'Is my digestive system unable to keep up with my consumption?'
Zhang Feng understood a bit more.
Simply enhancing constitution but consuming excessively.
That might well lead to a deficit.
Even though his digestive capacity was more than twice that of a normal person, it still couldn't keep up.
Zhang Feng came to a conclusion.
At the current digestive speed, ordinary substances can no longer support his massive consumption.
Unless the digestive capability is increased several times over.
To compensate quality with quantity.
The 'digestive capability' option from before was useful.
This is a valuable lesson.
Zhang Feng learned it.
"Now that the monsters are cleared, grab some food, let's move."
Right now, Zhang Feng only wants a quick resolution, to find an exit sooner.
To avoid the noise in the hallway just now from attracting more monsters.
Zhang Feng doesn't want to fight and then end up 'starving' to death.
That would be even more absurd than dying in battle.
Tat-tat—
Walking back into the safe stairway.
The air is filled with a sweet, fishy smell.
In sight are several monster corpses, blood pooling on the ground.
Zhang Feng glances at a few people outside the door retching, and he too suppresses the urge to vomit, stepping carefully around the monster blood and heading straight up.
Until the sixth floor.
The sides of the staircase start to show broken human corpses.
"It's that person from upstairs..."
The interviewer recognizes one of them, "That guy was even coming to our floor yesterday to ask for food."
"It's him!" the male employee also recognizes him, then squints his eyes, fearfully looking at the other corpses.
Next to their bodies are steel pipes and some large sacks.
As expected.
It seems this person tried to ask the interviewer for food but failed, so gathered some people to take it by force.
Unfortunately, they all fell halfway.
Otherwise, Zhang Feng and the others would face another 'food robbery' encounter.
Seeing this scene, the interviewer and the others have complex expressions, a mix of sadness for their kind, a bit of relief, but mostly psychological discomfort.
Zhang Feng also feels discomfort but mostly focuses his gaze upward.
Slowly stepping up this level's stairs.
Roar—
A low roar, a monster leaps out from the stairway corner above.
The advantage of height, the swirling airflow, carrying the strong smell of blood inside the hallway.
Before anyone can react.
Zhang Feng, holding a steel blade, attacks second, striking at the monster half a meter away at a faster speed.
The target is the monster's brow.
At such a quick strike.
The monster couldn't dodge, merely tilting its head slightly.
Psst—
The sharpened steel blade still penetrates its eye, exiting at the back of its head.
Whoosh—
Its body rolls towards Zhang Feng under the force of its charge.
Zhang Feng's right hand follows the momentum, slightly lowering his arm and withdrawing the steel blade.
'Its response is not as quick as the one in the office.'
Zhang Feng assesses for a few seconds, then suddenly turns back, pushing the dazed interviewer with his palm.
Bang—
The partially open passage door is knocked open.
A big and a small monster leap out from behind the door.
The big one is smaller than the one in the office.
The smaller one is only one and a half meters long.
Zhang Feng instinctively makes a decision, stepping to the left with determination, targeting the smaller one first.
Judging by its running and pouncing.
Zhang Feng senses its physical attributes are far inferior to the larger one.
It ends as Zhang Feng predicted.
When Zhang Feng chops horizontally with the steel blade, first forcing the larger one back, then sweeping it towards the small monster's head.
The small monster has no reaction and gets a solid hit from the steel blade.
Crack—
The hallway simultaneously rings with the sound of impact and the dull sound of flesh-covered bone cracking.
The small monster is knocked aside, life or death uncertain.
The large monster threatens again.
Zhang Feng's right hand is exhausted, lacking strength.
But his left arm braces upward, stopping under the monster's jaw, blocking its bloodthirsty mouth.
Using skillful force with his left elbow, deflecting the ensuing sharp claw from the right.
Simultaneously, Zhang Feng crouches low, at the instant the monster is upon him, grabbing its abdominal skin with his left hand.
As with the office scenario, same foot strength, focusing one meter away.
But this time Zhang Feng doesn't run, instead exploding with immense force in an instant, slamming the monster's body hard against the corner of a ninety-degree wall!
Bang!
A solid, muffled thud.
The monster's robust body bends, deforming, its chest cavity tearing, pouring out masses of bloody tissue.
Whoosh—
It falls to the ground, struggles nervously for a bit, then goes completely still.
Zhang Feng exhales, reaching back, "Canned food."
After several seconds.
The interviewer hands it over with shaking hands.
But he wants to open it first but fails because of shaking hands.
"Gululu..." Zhang Feng's stomach barely empties some space, getting filled by the can.
Taking a short half-minute rest, slowly recovering strength.
Then finishing off the two monsters with a supplementary strike.
Zhang Feng continues upwards.
Thankfully, the path is clear thereafter.
The remaining nine floors of stairs pose no challenge to Zhang Feng's constitution; no need for breath, reaching the fifteenth floor.
"We're here..."
The interviewer and others, perhaps afraid of being left behind, driven by fear, catch up in one breath.
Ahead is a steel door.
Beyond lies the rooftop.
Zhang Feng approaches, inspects the slightly rusty thin steel door, then chooses to kick it.
Bang!
A muffled sound echoes.
In awe of Zhang Feng's strength again, the door caves in, the simple lock snapping instantly.
Pushing open the door.
The full sunset spreads.
Zhang Feng walks to the edge of the rooftop.
Perhaps standing higher, seeing farther.
To Zhang Feng's view, only this district is in ruins, while farther away is under lockdown.
This world is not an apocalypse.
Over there are vigilant soldiers, hovering helicopters, many medical personnel, seemingly surrounding a transparent barrier, continuously trying to rescue those trapped inside.
But unable to enter.
Yet as Zhang Feng opens the door, and everyone reaches the rooftop edge.
An invisible shackle seems to break.
The air wall vanishes, some devices affixed to it fall.
The helicopter approaches.
"Everyone move!" Soldiers rush towards them.
"Quick!" Medical personnel, protected by soldiers, hurry to rescue on this rundown street.
Boom boom boom!
Intensive gunfire, tearing apart monsters blocking the medics.
On the rooftop.
"Boss! We're saved!" The interviewer and others celebrate, hugging and crying.
Some even want to hug Zhang Feng, but don't dare.
"Yes, we're saved." Zhang Feng looks at the approaching helicopter.
Its rotor blades seem to slow gradually.
Stopping in mid-air.
Surroundings also appear to fade slowly.
Zhang Feng finally looks at everyone, the scene freezes on their cheering silhouettes.
In the next second, everything disappears.
Zhang Feng returns to reality, a line of text appears in his view.
[Special mission completed, congratulations Adventurer on an early return]
[You have completed all trial missions]
[Trial world settlement in progress…]