Chapter 127: Monster Hunter [Please Support with Votes!]

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Acquired Item: [Xenomorph Egg]
Note: It lacks distracting thoughts, human irrationality, and random behavior; the Xenomorph’s sole purpose is survival. Its skin can adapt to survival under any conditions, including extreme cold, high heat, and oxygen-deprived environments, and it can even survive in a vacuum for extended periods. (As long as it sustains no physical damage, it is nearly immortal!)

[When summoning, be sure to prepare a host. The process requires two steps: birth and parasitism. The host must possess some degree of vitality; standard living beings or animals are both acceptable. Depending on the host, the creature's appearance and abilities will undergo certain changes. (If the host is female, the Xenomorph has a chance to gain reproductive capabilities.)]

[Remember: Do not attempt to summon without a host. Before hatching, they possess only the instinct to kill. Once a host is missing, they will descend by using the master's body!]

[Affinity: 50]
[Simple commands can be issued!]
[Even the most terrifying beasts can be tamed; training is a process of enjoyment. It is recommended to keep it covered in darkness 24 hours a day when not summoned, as sunlight and other light beams have a chance to awaken it!]

The egg Fan Li saw earlier was actually a Xenomorph egg. According to the information provided by the Monster Manual, the final form of the hatched monster varies depending on the species of the host, which indicates that the Xenomorph he encountered was merely one of many types.

As for the side effects, Fan Li was already well-accustomed to them.

Among his three monsters, one initially wanted to chew his head off, and another would cut him in half if he ever discarded his amulet. Now, to make matters worse, he had added a glutton to the mix—one with an even worse temper than Ellie.

Ellie at least understood that "food" required time to prepare, but this Xenomorph was a short-tempered diner. Its standard for arrival was parasitism; once the plate was empty, it would turn its hostility toward him, and the larva would burrow into his chest to begin its incubation!

The woman Fan Li saw when he summoned it had likely been successfully parasitized. Out of desperation, she had tried to end her life through self-mutilation, but unfortunately, she had failed.

What caught Fan Li's attention most was a piece of information in the summoning notes: when the host is female, the creature has a chance to gain reproductive capabilities.

This truly surprised Fan Li.

The endless waves of zombies were already enough of a headache for humanity. If he were to accidentally create a race even more terrifying than zombies, then the surviving humans would truly be in despair, with no hope of ever recovering.

This egg... or rather, this ovum, was even more sinister than Ellie or the Butcher.

The Xenomorph egg was similar in size to an ostrich egg, but its surface was not a brittle shell; it felt somewhat viscous to the touch.

It could not absorb too much sunlight, so Fan Li quickly took off his backpack and stowed it inside.

Aside from the need to be cautious about reproduction, overall, the newly acquired monster pleased Fan Li greatly.

He had become fully accustomed to his current life: collecting different monsters to increase his strength for survival in the apocalypse.

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Compared to Ellie's LV bag filled with food, Fan Li's backpack contained what others would consider junk: a music box, an English textbook, a button, and now, a Xenomorph egg.

Oh, and the pendant hanging around his neck.

After putting the Xenomorph egg away, Fan Li took out the Monster Manual and stroked the cover. He seemed to feel a hint of satisfaction emanating from it; the sealing of the Corpse Giant had clearly put the book in a good mood.

He flipped to the latest page.

[Monster] (Elite)
[Unnamed]
[Strength has reached the limit, meeting enslavement criteria. Duration: 15 minutes.]
[Effect 1: Can feed existing monsters, with a chance to inherit the abilities possessed by the food.]
[Effect 2: Consume a monster to grant the host a usable ability. Duration: 2 minutes (2/2).]
[Effect 3: Refine the monster. It is a treasure of the world, yet also a depressing poison. Only by swallowing it will you realize how insignificant you truly are.]

The third option had appeared again. Clearly, this only manifested after killing a monster at least as powerful as the "suffocating" level.

Furthermore, the monster’s description had changed; it was no longer a "Complete Form," but had become "Elite!"

Fan Li had witnessed the terrifying nature of the Corpse Giant firsthand; otherwise, killing it wouldn't have rewarded him with a full 200 kill points.

Monster (Fragmented), Monster (Complete Form), Monster (Elite); these were the three types of monsters Fan Li had discovered so far. Their strength differed, and the titles given upon sealing them changed accordingly.

Just then, Fan Li’s discovery seemed to trigger something.

[You have killed an Elite Monster!]
[Unlocked special achievement: Victor of the Fierce Battle!]
[Reward obtained: Shadow Step]
[Attempt to run within shadows; in completely pitch-black environments, speed is bolstered!]

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[The dark night is best for hunting!]

Fan Li looked at the red text appearing before him, feeling like an old farmer who had planted a seed in the spring and finally reached the harvest season.

Although the battle against the Corpse Giant had been rocky and had drained most of his trump cards, looking at the current situation, it was a steady profit.

The Xenomorph egg, the sealing of an elite monster, and the newly acquired achievement reward, Shadow Step—Fan Li had undoubtedly walked away with a full harvest this time.

Fan Li had previously called himself a monster hunter, and now, the Monster Manual had firmly cemented this title. More importantly, with night vision and Shadow Step, even if he encountered an unbeatable enemy, he could always choose to slip away!

Fan Li happily flipped back through the pages. The page dedicated to recording his monsters, which initially only held Ellie’s name and a few lines of description, was now filled with content.

Monster Members: 5
Item Vault: Ellie’s music box, Hanging Crucifix, Xenomorph Egg, Button, Obsession Textbook.
Acquired Traits: Fear Resistance Enhancement, Night Vision, Intimidation, Shadow Touch, Shadow Step;

[Kill Points: 160/2000]

Fan Li stared at those final crimson zeros, his forehead twitching.

He immediately forced himself to forget this annoyance, though he couldn't help but mutter to himself:

"I originally thought the next requirement would be 1,000, but I didn't expect it to double my budget."

"Relying solely on myself, I won't be able to accumulate such a massive amount of kill points in the short term. I should look for other approaches."

"Also... monsters grow stronger by devouring survivors. This seems quite similar to my current situation. I hunt monsters to gain points for summoning and unlocking achievements, while monsters rely on devouring humans to evolve and become elite..."

Fan Li muttered to himself, momentarily lost in doubt: "I just wonder, if a monster keeps devouring, will it break its limits and become something beyond an Elite?"