Chapter 1: I am Minotaur

  The dark sky was turbulent with dark clouds, and electric snakes flashed from time to time. The rain poured down to the ground, starting a new cycle, and Elan welcomed another rainy season. The people of Salte liked this kind of weather, because in Elan, there is only one rainy season in a year, and anyone would be delighted in front of the rain that they see only once a year. The two-month-long torrential rains will moisten the parched earth for a long time, and crops will also be sown after the end of the rainy season.

  Perhaps it is the love for the rainy season that many gods in Sart mythology were born during the rainy season, bringing hope and wealth to the Sart people. For example, the electric snake spreading across the sky is believed by the Sart people to be a roar from a giant named Nasi. This giant was born on the dry land of Eran after three years of drought, and fought against the giant monster Sasura who brought drought to Eran for five years, eventually defeating it and bringing rainwater and life to Eran. Nasi also became a god from a giant, and every time the rainy season comes, he lets out a roar to prevent Sasura from reviving.

  Yes, throughout the entire Hill continent, demons are immortal. A long time ago, the wise men of the continent knew that demons could never be completely eradicated, no matter how clean a region was cleared of them, after a period of time, all kinds of demons would reappear in their original places like they grew out of the ground.

  The monsters that inhabit the south face of Hiller are known for their complexity, and in Hiller you can almost find any monster you can imagine. This also makes Hiller one of the most difficult places for humans to survive on the continent, as few people can tolerate the destruction of villages by monsters time and time again, perhaps only the Sart people who have lived here for generations can endure, those ubiquitous monsters.

  However, bad things often have their good side. Due to the existence of demons, almost no intelligent creature dares to covet this land. While humans in the Central Plains Empire are fighting over land or resources with "brick" in hand, the people of Sart are sharpening their swords and singing songs, ridiculing human foolishness. It is ironic that often, more people die in the internal strife of the Central Plains humans than at the hands of demons. The long-term battle against demons has also made the Sart people born strong, with combat power unmatched by anyone.

  Due to their robust physique and height, the Sart people call themselves Highlanders, a different race from humans. Although the people of the Central Plains think that these big fools are just brain-damaged from fighting monsters for too long, this damage is commonly known as brain retardation.

  "The rainy season, it's that time of year again." A sturdy large hand stretched out from under the eaves, feeling the cool rainwater that had just started falling this year. The muscular arm belonged to a Sarte warrior, who at 1.9 meters tall was only average height among his people. The warrior wore a dark brown linen tunic with many hooks for hanging armor plates, and a necklace made of animal teeth hung around his thick neck, while his scarred face sported a strange mustache.

  "Yes. I wonder if there will be more monsters on the mountain this year than in previous years." Another girl in the room was sewing a leather boot with a large bone needle, chatting with the warrior by the window. For the sake of sowing after the rainy season, the people of Sart every year take advantage of the rainy season, which is not busy, to clear out monsters and ensure that sowing will not be disturbed.

  "It's probably going to be more than last year." The warrior judged: "Yesterday, a group of goblins rushed into the village, which is not a good sign."

  "Maybe, but Ares will be thrilled." The girl made a finishing knot and handed the boots to the warrior, saying: "There will be an exciting battle this year, won't there, brother?"

  "Ah! That's right." The warrior's gaze was firm and confident, Sart people were never afraid.

  "A strange ceiling." Mo Yan muttered silently as he opened his eyes. After a moment of silence, Mo Yan jumped up from where he was sleeping and cursed, "Ceiling, your sister! It's obviously the top of a cave!" Although this is what Mo Yan had intended to say, what reached his ears was a strange sound that was completely unlike any human language.

  "What's going on?" Mo Yan tried to say a couple more sentences, but they were still strange cries.

  "Head, awake? Awake?" A group of green-skinned monsters rushed into the cave, surrounding Mo Yan and chattering loudly. Their cries were as strange as what Mo Yan had just said, yet somehow different, but strangely, Mo Yan understood these cries perfectly, and felt no fear towards these monsters, even with a hint of disdain in his heart. Perhaps it was because the green-skinned monsters were very short, only reaching Mo Yan's waist. These green-skinned creatures had pointed ears, sparse hair, long and pointed noses with thick snot hanging from them, their bodies hunched over, and many were naked, with the most dressed ones only covering their lower body, resembling goblins from a game.

