Chapter 56 The Silver Hunter
June 28th, the last three days of the fourth apocalyptic rule's effective period.
Guan Tong woke up in the morning and stood on the path, looking up at the sky.
The leaden clouds had dominated the sky for almost a month, and in three days they would finally dissipate.
"It's been almost a month since I've seen the sun... I'm lucky I haven't gotten sick."
Even in countries with polar nights every year, the incidence of depression and other illnesses is high, let alone in a country like Beixing, where many people like to go out to sunbathe and air out their clothes and blankets.
After so many days of blizzards, the harm to humanity is not just the snow disaster; the chain reaction will also cause various secondary disasters, which will be a big problem.
Just like Wang Yan and Chen Na, the mother and daughter who chose to leave the village.
Seeing one example, one can see the whole picture. In so many villages and towns across the country, there will always be some foolish or reckless people who don't prepare enough supplies themselves in time, and then steal from others when they run out.
For those who are robbed, these thieves are more hateful than the snow disaster, and the damage they cause may be even greater.
Although Guan Tong hadn't witnessed it firsthand, he knew that human tragedies caused by the rules of the apocalypse must be happening every moment in this world.
All he could do now was take care of himself. Under the rules of the apocalypse, even protecting oneself was difficult, let alone helping the world.
He took out the [Wordless Book], turned to the second page, and wrote the character for "gun" yesterday. However, because his mental energy was depleted, he could only sleep until today to recover before materializing it.
"Come on. A shotgun, I want a shotgun, not a long spear!"
Guan Tong silently repeated to himself, hoping the [Wordless Book] would materialize the written concept according to his wishes, while injecting his mental energy into it.
Soon, the words on the page began to deform and float.
Just like a shadow detaching from the page for the first time, it also began to detach and solidify into reality with the injection of mental energy.
The next moment, a silver shotgun actually materialized!
"Success!"
Guan Tong was overjoyed. He hadn't expected the [Wordless Book] to actually materialize the words as he had imagined!
It wasn't a rifle, nor a pistol, but a shotgun!
This meant that as long as one's mental energy could meet the requirements for materialization, even if the text written on the pages of a book was a "vague requirement," it could still be achieved.
This discovery would undoubtedly greatly help in the future materialization of other concepts, but for now, Guan Tong's attention was entirely focused on the shotgun in his hand.
The reason he chose a shotgun instead of some pistol or sniper rifle was because it was simple and straightforward, requiring no diligent practice of marksmanship or accuracy; it was ready to use right away! At
this moment, Guan Tong gripped the handle with one hand and supported the barrel with the other, feeling a unique metallic texture.
Moreover, this shotgun had a stockless design, and there was a small electronic screen on the right side of the handle, the purpose of which was unknown. Also, after studying it for a while, he still couldn't figure out how to load the bullets.
But he immediately realized—this shotgun materialized from the [Wordless Book] didn't require manual loading.
But this didn't mean it had unlimited bullets. Guan Tong quickly discovered that its bullets were generated by consuming mental energy, and there were three types in total, numbered 1-3.
The No. 1 bullet is a standard large-area projectile, suitable for dealing with small wild animals or multiple enemies, requiring 5 points of mental energy to generate one.
The No. 2 bullet is a large-caliber slug, suitable for hunting a single large wild animal, requiring 10 points of mental energy to generate one.
Finally, the No. 3 bullet is a high-explosive round for demolition, the most powerful bullet, and also the most energy-consuming, requiring a full 30 points of mental energy to generate one!
With Guan Tong's current mental energy cap of 122 points, the lowest-cost No. 1 shotgun can generate a maximum of 24 rounds; the No. 2 slug can generate a maximum of 12 rounds; and the No. 3 high-explosive round can generate a maximum of 4 rounds.
"Looks like if I want unlimited shooting fun in the future... I'll have to increase my mental energy cap a lot more."
Guan Tong first tried to generate a No. 1 shotgun by consuming 5 points of mental energy.
After generating it, the small electronic screen on the left side of the gun handle lit up, displaying: No. 1 * 1
"So this small screen displays the number of bullets..."
Guan Tong saw the words on the screen and felt that it was a bit like in a shooting game, being able to electronically display the number of bullets was very convenient.
After the bullets were generated, he aimed at the snow wall beside the path and pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
A muffled sound rang out, and a dense network of deep craters immediately appeared on the snow wall, a sight that sent chills down one's spine.
"The No. 1 bullet is already this powerful; the No. 2 and No. 3 must be even more terrifying… Not bad!"
High power was definitely a good thing, and Guan Tong was overjoyed.
But just imagining it wasn't enough; he planned to test the No. 2 and No. 3 bullets in another location later. He
couldn't test these two types of bullets on the snow wall beside the path again; if he accidentally collapsed the snow wall and it fell into the path he had painstakingly cleared every day, Guan Tong would truly be devastated.
