# Chapter 6: Evolution Through Adversity
The Corrupted Fenris studied him with newfound wariness, ichor still dripping from the wound he'd inflicted. Its multiple eyes tracked his every movement, no longer seeing him as helpless prey but as a genuine threat. The shift in its posture told Xìng Huáng everything he needed to know—the creature was preparing for a prolonged fight.
*Good,* he thought. *Cautious enemies make fewer mistakes, but they also create more opportunities for patient hunters.*
His shoulder throbbed where the claws had raked across it, and his health indicator showed he was still bleeding. In the old game, minor bleeding was barely worth noticing. Here, every point of damage could mean the difference between survival and permanent death.
The Fenris began circling again, but its movement pattern had changed. It was favoring its injured side even more now, and its breathing had become slightly labored. The critical hit had done more than just damage—it had affected the creature's stamina and mobility.
Xìng Huáng's Gaming Prodigy talent processed this information instantly. Window of opportunity: approximately ninety seconds before the creature's adrenaline compensated for the injury effects. He needed to press his advantage while it lasted.
Instead of waiting for another attack, he took the initiative. Feinting left, he suddenly pivoted right toward the creature's blind spot. But the Fenris had learned from their first exchange—it spun faster than expected, claws extended to catch him even if he made it past its initial defenses.
Xìng Huáng had expected this. His years of fighting adaptive AI had taught him that truly dangerous opponents evolved their tactics mid-combat. As the claws swept toward him, he dropped low and rolled forward rather than away, passing directly under the creature's belly.
His improvised blade swept upward, finding the unarmored underside. But more importantly, his Observe ability was active, letting him study the creature's anatomy from this unique angle.
OBSERVE RESULT UPDATED:
CORRUPTED FENRIS
Additional Weakness Detected: Exposed nerve cluster at base of neck
Combat Pattern Analysis: Adapts to opponent tactics after 2-3 repetitions
Estimated Remaining Stamina: 78%
The blade drew another line of ichor across the creature's belly, but the damage was minimal. The real value was information. He now knew exactly where to strike for maximum effect, and more importantly, he understood the creature's learning pattern.
The Fenris roared in frustration and pain, spinning to face him again. Its eyes blazed with intelligent fury, and Xìng Huáng could practically see it analyzing his fighting style. Two more exchanges and it would start predicting his movements with dangerous accuracy.
Time to change the rules.
Instead of engaging directly, he backed toward the most unstable part of his merged living space—the area where his kitchen table flickered constantly between its original form and a jagged crystal formation. The dimensional instability created visual distortions that would affect the creature's depth perception.
The Fenris followed, its multiple eyes trying to track him through the reality distortions. Just as he'd hoped, the conflicting visual information confused its spatial awareness. When it lunged, its trajectory was slightly off, claws striking the flickering table-crystal instead of his torso.
The impact sent shards of semi-real material flying in all directions. Several pieces struck the creature, but one particular fragment caught Xìng Huáng's attention—it had embedded itself in the exact nerve cluster location his Observe ability had identified.
The Fenris staggered, its left side suddenly unresponsive. The improvised projectile had damaged something crucial, and for a brief moment, the creature was completely vulnerable.
Xìng Huáng didn't waste the opportunity.
He lunged forward, his kitchen knife finding the gap between armor plates at the base of the creature's neck. This time, the Divine Greed trait didn't just activate—it surged, guiding his strike with supernatural precision. The blade slid between vertebrae with surgical accuracy, severing something vital.
CRITICAL HIT!
MASSIVE DAMAGE DEALT: 43
ENEMY DEFEATED
DIVINE GREED TRAIT ACTIVATED - MAXIMUM EFFECT
The Corrupted Fenris collapsed, its multiple eyes losing their malevolent gleam. But instead of simply dying, something extraordinary happened. The creature's body began to dissolve into motes of dark energy, which immediately flowed toward Xìng Huáng like iron filings drawn to a magnet.
The sensation was indescribable—pure power flooding into his system, rewriting his fundamental capabilities at a cellular level. His health bar filled completely, the bleeding from his shoulder wound stopping instantly. More importantly, new notifications flooded his vision:
COMBAT VICTORY ACHIEVED
EXPERIENCE GAINED: 347 (Enhanced by Divine Greed)
CULTIVATION PROGRESS: 68/100
NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: Basic Blade Work (Level 1)
ATTRIBUTE INCREASE: Agility +2, Perception +1, Constitution +1**
SPECIAL REWARD: Fenris Essence Fragment
But the changes didn't stop there. As the dark energy settled into his system, Xìng Huáng felt his understanding of combat fundamentals expand dramatically. The Basic Blade Work skill wasn't just knowledge—it was muscle memory, technique, and instinctive understanding all compressed into immediate capability.
