Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

The Lv7 Acceleration Skill Rune was likely so easy to complete because a large number of armed personnel had died.

Engraving acceleration patterns on a gun’s chamber was practically standard procedure. It increased the bullet’s firing rate, stacked its kinetic energy, and extended its range—a triple benefit. Paired with Enchanted Bullets, it was an unbeatable combination. No wonder it was considered the most fitting Enchantment strategy.

’I’ll save this for upgrading my shotgun.’

Su Chen, however, had no intention of absorbing it himself.

If he were to use it on thrown weapons, he already had Telekinesis for acceleration.

And using it on himself for a desperate gambit like his opponent had was not as good as simply using Jingzhe.

Even though he had obtained a Lv7 Rune, using it to enchant his shotgun was the best option.

The opponent also had three Lv6 Runes: Fireball Technique, Wind Blade, and Wind Split. Interestingly, there was also a Lv5 Flame Burst Rune, but it couldn’t even tempt his own Lv7 Flame Burst to absorb it in the slightest.

’To upgrade it, I just need one Fire Element Soul Core. But I have no clue where to find one. I’ll probably have to search elsewhere.’

The simplest method of upgrading was to raise all ten Elemental Runes of the All Elements system to Lv6 as quickly as possible. This would unlock the Grand Elemental Master’s second Core Authority.

Su Chen didn’t linger. He collected the Runes dropped by the other two modified humans and immediately headed out.

”...The Bloodthirsty Fungus chimera has been dealt with.”

Just then, a young man’s voice came from the left side of the alley.

Su Chen’s Global Perception had already detected him. Come to think of it, he was a young man Su Chen had met before.

It was none other than Xing Jingsong’s son.

”Big Bro, it’s you.”

He was startled when he saw the tall, stern figure in the alley, but his shock was immediately replaced by a wave of irrepressible joy.

”I knew it! In my book, you’re the only one who could take down a human-beast chimera single-handedly,” Xing Zhengming said with a grin.

”You should watch out for yourself. Try to stay out of trouble,” Su Chen advised. ”Everyone else who could run has already fled, but you’re heading toward the fighting. You’re not just reckless, you’re bold.”

It was no wonder, then, that he had been the one to discover the Fire Dragon mutual aid organization burning a warehouse to hide stolen grain.

The young man scratched his head awkwardly and just gave a sheepish laugh.

As for why he was at the Creative Park, the reason was simple: after the father and son went to stay with relatives, they had been living at the Foundry Workshop.

However, the giant worm’s earlier rampage had devastated more than twenty businesses, including various mining sites, Huichun Hall, and the Foundry Workshop.

”It’s pretty bad. The building is almost half-collapsed, and that giant worm ate all the ore crystals. It felt like it was specifically after the minerals. We’re just lucky our family is safe.” As Xing Zhengming spoke, a hint of sadness crept into his voice.

Qixia Border Town had been attacked by two giant worms in succession. The attack on the Creative Park was likely motivated by revenge and a desire to plunder as much Life Energy as possible.

Smoke and fire still billowed in the distance. Su Chen had no time to continue chatting, so after offering a simple well-wish, he departed with Xiaoye.

「Not long after.」

When Xing Zhengming told his father and uncle about what had happened, his father, Xing Jingsong, grew excited. He looked as if he shared in the glory, sighing that his judgment had been sharp as ever, but lamenting that his own lack of strength meant he’d missed the chance to hitch his wagon to such a powerful figure.

Upon hearing the news, Xing Lie, the owner of the Foundry Workshop, had a complicated expression.

’I’ve truly been a frog in a well.’

He had assumed an expert from such a backwater place couldn’t be that impressive, but he had truly underestimated the world. There was always someone stronger.

When the attack happened, the Watcher captain, an old acquaintance of his, had indeed rushed over to help. Unfortunately, his power was limited. He and half of his squad ended up either devoured by the giant worm or killed by the human-beast chimeras.

It was a truly lamentable fate.

’Thankfully, we’re still alive. We can rebuild, slowly.’

Hope rekindled in Xing Lie’s heart as he gazed at the collapsed ruins.

...

In total, Qixia Border Town had been invaded by two giant worms, six human-beast chimeras, and a number of modified humans and flesh-and-blood parasites.

The power levels of the fungal chimeras were varied; some possessed Lv7 Runes, while others only had Lv6 Runes.

As for the life cores that powered them and maintained their fleshly stability, some used elemental crystal cores containing vast Life Energy, while others simply used a Ginseng Fruit or a Jade Lingzhi.

Anything that could provide abundant life force was put to use.

Now, with Su Chen’s arrival and his instant kill of a giant worm and two chimeras, the scales of power had tipped dramatically in favor of the human defenders.

The Bloodthirsty Fungus perhaps realized it was completely incapable of dealing with the man it so deeply hated. Retreat was its only wise option.

”I’m going with them to hunt down that Werewolf.”

Yan Ruoruo had left a message via Mind Transmission a minute earlier.

As the distance between them grew, that faint mental link was severed.

According to her message, a Werewolf was fleeing toward the forest with Ruoruo in hot pursuit. Along the way, she had conveniently run into the late-arriving Yan Ziqian and his group.

Furthermore, of the two giant worms that had acted as transports, one had already been killed and incinerated. The other, a hundred-meter-long behemoth in the distance, was being swarmed. A returning investigation team had successfully joined the battle, fighting alongside numerous powerful experts from nearby areas to eliminate the invaders.

Amidst the crackle of gunfire, Rune Crossbow Cannons were also deployed, unleashing tons of effective damage.

Now it was truly caught in a dilemma.

This was especially true because a powerful construction engineering team was in this area, filled with many experts of the Earth Element. They worked together to frantically reinforce the ground. They had even stacked multiple zero-gravity fields in one spot, making it difficult for the giant worm to burrow and escape.

The reason their goals were aligned.