Looking at the silver, metallic-looking shotgun in his hand, he pondered for a moment, then, just like with "Shadow," gave the gun a name.
"From now on, I'll call you 'Silver Hunter,' or 'Silver Hunter' for short."
After naming it, Guan Tong glanced at the small electronic screen on the left side of the grip. The screen had gone black again after that shot; it seemed it wouldn't light up without bullets.
He thought for a moment, then used his mental energy to generate one size 2 bullet and one size 3 bullet. The electronic screen immediately lit up, displaying in two rows:
Size 2 * 1,
Size 3 * 1.
Guan Tong looked at it, thinking, "Could I store more bullets in the gun beforehand?"
For example, generating a few bullets today and storing them, then storing a few more when his mental energy recovered tomorrow. If he slowly accumulated hundreds of bullets, wouldn't it be almost like having unlimited ammo when needed?
Guan Tong's idea was good, but reality quickly slapped him in the face.
He tried to put the gun back into the [Wordless Book], and when he summoned it again, the two bullets he had just generated were gone. The frustrating thing is that not only were the bullets depleted, but the mental energy consumed in generating them wasn't refunded either!
This means that if he wants to store bullets, he has to keep the gun out and can't put it back into the [Book Without Words].
Actually, this isn't impossible, because unlike the "Shadow," the "Silver Hunter" doesn't continuously consume mental energy after it's materialized.
Once the Shadow is summoned, it continuously consumes mental energy to maintain its existence, regardless of whether you tell it to do anything.
The Silver Hunter, on the other hand, is a one-time deal; it only consumes mental energy when summoned, and doesn't consume it afterward. Only generating bullets consumes mental energy.
In other words, if he wants to store bullets, he has to keep the gun with him after summoning it and not put it back into the book.
However, this will cause some trouble.
Carrying a shotgun is fine in the wild, but in the city, he has to carry it in a backpack so that no one can see it.
After all, even in countries where guns aren't banned, walking around on the street carrying a shotgun will get you arrested by the police.
"It's a bit of a hassle, but I'll keep the gun in my bag for now." While
it's not as convenient as being able to use it immediately, with limited mental energy, storing extra bullets beforehand might come in handy in a critical moment. A little inconvenience is better than running out of ammo and losing your life.
"Brother Guan!"
Just as Guan Tong was about to clear the snow from the path and test the power of the No. 2 and No. 3 rounds, Chen Na's voice came from not far away, sounding almost tearful. Guan
Tong immediately put the gun away in his book, walked up the steps to the snow wall, and saw Chen Na running towards him, tears still on her face.
"What's wrong, Na?" Guan Tong immediately went to meet her and asked.
"My mom, my mom says her stomach hurts! Brother Guan, do you have any medicine?"
"Stomach hurts? I'll go get the first-aid kit."
Guan Tong went back to his camp and took out the emergency first-aid kit he had brought from the supply depot. Although it didn't contain any special stomach medicine, it had painkillers to relieve the pain.
He took the painkiller box and went to the truck with Chen Na. Wang Yan was curled up on her side on the sleeper berth, sweating profusely, looking like she was in great pain.
"Sister Wang, I have some painkillers here. Take some to ease your mind." Guan Tong took out the pills and handed them to Chen Na, asking her to feed them to her mother.
After swallowing the pill, Wang Yan forced a smile: "Thank you, Xiao Guan."
"It's nothing, but what's wrong with you all of a sudden, Sister Wang? Is it a stomach problem?"
"Sigh, it's an old problem from when I used to drive around day and night delivering goods and didn't eat properly... It's nothing serious, the pain will pass."
"Sister Wang, hang in there. The rules will end in three more days. Go to the city hospital for a checkup after the snow melts."
Wang Yan sighed: "The rules are almost over, but will the snow melt anytime soon? Xiao Guan, don't worry about it, I'm fine, I'll get better soon."
"Okay." Guan Tong nodded, then thought for a moment and said, "I have a couple of packets of instant noodles. I'll cook some for you. Something warm might help."
"No, Xiao Guan, you keep them for yourself!"
"It's okay, I'll go get them."
"Sigh, this... then I'll trade you some milk. I can't let you suffer a loss." Wang Yan said earnestly.
"Okay." Guan Tong knew Wang Yan was principled and didn't want to take advantage of others, so she agreed.
Chapter 57 Rules End.
Guan Tong cooked a packet of instant noodles using a gas stove. Wang Yan seemed to feel better after eating it and fell asleep.
Chen Na said that her mother hadn't slept much last night. Because there was only one sleeper berth in the car, she, as the daughter, slept in the berth at night, while her mother, Wang Yan, would make do on the seat and then sleep for half a day during the day.
