xiangfeng was stunned for a moment, his eyes slightly moist, ¡°So it¡¯s like that. Boss Chen, please come in for a cup of tea.¡± ¡°Next time! I have other things to attend to. I just came to let you know that security personnel from our company will be arriving soon to carry out the protection duty,¡± Chen Dalong responded. ¡°Just one block away on West Tai Street is a danger zone, so this place might not be safe either. Please lock your doors and windows later. Our company¡¯s security staff will be on patrol outside ¨C just call on them if you need anything,¡± Chen Dalong continued. After finishing, he returned to the coach and called over Li Huosheng and Liu Wenhua. One was his confidant, the other was the best fighter among the discharged soldiers. Chen Dalong planned to entrust them with this task. ¡°You five will stay here and ensure the safety of this family, making sure they won¡¯t encounter any danger,¡± Chen Dalong instructed seriously. ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± Li Huosheng and Liu Wenhua said in unison. Pleased, Chen Dalong nodded, then selected three more discharged soldiers to form a five-man squad. Looking at these five, he felt it still wasn¡¯t safe enough, so he summoned ten more discharged soldiers to come over. To the ten additional men, Chen Dalong said, ¡°Stay here for now. Once the military sends out a combat team, you can proceed to West Tai Street to meet up with me.¡± Li Huosheng and Liu Wenhua exchanged glances, both detecting surprise in each other¡¯s eyes. Chen Dalong¡¯s actions demonstrated the level of importance he placed on this mission. After all, there were only fifteen discharged soldiers in the entire security company, and he had called out fourteen of them. In terms of equipment, not only was each person equipped with an automatic service rifle, but Chen Dalong also instructed them to carry a heavy machine gun and a rocket launcher. Chapter 105 - 105 105 Defense Line Deployment_1 ?Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Defense Line Deployment_1 Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Defense Line Deployment_1 When Li Huosheng and his men, carrying a heavy machine gun, got out of the vehicle, Ye Xiangfeng, standing at the door, was instantly stunned. As for Wang Shuwen, who had just arrived at the door to inquire about the situation, she was scared pale. After all, anyone who saw 15 strong men armed with guns getting out of a vehicle and blocking your house would panic. ¡°Hello, I am the head of the security team, Li Huosheng. From now on, I will be fully responsible for your safety,¡± Li Huosheng quickly stepped forward, offering the couple what he thought was an appropriate smile. However, upon seeing him, Ye Xiangfeng and his wife Wang Shuwen became even more anxious. Previously, Chen Dalong, in order to maintain the image of a good boss, was suited and booted. But Li Huosheng was different; the weather was so hot that he only wore a vest, his arm tattoos of fierce tigers were on display, and the red hair he had previously dyed made it clear he was not to be trifled with. There was a reason why Li Huosheng was valued by Chen Dalong, at least in terms of reading people and situations, he could score full marks. Seeing the couple¡¯s expressions, he immediately dropped the pleasantries and said seriously, ¡°If you don¡¯t have any other business, please stay indoors, lock the doors and windows, and if anything happens, just shout, and we will be standing guard outside until the crisis is over.¡± With that, he waved to his men behind him. The rest understood immediately, swiftly deploying into a defensive formation centred around the old house. They paired up, guns pointed outward, vigilant in all directions, and even formed a patrol team; everything was so orderly. Li Huosheng couldn¡¯t help but inwardly praise them, feeling that they were truly like retired soldiers. If it were the other security guards from the company, they might not even have been able to stand correctly. The Ye couple saw this too, and while the so-called head of the security team in front of them made them somewhat uneasy, the crisp actions and perfect postures of the other team members made them seem so professional. After exchanging a glance, the two quietly closed the door. ¡°Old Ye, do you think this is real? The scale of this operation is just too big! How much did Xiao Feng spend?¡± Wang Shuwen said as she couldn¡¯t help but start sobbing. ¡°It should be real. With so many of them, if they really wanted to harm us, they could just rush in without firearms, and we wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Xiao Feng has done so much because he wants us to live well,¡± Ye Xiangfeng comforted her. The situation at the Ye family was naturally noticed by the neighbors. After all, there were so many of them, and they were all armed. What was more extravagant were the heavy machine guns and rocket launchers placed at the door; such weaponry should not be in the possession of ordinary people. So, it wasn¡¯t long before concerned neighbors called the police. Before long, a City Guard Team arrived, but their expressions were fairly calm. If there was a group of people, with only one or two carrying firearms, that might be dangerous. But fully 15 people with uniform firearms, along with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, one could figure using common sense, that even if it wasn¡¯t an official agency, it must be a registered security company. They came to reassure the residents nearby. Indeed, after they arrived, they simply learned about the situation, explained the circumstances to the resident who had called the police and then left. When the neighbors learned the truth, all were amazed; although they didn¡¯t dare to visit personally, Ye Xiangfeng and Wang Shuwen¡¯s phones were continuously ringing. ¡­ On the other side, Chen Dalong had arrived at West Tai Street. This street was one of Yang City¡¯s main thoroughfares more than a dozen years ago, but with the gradual development of the New Urban Area, the once bustling scene was no more. By the time Chen Dalong and his team arrived, the area had been cordoned off with barbed wire fences, forming a quarantine zone. At that moment, over a thousand members of the City Guard Team were busy setting up defenses, but Chen noticed with a furrowed brow that less than a third of them were armed with firearms, and most had anxious expressions on their faces. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Clearly, although there were many people here, the vast majority were new recruits without combat experience. These freshly recruited members had not even completed basic training, and their combat and organizational abilities couldn¡¯t even compare to those of his security company¡¯s personnel. As Chen furrowed his brow in worry, an excited voice called out beside him, ¡°Brother Chen, I didn¡¯t expect you to come to West Tai Street as well. I feel much more at ease with you here.¡± Hearing the voice, Chen turned his head and saw it was Commander Feng Jun from the 7th Battalion. Previously, after being attacked by a group of Mutated Monkeys and calling for help, Chen went to eliminate the group and the commander¡¯s attitude made a 180-degree turn, immediately adopting a familiar tone. ¡°It¡¯s Feng! I really didn¡¯t expect to be so fated as to meet you here again.¡± Chen quickly went over with an enthusiastic greeting. Meeting an acquaintance at a time like this was quite good, as at least there would be someone to help out when it really mattered. ¡°Heh heh, I wouldn¡¯t count it as fate. When the battalion commander was assigning tasks, I went to complain that our 7th Battalion had suffered too many casualties to handle a very tough mission, and then I was transferred here,¡± Feng Jun explained. ¡°When I first heard the news, I nearly cursed out loud because this is a key defensive line! However, after arriving and seeing you here, Brother Chen, I instantly felt relieved. It seems the battalion commander still takes good care of me,¡± Feng Jun said with a proud look on his face. Chen had been listening quietly, but when he heard the words ¡°key defensive line¡±, he suddenly became uneasy. ¡°Wait a minute, Commander Feng, did you say this place is a key defensive line?¡± Chen hastily inquired. ¡°Yes! Back in the day, West Tai Street was so prosperous that the sewers built were wide and large, and they¡¯re connected with the sewer system of the nearby areas, which is why there¡¯s an especially large number of Mutated Creatures here,¡± Feng Jun elaborated. In conclusion, he didn¡¯t forget to give Chen a compliment. ¡°But with you here, Brother Chen, I feel reassured.¡± The corners of Chen¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily; he really wanted to say: You¡¯d better stay on your guard. Because he wasn¡¯t even confident in himself, especially since the circumstances here were nothing like those in the Donglin Mountain Range. Although it had been more dangerous in the Donglin Mountain Range, there were messengers secretly protecting him, so in fact, he was quite safe. But here, he truly only had his own abilities to rely on for fighting, even if he wouldn¡¯t have to face Mutated Creatures that were too powerful. But as the saying goes, even ants can bite an elephant to death, and facing the overwhelming number of Mutated Insects, he was panicking! Furthermore, those Mutated Mice that had reached the Second Stage were certainly capable of injuring him. The more Chen thought, the more he worried. And just at that moment, the members of the City Guard Team began to retreat. And it wasn¡¯t just a team or two, but nearly 800 people started to withdraw. This time, Chen was genuinely alarmed. ¡ª¡ª¨C Cough cough, I¡¯ve been pent up for so many days over the National Day holiday, went out to have some fun today, I¡¯m afraid the second chapter is not ready, please allow me half a day off. Chapter 106 - 106 106 The Situation_1 ?Chapter 106: Chapter 106: The Situation_1 Chapter 106: Chapter 106: The Situation_1 ¡°Brother Sun, why did they leave?