"Young Master Lin, this is the Qian residence."
At the gate of the Qian residence, Xia Mingtang greeted Lin Yan and then stepped onto the steps to greet the gatekeeper.
"Young Master, the head of the Qian family is already waiting in the main hall."
After exchanging a few words with the gatekeeper, Xia Mingtang returned to Lin Yan. Lin Yan nodded and, led by the gatekeeper, entered the Qian residence.
The main hall of the Qian residence.
The moment Lin Yan stepped into the hall, his gaze subtly swept over the head of the table.
An old man sat there, his temples frosted with white, his face thin, but his eyes, though small, were exceptionally bright, and he was currently looking at him with a smile.
Qian Zhengchu.
One of the few four-times-level skin-grinding martial artists in Sanshan County.
The charcoal fire in the hall burned brightly, dispelling the chill of the winter night. Two maids stood on either side, their heads bowed, motionless.
Lin Yan stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "This junior, Lin Yan, has come uninvited. I hope Senior Qian will forgive me."
"Young Master Lin is too kind."
Qian Zhengchu stood up and greeted him with a smile, his enthusiasm bordering on welcoming a junior.
He even patted Lin Yan's shoulder, saying, "I already know why you've come. Hang'er was being unreasonable first. I apologize to you."
Lin Yan was slightly taken aback and quickly replied, "Senior, you flatter me."
"A mistake is a mistake. There's no need to flatter me. Please have a seat, Young Master Lin."
Lin Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Thank you, Senior."
As Lin Yan sat down in the guest seat, Xia Mingtang quickly stood behind him. He suddenly felt his brain wasn't working properly; he hadn't understood a word of their conversation.
However, neither Qian Zhengchu nor Lin Yan seemed inclined to help him understand.
A maidservant served hot tea, its aroma wafting through the air.
Qian Zhengchu returned to the main seat, his eyes filled with admiration: "Young Master Lin, you've already achieved three skin-sharpening techniques at such a young age. Your future is limitless! When I was your age, I was still struggling with only two."
Lin Yan remained expressionless, humbly replying, "Senior, you flatter me. I was merely lucky
." "In the path of martial arts, there's no such thing as luck," Qian Zhengchu waved his hand, smiling broadly. "To have reached this level, it's all true skill."
He spoke sincerely, his eyes even carrying a hint of admiration.
Lin Yan picked up his teacup and took a sip, but his heart grew increasingly wary.
Something was amiss!
He had sent a visiting card yesterday, and the other party, suspicious, must have investigated, perhaps guessing some things, and then questioned his son to learn the truth—that was normal.
What was amiss was the other party's attitude; it was far too enthusiastic.
The fact that a family head who had undergone four rounds of skin-refining was so enthusiastic towards a junior who had only undergone three rounds of skin-refining suggested either genuine appreciation for talent or ulterior motives.
At this critical juncture, the latter was far more likely.
However, Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear that the Qian family head's qi and blood were indeed beginning to decline. When he touched him, although the martial arts tree showed a height of four feet two inches, the top four inches were withered.
This was the first time he had ever seen someone's martial arts tree withered, a sign of declining qi and blood.
This Qian family head's actual qi and blood was now only three feet eight inches high, but he was still a powerful figure who had undergone four rounds of skin-refining; his true strength couldn't be judged solely by his qi and blood.
Qian Zhengchu took a sip of tea, looked at Lin Yan, and said sincerely, "After receiving your invitation, I knew something was amiss. I asked Hang'er… Alas, it's all my fault for failing to discipline him properly."
Perhaps because Xia Mingtang, an outsider, was present, Qian Zhengchu didn't want to be too explicit, but his meaning was clear, and Lin Yan, as the person involved, certainly understood.
Lin Yan remained silent, offering no reply.
He hadn't come to interrogate anyone; his strength was insufficient for that.
"Hang'er is young and impetuous, and acts without thinking. I've already severely reprimanded him."
However, before Lin Yan could respond, Qian Zhengchu pulled a silver note from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards him.
"This is a small token of my apology to Young Master Lin. Let's call it even."
A thousand taels of silver!
Standing behind Lin Yan, Xia Mingtang's eyes widened at the face value of the note.
He now understood half of what had happened: the Chen brothers' trouble was related to the Qian family's young master.
