Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Grade D Perfect Serum
Clatter.
As the recording pen slipped from Shen Lian's hand and hit the floor, thousands of kilometers away—
A goblet shattered against the ground, wine splashing outward.
【Canglan Continent, Newcomer Arrival Zone No. 128. 】
【Eagle Nation's 7th Base. 】
"F**k!!"
A furious roar echoed through the command room.
Mac—their leader, sunglasses on, built like a wall of solid muscle—slammed his fist against the table so hard the cigar box on top of it bounced.
"What the hell is going on with this Huaxia guy?!"
Mac jabbed a finger at the screen still glowing in front of him, his eyes bloodshot.
"What exactly has Huaxia Nation been hiding from us?"
"Did they already know our plan? Did they deliberately cultivate this monster specifically to counter us?"
"Sir…"
His adjutant, Jesse, swallowed hard beside him and carefully ventured,
"I think the most urgent priority right now is to contact Captain Alice and her team via satellite phone."
"That 'No Words Needed' is terrifying—we need to warn them to avoid Huaxia's forces at all costs. No conflicts whatsoever."
"I'm worried that—"
"F**k! Shut up!"
Mac snapped his head around and sprayed Jesse's face with spittle.
"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job, Jesse?!"
"It's just one Huaxia nobody—what is there to be afraid of?!"
Mac drew a long, deep breath.
"Use that pig brain of yours and think for a second!"
"If this were truly his standard combat power—his trump card—would he be generous enough to publicly release the video for us to see?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Mac let out a cold laugh, his tone certain.
"He must have used some kind of one-time special item, or a sacrifice-type ability with an enormous cost!"
"That's the only way he could have produced that kind of visual effect!"
"This is Huaxia Nation's Empty Fort Strategy—it's deliberately designed to intimidate us!"
"Otherwise, battle footage containing intelligence this valuable—why would he put it on display? Is he an idiot?"
Jesse stared blankly for a moment after listening to this analysis, then his face broke into a sudden expression of dawning comprehension, and he gave a heartfelt thumbs-up.
"Oh my God… Sir, you are absolutely brilliant!"
"I didn't even think of that! This has to be a Huaxia psychological warfare tactic! They're bluffing!"
"So what do we do next? Do we send an assassin to eliminate that Huaxia guy and expose his act?"
"NO!"
Mac wagged his finger and made a cutting gesture.
"Our primary objective is to explore Eerie Island, establish the first Grade S Shelter, and claim the rewards!"
"There's no need to personally step into a conflict with Huaxia Nation at a critical juncture like this."
"Not that I'm afraid—I just don't see the point in wasting bullets."
"Besides……"
Mac's face spread into a smile of breathtaking insincerity.
"The President gave a speech on the news. We absolutely love the people of Huaxia Nation and Su Nation!"
"We're friends, aren't we?"
"However……"
Mac shifted tone abruptly, lit a cigar, and said with a sinister grin,
"Friends are friends—but that doesn't mean we'd mind causing them a little trouble. Test what that Huaxia guy is actually made of."
"Just not us doing it. Understood?"
Jesse caught on instantly.
"Sir, I understand."
"I'll notify Sakura Nation."
"Tell them that Huaxia guy has a Grade S item in his possession. Let them go and test the waters."
"Very good."
The 2 men exchanged a look and a smile, reaching their consensus.
Jesse tucked the tablet under his arm and pushed out through the tent flap. Inside, smoke curled thick through the air, veiling the conspiracy that was already taking shape.
……
Whoosh!
The vehicle door slid open.
Jiang Nan stepped down barefoot onto the alloy running board, letting the cool morning breeze—tinged faintly with the smell of smoke—wash over his face.
The air still carried a faint char, but compared to the blood and rot in the cellar, this was premium quality.
In his hand, he held a silver tablet with a distinctly high-tech feel.
On the back, in small print: Sky Screen Issue—Leader Exclusive.
Jiang Nan sat down on the vehicle step and began lazily exploring the tablet.
This was the device the system had materialized directly into his hand when it announced the activation of the Shelter System earlier.
The only problem was… the timing had been a bit awkward.
He'd been in the middle of Rush B at the time.
Only after pulling off 【Dragon Charge】 + 【Energy Cascade】 and successfully defeating his opponent had he freed one hand, somewhat reluctantly, to take a cursory look at what this tablet actually did.
'Too excited at the time. Didn't really look at it properly.'
Jiang Nan's gaze cleared.
Since he had decided to build a faction in this apocalyptic world, this management terminal was the highest priority.
He swiped open the screen. The interface was clean and minimal—just a few app icons.
【Information】
【Members】
【Leaderboards】
【Map (Locked)】
【Area Chat (Locked)】
【Trade (Locked)】
Jiang Nan tapped 【Information】 first.
【Shelter Information】
【Type】: Mobile Shelter
【Grade】: Grade F (25 sqm)
Note: Grade is tied to the Shelter's total effective living area.
