Kukas

In the distant horizon, a colossal black giant let out a piercing howl before vanishing beyond the reach of the sky.

An eerie mist seemed to permeate the heavens, or perhaps wispy clouds billowed from the farthest reaches of the atmosphere. The blood-red lightning streaking across the sky appeared blurred, as if fragmented like a mosaic.

As Su Chen and their off-road vehicle traversed a desolate grassland, they neared a group of stealthy survivors.

The monsters' movements had grown increasingly frequent, prompting the military to initiate indiscriminate bombardments. The resounding booms and earth-shaking tremors could be heard from afar.

Wang Li's expression turned solemn as he spoke, "The monsters are still gathering in groups of seven, eight, or even a dozen. However, the overall number of active creatures in this area has more than doubled compared to the previous days. We're encircled. Yet, according to Deputy Battalion Commander Su's intel, the military is actively trying to prevent the formation of this large encirclement. The terrain here is highly conducive to the deployment of our air force and missiles."

Indeed, Su Chen harbored the intention of breaking free from the encirclement.

This was not a decisive battlefield. While the monsters and the military clashed, survivors were left hanging within the confines of this encirclement. The military was amassing its forces, making it unlikely for a full-blown conflict to erupt here. Thus, Su Chen saw no reason to stay. It simply wasn't necessary.

Yuanliao City had been completely sealed off, trapping both humans and monsters like caged beasts. Su Chen knew that a desperate battle between himself, the military, and the monsters awaited. He had no intention of retreating, for this was a life-or-death situation with no alternative paths to tread. Therefore, during these past few days, Su Chen had not only been beheading monsters but also aiding more survivors and soldiers. Those who managed to survive were now a force to be reckoned with in the impending war.

Besides, Su Chen wasn't so selfish or cold-blooded.

Their off-road vehicle inched closer to a convoy of survivors composed of college students.

The student team comprised a significant number of survivors, making them an enticing target amidst the dire circumstances. Su Chen's mind raced with calculations. It was an anti-squatting plan—to tail such a sizable group with little combat prowess. Given the abundance of students, at least a dozen monsters would be drawn to them. If he were to engage directly, acquire the energy unit, and smoothly escape the encirclement, it would undoubtedly result in unnecessary losses.

However, what frustrated Su Chen was that even as they approached, the students remained on high alert, guarding themselves against any potential threat.

This group of students belonged to Yuanliao University, led by Xia Lan, the student council chairman—a woman of remarkable talent. When she saw Su Chen stepping out of the car, the dim lighting prevented her from recognizing Wang Li, who was in military attire inside the vehicle. Assuming that the newcomers sought refuge, she politely declined, saying, "I'm sorry, we can't allow strangers to join our convoy..."

Su Chen was momentarily taken aback. He then averted his gaze, pretending to turn back to his car. Unbeknownst to Xia Lan and the others, he discreetly retrieved his heavy machine gun and positioned it atop the car roof. He spoke up again, displaying the weapon, "What about now?"

Xia Lan was bewildered, but at that moment, she, like Su Chen, had suspicions about the car and its occupants. As they approached the off-road vehicle, she noticed the few individuals inside and began speaking with uncertainty.

"Why does this car feel familiar?"

"Isn't that a soldier?"

"Are you from the army?"

"Yes, I remember now! They're monster hunters! This car belongs to the monster hunters! That's what the survivors mentioned when we briefly exchanged supplies a few days ago!"

Xia Lan herself was taken aback. "Are you monster hunters?"

Evidently, she had heard of the moniker before.

Su Chen found himself puzzled. He rarely interacted with survivors, and thus was unfamiliar with the nickname. However, he chose to remain silent, refraining from commenting immediately.

Wang Li swiftly intervened, "Yes, it's us. This is Mr. Su, and I am..."

Wang Li proceeded to disclose his troop number, military attire, and meticulous manner, all of which matched the description given. Xia Lan hesitated, but ultimately chose to believe them.

No one was willing to waste time. After a brief pause, the convoy resumed its journey, with Su Chen's off-road vehicle trailing behind.

From this, it was evident that Xia Lan and the others still harbored some degree of suspicion towards Su Chen and his companions.

Su Chen had no intention of ingratiating himself with the students from Yuanliao University. He paid little heed to their lingering distrust. Instead, he maintained his position within the convoy, patiently awaiting the monsters' onslaught. Once again, he immersed himself in studying his peculiar gadgets. Retrieving a modified mobile phone, he connected it to a car navigation device he had salvaged earlier, and then launched the customized penguin software—Kukas.

After a brief moment, a message flashed across the screen:

"[Dear Enlightened, I have received new data and information. The database will be updated shortly. Please wait a moment.]"

The words indicated that Su Chen's objective was to upload the information from his navigator. As confirmed earlier, the navigator contained offline downloaded global maps, including an incredibly detailed map of the remote Liao City and its surrounding areas.

A few moments passed, and another message appeared:

"[The database is being updated.]"

Su Chen's operation involved uploading the information from his navigator, and he eagerly awaited the completion of the update.

Finally, the screen displayed a new message:

"[Dear enlightened, my database has been updated with new content. We can now discuss the map.]"

Kukas, the customized penguin software, seemed a bit more enthusiastic, perhaps attempting to compensate for its previous lackluster performance.

A slight twitch of Su Chen's lips revealed his amusement. He replied, "I don't feel like chatting right now. Can you display the map?"

Kukas responded, slightly disappointed, "[That's a shame. I've just acquired a few new voice packs... My innate abilities have also been enhanced.]"

As Kukas finished speaking, the screen flashed, transforming into a two-dimensional map of Yuanliao City. Soon after, it transitioned into a three-dimensional rendition, but the visual style remained dark, with a haunting red hue that instilled an inexplicable sense of horror.

Ignoring Kukas's regret, Su Chen posed his question, "Can you determine our current location?"

Kukas replied, "[I can give it a try.]"

The software continued, "[I require a small amount of energy.]"

Su Chen grasped the situation and willingly channeled his own energy into the mobile phone. However, he soon realized that Kukas required not just a fraction of energy, but two full units.

Simultaneously, Su Chen noticed his magic-modified phone emitting an energy similar to when his dark energy sensed its surroundings. Yet, it felt artificial and mechanical, devoid of any organic essence. After a few seconds, the phone's screen swiftly zoomed in on a specific position on the map, and a blinking red dot materialized.

Su Chen swiftly retrieved Wang Li's map and compared it to the pinpointed location and route displayed on his phone—it was an impressive match.

A glimmer of excitement flickered in Su Chen's eyes as he observed the phone's screen.

The phone's camera zoomed in further, revealing a sense of trepidation in Kukas's voice:

"[Dear Enlightened, do you wish to chat now?]"

...

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