The school building was about a kilometer from the back hill.
The path was teeming with infected, but under Zhu Jiu's lead, the group cut through them like a knife through butter, reaching the hill in just ten minutes.
Zhu Jiu's heightened abilities allowed him to perceive changes in his environment with unnerving clarity.
In just those ten minutes, he felt the temperature drop by at least one degree.
One degree might not seem like much, but considering the pace, it was terrifying.
A degree every ten minutes meant six degrees in an hour. Over the course of 24 hours, the drop would be catastrophic—turning equatorial heat into polar chill and tropical islands into frozen wastelands.
At this time of year, Nancheng was typically over 30°C. If the temperature continued to fall at this rate, the city would be encased in ice within half a day.
"My earlier assumptions were far too optimistic," Zhu Jiu thought grimly.
If this trend continued, how could humanity possibly survive the second wave of calamity?
With a single slash, Zhu Jiu dispatched an infected blocking the way, urging the group to pick up their pace.
They had to gather firewood quickly.
And after that, Zhu Jiu needed to retrieve Ruan Qingyan from the laboratory.
Leaving her there alone in these conditions was far too dangerous.
When they reached the back hill, the group was stunned.
Zhu Jiu's brows furrowed. The hill had completely transformed.
The underbrush was overgrown, reaching up to their calves, with stalks as hard as thorns.
The trees towering above them looked ancient and gnarled, far larger than any ordinary tree. The once-familiar back hill now resembled a primordial forest, filled with massive trees that seemed alive with an eerie vitality.
Scattered through the dense woods, strange animals darted about.
The creatures were unsettlingly familiar yet alien.
A rabbit, which would typically fit in the palm of a hand, now stood over a meter tall, its body as muscular as a kangaroo's.
Its snow-white fur remained, but its crimson eyes, bulging muscles, and dagger-like incisors made it clear this was no ordinary rabbit.
At that moment, the muscular rabbit was gnawing on a mangled carcass with unsettling ferocity.
"Even rabbits eat meat now?" a student gasped in horror.
Before anyone could answer, a loud rustling echoed through the woods.
The noise grew louder, and suddenly, with a sharp whoosh, a massive figure shot past them.
The rabbit had no time to react. It was swallowed whole, carcass and all, by the enormous creature.
Zhu Jiu narrowed his eyes. The predator was a colossal python, at least seven or eight meters long.
Its scales gleamed like polished steel, giving it an almost armored appearance.
What unnerved Zhu Jiu even more was how easily the snake devoured the muscular rabbit. Its stomach barely bulged, suggesting the rabbit hadn't even been a satisfying meal.
Zhu Jiu signaled for the group to take a detour, opting to avoid confrontation.
The python stared at them with a gaze that held an unsettling mix of hunger and caution. But ultimately, it turned and slithered back into the forest.
As they ventured deeper, Zhu Jiu and his group encountered more unnervingly evolved creatures.
Centipedes half a meter long.Wild boars the size of tanks.Porcupines capable of launching their quills like spears.Carnivorous plants and man-eating trees.
It was as if the entire ecosystem had undergone a nightmarish transformation.
"Both the animals and plants here are far more evolved than humans," Zhu Jiu observed.
"They seem strong. And if their evolution is this advanced, the energy in their bodies must have increased significantly as well."
The thought stirred something in Zhu Jiu.
These creatures looked... delicious.
Big, nutritious, and likely filled with the energy his body craved.
Since mastering the Iron Shirt technique, Zhu Jiu's appetite had grown insatiable. Snacks like biscuits and chocolate barely sustained him, and they were bland to boot.
Still, gathering firewood was the priority now. There wasn't time to hunt.
Suppressing his impulses, Zhu Jiu led the group to a secluded area and began the task at hand.
Except for Zhu Jiu, who had Zhao Feng's Darksteel Sword, the others were unarmed. Even Zhu Jiu's own heavy blades had been shattered in his battle with Zhao Feng.
He turned to the group and said, "I'll cut the trees. You focus on gathering the wood and transporting it back to the school."
With that, Zhu Jiu raised the Darksteel Sword and swung.
A tree with a nearly one-meter diameter was felled in a single strike.
Before the trunk hit the ground, Zhu Jiu moved. The sword became a blur, slicing the tree into neatly stacked firewood.
"Don't just gather these logs," he instructed. "Look for dry wood nearby as well. Freshly cut wood is hard to ignite. It'll need to dry for a while before it's usable."
As he worked, a tall, sharp-featured student began organizing the others with impressive efficiency, ensuring everyone had a clear task.
Zhu Jiu glanced at the boy, nodding to himself.
This was Du Jiushan, the former class president and now the leader of a small squad. He was capable and reliable, but Zhu Jiu was curious why someone like him had chosen the Farmer Evolution Serum.
Given his abilities, a combat-focused serum would have allowed him to grow stronger much faster.
Zhu Jiu shrugged off the thought and continued chopping wood.
After felling two trees and bundling the logs with makeshift rope, Zhu Jiu called for the group to prepare for the return trip.
But as he watched the students struggle to carry even modest bundles, he realized a major issue.
Their physical strength was too low. Each person could carry only a few dozen kilograms of wood at most, while Zhu Jiu himself was hauling four or five hundred kilograms—essentially an entire tree.
"This isn't sustainable," Zhu Jiu muttered.
The process was too slow and left them vulnerable to attacks.
A vehicle would have been ideal, but the city's roads were clogged with abandoned cars, rendering them impassable. And clearing a path wasn't an option in this timeframe.
"Without proper transportation, we're stuck like this," Zhu Jiu sighed.
Reluctantly, he called out, "Everyone, stay close. Let's head back."
He took the lead, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
But before they had gone far, a sudden rustling noise erupted from the forest.
The sound grew louder and louder until, with a thunderous crash, an enormous figure burst from the trees!