Chapter 41: First to Clear the Mystery Realm: Level-4 Martial Master

During the expedition into the mystery realm, Fang Shi did not receive the reward for the first kill of a level-5 monster.

He also did not receive the reward for a two-level-over first kill.

Fang Shi did not feel strange about it.

To put it bluntly, if all these rewards had been claimed by Fang Shi, humanity on Blue Star would be beyond saving.

There are so many people worldwide, and so many survivors among the elites.

Someone will inevitably find a way to kill higher-level monsters.

These monsters are not invincible; mechanical devices, traps, and other tools can kill them.

Not to mention explosions—even though the Law Force has rendered all explosives on Blue Star useless.

But explosions are not limited to gunpowder; dust and gas can be immensely powerful under specific conditions.

Not even level-5 monsters are safe—if the explosion were stronger, even a level-6 rank-1 monster might die.

Fang Shi had long maintained a calm mindset: if I gain it, it’s fortune; if I lose it, it’s fate.

Do not force it, but never let a possible gain slip away.

“The mystery realm exploration time has ended.”

“Exploration rate: 110%.”

“You have cleared this mystery realm.”

“Iron Key (Black Iron) has been consumed.”

“You received an experience reward of 4870 (realm loot) × 110% (exploration rate) = 5357 experience points.”

“You received a survival point reward of 4870 (realm loot) × 11% (exploration rate) = 535.7 survival points.”

“As the first player to clear this mystery realm.”

“You received a Silver Chest.”

“As the first player to clear this mystery realm (Black Iron).”

“You received one random specialty point.”

Specialty point!

Fang Shi’s eyes glowed with piercing brilliance.

Specialty points are used to increase specialty levels.

Most importantly, they work the same at any level.

Whether it’s a level-1 skill or a level-10 skill, it only costs one specialty point.

This is as valuable as attribute points.

More importantly, specialty points can only be obtained by clearing the Trial Tower.

They are an absolutely rare resource.

Of course, the Silver Chest is also extremely valuable.

There is a high chance of drawing a rank-1 oddity, a low chance of drawing a rank-2 oddity, and an extremely slim chance of drawing a rank-3 oddity.

Oddities are items possessing supernatural power, including equipment, jewelry, and miscellaneous objects.

However, these items are highly dependent on luck—the oddity drawn may not suit you.

Some may be completely unusable, and others might even have side effects.

In comparison, Fang Shi preferred specialty points—they offer stable improvement.

Even if it was random, he was still satisfied.

Although specialties can be improved through prolonged training and insight, in the apocalypse, time is the scarcest resource.

If you don’t improve quickly, you might lose your life.

As long as there was improvement, Fang Shi was content.

“May Tymora bless me, may the Weaver of History bless me—randomly grant me Fang’s Breathing Method.”

Fang Shi silently prayed, but such prayers were no different from begging Buddha or God for help when in trouble, then ignoring them when things were fine.

“Random specialty point allocation in progress…”

“Random specialty point allocation complete.”

“Your Lightning Reflexes I → Lightning Reflexes II.”

Well, Fang Shi, a pseudo-faithful who didn’t even qualify as a minor believer.

Naturally, he received no divine favor.

Deep down, he believed gods were not supreme beings.

They were merely pioneers on the path to transcendence.

Still, the upgrade to Lightning Reflexes was quite good.

“Shhh!”

Fang Shi thrust his sword to the left.

“Piercing Attack activated.”

“Target received fatal damage.”

“You dealt 24.5 damage to the target.”

»

“Target deceased.”

“Soul energy extracted from target. You gained 30 experience points, 3 survival points.”

Fang Shi sidestepped slightly, avoiding the firewing bird’s body.

A firewing bird descending from above was killed.

Throughout the entire process, he did not use Double Force—he killed it solely through the bonus from Lightning Reflexes II.

This was why he thought the upgrade to Lightning Reflexes was good—it was perfectly suited.

“【Lightning Reflexes II】: Your reaction speed exceeds that of an ordinary person. (Reaction Speed +3)”

The level-1 upgrade added 2 points to reaction speed.

This meant Fang Shi’s reaction speed was equivalent to a 23-point Agility bonus.

What did 23-point Agility mean? A man from the East, Fang Shi saw, could react within 0.03 seconds.

If a firewing bird dove at 100 meters per second, by the time Fang Shi judged its trajectory, the bird had only moved three meters forward.

That time was enough for Fang Shi to plant a sword across its path—while the firewing bird’s own 17-point Agility was utterly unable to react.