¡± Chen Dalong hastily asked. ¡°Uh¡­ those are recruits who haven¡¯t completed their training; they¡¯re not going to the battlefield for now. You can think of them as logistical troops, here just to help set up the defense positions,¡± Feng Jun explained. ¡°Then how many people do we have on this defense line in total?¡± Chen Dalong pressed on. ¡°Our Seventh Squad, and the First Squad over there. Actually, the number is not small. A typical key defense line only has two squads, and now we also have Mad Dragon Security Company with us.¡± ¡°Oh, you probably haven¡¯t met the captain of the First Squad, right?¡± Feng Jun said, and then shouted toward the distance, ¡°Shen Chen, come here for a moment, let me introduce our powerful ally to you properly.¡± Indeed, Chen Dalong had never met this Shen Chen, as when they were in the Donglin Mountain Range before, the other was in charge of the rear area, and they had not encountered each other. Shen Chen was called over and treated Chen Dalong with considerable warmth and courtesy. He had heard of the deeds of Mad Dragon Security Company, although deep down he found it hard to believe that a security company could be so strong. But having a powerful comrade-at-arms at such a moment was, of course, a good thing. Even if the other party had only half the strength mentioned in the rumors, their section of the defense line would be much more relaxed. Chen Dalong also patiently exchanged pleasantries with the other party. After the other party went back to his duties, he quickly found an excuse to step aside and immediately dialed Lord Parrot¡¯s phone. The call was quickly answered, and Chen Dalong hastily reported the current situation before asking, ¡°Lord Parrot, what should I do now? Without your help, I definitely won¡¯t be able to hold out!¡± He was well aware of the limits of his own strength. On the other side, Ye Feng, who was possessing Lord Parrot, couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head with his wings when he heard this. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have a good solution either. If I really send other messengers over, I fear that they will become the military¡¯s primary targets as soon as they appear, let alone help you,¡± Ye Feng said somewhat helplessly. This was also why he wanted to recruit Chen Dalong. It was really difficult for him to intervene in city affairs. Although he had anticipated this response, Chen Dalong was still a bit unwilling to accept it, ¡°Lord Parrot, is there really no way at all?¡± ¡°Right now, indeed there isn¡¯t,¡± Ye Feng said. But Chen Dalong instantly caught the key point in his words, ¡°Lord Parrot, you said there is no way now, but when will there be a way?¡± ¡°Dragon Lord has also subjugated a Mutated Mouse as a subordinate, but it is currently breaking through to the Third Order. It is estimated that it will finish breaking through around 10 o¡¯clock tonight,¡± Ye Feng said. He had given them Evolution Fruits for their breakthroughs at 6 o¡¯clock. Based on the breaking through experience of the Mutated King Cobra, it would take about 4 hours, which meant waiting until 10 o¡¯clock in the evening. Upon receiving such an answer, Chen Dalong quickly checked the time; it was 7:45 now, which meant there was a little over two hours until 10 o¡¯clock. The time wasn¡¯t particularly long, and he felt he should be able to hold out. ¡°Then, Lord Parrot, when the Mouse King Messenger completes its breakthrough, please invite it to come over,¡± Chen Dalong quickly said. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll personally ¡®airlift¡¯ it to you when the time comes.¡± ¡°Also, after this crisis is over, come to Sunset Valley when you have time. Don¡¯t save up Contribution Points anymore; use them all so that Dragon Lord can perform the empowerment for you.¡± ¡°Even if you can¡¯t break through to the Second Stage, reaching the First Order Peak will prevent you from worrying about these kinds of situations in the future,¡± Ye Feng reminded. In terms of body size, humans actually had a sizable advantage on the evolutionary path; facing small-sized Mutated Beings, they were entirely capable of fighting above their tier. ¡°Alright, Lord Parrot,¡± Chen Dalong hurriedly agreed. This was what he wanted too. Had it not been for the sudden onset of this crisis, he probably would¡¯ve sneaked off to Sunset Valley tonight to enhance his strength. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But thinking of the military¡¯s announcement made him grimace, the battle was expected to last around three days. After ending the communication, Chen felt much better, at least now he had something to look forward to. The next couple of hours were crucial. He quickly walked over to Feng Jun and asked, ¡°Bro Feng, can you tell me the current situation?¡± Feng Jun looked at Chen with a hint of confusion, feeling that something about the man seemed different from before. Of course, this thought was fleeting, and facing Chen, he was still very enthusiastic, quickly saying, ¡°According to the military¡¯s predictions, the Mutated Creature Group will launch an attack within half an hour.¡± ¡°In the coming hours, the frequency and intensity of their attacks will continually increase, reaching a peak after 7 to 8 hours. This positional battle might last for over 12 hours.¡± ¡°If we can hold out for these 12 hours, the battles in the following days will be much easier.¡± Chen was somewhat surprised and asked, ¡°How did the military predict this?¡± Hearing this question, Feng hesitated slightly, but still replied, ¡°Bro Chen, you¡¯re now considered part of the military, and since the battle is about to begin, there¡¯s no need to hide certain things from you.¡± As he spoke, he took out his phone, logged into the military¡¯s internal software, and started a video for Chen, ¡°This was captured by a reconnaissance robot.¡± Chen only glanced at it twice before feeling goosebumps on his scalp. The Mutated Mosquitoes and Mutated Flies in the video were already the size of ordinary cockroaches, and their sheer numbers were enough to trigger phobias in those who fear masses. As for the Mutated Cockroaches, after breaking through to Second Order, their size was almost as big as a palm. Such sizeable Mutated Cockroaches posed a substantial threat to humans. The evolution wasn¡¯t just in size; their mouthparts had also become long and sharp, with barbs growing on their backs. An ordinary person¡¯s slap might not kill the Mutated Cockroaches, but their palm would likely be pierced through with holes. Of course, the most threatening were undoubtedly the Mutated Mice. Mutated Mice the size of Teddy Dogs, with their sharp fangs, could definitely tear off a large chunk of flesh from a human with a single bite. Probably just two or three could bite an adult to death. It¡¯s no wonder such videos were classified. If they were posted online, they would cause panic. In such a situation, it would not be easy to conduct evacuation operations. However, Chen was mentally prepared; he simply took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions before inquiring, ¡°What does this have to do with the military¡¯s predictions?¡± ¡°Numbers!¡± Feng pulled up a statistical table and said, ¡°According to the military¡¯s reconnaissance, about 5% of the Mutated Beings have successfully broken through to Second Order.¡± ¡°Based on estimates, once the number of Mutated Beings breaking through to Second Order reaches about 10% of the total, it is predicted they will launch an attack.¡± ¡°Currently, about 60% of the Mutated Beings are in the process of breaking through, and this number is still on the rise as time passes.¡± ¡°According to models, in the next 7 to 8 hours, the vast majority of Mutated Beings will have completed their breakthrough. That will be when they initiate their all-out assault.¡± Chapter 107 - 107 107 Breakthrough Fourth Order_1 ?Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Breakthrough! Fourth Order!_1 Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Breakthrough! Fourth Order!_1 After listening to Feng Jun¡¯s explanation, Chen Dalong secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. Regardless of the dangers that lay ahead, at least for the next one or two hours, the attack of the mutated beings would not be too strong, and that was enough. Of course, even so, he didn¡¯t take the situation lightly. Instead, he inquired about the details, ¡°So, how do you plan to deal with these mutated beings?¡± ¡°Mutated mosquitoes and mutated flies are easier to handle, even if they¡¯ve broken through to Second Order, the newly developed potent insecticide can still poison them to death.¡± ¡°Of course, the spraying might take a bit longer, the First Order mutated mosquitoes and flies would normally die within 10 seconds.¡± ¡°After they have reached Second Order, this might extend to about a minute, but it¡¯s not a big problem. By then, we¡¯ll be wearing protective gear, and it¡¯ll be hard for them to affect us,¡± ¡°As for the mutated cockroaches, they might be a little more troublesome to deal with. Just potent insecticide probably won¡¯t be enough to kill them all, so we¡¯ll combine it with a fire attack.¡± Feng Jun said, pointing toward the defensive line ahead, ¡°On our line of defense, there¡¯s a flamethrower set up every 5 meters, along with a large number of incendiary bottles. When necessary, we can turn the whole street into a sea of fire, which should take care of ninety-nine percent of the mutated cockroaches.¡± ¡°Even if some slip through, the number won¡¯t be large, and they won¡¯t pose a big threat to us.¡± At this point, Feng Jun¡¯s expression became slightly more serious, ¡°The biggest threat, then, is those mutated mice.