Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 38: First Time Entering the Wilderness

Three days later, early in the morning, before it was fully light, Lin Yun got up.

He stood in the training room on the second floor of the villa and began to put on his equipment piece by piece. The combat trousers were D6 series, made of soft yet tough material, clinging to his skin with almost no feeling of restriction. Three throwing knives were clipped to the outside of his thighs—six 7 series throwing knives and three 8 series throwing knives, which he arranged on his left and right sides according to his own habits for easy access.

He wore alloy combat boots with special anti-slip treads on the soles, making almost no sound when he stepped on the ground. His upper body was covered by a black combat vest, with D6-series arm and shoulder pads over it. His arms were bare, with wrist guards on his wrists, and a communication watch was fixed to his right wrist guard.

He slung his special backpack over his shoulder, hung his hexagonal shield on his back, and slung his Blood Shadow Blade across his waist. Once everything was ready, he stood in front of the mirror and looked himself up and down.

The boy in the mirror no longer resembled a student at all.

"Lin Yun, hurry up, we're about to leave!" Shenyang's voice came from downstairs, full of energy.

"Okay!" Lin Yun replied, turned around and ran downstairs.

In the living room, Grandpa Lin Guodong was already standing there. The old man, wearing an old cotton-padded coat, stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching his grandson run down the stairs. His lips trembled slightly, as if he had a thousand words to say, but in the end, only one sentence came out:

"Xiaoyun, be careful."

Lin Yun walked up to his grandfather, reached out to straighten the old man's collar, and smiled, "Don't worry, Grandpa."

He didn't say much. Sometimes, saying too much can just cause worry.

Lin Guodong nodded, said nothing more, and just patted his grandson's shoulder hard.

Lin Yun turned around, pushed open the door, and went out.

Outside the door, Shenyang was leaning against the SUV, waiting for him. Seeing Lin Yun come out, he grinned and looked him up and down: "Not bad, you look like a martial artist in this outfit."

"You flatter me, Brother Shen." Lin Yun smiled, opened the car door, and got in.

The car drove out of Mingyue Residential Area and headed towards the central area of ​​Jiangnan Base City. The city was just waking up in the early morning; there weren't many pedestrians on the streets, only a few sanitation vehicles working along the roadside. The streetlights were still on, their orange glow appearing particularly warm in the morning mist.

"Let's go, Lin Yun. We'll head to the HR Alliance Mall now and meet up with the captain and the others. Then we'll set off together for the wilderness area," Shen Yang said as he drove.

"Yes, Brother Shen."

About half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a skyscraper.

The building has 88 floors and is entirely covered by a deep blue glass curtain wall, reflecting a cold light in the morning. The two English letters "HR" are very eye-catching on the building wall, each letter is three stories high, and they are particularly noticeable from a distance.

The building is surrounded by a wide plaza, in the center of which stands the largest fountain in Jiangnan Base City. The water jets sway in the morning breeze, refracting a rainbow of colors. Around the plaza, more than a thousand armed soldiers patrol, with several layers of security tape preventing any outsiders from stepping inside.

Lin Yun and Shen Yang presented their martial arts credentials, passed through security, and entered the building.

The first floor is the lobby, luxuriously and grandly decorated with crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and genuine leather sofas, exuding an air of wealth and power. A few martial artists are scattered throughout the lobby, some drinking tea and chatting, others resting with their eyes closed.

"The first floor is the reception and rest area, and the second floor and above is the shopping mall." Shenyang introduced to Lin Yun as they walked. "The prices of items in this underground alliance mall are generally lower than the full price at 'Extreme House,' but of course, they are still higher than our half-price prices."

Lin Yun nodded. Half price was a privilege only available to members of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy.

"The biggest advantage of the Underground Alliance Mall is that it can buy the monster materials we hunt at high prices," Shenyang continued. "Selling them to martial arts schools will fetch a lower price, but you'll get contribution points; selling them to the Underground Alliance will get you a higher price, but you won't get any contribution points. The choice is entirely up to you."

