Gasping for breath, Bai Yi observed the lifeless zombie hanging at the door, obstructing the wooden opening, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him.
The zombies generally lacked intelligence, and those outside were unable to remove the corpse blocking the entrance. Instead, they continued to attack other areas...
Just as Bai Yi was beginning to feel at ease, a sudden white light emanated from the fallen zombie. This light coalesced into a sphere and rushed toward the exhausted Bai Yi.
Startled, Bai Yi instinctively tried to avoid it, but he was too weak to move and could only watch as the light entered his chest and disappeared. "Huh? No sensation?" he wondered, touching his chest and sitting up in confusion.
This was clearly his first encounter with such an occurrence. Although he had killed zombies before since the onset of the apocalypse, he had never experienced anything like this. It was evident that this sudden event was somehow linked to the abilities he had acquired.
Once more, a light screen materialized on the wall, displaying data that reflected notable changes. "Level: 1 (0/2), Constitution 1 point, Spirit 1 point, Strength 1 point, Speed 1 point, Defense 1 point... Note: Each time a warrior levels up, their body can return to its peak condition at that level, and they are awarded five free attribute points!"
Bai Yi frowned, recalling that when he first manifested his weapon, all five of his attributes had been consumed, leaving him with only a meager 1 point! This 1 point signified a drastic reduction in his capabilities, comparable to that of an infant. Had he not killed a zombie with full force to reach level 1, his physical and mental state would have remained critically compromised, potentially leading to his demise with a single encounter.
Noticing the annotation, it seemed that he still had five unused free attribute points. Given his current situation, Bai Yi felt an urgent need to interact with the light screen to allocate these points! However, the interface did not allow for any changes, and a long list of options appeared: "Please select the focus of your attribute allocation... Note: This choice is permanent and cannot be altered, so please proceed carefully."
Despite feeling overwhelmed by the numerous options, Bai Yi meticulously examined each one. The available systems for attribute allocation in the "Infinite Combat Upgrade" framework could be summarized as follows:
1. Balanced Enhancement Warrior System: A well-rounded approach that may lead to obscurity among stronger opponents.
2. Physical Enhancement Warrior System: Focused on resilience and rapid recovery, but potentially sacrificing offensive capabilities.
3. Spiritual Enhancement Warrior: Power derived from heightened mental acuity, yet with physical vulnerabilities in melee combat.
4. Strength-Enhanced Warrior System: Strength without speed can render one vulnerable to agile opponents.
5. Speed-Enhanced Warrior System: Exceptional speed offers survival advantages, yet exposes one to the risk of devastating attacks.
6. Defense Enhancement Warrior: Strong defense promotes longevity, but slowness may lead to repeated assaults.
7. Customized Enhancement Warrior System: Tailored improvements based on personal strengths to avoid mediocrity and embrace individuality.
Bai Yi realized that, as he suspected, his unique ability had indeed formed a systematic framework for his growth.
"The Infinite Combat System? My abilities are more complex than I initially thought," Bai Yi acknowledged, feeling a sense of satisfaction. In this tumultuous environment, the strength of one's abilities ultimately dictates their place among the strong or their fate to be overshadowed.
With little time for contemplation, Bai Yi quickly analyzed the potential growth paths, recognizing them as directions for his future development. Drawing on his extensive experience with video games, he swiftly made his decision. Opting for a balanced approach was out of the question, as it would not distinguish him from others.
The remaining options felt overly extreme and did not align with his objectives. Ultimately, Bai Yi focused on the customized enhancement system. It was apparent that this option would allow him to select which attributes to strengthen. Upon confirming this choice, Bai Yi was taken aback by what appeared on the light screen. He had anticipated the ability to allocate free points across various attributes, but it became clear that he still had much to learn about his newfound powers.
The screen displayed the five core attributes, each accompanied by a percentage value of 20%. As Bai Yi observed the deteriorating wooden door, he hesitated to analyze the options further. He instinctively dragged the percentage values with his hand, and to his surprise, altering one value caused the others to decrease proportionately, ensuring the total always summed to 100%.
