Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1274 - 618:

Roken knelt on the ground, the rifle he considered his lifeline lay abandoned beside him.

He too stared at the man radiating golden light, his gaze filled with nothing but sheer awe and profound reverence for such power.

The Black Monster, a creature impervious to physical attacks, the most formidable demon of the wasteland... had been utterly crushed with bare hands by this opponent?

Pike clutched his head, his consciousness swimming in a daze.

Even a wisp of the residual impact from the Black Monster’s earlier mental assault had him feeling as though he was suffocating to death.

Yet, that man, facing such terrifying attacks, had not even flinched.

Ira leaned against the wall, breathing shallowly.

As a Spiritual Telekinesis User, she understood better than anyone the sheer terror of the Black Monster’s mental shockwaves.

It was a bizarre force capable of instantly obliterating souls.

But within her perception, Fang Cheng’s consciousness was like a blazing sun suspended high in the heavens.

Not only was it unshakeable, but it also incinerated all those sinister energies completely.

"How was such a powerful physique cultivated? Is it divine?"

The minds of the four survivors, struggling at the desolate bottom of the wasteland, were now consumed by the very same thought.

Unaware of their thoughts, Fang Cheng slowly gathered the golden light engulfing him.

He silently evaluated the recent battle within his mind.

Since mastering the "Mixed Element True Domain", the maximum range of his True Qi Emission had skyrocketed, and both its power and control precision had achieved a qualitative leap.

Undoubtedly, this provided a significant enhancement to his actual combat prowess.

The swift annihilation of the bizarre energy entity known as the "Black Monster" this time served as the most concrete evidence.

He finally no longer needed to resort to close-quarters combat like before; he now truly possessed a lethal long-range attack capability.

The roars of the beast tide outside continued unabated.

The damaged load-bearing structures overhead emitted groaning sounds from the vibrations, unbearable in their intensity.

But the chilling, bone-deep sense of mortal peril within the hall had entirely dispersed.

Fang Cheng turned, his gaze settling upon Kael, and spoke with simple directness:

"It is chaotic outside, and this place will not endure for long. Regarding the guide I mentioned earlier..."

Kael trembled from head to toe, disregarding the sharp pain in his chest, and quickly moved towards Fang Cheng.

Then, he heavily knelt on one knee, his voice filled with unprecedented fervor:

"Sir! It is our squad's utmost privilege to serve you!"

"My life was spared by you; with but a single word from you, even if it meant facing a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, I, Kael, would not falter."

Fang Cheng was slightly taken aback by the man's fervent display, but his expression remained composed as he inquired:

"Where are you from? What is your occupation?"

"Sir, we hail from the nearby Iron City, an elite Hunter Squad operating directly under the Internal Affairs Department."

Kael bowed his head respectfully, speaking with solemnity:

"Tonight, we were engaged in hunting mutant beasts on the outskirts of these ruins when we unexpectedly encountered a rare polar night storm."

"Had we not been fortunate enough to encounter you, we would have undoubtedly been drained dry by that Black Monster. I, Kael, shall forever remember your life-saving grace!"

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, continuing his inquiry:

"Is Iron City the sole settlement in the vicinity of the ruins? Please inform me about the terrain of this region."

"It is not solely Iron City."

Kael immediately accessed all his knowledge, anxious that his answer might not be comprehensive enough:

"This area is considered plains. To the north lie mountains; it is said that to the east, the path leads to the seaside. Within a five-hundred-kilometer radius centered on these city ruins, there are approximately a dozen settlements, both large and small."

"However, Iron City stands as the largest, with a population nearing thirty thousand. It boasts high, sturdy outer walls and formidable heavy firepower inherited from ancient times."

Reaching this point, Kael paused briefly, a hint of apprehension flashing across his face...

"There is also... approximately two hundred kilometers to the north lies a forbidden zone known as the 'Death God Abyss'."

"The radiation levels there are terrifyingly high, and the mutant beasts are exceptionally fearsome. Even the Black Monster dares not approach that area. Sir, if you intend to traverse the wasteland, you must strictly avoid heading in that direction."

