Gao Wu: If this BOSS isn't nerfed, is it even playable?

Chapter 128 Linchuan Ruins, Another Breakthrough in Realm!
Race advancement quest!

finally come!

Orc warrior?

It seems that from the system's perspective, I'm finally about to escape the category of goblins.

However, the Goblin racial template, above the Centurion, always feels like there should be something more.

Lin Ye didn't understand the system's thought process and was too lazy to dwell on it.

I just looked at the task requirements.

This selection... I absolutely have to win first place!
Lin Ye began to observe his surroundings.

What comes into view is a stretch of barren, rolling hills, with withered yellow weeds swaying in the wind, exuding a sense of deathly stillness.

Lin Ye reminded himself that this was a Level 4 occupied zone, a place many times more dangerous than a ruined city.

Even though his strength is not what it used to be, he still needs to be cautious.

Lin Ye began to recall the events rapidly in his mind.

From the moment he boarded the armored truck, although he couldn't see the outside world, he focused on every turn of the vehicle, the general direction of travel, and the time.

He remembered all these details perfectly.

Although there was no map at the moment, Lin Ye quickly constructed a simple map using the position of the sun and his own memory.

He estimated that he should now have been dropped into the southeastern corner of the occupied zone.

Theoretically, heading west from here would lead to that eerie, deep blue lake area in the center of the map.

If you go straight ahead, you will enter the ruins of Linchuan City.

After thinking for only a few seconds, Lin Ye made a decision.

First, go to the city ruins.

The city was the battlefield environment he was most familiar with; whether it was for hiding or observing, it was far more convenient than the open wilderness.

He planned to level up in the abandoned city of Linchuan first.

After that, we continued westward, passing through the Central Lake District, and finally arrived at that mysterious Black Forest.

Route planning is complete.

The next moment, he shot off like an arrow, hurtling towards the distant city skyline.

He moved extremely fast, kicking up a thin trail of dust on the barren hill.

Before long, the shadows of the buildings at the edge of the horizon became clearer, and the dilapidated outlines of the high-rise buildings were visible to the naked eye.

Just then, Lin Ye suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The sight he saw made his heart race.

Not far ahead on the edge of the city, clusters of dark blue crystals pierced through the cracked earth, emitting an eerie yet captivating glow under the hazy sky.

That's a Source Crystal!

And it's not just a few scattered spots, but a direct encirclement of the entire city's perimeter!

The information he had deciphered before setting off flashed through Lin Ye's mind.

More than 20 years ago, Linchuan City was one of the most important transportation hubs and heavy industrial cities in Ninghai Province, a prosperous city with a population of over 10 million.

However, a natural disaster struck, and the Abyss Rift opened without warning in the city center, unleashing a massive influx of alien races.

Linchuan quickly fell, and a large number of innocent civilians were killed by foreign invaders.

Despite the swift response of the Great Xia military, they ultimately held their ground, preventing the alien invasion from completely engulfing the entire Ninghai Province.

But Linchuan City, this once glorious city, was still destroyed by massacre and turned into a living hell.

The few survivors from Linchuan have all moved to other cities such as Dongjiang.

This place has become a forgotten city of death.

For this reason, there was simply no manpower or resources left to clean up the massive amounts of source crystal pollution left behind after the war.

Lin Ye raised his right hand and glanced at the cold black metal bracelet on his wrist.

This device only has the functions of recording points and one-click SOS.

There is no real-time monitoring.

This means that in this vast occupied area, he can completely unleash his power, devour source crystals, and rapidly transform!
With that thought in mind, Lin Ye no longer hesitated, increased his speed again, and sped towards the edge of Linchuan City.

The closer you get, the more grotesque the city's outline appears.

Broken viaducts, tilted skyscrapers, buildings torn apart by immense force... all tell the story of the horrors of that war.

Just then, Lin Ye saw something that didn't belong to the ruins.

On a relatively flat open space on the outermost edge of the city, circles of simple tents and shacks gradually appeared.

Smoke curls from chimneys, and figures move about.

A temporary camp filled with chaos and primitive atmosphere suddenly appeared before Lin Ye's eyes.

Lin Ye slowed his pace and observed silently.

There weren't many people in the camp, maybe a hundred or so.