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve estimated that if these mutated mice break through our defenses and close combat becomes necessary, each of my men can handle up to three mutated mice at a time. Any more than that would be overwhelming.¡± ¡°So the main issue is how to deal with these mutated mice.¡± After finishing his explanation, Feng Jun looked at Chen Dalong expectantly. ¡°Feng, looking at me won¡¯t help! I can¡¯t be in multiple places at once, and even if I could fight, I wouldn¡¯t be able to cover the whole street!¡± Chen Dalong spread his hands helplessly. Feng Jun nodded and said, ¡°I know that, but if you and your security officers form a support team to quickly resolve any problems that arise, that would be the greatest help to us.¡± He knew Chen Dalong wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about military affairs, so after finishing, he added, ¡°What we¡¯re most worried about are those mutated mice delaying my soldiers.¡± ¡°My men are all veterans; given guns, they can kill at least 30 mutated mice in a minute.¡± ¡°But if the mutated mice breach and engage them in close combat, they might not even manage to kill three to five in that same time.¡± Now Chen Dalong fully understood, ¡°My task is to eliminate the mutated mice on the defense line as quickly as possible, to unleash the combat power of your soldiers, right?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Feng Jun nodded. This task required someone with extremely strong combat power. ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem, leave it to me,¡± Chen Dalong said confidently, thumping his chest. ¡­ Time slipped by, and Ye Feng in Sunset Valley was constantly keeping an eye on the changes in his territory. ¡°Nearly sixty percent of the mutated insects show signs of breakthrough. This change might be even more significant than the last two Spiritual Energy Resurgences,¡± Ye Feng sighed lightly. In his view, this was the third large-scale Spiritual Energy Resurgence. The first one, of course, occurred half a year ago, when mutated beings appeared. The second one was three months ago, with the advent of mutated plants. This was now the third time, and the Spiritual Energy Resurgence had not yet ended. As night fell, the concentration of Spiritual Energy started to increase more rapidly, as if there was no limit. ¡°Compared to yesterday, the concentration of Spiritual Energy has increased by almost 10%. If it keeps rising like this, humanity could be in trouble.¡± This Spiritual Energy Resurgence would surely lead to a surge of Second Order mutated beings. If it stopped there, humans might still cope. But if the Spiritual Energy continued to rise, leading to a large emergence of Third Order mutated creatures, that would be a disaster for humanity. Of course, aside from considering these national crises, Ye Feng naturally also thought about his own problems. However, this Spiritual Energy Resurgence was largely beneficial to him personally. The most direct benefit was the increased concentration of Spiritual Energy, which meant trees absorbed it faster, leading to an increase in the Spirit Points he could harvest per hour. Also, as more animals started to mutate, his subordinates¡¯ food problems would be greatly alleviated. Beyond these immediate advantages, there were also several indirect ones. As mutated insects en masse achieved breakthroughs and a majority of animals began mutating, Yang City¡¯s safety issues would become more severe. In such conditions, the likelihood of the authorities taking action against him would decrease significantly. After all, if ¡°home¡± problems weren¡¯t solved yet, there¡¯d be no capacity to deal with external ones. Besides, security companies like Chen Dalong¡¯s would definitely gain more attention in these circumstances. Previously, the highest rank Chen Dalong could be promoted to was that of an honorary captain, but now, chances were that further promotional paths would be opened, and some real authority might be granted. Of course, alongside the benefits, there were problems too. For instance, Chen Dalong¡¯s security company had accepted a protection mission from Red Star Tech. Before, dispatching just one Second Order mutated creature would have sufficiently intimidated opponents, but now, at least Third Order creatures would be necessary, and even one might not be enough. ¡°I still need to grow stronger! I have to cultivate Fourth Order mutated creatures so they can be decisive in crucial moments,¡± Ye Feng mused, weighing gains and losses. But suddenly, as if sensing something, his attention shifted from the mutated insects to the mutated trees surrounding him. The ginkgo tree and banyan tree next to him began to grow rapidly. ¡°Are they about to breakthrough?¡± Ye Feng was surprised as he hadn¡¯t expected the current Spiritual Energy Resurgence to even affect the plants. And it wasn¡¯t just a few trees. As he looked around, at least one-tenth of the trees in Sunset Valley had started to shoot up. After his initial shock, Ye Feng felt pleased. With this, he wouldn¡¯t be so conspicuous. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Moreover, with so many plants breaking through, it would be odd if I didn¡¯t, right?¡± Ye Feng murmured to himself. His Evolution Points had been maxed out for a while, and he hadn¡¯t broken through only because it was a clear moonlit night and he was worried about satellites overhead, so he had been holding back. But now¡­ Without hesitation, Ye Feng chose to break through to Fourth Order. Chapter 108 - 108 108 Defense Battle_1 ?Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Defense Battle_1 Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Defense Battle_1 ¡°Ding! Please choose the direction of enhancement.¡± Ye Feng didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately chose repair speed. 120 Evolution Points were instantly depleted, and a strange energy emerged within the trunk, spreading throughout the entire Tree Body. With the aid of this strange energy, Ye Feng began his breakthrough. The roots thickened and lengthened, branches sprouted new growth ceaselessly, and lush green leaves sprouted at a speed visible to the naked eye. However, the greatest change was undoubtedly in the roots; all of the roots grew at an alarming rate, even causing the ground to tremble slightly. But even so, the breakthrough wasn¡¯t something that could be completed in a short period of time; previously, at Third Order, it took half an hour to break through. Now, breaking through to Fourth Order, he estimated the time would only be longer. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Ye Feng if it took an hour. As Ye Feng was breaking through, the Mutated Beings within Yang City, perhaps because a certain number of them had reached Second Stage or perhaps due to the sharp increase in Spiritual Energy, were becoming restless. The newly evolved creatures swarmed out from every sewer opening. After their breakthrough, the Mutated Beings had nearly exhausted the energy stored within them and were extremely hungry. Humans, who had not mutated and were full of Blood Qi, naturally became their preferred targets for attack. West Tai Street. The sewers leading to the safe zone had all been blocked. Therefore, Mutated Beings from the sewers of the danger zone could only attack humans from above ground. A dense swarm of Mutated Mosquitoes, Mutated Flies, Mutated Cockroaches, and Mutated Mice ran onto the streets, making Chen Dalong¡¯s eyelids twitch uncontrollably. It wasn¡¯t just West Tai Street; his gaze continued beyond the dim streetlights, looking off into the distance. From the surrounding blocks, a continuous stream of Mutated Beings surged out from the sewers and every dark corner. After a brief search and finding no humans, these Mutated Beings slowly made their way towards West Tai Street. Perhaps due to the Mutated Beings¡¯ especially keen perception of danger, they did not launch an attack immediately but kept gathering in numbers. Finally, when they had gathered in sufficient numbers and gained confidence, they launched their attack. ¡°Pesticide spray, now!¡± Feng Jun picked up the walkie-talkie and loudly ordered through the communication channel. His voice, transmitted to everyone¡¯s ears through the communication device built into the combat helmet. Instantly, the combat personnel from Mad Dragon Security Company uniformly took out high-pressure sprayers and began spraying disinfectant water on their respective areas. Indeed, Chen Dalong had temporarily placed his security company¡¯s members under Feng Jun¡¯s command. After all, he knew best the quality of his subordinates. Apart from the ex-servicemen, the rest of the members were not much stronger than rear-echelon troops. So, Chen Dalong discussed with Feng Jun and Shen Chen and decided to let the Mad Dragon Security Company personnel specialize in spraying the disinfectant water. After all, that was the easiest job. With the high-pressure sprayers, the farthest they could directly spray the poison water was 30 meters away, and the water sprayed out would fan out, covering a large area. Although there were only 80 people on Mad Dragon Security Company¡¯s side, each person was responsible for a 20-meter range, which was almost enough to cover the entire defense line of West Tai Street. At this moment, those mutated insects had already charged into the area covered by the strong insecticidal water. At first, they appeared unaffected, but as they progressed, they encountered more and more of the insecticide, and their speed suddenly slowed down. Some of the mutated mosquitoes and mutated flies even fell to the ground, their bodies starting to convulse. Seeing this scene, many people breathed a sigh of relief; the effect of the strong insecticide was better than they had anticipated. However, only a small part could be poisoned during their flight over, the vast majority crossed West Tai Street and plunged into the crowd. But by that time, everyone had already donned protective suits, combat helmets, and gas masks. They were thoroughly shielded from head to toe, completely undaunted by the bites of these mutated mosquitoes and flies. They only needed to wait a few dozen seconds, and once the poison permeated their bodies, they would naturally all die. Of course, the mutated mosquitoes and mutated flies need not be considered, but the mutated cockroaches, as expected, were incredibly tenacious in their life energy. They quickly crossed the area with strong insecticidal water, with not even 1% falling to the ground. Moreover, only about half of these mutated cockroaches slowed down after being poisoned, while the other half seemed to show no reaction at all. ¡°All members of Squad Seven, use fire!