Chapter 7 Outside the Seventh City Wall.
Looking at the mutated rat tide that was instantly wiped out, Zuo Nan's entire worldview collapsed.
Although his strength didn't qualify him to participate in the fight against the rat tide, he had heard stories about resisting them.
Stories of armor becoming useless, instantly bitten through, and bones even snapped...
Stories of needing two to three days of rest after a battle before being able to fight again...
Stories of defensive fortifications vanishing in an instant, considered the most terrifying nights...
Many survivors who had participated in battles bore the terrifying bite marks left by mutated rats.
It was normal for a camp to lose hundreds of people.
But with Zhang Chen, it was finished with a mere snap of his fingers?!
What kind of ability was this?
Whether it was survivors or monsters, a snap of his fingers could annihilate them all?!
Zuo Nan, with his back to Zhang Chen, secretly snapped his fingers a few times.
The result...
Besides being loud, it had no effect at all...
Fortunately, Zhang Chen didn't see this scene, otherwise Zuo Nan would have been extremely embarrassed.
At this moment, Zhang Chen watched the white mist gradually dissipate, and was inventorying the spoils of this battle.
Ding! Congratulations on your successful collection of: [Energy Gathering Crystal Core] *1,000,000, [Mutated Rat Meat] *19933, [Complete Rodent Teeth] *8215, [Complete Fur] *15431, [Rare - Design Blueprint for Arctic Fur Coat], [Rare - Arctic Protection Blueprint]...
[Rare - Design Blueprint for Arctic Fur Coat]: Consume [Energy Gathering Crystal Core] *1000, [Complete Fur] *20, to craft an Arctic Fur Coat!
[Rare - Arctic Fur Coat]: Allows the wearer to walk briefly in a snowstorm and resist extreme cold below minus 50 degrees Celsius.
[Rare - Arctic Protection Blueprint]: Consume [Energy Gathering Crystal Core] *500, [Complete Fur] *100, to craft an [Arctic Protection].
[Rare - Arctic Protection]: Used to cover buildings (9 square meters) to prevent extreme cold from causing irreversible damage to the building and its internal circuits, only for extreme cold below minus 50 degrees Celsius.
Zhang Chen nodded as he looked at the spoils.
It was indeed time for items that protected against the cold.
Since the previous phase, Zhang Chen had clearly felt that it got dark earlier and earlier, and the temperature was gradually dropping.
The weather outside was already close to early autumn.
It was a bit hot at noon, and cool in the morning and evening.
Also, some mutated plants were very sensitive to temperature changes and their leaves had already started to turn yellow.
Most plants had entered their peak flowering period, and some had even borne unripe fruits.
"Winter is coming!"
Zhang Chen sighed leisurely.
In fact, his statement had a double meaning.
The first meaning was literal: winter was approaching.
The second meaning was that a cold winter was approaching for the survivors.
Previously, when the second phase of the apocalypse arrived, Zhang Chen had killed insect tides.
Although the insects were also mutated level II, which was very low, they could drop a certain number of [Energy Gathering Crystal Cores], which was beneficial for advanced Awakened to evolve into Transformed.
However, this time Zhang Chen had killed over twenty thousand mutated rats, but he hadn't even dropped a single [Super Energy Gathering Crystal Core] required for upgrading.
This meant that to obtain advanced crystal cores, one had to challenge more powerful enemies.
This was irrelevant to Zhang Chen, as he could synthesize [Super Energy Gathering Crystal Cores] from [Energy Gathering Crystal Cores].
But other survivors were not so lucky.
[Energy Gathering Crystal Cores] could only support them up to advanced Transformed.
After that, without confronting more terrifying existences, their strength would stagnate forever.
Similarly, confronting more terrifying existences would inevitably mean greater casualties.
No wonder the previous generation of轮回者 chose to hide in the walled cities.
It was simply because even the strong among survivors were no more than food at the bottom of the food chain in the mid-apocalypse environment.
That was the true doomsday world!
The original inhabitants designed the轮回 to allow them to repeatedly improve, eventually tempering themselves to the point where they could contend with the monsters of the apocalypse.
"Phew... everyone can rest. We depart precisely tomorrow morning!"
Zhang Chen commanded.
"Oh, it's so boring. I thought we could have some fun, but they turned out to be so weak!"
Xiao Bai said, resting her head on her hands behind her head, looking bored.
"Mo Ran is a bit hungry. Can I eat these little mice?"
Mo Ran stared at the mutated rats being carried by several cleaners behind Xu Ruina.
"These are for experiments. I have some rat meat here. Roast it and eat it yourself!"
Zhang Chen casually threw out 20 portions of rat meat.
Despite their large size, these mutated rats were mostly fur, bones, and internal organs.
The truly edible meat was only about thirty catties.
20 portions of rat meat amounted to 600 catties.
The weight would shrink after roasting, but it was still a considerable amount.
"Okay!"
Mo Ran nodded obediently and immediately started a bonfire on the manor's lawn.
"Woof!"
Er Pang had returned to its normal state and barked at Zhang Chen.
"I know, you're hungry too, aren't you? Then eat with Mo Ran!"
"Eat it all, don't waste it!"
Zhang Chen said, patting Er Pang's furry head.
"Woof!"
Er Pang wagged its tail excitedly and trotted over to Mo Ran.
"You guys rest. I'll research the issue of mutated creature infection tonight!"
"When I went to the parallel world before, I asked Shirley to bring me some research equipment, which can be put to good use now!"
Xu Ruina said calmly.
"Mm, okay..."
Zhang Chen originally wanted to say, "Don't research too late, get some rest!"
But he suddenly realized that Xu Ruina was currently in an infected state.
Infected individuals not only didn't need to sleep but were also particularly energetic at night.
He knew that Xu Ruina's identity as an infected being was always something she was most sensitive about, so he stopped himself midway through his sentence.
"Actually, the identity of an infected person isn't bad. I don't need to eat or sleep. As long as I'm willing, I can work 24 hours straight without feeling tired!"
"If I had this ability when researching meteor energy before, I might have already successfully researched the advanced physique potion!"
Xu Ruina chuckled self-deprecatingly, then waved her claws and said:
"Forget it, it's all in the past. I'm going to research now, goodnight~!"
"Goodnight!"
Zhang Chen also waved and returned to his room.
Not far away, the roars of wild beasts could be heard, suppressing the chirping of insects.
Elsewhere... Pingze City...
The entire city suddenly trembled, and all the buildings began to shift slowly.
Zhang Wenwen stood on the rooftop of the library and murmured:
"Let's go, take us to find the true God!"