Chapter 98: Deep in the Valley
“Chief, that Giant Jungle Anaconda was killed,” a soldier in front of a screen said into his headset.
Not long after, a chief in dark green military uniform walked over.
The picture on the screen showed a giant anaconda lying in the jungle, its body mottled with blood.
Beside it stood a gigantic skeleton as well as a boy in a short-sleeved shirt. Beside the boy was a centipede.
“Replay the latest scene,” the chief commanded.
The soldier in front of the screen obeyed and worked the keyboard.
The scene recorded in the hard drive played, from the first attack from the Giant Jungle Anaconda to the death match with the Skull Ghoul Ape. Due to the limitations of the camera, the actual actions and moves were unclear. They could only see approximately what kinds of abilities were used.
After the chief finished watching, he nodded. He fixed his gaze and stared intensely at Gao Peng in the video. “To kill a gigantified variant of the Jungle Anaconda, this familiar must have the combat ability of a commander tier monster, if it is not one already.”
After a short pause he said, “Send information of this youngster to me.”
The watches on everyone’s wrists had GPS. Everyone could be identified through an analysis of the person’s location.
It did not take long for Gao Peng’s information to be found and displayed on the screen. On the screen appeared Gao Peng’s photo and his personal curriculum vitae.
Name: Gao Peng
Age: 18 years old
Gender: Male
Current School: Chang’an Third High School
Family Background: Encrypted Information. Insufficient Clearance Level.
The chief furrowed his brow. The clearance level used to access the information was the training base branch, a Class C clearance level. Generally speaking, average families (and even families with some wealth) would not have access to encrypted or classified information.
Based on the definition before the Cataclysm, one would have to be at least a first class mayor to have Class C clearance. Only senior provincial officials had access to Class B clearance.
The chief was dumbfounded. He never would have expected Gao Peng to have clearance authority. However, since he had encrypted clearance, it would be difficult to simply attempt to recruit him. People of stature like him were normally in their clan or sect. The chief waved his hands, seemingly in resignation.
“Take good care of him. Try not to let any accidents happen,” the chief ordered before turning to leave.
…
As Gao Peng did not bring any knives, he called Da Zi over.
Even after the Giant Jungle Anaconda died its might and power lingered. Da Zi maintained vigilance.
Gao Peng asked Da Zi to crawl up the Giant Jungle Anaconda’s body to sever its head. Typically a monster’s core crystal sat in its skull, though a small number of monsters held crystals in their hearts.
Da Zi crawled on the body cautiously, expanded its sharp pincers, and sliced through the anaconda’s head like a pair of scissors. The job proceeded smoother than expected.
The skin of the Giant Jungle Anaconda provided it with strong defense against blunt force. However, in front of the pincers, it seemed weak. With a slice, the skin was torn from top to bottom and produced a sound like silk paper tearing.
The pitch black insides of the anaconda became visible.
There was almost nothing in it, besides thick greenish gray vine-like things that connected the internal organs of its body. Gao Peng was speechless at the sight: the seemingly fat anaconda had so much empty space within it. That was why it was capable of moving on top of the trees as if it were floating, and why it did not create giant holes even when it fell on the ground from high up.
Finally he managed to find a wood attribute monster core crystal the size of a broad bean inside the Giant Jungle Anaconda’s skull.
Throughout the search, Dumby followed behind Gao Peng in silence. It put on its black robe and breathed slowly. After the powerful attack, Dumby seemed a little dispirited.
It only seemed weak in appearance after the fight, compared to the incredible strength that came with the Blood-Thread Heart as a weapon. In reality, Dumby felt normal. The heart was destroyed but would certainly regenerate.
“Let’s go.” Gao Peng took care to get Dumby and Da Zi out of there. The commotion created must have alerted many lifeforms around, if they did not leave, other monsters were guaranteed to come over.
The deeper they went into the valley the darker it became. The sunlight above their heads was almost completely blocked by the dense tree cover.
The air temperature also dropped a notch. Gao Peng detected joy from Dumby as the coolness of the trees comforted it.
Gao Peng glanced at Dumby. Dumby was of the ghoul attribute in the ghost category, and ghosts liked cool places that were filled with Yin energy.
Although the living room at home was also very dark after putting down the curtains, it was still located in a residential area. Yang energy flowed exuberantly wherever there were people.
There was no sun all year ’round in the deeper parts of the valley. Almost all sunlight was blocked by tall cliffs and trees. Gao Peng had already reached the thickest part of the valley, and he could see green vines hanging along the towering cliffs.
Pushing away the vines, he saw the greenish black wall of a cliff full of algae. A bit of water vapor emerged from the other side of the wall. The ground beneath their feet was wet.
Dumby really liked its surroundings. It would occasionally touch the trees, grass, and flowers around it. Sometimes, it would even crouch down to scoop a handful of earth from the ground. The earth would seep through the gaps between its fingers and Dumby would stare blankly at it.
Gao Peng let out a long breath. The surrounding air was humid and cool and Gao Peng felt a little cold in his short-sleeved shirt.
Dumby and Da Zi were like two children who had been kept in the house for too long out on a field trip. They ran around in excitement.
A mere lapse in concentration and Gao Peng found Dumby crouching in a corner eating something in secret. Da Zi perched itself on Dumby’s back anxiously.
I want to eat, I want to eat, Da Zi thought.
After getting closer, Gao Peng saw what Dumby was chewing. Since there was no way for Dumby to get food poisoning, Gao Peng did not try to stop it.
After, he saw Dumby pulling a few strands of something that looked like grass and putting them into its mouth. It seemed a little sad.
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