"Brother Guan, is it because Mom hasn't been sleeping well at night that her stomach hurts?" Chen Na asked with a hint of self-reproach. "It's all my fault for being so selfish."
Guan Tong comforted her, "Don't say that. Your mom definitely wants you to sleep well too. But since your mom is sick now, you should let her sleep in the bed tonight."
"Okay! I know. I'll tell Mom when she wakes up."
Chen Na added, "By the way, Brother Guan, I've been able to control the opening and closing of my [Perception Domain] these past few days, just like you said."
"That's good. You can practice more often. This cycle of consuming and recovering mental energy will also accelerate the increase in your mental energy limit."
After saying that, Guan Tong left the painkillers for Chen Na, got out of the car, and went back to his camp.
People eat grains and other foods, so getting sick is inevitable.
However, in the post-apocalyptic era, just dealing with the challenges brought by the rules requires all one's strength. If illness comes along and holds you back, it will only make matters worse.
Therefore, Guan Tong himself has been paying attention to this, trying to eat well, sleep well, and keep his body warm.
He only used the 6 hours each day when his [Thermostatic Technology Underwear] was effective to work, and afterwards, he would stay in his warm sleeping bag as much as possible.
Back at camp, he didn't waste any time, immediately grabbing his folding shovel and finishing the day's snow-clearing work on the trails.
After clearing the snow, he jogged in his [Multi-Terrain Marching Boots], making his way to the forest on the other side of Mingdao Mountain.
He ran so far because he wanted to test the No. 2 and No. 3 rounds of the [Silver Hunter]. The No. 2 slug was fine, but he was worried that the No. 3 explosive round would be too loud and might frighten Chen Na or wake Wang Yan if it got too close to the camp.
"Let's try No. 2 first."
Guan Tong consumed 10 points of mental energy to generate a No. 2 round.
Then, he held the barrel with his left hand, aimed at a large tree, and pulled the trigger with his right.
"Boom!"
A gunshot rang out, and the tree trunk cracked open, a large hole appearing in the middle! The upper part creaked and swayed a few times before crashing to the ground with a thick layer of snow.
"Such power..."
Guan Tong stepped forward and touched the large hole in the tree trunk. If he had had this gun when the wild boar came down the mountain, one shot of the No. 2 round would have killed it instantly.
Even some stronger, larger beasts would probably have been able to withstand one No. 2 round. Even if they could withstand one, they would need another.
"The power is great, but the downside is that the blast radius is much smaller than the No. 1 round. The No. 2 round is useful against single, tough targets, but otherwise, the No. 1 round is better."
Guan Tong then spent 30 points of mental energy to generate a No. 3 round.
The effect of this high-explosive round, which consumed a lot of energy, was undoubtedly worth looking forward to.
To be on the safe side, Guan Tong found an open area with no obstacles on either side, raised the muzzle slightly, and avoided accidentally injuring himself.
Then he pulled the trigger.
"Boom!"
A loud bang like muffled thunder erupted from the barrel, startling Guan Tong who was gripping the gun.
Immediately following was another loud "boom," and a burst of fire erupted within the impact area of the No. 3 round. Four or five large trees nearby fell, and a large amount of snow poured down, quickly extinguishing the flames.
Guan Tong stared at the mess ahead, lost in thought, "This No. 3 high-explosive round has the power of a single-soldier grenade..."
No wonder generating a No. 3 round consumed a whopping 30 points of mental energy. Guan Tong knew that in a critical moment, such a round could solve many problems.
Not to mention combat, even for breaching doors or blasting walls, as long as there was a need to destroy a target, this No. 3 round could satisfy most of those needs.
Save, save, save.
Guan Tong made a decision: he would store more bullets in his gun over the next few days. He would slowly save up No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 rounds, so that he wouldn't be "short on supplies" when needed in the future.
Of course, he wouldn't spend all his mental energy on generating bullets; he planned to use half of it for the in-depth development of "Shadow."
After testing, he picked up his gun and returned to camp.
In the last three days of the rule's effective period, Guan Tong did nothing else. Each day, after clearing the snow from the path, he would retreat into his sleeping bag, consuming mental energy to generate bullets and add words. During
this time, he visited Wang Yan; her stomach ailment was still not better, and she could only control the pain with daily painkillers.
Chen Na massaged her mother's stomach every day, hoping she would recover quickly.
Guan Tong was powerless to help. He did consider that among the items available in the Ascension Shop was a [Basic Medical Kit - Bronze Level].
In the tests conducted in the official white paper, the kit could yield various medical supplies, such as potent painkillers, hemostatic sprays, and antidotes.
Perhaps one of these random medicines could help Wang Yan's stomach ailment, but the chance of finding it was extremely small. Moreover,
this medical kit cost a whopping 80 Ascension Coins; apart from the official testers, no one would be willing to spend so many coins to buy a random kit. If the contents were useless, those 80 coins would be a complete waste.
