Chapter 53 Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland 16 (Bonus Chapter)

Zhou Jue's gaze swept across everyone's faces, finally settling on the loud and boisterous Zhao Dezhu.

She remembered the scene in the alley where this guy waved banknotes and acted like a familiar friend, wanting to hang out with her.

A word suddenly popped into her mind.

Let's call it "a makeshift team".

She said it calmly.

The entire hall fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

A makeshift troupe?

Everyone was stunned, exchanging bewildered glances with a variety of expressions on their faces.

Wang Yong's lips twitched, as if he wanted to say something, but looking at Zhou Jue's expressionless face, he swallowed his words.

Chen Shuqi pushed up his glasses, his eyes flickering behind the lenses as if he were analyzing the deeper meaning behind the name.

Only Zhao Dezhu, after being stunned for three seconds, suddenly slapped his thigh!

"Brilliant! Boss, this name is absolutely brilliant!"

He analyzed excitedly, "A makeshift team! Doesn't that sound shabby and pathetic? That's exactly right! This is called strategic concealment! Think about it, when other survivor teams hear our name, they'll definitely think we're a bunch of rabble and underestimate us! Then we'll strike, playing dumb to catch the tigers, and slaughter them all! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

As everyone listened to Zhao Dezhu's "interpretation," their expressions gradually changed from confusion to "I see."

It seems... to make some sense?

Zhou Jue: ...Is that what she meant? Yes! That's exactly what she meant! Your analysis is spot on. I'll have you analyze again next time!

Zhou Jue gave Zhao Dezhu an approving look.

"It's settled then. The shelter will be codenamed 'Grasshouse,' and the action team will be codenamed 'Grasshouse Crew.' Meeting adjourned!"

After saying that, she ignored everyone's reactions and turned to walk towards the entrance of B4.

A group of people were left behind, lost in thought, staring at the abstract yet intriguing name, "a makeshift troupe."

……......

Currently, Zhou Jue has only opened up the G-B1 level to them. The B4 level is quiet and undisturbed, making it easier for her to have the system observe "Chilame's" condition.

Floor B4 is the hospital's storage area for sophisticated instruments and records. After the apocalypse, almost no one has been here, so it remains relatively clean and intact.

Zhou Jue found a windowless archive room, unlocked the door with his authorization, and went inside.

The room was small, only a dozen square meters, with several rows of metal filing cabinets standing against the wall.

She quickly cleaned the floor, then took out a quilt and sheets from the Starry Sky Box and spread them directly on the floor.

She miscalculated.

I was so focused on stockpiling food, weapons, and various supplies that I completely forgot to put a comfortable bed in my storage space.

Next time, the next time I return to Earth, I must get one.

Sitting cross-legged on the "floor mat," Zhou Jue brought up his system panel.

[Host: Zhou Jue (female)]

[Special Profession: Beast God (Generated by weak faith power, already activated)]

Age: 26

Height: 168cm

Weight: 98 jin (44 catties)

Physical fitness: 98 (average score is 50)

[Mental Strength: 3286 (500 for an average adult)]

[Spiritual Root: Top-grade spiritual root (ice, fire)]

[Technique: Basic Cultivation Manual]

[Weapons/Items: Spine-Melting Boundary-Breaking Shovel, Obsidian Combat Suit (already equipped), Tactical Rifle, Hummingbird Drone, High-Frequency Vibration Blade, Zombie Perfume, Universal Interface Key]

Skills: Photographic memory, orc language proficiency, herbalism, weaving, ritual dance, surgical skills, bronze smelting (beginner), carving.

Energy Reserves: 466% (Exchangeable Points: 4660/10000)

[Starry Chest: Open 3]

[Task List]

Main Quest: Survival in the Apocalypse for Thirty Days. 1. Build a shelter capable of surviving 100 people (15/100); 2. Select and establish a stable "two-way access landing point".