It could not change direction, and the longsword pierced straight through its eyeball, shattering its brain.

This was the entire process of the firewing bird’s death.

All Fang Shi needed to do was perceive, judge, move his hand, grip firmly, and dodge.

He killed the firewing bird effortlessly.

The other firewing birds swooping toward him froze in shock, halting their attack.

This was the most profound use of the Law Force they had ever witnessed since arriving on Blue Star.

And also the strongest human.

In their eyes, the speed of that sword strike was only 30 meters per second.

Far slower than their 100-meter-per-second dive.

But that sword had been thrust only when the firewing bird was five meters away from Fang Shi.

In the dying firewing bird’s mind, the sword was still held vertically in Fang Shi’s hand.

The entire sequence was: Fang Shi drew his sword, the firewing bird flew forward, and impaled itself.

How could this not terrify the firewing birds?

Fang Shi didn’t care about these firewing birds—he had more important matters.

That was leveling up. His experience pool had overflowed; he could not wait to level.

The main reason was that this level-up would grant him one free attribute point.

If Fang Shi added this point to Perception, he would gain Extraordinary Perception.

This was an extraordinary attribute—a superior, different, exceptional attribute.

To avoid any accidents during the transformation.

Fang Shi decided to find a safe place to level up—otherwise, like before, he’d suffer unbearable pain and lose combat power after gaining a new specialty.

The remaining firewing birds could be lucky and live a little longer—he’d kill them after leveling up.

During the firewing birds’ hesitation, Fang Shi flashed away and returned inside the building.

……

On the fifth floor, the young man with glasses, Xiao Qian, narrowed his pupils.

Outside the building, a person had suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Xiao Qian rubbed his eyes, thinking it was late at night and he’d seen things.

But under the firelight of the firewing birds, there truly was a person standing there.

It was unscientific—but perfectly fitting for the apocalypse.

Just as Xiao Qian was about to notify Brother Zhao.

A firewing bird dove from above, moving so fast Xiao Qian couldn’t even see it.

He barely thought, This man is done for.

But two or three seconds later, the man was still standing—while the firewing bird lay dead on the ground.

As for what happened, forgive Xiao Qian for his low agility and the darkness—he simply didn’t see a thing.

Xiao Qian was utterly stunned—this was a Firewing Bird.

The Firewing Bird that had effortlessly killed five members of their team.

Brother Zhao had planned to set traps and devise a series of strategies before capturing it.

Yet now someone had already slain it alone—and so easily.

No!

Someone could kill it alone last night—could that person be the one Xiao Xi and the others mentioned?

“Brother Zhao! Brother Zhao! Big trouble! That person’s back!”

Brother Zhao, mid-exercise, frowned: “What’s the rush? Be clear—who?”

Xiao Qian stammered: “T-that… the one… who… single-handedly… killed… the… Firewing… Bird…”

“What!” Brother Zhao’s heart jolted. “So he’s back—what’s the panic?”

“No, Brother Zhao—we took his prey. Won’t he come after us?”

“Pfft—he’s that strong, does he care about this stuff? If he wanted it, it’s everywhere.”

Xiao Qian hesitated: “But we touched his people—if he’s angry…”

Brother Zhao laughed: “You’re overthinking. I saw right away—Xiao Xi and the other two are just hired hands, working for the Master.”

“We just replace Xiao Xi and the other two, do the job better, and he won’t care—might even get rewards.”

Then Brother Zhao went on analyzing, explaining the reasoning behind his judgment.

Since this team was led by Brother Zhao, his authority was strong, and soon Xiao Qian and the others believed his assessment.

Brother Zhao added: “If that’s the case, when the Master returns, we’ll go greet him immediately—that’s proper manners.”

“Yes, yes, let’s go right away.”

…

Fang Shi felt something was off the moment he entered the building.

Based on his experience, he instantly recognized: new people had moved in.

More than one.

Of course, Fang Shi wasn’t afraid of them.

Before obtaining the True Dragon Armor, Fang Shi was strong—but couldn’t claim to be the strongest in the world.

But now, with the True Dragon Armor, few in the world could match him.

He didn’t claim absolute #1 because fortune was unpredictable.

Someone might have gained a heavenly stroke of luck.

But Fang Shi was certain: no one like that existed in this city.

After all, he’d lived here too long before his rebirth.

“Tap-tap-tap.”

A series of footsteps descended, accompanied by a beam of light—Zhao Wenjun, a bald, burly man, appeared before Fang Shi with a wide smile, followed by a dozen others.

“Welcome, Master! I’m Zhao Wenjun—welcome home, Master.”

