Chapter 11: Mysterious Jade Pendant
Visually, the white Jade Pendant had transformed into a piece of imperial green jade with an icy, translucent quality.
But that wasn’t all.
As Su Chen held it in his palm to observe it closely, he discovered that some irregular, mysterious patterns had spread across the Jade Pendant’s surface. They hadn’t fully formed yet, but they strongly resembled Runes, as if branded with a vast amount of information.
After the Jade Pendant absorbed the energy from the eerie green crystal, the energy it radiated became subdued and gentle, making it feel like wearing a piece of warm jade.
He hadn’t figured out the specifics yet. ’I’ll probably have to wait for the patterns to fully form.’
As for the Jade Pendant’s origin, his thoughts were a tangled mess, and he didn’t know where to begin.
His parents had died in an accident years ago. From the way his father used to talk about it, the Jade Pendant could be traced back to his great-great-grandfather’s generation, but anything beyond that was unknown.
It was all a mystery.
’I should head back to the campsite.’
Without dwelling on it, Su Chen decided not to linger any longer.
His watch’s battery level was a major concern; he had to make sure he had plenty of power for the return trip.
He’d gained quite a lot on this trip. In addition to his initial exploration, he had obtained a Flaming War Axe, upgraded his Flame Burst Rune to Lv. 2, and even unlocked a new property of his family’s Jade Pendant.
Of course, he couldn’t let the scraps go to waste either.
He also made sure to gather the dozen or so crystal fragments scattered on the ground.
They were quite warm to the touch. ’They should still have some use.’
Su Chen looked at the broken base of the crystal jutting from the ground. He had no intention of burying or concealing it. The size of the main crystal body rooted underground and any nearby veins remained unknown.
He secretly hoped that the next time he came, another Demon Dog that had found this treasure trove would have already done the digging for him. ’That would be lightning striking twice—another win-win situation.’
Finally, before leaving, he glanced north. In the distance, he could faintly hear the sound of a rushing river.
’I’ll come back and explore that next time.’
He wasn’t about to pass up a water source in the wilderness.
...
On the way back, Su Chen broke into a jog. It didn’t take long for him to exit the Mysterious Forest and see the half-destroyed warehouse again.
Interestingly, the half-warehouse, which was modeled after a vintage farmhouse, had a new ’pest’.
A Demon Dog was inside, gnawing on a human thigh that had been picked almost clean.
The corpse of another of its kind lay nearby, but the creature ignored it, eating like a famished ghoul, right up until Su Chen appeared.
"Whimper..."
Snapping to its senses, the Demon Dog’s face filled with terror. Intimidated by the Fire Axe stained with the blood of its own kind, it snatched the thigh bone and tried to flee.
Unfortunately for it, he was blocking the only exit. After running in circles, the Demon Dog attempted a desperate counterattack, only to be mercilessly slain by the crimson arc of a thrown axe.
Su Chen easily harvested a Fire Element quintessence from it and fed it to his Flame Burst Rune.
’Four more to go.’
He picked up two red bricks to use as projectiles, then immediately headed back the way he came.
Before long, he was back at the outdoor tent area. It was even more of a mess than when he had first arrived. The portable table was overturned, and a hiking bag had been thoroughly rummaged through. Judging by the claw prints on the grass, Demon Dogs had clearly paid the place a visit.
AHH!!
Just then, agonized screams began to ring out intermittently from the public campsite.
According to the official website, the Qingye Collection camping grounds had a peak daily capacity of 3,500 people. Today was Friday, and the world had undergone its cataclysmic change after 4:00 PM. ’With a super conservative estimate, say, cutting that in half... are there even 1,750 people here?’
’The number should be in that ballpark.’ When Su Chen had arrived earlier, he’d noticed quite a few groups of corporate employees there for team-building events.
In that case, with the campground’s exit blocked by the forest, these thousand-plus people had truly become fish in a barrel.
At least, to the giant hawks and eagles circling in the sky, humans were little more than a meal on a plate.
People die when they are killed.
But monsters were also just flesh and blood. They could be wounded, and they would cry out in pain. To Su Chen, they were nothing more than XP packs waiting to be claimed.
Just then, he passed through a picturesque jacaranda grove. The purple blossoms swayed like clouds in the wind, and a shower of petals rained down, covering the grass in a sea of flowers. As he reached the bridge again, he saw a Demon Dog that had just crossed to the other side.
He was just a step behind it.
In an instant, Su Chen accelerated, charging forward with his great axe in hand.
The Demon Dog sensed the movement and whipped its head around. The overpowering stench of its own kind’s blood hit it, and instinct took over. Its pupils contracted, the hair on its back stood on end, and it immediately bolted.
The chase lasted less than three seconds.
Being the faster runner, Su Chen quickly closed the distance. Without even using his Flame Burst Rune, he brought the axe blade down hard on the Demon Dog’s spine.
SWISH!
Its back instantly split open, flesh tearing as blood gushed from the bone-deep wound.
"URGH!!"
With a pained cry, its spine shattered, the Demon Dog’s limbs went limp. Its body collapsed to the ground, and before it could even struggle, another axe blow caved in its skull, finishing it off.
’Three more to go.’
Su Chen cleanly extracted another Fire Element quintessence. These small-fry monsters that didn’t work in packs were basically child’s play for him.
After crossing the bridge, he glanced at the riverbank. The angler was long gone. As for the blond man who had died earlier, his body had been mercilessly devoured. His limbs were twisted and torn apart, and the mud by the river was stained crimson.
In the distance, two other Demon Dogs were fighting over a severed limb. When they heard their companion’s agonized cry, they showed no intention of retaliating. Instead, they tucked their tails between their legs and scattered in a panic, vanishing by the riverbank in an instant.
’Damned animals.’ They were the very definition of all bark and no bite.
Seeing them so far away, Su Chen didn’t bother giving chase. He walked directly to his RV, which was parked on the side of the road. The campground was now like a house full of holes, and the Demon Dogs were far from the only threat.
Human screams still echoed intermittently from the public camping area. He could only imagine how many other vicious monsters had swarmed the place by now.
Before getting into the RV, Su Chen slid the blood-stained axe into a canvas bag and put it on the passenger seat.
He sat in the driver’s seat, started the engine, then took off his watch and placed it on the wireless charger on the center console. He immediately turned on the vehicle’s radio, which was still able to get a stable signal from Dongfu Voice, FM 98.5.
"...a large number of unidentified invasive organisms have appeared on the outskirts of the city. All citizens currently outdoors are advised not to approach any unfamiliar forested areas and to immediately proceed to the nearest open emergency shelter."
"All citizens are advised to shelter in place. Further announcements will be made regarding the restoration of utilities and communications. We repeat: a large number of unidentified invasive organisms are present within the city. Do not go outside unless absolutely necessary."
"...We interrupt this broadcast with an urgent announcement. All retired military personnel within the city are being called to service. All eligible individuals are instructed to..."
As Su Chen drove, he realized the situation in the city was dire. He didn’t know how much of Dongfu City had been transported to this new world, nor did he know what had happened to his uncle and his family.
Everything was shrouded in mist. The Rules of the old world were crumbling, and in this impending catastrophe, the only thing he could firmly grasp was his own strength.