Chapter 2: First Energy Crystal

Only by killing it—only by killing it yourself can you survive!

Before, Lin Yue thought that with just his physical condition, even if he got past this immediate obstacle, the chance of surviving in this apocalypse was practically zero.

But now I have a system,

As long as I can get past this immediate obstacle, with the system's support afterwards, I'll definitely take off!

Easy to say… but how exactly do I kill it?

I'm barehanded, covered in wounds—my strength, speed, and stature don't match that monster in any way.

Charging out would be no different from suicide.

Just then, a shrill scream suddenly came from another ruined apartment building in the distance.

"Ah—save me!!"

Lin Yue's heart tightened, and he looked toward the sound.

He saw a ragged man jump out of a second-floor window, seemingly trying to rush across the open ground and escape to the other side.

However, the moment he landed and had taken no more than two steps, two slightly smaller creatures, like mutant mole rats, darted out from the shadow of a nearby abandoned bus.

Their speed was astonishing; in an instant they pounced on the man.

The man only managed to let out a short wail before the terrifying sound of flesh being torn completely drowned it out.

"Holy shit, that's fierce!"

Lin Yue watched helplessly as a living person was devoured to nothing in just a few seconds, leaving only a smear of blurred flesh and dark‑red stains on the ground.

A frontal assault offers no chance of victory.

That man's fate is what awaits me.

"If force doesn't work, try soft… no, try sneaky."

After a brief moment of stunned hesitation, Lin Yue made a decision.

In his previous life, having struggled in the workplace, he was best at analyzing pros and cons under limited conditions to find the optimal solution.

Now, his client is "survival," and his KPI is "to stay alive."

His gaze quickly swept over his surroundings: the undercarriage, discarded parts, twisted rebar, shattered glass…

Suddenly, his eyes locked onto a rust‑streaked bare rebar protruding from the concrete foundation beside him.

This rebar is about as thick as an arm, and its tip, worn by years of wind and rain, has formed an irregular, sharp bevel.

Its base is still buried in the concrete, but its middle section is firmly pressed down by the abandoned vehicle's axle, creating an extremely unstable structure.

A bold plan quickly formed in Lin Yue's mind.

Leverage principle.

If I could lure that mutant dog to a specific spot… and if I could find something to act as a lever to pry up the axle pressing down on the rebar…

Then this rebar, weighed down by the vehicle's body, would act like a compressed spring and snap upward instantly!

As long as luck isn't too bad, he has a high chance of turning the tables and killing that mutant dog!

"The risk is high… there's only one chance."

Lin Yue muttered to himself, his voice carrying a tremor he himself didn't notice.

But now, aside from this method, he truly couldn't think of any other way; without external help, relying solely on himself, he could never kill that mutant dog before him.

Thus Lin Yue hesitated no longer, began feeling around in the cramped space, looking for something that could serve as a lever.

Soon he felt a metal pipe over half a meter long, likely a car part, which felt substantial in his hand.

This is it!

Lin Yue gripped the iron pipe tightly; its cold touch calmed his frantic heartbeat a little.

He looked outward again; the mutant dog seemed worn out, sniffing around the vehicle with its nose, trying to find a gap to squeeze through.

Opportunity!

Lin Yue took a deep breath, suppressing the dryness in his throat.

He picked up the largest piece of glass nearby and, with all his might, slammed it hard against the undercarriage above his head!

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sharp, piercing metallic clatter instantly shattered the surrounding silence.

The sound was full of provocation.

Sure enough, the mutant dog outside was completely enraged.

It let out an earth‑shaking bark, its scarlet eyes locked onto the direction the sound came from—exactly where Lin Yue was.

It stopped probing, stepped back a few paces, muscles bulging, its whole body like a bow drawn taut.

"Stay calm, I must stay calm!"

Lin Yue's heart rose to his throat; although he was terrified, he knew he had to stay calm, or else death was certain.

"Roar!!"

Accompanied by a violent roar, the mutant dog turned into a black gust and lunged fiercely at the car door where Lin Yue was hiding.

At that moment, time seemed to stretch.

Lin Yue could clearly see its gaping bloody maw, the drool hanging from its fangs that was nauseating, and its beastly eyes filled with rage and hunger.

Now!

At the instant the mutant dog's forepaws were about to touch the car door, Lin Yue summoned all his strength.

He shoved the prepared iron pipe hard into the gap between the axle and the ground, braced the pipe's end with his shoulder, and then threw his full weight onto it!

"Come—on—up!!"

From his throat came a beast‑like howl, the muscles in his face twisted from extreme exertion.

Creak——

A grating metal screech rang out, making teeth ache.

Thanks to the lever, the heavy axle shifted by an almost imperceptible amount.

But that tiny bit was already enough!

The rebar pinned down by the axle instantly lost its restraint; under the immense pressure of the vehicle's own weight, it shot upward with a howling wind, flying straight at the mutant dog!

"Puchi!!"

The sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh, to Lin Yue, had never sounded more wonderful than today.

The rebounding rebar pierced the mutant dog's soft abdomen with pinpoint accuracy, bursting out through its back!

"Aooo——!!"

The monster let out an earsplitting howl, twisting and struggling wildly; its sharp claws raked wildly a few centimeters in front of Lin Yue, tearing the iron car door into jagged gaps.

Warm, viscous blood spurted out like a fountain, drenching Lin Yue from head to toe.

Those few seconds felt as long as an eternity.

The mutant dog's struggles grew weaker, until its body suddenly stiffened and it lay completely still.

Only its pair of vicious eyes remained wide open, filled with resentment and pain.

As if saying, how could it die at the hands of such weak prey before its eyes!

It was dead.

Lin Yue's iron pipe clanged to the ground, and he went limp as if all his bones had been pulled out, collapsing onto the cold vehicle underside.

He gasped heavily, his lungs burning with pain, each breath reeking of blood.

"I… I killed it…"

He stared at his blood‑stained hands, his expression complex.

But reality gave him no time for reflection.

Just then, a soft white light quietly appeared on the still‑warm corpse of the mutant dog.

The light quickly gathered, finally condensing at its abdominal wound into a diamond‑shaped crystal the size of a fingernail, faintly glowing.

Level‑1 Energy Crystal!

Lin Yue's eyes lit up instantly.

He ignored his fatigue and struggled out from under the vehicle.

The pungent smell of blood quickly spread through the air.

"Roar!"

"Hiss…"

In the distance, the noise from his killing the mutant dog had already drawn other monsters' attention; their rising and falling howls echoed one after another, and they rushed rapidly toward this spot!

"Damn! No way! I just finished one, and here come more!"

Alarm bells rang in Lin Yue's mind; from the incoming sounds he could clearly tell that this time more than one monster was approaching!

"Hope the evolved grass turtle can help me get through this crisis!"

He lunged to the mutant dog's carcass, heedless of its bloody wound, and snatched the warm energy crystal from its body.

Holding the crystal, a warm current instantly surged into his body, dispelling some of the chill.

Without the slightest hesitation.

Lin Yue clung to this hard‑won hope and turned, rushing back under the vehicle.

He grabbed the dying grass turtle and pressed the glowing energy crystal firmly onto its shell.

He could feel more monsters entering the street, their footsteps and howls growing clearer.

"Evolve! Evolve for me!!"

Lin Yue watched the monsters draw nearer, his heart leaping to his throat again.