Chapter Sixty: Earth · The Beast Tide (Part Two)

A massive boar-like beast was crouched on the ground. Since Sun Meng was positioned to its side, he couldn't quite make out what it was doing. Its hide shimmered with a metallic luster, and its tail resembled a whip forged from metal. The beast's tusks, viewed from the side, looked like a forklift's prongs, yet the cold gleam at their tips hinted at their razor-sharpness.

Sun Meng now gripped a longsword in his hand—chosen from Earth's support supplies—a masterpiece forged with advanced smelting techniques, rune enchantments, and spiritual energy amplification. According to the system's assessment, the sword was rated as early second-tier in its base form, but with Sun Meng's internal energy and the activation of all its runes, it could unleash the power of mid-second-tier.

As he channeled energy into the blade, runes began to glow along its length. Yet, at that very moment, the boar-beast stood up abruptly and charged at Sun Meng. Who could have guessed that a monster built for brute strength would be so swift and responsive!

He slashed, leapt into the air, and somersaulted, aiming to land atop the beast. But suddenly, its hide radiated a dusky light. A layer of inky black shield appeared over its body, effortlessly deflecting Sun Meng's assault.

Alarmed, Sun Meng quickly darted forward to land safely on the ground. The beast wheeled and rushed at him again, this time with a glow radiating from its tusks.

Vajra Mantra! Invulnerable Body Technique!

Sun Meng dared not be careless. He activated a talisman and entered the state of the Invulnerable Body Technique. The next instant, the boar-beast crashed into the longsword he raised to block. Immense force surged through his body, as though his organs had been struck by a sledgehammer.

The Vajra Mantra's protection was shattered; the beast's blow reached mid-second-tier strength, while the talisman could only offer minor resistance at its early second-tier capacity.

Sun Meng was flung backward by the force, but swiftly retrieved and swallowed a medicinal pill, using his internal energy to repair his battered organs. Within a few breaths, the injuries were largely healed.

Perched on a small tree nearby, Sun Meng watched the boar-beast, which now eyed him warily but did not attack again.

With a flick of his wrist, the longsword vanished and the Hou Yi Bow materialized. "I really must have lost my mind to try close combat when I'm an archer. Let's see how well your defenses hold up!" After all, the supplies from Earth included many specialized arrows, and with his unique quiver, he had no fear of running out.

Three arrows shot out in a triangular pattern, all targeting the beast's right eye from different angles.

Once again, the black energy shield appeared. But these arrows weren't meant for direct damage—one exploded, another released powder, and the third ignited in flames. Together, they produced a sustained burning effect.

The beast howled, its black shield flickering. It flopped to the ground, snout rooting desperately in the dirt, trying to smother the flames.

But Sun Meng would never let it succeed. He had found its weakness.

A dozen incendiary arrows followed in quick succession, all striking the same spot. Soon, fire engulfed half the beast's body. Its howls grew faint, its writhing slowed, and at last it collapsed.

Only when the aroma of roasted meat reached him did Sun Meng use his energy to extinguish the flames.

But as the last of the fire died, the boar-beast suddenly lunged at him.

"Damn it!" Sun Meng raised his bow to block, snapping the beast's tusks with the impact. He was knocked back, but the force was far less than before.

The beast crawled forward, but this time, it was truly dead.

"Cunning creature. Has it gained intelligence already?" Sun Meng butchered the beast, tore off a well-cooked chunk of meat, and took a bite. "Not bad—rich in energy, and the texture is unique!" He sat down and ate in earnest.

"Streamer, does the meat really taste that good?"

Seeing the sudden barrage of comments, Sun Meng remembered he was still broadcasting his experiences to audiences back on Earth.

"I don't know what Earth's monsters taste like, but this boar-beast seems able to focus its energy to temporarily enhance either attack, defense, or speed. As for the meat, it's excellent—not only replenishing energy and blood, but also suitable for absorption by those above second-tier. Honestly, this world seems appealing; maybe next time I can exchange for some culinary skills."

"If Earth's monsters had similar properties, it could be a great opportunity for human civilization," a red comment streamed by.

Sun Meng laughed. "Looks like the national culinary department is in for a busy time!" His country's talent for cuisine was world-renowned, after all.

Meanwhile, on Earth, a team composed entirely of early second-tier warriors was advancing into a mountainous region. Once merely a city park, the area had been transformed by a recent minor monster incursion.

All around the globe, the death of monsters had not only provided high-quality meat and energy for humanity, but also altered nature itself. At the very least, spiritual energy no longer dissipated into the ether.

Even without specialized spirit-gathering arrays, spiritual energy in the cities now stabilized at late first-tier levels. In ordinary forests, it approached second-tier; and in woodlands extending more than five kilometers from city limits, the energy concentration exceeded second-tier. Only elite teams dared venture into such places.

This particular team, clearly of elite caliber, was not an official squad.

Three months had passed since the assessment began. People had grown accustomed to the new laws and atmosphere. With the threat of a full-scale beast tide ruled out, the authorities now permitted the formation of private hunting groups to venture into the wild.

Anyone who brought back a previously undocumented monster or plant would receive an official reward.

Globally, the old currency had been abolished, replaced by a standardized energy crystal coin.

"Mouse, are you sure there's a monster not in the records here? We've already entered the territory of second-tier beasts, and the one you mentioned was only first-tier…" The burly team leader glanced uncertainly at the smaller man beside him.

"Don't you trust my tracking skills and sharp eyes?" The short man sniffed the air and scanned the surroundings. "I'm sure it's nearby—even if it's not a new species, it's definitely mutated! Trust me!" As he spoke, he produced a talisman and recited an incantation, causing it to ignite spontaneously.

Limitless Tracking Art!

This was the short man's innate ability. Anyone who broke through to second-tier would develop a unique skill—most commonly, a physical enhancement. The next most frequent was elemental attacks. The rarest and most prized were abilities that functioned almost like true skills.

Though such skill-like abilities weren't always offensive, official tests had shown that once a person with such a gift reached mid-second-tier, there was a thirty percent chance their ability would be inherited by their offspring, a fifty percent chance of a weakened version being passed on, a seventy percent chance of manifesting as a special constitution, and a one hundred percent chance of improving their descendants' physical prowess.

As Earth's strongest had only just set foot into mid-second-tier, these statistics were theoretical. Since such talents couldn't be duplicated or transferred by any other means, anyone manifesting them received state resources and status—as well as, inevitably, the attention of many admirers.

The short man's eyes lit up. "Got it—follow me!" He led the way. Two members at the rear dashed ahead, moving swiftly to scout the path.

They specialized in speed, ensuring the route was safe. After all, if they ran into seven or eight second-tier beasts, even this elite team would be hard-pressed to survive.