Chapter 0053: First Encounter with the Giant Eagle, the Heart of a True Warrior

Di Ping remained calm, not overly nervous. After all, he had already surveyed this path and walked it before, which gave him some reassurance. Furthermore, he now had Gina with him, providing companionship on the journey. It was far better than being alone, where the vast emptiness of the world felt overwhelmingly isolating. That sense of loneliness and fear could drive a person mad, and Di Ping was not one to enjoy solitude.

Half an hour later,

They had finally passed the section of the route Di Ping had already scouted, and ahead lay unknown territory. Caution was required.

Di Ping stopped, scanning the surroundings, took a deep breath, and resolutely moved forward, with Gina following closely behind.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting long shadows of the two travelers on the ground. The road was littered with cracked cement slabs, and wild grass grew stubbornly between the broken pavement. Clusters of grass formed small hills across the road, while abandoned cars, many overtaken by vines, stood as silent witnesses to the desolation.

"Chew..."

"A bird's call!"

Suddenly, a sharp, high-pitched cry rang out from the sky, piercing through the air. The sound was so loud that it made Di Ping dizzy and his ears buzzed with the aftershock. He froze for a moment, realizing that he had just heard the call of a bird. Since the apocalypse began, this was the first time he had heard such a sound.

"Master! Don't move!"

Just as Di Ping was about to look up at the sky, Gina's urgent voice came from behind. He knew better than to ignore her warning and immediately halted.

"Chew..."

Another shrill, metallic-sounding screech echoed through the air, this time even closer. The sharp sound seemed to explode in Di Ping's mind, disorienting him, making his chest tighten with discomfort and his blood surge. What had been a distant call just moments ago was now nearly upon them, indicating the incredible speed of whatever was causing the sound.

"Eagle's cry!"

Now, Di Ping was certain. He had heard the cry of an eagle before, a majestic creature that ruled the skies. Before the apocalypse, eagles were apex predators in the air, and like all creatures of the sky, they were fearsome. With the changes wrought by the apocalypse, it was hardly surprising that such a powerful bird would mutate into something even more terrifying.

"Boom..."

A sudden, thunderous roar sounded from the distance, like the rumbles of a storm.

Then, the sky darkened. A massive shadow passed overhead, and with it came an overwhelming force, a powerful aura that seemed to suffocate the very air. A cold, brutal, and murderous presence descended.

Di Ping felt an immediate difficulty breathing. His legs weakened, as though he might collapse at any moment. Gina fared no better—her face turned pale beneath her black cloak, her body trembling as if she might fall unconscious at any second.

A surge of panic rose in Di Ping's chest, but he clenched his teeth, summoned his strength, and with a sudden burst of energy, he managed to resist the oppressive force, standing tall once more. He instinctively reached out to support Gina, who was on the verge of fainting.

"Whoosh..."

The leaves above rustled violently, as though whipped by a fierce wind. Di Ping knew the creature was near.

"Flap..."

The sound of wings beating echoed, the sheer force of it as intense as waves crashing against rocks. Powerful gusts of wind swirled, causing trees to sway violently.

This was the pressure created by the eagle's wings, and Di Ping dared not move. He held Gina tightly, keeping his head low and his gaze fixed to the ground. The last thing he wanted was to make eye contact with the bird—if it locked eyes with him, the eagle would immediately detect their presence.

The rustling of the leaves grew louder, and suddenly, a dark cloud shot across the sky like a lightning flash. The world seemed to darken, and the ground grew cold, as if a storm were imminent. The wind howled louder, and the trees seemed as though they might snap under the pressure. The wild grass below swayed violently, whipped into a frenzy by the gusts.

"Whoosh..."

The sound of something large cutting through the air reached Di Ping's ears, resembling the roar of an aircraft. He raised his head just in time to see a colossal shadow pass over him.

"My God!"

Di Ping involuntarily gasped in astonishment, his breath catching in his chest. For a moment, he felt as though his very breathing had ceased, so overwhelming was the sight before him.

As he looked up, all he could see was a massive, golden blur—its mere appearance was enough to make his scalp tingle with fear.

The first thing Di Ping felt was its immense size. It was so large, it could have been a plane. The bird's wingspan easily surpassed 20 meters, and with every flap, the very air seemed to distort. The eagle swooped low, its wings brushing the treetops as it flew. The trees below swayed with each pass, and the force of the bird's flight seemed to shake the very ground.

It moved with lightning speed. Within moments, it had covered a vast distance. Di Ping could only glimpse the background through the gaps in the leaves, watching as the giant eagle flew further away. It seemed to be chasing something, but Di Ping couldn't discern what from his position.

"Whoosh!"

A long, drawn-out breath escaped Di Ping's lips as he exhaled deeply, his heart racing. He had thought that he was growing stronger, only to be struck down by the reality of his own limitations. The massive crocodile he had encountered earlier, now this enormous eagle—it was as though the universe had delivered a brutal blow to his newfound confidence.

In that moment, Di Ping realized that he still had much to learn and much to do. The world had become even more dangerous, and survival itself had become a challenge. But despite this, Di Ping felt an unwavering conviction rise within him. He knew that he would grow stronger. After all, with his "golden finger" (a metaphor for his system abilities), he was not without hope. As long as he wasn't foolish, and with the help of the system, he would continue to grow stronger, standing at the pinnacle of this world one day. He had that much faith.