Lin Yun already knew all this—he had read many posts on the martial arts forum. Selling to martial arts schools was for contribution points; selling to underground alliances was for money. Each had its advantages and disadvantages, it all depended on the martial artist's own needs.

He glanced around the lobby but didn't see the girl Luo Feng had a crush on. He thought for a moment; after all, they were only in their first year of high school, and Xu Xin probably hadn't started working here yet.

"Lin Yun, let's go over there. The captain and the others have arrived." Shenyang pointed to a rest area in the corner of the lobby.

Lin Yun looked up and saw Lin Zheng, Liu Xu, Luo Fang, and Leng Bao sitting there. Lin Zheng was wearing a gray combat uniform, his right prosthetic leg hidden by his trouser leg, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. Liu Xu was still as languid as ever, arms wrapped around her sword, leaning back on the sofa with her eyes closed, resting. Luo Fang and Leng Bao sat together, talking in hushed tones.

"Captain, the person has arrived." Shenyang walked over and plopped down on the sofa.

Lin Zheng looked up at Lin Yun and nodded: "Have you checked all the equipment?"

"It's been checked," Lin Yun replied.

"Then let's go."

Lin Zheng stood up and walked outside. His steps were steady, each one firm and solid, making it impossible to tell that he wore a prosthetic leg. Liu Xu followed behind him, while the others filed out.

The six people boarded HR Alliance's car and headed to the train station.

The train station in Jiangnan Base City was built specifically for martial artists; ordinary civilian trains are not allowed to enter the wilderness area. Several groups of martial artists were already waiting for their trains on the platform, gathered in twos and threes, some talking in hushed tones, others resting with their eyes closed.

"Boom!"

A silver-white train slowly pulled into the station. The train was not long, with only six carriages, but each carriage was reinforced with thick armor, the windows were bulletproof glass, and there were several obvious bullet holes on the body—marks left by the monster's attack.

Lin Yun followed the Thunder Blade Squad onto the train and found an empty carriage to sit down.

As the train started moving, it accelerated, and the scenery outside the window rushed past. Skyscrapers gradually disappeared, replaced by low-rise houses and barren fields. Further out, even the fields disappeared, leaving only ruins and weeds.

Lin Yun leaned against the window, looking at the scenery outside, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

This place was once a bustling city, home to countless people. Now, only ruins remain, a playground for monsters.

The train traveled for about two hours before slowly coming to a stop at a military station.

"We've arrived." Lin Zheng stood up and stepped off the train, leaning on his cane.

Lin Yun followed the others out of the car, and what came into view was a heavily guarded military base. Towering walls, numerous sentry posts, patrolling soldiers, and—an iron tower that was at least fifty or sixty meters high.

"Lin Yun, do you see that tower?" Shen Yang pointed to the iron tower and said, "Throughout China, and even the whole world, every military region designates a special area as a supply base for martial artists. This tower is the symbol of that supply base. It symbolizes—lighting the way home for us martial artists."

Lin Yun looked up at the iron tower and remained silent for a moment.

"Lighting the way home for martial artists..." These words stirred up an indescribable emotion within him.

The martial arts supply base is located within the military region, consisting of quiet little buildings in a very pleasant environment. Shady trees and lush flowers and plants provide a stark contrast to the desolation outside.

"Thunder Blade Squad, you can stay and rest at A6." An officer at the supply base handed Lin Zheng a key and said with a smile, "Old Lin, how long are you planning to hunt this time? If you catch anything good, feel free to sell it to my underground alliance. I'll definitely give you a high price."

Although the service personnel at the supply base wear military uniforms, they actually come from the Ultimate Martial Arts School, the Thunder Martial Arts School, the government army, and the underground alliance. They serve as both a service provider and a buyer of valuable monster materials from the martial artists.

"You know I'm from the Extreme Martial Arts Academy, so naturally I'll only sell materials to them." Lin Zheng took the keys, his tone calm.

"Uh, you blockhead..." The man was slightly embarrassed, but knowing Lin Zheng's personality, he didn't say anything more.

