Chapter 22: Ancient Architecture

“Hell yeah!”
After dispatching the hyena, Chen Zhuo let out a breath of pure satisfaction.

It had only been days since his last kill—this time, there was no chaos, no desperation. This fight was nothing short of devastatingly efficient.

If Chen Zhuo hadn’t wanted to test his limits, he could’ve finished the hyena even faster.

Just the sheer, unmatched power coursing through him was already intoxicating. This wasn’t just any creature—it was a refined-grade beast. And yet, he hadn’t even drawn his sword. A single punch sent the hyena flying like a ragdoll, limp and lifeless.

But what truly blew his mind was the spike in reaction stats. Sure, all four attributes were climbing steadily—but reaction was the one that stood out like a spotlight in the dark.

Speed, strength, endurance—those made sense. But this sudden leap in reflexes? It felt like someone had cracked open a door to a whole new world.

Earlier, when the hyena lunged at him, his focus snapped into place—and suddenly, time seemed to freeze. The animal’s motion, the wind, the dust in the air—all paused mid-motion. He watched it glide through the air in slow motion, like a scene from a movie played in reverse.

That’s how he dodged so effortlessly. Every follow-up attack from the hyena played out in his vision like a frozen frame. No martial arts. No training. Just raw, unfiltered physicality—overwhelming the blue-red beast with sheer instinct and body.

“The drug’s still working its way through my system,” he muttered, rubbing his stomach.

His physique, once merely average, now bore six defined abs beneath his shirt. His arms, once soft and flabby, now carried subtle but undeniable definition. Each bicep swelled slightly under tension, muscles carving clean lines like sculpted stone. Every fiber looked purposefully shaped—power wrapped in elegance.

Not bulky like a bodybuilder. Not intimidating in silhouette. He still looked normal—wore clothes just like before. If you passed him on the street, you’d never guess he’d just torn apart a predator with his bare hands.

“Less than ten minutes from start to first kill. In the old days, I’d be lucky to find and take down one beast in a full day.”

Sure, his enhanced body helped. But the real game-changer? The system’s bio-scanning function. With it, gathering supplies to repair the shelter might take just one day. And while he was at it? He could collect red shards too.

Chen Zhuo glanced at the scanner’s glowing indicator and moved on.

“Baa~”

He frowned.

“A sheep. Too bad… still a red-tinged monster.”

He’d been thinking about bringing some docile, farmable creatures back to the shelter for years. Sustainability was key. A proper shelter didn’t just survive—it *produced*.

He didn’t need something as rare as Tai Mei. Even a few chickens, ducks, or fish would make him happy.

But most ordinary animals had been replaced by crimson-infected variants. Two days ago, he’d seen a wild boar being devoured by another boar—same species, same look, but one was dead, the other ravenous and twitching with unnatural hunger.

“Hope this red mutation fades someday. That acid rain… maybe it’ll just go away.”

As he spoke, his arm tensed. Muscles rippled like waves under skin. He drew the bow slowly, each tendon and fiber tightening in sequence. The string stretched taut, forming a perfect arc—like a moon hanging in the sky.

At the peak of tension, he released.

*Whoosh!*

The arrow screamed through the air, slicing a straight line toward the distant sheep.

It struck true—right between the eyes. The impact punched through the skull with terrifying force, leaving a fist-sized hole. The sheep flew backward, dragged by the momentum, tumbling several meters before collapsing.

A few weak kicks. Then silence.

Dead instantly. Clean. Efficient.

**Reward acquired:**
Cotton (Green) ×3
Band-Aid (Green) ×2
Red Shard ×1

“One shot…”
Chen Zhuo stared at his hands, stunned.

He’d underestimated the raw power of 18 strength points. It wasn’t obvious against regular refined-tier beasts—most would’ve been crippled after one hit from that punch. But these red-tinged monsters? They kept fighting, like nothing happened.

Now, even rare-tier creatures couldn’t survive a full-powered strike.

Shaking off the daze, he knew he wouldn’t waste a second. With the system guiding him, he planned to clear every monster within a 15-kilometer radius today.

Westward he marched, light-footed and focused. After an hour, he reached his destination.

This spot sat at the very edge of his territory. From here, he could see across the border—a different land entirely. The direction where he’d first arrived in this world.

Two worlds touching—one lush and green, alive with birdsong and rustling trees. The other a wasteland: endless sand, howling winds, jagged rocks scattered like broken bones.

This was the closest thing to a true apocalypse he’d ever seen.

Thank God he hadn’t blindly planted his foundation right here. Otherwise, he’d probably end up like Zhou Heng—the guy he’d traded with weeks ago.

“Funny… it’s been ages since I heard from Zhou Heng.”
“Wonder if he survived the acid rain.”

Silence.

He didn’t want to reach out. Not now. One message, and the reply might be forever quiet.

Zhou Heng wasn’t perfect—he was awkward, honest, a little dull. But he was *real*. When they traded, he’d often give Chen Zhuo extra profit without hesitation. Better than dealing with sneaky, backstabbing types.

The thought faded.

He’d come all this way because the bio-scan showed three creatures clustered together—something impossible under normal circumstances. Red-tinged beasts usually tore each other apart on sight.

But here? Three glowing dots huddled close.

As Chen Zhuo crept closer, he noticed a small hill ahead. The slope was covered in fresh green grass, swaying gently in the breeze—soft waves of emerald rolling across the earth.

Below, the plain stretched open and empty. Three figures stood in the distance.

To avoid detection, he dropped low, belly pressed to the ground, peering through the blades.

There, below him, stood three upright beings—talking, moving, clearly not alone.

Their humanoid shape froze Chen Zhuo’s breath.

*What… are those?*

No wonder he was shocked. Less than 200 meters behind them lay the boundary between two worlds—one green, one dead. And right in the middle?

A massive, ancient structure—weathered, silent, standing like a forgotten monument between realms.