Chapter 77: Between Life and Death – The Waterwood Long Blade

The instant annihilation of the entry-level advanced beings meant that even the Foundation-level aberration could have wiped out the three of them with ease. Thankfully, genetic constructs lacked intelligence; after one of their number was instantly killed, they did not retreat but continued to surround the aberration, seeking an opportunity to strike.

In Area B, compared to Area C, the aberrations grew ever stronger, and usable resources grew ever scarcer. Here, the law of the jungle reigned in its most brutal form—every moment, every second, battles erupted between aberrations and other monsters, each trying to slay and devour the other’s brain for their own evolution. Yet, paradoxically, this made Area B the region richest in resources: if one were strong enough, all evolutionary resources could be seized from the minds of defeated foes. These brains—purified, refined—were far more valuable than mere flesh and blood.

Ye Bai led the way, with Yaoling and Little Monk Cao following in single file. The three crept quietly away from the carnage between the aberration and the genetic constructs. When they had first entered Area B, Ye Bai and Yaoling flanked Little Monk Cao protectively, but in the short span since, Little Monk Cao had recovered enough to shield Yaoling himself.

The scent of humans always shattered the “peace” of the radiation zone. Here, every person was a treasure, and every appearance invited slaughter.

Ye Bai thought they had merely stumbled upon a fight between aberrations and constructs, not realizing it was both sides who had first sensed the three of them and were now vying to claim them as prey.

Aberrations possessed a path of evolution unlike that of humans, while genetic constructs were fixed at their point of creation; they could never evolve. An entry-level construct would remain entry-level for life, unable to break through to the Foundation stage. Thus, for survival, they could only push their physical limits—seeking extreme speed and strength, hoping to seize these traits from evolved beings.

In the sky, the eagle-winged construct flashed by. It had human-like arms ending in talons over a foot long, and its feet were eagle claws as well. Its black wings flickered, casting shadows over the ground below. The aberration’s tiny eyes followed the eagle-winged construct’s every move. Now, even an entry-level eagle-winged construct soared with Foundation-level speed.

The aberration’s face remained expressionless as its form began to shift. Its once-slight body grew taller and larger; one hand, like a dragon’s claw, clenched tightly, while the other gripped a long sword—a trophy taken from a slain human, sharper than any claw, which the aberration stored inside its body and now revealed with its transformation.

Sinews writhed like little snakes under its skin, thickening as its bones expanded. In moments, a four-meter-tall aberration stood upon the earth, its face still emotionless. Perhaps, through evolution, it had long since abandoned facial muscles—strength could win all things, while a pretty face brought nothing but dependency. In one hand, it wielded a long blade; in the other, a black dragon claw. Muscles beneath its dark hide swelled with explosive power. Amid the four genetic constructs, it resembled a magnified human—if not for its black skin and draconic claws, it would have seemed the very image of a master, calm and unfazed.

A series of booms rang out as the eagle-winged construct pushed its speed to the limit, breaking the sound barrier and producing shockwaves.

A piercing cry split the air—the signal to attack. The giant ape construct, the twin-headed construct, and the human-handed, lion-tailed construct all launched their assault.

A black silhouette swept past like a blade, slicing forward. The twin-headed construct’s belly, as large as that of five or six pregnant women, began to rumble, its throat compressing with a sound like rushing water. The giant ape and the lion-tailed constructs were already engaging the aberration.

The black shadow slashed past the aberration, who raised its dragon claw. A thunderous impact sounded—the eagle-winged construct was sent crashing to the ground, gouging craters as it landed. The earth beneath the aberration’s feet sank, but its black dragon claw bore only a few cracks, a handful of scales tumbling free.

A jet of green liquid, long prepared, spewed from the twin-headed construct’s mouth, aiming for the aberration’s head.

The aberration’s powerful legs surged with black muscle as it easily broke through the twin-headed construct’s limits of visual tracking. Its massive form seemed to teleport across the earth, closing in on its foe.

A deafening crash sounded as ape fist met dragon claw, the shockwave blasting dust into the air. The next moment, the giant ape construct’s arm snapped with a sickening crunch and was sent flying.

Before the lion-tailed construct could reach the aberration, its head was severed by the sword in the aberration’s hand, its body twitching as yellowish-white pus oozed out in place of blood.

The twin-headed construct, always the artillery in their ranks, was helpless at close range—cut down with ease. Green fluid spilled from its belly, hissing as it corroded the soil.

