Chapter 3 Strengthening

  I know I've become stronger, which should be a good thing, especially since it increases my chances of survival in this labyrinthine forest. However, the way I've become strong is just too absurd, and my mood remains unsettled. Whoever built this testing chamber must have been incredibly capable - perhaps even godlike - to have created technology that can enhance a person to such an extent.

  "Computer, tell me who built this lab and what he was researching? Looking around at the mysterious machinery, I became increasingly curious about the original owner of this place."

  "...querying data... The Third Person Enhanced Laboratory is affiliated with the National Science and Technology Institute of the People's Republic of China, Director Jin Tian Shu. The purpose of the experiment is to create a new generation of enhanced warriors suitable for special operations...whisper... A message has been found, the sender is Jin Tian Shu, the time is May 7th, 2127, 16:03, would you like to view the message?"

  "View." Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what information the original owner had left behind.

  "...shhh...shhh..." A piercing sound was heard, and a man appeared on the screen. He looked around fifty years old, with a refined appearance, a bald head, and an air of great knowledge about him. Why was I so sure? It's because our village's most learned elder, Mus, looks almost identical to him, except for having more hair on his head. This person didn't look much different from us nocturnal people, with the same black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin; if I hadn't known he was from a long, long time ago, I might have even mistaken him for one of our own kind.

  "Cough, cough" clearing his throat, the man named Jin Tian Shu began to speak in a low and solemn voice, "Today is a sorrowful day. After a long period of war, the thing we least wanted to see has finally happened. The United States and Japan, on the verge of defeat, have gone mad and used humanity's forbidden weapon - antimatter nuclear bombs - to launch a devastating attack on our country. Preliminary estimates indicate that already 800 million people have died in this nuclear attack."

  800 million, what a concept! Now, if a few thousand people die in a big battle, it's already unbearable. I have no idea what kind of power a weapon that can kill 800 million people would be, and I am secretly amazed.

  "He continued to say: 'Now our country has decided to launch a nuclear counterattack, the attack range will include the Japanese archipelago and the entire United States. Alas, Europe may also start a nuclear war now. This world is about to be destroyed. In these last days, I want to spend some quiet time with my wife and children. Now leaving this message, I hope that future generations can remember this lesson and stop killing each other - if there are still people alive. Jin Tian Shu, left on May 7th, 2127.' A rustling sound passed, and he disappeared from the screen, replaced by the computer's feminized face."

  It turns out that prehistoric civilizations really existed, and from the technologies they created, it's already reached the pinnacle of perfection. However, in the end, it was destroyed by the very weapons created by the civilization itself. This is indeed an irony. The legendary Twilight of the Gods must be a description of this war that destroyed the prehistoric civilization. I wonder how long our world will last before meeting the same fate as the prehistoric civilization. Suddenly, this thought popped into my mind.

  "Rrrrrr..." A growl in my stomach brought me back to reality, I don't even know what time it is now. The feeling of hunger was attacking my stomach, and there didn't seem to be anything edible around here. I had no choice but to go out and find food. Fortunately, with my current strength, I should be able to break down that door.

  "Ah..." I can finally see the outside scenery again. After smoothly coming out of that laboratory with a long history, I took a deep breath of fresh air. The outside air still smells familiar to me. Although the air inside was very refreshing, it lacked the unique earthy scent of the forest.

  Suddenly, a warning sounded in my mind, and something was nearby. This was probably the effect of the brainwave development headset. After I concentrated my attention, every blade of grass and tree, even small insects on the ground, couldn't escape my detection. Soon, I found what had triggered my senses, hiding in a thicket not far from me.

  My gaze immediately fell on the place where the original saber-toothed beast had died, and now only a fragmented skeleton remained. The wild beast that could eat such a huge body without leaving any leftovers was not simple either. Anyway, let me see how strong I have become now.

  Unexpectedly, after waiting for a long time, it refused to come out, as if it had sensed the enormous threat lurking in this seemingly weak creature standing before it. Having no other choice, I went over myself since it wouldn't come to me.

  My legs propelled me forward with tremendous force, and the ground beneath my feet sank in instantly. "Wow!" I didn't expect a single step to have such immense power, and I was suddenly airborne, soaring far over the beast's hiding spot in the trees. With a loud crash, I slammed into a towering tree that at least five people could encircle with their arms. The tree couldn't withstand my impact and shattered into two pieces with a deafening crackling sound, crashing to the ground and even shaking the earth twice.

  "Ah!" The beast that was originally hiding in the thicket was startled and jumped out, turning out to be a giant ape. This giant ape was at least twice my height, with thick arms that could easily twist steel, and its fingers had sharp claws up to 30 centimeters long, increasing its attack power even more. But this wasn't its most fearsome aspect - it was said that its intelligence was the highest among all beasts, almost approaching that of humans. Traps and ambushes were useless against it, and might even be turned around to make the hunter become the hunted. It was truly a formidable monster.

  But today, it met me, and its energy was exhausted. Carefully controlling my strength, I rushed towards the violent ape again. The violent ape saw the power I had just shown, and obviously wanted to escape, but I reached its side in a flash of lightning speed.

  Helpless, it let out a loud roar and swung its arm at me with great force. I happened to want to try my own strength, and this move was just what I needed.