¡± Feng Jun ordered once again. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Instantly, a series of flamethrowers set up on the street¡¯s defense line shot out columns of fire at the oncoming mutated cockroaches, scorching them as they went. The aluminum soap thickened gel fuel, highly adhesive, clung firmly to the mutated cockroaches. The flames that adhered to them could not be easily extinguished. Sizzle! Within a few short seconds, the bodies of these mutated cockroaches showed signs of charring; coupled with the effect of the strong insecticidal water, one by one they fell dead to the ground. It¡¯s worth mentioning that when the flames of the flamethrowers scorched the strong insecticidal water on the ground, they quickly evaporated it, turning it into a poisonous insect-killing fog. Combined with the high-powered blowers positioned nearby, this poisonous fog could be dispersed over several streets opposite. In this scenario, the mutated beings emerging from the back had to first pass through the fog of poisonous gas, the strong insecticidal water, and the flames of the flamethrowers¡ªa triple test¡ªbefore they could reach the defense line. Looking at the scene before him, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but marvel: Technology is truly a wonderful thing. With a simply formed triple defense line, they could easily wipe out all the mutated mosquitoes and flies. Even those mutated cockroaches¡ªhardly one in a hundred could make it through. Even if they did get through, they could be casually crushed underfoot, posing no real impact on them. Squeak, squeak! Just then, hundreds of mutated mice appeared on the street opposite. But when the people looked over, what they saw were not mere mice, but rather what seemed like hundreds of hunting dogs. In particular, the ferocious glint in those mice¡¯s eyes, that predatory stare, sent an inexplicable chill down one¡¯s spine. Shen Chen, who had been silently observing the changes in the battle, now picked up the communicator and ordered. ¡°Members of the First Squad, pay attention: the mutated rat horde is about to arrive. Everyone fire at will; don¡¯t conserve ammunition, and remember not to let them break through the defense line.¡± In Zhang Ji¡¯s Sixth Regiment, every squad¡¯s number was the result of on-the-ground overall evaluations. In other words, Shen Chen¡¯s First Squad was the strongest in terms of combined strength. For this reason, the responsibility to handle the mutated mice fell on their shoulders. Chapter 109 - 109 109 Battle_1 ?Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Battle_1 Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Battle_1 Pop! Pop! Pop! Without waiting for the Mutated Mice to attack, the soldiers of the First Squad, having received their orders, took the initiative to pull their triggers. Thud, thud, thud! Caught off guard, in an instant, more than 20 Mutated Mice were killed. The sound of gunfire also instantly awakened these Mutated Mice. Even with their companions dead, they showed no fear; instead, their ferocity was aroused. With one Mutated Mouse leading the charge, the remaining 70-plus Mutated Mice launched an attack. The physique of the Mutated Mice was far superior to that of the Mutated Mosquitoes, Mutated Flies, and Mutated Cockroaches. Pesticidal fog and potent insecticidal liquids posed no threat to them whatsoever. Of course, flamethrowers are extremely lethal to any carbon-based organism, and these Mutated Mice were no exception. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, even when their fur was set ablaze, and they squeaked in pain, even as their skin began to crack from the burn, they still charged forward. This alone showed just how tenacious the life energy of these Mutated Mice was. Naturally, the members of the First Squad wouldn¡¯t just watch as they breached the defense line. The gunfire continued unabated, with some soldiers switching from single shots to full-auto as the fight progressed. In the end, before they could cross the street, all of the hundred-plus Mutated Mice were killed. Phew~ Seeing this, Chen Dalong couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief. It wasn¡¯t just him; Feng Jun and Shen Chen beside him also showed expressions of immense relief. ¡°We should change our strategy in dealing with the Mutated Mice. Let¡¯s not use flamethrowers anymore! Those set ablaze pose an even greater threat if they rush into our lines,¡± Feng Jun was the first to speak. The protective suits the soldiers wore, although defensively sturdy, were not fireproof. If set ablaze, the damage inflicted on the soldiers underneath would only be greater. ¡°Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,¡± Shen Chen immediately agreed. Chen Dalong listened silently on the side, wisely refraining from interjecting. He was an outsider when it came to actual combat command, and what he needed to do now was to observe and learn. The new orders were quickly relayed down the line, and the Mutated Mice arriving later were spared the ordeal of the flamethrowers. But their fate was the same. With the firepower of the assault rifles suitable for field combat, dealing with such small Mutated Beings was absolutely ferocious. Essentially, as long as a bullet hit these Mutated Mice, they were either killed or seriously maimed. Moreover, the First Squad truly was elite; every soldier¡¯s marksmanship was notable. Even though the Mutated Mice moved swiftly, once they got within 10 meters, they were almost instantly killed. If two or three Mutated Mice appeared at the same location, the soldier responsible for that defensive position would immediately switch to full-auto mode, taking them down as quickly as possible. To ensure that not a single Mutated Mouse could breach the defense line. Initially, Chen Dalong was quite nervous, always ready to rush to the rescue. But to his surprise, for a whole half-hour, he just stood by watching, not needing to lift a finger. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, as time passed, the number of Mutated Beings was rapidly increasing. At least compared to half an hour ago, their numbers had already increased by more than threefold. The mutated mosquitoes and mutated cockroaches weren¡¯t too troublesome, as long as the powerful disinfectant they were using didn¡¯t run out, no matter how many came, they were on a suicide mission. But those mutated cockroaches had already started to affect the soldiers on the front line to some extent. Often, they had to free up hands to deal with them. Of course, the greatest threat was still the mutated mice, just in the previous wave over 600 mutated mice had charged, almost breaking through this section of the defense line. And now an even larger wave of mutated beings was gathering. Feng Jun and Shen Chen narrowed their eyes as they assessed the situation, their expressions becoming gravely serious simultaneously. ¡°I estimate there are more than 1100 mutated mice, Shen, how many do you reckon?¡± Feng Jun inquired. ¡°Not far off from your count, I estimate there are more than 1200. My first squadron probably won¡¯t be able to hold them off,¡± Shen Chen said with a serious countenance. After more than half an hour of battle, they had gained a relatively clear understanding of the combat power of these mutated beings. Given the capabilities of the first squadron, the estimated limit they could withstand at one time was around 800 mutated mice; any more would certainly lead to breaches. ¡°Hmm! Then let¡¯s implement the backup plan. Later on, my seventh squadron will join the defense too, but they still have to deal with the mutated cockroaches, and there aren¡¯t many who can be spared. I¡¯m worried there might be problems,¡± Feng Jun said, his gaze involuntarily shifting to Chen Dalong nearby. ¡°No worries, wherever there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll be the first to step in,¡± Chen Dalong immediately declared. After watching for half an hour, he was already itching to join the fight. While they were discussing, the group of mutated mice had reached West Tai Street and then launched a charge. Thud thud thud! A barrage of gunfire sounded. The members of the first squadron had switched to rapid-fire mode, bullets pouring out like rain. Even half of the members of the seventh squadron had put down their flamethrowers to help with the barrage. However, second-stage mutated mice were even more agile than humans and small in size, coupled with their keen sense of danger, they instinctively dodged while running. Under such circumstances, even veterans found it difficult to hit them, and in a situation of rapid fire, the hit rate was naturally even lower. ¡°Ah!