Kill one monster, stack one poison, and I alone will poison my way across the world!

Tianhe City, East Gate.

The towering alloy city walls gleamed with a cold metallic luster. At the city gate, several guards dressed in silver-grade standard armor were conducting routine checks on people leaving the city.

Su Chen joined the queue and slowly moved forward with the flow of people.

"Next."

A square-faced guard tapped the table impatiently.

Su Chen stepped forward and handed over his ID card.

The guard took the card and swiped it on the device.

Name: Su Chen

[Level: 6]

[Class: Venomous Mage]

……

Upon seeing the information displayed on the instrument, the square-faced guard immediately frowned.

"Level 6? Solo trip out of town?"

The guard sized Su Chen up and down, his gaze finally settling on the dark black [Exploding Staff] in Su Chen's hand, a hint of undisguised contempt flashing in his eyes.

In this world, the wilderness is fraught with danger.

Let alone a level 6 newbie, even a veteran player who frequently leaves the city and is around level 20 usually goes out in a group.

To them, a novice like Su Chen, running out of the city alone, was no different from committing suicide.

"You can leave the city, but if you die, the city defense forces will not be responsible for collecting your body," the guard said coldly, tossing the ID card back to Su Chen.

"Thanks for reminding me."

Su Chen calmly put away his identity card and strode out of the Alloy City Gate.

Watching Su Chen's departing figure, another guard beside him couldn't help but sneer.

"Old Li, why are you bothering with him? Every year after the Awakening Ceremony, there are plenty of students like him who don't know their place."

The square-faced guard curled his lip: "You dare to go outside the city at level 6? Your level isn't low, but you're naive and think you're invincible just because you killed a few monsters in the newbie dungeon."

"At most half an hour." The guard next to him held up three fingers. "After half an hour, he will either slink back for help or become food for the wild dogs outside the city."

The two exchanged a smile, no longer paying attention to this incident, and continued checking the next person leaving the city.

……

Outside the city, the scene is completely different from the bustling city inside.

Less than a kilometer outside the city gates and restricted area, the surrounding landscape transformed into dilapidated ruins and overgrown wasteland.

A faint smell of blood and decay filled the air.

This is a real monster park.

The safe zone inside the city is protected by array formations, but here, only the naked law of the jungle prevails.

Several professionals around him stared at Su Chen for a while, then silently left together.

Su Chen did not linger on the outskirts of the wilderness, but plunged straight into the forest ahead.

Not long after entering the forest, a rustling sound came from the bushes ahead.

Three short, green-skinned monsters, each wielding a broken wooden stick, jumped out.

[Goblin (Normal Monster)]

[Level: 3]

【Strength: 8】

[Agility: 10]

[Stamina: 15]

【Spirit: 2】

"The level is too low."

Su Chen didn't even intend to stop.

The three goblins let out a piercing scream and charged at Su Chen, brandishing their wooden clubs.

Su Chen raised the [Exploding Staff] in his hand, without even using any skills, and simply swung it casually.

A faint magical beam of light shot out and struck the goblin charging at the front in the chest.

-38!

This was just the weak basic attack damage from the staff; it didn't even scratch the goblin's skin much.

however.

The moment the magic light bullet touched the goblin, a ghastly green skull mark suddenly appeared on its head.

[Note: Triggered the trait 'All Things Corrode', forcibly applying 1 stack of the 'Very Poisonous' status.]

[Hint: Triggering the trait 'God of Poison' instantly maxes out the 'Poison' stacks.]

[Current target toxin level: 413!]

The next second, an extremely exaggerated damage number floated up above the goblin's head.

-19411!

The goblin didn't even have time to scream before its entire body dissolved into a pool of green pus in mid-air.

Not only that.

[Note: Triggering the Explosive Staff's additional effect, dealing 10 points of fire splash damage to all enemies within a 2-meter radius.]

boom!

A small ball of fire exploded above the pus, splashing onto two other goblins nearby.

-10!

Immediately afterwards, the same system notification sounded again.

[Hint: Triggering the trait 'All things decay'...]

[Hint: The trait 'God of Poison' has been triggered...]

-19411!

-19411!

The two goblins followed in their companion's footsteps, instantly turning into pus.

[Hint: Killing a level 3 goblin grants 15 experience points (reduced by 50% due to level disadvantage).]

[Hint: Kill a level 3 goblin...]

[Note: Triggering the trait 'Misfortune Absorption' increases the maximum number of poison stacks by 3.]

[Current maximum number of toxin stacks: 416.]

