《Universal Shelter: I have a gold entry at each level!》 Chapter 1 - A Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland 001: A Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect this¡ªI actually transmigrated into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Is this fate giving me another chance?¡± Mu Liang still couldn¡¯t wrap his head around how something as bizarre as transmigration had happened to him. After five days of recuperation, his military training had allowed him to gather some basic intelligence. This world was far larger than Earth, yet it was desolate and ruined. Civilization had all but collapsed. The land was barren, incapable of growing crops, and stretched endlessly into desolation. Rainfall was scarce, and when it did rain, it was acidic. The sky was often covered in dust, allowing sunlight to only occasionally reach the ground. Mu Liang moved his arms, feeling the soreness finally dissipate. After five days of rest, his strength was gradually returning. He pried open a gap in the wooden shack¡¯s door, peering outside. The sun was setting in the west, casting a dim glow over the barren wasteland. Not a single speck of greenery was in sight. Back on Earth, Mu Liang had been an orphan. Unable to afford college tuition, he had enlisted in the military halfway through his studies. Five years as a special forces soldier had left him with lingering injuries, forcing him to retire. He had planned to use the skills he had learned in the military to become a short-video content creator, focusing on wilderness survival. But fate had other plans. A sudden earthquake triggered a ground fissure, and Mu Liang was caught in it. He had thought he was done for. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he had awakened in this post-apocalyptic wasteland, his entire body aching and immobile. Luckily, fate hadn¡¯t completely abandoned him. A girl, disguised as a boy, had secretly dragged him back to a camp and hidden him away. Mu Liang sighed helplessly. ¡°Looks like I really am about to start a survival challenge.¡± As a stowaway, if the camp¡¯s people discovered him, he would have to flee immediately. According to Mino, if a stowaway was caught, the consequences ranged from being beaten to death to being worked to death. Neither outcome was something Mu Liang wanted to experience. Mino was the girl who had disguised herself as a boy and had saved him before sneaking him into her home. A faint snapping sound echoed¡ªthe sound of a twig breaking. Mu Liang snapped out of his thoughts, his vigilance kicking in. He pried open a gap in the wooden shack¡¯s door and looked outside. A thin, dirt-streaked figure was cautiously approaching the shack. Mu Liang relaxed. The sneaky figure was none other than Mino. The rickety shack door was carefully pushed open. The next second, the door was quickly shut behind her. ¡°Ah! What are you doing standing there in silence?!¡± Mino, startled by Mu Liang¡¯s sudden presence near the door, clutched her chest as her heart pounded wildly. ¡°How did it go?¡± Mu Liang stepped back, sitting down by the entrance. ¡°Mu Liang, you¡¯re amazing! The trap you taught me worked perfectly!¡± Mino¡¯s excitement was palpable as she eagerly chattered away. ¡°I caught way more lizards today than I ever have before!¡± ¡°How many?¡± Mu Liang asked with a chuckle. After five days together, he had chosen not to expose Mino¡¯s disguise. ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re going to be shocked!¡± Mino grinned mischievously and pulled out a small brown lizard, about the size of two fingers, from the cloth bag slung across her body. One after another, she took out seven more flat-bodied lizards, lining them up neatly in front of Mu Liang. ¡°How many stone-press traps did you set up today?¡± Mu Liang glanced at the wounds on her fingers. ¡°Not enough time¡ªI only managed to set up twenty-two.¡± Mino pouted in dissatisfaction. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll definitely set up over thirty!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Be careful not to attract attention,¡± Mu Liang reminded her calmly. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mino suddenly realized the risk. She then bit her lip anxiously. ¡°But if I don¡¯t set up more traps, there are only three days left before the tax is due. What about your share?¡± ¡°How much am I short?¡± Mu Liang frowned slightly. Over the past five days, he had learned the camp¡¯s rules¡ªresidents had to pay taxes in food to stay. ¡°Including today¡¯s catch, you¡¯re still short about thirty lizards.¡± Mino hung her head in disappointment. In these five days, their relationship had evolved from initial wariness to a transactional agreement¡ªMu Liang had traded his survival gear for a safe place to stay. Just last night, he had taught her how to set up stone-press traps. Since then, Mino had begun to develop a sense of reliance on him. For the first time in a long while, she felt the warmth of being cared for. ¡°Did you collect enough for your own tax?¡± Mu Liang asked nonchalantly. Paying the tax wasn¡¯t a big deal for him. Once he was fully recovered, he wouldn¡¯t be catching just small lizards. Mino¡¯s enthusiasm dimmed as she muttered, ¡°I already submitted thirty-five lizards. I just need five more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If I don¡¯t have enough, I¡¯ll just leave,¡± Mu Liang reassured her. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re leaving?¡± Mino¡¯s head shot up, her eyes wide with surprise. She didn¡¯t know how to make him stay. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve almost fully recovered.¡± Mu Liang clenched his fist. ¡°But there are still three days! I can definitely gather enough for your tax!¡± Mino blurted out in panic. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before Mu Liang could respond, she quickly rummaged through a pile of stones in the corner of the shack and pulled out a wooden box. ¡°I still have some dried lizard meat saved up. It should be enough!¡± Mino opened the box and took out eight strips of dried lizard meat. ¡°Keep it. That¡¯s your food supply,¡± Mu Liang said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he felt a twinge of emotion. He reminded her in a serious tone, ¡°Don¡¯t forget¡ªI¡¯m an adult. My tax is different from yours.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Mino¡¯s body trembled, her voice shaky with reluctance. ¡°There must be another way¡­¡± Of course, she hadn¡¯t forgotten that adults owed more tax. She just didn¡¯t want Mu Liang to leave. She had secretly planned to set up more traps and gather the fifty lizards needed to cover his share. ¡°Do you remember what you said to me on the first day we met?¡± Mu Liang gazed at her calmly. On the day Mino found him, she had assumed he was dead and had tried to scavenge his belongings. But when Mu Liang suddenly spoke, she had been so startled she nearly jumped out of her skin. In the end, she was too inexperienced and had been easily convinced to strike a deal¡ªhis military knife and canteen in exchange for her help. That day, Mino had said: ¡°I¡­¡± Mino¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. She wanted to argue but didn¡¯t know how. Silently, she turned away and pulled out a camouflage backpack from under the wooden bed. With trembling hands, she set it down in front of Mu Liang. ¡°I didn¡¯t take anything. Everything is inside.¡± Mino bit her lip, her eyes filled with pleading. ¡°I¡¯m giving it all back to you. Will you stay?¡± ¡°Why do you want me to stay so badly?¡± Before he could get an answer, Mino suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Wait! I have something that might cover the tax!¡± She scrambled under the bed and pulled out a small turtle. ¡°A turtle?¡± Mu Liang raised an eyebrow. At that moment, a voice echoed in his mind: Chapter 2 - The First Tamed Animal Chapter 002: The First Tamed Animal Before Mu Liang could react, a stream of information flooded his mind. After reading through it, he finally understood what had happened. A high-dimensional world had developed an intelligent system meant to train Beast Tamers. However, during its delivery process, the system was accidentally caught in a spatial turbulence and ended up merging with Mu Liang, who was in the middle of transmigration. Mu Liang sighed internally, focusing on analyzing the purpose of the Divine Beast Tamer System. Currently, the system¡¯s permissions were quite limited, and its function was straightforward. It allowed him to tame animals and facilitate their evolution. As the host, he could also inherit a talent from the animals he tamed. Each day, he would receive one taming attempt, and evolution required evolution points. Evolution points could be obtained from energy-containing objects. Following his gaming instincts, Mu Liang mentally asked the system, A second later, a virtual interface appeared on his retina. Beast Tamer: Mu Liang Stamina: 3 | Speed: 2.6 Strength: 3.2 | Mental Power: 2.7 Lifespan: 24 years / 79 years Taming Points: 10 (refreshes daily, can accumulate) Evolution Points: 0 Abilities: None Tamed Beasts: None The attribute panel was incredibly simple, not even displaying the skills he had learned during his time as a special forces soldier in his previous life. Mu Liang smirked and murmured, ¡°Mu Liang, will you stay?¡± Mino didn¡¯t hear what he said, but when she saw his smile, she assumed he had decided to stay. ¡°I¡¯ll go pay your tax.¡± Before Mu Liang could respond, Mino hurriedly packed up, as if afraid of hearing his refusal. She placed the seven small lizards back into her cloth bag, then took five dried lizards from the wooden box, leaving only three for food. She then glanced reluctantly at the turtle in Mu Liang¡¯s hands. It had been a gift from her sister, meant to help eat the bugs in the shack. One turtle could be exchanged for ten small lizards. Mino quickly did the math in her head, then grinned and said optimistically, ¡°If I set up more stone-press traps over the next three days, I can definitely gather enough for both of us.¡± ¡°Mino, this turtle can¡¯t be used for tax payment.¡± Mu Liang shook his head, interrupting her plan. ¡°Why not?¡± Mino froze for a moment before realization dawned on her. Her face turned pale, and she asked in a low voice, ¡°Mu Liang¡­ are you still planning to leave?¡± ¡°Can you give me this turtle?¡± Mu Liang asked instead. ¡°Huh? You want the turtle?¡± Mino was stunned for three seconds. She hadn¡¯t heard him say he was leaving, so her mood lifted again. Cheerfully, she waved her hand. ¡°Sure! You can have the little turtle.¡± She set down the cloth bag and tilted her head, frowning slightly as she mumbled, ¡°Without the turtle, I¡¯m still short by forty-three lizards¡­ Should I set up traps farther away?¡± Mu Liang watched as the girl clumsily drew a rough map of the surrounding area on the ground, pondering where she could place traps to catch more lizards. He smiled quietly, warmth filling his heart as he looked down at the turtle in his hands. He issued the command in his mind. As soon as the system¡¯s voice faded, the turtle in Mu Liang¡¯s hands began to glow faintly. Its body was slowly expanding, so Mu Liang quickly set it down on the ground. ¡°Step back a little.¡± He grabbed the dazed Mino and moved back a few steps. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mino glanced warily at the shack door. Before she could react, she saw the turtle on the ground glowing softly and rapidly growing larger. She gasped in shock. ¡°The turtle is getting bigger?!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is it mutating into a beast?!¡± A terrifying thought crossed her mind, and her expression changed instantly. Mino quickly drew the bone dagger at her waist, ready to charge forward and stab the turtle to death. ¡°Don¡¯t! It¡¯s fine!¡± Mu Liang immediately grabbed her arm. It would be ridiculous if the newly tamed turtle got killed by her the very next second. ¡°Mu Liang, kill it now! If it mutates into a beast, we¡¯re both dead!¡± Mino had witnessed the devastation caused by beasts before. Just thinking about it made her blood run cold. ¡°Relax, the turtle is already tamed.¡± Mu Liang reassured her. At that moment, the transformation was complete. The palm-sized turtle had now grown to over a meter in length and width. Its once small and cute appearance had become more rugged and intimidating. The dark brown shell was now uneven, resembling a chunk of solid rock. ¡°* ¡°Tamed?