Bizarre Survival: I Can Devour Thousands of Talents

Chapter 147, Section 146: Planning Ahead, Heading North! (Daily Life)

[World Quest - The Long Night Remains (In Progress)]

[Note: The torrential rain failed to extinguish the fragile embers of life, but a cold wave has already arrived! Survivors! Head south! Only in the south, and further south! Can you find a glimmer of hope!]

[Basic information: Surviving until November 1, 98 AD]

[Additional content: LV15 explorers account for 60%; LV20 explorers account for 10%]

[Reward: Common title [Cold Resistance Expert]; Completing the additional content in advance will grant you information on the upcoming [Demonic Tide]]

The new version of the notice is not significantly different from the previous one.

When [Rain Falls and Torrents] ended, it was almost morning. Ling Xiao had briefly read the description of [A Thousand Miles of Frozen Land] and had a basic expectation of what was to come.

Open your eyes.

Familiar faces flashed by one by one.

Qi Heng and the others wore expressions of joy and excitement.

It seems everyone has been promoted.

Regardless of the test results, they have at least become second-tier professionals.

Under the dim light of the sky, Ling Xiao took a deep breath of the cold air.

"Hiss—"

"I'm done! Even the Flaming Mountains are more fun than this Ice and Snow World!"

Qi Heng's sobbing could be heard from the side.

People from the south are not very resistant to the cold.

There isn't even a transition period for the current version updates.

For a moment, everyone in the guild was wringing their hands and stamping their feet in frustration.

Fortunately, due to their previous experience dealing with the [Rainfall Torrent], the group was not completely at a loss.

While spontaneously donning thick clothes, the members' eyes were all fixed on Ling Xiao.

Waiting for the leader to speak.

Ling Xiao didn't rush to issue orders.

I glanced at my watch first, then checked the map for any newly marked Demon Tide locations.

tsk...

There was nothing there.

The map was unusually clean.

"First, start a fire."

Even though his thoughts went astray, Ling Xiao was not anxious.

After a brief thought, he categorized and arranged the tasks: "Mengyu, start researching cold-weather gear and tools first."

"Jinxi, take stock of the inventory of animal hair, leather and other materials, keep an eye on the market, and purchase a batch if needed."

"Zhan Qing, send people to expedite the mining of fire spirit stones in the cave! A cold wave is approaching... this fire-attribute ore will definitely be of great use!"

The three men accepted their orders and left.

Before I could even celebrate my promotion to the second rank, I had to get back to work, but no one objected.

It's a very simple principle:

Whether it's good or bad, the recipient will know for sure.

Those who act selfishly will ultimately find it difficult to win the hearts of the people, while those who act for the public good will be willing to work together with everyone once they establish credibility!

Especially since this person is always at the forefront of solving problems!

If we were to ask whether Ling Xiao had any ulterior motives...

That is impossible.

He is only human, and can only try his best to suppress his desires to avoid doing bad things.

Truly selfless beings have already transcended the realm of ordinary people.

He can be called a "great man"!

Ling Xiao genuinely admired him, but could only strive to learn from him and get closer; he dared not dream of one day standing shoulder to shoulder with him, or even surpassing him…

At the end of each patch, the survivors who make it through receive a buff!

Ling Xiao was no exception.

Moreover, he made outstanding contributions in the fight against the demonic tide, and the rewards he received were naturally very generous!

[Random Skill Scroll [Excellent]*1, Random Equipment Box [Excellent]*1, Gift Box [Excellent]*1]

The value of these three items of [Superior] quality is self-evident!

Ling Xiao opened all of these free "treasure chests"!

Let's see what good stuff we can find!

[Terrifying Roar [Excellent]]

Frost Grip [Excellent]

【A Double Lock of Unbreakable Bond [Excellent]】

The skills are a combination of control and amplification, which is pretty good; the equipment is rare ice-attribute, which is quite powerful in the current dungeon, not bad at all.

But this last conceptual lock...

It's strong.

With Ling Xiao's limited knowledge, he couldn't think of anything that this thing could be used to protect.

A small safe that requires two people to simultaneously confirm their thoughts—who is it meant to protect?

However, this item requires a skill or item of [Rare] quality or higher to break.

Try to think about it from a different perspective.

Explorers who want to master [Rare] skills need to be at least LV30 or higher!

Even Ling Xiao, who already has the [Excellent] skill and is the number one in the entire region, wouldn't dare say that he could master the [Rare] skill at the second tier.

The leap in quality is reflected in an even greater gap in strength.

Ling Xiao was confident that he could obtain more [Excellent] items in the days to come.

However, it is also valuable for people to have self-awareness; the gap is not so easy to bridge.

The only two [Excellent] skills he currently possesses, [Whirlwind Shadow Sword Technique], are unexpected delights brought from his dream.

Only Ling Xiao's [Eye of Secrets] was a genuine prize he had won himself.

Even if other people get lucky, there aren't that many piles of dog poop for them to step in, right?

Tier 1 Common, Tier 2 Excellent...

This is the level of equipment most people possess.

