The Apocalypse Shelter System

The flock of mutated shrikes was flying closer and closer, rapidly approaching the two of them. Di Ping remained focused, his eyes fixed on the aerial formation. Despite the mutations, the shrikes maintained their traditional behavior of circling in the sky, shifting through various formations while emitting their eerie calls.

Di Ping couldn't determine whether these shrikes were highly aggressive or not, so he opted for caution, deciding it was better not to reveal themselves.

"Master, be careful!"

Just as Di Ping was intently observing the sky, Gina's sudden exclamation behind him caused his heart to race. He quickly snapped his gaze away, catching sight of a white figure darting out from the grass by the roadside, heading straight for him.

There was no time to think. The figure moved with lightning speed, too close for Di Ping to react in time. In a split second, a gleam of cold light rushed toward his face. He instinctively ducked, dropping to the ground and executing a roll, the momentum carrying him five or six meters away.

Though the move might seem clumsy—often dismissed in martial arts novels as something only a hero would avoid—its practicality was undeniable. The roll allowed him to narrowly escape, putting some distance between himself and the approaching mutated shrike.

In that instant, Di Ping used his hands to push off the ground, springing back to his feet. His white shirt was now covered in dust, but his face burned with anger. He realized how close he had come to danger—if it hadn't been for Gina's warning, he would have been caught off guard. This realization made him feel both embarrassed and furious. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the white figure.

It was a mutated cat, about a meter long, nearly the size of a small adult dog. Its appearance resembled a small tiger. The cat narrowed its eyes, staring at Di Ping with an intense bloodlust, its body crouched, fur bristling as though ready to strike.

"Inspection spell!"

Di Ping quickly cast a detection spell, and the following information appeared before him:

Mutated Cat: Bloodline Level: None, Special Abilities: None, Enhancement Level: Level Zero, Skills: None

"Stupid cat, looking for death!"

Di Ping cursed angrily. A mere Level Zero mutated cat, with no potential unlocked, dared to ambush him. The audacity of the creature only fueled his rage. With a sharp motion, he drew his sword, preparing to strike the white cat down.

"Meow..."

The cat, clearly enraged, charged at him, determined to avenge its failed attack. It had never encountered such resistance before and was eager to regain its honor.

"Impudent!"

Di Ping muttered a curse, stepping forward, ready to slice the wild cat into pieces for daring to challenge him.

"Boom..."

Suddenly, a loud explosion rang out, and a fireball struck the mutated cat in mid-air, the intense heat engulfing it. The fireball, about the size of a fist, had shot out from behind Di Ping, detonating upon impact. The cat was instantly surrounded by a larger fireball.

"Meow..."

The cat let out a blood-curdling scream as the fireball dropped to the ground. It tried desperately to roll and extinguish the flames, but all its efforts were in vain. The fire crackled louder as the flames intensified, and the cat's screams grew weaker.

Despite its desperate attempts, the fire clung to it like poison, refusing to be shaken off. After several seconds of struggling, the cat's cries faded, and it stopped moving. Only then did the flames begin to die down, revealing the charred remains of the cat on the ground, the smell of roasted meat lingering in the air.

"My God!"

Di Ping stood frozen, staring at the now-carbonized remains of the cat, a wave of disbelief washing over him. "So this is what being a mage is like?"

He had thought that mages were the weakest class in games, discarded by most players. Yet, what he had just witnessed was far beyond anything he had imagined.

The fireball was magnificent—its explosive force and relentless burning power were extraordinary. The mage's abilities far exceeded anything he had expected.

"Gulp..."

Di Ping swallowed hard, unable to believe his eyes. He turned to look at Gina, who stood nearby, her expression serious. One hand was extended toward the direction of the white cat, her palm slightly open, displaying an impressive mastery of her power. Di Ping was mesmerized by the sight, his eyes filled with admiration and fervor.

"Ah! Master!"

Gina, seemingly aware of Di Ping's gaze, turned toward him. Upon seeing the intensity of his admiration, her face flushed with embarrassment. She quickly withdrew her hand, startled by his reaction.

"Gina!"

Di Ping snapped out of his thoughts when he heard her voice, wiping away any potential drool from the corners of his mouth. He quickly spoke to her.

"Yes, Master!"

Gina responded softly, her face still flushed from the earlier moment.

"You were amazing!"

Di Ping gave her an approving thumbs-up. Gina had indeed performed excellently. If it hadn't been for her quick thinking, he would have been caught off guard by the cat's ambush. Her swift response had been perfect, sparing him from having to act.

"Thank you, Master!"

Gina's face lit up with a smile, though she seemed a bit shy. She lowered her head and whispered her thanks.

"Beep… Soul energy detected, 6 energy points gained."

Another 6 soul energy points were added to Di Ping's account. Having learned the value of soul energy, he couldn't help but feel like he was becoming increasingly obsessed with the idea of collecting it. Every mutated beast now seemed like an opportunity for a new energy harvest.

"Goo-goo..."

Suddenly, the sky filled with a series of chaotic coos.

"This is bad!"