Chapter 37: A Glimpse of Chaos
by xennovel“Grilled Rat Whip! Grilled Rat Whip! Fresh Rat Whip!”
“Premium Beef Canned Food – just 20 years past its expiration date!!”
“Tianfeng’s Elite Top Ten Mercenaries: Guard your home and clear out zombies for just 1 Credit Point a day!”
….
Winding through the bustling outlying market, the cacophony of shouts filled his ears.
Cruising slowly on his motorcycle, Yenir looked fondly at the crowded night market.
Many low-level Awakeners, shirtless in their pickup trucks, boasted loudly about their heroic feats as if brandishing a rat’s tail, leaving nearby kids drooling in awe.
Some mercenaries sat silently in off-road vehicles, methodically polishing their spears.
Survivors still rummaged through heaps of trash under the cloak of night for useful supplies, while a tattooed teen on a vibrant electric motorcycle darted wildly around.
An exhausted worker, after a grueling month, stood with his child at a stall, lovingly buying them a bowl of sweet soup, while a female textile worker in uniform hesitated at a long-skirt booth.
More than sixty years after the apocalypse, people had grown accustomed to their lives. Whether for better or worse, they had survived.
Yenir took out a few cookies to hand out to a begging elder, watching the city in silence amid a stream of thanks.
There was at most one year left; whether splendid or nefarious, everything would eventually be destroyed.
……
“Hello, what task would you like to undertake?”
In the Safe Zone Task Hall, a drowsy girl looked up in alarm and fixed her gaze on Yenir.
It was rare for Awakeners to show up at night, especially this late.
“Advanced Task.”
In a soft voice, Yenir glanced at the task panel and quickly scanned for his target.
Tasks issued by the Safe Zone served as alternatives to the system’s tasks. Whenever an Awakener advanced, they could choose between a system advanced task and a Safe Zone task. Although rewards were system-issued, opting for a Safe Zone task brought extra Credit Points.
“What level do you need? Upgrading from Zeroth to First, right?”
The receptionist looked at Yenir with surprise; his striking looks sparked an unexpected fondness in her.
“So young and already a First-level Awakener? Impressive.”
“Second-level.”
Casually replying, Yenir pointed briskly at the four highest-level tasks:
“Just these four. Sign me up for all of them.”
The moment his words ended, the girl was visibly taken aback.
“Second-level!?”
She knew for sure—looking at the medals on Yenir, he was still at Zeroth level.
“Dear Awakener, you can’t bypass task levels, and taking on four at once…”
“The penalty for failing is severe!”
In her astonishment, the girl quickly explained, trying to persuade Yenir against it.
Helplessly, Yenir looked at the receptionist and firmly pressed his hand against the ability-testing device.
“I’m sure.”
In an instant, a dazzling flash lit up briefly.
“Beep. Ability Rating: First-level Peak.”
At the device’s prompt, the receptionist gasped, covering her mouth as she hastily agreed.
Such a young man at First-level Peak!?
Before the receptionist could utter another word, Yenir, having accepted his tasks, turned and left in the blink of an eye.
After a while, she stood dumbfounded, staring in disbelief that Yenir had indeed taken on four advanced tasks.
“Xiaoman, what are you standing there for?”
In the hall, a girl about to change shifts hurried over, glancing at her colleague with surprise.
Shaking off her stupor, the receptionist couldn’t help exclaiming:
“Just now…a First-level Awakener took on four attribute advanced tasks in one go – and they were top-tier!”
!?
The incoming shift girl’s eyes widened in astonishment as she instinctively looked at the task panel.
It showed that very few had ever attempted the highest-level advanced tasks, and indeed, someone had claimed them.
“Holy shit, who acts that crazy? Doesn’t he know how tough these advanced tasks are?! Normally, Awakeners are scared to take even one.”
“Has he lost his mind?!”
Staring blankly at Yenir’s receding silhouette, the receptionist instinctively remarked:
“I don’t know, but that guy didn’t seem impulsive at all…”
……
Exiting the task hall, Yenir multitasked, reviewing the tasks he had just accepted.
“Strength Type Advanced Task: Kill a First-level Peak Mutant [Corpse Dog]”
“Difficulty: S-Class.”
