Chapter 0042: Fighting Monsters for Crystal Cores

Di Ping had already devised a plan in his mind. He knew that going alone would leave him vulnerable, but bringing Buggy along would jeopardize the safety of the castle, especially since there were still dozens of people inside. Therefore, Buggy would need to stay behind. Di Ping decided to use the time available today to hunt monsters, hoping to collect more crystal cores. Once he returned, he could recruit a hero and head out, which would be safer.

"But...?"

At this moment, several of them wanted to say something, but Di Ping raised his hand to stop them.

"Enough with the 'but's. You all stay here and guard the place. That way, I can leave with peace of mind. That's settled!"

"Tomorrow morning, I will leave. While I'm gone, you all need to manage things here," Di Ping continued, as the others fell silent. He then assigned tasks to everyone. "Brother Cheng, you're in charge of the guard patrol!" After a pause, he added, "By the way, Buggy will stay behind with you. Work together to eliminate the mutated beasts in the neighborhood and ensure the safety of the people working on the estate..."

"Understood, Di Ge!" Cheng Chao responded, standing to attention. "We will complete the task!"

Di Ping nodded with a smile. "Fatty, you and Old Luo, gather some people to repair the neighborhood walls. Reinforce the areas where mutated beasts can easily enter!"

"Okay, don't worry, Di Ge!" The two of them stood up and assured him.

"Di Ge!" At this point, Yu Shujie looked anxiously at Di Ping and asked, "What about us?"

"Right, what about us?" Liu Bingyu and the other two women echoed.

"Alright, alright! Of course, you have your tasks too!" Di Ping smiled as he looked at the four beautiful women. His heart fluttered slightly, but he quickly regained composure and said with a smile, "You are in charge of managing the people living in the castle and organizing the workforce for the estate!" His tone then turned serious. "This is an important task. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Hmph!" The four women were not pleased with the remark. Yu Shujie raised her chin defiantly. "Don't underestimate us. We will make sure to complete the task!" The other three nodded in agreement.

Di Ping looked at them, laughing heartily. "Alright, I trust you all!" He then turned serious, his smile fading. "Once I leave, you must discuss things with each other and avoid any conflicts. Is that clear?"

"Di Ge, don't worry!" The group immediately assured him, standing at attention.

As they left the room one by one, Di Ping leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, resting briefly. His mind was racing. From the way everyone acted today, he could tell they were all quite capable. They understood the weight of their responsibilities and were not blindly following instructions without thinking. They were starting to grasp the survival strategies needed in this post-apocalyptic world.

Of course, aside from Fatty, who still seemed a bit idealistic, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Di Ping believed that over time, Fatty would realize the harsh realities of the world. In this kind of environment, people without principles would not survive long. Di Ping was confident Fatty would soon adjust.

After resting for a moment, Di Ping donned his sportswear and grabbed his sword, heading out. He hadn't informed anyone of his departure. It was just past noon, and he intended to make the most of the time to hunt for crystal cores and recruit more heroes, which was his primary goal. Moreover, he noticed the system warehouse icon had lit up. The construction of the warehouse was urgent, though its purpose remained unclear. However, Di Ping believed that whatever the system provided would be of high quality. Still, everything would require crystal coins.

Exiting the neighborhood gates quickly, he noticed that the trees along the road had grown taller, and the wild grass was denser. The mutated snake he had previously hung on a branch was still there, though it had begun to emit a foul odor due to the weather.

The sun was high in the sky, casting a harsh light. While the temperature was not too high due to the abundance of plants, the grassland was still uncomfortably warm. After walking just a few hundred meters, Di Ping was already drenched in sweat. He cursed under his breath and turned onto the road, hoping for a break from the oppressive heat.

The road had fewer plants, though the surface was uneven due to the roots of large trees. Still, it was better than walking through the thick grass, as the trees provided some shade, offering a welcome respite from the direct sunlight.

Di Ping moved forward cautiously. Suddenly, from ahead, he heard grunting noises. He paused and listened carefully—it sounded like the grunt of a pig.

Having grown up in the countryside and raised pigs at home, Di Ping was quite familiar with the sound. He slowed his pace and quietly moved forward.

After bypassing several abandoned cars, he found three black pigs about fifty meters ahead, rooting around under a tree, seemingly looking for food. They were grunting happily as they searched.

Di Ping stared at the three mutated black pigs, feeling a sense of unease. These pigs were massive—about one and a half meters tall and nearly four meters long. Their long, sharp snouts protruded two enormous tusks, each about thirty centimeters long. Their fur stood on end like steel needles, sending a chill down his spine. They didn't resemble domestic pigs at all but rather looked like wild boars—ferocious and dangerous.

What shocked Di Ping even more was the immense strength of these mutated wild boars. When one of them tried to push a car out of its way, its tusks sent the vehicle flying fifty meters. Wild boars, known for their strength and speed, were extremely difficult to handle, especially since they had an incredible ability to survive. Once provoked, they would charge at their attacker, often overpowering them.

Di Ping had a feeling that these mutated wild boars might be as strong as, or even stronger than, him. He hesitated, unsure whether to engage. He knew that if he attacked, there were three crystal cores to be gained, but he also feared that he might not be able to defeat them. Wild boars, when enraged, could even challenge tigers.

"Creak!"

Di Ping, lost in thought, stepped on a twig, causing it to snap. Though the sound was faint, in the stillness of the road, it was loud and clear. The three wild boars immediately stopped rooting and turned their heads to look in his direction.

"Damn it!"

Di Ping froze, cursing inwardly. It was too late to hide now, as the wild boars had already spotted him.

The three boars, clearly enraged at being interrupted, flared up. Their fur bristled, their red eyes glowed with fury. They let out a low growl, then suddenly charged at Di Ping, their massive black bodies tearing through the ground like arrows shot from a bow. Each step caused the earth to tremble, and their hooves created shockwaves that sent debris flying.

Faced with these oncoming beasts, Di Ping, despite his own strength, knew he couldn't face them directly. He wasn't sure just how strong he truly was. With no time to waste, he opted to dodge. He quickly sidestepped, leaping several meters to the side and narrowly evading the boars' charge by ducking behind a large tree.

"Boom!"

The ground shook with a thunderous roar as one of the wild boars slammed into a jeep that had been in its path, sending it flying. The vehicle's parts scattered in all directions, and the frame soared high before crashing into a thick tree trunk.