So while the [Roar of Terror] doesn't quite fit Ling Xiao's light and agile fighting style, it can still elevate his strength to some extent!

External things are ultimately not as reliable as one's own power.

Second-tier promotion results in a surge in all six attributes.

This gave Ling Xiao several opportunities to draw status attributes.

The "clown trio" of the body is practical in all three aspects, and its potential is even greater when combined!

Ling Xiao was really reluctant to change it, so he continued to strengthen it.

After watching "A Thousand Miles of Frozen Land," he also had some thoughts about it.

The six-dimensional attributes are divided into two categories: physical and spiritual.

Physical constitution cannot serve as an anchor point for generating a mental state.

Spirituality, however, can anchor itself to an affinity with the fire element, thereby re-extracting the state of perception.

[Danger Reflexes] have been removed! [Temperature Sensitivity] has been added!

It seems that things won't always go smoothly for me.

Ling Xiao wasn't too disappointed.

He now has enough confidence and doesn't need to focus all his expectations on whether he is strong or not.

I wanted to change my mental state as well.

But when Ling Xiao thought about what happened to the Homecoming Ship, he temporarily put the idea aside.

The effects of "Unwavering Will" and "Eternal Heart" overlap somewhat.

Logically speaking...

The latter is sufficient.

However, Ling Xiao suffered far too many setbacks on a spiritual level.

I might as well continue to strengthen my [Unyielding Will] in order to cope with even stronger mental attacks coming my way...

……

"Wow! Xiao-ge, I think yours suits me better!"

After Qi Heng finished his work, he opened his reward.

After seeing Ling Xiao's treasures, he also suggested exchanging them.

[A terrifying roar]

In practical applications, it should be used to interrupt the opponent's actions during a head-on confrontation, or to establish temporary control of the field when facing multiple opponents.

Ling Xiao's own use of it was only mediocre.

But this skill, when given to Qi Heng, combined with his wide-range spear skills and the offensive [Thunder Pool], would be perfect.

The image of a fierce man charging into battle is practically leaping off the page!

Moreover, the [Excellent] skill that Qi Heng unlocked is actually more suitable for Ling Xiao!

【Three Forms of the Overlord Blade】

【Quality: Excellent】

[Requirements: Constitution and Spirit reach 30, all other attributes reach 20; Learning type (swordsmanship meets the minimum skill requirements)]

【Special Effects: 1. Long March (A forward dash attack with a sword, unleashing sword energy along the way; this effect can be reactivated upon hitting a target); 2. Whirlwind (A whirlwind attack with the sword, scattering sword energy around the body, capable of both injuring enemies and protecting oneself); 3. Shattering Star (Shatters sword energy, exploding into dense meteor-like sword beams, which can be retrieved at any time)】

[Comment: The ancient Overlord Blade had three styles! They determined not only skill but also life and death!]

The description is very simple.

The high barrier to entry for this skill makes it exceptional.

Looking at the entire region.

Ling Xiao really didn't know of a second person who met both the required attributes and had sufficient swordsmanship.

That just made me think of the region.

Looking at the number of explorers in the channel that had "expanded" again, Ling Xiao also had a headache.

There's no other reason.

It's noisy……

In particular, there are a large number of lone survivors without guild titles.

These people were also among the most eager to speak in the channel.

The area code is still [6103] for now, and the number of guilds has not increased, indicating that no new forces have emerged.

In other words, no other regions were merged in this version update.

The latest novel is first published here!

These survivors of unknown origin also openly revealed their backgrounds:

They are the survivors left behind by those regions that have failed!

fail!?

After listening to Li Xiang's summary, Ling Xiao finally understood the reason.

World Quests are not without their rewards and penalties.

The additional content appears to be information about the demonic tide to explorers upon completion.

In fact, there is also a hidden elimination mechanism concerning the entire region.

If, by the end of the version, the number of explorers of the corresponding level still does not reach the percentage required for additional content.

Then the system will assume that the survivors in that area have insufficient potential or are not well organized.

The system will cancel the current region, automatically disband the guild, and shuffle everyone's accounts.

Distribute them to areas that survived the 6103 version.

That sounds perfectly reasonable.

Ling Xiao put himself in Ling Xiao's shoes.

From the perspective of the designers and maintainers of "survival games," this is indeed a wise decision to maximize resources.

Human resources are also a resource...

These survivors, who were able to survive the catastrophe of the demonic tide, are on average stronger than the average strength of District 6103!

Destroying them along with the regional decommissioning would be such a waste...

Why not give these people a change of environment?

District 6103 welcomed fresh blood; these individuals also gained the opportunity to further develop their potential; the game as a whole did not waste any population...

This can truly be described as killing three birds with one stone...

Ling Xiao remains at the top of the list, at least for now.

However, the "Top 100 List" also features many unfamiliar nicknames.

This "Top 100 List" is not one of the three default lists provided by the system, but rather an unofficial list compiled by a enthusiast and widely recognized.

Based on the highly valuable [Level Ranking] and [Kill Ranking], the [Exploration Ranking] has been excluded due to factors such as luck.

