Apocalypse Arrives: I Become a Powerhouse by Scavenging

Meanwhile, Moira Lynch had already filled the first container.

It was brimming with a golden liquid that gave off a faint, alluring aroma of fresh grass mixed with fruit.

"Moira, this stuff smells like fruit juice. Can you drink it straight?" Kai York asked.

"The Golden Prosperity Vine isn’t poisonous, so its liquid is theoretically drinkable, but..."

Moira Lynch sealed the container and took out another square one.

It was actually a smart aquarium from the interstellar era, originally designed for avid anglers.

However, it proved too small, so it was remarketed to people who kept fish as pets. But then they discovered its seal was *too* good—the fish would easily suffocate. In the end, it was discontinued.

But it was perfect for Moira Lynch to use as a storage container. The excellent seal meant she didn’t have to worry about anything spilling.

"But while it’s possible in theory, it’s not in practice."

With that, Moira Lynch took an ice-cold cola from her storage space, gesturing that he should drink this if he was thirsty.

Seeing this, Kai York accepted it without hesitation. He twisted off the cap and started chugging it down.

Some time had passed, and the rate at which the sap seeped from the Golden Prosperity Vine’s roots had clearly slowed.

But Moira Lynch knew this wasn’t the vine’s limit. She took out a dagger, preparing to make a few more cuts into the remaining root.

"Um... thank you for before."

A voice suddenly spoke up.

Kai York paused mid-drink and looked at the approaching player, but said nothing.

Moira Lynch merely glanced up before returning her attention to the task at hand, maintaining her aloof persona with no intention of speaking first.

Seeing her reaction, Kai York knew she didn’t want to deal with the person, so he took the initiative. "You’re welcome."

He wore a faint smile as he spoke.

Kai York had a bright and cheerful face, and his smile made him seem all the more approachable.

"We’re planning to head east next. I was wondering if you’d like to come with us?" the player said.

He could tell this pair was incredibly strong. Traveling with them would surely be much safer.

He had also noticed that the clothes Kai York wore were different from theirs, leading him to suspect their quest was different from his. Or maybe... it was a hidden quest!

Hidden quests had appeared several times in previous games.

Although they didn’t know the trigger conditions, they were certain that the rewards for hidden quests were always exceptionally generous.

"No, thank you. I’m afraid we won’t be leaving this spot for a while," Kai York declined.

Hearing this, the player glanced at Moira Lynch, who was on the ground, repeatedly stabbing the plant root with her dagger.

The flow of sap had slowed to a trickle, and the new container was still only a third full.

Even with Moira Lynch constantly prodding the Golden Prosperity Vine’s root with her dagger, the sap only flowed a tiny bit faster.

Seeing this, Moira Lynch simply put away her dagger. She raised a hand, and a pure black shovel materialized in her grasp.

This wasn’t an ordinary shovel; it was an item.

[Name: Excavation Shovel

Rank: Intermediate Item

Item No.: 055

Effect: Excavation. Can be used on any geological formation. Every scoop effortlessly removes one cubic meter of material.]

This item was practically a divine tool for digging tunnels.

However, when she first got this item, she had originally wanted to sell it.

But unfortunately, it sat in the shop for a long time without a single buyer—not even an inquiry.

Seeing this, Moira Lynch had no choice but to keep it for herself. It was still good for planting flowers or tilling soil.

She just never expected its first real use would be in a situation like this.

Moira Lynch swung the shovel with impressive force. The freakishly strong girl was back in action.

When he saw a pit of roughly one cubic meter appear in the ground with a single scoop, Kai York didn’t think there was anything special about the shovel in Moira Lynch’s hands.

Instead, he recalled a scene from long ago, when Moira Lynch had effortlessly hoisted a brand-new propane tank onto her shoulder in the storage room and carried it to the kitchen.

The shock he felt from that scene back then was on par with what he felt now.

If he was this shocked, one could only imagine how the player next to them, who was seeing this for the first time, felt.

He had originally assumed this was a "strong man, weak woman" duo, with one carrying the other. But now, reality had proven him wrong.

This was a powerful duo—a strong man paired with an even stronger woman.

Watching the female player, he saw that every scoop seemed effortless, as if she wasn’t using any strength at all. Her muscles weren’t bulging, and despite swinging the shovel so many times, she hadn’t even broken a sweat. This was completely different from the players with awakened Body Enhancement or Strength Talents he’d seen before.

Every single one of those players with Body Enhancement or Strength Talents had bulky physiques and bulging muscles.

Given Moira Lynch’s build, the player started to doubt his assessment of her talent. ’What if I was wrong?’ But in the next second, that thought was completely dispelled.

After enough of the Golden Prosperity Vine’s root was exposed, Moira Lynch gripped the top of it with both hands. With a powerful heave, she pulled the entire root system, which had been buried deep underground, straight out of the earth.

As the root was torn from the ground, the surrounding earth was ripped apart. Kai York and the other player both took several steps back to avoid getting hurt.

Moira Lynch satisfyingly stored the Golden Prosperity Vine root she had just pulled out into her storage space. When she turned around, she was met with two pairs of dumbfounded eyes.

She hadn’t yet realized she had just done something so shocking.

After all, from her perspective, she hadn’t accomplished that feat with her physical strength alone, but with the help of countless Spiritual Power Threads.

The strength of each Spiritual Power Thread was equivalent to that of a robust young man.

In other words, while it looked like Moira Lynch was pulling by herself, it was actually like countless people pulling together.

"What’s wrong with you two?"

As she spoke, Moira Lynch brushed the dirt from her hands and walked toward them, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

"It’s nothing. Are you all done here?" Kai York asked.

Moira Lynch nodded, then hummed in affirmation.

"Perfect timing. I just got a message from the captain. He wants me to bring a few escorts over."

With that, Kai York looked at the player not far away and said, "Your mission isn’t finished yet, right?"