¡± Mino blinked in disbelief. She hesitantly asked, ¡°Really? It won¡¯t bite?¡± ¡°Of course. Let me show you.¡± Mu Liang raised his hand and gestured toward the Rock Armor Turtle, communicating his intent through their newly established mental link. Now that the turtle was tamed, he could feel its friendly emotions toward him. The Rock Armor Turtle lumbered over, nudging its head against Mu Liang¡¯s palm with half-closed eyes, expressing its affection. ¡°See? I wasn¡¯t lying.¡± Mu Liang turned to Mino with a smile, feeling the rough texture of the turtle¡¯s head¡ªit was as if he was touching solid stone. ¡°How¡­ how did you do that?!¡± Mino¡¯s eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock. ¡°You forgot, didn¡¯t you? Awakened ones can do things like this.¡± Mu Liang said casually. Chapter 3 - Inheriting the Rock Armor Turtle’s Ability Chapter 003: Inheriting the Rock Armor Turtle¡¯s Ability A post-apocalyptic wasteland. Animals and plants had mutated, collectively known as fierce beasts. Humans had also undergone mutations, though not as drastic as other creatures. There were three types of human mutations: Awakened, Mutants, and Enhancers. Awakened: One in ten thousand possessed unique and varied abilities.Mutants: One in a thousand, with strength determined by their mutation talent.Enhancers: Those who used external forces to strengthen themselves, forming the mainstream power system. This basic information was something Mu Liang had learned from Mino. ¡°Huh? Mu Liang, you¡¯re an Awakened???¡± Mino stared blankly, unable to process the shocking revelation. ¡°Yes, my awakened ability is taming animals.¡± Mu Liang nodded lightly. His ability to tame animals would eventually be exposed, so he decided to disguise himself as an Awakened. ¡°Mu Liang, you¡¯re so¡­ so amazing.¡± Mino snapped out of her daze and grabbed Mu Liang¡¯s arm, stammering with excitement, unsure how to express her emotions. Her sister had once told her that their camp had no Awakened, only a few Enhancers and Mutants. ¡°Keep your voice down. Don¡¯t let others hear.¡± Mu Liang reminded her with a smile. ¡°Right, right¡­ We must keep your identity a secret.¡± Mino hurriedly covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly. However, she suddenly found herself troubled by a new worry¡ªif Mu Liang was an Awakened, would he really stay in such a small camp? Mu Liang noticed her sudden silence but chose not to disturb her. Instead, he asked the system in his mind, ¡°Inherit.¡± As the system¡¯s mechanical voice echoed, Mu Liang felt a refreshing coolness deep in his brain, followed by a warm current surging through his body. ¡°System, open my attribute panel.¡± Beast Tamer: Mu Liang Stamina: 6 | Speed: 4.3 Strength: 5 | Mental Power: 8.7 Lifespan: 24 years / 100 years Taming Points: 0 (refreshes daily, can accumulate) Evolution Points: 0 Ability: Earth Rock Spike (Level 1) Tamed Beast: Rock Armor Turtle (Level 1) Talent: Earth Rock Spike (Level 1) After reading his attribute panel, Mu Liang was completely stunned. All his physical attributes had been enhanced, and his lifespan had even increased to 100 years. If he continued evolving the Rock Armor Turtle, would his lifespan reach a thousand years? Even ten thousand? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It wasn¡¯t impossible. After all, taming points refreshed daily, allowing him to continuously tame new animals. As long as he kept inheriting new talents, his lifespan and attributes would keep improving. Since there was no description on the panel, Mu Liang decided to test it himself. He activated the ability with a thought, and a sharp rock spike, about the length of a palm, suddenly protruded from the ground a few meters away. The Rock Armor Turtle tilted its head, its emerald-green eyes staring curiously at the rock spike in front of it. ¡°The power is decent. If used for a surprise attack on an enemy¡¯s feet, it could render them immobile.¡± ¡°If I knock someone to the ground and then use ¡®Earth Rock Spike¡¯ again, it would definitely be a lethal strike.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s military instincts kicked in, thinking about how to maximize the ability¡¯s combat potential. He checked his attribute panel and noticed that using abilities consumed both stamina and mental power. ¡°I can use it about six times before exhausting my stamina.¡± ¡°To be safe, I should limit it to three uses, leaving some stamina for emergencies.¡± Mu Liang quickly determined his limits. Now, another problem occupied his mind¡ªhow to obtain energy-containing objects. This was crucial for strengthening the Rock Armor Turtle. His first goal: evolve the Rock Armor Turtle to the level of the legendary Black Tortoise. ¡°Mu Liang, if you¡¯re an Awakened, why did you faint that day?¡± Mino suddenly asked. ¡°I was bitten by a venomous beast,¡± Mu Liang casually gave the excuse he had prepared in advance. He could never reveal that he was a transmigrator¡ªnot to anyone. ¡°So¡­ once you recover, you¡¯re going to leave, aren¡¯t you?¡± Mino¡¯s voice was filled with disappointment. After a moment of silence, she figured it out on her own. Mu Liang was an Awakened. Whether or not he stayed in the camp wasn¡¯t really a question¡ªhe had been avoiding the topic from the beginning. ¡°Yes, I will leave.¡± Mu Liang nodded slightly. Sooner or later, he had to leave the camp. Only outside could he tame new animals and obtain energy-containing items. Mino bit her lip and asked bitterly, ¡°When?¡± ¡°In two days,¡± Mu Liang decided. Thanks to his newfound strength, his injuries had not only healed but his body had become even stronger. He chose to stay two more days to investigate whether the camp had any energy-containing objects. ¡°That soon? Can¡¯t you stay a little longer?¡± Mino looked like she was about to cry, but she held back her tears, gazing at Mu Liang pleadingly. ¡°You forgot? The tax is due in three days.¡± Mu Liang raised his hand and wiped a smudge of charcoal from her cheek. To disguise herself as a boy, Mino had smeared charcoal on her face. She also wrapped her head in cloth and wore oversized, tattered gray clothing. ¡°I¡¯ll catch the lizards, I promise. You have to trust me.¡± Mino grasped Mu Liang¡¯s hand tightly, speaking with determination. ¡°Then let me ask you a question.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s voice was gentle as he asked, ¡°In two days, would you be willing to leave with me?¡± ¡°I w¡ª¡± Mino started to answer but abruptly stopped. She suddenly remembered her sister¡¯s parting words before she left: ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer now. Tell me in two days.¡± Mu Liang reassured her softly. After all, they had only known each other for five days. Asking her to leave behind everything she knew to wander the outside world with him was indeed a difficult request. ¡°Mm.¡± Mino nodded lightly, her small face scrunching up in distress, her heart in turmoil. Should she leave with Mu Liang? Or stay and wait for her sister? If she chose wrong, she might never see him again. If she chose wrong, she might never reunite with her sister. This is so hard!!! Bottom of Form Chapter 4 - Taming the Second Animal Chapter 004: Taming the Second Animal The next day, at the break of dawn. Mino woke up, staring blankly at the wooden roof of the shelter. She had spent the entire night thinking¡ªshould she leave with Mu Liang? The thoughts had kept her awake, and it was only after several hours that she finally drifted off to sleep. ¡°Sniff, sniff¡­¡± Mino wrinkled her delicate nose. A rich aroma of meat filled the air. Turning her head, she saw a few embers still glowing in the fire pit. Above it, a metal pot hung from a wooden frame, and the scent was coming from inside. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Come eat something.¡± Mu Liang stirred the contents of the pot with a ladle. Mino was momentarily dazed. Until now, it had always been her preparing breakfast. She hesitated before asking, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine now,¡± Mu Liang replied lightly. Breakfast consisted of compressed biscuits and boiled lizard¡ªa rather unappetizing meal, but enough to fill their stomachs. The biscuits were one of the few things Mu Liang had brought from Earth when the ground cracked open. ¡°Oh.¡± Mino sat quietly by the fire. ¡°Once we¡¯re done eating, let¡¯s go hunting together.¡± Mu Liang scooped the breakfast into a metal lunchbox and handed it to the girl. Since they were leaving the camp for a while, he needed to stock up on food. There weren¡¯t many biscuits left. ¡°Okay.¡± Mino obediently took the lunchbox. She recognized it¡ªit was from the backpack. Five days ago, she had even considered using it to pay taxes, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Mu Liang noticed her low spirits but didn¡¯t try to comfort her. Instead, he scooped up some lizard meat porridge from the pot and quietly ate his breakfast. ¡°Sizzle~~¡± The two ate in silence. Mino pressed her lips together, stealing glances at Mu Liang¡¯s profile. For some reason, she suddenly felt at a loss for words. It wasn¡¯t as easy to chat as before. ¡°Crunch¡­¡± The Rock Armor Turtle scraped its foot against the ground, its emerald-green eyes fixed on Mu Liang. Seeing this, Mino immediately found something to talk about. ¡°What about the turtle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming with us,¡± Mu Liang replied. He wouldn¡¯t feel at ease leaving it behind in the camp. A Level 1 Rock Armor Turtle wasn¡¯t strong. If discovered, someone might just kill it for its meat. Besides, the turtle needed food too. Out in the wild, it could hunt for itself. ¡°I see.¡± Mino nodded slightly. The conversation ended, and silence settled between them once more. After finishing breakfast, the two packed up any important belongings from the shelter to prevent theft. Mino¡¯s home was just a wooden shack built from dried wood and animal hides. It sat on the edge of the camp¡ªperfect for sneaking away unnoticed. The Rock Armor Turtle moved slowly, no faster than an average walking pace. However, with its shell resembling brown rock, it was naturally camouflaged. Once outside the camp, the two and their turtle headed north. According to Mino, there was a rocky hillside in that direction, home to many small lizards. Along the way, Mu Liang spotted other people, but they all kept their distance. He could guess why¡ªthey were wary of being robbed. After all, in this post-apocalyptic wasteland, survival meant constantly watching your back. Before long, they reached the base of the nearest hill. ¡°Xiao Xuanwu, go find your own food,¡± Mu Liang said, crouching down to pat the turtle¡¯s head. He had named it ¡ªa small wishful hope. ¡°Roar~~¡± The Rock Armor Turtle nuzzled Mu Liang¡¯s palm before choosing a direction and slowly crawling away. ¡°Will it get lost?¡± Mino asked worriedly. ¡°No, I can sense where it is,¡± Mu Liang replied with a smile. Tamed animals could communicate with him through their bond. Mino sighed in relief and pointed ahead. ¡°I set up some traps at the base of the next few hills.¡± ¡°You go check them. I¡¯ll scout around for other prey.¡± Mu Liang decided to split up. Small lizards weren¡¯t what he was after. They didn¡¯t have enough meat to be worth it. ¡°Alright.¡± Mino nodded softly. ¡°If anything happens, just call for me.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Mu Liang gave her a slight nod before heading off in the opposite direction of the turtle. ¡°Sigh~~ Why do I feel so uneasy today?¡± Mino exhaled, patting her cheeks to shake off the gloom. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mu Liang¡¯s footsteps paused momentarily before he walked on. Thanks to his bond with the Rock Armor Turtle, his senses had improved. He could hear Mino¡¯s sigh clearly. Loneliness weighed heavier on someone who had been alone for too long. Now that she had company, she was afraid to lose it. But Mu Liang chose not to comfort her. If she decided not to leave with him, any kindness he gave her now would only make it harder for her later. ¡°This place is so barren¡­ feels just like a desert.¡± Mu Liang stepped lightly, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. He muttered to himself, ¡°I really don¡¯t know how people survive here long-term.¡± ¡°Rustle~~¡± The sound of sand shifting immediately caught his attention. He locked onto a nearby rock wall, scanning carefully. Soon, he spotted the source. A small lizard was climbing up the rock face. ¡°If I see you, you¡¯re not getting away.