Even with unlimited coins to buy whatever he wanted, there was still one unsolvable problem—the items from the chests couldn't be traded.
This meant that even if Guan Tong mined coins to buy chests and got incredibly lucky enough to find medicine to cure Wang Yan's stomach ailment, he couldn't trade it to her or give it to her directly.
So, he could only hope that Wang Yan could hold on and that the snow on the road would melt quickly after the rules ended so she could go to the hospital.
And so, the last three days of the rules' effective period quietly passed.
On July 1st, Guan Tong woke up an hour earlier than usual, and then he noticed that Chen Na and Wang Yan had also woken up early. It seemed that everyone woke up early on the day the rules ended because of anticipation and a sense of relief.
Around nine o'clock, the three of them went outside, stood together, looked up at the sky, and waited for the moment that would announce the end.
[The rule's time limit has expired]
[Congratulations on passing the test of the fourth apocalyptic rule]
[Rewards have been sent to your storage box]
[More items have been added to the Ascension Shop; you can view them through your personal terminal]
[The fifth apocalyptic rule will be released in thirty days]
As the Firebringer's voice rang out, the thick clouds in the sky rapidly dispersed.
Sunlight shone brightly on the earth again, and because of the reflection from the snow, the world was bathed in a crystal-clear white light.
Feeling the warmth of the sunlight on her skin, Wang Yan couldn't help but shed tears, and Chen Na also threw herself into her mother's arms and cried.
Guan Tong also felt a warmth in his eyes.
Although he hadn't encountered any serious dangers in the past month and had managed to get through it relatively safely, his mental and spiritual state had undoubtedly been greatly affected.
He thought that most people in the world must feel the same way right now; there must be countless people cheering and crying.
Because at no time could one feel the warmth and beauty of the sunlight more than at this moment.
"Mom, let's go to the hospital in the city to see a doctor!" Chen Na said immediately after crying.
Wang Yan patted her daughter's hair: "Silly child, the snow on the road hasn't melted yet, we have to wait."
"But isn't our car a big truck?"
"We still have to wait, the snow on the highway is too thick... Don't worry, Nana, Mom will be fine. Besides, it's July now, the hottest month of summer, the sun will melt the snow quickly. Don't you think so, Xiao Guan?"
Wang Yan looked at Guan Tong, who nodded. Indeed, July is usually the time with the most sunshine and the highest temperature.
It's just that it snowed for a whole month in June, and then immediately the high temperatures of July arrived. No one had studied how quickly the snow would melt under such a collision.
After all, apart from the Firebringers, humans cannot manipulate the natural forces of heaven and earth to do such a thing.
"Xiao Guan, you said we don't get much snow here, and it's still so difficult. What must it be like in the city? A lot of people won't die, will they..."
Wang Yan looked at the thick snow stretching endlessly in the direction of the highway and couldn't help but say.
Guan Tong remained silent. He didn't know what the city of Yunhua was like at this time, but the situation was certainly not optimistic.
Chapter 58 Unboxing Items
July 1st, Yunhua City.
The city was a deathly stillness, frozen solid. Ice walls, tens of meters high, stood everywhere, stretching as far as the eye could see, transforming the area into a snow kingdom.
Only a few main roads were still passable thanks to round-the-clock snow removal. However, everyone traveling on these roads felt a strong sense of oppression and suffocation upon seeing the towering ice walls on either side.
Several drivers, unable to bear the psychological pressure, had abandoned their snow removal duties and let others take over.
These continuous ice walls virtually blocked the entrances and exits to most places where people gathered, including schools, shopping malls, hospitals, and libraries.
The Department of Life Support and the Emergency Management Bureau had to frequently deploy drilling vehicles to create openings in these blocked entrances and exits to facilitate the delivery of emergency supplies.
Even so, in the final stages of the operation, riots broke out due to insufficient supplies and prolonged water shortages caused by the low temperatures.
Serious clashes erupted at many gathering points. Even with armed squads stationed there, some mentally unstable individuals could no longer be deterred by force. Faced with their indiscriminate attacks, the armed squads had no choice but to kill them.
Some gathering points collapsed due to accumulated snow. Although officials frequently dispatched helicopters to spray de-icing agents on the roofs of these gathering points, due to the sheer number of locations, some were inevitably missed.
Those trapped in the collapsed gathering points faced indescribable moments of despair.
With building exits blocked by ice walls, escape was impossible; they could only watch helplessly as collapsing roofs crushed them or as the blizzard poured into their rooms, freezing them to death.
When the Emergency Management Bureau received a distress call from one gathering point, they finally dispatched a rescue team. After mobilizing numerous specialized vehicles to break through the ice wall at the entrance, they found only a group of human ice sculptures in various poses inside the gathering point.
