Chapter Nineteen: Traces

After having “plundered” that first-tier demon ghost, Lin Lei's own strength had increased as well, though the improvement was minimal. After all, he was already a second-stage source energy user, and his power base was immense. Even without any enhancements, a casual punch from him would easily exceed two thousand kilograms. The strength of a first-tier demon ghost was only slightly greater than that of a ghoul; compared to his own terrifying might, this small boost was almost negligible.

Aside from the enhancements to physical strength and constitution, Lin Lei also discovered his senses—especially his sense of smell—had improved considerably. Demon ghosts were creatures that lived in perpetual darkness, their vision degraded, relying primarily on their sense of smell. Now, he too had inherited the demon ghost’s terrifying leaping ability. With a bend of his legs and a light jump, he could easily soar four or five meters off the ground—more exaggerated than a kangaroo!

Afterward, he didn’t continue to “plunder” but instead kept devouring the remains of the first-tier demon ghosts. Consuming one such creature granted him more than two units of gluttonous energy, much higher than what he’d get from a ghoul of the same level.

“Hm? The range of my ‘gluttony’ seems to have increased...” Previously, Lin Lei could only activate “gluttony” within about a meter, but now, even before he stepped within that range, he could trigger it. “Is it because my source energy level has risen, and the gift’s effect has strengthened as well?” His eyes flashed with excitement as he experimented further, discovering that the range of his gluttony had nearly doubled. In truth, he suspected there were other improvements, not just in range, but he couldn’t test those in the short term.

After devouring more than twenty first-tier demon ghosts, he licked his lips and turned his gaze toward the remaining second-tier demon ghosts. There were seven in total. He first devoured one, gaining over ten units of gluttonous energy, then tried to activate his plundering ability again. To plunder a single second-tier demon ghost required nearly forty units of gluttonous energy.

“As expected of a second-tier aberration—the cost is so high...” He licked his lips. “Now I have over five hundred units of gluttonous energy. It’s more than enough to completely plunder the remaining demon ghosts...” Yet he hesitated.

“By plundering flesh-and-blood aberrations, I not only strengthen my body and powers—I can heal my wounds as well. If used at a critical moment, it could even save my life...” He remembered there was a limit to plundering the same kind of aberration; he could only plunder five ghouls, and though the limit for demon ghosts was higher, he likely couldn’t plunder too many second-tier ones either. “I’d better save a few chances for plundering and recovery...” Completely plundering all the demon ghosts would maximize his strength, but in a place as perilous as the Forbidden Zone, the opportunity to heal could be more valuable than a temporary increase in power.

Of course, the higher his strength, the easier it would be to deal with aberrations, and the less likely he’d be injured—hunting efficiency would also rise. Lin Lei still planned to plunder, just not exhaust all his opportunities. Striking a balance was necessary.

After pondering for a while, he decided to only plunder one of the demon ghosts, boosting his strength while preserving future chances to heal. The gains from plundering a second-tier demon ghost were similar to those from a first-tier, but whether in terms of strength, source energy, sense of smell, or leaping ability, the improvements far outstripped those from first-tier aberrations. Even with his current standards, the increase was significant.

“Though it’s not as strong as the second-tier aberration dispatched by the fake Gao Yue, it far surpasses ordinary first-tier aberrations...” A single second-tier aberration provided more of an upgrade than five first-tier ghouls, but Lin Lei couldn’t quantify exactly how much.

After plundering the second-tier demon ghost, Lin Lei once again heard the faint ringing in his ears. “I’ve just advanced to the second stage and plundered a second-tier aberration—the corrosion is intensifying again...” He quickly converted a large amount of source energy into Tranquility Power, and only then did the ringing subside.

“Though the Tranquil Pendant’s restorative effect is greatly reduced, it’s still useful...” Lin Lei breathed a sigh of relief. If the effect was weak, he’d just compensate with quantity. For others, source energy was invaluable—a key to self-improvement. Only a monster like Lin Lei could afford such heavy consumption.

He then looked at the remaining five demon ghosts. He devoured three more to stockpile gluttonous energy and bound the last two with rope, slinging them over his back. With his strength, carrying two demon ghosts was nothing.

But he had barely begun to move when another wave of demon ghosts attacked. These creatures were prone to cannibalism, and their sense of smell was extraordinary—no trace of blood in the air could escape them. With two demon ghost corpses on his back, Lin Lei was practically walking bait.

This group was smaller than the previous one, and for the newly advanced Lin Lei, who had just plundered a second-tier demon ghost, dispatching them was a breeze. He didn’t even bother using a flash grenade—he simply took care of them and devoured them all.

Lin Lei continued carrying the two second-tier demon ghost corpses, using them as bait as he roamed the area. “In the Forbidden Zone, there’s only one third-tier aberration. Everywhere else, I am invincible!” His heart surged with excitement.

He encountered plenty more demon ghosts, each actively seeking him out. Lin Lei eliminated them all, his gluttonous energy soaring higher and higher. Though his power had grown, allowing him to easily take down second-tier demon ghosts one-on-one, they often attacked in groups. Wanting to conserve his flash grenades, Lin Lei endured many battles and sustained serious wounds.

He was forced to plunder a second second-tier demon ghost, using it to heal himself and further enhance his strength.

Interestingly, during his long wanderings in the Forbidden Zone, Lin Lei encountered only demon ghosts and no other aberrations. “Could it be that only demon ghosts exist here? Is the third-tier aberration also a demon ghost?” Just as among first-tier ghouls, special mutations could sometimes produce a second-tier ghoul, it wasn’t impossible for a third-tier demon ghost to appear due to unusual circumstances.

“If the third-tier aberration is also a demon ghost, I might be able to take it on alone...” His eyes gleamed. The weaknesses of demon ghosts were far too obvious. He still had several flash grenades left. If the third-tier aberration turned out to be a demon ghost, dealing with it would be much easier.

“No rush. I’ll finish hunting the first and second-tier aberrations first!” Even if there were no other aberrations in the Forbidden Zone, there was no limit to the amount of gluttonous energy he could accumulate—even if there was a cap on plundering.

For others, the Forbidden Zone was fraught with danger, but for Lin Lei, it was nothing short of paradise.

Suddenly, in the distant darkness, flashes of red light streaked across the sky, and rumbling booms echoed from afar. Lin Lei’s eyes narrowed, and his nose picked up the faint scent of something burning drifting from the distance.

“It’s Wen Xiang!”