How could things end like this?
Su Chen couldn't help but wonder how the world had become so horrific. The scene of destruction and carnage before him was almost too much to bear. The relentless violence and death that had become commonplace made him question how humanity had come to this point.
Overwhelmed by horror at the sight of the flesh-and-blood giant's brutal rampage, Su Chen quickly turned on his heels without hesitation and made his way back to the Tianjing International Hotel.
Knowing that he was no match for the monstrous creature, Su Chen wisely chose to evade it for the time being.
The flesh and blood giant continued down the road, following the same path as the military convoy. Its thundering footsteps shook the ground as it passed the entrance of the Sky View Hotel.
Su Chen dared not observe the creature from the front entrance, knowing full well its incredible speed and strength. Instead, he positioned himself near the back door, waiting for the monster to move on.
Luckily, the creature did not detect Su Chen's presence, and its heavy footsteps gradually faded away amidst the crackling and burning flames, eventually disappearing into the distance.
Su Chen's heart raced as he listened to the heavy footsteps of the monstrous creature outside. He couldn't help but wonder where these monsters had come from and what had caused the sky to turn completely black.
The crackling lightning and thunder only added to his unease, leaving him with more questions than answers.
Unable to find any answers, Su Chen quickly returned to the safety of the 23rd floor. He grabbed his weapons and some essential supplies, packing them into a backpack he had prepared earlier. He then made his way back down to the first floor and occupied an office, securing it as his temporary shelter.
Before the chaos erupted, Su Chen had purchased a detailed map of the city, marking three hypermarkets that were known to have cosplay and anime shops. One of the hypermarkets was located in Xicheng District, while the other two were deep in the heart of downtown. These shops would be his ultimate goal.
However, the closest hypermarket was still two kilometers away, and there was no way to traverse that distance without encountering monsters. Su Chen knew that he needed to first strengthen his body and modify his Miao Dao before setting out on this dangerous journey. He needed to find materials that could be fashioned into battle armor to increase his chances of survival.
The process of strengthening his body and modifying his Miao Dao was tedious and repetitive, leaving Su Chen feeling bored and mechanical. He had to continually absorb energy and circulate it through his body, slowly strengthening himself little by little.
Initially, Su Chen felt like a master cultivator as he controlled the energy within his body, but the longer he repeated the process, the more he felt like a mere digestive organ, constantly squirming and absorbing energy without any sense of elegance or grace.
The process was long and exhausting, with Su Chen barely stopping to eat and sleep. It took him a full three days to fully digest and absorb ten energy units.
During his energy-absorbing process, Su Chen also experimented with magic modifications on other objects, like a glass water cup. After a successful modification, it transformed into a self-heating cup, capable of boiling cold water within half an hour. While it might have been useful for some, it proved to be useless for Su Chen, and after seven or eight uses, it lost its effectiveness completely.
Surprisingly, the area around the Sky View Hotel remained relatively calm during these three days, with only a couple of black scale monsters passing by. The flesh and blood giant that had caused so much destruction had left with heavy steps. However, many survivors took advantage of this lull to venture out in small groups in search of the army, which had reportedly moved closer to the Zhongcheng District. Su Chen could hear the sound of gunfire in the distance, which echoed incessantly in the dark of night.
Su Chen was disappointed to learn that the army had stopped at the edge of the middle city and had no intention of moving deeper into its core. This put a damper on his plans to follow the army into the heart of the city.
Despite this setback, Su Chen's absorption of ten energy units had led to significant changes in his physique. His strength, speed, and overall physical abilities had all improved dramatically, even though he still looked tall and thin. In fact, Su Chen now possessed an incredibly strong physique. He even tested his limits and found that he could run 100 meters in just 8.9 seconds, breaking the Guinness World Record!
Su Chen's absorption of energy had also heightened his senses, allowing him to see more clearly in the dark and sharpening his awareness of his surroundings. Despite these improvements, however, his physique had not yet reached the exaggerated levels of fantasy characters like Captain America or Thor. While his physical strength had improved, he was still vulnerable and far from invincible. The transformation of his body through dark energy was a slow and gradual process.
Despite this, Su Chen knew he couldn't afford to wait any longer. He frequently heard the monstrous roars that shook the city, and the sight of pitch-black flying creatures only added to his sense of urgency. He knew he needed to venture out into the dangerous city and find the materials he needed to fashion his battle armor.
