While Liu Zhuo was talking with Yang Gan Zhou, Wang Luo quietly approached Zhao Qing Xuan. "Don't you want to establish a force? This guy seems like someone you could recruit!"
"Him?"
Zhao Qing Xuan glanced at Liu Zhuo. He was pale and plump, with a somewhat simple and honest appearance.
After a conversation, Liu Zhuo realized that the young man named Wang Luo was the core of this group.
However, just as he was about to go and greet him, a dark shadow instantly appeared before him. Startled, Liu Zhuo instinctively threw a punch, only to have his fist caught by Zhao Qing Xuan's delicate, tender hand!
In the distance, Liu Meng saw her brother make a move and quickly started her motorcycle, preparing to flee!
"Not bad, young man!"
Zhao Qing Xuan patted Liu Zhuo's shoulder. "How about you come with me from now on? I'll ensure you eat well and live comfortably!"
Zhao Qing Xuan imitated Wang Luo's approach, deciding to lure him in first, regardless of what the future held.
Liu Zhuo was shocked. He had put all his strength into that punch, yet this little girl had easily blocked it!
"What do you say, little bro? Say something! Don't just stand there in a daze!" Zhao Qing Xuan asked.
"This... are there any requirements to join you?" Liu Zhuo asked, regaining his senses.
"Just follow the organization's arrangements!" Zhao Qing Xuan stated directly.
Their force had just been established, so there weren't many rules. As long as someone had good character and wasn't perverse, they were welcome.
Liu Zhuo thought for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, I'll join you. But I have a sister, and she must join too. Otherwise, I'll have to refuse!"
He had already been considering joining a team. While scavenging for supplies, he had encountered a small group and even clashed with them over resources. However, they had more people, forcing him to abandon the supplies. These people in front of him were very strong, much stronger than the ones he met a few days ago. Most importantly, there were women among them, making it more convenient for his sister to stay.
Zhao Qing Xuan looked at the girl on the motorcycle in the distance. "Is she an Awakened?"
"Awakened?"
Liu Zhuo quickly realized and shook his head. "No, she's just a normal person!"
"A normal person?"
Zhao Qing Xuan looked at Wang Luo. Seeing him nod, she said, "Then you can both join!" Adding a normal person wouldn't make much of a difference.
Liu Zhuo beckoned to Liu Meng, who then rode the motorcycle over.
"From today onwards, we are one team!" Liu Zhuo told his sister.
"Hello everyone, my name is Liu Meng. Please take care of me in the future!" Liu Meng took off her helmet, revealing a delicate, youthful face. She looked like a girl in her teens.
After the group introduced themselves, Liu Zhuo joined the action of killing zombies.
"Why are you killing zombies?" Liu Zhuo asked, confused. Everyone else avoided them!
"To collect Energy Source Crystals. Absorbing these can increase our level as Awakened and make us stronger!" Zhao Qing Xuan explained.
Liu Zhuo suddenly understood. So that's how it was!
"Then what about your wings?"
"That's a Mutant Ability!" Zhao Qing Xuan replied. "By the way, when did you awaken your ability?"
"The third day after the apocalypse began!"
"Were there any characteristics when you awakened?"
"Characteristics? No, I just felt the strength within my body suddenly increase a lot!"
Zhao Qing Xuan frowned as she looked at Wang Luo. What kind of ability had no characteristics?
"It's probably a body strengthening type!" Wang Luo said. Body strengthening abilities only enhance physique, unlike elemental abilities awakened with distinct features. In reality, Liu Zhuo had indeed awakened a strengthening ability. Wang Luo remembered his signature Mutant Ability – the S-class Qilin Arm, which possessed immense power!
Zhao Qing Xuan nodded. So he was a powerful Awakened!
With the addition of the S-class Awakened Liu Zhuo, everyone's zombie-killing speed increased. By evening, Zhao Qing Xuan had collected over 300 Energy Source Crystals. With Liu Zhuo added to the group, and Wang Luo and Ma Wang having advanced to Black Iron level, they naturally killed many more zombies!