Grade F: 10–49 sqm
Grade E: 50–99 sqm
Grade D: 100–199 sqm…
【Current Occupancy】: 6 people
【Defense Rating】: Grade D (Special Alloy Armor)
【Trait】: Aura Of Fear (Grade S)
【Overall Rating】: Grade C
【System Recommendation】: Your territory is too small—there isn't even enough space for everyone to stretch their legs. It is recommended that you expand or upgrade your vehicle as soon as possible.
【Monthly Supplies】: Grade C (Unclaimed)
'Only 25 sqm……'
Jiang Nan rubbed his chin.
The bus had been fitted out luxuriously through its modifications, but for 6 people, it was genuinely cramped.
Wang Meng and Guo Shuai in particular—2 grown men jammed together in the cab.
'Looks like I'll need to find a way to keep upgrading. Or maybe……'
Jiang Nan gazed into the distance, ambition flickering in his eyes.
'Get something at Land Battleship scale. A mobile city. That could be fun.'
The goal was far off—but he had all the time in the world.
A rare crooked smile crossed Jiang Nan's face. He tapped 【Claim Supplies】.
Buzz!
The tablet vibrated, and a list popped up.
【Grade C Supply Package Distributed:】
【Rice 30 jin, Sprawling Spinach 18 jin, Lamb 6 jin, Crucian Carp 6 fish, Compressed Crackers 30 packs, Pickled Vegetables 30 packs, Drinking Water 60L】
【Notice: Fresh produce has been automatically stored in your vehicle refrigerator. Water reserves have been injected into the storage tank.】
Jiang Nan raised an eyebrow at the list.
These quantities—for 6 ordinary people—would amount to barely not starving.
But in the apocalypse, meat, fish, and vegetables? That was imperial treatment.
'For my purposes, it's enough.'
As the Leader, he ate meat. The others drank broth.
Just being able to coast along in the wake of a cheat-code player like himself—for Wang Meng and Guo Shuai—was already their ancestors' graves sprouting green smoke.
If they wanted lavish meals every sitting on top of that, that would be pushing it.
Next, Jiang Nan opened the 【Members】 list.
【Leader】: Jiang Nan (Highest-level clearance; veto power)
【Administrators】: Liu Yuqing, Chen Tong, Wang Meng (Level 2 clearance; can open vehicle doors and access certain facilities)
【Members】: Yu Shishi, Guo Shuai (Level 3 clearance; residential access only)
【Zone Planning】: Not configured.
This feature functioned like a smart home backend management system.
The Leader could divide the Shelter into designated zones—Core Zone (bedroom), Common Zone (living area), Lower Zone (storage).
Anyone without the corresponding clearance couldn't even get a door open.
Jiang Nan didn't bother with this for now. The vehicle was only so big. Everyone was constantly in each other's faces—setting up anything too elaborate would be more trouble than it was worth.
Finally, he tapped 【Leaderboards】.
4 tabs appeared:
【Newcomer Leaderboard (27 days remaining)】
【Shelter Rating Leaderboard】
【Trial Points Leaderboard】
【Global Boss Kill Overall Leaderboard (Unclaimed reward!)】
Spotting the red notification dot on the 4th tab, Jiang Nan finally remembered.
During the Rush B, that Sky Screen voice had apparently spoken in his head and asked him something.
‘Do you wish to make the footage public in exchange for higher rewards?’
He'd been focused on the final push at the time—brain running hot—and had just shot back a ‘get lost’ or ‘whatever’ on instinct.
The system had taken that as consent by default.
'Public it is, then.'
Jiang Nan had no regrets. If anything, he found it slightly funny.
Everyone who'd seen the footage was probably right now furiously strategizing how to counter his ability.
'Heh.'
A cold laugh formed in his mind.
'My Word Spirit changes by the day.
'Today I'm American-style quick-draw. Tomorrow I might be a melee mage.
'Your countermeasures had better keep up with my update speed.'
That was the shameless beauty of the Word Spirit System—no fixed template. Nothing but limitless imagination.
He didn't dwell on it. Jiang Nan tapped with one finger.
【Claim Reward】
【Ding!】
【Congratulations! You have successfully claimed the "Global Boss Kill Overall Leaderboard" rank 9,527 placement reward!】
【Item Obtained: Grade D Enhancement Serum】
A flash of light.
A metal syringe radiating an ethereal blue chill materialized in Jiang Nan's hand.
【Grade D Enhancement Serum】
【Quality】: Grade S (Perfect)
【Function】: Upon use, ignoring base stats, immediately elevates the user's overall physical condition to Grade D+!
【Side Effects】: None.
'Well, well—a pillow delivered just as sleep is calling.'
Jiang Nan looked at the syringe in his hand and gave a satisfied nod.
His Word Spirit ability was unbeatable—but this body was still flesh and blood.
After last night's high-intensity battle, plus the earlier drain from killing the Scarecrow—
He genuinely felt a faint ache in his lower back and a creeping mental fog.
'The body is the foundation of the revolution.
'Especially the lower back. That's the foundation of the foundation.'
This serum had arrived at exactly the right moment.
Without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Nan rolled up the sleeve of his robe, exposing a pale, slender forearm.
He pressed the needle against the vein—
And drove it in hard.