¡± A painful cry rang out from the nearby defense line. A soldier¡¯s calf had been bitten by a mutated mouse that had broken into the defense line, creating a bloody hole. He hurriedly pulled out his military dagger to slash at it, but the mutated mouse was incredibly fast in its response, nimbly dodging away and then biting toward the soldier¡¯s other leg. Although the soldier dodged the mutated mouse¡¯s lunge, under such circumstances, he was simply unable to continue shooting. His comrade, seeing that the situation was dire, had already shifted his gunfire to help him fend off the subsequent mutated mice. But even so, two more mutated mice had slipped through the barrage and breached the defense line. Seeing this, both Feng Jun and Shen Chen had a drastic change in their expressions; if not handled properly, the defense line could be torn open, allowing the rear mutated mice to charge straight through. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here,¡± Chen Dalong¡¯s voice echoed in their ears. Before they could respond, they saw a figure leap out and sprint with a speed that completely surpassed human limits. Chapter 110 - 110 110 The Huge Changes in Sunset Valley_1 ?Chapter 110: Chapter 110 The Huge Changes in Sunset Valley_1 Chapter 110: Chapter 110 The Huge Changes in Sunset Valley_1 Chen Dalong¡¯s running speed was extremely fast; from where the three people had been standing, the distance to the soldier in trouble was over 100 meters. Even for a world champion sprinter to cover that distance, it would take more than 9 seconds, but Chen Dalong managed it in just 3 seconds in a full sprint. At that moment, the soldier was tangled up in a struggle with three Mutated Mice, an expression of grave seriousness on his face. In those mere 3 seconds, a chunk of flesh had been torn from his left arm. Although he managed to exploit that opportunity to inflict a long gash on the back of one Mutated Mouse, dealing it a heavy blow, it did not alter the course of the battle. Because the opponent hadn¡¯t died immediately, it could still lash out in a last-ditch effort before death. Of course, if there were only those three Mutated Mice, he could probably have killed them despite his serious injuries. But the problem was that five more Mutated Mice were about to break through the fire suppression and reach him. To him, this was a checkmate situation. Just then, the whooshing of wind screamed past his ears, and a Mutated Mouse leaping towards him from his right side was cleaved into two in mid-air. ¡°What happened?¡± the soldier was somewhat dazed. By the time he regained his senses, the three Mutated Mice that had been surrounding him had already been beheaded. In front of him stood a man, each hand gripping a military dagger. The man charged directly at the five Mutated Rats that had breached the fire blockade and were about to storm the defensive line. The soldier instinctively wanted to shout a warning, but before the words could leave his mouth, he was astonished and left with his mouth agape. The man¡¯s hands moved in a blur, his arm swings so fast they seemed to leave afterimages, and almost in the blink of an eye, two more rats were decapitated. To him, the once extremely agile rats had no chance to fight back against the person before him. In just 2 seconds, the five rats were all killed, a pace even swifter than his gunfire. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Chen Dalong finally spoke, after having dealt with the trouble here. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just need to bandage it up and I can continue the fight. Sir, you really are powerful,¡± the soldier said admiringly. At this time, members of the support team also arrived, quickly reinforcing the fire suppression in that area. This gap was now thoroughly secured. Having resolved the problem neatly in his first intervention, Chen Dalong felt a bit of pride swelling in his heart. He was about to boast a little to the injured soldier, but his expression changed slightly and he quickly ran towards another part of the defensive line. In the next three minutes, Chen Dalong ran back and forth in front of West Tai Street, rescuing eight locations, and only then did the wave of crisis truly end. Although the time was short, each rescue required Chen Dalong to sprint with all his might, and even he couldn¡¯t help but gasp for air a little. ¡°Brother Chen is amazing, you really have opened my eyes,¡± Feng Jun and Shen Chen finally caught up, and before they even got close, Feng Jun sincerely expressed his admiration. If Chen Dalong hadn¡¯t been there to handle this wave of attacks from the Mutated Mice, there would definitely have been a big problem. Although the support team could take over, they didn¡¯t have many people¡ªonly a mere 20. On the other hand, if the Mutated Mice that had breached the defensive line weren¡¯t dealt with quickly, it would be futile for the members of the support team to take their place. Because the members of the support team would also need to handle the Mutated Mice first to continue the fire suppression, and this would surely take a considerable amount of time. But if firepower couldn¡¯t be replenished immediately, more and more rats would keep coming, which would create a vicious cycle. However, for Chen Dalong, these problems were not an issue at all; he could chop them down as easily as slicing vegetables every single time. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing really, I¡¯m just contributing a little effort,¡± Chen Dalong modestly replied, yet he couldn¡¯t quite hide the smile on his face. Of course, he wasn¡¯t just happy from being praised. It was because through this round of action, his confidence had risen, and he felt that there was no major problem in holding out until the messenger¡¯s arrival. His mood was quite good, and if the timing had been right, he might have even hummed a tune or two. The atmosphere on the scene was also quite relaxed; Chen Dalong¡¯s performance was equivalent to giving everyone a great tranquilizer. However, this sense of ease did not last long. Before much time had passed, the next wave of attacks had arrived. Chen Dalong¡¯s performance remained stable, as he could almost always get there within a few seconds to deal with the mutated rats. But such high-intensity combat caused enormous physical exhaustion, and even as an Evolutionist, Chen Dalong was feeling the strain. Fortunately, battles like these were not continuous, and not every wave of mutated rats needed his personal attention. ¡­ While Chen Dalong¡¯s battle was intensifying, over at Sunset Valley, earth-shaking changes had already occurred. If Chen Dalong were to come in again, he would probably not recognize the path. Most trees in Sunset Valley were originally between 20 to 30 meters tall. But now, these trees had largely grown to a height of 50 meters. As for those that were originally taller, they had grown way past 100 meters. Particularly in Sunset Valley, apart from Ye Feng, the tallest wutong tree had skyrocketed to an astonishing 200 meters. Had Ye Feng not broken through, this tree would have surpassed his height. This might sound exaggerated, but when thought about carefully, it actually made sense. After all, Ye Feng had never added points to increase tree body height. In other words, at the same Realm, Ye Feng¡¯s tree height was probably the lowest, a result of his intentional efforts to conceal himself. Of course, it¡¯s undeniable that this Mutated Wutong Tree, which had only reached the Second Stage, having such height, was indeed extraordinary. At least compared to other mutated plants, it had gained a significant lead. The taller these trees grew, the happier Ye Feng became. ¡°Most have broken through to the Second Stage, huh! I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing how many Spirit Points they can provide me in an hour.¡± The more Spiritual Energy these trees absorbed, the more he could harvest. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the trees that were growing rapidly, but also the weeds and shrubs. The shrubbery in Sunset Valley was now generally around five or six meters tall, and even the average height of the weeds was two meters. One could imagine, if a human were to enter Sunset Valley at this time, what the situation would be like; it would certainly be extremely difficult to move. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, with weeds taller than a person, there would be no visibility in such an environment. This was not exclusive to Sunset Valley; the outside world had largely become the same. Especially in the Donglin Mountain Range, things were even more exaggerated, and it could essentially be called a forbidden area for humans. However, compared to plants, what Ye Feng was more concerned about were those mutated insects, which, with a large number of them breaking through, had also started to stir up trouble. Chapter 111 - 111 111 The Invisible Hand_1 ?Chapter 111: Chapter 111 The Invisible Hand_1 Chapter 111: Chapter 111 The Invisible Hand_1 The number of various insects in the wild far exceeds those within human cities. Their uprising is even more massive and terrifying, yet in Sunset Valley, no human presence exists. Thus, the mutated insects¡¯ targets all turned toward those animals that had not yet mutated. In just a short ten minutes or so, the few unmutated animals in Sunset Valley were all killed and devoured. And the mutated insects did not stop there; driven by their own hunger, they began to kill those that were still at the First Order stage. This scene made Ye Feng frown deeply. All of this seemed logical at first glance but made no sense upon closer inspection. Because in terms of combat ability, First Order mutated insects might not necessarily be able to defeat ordinary animals. So, the order in which these mutated insects hunted their prey was based on rank, not on actual strength. In fact, what felt most discordant to Ye Feng was the scene of Second Order mutated insects hunting First Order mutated ones. Because the most vulnerable were not the First Order mutated insects, but those that were in the midst of a breakthrough. Yet, oddly enough, the mutated insects out searching for food did not target them first. This scene gave Ye Feng a feeling as if an unseen hand was manipulating everything. It inevitably led him to think of