Almost without exception, these men were all burly, wearing worn-out combat uniforms, their faces etched with the marks of hardship and exhaustion.

The fluctuations of their qi and blood varied in strength, but they all exuded a sense of impurity and disorder, clearly indicating that they cultivated using the crudest methods and had an unstable foundation.

Everyone carried weapons, mostly long swords and giant axes. Although there were signs of maintenance, the weapons themselves were made of inferior materials, full of dents and chips, and looked like old goods that had been used for many years.

"Young man, are you new here? Participating in the selection process?"

Lin Ye's arrival was quickly discovered by the people in the camp.

A scarred man sitting on a wooden crate at the entrance raised his eyelids and shouted at him.

This sound instantly drew the attention of everyone in the camp.

Dozens of eyes turned to them simultaneously.

Lin Ye was dressed in clean combat gear, and the Piercing Star Gun in his hand had a unique design that made it clear that it was no ordinary weapon and was out of place in the environment.

He was like a plump, white sheep.

"Want some protective suits? The latest model, military-grade quality, radiation-proof and corrosion-resistant!"

"Bread, biscuits, jerky! And clean drinking water! Selling cheap!"

"High prices for black-scaled iguana spines! Steelback wolf fangs! Bulk discounts available!"

As Lin Ye walked by, various hawking cries rose and fell, and some people even set their sights on Lin Ye, wanting to sell their goods.

Lin Ye ignored these people from all walks of life, but he already had a clear guess about their identities.

They were ordinary martial artists, and could also be considered mutated beast hunters.

Not very strong, and with mediocre talent.

Those who do not meet the standards to join the Martial Hall or the army can only survive in the precarious occupied territories by hunting mutated beasts and collecting materials and spiritual items.

If they were lucky enough to find even a low-level spiritual plant, it would be enough for them to live comfortably for more than half a year.

In their eyes, Lin Ye, a flower grown in a greenhouse, is nothing more than a walking wallet.

"Hey bro, bro! Don't rush off!"

A thin, middle-aged man with a mustache, seeing that business was coming, quickly emerged from behind his stall and strode towards Lin Ye.

"Judging from your posture, you're going into the Linchuan Ruins, aren't you? It's extremely dangerous inside!"

He pointed to the source crystals emitting a faint glow not far away and continued.

"See those source crystals? The radiation is incredibly strong! Even if you have strong blood and energy and a high tolerance, staying in there for a few hours will make you dizzy, nauseous, and want to vomit! It'll be a real hassle to get out then!"

As he spoke, he proudly pulled up a full-body protective suit from behind his back and unfolded it in front of Lin Ye.

"Look! My King Kong Generation III protective suit is made of high-polymer memory fiber, which is comfortable against the skin. The inner lining is made of lead-tin composite material, which can effectively block more than 90% of source radiation! Wearing it, you can stay in there for three days and three nights and still be full of energy, let alone a day and a night!"

"We hit it off immediately, what a coincidence! This outfit is worth 50,000 Alliance Coins on the market, but I'll give you a 20% discount, so you can take it for 40,000! How about it?"

Lin Ye's gaze swept over the protective suit.

Poor quality fabric, rough stitching, and dull-colored imitation military camouflage...

Even if it does offer some protection, it's definitely barely better than nothing.

Forty thousand Alliance Coins? He thinks even four hundred is too expensive.

Lin Ye wasn't a sucker; he shook his head expressionlessly and turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, don't go!"

Seeing that Lin Ye wasn't fooled, the man quickly stopped him again, changed his tune, and started selling food and water.

"Hey buddy, it's okay if you don't buy clothes! But you should at least stock up on some water and food, right? All the water sources in the city are polluted; you'll get poisoned if you drink even a sip!"

"All the water I have here is purified using military-grade purifiers! It's only 500 Alliance Coins a bottle! It's a bit pricey, but this is an occupied zone after all, and it can save your life in a critical moment!"

Lin Ye grew impatient with the vendor's incessant chatter.

He interrupted the other person directly.

"I don't want your water, and I don't want your food."

"I only need the intelligence."

"What powerful mutated beasts are there here? Where are the most source crystals? Are there any forces composed of hunters like you in the city? What are the rules?"