Shenyang leaned close to Lin Yun's ear and whispered, "The captain is great in every way. He cares for his teammates and is loyal, but he's a bit rigid. Every time we hunt, we only sell the materials we get to the Extreme Martial Arts Academy, which is a huge loss of money."

"Captain, this is loyalty, what do you know!" Liu Xu appeared behind the two of them at some point, glaring at Shenyang.

Shenyang shrank back and awkwardly shut his mouth.

Lin Yun couldn't help but chuckle.

The supply base wasn't very large, but it was well-equipped. A6 was a three-story building with a separate yard and garage. Lin Zheng swiped the chip key across the gate, and the lock clicked open.

"Everyone, take a rest for a while. We'll set off again early tomorrow morning," Lin Zheng instructed.

"clear."

The group filed in and each chose a room to settle down.

The next morning, before dawn, the six members of the Thunder Blade Squad had already assembled fully armed at the entrance of the small building.

"Let's go." Lin Zheng walked at the front.

After leaving the supply base and crossing the military district's cordon, the real wilderness area lies ahead.

As Lin Yun stepped outside the border of the base city for the first time, an indescribable feeling welled up inside him. The road beneath his feet was a broken asphalt surface, with weeds growing in the cracks. On both sides were collapsed buildings and abandoned vehicles, vines climbing the walls, and bullet holes riddled with rusty car bodies.

The air was filled with an indescribable smell—rotten, damp, and with a faint, almost imperceptible odor of blood.

"Lin Yun, our team's strength ranks among the top in the entire Jiangnan Base City, so the hunting areas we choose are usually quite dangerous," Lin Zheng explained to Lin Yun as they walked. "Before you came, we just returned from City 003. We originally planned to continue there, but considering it's your first time in the wilderness, we're going to City 013 this time."

Lin Yun nodded.

He had done his homework on the martial arts forum and knew the meaning of City 003 and City 013.

City 003, formerly known as SH City before the Great Nirvana, was one of the most terrifying areas in the entire Eurasian region. Bordering the ocean, it was teeming with sea monsters roaming its waterways. It boasted one of the most numerous architectural complexes in almost all of Asia, resulting in an astonishing number of monsters. Lord-level monsters were commonplace there, and even monsters surpassing the lord level inhabited the area.

Countless top martial artists gathered there; it was practically the largest battlefield where human martial artists and monsters fought.

City 013 is Hangzhou before its great rebirth. While it's safer than Shanghai, that's only relatively speaking. As a first-tier city in China, the density and intensity of monsters there far surpass those in ordinary county towns.

"Thank you, Captain," Lin Yun said sincerely.

He knew that Lin Zheng chose to go to city 013 instead of city 003 largely to take care of him, a newcomer.

"You're welcome," Lin Zheng said without turning his head. "Since you're my team member, I'm responsible for your safety."

The Thunder Knife team walked for nearly two days along the old highway route.

Along the way, they encountered many monsters—armored lizards, wind wolves, saw-toothed tigers…most were beast soldier level, with a few beast general level occasionally. But these monsters posed no threat to this team whose lowest strength was junior warrior.

Shenyang was responsible for long-range fire support; every roar of his heavy sniper rifle claimed the life of a monster. Luo Fang and Leng Bao were in charge of close-quarters combat, and monsters fell wherever their blades and guns flashed. Liu Xu was responsible for vigilance and support; her movements were incredibly precise, moving like the wind across the battlefield, appearing wherever danger lurked.

Lin Zheng rarely made a move, but his eyes were always scanning the surroundings, controlling the rhythm of the entire battlefield.

Lin Yun was also assigned to take action several times.

When facing a real wild monster for the first time, he deliberately suppressed his strength, only displaying the level of a novice warrior. He swiftly and cleanly killed an armored lizard with a single strike.

"Not bad!" Shenyang praised in the communication channel.

Luo Fang nodded as well: "His swordsmanship is very solid, unlike that of a novice who is fighting for the first time."

Leng Bao didn't speak, but nodded slightly, which was considered as approval.

Liu Xu glanced at Lin Yun, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "It's better than I expected."