a term. Raising gu! As soon as this thought emerged, Ye Feng immediately shook his head and stopped thinking about it. Not because it was impossible, but because the notion made his scalp tingle. Instead of dwelling on such thoughts, it would be better to enhance his strength as much as possible and take control of his own destiny. His roots struck, killing off a batch of mutated insects that had entered his territory, so as not to disturb his subordinates¡¯ breakthroughs. After scanning the surroundings once more and confirming that there were no issues, he then picked up his phone to check on the situation in Yang City. Chen Dalong would usually take a moment every few minutes to send him a message, updating him on the current situation. Therefore, Ye Feng was relatively assured of the safety of his own vicinity. However, the overall situation in Yang City was not good at all. Given the vast area that needed protection, the military had to set up more than eighty defense lines to fully secure the safe zones. But the problem was that this caused the military forces to be spread thin. At first, relying on powerful insecticides and flamethrowers, the military had the upper hand. But as time passed and more mutated beings reached the Second Order, the pressure naturally became increasingly immense. Especially those mutated mice, they¡¯re swift, agile, and also possess considerable attacking power, posing a significant danger. It should be understood, not every defense line has a Chen Dalong. Although it¡¯s true that other lines wouldn¡¯t face as many attacks from mutated mice as the key defenses did, the military personnel allocated there would be comparatively less. So, within the half-hour of the mutated insects¡¯ rampage, out of the more than eighty defense lines, fully ten had issues. Although the military responded promptly to problems, immediately dispatching reinforcements, it all took time. Although some Mutated Mice would stop after breaking through the defense line and continue fighting the soldiers, even more would follow their instincts and charge deeper inward, seeking out humans who they perceived as not dangerous and attacking them. Facing such a situation, the military understood that continuing like this was definitely not viable, especially since this was only the first half-hour of the onslaught, and the assaults were bound to become even more terrifying. Therefore, the staff headquarters quickly issued a new order: ¡°Contract the defense line!¡± According to the plan, they would give up half of the safe zone and concentrate their troops, which was the only way they might withstand the perilous 12 hours that lay ahead. Under normal circumstances, such an order would be difficult to execute, considering the sheer number of people that needed to be relocated¡ªstarting with million. But this was clearly not a normal situation. A massive uproar had already begun on the internet. No one had anticipated that these Mutated Mice could be so terrifying. In such times, the only ones capable of protecting them were the military forces, so upon receiving the notice, 99% of the people didn¡¯t hesitate. They quickly packed their belongings and started evacuating according to the guidelines. Of course, there were those who made trouble, questioning why it was they who had to evacuate and not the people from other areas coming to their location instead. Some complained that the notice for evacuation was too short, leaving them no time to pack their luggage. All sorts of reasons cropped up, but the military personnel did not pay them any heed and didn¡¯t even try to persuade them. They would simply wait until the time was up, and once the new defense line was set up, they would move back. Yet it was this very attitude that sent those complainers into a panic. Seeing that no one paid attention to them, some people even abandoned the idea of packing their luggage, starting to flee toward the next safe zone. Ye Feng glanced at the announcement; perhaps it was because Chen Dalong¡¯s defense on his side had been so robust, or maybe the old city district where he lived had a denser population and was difficult to evacuate, but Donglin Street, where his home was located, still remained within the safe zone. This undoubtedly brought him some relief; however, this did not mean there was no danger. Because in addition to Mutated insects and Mutated Mice, there was another issue¡ªthose domestic cats and dogs. Yes, after such a long time, there had finally been cases of cats and dogs mutating and then injuring people. The commotion over this issue also surged rapidly on the internet. No one had expected that, on top of the existing troubles, domestic cats and dogs would suddenly become ticking time bombs. This directly sparked a flame war on the internet. However, these issues were quickly calmed down following the official announcement issued by the authorities. ¡°The City Guard Department has formed hundreds of special task forces to address this issue!¡± Beneath the announcement was an explanation. Anyone whose cat or dog had mutated was required to call the hotline immediately and inform the officials. The officials would arrive within a maximum of 10 minutes to resolve the problem. If someone¡¯s cat or dog injured a person following a mutation, the pet owner would be held legally responsible. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Those with serious offenses would be sentenced to prison. Of course, the current situation was special, and it wasn¡¯t feasible to go through the normal judicial process and detention. All those who were sentenced would be sent directly to serve on the front line as logistical soldiers. With the military taking swift and decisive action, the problems were quickly suppressed. But everyone understood that the problems had not been solved and that this was just the beginning. Chapter 112 - 112 112 The Emergence of Superhumans_1 ?Chapter 112: Chapter 112: The Emergence of Superhumans_1 Chapter 112: Chapter 112: The Emergence of Superhumans_1 ¡°Hurry up, all of you, hurry! Don¡¯t bother with unnecessary luggage; just bring some food and water. You should be able to return home in two or three days at most,¡± a soldier was shouting into a megaphone, urging the crowd moving along the road. These people needed to go to various gathering points, then the vehicles allocated by the municipal department would transport them en masse to designated locations. At this moment, many people¡¯s faces were filled with panic, being hustled into a trot all the way to the gathering spots. On the main roads, to prevent traffic congestion, private cars were no longer permitted; instead, there were all sorts of buses, shuttles, and even cargo trucks. One vehicle after another sped by, and although there were many people, if everyone squeezed a bit, each vehicle could seat at least fifty or sixty people. The evacuation was moving along at a remarkably fast pace. Beyond this, in places closer to the safe zones, many chose to walk or ride electric scooters there directly. Zhang He, a young man working in Yang City, was quickly following the crowd with his backpack. His pocket vibrated once from his phone. Slowing his pace slightly, he took it out only to involuntarily recoil as his forehead veins throbbed. The content on the screen was from a post he had made an hour ago, predicting the developments that would follow. He had believed the situation was nothing to fear, that the military surely had the capacity to control the situation. In fact, he saw the uprising of the mutated beings as an opportunity for a swift cleanup, anticipating a quick return to calm. Before the outbreak of the mutated beings, his post had received substantial approval from many people. However, after a defense line was breached by the Mutated Mice, injuring dozens, his post¡¯s comment section started to fill with sarcastic tones, slowly evolving into a flame war. Looking at the people mentioning him with their swears and curses, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. But¡­ he couldn¡¯t help it and immediately typed a reply below: Eat shit! Zhang He took a deep breath, pausing to look at a large sign not too far away. ¡°Defense Line Area, Off-Limits to Unauthorized Personnel!¡± He gritted his teeth and walked straight towards it. Before he could get close, a guard came up to stop him. ¡°We¡¯re building a defense line here, no approaching,¡± said the soldier. ¡°I saw on the official website that you¡¯re recruiting logistics soldiers, can I sign up now?¡± Zhang He asked. He had thought it through clearly: rather than getting into online squabbles with others, it was better to make a real contribution. At Zhang He¡¯s words, the stern look on the soldier¡¯s face was replaced with a smile. ¡°Welcome comrade. Head in this direction; there¡¯s a temporary registration point over there.¡± In the city, Zhang He was just a small representative, but the number of people standing up at this critical moment was increasing more and more. It was at this time that several news pieces started trending rapidly with a terrifying speed. #Superhuman Appears, Controls Explosive Fireballs# Ye Feng also noticed this news immediately and clicked on it right away. The news contained a video, showing a man evacuating with a large group of people. As he walked, flames suddenly appeared on his body. This unexpected scene not only startled the nearby pedestrians, but it also shocked the man himself who frantically tried to put out the flames on his body. But his expression quickly turned from panic to astonishment, seeming to realize something was amiss. Then he spread his palms, and the flame from his body gathered into his hand, forming a fireball. He casually manipulated the floating fireball and, on a whim, threw it forward. When the fireball touched the ground, it exploded instantly. The video showed that the concrete road had been blasted into a hole the size of a bowl. Of course, more tragically, the recently awakened superhuman was blasted two or three meters away by the fireball he released and crashed heavily onto the ground. Although he didn¡¯t die, he was probably seriously injured. Beneath this video were a heap of comments filled with envy and jealousy. Ye Feng did not bother to browse through the comments but instead opened another video of a superhuman. This time, the video featured a soldier, to be precise, a logistician, who was using a hoe to dig defensive fortifications. Suddenly, flames enveloped his body, but these flames flowed down his palms and into the hoe. What was even more miraculous was that the hoe showed no signs of being scorched. Instead, when it dug into the ground again, it suddenly spewed out a massive burst of flames that scorched the earth. ¡°Is this like an ability to enchant weapons?