Chapter 25: End of Recuperation

Three days later.

Early in the morning, Han Ning stood by the small planting area near the living room balcony, just as he always did. Through relentless effort, his [Rapid Growth] Skill had successfully broken through to the Middle Level yesterday.

At this moment, he reached out and aimed at two potatoes growing side by side. An emerald-green light enveloped both potato seedlings simultaneously. Targets that previously required separate, consecutive casts could now be covered all at once. The green light acted as a catalyst. The stems and leaves of the two potato seedlings became thicker and fleshier at a visible rate. Their leaves unfurled, growing at least thirty percent faster than when the Skill was at the Basic Level. Nearby, the pumpkin vines had also climbed all over their trellis, with a few pale yellow flowers dotted among the emerald leaves.

"The harvest can be brought forward by a few days again," Han Ning said, nodding in satisfaction at the vibrant scene. With these fruits and vegetables, he would be able to sustain himself and avoid starvation even if food from the outside world ran out.

After finishing the daily "spa" treatment for his crops, Han Ning sat shirtless on the somewhat grimy sofa. The hideous scratch on his left shoulder had scabbed over, its edges tinged with a faint pink. Although the injury looked healed on the surface, whenever he exerted force, he could still feel a faint, piercing pain radiating from deep within his muscles.

Hovering his palm over the wound, he circulated the Spiritual Power in his body. It flowed along the meridians of his spine and arm, slowly Gathering in his palm.

[Rejuvenation Technique (98/100)]

He thought, "It's about to level up. I hope the Middle Level Rejuvenation Technique can completely help me heal my hidden injuries."

With a thought, emerald-green light surged from his palm, continuously seeping into the scar. A faint, tingling numbness spread through the area.

[Rejuvenation Technique Skill Level +1, Current 99/100]

...

[Rejuvenation Technique Skill Level +1, Current 100/100, Skill Level Up!]

[Basic Level Rejuvenation Technique -> Middle Level Rejuvenation Technique]

At the exact moment the Skill Level reached its maximum, the emerald light in his palm suddenly shrank before violently expanding. What was originally just a cluster of green light covering the wound now formed a small, green Light Cocoon that entirely enveloped his left shoulder.

WHOOSH!

Under Han Ning's continuous casting, the Light Cocoon burst apart, transforming into dozens of green threads. They drilled deep into his shoulder muscles from every direction. The residual micro-tears and the slight twinges of pain between his bones rapidly dissolved as the highly penetrating green threads wove through them. The deep-seated soreness was completely swept away.

"Awesome!" Feeling the strength return to his arm, Han Ning swung it forcefully. It was as smooth and fluid as a well-oiled machine, completely devoid of any hindrance.

[Spiritual Power: 12/20]

"The Middle Level Rejuvenation Technique has improved the Healing effects quite a bit," he said, a flash of joy in his eyes. As for exactly how much the Healing Ability had improved compared to the Basic Level, he couldn't say for sure due to a lack of comparison.

Just then, a familiar rubbing sensation came from by his feet. Snow Cake affectionately nudged his calf with its head, which was covered in fine, grayish-white scales.

WHIMPER.

"Are you hungry?" As Snow Cake's master, Han Ning saw through the little guy's thoughts at a glance.

HOWL!

Han Ning smiled and went to the storage room. He brought out a pre-portioned meal designated for Snow Cake and placed it in front of it. The meal consisted of a pack of high-energy biscuits, three pounds of raw rice, four 250ml cartons of milk, two pounds of nearly rotten beef and mutton, and five or six potatoes. Under normal circumstances, Snow Cake needed to eat at least two meals of this standard a day, plus a late-night snack after returning from their evening excursions. At this rate, the supplies stored at home would be entirely devoured by Snow Cake in just a few days.

But gluttony aside, after three days of stuffing its face, the little guy's body length had steadily broken past the one-meter mark. Its limbs were longer and much sturdier. A row of small, sharp bone spikes had emerged along the midline of its tail, and its yellow, slit-like pupils flickered with a Spiritual light. It looked like a cross between a crocodile and a lizard. Its limbs were significantly longer than those of an ordinary crocodile, and its spinal structure was unique, allowing it to stand upright like a human.

Besides that, the Animal Companion Skills had naturally leveled up through the constant interaction between man and lizard over the past three days. For a Middle Level Animal Companion, the most obvious effect was the increase in Perception Range. It had expanded straight from around 600 meters to 800 meters. Moreover, the clarity of his perception, as well as his ability to grasp Snow Cake's emotions and the surrounding environmental details, had all been enhanced to a certain extent.

For the past three days, Han Ning had barely stepped out of the house, relying entirely on Snow Cake to act as his underwater scout. Under his command, Snow Cake had mapped out the majority of the underwater terrain within an 800-meter radius around the apartment building. Using the underwater "radar images" transmitted back by Snow Cake, Han Ning had constructed a relatively clear topographical map of the surrounding area in his mind.

Heading toward Bailu Port, slightly to the east and about 700 meters from the residential area's entrance, was a relatively desolate park zone with a low density of buildings. The floodwaters there were deeper, but more importantly, the frequency and density of Crocodile Lizard activity along that route were the lowest out of all four cardinal directions. Although there were a few individuals wandering around, it was rare to see them in groups. Han Ning suspected that the lower numbers were because the park lacked humans, shops, and the food the Crocodile Lizards needed.

"The food is being consumed too fast. Now that my injuries are healed, it's time to head out," he muttered to himself.

He walked to the window and lifted a corner of the curtain. The rain was still pouring heavily, and the sky was as gloomy as dusk. Turbid floodwaters surged through the city ruins, carrying various floating debris and wreckage. The grayish-white figures of several Crocodile Lizards cruised slowly across the distant water, their heads cutting through the surface and leaving trails of ripples behind.

"The temperature seems to have dropped quite a bit..." He could clearly feel the chill.

"Snow Cake," Han Ning called out.

HISS! Snow Cake moved close to its master's legs, its slit-like pupils flashing with excitement and anticipation.

"We're going hunting today." Han Ning patted its cold head.

...

After breakfast, Han Ning quickly sprang into action. He put on a relatively thick windbreaker and waterproof pants, topping it off with a raincoat. He tucked a kitchen knife into his waistband. Although this thing wouldn't be much use against a Giant Crocodile Lizard, it was still handy for cutting food or dealing with minor troubles.

Into his backpack, he packed a few high-energy biscuits, beef jerky, two bottles of water, basic first-aid supplies like bandages and disinfectant, and a small bag of thawed, rotting chicken thigh meat. Finally, he picked up a bundle of sturdy nylon rope he had prepared beforehand. He had bought it for mountain climbing in the past but had never even used it.

"Let's go!"

Fully prepared, he led Snow Cake toward the security door. When they reached the fifth floor, Snow Cake vaulted directly out the corridor window. Scaling the protrusions on the exterior wall, it scurried along the surface like a nimble gecko for a short distance before diving into the water.

Han Ning, on the other hand, continued down the stairs. As he passed the fourth floor, the two followers of Liu Feng stationed at the door even flashed him friendly smiles. Han Ning gave a slight nod and proceeded to the second-floor stairwell. By now, the floodwaters had already encroached near the second-floor landing. Time was of the essence.