My Talent Skill Mutated

But if there’s no difficulty, there’s no challenge.

Right now, he had no problem dealing with Level 5 or Level 6 Mutant Beasts, even without using his ace Skill, God’s Will.

The key was, if he couldn’t win, he could run!

At Mach 15, not even a typical Seventh-level Martial Artist could catch him.

He hadn’t accepted this mission blindly.

If he could resolve this situation completely, the rewards might be just as great as last time.

Upgrading his Skills and advancing his physical Evolution required an enormous amount of the Source of Life.

He had to get his hands on more.

Killing mutant beasts was the fastest way.

The mission was one danger, but an even greater one came from the Divine Authority Council and the Pantheon Sect.

Those two Heterodox Sects definitely wouldn’t let him off the hook.

While he was safe in Jingzhou Base City, staying there also delayed his progress.

Only by taking on missions could he improve quickly.

Growth was inevitably accompanied by slaughter!

That was unavoidable.

’If they push me too far, I’ll just activate God’s Will and wipe out the whole damn lot of them.’

...

「Jiang City Safety Zone.」

It was a small safety zone in the East Asia region.

It was about the same size as the Qing City Safety Zone.

Hundred-meter-tall steel walls encircled the entire safety zone.

Beyond it lay the wilderness, a land of rolling mountains and hidden crises.

A recent string of deaths among Jiang City Martial Artists had thrown the small settlement into a panic. Some even worried that a beast tide was about to erupt.

Many who tried to leave died en route, a fact that only intensified the panic in Jiang City.

At nightfall, almost no one dared to take a single step outside the safety zone.

As night fell, Chen Yu and his group arrived at the Jiang City Safety Zone.

Compared to a normal safety zone, Jiang City seemed much more desolate after dark.

Most businesses were closed for the night.

Only a few streets remained brightly lit.

In Jiang City, on a commercial pedestrian street, Chen Yu’s group stopped at a barbecue joint.

They ordered some barbecue and a case of beer, eating and chatting.

"The panic here is pretty serious. It’s only nine, and there’s hardly anyone around," Baili Qing said while munching on a skewer.

"With so many Martial Artists dead, of course the panic is serious," Chen Yu said, taking a sip of beer.

An Ran, also eating a skewer, looked around before her gaze fell on Chen Yu. "Brother Yu, what do you think? Is there any truth to those rumors about a beast tide? It would be dangerous if we stumbled right into their main nest."

"Brother Feng, what’s your take?" Chen Yu asked, turning to Xu Feng, who had been quietly drinking his beer.

Xu Feng took a gulp of beer and set down his glass. "Ninety-nine percent of beast tides are sudden. I think it’s highly likely this is just a rumor."

"Maybe one of the Heterodox Sects is deliberately spreading rumors to cause a panic."

"That makes sense," Baili Qing said, agreeing with Xu Feng’s analysis. "This has happened before in other places. The safety zones with rumors are usually fine, but the ones with no rumors might suddenly get hit by a beast tide."

Chen Yu nodded as well.

Beast tides were extremely difficult to predict; all you could do was prepare as best as possible.

"So what’s our next move? Should we head directly to the locations mentioned in the mission?"

An Ran asked, blinking as she drank her beer.

Chen Yu replied, "Let’s eat first. Tomorrow morning, we’ll go to the Mercenary Corps headquarters and see what they know. They should have some intel for us."

"Sounds like a plan." The others all nodded.

"Brother Yu, after we eat, you wanna go relax a bit? I hear the red-light district here is pretty famous," Baili Qing said, winking at Chen Yu.

"..."

"A red-light district? Is it fun? I want to go too," An Ran asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Chen Yu: "..."

"Uh... An Ran, it’s probably not suitable for you," Baili Qing said, trying to refuse tactfully.

"Why not? You guys can go, but I can’t?" An Ran retorted, unconvinced.

"...You don’t know what a red-light district is?" Chen Yu asked, looking at An Ran.

An Ran shook her head. "Nope, I’ve never been. That’s why I want to go have a look."

Chen Yu: "..."

’Such a pure, innocent child...’

"That kind of place is only for men, not women," Chen Yu said.

An Ran blinked. "Why?"

Chen Yu fell silent.

He looked at Baili Qing. "You explain it."

Baili Qing: "..."

Seeing An Ran’s utterly innocent expression, Baili Qing squirmed uncomfortably.

"Don’t ask so many questions. It’s just not for you."

"That’s gender discrimination!" An Ran glared, her chest heaving.

"..."

"Alright, let’s just eat. We need to get a good rest; we have real business to take care of tomorrow," Chen Yu said with a cough, changing the subject.

"Ah, right, right, right. No side trips. We have business to attend to," Baili Qing quickly agreed.

"Hmph. If you guys won’t go with me, I’ll just go by myself," An Ran pouted.

"..."

After finishing their barbecue, the group left the pedestrian street and soon found themselves on another one.

It was a world of flashing neon lights and hedonistic pleasures, filled with fantastical allure. Through shop windows, they could see scores of beautifully dressed women laughing and chatting playfully.

"Brother Yu, you’re not tempted to give it a try?" Baili Qing whispered, winking.

Chen Yu shook his head.

"No thanks. I’m going to find a hotel. You can go if you want."

Hearing this, An Ran, who was standing nearby, looked again at the red-lit storefronts. The gears in her little head turned, and she seemed to finally understand something. Her face instantly flushed crimson.

"So this is the ’red-light district’ you were talking about? Ptui! Shameless!"

An Ran shot a furious glare at Baili Qing.

Baili Qing: "..."

Chen Yu: "..."

"You’re disgusting!" An Ran said to Baili Qing, her chest heaving.

"..."

"It’s simply human nature. I am merely looking after them. You don’t understand how pitiful they are; they’ve all had hard lives. I am just giving them a little warmth and love, so the world is no longer afflicted by cold and darkness," Baili Qing said with a completely straight face.

Chen Yu: "..."

Xu Feng: "..."

’My god, that excuse... It’s absolutely brilliant!’

’To be able to spew such sanctimonious nonsense... I’m starting to see him in a new light.’

An Ran was taken aback for a moment.

Seeing the silent Chen Yu and Xu Feng, she asked uncertainly, "Is that true?"

The two men exchanged a look. Baili Qing winked at them.

"It is!"

"Oh... then I misunderstood you. I’m sorry," An Ran said, looking timidly at Baili Qing.

"..."

’This poor girl... Sigh. What a sin.’