## Chapter One:
Dust danced in the sunbeams that filtered through the gaps between dilapidated buildings. The smell of mold and rotting garbage filled the air, but it no longer bothered Lin Zhao. After five years in the Outcast District, these odors had become part of his daily life, just like hunger and insults.
"What a wonderful life!" Lin muttered sarcastically as he dragged his cart full of metal scraps through the narrow streets. "A thirty-year-old scrap collector, outcast from society, living in a shack that leaks every time it rains. Surely this is what I dreamed of as a child!"
Lin Zhao was twenty-five, but the wrinkles carved by suffering on his gaunt face made him look much older. His short black hair was perpetually dusty, and his tattered clothes were patched in several places. The scar extending from his forehead to his left cheek was a constant reminder of the accident that changed his life forever.
Lin stopped when he heard sirens wailing in the distance. He raised his head to see red lights flashing above the massive wall that separated the Outcast District from the rest of the city.
"A new gate, it seems," he whispered to himself as he watched Hunter Union helicopters flying toward the source of the alarm.
Since the appearance of the first gate ten years ago, the world had changed radically. The gates—those mysterious openings that suddenly appeared anywhere—released strange monsters that attacked everything that moved. Initially, chaos reigned everywhere, but humans soon discovered that killing these monsters granted them "Evolution Essence"—a mysterious substance that enabled them to enhance their physical and mental abilities.
With this discovery, a new class of humans emerged—the elite and warriors—those who could use Evolution Essence to strengthen themselves. In contrast, the outcasts appeared—people like Lin Zhao, unable to use Evolution Essence in traditional ways and viewed as worthless.
"Hey, you! Yes you, garbage collector!"
A rough voice interrupted Lin's thoughts. He turned to find three men approaching him. They wore better clothes than most residents of the district, and one of them carried a metal rod.
"Ah, it's the weekly protection tax, isn't it?" Lin said with a sarcastic smile. "How much this time? Has it increased with inflation?"
The middle man—the tallest and most muscular—laughed deeply. "Little Zhao, I like your sense of humor. But yes, prices have gone up. Times are tough even for us."
"Of course, life is hard for everyone. Even for street gangs that steal from the poor to give... well, to themselves." Lin replied as he dug into his torn pockets.
"Watch your tongue, Zhao," said the man holding the rod, beginning to lose patience. "Dao Jian doesn't like chatterboxes."
Lin raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, sorry. No need for violence. Here's the money." He pulled out some coins and handed them to the middle man.
The man looked at the coins and narrowed his eyes. "This is only half the amount."
"It's all I have today. It was a bad day," Lin answered honestly. "I'll pay the rest tomorrow, I promise."
The third man, who had been silent until now, shoved Lin forcefully. "You think we're stupid? We know you're hiding more."
Lin stepped back, trying to maintain his balance. "Really, this is all I have. You can search me if you want."
"Maybe we will," said the middle man, nodding to the others.
Before Lin could respond, they all heard the sound of nearby sirens. A patrol from the Hunter Union was approaching.
"Lucky today, Zhao," said the middle man, taking the coins. "But we'll be back tomorrow for the rest. And if you don't have it, the consequences will be... painful."
The three men quickly walked away, leaving Lin standing beside his cart. He sighed with relief and continued on his way. He knew they would return, and he also knew he wouldn't be able to collect enough money by tomorrow.
"Maybe I should think about moving to another district," he thought aloud. "Oh yes, and maybe I should also think about buying a palace and a luxury car!"
He laughed at his ridiculous joke as he pushed his cart toward the scrap shop. The shop was a small building made of corrugated tin, with a dilapidated sign bearing the name "Lao Chen's Scrap." It was the only place in the district that bought metal scraps at a reasonable price.
"Lao Chen! My old friend!" Lin called as he entered the shop.
An elderly man with white hair and a hunched back raised his head from behind a pile of metal pieces. "Ah, Lin! What have you brought me today?"
"Some treasures as usual," Lin answered as he emptied the contents of his cart onto the table.
Lao Chen began examining the metal pieces with his expert eyes. "Not bad, not bad at all. Especially this piece." He lifted a strangely shaped metal piece. "This is from one of the monsters, isn't it?"
Lin nodded. "I found it near the old gate site in the Eastern Sector. It was buried under the rubble."
"You take too many risks, boy," Lao Chen said with a concerned tone. "That area is dangerous, even after the gate is closed."
"The risk is sometimes worth it," Lin replied with a smile. "If I don't take risks, I won't eat. Simple."
Lao Chen shook his head as he calculated the value of the scrap. "Here, this is what it's worth." He placed a collection of coins on the table.
The amount was more than Lin had expected, but he didn't show his surprise. "Thank you, kind old man."
"Don't thank me. I'm just paying fair value," Lao Chen said as he put the scrap in a box behind him. "By the way, have you heard the news?"
"What news? Has the government finally decided to grant outcasts their full rights?" Lin asked sarcastically.
Lao Chen laughed softly. "Not yet, unfortunately. No, I'm talking about the new gate. It opened this morning in the Western Sector, near the border with our district."
"Yes, I saw the helicopters," Lin answered as he put the coins in his pocket. "What about it?"
"They say it's a large gate, Level Three. The Hunter Union sent a full squad to deal with it," Lao Chen said in a low voice, as if afraid someone might hear him. "But there are rumors that some monsters managed to escape before they arrived."
This information piqued Lin's interest. "Escaped monsters? In which direction?"
"I don't know exactly, but people in the western part of the district say they heard strange sounds last night," Lao Chen answered. "I advise you to stay away from that area for a few days."
