Then pain—searing, scorching, tearing pain.
Li Chen's consciousness stirred amidst the agony. His memories were scattered, fragmented shards piercing his mind like glass. Last he remembered, he was being dragged across the cold floor of a military lab, screaming as needles were plunged into his veins. His body—human, frail—had been riddled with bullets. They'd called him a failure. A waste of potential.
Yet now…
His eyes snapped open.
Not eyes—slitted pupils that flickered with predatory golden light. His vision was sharp, primal. Heat signatures moved through the murky waters around him. Limbs twitched—scaled, thick, powerful. His body was heavy, submerged in a sludge of blood and decay.
Where… the hell am I?
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind. Cold, mechanical, ancient.
[Primordial Evolution System Activated]
Current Form: Abyssal Crocodile King (Level 6 Beast)
Evolution Points: 0
Status: Critically Wounded
A roar built in his chest. It wasn't human. It was monstrous.
He was no longer a man.
He was a beast.
A massive, jet-black crocodile lay sprawled across the rotting remains of a swamp battlefield. Its body—his body—was half-eaten. Dozens of arrows stuck from its flanks. Blood oozed from open wounds. Surrounding him were shattered bones, mangled corpses—human and beast alike.
Then, footsteps. Muffled. Approaching.
Three figures stepped out from the treeline. Human beast hunters.
"He's still alive?" one whispered.
"No way. That's a King Beast. Just look at the size of it. Something must've seriously wounded it first."
"We'll make a fortune if we carve out its core."
They came closer, blades drawn. Their energy fluctuated—Tier 3 cultivators, mid-level threats at best.
Li Chen's instincts surged. He didn't need a manual. No guidance. His hunger screamed louder than logic.
[System Prompt: Consuming powerful prey yields Evolution Points. Predators do not die on their backs.]
His golden eyes flared open.
One hunter gasped. "Wait—its eyes—!"
CRUNCH!
A massive jaw snapped upward, engulfing the man whole. Screams cut off in an instant. Blood sprayed across the mud. The other two turned to run—but a monstrous tail whipped through the air and smashed them against a tree with enough force to crack bone.
Li Chen slithered forward. His wounds still throbbed, but with every bite, his power surged.
[3 Human Cultivators Consumed – +48 Evolution Points]
[New Trait Sampled: "Minor Qi Resistance" – Store or Absorb?]
"Absorb," he growled—his voice guttural, vibrating through the water.
A burning sensation rippled across his scales. His once soft underbelly shimmered faintly. He could feel it. Strength. Not the pathetic strength of Earth's firearms or soldiers—but something ancient, divine.
[New Trait Integrated: Minor Qi Resistance]
He turned his attention to the mangled corpse of a giant serpent nearby. The beast was massive, its body still twitching. Clearly the one that had nearly killed this body before his transmigration.
He did not hesitate.
He tore into its throat and swallowed chunks of flesh and bone. Warmth filled his core.
[High-Level Beast Consumed – +112 Evolution Points]
[Bloodline Detected: Venom Serpent]
[Trait Sampled: Toxic Saliva – Store or Absorb?]
"Store it," he muttered.
The system was more than just power—it was choice. Strategy.
Li Chen had been a merciless tactician back on Earth. That hadn't changed. He would not squander these options.
He dragged his massive body into the deeper swamp, bones and weapons crushed beneath his bulk. Rain poured from above, cloaking the slaughter in mist and thunder.
In the distance, other beasts growled and howled. Predators watched from the shadows, sensing the return of the apex.
[Warning: Critical Wounds Remaining – Evolution Required to Stabilize]
[Evolution Options Unlocked:]
Basic Regeneration (30 EP)
Scale Harden Reinforcement (40 EP)
Minor Bloodline Fusion – Venom Serpent (100 EP)
Unique Trait Unlock (??? – Locked)
Li Chen narrowed his golden eyes.
He was hunted. Bleeding. Surrounded by enemies.
But this time, he was not prey.
He was predator reborn.
"Spend 30 on Regeneration," he growled.
[Confirmed – Regeneration Initiated]
[Remaining Evolution Points: 130]
Warmth surged through his body. Flesh knit back together. Bones realigned. The pain faded—not completely—but enough.
The swamp no longer seemed oppressive.
It was his kingdom now.
And soon, all beasts, humans, and gods alike… would be part of his next meal.