"Tell me everything you know, and this 500 yuan is yours."

The vendor's eyes lit up the moment he saw the money, and his smile instantly became incredibly genuine.

He deftly moved two small stools from behind the stall.

"Hey! Young man, you've come to the right person!"

He rubbed his hands together and warmly invited Lin Ye to sit down.

"I, Zhang Fu, have no other merits, but I am well-informed! There's nothing in or around the Linchuan ruins that I don't know! My friends in the underworld have been kind to me and given me a nickname: Zhang Wantong!"

"It's quite a coincidence that I'm originally from Linchuan. I lost my home, my wife and children, and I'm all alone with no one to rely on. So I had no choice but to come back to these ruins to beg for food."

As Zhang Fu spoke, he took out a slightly yellowed, folded map from his pocket and carefully unfolded it.

"Look, young man, this is a municipal map of Linchuan City before it fell to the Japanese. Although it's a bit old, the general street and area divisions are still there, which should give you some reference."

He pointed to the central area of ​​the map.

"Back then, the Tianyuan Rift opened in the platform hall of Yong'an Station on Metro Line 12 in the city center."

"That's where the concentration of source crystals is highest in the entire Linchuan Ruins, and it's also the most dangerous place! The mutated beasts there are incredibly ferocious; even experienced hunters don't dare to approach easily! You absolutely mustn't go!"

Lin Ye nodded, his expression unchanged, but he silently made a mental note of it.

Okay, I definitely have to go.

"As for power..."

Zhang Fu lowered his voice and leaned closer mysteriously.

"All you need to know is that right now, in these ruins of Linchuan, Brother Hao is in charge, and he sets the order for the entire camp."

"We've heard that he has an official background, but we don't know the specifics. However, he is indeed the strongest of all hunters and has founded the largest Qingfeng Society. Naturally, many people are willing to listen to him."

"In short, he provided us with a relatively safe trading venue, stabilized prices, and punished those who broke the rules and double-crossed others. We also had to pay him a portion of our earnings every month, which could be considered protection money."

"As long as you don't provoke trouble or start disputes, no one will make things difficult for you, since you're an outsider."

"Finally, there are the mutated beasts in the city."

"There are too many types to count accurately. The general threat index is between 150 and 200, and they are all very difficult to deal with."

"But you must pay special attention to one thing!"

At this point, Zhang Fu swallowed hard, a serious expression appearing on his face.

"Iron-eating beetles!"

“Those insects, individually, are not very strong, and their threat level may not even be more than 100. But they never act alone. If you see one, it means there are hundreds or thousands of them nearby!”

"Every now and then, the city experiences an insect swarm!"

"Thousands upon thousands of iron-eating beetles converged into a black wave of death, devouring even reinforced concrete in their wake!"

"If you unfortunately encounter one, don't even think about fighting, just turn around and run! If you're too slow, you won't even leave a bone fragment!"

Lin Ye silently memorized all the information and stood up.

"Thank you." Zhang Fu had no reason, nor any need, to deceive him on this matter.

He placed the 500 Alliance Coins on the table and prepared to turn and leave.

"Hey, young man, wait a minute!"

Seeing Lin Ye's actions, Zhang Fu quickly called out to him, a hint of sincerity appearing in his usually mercenary smile.

He reached under his stall and pulled out an unopened bottle of purified water, which he then handed to Lin Ye.

“Young man, I can tell you’re a shrewd person, not one of those arrogant hotheads.”

"Consider this bottle of water a gift from me, as a way of making friends."

Even if we can't make a deal, we can still be on good terms.

"What good stuff did you hunt in the city that you can't take out, or that you want to exchange for some money on the spot?"

"You can come see me anytime!"

"The price I'm offering is absolutely the fairest in this camp!"

Lin Ye looked at the water in his hand, then at Zhang Fu.

He accepted the water.

"it is good."

That's considered accepting this favor.

……

After bidding farewell to Zhang Fu, Lin Ye officially stepped into the ruins of Linchuan.

Soon after entering the Linchuan site, the atmosphere in the air became completely different.

The unique fishy smell brought by the source crystal, mixed with decay and dust, is nauseating.

But Lin Ye was extremely familiar with this smell.

