This is the first chapter after defining the transformation, with some changes in both description and plot. I wonder if everyone will like it. This is still in the preliminary stage of change, trying to write a different style, asking for encouragement (∩_∩)

Hearing Xu Tianguo’s words, Ye Chen was slightly startled, then calmed down and asked, “Where is the location? What is the approximate strength of the monsters?”

Xu Tianguo paused, saying, “The monsters are located at Jiulong Mountain (Note: Mentougou District, Beijing). The specific strength of the monsters is still unclear; we only know that in the path these two monsters passed, many buildings were destroyed as finely as tofu dregs.”

Ye Chen’s eyes flashed. The buildings were mostly caught in the crossfire of the battle. Just being destroyed to this extent meant the monsters’ strength was definitely above Level 500. At the current stage, the common 1H4-level Blood-Toothed Tiger was only around Level 400. Could these two monsters be Tyrant Lions? Or Violent Bears? He pondered for a moment, then asked Xu Tianguo, “Which guilds are heading there?”

Xu Tianguo replied, “The commotion caused by these two monsters was immense. The informants of many guilds have gathered intelligence. Major guilds like Dragon Soaring, Splendor, and Iron Blood are rushing over, along with many smaller guilds. Additionally, the Base City has dispatched Generals and Commanders to accompany them. I fear there will be a fierce battle.”

Ye Chen nodded, thinking to himself: “Whether these two monsters are Zombie Creatures or Evolved Creatures, their corpses are immense wealth. Such monsters are extremely rare normally and possess cunning intelligence; if they cannot win, they flee, making them difficult to kill. Now, because they are fighting each other, they have become a coveted ‘pie’ for everyone to fight over.” Thinking of this, he couldn't help but wonder: “If humans are constantly infighting and competing amongst themselves, won’t they eventually suffer the same fate as these two monsters?”

He raised his head, gazing at the azure sky. After a long while, he finally let out a soft sigh, no longer dwelling on it. Preserving his own life was the priority. If he couldn't even survive, how could he talk about saving others? Once the Base City is established, he could recruit elite teams, establish his own nation, and rule himself. Only then could others be made to listen to him.

He let go of his inner turmoil, shut off the communicator with Xu Tianguo, and rushed toward Jiulong Mountain, following the map’s guidance.

Along the way, Ye Chen saw many groups of people, each wearing different badges on their chests, chatting and exchanging views as they walked. Ye Chen’s heart stirred, and he mused: “This time, the major guilds must have dispatched their Superhuman squads; it will come down to the number and variety of Superhumans. If I want to obtain the corpses of these two monsters, it will certainly not be easy. The Ant Superhuman Gene can only be activated once. Although its power is immense and could slaughter everyone present, the resulting effect is not what I desire.”

“Firstly, this weakens the overall strength of humanity. Secondly, I can slaughter everyone I see, but those hiding in the shadows cannot be killed. And the true danger always comes from the shadows…” After deep thought, Ye Chen sighed inwardly: “Only when I reach Level 100 can I fuse the second gene, and my personal strength will truly surpass all others. This is why Young Master Yun Shaojing became the top expert of the Fifth Solar Era on Earth in my previous life.”

While contemplating, he traversed the dilapidated buildings swiftly, avoiding recognition from these people. After a moment of reflection, Ye Chen dialed Bai Long’s communicator and said quickly, “Come to Jiulong Mountain.” Then he shut off the communicator and accelerated his pace.

Between the Base City and Jiulong Mountain, there was a great river, its waters surging, hiding terrible dangers within. The dark shadows of many fish monsters swam beneath the surface, inspiring dread.

Ye Chen arrived at the riverbank and saw an expressway not far away. He rushed onto it, speeding across the great bridge towards the opposite bank. Along the way, he saw cars scattered haphazardly, dried blood everywhere, making him think: “I wonder how many people perished on this bridge when the disaster first erupted.”