Side Quest 1: Collect samples of the original 'T-virus' strain and at least three variants. (Completed)

Side Quest 2: Locate and bring back 'Power Armor' blueprints or physical samples. (Hint: Titan Industries)

Side Quest 3: Obtain at least 1 ton of 'Memory Metal'. (Hint: Twin Towers). Update: "Memory Titanium Alloy". (Hint: The cryogenic hibernation pod sealing "Chimera").

Side Quest 4: Clean House. (Hint: Eliminate the Chimera completely before it fully awakens.)

[WARNING: Side Quest 4 failed, coordinates exposed, system will be locked by advanced civilization]

Looking at that string of data, Zhou Jue's thoughts settled down.

This world was unlike any place she had ever been before.

There is the Heavenly Dao here, there is the invasion of external laws, and even... spiritual energy.

Although it is rare, it does exist.

On Blue Star, she never sensed any spiritual energy; the laws there seemed to completely reject such extraordinary energy. This is why, despite possessing top-grade spiritual roots, she has been unable to step into the realm of cultivation.

But here, it's possible.

She closed her eyes and, following the methods in the "Basic Cultivation Manual" transmitted to her by the system, began to try to guide the surrounding energy.

Consciousness slowly sank into darkness.

Soon, she "saw" it.

Countless colorful specks of light floated in the air, like fireflies on a summer night, lively and agile.

Red, blue, cyan, yellow, gold...

This is the elemental energy between heaven and earth.

Zhou Jue's consciousness, like a magnet, began to try to attract these points of light.

Almost the instant the thought arose in her mind, the surrounding points of light began to boil!

Among them, the red and blue light spots were the most active, and they rushed towards her body as if they had seen a relative!

Cool and warm air currents rushed in through every pore of her body.

Ice and fire, two completely opposite energies, did not clash the moment they entered her body. Instead, they began to run in parallel along a mysterious path.

These energy flows along the meridians, through the limbs and bones, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort wherever it passes. It's as if every tired cell in the body is being cleansed and nourished by this energy.

As time goes by, more and more spiritual energy enters the body.

They complete one cycle after another in the meridians, eventually flowing into the dantian.

Within the dantian, the spiritual energy of ice and fire began to merge and rotate, gradually forming a small, blue-red vortex.

The moment the cyclone stabilized, Zhou Jue's body jolted violently.

An unprecedentedly powerful feeling erupted from my dantian and instantly spread throughout my entire body!

It's done!

Qi Refining Stage 1!

Zhou Jue suddenly opened her eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them.

She could clearly feel that her five senses had become more acute, and her strength had also significantly increased. The energy within her body was no longer just a cold numerical value given by the system, but a real and tangible power that she could freely mobilize.

She glanced at the time on her personal terminal.

Five o'clock in the morning.

She practiced meditation for an entire night.

Zhou Jue frowned, his face showing not joy but a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Master, is this the top-grade spiritual root you mentioned? You cultivated all night to break through to the first level of Qi Refining?"

She remembered clearly that in the novels she had read before, let alone those with top-grade spiritual roots, even the protagonists of those "useless" stories, after getting a cheat, would break through by drinking water, level up three levels in one night, reach Foundation Establishment in one night, and reach Golden Core in three days.

Why is the efficiency so low when it comes to her?

[…Host, cultivation is a gradual process. Your success in drawing in Qi and breaking through to the first level of Qi Refining on your first attempt already makes you a genius, one in ten thousand. Furthermore, the spiritual energy concentration in this world is extremely low, severely impacting cultivation efficiency.]

The system provided a reasonable explanation.

"Okay." Zhou Jue pursed his lips, accepting this explanation.

It seems that Cheng Gan and the system's usual flattery gave her the illusion that she was an overpowered protagonist.

She was indeed not the chosen one.

Harmful.

She stood up, stretched her limbs, and felt the faint but ever-flowing spiritual energy within her body, which finally improved her mood.

It was almost dawn.

A new day has begun.

She took out a hearty and delicious breakfast from the Starry Box and quickly finished it.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhou Jue walked to the door of the archives room and opened it.