Chapter Seven: Encounter with the Elite Monster

"Ding! Successfully killed Level 1 Zombie Dog, gained 2 experience points!"

"Ding! Successfully killed Level 0 Zombie Dog, gained 1 experience point! Obtained 1 Zombie Dog Tooth!"

...

"Ding! Successfully killed Level 1 Zombie Dog, gained 2 experience points. Character leveled up to Level 3, gained 1 free attribute point. With Double Card, received an extra free attribute point!"

A faint glow emanated from his body, and his mana, which had fallen to its lowest point, was instantly replenished. Zhao Nan felt a surge of joy and returned the mana potion he had been holding back to his backpack.

He had fought for two hours straight; though he hadn’t completed the quest item collection, his character had leveled up. After a brief check of his stats, Zhao Nan didn’t hesitate and continued solo grinding.

"Ding! Fireball proficiency maxed out, upgraded to Level 1, power increased by five percent!"

The speed of grinding monsters improved noticeably. Around dawn, Zhao Nan finally collapsed in exhaustion at a nearby small safe zone, having completed the Zombie Dog quest at last.

After a short rest, Zhao Nan headed toward another area. Familiar with Dongyuan City, he quickly took a shortcut and reached the roaming zombies’ zone as the temperature began to rise.

Roaming zombies belonged to the zombie class monsters, all at Level 2 or above. At the start of the game, this place was quite dangerous for players. Roaming zombies had the ability to move flexibly and could spit corpse venom from their mouths, making them formidable foes.

After a night of grinding zombie dogs, Zhao Nan’s character was still at Level 3, needing half more experience to level up again. For a mage, solo grinding roaming zombies was no easy feat.

He had prepared well in advance. Entering the roaming zombies’ territory, Zhao Nan immediately crawled on the ground. Unlike regular zombies, roaming zombies didn’t identify enemies by smell but by sight. Appearing within their line of sight—unless one was another zombie—would trigger their aggression.

In "Global Monster OL," there were no passive or aggressive monsters; outside the safe zone, monsters would attack any enemy they saw.

Zhao Nan cautiously crawled beneath one of the roaming zombies, the stench almost making him gag. Yet the effect was very clear.

Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!

-40! -39! -41!

After three consecutive fireballs, the roaming zombie exploded into a heap of bloody flesh... At the same time, an orange copper coin appeared before Zhao Nan.

One copper coin...

What players hated most about "Global Monster OL" was the sheer rarity of loot drops—money, treasures, equipment, all extremely scarce! Even common health and mana potions were nearly impossible to farm for self-sufficiency.

With a bitter smile, Zhao Nan put the copper coin in his backpack. "A human life is worth this much? Life really is the cheapest thing," he murmured.

He shook his head. In this roaming zombie zone, who knew how many monsters were once humans, and how many were just system-generated NPCs?

Three years into the game world, a strategy group finally uncovered some truths about the story: humans who became monsters could regain their sanity under certain conditions, but all memories would be lost, and they’d become the rulers of powerful monsters in different regions.

To become an elite or higher-tier monster, one had to be a human-turned-monster. Regular system-spawned monsters were only ordinary. Once a human monster was killed, it died for real; even if respawned, it was only a copy with the same abilities, not the original person. Some specific monsters transformed from humans wouldn’t respawn at all after being killed.

For both human monsters and human players, each existed to serve as stepping stones for the other's growth.

It was a cruel reality... but with the game now globalized, there was no choice but to keep walking one’s path—for survival.

After killing one roaming zombie, Zhao Nan continued crawling slowly across the grassland using the same method. By now, the sun was climbing toward its zenith, probably between nine and ten in the morning. The moisture in the grass was evaporating, making Zhao Nan uncomfortable all over.

Suddenly, an ugly face appeared before him. He sucked in a cold breath... This roaming zombie was squatting, staring at him with wide eyes, a hint of confusion in its gaze.

Above its head, a striking line of blue letters appeared.

Elite Roaming Zombie LV5!

A Level 5 elite monster had appeared in this roaming zombie zone! Zhao Nan had no time to think—already, the elite roaming zombie was swinging its hand down toward his head.

If struck, given a mage’s pitiful defense, he would be instantly killed! Zhao Nan’s pores stood on end as he quickly swung his staff at the elite roaming zombie.

It was an instinct he’d retained from his days as a swordsman. Of course, with a staff little sturdier than a branch, there was no way he could hurt this elite monster.

-1!

What an absurd damage value... and only because the system enforced a minimum damage for any attack.

Seizing the moment, a fireball shot from the tip of his staff, exploding at the zombie’s chest.

-8!

Shocked, Zhao Nan immediately turned and sprinted toward the safe zone. But as soon as he stood up, he was exposed to the sight of all nearby roaming zombies.

"Damn!"

Luckily, his starting stamina and agility weren’t too weak. He managed to tumble into the safe zone, his back slashed by the elite roaming zombie’s claws and losing half his health as the price.

Zhao Nan gasped for breath, gradually calming down. In the safe zone, monsters couldn’t enter. The roaming zombies could only howl mindlessly before slowly dispersing.

Roar—!

But the elite roaming zombie didn’t leave. Instead, it lingered at the edge of the safe zone, as if guarding Zhao Nan’s exit. Its claws tried to swing forward, but it seemed fearful, pulling back halfway, repeating the action over and over in a comical manner.

Frowning, Zhao Nan painfully swallowed a health potion. As the damage on his back healed rapidly, he continued to observe the elite monster.

Elite monsters rarely appeared in the early stages of the game, especially in low-level areas like this. Their emergence signaled the chance to obtain something good.

Should he try to take down this elite roaming zombie?