So, Young Master Lin had come to demand an explanation?
What he found hard to comprehend was that the Qian family head had chosen to apologize.
Even though the Qian family head's life force was waning, he was still a fourth-level Skin-Refining expert; did he really need to adopt such a humble posture?
Lin Yan stared at the silver note, remained silent for a moment, and then reached out to take it.
The patriarch of a family who had been through four rounds of persuasion first patted him on the shoulder to show goodwill, then took the initiative to admit his mistakes, and finally offered an apology.
This combination would likely have flattered and dispelled any doubts of the other party.
But Lin Yan's vigilance was now at its highest level; the reason remained the same: he didn't deserve such treatment from this patriarch.
The slightly disordered breathing of Xia Mingtang behind him said it all.
However, he still wanted the money.
Regardless of what the patriarch's intentions were, since he had offered a thousand taels, he had no reason to refuse.
Lin Yan's tone was sincere: "Originally, this junior shouldn't accept this money, but since it's a gift from an elder, I dare not refuse. As for Young Master Qian… this junior has no grudges with Young Master Qian, only some misunderstandings, which have now been resolved."
After accepting the money, Lin Yan stayed for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before rising to take his leave, departing with Xia Mingtang.
Qian Zhengchu personally escorted him to the main hall entrance, only leaving after Lin Yan had disappeared from sight, before walking from behind a screen towards the backyard.
"Father, did you really give Lin Yan a thousand taels?"
Qian Shuhang asked, his expression displeased. Was it really necessary?
"Giving him the money was to lower Lin Yan's guard. As for this thousand taels, Lin Yan won't spend it all in a short time, and it will eventually come back to us. Besides, this way we can clear the Qian family of suspicion. If something unexpected happens in Guangping County later, the Qian family can also get away with it."
Qian Zhengchu stroked his beard, his face full of calculation.
This thousand taels was only temporarily placed with Lin Yan.
"Did you tell Chen Hai to stop for now?"
"Yes, the end of the year is approaching, Lin Yan won't stay in Sanshan County for long. Just keep an eye on Lin Yan, and when he leaves the city, I will follow."
...
...
As Lin Yan left the Qian residence, he cursed inwardly, "Old man."
Qian Zhengchu was definitely up to no good and had probably already started plotting against him.
"Young Master Lin, shall we continue strolling around the county town?"
"No, let's go back."
Lin Yan shook his head. He had
[原文鏈接:
many things to do today and didn't have time to wander around the county town.
...
Night fell at
the Chen family mansion.
The entire mansion was shrouded in a oppressive, deathly silence.
The servants walked with their heads down, their footsteps extremely light, afraid of making the slightest sound.
In the direction of the main hall, the air seemed to still carry the lingering scent of blood. An hour earlier, two maids had been caught by the head of the family simply for exchanging a few words with smiles on their faces. He had killed them instantly with a single slap each.
In the main hall, Chen Hai's anger hadn't subsided.
His second brother was dead, and Qian Shuhang had already forbade him to kill Lin Yan, but now, after coming here again, he had completely forbidden him from taking action, even using Qian Shuhang's father to pressure him.
This was truly outrageous!
"The revenge for my second brother must be taken. As for what the Qian family is planning, I can't control that. At worst, I'll just leave Sanshan County."
Chen Hai flipped through the account book in his hand, which recorded all the shops and fields owned by the Chen family. He planned to take stock of them, and once they were all sold, it would be time to avenge his second brother.
As for the family members, he had secretly arranged for them to leave the city in the past few days.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in through the door.
Chen Hai subconsciously looked up at the doorway, then looked away and continued flipping through the account book.
Just as he opened the account book, Chen Hai's fingers paused.
Something's wrong.
This wind is off.
Not the wind, but the silence.
A chill ran through Chen Hai, and he abruptly looked up.
A sword light had already silently reached him.
There was no sound of it cutting through the air, no sharp sword wind, not even a reflection on the blade.
The sword's edge was like a long-dormant snake, emerging silently from the darkness.
Chen Hai didn't even have time to see the shape of the sword clearly.
A flash of light.
His right arm fell to the ground.
"Dare to make a sound, and the next moment this sword won't be on my arm but my throat."
