Chapter 51 - 49: The Vanished Footsteps

A week has passed.

During this week, Chen Feng has developed a detailed understanding of the Flame Demon’s body. To reward the abilities gained from the Blazing Demon, Chen Feng specifically gave the transformation a name.

Flame Blade.

A sword blade completely transformed by power, which melts the target through high temperatures, equipped with armor-piercing and burning effects.

As a High-tier Demon in the Abyss, the Blazing Demon also possesses some other abilities: Flame Sacrifice, Demon Horn, and Redeemer’s Wings.

Flame Sacrifice can create a scorching area around it, somewhat like a barrier, and any target approaching will suffer some burns.

The Demon Horn possesses a powerful perception ability, making it easy to locate the traces of enemies even in the dark.

As for Redeemer’s Wings, they grant the Blazing Demon the ability to fly. In the Abyss, the Blazing Demon is one of the few that can rival creatures like bone dragons.

These are the benefits of the Blood Sacrifice.

The Flame Demon’s body greatly enhanced Chen Feng’s close combat capabilities. In a confrontation, he could easily rely on his physical body to fight the enemy.

The benefits of the Blood Sacrifice go far beyond this.

Chen Feng is currently only at the Silver Level, and the only ability he has mastered is the Flame Sword. However, his chest has already been marked with the Blazing Demon’s insignia. As he advances further, there is a chance he will comprehend other mysterious abilities.

Incomplete wings, sharp Demon Horns, a scorching Longsword.

Once Chen Feng successfully awakens the Blazing Demon’s abilities, his appearance will undergo an astonishing transformation, perhaps becoming a true Blazing Demon.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

In this world, power is paramount.

For a Summoner, close combat has always been a weak point. Some extreme Summoners even go as far as modifying their bodies to enhance melee capabilities.

Chen Feng feels fortunate to have summoned the Blazing Demon.

In the Abyss, most demons and species are unbearably hideous. The appearance of the Blazing Demon is simply the pinnacle of beauty in the Abyss.

Pseudo* Warrior professional.

Through transformation, Chen Feng can completely disguise himself as a strength-based professional. In sudden situations, this can divert some attention from enemies.

Silver is much stronger than Bronze. If the Bronze physique is akin to a combat champion or a boxer, then Silver qualifies for wilderness adventures. Heals faster, resistance to strikes is enhanced, bones more solid, and even falling from the fifth floor, as long as he doesn’t land headfirst, there would be no fractures or breakages.

Transformation.

Simply put, Chen Feng has now bid farewell to ordinary flesh and blood.

.........

Time passed bit by bit.

Chen Feng still needs to stay in the Economic Development Zone for a while to replenish some food and water sources.

Search.

A residential area came into Chen Feng’s view, "Xize Garden." In peaceful times, it was one of the top estates in J City, where affluent and noble people resided, and luxury cars were abundant.

But now, things have changed...

Monsters don’t care how wealthy you are; as long as you can be food, they’ll devour you whole.

There’s a supermarket inside the community where he can restock his supplies.

Very quiet.

Chen Feng had initially prepared for battle. After all, such communities are main strongholds for monsters, attracting some zombies and monsters with human flesh.

But now, the surroundings are unusually quiet.

No!

To be precise, it’s silent—there are no howling sounds, nor any trace of zombies. The vast community is like a dead zone, with no living people and no dead ones.

Somewhat eerie.

But Chen Feng still walked in. On one hand, he was only here to take some food, which wouldn’t take much time. On the other hand, he is now at the Silver Level, possessing the ability to explore dangerous places compared to Bronze.

"The community’s supermarket is near Building Three. At most, it’ll take me five minutes to leave the community," Chen Feng calculated meticulously, walking forward steadily.

"Who’s there!"

Suddenly, a deep voice came from ahead of Chen Feng.

Chen Feng paused slightly, then calmly looked forward.

A middle-aged man with a darker complexion stood there, staring at him nervously.

"Who are you?" The man asked filled with doubt, his face tense, holding a crossbow, and wearing work clothes stained with dried paint.

Worker.

Clearly, this was a man working in painting.

"No need to be nervous, I’m just here to search for some food. I’m alone," Chen Feng said.

Having seen many scenarios, he didn’t feel murderous even with a crossbow pointed at him.

The opponent posed no threat to him.

If Chen Feng wished, at the moment the opponent pulled the trigger, he could kill the man three times over. This is no exaggeration; after reaching Silver, his reaction time surpasses that of ordinary people by several times; when highly focused, he can even dodge bullets.

"Searching for food?"

The man scanned Chen Feng, his wariness gradually easing, and said, "I thought you were one of those undead guys. You’re just out here looking for food empty-handed?"

He lowered the crossbow but kept his left hand firmly on the weapon, clearly uneasy about the surroundings.

The crossbow was something the man found in a shop, not a professional killing bow, but merely an ordinary craft piece, though it still had some power.

Using the craft crossbow and some luck, the man had survived these days during the apocalypse.

"Undead? You mean zombies? Clearly, they’re corpses, but they can move. Also, how come there are no monsters in this community? Do you know anything about this?" Chen Feng asked lightly, but each word was clear.

"Yes, those undead, unless you hit their heads, no other parts can kill them. Monsters? I haven’t been here long; there’s not even a ghost in sight here."

The man’s tone was somewhat relieved, a large bag at his feet filled with supplies; today’s harvest was abundant.

The past few days had been challenging for the man. Low on food, he had to come out to find something to eat. Who knew it’d be so smooth this time, finding food without facing any danger? Rationed carefully, it’d be enough for half a month.

The man glanced at Chen Feng, only to think this young man was daring, recklessly wandering outside without even a weapon for self-defense.

Finding food improved his mood considerably. Speaking to Chen Feng, he said, "The supermarket is just ahead. There’s still plenty of food inside."

"There are still monsters lingering at the gate. There’s a short wall over there; go over it, and there’s only a small path. It’s relatively safer."

Chen Feng nodded.

Clearly, the man was also warm-hearted, pointing to the short wall not far away, part of the community’s greenbelt, surrounded by many trees and plants that blocked the view of the wall.

"Alright, I won’t say more. While it’s safe here, I plan to come back later," the man laughed, waving to Chen Feng and walking towards the wall.

Rustle...

A series of noisy footsteps.

Chen Feng turned and walked towards the supermarket. If an ordinary person could move safely here, indeed, there were no monsters at all.

Though the community is so large, not a single monster was visiting here.

Truly a strange place.

Suddenly, Chen Feng stopped in his tracks.

The surroundings suddenly became very quiet. While in thought, the man’s footsteps seemingly vanished into thin air, with no sound at all.

Time slipped by slowly...

The community was silent. So much so that even the man’s presence vanished instantly without a trace.

Chen Feng paused slightly, then with a hint of curiosity, he slowly turned toward the greenbelt beside him.

He remembered clearly; after he turned away, the man’s footsteps disappeared altogether, as if he’d never been there.

Eerie.

The opponent was just an ordinary person, incapable of leaping up at once, indicating he must have encountered something to cause this.

Chen Feng was a bit curious.

He took a few steps forward, parted the grass, and opened his right hand, staying prepared for any battle. There was nothing suspicious nearby, so he moved slowly.

A curled-up figure appeared before Chen Feng.

It was that man, lying naked on the ground, skin flushed red, motionless as if asleep.

Chen Feng narrowed his eyes half-shut.

Asleep?

No!

He was just...

Dead!