  Bang! Mo Yan slapped a monster that was about to touch him with its dirty hands, and the great force sent it crashing into the wall of the cave, turning it into a pile of minced meat. The loud noise from the impact made all the green-skinned monsters quiet down, lying on the ground waiting for Mo Yan's next move, without any sympathy for the unlucky monster.

  "My... my... hand?" Although Mo Yan didn't know when he had obtained the incredible power, now his own arm was a huge problem! Mo Yan stared at his arm with wide eyes. This sturdy and thick arm covered in dense short brown hair absolutely couldn't be his own.

  "Where's a mirror! I want a mirror!" Mo Yan cried out in some panic, frantically feeling his head and examining his body. Then Mo Yan stopped moving, he had found a pair of sturdy horns growing on his head. He could feel that the horns were connected to his skull. He saw a robust body covered with fur, human feet grew from cow legs, a huge, discordant thing hung from his waist, swaying with his movements.

  Mo Yan is now an ox-headed man.

  "Is this a crossover? Is this really a crossover?" Mo Yan sat stupidly on the stone bed in the cave, his eyes dull: "Then just cross over, why is it a cow-headed person? Although some things have become very large, but... why is it a cow-headed person?" Mo Yan somewhat understood, no wonder he didn't quite fit in with those earth spirits. It turned out that he was also a monster. No wonder he always felt that this cave was too short. Hehe... it turned out that he had become a cow-headed person!

  "Head?" A nearby earth spirit asked timidly: "Mirror? What?"

  "Isn't there a mirror here?" Mo Yan asked this earth spirit.

  "The mirror, doesn't exist." The earth spirit fell silent for half a day, furrowing his brow and blinking his eyes as if he had exhausted all his wisdom before saying: "The mirror, I don't know."

  "Is that so." Mo Yan waved his hand and said, "Then there's no need to look for it anymore. You guys can clear away...that pile of meat over there." Mo Yan pointed at the poor guy he had just slapped into a pulp.

  "Alright, head." The only speaking earth spirit happily stood up, pointed at a few earth spirits standing close to him, rushed towards the pile of minced meat and actually started eating it in big mouthfuls.

  "Get out and eat!" Mo Yan looked at the earth spirit with a mouthful of fresh blood, feeling nauseous. A surge of anger rose to his head, as if he was about to be touched by the earth spirit's filthy hands. However, Mo Yan didn't notice that he hadn't opposed the earth spirit eating its companion's corpse, this demon's body had already changed him a bit.

  The Minotaur's roar echoed through the cave, a group of goblins scrambled and one snatched a piece of broken meat and ran out, while the bold goblin who dared to speak got the largest piece, and no other goblin competed with him on his way out.

  "It seems that this body is too prone to anger." Mo Yan shouted and shook his head somewhat regretfully. This was completely not his usual style, he wasn't the kind of person who got angry easily. After taking a few deep breaths and calming down, Mo Yan began to think.

  Then he concluded a few points, first of all, the possibility of this being Earth is very small, and even if it were Earth itself, it would have already turned into a Minotaur, and its appearance would be estimated to be eliminated. There is a group of earth spirits under his command, which is not bad. However, he is heavily influenced by his body and often cannot control his temper. "After all, I want to cultivate the ancestral skills passed down from generation to generation," Mo Yan sighed, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on the stone bed, and began to practice the ancestral true cultivation technique...

  "I'm just an ordinary person, I have a bit of skill! Not second-rate!" Mo Yan jumped up after being quiet for a moment, grabbed the leather pillow on the bed and slammed it to the ground in anger.

  "Haha……" Mo Yan burst into laughter again, having just finished another self-deprecating monologue. Although his recent introspection hadn't completely untangled the knot in his heart, it had helped him understand some things. He was still the same old himself, even if he'd become more prone to anger and his body had transformed into a monster. He remained the Mo Yan who loved to mock himself and play pranks on others. As for his body, well, that could be discarded like dignity. And now that he'd turned into a monster, Halloween costumes were completely unnecessary...if they even celebrated Halloween here. ——————————————————— Come on, come read my book, fresh from the mind of an unscrupulous Minotaur! I write with sincerity!