After Xiaohong relayed the news to Number Zero, the two of them quickly devised a plan. They had Xiaohong gather a dandelion and, just a moment ago, secretly place it at the root of the great Thorns. Then, with Number Zero providing cover, the two of them finally accomplished their goal.
“This may not be our real bodies, but after an experience like this, Brother Fei won’t be so reserved once we’re back in the real world, right?” Feeling that her body was just about scrubbed clean, Xiaohong immediately asked the question on her mind.
Although she and Number Zero had acknowledged Shen Fei as their master for quite some time, for some reason, Shen Fei would never make a move in certain situations. Or rather, he clearly wanted to but would always find some excuse to put it off.
Now, the three of them had been teleported to the Dinosaur Era, hundreds of millions of years in the past. Here, Number Zero and Xiaohong had taken the initiative! At this point, they had more or less achieved their goal. They believed that with the experience they just had in the Dinosaur Era, things would be much easier once they returned to reality. In fact, even if Shen Fei tried to avoid the subject, the two of them could use this experience as a reason to proactively approach him. They wouldn’t have to worry about it being awkward or about being too forward for a girl.
“Mhm!” Xiaohong’s thoughts were the same as Number Zero’s.
Nodding emphatically, the corners of Number Zero’s mouth curled into a smile. Before the apocalypse began, if she hadn’t inherited abilities from the game, Number Zero figured that with her superb hacking skills, she probably would have never found a partner in this lifetime. She was too smart, too petite and doll-like, and far too good at seeing through any man’s thoughts and actions.
But she never would have expected the apocalypse to happen, and for everyone to inherit abilities from a game. And after a series of incidents, she had actually ended up falling in love with a man like him. Now, having finally broken through the last barrier, Number Zero felt that things should be much easier from now on. Although they were currently using dinosaur bodies, the corresponding sensations and feedback were completely real, without the slightest reduction.
I remember! In a certain special organization, there are people who inherited transformation items… I have to find a way to get one. Then, when necessary, I can transform into a dinosaur in the real world… What if… Brother Fei likes it!
As Number Zero finished scrubbing her body, another thought drifted into her mind.
***
“Ready?”
“Let’s go!”
A few minutes later, having scrubbed each other’s backs and cleaned the places they couldn’t reach themselves, Number Zero and Xiaohong shared a smile and prepared to return to Shen Fei’s side. Although, as a southerner, Number Zero wasn’t used to the idea of two people scrubbing each other’s backs while washing up, any discomfort she felt vanished without a trace when she thought about what had happened with Xiaohong and Shen Fei.
SPLASH.
SPLASH.
Soon, Number Zero and Xiaohong, in their dinosaur bodies, arrived by Shen Fei’s side.
***
“Now, it’s time to level up Number Zero!” Shen Fei, who had just been observing the Black Tortoise, saw Number Zero and Xiaohong return and immediately announced the next phase of their plan.
Currently, his level was LV1001. Xiaohong and the Black Tortoise were LV1000. However, Number Zero was only LV999.
Shen Fei didn’t know if there were any other LV1000 creatures in the entire Dinosaur Era, but he knew that Number Zero’s current level wasn’t high enough. They still needed to raise her level to LV1000 before they could consider this done. Right now, on his quest panel, Mission Two had been updated, but it wasn’t complete:
[Repair-type Compulsory Mission Two: Devour dinosaurs and become the strongest dinosaur of the Dinosaur Era! Failure: Annihilation! In Progress (3/4)]
On Shen Fei’s Mission Two, a “(3/4)” display had appeared. He understood this meant that in his team, three members had become the strongest dinosaurs of the Dinosaur Era, but one had not. Obviously, the one who hadn’t was the LV999 Number Zero. As long as they raised her level to LV1000, their team would pretty much become the four strongest individuals in the Dinosaur Era. Or at least, among the strongest.
“Brother Fei! Should we go to the pyramid in the southwest? Over there, I only devoured the creatures inside one of the pyramids. There’s still another one left!” Hearing that Shen Fei wanted to continue leveling up Number Zero, Xiaohong immediately voiced her suggestion.