He encountered his first wave of enemies less than a kilometer from the city's outskirts.

Three mutated beasts, resembling gray wolves but covered in barbs like steel, silently emerged from the shadows and formed a triangular formation to surround him.

[Steelback Gray Wolf LV.18]

This is a mutant beast with an officially designated threat level of around 150.

Lin Ye made a judgment in his mind.

The official threat index, divided by nine or ten, is roughly the specific level detected in the system panel.

This conversion method can be used as a reference for subsequent actions.

Despite being attacked by three mutated beasts, Lin Ye did not stop.

As he moved forward, the Piercing Star Spear in his right hand transformed into a blurry, dark afterimage.

puff!puff!puff!
After three muffled thuds that almost formed a single line.

The three menacing steelback wolves suddenly froze in mid-air, then fell limply to the ground, twitched twice, and went silent.

In the very center of their heads, there was a perfectly smooth, bloody hole.

Kill with one blow.

Lin Ye kept moving, his figure as swift as the wind, continuing to venture deeper into the direction of Yong'an Station in the city center, as marked on the map.

Along the way, he saw many figures wandering among the ruins.

Those people, like the scavengers in the camp, were mostly wearing heavy protective suits.

They formed hunting teams of three to five, or even as many as seven or eight people, to work together to hunt down mutated beasts.

Many people cast surprised glances at Lin Ye, who was traveling alone without any protective gear.

But more than anything, there was a sense of vigilance.

In this lawless and disorderly land, going it alone often represents two extremes.

They're either ignorant fools or powerful individuals who don't need companions.

Lin Ye's combat uniform, which was free of any bloodstains, and the uniquely shaped Piercing Star Spear made him look more like the latter.

Therefore, everyone tacitly kept their distance and did not interfere with each other.

Lin Ye didn't bother with them.

When he sees a small team hunting a mutated beast, he will deliberately avoid it, showing no intention of stealing the monster.

However, his ability to work alone and his terrifying efficiency in killing almost any mutated beast with a single blow still attracted the attention of some people.

A rough-looking man passing by saw Lin Ye easily kill a mutated beast with a single shot, and his eyes lit up.

"Young man! You've got some skill!"

"Interested in teaming up? We're the Black Wind Hunting Team! We're quite well-known around here! If we hunt together, we'll split the loot in half!"

Lin Ye simply refused, his figure disappearing into the depths of the layers of ruins without the slightest pause.

"Damn it, what are you swaggering for!"

One of the team members spat, somewhat indignant.

The burly man's eyes turned cold, and he slapped him across the face: "Shut up! Did you see his movements? Killing a heavily armored boar with extremely high defense is as easy as piercing a piece of paper! We can't afford to mess with people like that!"

"Even if cooperation fails, do not show hostility!"

Lin Ye, who had walked away, heard the words carried on the wind.

Sure enough, anyone who can beg for favors in a place like this is no fool.

He continued deeper.

The number of source crystals growing from the ground and walls along the way has increased visibly.

However, most of these exposed source crystals are dull in color and covered with fine cracks, losing their proper luster.

Too much time has passed, and most of the energy contained within has dissipated through radiation.

The remaining energy was a mixed mess.

Lin Ye remembered the source crystals that the doctor had made him swallow.

The two are like diamonds and glass.

He had no desire to collect or devour.

When Lin Ye arrived at the temporary camp, it was only noon.

At this moment, as he ventured deeper into the core area of ​​Linchuan City, the sun on the horizon had begun to set in the west, casting a blood-red glow.

Tonight, I'm destined to spend the night in this dead city.

The surrounding environment became increasingly desolate, and the level of the mutated beasts began to increase, with even elite individuals at LV.22 and LV.23 appearing.

The martial artists who operate here are also significantly stronger.

Their combined attacks and encirclement tactics were quite sophisticated, clearly demonstrating their experience as seasoned veterans.

Finally, as the last rays of the setting sun were about to sink below the horizon, a huge, dark underground entrance appeared in Lin Ye's field of vision.

[Line 12 - Yong'an Station]

A few large, tattered characters still hang on the ceiling of the subway station entrance, covered in rust.

There was absolutely no human presence here.

Deathly silence.