That horrific scene, reminiscent of a disaster movie, undoubtedly left an unforgettable psychological scar on everyone on the rescue team.
At this moment in the Limi Hotel, as the voices of the fire-stealers rang out and sunlight streamed in through the windows of the upper floors, only a few cheers echoed within the hotel; the majority of the sounds were weeping and screaming.
A group of disheveled people huddled together, burying their faces in their hands and weeping, laughing and crying at the same time, relieved to have survived and releasing all the numbness and collapse of the past few days.
Xu Xiaotian was among the weeping crowd. He looked around at the people; the hotel, which had once housed several hundred people, now had only about three-quarters remaining. The other quarter were now cold corpses lying in their rooms.
And this heavy casualty count mostly occurred in the final week of the operation. Not because of internal strife, nor because of hunger, but because of the low temperatures and disease.
In the final week, the hotel's power cables and outdoor ring mains, like water pipes that had long since frozen and burst, finally succumbed to the strain and failed, causing the power system to completely shut down.
Not long after, the indoor temperature plummeted to minus forty degrees Celsius. People donned layers of cotton clothing, covered themselves with thick blankets, and huddled in plastic bags, yet even so, many remained frozen stiff, their bodies throbbing with pain akin to being pricked by needles.
Then came numbness, illness, and death.
Many with weaker constitutions simply couldn't endure such low temperatures for long; some even experienced a breakdown in their thermoregulation, complaining of heat and voluntarily removing their clothes.
Bystanders couldn't restrain them, and could only watch helplessly as these people froze to death.
After a week, the death toll was several times higher than in the previous twenty days, barely enough to fill ten guest rooms.
Undoubtedly, they had fallen in the darkness before dawn. Therefore, upon seeing the light of day again, the survivors couldn't help but weep, scream, and rejoice in their survival.
Xu Xiaotian, who had survived the extreme cold by eating hot instant noodles every day in the final stages, finally understood how difficult survival truly was.
After a bout of tears, he took out his phone, with only 3% battery remaining, and opened his contacts.
Many of the people in his contacts were people he met after checking into the hotel, but many of them had already perished in this rule, their ringtones never to sound again.
Xu Xiaotian couldn't bear to delete these names. He browsed through them, stopping when he saw the name "Guan Tong." The struggles and numbness of the past few days had made him forget that Guan Tong had left the hotel to seek survival elsewhere; seeing the latter's name now brought it back to his senses.
His fingers trembled as he tapped the screen and sent a message: "Brother Tong, are you still alive?"
...
At the foot of the mountain, near the campsite, Guan Tong looked up at the blazing sun high in the sky. The intense heat made him feel slightly disoriented.
Imagine, one moment it was snowing heavily, the next the sun was shining brightly—this contrast and change was enough to make one doubt whether they were dreaming or in reality.
Guan Tong believed he wasn't alone; most of those who survived this trial would feel the same way.
This was the power of the Firebringer; before it, possessing the power to manipulate nature at will, humanity seemed like mere ants, struggling with nothing but survival.
The dazzling sunlight made Guan Tong lower his head. He knew the challenge was far from over; he had to be prepared at all times to survive in the increasingly unpredictable rules to come.
Wang Yan and Chen Na had returned to their vehicle. The mother and daughter, who had just finished crying, needed some time to calm their emotions.
Guan Tong, however, sat on a makeshift tree branch stool and began to check the rewards for this trial.
"Personal Terminal."
[Name: Guan Tong]
[Nickname: Shadow]
[Title: Guardian]
[Mental Power: 123]
[Ascension Coins: 150]
[Overall Bio-Information Evaluation: Excellent]
The 150 Ascension Coins were the reward for passing this rule.
Regarding the Mental Power cap, Guan Tong remembered it was 119 points before the fourth rule. Now, a month later, it had reached 123, an increase of 4 points, which matched his previous prediction that "the cap increases by one point every 7-8 days under extreme circumstances."
After checking the panel, Guan Tong opened the storage box; the items inside had gradually increased with the number of rule passes.
[Wordless Book]
[Thermostatic Technology Underwear] (Wearing)
[Multi-terrain Marching Boots] (Wearing)
[Basic Food Box - Bronze Level] *1
[Invitation to the First Ascended Challenge]
[Survival Treasure Chest - Bronze Level] *1
"After the first [Sleep Deprivation] event, the Survival Treasure Chest was a fixed title reward. However, that title didn't provide any bonuses; it seemed more like a way for the Firebringers to differentiate survivors."
"I wonder what this chest will contain."
Guan Tong thought, choosing to open it.
[Obtained Random Item: Guiding Flashlight]
...What is that?
This strangely named item piqued Guan Tong's curiosity, and she immediately checked the details.
[Guiding Flashlight]: The holder can silently recite the name of the target location. After consuming 10 points of mental power, the flashlight will emit a guiding beam visible only to the holder, guiding them to the target location. This item is a one-time use item and is tradable.
