Azure Lizard, his small blue-scaled companion, rested on the stone platform, twitching occasionally as it breathed. Li Zhen flexed his fingers experimentally. Every movement triggered a subtle feedback overlay from the system, mapping strength, balance, and muscle tension.
[System Notification]
Good morning, Host: Li Zhen
Daily Tasks Available
[Daily Task List]
Run 5 km – Reward: +2 Speed, +1 Endurance
Defeat 3 Wild Mutants – Reward: +5 EXP, +1 Strength
Train a Mutant Pet – Reward: +3 Taming Skill
He focused on the holographic display floating before him. The stats, skills, and inventory were all active, pulsing faintly. The numbers glowed, almost alive. Li Zhen could feel the body reacting—muscles already tensing, senses sharpening.
Inventory and System Analysis
He opened the inventory in full. It wasn't just a list—it was a simulation of potential use, durability, and efficiency.
Inventory:
Standard Combat Knife ×1 – Balanced, lightweight. Effective against low- to mid-level mutants. Can be enhanced with Mutant Fusion.
Healing Salve ×2 – Restores minor injuries. Can combine with Mutation Energy for accelerated healing.
Mutant Training Manual ×1 – Full instructions on creature analysis, training techniques, and combat strategies.
Li Zhen moved the knife in the air experimentally. A faint, digital overlay appeared, showing swing arc, force distribution, and critical impact zones. He noted that even a slight shift in wrist angle improved potential damage.
[System Tip]
Your body and skills are integrated. Practice movements in simulation or reality to optimize stat growth.
He then activated Observation Lv1, scanning the yard. Every creature, every cage, every shadow was mapped in real-time prediction lines, showing potential movements and attack vectors. Even Azure Lizard's tail flicks were highlighted.
Physical Capabilities of Host Body
Li Zhen jumped to his feet and ran in place. Every motion was smooth, almost instinctual. He ran a short sprint, observing system feedback:
[System Notification]
Current Stats:
Strength: 15
Speed: 12
Endurance: 17
Mutation Energy: 7
Combat Skill: 9
Taming Skill: 3
Sprint speed exceeds average human by 40%
Reflexes exceptionally fast
Muscle density and bone strength enhanced
Endurance allows prolonged exertion up to 2 hours without fatigue
Li Zhen experimented with jumping, dodging, and lunging. Every movement triggered overlays suggesting optimal angles, force application, and balance adjustments. He realized this body was not just trained—it was engineered for peak combat efficiency.
Daily Task 1: Run 5 km
Li Zhen left the courtyard and sprinted along the dirt path surrounding the training facility. Every step was tracked by the system.
[System Notification]
Distance: 0.5 km / 5 km
Speed: 12 → 13
Endurance Consumption: Moderate
Reward: +2 Speed, +1 Endurance
The path was uneven, littered with rocks and small mutated flora, but the system adjusted his balance in real time, highlighting the optimal stride length and foot placement. He pushed harder, feeling muscles adapt instantly.
Halfway through, he felt a slight strain in his legs, but the system overlaid muscle recovery rates and suggested a micro-adjustment in posture. By the time he finished 5 km, he felt more agile, more powerful, and completely aware of his body's potential.
[Stat Update]
Speed: 13 (+1)
Endurance: 18 (+1)
EXP: 50/100
Daily Task 2: Defeat 3 Wild Mutants
Li Zhen returned to the courtyard. Three creatures had appeared:
Mutant Wolf – Level 3
Horned Lizard – Level 2
Shadow Rat – Level 1
Above each head, stats glowed: HP, attack, speed, and mutation energy potential. He studied them carefully.
Mutant Wolf HP: 120
Horned Lizard HP: 60
Shadow Rat HP: 35
Li Zhen moved first. Using Observation Lv1, he predicted the wolf's trajectory. It lunged, claws extended. Li Zhen rolled to the side and slashed with the knife.
[System Notification]
Mutant Wolf Hit – Damage 18/120
Critical: No
The lizard moved in next, swinging its horns, but Li Zhen used leverage, flipping it aside.