Chen Hai's movements froze. Even though blood was gushing from his right arm, he could only forcefully endure the pain and stare at the person who had entered: "Who are you? My Chen family should not have offended you."
This person's face was unfamiliar. Chen Hai was certain he had never seen this person before. This person was definitely not a martial artist from Sanshan County.
A strong person of this age who could sever his arm with a single sword strike—he couldn't possibly have offended such a person.
"Lin Yan."
Lin Yan spoke softly, sword in hand. He hadn't killed him instantly, not because he couldn't, but to confirm if Qian Shuhang was the mastermind.
Lin Yan?
Chen Hai's pupils constricted. The man who had severed his arm with a single sword strike was none other than Lin Yan, the one who had killed the second brother!
The second brother's initial advantage being reversed…
Chen Hai wasn't stupid; he understood almost instantly that the second brother had never been a match for Lin Yan, who had deliberately concealed his strength.
But compared to Lin Yan's concealment, he was even more shocked by the strength Lin Yan had displayed.
Lin Yan's background was undeniable, and his martial arts training was traceable. To be able to sever his arm with a single sword strike in less than two years—what extraordinary talent!
"Young Master Lin, my brother and I have no grudge against you. Our actions against you were at the behest of Qian Shuhang from the Qian family. If you spare our lives, I can tell you a secret."
Chen Hai didn't hesitate for a moment and directly revealed Qian Shuhang's identity. His second brother had been killed, and Qian Shuhang had forbidden him from seeking revenge. Although he was indeed no match for Lin Yan now,
it was precisely because of this that he hated Qian Shuhang even more.
If Qian Shuhang didn't know Lin Yan's hidden strength and forbade him from seeking revenge, that was hateful!
If Qian Shuhang knew Lin Yan's true strength and still sent his second brother to deal with Lin Yan, it was tantamount to sending his second brother to his death, which was equally hateful!
In terms of hatred, he certainly hated Lin Yan, but he also hated Qian Shuhang.
"Alright." Lin Yan nodded, agreeing readily.
Seeing Lin Yan's quick agreement, Chen Hai hesitated.
"I have no grudge against your Chen family. It was your brother who died. You lost your right hand, and your martial arts strength has greatly decreased. Whether I kill you or not is irrelevant. Do you really dare to seek revenge?"
Hearing Lin Yan's explanation, Chen Hai thought it made sense. He was sure he wouldn't dare seek revenge on Lin Yan, even if he survived this time.
Unless Lin Yan was crippled one day.
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Young Master Lin." Chen Hai thanked him through his pain. "Qian Shuhang asked me to deal with you, Young Master Lin, but he specifically instructed me to only drive you out of Sanshan County and not to kill you." "
That's it?"
"That's all, but in my opinion..."
Chen Hai harbored a secret, not mentioning that Qian Shuhang had come today and forbade him from taking action.
It wasn't that he wanted to use this information to make a deal with Lin Yan to save his life; he simply wanted Lin Yan and Qian Shuhang to confront each other, preferably to the point of mutual destruction.
Whoosh!
A flash of sword light, and Chen Hai remained frozen in place, mouth agape, like a statue suddenly immobilized.
A drop of blood seeped from his throat.
Then a second, a third.
The wound was so fine it was almost invisible, yet it had precisely severed his trachea and blood vessels.
Disbelief filled Chen Hai's eyes; his lips moved as if to speak, but only a muffled hoarse sound escaped his lips. He stared intently at Lin Yan before collapsing to the ground with a thud.
He didn't understand why Lin Yan hadn't waited for him to finish speaking before striking.
He couldn't understand why Lin Yan had gone back on his word.
Seeing Chen Hai's wide-eyed, unseeing death, Lin Yan's expression remained unchanged. Letting Chen Hai go was impossible.
As for going back on his word, Lin Yan didn't think so; he had already expelled Chen Hai from his human form.
There was no need to keep promises to the inhuman.
As for Chen Hai's analysis, it was useless to him; Chen Hai knew far less information than he did.
Unable to kill himself, he could only be driven out of Sanshan County…
to act as a lobbyist for the Sihai Gang…
why would he be willing to give five hundred taels…
why did he think he could persuade his master…
Lin Yan's eyes narrowed slightly; he had a guess at what Qian Shuhang was going to do.
