T/N: Thank you Jessie for your ongoing support! This’ll be another 4 chapter RLDRFH release week.
-komorebi
Guo Bing had a sarcastic smile as he spoke to everyone: “Didn’t everyone see it? The mutant plants underneath openly ‘stealing’ crystal nuclei?”
“It’s impossible for all of it to be stolen!!”
“They’ve all been stolen.” With a fierce breath, Guo Bing looked at his brothers in the room with a hint of melancholy. “Back then, when we were using fire to burn those plants, someone secretly leaked that we shouldn’t think about them. Instead, they’ll reward everyone with gasoline and food based on their performance.”
“We will have these things after we go out for a spin. Who cares about it? It was clearly stated before the battle that teams that participated would be rewarded with crystal nuclei!” Le Tian’s eyes were a little red. He and Chen Ning both had space abilities. In the previous battles where they did not contribute, it was found that crystal nuclei can supplement the energy consumed by abilities, so they gave them to the other players in the team. Originally, he thought that after this defensive battle, maybe his ability could be upgraded once, but now? Don’t even think about it… it’s better to go out and get collect nuclei honestly.
“Some of these things are rare, so not everyone can have them.” Guo Bing glared at him. “Do you think those weapons and ammunition before the battle were given for nothing? Those are all recorded per team and head, and also counted as welfare.”
Everyone in the room was dumbfounded as they looked at each other, unable to speak for a while.
He Zizhong suddenly asked: “What happened?”
This is unreasonable. Before the defensive battle, the base’s attitude towards ability teams was still supportive and encouraging. It is impossible for attitudes to change overnight, especially when its a flip-flop from day to night. If it’s as Guo Bing said, such a thing will definitely chill the teams below.
With a hint of approval in his eyes, Guo Bing nodded slightly and sighed again. Chen Ning explained in a low voice: “During this defensive battle, the abilities were too eye-catching.”
“Eye-catching?” An ordinary team member wondered, “Aren’t abilities already very special? Aren’t they already conspicuous?”
Guo Bing sneered again, and raised his chin in a certain direction outside the window. “Like that guy, freezing the ground for thousands of miles like that, with waters overflowing, and flames burning down the camp. In the past few days, many people have appeared. If everyone was just shooting fireballs or shooting water arrows one by one, it wouldn’t have caused concern so quickly.”
It’s no wonder that the base’s measures for the teams tightened again after this battle. If it weren’t for earning a lot of points and exchanging for many things previously, it’s hard to know when they would have obtained so much.
After he complained, Guo Bing asked the team members: “This is what my friend told me. This is the opinion of most people above, but it is not clear how it is. I’m telling you now so you’re mentally prepared. If someone is going to make trouble or protest later, our team shouldn’t be involved. Don’t look at the ability teams who seem to be doing well now. When they encounter a gun, they will fall down with one shot. Now the base is still in charge, and following those people outside won’t lead to any good outcomes.”
Although they were dissatisfied in their hearts, they knew that this news might not be the final result. Everyone’s hearts were finally settled, knowing the worst outcome. It is still acceptable for everyone now.
Guo Bing originally didn’t want to mention this originally, and discussed it with Chen Ning on the way back. They were also afraid of the base leaders dealing with things in an extreme manner. So to prevent everyone’s hearts from being chilled, he gave them a preventative shot in advance.
Their worries were not blind. This time, after some people revealed their abilities in the battle, no matter the reason for their retreat, the zombies did retreat. In order to stabilize the people’s hearts, the people in charge naturally not explain this matter too clearly. However, when cause and effect aren’t clear, it naturally benefits those who were more conspicuous in battle, so when those teams recruit people later, it was much smoother than before.1If it’s not clear: 1. the base didn’t reveal news of mutant plants or there being something else driving the zombie’s retreat. 2. Teams like Allen’s who appeared powerful during the defense were seen as heroes because the reasons were unclear. 3. Many people want to join those teams as a result.
The team members went back to their rooms to rest. Guo Bing asked He Zizhong and Fang Hao to his room alone, followed by Chen Ning.
Sitting down, Chen Ning said solemnly, “This time those mutant plants… where do you think they will came from?” Are those things hidden underground outside the base? Or did they just appear recently? If they grew near the base, with so many people in the base… wouldn’t it be dangerous?!
He Zizhong shook his head. He didn’t know, but one thing was certain. “I suspect… it’s very likely that they followed those zombies.”
“Follow the zombies here?! Did they become demons2Cultivation reference to plants (or animals) gaining sentience and being able to walk around, and can walk around the world?!” Guo Bing widened his eyes. They encountered those things once and didn’t want to see them again. Knowing they can “walk”… Can things be even scarier?!