Lin nodded, but his mind was working quickly. Escaped monsters meant dead monster remains, and monster remains meant valuable scrap, and valuable scrap meant more money. Perhaps enough to pay the "protection tax" and buy some decent food.
"Of course, I'll stay away from that area," he said with feigned seriousness. "I'm not crazy."
Lao Chen looked at him suspiciously. "Lin, I know that look in your eyes. Don't even think about going there. Level Three monsters are dangerous, even for trained hunters."
"Don't worry, old man," Lin laughed. "I'm just a poor outcast collecting scrap. What could I do against a monster?"
Lao Chen didn't seem convinced, but he didn't insist. "Just be careful, boy. The world is harsh enough on outcasts without them getting killed by a monster."
"Always," Lin answered as he headed toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Lin left the shop and pulled his empty cart behind him. The sun was setting now, casting long shadows on the dirty streets. Instead of heading to his small shack, Lin turned right, heading toward the western part of the district.
"Well, let's see if my luck improves tonight," he muttered to himself.
The western part of the Outcast District was even more dilapidated than the rest, if that was possible. The buildings here were semi-abandoned, and the streets were full of potholes and debris. The place was perfect for hiding—whether for outcasts fleeing the law or monsters escaping from hunters.
Lin stopped when he heard a strange sound coming from one of the abandoned buildings. It was a low sound, similar to a growl, but it wasn't the sound of an ordinary animal.
"This is it," he whispered to himself as he left his cart behind a pile of rubble.
He crept cautiously toward the source of the sound, moving between shadows. Years of living on the streets had taught him how to move silently. He reached a crumbling building that was once a warehouse and looked through a broken window.
Inside, he saw something that made his heart stop for a moment. It was a monster, no doubt. A creature the size of a large dog, but with six legs and blue, scaly skin. Its head was disproportionately large for its body, with jaws full of sharp teeth.
"A Level Two monster, at least," Lin thought. "Its value would be..."
He didn't complete his thought. The monster suddenly raised its head and sniffed the air. Then, with astonishing speed, it turned and lunged toward the window through which Lin was looking.
"Damn!" Lin shouted as he stepped back, but the monster was faster.
The creature jumped through the window and landed directly in front of Lin, baring its fangs. Lin had no time to think. He turned and ran as fast as he could.
He knew he couldn't outrun the monster in speed, but he knew the district better. He quickly turned between buildings, trying to confuse the creature. He heard the sound of its claws scratching the ground behind him, getting closer and closer.
"Think, Lin, think!" he screamed to himself as he jumped over a pile of rubble.
He saw a narrow gap between two crumbling buildings and slid into it. It was too narrow for the monster to enter with its massive body. Or so he thought.
But the creature was more flexible than he had anticipated. It compressed its body and began crawling through the gap, its claws scratching the walls as it advanced toward Lin.
"My God, this isn't fair!" Lin shouted as he continued running through the narrow passage.
He reached the end of the passage to find himself in a small courtyard surrounded by buildings on all sides. No exit. He turned to face the monster, which was now emerging from the passage, its yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness.
"Well, it seems this is the end," Lin said in a trembling voice. "I didn't expect to die this way. I was hoping for a more... dignified death."
The monster growled and pounced on him. Lin tried to dodge, but the creature's claws struck his arm, tearing the flesh. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground.
The monster turned to attack again. This time, Lin picked up a metal piece from the ground and used it as a weapon. He hit the monster on the head, but that only angered it more.
With one swipe of its claws, the monster knocked the metal piece from Lin's hand and knocked him onto his back. The creature now stood over him, its saliva dripping onto Lin's face.
"This isn't fair," Lin whispered, his eyes filled with tears from pain and fear. "I didn't do anything to deserve this. I'm just trying to stay alive."
The monster opened its jaws, ready to bite. Lin closed his eyes, waiting for the end.
But instead of pain, he suddenly felt a strange warmth spreading from his wound. He opened his eyes to see something strange happening. The blood flowing from his wound was glowing with a faint blue light. And stranger still, the monster seemed paralyzed, as if enchanted by the light.
"What's happening?" Lin wondered in a trembling voice.
Then he felt it—the flow of energy. It was something he had never felt before, like an electric current running through his veins. It was painful and delicious at the same time. And suddenly, he realized what was happening.
"Evolution Essence..." he whispered in amazement. "I'm... absorbing it?"
It was impossible. Outcasts couldn't absorb Evolution Essence. That was why they were called outcasts in the first place. But here he was, feeling the power flowing through his body, filling every cell, changing something deep within him.
Lin took advantage of the monster's dazed state and pushed it forcefully. He was surprised when the creature flew several meters back, hitting the wall with enough force to crack it.
"This is... impossible," Lin said as he looked at his glowing hands.
The monster recovered from its shock and growled angrily. It pounced again, but this time Lin was ready. With a movement he didn't know he was capable of, he dodged the attack and circled around the monster. Then, with one fist, he struck the creature's head with all his might.
There was a sickening cracking sound, and the monster fell to the ground, motionless. Lin couldn't believe what had just happened. He had killed a monster with his bare hands.
"How...?" he began to wonder, but suddenly felt severe dizziness.
The power he had felt moments ago began to fade, leaving him exhausted and trembling. He fell to his knees, breathing with difficulty. He looked at his wound to find that it had stopped bleeding and was beginning to heal at an unnatural speed.
"What's happening to me?" he wondered in a weak voice before his eyes clouded over and the world sank into darkness.
The last thing he heard before completely losing consciousness was the sound of approaching footsteps and an old man's voice saying: "Finally... I found one."