There was nothing in the three pools of pus.

Su Chen walked over, glanced at the bare land that had been dyed dark green, and shook his head slightly.

Sure enough, the drop rate was just as terrible as the beginner dungeon.

If you only kill these low-level monsters, it seems very difficult to make a living.

He even skipped the bending-over motion.

What he was most dissatisfied with was the experience points.

"Experience gain from monsters below my level is reduced, and these level 3 goblins have already lost half the experience." Su Chen looked at the experience bar on his panel, which had only increased by a tiny fraction. "Grinding levels here is fine, but at this rate, when will I ever level up?"

The upgrade rules in this world are extremely strict.

Trying to level up quickly by crushing weaker opponents is simply not a viable strategy.

"We need to find some high-end stuff."

Without hesitation, Su Chen abandoned the low-level monster area on the outskirts and quickened his pace to walk deeper into the forest.

As they went deeper, the surrounding light became dimmer and the sense of oppression in the air gradually increased.

The trees grew extremely large, and the humus on the ground felt soft and spongy underfoot.

One hour later.

Su Chen stopped in his tracks.

In an open area ahead, a giant wild boar, as big as a small truck, was devouring the carcass of an unknown monster.

The giant wild boar was covered in black steel bristles, and its two tusks were like sharp scimitars, still stained with undried blood.

【Rampaging Black Armored Boar (Elite Monster)】

[Level: 10]

【Strength: 45】

[Agility: 20]

[Stamina: 80]

【Spirit: 10】

[Skills: Bull Charge, Hardened Armor]

With a stamina of 80, this monster has extremely high health and physical defense.

When a normal level 10 team encounters this elite monster, they usually need a main tank to hold the line while mages frantically deal damage from behind, and it can take several minutes to kill it.

The giant boar sensed Su Chen's approach and suddenly turned its head, its scarlet eyes fixed on Su Chen.

"roar!"

It let out a deafening roar, its thick hind legs slammed into the ground, and its entire body, like an out-of-control tank, charged wildly toward Su Chen.

[Hint: The Berserk Black Armored Boar is using the skill "Bull Charge"!]

The ground was shaking, and withered branches and leaves were being swept up by the strong wind.

Su Chen stood still, without even making a move to dodge.

He raised the [Exploding Staff] in his hand, aimed it at the charging giant boar, and released a basic magic missile.

call out!

The light bullet accurately hit the black-armored boar's thick forehead.

-33!

Clearly, the Black Armored Boar has extremely high defense and magic resistance; this negligible damage isn't even enough to tickle it.

But that's enough.

A ghastly green skull mark instantly lit up on the top of the black-armored boar's head.

The berserk black-armored boar, charging at high speed, suddenly stiffened.

-19552!

The massive body collapsed with a crash less than five meters away from Su Chen.

There were no screams, no struggles.

The poison, reaching a height of 416 layers, erupted instantly. The health provided by the proud 80 points of stamina was as fragile as paper in the face of true damage.

The enormous corpse began to decompose and dissolve rapidly the moment it fell to the ground.

In just two seconds, it turned into a large pool of foul-smelling green liquid.

[Hint: Defeating a level 10 elite monster, the Berserker Black Armored Boar, grants 150 experience points.]

[Note: Triggering the trait 'Misfortune Absorption' increases the maximum number of poison stacks by 1.]

[Current maximum number of toxin stacks: 417.]

Accompanied by a crisp system notification sound, Su Chen's experience bar moved forward slightly.

"I returned something."

Su Chen looked at the shimmering light of the objects in the large pool of thick liquid, and a satisfied smile finally appeared on his lips.

Now this is what you call grinding monsters!

Killing monsters of a higher level grants a bonus to experience, and can even result in instant kills.

He stepped forward, used a twig to scrape away the thick liquid, and picked out the fallen debris.

[Received: Black Armor Pigskin *1]

"The returns are quite considerable."

Black-armored pigskin is a rare material, and it can only be dropped by level 10 elite monsters.

Ordinary black-armored pigs don't shed their skin, hence their higher price.

One can sell for 100 gold coins.

Su Chen glanced into the depths of the dark forest, listening to the faint roars of monsters coming from afar.

"Let's just grind here, but it's best to be careful. Let's get to level 10 first and then learn the skills."

This isn't a game; it's the real world.

Those bosses don't care about martial ethics; they take turns attacking.

It's not uncommon for people to encounter a legendary boss as soon as they step outside and get kicked to death.

We can explore the areas ahead later!