Despite the relatively small number of monsters gathering near Su Chen, the signs all pointed to an increasingly dangerous city.
Knowing that he couldn't afford to develop at a slow pace, Su Chen decided to modify his Miao Dao more aggressively. He injected two energy units into the weapon, causing it to transform into a heavy and introverted black blade with incredible cutting power. Su Chen personally tested it and found that the modified Miao Dao was capable of easily slicing through the hotel's security door with a single strike!
Su Chen discovered that he could continue to inject energy into his modified Miao Dao, coating it with a fiery red light and transforming it into a laser-like blade. This incredible weapon was a testament to Su Chen's ingenuity and resourcefulness.
In addition to modifying his Miao Dao, Su Chen also transformed his two remaining Eviscerate Knives, turning one into an explosive flying knife. With four units of energy stored on his body and a backpack of essential supplies, Su Chen set out on his journey. He covered his exaggerated equipment with a long windbreaker he had prepared before the apocalypse and headed straight for the first destination on his map - the Cloud City store two kilometers away in a straight line.
The sound of gunfire from the military in the distance echoed throughout Yuanliao City, making Su Chen even more cautious as he made his way towards Cloud City store. He walked along the edge of the road, always vigilant and keeping an eye out for any lurking monsters.
As he walked, Su Chen encountered a few scattered survivors who were rifling through a messy convenience store. They noticed Su Chen approaching and eyed him warily before hastily gathering their belongings and leaving. Su Chen continued on his journey, aware that danger could be lurking around every corner.
Su Chen had hoped to ask the scattered survivors about the materials he needed for his battle armor, but they had been too wary of him to provide any information.
The two kilometers to Cloud City store proved to be a slow and challenging journey, with Su Chen taking over 20 minutes to cover less than half the distance. Along the way, he saw the bleak effects of the virus-like strains carried by the monsters. Trees were parasitized and left to rot and dry up, becoming breeding grounds for the strains. Many convenience stores had been looted or overrun by ghosts and strains, leaving nothing edible on the shelves. Everywhere he looked, the effects of the apocalypse were painfully evident.
The air was thick with the noxious scent of gunpowder, decaying flesh, and blood, making it difficult for Su Chen to breathe. As he passed through a messy intersection, he spotted a solitary elongated ghost standing at the side of an entrance street, its body trembling slightly.
Su Chen's heart skipped a beat as he saw the creature, he quietly approached the ghost, planning to strike it down with a swift and lethal blow.
As Su Chen approached the elongated ghost, he realized that there were many more of them lurking in the shadows of the street. In the distance, he saw at least a hundred of these ghostly creatures moving silently, almost like an army. Their grotesque appearance was enough to send shivers down his spine.
To make matters worse, Su Chen spotted a dark and withered shadow on the roof of a nearby building. It appeared to be directing the movements of the elongated ghosts, as if it were the commander of this terrifying army.
Su Chen's scalp tingled with fear as he quickly changed his course, avoiding the army of elongated ghosts and entering a different area. However, upon arriving, he realized that the number of monsters had increased significantly. The streets and buildings were teeming with lanky ghosts and black scale monsters, and the situation was becoming more and more perilous.
As he made his way through this dangerous area, Su Chen stumbled upon a horrifying sight. Six living humans were hanging from a building like dried meat, wailing and screaming in terror. The sound of their cries echoed throughout the street as a group of elongated ghosts surrounded them, tearing at their flesh and fighting over the meager scraps of food. It was a brutal and gruesome scene.
With the army of elongated ghosts behind him and monsters wandering the streets, Su Chen knew there was no way he could save the six hanging humans. Fearful for his own safety, he retreated silently, realizing the true horror of the disaster that had befallen the city.
In the relatively safe area around Tianjing Hotel, Su Chen had not fully grasped the true horror of the disaster. But now, as he retreated from the dangerous area filled with monsters, the full extent of the devastation became painfully clear to him.
Su Chen continued to back away, circling around a street and giving up on the idea of taking the main road. Instead, he entered a nearby clothing store, hoping to pass through undetected.
However, to his surprise, he discovered a group of survivors huddled inside the store.