Chapter 81 Want a Big Fire
Immediately afterwards, news about "crystal core weapons" spread like wildfire.
It is said that the research institute at the capital base has overcome the technical hurdle of stably outputting crystal core energy and converting it into an attack form. Preliminary results include:
Crystal Core Energy Weapons: Can be loaded with crystal cores of different attributes to fire energy rays or energy bullets.
Power and range depend on the crystal core level and weapon technology. Although it cannot yet completely replace the advantages of traditional thermal weapons in terms of penetration and certain tactics, its relatively renewable ammunition source (crystal cores) (through hunting zombies and mutated creatures) is undoubtedly of epoch-making significance in a post-apocalyptic world where ammunition is increasingly scarce.
Crystal Core Melee Weapon Enchantment/Drive: By engraving energy circuits and embedding crystal cores into specially crafted melee weapons, attacks can inflict elemental damage (such as fire, ice, and lightning), or temporarily and significantly increase sharpness and hardness. This greatly enhances the combat capabilities of melee ability users and ordinary warriors.
Crystal Core Protective Equipment: Also utilizing energy circuits and crystal cores, lightweight armor or shields that can actively or passively activate energy shields are created.
Of course, all of these technologies are in their early stages, costly, and complex to manufacture; currently, only the capital base has a preliminary grasp of them.
The purpose of this visit is twofold: firstly, to exchange information and showcase achievements; and secondly, it is likely to exchange resources, acquire more experimental data, and even recruit talent.
The atmosphere at the base became subtly heated.
On one hand, there is excitement; humanity has once again illuminated the path of technology in dire straits, seeing new hope and avenues of power.
On the other hand, there is a sense of urgency and a deeper imbalance—whoever acquires these new technologies and equipment first will have a huge advantage in the subsequent competition for resources and survival.
In the mission hall, the rewards for missions involving the collection of high-purity crystal cores with specific attributes have skyrocketed again. Some previously unpopular skills, such as metalworking, energy conduction, and precision instrument maintenance, have suddenly become highly sought after.
Ruan Ning's team was naturally keeping a close eye on all of this.
“Crystal core extract… If we could get a few vials, it could be a lifesaver in a critical moment,” Lin Yan pondered.
“Crystal core weapons sound even more exciting!” Zhou Min’s eyes lit up. “If only we could enchant our weapons, or get an energy gun…”
Ruan Ning remained relatively calm.
She knew that the initial distribution channels and prices of these new technologies were far beyond the reach of ordinary teams. The capital base would showcase its achievements, but would never provide them in large quantities free of charge.
This is more like testing the waters, and also a way to encourage various bases to increase their investment in crystal nucleus collection and scientific research.
"Opportunities and risks coexist," Ruan Ning concluded. "The emergence of new technologies will change the way we fight and the focus of resource competition. The value of high-level, high-purity crystal cores will rise sharply, and the tasks of hunting powerful mutated creatures and clearing high-level zombie lairs will become more dangerous and more tempting. We need to improve our strength faster while keeping an eye out for ways to acquire these new resources."
She glanced at the various colored crystal cores piled up in her spatial storage. Previously, they were merely a supplement to her cultivation and a form of currency; now, they might mean life-saving potions or even more powerful weapons.
The Dawn Base became lively because of the arrival of people from the Capital Base.
Aside from the soldiers who were ordered to protect the researchers, the other superhumans from the capital base spent their days wandering around the Dawn Base. Some of them were from prominent families in the capital, and their visit was also intended to recruit members for their families. In the apocalypse, power has been reshuffled, and whoever has the strongest fist gets to rule.
Despite the heat of the afternoon, the largest open-air market in the base was still bustling with people. It was the liveliest place for survivors to exchange supplies, gather information, and seek temporary teams, filled with various smells, noises, and chaotic energy fluctuations.
Ruan Ning, accompanied by Zhou Min, Lin Yan, and Da Huo who followed closely by her side, was examining some hand-polished metal parts at a stall.
The fire was still conspicuous, but because of the obvious identity ring on its left forelimb and its docile way of following Ruan Ning, people in the market still looked at it, but with less of the initial panic and more of curiosity and awe.
Just as they were haggling with the stall owner, a slight commotion and a scattering of people suddenly arose in the crowd. Three people, clearly different from the drab survivors around them, walked into this relatively chaotic area as if no one else was there.
The leader was a young man who looked to be in his late twenties. He was wearing a well-tailored, high-quality dark combat uniform, without any Dawn Base insignia, and had a faint, scrutinizing smile on his lips.
Beside him stood a tall woman with a neat ponytail, her sharp eyes constantly scanning the people and objects around her, as if assessing something. A little behind her was a bespectacled man who seemed somewhat taciturn, holding a palm-sized device in his hand, glancing down at it every now and then.
They emanated clear superhuman energy, and it wasn't weak; they were at least at the second-tier level.
More importantly, the sense of alienation and superiority that they unconsciously exuded in their every move, so out of place in this noisy market, made it clear at a glance that they were not locals—they were members of the group of "visitors" from the capital base, and specifically, members of a large family with a recruitment mission.
Their attention was quickly drawn to the fire.
It wasn't the curiosity or wariness of an ordinary person, but a gaze that mixed surprise, assessment, and undisguised interest and possessiveness.
The young man in the lead stopped and fixed his gaze on the fire, looking it up and down at its powerful physique, its uniquely glossy fur, and its intelligent eyes burning with dark red flames, before finally settling on its dark silver identity ring.
"A third-tier mutated dog...fire type." The young man muttered to himself, his voice not loud, but with a certainty. "And it's in a stable tamed state. I didn't expect to find such a 'good thing' in such a small place." His words "small place" and "good thing" carried an undisguised sense of appreciation.
The tall woman beside him also carefully observed the fire and added, "The energy is well contained, the mental link is stable, and the owner has good control. The breed seems to be a Golden Retriever; it has retained some of its docile characteristics after the mutation, but its combat potential is extremely high. Rare indeed."
The man wearing glasses looked down and quickly operated his instrument, seemingly retrieving or recording data.
Their conversation wasn't deliberately hushed, and the surrounding stall owners and survivors all heard it, glancing sideways, but no one dared to approach them or express their displeasure. These were people from the capital base, and clearly high-ranking superhumans at that—not people ordinary people could afford to mess with.
Ruan Ning had already noticed these unusual gazes.
She stopped talking to the stall owner, turned around, and calmly looked at the three people.
Zhou Min and Lin Yan immediately became alert, instinctively moving closer to Ruan Ning in a semi-protective stance. Da Huo seemed to sense the scrutinizing and assessing gaze, no longer lazily squatting, but standing up, letting out a low, warning growl, its body temperature subtly rising, its dark red eyes warily fixed on the three strangers.
The young man seemed oblivious to Ruan Ning and the others' wariness. Instead, he took two steps forward, shifting his gaze from the fire to Ruan Ning's face, and gave her a seemingly polite but actually distant smile: "This mutated dog, is it yours?"
"Yes," Ruan Ning replied simply and clearly.
"A very good partner." The young man nodded, his tone like a superior praising a subordinate. "To be able to tame and stably control a third-tier fire-type mutated beast in this environment, you are very capable. What's your name?"
"Ruan Ning".
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com