11: Chapter 11 Four Monsters

The five people in the same dormitory actually already knew each other. Naturally, they didn't have much to say at this moment, so each picked a bunk and settled in.

Wang Ting sat on his bunk and opened the booklet in his hand.

Glancing roughly through it, he instantly locked onto the descriptions of four types of monsters on the booklet. He felt a sudden wave of relief, realizing that the wild Gobi held not just slow-moving zombies and Sand Scorpions, but even packs of Lizard Hounds and dangerous Carrion Spiders.

[If you enjoy reading, please remember our domain name: Read Taiwan Books, Choose Super Awesome]

Seeing Wang Ting so focused, Fu Xing couldn't help but walk over.

"Brother, didn't you encounter these monsters when you were outside?"

Wang Ting answered offhandedly, "I always thought there were only zombies and Sand Scorpions in this desert. I didn't expect there to be other monsters, let alone such huge differences in form, habits, and species."

Far beyond just a huge difference—these monsters were completely different species that could never be bred or survive in the same environment.

Ding Yu glanced at the two of them and came over to join the conversation, attempting to ease the relationship between teammates: "I heard the old-timers on the wasteland say that originally, there were no monsters in this world. All monsters came from the Infinite Building."

Both Fu Xing and Ding Yu were clearly people who had struggled and survived in the apocalypse for a long time.

Wang Ting had guessed more than once that the bald Fu Xing had likely come from another Shelter before, as he seemed very familiar with how Shelters operated.

Wang Ting looked closely at the booklet, and indeed, Boss Fan had briefly mentioned the origins of the monsters at the beginning.

—Scarecrow Town was located at the southeastern end of the Tieling Wasteland. Around the town were two dangerous gathering grounds of monster projections: one was Zombie Town, and the other was the Jungle Ruins.

"Monster projections."

Wang Ting showed a puzzled expression and asked the two, "Isn't the Floor World isolated from the real world? Did the monsters break out through the stairwells as well?"

Fu Xing and Ding Yu exchanged a look, expressions bitter: "If they came out through the stairs, that would actually be simple. As long as we guarded the stairs, no monster could rush into the real world, and this damned world wouldn't have turned out like this."

Wang Ting grew even more confused. "Then what happened?"

Ding Yu took over the conversation and continued, "The Floor World experiences abnormal riots from time to time. If there is no way to suppress these anomalies, the Infinite Building will, just like when it suddenly appeared, project its internal anomalous monsters, anomalous phenomena, buildings, and other things bit by bit into the real world. If no one continuously clears or suppresses these anomalies, the projection will keep spreading outward into the real world centered around the Infinite Building. That is a projection, but everyone on the wasteland calls this phenomenon—Pollution."

Wang Ting looked astonished, not expecting the Infinite Building to be so dangerous. In other words, if no one cleared the anomalies in the Infinite Building, one day the entire Scarecrow Town would be covered by Pollution, Rot Soil Hounds would be born from the dirt, and bloody Scarecrows would hide among the swaying wheat fields?

Wang Ting had not yet realized how similar his current state was to the humans of the old era when they first saw the Infinite Building.

When the Infinite Building first appeared, everyone thought it was salvation from an alternate world.

Because it possessed space suitable for human habitation, infinite resources, and extraordinary materials, even with monsters running rampant, all these dangers were considered controllable compared to an overpopulated Earth stretched to its limit and starved of resources.

Major nations around the world, as well as top tech corporations and financial conglomerates, all believed so.

To solve the problem of high population density, they continuously explored and expanded into the Infinite Building.

Exploration after exploration brought technological advancements, yet amid repeated resource acquisitions and abnormal riots, the technology, civilization, and extraordinary paths that humanity was so proud of eventually collapsed completely under war and the Infinite Building's Pollution. Thus, civilization entered the apocalypse.

Wang Ting pondered carefully and then said, "So you're saying monsters like zombies, Sand Scorpions, Lizard Hounds, and Carrion Spiders were all projected from the Infinite Building?"

Ding Yu said, "Lizard Hounds and Carrion Spiders are, but Sand Scorpions aren't."

"The extraordinary factors contained within the projection and expansion of the Infinite Building are constantly changing our real world as well. Earth's environment changed, and some original creatures on Earth underwent special evolutions. The Sand Scorpion is a unique product of this Gobi desert; in a way, it's a native specialty of our Earth."

Huang Han, standing to the side, stole a glance at Wang Ting and suddenly chimed in, "Actually, it's not just Earth's animals that changed—we humans did too."

Everyone was taken aback. Wang Ting wore a strange expression; Huang Han seemed to be talking about him, but Wang Ting instead recalled Zhao Hu's physique, which surpassed ordinary humans and couldn't be obtained through normal exercise.

