C17 In the Zoo

One slash, two slashes, three—the Goblin's neck was a mess of cuts, yet the dagger miraculously missed every major blood vessel. The Goblin wailed in agony, while the girl, tears streaming down her face, gripped the dagger and hacked away in a frenzy.

Lin Yuan, having stealthily returned, was at a loss for words. He couldn't help but think the Goblin was enduring a cruel fate, akin to death by a thousand cuts.

After innumerable slashes, the Goblin's main artery finally gave way. Green blood gushed forth, and with it, the Goblin exhaled a sigh of relief, slowly closing its eyes, ready at last to embrace death.

The girl stared at her arm in amazement, captivated by the surge of power she felt.

With one person leading the way, others followed suit, each taking a turn with the dagger, committing their first act of killing.

Lin Yuan gave a slight nod and turned to leave.

The old world was disintegrating, merging into something new, and the environment was only growing more perilous. Opportunities were presenting themselves, and those who failed to seize them would find no value in survival. Strengthening oneself was the fundamental rule of existence.

"Route 201, 15 kilometers to Redhedge City."

Lin Yuan gazed at the vine-covered sign, his face alight with excitement. After twenty-three grueling days, he had finally made it to Redhedge City, the journey far more challenging than he had ever imagined.

He had traversed canyons, rivers, mountains, and even crocodile-infested swamps—the difficulty of the trek had far surpassed anything Lin Yuan could have anticipated.

Never had he imagined that the once straightforward path would undergo such drastic changes. There were moments he considered giving up, but the allure of his latent talent spurred him on, pushing him to persevere.

In this new chance at life, he would not let weariness lead to regret.

All the trials and tribulations were worth it upon reaching Redhedge. Now, the priority was to locate the Gold Tree Monster.

His advancement to Bronze and the acquisition of his talent depended entirely on it.

Based on information from his past life, the tree monster resided in the former Redhedge City Zoo, situated on the outskirts, roughly two to three kilometers north of the signpost.

But with the world so drastically altered, the journey was still far from over.

With his direction set, Lin Yuan strode forward with renewed vigor.

As he walked, the dense forest thinned out, eventually giving way to an expansive grassland. The grass, however, was unusually tall, averaging 1.6 to 1.7 meters in height, making the trek quite strenuous even for someone of Lin Yuan's stature.

Lin Yuan casually yanked up a stalk of green grass as thick as his wrist, examined its lush roots, and tore off a tendril to chew. It was surprisingly sweet, likely sweetgrass from Earth, just unusually tall.

After trekking through the grass for over half an hour, a cluster of buildings faintly emerged ahead. Lin Yuan's spirits lifted; the zoo was near, and he was close to his destination!

As he continued through the grass, odd noises surrounded him, rustling and sliding. Could it be a snake or some python-like creature?

Lin Yuan halted, drew his Jungle Blade, and scanned the area warily.

Suddenly, the grass thrashed wildly, and a black shadow lunged at him!

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes and swung his blade.

"Clang!"

The shadow was sent soaring by Lin Yuan's tremendous strength, howling as it flew into the distance.

Charge!

The grass parted like a sea, and Lin Yuan sprang forward, slashing down at the shadow with force!

"Merciful hero, spare me! I'm human!"

A voice, somewhat off-pitch, rang out. Lin Yuan's eyebrows lifted. A woman?

He instantly switched from a slash to a smack, flattening the shadow onto the ground.

"I knew you were human; otherwise, I would've used the sharp edge."

Shaking his head, Lin Yuan looked at the figure before him, dressed in a tight-fitting stealth suit in broad daylight. Was she trying to stand out?

Sensing no malice, Lin Yuan sheathed his Jungle Blade and asked, frowning, "Why did you attack me?"

The woman, grimacing, got to her feet and retorted, "I've been staking out here for days, and I'm out of supplies. When I heard you, I mistook you for a bear and thought I could scavenge some food."

Lin Yuan couldn't help but smirk. Mistaken for a bear? She must be incredibly nearsighted.

"Next time, make sure of your target before you strike. You're lucky it was me. Anyone else might have ended you with a single cut!"

The night-walking woman pursed her lips, thinking to herself, 'Given my level and combat prowess, the average person is no match for me.'

Lin Yuan tightened the straps on his backpack, which was as heavy as a small mountain, and continued striding toward the zoo.

Catching sight of the massive chunk of meat dangling from his pack, the night-walker couldn't help but swallow hard and quickly followed Lin Yuan.

"Why are you tailing me? Go hang out somewhere else!"

Lin Yuan glanced back at the night-walker trailing him like a shadow, frowned, and shooed her away with a wave of his hand. Unfazed, she brazenly moved in closer.

"Hey, big guy, what kind of meat is that? It smells incredible."

"Human flesh!" Lin Yuan replied irritably, only to have the night-walker vigorously shake her head.

"No way, that's not human flesh. No human, not even one three meters tall, could yield such a huge tendon."

"I'm telling you, it looks just like the meat from the Ox Monster Chief."

The night-walker's face was practically pressed against the dark, smoked meat. Lin Yuan turned to her, a hint of amazement in his voice.

"Your eyes aren't just not blind, they're actually pretty sharp. How can you still make it out after it's been cooked like this?"

"Of course, my 300-degree nearsightedness isn't for show."

"..."

Lin Yuan massaged his temples and kept walking. This girl must have a screw loose—since when is nearsightedness something to boast about?

"Slow down, will you? If you walk too fast, I can't catch the scent!"

The night-walker's mouth watered as she spoke, her ravenous look amusing Lin Yuan. He reached back, tore off a five or six-kilogram piece of meat, and handed it to her.

"Here, eat up. You look like you're starving."

"Wuwu, big guy, boss, you have such a kind heart, slurp!"

Lin Yuan's eyebrows quivered. Most people cry tears, but this girl cried saliva—a feat not just anyone could manage!

After reattaching the remaining meat to his backpack, Lin Yuan marched on. The night-walker devoured the meat voraciously and asked with curiosity:

"Boss, where are you headed?"

"The zoo."

"The zoo? You're not also after the Gold Tree Monster, are you?"

Lin Yuan stopped in his tracks, frowning at the night-walker.

"Also? Are there others here for the tree monster?"

The nightwalker blinked and traced a large circle in the air with her hand.

"I'm not sure of the exact number, but from what I've encountered in this area, there are at least thirty to forty people."

The zoo was teeming with people, a stark contrast to the legend from his past life.

Lin Yuan's brow furrowed deeply. According to the tales, Mo Sanqiu had ventured into the zoo alone and, after a tremendous struggle, had slain the Gold Tree Monster.

Yet, after he consumed the Blood Essence and departed, every living thing within seven to eight miles of the zoo was reduced to ash. The land remained barren for years, suggesting that the legends might not be entirely reliable.

"What's the highest level among them?"

Lin Yuan pressed on, undeterred by the number of people. He was resolute in his mission to secure the blood of the Gold Tree Monster.