Chapter 0057: The Struggles of Mutated Birds in Survival

Di Ping was not someone who often envied others, but at that moment, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. He realized that warriors were no match for mages, and he should have thought more carefully before choosing his profession. This wasn't a game where you could easily change your class if you got bored.

"Wait a minute, is it possible to change my class?"

Di Ping suddenly had an idea, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his mind.

Ding... Once a profession has been chosen, it cannot be changed. Please refrain from being indecisive. The warrior class is one of the strongest professions!

The system's cold voice suddenly echoed in his mind, almost as if it were reprimanding him.

"Ah! Can you hear me?"

Di Ping was overjoyed to hear the system's voice. Normally, the system never paid him any attention, only occasionally speaking up. Today, however, it seemed different—could it be that the system wasn't mechanical, but rather intelligent? He wanted to ask more questions.

However, his mind fell silent, and there was no response. The system remained unresponsive, just as it had been before.

"System, why aren't you saying anything? Answer me!"

Di Ping asked again, but the system was still silent.

"Where did you come from? Say something!"

Di Ping pressed further, but the system remained unresponsive.

"Master, are you okay?"

Gina, standing nearby, noticed Di Ping muttering to himself with a dazed expression. Concerned, she approached and asked.

"Oh, oh! It's nothing!"

Di Ping snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Gina's voice. He cursed silently and responded listlessly, slightly embarrassed.

"Crystal cores!"

Suddenly, Di Ping slapped his forehead. He had almost forgotten to collect the crystal cores from the mutated animals scattered around him. It was time to focus on the task at hand.

With the system question aside for now, he decided to move forward. He needed to leave this dangerous area quickly.

Fortunately, about five or six hundred meters ahead, there was a bus stop with a parking lot located underneath an elevated bridge. Di Ping gently pushed open the door to a small room, likely the dwelling for the on-duty staff, and it creaked open with a soft click.

The room was simple—about ten square meters, containing a small bed, a desk, and a chair. There was also a small TV on the table, but nothing else of note. Di Ping entered with Gina, closing the door gently behind them and finally letting out a long breath.

He took off his backpack and pulled out two bottles of mineral water, handing one to Gina while he sat down on the chair, gulping down a few mouthfuls to quench his thirst.

Gina opened her bottle gently, taking a small sip before capping it again. A hint of water lingered on her lips, and she playfully licked it off with her delicate tongue. Had Di Ping seen this, he might have called for help, but at that moment, he was busy checking the value of the mutated shrike's crystal core.

"System... 34 crystal cores can be exchanged for 16 crystal coins."

Upon hearing this, Di Ping was overjoyed. He had expected only a few coins, but the amount surpassed his expectations. Fourteen more coins were enough to recruit a C-level hero, which would strengthen his power. The appearance of the giant eagle had proven that mutated birds were now a threat, and the environment for human survival was worsening. Strengthening himself was now a priority.

Before the apocalypse, as human urbanization expanded, wildlife habitats had been increasingly compressed. Wild animals had become rarer, with only a few remaining in mountain regions or remote areas. This was a result of national efforts to protect the environment by converting farmland back to forested areas.

Now, in the cities, mutated animals were mostly limited to cats and dogs, with some coming from local zoos or pet markets.

However, birds were different. Although bird species had also been affected by habitat loss before the apocalypse, they were still relatively abundant, with even city areas having a good number of common birds, despite the scarcity of larger predators.

Thus, Di Ping felt a sense of urgency. He needed to grow stronger if he hoped to survive in this harsh world. He quickly opened the system interface and entered the tavern section. There, the two available heroes were listed, and the crystal coin count had changed from zero to 16. The soul energy had also increased, now reaching 72. Di Ping was delighted—72 soul energy points were enough to level up three more times.

Without hesitation, he decided to level up first. The recruitment of a hero could wait, as enhancing his own power was the top priority.

He exited the tavern in a hurry, tapped on his avatar, and went straight to the upgrade section. With three quick taps, Di Ping's level surged, and golden light flashed as his level increased to Tier 1, Level 4.