[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete":3,"chapter-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-30":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from the Apocalypse, I Alone Severed Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312412,4518,"Chapter 30","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-30",30,"\u003Cp>Deep in the underground palace, the dog-headed alchemist paid no mind to the pale palace door that remained motionless for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The dragon’s aura still lingers; the master must have entered hibernation. The next meeting will be years away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Putting aside his regret, the dog-headed alchemist rallied his spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swore that in these coming years, he would expand the dog-headed tribe once more, to better serve his master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bring out the wine and drink, let us celebrate properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed alchemist instructed a nearby dog-headed knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead dog-headed knight replied; he stood one point two meters tall, a virtual giant among his kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was twenty centimeters taller than the three dog-headed knights around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His frame was massive and powerful, with 14 points of strength—unquestionably the strongest in the tribe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and gestured for the other three subordinates to follow him into the side hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those three subordinates then summoned a group of dog-headed worshippers present for the ritual, ordering them to come along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, the four dog-headed knights emerged from the side hall, leading a group of dog-headed bearers carrying stretchers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stretchers were woven from desert-specific vines, laden with various wines and foods, served on porcelain and plates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These porcelain and plates were exquisitely crafted, matching the architectural style of the underground palace—relics of the same ancient civilization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed worshippers below, seeing the wine and food arrive, all stared with greedy eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for the alchemist’s authority and their fear of the towering, fearsome dog-headed knights, they would have rushed forward to snatch the offerings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wine and food were first placed before the dog-headed alchemist, who offered a prayer: “Praise the great master, King of Earth and Mountains, who bestows upon the Bak’er clan delicious wine and food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then followed a rapid cascade of praises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Under the master’s gaze, the Bak’er clan shall rise to greatness once more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the ritual end, and the wine and food began to be distributed among the dog-headed worshippers below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed creatures devoured meat and drank wine, clinking cups and goblets in wild merriment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after consuming the food and drink, the dog-headed creatures felt a searing heat spread through their bodies; a strange scent began to permeate the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, two dog-headed creatures began entwining together; the rest paired off one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those unable to find partners, two male dog-headed creatures began grappling; the entire hall descended into the domain of the God of Love and Beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed alchemist on the dais smiled in satisfaction—within two months, the Bak’er tribe would grow once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the four dog-headed knights still standing beside him and gave a subtle nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the lead knight, the other three dog-headed knights descended from the dais, each carefully selecting a female dog-headed creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They then forcibly yanked off the males clinging to them, thrusting their hips forward and mounting the females themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed knight captain, however, knelt respectfully before the alchemist, allowing the alchemist to pounce upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi arrived at the entrance of the hall and glanced inside; he felt his eyes were about to go blind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such behavior nearly rivaled the rites of the God of Love and Beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was dog-headed—too obscene to bear. Fang Shi felt his mind had been polluted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He steadied his composure and muttered: “Heaven’s misdeeds may yet be forgiven; self-inflicted misdeeds cannot. Since you behave so shamelessly, let me rid the world of this scourge, lest you corrupt society’s morals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that was just a joke—but the dog-headed creatures’ actions had indeed given Fang Shi a perfect opening for attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t strike now, when would he get such an opportunity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly scanned the hall: over two hundred dog-headed creatures total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the social structure of a dog-headed tribe, roughly half were level-one miners; the rest were combat-capable warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two battling on the highest dais were likely a level-five dog-headed alchemist named Hui Lin and a level-five dog-headed knight captain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below them were probably three or four level-three dog-headed knights, two or three level-three dog-headed swordsmen, and a handful of level-two dog-headed trap alchemists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came twenty to thirty level-one dog-headed warriors, plus four level-three Flamefire Lizard Dragons tied nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strength was terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his own power, a direct confrontation would be like an egg smashing against a stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even just the hundred-plus dog-headed miners charging at once would overwhelm him; if he didn’t flee, he’d be worn down to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention the numerous combat specialists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Fang Shi’s strategy had been to lure the dog-headed creatures out one by one, leveraging his superior mobility and individual strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to wage guerrilla warfare, slowly bleeding the tribe dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as they didn’t collapse the underground palace, Fang Shi would eventually kill them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this method was far too slow; if any unforeseen event occurred, the secret realm’s time limit might expire before he eradicated them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, with this situation, Fang Shi had conceived an excellent strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps due to a trace of dragon