Further consideration should be given to the target's publicly disclosed battle record and achievements.

Finally, the top 100 players in the entire region were selected.

The title "Owl" firmly held the top spot from the very beginning of the Top 100 list!

So much time has passed.

The others couldn't even catch up with [Ba Yi Cai Dao], who was ranked second, and only occasionally surpassed [Ye Zhan Qing], who was ranked third.

But they will soon be overtaken.

Ling Xiao's strength is not limited to himself.

Those around him not only provided assistance but also benefited greatly.

One boss monster has been defeated.

Even if their contribution is only a single-digit percentage, the experience reward is definitely higher than if they find monsters and kill them solo!

Ling Xiao and Qi Heng, these top explorers, truly achieved the goal of "the rich helping the poor to get rich"!

"Brother Xiao, why do I feel colder and colder?!"

Qi Heng crossed his arms and rubbed his arms together, asking doubtfully, "Has a cold wave already arrived?"

Ling Xiao, who is more sensitive to temperature, did not react as strongly as him.

However, Ling Xiao couldn't help but feel a little angry when he looked at the three suns hanging in the sky.

It's weird, to say the least.

At least make better use of the "sun's" functions!

So you're just going to be a third wheel?

Even the fiercest anger of an ant crawling on the ground cannot reach the high sun above.

Ling Xiao withdrew his gaze from the distance and smiled helplessly, "It's hard to say, hard to say!"

"Damn... this game is so bad it doesn't give us a moment's respite! We need to get ready."

"And stop acting weird in front of me! Is your constitution really so fragile that you can't handle it now?"

Qi Heng smoothly lowered his hand and gave a "shy" smile.

He also bought extremely suitable materials from the City of Desire and perfectly awakened his second-tier profession.

In terms of attribute increase, it's probably no less than Lingxiao's.

Who gave this guy a sealed artifact as his heart?

Speaking solely of the physical body.

Qi Heng is probably stronger than Ling Xiao!

of course.

Once the latter refines its bloodline, it might catch up with the gap between the sealed artifacts.

"Brother Xiao,"

Su Jinxi came over to report: "Mengyu and the others have developed warm clothing."

"It's just that the time was short, so the quality of the drawings isn't very high, you see..."

Ling Xiao naturally understood the other party's unspoken meaning.

It may seem like it doesn't mention any flaws, but you can figure it out with a little thought.

When I took the blueprints from Sister Hammer, sure enough, they were useless except for keeping warm!

"This thing can only be considered a semi-finished product."

Ling Xiao commented, "But something is better than nothing. Let's make a batch first, tentatively two hundred pieces. That will ensure everyone has spares."

"Continue the research. Provide them with full support in terms of funding and materials. Don't delay, and most importantly, don't interfere with professionals doing their job!"

"Yes! I know!"

Su Jinxi nodded emphatically, as if she had suddenly thought of something.

"By the way, Brother Xiao, we've received many applications from people outside the region. How should we, [Light of Green Hills], handle this?"

This statement came out.

Ling Xiao did offer a reminder.

"Quality over quantity; of course we need outstanding talent."

After pondering for a moment, he said, "But more important than strength is character. Sometimes, a single bad apple can cause far more harm than anything else."

"Do we have enough resources for the guild to continue upgrading?"

"That's enough! When we cleared out the surrounding areas where the demonic tide was coming, we collected a lot of safe resources."

"Approximately what percentage of the cost will the upgrade take? Will it be half?"

Su Jinxi quickly checked the corresponding resources and upgrade requirements, and after calculating them three times, she gave a definite answer.

"Twenty percent! Twenty percent is enough!"

"Everyone's working so hard! The warehouse has been upgraded several times! It's now the highest-level building in the camp!"

Her eyes lit up when she talked about her field of expertise.

Originally, Su Jinxi was always shy when facing Ling Xiao, speaking softly and not daring to look him in the eye.

At this moment, her face radiated confidence, which made Ling Xiao somewhat lost in thought.

Fortunately, Ling Xiao had a strong sense of self-control, so he didn't show any abnormalities.

But Qi Heng, who was listening intently as if to gibberish, still managed to glean some unspeakable meaning.

A probing gaze shifted back and forth between the two.

Ling Xiao coughed lightly and agreed to the upgrade plan.

"Let's upgrade it then! Announce to the channel that we're recruiting."

"However, let's not rush to accept the pledge of loyalty, lest we spend all our time negotiating only to find out it's not a good match, and both sides have wasted their efforts..."

After saying that, Ling Xiao turned and looked at the "pure" wilderness.

After the update, the temperature started to drop, but there seemed to be no changes such as "Thousands of Miles of Frozen Land".

This puzzled Ling Xiao.

In this world, the best way to unravel mysteries is through exploration!

"Since we're just sitting around doing nothing, Lao Qi, take some men and survey the surrounding area. Mark any resources you find and bring them back as soon as possible."

"And what about you?"

"I?"

Ling Xiao chuckled softly, "Didn't the announcement tell us to head south?"

"Then I'll head north! To see what's going on up north!"

(End of this chapter)