Chapter Three: Wanderers of the Wasteland

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my pupils, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut in a futile attempt to ease the agony. It was utterly ineffective. The pain lasted for nearly twenty seconds. Trembling, I slowly opened my eyes and glanced around the room, but it was far from the clarity I had imagined. Still, I could make out the basic shapes; at least I wasn’t groping my way by pure instinct anymore. The limit is three times. If I could obtain more gene points to upgrade my vision, perhaps I could achieve the effect I desired.

Why did this genetic ecosystem chain choose me? What is the secret of the Age of Ruin? These questions have haunted my mind for a long time, yet I still have no answers. I realize I need to venture out, to go further and learn more. I collected my scattered thoughts and once again peered outside through the cat’s eye.

“Huff... huff...”

Damn it...!

Instinctively, I swallowed hard, nearly cursing aloud. Outside the door, another corpse mutant, its bloodshot eyes glaring, was peering inside through the cat’s eye! Though I’d been through a lot already, this sudden, almost face-to-face collision of gazes still made my heart lurch with terror.

Fortunately, the cat’s eye was specially made: you could see out from inside, but nothing could be seen in from the outside. This was definitely a Level-3 corpse mutant! The thing was actively trying to peer through the cat’s eye! At last, I understood the source of my earlier unease. If I hadn’t restrained myself and opened the door, I would have been instantly pounced upon by the Level-3 mutant.

According to the Survivor’s Journal, corpse mutants are classified into five levels based on their abilities. Levels one and two are considered low-level mutants. Their movements are sluggish, only able to run and climb when empowered by moonlight.

But once they reach Level-3, their movement speed matches a normal run, they can climb naturally, their biting force and strength are greatly enhanced, and they possess rudimentary intelligence. Under moonlight, they even gain long-range attack abilities.

I recalled the logs I’d read; this Level-3 mutant was probably drawn here by the commotion and the scent of blood.

“Huff... huff...”

“Bang... bang...”

“This thing has been lurking at my door. Did it sense me just now, or is it testing me? Damn, smarter than a dog! The way it knocks resembles someone rapping on the door!” I cursed inwardly. I had to make a decision: should I risk everything to take down this Level-3 mutant, or should I play it safe and avoid confrontation?

But this creature was hitting the iron door intermittently. If it attracted more of its kind, blocking the way, I’d be in serious trouble!

In the past four months, I’d only encountered a handful of Level-3 mutants. I’d managed to kill just one, and that was because I had no other choice.

I really didn’t want to provoke this thing. It could afford to be injured, but I couldn’t. One careless scratch and I’d be infected, doomed to die.

Damn!

I hefted my cold Tang blade, swallowed again, and gently rested my hand on the door handle.

Creak...

The door opened...

My hand moved, the blade fell—one vertical strike, believing that even a Level-3 mutant couldn’t withstand the razor-sharp Tang blade. If I landed the blow, I’d definitely cleave its head in two.

No! The blade struck nothing. The doorway was empty; the ‘huff... huff...’ sound just now seemed like an illusion.

I dared not let my guard down. I’d killed a Level-3 mutant before and knew they had a bit of intelligence—not just mindless zombies waiting to be cut down.

I took a silent deep breath, gripping the blade tightly in both hands, slowly probing forward. As I neared the door, I casually tossed some clothing—used to muffle my footsteps—out onto the ground.

“Huff... huff...”

The instant the clothes hit the ground, a corpse mutant leaped from the side of the door and seized them, viciously tearing at them with its rotten jaws. In seconds, the garment was shredded into strips.

I drew a sharp breath. It had ambushed me in the shadows beside the door, making not a single sound!

But low-level intelligence is still just that: it relied on instinct, biting at the thrown clothing without any discernment.

I seized the chance. As the mutant leapt, I pushed off with my left foot and lunged forward. The Tang blade flashed with cold light as it sliced across its waist, but only made it halfway through—it didn’t sever the mutant completely.

“Damn, Level-3 really is Level-3! The bones are so hard, nothing like those bags of rotten flesh!” I cursed, exerting even more force, letting out a low, guttural roar as I swept the blade through.

Splatter...

Intestines, organs, and chunks of flesh spilled everywhere.

I stared coldly at the corpse mutant, now split in two. Such grotesque scenes no longer fazed me.

“Huff... huff...”

Though it was halved, its upper body still struggled toward me, its rotten teeth gnashing and its nostrils emitting those characteristic huffing sounds.

Hiss!

I stabbed fiercely into its skull, twisting the blade until its head was thoroughly destroyed. At last, it ceased its struggle.

“Host has killed a Level-3 corpse mutant. Gene points +10.”

What? So killing this thing grants gene points? Worth it—a single Level-3 mutant gave ten points!

I hurried back into the room and summoned the Level-1 genetic ecosystem interface, tapping the eye icon twice in succession, but nothing happened.

“Reminder: Host’s current gene points are insufficient to upgrade vision function.”

Vision Advancement: Requires 100 gene points.

Just gained ten points, but compared to this, it was a drop in the ocean, utterly insignificant.

How is this fair? The requirement jumped a hundredfold—from one point to a hundred! Ridiculous!

With a dark expression, I decided to use all my gene points to activate the other five bodily abilities.

“Strength ability activated... 1 point deducted.”

“Speed ability activated... 1 point deducted.”

“Endurance ability activated... 1 point deducted.”

“Olfactory ability activated... 1 point deducted.”

“Hearing ability activated... 1 point deducted.”

“Gene point settlement... 5 points remaining.”

I closed the interface. Each advancement required a hundred points; with five points left, it was as good as nothing.

Doing the math, to fully activate all six body abilities, I’d have to hunt sixty Level-3 mutants. Might as well bang my head against a wall; it’d be quicker.

A Level-3 grants ten points, so even if Levels one and two offer less, they can’t be that stingy.

I shut the door and felt a tingling sensation spread throughout my body. If anything else barged in now, I’d be done for.

This time the pain lasted longer—over a minute passed before it subsided.

I tried swinging my knife-wielding arm. There wasn’t much change; maybe just a slight increase in strength, but nothing transformative.

Seems the initial activation isn’t powerful. Only after advancing an ability will there be a real difference.

Once again, I gently opened the door and stepped outside, the Tang blade still cold in my hand.

I must admit, the air outside was much better than in the safe house, which was often stuffy with a musty stench from lack of ventilation. Outside, the air carried a hint of gunpowder, but compared to that little room, it could almost be called fragrant.

I walked along the crumbling street. In a world shrouded in darkness, I could still faintly hear the sounds of predators at varying distances. Some were not far at all.

I made my steps as light as possible. In such an open space, even running would be suicidal—every footfall would sound loud and clear, magnifying the decibel level several times over.

Without moonlight, it was dark, but not as dangerous. The predators hadn’t been enhanced, and my eyes could now make out some shapes, so I wasn’t blindly walking to my death.

I glanced at my backpack; at worst, there was still half a candle inside, though lighting it out on the street was out of the question. It could only be used when searching for supplies.

Relying on my memory of the route, I headed straight for the end of the street.