Chapter 19: Leaving the Base, Slaying the Bone-Eating Rats

"Sir, you must be a trainee who has just left the youth training camp, correct? Most of our tasks are aimed at Evolvers, so I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed," the attendant explained politely, her smile calm and unsurprised by Zhang Ran’s expression.

"I understand." Zhang Ran replied, but still finished reading through the task manual before returning it to the attendant.

Having reviewed the available tasks, Zhang Ran left the task area and moved to the trading zone nearby. Using the voucher issued by the Black Hawk Training Camp, he successfully exchanged it for a military dagger. Of course, the dagger was merely a standard steel blade, worth only a few hundred Black Hawk coins. If Zhang Ran wanted a more advanced alloy weapon, he would have to save up and purchase it himself.

Armed with his new weapon, Zhang Ran wasted no time. He took off his training camp fatigues, changed into the field uniform, boots, and gloves from his backpack, and set out alone from the base.

Zhang Ran’s target this time was the Berserk Field Rat. He planned to hunt them for Evolution Energy, first pushing his physical abilities to the limits of ordinary humans, then challenging more formidable mutated beasts.

"Chip, activate recording mode, enrich the simulation map, and analyze the best hunting grounds and routes!" After passing through a long mountain tunnel and leaving the Forward Base behind, Zhang Ran entered the wilderness again, silently issuing commands to the chip in his mind.

"Recording mode activated. Your sensory data will be captured to enrich the simulation map."

"Best hunting grounds have been marked on the simulation map. Optimal routes have been plotted!"

As the system notification sounded, several purple beams appeared on the simulation map before Zhang Ran, highlighting locations where Berserk Field Rats frequently emerged.

"Alright, let’s start with the nearest one. Chip, begin navigation." Speaking as he walked, Zhang Ran followed the route planned by the chip, moving away from the Forward Base toward the first Berserk Field Rat nest.

Within a kilometer of the Forward Base, the area, regularly cleared, no longer resembled true wilderness. It looked more like a desolate town. But as Zhang Ran moved further away, the unique sights of the wild quickly came into view.

Ahead lay an asphalt street, now overgrown with waist-high pale yellow grass and moss, alongside many bizarre mutated plants, their colors mostly gray or yellowish. On either side, the original concrete buildings had long since collapsed, leaving only moss-clad low walls and scattered fragments of concrete. Amidst the ruins and grass, mutated creatures occasionally darted through.

Along the street, there were only mutated plants. Normally, such wide thoroughfares would be littered with abandoned cars, yet not a single one could be seen. Clearly, previous trainees had dismantled the remains for sale at the base—metal fetched ten Black Hawk coins per kilogram, and though it didn’t yield Evolution Energy, it was a safer and effective way to earn money compared to hunting mutated beasts.

Wait, something’s moving!

As Zhang Ran advanced, he suddenly heard rustling from the grass nearby. Instinctively, he readied himself for battle, gripping his dagger tightly.

"Mutated creature detected approaching from the right. Host, exercise caution!" The chip’s warning sounded in Zhang Ran’s mind just as he drew his dagger. A dark shadow leapt from the grass, launching itself at him.

It was a huge black rat, as large as a hunting dog, bigger than a Berserk Field Rat, exuding a heavy stench of decay. Its eyes were blood-red, filled with ferocity.

Bone-Eater Rat!

The name flashed through Zhang Ran’s mind as he quickly rolled aside, narrowly evading the creature’s attack.

Bone-Eater Rats were another common mutated beast in the wild, far stronger and more aggressive than Berserk Field Rats. Unlike their omnivorous cousins, Bone-Eater Rats favored human flesh and often attacked people proactively.

More terrifying still, Bone-Eater Rats carried deadly pathogens. Without Evolver-level constitution, ordinary people scratched by them had to amputate the affected limb, or else they would contract a fatal disease. Within hours, their blood would turn black, leading to an agonizing death.

For this reason, Bone-Eater Rats were considered among the most dangerous mutated beasts in the wilderness. Zhang Ran was extremely cautious, determined not to let it touch him. At the same time, the chip projected a 3D image and stats of the rat before his eyes.

[Enemy Name: Bone-Eater Rat]
[Hunt Level: Level 0]
[Strength: 1.7]
[Constitution: 1.4]
[Agility: 1.7]
[Mental: 0.6]

As Zhang Ran studied the rat’s weaknesses and attributes, he sprang to his feet. While the rat stumbled after missing its attack, Zhang Ran stomped hard on its back.

Crunch!

His boot landed directly on the rat’s spine, and with a sharp crack, he broke its backbone.

Paralyzed, the Bone-Eater Rat flailed helplessly, unable to turn over. Zhang Ran kept his foot pressed firmly on its body, gripped his dagger with both hands, and brought it down on the rat’s head.

Crunch!

With a savage blow, the dagger shattered the rat’s skull. Purple-black blood spurted from its neck, reeking of corruption, while its head was flung far away by the pressure within.

The battle ended with Zhang Ran’s effortless victory. His attributes far outmatched the Bone-Eater Rat, and having spotted its ambush in time, he dispatched it without trouble.

As the rat died, waves of warmth flowed into Zhang Ran’s body through his pores, surging along his bloodstream toward his spine. Wherever the Evolution Energy passed, his cells underwent mysterious changes, their vitality slowly increasing, and his physical attributes rising further.

"Body has received Evolution Energy enhancement: Strength +0.001, Constitution +0.001, Mental +0.001."

The stronger the mutated beast, the more Evolution Energy gained upon its defeat. Though this Bone-Eater Rat yielded less energy than a Level 1 gene enhancement serum, it was nonetheless far greater than previous kills, boosting each of Zhang Ran’s core stats by more than a thousandth.