He swung his improvised weapon experimentally and nearly gasped at the difference. His movements were smoother, more precise, his grip and stance automatically optimizing for maximum efficiency. The Divine Greed trait had somehow compressed what should have been months of training into a single transformative moment.
XìNG HUÁNG - UPDATED STATUS
Level: 1 *(68/100 to Level 2)*
BASE ATTRIBUTES:
- Strength: 10
- Agility: 12
- Constitution: 11
- Intelligence: 10
- Willpower: 10
- Perception: 11
SKILLS:
- Basic Blade Work (Level 1): *Improved weapon handling and combat techniques*
SPECIAL ITEMS:
- Fenris Essence Fragment: *???*
The Fenris Essence Fragment materialized in his inventory as a small, pulsing crystal that seemed to contain trapped lightning. Unlike the Crimson Essence Fragments from before the merger, this one felt completely stable and purposeful. His Gaming Prodigy talent whispered possibilities—cultivation enhancement, weapon forging, skill development—but he would need more information to use it effectively.
A new sound interrupted his analysis: human voices, approaching through the merged landscape. Multiple people, moving with the coordination of survivors who had learned to work together quickly.
"—heard fighting from this direction. Could be another survivor, or could be something worse."
"Either way, we need to check it out. Resources are scarce, and if someone's managed to take down one of those creatures..."
"Keep your weapons ready. Trust no one until we know they're not infected."
Xìng Huáng frowned. Infected? That was new information, and potentially crucial. He quickly moved to a position where he could observe the approaching group without being immediately visible.
Three figures emerged from the dimensional chaos—two men and a woman, all wearing a mixture of transformed game equipment and improvised real-world gear. They moved with the careful coordination of experienced players, but their eyes held the haunted look of people who had seen too much in too short a time.
The woman, who appeared to be their leader, stopped at the edge of his merged living space. Her gaze took in the dissolving remains of the Corrupted Fenris and the blood spatter from their battle.
"Someone actually managed to solo one of these things," she said quietly. "Either they're incredibly skilled or incredibly lucky."
"Could be a trap," warned one of her companions, a tall man with what looked like a transformed wizard's staff. "The infected sometimes use bait tactics."
Xìng Huáng made a decision. Information was crucial for survival, and these people clearly had experience with the post-merger reality. Time to make contact.
He stepped into view, his improvised blade held in a non-threatening position but ready for immediate use. "I'm not infected," he called out. "And I'm definitely not bait. The name's Xìng Huáng."
The woman's eyes widened slightly as she took in his appearance—specifically, the fact that he was clearly uninjured despite having obviously fought the Fenris alone. "That's... impressive. I'm Sarah Chen, and these are my partners Mark and David. We've been surviving together since the merger."
"Seventy-three hours and counting," added Mark, his grip tightening on his staff. "You're the first solo survivor we've encountered who wasn't either completely insane or..." He trailed off.
"Or what?" Xìng Huáng asked.
Sarah exchanged glances with her companions. "Or changed. Some people who've been absorbing too much essence from the creatures they kill... they start becoming something else. Something hostile to normal humans."
The Fenris Essence Fragment in his inventory seemed to pulse in response to her words. Divine Greed had given him massive rewards for this kill, but at what potential cost?
"How can you tell the difference?" he asked carefully.
"Usually by the eyes," David spoke for the first time, his voice hoarse with exhaustion. "They develop this... glow. Like they're lit from within by something that isn't entirely human anymore."
Xìng Huáng felt a chill. His enhanced rewards, his supernatural combat precision, his accelerated learning—were these signs of beneficial evolution or dangerous infection?
There was only one way to find out.
"I think we should work together," he said. "Pool our knowledge and resources. This new reality is too dangerous to face alone."
Sarah studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Agreed. But first, we need to tell you about the countdown everyone's seeing. The integration period ends in twenty-two hours, and according to the synchronized entities, something major is going to change when it does."
"Something worse than the merger?" Xìng Huáng asked.
Mark's laugh held no humor whatsoever. "Much worse. The real inhabitants of this Blood Demon Martial Realm are coming home. And they're not happy about finding their world contaminated with six billion refugees from a dead reality."
As if summoned by his words, a sound echoed across the merged landscape—not the roar of a corrupted creature, but something far more organized and intelligent. The sound of vast armies on the march, drawing ever closer to the chaotic zones where Earth's population struggled to survive.
The integration period had been preparation time.
Now the real test was about to begin.