Chapter 5 – Chaos in the Barter Camp
Shouts echoed across the barter camp. Tents that once stood neatly were now torn apart, some already burning from uncontrolled explosions triggered by someone's ability. The air was thick with the stench of smoke, blood, and sweat.
Lu Yuan stood behind the wreckage of a cart with one of his avatars, eyes narrowed as he observed the chaos.
"I knew it. Humans don't need monsters to kill each other. A little dispute over resources is enough to turn everything into hell."
In the middle of the crowd, a family tried to escape, clutching a bag full of spiritual stones. But three muscular men radiating Qi Condensation aura blocked their path. Steel swords gleamed in their hands, though clearly of low quality.
"Hand over the stones if you want to live!" one of them shouted, eyes burning red with greed.
Lu Yuan exhaled through his nose. "Just spiritual stones, and yet they tear at each other like starving dogs."
[Analysis: the spiritual energy within stones accelerates cultivation growth. In the world's current state, each stone is as valuable as a life.] Manas's calm yet sharp voice rang in his head.
"I know… but seeing it firsthand still disgusts me," Lu Yuan replied inwardly.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the camp, a tent collapsed as a massive body crashed through it. A wolf-like monster with spiked black fur and glowing red eyes crawled inside. Twice the size of a horse, its rows of fangs gleamed wickedly. The mere sound of its growl froze people in place.
Panic spread instantly. "Tier-three monster! Run!"
Several people immediately unleashed their powers. Fireballs flared, earth rose up, and someone even released a razor-thin blade of wind. But their coordination was a mess, and their attacks struck tents and bystanders more often than the monster itself.
Lu Yuan leaned against a wooden wall while his avatar stood firmly in front of him, like a living shield.
"I could intervene. My avatar might buy some time… but do I need to? Wouldn't it be better to let them devour each other first?"
He pondered, his expression cold yet weary.
[Warning: if this camp collapses completely, the growing channels of information and trade will vanish. This may delay your understanding of the new world.]
Manas was right. Lu Yuan sighed deeply. "So I have to act, even if I'd rather just sit back."
He stretched out his hand. His avatar activated its innate divine ability—its skin shivered, then a thin metallic sheen spread across parts of its body, the result of a unique evolutionary mutation.
The avatar leapt forward, intercepting the black wolf's claws with its arm. A loud clang of metal rang out, silencing those nearby.
"W–who is that?" someone whispered, stunned by the avatar's boldness.
From his main body, Lu Yuan only chuckled. "Just a lazy courier with a little trick. No need to know my name."
The battle raged fiercely. The avatar stood its ground, while Lu Yuan directed it with precise control, managing both his main body's awareness and the avatar's combat like one hand drawing a circle while the other drew a square.
But the wolf was no easy prey. Its fangs slammed into the avatar's metallic shield, hurling the avatar several meters away. Blood spilled from its lips—resonance made Lu Yuan's real body feel a faint ache in his bones.
[Stamina consumption rising. Debuff applied: lifespan pressure +0.7%.]
"Damn… forgot that every ability use shaves off a bit of lifespan," Lu Yuan muttered under his breath.
Even so, his gaze stayed relaxed. He even took the time to scan the battlefield, observing the other humans flailing with their powers.
"Interesting. One can conjure fire, but has poor control. Another manipulates earth, but too slowly. If I gather enough of this data, I could map out the patterns of human divine abilities. Hm, maybe a new avatar specifically for experiments would be useful."
While his thoughts wandered, the avatar once again clashed with the wolf's claws. This time, a blade of wind sliced through the air from elsewhere, striking the monster's neck. Black blood sprayed as it howled furiously, growing even more violent.
Lu Yuan glanced over. A skinny youth in a torn robe stood trembling, his hand still raised. "I know him… one of those who loved reading magic novels. So he actually copied a technique from them."
[Note: initiation of the magic path confirmed.] Manas recorded calmly.
"A new path, huh? Interesting…" Lu Yuan smirked. "If he develops it further, I may need an avatar just for the magic route."
The fight dragged on. More people finally joined in, and with the avatar's support, the black wolf was eventually brought down, its body drenched in blood.
For a few seconds, silence hung over the camp. Then cheers erupted. People cried with relief, some wept, while others rushed to carve up the monster's corpse.
Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes. "See? The body isn't even cold yet, and they're already tearing out organs to sell. Humans never change."
The avatar walked back to his main body. Standing side by side, the two drew curious whispers. Who was this man? How could he fight a tier-three monster alone? But Lu Yuan only smiled faintly, offering no answers.
[Suggestion: remain anonymous. Attracting attention now will only bring trouble.]
"I know. I'm too lazy for drama."
But before the camp could truly settle, a heavy sound thundered from afar. Footsteps slammed into the earth, each one heavier, closer. The crowd grew restless once again.
Lu Yuan lifted his gaze. From behind the wreckage of tents emerged a massive figure—gorilla-like, but with stone-like skin that gleamed like polished rock. Its eyes shone not with animal instinct, but with awareness.
The monster halted, its gaze locking directly onto Lu Yuan and his avatar.
For the first time, the calm smile on Lu Yuan's face faded slightly. "Oh… so this one's smarter. And it looks like I've just become its target."