Chapter 59 New Products and Markets
A guiding ray of light leading to the target location…
Guan Tong finished reading the item information and felt that this thing could probably be used to find people or search for treasure, but he definitely couldn't use it now.
What concerned him even more was that this item could be traded.
"This is the first time a tradable item has appeared. I guess it's not just me; quite a few survivors have probably opened tradable items from their survival chests."
This meant that Ascension Coins finally had other uses besides being spent in the Ascension Shop at the terminal.
Ascensionists could finally circulate Ascension Coins among themselves.
Guan Tong felt this should be considered a good thing for him.
Although his [Wordless Book] could only create bound coins and couldn't be used to trade with other Ascensionists, he could use the bound coins he created to spend in the Ascension Shop and trade the unbound coins rewarded by the rules.
However, the appearance of tradable items would also create an inevitable phenomenon:
the powerful would quickly become stronger through the concentration of resources.
While some online commentators frequently spout phrases like "human evolution," "the age of superhumans," and "great power comes from within," the current Ascended Ones don't possess much "great power," much less "superhumans."
Guan Tong believes his development, while not exceptionally advanced, is at least among the top Ascended Ones globally.
However, even someone like him, if relentlessly targeted by a professional force, would find himself in extreme danger. The same
applies to other Ascended Ones; even with various wondrous mental artifacts, they are still essentially mortals, easily killed by a single bullet.
In such circumstances, the emergence of tradable items might lead powerful groups or organizations to force others to sell their artifacts cheaply or at exorbitant prices.
Guan Tong recalls the nationwide kidnapping case he was involved in; perhaps one of the purposes of the kidnappers was to exploit them once tradable items became available.
"If things continue like this, those Ascendants who are unorganized, without groups, and without backing, if they are not strong enough, are likely to become 'prey' in the eyes of these various powerful organizations." "
It seems that most Ascendants currently acting individually or in small groups will likely choose to join a powerful organization soon."
Guan Tong thought of the "Mind Power Development Academy" that the authorities had been heavily promoting; once the academy opened, it would definitely see a huge influx of students.
Because the academy had official backing, enrollment was equivalent to official protection, and some ordinary powerful groups or organizations in the private sector would always be hesitant to target the academy's students.
A sense of crisis spread through Guan Tong's mind, and he wondered what he should do.
Should he continue to pursue his lone wolf development, or should he join an organization or group to obtain mutual support and protection?
After a moment's thought, he shook his head slightly, deciding to put it aside for now.
The most important thing right now was to strengthen himself comprehensively.
Once he developed the idea of relying on others and seeking protection, it would sow the seeds of future troubles. Because others won't protect you for nothing. No matter which organization you join, you have to pay a price while enjoying the benefits.
Like some Ascendants who choose to join the official countermeasures research lab. While they receive comprehensive protection from the official authorities, they are also obligated to spend Ascendant Coins to purchase designated items and provide experimental test data according to the lab's requirements.
"...I'd better check out the new items first."
Guan Tong stopped thinking about it and opened the Ascendant Shop to see what new items were available.
This was a high priority, because after this rule, people would realize that the new items added to the Ascendant Shop after each rule might help in passing the next rule.
Like the [Basic Food Box] that was available before the [Fasting Therapy] rule was released; and the [Constant Temperature Technology Underwear] and [Multi-Terrain Marching Boots] that were available before the [June Snow] rule was released.
Combined with the hidden setting of "limited quantity," people would undoubtedly not wait until later to check, but would choose to view and purchase as soon as the shop was updated.
After opening the item interface, Guan Tong found two new items available.
[Multifunctional Protective Suit - Basic Set]: Offers some protection against attacks such as cutting, slicing, chopping, scraping, rubbing, and scratching. Customizable appearance.
[Price: 120 Ascendancy Coins]
...
[Quick-burning Rod *10]: Immediately generates a handheld incendiary rod upon use, burning for 15 minutes.
[Price: 80 Ascension Coins]
...
Guan Tong frowned after looking at the two newly listed items, saying, "Stab-proof vest, incendiary rod... Could the fifth rule be a free-for-all type?"
Otherwise, he didn't understand why the shop would list these two items.
But he couldn't jump to conclusions. Given that the Fire Thieves often acted unpredictably and liked to create hidden settings, no one could make an accurate judgment before the rules were officially announced.
"I have 150 coins now, enough to buy only one. Coin creation... I'll pass for now. At this stage, my precious mental energy should be used to improve combat and self-defense capabilities."
After considering for a moment, Guan Tong spent 120 Ascension Coins to buy the [Multifunctional Protective Suit - Basic].
In his opinion, this was more useful than the incendiary rod, and wearing it would at least give him a greater sense of security.