¡± Mu Liang drew the combat knife from his waist and swiftly stabbed at the lizard¡¯s head. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Squelch¡­ The small lizard was dead. ¡°Rustle~~¡± Another lizard suddenly emerged from the rock wall, scrambling upward. ¡°A chameleon?¡± Mu Liang hesitated for barely a second before reacting. He reached out to grab it. He missed on the first attempt but managed to pin it down on the second. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find a different kind of lizard here.¡± Mu Liang observed the struggling creature in his hand. It was nearly twice the size of the previous lizards. Most intriguingly, its skin was covered in patches of red, green, and blue. ¡°Ding! A tameable animal has been detected. Would you like to tame it?¡± Translator¡¯s Note: : A mythical creature from Chinese mythology, often depicted as a black turtle entwined with a snake. Mu Liang naming his turtle suggests he hopes it will grow into something powerful.: A common military-style survival food, lightweight and calorie-dense, often used in disaster scenarios. Chapter 5 - The Girl with Blue Rabbit Ears Chapter 005: The Girl with Blue Rabbit Ears ¡°Ding! A tameable animal has been detected. Would you like to tame it?¡± The Beast Tamer System¡¯s notification rang in Mu Liang¡¯s mind. He suddenly realized that the chameleon¡¯s ability to change colors was actually quite useful. Plus, his daily Taming Points had already refreshed, meaning he could tame a second animal. Every day, after midnight, Taming Points would reset to 10. ¡°Tame the chameleon,¡± Mu Liang commanded. ¡°Ding! Detecting Level 0 lifeform: Chameleon. Taming in progress¡­¡± ¡°Ding! 10 Taming Points consumed. Taming successful.¡± A soft white glow enveloped the chameleon. It stopped struggling and instead stretched its limbs comfortably. Three seconds later, it underwent a transformation¡ªits body shrinking to palm size, its scales shifting into vibrant red, green, and blue striped patterns. ¡°Ding! Would you like to inherit the Three-Colored Lizard¡¯s talent: Mimetic Camouflage?¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Inherit.¡± Mu Liang nodded. ¡°Ding! Mimetic Camouflage is being improved¡­ Adapting¡­ Inheritance complete.¡± Mu Liang felt a cool sensation spread across his skin, followed by a faint warmth inside his body¡ªso subtle that he wouldn¡¯t have noticed if he wasn¡¯t paying close attention. ¡°System, open my stats.¡± He wanted to check if anything had changed. Beast Tamer: Mu Liang Stamina:2Speed:5Strength:1Spirit:9Lifespan:24 years / 110 yearsTaming Points:0 (Resets daily, can be accumulated)Evolution Points:0Abilities:Earth Rock Spike (Level 1)Mimetic Camouflage (Level 1)Tamed Beasts:Rock Armor Turtle¨C Talent: Earth Rock Spike (Level 1)Three-Colored Lizard¨C Talent: Mimetic Camouflage (Level 1) ¡°So my stats barely increased. The real benefit of the Three-Colored Lizard is its talent, huh?¡± Mu Liang activated , feeling the same cool sensation on his skin. The light around him distorted, blending him into the environment. The whole process took about a second. Turning his eyes downward, he saw that his clothes, shoulders, and even his back had changed to match the rocky terrain¡ªvarious shades of brown and ochre. He remained still. Ten seconds¡­ One minute¡­ Ten minutes¡­ Half an hour passed. ¡°It seems like there¡¯s no time limit for this ability.¡± Mu Liang moved his hands and feet, and as soon as he did, the camouflage faded, revealing his true colors again. ¡°I see. The camouflage works by bending light, but any movement disrupts the effect.¡± Now that he understood the strengths and weaknesses of , a smirk appeared on his lips. ¡°This ability is perfect for stealth and assassinations.¡± ¡°Go on, stay hidden around me.¡± Mu Liang set the chameleon down. At Level 1, the Three-Colored Lizard wasn¡¯t strong. For now, it would just serve as a companion. The lizard glanced at Mu Liang, then scurried up a rock wall, keeping just the right distance behind him. If it stayed still, it would completely vanish from sight. ¡°If it gains an offensive talent later, I could train it into an Assassin¡¯s Creed-style killer lizard.¡± Mu Liang thought with amusement. Pulling his combat knife from the rock, he picked up the dead lizard and stuffed it into his pocket before continuing his hunt. For over two hours, all he managed to catch were small lizards. He also came across some venomous scorpions and insects but had no interest in eating them. Those were last-resort survival food. ¡°These look like rat burrows.¡± Mu Liang found several small holes and inspected the tracks around them. He planned to send the Three-Colored Lizard inside to flush out the rats when¡ª Thump, thump, thump¡­ His sharp hearing caught the sound of footsteps¡ªgetting closer, heading his way. Years of special forces training kicked in instantly. Mu Liang pressed himself against the rock wall, activated , and disappeared from sight. Less than a minute later, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure entered his view. It was Mino. But what was unfamiliar¡­ was the long blue rabbit ears on top of her head. ¡°Get her! Don¡¯t let her escape!¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead, girl! How dare you steal our prey?!¡± ¡°If we catch you, I swear I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Four men shouted threats as they chased after the girl, wielding bone knives and wooden spears. ¡°Shameless bastards!¡± Mino shouted back angrily, ¡°I caught that prey in my trap! Since when did it belong to you?!¡± She was running with enough breath to spare for yelling back¡ªclearly, she wasn¡¯t at her limit. Mu Liang watched her dash past him, not stopping the first three pursuers. But when the fourth one reached him¡ª Mu Liang lunged forward, grabbed the man¡¯s jaw, and used his own running momentum to slam his head into the ground. ¡°Crack!¡± A sharp snap rang out. The man¡¯s neck broke instantly. His mouth was covered, leaving him no chance to scream before he died. The whole thing took less than two seconds. Mu Liang stood up and silently pursued the remaining three. Using the same method, he eliminated the one at the back without a sound. Now, only two were left. Something felt off to them¡ªthere were no footsteps, no breathing, no yelling from their companions. Sensing danger, they stopped running and turned around. ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± ¡°What did you do to them?!¡± Gripping their weapons tightly, the two men shouted in alarm. Mu Liang halted four meters away from them. Hearing their voices, Mino instinctively turned her head. ¡°Huh???¡± Her small mouth dropped open in shock. She had deliberately led them away from Mu Liang¡¯s direction¡­ and yet, somehow, she had still run into him. ¡°Mu Liang! Run!¡± Mino shouted. ¡°So, you¡¯re with her!¡± Hearing Mino call his name, the two pursuers relaxed slightly. Their biggest fear was running into scavenger hunters¡ªmerciless killers who preyed on the weak. But since this guy was her ally, that meant he wasn¡¯t some unknown threat. ¡°Kill him first!¡± The man with the wooden spear took the lead, lunging forward to stab Mu Liang in the chest. Mu Liang sidestepped fluidly, dodging the attack. Using the attacker¡¯s momentum, he stepped in close and slammed his elbow into the man¡¯s chest. ¡°Crack!¡± His ribcage shattered. The man flew backward, collapsed on the ground, and coughed up blood. Mu Liang¡¯s physical stats were already three times higher than a normal person¡¯s¡ª And that was before factoring in the enhancements from the Rock Armor Turtle. With just a little force, an ordinary person stood no chance against him. ¡°Y-You¡¯re an Enhancer¡­¡± The last remaining man, gripping a bone knife, paled in fear. He was frozen¡ªunable to advance or retreat. ¡°Mu Liang! Watch out!¡± Mino shouted. She rushed forward and kicked the man hard in the stomach. ¡°Thud!¡± He fell to the ground, eyes darting between his dying comrade and Mu Liang. Trembling, he stammered, ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t kill me! I work for Boss Bloodbeard!¡± ¡ª Translator¡¯s Note: : Likely refers to people who have undergone physical or supernatural enhancements in this post-apocalyptic world.: Possibly a gang leader or local warlord in this wasteland setting. Chapter 6 - Mino – I Am a Mutant Chapter 006: Mino ¨C I Am a Mutant ¡°Who is Bloodbeard?¡± Mu Liang asked expressionlessly. Mino¡¯s face was too dirty to show any emotion, but her voice was heavy. ¡°Bloodbeard is a bandit leader in this area. He often raids small camps and settlements or ambushes travelers on the road.¡± ¡°Heh, you two better let me go.¡± The man holding the bone knife¡ªone of Bloodbeard¡¯s scouts¡ªnoticed their hesitation and immediately became arrogant. ¡°If you don¡¯t, when my boss attacks your camp, you two are dead for sure!¡± From experience, he knew that just mentioning Bloodbeard¡¯s name was usually enough to scare people into submission. Mu Liang¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Wait¡­ you just said ¡®when they attack our camp¡¯?¡± The bandit scout froze. ¡°Uh¡­ I-I¡­ did I say that?¡± He stammered, realizing his mistake. ¡°So, you four were scouting for them, weren¡¯t you?¡± Mu Liang¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°No! We were just out hunting!¡± The scout panicked and shook his head frantically. If Bloodbeard found out he had leaked information about the raid, he would be tied up and dragged to death on the ground. ¡°When is the attack happening?¡± Mu Liang picked up a bone knife from the ground and pressed it against the scout¡¯s chin. His voice remained unnervingly calm. ¡°I¡¯ll only ask once. If I don¡¯t like your answer, this knife will go straight through your chin and into your brain.¡± ¡°I-I-I¡­¡± The bandit scout stared at Mu Liang in terror. One look at those eyes, and he knew¡ªthis man wasn¡¯t bluffing. Mu Liang smirked. ¡°So, you¡¯d rather take your loyalty to Bloodbeard to the grave?¡± The knife pressed forward. ¡°No! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk!¡± The bandit scout¡¯s head was forced back as he shouted in fear. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly when Bloodbeard will attack your camp! He only decided to do it and sent us to scout the area.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know the timing?¡± Mu Liang¡¯s voice grew colder. ¡°I swear! But usually, it wouldn¡¯t take more than three days.¡± Desperate to survive, the bandit even revealed internal gang protocols. Mu Liang continued his questioning. Just as the scout finally relaxed, thinking he might be spared¡ª ¡°Crack!¡± With a sudden twist, Mu Liang snapped his neck. The body collapsed limply to the ground. ¡°Bloodbeard has set his sights on our camp¡­¡± Mino¡¯s small hands gripped Mu Liang¡¯s arm. Her voice trembled. ¡°Mu Liang, what should I do?¡± ¡°How many people are in your camp? And how many of them are women, children, or the elderly?¡± Mu Liang asked. Mino thought for a moment before pressing her lips together. ¡°Around three hundred people¡­ but half of them are women, kids, or old folks.¡± ¡°Tell them to run. They¡¯re no match for a bandit crew.¡± Mu Liang shook his head. From the interrogation, he knew that Bloodbeard had over five hundred men¡ªhardened raiders. A camp with three hundred people, half of whom were non-combatants, wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Even if by some miracle they won, barely anyone would survive. ¡°Run? But¡­ where would we even go?¡± Mino asked blankly. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem,¡± Mu Liang replied. ¡°Tell your camp leader what¡¯s happening. Figuring out the next step is their job.¡± He crouched down and began searching the bandit scout¡¯s body. Mino bit her lip and asked urgently, ¡°But¡­ will they even believe me?¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± Mu Liang thought for a moment before answering. After all, a random nobody from the camp suddenly claiming that bandits were about to attack¡ªwho would take that seriously? Maybe they¡¯d believe her at first. But if the bandits didn¡¯t show up immediately, people would start doubting. ¡°Even if they don¡¯t believe me, I still have to try.¡± Mino clenched her jaw. The camp was her home. She couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch it get destroyed. ¡°Alright, leave it to me.