Surviving 

Chapter 20

(Unedited)

…

Psychic barrier, that was entered my mind upon seeing that barrier protecting her body. Although the beast was not able to touch her, the woman's figure was still flung about two meters by that powerful large paw.

I can now fully see the creature which appears from the bushes.

It was actually a large hairless dog. From the creature's appearance, I could tell this creature may have consumed something in this forest which seems to have mutated its body to this degree. Right now, this creature is as big as a horse but with a slim body. I could also tell that this thing was once a normal street dog but its mutation is really terrifying which signifies the strength of that thing that it ingested.

I truly wanted to cut open this dog's body to discover what happened, but now is not the time for that.

The woman is already lying on the ground with blood flowing down her nose.

I could tell that she seems to have exerted too much force in her mind which seems to have damaged her internally.

"This woman…" I wanted to walk away and let her suffer.

But I seem to hesitate for some unknown reason deep within my heart. I don't want to see her suffer or die. That thought is what's stopping me from walking away.

I clenched my fist and directly pounce downwards. With my strength already reaching one ton, the flexibility of my muscle which is able to withstand the speed of 100 kph as a maintained speed, and my bones which is as hard as a granite rock, I easily sent a very powerful punch towards the head of the unsuspecting beast.

Bam!

A loud sound reverberated throughout the forest.

The head of that beast was buried on the ground as a large crater appears.

I immediately ran towards the woman and without hesitation carried her in my arms. From what I could see she is already unconscious at this moment.

"Although you tried to kill me, I still saved you… I think I'm crazy…" I muttered while running away from this place at my top speed.

Not long after I suddenly heard a loud and long howling sound. I knew that the creature has woken up. When I punch that creature's head, I immediately knew that its skin was very flexible and tough. Plus I could tell its skull is comparable to mine.

At least the harness of its bone is terrifying.

Now I am really interested in its physique… and what caused it to mutate as such… I knew that it might be a rare herb or something judging from my experience.

While looking around, I saw a cliff. And on that cliff, I noticed a small hole.

"That would be a perfect place to hide…"

I did not hesitate and quickly dashes towards the cliff. Then with a single bound, I landed a big heavily at the mouth of the cave which is about 20 meters above the ground.

I heave a sigh of relief as I reach the cave.

But before I could relax I suddenly feel a dangerous promotion in my mind. I quickly dodge to the left as my figure rolled on the ground while carrying the woman.

As I rolled on the ground, I could see from the corner of my eyes a razor-sharp beak of some bird. But judging from the size of the bird it is about 3 meters and it looks like an eagle. I could tell that it is wounded from the bloodstains on its feathers.

But it still attacked me as I appear at the mouth of the cave.

I could not care less about the woman in my hand. I knew that if I did not defeat or kill this eagle, then I and the woman in my hand would be its dinner.

Grabbing a stone on the ground, I suddenly flick it and sent it flying towards the eagle's head.

It suddenly dodges the stone and glared at my figure angrily.

At this time, I already put down the woman in my arms. Then checking my body, I did not have anything on me. I remember that my backpack is still on the bus. I would just get it back after I escaped this place. Then from within my jacket, I could feel the box of acupuncture needles. I did not know if those would be of use against this beast, but I have no choice as I could only use the rocks in the cave's mouth and those acupuncture needles.

The eagle did not let me take a breather as it once again turns its neck and directly launches its sharp beak towards my location. I once again jump to the side and quickly brag some of the stones on the ground. Without stopping, I flick one stone after another sending them flying towards the eagle's head.

Although it was able to dodge some of the stones, yet it was not able to dodge everything. One of the sharp stones luckily hit its eye and it exploded like a pumpkin sending blood spewing all over the place.

Screech! Screech!

The eagle cried out loud which almost ruptured my eardrum. Feeling intense pain in its head, the eagle began to run wild inside the cave.

But how could I give up this chance to attack it once again? So, with that in mind, I send one of the large rocks I could find flying on its head.

Pow! Crack!

I already gave it my all, with my 1-ton strength and muscle flexibility, the large stone flew like a bullet and penetrated the head of the eagle through its open mouth as it was in the act of crying in pain.

Thud!

The eagle fell lifelessly on the ground with flood flowing out from the hole that appears at the back of its large head.

I slumped to the ground as I suddenly feel my strength leaving my body. I rested for a while as I regained my stamina for a bit.

Then I began to look around inside the cave.

I did not see anything worth taking but I noticed a few bones on the ground. Looking at the dead eagle, I could not help but smirk.

"Barbecued eagle would not be a bad dinner, right?" I muttered.

I quickly pick up the woman and laid her inside the cave.

I then began gathering the feathers of the eagle. I could see that the eagle was truly heavily wounded near its chest. From the looks of it, it seems that I could see traces of bullet wounds.

"Although they have strengthened their bodies to such degree, they still could not withstand bullets from high caliber rifles."

After removing all of its feathers, I began checking it for lice. Upon seeing that there are none, I immediately created beddings on the ground.

I hanged the eagle while fully cutting off its head using a sharpened bone.

I even cut its claws and decided to create weapons out of it as it is naturally sharp and long.

My crafting skill in making these types of weapons has increased as my knowledge of survival has grown.

…

It was already evening when I decided to cook the large eagle.

Soon a delicious smell envelops the whole cave. Although it might be dangerous, I did not care. If any beast wanted to enter this cave, then I am now confident to fight against them with my make-shift knives made of eagle's talons.

While cooking, I noticed the woman lying on the makeshift bed slowly waking up. From her mouth, a slight moan escaped.

When her eyes look around the cave, she noticed me cooking while my eyes did not leave her figure.

"You're awake… Do you want to eat?" I asked with a smile.

The woman seems too confused as she shook her head while touching her temple.

"Hey, miss… Are you okay? Do you remember your name?" I asked.

She lifted her gaze and looks at me with an alarmed expression. I knew that she seems to have remembered what had happened.

"You… How? How could you?" she asked with a stammering voice.

I did not answer her and just showed a faint smile on my face.

Grabbing the bone knife on the ground, I slice off a part of the juicy meat from the large bird meat I am grilling.

The aroma of the combined spices I have collected from this forest wafted out making the smell of the barbecued meat truly mouthwatering and delectable.

I then put it on a wooden plate I created and then I stood up to give the plate to the woman.

She seems to be on her guard as she suddenly crossed her arms on her chest while she stares at me with fear in her eyes.

"Relax, if I was planning to do anything to you, I would have already done it while you were unconscious," I said as I put the plate on the ground near her.

"Eat and recover your energy first… your… body has just recovered from its weak condition," I said with a slight smile.

The woman seems a bit confused, but she still did not eat the meat on the plate. I just shook my head and then cut a large piece of meat. Then I began gobbling it as that large meat disappears from my mouth and entered my stomach in just a few seconds.

I could immediately feel the strong amount of Qi in that piece of meat. And because of that, the small pea-like sphere behind my heart began absorbing that large amount of Qi I just ingested.

I could tell that the eagle's meat could truly provide me with a large amount of Qi and this excites me as I slice off another piece of meat.