A cool breeze, mixed with the strong aura of source crystals and the damp, cold air from the underground, blew out from the bottomless station entrance, carrying a strange sense of attraction.

Lin Ye felt the wind, his eyes showing no fear.

He started walking down.

Follow the cracked steps downwards.

When Lin Ye's feet touched the solid ground of the platform hall, he found himself stepping into an incredibly dreamlike world.

The vast underground space was bathed in a deep blue light.

Clusters of dark blue source crystals grew on the ground, walls, supporting pillars, and even on the high ceiling dome.

They emitted a mesmerizing yet deadly light in the darkness, illuminating the entire underground station like a crystal palace.

Because of their enclosed environment, these source crystals buried deep underground lose far less energy than those on the surface.

Although they have suffered some damage over the decades, the energy they retain remains immense.

More importantly, it has extremely high purity!

Lin Ye simply stood there and took a deep breath.

The next moment, system notifications began to ring out continuously in his mind.

[Ding! External energy injection detected. Experience points +8!]

[Ding! External energy injection detected. Experience points +8!]

[Ding! External energy injection detected. Experience points +8!]

With just one breath, more than twenty experience points were gained!
Here, for him, it's a place where he can truly become stronger just by breathing!

With his mental attribute surging to nearly 190 points, Lin Ye now possessed extremely strong resistance to this density of source crystal radiation.

Although faint, eerie whispers still linger in my ears, and distorted phantoms occasionally flash before my eyes.

But these influences have become so weak that they cannot shake his thinking and actions.

Lin Ye confirmed that there were no signs of life in the surrounding area.

He walked to a corner and gently pried open the wall.

Click.

He removed a fist-sized, crystal-clear source crystal intact.

Without the slightest hesitation, he swallowed the source crystal directly.

A spicy and scorching torrent exploded in my throat, then transformed into the most violent and primal source energy, washing over my limbs and bones!
Lin Ye's body seemed to have become a rapidly spinning furnace.

The accumulated qi and blood within the body, which had not yet been tempered, were compressed and condensed again and again under the impact of this powerful source energy!

Lin Ye began to swallow the second piece, the third piece...

The entire underground crystal space has been completely transformed into a self-service restaurant for Lin Ye.

Time flies.

More than ten minutes later.

Lin Ye could clearly feel that all the remaining qi and blood in his body had been completely tempered!
At this moment, every drop of blood and energy in his body was filled with explosive power.

Without delay, he sat down cross-legged on the spot.

The mind sinks into the body, entering a state of introspection.

Under his guidance, the surging, roaring torrent of blood and qi was once again mobilized, converging into an unprecedentedly terrifying giant wave!
The goal is to reach the last six meridians and their key points among the twelve primary meridians!
boom!
The first barrier was breached almost instantly under the impact of the torrent of qi and blood!

boom!
The second course!
boom!
The third way!
Unstoppable! Completely crushing everything in its path!
The barriers of the meridians are as fragile as window paper in the face of this powerful blood and qi that has been tempered to the extreme!
All in one go!
Lin Ye broke through three more meridian barriers that he had visualized as mountain gates.

The moment the last barrier was breached.

Within Lin Ye's body, the three Yin meridians of the hand, the three Yang meridians of the hand, the three Yin meridians of the foot, and the three Yang meridians of the foot—the twelve main meridians—are completely connected, forming a complete and unobstructed Great Circulation!
Om-!
A visible crimson aura erupted from him, causing the surrounding ground to crack in a fine spiderweb pattern!

His joints and bones crackled and popped like popping beans!

Lin Ye slowly opened his eyes.

His cultivation level advanced directly from the early stage of the Meridian Opening Realm to the middle stage without any stagnation!

However, this is not the end.

Lin Ye could feel that at this moment, in the twelve meridians of his body that had been completely opened, there was still a large amount of pure blood and qi that had been tempered and was flowing surging, unable to find an outlet.

Lin Ye knew that this breakthrough in cultivation level was not yet over.

His gaze seemed to pierce through his own flesh and skin, revealing eight deeper and more mysterious meridians.

It's time for the Eight Extraordinary Meridians!
　This chapter is 6 words long, bringing the total number of words updated today to approximately 1.2.

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(End of this chapter)