Another World: When a Necromancer Possesses the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls

Three brand-new skills—Soul Power Impact, Death Erosion, and Soul Explosion!

"It's almost time," Li Xingyao muttered to himself. His gaze swept over the pale blue light projected by his watch.

92,000 federal credits, that's all the credits he currently has.

This money is Li Xingyao's current start-up capital. He knows that in this world where strength reigns supreme, resources are always the primary driving force for becoming stronger. Converting resources into power, and then using that power to acquire even more resources—this is the Matthew effect, where the strong get stronger!

What he needs to do now is to throw this money in without hesitation and without reservation, to carve out a wider world for himself! He's going all in!

He sat cross-legged, brought up his personal terminal, and quickly operated his fingertips on the virtual screen, entering a complex dynamic password to open a document that had been encrypted and stored for months: a list of supplies for the hunting plan.

This list was conceived, revised, and perfected bit by bit after he awakened as a necromancer, taking into account his own situation and information. Each item was repeatedly weighed to achieve the best cost-effectiveness within a limited budget. It is not just a shopping list, but also his preparation for stepping out of the city.

His initial budget limit was set at 20,000 credits, with the core principle being "survival first, combat power second." The list mainly consisted of basic survival supplies (compressed biscuits, basic water purifier, simple first aid kit) and a small number of inexpensive consumables (disposable traps, low-level hemostatic spray).

As for equipment? At the time, he only dared to dream of the most basic leather armor or an alloy short sword. The initial investment was huge, the risk was extremely high, and the return on investment needed to be carefully assessed.

Li Xingyao's gaze swept over the notes he had written under the list titles, a complex and enigmatic smile curving his lips, tinged with self-mockery. Now, holding nearly 90,000 credits, he truly understood the cruel reality of the phrase "strength equals value."

The stronger you are, the higher the level of missions you can take on, the more dangerous the areas you can explore, the more precious the resources you can obtain, and the faster you can earn credits! It's a positive spiral!

What he needs to do now is to use this initial capital as fuel to power the engine, giving this newly started machine its first acceleration! He wants to break the previous assumptions!

"The previous plan is outdated!" Li Xingyao's eyes sharpened, and his fingers slid rapidly across the screen, deleting the budget limit from the list. He was preparing to convert all his credits into combat power! Not a single one would be spared!

Step 1: Survival Guarantee (Budget: 5000 Credits)

He first clicked on the "Survival Supplies" category. This is fundamental for wilderness survival; you can't skimp on it, but there's no need to chase after top brands. Practicality, efficiency, and reliability are key. The wilderness isn't a city; there are no convenience stores, no supply stations, and no first aid centers. A pack of biscuits, a bottle of water, or a box of medicine can all be a matter of life and death in a critical moment.

High-energy compressed rations (30-day supply): He directly chose the same type supplied to the military. Dark green vacuum-packed, each piece is only the size of a palm, yet it contains an astonishing amount of calories and balanced nutrition, maximizing the maintenance of bodily functions. It's incredibly effective at keeping you full.

Price: 1200 credits.

With a simple tap of your finger, your order is successfully placed.

A confirmation box pops up on the screen, and the logistics information shows: "The item has entered the sorting process and is expected to be delivered to your apartment smart locker within 6 hours."

General-purpose nutritional supplement (10 vials): A thumb-sized glass bottle containing a pale blue, viscous liquid. Effective for quickly replenishing energy depleted after intense combat or long marches.

Li Xingyao carefully compared several similar products and ultimately chose this one, which had the best reputation and the highest energy conversion rate. The wilderness is not safe; after a high-intensity encounter, he might be starving and wouldn't have time to eat slowly.

Price: 1800 credits.

Place your order.

Standard First Aid Kit (including powerful hemostatic gel, broad-spectrum anti-infective spray, bone fixation splint, and basic antidote serum): A rigid alloy box with a designed interior that holds everything needed to treat the most common injuries, infections, and mild poisonings.

The hemostatic gel can instantly seal wounds, the anti-infection spray is effective against common wilderness pathogens, the splint is lightweight and sturdy, and the antidote serum pack can deal with the toxins of most Class A venomous insects. Li Xingyao specifically checked the user reviews.

Price: 800 credits.

Place your order.

High-potency insect repellent powder (200g): A fine, grayish-white powder packaged in a tightly sealed metal container. The scent is harmless to humans, yet effectively repels annoying and dangerous insects commonly found in limestone hills, such as blood-sucking flies, scorpions, and burrowing centipedes. The effect is long-lasting, lasting 8-12 hours with a single application.

Li Xingyao didn't want to be surrounded by a swarm of poisonous insects while hunting, or to be ambushed by them while resting.

Price: 500 credits.

Place your order.

Water purification tablets (50 tablets): White tablets the size of a fingernail, when dropped into murky water, can kill most bacteria and parasites within 30 minutes, making the water safe for drinking. Li Xingyao considered that clean water sources are hard to find in the wild.

Price: 300 credits.

Place your order.

Multi-tool: The classic "Falcon-III" model was chosen. It is 25cm in length, with a sharp blade, serrated back, a handle inlaid with a compass, flint, and fine wire, and a sturdy alloy hammer at the butt. Robust, durable, and fully functional.

