"Um, Brother Wen Yu, I was wondering how you acquired your hidden profession? Of course, if it's a sensitive topic for you, please just consider me nosy."
Although Duan Wenfeng didn't inquire about the specifics of Wen Yu's hidden profession, he was clearly very curious about how one could obtain it.
Duan Wenxue also remained still, her beautiful large eyes fixed intently on Wen Yu. She was evidently very eager to know the answer to this question.
"Well, it's not really inconvenient."
Wen Yu hesitated for a moment. The matter of a hidden profession wasn't much of a secret anyway. At daybreak, he would be heading to Riverside Park, and it was uncertain if they would ever meet again.
Moreover, Wen Yu didn't mind helping good people become stronger. After all, he had witnessed such sorrow: a world where villains ran rampant, morality had collapsed, and Humans, not inherently strong, were constantly weakening their own kind. Wen Yu didn't want to, nor could he, manage the grand scheme of things. However, he wasn't stingy about offering some help to those who were kind-hearted.
The most important reason was that there was fundamentally no conflict of interest; this was the main factor behind Wen Yu's decision to answer.
"I saw a constantly spinning, silver-white vortex. After entering, I learned it was called a treasure land. Inside, there was a treasure chest, and within the chest was a hidden profession-change scroll," he explained.
Hearing Wen Yu's explanation, the three-person team fell into contemplation. Wen Yu had nothing more to add, and the atmosphere became silent for a moment.
"Brother Wen Yu? Have you been on your own this whole time?"
After a short while, once the trio had processed the information about the hidden profession, Duan Wenxue was the first to ask.
"Yes," Wen Yu confirmed with a slight nod and a quiet murmur.
"Why don't you join our team, Brother Wen Yu? We can hunt zombies and gather points together. It's definitely safer than being out on your own."
Duan Wenfeng clearly coveted Wen Yu's hidden profession; it was obvious that its combat power wouldn't be low.
And a lone, powerful expert without malicious intent was definitely a target for recruitment by any team.
Although the apocalypse had just begun, some recognized post-apocalyptic rules or survival modes, such as Hunting Teams, were already quietly emerging. It had to be said, Humans were incredibly adaptable.
"No, thank you. I'm more accustomed to being alone."
Wen Yu pretended to think for a moment before declining Duan Wenfeng's offer.
What a joke. Even if you guys become powerful later, should I, a reborner, team up with you just so you can leech off my efforts? Be your nanny and clean up your messes? What would be the point of my Rebirth then?
"That's truly a pity."
Wen Yu gave Duan Wenfeng an apologetic smile.
「The night passed peacefully.」
At first light, Wen Yu was awakened by faint footsteps. Looking up, he saw Duan Wenfeng tiptoeing as he got up, apparently afraid of disturbing his peacefully sleeping sister.
Duan Wenfeng gave Wen Yu an apologetic smile before quietly making his way downstairs.
He's truly a kind person, Wen Yu mused.
Watching the heartwarming scene, Wen Yu felt a slight stir in his heart. After all, Humans generally appreciate beautiful things.
Wen Yu looked out the window; the sky was completely bright. A glance at the clock on the wall showed it was 7:00 AM.
Wen Yu carefully disarmed the small trap he had set, gathered his equipment, and slowly descended the stairs.
Downstairs, Duan Wenfeng was just coming out of the bathroom when he saw the fully equipped Wen Yu.
"Brother Wen Yu, are you heading out?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm going to kill more zombies and earn more points."
Looking at the big guy before him, Wen Yu hesitated. Although he knew they might never meet again, he couldn't help but offer a warning. "If you're going hunting today, it's best to avoid the Jindu Residential Area. There's a very strong monster there, a large mutated dog. And, um, it would be best to find a different place to stay tonight."
Thinking about how keen a dog's sense of smell was, Wen Yu grew anxious. A Level 1 mutant creature had strong Recovery Ability; Cyclops would likely be fully healed by tomorrow.
If that beast was vengeful and tracked him by his scent, another fierce battle would be unavoidable, and the outcome could be very unfavorable for him.
"Animals can mutate too?"
Duan Wenfeng wasn't entirely disbelieving. After all, in this messed-up world where even professionists and Exchange Stone Pillars could appear, he wouldn't be too surprised even if something like a Gundam showed up.
However, from Wen Yu's warning, he could clearly tell that even Wen Yu, a hidden professionist, was no match for the mutant creature, let alone himself and his sister, who were just ordinary professionists.
"Yes," Wen Yu replied simply, then quickly exited and headed in the direction of Riverside Park.
「He no longer paid mind to the Protector squad encountered the previous night.」
Wen Yu swept along the road, clearing out all visible zombies. He paid little attention to the occasional small animals that hadn't yet mutated.
These small creatures hadn't mutated yet, but they would sooner or later. Unmutated animals, without exception, would all be killed and eaten.
It was just that killing mutant creatures that hadn't reached a certain level didn't yield any points.
Moreover, were mutant creatures friend or foe? This was a question that countless people in his previous life had failed to figure out.
Although mutant creatures hunted Humans, when the gates of the Demon Realm opened, as the most powerful native force on Earth, the mutant creatures firmly resisted the invaders from the Demon Realm.
It could be said that when the apocalypse began, Humans had already lost their position as Dominators. Mutant creatures were Earth's future hope and the primary reason Earth was not completely occupied.
In his previous life, if it weren't for the mutant creatures, all Humans in Mudanjiang City would have long been wiped out by the overwhelming Demon Fiends.
Wen Yu temporarily pushed aside these complex issues, wielding his Weapon to swiftly reap the zombies on the road.
Occasionally, he encountered survivors. He ignored the cowards hiding in their homes, constantly crying for help.
As for the daring teams he met, Wen Yu would also quietly detour around them. Even if they saw each other, both sides would avoid contact. The apocalypse had just begun, and survivors were already wary of their own kind.
Since he was in a small city in the Northeast with a low population density, and his current location wasn't a bustling commercial area, the number of zombies posed no threat to Wen Yu.
Wen Yu had no concept of tolerance for these filthy creatures. When the Blood moon opened the passage between the two realms, these zombies would undergo a terrifying mutation, be completely manipulated by Demonic Qi, and become puppets of the Demon Realm.
There was a saying in the apocalyptic world: "Humans' opponents are Demonized zombies; mutant beasts' opponents are Demon Fiends." This was a true depiction of the world six months into the apocalypse.
Reaping the lives of zombies, each one provided Wen Yu with 1 to 3 points.
Some zombies had clearly become physically stronger; this was due to them devouring enough flesh and blood, causing an Evolution.
Once they reached a certain stage, zombies would advance in level. Although a Level one zombie's combat power was slightly weaker than a Level 1 professionist's, they were not beings that ordinary Humans could resist.