Chapter 24: The Colossal Lizards of the Savage Marsh

The young tiger was the first to give up on the steel-jawed alligator turtle—it wasn’t big enough. The black marsh crocodile caught its attention next, but it dismissed it as well, for it was too scrawny. In the end, the young tiger chose the least valuable yet largest hatchling in the bucket: the Wild Marsh Giant Lizard.

When the young tiger roared and explained its choice to Cheng Yuan, he nodded in agreement. The Wild Marsh Giant Lizard grew quickly, so among the hatchlings in the bucket, it was the largest. In the eyes of most monsters, size equals strength.

The young tiger, unaware that it had picked the cheapest one, pressed its paw proudly atop the lizard, its head held high in triumph. Cheng Yuan patted the tiger’s head and grasped the lizard’s neck, lifting it gently.

He planned to sell the remaining hatchlings online. Most king-class monster infants, apart from fragile ones like the ice salamander, were much sturdier than ordinary creatures. Stuffing them in a bag with food, water, and air holes, they were unlikely to die, especially amphibians, which could go dormant if conditions were poor. Transporting them alive would be easy.

After leaving the dungeon, Cheng Yuan bought a contract board at the university’s convenience store. Back at the dorm, he was no stranger to the process; the Wild Marsh Giant Lizard, stunned and motionless like a dead lizard, made the contract go smoothly.

As the contract completed, the first thought Cheng Yuan heard was: "Don’t look at me, don’t look at me." He poked the lizard’s small head and spoke directly through the contract, "Alright, open your eyes. From now on, we’re companions." The lizard squeezed its eyes shut even tighter, and Cheng Yuan laughed, hearing its inner voice: "How can I understand what this naked ape is saying? It must be fake."

Cheng Yuan gently lifted the lizard’s chin, tracing a finger along it. "My name is Cheng Yuan. I’ll be your trainer from now on. The tiger beside me is the Weijin White Tiger, your new companion." The lizard repeated to itself, "Cheng Yuan?" Cheng Yuan tapped its head, "That’s right."

This time, the Wild Marsh Giant Lizard opened its eyes. It stared at the smiling naked ape before it, feeling no malice. In those deep brown pupils, its own reflection was clear. "Cheng Yuan?" The lizard opened its mouth and made a sound, unintelligible to outsiders, but Cheng Yuan understood through their bond. He nodded. The lizard was even more shocked—its shallow understanding, less than a month old, couldn’t grasp what had happened to it.

Soon, it realized one thing: it seemed to be in a very safe place, with no worries about food or drink. The lizard looked at the young tiger, lying on the bed, yawning in the sunlight.

At first, it was afraid. But noticing the tiger rarely glanced its way, it walked over, stretched half its body beside the tiger, and stared intently. The tiger, basking in sunlight, sensed the gaze and looked puzzled. "Why are you staring at me?"

The lizard instantly understood. The tiger’s gaze grew scrutinizing. "Did I pick a blockhead for a teammate?" The lizard, now sprawled on the bed, called out, "Can I sunbathe with you?" "Why not?" With no sense of danger, the lizard felt a strange comfort—something only remembered from a fleeting encounter with its mother.

Under that feeling, the Wild Marsh Giant Lizard closed its eyes, like a train that had been roaring forward, gradually slowing to a halt.

Cheng Yuan opened the lizard’s stats panel. After a glance, he told the young tiger, "This Wild Marsh Giant Lizard will soon catch up to you." The tiger raised its head proudly, "I have good taste, don’t I?"

Species: Wild Marsh Giant Lizard
Level: 5
Gender: Male
Racial Trait: Survivor (note)
Attribute: Water
Talent: None
Skills: Swimming LV6, Water Gun LV7, Bite LV7, Climbing LV8, Night Vision LV9, Digging LV3, Water Shield LV4, Healing LV3
Evolution Paths: 1. Adult Stage – Wild Marsh Giant Lizard, 2. Adult Stage – Demon-Eyed Tree Lizard...

At just level five, it already had eight skills, most above LV5. Cheng Yuan knew it would gain new abilities at the next level. Before reaching king-class, the Wild Marsh Giant Lizard’s skill count was among the highest.

There’s a saying: you can never guess what skill a Wild Marsh Giant Lizard will use next.

He checked its evolution options. To reach adulthood as a Wild Marsh Giant Lizard required LV14—about the same as the young tiger, even two levels lower. This meant the lizard could overtake the tiger by evolving earlier, since those two extra levels demanded more time and resources. Its other evolution path needed LV17, but in the wild, this form was rarely chosen over the Wild Marsh Giant Lizard.

Lower evolution level means faster growth. At level fourteen, I’ll be a two or three-meter giant lizard, while you’re still a tiny one. Combined with a rich skill pool—deadly.

Cheng Yuan quickly set its training plan: at night, it would swim in the water, honing both swimming and night vision. He was also curious about the upper limit of the advanced night vision skill, Day-Night Eyes.

He glanced at the two little creatures, already asleep. Quietly, he closed the door, used his phone navigation, and carried the bucket of hatchlings to the bird and fish market, selling them to a shop.

On his way back, he touched his phone, now holding tens of thousands—enough for the tiger and lizard to feast for a month on monster meat. Sadly, the young tiger still needed six levels to evolve to adulthood, where it would finally have the ability to survive in the dungeon and truly possess the powers that Cheng Ze Long and the others had, no longer just a tagalong.

Back in the dorm, the two little ones were awake and lively. After a hearty meal in the cafeteria, they returned to the dungeon to fish. The tiger practiced wind-assisted running; the lizard’s training was simpler—swim fast in the water, rest, then swim again, repeating the process.

The Wild Marsh Giant Lizard dove underwater, so it didn’t disturb Cheng Yuan’s fishing. Their catches allowed the tiger and lizard to quickly replenish their energy.

Thus, Cheng Yuan fished into the deep night. Suddenly, he heard a familiar roar, long and echoing. White mist spread from the lake’s center—he realized the dungeon monsters had refreshed.

But it didn’t affect him; Cheng Yuan continued fishing.