Price: 400 credits.

Place your order.

Total: 5000 credits.

The payment was successfully deducted instantly on the screen, and the account balance changed from 92,000 to 87,000. Looking at the "estimated delivery within 6 hours" message in the logistics information, I knew these were essential supplies.

Step 2: Upgrade Equipment (Budget: 5000 Credits)

Li Xingyao closed the survival supplies interface and opened the "Equipment" category. He already had the "Lightweight Mage Leather Armor" as a reward from Lin Wei, and the Ghost Bone Amulet for restoring mental energy. Now, he needed a pair of shoes that could save his life in a critical moment!

In the wilderness, speed often means survival. Whether it's evading powerful star beasts, seizing advantageous terrain, or quickly escaping an encirclement, the value of a pair of shoes is immeasurable.

Filtering criteria: Movement speed bonus. Equipment type: Boots (The wilderness terrain is complex and varied, with loose rocks, mud, and steep slopes everywhere. Boots provide better ankle protection, support, and adaptability to complex terrain).

The screen instantly filtered out a large number of options that increased carrying capacity and defense. The remaining dozen or so speed-type boots ranged in price from 3000 to tens of thousands. Li Xingyao set his budget limit to 5000 credits and began carefully comparing parameters, user reviews, and professional evaluation reports.

My eyes quickly scanned the area:

The "Swift-III" ultralight racing running shoes offer +18% speed (flat ground test data). The sole features an ultralight honeycomb structure, providing excellent feedback. However, the thin sole results in poor wear resistance and limited adaptability to complex terrain. User reviews: "A parkour essential in the city, but a death trap in the wilderness."

PASS.

"Treading Clouds" Lightweight Adventure Boots: +12% movement speed; the sole features a built-in micro-anti-gravity cushioning layer that effectively absorbs impact upon landing, reducing fatigue during long walks. Price: 4800. Review: "Excellent comfort, suitable for long-distance treks."

Alternative.

"Wind Chaser-III" Tactical Boots: +15% movement speed (all-terrain adaptive), dark gray composite upper, abrasion and puncture resistance meeting military standards (can withstand ordinary knife punctures). The midsole incorporates a micro-antigravity cushioning layer and biomimetic dynamic tendon fibers, providing shock absorption while automatically adjusting to gait for additional assistance.

The high-top design, reinforced with a hybrid of alloy and Kevlar at the ankle, provides excellent support and protection. The outsole pattern is specially designed for superior grip on wet, gravel, and sand surfaces.

Price: 5000 credits.

User review: "A lifesaver in the wilderness! It's a bit pricey, but in crucial moments, being one step ahead can mean the difference between life and death!"

Alternative.

"Shadow Strike" Stealth Boots: +13% movement speed, with a slight optical camouflage effect (reduces the chance of being detected visually), but weak defense and cushioning. Price: 5200, over budget.

PASS.

After careful consideration, Li Xingyao finally settled on the "Wind Chaser-III". "15% all-terrain movement speed bonus! This is exactly what he needs!" He stopped hesitating and made his choice without hesitation.

Place your order.

Account balance: 87,000 - 5,000 = 82,000 credits.

Step 3: Supplement firepower – ensuring physical damage output (Budget: 3000 credits)

The necromancer lacks self-defense capabilities in the early game, which is Li Xingyao's current weakness. He needs a fast, reliable physical damage weapon that doesn't consume his own energy as a supplement and for emergencies, in situations requiring instantaneous firepower suppression. Li Xingyao had a year of firearms training before his awakening, although it was only basic training, it was enough to handle most situations.

He directly selected "Recommended models in the Summoner category". Based on his class characteristics (strong mental strength, but relatively average strength and agility attributes), the system recommended several lightweight firearms with low recoil, high rate of fire, and easy handling.

Final selection:

The "Hummingbird" lightweight electromagnetic pistol features a streamlined body only slightly larger than an adult's palm and is extremely lightweight (only 0.8kg), with a matte black coating. Utilizing an electromagnetic coil acceleration principle, it boasts an extremely high rate of fire (theoretical rate of fire 1200 rounds/minute) with minimal recoil, making it effortless to operate with one hand.

Equipped with a 20-round magazine, it can use specially made high-explosive bullets (which are particularly effective against unarmored/lightly armored targets).

Price: 2500 credits.

Place your order.

Purchase an additional 5 spare magazines: 100 credits each, for a total of 500 credits.

Place your order.

In an emergency, ammunition is life. He certainly didn't want to be out of ammunition at a critical moment.

Total: 3000 credits. Compact and lightweight, with a high rate of fire and powerful firepower, it's sufficient to handle unexpected situations, suppress enemy fire, or finish off enemies at close to medium range. Li Xingyao imagined himself firing the "Hummingbird," a smile playing on his lips.

"Within seven paces, the gun is both fast and accurate."

Account balance: 82,000 - 3000 = 79,000 credits.

Step Four: The Ultimate Investment – ​​Star Core!

Li Xingyao took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the air in the training room into his lungs, and then slowly exhaled. He clicked on the category he had only dared to secretly browse before, but had never dared to hope to actually use—Star Core.