C14 Hunting

Chen Yu closed his eyes slightly, allowing his mind to relax. He tapped into his pure combat instincts to detect any lurking dangers in his surroundings.

Upon opening his eyes, Chen Yu's gaze darkened as he scanned the area, focusing on a mutated wolf pack not far from the street and a nearby alley that emitted an almost imperceptible, yet very real threat. His keen battle instincts and cautious nature were the only reasons he could sense the well-concealed peril.

"How devious!" he muttered to himself. "An awakened Wolf King, leading his own awakened pack, lurking in the shadows... I should have known; these aren't just ordinary mutated wolves."

In that moment, Chen Yu's understanding of the wolves' sly and cunning nature deepened. A surge of excitement bubbled within him—previously, he had consumed the ability crystal nucleus of an awakened mutated cat, gaining the Thorny Shadow ability. Although later experiments revealed that without completing his evolution, he couldn't trigger the Thorny Shadow without the crystal nucleus, this was of no consequence to Chen Yu. Crystal nuclei were plentiful, but abilities were rare treasures.

Chen Yu had once thought his strange physical condition meant he'd never gain new abilities. Yet, who could have predicted that his body's oddity wasn't just an endless enhancement of his physical strength but also a hidden trait that allowed him to absorb abilities from the crystal nuclei? This revelation promised to revolutionize Chen Yu's combat style, making his power even more formidable and mysterious.

This unexpected twist filled Chen Yu with a newfound confidence and solidified his future plans. If he could defeat the Wolf King and its awakened mutated wolves, might he gain additional abilities by consuming their crystal nuclei? The thought set his heart ablaze with eagerness.

He eyed the Wolf King and its awakened mutated wolves, hidden in the darkness, with the same fervor a starving vagabond would have at the sight of a roasted duck. To him, these were not just a mutated beast clan but a treasure trove of abilities waiting to be unlocked.

Yet, despite his excitement, Chen Yu remained cautious. He had immense confidence in his own strength and didn't believe the mutated wolf clan posed a threat to his life. But, just to be safe...

Chen Yu decided to hold off and observe.

It was crucial to understand the peculiar abilities of the Wolf King and its two Awakened lieutenants before making a move. This way, he could avoid any unforeseen mishaps during the hunt.

For Chen Yu, sustaining injuries in the early days of the apocalypse while hunting three newly Awakened Mutated Beasts would be counterproductive. Healing would take precious time, throwing off his plans for the crucial first three days and delaying the construction of the survivor camp.

Chen Yu aimed to take the city with no harm to himself!

After a moment of contemplation, he had a strategy. He leapt from the high-rise, heading straight for the Wolf King's territory.

......

Despite the Wolf King and its Awakened subordinates' stealth, Chen Yu's combat instincts quickly led him to their precise location.

As he approached the alley, the heavy scent of blood in the air directed him.

The Wolf King was wounded—and severely so.

Chen Yu surmised that the injuries were likely the result of the battle for supremacy among the zoo's mutated beasts.

In his memory, the Mutated Beast King of Rorerin had emerged from such a struggle. It was a double-headed crimson-eyed tiger, massive as an elephant with formidable power, having mutated to possess two heads.

Rumor had it that this tiger, the ruler of Rorerin, had consumed an entire crystal nucleus mine, evolving into a domain-level Beast King.

However, this information was unverified.

At that time, humanity was overwhelmed by the war for dominance over Blue Star waged by an alien civilization. Earth's mightiest had all joined the fight, leaving little attention for the wilds overrun by mutated creatures.

Chen Yu shook his head, clearing these momentarily irrelevant memories from his mind.

Peering through a tiny gap in the window, his expression grew stern as he observed the massive, prone figure in the depths of the alley.

The Awakened Wolf King before him was his current objective!

The double-headed crimson-eyed tiger would have to wait until the survivor camp was more established and the collective strength of its inhabitants had grown. Only then would he devise a plan to defeat it.

The Mutated Wolf King lay injured on the ground, surrounded by a pool of its own tainted blood.

The blood had long since dried, leaving behind only the sharp, metallic stench that permeated the alleyway.

At the alley's entrance, a Mutated Wolf Beast, rivaling the size of the Wolf King itself, crouched warily. Its predatory eyes flickered as they scanned the surrounding buildings and streets.

This creature was a sentinel for the Wolf King!

Chen Yu was contemplating the whereabouts of another Mutated Wolf Beast when, without warning, a massive black shadow materialized. It leapt onto the rooftop, nearly grazing the window where Chen Yu was perched.

Startled, Chen Yu's heart raced, his instincts nearly driving him to action. But in the moment his hand lifted, he reined in the urge.

He realized that this Mutated Wolf Beast hadn't detected him; it was merely returning from a hunt.

Clutched in the jaws of the rooftop wolf beast was a man—a man who was barely alive, his body riddled with wounds.

Chen Yu could sense the faint, lingering energy fluctuations of an Evolver emanating from the man's battered form.

To have evolved in just one night—this man's talent would have been considered exceptional even in the five years since the apocalypse began.

Unlike Lee Hao, Liu Qiqi, Soong Yue, and Chu Chenhao, who had the fortune of encountering Chen Yu, this gifted individual's fate was tragically sealed.

As Chen Yu reflected on Lee Hao and the others who had survived thanks to him, he couldn't help but feel a profound sense of sorrow looking at the man before him.

Yet, Chen Yu had no intention of intervening.

The man's injuries were too severe—beyond saving.

Chen Yu wouldn't risk alerting the enemy and losing his primary target over someone who was beyond help.

The Mutated Wolf Beast on the rooftop bore numerous deep gashes, evidence of the dying man's desperate struggle before losing consciousness.

But clearly, the man's strength was no match for the wolf beast in its awakened state.

Particularly concerning was the beast's ability to approach undetected, slipping within five meters of Chen Yu without triggering his combat senses. It suggested that the wolf's awakened ability was likely related to stealth or masking its presence.

Against such a cunning and lethal predator, even an ordinary Evolver would stand little chance.

Had Chen Yu not been forewarned, he too might have found himself on the back foot, caught off guard by a surprise attack.

Yet, the end result would undoubtedly have been different—the mutated wolf would likely end up flayed and dismembered, rather than this unlucky man, who ended up being brought back as prey.

As Chen Yu watched with a dark scowl, the dying man appeared to have a moment of lucidity.

His eyes snapped open suddenly, and by sheer coincidence, they locked with Chen Yu's through the gauze of the window...