25: Heading into the wild

Zhang Yong picked up a piece of equipment and handed it to Lin Feng.

It was a small, exquisite, short-handled staff, similar to a conductor's baton.

Summoners not only need to command their spirit beasts in battle, but they also occasionally cast some auxiliary magic. A small and exquisite scepter is a more suitable weapon for a Summoner than a magic staff as tall as a person.

"The shadow scepter, Silver-level high-grade!"

"This scepter focuses on enhancing the attributes of summoned creatures and balancing auxiliary magic, making it most suitable for you as a Summoner..."

Zhang Yong's voice was calm, but it caused a stir of exclamations.

"Everyone else got Silver-level low-grade, why does Lin Feng get Silver-level high-grade?!"

"If you have the guts, shout it out! Lin Feng was first on the Dire Wolf Den leaderboard! His reward is naturally better than others!"

"Tch! What's so great about that! He only got first place by relying on the four-star spirit beast egg and Silver-level armor that Qin Yuyan gave him! Give me those two things, and I can get first place too!"

"Oh, please, you? Xiong Gang is amazing, isn't he?! An eight-star Beast King, he also has Silver-level equipment, and he even challenged the dungeon with a team. What was the result? He still only got second place! Can you be more amazing than Boss Xiong?"

"But Boss Xiong is truly good to Class Monitor Su. He even gave the principal's reward of Silver-level equipment to Class Monitor Su."

"Since ancient times, heroes have loved beauties. Boss Xiong is a hero, so he naturally pities beauties."

"..."

Equipment distribution was complete. Each of the hundred students received a piece of equipment of appropriate grade, instantly raising their overall strength by a notch.

The atmosphere in the square grew even more enthusiastic, filled with a eager fighting spirit.

Zhang Yong looked at the fully equipped and high-spirited students, nodded with satisfaction, and raised his voice again.

"Equipment distributed, sharp blades in hand! Remember, equipment is only an external force; true power comes from within yourselves! This training will last for three days, with only one goal: return alive and become stronger! Now, board the vehicles! Destination—Gu City Town!"

"Yes!!"

A deafening response echoed through the square.

The students quickly and orderly boarded the several large military armored personnel carriers that had been waiting.

Engines roared, and the convoy slowly started, driving out of the school gates and heading towards the wilderness, fraught with danger and opportunities.

Lin Feng sat by the window, watching the familiar campus scenery rapidly recede, eventually disappearing from view.

The heavy military armored vehicles rumbled over the bumpy wilderness roads, kicking up clouds of yellow dust.

As the vehicles moved forward, traces of mutated plants soon began to appear around them, and occasionally, unknown beast roars could be heard not far from the convoy.

Inside the vehicles, the hundred fully armed students, holding their brand-new Silver-level equipment, gradually fell silent after their initial excitement, as the landscape outside the window grew increasingly desolate and dangerous.

After several hours of bumpy travel, the convoy slowly stopped in a place with a few dilapidated houses.

The engines cut off, and Zhang Yong's steady voice came through the onboard loudspeaker.

"Everyone out! Line up! Our destination—the perimeter alert zone of the Gu City Town ruins!"

The students streamed out and quickly lined up at the edge of the convoy.

As their gaze swept across their surroundings, they involuntarily gasped.

This was a vast ruin covered by giant vines and the skeletal remains of broken buildings, where the outlines of once-intertwined streets could still be vaguely discerned.

Collapsed buildings resembled the skeletons of giant beasts, with exposed rebar and concrete covered in dark green moss and mutated plants.

Further afield, in the town center, a massive, swirling spatial rift, emanating an ominous, dim glow, hung like a hideous scar on the earth, slowly rotating, with wisps of black mist constantly seeping out from it.

"That is 'Gu City Town.'"

Zhang Yong's voice carried a hint of solemnity, clearly reaching every student's ears.

"Once, this place was a bustling human settlement, just like Weiyang City where we live, with a population exceeding 100,000.

However, at the dawn of the Era of Universal Class Advancement, a permanent, high-level monster spawn point—that spatial rift in the town center—appeared without warning in the town's central square."

He paused, letting the students digest the information, his gaze sweeping over their young, solemn faces.

"The disaster struck too quickly, too suddenly. The surging monsters were like a black tide, instantly engulfing the entire town. In less than twelve hours, Gu City Town completely fell, and of its 100,000 residents... fewer than one in ten survived."

"This place became a monster den, and also one of the key defensive areas that our Weiyang City Professional Association monitors and cleans up long-term."

"Hiss..."

Suppressed gasps sounded among the crowd.

