Chapter 104: Zhou Shu, the Alien, and the Predator

“Be careful, I smell blood,” Zhou Shu said to Kate as they walked through the abandoned buildings.

“Mm,” Kate nodded, slinging her flamethrower back onto her shoulders as she scanned the deserted structures. “This seems to have been a whaling station, but it’s been abandoned for a long time.”

Zhou Shu held a large wrench from the snowmobile’s toolbox in one hand, a grenade pinched between his fingers on the other. Following the scent of blood, he soon came upon a battlefield.

Inside one building, clear signs of struggle were evident—damaged furniture, puncture wounds from sharp weapons, and several bloodstains.

On the floor, Zhou Shu found a rifle and two pistols.

With pistols and rifles involved, and such a fierce battle, Zhou Shu felt the danger was severe. A grenade alone might not be enough to handle any sudden threats, so he quickly picked up a gun.

When it came to firearms, he felt no one in Antarctica could match him.

He followed the trail further and discovered several human corpses hanging.

Seeing this and recalling the earlier battle signs and the large hole in the ice, Zhou Shu pieced things together.

Damn... the hunters know how to weave a complex narrative.

This must be connected to the plot of the first “Alien vs. Predator” movie: an abandoned Antarctic whaling station where the Weyland Corporation’s satellite detected an unknown heat source beneath the ice. Upon investigation, they discovered an underwater palace, prompting an expedition.

They hoped for a major breakthrough but unwittingly walked into an alien hunting ground.

But the timeline doesn’t match.

He recalled that the timeline for “The Thing” precedes “Alien vs. Predator” by about twenty years—how could these narratives be stitched together?

It didn’t really matter. Since it was all a virtual battleground, anything that could boost his strength was fine.

First, he fought “The Thing,” and now he had to face the Alien and Predator—it was an intense sequence.

Most importantly, one “Thing” had snuck inside. Now, inside the pyramid, there were humans, Aliens, Predators, and an Alien Queen—a super creature. If the “Thing” fused with them, who knew what monstrous abomination would result?

A shiver ran down Zhou Shu’s spine at the thought.

He had heard of the Alien and the Predator for a long time but never expected to encounter them here.

Upon reflection, these two creatures fit the theme perfectly.

One lurks in the shadows, suddenly leaping out to pierce your skull with a bite.

The other was even more outrageous—completely cloaked by optical invisibility.

Both could hone his “Anomaly Perception” ability and, in critical moments, sharpen his “Bullet Time” skill.

But this place was terribly hostile to ordinary people.

The stakes were set—Kate couldn’t die; if she did, it would be a total embarrassment. So Zhou Shu stood at the edge of the ice hole and said to her, “Kate, there are others here. I just saw some large equipment over there—they must have brought it.”

He wasn’t sure if the technology in this virtual battlefield’s “The Thing” prequel and “Alien vs. Predator” was the same, but his goal was to distract Kate.

He added, “That equipment might be strange, but it should still work. Try calling for backup. I’ll go down and take out that monster.”

Kate wasn’t a fool—she had witnessed Zhou Shu’s abilities before—so after a moment’s hesitation, she agreed.

“Alright, be careful. I’ll see if I can call for support.”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

After Kate left, Zhou Shu raised the elevator sled inside the ice shaft and slid down.

While moving, he checked his latest stats.

Before arriving here, his strength and agility had just hit level 2—a new phase.

[Hunter System (Simulation Mode)]

[User: Zhou Shu (Recruit)]

[Spirit: 2.72 (+0.26)]

[Strength: 1.61 (+0.39)]

[Agility: 1.69 (+0.31)]

[Endurance: 1.51 (+0.23)]

[Physique: 1.73 (+0.26)]

[Special Abilities: Bullet Time, Anomaly Perception]

[Weapon Proficiency: Firearms (45% mastery), Powered Exoskeleton Operation (32% mastery)]

[Support Equipment: Elite Powered Exoskeleton Armor (Good Condition)]

[Source Energy: 2.75]

Overall, his attributes had surged significantly.

He had undergone 26 training rounds; his physique steadily increased by 0.26, nearly reaching 2.

His spirit stat aimed for 3, but unlike his initial excitement, the current “Thing” no longer scared him, so his mental growth slowed.

Though spirit growth slowed, the intense combat this time boosted his strength and agility quickly—both just reaching 2.

Endurance, however... was still lacking.

He wondered if there was a virtual arena focused on endurance training.

The changes in special abilities were encouraging. The full version of “Bullet Time” had finally unlocked—using it consumed 0.1 spirit per activation, lasting 3 seconds, scaling with spirit intensity.

Anomaly Perception had advanced beyond the beginner stage to full maturity, now an active detection ability with a range ten times his spirit value, consuming 0.1 spirit per use.

His alertness had also improved, enabling more accurate passive responses to sudden threats.

Thanks to these spirit-consuming skills, it was fortunate his spirit stat was close to 3 and still rising—otherwise, he wouldn’t last.

With these attributes and skills, he felt ready to make a big impact here.

The elevator sled reached the bottom, where bright lights and powerful searchlights illuminated an oddly shaped pyramid.

Seeing this pyramid, Zhou Shu knew for certain: this fight was against Aliens and Predators, likely highly mutated variants.

What if an Alien infected a Predator, then a “Thing” infected the Alien-Predator hybrid, ultimately merging with the Alien Queen? What monstrous entity would emerge?

Suddenly, he felt a strange sense of anticipation.

With that thought, Zhou Shu dashed into the pyramid.

Perhaps this new stimulation would greatly boost his spirit.

Given the current situation, the Predator trial had surely begun, with casualties on all sides.

He quickly found the Predator’s equipment storage, only to see the boxes emptied. Two doors stood open nearby; Zhou Shu decisively chose the right one.

Inside, it was pitch black—thankfully, he had the gun from outside equipped with a tactical flashlight to illuminate the way.

His nerves tightened; his mini-map fully active, he constantly scanned his surroundings, especially the areas beyond the flashlight’s reach.

Suddenly, the entire pyramid shook; heavy stone grinding echoed in his ears.

Zhou Shu realized the space he was in was shrinking!

“Damn, I remember now—the pyramid periodically shifts its shape!”

With that thought, Zhou Shu pushed off and sprinted forward.

He took two or three steps into a corridor when suddenly the ground beneath him gave way, and he began to fall.

Luckily, quick reflexes and agility saved him; he grabbed the ledge, his legs braced against the walls.

Just as he stopped, a sudden chill ran through him. He swiftly pulled back his hand.

A massive stone slab crashed down, sealing the opening above with a thunderous sound.

“Damn it!”

As he cursed, the shaft he was in began to contract.

With the top sealed, he loosened his legs and slid downward rapidly.

The walls narrowed steadily, and soon Zhou Shu spotted an exit below—a faint light indicating a large chamber.

About twenty meters away now, as the space contracted to its limit, he tucked his legs and jumped from the narrow shaft.

*Thud.*

He landed smoothly.

Right between a Predator and an Alien.

The two had been about to collide for close combat but were startled by the sudden intruder.

“What the hell is that?!”