Though still uncertain, Bai Yi quickly determined his future development path based on his extensive gaming experience. Without needing further deliberation, he recognized that his chosen career would undoubtedly lead him to become a warrior.
Significantly, his manifested weapon was a knife, not a staff or axe, which aligned perfectly with the warrior profession.
Furthermore, Bai Yi had a distinct sense that his acquired ability was closely tied to his passion for gaming. His favored profession had always been the warrior, which also allowed for a unique and niche method of attribute allocation.
Even after confirming his attribute selections, Bai Yi felt a lingering disorientation. This was reality, not a game, and he questioned whether his previous gaming experiences were truly applicable.
He understood that this was a critical and irreversible decision. The sounds of zombies battering against the door echoed in his ears, and the corpse entangled in the wooden frame was slowly being wrenched away. If the neck of the zombie hadn't been lodged in the wooden door, it would have been completely pulled out, exposing the entrance once more.
Steeling himself, Bai Yi gripped the unfamiliar black knife tightly and decisively clicked "Confirm." The screen updated to reflect his final choices: "Speed 40%, Defense 20%, Strength 15%, Spirit 15%, Constitution 10%."
This unconventional allocation strategy would likely raise eyebrows among seasoned gamers.
As a warrior, Bai Yi had sacrificed significant strength and resilience in favor of heightened speed and defense, particularly the substantial 40% speed boost, a choice that might appear extreme to others.
The data updated: "Level: 1 (0/2), Speed 3 points, Defense 2 points, Strength 1.75 points, Spirit 1.75 points, Constitution 1.5 points..." Bai Yi felt a sudden change, as if his body was buoyed up. Although he recognized he had not yet fully recovered to his prime, he was no longer as feeble as he had been while initially manifesting the weapon.
Resolved in his decision, Bai Yi stood up, taking a moment to inspect the remarkable black knife that had drained his attributes and energy to materialize.
Feeling a sense of urgency, he finally examined the knife more closely. As his eyes scanned it, a light screen emerged, this time displaying information regarding the weapon.
"Skull-Cutting Knife: Left-hand knife! A unique soul weapon formed from physical strength and vitality. It is indestructible and cannot be lost... Note: Resembling a black Tang sword, the handle is designed for left-handed use. The skull-cutting knife is a weapon capable of growth, but only souls killed with it will contribute to experience points. Further exploration of its functions is encouraged."
Cradling the knife in his left hand and tracing the blade with his right, Bai Yi murmured with a sense of affinity, "A skull-cutting knife?" With a light swing, Bai Yi, inexperienced with blades, felt as if the knife had become an extension of himself, responding effortlessly to his movements.
"From now on, may you guide me," Bai Yi declared with unwavering conviction. In response, the skull-cutting knife trembled slightly. To Bai Yi's astonishment, the one-meter-long leather strap attached to the knife's handle levitated, wrapping around his left wrist.
"What just happened?" Bai Yi stared, bewildered by the black leather strap encircled around his arm. Could it be that the skull-cutting knife possessed sentience?
Suddenly, the sound of zombies intensified as they finally managed to pull the corpse from the doorway with such force that it tore the neck apart, exposing white bone.
Zombies surged into the small entryway, eager to feast upon the flesh before them! Bai Yi, gripping the knife and eyeing the approaching head, couldn't help but smile. This was an opportune moment for him to level up, and he refused to squander his eight points of mental power!
To ensure a decisive blow, Bai Yi held the knife with both hands, lifted it high, and sliced downward toward the zombie's long neck.
"Puff!" Unlike the previous attempts that merely breached skin and flesh, this time, empowered by his newfound strength, Bai Yi swung the knife forcefully, splattering black blood in the process. The black knife shuddered momentarily but successfully severed the zombie's neck bone!
While not completely cleaved, the zombie's spine sustained critical damage, and it let out a final roar before its decaying head dropped limply.
Having fought numerous zombies over the past few days, Bai Yi reveled in the ease of this victory, unable to believe his success.
He became momentarily dazed until another sphere of white light shot into his chest. This time, however, he felt no surge of power, clearly indicating that he had not leveled up again.