He seemed to have experienced this scene before.
Someone in the Patrol Bureau wanted to kill him and frame the Sihai Gang.
Now, Qian Shuhang was probably thinking the same thing.
A cold glint appeared in Lin Yan's eyes. Did he think that because of his poor background and lack of backing, he could be molded like mud at will?
Glancing at the two martial arts fruits accumulated by the Chen brothers on his martial arts tree, Lin Yan did not hesitate and whispered in his heart: Refine!
Sixteen years of sword cultivation, and suddenly he had an epiphany.
In his mind, the purple leaf belonging to the Jinghong Sword Technique now had three more white veins.
A total of twelve!
Lin Yan drew his sword, and with one swing, twelve sword threads wrapped around it.
"What the hell is this thing?!"
In the Gujiangyuan residential complex, Lin Bu stood on the balcony of his apartment 404, staring at the strange bird stuck in the invisible security bars, and cursed aloud.
The bird's appearance was incredibly bizarre.
Its head resembled a bat, with a short, wide snout revealing fine teeth, and two erect cartilaginous protrusions near its ears.
Its body was covered in a layer of messy, grayish-brown feathers, and its wings were like bat wings, thin and almost transparent, with clearly visible dark red veins underneath. It
also had long, thin, hooked claws on its abdomen, and was about the size of a large red rooster. It
exuded a Frankenstein's monster aura. At this moment, the strange bird's head was firmly stuck in the security bars, its wings and claws flapping incessantly, the wires creaking and rattling, and feathers and debris falling down in a flurry. Sensing something approaching, the strange bird unleashed an even more piercing cry, hoarse and rapid, sending chills down one's spine. Lin Bu intended to take a few steps closer for a closer look, but his gaze was immediately drawn to the scene outside the window. The once bustling downtown area, surrounded by towering buildings, suddenly became an incredibly vast expanse. The shopping malls, office buildings, asphalt roads, and everything surrounding the complex were all replaced by a dense, shady forest. A hundred meters beyond the complex fence, the trees were ridiculously tall, their canopies overlapping and intertwining. "Where did this come from?" "Why didn't anyone notify me before moving my house to a 4A-level scenic area…?" A layer of bewilderment surfaced in Lin Bu's eyes, his pupils slightly contracting as he gazed at the unfamiliar forest. But quickly, his years of experience writing novels brought him back to his senses. After writing fantasy stories for so many years, this time he had probably really stumbled upon something fantastical. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, turned it on, and unsurprisingly, there were two crosses marked on the signal bars. He put his phone away and looked out the window again. The sun had just risen, and the morning mist hadn't completely dissipated; the neighborhood was quiet. But he figured this quiet wouldn't last long. The entire neighborhood had moved overnight from the city center to the middle of nowhere—there was only one possibility— time travel.
Damn it, the whole neighborhood has been transported to another world.
The good news is that the mortgage won't have to be paid anymore; the bad news is that the house is now worthless; and the worst news is that the money in the bank is likely worthless.
Lin Bu's expression was a bit dejected, and he sighed softly.
If there's any advantage to writing novels, it's probably that he hasn't made much money, so losing the money in his bank account isn't a big deal; another is that he's more accepting of time travel.
He turned his gaze from the window back to the strange bird that was still stuck.
"So what the hell is this thing?"
He turned and ran into the kitchen, grabbed a meat cleaver, wrapped his hands in his clothes, and carefully opened the sliding window of the balcony.
As soon as the glass door opened, the strange bird flapped even more frantically, but its head was stuck in the gap of the security bars, unable to get in or out.
Lin Bu looked at the strange bird flapping endlessly in front of him, and his original intention to study it vanished. If he got injured by this bird and got an infection, he wouldn't know where to cry.
So, he gritted his teeth, pressed the meat cleaver against the wire above the strange bird's head, and chopped down hard.
With a "crack," the bird, which had been fluttering, instantly went limp, its body falling limply against the security bars, its head lone between the windowsill and the bars.
"Ouch—it hurts!"
Just as he finished dealing with the bird, before Lin Bu could even remove its head, a burning, stinging pain suddenly shot through his right wrist.
It felt like something was seeping from beneath his skin into his bones, the heat spreading outwards in circles along his wrist.