A sense of desolation filled him as he recalled the panic and helplessness of facing the disaster in his past life—it felt as if the entire world was collapsing before his eyes. He saw classmates whose smiles had been gentle now ferociously biting, making him so terrified he wished to dash himself against a wall and commit suicide. It was only the thought of his sister still waiting at home that prevented him from taking such action. Later, after struggling desperately, he finally managed to get home, only to find a pool of blood. At that moment, his mind went blank with a ringing sound, and the strength seemed drained from his body, almost causing him to collapse. From then on, it felt as if his heart had been hollowed out, leaving him to live in a daze.

Is there a kind of loneliness where one cannot even feel the sensation of heartbreak?

Ye Chen felt a trace of melancholy, but his expression remained calm and detached, revealing nothing of his thoughts. After running quickly for a while, he reached the opposite bank of the great river. He saw that a section of the bridge had broken away. Fortunately, with his physique, he could leap it. Even if an ordinary person possessed the strength, seeing the surging river and the many dark shapes beneath the broken span would cause them to shudder, unwilling to act rashly.

After crossing to the other side, Ye Chen saw many human footprints on the ground, leading toward Jiulong Mountain. The steps were uneven, clearly indicating many people had passed. He pondered for a moment, then his figure shifted; he bypassed the direct path, taking a wide arc toward Jiulong Mountain. Although this meant losing the initial advantage, he calculated that these people would likely squabble or confront each other rather than engaging in a full-scale battle immediately.

He ran for a short distance and soon reached the foothills of Jiulong Mountain. Ye Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking: “There will probably be a fierce battle shortly. If I could slip past unnoticed and take the two monster corpses, that would be best. To prevent the worst-case scenario, I should restore my stamina first.” He then walked over to a nearby rock that looked relatively clean and sat down.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he sat down, there was a loud thump, and the rock gave way beneath him. Ye Chen was startled. He quickly pushed off the rock with his toes, his body soaring like a great roc spreading its wings. To guard against traps on the remaining solid ground near the edge of the collapse, he took a deep breath, channeled his strength, and propelled himself three feet into the air from a standing position, completing a somersault before landing on another clear patch of ground. Only after confirming there was no further collapse did he slightly relax, then frowned, proceeding cautiously, testing the ground with every step, toward the edge of the large pit where the rock had fallen.

The pit was a full zhang deep, with the rock lodged inside. It seemed unremarkable. As Ye Chen was pondering, his eye caught a narrow gap beside the rock, likely the upper section revealed because the bottom was blocked by the fallen stone. A flash of inspiration struck him. He leaped down, drew his Blood-Red Battle Saber, and easily sliced through the rock. Sure enough, he found an opening. Inside, the tunnel twisted and turned, the end obscured from view. He couldn’t help but feel astonished, murmuring, “I wonder if this passage was home to the monsters, or if it was dug by humans.”

He paused, then decided to venture inside. He sheathed his Blood-Red Battle Saber and squeezed in alone. The opening was only three feet high and quite narrow; Ye Chen had to bend over to squeeze through. He moved inside by using his hands like hooves. The interior was dim and utterly black. As he moved deeper, Ye Chen felt the path gradually steepen, like climbing a slope.

Not long after, Ye Chen suddenly noticed a faint light ahead. His eyes narrowed, and he slowed his pace, moving stealthily, trying not to even disturb the sound of sand friction. After only a few steps, he heard a man’s voice drift from ahead: “…and then, it will be our beautiful life together.”

A woman’s voice replied with a coquettish pout, “Things aren't settled yet; don't get ahead of yourself.”

The man spoke with confidence: “It’s only a matter of time. Once the Generals from the Huaxia Base City and the experts from those major guilds arrive, we just need to shift this torch slightly, and we can send those people to their deaths, severely wounding those two evil beasts as well. Then we reap the rewards, and we weaken the Huaxia Base City’s power in one stroke.”

