In the pitch-black depths of the sewer, a pair of icy eyes gleamed with a sinister light.
Before Meng Hao could react, a blur of grey shot out from the darkness, its gaping, blood-stained jaws lunging straight at him.
It was a mutated venomous viper, as thick as a man's arm.
Under the sunlight, its fangs gleamed with a razor-sharp brilliance, venom dripping from their edges—a living weapon of death.
As danger descended upon him, Meng Hao's body tensed instinctively. The physical enhancements of a first-tier warrior surged within him.
With no time to think, he channeled all his strength and thrust his spear forward in one swift, decisive motion.
"Squelch!"
The gleaming spear, cold and deadly, pierced the viper's mottled hide in an instant.
-50HP
A blood-curdling hiss tore through the air as the viper writhed and flung itself aside, blood gushing from its wound.
Meng Hao's heart skipped a beat.
Zombies and sharks weren't the only dangers on this desolate island—venomous snakes lurked in the shadows too.
What other unseen threats lay in wait?
His vigilance soared, his whole being now a blade drawn from its sheath, radiating lethal intent.
Across from him, the wounded serpent began to stir again. Its emerald eyes glared at Meng Hao, filled with a chilling hatred.
It had sensed something deadly in this human.
Rarely had its ambushes failed. Never could it have imagined that this prey was a first-tier warrior.
"Hiss!"
The snake launched itself again, its body coiled like a spring, fangs bared as it struck.
But Meng Hao was ready. As the snake leapt, he swung his spear in a wide, ruthless arc.
"Crack!"
The spear smashed against the snake's body, sending it flying and crashing heavily onto the ground.
-20HP
Glancing at the system notification, Meng Hao pondered.
If his instincts were correct, this viper's health points were likely similar to that of a zombie—around 100HP.
Which meant it was now critically wounded.
Its sluggish movements confirmed it.
And so, he struck while the iron was hot.
With a powerful leap, Meng Hao closed the distance and appeared before the fallen creature.
Now, he used his spear like a cudgel, raining down blows upon the serpent's writhing body.
-10HP
-10HP
-10HP
One might ask—why use a spear as a club instead of stabbing? Wasn't that a waste of its potential?
Simple answer: he kept missing.
The serpent was too slender, too quick. His earlier strike had been sheer luck.
[Ding! Congratulations! You have slain the Mottled Viper. Reward: 1 jin of viper meat.]
[Mottled Viper Meat: Black Iron-tier item. A delicious food. Consuming it increases resistance.]
[Divine Fortune Activated. Hundredfold Reward Triggered.]
Choose one:
100 jin of mottled viper meat
1 jin of mutated mottled viper meat
Meng Hao's eyes widened in disbelief.
Snakes were venomous—one bite could mean death.
Now that he had slain it, the reward was resistance-enhancing flesh?
What might he gain from defeating a shark then?
After a moment of reflection, Meng Hao chose the second option.
One hundred jin of meat could last him ages, but the mutated variant held far greater value.
He wasn't lacking in food—he craved power.
[Mutated Mottled Viper Meat: Bronze-tier item. A gourmet delicacy. Greatly enhances resistance, fully upgrades the immune system, rendering the player immune to all poisons.]
Meng Hao's expression grew odd.
This... this was practically the antidote to AIDS.
AIDS weakens the immune system, but this meat promised a total restoration.
"A treasure indeed," he muttered.
On a wild island teeming with venomous creatures, this gift meant survival.
[Congratulations! All threats eliminated. You have successfully claimed the uninhabited island.]
[Would you like to devour the island to upgrade your base?]
Having slain the zombies and the sewer-dwelling viper, Meng Hao had now secured the territory.
Seeing the glowing blue prompt, he didn't hesitate—"Devour."
[Devouring Uninhabited Island. Cost: 3 Zombie Crystals. Time Required: 10 minutes.]
A blue aura engulfed his base and the new island, linking them in a glowing web.
The stone bridge connecting the two islands began to transform, becoming a conduit of fusion.
Beneath his feet, the ground trembled. Waves surged around him, majestic and mighty.
Having experienced this once before, Meng Hao remained calm.
He knew he had ten minutes to wait.
And in that time, he had plans for that precious serpent meat.
As a civilized man, he wouldn't eat it raw.
He had matches—and roasted meat was far more satisfying.
He gathered dry wood from the new island and kindled a fire.
Skewering the meat with his spear, he set it over the flames.
"Thank the heavens for matches. Without them, I'd be rubbing sticks together."
He recalled those wilderness survival shows, admiring those who could ignite flame with sheer will and friction.
He had tried himself, and failed miserably.
Perhaps only desperation could unlock that kind of success.
The blaze roared, its warmth filling him with a strange sense of peace.
Fat sizzled from the meat, filling the air with a mouth-watering aroma.
If only he had some spices.
A pinch of cumin, a touch of chili—that would be heavenly.
Still, Meng Hao wasn't entirely unprepared.
He had salt.
Thanks to his seawater purifier, he had gathered a generous supply of sea salt.
Now was the perfect time to use it.
Though it was coarse, black, and greenish—almost toxic in appearance—it would do.
Wait—had he forgotten something?
Instant noodle seasoning!
He still had a pack of instant noodles from the system. Perfect.
He opened one, sprinkled the flavor packet over the meat—perfection!
The scent intensified. The meat turned golden, its surface glistening with oil—rich in color, fragrance, and allure.
Almost ready to eat.
[Island Devour Complete. Base Island Successfully Upgraded.]
[New Area: +1 square kilometer. Total Area: 2.5 sq km.]
[Island Farm available for upgrade – Cost: 10 Crystals.]
[Island Mine available for upgrade – Cost: 10 Crystals.]
[Island Arsenal available for upgrade – Cost: 10 Crystals.]
[Island Barracks available for upgrade – Cost: 10 Crystals.]
Upgrade now?
Just as the snake meat neared perfection, the fusion completed and the base expanded once more.
With it, new upgrades unlocked—each promising greater functionality.
Meng Hao beamed with satisfaction. He flipped the meat one final time and cried out joyfully:
"Upgrade!"