He looked down at his right hand in alarm, only to see the sandalwood bracelet he'd bought during his field trip and worn for over four years emitting faint glows, each bead melting into his flesh like red-hot embers.
The sandalwood beads became transparent, shattered, and vanished in the light, leaving only a string of pictographic characters, like oracle bone script, tattooed on his wrist, the strokes rough and crude.
[Ding~]
A crisp, pleasant notification sound rang in Lin Bu's ears.
[Detection: Host has successfully killed a monster. Monster Album officially activated.]
[Currently killed monster: Bat Bird, creature of the Sinkhole World, scavenger, weighing nine kilograms, with slightly venomous mouthparts and sharp claws, creature level 4. It feeds on carrion and occasionally preys on frightened creatures. It is commonly found near predators and, after establishing a tacit understanding with its predator, will mark the prey's location.]
[Newcomer Kill Gift Pack: Physical Attribute +1]
[Monster Encyclopedia: Bat Bird, achieving the monster kill target in the encyclopedia rewards Physical Attribute +1, current kill count: 1/20]
[Monster Achievement: Bat Bird Hunter, achieving the achievement target rewards a random low-tier card +1, current kill count: 1/100]
[Name: Lin Bu.
Race: Blue Star Human.
Biological Level: 6 (Normal Human: 5)
Physical Attribute: 6 (5+1).]
Lin Bu was stunned for a moment when he saw the semi-transparent panel that suddenly appeared before him.
Then he quickly realized—after writing so many cheat codes for so many years, his own cheat code had finally arrived!
The moment the monster encyclopedia popped up, he felt a surge of heat rising from his body, as if his entire body had been washed clean from the inside out.
That instant feeling of comfort was something that even spending tens of thousands at a foot massage parlor couldn't compare to.
If this was a prank, then the level of this prank was too high.
It's a pity that it didn't last long enough, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
The neck pain and lower back strain caused by prolonged sitting at work vanished in an instant.
His clothes also felt a bit tighter.
"Damn... that feels so good!"
Standing by the window, Lin Bu shuddered with pleasure.
He then leaned out to look, hoping to find another bat-like bird he could kill.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a single bird in the gray sky. He looked around, then leaned back and closed the window.
"There aren't many buildings that have crossed over from this neighborhood, just the five in Zone C. The iron railings are still intact." "
But the monster atlas says that bat-like birds are usually accompanied by predators. Since the bat-like birds have appeared, predators might follow. I need to be prepared."
He stood by the window, arms crossed, deep in thought.
If there's any advantage to being a writer, it's probably having a large amount of plot text stored in your mind for reference.
"Equipment, food, water, teammates, intelligence, maps..."
He stroked his chin, quickly going through the essentials for survival in his mind.
After organizing his thoughts, he put down his hand and turned to walk towards the bathroom.
The apartment he bought was 145 square meters, with a usable area of 130 square meters, featuring three bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms, one kitchen, and a balcony.
The Gujiangyuan residential complex had been completed for over ten years, with an occupancy rate of 93%. Each building had 29 floors, with two elevators serving four households.
Assuming each household had three people, his building alone would house nearly 350 people.
Now, with all five buildings in Zone C crossing over, the total number of residents was around 1,700. Over
1,700 people!
This wouldn't have been a big deal under normal circumstances, but in the current situation, competition for resources was inevitable.
In the bathroom, Lin Bu turned on the tap, placing a bucket underneath.
As expected, he had noticed the power was out when he turned on the light, but thankfully, some water was still flowing.
He guessed that the water tank on the top floor and the water storage in the refuge floor were still sufficient, but the power outage was causing insufficient water pressure and a low flow rate.
However, having water at all was already good news.
Lin Bu quickly moved between the two bathrooms and the kitchen, using every container he could find in the house.
Four buckets, three plastic storage boxes for clothes, and every tap that could be turned on was turned on to fill with water.
After finishing all that, he looked towards the entryway and pondered for a moment.
"I need to go to Quan's house."
Quan, whose real name is Zhang Quan, lives across the hall in apartment 403. He's a retired soldier, and although they've only known each other for half a year, they're close friends, meeting up every few days and working out together daily.
He's trustworthy; he has two medals for acts of bravery.
