NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Monster Index
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That night, Jiang Kai slept deeply. Maybe it was because he stayed up too late the previous night, or perhaps subconsciously, he wanted to ensure he was full of energy.
When he woke up the next morning, it was already past ten.
At this moment, Jiang Kai realized he was the only one left in the room.
The original site for this novel is: Tadu Novel @ APP.
His older brother's bedding was folded neatly; he had already left for work.
On the table, there were two buns and a cup of plain water, neither of which seemed very warm anymore.
Underneath the cup was a piece of paper with Yingzi's handwriting on it, bearing four big words:
"Second Brother, good luck!"
As per their usual routine, both Jiang Kai and his older brother didn't eat breakfast. Yingzi, still growing, was forced to eat breakfast under their orders.
Those two buns were clearly left behind by Yingzi for him.
Time wasn't on his side. Jiang Kai quickly got up, washed up, and began munching on a bun while carefully taking out three cards.
Two were damaged material and data watch cards, while the other was his Beginner Trial Qualification Certificate.
"This is 33,000 Alliance Coins!" Jiang Kai thought to himself, suddenly feeling the weight of the cards in his hand.
Carefully, he tucked the three cards into the inner pocket of his shirt. After a glance at the cramped, cluttered room and the bun in his hand, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Big Brother, Yingzi, wait for me to come back!"
---
The login gate for Jiangzhong City was located in the city center.
Before the Age of Beast Gods, Jiangzhong City had been a top-tier metropolis, equipped with an extensive subway system.
Unfortunately, it was all out of service now.
Jiang Kai rented a shared bike and set off for the city center.
As he passed by Zhuzi's house, Jiang Kai stopped, looked at the locked door, shook his head, and continued on his way.
The urban scenery sped by.
In fifty years, humanity should have achieved a more glorious civilization. However, as it stood, Jiangzhong City seemed to have regressed at least two decades.
The influx of refugees had made Jiangzhong City increasingly overcrowded, with disorganized buildings and congested housing everywhere.
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But as Jiang Kai approached the central urban district, the scene changed.
Wide roads, speeding cars, towering skyscrapers, and tidy residential areas presented a stark contrast to the rundown outskirts.
"No matter the era, there are always rich people," Jiang Kai sneered, pedaling faster.
When he arrived at the Jiangzhong City military base, he found over a dozen young people already queuing at the entrance, with soldiers patrolling nearby to maintain order.
Jiang Kai parked his bike and joined the back of the line.
While waiting, he glanced at the people in front of him. They looked calm, with some discussing whether the latest "God Hunter" series data watch by Golden Compass was superior to the "Vision" series by Chuangrui.
For Jiang Kai, both were unattainable luxuries, with price tags in the six-figure range!
The queue moved quickly. Before long, it was Jiang Kai's turn. He scanned his Beginner Trial Qualification Certificate on the machine, which promptly reacted.
"Certificate verified. Facial recognition complete. Identity successfully bound. Entry granted."
Though the certificate was transferable, once bound to an identity, it could no longer be sold.
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After the process, a soldier led Jiang Kai into the base.
After walking for over ten minutes, Jiang Kai was brought before a sealed metal building. The structure was peculiar—only one story high but equivalent to the height of a five-story building.
The soldier stopped at the door, pointed to the card reader, and said, "This is the login gate. I can't go in. Scan your qualification card here. The gate will open in 37 minutes, and an officer will guide you into your Heavenly Vocation."
Someone had just entered the gate moments before, and the procedure seemed straightforward. Jiang Kai nodded, "Thank you, sir."
Jiang Kai scanned his card, and the steel door slowly opened. Before he even stepped inside, he saw a vast, empty interior where hundreds of newcomers had already gathered.
The most striking feature was the center of the room—a glowing door about two meters tall, surrounded by bulletproof glass and guarded by armed soldiers. Despite the protective barrier, the white light from the door was unmistakable.
Words were etched onto the bulletproof glass:
"Login Gate No. 18"
Jiang Kai held his breath, his heart pounding.
That was… the Heavenly Vocation Login Gate!