He Zizhong nodded. “We encountered mutant plants several times before. Although most of them were seen from a distance… but after removing the vines on the ground, there are no roots of the mutant plants in the soil…”
“… the roots can run?” Chen Ning felt chills on the back of his neck.
“Yes, they can run.” He Zizhong glanced at Fang Hao who was sitting next to him. The two of them were still wearing sunglasses, and he couldn’t see his expression at this time.
“God… How can people live?” Guo Bing took a breath and lay down on the bed all of a sudden, feeling as if all his strength was drained.
“When we met those mutant plants several times before, we found that they were catching zombies and ‘eating’ the crystal nuclei in their heads. It may be that we have killed the zombies for so many days in a row that attracted them. After burning the vines with fire, they should know it’s dangerous outside and leave.”
The room was silent. Just after the tide of zombies, they learned that even mutant plants look for food everywhere… Can life be even more damn exciting?
“Oh, and those zombies suddenly left… Have you encountered this situation before?”
He Zizhong was silent for a moment. It was hard to justify with spiritual zombies alone, but to put it another way… “I’ve never seen this situation before… but since there are zombies that can use fire, increase strength, and run fast, if there are zombies that can order other zombies… it’s not impossible, right?”
“This is… wait! If they were called away by the zombie boss…” Guo Bing and Chen Ning’s faces turned black again.
He Zizhong sighed heavily, raising his hand to his sunglasses. “I think, in any case, finding a way to enhance our own capabilities is the most important.”
“Fair enough, otherwise we’ll just be waiting around asking how we died… Your eyes?!”
The golden and cyan streamers were particularly conspicuous in the gloomy room. In Guo Bing and Chen Ning’s eyes the streamers seemed to be alive, as if they had special effects…
“Our abilities have been consumed a lot these days, so we basically used up all the crystal cores we had before, and my abilities also upgraded.” He Zizhong was a little helpless, and put on his sunglasses again. The light streamer effect is so conspicuous that he’s forced to wear sunglasses even if he doesn’t want to pretend to be like that.3Wearing sunglasses to pretend to be cool, etc.
“Then you are now… level three?!” The two were secretly startled again. His ability rose so fast. Their team’s ability just rose to level 2, but look at others? They’re already level 3.
“This effect, is it for all third-level abilities? Are you the same?” Seeing Fang Hao also wearing sunglasses, Guo Bing is curious about the color of his eyes now.
Fang Hao shook his head and took off his glasses. “I didn’t upgrade, I just wore them with him…” It saves him4HZZ from being the only one looking stupid in sunglasses. If it makes others feel he’s strange, then let him be weird too!
With a distorted expression, Guo Bing watched Fang Hao put his sunglasses back on again, and glanced at He Zizhong with a sigh. How could this pair be so tired and show their love in public like this?
Coughing twice, slightly reducing the halo effect between the two of them, Guo Bing said sternly, “I am afraid that we can’t depend on the base for crystal nuclei. We are going to wait for two days until the outside situation stabilizes before going out to continue collecting crystal nuclei. By the way, how many crystal nuclei do you need to upgrade from level 2 to level 3?”
He Zizhong nodded slightly. “We are also planning this. I can’t say exactly how many it took to upgrade, but I feel that after upgrading to level 2, first level nuclei are basically not very useful. Or rather, the energy provided is no longer enough. I used some level 2 crystal nuclei before the upgrade, and guess other people will also have to rely on second-level crystal nuclei to upgrade.”
Chen Ning frowned and glanced at Guo Bing. Second-level crystal nucleus… He Zizhong’s statement should be right, but after that, there are level 4 and 5… No one knows how high abilities will go, or what the highest zombie level is, but it definitely isn’t just level 2 or 3.
“Level 2… Then I’m afraid we’ll have to go deep into the city to find it.”
“I don’t know if the base can develop methods to increase the lethality of ordinary weapons, or relax ordinary people’s authority to purchase advanced weapons…” When dealing with zombies above level 2, the power of ordinary ammunition is a little insufficient. But today’s base is obviously repulsive towards and jealous of abilities.
It is estimated that the situation afterwards should be similar to the situation in He Zizhong’s previous life… The development of ability users and teams cannot be blocked by the above. It looks like they’ll have to wait until those above can think through this and find other ways to stabilize the base.
After the two returned to the villa, they returned to the space again to quickly wash, and returned to the big bed outside to make up for sleep.
Even if the two of them had well water and a rich diet, a lot of energy was consumed in the two and a half days. Especially Fang Hao, because he couldn’t use his abilities and could only attack with a gun, the burden on his shoulders was much heavier than usual. The consequence of using high concentration of mental power quickly revealed itself – not enough sleep.
Lots on base management and happenings there. Our duo will get their screen time soon enough.
Other 3 releases will be scattered through this week.
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