Chapter 19: Begin the Hunt

So, our top priority right now is to first get Black Tortoise to level 3.

Lin Yue said solemnly.

Wang Gongtou stared at him blankly, but quickly understood Lin Yue's meaning.

Exactly, if Black Tortoise isn't strong enough, the so-called moving city will ultimately just be empty talk.

"Lin Xiaozi, you're right."

He let out a long sigh, as if setting down some burden,

"It's my stupidity, my head full of building houses… but I forgot what kind of world this is. Now, in the apocalypse, if I'm not strong enough, any far-off plans are just empty."

He pushed up his broken glasses, the temples taped with tape on the bridge of his nose, and a bitter smile appeared on his face:

"Lin Xiaozi, give us a direction—where should we go to find the Mutant Beast's nest?"

"No way? You're not part of the supplies scouting team, are you? How could you not know?"

Lin Yue had thought that anyone who came out of the shelter's supplies team would know this city inside out.

"Ashamed."

Wang Gongtou's old face instantly flushed red,

"The shelter has strict rules—not just anyone can get out. After the apocalypse, I've basically been staying in the shelter helping to repair defenses; I've only gone out with the supplies scouting team twice. The reason I could come out this time is because I used to work at the Urban Construction Bureau, so I'm familiar with the municipal pipelines and building structures, and I can help the scouting team avoid collapsed danger zones. As for Mutant Beasts… we always detour around them, never daring to approach them directly. This time, it was only because we weren't in a hurry to dodge that we got attacked by a Mutant Beast; I barely escaped with my life, and who would have thought I'd also run into acid rain—if it weren't for meeting you, this old life of mine would be gone."

After hearing that, Lin Yue had a clear idea.

Indeed, it's better to rely on oneself than on others—in the end, you still have to depend on yourself!

"It's fine."

Lin Yue pondered for a moment,

"I don't know, we'll just look slowly. Hangcheng is so big—there's bound to be some clueless Mutant Beast that bumps into us on its own."

He patted Black Tortoise's shell, then nimbly flipped up and climbed onto its wide back, which was covered with a meter-thick layer of soil and stone.

"Old Wang, come up."

He shouted downwards,

"Let's change locations and go hunting!"

Wang Gongtou didn't hesitate any longer, using both hands and feet to climb up Black Tortoise's thick leg plates.

"Black Tortoise, move out!"

With Lin Yue's command, Black Tortoise began to walk slowly toward the city.

Thud… thud… thud…

One person, one turtle, one old man—thus was formed the strangest hunting squad of the apocalypse.

Over the following days, they practically covered the western part of Hangcheng.

Wang Gongtou also became a makeshift guide, incessantly telling Lin Yue about the city's former prosperity.

"Lin Xiaozi, look over there—nothing but a steel frame remains; that used to be Hangcheng's biggest amusement park, and on weekends it was packed with people…"

"And over there, that flooded lowland used to be the city center's music fountain square; my late wife loved to bring our grandson here for an evening stroll…"

The old man's words were full of nostalgia and sorrow.

Lin Yue mostly just listened in silence, while staying constantly alert to everything around him, missing not even the slightest stir.

Unfortunately, their luck seemed not so good.

Of course, it could also be that Black Tortoise's current size is too terrifying—wherever it goes, low-level Mutant Beasts flee at the sight, not even daring to approach.

Even if, occasionally, a few clueless ones blunder into its path, the energy points they yield are pitifully few.

On the third afternoon, beneath a collapsed overpass, they finally encountered a small group of Mutant Lizards.

They were a kind of Mutant Lizard over two meters long, three in total.

Upon spotting Black Tortoise, they didn't flee—instead, they launched a proactive charge.

Seeing this, Lin Yue even couldn't be bothered to have Black Tortoise activate its Energy Shield.

"Black Tortoise, crush them."

"Roar!"

Having received the order, Black Tortoise's massive body did not dodge or evade, but charged straight forward!

"Bang!"