Since it was a set consisting of a top and bottom, Guan Tong set its appearance to a long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.
This way, his underwear, shoes, and clothes were all products from the terminal. Although they were all basic styles, they felt pretty good.
Then, he realized that since tradable items had appeared, the "Market" option in the terminal's "Trading" function would no longer be blank like before.
He opened it, and sure enough, it showed that the number of listed items was "9999+".
"There are quite a few people selling items..."
Guan Tong himself was reluctant to sell. Even though he didn't need his [Guiding Flashlight] for the time being, he still preferred to keep it, just in case it came in handy later.
However, after browsing a few pages, he found that many of these sellers weren't genuinely selling; they were just listing them for fun.
For example, there was a one-time use item called [Blinking Pointer], which allowed the user to instantly teleport to any location within 10 meters in the direction of the pointer.
Although it was a one-time use item, its effect was undoubtedly powerful. Because this kind of item was a life-saving item, using it to teleport away in a critical moment might save his life, making it very precious.
However, the seller set the purchase price at "999 Ascension Coins," clearly indicating they didn't intend to sell it at all, but simply listed it for display.
Even if the first four rules were met and all the Ascension Coins were saved without spending a single penny, it wouldn't amount to 999 Ascension Coins.
The only individuals capable of holding so many coins are likely the powerful figures who have begun their plundering spree. Some of them may already be using force to coerce others, frantically reselling items to earn coins.
For example, they might point a gun at other Ascension users, forcing them to sell tradable items to them for 1 coin. Then they would resell that item on the market for a low price of tens of coins.
This way, they could easily obtain tens of Ascension Coins with a single transaction. Repeating this dozens of times, this powerful figure could indeed potentially hold 999 coins.
In this way, such individuals could rapidly increase their overall strength by possessing a large number of items. Even if their mental power limit is not high, they could still bridge the gap in strength with Ascension users with high mental power through this method.
Chapter 60 July Plan
July 2nd, the day after the rules ended.
At noon, the scorching sun poured down on the earth, causing the snow to melt quickly into water.
It is often said that it is not cold when it snows, but when the snow melts, it is cold. However, under the high temperature of July, the process of melting snow is not so cold. The combination of cold and heat keeps the temperature at a moderate level.
Guan Tong had already packed up his things in the camp a short while ago and put them back into his backpack.
He had to pack them up. As soon as the snow started to melt, the water from the snow layer on both sides of the path flowed down and flooded the path. If he didn't pack them up, the melted water would soak all his supplies in a day.
"Xiao Guan, this snow is melting really fast." Wang Yan said, looking towards the road. "It was so thick before, but now a lot of it has melted. I estimate it will be completely melted in three to five days."
"Yeah, it's good that it's July, the hottest month of the year. If it were winter, it probably wouldn't melt for months."
"Yes." As Wang Yan spoke, a look of pain suddenly appeared on her face, and she raised her hand to cover her stomach.
Chen Na, who was standing nearby, immediately noticed her mother's condition and hurriedly said, "Mom, is your stomach hurting again? Go back to the car and lie down!"
"It's okay, it's okay..."
Wang Yan said, but still went back to the car. Guan Tong helped her up, saying, "Sister Wang, judging by how fast the snow is melting, we should be able to get trains running again the day after tomorrow. Let's go to the hospital in Yunhua then."
Chen Na nodded repeatedly, "Mom, just listen to Brother Guan and go to the hospital. Yunhua is a big city; they'll definitely be able to cure your illness." Wang
Yan also nodded, but then worried, "Yunhua is such a big city, will the snow melt as fast as here...?"
"The natural melting speed is definitely not as fast as here, but I estimate that the city will deploy a lot of manpower to speed it up," Guan Tong speculated. "In order to clear the snow as quickly as possible and restore the city to normal operation, the authorities will probably use a lot of de-icing agents and call on citizens to go out and clear snow on the streets." "
That makes sense, let's go see then. Sigh, this old problem is really a hassle."
Guan Tong thought for a moment and then asked, "Sister Wang, do you still have enough gas in your car?"
Because Wang Yan and her daughter Chen Na had been living in the car for the entire month, and to ensure that the car wouldn't freeze, Wang Yan would drive the car every day and leave it idling with the air conditioning on for a considerable period of time each day to keep it warm.
Although Guan Tong didn't know the exact amount of fuel, idling for several hours every day for a month would definitely consume a considerable amount.
Wang Yan smiled: "Enough, this is definitely enough... My car holds 1100 liters on a full tank, and I still have over 300 liters left after a month. Even if it's not enough, I can..."
Wang Yan paused, then said bluntly, "I can also convert oil myself."
Guan Tong was taken aback, not understanding what "converting oil myself" meant.