  With a loud whoosh, the air seemed to be torn apart as the fist struck with a speed that was impossible for the naked eye to follow, hitting the arm that was roughly the same size as my upper body.

  "A" loud and clear cracking sound of bones breaking, the brutal ape let out a mournful howl, its arm was bent in an unnatural way, its powerful body was actually knocked flying by my punch, crashing down a cluster of trees. However, its body was indeed robust, it managed to climb back up again, seemingly unscathed except for one broken hand.

  Unfortunately, its body was too big and if it didn't hit the vital spot, it couldn't be killed. If only there was a move that could kill with one blow. Just as I thought this, a powerful technique appeared in my mind - a skill that compressed power, releasing it into the opponent's body through contact, causing an explosion within. This technique is called "inch force".

  It seems worth a try, taking advantage of the violent ape's dizziness from the collision just now, I rushed to its side again, and punched it silently, hitting its body. The violent ape suddenly shook violently all over, and then stood there without making a sound.

  How effective is this? I didn't dare to send a light touch, and its stiff body suddenly softened like rotten mud. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that all the bones in its body had been shattered into fragments by that one blow. Such tremendous power left even me speechless, this kind of strength was truly too terrifying, use with caution, use with caution.

  After enjoying the delicious food after exercise, I was full of energy and it's time to go back. I don't know why, maybe because of a big change, the feeling that used to make me heartache when thinking of Aile is gone now. Now I just want to go back to my little hut and take a good sleep, after all, that's my home. But what about this laboratory? Maybe one day someone else will discover it too. Thinking of this, maybe it's selfishness, but I don't really hope there's another person like me in this world. After all, two strong people can't avoid having a fight, it's human nature.

  After some thought, I found a huge boulder nearby and grasped it with both hands, my fingers sinking deep into its surface. With a loud "Hah!", I lifted the massive stone, which weighed tens of thousands of catties. Step by step, I carried the stone to the entrance of the laboratory and slammed it down, blocking the entire opening behind me. This way, even if someone came, they wouldn't be able to discover the lab.

  I ran at a big pace through the woods, and the wind blowing in my face with a damp breath made me feel uncomfortable. After figuring out where I was, I stepped onto the road back to the village. Along the way, I kept adapting to the new strength my body had gained, and now my movements were much more agile than at first, and I also learned to control my strength, so that the situation where I accidentally crushed things into powder no longer occurred.

  My mastery of combat skills has become more and more proficient, thanks to the sacrifices made by those three saber-toothed beasts, two spike-tailed scorpions, and two sword-toothed tigers for my technical growth. Looking at my sleeve, there are still bite marks left by that saber-toothed beast. After that saber-toothed beast hit me in vain and was blocked by me, it tried to tear my body with its teeth, but unfortunately, no matter how hard it tried, it only left a few tooth scratches on my clothes, without being able to tear my bulging muscles. Finally, I ended its useless struggle with a slap on its head.

  The last miserable howl of the beast spread throughout the forest, and gradually all the beasts on my way cautiously hid away, allowing me to return to the village unimpeded.

  I opened the door and walked into my humble little hut. A table, a few stools, a clothes rack with a few pieces of fur hanging on it, and a small bed - that's all I have. How can someone as poor as me be qualified to make the person they love happy? Lying in bed, I thought about this. The colorful world outside has always been my dream, now that I have the strength, and the only person who held me back is no longer here, it's time for me to go out and make a name for myself.

  The next morning, I arrived at the village chief's door and looked at this house that I had yearned for day and night before. Now it has become a completely different place, and silent sorrow surged up in my heart. I knocked on the door, and a slightly hoarse voice came out: "Who is it?"

  "It's me, Victor."

  The creaking sound, the door opened, and the village chief's white-haired face appeared behind the door. "Come in." He beckoned me into the house.

  "The gift you sent the other day was great, Aileen really liked it." Which pot doesn't open mentions which pot, the old man's common problem makes him a bit garrulous, but what he says is something I try to ignore, and it hits my heart again. "She looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress that day, unfortunately you little rascal didn't see it, tsk tsk, she's indeed my granddaughter."

  Damn old man, I maliciously thought of how to slap that noisy mouth of his. Although he's old now, he's still one of the top strongmen in the village, but with my abilities, it would take at most two moves to kill him. Perhaps feeling my killing intent, he shut up that chatterbox mouth of his, and he also knew that the young man in front of him wasn't someone to be trifled with, so he obediently asked about my purpose for coming.

  "I want to leave the Labyrinth Forest and venture out into the outside world." Although I had prepared myself, my words still moved him. For so long, not many Nightwalkers have voluntarily left the Labyrinth Forest. The outside world is full of turmoil, with wars raging between nations, and it's easy to imagine the dangers that come with venturing out alone. He wanted to persuade me further, but my resolute gaze told him that I would not change my mind.

  "Alas, the impulsiveness of youth! Anyway, you don't have any family ties here to hold you back, and even if I wanted to stop you, it wouldn't be of much use. So go ahead, just remember to be careful outside, and if things get too tough, come back." The village elder knew he couldn't persuade me, so he reluctantly agreed with my decision.

  Walking out of the village chief's house, looking at the blue sky, I shouted loudly in my heart: The outside world, I - Weite has come!