¡± Mu Liang interrupted her determination with a calm voice. He had already come up with a plan. He would talk to the camp leader himself¡ªat night. In the past, sneaking in would¡¯ve been tricky. But now, with , meeting the leader undetected would be easy. ¡°Mu Liang, you have a plan?¡± Mino asked excitedly. ¡°Yeah, I have an idea.¡± Mu Liang finished searching the scout¡¯s clothes. All he found was a small piece of dried meat. Then he moved on to the bandit who had been coughing up blood¡ªhe was barely clinging to life. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Mino asked, stepping closer. ¡°You?¡± Mu Liang glanced at her. ¡°Just think about whether you want to leave with me the day after tomorrow.¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I will! I¡¯m coming with you!¡± Mino¡¯s face lit up with a smile. With the camp in danger, she had no reason to stay. ¡°What¡¯s with those rabbit ears on your head?¡± Mu Liang finally asked, noticing her long ears twitching. No wonder she always wore a headscarf¡ªshe was hiding them. ¡°Hehe¡­ I¡¯m a mutant. The rabbit ears are my mutation.¡± Mino giggled awkwardly and tugged at her long ears. ¡°What abilities do you have?¡± Mu Liang asked curiously. ¡°I can hear really far away.¡± Mino tilted her head and spoke softly. ¡°And I can run faster and jump higher.¡± ¡°Rabbit traits.¡± Mu Liang nodded in understanding. No wonder she had managed to survive on her own, hunting small lizards. Living alone in the wasteland took more than just luck. ¡°I¡¯ll go search the other two bodies!¡± Mino bounced off excitedly to loot the corpses. Mu Liang shook his head and continued searching. ¡°Tch¡­ they¡¯re all broke.¡± All he found was another small piece of dried meat. ¡°Whoa! A beast core!¡± Mino¡¯s excited voice rang out. ¡°Mu Liang, come here! I found something good!¡± Mu Liang glanced down at his own empty hands. Was this just her luck? Walking over, he took the item Mino handed him¡ªa thumb-sized, white, diamond-shaped crystal. ¡°Ding! Energy source detected. Would you like to convert it into Evolution Points?¡± ¡ª Translator¡¯s Note: : Likely refers to humans who have undergone genetic mutations in this post-apocalyptic world, gaining animal-like traits.: Possibly a crystal containing energy, useful for upgrades or abilities. Chapter 7 - The First Evolution Chapter 007: The First Evolution ¡°Ding! Energy source detected. Would you like to convert it into Evolution Points?¡± Mu Liang¡¯s eyes lit up. So, a Beast Core was exactly the kind of energy source his system needed. Without hesitation, he gave the mental command. ¡°Convert.¡± ¡°Ding! Conversion successful. Gained 100 Evolution Points.¡± The moment the system message ended, the Beast Core melted like water, seeping into his palm and vanishing completely. ¡°Huh?? Where did it go?¡± Mino¡¯s bright blue eyes widened as she curiously examined Mu Liang¡¯s hand, flipping it over multiple times. Her face was so close to his palm that she almost pressed her cheek against it, still unable to figure out how the crystal had disappeared. Mu Liang chuckled and tugged her cheek playfully. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s just one of my abilities.¡± Hearing the term , he could already guess it came from the bodies of mutant beasts. Now that he knew how to gain Evolution Points, he had a clear goal ahead. ¡°That¡¯s such a cool ability!¡± Mino exclaimed in amazement. ¡°I¡¯m going to check if the other bandits had any Beast Cores!¡± With that, she dashed over to the first bandit Mu Liang had killed. Meanwhile, Mu Liang asked the system, ¡°How many Evolution Points does it take to evolve a tamed beast to the next level?¡± ¡°Ding! Evolving from Level 1 to Level 2 requires 10 Evolution Points.¡± ¡°What about Level 2 to Level 3?¡± ¡°Ding! Evolving from Level 2 to Level 3 requires 100 Evolution Points.¡± ¡°So it increases tenfold each time¡­¡± Mu Liang shook his head. He had initially planned to evolve a beast straight to Level 3, but now he had to reconsider. Instead, he summoned the Rock Armor Turtle to regroup and decided to evolve it to Level 2 first. ¡°Xiao Cai, come here.¡± He called toward the rock wall, and in the next second, the Three-Colored Lizard emerged, sprinting toward him. Mu Liang placed his palm on the lizard and commanded, ¡°System, evolve the Three-Colored Lizard.¡± ¡°Ding! Evolving Level 1 Three-Colored Lizard to Level 2. Consuming 10 Evolution Points.¡± ¡°Ding! Evolution successful.¡± ¡°Ding! Synchronizing Beast Tamer¡¯s ability to Level 2.¡± Almost immediately, that familiar warm current surged through Mu Liang¡¯s body. His physical strength increased once more. ¡°So, my abilities sync with my tamed beasts when they evolve. That¡¯s convenient.¡± Mu Liang glanced at the Three-Colored Lizard. It hadn¡¯t changed much in appearance, but its body had grown to nearly a meter in length¡ªa significant power boost. If it launched a sneak attack, an ordinary person could be killed in an instant. ¡°All I found was a piece of dried meat.¡± Mino returned with a palm-sized piece of jerky. When she saw the massive lizard in front of Mu Liang, her blue eyes sparkled with excitement. Without realizing it, she licked her lips. ¡°Hisss~~¡± The Three-Colored Lizard tensed up, glaring at the girl warily. ¡°Relax, this one is my pet. It¡¯s not for eating.¡± Mu Liang pinched Mino¡¯s rabbit ears before she got any ideas about turning his lizard into dinner. ¡°Eep~~¡± Her sensitive ears twitched as she let out an embarrassed whimper. Mu Liang quickly let go, coughing awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to grab those ears for a while¡­ didn¡¯t expect such a big reaction.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t pull my ears!¡± Mino¡¯s face turned bright red, and she pouted in protest. ¡°I¡¯m not a pet!¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Mu Liang waved dismissively. ¡­Though he secretly decided he¡¯d grab them again someday¡ªthe texture was just too satisfying. Suddenly, Mino¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Wait¡ªI hear the Rock Armor Turtle¡¯s footsteps!¡± She turned toward the distance, her expression surprised. ¡°It¡¯s coming this way!¡± ¡°I called it over.¡± Mu Liang raised an eyebrow. He had a mental bond with the turtle, allowing them to sense each other¡¯s presence within two to three hundred meters. But Mino? She had heard its footsteps from that far away and even recognized them. That was seriously impressive. A few minutes later, the Rock Armor Turtle arrived. Without wasting time, Mu Liang placed his hand on its head. ¡°System, evolve the Rock Armor Turtle.¡± ¡°Ding! Evolving Level 1 Rock Armor Turtle to Level 2. Consuming 10 Evolution Points.¡± ¡°Ding! Evolution successful.¡± ¡°Ding! Synchronizing Beast Tamer¡¯s ability to Level 2.¡± As his body absorbed the new power, Mu Liang opened his stat panel. Beast Tamer: Mu Liang Stamina:5Speed:8Strength:6Spirit:16Lifespan:24 years / 260 yearsTaming Points:0 (Resets daily, can be accumulated)Evolution Points:80Abilities: Tamed Beasts: Rock Armor Turtle¨C Talent: Three-Colored Lizard¨C Talent: Both of his tamed beasts had evolved to Level 2, nearly doubling his attributes. Most shocking of all, his lifespan had increased to 260 years. For most people, living this long would be nothing but a fantasy. Yet, Mu Liang had achieved it effortlessly. ¡°T-The turtle¡­ it got¡­ bigger¡­¡± Mino¡¯s jaw dropped in astonishment. Mu Liang turned and finally noticed the change. Originally, the Rock Armor Turtle had been about a meter long. Now? It had grown more than ten times its original size¡ªalmost as big as a ten-square-meter room. ¡°Hooowoo~~¡± The giant turtle let out a happy rumble and pressed its massive head against Mu Liang. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, alright, easy now.¡± Mu Liang patted its head like comforting a child. Now, if the turtle stood up, it would be over three meters tall. ¡°Mu Liang, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Mino¡¯s blue eyes sparkled with admiration. Who would believe that just yesterday, this massive Rock Armor Turtle was only the size of a palm? ¡ª Translator¡¯s Note: ¨C A valuable crystal found inside mutant beasts, containing energy that can be used for evolution.¨C Likely an earth-based offensive ability used by the Rock Armor Turtle and Mu Liang.¨C Allows Mu Liang and his Three-Colored Lizard to blend into the surroundings like a chameleon. Chapter 8 - A Moving House Chapter 008: A Moving House ¡°Mino, how does Xiao Xuanwu compare to the mutant beasts you¡¯ve seen before?¡± Mu Liang asked as he turned to look at her. He needed a reference point to better understand the strength of a Level 2 Rock Armor Turtle. ¡°Xiao Xuanwu?¡± Mino blinked in confusion before realizing he was referring to the turtle. She bit her lip, thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, ¡°If we¡¯re just comparing size¡­ then Xiao Xuanwu is probably stronger.¡± Mu Liang nodded. The turtle¡¯s main advantage was its massive size. But that was also its biggest weakness¡ªbeing big meant slow movement and lack of agility. Fortunately, its Earth Rock Spike ability helped compensate for that flaw. ¡°Mu Liang, can I climb onto its back and take a look?¡± Mino¡¯s blue eyes sparkled as she asked eagerly. ¡°Of course.¡± Mu Liang chuckled. He sent a mental command to the Rock Armor Turtle, letting it know they wanted to get onto its back. ¡°Hooowoo~~¡± The turtle let out a low rumble. The sharp rock spikes along its shell suddenly retracted, and the ground around it began to shift. Large slabs of stone rose from the earth, forming a staircase leading up to its back. ¡°Wow! Xiao Xuanwu can understand us?!¡± Mino¡¯s eyes glowed with excitement as she gazed at the two-meter-tall rock steps. ¡°It understands me.¡± Mu Liang took the lead, climbing up the stone staircase and stepping onto the turtle¡¯s back. The rock spikes on its shell had all retracted, leaving a flat, seven-to-eight-square-meter area in the center. Meanwhile, the remaining spikes around the edges slanted slightly outward, forming a natural barrier like a fence. ¡°Smart.¡± Mu Liang mentally praised the Rock Armor Turtle. ¡°Hooowoo~~¡± The turtle happily rumbled in response. ¡°Xiao Xuanwu is amazing!¡± Mino climbed up after him and turned to watch as the stone staircase slowly sank back into the ground. She looked around, inspecting the flat turtle shell, then suddenly grinned mischievously. ¡°Mu Liang, do you think we could build a house on its back?¡± Mu Liang froze for a moment. ¡°Wait¡­ that might actually work.¡± His eyes lit up as he considered the idea seriously. After all, the more tamed beasts he had, the harder it would be to live in human settlements. And he couldn¡¯t just sleep out in the open all the time. Especially since the Rock Armor Turtle would only grow bigger with further evolution. With such a large back, it could definitely serve as a mobile base. Mino noticed him deep in thought and hesitantly asked, ¡°Wait¡­ are you actually considering it?¡± ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s still too small for that.¡± Mu Liang snapped out of his thoughts and chuckled. ¡°But for now, we could build a simple wooden shelter.¡± ¡°Are we really going to live on its back?¡± Mino¡¯s excitement grew as she confirmed. ¡°How does having a moving house sound?¡± Mu Liang crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. ¡°And we wouldn¡¯t even have to walk!¡± ¡°That sounds¡­ amazing!¡± Mino jumped in joy, eyes filled with longing. ¡°It¡¯d be like being an explorer, traveling the world!¡± Or¡­ she could travel while searching for her sister. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Mu Liang, if we set up a fire pit on its back, would it burn Xiao Xuanwu?¡± ¡°No, the stone will protect it.¡± ¡°If we load too much stuff onto its back, won¡¯t it feel too heavy?¡± ¡°Even if we added a hundred of you, it wouldn¡¯t even notice.¡± Mu Liang leaned against one of the rock spikes, watching Mino excitedly plan their future home. For the first time, he thought¡ªhaving such a cheerful girl around wasn¡¯t too bad. ¡°Mu Liang, let¡¯s hurry back to the camp! I want to take down my wooden shelter and move it here!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush.¡± Mu Liang shook his head, amused, before reminding her, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the bandits attacking the camp.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I got too excited and almost forgot.