Chapter Twelve: The Twin Tails

This was a cluster of connected two-story buildings. Shen Lie quickly surveyed the surroundings, then moved to the parapet to look down, whereupon he saw a large black cat furiously launching itself at the three spider monsters. Clearly, this black cat harbored a considerable grudge against the spider creatures; the specifics were lost to Shen Lie, but the scene before him was nothing short of perfect. The fiercer they fought, the happier he became—ideally, both sides would suffer heavy losses, allowing him to pick up the spoils. Perhaps, inside the largest spider monster, there might be a crystal!

The crystal was something Shen Lie had discovered within the bodies of spider monsters: the higher the grade of the creature, the larger the crystal, and their colors varied slightly. Not all spiders possessed such crystals; ordinary ones seldom had them, and even then, they were no larger than a fingernail. The chances increased with the creature’s grade.

Whether these crystals were useful to others, Shen Lie did not know. Yet, after fainting in the underground hall, he had absorbed fragments of memory from the golden liquid in his dream. Through careful recollection, he learned a cultivation method from those lingering memories—the Boiling Blood Technique. Using it, he could convert the energy within a crystal into his own power.

He had happened to acquire several crystals in the other world, which explained his current strength. If he could secure a steady supply, his abilities would surely leap forward in a short time, allowing him to face the apocalypse with greater ease.

With this in mind, Shen Lie abandoned any thought of leaving immediately, choosing instead to hide behind the parapet and observe. He was also deeply curious about the black cat. By watching its battle, he could analyze the patterns of mutated animals—a useful reference should he encounter similar foes in the future.

"Meow!" The black cat’s cry suddenly sharpened. With a roar, it pounced on one of the smaller spider monsters, its thick paws smashing into its carapace with the ferocity of a starving tiger. The speed was astonishing—almost impossible to track with the naked eye.

Witnessing this, Shen Lie’s lips involuntarily twitched. He had firsthand experience with the agility of these spider monsters, which were incredibly nimble. Yet, faced with the black cat, the spider didn’t even have the chance to dodge. It was a testament to the cat’s extraordinary speed.

"It seems the cat was constrained by the terrain back at the hotel. Otherwise, I truly would have been no match for it," Shen Lie felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. He had once entertained the notion of killing the black cat—how naïve he had been.

The small spider was swatted aside, lying motionless for a long while. This did not intimidate the other two spiders; instead, it provoked their fury, especially the largest one. Enraged at seeing its underling struck, it let out a furious screech, raising its front claws high and emitting a dark red glow.

The large spider monster's power far surpassed the smaller ones. Even Shen Lie, standing on the rooftop, could sense the force of its charged attack, and the black cat grew exceptionally tense. Shen Lie watched intently; the big spider was preparing to unleash its ultimate move—a devastating blow. He was eager to see how the black cat would respond.

"What is this?"

Shen Lie’s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the black cat tilt its body, raise its tail high—and then, to his astonishment, a second tail sprouted beside the first!

"A two-tailed black cat?" Shen Lie swallowed hard, now genuinely curious about the black cat’s abilities. Its aura alone was extraordinary. If even a fraction of this world’s animals could mutate in such ways, humanity's survival would grow ever more precarious.

The second tail was white, smaller than the original, and stopped growing after a short length, not yet fully developed. Yet, its appearance immediately made the large spider monster nervous. It issued threatening screeches, its front claws glowing even more intensely.

"Whoosh!" The big spider was the first to finish charging. With a sweep of its claws, two dark red blades shot out in a cross!

But the black cat was ready as well. Its second tail flashed with white light, and a white aura enveloped its body. The spider's red blades struck the barrier, as if hitting something that absorbed half their force. Though the white aura trembled, it remained intact even after the blades dissipated. The black cat seized the moment to counterattack!

Both the big spider and the black cat became somewhat depleted after using their ultimate abilities, but the spider weakened far more. Protected by the white barrier, the black cat pressed its advantage, quickly driving the spider to the edge of a wall. As for the two smaller spiders, they were utterly outmatched—one had yet to rise, and the other was cowed by the cat’s presence, lacking the courage to join the fray.

As the black cat was about to annihilate the three spider monsters, Shen Lie was pondering how to obtain the crystals when, suddenly, a series of screeches echoed from the far side of the street!

The sound changed the expressions of both Shen Lie and the black cat. Without hesitation, the black cat abandoned its hard-won victory, turned, and vanished from Shen Lie’s sight in a few quick leaps.

Now it was Shen Lie’s turn to look grim. Leaving now was out of the question; judging by the screeches, at least a dozen more spiders were closing in. If he descended and was spotted, he’d be devoured without a trace. After a moment’s hesitation, he chose to remain in place.

His decision proved wise. Soon, a large group of spider monsters arrived—at least twenty, with one particularly massive specimen among them.

However, the spiders did not detect his presence. After conferring with one another, they pursued the black cat’s escape route with fierce determination.

Once the spiders were gone and the coast clear, Shen Lie let out a sigh of relief. His first day back on Earth had been truly eventful. He’d thought things might be safer now, but in the tide of this apocalypse, there was nowhere untainted.

"Eh?" As he withdrew his gaze, Shen Lie noticed a spider monster still lingering below—the one that the black cat had swatted aside. It crouched in a corner, its fate uncertain.

Shen Lie knew a bit about the spiders' habits; they paid no mind to wounded or dead companions, so the others were unlikely to return.

He withdrew from his vantage point and quickly descended to the second floor, then down the stairs to the street.

With a swift motion, Shen Lie used his black spear to pry open the shell of the spider monster’s back, confirming it was dead—if it had been alive, its defenses wouldn’t have been so weak.

If a crystal formed, it would most likely be beneath the carapace. Shen Lie jabbed a few times with the spear, and suddenly, a pale yellow crystal appeared before his eyes. His delight flashed as he grabbed it, then retreated back inside.

Turning the yellow crystal over in his hand, Shen Lie pondered his next steps. His luck finally seemed to be improving.

Ordinary spider monsters contained mostly this pale yellow crystal, but this one was much larger than those he’d obtained before. It would support another brief session of Boiling Blood cultivation.

Unconsciously, he found himself back on the second floor. He paused for a moment, not thinking much of it. He’d always intended to leave via the rooftop; it offered good visibility, and from his observations, the spiders were not adept climbers. It was safer than risking the streets, where he could be surrounded—twenty had already appeared, who knew how many more might come.

He had no intention of lingering or searching for survivors in this town any longer. After leaving, he would head straight for the outskirts, but first he needed a map—he had to know his precise location to choose a direction.

He flicked a switch, but the lights remained off, just as he expected. With the spiders overrunning the area, basic infrastructure like power and communications would surely be destroyed. Who could say if anyone remained at the power plant now?

The sun was already sinking westward; Shen Lie knew he needed to hurry, for danger would only grow after dark. He searched the house again but found nothing of value, then pushed open the door to the room where the black cat had been.

"Who are you?"

As the door swung open, Shen Lie immediately adopted a defensive stance, eyes locked on the interior as he spoke in a low voice.