Zhang Chen did this to test if the automatic collection function had a distance limit!
All previous battles had directly eliminated enemies, and the collected items naturally entered his storage space.
This time, the distance was a full ten kilometers.
Could he still collect from such a long distance?!
Zhang Chen drove his SUV to the outside of the perimeter fence of Building 8.
As soon as he got out of the car, he sensed something was wrong.
There was a smell of blood in the air.
A battle had likely taken place here!
Erbang!
Zhang Chen called out.
Woof woof~ (Wolves also bark, only howling is a wolf's howl...)
Erbang responded excitedly from the yard.
It had heard the car long ago and knew Zhang Chen was back.
It was wagging its tail excitedly.
Hearing Zhang Chen call it now made it even more ecstatic.
It jumped twice but couldn't clear the high wall.
The moment Zhang Chen pushed open the wooden door.
A large dark shadow lunged forward!
Erbang, anxious to see Zhang Chen, had directly transformed into its combat form, preparing to jump over the wall.
As a result, Zhang Chen opened the door and the man and wolf collided head-on!
If Zhang Chen hadn't been strong enough, he would have been pinned down for quite a while.
Alright, alright, I'm back!
Zhang Chen said, dodging Erbang's large tongue.
When it was small, a lick was fine, but this big...
A single lick was like washing your face.
It was too much!
After licking for a while, Erbang reverted to its small wolf form.
It rubbed excitedly against Zhang Chen's feet.
Then it suddenly barked and ran to a corpse, wagging its tail excitedly.
Only then did Zhang Chen notice the six corpses lying in the yard.
They had all been bitten beyond recognition.
However, the corpses were still there, and the rings on their hands could be salvaged.
Zhang Chen salvaged them one by one, collecting another 420 + 336 (80% talent bonus) Energy Crystal Cores and 23 Storage Ring Fragments.
The collection bonus from "Riches to Rags" was truly explosive.
At this collection rate, upgrading to an intermediate awakened being would be incredibly easy!
Let's go, come upstairs with me!
Zhang Chen patted Erbang's fluffy head and walked into Building 8.
The first thing upon returning home was to shower and change into clean clothes!
By now, the sun had completely set.
Night had fallen.
It was still pitch black all around.
Zhang Chen drew the curtains and turned on the lights.
He began preparing dinner.
Today had been incredibly fulfilling.
Clearing the zombie horde in the morning, and annihilating the Japanese camp in the afternoon.
He had been so busy he forgot to eat lunch.
This wouldn't do; irregular eating habits could easily lead to stomach problems!
He needed to set reminders for himself.
Zhang Chen took out the electronic wristwatch he had collected from the Japanese earlier and set the reminder function.
He turned off the sound and switched to vibration mode.
He needed to eat something good tonight to reward himself.
Zhang Chen took out some wagyu beef and cut two slices.
He put some butter in the pan and began searing them with a sizzle.
Then he took out some sea shrimp.
He had to admit, Uesugi had good taste.
These sea shrimp were at least twenty centimeters long; they would have sold for a lot in peacetime!
Boiled shrimp.
And a self-heating rice pack.
Perfect!
Before long, the food was ready.
Zhang Chen ate with relish, not forgetting to put the High-Grade Pet Food he had gotten from the Level 3 supply box that morning into Erbang's food bowl.
While he was eating.
Suddenly, a system message popped up.
It was from Zhao Xiyue.
Zhao Xiyue wants to video call you, accept?
Note: The other party is not in your current location.
Accept!
Zhang Chen said silently in his heart.
Then, the scene before him changed.
Zhao Xiyue, wearing a military green camouflage uniform, smiled at him.
Behind her was a large floor-to-ceiling window.
Through the window, he could see rows of buildings and a few twinkling stars.
The entire environment was somewhat dim.
Brother Chen, do I look good in this outfit?
Zhao Xiyue asked with a smile.
She was already beautiful, and wearing a military uniform made her look even more heroic and dashing.
Very good-looking!
Zhang Chen nodded.
Where have you reached in your journey?
Have you arrived at the military base yet?
Zhang Chen asked.
Not yet, we've had to gather survivors, clear zombies, and collect supplies along the way...
The march is very slow. We only left Jiangnan District at dusk today, and we are currently in Taiping District!
Zhao Xiyue explained earnestly.
Mm, a steady pace is better; rushing can lead to danger!
Why is it so dark over there?
Zhang Chen asked curiously.
There's a major power outage right now, so we're spending the night in an office building!
To prevent any ill-intentioned survivors from causing trouble, we're not allowed to use lighting equipment!
And... we don't really have much lighting equipment here!
There are only two or three powerful floodlights, which the collection teams use, as resources are limited!
Zhao Xiyue paused here, then changed the subject and suddenly said:
I'm joining the material collection team tomorrow! I'll be killing zombies too!
I want to level up quickly and try to keep pace with you!
I know you didn't bring me today because you thought I'd be a burden...
I'll work hard to get stronger, and in the future, I can help you fight alongside you!
As she spoke, Zhao Xiyue's eyes sparkled.
It was as if she could already see the future of fighting side-by-side with Zhang Chen.
Mm, keep up the good work, I believe in you!
Zhang Chen said with a smile.
Ding dong! Zhao Longchuan requests to join the video chat.
Accept!
Zhang Chen readily agreed.
Then, the screen split in two.
On the left was Zhao Xiyue, and on the right was Zhao Longchuan.
Hey, Brother, I'm chatting with Brother Chen, what are you doing here!
Zhao Xiyue pouted, saying somewhat angrily.
Ah? You're chatting with Zhang Chen? Then it's fine!
I thought some scoundrel was harassing my sister!
Zhao Longchuan chuckled awkwardly and waved at Zhang Chen.
He was about to exit the video when his expression froze.
His gaze fixed on the table in front of Zhang Chen.
What's wrong, is there a problem?
Zhang Chen looked down at the table, seeing nothing unusual.
After a long moment, Zhao Longchuan was heard swallowing hard and asking:
Is that the plate of pan-fried beef and boiled shrimp in front of you?
My God, those large shrimp are hard to find. All the refrigerators in the supermarkets along the way have melted into water!
All the seafood has gone bad, and you're still managing to eat shrimp!?
Good heavens, we're all struggling to survive, and you're here on vacation!
Zhang Chen slowly peeled the shrimp skin and took a big bite, saying:
It's very delicious, would you like to try some?