¡± Mino stuck out her tongue, embarrassed. She walked closer to him, tugging at his sleeve and whispering hesitantly, ¡°If it¡¯s too dangerous¡­ should we just leave tomorrow?¡± She was kind, but also selfish¡ªher concern was only for the people close to her. Now that she had a new dream, she didn¡¯t want Mu Liang to risk his life for others. ¡°There¡¯s no danger.¡± Mu Liang gazed at the gray sky, where a single beam of sunlight broke through the clouds. Moments later, the clouds swallowed it up again. He would warn the camp, but if they didn¡¯t believe him¡­ Then in two days, he¡¯d just leave with Mino. In this kind of world, even kindness had to be given wisely. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s your relationship with the people in the camp? Any friends?¡± Mu Liang still wasn¡¯t sure about her social circle. ¡°I get along with a few people I used to catch lizards with.¡± Mino looked into the distance and shrugged. ¡°But mostly, I just avoid people.¡± ¡°So¡­ childhood friends?¡± Mu Liang asked softly. ¡°Mmm¡­ maybe? I guess?¡± Mino scratched her cheek awkwardly, her gaze shifting slightly. She suddenly remembered those few kids she used to hunt lizards with. At first, they got along¡­ but when she started catching more lizards than them, they tried to steal her prey. But as a mutant, the outcome was obvious¡ªshe beat them up and took some of their lizards instead. After that, they started avoiding her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like they¡¯re really your friends.¡± Seeing her expression, Mu Liang immediately understood the situation. It also told him something else¡ª Mino¡¯s life hadn¡¯t been easy. And that meant¡­ he was her first real friend. ¡ª Translator¡¯s Note: ¨C A reference to Xuanwu (ÐþÎä), a mythical black tortoise from Chinese mythology.¨C The turtle¡¯s ability, likely an offensive earth-elemental attack.¨C Mu Liang¡¯s and the Three-Colored Lizard¡¯s stealth ability. Chapter 9 - I Don’t Even Know What It Feels Like to Be Full Chapter 009: I Don¡¯t Even Know What It Feels Like to Be Full As evening fell, Mu Liang and Mino returned to their wooden shelter in the camp. ¡°Today was such a good haul!¡± Mino crouched by the fire pit, happily sorting through their catch¡ªsmall lizards. They had caught forty-five in total. Surprisingly, twenty-three of them were caught by the Three-Colored Lizard. The rest were captured by the two of them. Aside from the lizards, they had also caught three palm-sized rats. Mu Liang sharpened his combat knife and casually asked, ¡°Do you always eat lizards?¡± ¡°Yep. If I¡¯m lucky, I might get some rabbit meat once in a while.¡± Mino didn¡¯t even look up as she spoke, still focused on their haul. Today was an exceptionally good day. Normally, she would only manage to catch two or three lizards at best. Mu Liang¡¯s sharpening motion paused for a moment. ¡°Do you ever eat enough to feel full?¡± Mino tilted her head in thought, then furrowed her brows in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what ¡®full¡¯ feels like.¡± She had never been full before. So how would she know what it felt like? ¡°¡­¡± Mu Liang fell silent. Hearing such a heart-wrenching response from the girl, then seeing her genuinely puzzled expression made him unexpectedly frustrated. Without a word, he tossed aside the sharpening stone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mino blinked her big blue eyes, confused. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m going to walk around the camp.¡± Mu Liang slid his knife back into its sheath. He needed to gather intel on the camp¡¯s situation and spread word about the upcoming bandit attack. ¡­And clear his mind. ¡°Be careful.¡± Mino reminded him as she stayed behind to process the lizards¡ªdrying them into jerky for long-term storage. ¡°Got it.¡± Mu Liang grabbed his backpack and slipped into the shadows between the wooden shelters. By now, the sky had turned completely dark. Without moonlight, the pitch-black environment was perfect for him to move unseen. The aroma of roasted meat drifted through the air. Faint firelight flickered from cracks in some of the shelters. But for the most part, the camp was eerily quiet. In some huts, he could hear the soft breathing of people already asleep. When food was scarce, people moved less and slept more to conserve energy. From Mino, Mu Liang had learned that the camp had a hunting team responsible for catching wild game like rabbits, dryland turtles, and wild dogs. The food they brought back was only distributed to those who worked for the camp leader. As for the others? The leader didn¡¯t care. Living in the camp required paying taxes¡ªa trade for protection from the leader and his hunting team. Living alone in the wilderness was far too dangerous. Wolves could tear you apart, or worse, you could encounter mutant beasts. But in Mu Liang¡¯s opinion, the real reason people willingly paid taxes was because the leader controlled the water supply. Only those who paid could receive a rationed amount¡ªjust enough to keep them from dying of thirst. And one of Mu Liang¡¯s reasons for sneaking out tonight was to stock up on extra water before leaving in two days. The camp wasn¡¯t very big, but it was divided into two sections: The inner sectionwas surrounded by a wooden and stone fence¡ªthis was where the leader and the hunters lived.The outer sectionwas where people like Mino, the taxpayers, resided. The two-meter-high fence was no obstacle for Mu Liang. He effortlessly climbed over it, slipping past the patrolling guards unnoticed. As soon as he entered the inner camp, the rich scent of roasted meat filled his nose. Campfires blazed brightly, providing ample warmth. Mu Liang passed by some wooden houses where he heard sounds best left unmentioned. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Tch. In conditions like these, they¡¯re not even worried about getting sick?¡± He rolled his eyes and plugged the hole in the wall he had peeked through. The leader¡¯s house stood at the very center of the camp. Mu Liang circled around it once and was genuinely surprised¡ª The house was massive, over four hundred square meters¡ªabout the size of a basketball court. ¡°How extravagant.¡± Mu Liang smirked, finally understanding what kind of ¡®work¡¯ the people here did for their leader. Choosing a secluded corner, he scaled the wall and slipped inside. His landing was silent, and thanks to the fire burning in the room, it wasn¡¯t too dark. ¡°This must be one of the side rooms.¡± He listened carefully to the muffled voices deeper inside the house, determining their locations. After observing for a while, he noticed seven or eight servant girls. He discreetly followed one carrying a clay pot, watching as she entered a guarded room. Mu Liang stayed hidden in the shadows, activating Mimetic Camouflage¡ªat just a few meters away, he was practically invisible. The guarded room had no windows. The only way in was the door. Soon, the servant girl emerged, dodging the guard¡¯s wandering hands as she scolded him playfully and walked away. Mu Liang memorized the location of the water storage room. He then tailed the servant girl to a brightly lit hall, where four men were having dinner. She set the clay pot on the table but didn¡¯t pour water right away. Instead, she grabbed a rabbit, slit its throat, and let the blood drip into the pot. Mu Liang immediately lost interest in that water. Just as he was about to leave to search other rooms, the conversation in the hall caught his attention. ¡°You may leave.¡± The middle-aged man at the head of the table waved the servant girl away. He then scooped up a bowl of blood-water and drank it down. As the servant girl left, the other three men began speaking. ¡°Leader, are we really leaving this place?¡± ¡°If we ration the water and stop wasting it on crops, we can last a few more months.¡± ¡°Watering crops is a waste anyway.¡± It turned out the vegetables were only for the leader¡¯s personal consumption. The others barely got any, so naturally, they weren¡¯t happy about it. ¡°Bang!¡± The leader slammed the table, his voice cold. ¡°Stay here and wait to die, then?¡± He poured another bowl of blood-water, chugged it down, then said grimly, ¡°The underground well has only ten days of water left. If we don¡¯t leave by then, everyone will die of thirst.¡± ¡°But finding a new water source is too difficult,¡± one man muttered. ¡°We could move to Moonlake Tribe. They¡¯d probably take us in.¡± Another nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, we could join their hunting team.¡± But the leader¡¯s face darkened, and he refused outright. ¡°No. That¡¯s not an option.¡± If he joined another tribe, he wouldn¡¯t even be a low-ranked leader. Having tasted power, there was no way he would become someone else¡¯s subordinate. ¡°Then where do we go?¡± ¡°I refuse to die of thirst.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t find water, I¡¯ll take my family and leave for Moonlake Tribe.¡± The three men grumbled their dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent people to search for water. If they find nothing in five days, then we¡¯ll go to Moonlake Tribe.¡± As he spoke, a flicker of murderous intent flashed in the leader¡¯s eyes. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll wait five more days.¡± The three men finished their meal and left. Mu Liang remained hidden in the shadows, coldly watching the entire exchange. He hadn¡¯t expected this¡ª The camp was already on the verge of running out of water. And apparently, they were even growing vegetables¡ªsomething he hadn¡¯t expected at all. Chapter 10 - Wealth Comes from Unexpected Fortune Chapter 010: Wealth Comes from Unexpected Fortune ¡°A¡¯Gu.¡± The camp leader called out toward the hall entrance. ¡°Here.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A plain-looking young man stepped inside. The leader¡¯s expression was grim as he asked, ¡°How did the task I gave you go?¡± ¡°Leader, I never saw Bloodbeard¡¯s men.¡± A¡¯Gu clenched his teeth in frustration. ¡°I waited all day at the designated hill, but they never showed up.¡± ¡°Impossible! I personally made the deal with Bloodbeard!¡± The leader abruptly stood up, his gaze sharp as a knife. His killing intent surged as he stared A¡¯Gu down. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you really didn¡¯t see them at the hill?¡± ¡°Leader, I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you.¡± A¡¯Gu forced himself to stand firm and not back away. ¡°Hmph! Maybe something delayed them.¡± The leader narrowed his eyes at A¡¯Gu before calming down and giving new orders. **¡±Go to the hill again tomorrow. Tell them the plan has changed¡ªthe attack will happen the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± A¡¯Gu nodded respectfully. ¡°You may go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A¡¯Gu bowed and left the hall. ¡°Bang!¡± The leader suddenly flipped the table, letting out a beast-like roar of rage. ¡°Those damn traitors think they can slip out of my grasp?¡± His hoarse voice dripped with malice. ¡°They want to run off to Moonlake Tribe? Fine. They can all just die.¡± Ever since the underground well dried up, some of his hunters had been talking about defecting to Moonlake Tribe. The three men who had eaten with him earlier? They were all hunting squad captains. During dinner, they had been testing his reaction¡ªfeeling out his stance. Loyal dogs that had once obeyed without question were now thinking of running away. ¡°I had planned to bring them into Bloodbeard¡¯s ranks.¡± The leader leaned back in his chair, lips curling into a mocking smile. ¡°But it seems some of them are no longer worth keeping around.¡± This so-called search for water? Just an excuse. The real plan¡ªwhich he had arranged with Bloodbeard¡ªwas simple: The bandits would attack the outer camp, killing a number of residents.The leader would pretend to be forced into submission, leading his hunting squad to ¡°join¡± Bloodbeard¡¯s gang.With dozens of trained hunters, he would gain authority within the bandit crew.Bloodbeard would expand his forces and get women, while the camp leader secured power as one of Bloodbeard¡¯s top men. Mu Liang¡¯s cold black eyes flashed with murderous intent. It took everything in him to hold back the urge to slice this man¡¯s throat right now. The irony was almost laughable¡ª Bloodbeard wasn¡¯t invading this camp by chance. He had been invited. Mu Liang had originally planned to warn the camp about the incoming raid. But now? After hearing this disgusting scheme? The fate awaiting the weak¡ªespecially women and children¡ªunder the hands of ruthless bandits was too horrible to imagine. And if Mino had never met those four bandit scouts¡­ If she had chosen to stay in the camp instead of leaving with him¡­ Mu Liang shook his head, brushing away unnecessary thoughts. His mind flashed back to Mino¡¯s dirt-streaked but bright smile. Then, he looked at the scheming, muttering camp leader in front of him. His decision was made. This scum was already dead. Moving like a shadow, Mu Liang silently stepped forward, his footsteps ghost-like and soundless. He stayed close to the walls, avoiding the flickering firelight to keep his shadow from being seen. Finally, he stood directly behind the camp leader. ¡°Damn traitors¡­ Why can¡¯t they just be obedient dogs?