As Grey walked toward the nearest freshwater source, his thoughts drifted to the life he had left behind. At fifteen, he had been a pro-gamer, making a decent living for his age. His real father, a businessman, was often absent on long trips, leaving Grey in the care of his stepmother after his birth mother's death in a car accident.
At first, his stepmother put on a mask of kindness whenever his father was home. But the moment his father's back was turned, she began treating Grey like trash, driving him to spend most of his time locked away in his room. He had complained to his father more than once, but his pleas were always met with the same cold refrain: "Give her a chance."
Several days later, with his father away on yet another business trip, his stepmother brought a man into the house. Enraged, Grey threatened to expose her by sending his father a video. Instead of fear, she showed him steel—pulling a rifle from his father's room and pointing it at him. Grey had laughed bitterly, flashed her his middle finger, and turned to run. Then came the deafening bang. A dull ache blossomed at the back of his skull, and the world spun as he fell. The next time he opened his eyes, he was here. In this strange, brutal world.
It's all in the past now, Grey clicked his tongue in annoyance. There's nothing I can do.
Quickening his pace, he reached the freshwater stream within minutes. Luckily, its guardian was nowhere in sight, and the area lay quiet under the trees. Creeping to the bank, he washed his hands and filled his water bottle. His eyes darted restlessly across the undergrowth. "I won't be like those fools in animes and light novels," he muttered, "who let their guard down and get attacked."
Slipping the bottle into his pouch, he left the river behind, not daring to breathe easily until he was almost back at the dilapidated house. Only then did he release a long sigh of relief.
Inside, the rabbit meat was nearly done. He turned it over several times, the aroma filling the air and making his stomach tighten. His eyes widened at the sight, his gut letting out a low rumble. Licking his lips, he bit into the tender flesh. The meat was bland without spices, and his expression soured—but hunger won out. He tore into it until nothing remained but bones.
"It lacks spice," he said with a faint smile, "but it's still the best rabbit I've ever eaten."
Now that his hunger was sated, Grey leaned back and began to plan. "My parents are dead. I have no relatives nearby. Maybe I should go to Sky Mist Academy. Anyone capable of cultivating is allowed to stay there."
The idea was tempting, but reality weighed heavily. The academy was far—years away on foot. Teleportation stations existed, but the spirit coins needed to use them were far beyond anything he had.
I'll just focus on getting out of this corroded zone first, he decided, pushing the long-term plan aside.
The problem was, he had no idea where the zone began or ended. For all he knew, he might already be walking deeper into its heart. One wrong turn could lead him straight into a creature capable of tearing him apart. The memory of the hulking Minotaur resurfaced, sending a chill crawling up his neck. His body shuddered.
Determined to understand his surroundings better, Grey spent the rest of the day exploring the outskirts, careful to keep his distance from any dangerous creatures. He was examining a patch of unfamiliar plants when a rustling noise snapped him to attention. Instantly alert, he ducked behind a tree and held his breath.
From the bushes emerged a massive shadow. Grey's pupils constricted. A Mutated Leopard.
Its body was a grotesque nightmare—flesh rotting, maggots squirming across its hide. Its eye sockets were hollow, but a single eyeball bulged grotesquely from its mouth, glowing faintly with malignant light. Veins the color of blood connected the eye to the beast's decayed jaw.
It moved silently, each graceful step betraying its monstrous state. Grey could feel it—an oppressive aura radiating from the creature. An eighth-level Qi Accumulation cultivator.
The air itself seemed to suffocate him. His lungs froze, his body stiff, his mind blank with terror. Though a hundred meters away, he felt as though death already loomed over his shoulder. If the leopard chose to strike, distance meant nothing.
Why is a beast this strong near the outskirts of the corroded zone? he thought, forcing himself not to look directly at it. A creature like that would sense even the weight of his gaze.
What the heck do I do?
For what felt like an eternity, the beast prowled past without interest. Its single eye turned briefly toward Grey's hiding place, locking on him for one heart-stopping moment, then slid away. The leopard continued on, vanishing into the forest.
Only then did Grey exhale. His forehead was slick with sweat. His clothes clung to him, drenched from fear alone.
So strong…
The encounter planted a seed deep inside him—a desperate desire to grow stronger. But it also left questions gnawing at him. Why would such a creature leave the deeper zone? Was something driving it out? A treasure, maybe. But Grey quickly crushed the thought. Treasure-hunting here was suicide.
"I've been out long enough. It's time to head back," he muttered, pushing his body into motion.
He sprinted toward the broken house. His cultivation at the third level of Qi Accumulation lent him speed, but even so, the journey dragged on. When he finally collapsed inside, his heart still pounded with the memory of the leopard's gaze—a phantom brush of death against his cheek.
Let's not meet any more crazy creatures, he thought bitterly, crossing his legs to cultivate.
Spirit energy flowed into him with each breath, cool and refreshing. But another presence came too—the corrosive power lingering from God's realm. It slithered into him like poison, oppressive and suffocating.
How harrowing…
Shaking off the dread, he pushed on. Slowly, he fell into a trance, his body glowing faintly as energy seeped into bone and muscle.
His meditation shattered with a deafening crack of thunder. His eyes snapped open. Storm clouds churned outside, heavy and dark. Quickly, he braced the door with what little furniture he had.
Then, the sky lit up with a blinding pink flash, followed by an earth-rumbling clap. Rain began pattering against the roof.
A sharp sizzle reached his ears. Grey froze as a drop of rain punched a smoking hole through the wood above him. He scrambled back, eyes widening as another drop burned into the floorboards.
It's acid rain…
One after another, scarlet droplets pierced the roof, hissing as they ate away at the wood. At last, he understood why the house had been riddled with holes despite seeming intact from outside. The corroded zone lived up to its name.
And his fear of it had just grown tenfold.