Perhaps “Vajra’s wrathful glare” best described the giant ape construct now. Its arm severed, the limb it had so often used to crush other aberrations’ skulls was now its own undoing.

In a matter of moments, four of the five constructs were slaughtered by the Foundation-level aberration without resistance—the difference between entry-level and Foundation-level was truly vast. The eagle-winged construct excelled at flight and, after accelerating, barely reached Foundation-level speed, but the aberration achieved it effortlessly.

The battle ended even more swiftly than imagined. The four constructs likely never expected to be so easily slain, their brains consumed and turned into another’s evolutionary fuel.

The eagle-winged construct, knocked to the ground, was not dead. While the aberration was busy finishing the others, it fled. How long it could survive in the radiation zone, wounded, was unknown.

With a bestial roar, the aberration, having devoured four brains, felt its strength swelling within. Its bones crackled as the black sinews writhed beneath its skin, its muscles bulging with new power. Clearly, it was on the verge of advancing to mid-Foundation level.

It inhaled deeply, the air around it sucked in as if by a vacuum, rushing into its chest. With the air, a torrent of information poured into its body.

With a thunderous sound, the aberration vanished like an arrow loosed from a bow, leaving only a deep footprint behind.

“Go—run!” Ye Bai shouted.

The three of them had been watching the aberration’s movements on their bio-scanner. In mere moments, four red dots—representing the constructs—vanished, and the final dot, the eagle-winged construct, soared away. But soon, the aberration’s dot grew larger, racing toward them with terrifying speed.

Truth be told, even without Ye Bai’s warning, Yaoling and Little Monk Cao were already fleeing with all their might, channeling every ounce of attribute power and any other means possible to gain speed.

Yet the red dot behind them closed in relentlessly. The gap between them was simply too great—in speed, strength, and explosive power, they were not even in the same league. Glancing back, Ye Bai could already see the aberration’s massive form approaching.

“It’s just a third-generation aberration, its speed isn’t that fast. It’s not an H-type, nor is it particularly large or strength-oriented,” Ye Bai said as he slowed his pace. Their escape was futile now. Yaoling and Little Monk Cao likewise stopped, watching the aberration approach.

“Weak points, weak points—head, aim for the head,” he muttered.

They all knew this already, but the aberration moved too quickly to aim at, and they had no pulse guns at hand.

Ye Bai drew his Jinghong Blade. As it left the sheath, flames roared along its edge.

“Go!” With a thought, a fiery streak, entwined with white blade light, shot from the Jinghong Blade toward the aberration.

At the same time, Little Monk Cao extended his bracers. Five earthen spikes, formed of earth-attribute force, flew at the aberration’s head.

Yet the aberration’s form, moving as if by teleportation, bore down on Ye Bai. It ignored the attacks entirely, barreling straight through them without so much as a scratch—not even momentarily slowed. In the blink of an eye, it was upon them.

With a metallic clang, Ye Bai felt as if struck head-on by two or three cars. The Jinghong Blade in his hand vibrated violently, and his body was sent flying, crashing into a withered tree. The tree snapped with a crack before Ye Bai finally hit the ground.

“Ye Bai!” Yaoling cried out, but before her voice had faded, the aberration appeared before Little Monk Cao.

From the instant Ye Bai was struck, Little Monk Cao had been on high alert. The moment the aberration closed in, his feet moved in a ghostly dance, dodging the attack. Even so, as the black dragon claw grazed past, the force stung his cheek. He dodged the first strike, but the aberration stomped, shaking the earth and sending Little Monk Cao airborne. Without solid ground, he could not use his evasive footwork. Before the aberration’s arm could swing again, he brought his bracers to their full form, but was still sent flying with a crash.

Too strong—far too strong. Yaoling instinctively stepped back as the aberration, its momentum spent, halted and drew a long sword from behind.

Coughing, Ye Bai staggered to his feet, spitting blood. Wood-attribute power flowed within him, mending his wounds enough to return to Yaoling’s side as Little Monk Cao also rejoined them, wiping blood from his mouth.

“What now?” Yaoling whispered.

Little Monk Cao shook his head. Against such a powerful foe, resistance was futile. Ye Bai gripped the Jinghong Blade tightly, steeling himself. “You two go. I’ll hold it off as long as I can.”

In every brush with death, Ye Bai became unnaturally calm. His attribute forces began to surge, wood and water roiling within him. The Jinghong Blade seemed to sense his resolve, trembling in anticipation of one final, desperate battle.