Super Gene Hunting Ground

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Star Moon Town

”Retreat!”

Xia Luo bellowed, alongside four other experts at the Primordial Gene Primary Stage, raised their Light Shields to cover the retreat of those behind them.

They knew nothing about the situation in Star Moon Town nor the extent of the enemies’ Genetic Evolution. They didn’t know how many people were there or if there were ambushes nearby. Now was the chance to draw back before an irreversible feud was sparked.

Five individuals with Bird Beast Souls immediately transformed, soared into the sky, one of them at the Primary Stage instantly loosed two Fiery Feather Arrows at the archers ahead.

The other side seemed to recognize the potency of the Fiery Feather Arrows; they scattered to dodge as the arrows struck the snow, exploding with a loud bang.

The other four flying birds also released Feathered Arrows in mid-air—not aiming to hit, but to buy time for Xia Luo and the others to retreat as the enemies dodged.

As the enemies dodged and their assault lessened, Xia Luo and his group swiftly withdrew into the night.

In front of the Genetic Store, under the orange glow, a group of archers gathered.

”Brother Tan, should we pursue?”

The tall, young archer nicknamed Brother Tan was Tan Fa, captain of the archery squad.

Tan Fa said:

”No need to chase them. They may be few in number, but their Cultivation is not weak, with 5 experts at the Primordial Gene Primary Stage. Besides, it’s too dark. If we chase recklessly, we might fall into their trap. It’s safer to stay near the Genetic Store, and we’ll decide what to do tomorrow.”

Having said that, Tan Fa turned and walked towards a nearby five-story building.

Inside the ground floor’s hall, the charcoal fire was burning brightly, and about a dozen people were warming themselves by the fire, drinking and eating meat.

All of them were young, former fishermen of Star Moon Town, vigorous and strong. After entering the post-apocalyptic world, they began Genetic Mutation.

Star Moon Town, located by Star Moon Lake, lived off the lake even post-apocalypse; food was plentiful. The various Mutated Fishes caught from the lake fully satisfied the nutritional needs necessitated by their mutations, greatly accelerating the mutation process.

Star Moon Town had over five hundred survivors.

Tan Fa sat down, lifted a cup of liquor for a sip, and tore a big bite of roasted fish from the fire, chewing away.

”What’s the situation, Tan Fa?”

The burly man with a scarred face by the fire asked.

His name was Tan Zong, the leader of Star Moon Town’s Genetic Store base, the big boss, also known as Brother Zong.

Tan Fa replied:

”Brother Zong, some people from Nanmu City just showed up and I chased them away. Damn it, even the folks from Nanmu City have caught wind and come all this way to Star Moon Town trying to dig for Ice Fish.”

Tan Zong seemed unconcerned, laughing:

”People wanting to dig for Ice Fish in Star Moon Lake aren’t few. Recently almost every day, outsiders come to Star Moon Town. But useless visits, as long as I don’t activate the Transmission Array for them, they can’t dig. Tens of kilometers of snowy paths without the Transmission Array mean they can only sigh at the vastness of Star Moon Lake, haha, come drink.”

Previously, besides fishing, every household in the town had the custom of brewing rice wine to stave off rheumatism.

The locals spent hours in the water fishing every day and suffered from severe rheumatism, thus the tradition of drinking to repel it.

The great catastrophe caused many houses to collapse, but most were two-story buildings, and wine cellars in every household preserved the brewing jars underground. Hundreds of cellar wines remained intact, allowing the survivors to still drink daily.

After the genetic mutation, the locals possessed much stronger aquatic survival capabilities; some developed Fish Souls, allowing them to swim and breathe underwater freely.

Thanks to the vast amount of Mutated Fish providing meat and Genetic Fragments, the Genetic Plan level in Star Moon Town’s more than five hundred people was exceptionally high. Over ten percent had reached the Primordial Gene Primary Stage; with fifty or sixty people reaching it, this small town of Star Moon didn’t worry much seeing Xia Luo and his group of around twenty individuals.

Tan Zong took a big gulp of alcohol and said:

”Let’s go search for those hoodlums who ran over from Nanmu City after dawn tomorrow. If they don’t heed our warnings, then we’ll teach them a lesson. Nanmu City King Ma Guihua has given us a death order to guard Star Moon Town and forbid anyone from entering Star Moon Lake to dig up Ice Fish.”

”Boss, I heard that Nanmu City also has a King now. We shouldn’t go too far, just let them go. Without opening the Transmission Array, they can’t stay for many days. They will leave naturally,” Tan Fa said.

Tan Zong laughed and said:

”Nanmu City King? Can he even compare with our Shanyun City King Ma Guihua? What resources does Nanmu City have? We have the whole Star Moon Lake. Two days ago, I attended a meeting with Brother Ma in Shanyun City. He implied that as long as we guard Star Moon Lake, he will be able to enter the Enhanced Gene Stage in half a year. By then, ordinary Kings won’t be his match.”

Tan Fa and the others were somewhat puzzled and asked:

”Ma Guihua is evolving, doesn’t that mean other Kings are evolving too?”

”Stupid, you really have wooden heads, why can’t you grasp this? Is it not the post-apocalypse now?”

”Yes,” everyone answered.

”Is it not the cold winter season?”

”Uh-huh,” everyone nodded.

”If we didn’t have this Star Moon Lake, where else could we find Mutated Creatures and obtain Genetic Fragments?”

Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.

Tan Fa slapped his thigh and said:

”I get it now. Others don’t have the Ice Fish resources, or rather, they have fewer Ice Fish resources, and there aren’t many other Mutated Creatures either. Without resources, they naturally can’t evolve, right?”

Tan Zong nodded and said:

”That’s what Ma Guihua was getting at that day. So, now is our chance. Everyone get some early rest and be vigilant against enemy intrusions. We still have to go dig up Ice Fish tomorrow.”

...

Xia Luo and Zhou Qiang led a twenty-person squad into the night, running for over ten minutes. On the side of the road, they spotted a house that had not completely collapsed.

Xia Luo, not hearing anyone chasing behind, said:

”Brothers, it’s pitch dark and freezing cold outside. Let’s spend the night in this dilapidated house for now.”

Everyone entered the house. Zhou Qiang took out a lighter, lit a candle, and quickly checked that the house was still fairly sturdy and could provide shelter for the night without problems.

They settled inside the house and assigned two people to stand watch at the door.

Zhou Qiang and others gathered some broken chairs, wooden beds, etc., and made a small bonfire for warmth. Everyone huddled around the fire, heating up the dried meat they had carried over it, and started eating.

”Boss, looking at how familiar the people from Star Moon Town are with ice fishing, they must have seen through our purpose at a glance,” Zhou Qiang asked.

Xia Luo nodded and said:

”Of course. These people are probably also relying on the Ice Fish resources to continuously raise their Evolution Level. So, you don’t realize it until you go out there and it’s shocking how quickly the outside world is changing. Just defending the Star Moon Lake, the overall level of their Genetic Plan is not low. However, their wish to monopolize the Ice Fish resources of the entire lake is not that simple.”

”What shall we do then?”

”Rest for tonight. After dawn tomorrow, we’ll go to Star Moon Town and snoop around. If it comes down to it, I’ll take down Star Moon Town.”