[System Notification]
Horned Lizard Defeated – EXP +7
Reward: +1 Strength
The Shadow Rat charged unpredictably. Li Zhen focused, slashing with precise timing.
[System Notification]
Shadow Rat Defeated – EXP +3
Reward: +1 Speed
[System Notification]
Daily Task #2 Completed – +5 EXP, +1 Strength
Daily Task 3: Train a Mutant Pet
Li Zhen called Azure Lizard. The creature padded over, tail flicking nervously.
[System Notification]
Training Session Initiated – Bond Training
Li Zhen experimented with all available options:
Physical Exercise: Lizard climbed, jumped, clawed obstacles.
Combat Drills: Practiced attack and dodge patterns, simulated enemy strikes.
Bond Training: Rewarded trust, loyalty, and obedience.
He noted the system was tracking emotional and physical response in real-time. Each positive reinforcement added Taming Skill points, increasing efficiency of all future training.
[System Notification]
Azure Lizard – Bond Level 1 → 3
Taming Skill +2
Mutation Energy +1
Li Zhen realized he could control the rate at which a mutant evolved, adjusting training intensity and bonding strategy. This wasn't just animal handling—it was strategic cultivation of living power sources.
After finishing tasks, Li Zhen turned to self-analysis. Using the system, he activated Full Body Scan:
Strength: 16 (muscle fiber density optimized)
Speed: 14 (neural response acceleration)
Endurance: 18 (cardiovascular efficiency enhanced)
Mutation Energy: 8 (stored potential for evolution/fusion)
Combat Skill: 10 (automatic adaptation to attacks)
Taming Skill: 5 (augmented interaction with creatures)
He flexed, jumped, and moved experimentally. He could push each stat beyond normal human limits, and the system adjusted in real-time, giving temporary boosts or warning feedback if he risked overexertion.
The realization hit him: this wasn't just a body—it was a tool. A weapon. A system-enhanced organism capable of learning, adapting, and evolving faster than natural humans.
Li Zhen decided to test the system's combat simulations. He summoned a virtual training room – Gravity Mode. The portal shimmered, creating a circular arena with doubled gravity. Even small jumps felt like leaps against immense resistance.
He sprinted, rolled, and attacked imaginary foes, feeling muscles strain and respond simultaneously. Azure Lizard followed, adapting instantly, clawing and jumping with precision. Every motion, every strike, every dodge registered in the system. EXP flowed, stats adjusted, and Mutation Energy slowly increased.
[System Notification]
Training Room – Gravity Mode
Duration: 60 min
Rewards: +1 Strength / 30 min, +1 Speed / 30 min, +2 Mutation Energy / 60 min
After 45 minutes, Li Zhen stopped to measure progress:
Strength: 17 (+1)
Speed: 15 (+1)
Endurance: 19 (+1)
Mutation Energy: 9 (+1)
Combat Skill: 11 (+1)
Taming Skill: 5
He smiled. The system didn't just reward him—it optimized him, letting him reach limits he hadn't thought possible.
Evening Reflection
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, Li Zhen sat on the courtyard wall. The ruins of the distant city stretched endlessly, smoke curling in the distance. Mutant sounds echoed faintly.
He reviewed his stats, inventory, and Azure Lizard's progress. He didn't remember how he had arrived in this body, but he knew his tools, his system, and his potential. He had the power to dominate the mutants outside, train more companions, and prepare for the apocalypse that surely awaited.
[System Status – End of Day]
Host: Li Zhen
Level: 1 → 2 (Pending EXP)
Stats:
Strength: 17
Speed: 15
Endurance: 19
Mutation Energy: 9
Combat Skill: 11
Taming Skill: 5
Inventory:
Standard Combat Knife ×1
Healing Salve ×1
Mutant Training Manual ×1
Daily Task Completion: 100%
Li Zhen exhaled, Azure Lizard nuzzling against him. This body, the system, and his newfound abilities were overwhelming—but thrilling. The journey had only just begun.
"This… this is only the beginning," he whispered.
The system chimed one last time.
[System Notification]
New Quest Available: Scout City Ruins – Potential Mutants Level 4-6
Rewards: Mutation Crystals, Rare Items, EXP