Fang Cheng mentally cataloged the name "Death God Abyss."

A population of thirty thousand in Iron City implied abundant material trade channels.

And that perilous forbidden zone might present an excellent opportunity for harvesting high-grade Blood Cores in the future.

He cleared his thoughts and proceeded to ask:

"Do you know how to depart from this current path and proceed towards the northern mountains?"

"Yes."

Kael quickly raised his hand, pointing towards the deepest part of the passage:

"Beneath the metro tunnel's end lies a gateway to an old-world bunker, directly accessing the ruins on the city's outskirts."

"It's concealed deep underground, with stable terrain, rendering it impervious to both the storm's fury and the surface beast tide. Allow me to escort you!"

Kael tilted his head upwards, his gaze alight with undisguised eagerness:

"Sir, should you require temporary lodging, do visit us in Iron City. Though our lives are modest, we would never neglect someone as exceptionally powerful as yourself!"

Fang Cheng offered a noncommittal nod.

Observing this, Kael was filled with elation.

He promptly rose, instructing Roken to assist the weakened Ira, while Pike hastily gathered the tools strewn across the ground.

"Uncle... shouldn't we retrieve the Thorn Armor Pig we left outside...?"

Pike cast a longing glance towards the passage's darkness, his eyes filled with regret.

That represented sustenance, convertible into clean water and capable of saving numerous lives.

"Silence! Are you weary of living?"

Kael's voice lowered in an exasperated reprimand.

In the presence of such a supreme being, who had vanquished the Black Monster with effortless ease, even mentioning the flesh of a mutated beast felt akin to blasphemy.

Fang Cheng paid no heed to their exchange.

He approached the remains of the three crushed Crawling Beasts himself.

Extending his hand, he shaped it like a blade and plunged it directly into the monster's shattered cranium.

After a brief search, Fang Cheng withdrew three perfectly spherical Treasure Beads, slick with blood.

These orbs, roughly the size of quail eggs, emitted a faint, pure green luminescence despite being coated in foul-smelling cerebrospinal fluid.

Far larger than the bead he had previously unearthed, the Life Energy they contained was palpably richer.

Ira's gaze fixed upon the beads in Fang Cheng's grasp, a flicker of astonishment crossing her pallid face, and she involuntarily exclaimed:

"Third-stage Blood Core Pearl?!"

Fang Cheng's actions momentarily faltered as he turned to Ira:

"What purpose do these serve?"

Upon hearing this, Ira showed hesitation.

This individual, capable of obliterating the Black Monster, remained ignorant of the most fundamental wasteland knowledge?

She dared not inquire further, swallowing nervously, and hastily explained:

"Sir, in these parts, these beads are referred to as 'Blood Cores'."

"They only aggregate within the brains of monsters exhibiting a high degree of mutation; they are the most pristine crystallization of Life Energy, capable of remedying the common radiation sickness afflicting wasteland inhabitants."

Kael quickly chimed in beside them:

"Indeed, sir. Within Iron City, Blood Cores are the ultimate hard currency."

"Take the Third-stage Blood Core in your hand, for instance. A single one is sufficient to procure from the inner city's nobility enough provisions for our entire settlement for a year, or even several pre-old-world energy weapons."

Fang Cheng's eyes gleamed upon hearing this, and comprehension dawned.

This item was not merely a valuable resource for Martial Artists but also the economic cornerstone of this wasteland realm.

Should he need to traverse between worlds in the future, this commodity would undoubtedly prove useful.

Fang Cheng did not cease his collection efforts; he turned and proceeded to where the Crawling Beasts were impaled against the wall by steel pipes.

This creature had been enveloped by a black mist earlier, its colossal form rendered gray and gaunt.

Fang Cheng reached out, fracturing its brittle skull, and fumbled within the dessicated remains.

Indeed, one was present within.

However...

Fang Cheng observed that although this bead surpassed the previous three in size, its green radiance had become exceedingly faint.

Merely one-tenth of its Life Energy remained, clearly having been siphoned off by those Black Monsters moments prior.