¡± The leader leaned back in his chair, fuming with anger. Mu Liang glanced at the cloth draped over the chair¡¯s armrest, picked it up, and twisted it into a rope-like strip. ¡°Those captains¡­ Their daughters aren¡¯t bad either. Maybe I should¡ª¡± ¡°Mmph!!¡± Before he could finish, Mu Liang¡¯s cloth gag wrapped around his mouth, cutting off his words. ¡°Mmph! Mmm!!¡± Panic-stricken, the leader struggled to rise, but Mu Liang had already wrapped his arm around his throat, locking him in place. ¡°Welcome to hell.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s voice was calm, emotionless. The leader¡¯s eyes widened in terror, his hands clawing desperately at the iron grip around his neck. He was a Strengthened Human. And yet, no matter how hard he fought, he couldn¡¯t even budge Mu Liang¡¯s arm. ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Crack!¡± Mu Liang tightened his hold¡ª And snapped the leader¡¯s neck with ease. The man¡¯s body went limp, his lifeless head slumping against the chair¡¯s armrest. Even in death, his eyes remained wide open, staring blankly at the hall¡¯s entrance. ¡°Was it worth it?¡± Mu Liang shook out the cloth, tossing it casually over the leader¡¯s head. With that done, he calmly began looting the hall, picking up several iron dining knives from the floor. He wasn¡¯t picky¡ªif it was metal, it was worth taking. It didn¡¯t matter if someone else had used it. He could melt it down and reforge it later. ¡°Not bad. Plenty of good stuff here.¡± Mu Liang unhooked several long knives and swords from the walls, wrapped them in cloth, and secured them to his back. After thoroughly searching the hall, he moved on to the leader¡¯s personal quarters. ¡°Tsk. This bastard really lived in luxury.¡± Mu Liang raised an eyebrow. This room was even more lavish¡ª A thick fur-covered bed, three mounted wolf heads on the walls, and a beautifully crafted long knife resting on the bedside table. Mu Liang shrugged, slinging the ornate knife onto his back before opening the nightstand¡¯s drawer. Inside was a wooden box. Lifting the lid, he saw seven Beast Cores of varying sizes. ¡°Jackpot.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he scooped up the Beast Cores. The moment they touched his palm¡ª ¡°Ding! Energy source detected. Convert into Evolution Points?¡± ¡°Convert.¡± Finding Beast Cores had been one of his main reasons for coming here. ¡°Ding! Conversion successful. Gained 340 Evolution Points.¡± Mu Liang shook his head, amused. ¡°Wealth comes from unexpected fortune.¡± With his previous 80 Evolution Points, his total now sat at 420. That was enough to evolve three tamed beasts to Level 3. The night was still young, but for Mu Liang¡ª The real game was just beginning. Chapter 11 - A Horse Won’t Grow Fat Without Night Grazing Chapter 011: A Horse Won¡¯t Grow Fat Without Night Grazing ¡°Tap, tap¡­¡± Mu Liang ran his fingers along the bottom of the wooden box. It sounded hollow. Using his combat knife, he pried open the false bottom and found a cloth bag hidden inside. Opening it, he discovered¡ªseeds. ¡°Vegetable seeds? No wonder they were hidden.¡± Delighted, Mu Liang tied the bag shut and stuffed it into his backpack. In this wasteland of an apocalyptic world, seeds represented one of the few hopes for rebuilding civilization. Continuing his search, Mu Liang opened the wardrobe beside the bed¡ªand found another surprise. Inside were five neatly rolled-up bolts of fabric, each in a different color. ¡°This is a lot of stuff¡­ looks like I need a helper.¡± Mu Liang pulled out the five rolls of fabric, rubbing his chin as he thought about how to transport everything. There were a lot of useful supplies in the camp leader¡¯s room, and he wanted to take as much as possible. After all, he had come to this world with nothing. In this kind of wasteland, even if you had money, there were no shops to buy from. ¡°Xiao Cai, sneak in here.¡± Mu Liang mentally summoned the Three-Colored Lizard, which was currently keeping watch over Mino. As for the Rock Armor Turtle¡­ it was too big. It would probably knock down a wall just trying to get inside. While waiting for the Three-Colored Lizard, Mu Liang packed up everything he planned to take¡ªfive rolls of fabric and a bundle of swords and knives. Digging through the wardrobe again, he found mostly used clothing and blankets. He had no interest in second-hand items. ¡°Hmm? A fresh wolf pelt?¡± Opening the last section of the wardrobe, Mu Liang found a whole, unused wolf hide. He lifted it out and examined it¡ªthe edges were untrimmed, meaning it hadn¡¯t been processed yet. ¡°I was wondering why he had three wolf heads but no wolf hide.¡± Mu Liang rolled up the pelt and set it aside. ¡°Well, at least I don¡¯t have to worry about bedding now.¡± With everything packed, he looked up at the ceiling. The Three-Colored Lizard arrived quickly¡ªunlike Mu Liang, who had to climb walls and dodge guards, the lizard simply crawled across the ceiling. ¡°Come down and help carry some stuff.¡± Mu Liang waved at the lizard. ¡°Hisss~~¡± The lizard tilted its head before crawling down the wall. Mu Liang frowned slightly. ¡°Your body¡¯s too small¡ªyou can¡¯t carry much.¡± The five one-meter-long fabric rolls were about the same size as the lizard itself. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time to evolve you to Level 3.¡± Mu Liang placed his hand on the lizard and mentally commanded the system. ¡°Evolve the Three-Colored Lizard to Level 3.¡± ¡°Ding! Evolving Level 2 Three-Colored Lizard to Level 3. Consuming 100 Evolution Points.¡± ¡°Ding! Evolution successful.¡± ¡°Ding! Three-Colored Lizard¡¯s talent has evolved into .¡± ¡°Ding! Synchronizing Beast Tamer¡¯s ability to Level 3.¡± As the familiar warmth spread through his body, Mu Liang felt another surge of power. ¡°Invisibility? Does that mean I can stay hidden even while moving?¡± Mu Liang focused on his new ability and immediately activated . As he walked, his body blended with the surroundings. ¡°There¡¯s a slight delay¡ªabout one second when transitioning colors. The faster I move, the longer the delay.¡± ¡°But if I move slowly, the transition is almost instant.¡± Mu Liang quickly tested the ability, noting its pros and cons. Still¡ªbeing able to move while invisible was more than enough. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the newly evolved Three-Colored Lizard. The creature had doubled in size, now stretching two meters long. Its scales were no longer striped. Instead, each area of scales had one solid color¡ªgreen, red, or blue, creating a stunningly vibrant pattern. It also had several sharp spikes growing from either side of its head, and its vertical pupils looked even colder than before. Mu Liang patted its head with amusement. ¡°Xiao Cai, if you grow a pair of wings, you could pass for a dragon.¡± ¡°Hisss~~¡± The lizard tilted its head, clearly confused. What¡¯s a dragon? ¡°Stay still. Help me carry these supplies back.¡± Mu Liang tied the five fabric rolls, the wolf pelt, and the bundle of swords onto the lizard¡¯s back. ¡°Hisss~~¡± The lizard wriggled uncomfortably under the extra weight. ¡°Go on. Let Mino take the stuff off when you get there. Then come back for another load.¡± Mu Liang grinned, waving as the lizard climbed out the window. Its sharp claws left marks in the wooden walls as it vanished into the night. ¡°I need to hurry. If someone finds the leader¡¯s body too soon, things could get complicated.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mu Liang silently left the room and resumed searching the house. At this hour, the servant girls were all waiting in their designated spots, ready to be summoned by their masters. A horse won¡¯t grow fat without grazing at night. Since Mu Liang was already stealing supplies, he might as well take some food too. After all, it wasn¡¯t every day he had such an opportunity. As he moved stealthily, he suddenly noticed a suspicious figure sneaking through the house. ¡°Hmm? Isn¡¯t that A¡¯Gu?¡± Mu Liang recognized the man¡ªhe had been in the hall earlier, talking with the leader. Curious, Mu Liang trailed him to see what he was up to. A¡¯Gu looked around nervously, making sure no one was watching before slipping into a storage room. Peering through a crack in the door, Mu Liang¡¯s eyes narrowed in surprise. ¡°A food storage room?¡± Inside, he saw A¡¯Gu¡ªalong with a servant girl. Stealing food? Or¡­ something else? Mu Liang briefly considered the latter, but quickly dismissed the idea. ¡°A¡¯Gu, are you crazy? You¡¯re taking way too much meat! If the leader finds out, he¡¯ll kill you!¡± The servant girl looked horrified as she watched A¡¯Gu stuff choice cuts of meat into a cloth sack. In the past, she had helped him steal small amounts before. But now? There was no way she could cover for him. ¡°The leader has lost his mind.¡± A¡¯Gu hissed angrily. ¡°He¡¯s planning to work with Bloodbeard to kill off anyone who doesn¡¯t obey him!¡± His voice dropped to a furious whisper. ¡°I skipped today¡¯s meeting at the hill, hoping it would mess up the plan. But instead, the leader decided to contact Bloodbeard even sooner!¡± Yes¡ªhe had lied to the leader. It had been a test¡ªand the result? The leader was more insane than he had imagined. By skipping the meeting, A¡¯Gu had hoped to stir doubt between the bandits and the camp. But he had underestimated the situation¡ª The leader had already secured the deal personally. The bandits wouldn¡¯t second-guess anything. The moment they compared notes, A¡¯Gu¡¯s betrayal would be obvious¡ªand he would be a dead man. So now, he had no choice. He had to escape. ¡°The leader is working with Bloodbeard?¡± The servant girl turned pale, panic setting in. ¡°Go pack your things!¡± A¡¯Gu shoved her toward the door. ¡°O-Okay!¡± The servant girl nodded frantically before running off. Mu Liang let her go¡ªbut kept his cold gaze locked on A¡¯Gu, still stuffing his bag with dried meat. Plans change. It looked like it was time to adjust his strategy. Chapter 12 - Mysterious Stranger, Who Are You? Chapter 012: Mysterious Stranger, Who Are You? ¡°Giving up a decent life to become a bandit¡­ what a joke.¡± A¡¯Gu muttered through clenched teeth as he stuffed more dried wolf meat into his sack¡ªmeat the camp leader had been hoarding for himself. Eventually, he paused and looked at the half-filled bag. ¡°Maybe I took too much.¡± The sack was half his height, easily weighing over a hundred pounds. Just then¡ª The storage room door silently creaked open. A shadow approached from behind. Before A¡¯Gu could react, a hand clamped over his mouth and a cold blade pressed against his throat. ¡°Mmmph¡ª!¡± His first instinct was to struggle, but the icy touch on his neck froze him in place. A low, raspy voice whispered in his ear. ¡°Stay still, unless you want your throat slit.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± A¡¯Gu immediately raised both hands, signaling that he wouldn¡¯t resist. ¡°Smart choice.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s voice remained indifferent. ¡°Listen well, and you might survive.¡± A¡¯Gu nodded frantically. ¡°Good. As a reward for cooperating, I¡¯ll give you a little information.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s calm tone sent a chill down A¡¯Gu¡¯s spine. ¡°The camp leader is dead. I snapped his neck the moment you left the hall.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± A¡¯Gu¡¯s eyes widened in horror, his whole body breaking into a cold sweat. The chilling realization hit him like a hammer¡ª If the leader died right after he left¡­ That meant the mysterious man behind him had been in the hall all along! ¡°That¡¯s right. I was watching you the entire time.