C25 A Terrifying Zoo

The awakened mutated beasts within the zoo were far more powerful than Chen Yu had anticipated.

Instead of sneaking into the zoo as originally planned, Chen Yu found a suitable high-rise building and covertly watched from a distance, hidden behind rooftop machinery.

Despite the distance, he immediately spotted the double-headed crimson-eyed tiger, a creature that had gained notoriety by the fifth year of the apocalypse.

After its awakening, the double-headed crimson-eyed tiger grew to an enormous size, comparable to a full-grown elephant. Even while resting atop a faux rock formation, the beast's terrifying presence was palpable to Chen Yu, who was a whole kilometer away.

Chen Yu swallowed hard, realizing his earlier optimism had severely underestimated the extent of the mutations these creatures had undergone at the onset of the apocalypse.

By the second day of the apocalypse, this double-headed crimson-eyed tiger had already claimed dominion over the zoo and risen as the king of the mutated beasts, boasting a strength that far surpassed that of a peak advanced Evolver.

Even now, as Chen Yu possessed the combat prowess of a peak advanced Evolver, he knew he would likely only manage to escape with his life in the face of the tiger's claws.

Chen Yu was careful not to let his gaze linger too long on the double-headed crimson-eyed tiger.

The hunting and alertness instincts of these wild beasts far exceeded those of humans. Given Chen Yu's knowledge of the formidable awakened mutated beasts of the apocalypse, focusing too much attention on the double-headed crimson-eyed tiger could easily alert it to his presence.

Chen Yu was not yet ready to engage in any conflict with this ferocious beast king, nor could he afford to be detected by it.

Mutated creatures naturally relished the hunt for human Evolvers, craving the source energy cultivated within an Evolver's body as a coveted nourishment.

Even though Chen Yu was not yet an Evolver, lacking any source energy fluctuations, powerful individuals like him were still prime targets for these predatory animals.

Chen Yu continued to survey other areas within the zoo that radiated fearsome auras.

Ultimately, he concluded that the zoo was home not only to the double-headed crimson-eyed tiger and mutated golden eagle beasts with strengths exceeding an advanced Evolver, but also to over a dozen other awakened mutated beasts of advanced Evolver caliber, including mutated golden fang snakes, mutated gray-furred bears, and mutated fire-feathered peacocks.

Chen Yu only took note of the powerful awakened beasts that posed a threat to him.

He hadn't even considered the more numerous, yet less formidable mutated beasts, or the ordinary variants.

These revelations caused Chen Yu to break out in a cold sweat, his heart pounding with an unexplainable shock.

The apocalypse was a veritable renaissance for the wild beasts and raptors of Blue Star. Humanity had climbed to the apex of the food chain over hundreds of thousands of years, only to be knocked back down to the bottom rung overnight.

Yet, despite the unexpected turn of events, Chen Yu remained unfazed.

He was, after all, the same Chen Yu who had endured to the final moments of the doomsday battle.

The despair he had faced before was far more soul-crushing than the challenges he now confronted.

Seeing the beginning of doomsday again, Chen Yu found a certain charm in these formidable awakened mutated beasts.

He didn't linger long after assessing the strength of the mutated beasts in the zoo; he cautiously withdrew from the area it encompassed.

To avoid a premature clash with these wild creatures, Chen Yu resolved to establish the camp at a safe distance from the zoo, doing everything possible to keep the camp hidden from the predatory eyes of the beasts.

Once the camp's strength had sufficiently increased, and ideally with the robust backing of the government military and access to their powerful arsenal, he planned to eliminate this looming threat.

After a day filled with activity, Chen Yu returned to the residential area under the cover of dusk.

The neighborhood had transformed significantly since morning. The ten apartment buildings were now interconnected by a network of slides and ropes, allowing survivors to navigate freely.

The zombies that had once wandered the area had been eradicated.

Chen Yu noted that even the streets surrounding the residential area showed signs of having been cleared and scavenged.

Within a one-kilometer radius, zombie sightings had become rare.

The occasional mutated beast that did appear was of the weaker variety.

Clearly, Lee Hao and the guard team had been effective in securing the vicinity of the residential area.

Chen Yu was immensely pleased with their efforts.

Before heading into the neighborhood, he made a point to personally inspect the perimeter once more, dealing with any stragglers that had been missed.

"Boss Yu!"

"Boss Yu! You're back!"

As Chen Yu stepped into the residential area, he was greeted by the guards stationed at vantage points, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

As soon as the guards caught sight of Chen Yu, they greeted him with palpable excitement.

Chen Yu covertly took stock of their condition and was pleased to see their rosy complexions and the vibrant life force radiating from them. Their robust vitality, steady and powerful breaths indicated that each one was a formidable force, capable of taking on multiple opponents before the apocalypse.

Lee Hao and his team had done commendable work in enhancing the guards' physical condition.

The more vigorous the guards, the stronger they would become as Evolvers once Chen Yu took them under his wing for personal training.

They might not reach the level of the Awakened, but they would be at least 30% stronger than ordinary Evolvers who hadn't benefited from his tutelage—a staggering difference.

This margin was significant enough to ensure that Chen Yu's Evolvers would far surpass those of other factions.

This was the substantial edge Chen Yu brought with him—a wealth of memories, experiences, techniques, and knowledge from his return to the onset of doomsday.

He realized that while most renowned powers and strong individuals were still scrambling for survival amidst the chaos, a sense of pride swelled within him.

His confidence, in the face of the apocalypse's harshness, was unwavering and stronger than ever.

Chen Yu acknowledged each guard's salutation in turn.

Upon returning to his building, the heart of the community, Chen Yu promptly summoned Lee Hao, Liu Qiqi, Soong Yue, and Chu Chenhao to inquire about the preparation of the mutated wolf meat.

Learning that the awakened beast's meat was already simmering in the pot and would soon be ready to serve,

Chen Yu wasted no time in directing Lee Hao and the others to assemble the guards in groups. He was ready to personally oversee their training, preparing them to evolve in stages.

The community had selected no fewer than fifty individuals for the guard team.

Moreover, these guards had begun consuming crystal nuclei to bolster their physiques and enhance their Qi and blood earlier than those at the X Supermarket.

Chen Yu's approach to nurturing the community's guards was methodical and progressive, unlike the rapid mass advancements at the supermarket.

They started by consuming crystal nuclei to fortify themselves.

Next, he had Lee Hao and the team lead them in hunting zombies and mutated beasts, sharpening their combat skills.

Now, just like Lee Hao and his companions, he intended to consume the flesh of awakened mutated beasts to enhance the physical capabilities of ordinary people to their utmost potential.

Chen Yu harbored an optimistic forecast that within this group of guards...

There was a substantial possibility that one or two more individuals might experience an awakening.