blood, dog-headed creatures typically remained in this state for one to two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi intended to exploit this time window—he would rush to the dog-headed hatching chamber and haul back a pile of dry hay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hatching chamber was hidden; only the tribe’s leader and designated guardians knew its location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary dog-headed creatures, even their own offspring, had no idea where their eggs were hatched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Fang Shi not understood dog-headed habits and possessed his own methods, he would never have found this tribe’s hatching chamber so easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the chamber was guarded—a level-five dog-headed wanderer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had laid numerous traps outside the chamber to protect the tribe’s next generation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi arrived and looked around; visible traps were so numerous his scalp prickled, and he had no idea how many lurked in the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How severe was this tribe’s paranoia? Why so many traps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simple traps weren’t the worst—he could dodge or disarm them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fang Shi knew a guardian existed—and he had surely sensed Fang Shi’s arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he had already heard the whistle of an arrow slicing through air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi dodged nimbly; just as he prepared to advance, his expression changed—he leapt sideways instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pillar of flame erupted in his path, five meters long; had he hesitated a moment, he would have been burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even mid-leap, Fang Shi dared not land directly—he used his steel blade to strike the ground, propelling himself sideways again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the dog-headed’s cunning, traps were certainly not limited to one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, where his blade touched the ground, a sack of acid fell from above, hissing as it corroded the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a nuisance—if his specialization hadn’t boosted his reaction speed, this wouldn’t be so easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another whistle—this time, Fang Shi didn’t dodge. Since the enemy wanted to force him into traps with arrows,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d just slash the arrows apart. Dog-headed creatures had weak strength and used only shortbows—low kinetic energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his reflexes, the incoming arrows were crystal clear; he easily cleaved them with his steel blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After firing several arrows with no effect, the dog-headed wanderer began shifting his position, weaving through the traps, and quickly vanished into the hatching chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Fang Shi smirked coldly—the wanderer’s trick was clever; a novice might have fallen for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to a seasoned veteran like him, it was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed wanderer feigned flight, appearing to follow a safe path, luring pursuers to follow his route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, that path was riddled with traps; he passed through untriggered because of delays, incorrect weight triggers, or inactive mechanisms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever dared follow his path would walk straight into the traps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless he left the pursuer crippled or dead, he wouldn’t deserve his title as Master of Alchemical Traps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See how far you run.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi analyzed a safe route himself and advanced slowly; where he couldn’t avoid a trap, he deliberately triggered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Fang Shi’s actions, the dog-headed wanderer grew frantic—the hatching chamber of the Bak’er clan lay just behind him; he couldn’t retreat, wouldn’t retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he kept firing shortbows, it had no effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The design of shortbows inherently limited their power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against powerful opponents who could track arrow trajectories, they were less useful than a dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again, any powerful opponent who could intercept arrows would be deadly at close range—how could he defend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Fang Shi finally reached him, the dog-headed wanderer roared in Draconic, fired one last arrow, then turned and fled into a tunnel devoid of glowstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi didn’t pursue—the wanderer had darkvision, and in this palace lit mostly by glowstone, he held a great advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew how many traps lay along the wanderer’s escape route?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi had always explored cautiously, adhering to the rule: no light, no entry—afraid of being ambushed by these paranoid dog-headed creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi subtly sensed the other three unknown tunnels, then smirked and walked toward the middle one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-headed wanderer saw that Fang Shi wasn’t provoked, didn’t chase him, and had swiftly pinpointed the hatching chamber’s location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He panicked instantly, gritted his teeth, drew a finely crafted dagger, activated stealth, and crept behind Fang Shi, aiming for a backstab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly frantic, he gritted his teeth, drew the finely crafted dagger, and activated Stealth to follow Fang Shi from behind, aiming for a backstab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Piercing Attack activated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Piercing attack initiated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The target has received fatal damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The target is dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extracting the target's soul energy, you gain 210 experience points and 21 survival points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After continuous combat, you have acquired partial knowledge of the longsword weapon mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha, still trying to ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assassins, when facing opponents with superior strength, agility, and perception, dare to stealth and it’s suicide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This kobold wanderer, specialized in traps, has less agility than a level-3 kobold swordsman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every movement of it was crystal clear to Fang Shi’s spiritual sense; he spun around and struck with one sword, ending the kobold wanderer’s life.\u003C\u002Fp>",1693,"2026-06-20T12:43:33.559Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bd3724b97a433c811db0ac97ea54bd9db6c93835498240f1cdab4a868cf610e0","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-31","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-29",109,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-cover.jpg"]