The situation is still unclear, but if things really take a turn for the worse, having someone to lend a hand would be best.
With that in mind, Lin Bu put on a hoodie, grabbed his keys, and opened the door.
The hallway was quiet.
Most people weren't awake yet; he'd only woken up this morning because he'd drunk too much water last night and needed to pee.
Usually, it would be another thirty or forty minutes before any elderly people came out to buy groceries.
Knock, knock, knock.
Lin Bu walked straight to the door across the hall with the honor plaque and knocked.
After knocking three or four times, a voice came from inside.
"Coming! Who is it so early... Hmm? Power outage?"
The voice grew closer, finally stopping at the door.
"Who is it?"
Zhang Quan rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked through the door.
"It's me, Lin Bu."
"Oh, it's the great writer Lin! Wait a minute."
The sound of the security door being locked rang out, and the door was pushed open from the inside.
"What's up, writer Lin? Coming to wake me up for my morning exercise so early?"
The door opened, and Zhang Quan's rugged face wore a teasing smile.
The two had a good relationship, and ever since he learned that Lin Bu was a novelist, he always addressed him as "writer Lin."
Lin Bu walked in familiarly, without even changing his shoes, and went straight in wearing slippers.
"Where are you and Xiao Ke, sister-in-law?"
"Asleep. Hah—aren't you sleeping this early on a weekend morning?" Zhang Quan yawned and took a bottle of Southern Leaf tea from the refrigerator and handed it to him.
Lin Bu took it and walked straight to the balcony of 403, waving to Zhang Quan: "Brother Quan, come and take a look, something big has happened."
Zhang Quan followed, and when his gaze swept over Lin Bu's back, he asked in surprise: "Have you gotten more muscular lately? — Holy crap! Is this still in China?!"
Walking to the windowsill, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then slapped his face hard, looking as if he still doubted that he was dreaming.
It took him a while to recover, and he looked at Lin Bu with some confusion: "So what happened?" "
I can't say for sure right now, but it's definitely not in the city anymore, it might even be on another planet."
Lin Bu put his hands in his pockets, looking at the forest not far away outside the window.
"Hiss..." Zhang Quan gasped, scratching his scalp a few times, and followed Lin Bu's gaze.
"This forest stretches as far as the eye can see... If some snake, tiger, wolf, or bear were to break into the neighborhood, it could hurt a lot of people."
"If it were just snakes, tigers, wolves, or bears, it would be manageable with some effort, but I'm afraid..."
As he spoke, Lin Bu recounted the incident of killing the strange bird that morning to Zhang Quan.
After listening, Zhang Quan's expression visibly became serious.
He asked Lin Bu for the key, ran over to check on the bat-like bird's head still stuck in the security bars.
When he returned, his entire demeanor had changed.
"Old Lin, let's prepare in advance. If other monsters really appear, we can't just sit and wait to die."
"I called you here to talk about this, but judging from your expression, it seems I don't need to say much." Lin Bu was secretly surprised by how quickly Zhang Quan got into the zone.
"I've been a soldier for a few years, after all. If I can't react in time, it'll be a shame to let down the division's training. Lift me up."
Zhang Quan pointed to the balcony ceiling, indicating that Lin Bu should lift him up. The two often worked out together and knew each other's strength.
Lin Bu didn't ask any questions, quickly squatted down and hugged Zhang Quan from his calves, then stood up.
Both of them were over 1.8 meters tall, and when Lin Bu lifted them up in one go, Zhang Quan's head almost hit the ceiling.
"Holy crap! Did you use the power of the Nine Dragons? How did you lift him like that today?!"
Zhang Quan was startled when his gaze suddenly lifted up—he knew Lin Bu could lift him, but he didn't expect it to be so easy.
"Why are you spouting so much nonsense? Just get on with it. Do you think you're so light?"
Lin Bu retorted irritably. The latter chuckled twice and reached out to remove the metal clothesline.
The clothes slid to the ground from one side, and Zhang Quan shouted "Down!" Lin Bu put him down.
However, Lin Bu's eyes were now filled with excitement.
He had already experienced firsthand the benefits of the +1 to physical fitness—lifting an adult weighing over 150 pounds was surprisingly effortless.
Before, it wasn't that he couldn't lift something roughly the same weight as Zhang Quan, but it would never have been this easy.
