Chapter 8  : Grade Two Tank Lizard 1

The next day, Yang Tian woke up early. It was just past 7 am.

After eating the leftovers of the roasted meat, Yang Tian checked his equipment. He then put on his grandfather’s combat pack and brought the little green dragon out again.

On this excursion, Yang Tian wanted to kill a Grade Two Monster, obtain even more Beast Cores, and trade them for necessities in the High Alert Area outside of Tianxiong City. Constantly killing Monsters and obtaining their Beast Cores not only rewarded Beast Cores. It also helped him develop his combat ability. 1

To humanity, it was a miserable world, but to Transhumans and the rich, it was a world of opportunity.

This was because one would no longer fall sick after consuming Beast Cores unless they were killed by Monsters or other humans. Their natural lifespan would also be extended to more than 150 years. 2

A long life meant more time to enjoy it. 2

Other than Tianxiong City, the High Alert Area was also a major population center. Those who lived in the High Alert Area were particularly strong men who were always looking for opportunities to make a life for themselves in the Free Zones. They never traveled alone and always formed bands of a dozen or so. They would pool their funds to buy weapons and hunt for Low-Grade Monsters.

If they were lucky, they would obtain a Beast Core after they killed a Monster. They would then sell it and split the money. Even if they did not find a Beast Core, they could still bring back a large amount of meat as provisions. The materials that could be obtained from the carcass of a Monster could also be sold for money. 2

This was normal.

An abnormal occurrence would be that after obtaining a Beast Core, the band would turn on each other and the last survivor would have the chance to ascend to be a Transhuman. 1

Yang Tian had read about such accounts recorded in his grandfather’s diary.

Yang Tian repeated his journey as the day before. After crossing the bridge, he traveled for an hour. When he walked along a mountain path, he could hear gunfire in front of him.

He was curious and rapidly ran toward the direction of the gunfire.

Five minutes later, Yang Tian found himself behind a boulder by a main road. He stretched his head out to look.

He could see a dozen or so men shooting at each other. As they traded shots, they were cursing. From time to time someone was hit, and he would let out a terrible cry.

From their curses, Yang Tian deduced that these men were fighting over a Grade One Beast Core which they had just obtained. 4

Yang Tian did not naturally care about these matters. He shrunk back behind the rock and waited silently.

Ten minutes later, the gunfire stopped.

Yang Tian thought that there was a victor. He was just about to get up and survey the situation when there was a shriek. Following that, someone shouted, “Let’s not fight anymore! There’s a Grade Two Beast. Run!”

“Hiss… Hiss… Hiss…”

Soon after, the sound of Electric Grenades exploding and a cacophony of footsteps could be heard.

Yang Tian got up in curiosity and looked over the boulder. He could see eight or nine men being chased by a giant yellow lizard.

The men were running at full speed but they could not outrun this massive reptile. The giant lizard’s tongue coiled around the abdomen of a straggler and swallowed the poor wretch whole. 2

A Grade Two Tank Lizard!

Yang Tian was awed as he immediately identified this giant lizard.

Its body was ten meters long and three meters high. When it moved, it looked like a heavy tank. It knocked over any trees in its way, and even boulders were crushed beneath its tread. 3

These men had turned on each other over a chance at obtaining a Beast Core, and they were not worth any pity. Judging by their speed, Yang Tian estimated that they would never reach him. They would all be eaten by the Tank Lizard.

However, seeing the fear and despair on their faces, even the battle-hardened Yang Tian felt pity. He drew his dagger and vaulted over the boulder, charging forward. 11

There were seven men left.

These men looked at Yang Tian who was charging forward with his dagger as their savior. They could all tell that Yang Tian was a Transhuman.

Only a Transhuman possessed such speed.

“Ah…”

The last man in the rear had been caught by the Tank Lizard’s tongue. His shriek of fear had just started to escape his lungs when he was swallowed whole by the reptilian.

This was not a Rice Nation1 blockbuster where humans could survive after being swallowed whole by a python. 6

The belly of a Tank Lizard was full of powerful corrosive acids and digestive enzymes. It could instantly dissolve a man’s flesh into bone. Even metal could be dissolved by those digestive juices.

There was only death in a Tank Lizard’s belly!

There were only six men left. Yang Tian passed by them and continued charging at the Tank Lizard.

Upon seeing a human approach, the beast paused. It opened its mouth and shot out its long, slimy tongue at Yang Tian.

The Tank Lizard’s tongue was impossibly fast. A baseline human would not be able to avoid it if they were to stray into the beast’s range.

However, Yang Tian was a Transhuman. No matter in speed or strength, he exceeded a baseline human. As the lizard’s tongue coiled toward him, he immediately stopped and rolled to one side of the road, evading the Tank Lizard’s tongue. 5

Taking advantage of the beast needing to recoil its tongue, Yang Tian pumped his legs and charged to the underbelly of the reptile. 3

Humanity and Monsters had done battle for decades, and many Combat Tactics had been developed to take on different Monsters.

For example, when taking on a Tank Lizard, it was best to close the distance with it to prevent it from being able to use its tongue. This was because the tongue was too terrifying-it was able to lash out and recoil in the blink of an eye.

The Tank Lizard’s weak spot was its belly.

Even though it was covered in hard, shiny scales, the scales of the belly were the thinnest.

After reaching the Tank Lizard’s underbelly, Yang Tian used his dagger and stabbed it with all his might. He pushed the blade into the belly of the beast and pulled hard, leaving a wound nearly a meter long on the reptile’s belly. 2

At that moment, Yang Tian saw the membrane of the Tank Lizard. 1

Though the blade went deep, it had not pierced the abdomen and harmed the lizard’s organs. 2

In response to the pain, the Tank Lizard let out a hiss. Its limbs quickly moved and it dashed more than ten meters forward before its monstrous tail slammed downward.

Yang Tian saw the oncoming tail, and he dared not block it. Instead, he rolled on the ground.

Thud!

The Tank Lizard’s tail slammed into the ground, making a tremendous noise. The stone under it cracked.

Yang Tian got up only to see the beast had turned around and opened its mouth.

“F*ck!”

Yang Tian was shocked. He turned his body and threw himself down.

A rush of air blew past his back, foul with decay.

Yang Tian knew the danger was not yet over. This massive beast’s tongue was extremely agile, and it could even change direction when recoiling its tongue. Taking advantage of the moment he had while the beast recoiled its tongue, he stepped onto a boulder, and using force, he slid his body along the hard stone for a couple of meters.

The danger had not yet passed!

When Yang Tian stopped sliding, the Tank Lizard opened its mouth again and shot out its slimy tongue at him.

Fortunately, there was a large pine tree next to him, and Yang Tian dashed behind it for cover.

The dark red tongue of the Tank Lizard zipped past the tree. When it was being recoiled, it wrapped around the tree. With one pull, the brute managed to uproot the entire tree and discard it to one side.

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