"Dark Energy Aggregator?"
Zhu Jiu examined the small orb in his hand, and an attribute panel appeared in his vision.
[Item: Dark Energy Aggregator (Inferior)]
[Description: An immature dark energy core containing traces of dark energy.]
[Recycle Value: 10 Points]
"This little thing is worth 10 points?"
Zhu Jiu was stunned.
Such a small orb was equivalent to the points he earned from killing ten infected.
"Totally worth it!"
"Recycle it!"
Without hesitation, Zhu Jiu chose to recycle the item. He had no other use for it, and points were far more practical.
The orb disappeared instantly, and the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Dark Energy Aggregator successfully recycled. Host gains 10 points.]
Seeing the points credited to his balance, Zhu Jiu smiled.
"34 points. More than enough for the Iron Shirt."
Excited, Zhu Jiu quickly opened the system store and found the item.
[Item: Iron Shirt (Tier 1 External Martial Art. At mastery, grants skin like iron, impervious to ordinary weapons.)]
[Price: 20 Points]
Without a second thought, Zhu Jiu purchased it.
[Host successfully purchased Iron Shirt. 20 points deducted.]
As the system confirmed his purchase, a warm current surged through Zhu Jiu's body.
The energy coursed through his limbs and torso, nourishing him from within.
It was a strange yet pleasant sensation, leaving him feeling stronger with each passing moment.
After about thirty seconds, the heat subsided. Zhu Jiu's mind was flooded with knowledge of the Iron Shirt technique, and his attribute panel updated.
[Host: Zhu Jiu (Healthy)]
[Title: Novice Martial Artist]
[Martial Arts: Wing Chun (Level 9, maxed Tier 1), Bagua Blade (Level 7, Tier 1, 10 points to upgrade), Iron Shirt (Level 1, Tier 1, maxed at Tier 1)]
[Points: 14]
[Warning: Dark energy outbreak detected. First wave of catastrophe imminent. Prepare for impact.]
"Iron Shirt at Level 1 already?" Zhu Jiu muttered, surprised. "So techniques bought from the system are instantly learned. That's convenient."
Curious, he pinched his arm to test the technique's effects.
Sure enough, his skin felt as tough as cowhide, and his muscles were unnaturally firm.
"Just Level 1, and it's already this strong? My defense and strength have both improved significantly."
Zhu Jiu raised an eyebrow, impressed. The Iron Shirt exceeded his expectations.
"Let's push it to Level 2 and see what happens."
He spent 10 points to upgrade the technique.
As the familiar warmth spread through his body again, Zhu Jiu felt his skin grow even tougher.
Grabbing a box cutter from a nearby shelf, he tested the blade against his forearm. The sharp edge barely left a faint white mark.
"My durability has doubled, and my strength increased by 20-30%," he said, excitement in his voice.
Given his already formidable baseline, such gains were extraordinary.
"If this is just Level 2, what would the max level be like? Could it really make me impervious to blades and bullets?"
But Zhu Jiu's excitement dimmed as he glanced at his point balance.
"No more points…"
Sighing, he realized how fleeting his hard-earned points had been. In mere moments, he had spent over 30 points, leaving him with only 4.
"Points vanish like water," Zhu Jiu grumbled.
Still, he didn't regret his spending. The power he gained was well worth the cost. With his newfound strength, earning points would become easier.
His business in the supermarket concluded, Zhu Jiu packed several bags of food and started back toward his gym.
Even with his increased appetite, the supplies would last him at least two days.
Unbeknownst to Zhu Jiu, as he left the supermarket, a small figure emerged from a nearby wardrobe.
The figure was a young girl wearing a pink dress, identical to the infected he had just slain—her twin.
Unlike her sister, her mutation was less severe. Though her eyes were still pure white, her skin retained a human-like appearance.
The girl knelt beside the bisected remains of her twin, staring blankly.
"…Sister…" she croaked, her voice raspy and broken.
The next moment, she dove onto the corpse, tearing into it with her teeth.
Horrific chewing sounds echoed through the supermarket.
"Meat…"
"Eat…"
As Zhu Jiu stepped outside, he noticed something odd.
"There are fewer infected on Lacquer Street," he muttered.
He had killed no more than 20 or 30 infected earlier. There should still have been plenty roaming the area.
"Where did they all go?"
While pondering this, he heard shouting in the distance.
"Stop chasing me, damn it!"
"I'm sorry, okay? Can you just let me go?"
"You bastards! I'll deal with you all one day!"
Following the voice, Zhu Jiu saw a rotund man at the street's exit, being chased by four or five infected.
The man cursed as he ran, remarkably fast and agile for his size.
Though he managed to stay ahead, the infected gradually closed the gap.
When one infected lunged at him, the man spun around and delivered a devastating spinning kick, sending the creature flying.
"KO!" the man bellowed triumphantly.
"Think I'm easy prey? Think again!"
But as the other infected snarled and charged, the man bolted, resuming his escape.
"You damn beasts!" he shouted over his shoulder.
From a distance, Zhu Jiu watched the spectacle, nodding to himself.
"This guy has skill," he remarked. "Though his agility seems… unnatural."
Focusing on the man, Zhu Jiu activated his system's analysis feature.
[Species: Human (Healthy)]
[Tier: Tier 1 Evolver]
[Origin: A human who successfully evolved by absorbing dark energy. Possesses enhanced physical abilities and unique traits. Due to internal dark energy, highly attractive to infected.]
[Danger Level: Tier 3 (Highly Dangerous)]
"Evolver?" Zhu Jiu raised an eyebrow.
This was his first time seeing someone who had successfully absorbed dark energy and evolved.
While their success came with immense power, most who attempted the process failed, transforming into monstrous infected.
"It's all or nothing," Zhu Jiu mused.
His attention turned to one of the system's notes:
[Highly attractive to infected due to internal dark energy.]
Reading this, Zhu Jiu's eyes lit up.
"I've been struggling to find infected for points," he thought, a grin spreading across his face.
"But with this guy around, I don't need to worry. I can just fish them in and farm points!"
His mind raced with possibilities. Using the man as bait, he could lure infected to his location and grind points endlessly. His Bagua Blade and Iron Shirt would reach max levels in no time.
At that moment, the man spotted Zhu Jiu.
With his muscular frame, twin blades, and imposing presence, Zhu Jiu stood out like a beacon.
"Hey, brother!" the man cried out, eyes sparkling with hope.
"Help me! These beasts have been chasing me forever!"
Tears welled in his eyes as he sprinted toward Zhu Jiu, as though reuniting with a long-lost sibling.
Zhu Jiu watched him approach, his expression calm but his thoughts calculated.
"He's walking right into my trap," he mused, a faint smile curling his lips.
"No need to feel guilty now."
With that, Zhu Jiu unsheathed his blades and moved toward the man.
Meanwhile, on the upper floors of a nearby building, a pair of eyes silently observed the unfolding scene through a window.