He glanced behind him: “What are you waiting for? Welcome Master!”

“Hello, Master!”

“Welcome, Master!”

“Master, you’ve worked hard!”

…

Fang Shi stared at the scene, stunned—the leader was someone he knew.

Before his rebirth, he’d followed Zhao Wenjun.

This man was exceptionally bold, fearless in battle.

While others still feared the Corpse and Firewing Birds, Zhao Wenjun was the first to step forward and hunt actively.

Under his leadership, Ancheng’s survivors formed a massive human settlement.

They survived the second and third waves.

Unfortunately, the fourth wave came.

The settlement was utterly crushed—and that was when Fang Shi began his solitary survival.

Had the cosmic forces not vanished then,

He might not have lasted three years.

He would have died the moment he fled the settlement.

But in his past life, he never met Zhao Wenjun like this.

And Zhao Wenjun would never have come to this old residential complex.

Had his rebirth’s butterfly effect been so great that history already shifted by day four?

“What are you doing here?”

Fang Shi said coolly—no matter what achievements Zhao Wenjun had in his past life, now he was just a junior before him.

Zhao Wenjun didn’t mind Fang Shi’s younger age, grinning: “Master, your commotion last night was huge—I’ve come to join you.”

“Oh? How did you get here? So many Firewing Birds outside—you’ve got guts.”

“We can’t compare to Master. We came under cover of night—after you wiped out the Firewing Birds around here—and crept over in the dark.”

So that was it—Zhao Wenjun was as bold as ever.

“I know why you’re here. Go upstairs and deal with my Firewing Bird.”

“Here,” Fang Shi tossed him a Firewing Bird’s energy core. “This is your payment. Do well, and there’ll be more.”

Zhao Wenjun took the core, about to ask what it was.

But as soon as he felt the primal energy nourishing him, his heart burned with excitement.

He hurriedly replied: “Master, rest assured—we’ll handle it for you.”

Saying that, he quickly led his men upstairs.

“More?”—how could Zhao Wenjun not be thrilled.

He was bold, yes—but only out of necessity. Who wouldn’t want rewards without risking their life?

As for Xiao Xi and the other two, Fang Shi didn’t ask.

Zhao Wenjun wasn’t cruel or murderous; by his nature, they were probably still working.

That was Zhao Wenjun’s principle for leading the settlement: no idle mouths.

Fang Shi sometimes borrowed the idea.

…

In a dark room, doors and windows sealed, curtains drawn tight.

On the floor lay a headless Corpse, oozing foul fluid.

Fang Shi sat cross-legged on the bed, preparing to level up.

He’d waited for this moment too long—he didn’t want any more surprises.

“Do you wish to spend 6,000 experience points to reach Level 4?”

“Yes.”

“You have advanced to Level 4 Martial Master.”

“You gain 4 + Intelligence (14-10)/2 = 6 skill points.”

“Your HP increases by 8 + Constitution (15-10)/2 = 10 points.”

“You gain the class trait Cannon Fist I.”

“【Cannon Fist I】: The inhale and exhale of a single breath is the fiercest in nature, the most violent in form; internally it belongs to the heart, in the fist it becomes a cannon. (Power check +2 when using Cannon Fist)”

“You gain the class trait Leap Step I.”

“【Leap Step I】: Light as a monkey, swift as a bird; your feet move high or far, flying in parallel. (Movement speed +1)”

“You gain one free attribute point.”

“You are the first player to reach Level 4 in your class.”

“You receive a Black Iron Chest.”

“Do you wish to assign your free attribute point to Perception?”

“Yes.”

“Your Perception increases: 19 → 20.”

BOOM!

Fang Shi’s five senses fell silent—his perception held no light, no color.

No black, no white—only chaos.

Especially his pineal gland, deep in his brow, began thrashing violently.

As if it would leap free of his body’s constraints.

He didn’t know how long it lasted.

Light!

Light—coming from nowhere—Fang Shi regained the sense of color.

And his consciousness leapt along that light.

He saw the dim room, the corpses on the floor, and the body seated on the bed.

“Is this soul out-of-body?”

Fang Shi was stunned; before he could think further, a pulling force surged from his body.

In an instant, it dragged his consciousness back into his physical form.

“Your perception has reached 20.”

“You have acquired the personal trait [Extraordinary Perception].”

“You are the first player to break through the extraordinary threshold in a single attribute.”

“You have received one free attribute point.”

“You are the first player to break through the extraordinary threshold in Perception.”

“Your Perception has increased: 20 → 21.”