The lead Mutant Lizard was smashed into a puddle of flesh by its enormous skull on the spot.

The other two were stomped into the ground by Black Tortoise's pillar-like legs, as if crushing two grasshoppers.

【Absorbing scattered energy, gained 1 energy point.】

【Detected deceased lifeform (Level‑1 Corrosive Mutant Lizard), detected Level‑1 Energy Crystal, absorb?】

"Yes."

【Absorbing scattered energy, gained 1 energy point.】

Lin Yue looked at the jumping numbers on the system panel and shook his head helplessly.

【Required for promotion to Level 3: 776/1000】

Three days, and it had only increased by 12 points.

"No good, it's too slow."

Lin Yue sat cross‑legged on the turtle's back, brows furrowed,

"At this rate, who knows when we'll gather the remaining two‑plus‑hundred energy points."

Wang Gongtou also noticed his irritation and spoke to comfort him:

"Lin Xiaozi, don't be anxious—this won't come quickly. I heard the old-timers of the scouting team say that Mutant Beasts also have habits; they like to cluster in places with abundant energy or special supplies. For example, large power plants, chemical factories, or… near the police armory."

"Oh?"

Lin Yue's heart stirred,

"Police armory?"

"Yes."

Wang Gongtou nodded, his expression also turning solemn,

"After the apocalypse, that place was taken over by a pack of mutant beasts. No one knows what it's really like inside, because nobody who went in ever came back."

What does Lin Yue lack most right now?

Besides energy points, what he needs is a powerful attack method!

Black Tortoise's defense is nearly flawless, but its attack methods are too monotonous.

If we could get heavy weapons…

That thought had just surfaced when he crushed it.

No, too risky.

Before Black Tortoise reaches level 3, going to such a place is no different from suicide.

Forget it, you have to eat rice bite by bite and walk step by step.

"Keep looking."

"I don't believe it— in such a huge Hangcheng, we can't even find a decent monster lair!"

Perhaps his obsession moved the heavens.

When they were wandering aimlessly and it was the evening of the fifth day, a turning point finally appeared.

They were passing through a ruined old city district that had been flattened.

"Lin kid, quick look over there!"

Wang Gongtou, who had been on lookout duty, suddenly pointed to the southeast, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Are there too many birds over there…?"

Lin Yue immediately looked in the direction he pointed.

Indeed, above a cluster of buildings, many small black dots were circling.

However, Lin Yue could be certain they were absolutely not ordinary birds!

"Black Tortoise, get closer!"

As the distance closed, the outline of that building cluster became ever clearer.

That place should have been a small gymnasium, but now its outer walls are ruined while the main structure remains largely intact.

And those circling black dots finally revealed their true form.

They were a bat-like mutant creature!

They emitted a buzzing, harsh wingbeat, flying in swarms through the gymnasium's shattered dome, obviously treating it as their nest.

Lin Yue gave a rough glance; just those circling above the gym numbered at least a hundred.

As for the interior of the gym, no one knows how many more are hidden inside.

This scale exceeds the total of all the monsters they've encountered before combined!

Thus Lin Yue quickly directed Black Tortoise to stop behind a nearby high-rise ruin and began observing cautiously.

"Old Wang, do you know what this is?"

Wang Gongtou examined it carefully for a while before slowly speaking:

"If I'm not mistaken… this should be a 'Ghost-faced Blood Bat.' The scouting team's records note it as a level‑1 mutant beast, lives in colonies, feeds on blood. Individually they're not strong, but once they swarm they become terribly frightening. Their strongest means is their cry; according to the records, their call can interfere with people's nerves, causing hallucinations."

"Ghost-faced Blood Bat…"

Upon hearing that, Lin Yue's eyes showed not a trace of fear.

If we could wipe them all out, the energy needed for Black Tortoise to reach level 3 would certainly be enough!

"Old Wang, hold on tight."

Lin Yue licked his slightly dry lips, his gaze sharp as he looked toward the gymnasium.