¡± As Ye Feng speculated, he opened the third video. This time, a woman appeared. A swirl of green light suddenly enveloped her, and as the light intertwined, it quickly formed a set of green vine armor around her. Beyond these three videos about superhumans, there was also a post that had been pushed to the top of the trending search list. #Superhumans to Appear on A Large Scale# Qifan: ¡°Haha, I said that we humans are the chosen children of fate, how could we lose to those mutated beings? Just watch! This is only the beginning, superhumans will definitely appear on a large scale.¡± Wanshishunyi: ¡°I only care about when it will be my turn to awaken as a superhuman. If it¡¯s after the flowers have withered, once I become a superhuman, I¡¯ll report to the front lines immediately.¡± Qi Tian: ¡°A word of advice to everyone, don¡¯t be blindly optimistic. This is a city of 5 million people, and only a few have awakened? Even if more people awaken later, I feel that at most, we might have around a hundred.¡± Further down were arguments, mainly speculations on how many lucky ones would become superhumans next. However, from the bickering words of the crowd, one could feel that the sense of panic was abating. ¡°Truly miraculous, why is the evolutionary path of humans completely different from other beings?¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but murmur. Of course, he had no intention of delving deeper into this issue, after all, unless his relatives awakened as superhumans, these matters did not concern him much. Although those superpowers looked somewhat flashy and their attack power was not weak, Ye Feng could tell that the superhumans¡¯ bodies didn¡¯t seem to have been much enhanced. This was evident from the superhuman who was blown away by his fireball. So forget about those who had just become superhumans, even those who had broken through to the Third or Fourth Order wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat to him. After all, a fragile body is the most fatal flaw. Ye Feng quickly redirected his attention back to the military. As time progressed, the contraction of the defense perimeter time and time again did indeed yield fairly noticeable results. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because in the ensuing half-hour, only two lines of defense encountered problems. And that was because those two defensive lines hadn¡¯t had time to retreat. It was clear that this strategy of the military was very successful, and of course, during this process, news of people awakening as superhumans emerged one after another. But the numbers were not significant; in half an hour, including the previous three, there were only about fifteen in total. From this, one could see that only a very small portion of people could awaken as superhumans. Of course, Ye Feng was no longer concerned with these matters at this point, for he could feel that his own breakthrough was about to be complete. ¡ª¡ª¨C Today there is only one update, partly because I¡¯m stuck on the plot and haven¡¯t figured out how to write the subsequent storyline. The other reason is that I was dragged by my family to do some manual labor. Chapter 113 - 113 113 The Huge Advancement of Breaking ?Chapter 113: Chapter 113: The Huge Advancement of Breaking Through the Fourth Order_1 Chapter 113: Chapter 113: The Huge Advancement of Breaking Through the Fourth Order_1 Hum! At the moment when Ye Feng¡¯s breakthrough was complete, the entire space seemed to tremble. In Sunset Valley, all the mutated creatures couldn¡¯t help but prostrate themselves in the direction of Ye Feng. It was as if a supreme entity had appeared there. Ye Feng naturally saw this scene and was slightly taken aback, unable to comprehend what was happening. What shocked him even more was that as these mutated creatures worshiped him, strands of unusual energy emanated from their bodies and converged toward him. ¡°What is this? Such a peculiar energy characteristic.¡± Before Ye Feng could understand the situation, the strange phenomenon disappeared, and the creatures in Sunset Valley returned to normal, with the insects continuing to hunt. However, some of the mutated animals did not forget this incident; from time to time, they would glance at the tallest tree in the valley, their eyes revealing a look of reverence. After observing for a while and unable to figure it out, Ye Feng did not dwell on it any further and instead opened the system panel to check. Host: Ye Feng (World Tree) Tree Height: 285 meters Tree Trunk Width: 14 meters Root Length: 1290 meters Realm: Early Stage of Fourth Order Evolution Points: 0/400 Special Ability: Devour, Capture, Evolution Fruit, Mental Power Spirit Point: 1000/2800 Bioenergy: 1800/2800 Power of Faith: 10 points As he looked at the content displayed on the system panel, Ye Feng could not help but feel moved. ¡°Indeed, the difference between each stage is immense.¡± At Third Order, increasing one level would only add 30 meters to his height, but now it had increased by a full 100 meters. His height was now comparable to that of the Old Chinese Scholar Tree on Small Phoenix Mountain. Of course, that referred to the Old Chinese Scholar Tree before it had broken through. As for its current height, it was probably 400 meters, or even 500 meters. Of course, this was a good thing for Ye Feng, as it further reduced the likelihood of him being targeted. Besides this, the trunk width had also increased significantly, from 9 meters to 14 meters, an increase of a full 5 meters. A tree trunk width of 14 meters might not sound impressive, but it¡¯s worth knowing that a normal two-way four-lane highway is only about this wide. The most exaggerated increase was definitely the root length. Before the breakthrough, Ye Feng had increased the root length to 1090 meters through adding points. This time, after breaking through to the Fourth Order, the length increased by another 200 meters, now approaching 1300 meters. Of course, length is only secondary; more importantly, with the breakthrough of the roots, came the growth of various attributes. Each of his roots had grown from the thickness of a thigh to that of a waist. In terms of strength, there had also been a surge. Before, a single root could exert a force of 1000 kilograms, but now it had soared to 4000 kilograms, which is 2 tons of force. Besides, after breaking through to the Fourth Order, the number of roots he could control had increased by 101, just like before. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, the total number of his roots had reached 404, with 4 main roots and 400 side roots. If all the roots were entwined together and used for an attack, the combined force could reach a terrifying 808 tons. ¡°Surely, no creature could survive my full-powered blow, right?¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself. Of course, to unleash such power, one first needs to be sufficiently indestructible. After breaking through to the Fourth Order, the hardness of his roots could already match that of premium steel. In other words, conventional firearms when fired upon his roots would at most leave a tiny dent. With the terrifying regenerative speed of his roots, that kind of damage would heal back to normal in the blink of an eye. ¡°Now, in the face of human technology, I finally have a bit of self-protective strength,¡± Ye Feng mused. As for the last aspect, it was the flexibility of his roots. Ye Feng used the Second Order Mutated Flies in his territory for a trial. Every swing of his roots could precisely burst them open. After trying a few times, he felt it wasn¡¯t thrilling enough, and couldn¡¯t help but set his sights on the Big Yellow Dog. He gave it an order to spar. Before Ye Feng¡¯s breakthrough, he would have had to deploy at least 20 roots to continuously compress the Big Yellow Dog¡¯s dodging space to subdue it. But now¡­ Snap! As his roots swung, the Big Yellow Dog was directly smacked into the air. Being sent flying with a single hit, the Big Yellow Dog clearly wasn¡¯t convinced, barking once before rapidly pouncing towards the roots again. Snap! Snap! Snap! What followed was the Big Yellow Dog being continuously sent flying under the watchful eyes of the other Mutated Animals. Bear in mind, with each of Ye Feng¡¯s strikes now exploding with 2 tons of immense force, even the Big Yellow Dog, which had reached the Second Order Peak, was getting battered and bruised. After stubbornly enduring 5 attacks, the vigor in the Big Yellow Dog wilted, and it was in a severely injured state. The way it looked at Ye Feng was now filled with even more fear. Seeing that the Big Yellow Dog had not been able to dodge even once, Ye Feng felt extremely satisfied with the current flexibility level of his roots. Among all the Mutated Beings he had encountered, Big Yellow Dog could be said to be the most agile. Even the Mutated Wolf King, despite perhaps matching the Big Yellow Dog in ultimate speed, could not compare in terms of nimbleness and dodging ability. In other words, now probably no creature could dodge his attacks. As for enduring the hits, that was even less likely. If one root didn¡¯t finish the job, then ten, or a hundred would come into play. ¡°Awesome! An enemy who battles me cannot dodge, nor withstand. The only pity is that my territory is limited; once they step out, they are out of danger.