The guiding soldier patted Jiang Kai's shoulder and smiled, "Go on in. Good luck."
Jiang Kai snapped back to reality, nodded his thanks, took a deep breath, and stepped into the building.
Among the soldiers guarding the gate, a female instructor occasionally reminded the crowd in a loud voice:
"36 minutes remaining. Check your belongings. Use this time to review the surrounding tutorials."
Hearing this, Jiang Kai looked around.
Only then did he notice the tutorial boards set up nearby. He started with the one closest to him.
The first board depicted a strange creature with a human-like face. Its unblinking eyes glared menacingly, its mouth baring sharp teeth. It had a long neck, while its lower body resembled a beast—powerful and quadrupedal.
> Ghost Star Long-Neck Human-Face Beast
Length: 2.6 meters or more.
Activity: Nocturnal, with terrifying night vision.
Strength: Bite force equivalent to two Siberian tigers. Skilled in short-distance sprints.
Trial Record: Third-highest player kill count in the Beginner Trial.
Weaknesses: Poor climbing ability, fear of sunlight, lacks endurance in long-distance pursuits.
Kill Probability: None.
Kill Experience: No records.
The second board showed a purple-black snake with mottled patterns. Strangely, the snake had four limbs.
> Ghost Star Camouflaged Land Snake
Length: 20–36 centimeters.
Ability: Possesses neurotoxic venom and excels at stealth, making it nearly undetectable. Tracks prey through ground vibrations and relentlessly pursues targets once locked on.
Trial Record: Second-highest player kill count in the Beginner Trial.
Weaknesses: If treated within three minutes, venom effects can gradually be mitigated. Can be distracted by creating vibrations.
Kill Probability: Possible if detected.
Kill Experience: 1.
The third board depicted a creature resembling an Earth leopard.
> Ghost Star Black Panther
Length: 2.4–4.1 meters.
Abilities: Far surpasses Earth leopards in physical capabilities. Hunts day and night with exceptional vision, smell, explosive power, and stamina. Escaping once spotted is nearly impossible.
Trial Record: Highest player kill count in the Beginner Trial.
Weaknesses: None.
Kill Probability: None.
Kill Experience: No records.
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Even though Jiang Kai already knew about these monsters, seeing the descriptions again made him nervous.
These weren't all the monsters in the trial. There were eight types in total, each deadly enough to kill!
The kill rankings didn't fully convey the terror of the creatures.
Take the Ghost Star Shadowless Wolves for example. With formidable combat abilities and, worse, a pack mentality, the official description was: "If spotted by Shadowless Wolves, escape is impossible."
In terms of escape difficulty, they were even more frightening than the black panthers!
Finally, Jiang Kai approached the largest board.
Finally, Jiang Kai walked up to the largest information board.
[Special Notice: The development of Ghost Star is a goal pursued by all nations. Securing more territory on Ghost Star means gaining access to more resources and professions.]
[Currently, international competition is focused on opening new areas, but some nations resort to suppressing the number of newcomers from other countries to limit their development.]
[Ordinarily, regular players cannot enter the Newcomer Trial Zone. However, there are exceptions—such as the "Smuggler" profession from a neighboring country. These players can infiltrate the Newcomer Trial Zone, kill participants, steal their data wristbands, and lower the trial's completion rate.]
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"High-level smugglers… That's just veterans coming to the rookie zone to massacre newcomers. If you run into one, you're as good as dead!" Jiang Kai frowned deeply.
Jiang Kai continued studying the monster illustrations. The monsters depicted were terrifyingly strong. The only ones a newcomer might have a chance at defeating were the Chameleon Ground Snake and the Small Stinger Scorpion.
Both, of course, were venomous.
There were also some harmless creatures in the Newcomer Trial Zone, which served as the primary food sources for participants during the seven-day trial.
As Jiang Kai was engrossed in examining the illustrations, the female instructor suddenly called out.
"Ten minutes left! Attention, everyone: store your outerwear and personal items in the lockers. You may only bring your job change material cards and data wristband cards. Once you're ready, line up to prepare for the trial!"
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