With such a lean body, no matter how fit one was, it should be impossible to carry over three hundred jin of weight and move around as if walking on flat ground.

Even if pumped full of adrenaline, it would be impossible to continuously exert such strength.

Due to the exhaustion from the selection process and Huang Han inadvertently steering the conversation toward Wang Ting's privacy, everyone sensed the awkward atmosphere and stopped chatting.

Now, not just Wang Ting, but Fu Xing and the others also began reading the booklet carefully.

Even if they had some understanding of zombies, Sand Scorpions, Lizard Hounds, and Carrion Spiders, their knowledge still lagged far behind that of Fan Da, Zhao Hu, and others living on this wasteland. Reading a bit more gave them one more chance at survival.

Only cautious people lived longer, so one by one, they earnestly read the introductions about the monsters.

Zombies: Anomalous projected monsters from Zombie Town containing the zombie virus, transmitted through body fluids. Take care not to be bitten or scratched. Depending on exposure level, zombie-type monster strength and infection rates vary. A physique after a single Limit Break possesses a degree of resistance, though only resistance.

Sand Scorpions: Gobi scorpions 1 to 1.5 meters long, native anomalies. Their thick armor can withstand certain slashes. Weak points include the eyes, center of the mouthparts, and abdomen. They hide beneath gravel and soil layers; beware of ambushes.

Lizard Hounds: Projected monsters from the Urban Jungle, 1.5 meters in length, tailless with fine scales, dense canine teeth, and paralyzing toxins in their saliva. They hunt in packs and are extremely fast.

Carrion Spiders: Spiders with rotting bodies that can still move rapidly, 1.5 meters in size. Extremely capable jumpers with highly toxic mouthparts, preferring cold and dark environments. Nocturnal creatures that hide during the day.

'Although Scarecrows and Rot Soil Hounds are both low-level anomalies, the monster points obtained from recording them are clearly different. The monster points from these four monsters are probably the same... I wonder if Lizard Hounds yield more, or Carrion Spiders?'

Resting on his bunk, Wang Ting pondered which monster he would likely record first, and without realizing it, he gradually fell asleep.

It wasn't until members of the Guard Team brought today's rations—10 Energy Blocks—that he woke up.

The hunger inside his body urged him to devour the Energy Blocks to fulfill his body's energy needs. He carefully felt the trait of "Scarecrow Physique," developing it bit by bit.

"Limit Break."

Looking at the words "Limit Break" mentioned in the zombie virus introduction, he involuntarily recalled the way Zhao Hu had looked at him.

Although he wasn't quite sure what "Limit Break" specifically meant, Zhao Hu and the others staring at him like that, along with his extraordinary physique—could it be because of these two words?

Early the next morning, Zhao Hu brought members of the Guard Team to the dormitory and led the five of them—Wang Ting, Fu Xing, Huang Han, Ding Yu, and Hu Kang—to the training grounds.

Getting straight to the point, he said, "I need to know your past identities. Have any of you served in a Guard Team at another Shelter? Or do any of you come from Jumu City? Anyone with combat experience, take a step forward. I don't want anyone hiding anything."

Fu Xing narrowed his eyes slightly and took a step forward. "I was a Guard Team member in Tonggu Town before. But after the Tonggu Team was overrun by zombies, I drifted around continuously until finally joining our town with other wanderers. I know a bit of combat techniques, but I'm not that strong."

He grinned, his bald head reflecting a harsh glare under the sunlight. "You can see my physique for yourselves—it's barely passable."

Zhao Hu nodded. Fu Xing's physique was indeed not weak, but his combat skills didn't seem particularly proficient. He was likely a regular member of a Guard Team rather than a sharp, capable veteran; otherwise, someone like him would have been singled out long ago.

Ding Yu didn't step forward, merely saying, "I've learned a bit of combat techniques, but I'm not proficient—just slightly better than ordinary people."

"Very good, at least you're all honest," Zhao Hu continued. "My training for you next will consist of only two parts: one is combat techniques and physical conditioning, and the other is firearm usage. I hope you take combat techniques and physical training seriously. Even if you haven't embarked on the path of the extraordinary, as ordinary humans, you still hold the possibility of a Limit Break. I hope you remember this."

"Wang Ting."

Wang Ting didn't expect Zhao Hu to suddenly call his name. Taking a step forward, his gaze met Zhao Hu's face.

"Have you achieved a Limit Break?"

"What is a Limit Break? Breaking the body's physical limits?" Wang Ting asked in return.

Zhao Hu shook his head slightly and looked at Wang Ting. "It seems you really don't know. Good timing—I'll explain it to all of you. Who knows, maybe someone among you can break their body's physical limits as well."