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s hoarse voice confirmed A¡¯Gu¡¯s worst fear. His interrogation methods, learned from his days as a special forces soldier, were now proving useful. ¡°Mmmph! Mmmph!!¡± A¡¯Gu let out muffled noises, his breathing erratic. ¡°You¡¯re a clever man. Don¡¯t turn around. And don¡¯t make a sound.¡± Mu Liang slowly released his grip, withdrawing his knife. A¡¯Gu barely dared to breathe. In a low voice, he asked, ¡°What¡­ do you want me to do?¡± If the mysterious man hadn¡¯t killed him yet, it meant he had a use for him. But¡ª ¡°Nothing.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s emotionless response made A¡¯Gu freeze in confusion. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± A¡¯Gu was completely caught off guard. ¡°Oh, and one more thing¡ª Bloodbeard¡¯s scouts? I killed them too.¡± Mu Liang spoke lightly, as if mentioning the weather. ¡°Since the scouts didn¡¯t report back today, new ones will come tomorrow. When they find your camp leader dead¡­ what do you think Bloodbeard will do?¡± ¡°Gulp.¡± A¡¯Gu swallowed hard, his face going pale. There was only one possible outcome¡ª Bloodbeard would bring his men and slaughter the entire camp, turning its people into spoils of war. ¡°Consider this information a trade for your cooperation.¡± Mu Liang casually grabbed the sack of dried meat, slinging it over his shoulder. When he reached the door, he paused and turned his head slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you, clever man.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A¡¯Gu stiffened, his face almost turning blue. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Damn it! Can¡¯t you pick someone else?! He wanted to protest, to deny that he was ¡°clever¡±¡ª But he didn¡¯t dare speak. Mu Liang ignored him. If A¡¯Gu wasn¡¯t smart enough to play his role, then¡­ The Three-Colored Lizard would simply pay him a visit later¡ªleaving a deep claw mark somewhere visible. A silent reminder: ¡°I¡¯m watching you.¡± As for the plan itself? It was just a rough idea Mu Liang had come up with on the spot. He was still refining the details. Securing the Last Resource ¡°Food secured. Now for water.¡± Mu Liang slipped into an empty room, waiting for the Three-Colored Lizard to retrieve the sack of dried meat. ¡°Hisss~~¡± The lizard arrived quickly, crawling in through the window. Mu Liang smirked. ¡°Mino¡¯s going to be shocked when she sees this haul.¡± Tying the sack onto the lizard¡¯s back, he sent it on its way. He hadn¡¯t planned to take this much¡ª But somehow, he had ended up looting half the camp leader¡¯s supplies. With the lizard gone, Mu Liang made his way toward the water storage room. The guard at the door? No problem. With , sneaking past was too easy. He tossed a small stone down the corridor, making a soft clatter. The guard turned, distracted. That was all Mu Liang needed. Silent as a shadow, he approached from behind and struck the guard¡¯s neck with a karate chop. Thud. The man collapsed unconscious. Pushing open the door, Mu Liang quickly dragged the body inside and shut it behind him. Inside, torches flickered, illuminating the layout of the room. ¡°So this is where the underground well is.¡± At the center was a two-meter-wide well, its mouth covered by wooden planks. A wooden bucket hung beside it, used for drawing water. Mu Liang removed the planks and peered inside. Darkness. No telling if there was any water left. He dropped the bucket down, listening to the splash. Pulling it up¡ª ¡°Murky.¡± The water was filthy, and mud clung to the bucket¡¯s edges. ¡°As expected¡­ it¡¯s nearly dried up.¡± Mu Liang replaced the planks and turned to the stacked barrels in the corner. Each was about a meter tall, large enough for an adult to wrap their arms around. Giving one a shake, he heard sloshing inside. ¡°Still got some left.¡± With his enhanced strength, Mu Liang hoisted a barrel onto each shoulder. To him, they weighed no more than two loaves of bread. ¡°This should last us a while if we ration carefully.¡± Carrying the two full barrels, Mu Liang left without a trace. A¡¯Gu¡¯s Awakening Meanwhile, A¡¯Gu hadn¡¯t moved an inch. He was still frozen in fear. Then¡ª ¡°Tap, tap, tap!¡± Hurried footsteps. ¡°Bang!¡± The door burst open as the servant girl rushed in, panicked. ¡°A¡¯Gu! The camp leader is dead!¡± ¡°He¡¯s really dead?!¡± A¡¯Gu felt his entire body relax, his tense nerves unraveling. His legs nearly gave out as he grabbed the table for support. ¡°Where? How?¡± ¡°In the hall. His neck was snapped.¡± The servant girl shivered, recalling the gruesome sight. A¡¯Gu¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°So¡­ he wasn¡¯t lying.¡± Everything the mysterious stranger had said was true. Which meant¡ª Bloodbeard¡¯s scouts really were dead. Escape. I have to escape. That was the only thought in his mind. He grabbed another sack, stuffing it with more dried meat. The servant girl hesitated. ¡°A¡¯Gu¡­ should we still run? The leader is dead now.¡± A¡¯Gu¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Wait¡­ the leader is already dead.¡± Did he really need to flee? A new thought struck him. Why did the mysterious stranger go out of his way to tell me about the dead scouts? Unless¡­ He wants me to do something. His mind raced through his entire encounter with the stranger. And then¡ª He remembered the last thing the man had said. ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you, clever man.¡± A¡¯Gu¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°If I try to escape alone¡­ will he kill me?¡± Understanding dawned. He turned to the servant girl. ¡°Go gather the hunting squad captains. Now. This is about the survival of everyone in the camp.¡± ¡°O-Okay!¡± As she ran off, A¡¯Gu muttered to himself. ¡°Clever man, huh¡­?¡± Then he clenched his fists. ¡°That stranger¡­ Who the hell is he?¡± Chapter 13 - A Dumbfounded Girl Chapter 013: A Dumbfounded Girl A Few Minutes Earlier¡ª Inside a wooden shelter at the edge of the camp¡ª Mino worked quickly and skillfully, skinning the small lizards and three rats, removing their entrails, then tying them up with rope and hanging them over the fire pit to smoke. Once she was done, she rubbed sand between her hands, scrubbing away the blood. With no water to wash up, this was the only way to clean her hands. She glanced at the door, her blue eyes filled with uncertainty. ¡°What¡¯s taking Mu Liang so long? What exactly is he doing?¡± It had already been a while. Mino had spent over an hour preparing the lizards and rats, but Mu Liang was still nowhere to be seen. Now that she had nothing to do, a small worry crept into her heart. Or perhaps¡­ it was loneliness making her feel uneasy. ¡°Ugh! Mu Liang is so strong¡ªhe¡¯ll be fine!¡± She shook her head, trying to push away her nerves. To distract herself, Mino started making a mental list of what she needed to pack. ¡°I need to bring my pillow¡­ and the rabbit-skin blanket.¡± ¡°The wooden planks from my bed too¡ªotherwise, I¡¯ll have nothing to sleep on!¡± ¡°Oh, and the wooden bowls¡­ and this bucket for carrying water.¡± Looking around, she realized she didn¡¯t want to leave anything behind. She even considered taking the door! After all, everything in this shelter was built piece by piece by her sister. Just then¡ª ¡°Scratch¡­ scratch¡­ clunk!¡± The door creaked, then suddenly swung open. A shadowy figure squeezed inside. Mino¡¯s expression hardened instantly. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± She reacted instantly, drawing the bone dagger from her waist and backing up against the wall. ¡°Hisss~~¡± A hissing sound filled the air. The figure shimmered, and its outline became clear¡ª The Three-Colored Lizard had dropped its . Mino stared, stunned. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re Xiao Cai?¡± She hesitated for a moment before saying cautiously¡ª ¡°If you are, nod your head.¡± ¡°Hisss~~¡± The lizard ignored her and began struggling, trying to remove the ropes tied around its belly. Mino blinked, then suddenly realized her mistake. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so dumb. Who else but Mu Liang would have a lizard deliver supplies?¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sighing, she put away her dagger and stepped forward. ¡°Here, let me help you.¡± The Three-Colored Lizard stopped moving, letting her untie the ropes and remove the five rolls of fabric, the wolf pelt, and the bundle of swords and knives. Then¡ªwithout waiting¡ªit turned and left, heading out to fetch another load. ¡°Hey, wait! Where¡¯s Mu Liang?¡± Mino called after it, but the lizard didn¡¯t even look back. Although its intelligence had improved after evolving, it was still only about as smart as a toddler. Naturally, it couldn¡¯t understand her question. Mino sighed again, turning her attention to the supplies it had brought. She ran her fingers over the fabric, her blue eyes lighting up. ¡°This is high-quality beast wool! So soft!¡± She rubbed the material against her cheek, amazed. ¡°But¡­ where did Mu Liang even get all this? Five whole rolls¡ªthis could make dozens of outfits!¡± Reluctantly setting the fabric aside, she picked up the wolf pelt. It was so long that it towered over her when she held it up. ¡°This has to be from a mutant beast.¡± Excited, Mino hugged the fur and rubbed her face against it before pausing. ¡°Where did Mu Liang get all this stuff?¡± Her mind started racing. ¡°Did he¡­ tell the camp leader about Bloodbeard¡¯s attack? Did the leader give him this as a reward?¡± That was the only explanation she could come up with. It made sense¡­ right? Some time later¡ª Mino finished checking the supplies, then picked up a sword from the bundle. ¡°Only the hunting squad uses weapons like these¡­¡± Her suspicion deepened. Maybe her guess was right after all. Then¡ª ¡°Scratch¡­ scratch¡­ clunk!¡± The door creaked open again. A familiar scene unfolded¡ª The Three-Colored Lizard entered, this time carrying a large sack. Mino hurried over, helping it untie the ropes before watching it turn and leave again. Curious, she peeked inside the sack. Then¡ª ¡°Huh???¡± She froze. The entire sack was filled with dried meat. Mino¡¯s mind blanked for a second. Then, doubt crept in. Would the camp leader really be this generous over just a piece of information? A chilling thought hit her like lightning. ¡°Mu Liang¡­ wouldn¡¯t have¡­ stolen all this, would he?¡± She slowly looked from the sack of meat¡­ To the five rolls of fabric¡­ To the swords, knives, and the massive wolf pelt. And finally, she remembered¡ª The camp leader was a stingy bastard. There was no way he would willingly give all this away. Mino gulped. ¡°Mu Liang definitely stole this.¡± What Now? Moving quickly, Mino tied the sack shut, dragged it under her bed, and hid it beneath the wooden frame. If someone came searching, she needed to make sure nothing looked suspicious. ¡°We just need to get through tonight. We¡¯ll leave at first light.¡± She paced back and forth, thinking aloud. ¡°Seriously, Mu Liang¡­ Even if we¡¯re leaving, did you really have to steal much?!¡± She tugged at her hair, flustered. ¡°Should we move everything onto Xiao Xuanwu¡¯s back now?¡± After a moment¡¯s thought¡ª ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll talk to Mu Liang about it when he gets back.¡± Satisfied with her plan, Mino continued pacing, trying to figure out the best way to hide the stolen goods. Returning them? No way. Mu Liang took them fair and square. The idea of giving them back never even crossed her mind. Chapter 14 - A Daring Plan to Rob the Bandits Chapter 014: A Daring Plan to Rob the Bandits Mino was kneeling by the bed, her hips slightly raised, as she stuck her head underneath, rummaging for something. The moment Mu Liang stepped into the wooden shelter, carrying two barrels of water, this was the sight that greeted him. He raised a brow and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± Mino jumped in shock. ¡°Bang!¡± The next second¡ª Her head slammed into the bed frame. She winced, rubbing the back of her head, and crawled out from under the bed with a pitiful expression. Mu Liang¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°You okay?¡± Mino glared at him, her cheeks puffed up. ¡°Where the heck did you go?!¡± There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but she didn¡¯t even know where to start. ¡°Just went to get some supplies.¡± Mu Liang said it as if it were nothing. Mino narrowed her eyes. ¡°Some supplies?