"Cheers to the joining of the Liu Zhuo siblings!"
The group drank heartily.
"Excuse me, friends, isn't our meal a bit extravagant?" Liu Zhuo said, licking his lips as he looked at the abundant dishes on the table. Braised pork ribs, oil-braised prawns, stir-fried preserved meat with green peppers, beer-braised duck... these dishes were enough for him and his sister to eat for ten to fifteen days! Liu Meng on the side kept swallowing her saliva.
"Enjoy it while you can. Once we have more people, you won't have this kind of treatment!" Wang Luo said.
"If you say so, then I won't be polite!" Liu Zhuo directly picked up two large duck legs, gave one to Liu Meng and kept one for himself, then began to eat heartily.
"Mmm, delicious! I've never eaten anything so good!" Liu Zhuo's mouth was full of oil. They had been living on instant noodles these past few days. Occasionally, they would light a fire and cook some congee. While it filled their stomachs, how could it compare to this? Liu Meng also nodded while eating, not caring about her appearance at all!
After the meal, the others began to absorb the Energy Source Crystals. Today's harvest was enough for everyone to advance to Black Iron level.
Wang Luo sat on the rooftop, stroking his chin.
"What are you thinking about, Wang Luo?" Zhao Qing Xuan sat beside him with a bottle of drink.
"I suddenly feel that you should be able to advance to Bronze level after the black rain!" An SSS-class Black Iron level Awakened needed 90 Black Iron level Energy Source Crystals to advance to Bronze level, which translated to 900 ordinary Energy Source Crystals! This was indeed a lot. It would take one person a very long time to gather that much, but now they had more people and greater strength. With Zhao Qing Xuan, the "master of scavenging," they could achieve this in a few days!
"Huh? But didn't you say it wasn't worth it before?"
"That was before. Who knew your luck with Energy Source Crystals would be so good?" Wang Luo shot Zhao Qing Xuan a look. He remembered how much effort he had put into collecting Energy Source Crystals in his previous life. Therefore, he always waited for zombies to evolve before collecting them. Of course, it was also because he often didn't have enough to eat in his previous life. When you can't even eat properly, who has the energy to kill zombies!
Zhao Qing Xuan nodded and suddenly said, "If we have more people in the future, won't we be able to keep advancing?"
Wang Luo shook his head. "It's not as simple as you think. At the Black Iron level, the Energy Source Crystals from ordinary zombies are still useful. But once you advance to Bronze level, these ordinary Energy Source Crystals will no longer have any effect on you!"
"I see!" Zhao Qing Xuan nodded. "Then let's wait until after the black rain to collect a large amount of Energy Source Crystals."
"Right, Wang Luo, I came to discuss something with you!"
"What is it?" Wang Luo asked curiously.
"How about you join our force?" Zhao Qing Xuan looked at Wang Luo. He frowned; in this life, he didn't want to deal with troublesome matters and preferred a more relaxed existence. He would kill zombies when he needed Energy Source Crystals, and just lie around when he didn't.
"I know you're afraid of trouble. Shu Shu and I discussed it, and you can completely be a Supreme Elder!"
"Supreme Elder? What is that?"
"It means you don't have to manage anything daily, just hold a title. If our force encounters any problems that we can't solve, then you can step in. What do you think?" Zhao Qing Xuan shook Wang Luo's arm, her not-so-large chest being pressed out of shape! "Think about it! This way, you can earn Energy Source Crystals while lying down. How comfortable is that!"
"Comfortable? The most comfortable thing I can imagine is experiencing all sorts of positions with you in the future!"
Zhao Qing Xuan pinched Wang Luo. "I'm being serious with you!"
"Supreme Elder... it does sound quite good!" Not having to manage anything and directly getting Energy Source Crystals. Wang Luo thought for a moment. With Zhao Qing Xuan, an SSS-class Awakened, presiding, what insurmountable problems could there be? Even if there were, they would likely only arise after five years when the mist descended!