Chapter 107: Laser Guns
Weapons. Their ordinary weapons simply weren’t powerful enough.
"We need stronger equipment."
"A sword won’t be enough against a horde."
"Can we buy weapons from another base?"
Just as everyone was discussing how to obtain better weapons, another system notification appeared.
[New Item Unlocked: Laser Gun. Current Status: Beta Testing.]
[Testing Requirement: Residents must use the weapon to hunt zombies and write a separate report about it.]
Everyone stared at the notification. A laser gun?
The weapon sounded almost too good to be true. After a brief discussion, Teams Three and Four decided to volunteer for the test.
"Let’s use it. If the system is giving us a weapon, we’d better find out whether it actually works."
The two teams immediately began preparing for their first field test.
The laser gun looked almost identical to an ordinary firearm at first glance.
Its body had the familiar shape of a compact rifle, with a sturdy metal frame, a trigger, a barrel, and a grip designed for easy handling. However, there was one unusual feature.
Instead of a conventional ammunition chamber, there was a hollow compartment in the middle of the weapon, specifically designed to hold a zombie crystal.
The crystal acted as its energy source. The moment Teams Three and Four saw the weapon for the first time, their eyes were drawn to it.
Among them, Lao Ping was particularly fascinated.
Before the apocalypse, he had worked in the arms trade and possessed considerable knowledge about firearms. He immediately began examining the laser gun from every angle, studying its weight, balance, barrel, and unusual crystal chamber.
’If this thing actually works, I’ll dismantle it and study its internal structure.’
His eyes brightened. ’If I can obtain its blueprint and figure out how it works, my life will completely change.’
Compared to the others, Lao Ping was exceptionally talented when it came to weapons.
If he could reproduce even a simplified version of this laser gun, his future would be completely different.
With that thought, he carried the weapon toward the entrance of the base along with everyone else.
Once outside, they didn’t immediately encounter any zombies. They continued walking until they were roughly a hundred metres away from the base.
Only then did they spot a Level 5 zombie wandering in the distance. "There’s one!"
Everyone immediately became alert. Lao Ping inserted a Level 2 zombie crystal into the hollow chamber.
The moment the crystal locked into place, the weapon gave off a faint hum.
He raised the gun and pulled the trigger. A thin beam of light shot toward the Level 5 zombie.
Bang!
The beam struck its body. The zombie staggered backward, and a visible wound appeared on its chest.
"It works!" someone exclaimed.
However, the damage wasn’t particularly impressive.
One of the members, Willow, adjusted her glasses and carefully observed the weapon.
Willow was a short-haired woman with average features, dressed in a reinforced combat jacket and cargo trousers.
Her speciality was analysis and recording rather than direct combat, which was why she had been assigned to document the weapon’s performance.
"It seems to operate according to the level of the zombie crystal inserted," she said. "The higher the crystal’s level, the stronger the laser."
Everyone immediately understood. They replaced the Level 2 crystal with a Level 3 one. Another shot was fired.
This time, the damage to the Level 5 zombie was considerably greater.
Then they inserted a Level 4 zombie crystal. The next beam struck the Level 5 zombie directly. Its body convulsed before collapsing onto the ground.
Everyone’s eyes lit up. "If this principle holds true, then we can deal with a Level 11 zombie using Level 9 crystals. Provided we have enough crystals."
"That’s still much better than fighting them with ordinary weapons."
The zombie crystals were classified into three tiers.
Levels 1 to 7 were considered low-tier. Levels 7 to 14 were considered mid-tier. Levels 15 and above were considered high-tier.
The highest ordinary zombie they had encountered so far had reached Level 20.
And above them was an even more terrifying existence... a Level 25 Zombie King.
Everyone silently prayed that the upcoming zombie tide wouldn’t contain one. ’If a Level 25 Zombie King appears, surviving will become incredibly difficult.’
They quickly recorded all the test results and returned to the base. Once the report was submitted, everyone was visibly emotional.
For the first time since the apocalypse began, they had encountered a base that was actually willing to provide such advanced technology to ordinary survivors.
A laser gun.
Even Burning Star Base, one of the major bases, had never produced anything like this. It had mass-produced various handmade weapons and equipment, but a technologically advanced weapon capable of using zombie crystals as an energy source was something else entirely.
Yet this small base was giving them access to it. And that wasn’t all.
The cafeteria provided food at extremely low prices, allowing even ordinary survivors to afford proper meals.
The more they thought about it, the more reluctant they became to leave.
Among the members of Team Three were a married couple, Bo Wutan and Ginny.
Bo Wutan was a broad-shouldered man with tanned skin and short brown hair. He wore a worn combat jacket, reinforced trousers, and heavy boots.
Ginny was slimmer, with long black hair tied into a high ponytail and a pair of sharp, lively eyes. She wore a fitted combat uniform beneath a padded vest.
They hadn’t been married for long, but they had been childhood sweethearts and understood each other extremely well.
Ginny had three other husbands, all of whom were members of Team One. They were powerful, but among all her husbands, she loved Bo Wutan the most.
That was why she had insisted on joining the same team as him. Now, she gently held his hand.
"Let’s not leave this base."
Before the zombie tide announcement, they had planned to stockpile as much food as possible before moving to one of the larger bases, such as Burning Star Base, Silent Knight Base, or even Starry Sky Base.