¡± Her gaze lowered and finally noticed¡ª Two large barrels sitting on the ground. She rolled her eyes and scoffed, ¡°You call ¡®some supplies¡¯? What, did you rob the camp leader¡¯s house?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mu Liang denied it without hesitation. Then, after a pause, he added, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot left to take.¡± Truthfully, he was a little tempted to go back for more. But by the time he had left, people were already heading toward the leader¡¯s house. Which meant¡ª A¡¯Gu had done his part. Mino covered her face with both hands. ¡°You actually did it¡­¡± She had thought it was just a wild guess¡ªbut Mu Liang really had robbed the place. She stepped closer, cheeks still puffed up. Her expression turned serious as she warned, ¡°Next time you do something like this, tell me first! I need time to prepare!¡± She had been stressing over how to hide everything, nearly driving herself crazy. Mu Liang shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the plan. I only went to get water.¡± But then¡­ he had overheard the leader¡¯s twisted schemes. So, he had simply dealt with the problem at its root¡ª And took a little extra on the way out. Mino lowered her voice, worried. ¡°They¡¯re going to notice the missing supplies soon.¡± She thought for a moment, then suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s hide everything on Xiao Xuanwu¡¯s back. That way, we won¡¯t get caught.¡± Mu Liang shook his head. ¡°No need.¡± Mino stomped her foot, her small frame filled with urgency. ¡°Why not?! They¡¯ll send people to search our shelter!¡± ¡°They won¡¯t.¡± Mu Liang¡¯s voice remained calm. ¡°The camp leader is already dead.¡± ¡°Eh?!¡± Mino¡¯s blue eyes widened in shock. She stared at Mu Liang, searching his face for any sign that he was joking. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Mu Liang briefly explained how the leader had been working with Bloodbeard to betray the camp. Mino¡¯s expression turned fierce. ¡°Good! That scumbag deserved to die!¡± Mu Liang chuckled softly, watching as her cheeks puffed up with righteous anger. She looked¡­ Surprisingly cute. Mino suddenly felt his gaze and hesitated. ¡°W-What are you looking at?¡± A slight blush crept onto her face. Mu Liang looked away, his tone gentle. ¡°The camp residents will be leaving tomorrow.¡± Mino¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°So we¡¯re leaving with them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mu Liang shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re staying for two more days.¡± Her smile faltered. ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous! Bloodbeard¡¯s men could attack any time!¡± Mu Liang¡¯s lips curved into a mysterious smile. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we¡¯re staying.¡± Mino froze. A bad feeling crept up her spine. ¡°Wait¡­ what are you planning?¡± Mu Liang calmly stated, ¡°I¡¯m going to rob Bloodbeard¡¯s base.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mino¡¯s brain stopped working. She blinked, then blinked again, convinced she had misheard. ¡°Say that again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the bandits¡¯ base and grab some good stuff.¡± Mu Liang had decided the moment he overheard the leader¡¯s plan¡ª If Bloodbeard¡¯s gang was coming to rob this camp, then why not return the favor? Now, he just needed to lure them here¡ª Then slip away and loot their base while they were distracted. A classic bait-and-switch. Mino turned pale, gripping his arm tightly. ¡°Mu Liang, you¡¯re insane!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a gang of over five hundred bandits! If they catch you, you¡¯ll die!¡± Mu Liang raised a single finger, shaking it lightly. ¡°No, there won¡¯t be five hundred people there.¡± He spoke patiently, walking her through his plan. ¡°The scouts we killed today¡ª They never reported back. Which means tomorrow, Bloodbeard will send more.¡± Mino nodded slowly. ¡°But their base is more than a day¡¯s journey from here,¡± Mu Liang continued. ¡°So those scouts won¡¯t arrive until the day after tomorrow.¡± That was the key. Mu Liang had gathered enough intel while interrogating the scouts. ¡°On that day, we¡¯ll make it look like the entire camp just recently fled.¡± He smiled. ¡°Mino, if you were Bloodbeard, what would you do?¡± Mino hesitated, thinking. ¡°I guess¡­ I¡¯d send people to chase them down?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Exactly.¡± Mu Liang nodded. ¡°So when the scouts see an abandoned camp, they¡¯ll rush back to report it.¡± He spread his hands, his tone lighthearted. ¡°And when Bloodbeard hears that he was tricked by the camp leader, he won¡¯t be happy. He¡¯ll bring his men to ¡®settle the score.¡¯¡± Mino slowly nodded, understanding. ¡°And by the time Bloodbeard arrives, the camp¡¯s people will be long gone.¡± Mu Liang grinned confidently. ¡°And while most of his gang is chasing ghosts¡­ his base will be nearly empty.¡± Mino gulped. ¡°That¡¯s when we strike.¡± Her mind raced. It actually sounded like it could work¡­ But¡ª ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked anxiously. Mu Liang shrugged. ¡°Even if it fails, we¡¯ll just lose two days.¡± This was a calculated risk. If it worked¡ª They would get a huge haul of Beast Cores. Maybe even enough to evolve a beast to Level 4. Chapter 15 - The Level 3 Rock Armor Turtle Chapter 015: The Level 3 Rock Armor Turtle ¡°Move it! Hurry and pack your things!¡± ¡°Forget the useless junk! Just take food, clothes¡­ the essentials!¡± Before dawn, the hunting squad was already waking people up, urging them to evacuate the camp. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Fists pounded on wooden doors, but the hunters didn¡¯t bother waiting for permission to enter. ¡°Bloodbeard¡¯s gang is coming to slaughter us. We¡¯re heading to Moonlake Tribe for refuge!¡± After that one chilling sentence, they moved on to the next shelter. Mino, wrapped snugly in a wolf pelt, was startled awake. She blinked sleepily, feeling a warmth in her chest. ¡°They sure are up early.¡± She stretched, letting out a lazy yawn. Meanwhile, Mu Liang had already been awake for a while. ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± Mino sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes. ¡°What time did you even sleep last night?¡± Before falling asleep, she had seen Mu Liang still up, sitting by the fire pit, sketching something on a piece of charcoal-covered wood. She had even debated for a long time whether to invite him to sleep next to her¡­ But in the end, she was too embarrassed to say anything. ¡°Around midnight.¡± Mu Liang stirred the steaming pot of broth over the fire. Today¡¯s breakfast? Dried meat stew. Mino sniffed the air. ¡°Smells so good.¡± Her delicate nose twitched as she peered into the boiling steel pot, her blue eyes sparkling. But then, her expression tightened with concern. ¡°From now on, let me handle cooking breakfast.¡± Mu Liang blinked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You made too much.¡± Mino placed a hand on her hip, waving a scolding finger at him. ¡°We need to ration our food carefully.¡± Mu Liang chuckled, scooping a hefty portion into her metal lunchbox. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The dried meat we have will last us more than twenty days.¡± He passed the full container to her. Last night, she had insisted on eating only dried lizard meat¡ªprobably barely filling a third of her stomach. And judging by her approach to rationing, she¡¯d likely only serve a portion small enough to keep them barely satisfied. Mino frowned. ¡°This is too much. I should save half for dinner.¡± Despite her words, her hands instinctively reached out and took the lunchbox anyway. Mu Liang grinned. ¡°We¡¯re having roasted dried meat for dinner.¡± ¡°Awoo~~¡± Mino had just taken a big bite of hot soup¡ª And immediately opened her mouth, panting to cool down her tongue. Mu Liang shook his head, amused. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s hot.¡± He blew on his spoonful, cooling it before taking a slow, measured sip. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mino, meanwhile, had finally swallowed her first bite. Her blue eyes gleamed with joy. ¡°So good!¡± The rich, meaty broth awakened her taste buds, while the warm liquid soothed her throat. One sip, and her hunger seemed to ease. ¡°It¡¯s been so long¡­ since I¡¯ve had meat stew.¡± Her lips trembled slightly, and a faint mist gathered in her eyes. The last time she had eaten something like this¡­ Was when her sister was still around. ¡°From now on, you can drink it whenever you want.¡± Mu Liang reached out, gently wiping away the tear at the corner of her eye. Mino shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s wasteful! We can¡¯t have meat stew every day.¡± Her cheeks puffed up in disapproval. Mu Liang raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, normally, you just drink water?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± She sniffled, rubbing at her nose. Mu Liang smirked. ¡°Well, if we make stew, we still get water¡ªplus food.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a better deal?¡± Mino paused, thinking hard. ¡°Wait¡­ that actually makes sense?¡± But something still felt off¡ª She just couldn¡¯t figure out what. Mu Liang simply waved his hand, urging her on. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot. It won¡¯t taste as good cold.¡± Mino grinned, her eyes curving into happy crescents. ¡°Mm!¡± She happily dug in, savoring each bite. Outside the wooden shelter, chaos unfolded. While Mu Liang and Mino leisurely enjoyed breakfast, The rest of the camp was frantically packing up. Mino let out a satisfied sigh and patted her stomach. ¡°So full¡­¡± She glanced at the empty lunchbox, feeling a little guilty. Originally, she had planned to save half for later¡ª But one bite led to another¡­ And before she knew it¡ª She¡¯d finished the entire meal. Mu Liang watched her, amusement flickering in his eyes. ¡°How does it feel to be full?¡± Mino¡¯s cheeks turned pink. ¡°It feels amazing. But¡­ it¡¯s too indulgent.¡± This one meal alone was worth nearly ten whole lizards! Mu Liang ruffled her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about food. Leave that to me.¡± She had saved his life¡ª The least he could do was make sure she never went hungry again. Mino¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of red. She opened her mouth to say something¡­ But no words came out. Mu Liang suddenly tilted his head, frowning slightly. ¡°You¡¯re still wearing that headscarf?¡± He made a grabbing motion, pretending to be disappointed. ¡°I can¡¯t even pat your bunny ears anymore.¡± Mino pouted, puffing up her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not a pet!¡± After hesitating for a moment, she slowly reached up, untying the fabric that hid her ears. Mu Liang¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Mino noticed the expression, and her face instantly burned bright red. She turned away sharply, chin lifted. ¡°I¡¯m just letting them breathe. I didn¡¯t do it for you!¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Mu Liang barely held back a laugh. ¡°Hmph!¡± Mino huffed. Then¡ªquickly changing the subject¡ªshe asked eagerly, ¡°Are we moving onto Xiao Xuanwu¡¯s back today?¡± She had been dreaming of their new home¡ªa house that could move anywhere. Mu Liang shook his head. ¡°Not yet. We don¡¯t even have a house built.¡± First, he needed to evolve the Rock Armor Turtle to Level 3. Then its shell would be even larger, making it easier to construct a proper home. Besides, he had no idea how big it would get after evolving. He needed to see its new size first before planning the construction. Mino¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation. ¡°Then let¡¯s go build our house!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Mu Liang led the way out of the shelter. Mino paused, suddenly remembering¡ª ¡°Wait! What about all the stuff we brought back last night?¡± With the camp residents leaving, there was a chance looters would break in. ¡°I left Xiao Cai to guard it.¡± Mu Liang gestured to the corner of the room. Mino turned¡ª And saw the Two-Meter-Long Three-Colored Lizard fade into view. She sighed in relief. ¡°Alright, that works.¡± With that settled, the two slipped out of the camp, heading for the wilderness. Nearby, the Rock Armor Turtle was hunting¡ª A single ¡°Earth Rock Spike¡± sent a rat flying out of its burrow.