¡± After assessing his combat power, Ye Feng finally checked the changes in his Special Abilities with satisfaction. Firstly, the Devouring Ability, which, quite simply, had become much faster. He could now devour 20 Spirit Points per second. Then there was the Capture Ability. The number of creatures he could capture increased from 30 to 40. This improvement was about what he had anticipated. However, when Ye Feng sensed the Evolution Fruit ability, a look of surprise came across his face. Now that he had broken through to the Fourth Order, he was capable of creating Third Order Evolution Fruits, although the consumption was significant, requiring 2400 Spiritual Points and Bioenergy all at once. As for the effect, it goes without saying. It could help Third Order Mutated Creatures break through to the Fourth Order. In some ways, this was now a Top Grade Ground Treasure. Of course, such enhancement was within Ye Feng¡¯s expectations, but what truly excited him was the fact that he could now precisely control the process of condensing the Evolution Fruit. Previously when he created a First Order Evolution Fruit, it would directly deduct 100 Spiritual Points and Bioenergy, then turn into 10 Evolution Points to aid creatures in evolving. But now, during the growth process of the Evolution Fruit, he could choose to solely instill one type of energy. To put it simply, he could create a ¡°Spirit Fruit¡± filled with Spiritual Energy or an ¡°Energy Fruit¡± entirely comprised of Bioenergy. That way, when sending subordinates on prolonged tasks, he could directly make several Spirit Fruits for them to carry, ensuring an uninterrupted increase in strength. This was especially useful for someone like Chen Dalong, who didn¡¯t have the convenience of coming back to Sunset Valley to enhance their power. Now, delivering a Spirit Fruit would solve that problem. Chapter 114 - 114 114 The True Power of the World Tree_1 ?Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The True Power of the World Tree_1 Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The True Power of the World Tree_1 ¡°Wait a bit, and I can send a Spirit Fruit over to Chen Dalong. If he breaks through to the Mid Stage First Order or even later stages, defending should become a lot easier,¡± Ye Feng said. Aside from the Spirit Fruit, the Energy Fruit condensed from bioenergy has an even more straightforward and brutal effect, which is to satisfy hunger. Ye Feng immediately used 100 points of bioenergy to condense a First Order Energy Fruit, and then threw it to the Mutated King Cobra to eat. And he quickly received feedback, the Mutated King Cobra needed to eat two of these Energy Fruits to be full. ¡°If calculated like this, it would take 600 points of energy per day to sustain a Third Order Mutated Creature, which really isn¡¯t a small consumption!¡± Ye Feng couldn¡¯t help but mutter. Of course, the King Cobra didn¡¯t need to rely entirely on him for sustenance with the Energy Fruits, as the large-scale appearance of Mutated Animals meant they could usually find food on their own to fill their bellies. If that wasn¡¯t enough, he could supplement them with Energy Fruits from his end. ¡°With this, the food problem is solved. I really didn¡¯t expect the Evolution Fruit to give me such a big hand after its enhancement,¡± Ye Feng remarked somewhat emotionally. A single Evolution Fruit had actually resolved two major issues that had been troubling him. Ye Feng didn¡¯t dwell on this feeling for too long. His gaze moved along the system panel, landing on his new Special Ability. Spiritual Power! Ye Feng closed his eyes to feel it and quickly discovered with amazement that his new special ability was extremely useful. The function of spiritual power consisted of three parts, the first being exploration. His spiritual power could be released from any part of the tree body and could extend outward up to 4000 meters, allowing him to perform minute probes on any object within this range. For instance, if he now extended his roots to a distance of 1000 meters and then spread his spiritual power further outward, anything within 5000 meters of him couldn¡¯t escape his probe. Even if someone concealed their tracks or even hid underground, it was no use; spiritual power could easily uncover them. ¡°This is much more effective than using eyes to observe,¡± Ye Feng said, using spiritual power to probe the Mutated Beings in Sunset Valley and could not help but be impressed. With spiritual power, every subtle move of the other party could be clearly seen, something that was impossible with the eyes alone. To test the limits of this probing capability, Ye Feng directly picked up a shotgun confiscated from Chen Dalong and fired a shot forward. Under the coverage of spiritual power, he could clearly ¡°see¡± the trajectory of the bullet flying. ¡°Incredible, it can actually reach this level,¡± Ye Feng marveled. Not to mention anything else, just this auxiliary probing capability alone could significantly enhance his combat power. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The second function of spiritual power was controlling objects. Of course, this function was a bit limited because Ye Feng could only use spiritual power to make a mobile phone levitate. If it were any heavier object, it would become quite arduous. As for the last function of spiritual power, it was Mental Shock. This was purely an offensive capability. Ye Feng tested it on the King Cobra and the Mutated Wolf King, using Mental Shock on them; they became stunned for 1 second and 1.2 seconds, respectively. If used against Second Order Mutated Creatures, it could direct stun them for dozens of seconds. As for the First Order Mutated Creatures, they would be knocked out straight away. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t find any Fourth Order Mutated Creatures to use as test subjects. But even if it could stun them, it would probably only be for about 0.1 seconds or so.¡± ¡°In that case, its practicality isn¡¯t that great, and I fear it might not be as useful as the probing capability,¡± Ye Feng analyzed. Of course, the combat capability of spiritual power will definitely become stronger as his strength continuously increases. Overall, Ye Feng was quite satisfied with his new ability. However, what he was most concerned about was the Power of Faith that had just appeared at the bottom of the system panel. ¡°What is this?¡± Ye Feng thought and clicked on the line of text, and a note quickly popped up. ¡°Power of Faith, a special power that releases Faith Skills!¡± Faith Skills, what are those? A series of question marks appeared in Ye Feng¡¯s mind, but the system didn¡¯t provide any explanation, and he couldn¡¯t find any Faith Skills throughout the entire system panel. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Could it be that Faith Skills only appear after breaking through to the Fifth Order, and now it¡¯s just letting me collect Power of Faith in advance?¡± Ye Feng speculated, but it didn¡¯t quite feel right. Now he understood what that special power was when all the Mutated Beings in Sunset Valley worshipped him during his breakthrough¡ªit must have been the Power of Faith. Unable to figure it out, Ye Feng stopped pondering it. Now that he had broken through, he just needed to wait for his subordinates to break through to the Third Order, and then they could move against the zoo. Thinking of this, he looked in the direction of Yang City Zoo. But at that moment, he felt as if the Heaven and Earth before him had changed, and he felt a sense of closeness to it. ¡°How strange, why do I feel this way?¡± Ye Feng wondered in confusion. Then a breeze came, rustling the leaves and interrupting his thoughts. Ye Feng slightly frowned; he didn¡¯t like noise when he was thinking. The moment the thought arose, the wind stopped instantly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ye Feng showed an incredulous expression. At the same time, he checked the system panel and saw that his Power of Faith, which was originally 10 points, had now dropped to 9.9 points. He instantly had a thought, and the wind blew again. ¡°This¡­ I can actually control it,¡± Ye Feng said in disbelief. And with the blowing wind, he felt as if he was receiving information from Heaven and Earth, which brought a moment of enlightenment. ¡°Controlling this area of Heaven and Earth is my Faith Skill, and it isn¡¯t a power bestowed by the system, but a unique ability of the World Tree.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I was too weak before and couldn¡¯t use such power until I broke through to the Fourth Order, which let me grasp it to a basic extent.¡± Starting the wind was only the simplest usage; if he wanted to, he could turn a breeze into a tornado. He could also invoke lightning, hail, and even earthquakes. Of course, all of this had one prerequisite: there needed to be enough Power of Faith. The consumption of Power of Faith was directly related to the damage and range of the effects he enacted. For instance, if he caused wind to blow around him now, with his 10 points of Power of Faith, it would last about a minute. But if he extended this range to the entirety of Sunset Valley, the 10 points of Power of Faith would disappear in an instant. As for others, like tornadoes, lightning, earthquakes, etc., he didn¡¯t have enough Power of Faith to even invoke them. Beyond that, he felt that the area he could control with his Faith Skills was also limited; right now, he could only affect up to a 10-kilometer radius around himself. But even with these limitations, it couldn¡¯t suppress Ye Feng¡¯s excitement.