C26 In the Basic Attributes

Reflecting on his past encounters, Lin Yuan realized his mistake lay in the club's rebound that had knocked him senseless. Coupled with the ambush by three coyotes, it had resulted in utter chaos.

During the hunt, Lin Yuan identified the coyotes' vulnerability: not all possessed special abilities, and those using the red halo skill were immobilized, unable to run or attack, effectively becoming sitting ducks.

After extracting the wolf fangs, Lin Yuan wielded his club, seeking his next prey.

The club still needed more fangs. Lin Yuan intended to gather seven or eight coyote fangs before modifying it. At present, it resembled a fishbone more than a wolf fang club.

The recent coyote kills hadn't boosted his basic attributes, leaving Lin Yuan puzzled about the acquisition pattern. However, he was confident that with an increasing kill count, he'd eventually discern a pattern.

Continuing his stealthy trek along the mountain's base, Lin Yuan stumbled upon five coyotes in a small hollow, one notably larger than the others, clearly of a higher rank.

Facing five was beyond Lin Yuan's capabilities. He clutched his last tear gas grenade, debating its use, but ultimately decided against it. It was a formidable weapon, more effective than firearms, too valuable to squander here.

Bypassing the coyote pack, Lin Yuan pressed on. After covering three or four miles, he encountered a new Bronze creature, the bull monster.

The sight of the nearly three-meter-tall bull monster brought a smile to Lin Yuan's face, not for its size, but for the massive ax-edged spear it wielded.

His mace was handy, but it was a Dark Iron Totem Staff at its core, which might not withstand a high-intensity battle.

In contrast, the ax-edged spear was a Bronze-level weapon, its durability and resilience far surpassing that of Dark Iron.

Lin Yuan took a wide detour, approaching the bull monster from behind. His recent experiences taught him that a frontal assault was perilous. Even with victory, the cost to himself could be substantial.

Sneaking up for a surprise attack was always the best strategy. No matter the opponent's strength, a swift blow could bring them down!

Charge!

"Clang!"

The mace brutally struck the back of the bull monster's head, instantly bending several of its wolf teeth.

The bull monster stumbled and collapsed, struggling to rise.

Damn, was its skull made of steel? It was unbelievably hard!

Lin Yuan shook his hands, trying to relieve the numbness, and with gritted teeth, he hoisted the mace again, aiming for the massive head of the bull monster.

One minute later, Lin Yuan examined the warped mace with a grimace of pain. It was nearly twisted into a paperclip. His golden mace was now utterly ruined.

A pale green mist seeped into his body, and a message flashed in his mind:

"Devouring increases basic attributes: one point."

Another point, excellent. Lin Yuan nodded in approval. The rate at which he was gaining points was downright scary!

He lifted the nearly three-meter-long, goose egg-thick ax-edged spear, its subtle dark glow making Lin Yuan's heart ache with a mix of pain and joy as he burst into laughter.

In his past life, the finest weapon he had ever forged was of this caliber. What a treasure!

Glancing at the still bull monster on the ground, Lin Yuan couldn't help but gulp. Surely, its meat would be more potent than that of a regular ox monster?

The ax-edged spear traced a stunning arc in the air, descending with force upon the bull monster.

Soon after, Lin Yuan had a bonfire going, with large, bloody chunks of beef skewered around it.

Ravenous, Lin Yuan didn't wait for the beef to cook thoroughly. He grabbed a piece and bit down hard.

Hmm, the meat was juicy and chewy, but the taste was still atrociously bad!

The bull monster's meat was not only sour and gamey like the ox monster's but also carried an extra hint of dryness that made his stomach convulse.

Nevertheless, the meat's potency was truly remarkable. Just a couple of bites in, Lin Yuan felt a surge of strength fill his body. What a find!

Having eaten less than a pound, Lin Yuan's stomach began to swell. The energy contained within the bull monster's meat was potent, quickly satiating him with just a small amount.

After stowing the smoked beef, Lin Yuan cast a wistful glance at the fallen bull monster, wishing for a storage item to carry away such fine meat. Regretfully, he left it behind.

Satiated, Lin Yuan resumed his hunt. Axe-edged spear in hand, he trudged along the mountain's base with his pack, heavy as a small hill, on his back. Two miles in, he stumbled upon three coyotes.

Moving silently, he crept up behind the unsuspecting creatures and launched into a charge.

"Shua!"

The spear sliced through the air, effortlessly cleaving the coyotes in half with a terrifyingly smooth motion.

The sheer power of the weapon stunned Lin Yuan; he had clearly underestimated its lethality. In his past life, he could never have crafted something so deadly.

"Wuwu~!"

Another coyote lunged, jaws agape. Lin Yuan's counter was swift—a clean chop that severed its head, the body stumbling several paces before collapsing.

He advanced on the final coyote, his spear descending with ferocity.

"Awoo~!"

A red glow flared as the spear momentarily paused, then completed its deadly arc.

The creature was bisected at the waist, writhing and howling in agony. Lin Yuan, unable to watch its suffering, delivered a merciful blow to its head.

"Race: Human; Level: Bronze Second Rank."

Ignoring the information drifting through his mind, Lin Yuan tenderly extracted a towel from his pack and wiped the pristine blade of his axe-edged spear. Never in his past life had he wielded such a fine weapon. It was hard to believe it was merely Bronze rank; given its sharpness, claiming it was Silver rank wouldn't be far-fetched.

The thrill of acquiring his ideal weapon overshadowed the level up. Yet, despite slaying three coyotes, he hadn't absorbed a single basic attribute—a puzzling aspect of his Devour Talent.

With the ax-edged spear in hand, Lin Yuan pressed on in search of more monsters. Armed with such a formidable weapon, he had no need to hide, even if the monsters were scarce. He'd simply charge in and dispatch them with ease, like slicing through vegetables.

"Race: Human; Level: Bronze Tier 3."

Lin Yuan nodded with a sigh. His progress in leveling up was remarkably swift. While part of this was due to his current low level, the ax-edged spear deserved most of the credit. The impact of a quality weapon had far surpassed anything Lin Yuan could have imagined.

He continued his trek, skirting the base of the mountain from the shadowy backside to the sunny front.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that vegetation should be sparse on the shaded side and lush on the sunny side. Yet, this mountain range defied expectation; the backside was teeming with such vigorous plant life it was almost alarming. In contrast, the frontside was markedly barren, opening up the view to an expanse more than tenfold.

In the distance, Lin Yuan's gaze landed on a figure donning a dark red dress, its silhouette swaying.

His curiosity was instantly aroused. Who was this 'big sister' sauntering alone in a dress through the wilds, seemingly unafraid of falling prey to the lurking monsters?