“Alright! Let’s do it! Let’s go now!”
The mission was three-quarters complete, and they now had a target for the final quarter. Without another word, Shen Fei ordered them to move out.
WHOOSH.
WHOOSH.
WHOOSH.
Soon, with the Black Tortoise’s help, he and Number Zero crossed the river again. Then, back on land, the dinosaurs—each dozens of meters tall—charged southwest at a speed of several thousand kilometers per hour. As for Xiaohong, she had already spread her wings and flown ahead to scout the enemy.
In the Dinosaur Era, the seven continents haven’t separated yet. The land is still one solid mass! This great river is the largest one dividing the continent…
As he ran at top speed, Shen Fei contemplated the land beneath his feet. Unlike in later ages when the land was divided into seven continents, he discovered that here in the Dinosaur Era, the land was still one single, unbroken mass. And that great river, the one he and Number Zero needed the Black Tortoise’s help to cross, happened to split the continent in two.
RUMBLE.
RUMBLE.
RUMBLE.
Lost in thought, Shen Fei and the other two ran onward at high speed. They traveled in a straight line, and with their high levels, they simply devoured any creature they encountered. A little over an hour later, they met up with Xiaohong, who was already waiting for them at their destination.
“Move out!”
Shen Fei wasn’t particularly surprised to see the colossal pyramid in the distance, a structure several kilometers tall and hidden behind towering ancient trees. Seeing Xiaohong point to the one slightly farther from their group, he directly issued the command to act. Currently, in his team, besides himself at LV1001—unmatched in the entire Dinosaur Era—there were also Xiaohong and the Black Tortoise at LV1000. Under the effect of the [Devouring] skill, they could swallow any creature whole, without the slightest worry.
“Alright!”
Seeing that Shen Fei was clearly going to act as her bodyguard, Number Zero didn’t hesitate. Following Xiaohong’s directions, she headed straight for the target pyramid.
Amazing! To think there are pyramids in the Dinosaur Era… and this one is huge! Following Number Zero, Shen Fei swiftly moved toward the second pyramid. He couldn’t help but marvel at the structure ahead, which was countless times larger than the pyramids of modern-day Egypt.
ROAR!!
Just as Shen Fei was marveling at the sight, a sudden, furious roar echoed from the second pyramid ahead.
Lifting his head, Shen Fei saw it. An ancient giant python, a full five to six meters in diameter, shot out from the pyramid in the distance. They didn’t even need to lure the monster; the great python, with “LV999” displayed above its head, had already charged out on its own.
SWOOSH!
Seeing the target appear, Number Zero charged forward without a second thought.
SWOOSH!
Across from her, the ancient giant python, unaware of the danger, saw that Number Zero wasn’t retreating but was daring to advance. It coiled and lunged forward in a counter-charge.
And then, it was over.
The giant python, its body covered in a thick, moss-like hide, vanished without a trace the instant it touched Number Zero. At the same moment, a halo of light flashed around her body, and the level above her head instantly changed to LV1000.
BOOM!!!
Just as Number Zero devoured the giant python and Shen Fei was about to investigate the situation with this Dinosaur Era pyramid, a tremendous cracking sound suddenly echoed across the heavens and the earth. The sound was so loud that Shen Fei and the others couldn’t help but cover their ears.
Shen Fei saw that, accompanied by the violent roar, the sky itself was cracking open! And, at the same time, his personal panel opened automatically again, and lines of text began to scroll uncontrollably:
[Ding!]
[Mission Two Complete!]
[Ding!]
[Mission Three Begins!]
[Ding!]
[Special Version Creature Detected!]
[Ding!]
[Version 2.9 is arriving ahead of schedule!]
[Ding!]
[…]
***
As Shen Fei watched in astonishment, a series of things he had never imagined began to happen. Moreover, he also saw that as the sky tore apart and the lines of text scrolled by, a spectral image of a card had appeared above the massive pyramid up ahead!
The spectral image of a Square A card!