The woman chuckled lightly, “When that time comes, we’ll kill this old fool, force him to hand over the Base City, and then heavily recruit the talent from Huaxia Base City. After that, we’ll never have to fear anyone again.”

The man laughed, “I’ve admired you for a long time. I will never fail you in the future!”

“Hmph,” the woman snorted proudly, “All men in the world are no good. Who knows what you’re thinking? If you dare betray me, I’ll make your life a living hell!”

The man chuckled slyly, “Of course not. I love you…”

“Mmm, wait, mmm, don’t be in such a hurry.” The woman’s voice grew hurried.

Hiding in the tunnel, Ye Chen couldn't help but be inwardly shocked by what the couple said: “Who exactly are these two? They actually plan to harm the Huaxia Base City and kill everyone coming to slay those two monsters! Their hearts are too vicious! It’s fortunate that I was inadvertently tired and sat on the rock covering the entrance; otherwise, I would have been ambushed just like those people.”

Thinking of this, a sharp murderous intent flared in his eyes. He pushed off the ground with his feet and crawled out of the tunnel into an open area in the mountains. Not far away, beside a stone wall, a man and a woman were embracing, locked in a passionate kiss. On a rock beside them was an oil lamp, with a lighter and matches nearby. On the other side was a section of the stone wall where a black-haired man, around forty years old, was chained. He had a broad forehead, a face carved like a blade, and a beard grown long and untrimmed, and his beast-hide armor was broken in several places, making him look quite wretched.

This adulterous couple was startled by the sudden appearance of someone. Both jumped in shock. The man was handsome, with eyes like high-bridged noses and eyebrows like drawn blades, exuding an air of dashing elegance. The woman in his arms had a melon-seed face, a slender, snake-like waist, and was strikingly beautiful.

“Who are you?” the man demanded with a darkened expression and a roar after seeing Ye Chen. As soon as his voice fell, he saw Ye Chen’s expression turn icy as he charged forward, covering several zhang in a single stride, his speed astonishing. The man was greatly alarmed, realizing he had encountered a formidable enemy. He decisively abandoned resistance, pulled the woman in his arms, and fled toward a dirt patch to one side.

Ye Chen anticipated that his attempt to burrow into the earth would be slow enough for him to strike, so he wasn't overly hurried. Just then, he saw the man let out a low cry, and his entire body began to sprout a layer of scales. His fingernails turned into claws, and his face became ferocious.

……

The above is already 3000 words. Here are a few notes.

This chapter is my first attempt at trying to change the style. How did everyone find it? I hope you can leave your thoughts in the review section or the Great Thief Gathering Place. Old Gu will check them later; I appreciate it very much.

In my previous writing, I set the personalities for Ye Chen, Bai Long, and Mo Feng. Bai Long is lonely internally but likes to bring joy to others on the surface, always smiling. Mo Feng, due to problems experienced since childhood, is silent, withdrawn, and has no friends.

Ye Chen’s personality is cold on the surface but warm within, with cruel and violent methods, yet he acts this way to protect the one he loves.

Old Gu originally intended to write about the experiences of these few people surviving in the apocalypse—their journey, filled with joy and sorrow, surprise and danger, laughter and tears. They would also encounter some second-tier characters (former partners who might die) experiencing betrayal, the harshness of survival, and so on.

Now, I intend to write in a more mature way. Although this might suppress some of the YY (wish-fulfillment) impulses, having emotion means having passion. I hope everyone can patiently read on. I took great courage to attempt this change.

If it is not successful, the outcome might be quite miserable.

Changing the style of a book is an adventure. Old Gu is currently walking a tightrope = =. If I make it across, the achievement will far surpass what came before; if I don't, I will fall and die.

Old Gu acts within his ability, writing the story he can handle; I will not force myself to write plots I cannot control.

Also, this book will not feature protagonist abuse, if you know what I mean.

There will only be one update today as I adjust my thoughts. Next up is a high-A [Note: Likely referring to an upcoming section or plot point].