Wang Yan explained somewhat embarrassedly, "It's the item I used to pass the first rule test. Back then, I thought I'd be driving a large truck in the future, so I searched for 'fuel-saving' in the shop, and I found an [Oil Converter]. You pour other liquids into this container, and by consuming mental energy, it can be converted into the corresponding milliliters of oil..."
"..."
Guan Tong was speechless for a moment. This item inexplicably reminded him of a news article he had read many years ago before his transmigration, about someone inventing "water-to-oil" technology, which even made the front page of the newspaper.
Of course, it was later proven to be a hoax. He just hadn't expected that in the post-apocalyptic rule era after Guan Tong's transmigration, this technology would actually become a reality in Wang Yan's hands. "
Truly, now that the snow is melting, there's no shortage of snowmelt. Just scoop out a jug every day, use your mental energy to convert it into oil, and you can accumulate enough to meet the vehicle's needs.
" "Who would have thought that after the rules ended, the government announced that food and everything else would be free, and the money was useless," Wang Yan said awkwardly. "If I'd known I wouldn't need the car anymore, why would I have bought this prop?"
"You can't say that," Guan Tong said. "The rules came in handy this time. Besides, food is free, but oil is still rationed. When your mental energy is higher, Sister Wang, you can convert more, maybe you can even join the official resource department and become an important member."
"Brother Guan is right, Mom, your prop is really powerful," Chen Na added.
Guan Tong then stopped disturbing Wang Yan's rest and went outside, walking on the gradually melting snow.
Thanks to the multi-terrain marching boots he was wearing, he wasn't worried about slipping and falling in puddles. The outside temperature was also pleasant, and the clear, cloudless sky made walking very comfortable.
"I haven't been able to take a leisurely stroll for a month. These rules are really torturous."
During the "June Snow" rule period, visibility was terrible due to the constant snowfall. Combined with the low temperature, Guan Tong basically stayed in the camp as much as possible.
This is probably the feeling of appreciating something only after you've lost it. After enduring the torment of this rule, he finally appreciated how pleasant it was to take a walk in the sun.
He walked along, thinking about what was to come.
"This rule interval isn't short. The fifth rule will be released on August 1st, giving people a month to breathe."
"During this month, the first few days in the big cities will probably be spent clearing snow, preventing secondary floods, and dealing with the problems left over from the fourth rule." "
The problem is, how should I plan for the entire month of July?"
Guan Tong knew that time was extremely precious in the post-apocalyptic era. If he wanted to survive and continue completing the rule challenges, he couldn't afford to be complacent.
Of course, if all else fails, one can choose to give up and live off free food, taking it one day at a time. Many people have made this choice.
Not all of these people are pleasure-seeking; a large part of them are acting out of desperation. Due to factors such as poor innate conditions, bad luck in obtaining useless items, and low mental strength limits, even if they try their best, the results won't be very good.
But Guan Tong is different. He feels that since he can see the hidden rules and has obtained a powerful item like the [Wordless Book], giving up would be a waste of opportunity.
If he didn't have the conditions, he wouldn't care. But since he has the conditions and the opportunity, he decided to try his best to persevere to the end, clear all the rules, and glimpse the secret root and the truth about the Fire Stealers.
While walking, Guan Tong slowly sorted out his thoughts and made a July plan.
First, he needed to complete the addition of words on the first page, namely the addition of the word "transformation," to try to give the shadow more possibilities and plasticity. He would also use this to test more combat methods.
Secondly, he needed to store bullets for the Silver Hunter.
Judging from the two new items in the Ascension Shop, the fifth rule might involve conflicts between people, which is undoubtedly a very terrifying type of rule.
If given a choice, Guan Tong would rather defy nature and natural disasters than fight each other under the forced constraints of rules. Unfortunately, he had no choice; everything was left to the Firebringers.
Therefore, when it came to conflict between people, the "Silver Hunter" shotgun possessed immense deterrent power. For this reason, Guan Tong planned to stockpile more No. 1 ammunition, and only a moderate amount of No. 2 and No. 3.
The third thing Guan Tong wanted to do was try opening a new page in the [Wordless Book].
Although each new page would increase the mental energy consumed for writing, his current cap of 123 points wasn't small, and even writing just one stroke a day would accumulate over time.
As for what to write on the third page, he wanted to test "mental energy," the core of everything. If the [Wordless Book] could generate mental energy or raise the cap, the resulting improvement would be phenomenal… but he didn't have high hopes; he was just trying it out.
The last thing he needed to do wasn't about himself, but about societal change.
Guan Tong decided that this past month he wouldn't be so focused on developing his character and oblivious to the outside world, but instead would spend more time online and paying attention to social developments.
He wanted to see what kind of social changes the emergence of "tradable items" would bring.
If the living space of Lone Wolf Ascendants was rapidly squeezed and coerced by various groups in a short period of time, then he might have to take some measures to ensure his own safety.