Looking at the desolate ruins beneath their feet and imagining the hellish scene of that year, a chill rose from the students' hearts.

Lin Feng also narrowed his eyes slightly. He could clearly feel the strong excitement and... bloodthirsty craving transmitted by the Alien Larvae in his Spirit Beast Space.

This ruin was their natural hunting ground.

Zhang Yong raised his voice, drawing the students' attention back.

"Don't be overwhelmed by fear! Remember, you are professionals! Bringing you here today is to make you face the dangers of the wilderness directly!"

After a pause, Zhang Yong continued.

"Although Gu City Town has been fallen for many years, through the Association's continuous cleanup, the high-level monsters in the core area have been purged or driven out."

"Currently, the monsters entrenched in the outer areas of the town are mainly Black Iron Level and Bronze-level, with occasional Silver-level individuals wandering in."

"Now, listen carefully to the main enemies you will be facing!"

He pointed to several representative areas deep within the ruins.

1. Corpse Dog Pack, Black Iron Level Tier 3-6. They are transformed from mutated stray dogs or human corpses, about the size of calves. Most of their fur has fallen off, revealing rotting, festering muscle and stark white bones. Their eyes are blood-red, and corrosive drool drips from their mouths. They move swiftly.

Attack characteristics: They move in groups, often 5-15 individuals appearing together. They are skilled at ambushing and flanking using the ruined environment. Their main attack method is biting and clawing. Their claws and teeth carry corpse poison and corrosive properties, easily tearing through ordinary armor. They are relatively fast, but their turning is somewhat clumsy. Their head is their core weakness; destroying the brain can quickly kill them. They fear fire, strong light, and high-frequency sound waves. Their relatively fragile joints are also a weak point. Most importantly! When facing a Corpse Dog Pack, remember to always work as a team, maintain formation, and use ranged attacks or area-of-effect skills to quickly eliminate them.

2. Shadow Blade Leopard, Bronze-level Tier 1-3. Elite individuals, they are interdimensional monsters that occasionally burst out from the spatial rift. They have agile bodies, covered in short black fur like shadows, almost blending into the environment when moving. Their limbs are long and powerful, their claw blades like finely crafted steel scimitars, gleaming with a cold, eerie light. A pair of vertical pupils glow with a chilling green light in the dark. They usually appear alone or in pairs. They are top-tier ambush hunters, possessing incredibly terrifying explosive speed and short-distance burst capabilities. Their attack methods are primarily high-speed pounces and claw slashes, with an additional "Shadow Cut" effect that can ignore some physical defense. They are highly vigilant; if an attack misses, they often instantly flee. However, their defense is relatively weak compared to their attack power, and they are especially afraid of strong light. Their high-speed movement requires excellent balance; damaging their leg joints or using area-of-effect slowing and control skills can greatly limit their threat.

3. Soul-Devouring Wraith, Silver-level Tier 2-3. They are considered the Beast Kings of this area, but you may not necessarily encounter them; they generally only appear near the dimensional rift. Their forms are distorted and unstable, as if condensed from countless fragments of painful, wailing souls and pure dark energy. They have no fixed form, sometimes appearing as a floating phantom, other times solidifying into a terrifying entity covered in twisted faces. At their core is a constantly pulsating "Soul Core" that emits cold soul fluctuations. Where they pass, the temperature drops sharply, and light distorts. Their primary attack methods are mental shock and soul absorption. Mental shock can directly affect the target's soul, causing severe pain, dizziness, fear, and even madness. Soul absorption can remotely drain the target's life force, capable of desiccating a Bronze-level professional into a husk within seconds. However, they are extremely afraid of pure light-element and holy-element energy! Such energy can effectively burn their spirit body, dispel their dark power, and strong mental defense equipment or skills are crucial for survival. Their core "Soul Core" is their only physical form and the only part that physical attacks can harm, also making it the Soul-Devouring Wraith's fatal weakness, but the Soul Core is heavily protected by spirit bodies, making it extremely difficult to reach. If encountered, do not hesitate... flee! This is not something you can confront head-on at your current stage! Even Silver-level equipment may not completely withstand its soul attacks!

Zhang Yong's explanation was clear and stern, dissecting the threat of each monster thoroughly.

The students listened, their palms sweating, and many turned slightly pale, especially when hearing the description of the "Soul-Devouring Wraith."

A Silver-level Beast King, and a creature with such eerie mental attacks, was definitely a nightmarish existence.

"Remember their characteristics and weaknesses! Work as a team, stay vigilant! You must remember deeply that Gu City Town is just the starting point of your professional career!"