'Hunting twenty bat birds will give another +1 to physical fitness; I need to do it as soon as possible.'
Two clanging sounds of metal clashing rang out.
Lin Bu snapped out of his daze and looked at Zhang Quan.
Two metal pipes, each about two meters long, were in Zhang Quan's hand, one end resting on the balcony floor.
"The inner walls are thick enough; flattening and sharpening one end to use as a spear shouldn't be a problem."
After checking the thickness of the metal pipes, Zhang Quan handed one to Lin Bu.
"I have a hacksaw at home." Lin Bu wasn't stupid; he had guessed what Zhang Quan wanted him to do when he asked Lin Bu to lift him earlier.
"That's great, sawing makes it easier to get a sharp point than smashing."
"Oh, right, I have some good stuff." Hearing that Lin Bu's family had a hacksaw, Zhang Quan also remembered that he had some things at home, and then ran to the bedroom.
He opened the door, and a lazy female voice came from inside: "What are you looking for?"
"Nothing, you go to sleep first, I'll tell you when you wake up."
The brief conversation was interspersed with the sound of rummaging, and after a while the bedroom door closed again, and Zhang Quan came out with a box.
"I wanted to be a sniper in the army but I wasn't selected, so my comrades tricked me into practicing with slingshots, and I brought them all back after I was discharged."
As he spoke, Zhang Quan placed the box on the coffee table and waved to Lin Bu.
"These slingshots are all quite powerful, they can easily catch a cat-and-mouse-sized prey. Take one for emergencies, fill it with extra steel balls, and I'll teach you the technique later."
Lin Bu didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to take one.
He had originally come with the intention of finding Zhang Quan to be his teammate, and had been thinking about how to persuade him.
But Zhang Quan got into the swing of things much faster than him.
"Okay, just come find me after you've calmed down your sister-in-law and Xiao Ke. By the way, the water supply in the neighborhood is a problem. Remember to fill all the containers you can store in your house with water while there's still water in the refuge floor."
"Okay."
After returning from Zhang Quan's house, the sunlight outside the window was brighter. Just as he had expected, as the residents
of the community woke up one by one, the noise level in the entire community increased considerably. The first few murmurs of conversation came from some elderly people, then some young people, and then the noise gradually rose. Footsteps echoed in the stairwell. Lin Bu opened the window and saw figures gathering below the building. "What the hell is going on?" a tall man shouted in a thick Northeastern accent. He was still wearing pajamas and slippers, and his expression became increasingly agitated upon seeing the forest outside the community. "We've all time-traveled! We must have!" Two young men huddled together excitedly, their eyes practically sparkling. One of them still clutched his phone, the screen lit, though the signal bars had completely disappeared. "Holy crap, are we going to be rich?" "Old Li! Where are you going?!" Some of the bolder ones walked out of the residential area, attracting the attention of acquaintances. The middle-aged man called Old Li strode forward, waving his hand without turning his head, seemingly wanting to go to the edge of the woods to check it out himself. But most people were completely bewildered, at a loss for what to do with their sudden predicament. Some stood there in a daze, some squatted on the ground holding their heads, and others exchanged uneasy glances, muttering the same question over and over again: "What's going on?" A hint of seriousness appeared in Lin Bu's eyes. Yesterday was Saturday, and today is Sunday. Most people in the residential area were at home, including most of the students who were on holiday. He saw more and more figures emerging from the doors of the five apartment buildings, many of them children with expressions of curiosity and amusement. Since his physical abilities increased by 1, he noticed that even his previously nearsighted vision had become exceptionally clear. However, Lin Bu didn't show much joy; his gaze was fixed on the direction of the forest outside the complex. A slight tingling sensation ran through his entire body. The last time he felt this way was when he was being watched by a pack of dogs during a field trip to the countryside.
Knock, knock, knock.
The knocking startled Lin Bu from his thoughts.
"Old Lin, it's me!"
Zhang Quan's voice rang out from outside.
Lin Bu turned to open the door and saw Zhang Quan walk in, holding a slingshot, his expression hesitant.