Lin Zheng didn't comment, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

Over the course of two days, Lin Yun's performance earned everyone's approval. Although he was the youngest, his calmness and decisiveness in battle were unlike that of a fifteen-year-old boy. The skills he had honed on the training field were used perfectly in actual combat, without a single superfluous movement or hesitation.

"This kid is a born warrior," Shenyang said to Liuxu when they camped out for the night.

Liu Xu glanced at him: "You just realized that?"

Shenyang chuckled and didn't refute.

After entering the city, everyone's expressions became tense.

The streets were narrower, the buildings more densely packed, and monsters could leap out from any corner at any moment. Lin Zheng walked in front, his right hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze sweeping around. Liu Xu followed behind him, her sword already drawn, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

"Go upstairs." Lin Zheng pointed to a former hotel building by the roadside. The group filed in and climbed the stairs all the way to the top floor.

The rooftop was spacious and offered a wide view, overlooking a large area. Shenyang immediately began assembling his heavy sniper rifle and set up a firing position on the edge of the roof. The others spread out to check the surrounding area.

After confirming that everyone was safe, they breathed a sigh of relief.

"We are currently in the former Gongshu District of Hangzhou, which is relatively safer here." Lin Zheng squatted on the ground and drew a simple map on the cement floor with the tip of his knife. "However, there is a Grand Canal not far away, which connects directly to the Qiantang River, so there are many amphibious monsters in it. Everyone must be careful."

"Understood, Captain," everyone replied in unison.

These words were mainly directed at Lin Yun; the others were not here for the first time.

"Our target is Yuexiu-Xinghui Shangcheng, located five kilometers away." Lin Zheng continued drawing the map. "There are many waterways there, and a Wanda Plaza nearby. Monsters are concentrated there, but there are very few Lord-level monsters, making it a good fit for us."

"Yes, Captain."

The five-kilometer journey would only take a minute or two to cover at full speed. But it took the Thunder Blade team more than half an hour.

The group moved along the edge of the street, using collapsed buildings and abandoned vehicles as cover, constantly lurking, moving, and lurking again. Lin Yun followed in the middle of the group, his mental energy spreading to a radius of two hundred meters, so that no movement could escape his perception.

They encountered a few scattered monsters along the way, but Shenyang silently took them out from a distance with a sniper rifle.

Finally, the group reached the top floor of the Yuexiu-Xinghui Shangcheng residential complex.

"This will be our resting place for the rest of the time," Lin Zheng said after looking around to make sure it was safe. "Everyone, rest for the night and start hunting first thing tomorrow morning. Leng Bao and Luo Fang, you two will take turns keeping watch tonight."

"Yes."

Everyone found a room to settle down. Lin Yun chose a room in a corner, set up a simple cordon at the door, then sat down against the wall, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

Panlong World's body simultaneously entered a meditative state, with magical power slowly flowing and mental energy rapidly recovering through the resonance between the two realms.

Silent all night.

The next morning, as dawn broke, everyone was ready and stood together by the window on the top floor, looking down at the street below.

The morning mist shrouded the ruined city, with distant buildings appearing and disappearing in the fog. The streets were quiet, with only the occasional monster emerging from the mist and letting out a low growl.

"Lin Yun." Lin Zheng's voice rang out from behind.

"exist."

"City 013 is different from other small towns. The monsters here are very concentrated, and you'll rarely encounter one alone. So it will be a huge test for you." Lin Zheng's gaze fell on the distant street, his tone calm. "However, your physical condition is very good, and I believe you can adapt quickly."

"Yes, Captain, I will definitely not let you down," Lin Yun said with a determined look.

"Okay." Lin Zheng nodded, stood up with his cane, and glanced at everyone. "Then let's set off now."

Six figures filed out of the rooftop windows and descended rapidly along the fire escape ladder on the exterior wall, landing silently on the ground.

The morning mist enveloped them, and the six figures appeared and disappeared in the mist like six ghosts, vanishing into the depths of the ruined city streets.

Ahead lies the monster's lair.

Ahead lies a battlefield of life and death.

Lin Yun gripped the Blood Shadow Battle Blade tightly, took a deep breath, and caught up with the group.