Lin Yue pressed the still-warm energy crystal firmly onto the shell of the Little Grass Turtle. Immediately, a cold mechanical voice rang out in his mind.
[Detected level 1 energy crystal. Energy value is 10 energy points. Meets the conditions for pet's first evolution.]
[Do you wish to charge and evolve the bound pet 'Mutated Grass Turtle'?]
"Yes! Evolve immediately!"
The moment the system voice faded, Lin Yue roared out his decision.
In the current situation, every second delayed meant an extra layer of danger!
*Buzz—!*
A deep resonance erupted from beneath his palm.
The rhombus-shaped energy crystal rapidly liquefied, seeping into the cracks in the turtle shell.
Following this, a dense, rich emerald halo burst forth from beneath the Little Grass Turtle!
The light wasn't dazzling, but it carried an indescribable vitality.
Where the halo swept, even the dust on the ground trembled.
And the Mutated Grass Turtle at the center of the halo was undergoing a dramatic, fundamental transformation.
"This..."
Lin Yue watched dumbfounded, almost forgetting to breathe.
The originally palm-sized turtle was rapidly swelling at a visible rate, like a balloon constantly being inflated.
Its hind legs, which had been crushed and mangled by the car wheel, were rapidly restructuring flesh, tendons, and bones under the embrace of the green light, instantly becoming completely whole, and even thicker than before!
The savage cracks on its shell also quickly healed. The newly grown carapace was a deep, inky black, and simultaneously shimmered with a metallic cold light.
One meter! One and a half meters! Two meters!
When the green light finally dissipated, the little creature that had been on the verge of death had transformed into a behemoth two meters long with shoulders nearly one meter high.
It was no longer a "turtle," but a true giant beast!
Its four limbs were thick as stone pillars, its head imposing. When its ancient, simple eyes opened and closed, they revealed a profound sense of gravity honed by the passage of time.
Its jet-black carapace resembled a naturally formed heavy shield, imbued with an Indestructible quality.
"Roar!"
Just as Lin Yue was stunned by the sight, a sharp shriek yanked him back to reality.
A Mutated Rat the size of a cheetah, following the scent of blood, was the first to rush forward.
Its crimson eyes fixed intently on Lin Yue under the car, clearly viewing him as its prey.
The Mutated Rat kicked off with its hind legs, turning into a gray flash of lightning, opening its tusk-filled mouth, and pouncing viciously!
"I'm finished!"
Lin Yue's pupils contracted. He had just recovered from the immense shock, and his body had no time to react.
The speed of this Mutated Rat was far greater than that of the previous Mutated Dog!
In the nick of time!
"Whoosh—!"
A massive black shadow, carrying a foul wind, swept violently past his side.
It was the Giant Turtle that had just completed its evolution!
It didn't even make any unnecessary movements; it simply whipped its head around swiftly, and its millstone-sized head struck the Mutated Rat mid-air with the precision of a massive hammer.
"Bang!!"
A bone-crunching sound exploded.
The fierce Mutated Rat couldn't even let out a scream; its entire body, as if struck by a speeding truck, instantly twisted and deformed, turning into a mass of mangled flesh that flew back over ten meters, slid down a discarded bus, and fell silent.
One strike. Instant kill.
This simple, brutal, yet aesthetically powerful scene left Lin Yue's mind blank.
"So strong!!"
He stared blankly at the colossal creature before him, then looked toward the shapeless puddle of gore in the distance, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty.
The commotion here caused the surrounding monsters that were gathering to halt their steps simultaneously.
They roared restlessly, but not a single one dared to advance.
They smelled death emanating from the jet-black giant beast.
After the Giant Turtle dealt with the Mutated Rat that threatened Lin Yue's safety, it slowly turned its massive head and gazed quietly at Lin Yue with its calm, ancient eyes.
There was no brutality, no desire for slaughter, only an innate closeness and dependence.
Lin Yue looked into those eyes, and the string taut to the extreme in his heart snapped with a "pop."
"Hahaha... Hahahahaha!"
Unable to restrain himself any longer, he leaned against the cold car body and burst into loud laughter.
As he laughed, his eyes grew moist.
It hadn't even been an hour since he transmigrated to this dreadful place, but in that less-than-an-hour, he had been struggling on the brink of death every single second.
If not for the System, relying solely on himself, he would have likely become the Mutated Dog's meal long ago.
Only at this moment could his anxious heart finally settle down completely.
Lin Yue stumbled out from under the car, covered in the Mutated Dog's foul blood, looking utterly wretched, yet his eyes shone brighter than ever before.
He walked up to the Giant Turtle, reaching out to touch its cold, hard leg armor, then looked up at its mountain-like shell.
"From today onward, you are my most reliable partner."
Lin Yue murmured, his voice slightly trembling with excitement.
"You evolved from a Mystic Turtle and are so mighty. From now on, I shall call you 'Xuanwu'!"
"Hoo..."
The Giant Turtle seemed to understand, letting out a low, rumbling growl from its throat, as if responding to its naming.
Just then, the System panel in Lin Yue's mind quietly refreshed.
[First Evolution Complete!]
[Pet Naming Successful: Xuanwu]
[Pet Information Updated]
[Pet: Xuanwu (Level 1)]
[Race: Black Iron Mystic Shell Turtle]
[Length: 2 meters]
[Innate Ability: Indestructible (Passive), Savage Charge (Active)]
[Note: The Black Iron Mystic Shell Turtle is an excellent defensive pet. Its carapace possesses extremely high physical resistance.]
[Required to advance to Level 2: 0 / 100 energy points.]
"One hundred energy points..."
Lin Yue looked at the number, but instead of feeling pressure, fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.
Before, 10 energy points were enough to nearly cost him his life.
But now, he had Xuanwu.
Would obtaining energy still be difficult?
He looked at the monsters outside, who were circling hesitantly, both greedy and fearful, and a cold smile curled on his lips.
These were all walking energy points.
He patted Xuanwu's heavy carapace and used his hands and feet to climb onto its broad back.
The turtle's back was flatter than he could have imagined; once standing steady, it was practically a mobile platform.
"Heavens... If it levels up to Level 3, its length might increase several times, right? Wouldn't the area of its back be dozens, maybe a hundred square meters?"
Lin Yue's breathing quickened.
If Xuanwu could continue evolving, wouldn't the area on its back be large enough to build a city?
Just like Zunesha in One Piece, carrying the Mink Tribe on its back!
"Xuanwu, let's go!"
Lin Yue took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, ignored the surrounding monsters, and issued his first command using his consciousness.
"Target: the supermarket up ahead!"
"Hoo—"
Xuanwu let out a low growl and took its heavy steps.
That two-meter-long steel fortress, carrying its master, slowly drove toward the new destination like a small armored vehicle.