"Old Lin, do you think we should warn everyone not to gather together like this, in case there's any danger..." Zhang Quan asked in a low voice
at the doorway . Lin Bu nodded; he had been pondering this question. Superficial reason told him that doing nothing and just taking care of himself was the most efficient use of resources. If there was danger, many people downstairs might die, giving him firsthand information about the source of the danger and allowing him to obtain more food and water from the dead. But the moral compass he had cultivated in civilized society over the years constantly warned him that this was wrong. Moreover, deeper reason told him that if there were casualties, in this place where nothing was clear, no one could predict whether the bloodshed would attract something else. So, facing Zhang Quan's question, he nodded: "I must remind you, even in the wilds of Blue Star, the gathering of blood attracts a large number of predators, let alone this place." With Lin Bu's support, Zhang Quan was visibly pleased. He immediately said, "Then I'll go down and tell them." He turned to walk towards the stairwell, but Lin Bu grabbed him. "Don't be impulsive, Quan-ge. Think of your wife, Xiao Ke. We'll just shout a few times from upstairs." Thinking of his wife and child, Zhang Quan calmed down. "You're so smart." With that, the two went into Lin Bu's house, closed the door, and went to the balcony. Lin Bu looked towards the forest again and could already see traces of birds approaching. His vision became exceptionally clear; he could even make out the specific shapes of the birds in the sky—bats! Immediately, the two opened the window and shouted loudly downstairs: "Stop chatting! Go home quickly, close the doors and windows, and the building entrance! You dare to gather together without knowing where you're from? Didn't you notice all the birds over there have taken flight?!"
Zhang Quan shouted with all his might,
"Close the doors, windows, and unit doors!"
"..."
The shout from the fourth floor seemed to be a signal, and some residents on higher floors in their building also shouted.
"Hurry up, lots of birds are coming!"
"..."
Many people looked up to find the source of the sound, finally focusing on Lin Bu's fourth building.
"Holy crap! Dude, who are you?!"
someone shouted back, their tone a mix of defiance and a hint of guilt after being reminded.
"You're right, hurry up and go."
"Thanks, bro! I woke up in a different place, my brain's still foggy."
"..."
Lin Bu and his group ignored the responses from downstairs, continuing to repeat their shouts.
Perhaps Lin Bu's reminders had an effect, because the crowds below several units began to return to their buildings, footsteps and the sound of doors closing echoing intermittently.
But some, skeptical of the warnings, began heading towards the edge of the forest. Three or five figures gradually approached the edge, one of them even turning back and smiling at the others, as if to say, "What could possibly happen?"
The sounds of birds grew increasingly noisy, the flapping of wings and sharp cries growing ever closer.
The rustling of bushes in the forest also rose faintly, a sound unlike the wind.
A foul, fishy stench drifted towards the residential area, like the smell of rotting flesh mixed with damp mud.
...
Building 4, Apartment 404, Lin Bu's home.
Both men, their throats hoarse from shouting, opened their water bottles and gulped down several mouthfuls.
Zhang Quan said hoarsely, "It's been years since I've shouted. If it were before, I could shout for hours."
"Alright, enough talk. I'll teach you the basics of using a slingshot first. Practice whenever you have time."
"Okay."
Lin Bu readily agreed to Zhang Quan's slingshot lesson; every extra means was a good opportunity.
"The hand holding the slingshot... aim like this to increase the probability of hitting the target..."
The
slingshot lesson went quickly. The slingshot Zhang Quan gave Lin Bu was undeniably powerful. He had just tested its power by shooting steel balls, stretching the rubber band to its limit, and a single steel ball embedded itself directly in the wall.
If it hit flesh, it would definitely leave a hole.
After finishing the slingshot lesson, the two didn't rest. First, they blocked the two stairwells on the fourth floor with something.
Then they went back to their rooms to do their own things.
Lin Bu continued practicing with the slingshot. He picked it up quickly, and in a short time, he could hit the target ten times out of ten. His
"Physical Attribute +1" was still active.
Now Lin Bu seemed to understand that this "Physical Attribute +1" wasn't just about strength or physique, but rather a comprehensive improvement to his body from the inside out, including his vision, hearing, sense of smell, and reaction time.
While he practiced, Zhang Quan was sawing metal pipes with a hacksaw, speeding up the production of the spear.
Just as the two were working feverishly, a series of urgent cries for help echoed through the neighborhood from downstairs.
"Ah! Help!"