Zhang Chen took out a pan-fried Wagyu steak and placed it on the tabletop.
He had originally intended to prepare some other dishes.
Suddenly, he realized that besides meat and staple foods, vegetables had become a scarce resource in his inventory. He decided to make do with it.
"Oh well, I'll just eat a few more slices of Wagyu as a reward for today's fierce battle!"
While eating, Zhang Chen began to sort through his spoils of war.
The energy crystal cores and fertilizers he obtained were beyond counting, an explosive amount.
Current upgrade progress was 33520/20000*2!
And this number was still slowly increasing.
It was likely due to the two automated sentry turrets at the bridge working tirelessly.
This was great, earning crystal cores while lounging at home!
AFK leveling?!
Zhang Chen examined the loot.
He focused on the useful and items requiring identification.
[Supply Crate Sensor]*1, [Researcher Identity Card]*1, [Unidentified Strange Key]*1, [All Technology Blueprint 23]*1, [Talent Crystal]*3...
[Powerful Energy Thousand Bone Blade Blueprint]*1: Consume 1000 Energy Crystal Cores, [Sharp Claws]*100, [Keen Claws]*10, [Evolved Blood]*50, [Tough Leather]*10.
It could be used to craft a formidable energy weapon, the Thousand Bone Blade!
[Crispy Fruit Seed]*10: Can be planted to grow delicious Crispy Fruits, rich in essential nutrients and vitamins!
[Sand Coconut Seed]*20: Can be planted to grow juicy and sweet Sand Coconuts. The juice is refreshing, and the flesh is edible with some detoxification effects!
[Advanced Pet Nutrient Solution]*5: Provides all the energy and nutrition required for pet growth, accelerating the growth process!
[Zombie Virus Antibody]*13: Upon injection, grants permanent immunity to the zombie virus. For infected survivors, it can extend life by 30 days. This serum is ineffective against zombies!
[Rare Skill: Blueprint Optimization]*1: Upon learning, you can consume a certain amount of energy crystal cores to upgrade the attributes of a crafted item by one level!
[Rare Skill: All-Round Chef]*1: Upon learning, you will instantly become a master chef, automatically acquiring recipes for all cuisines and forming muscle memory!
[Rare Gene Enhancement: Rod Cell Modification]*1: Can strengthen and modify rod cells, enhancing visual acuity, allowing recognition of camouflage, mimicry, and invisibility, while also granting night vision!
[Gene Enhancement: Balance]*1: Enhances the user's balance, but with a certain chance of growing a tail behind them!
...
Good heavens...
The last item might actually grow a tail?!
Using this could even change my species!
[Gene Enhancement: Balance] is absolutely unusable!
Zhang Chen instinctively opened the chat channel.
He found that the entire Jiangnan region's chat channel had instantly become exceptionally quiet.
Not a single person was speaking.
He then opened the auction house.
All the listed supplies were gone.
These people...
They sure are fast runners!
If only I knew, I didn't need to fight so hard to intercept them!
What a pointless effort!
Zhang Chen certainly didn't believe they had been wiped out.
After all, the ones that got past were just ordinary zombies.
Many survivors could already easily crush zombies of that caliber.
And even in the worst-case scenario, being trapped in a room, they could still chat.
With no one saying anything now, it could only mean everyone had evacuated!
Zhang Chen used all the blueprints one by one!
Ding! Congratulations on learning [Rare Skill: Blueprint Optimization]!
Ding! Congratulations on learning [Rare Skill: All-Round Chef]!
Ding! Congratulations on your gene modification, acquiring [Rod Cell Modification]!
Ding! Congratulations on injecting [Zombie Virus Antibody], you are now immune to the zombie virus!
Zhang Chen poured the [Advanced Pet Nutrient Solution]*5 into Er Pang's food bowl.
Er Pang, who was about to sleep, perked up upon hearing the sound and quickly got up.
It looked down at the food bowl, then up at Zhang Chen.
Its expression seemed to say: You just fed me, didn't you forget?
Good grief, you're not planning to stuff me to death, are you!
Zhang Chen was too exhausted to pay attention to Er Pang's thoughts and continued to examine his spoils of war.
Crafting the Thousand Bone Blade!
Ding! You have consumed 1000 Energy Crystal Cores, [Sharp Claws]*100, [Keen Claws]*10, [Evolved Blood]*50, [Tough Leather]*10...
Energy Weapon [Thousand Bone Blade] successfully crafted!
A wide-bladed longsword, about a person tall, appeared before him.
Its cross-section was formed by numerous clearly textured claws pressed together.
The blade edge was composed of countless sharp claw tips arranged in a dense straight line!
It was somewhat similar to a serrated knife.
Sharp and suitable for cutting through extremely tough materials!
[Blueprint Optimization]!
Ding! Optimizing the Thousand Bone Blade requires 1000 Energy Crystal Cores!
Hmph, a thousand?
Zhang Chen was now the least lacking in crystal cores.
While other survivors might still be fighting over a dozen crystal cores.
Zhang Chen no longer paid attention to crystal cores in the thousands.
Activate skill!
A bright light flashed!
The name [Thousand Bone Blade] turned into [Rare · Thousand Bone Blade]!
The entire sword's aura felt more powerful.
Upon closer inspection, faint golden streams of light could be seen on the blade.
[Rare · Thousand Bone Blade]: When in combat, it can absorb 10% of the opponent's total attributes and add them to the user, lasting until the end of the battle.
This additional attribute was quite impressive.
Directly weakening the opponent and strengthening himself!
Even if he faced an opponent of completely equal strength...
With this weapon, Zhang Chen could gain the upper hand.
An ultimate artifact for those of the same tier!
Of course, at present, such a person was completely impossible.
Zhang Chen then turned his attention to the [Energy Armor].
This was also something he had crafted, and it should be optimizable!
As expected, information immediately popped up:
Ding! Optimizing [Energy Armor] requires 500 Energy Crystal Cores!
Optimize immediately!
Ding! [Energy Armor] optimization complete, upgraded to [Rare · Energy Focusing Armor]!
[Rare · Energy Focusing Armor]: When receiving energy attacks, it can automatically convert a portion of the energy into crystal cores, while reducing the corresponding energy damage!
Hiss...
If I could find a hundred awakened individuals to unleash [Energy Strike] at me...
Wouldn't that save me even more time for grinding in the future?
Zhang Chen mused to himself.
After sorting through his spoils of war, Zhang Chen was so tired his eyes could barely stay open.
He then lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.