His room only contained a tiny bed that could barely fit an adult. A small wooden table with a little transparent fish tank on it could be seen.
The little fish tank hosted a live baby Black-scaled Catfish within, swimming listlessly within it. He had found its egg which matured the moment he killed a Black-scale fish. Luckily, it didn't die and
Lucifer was raising it to fatten it and kill it later.
Lucifer was pretty much satisfied with his room and didn't have a single word of complaint. It was further from the others and was relatively quiet as well.
Plus, this was the only place he could afford within this wasteland.
Just as he washed up using the half bucket of brown water by the side, he paused as his eyes caught sight of the little Black-scaled Catfish.
He had been planning on consuming its flesh last night but due to the Camp's morning and evening routine making him tired. Lucifer previously planned on selling it but now, he had a different thought about it.
Recalling the Primeval Black-scaled Fish and the shriveled finger, Lucifer's eyes flashed and his pupils narrowed.
Usually, a Black-scaled Catfish can only ever be savage beasts as that was the limit to their cell evolution even after the C-cell eruption.
However, Lucifer had managed to kill a Primeval Catfish, something which was unheard of!
There had to be a reason for the Black-scaled Catfish to evolve to that level.
Recollecting the dried up pinky finger he had seen the previous time, he brought it out and grabbed the Black-scaled Catfish from the tank.
Just as he was able to forcefully feed the creature the finger, the Black-scaled Catfish suddenly slipped out from his grip, leaping upwards and swallowing the finger without hesitation!
Lucifer was stunned. Watching the fish flop vigorously on the dirty ground, he picked it up and placed it back into the glass tank.
"Sure enough, there's something weird about that shriveled finger." Lucifer watched squinted eyes as the exasperated Catfish quickly turned lively, swimming energetically in the unclean water of the fish tank
With a cautious) serious expression, he sat on his old bed, staring fixatedly at the swimming Iron-head Catfish. Caution in his eyes as he watched on.
* * *
Meanwhile, outside the base, an enormous round moon filled nearly half the sky, seemingly ready to crash down to earth at any given moment. Even people without genetic enhancements could faintly see the uneven surfaces of the scarlet moon.
They could see the veins of the moon, looking like little vein at the edge of a blood-shot eye.
Faint rays of scarlet lights cascade down to the surface of the earth, like crimson moon dust, spraying unevenly across the nuclear wastelands. Due to the dark clouds, daytime didn't take as long as it usually does in the old era.
From time to time, the occasional howling of wolves and roaring of unknown beasts traveled from afar, filling the entire area with an air of savagery.
The Scarlet moon, although not rare, occurs once every six months.
The moment the moon becomes saturated with the hue of blood, chaos ensues! Under the scarlet moon, mutants, evolved beasts and mutated humans become even more violent, bloodthirsty and addicted to flesh!
At this moment, the entire Badland base was in complete silence and on a complete lockdown. Level one Genetic soldiers with night-vision genes developed are tasked as sentries while level two Super Soldiers with one evolution in body strengthening and at least one evolution in eye-sight stood guard at the top of the gate which was considered the weak point of the base.
Equipped on them was a modified Marksman sniper rifle looking very similar to the Flintlock gun of the olden era gun, a combat knife, animal-hides body armor and extra modified bullets the size of an adult's middle finger, maybe even bigger.
Their eyes were as sharp as a hawk with a violent air of brutality revolving around them.
One could tell they were veterans that had earned their evolution points through life and death battles, consuming the flesh of the defeated monsters to develop their strength.
But at this moment, the soldiers revealed hints of nervousness on their faces.
As veterans who had fought several battles, they understand the dangers of the scarlet moon too well.
While they couldn't comprehend the deep theories regarding the connection of the scarlet moon, the nuclear radiation, the evolution of the world and mutation of the beasts, they are well aware of how berserk the filthy creatures of the wasteland becomes once the Crimson moon settles.
Enchanted Badlands was just a Rank 9 foothold with a population of about 500 people.
Such a foothold was the least secured within the wilderness. If this foothold was attacked by a Fiend monster or above, there was a fifty percent chance everyone would perish even before reinforcements from stronger genetic soldiers could arrive to the rescue.
Fortunately, the pollution here was really thin therefore, inhabitable by stronger beasts. The more stronger a monster is, the more pollution they emit.
* * *
"Bang! Bang!! Bang!!!"
Lucifer was startled awake by the increasing noise. His hands inadvertently reaching for his wooden spear. Soon, his eyes focused as he stared at the cause of the disturbance.
Before him was the little fish tank but currently, the glass tank was covered in numerous cracks that was rapidly expanding and spewing out water from the container to the ground.
The Black-scaled Catfish seem to have gone berserk. Its sharp teeth baring violently as it slammed heavily at the fish tank with extreme force. Another 'bang' echoed and instant, the fish tank cracked even more as it tilted over.
"Crash!" "Splash!"
The fish tank broke into pieces the moment it made contact with the ground. Lucifer was surprised.
He wasn't surprised seeing the previously emancipated fish flop around vigorously on the ground, picking up dust but was surprised by the unfamiliar beast before him.
It was a sleek and elegant fish with a body that glistens like the night sky. Its scales are as dark as the deepest shadows, and they catch the light in a way that makes them shimmer with hints of blue and green.