Chapter 460 - 216: Ape and Leopard Woman

After subduing the restless Gorilla Beastmen, Li Ziyu asked again, "Speak. What Tribe do you belong to, and what do you know?"

Li Ziyu had just arrived in the Void Land and knew nothing about it. He was unfamiliar with the environment, the inhabitants, and even what he was supposed to be looking for. He was starting from scratch. He hoped to get some information from the Beastmen before him so he could begin to understand this place.

The three Gorilla Beastmen looked at each other, and one was chosen as a representative to speak with Li Ziyu. "We are of the Ape Race, from the Black-Backed Ironback Ape lineage. My name is Gangben Black Ridge, and these are Du Lei Black Ridge and Jieshi Black Ridge. We represent the Black Ridge Tribe and greet the great King of Skulls."

After Gangben Black Ridge finished speaking, he noticed the Human on the throne was giving him a strange look.

’Hmm, those names are... rather provocative... Is this a coincidence, or some kind of quantum mechanical inevitability?’

’Wait a minute, what Race did that guy say he was from? The Ape Race, right?’

’Heh, Apes, hahaha... Just my luck. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’

On the surface, Li Ziyu remained impassive, steady as a rock, but inwardly, his mind was in turmoil and he was starting to panic.

To prepare for his advance into the Central Zone, he had spoken with Batubohe about its Strong Races. Batubohe had warned him about two Races to be wary of and avoid provoking at all costs. The first was the Mouse Race: technologically advanced, adept with poisons, and with a population of staggering size. The Transmigrator Alliance had been defeated by them.

The other was the Ape Race, also a Strong Race of the Central Zone. Although their numbers were far from the Mouse Race’s massive population, the individual combat prowess of the Ape Race far surpassed them.

The Ape Race’s social structure was divided into upper and lower tiers based on their lineage. The upper tier consisted of sub-races with formidable combat strength who held ruling power, typically gorilla-like Apes. The lower tier was made up of laborers, cannon fodder, and servants from other sub-races, which were predominantly monkey-like Apes.

The Ape Race was exceptionally warlike. They not only constantly waged external wars, but their internal strife was also incredibly severe. They fought almost every single day, yet somehow, they only grew stronger and more powerful.

Of course, becoming a Strong Race in the Central Zone wasn’t as simple as just being warlike. The Ape Race’s technology was on par with the Mouse Race’s, but they followed a path of brute strength, revering pure Power. Furthermore, the Apes were also intelligent, with a strong capacity for learning. They might look big and brutish, but they were actually incredibly shrewd and cunning.

The Ape Race’s internal strife was intense, but the moment an external enemy appeared, all Apes would cease their infighting to unite against the common foe. Once the external threat was eliminated, they would immediately return to their internal power struggles.

Li Ziyu never imagined that just after arriving in the Void Land, his casual attempt to grab a few guides would land him members of the Ape Race. What were the odds?

Thank goodness this was the Void Land. If this had happened in the Central Zone, Li Ziyu would already be preparing to flee. Mess with the young, and the old will come for you, which would quickly escalate into a massive conflict: Undead versus Apes. Given the Undead’s current combat strength, they would most likely be utterly crushed by the Ape Race in a one-sided slaughter...

’Survival isn’t easy. I’ll have to tread carefully.’

After sighing inwardly, Li Ziyu carefully observed the three Ape Race gorillas before him. This was an excellent opportunity to learn more about their kind.

The three Apes were on all fours, standing about 180cm tall. They were covered in thick, grayish-white fur, with the sole exception of a strip of glossy black fur running down their spines. This was likely the origin of their lineage’s name, "Black Ridge."

The physique of a Black-Backed Ironback Ape was incredibly powerful, with extremely well-developed muscles that could rival the bodybuilders from his past life. Their arms were long and thick, while their lower limbs were comparatively slender.

They were clad in Armor, all three sets identical and apparently standard-issue. They wore chestnut-shaped helmets, heavy Metal Plates on their chests, bracers on their arms, and greaves on their legs. All the Armor was forged from metal, and it was far from being crudely made. While the design was rugged, the pieces were polished to a remarkable smoothness.

There was no need to compare the Apes’ gear to that of the Races from the remote Wasteland Li Ziyu came from; it could even hold its own against the machine-fabricated equipment of his past life. Truly worthy of a Strong Race from the Central Zone.

’I can’t underestimate the Natives of this Otherworld,’ Li Ziyu silently admonished himself. ’They have both Magic and technology flourishing, and with so many different Races, their creativity is no less than that of Humans.’

’These three—Gangben Black Ridge, Du Lei Black Ridge, and Jieshi Black Ridge—must be from a ruling-class lineage. But take away their Armor, and they’re just three huge gorillas. Hmm. They’re called Beastmen, but looking at them, they’re kind of an embarrassment to the Beastman Race. It’s like they barely evolved at all.’

Though it seemed like a lot, all of this flashed through his mind in an instant. The three Apes only saw Li Ziyu fall silent for a few seconds before he spoke. "I recall the Ape Race is a Strong Race in the Central Zone. What brings you to the Void Land?"

A gleam flashed in the three Apes’ eyes at his words. Though it was a single question, it revealed a significant amount of information.

’He knows our Race, he knows about the Central Zone, and he knows where we are now. That means he must be like us—someone who came here from the Wasteland.’

’But when did the Undead Race appear in the Wasteland? Aren’t they a legendary Race? Why have they suddenly shown up now?’