“Extra Reward: 1 Strength attribute, 1300 Credit Points.”
“Agility Type Advanced Task: Acquire the wing of a Second-level Mutant [Wind Eagle]”
“Difficulty: S-Class.”
“Extra Reward: 1 Agility attribute, 2000 Credit Points.”
“Constitution Type Advanced Task: Team up to kill a Second-level Mutant [Bone Bear]”
…
“Willpower Type Advanced Task: Survive 24 hours during a Primary Paranormal Event, or complete the corresponding task.”
“Difficulty: S-Class.”
“Extra Reward: 1 Willpower attribute, 2000 Credit Points.”
Glancing rapidly over the four advanced tasks, Yenir admitted they seemed somewhat challenging.
Determined to maximize his strength, he accepted only the toughest tasks—word of it would probably scare off most Awakeners.
Apart from the Strength task, all the enemies were Second-level Mutants.
For most Awakeners, taking on a same-level task was already daring enough—they wouldn’t risk it. Remember, failure costs 50% of your main attribute!
But for him, the challenge wasn’t the difficulty—it was that each task took place at a different location.
“Strength and Constitution tasks aren’t too troublesome – both mutants are at the old Tianfeng Zoo…”
“As for the Agility task’s Wind Eagle, you might need to buy tips from fellow Awakeners—and of course, hoping you can actually get them.”
Lost in thought, Yenir recalled the Wind Eagle’s information. In his hazy memories, its wing was said to be an enchanting material, with many lucky souls having found one in the wild. It should be purchasable.
If money could fix it, Yenir wasn’t about to waste time.
As for the final, Willpower task…
Frowning, Yenir looked at the Willpower Paranormal Event and felt a deep, unsettling weight in his heart.
Paranormal events in the apocalypse were the most unpredictable. They rarely depended on raw strength—the outcome hinged on an Awakener’s judgment, nerve, and even a bit of luck. While one might defeat mutants with power, even the strongest could be undone by a paranormal twist.
Shaking his head, Yenir mulled over his plans and decided to set off the next day.
……
“Captain Huang, I think I just saw Yenir!?”
Outside the task hall.
Within the Awakener Squad, several soldiers readying for their tasks looked on in astonishment at the distant figure and couldn’t help but tug at Captain Huang.
“Hmm?”
At the sound, Captain Huang instinctively glanced in the direction his teammate pointed. Seconds later, shock flickered across his face.
That familiar silhouette really did belong to Yenir.
Seeing Yenir emerging from the task hall, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
“What the hell is this kid doing in the task hall at this hour?”
Ever since the Military Department relieved him of the duty to protect Yenir, he had naturally returned to his unit, no longer keeping tabs on him.
Although he held Yenir in high regard, he wouldn’t go off searching for him in private—after all, Yenir was destined to remain at Second-level.
Especially since Willpower Awakeners typically had poor combat abilities. Even though Yenir was extraordinarily gifted, his pace of leveling was painfully slow.
It would be ages before Yenir and his would ever match levels.
“Who knows? Maybe he isn’t even here to take on advanced tasks.”
Jokingly, one of the teammates immediately retorted:
“How could that be? He just became an Awakener, and he’s Willpower.”
“Even teaming up for mutant hunts, it takes months to reach First-level. A Zeroth-level Awakener risks losing his abilities if he misses a skill.”
“Alright.”
Shaking his head, Captain Huang stared thoughtfully at Yenir’s receding back and cut off the chatter among his teammates.
“Maybe he was just passing by.”
“Let’s just go inside and take our tasks. Once you all level up to Second, our squad will head out on a search mission.”
“A search mission?”
Listening to Captain Huang, the teammates couldn’t help but ask:
“Captain, is this about those notorious Third-levels? I heard two Third-level combatants were spotted near the Safe Zone.”
“That’s right.”
Nodding, Captain Huang’s eyes flashed with seriousness:
“The higher-ups are taking this very seriously, and even Commander Xiao is preparing to rush back.”
“Two unidentified Third-levels have been spotted near our Safe Zone. If things aren’t handled properly, we could be in big trouble!”
As his words trailed off, the teammates all murmured in awe:
“Third-levels are just badass… even a casual move can scare the hell out of us.”
“Makes you wonder which big shot has all the time in the world…”