In the apocalypse, I hoarded goods and handed over my storage space to the government.

Kunlun Base, late at night.

The entire underground city did not fall asleep because of the upcoming major operation; instead, it was like a steam engine running at full capacity, with sparks flying from every gear.

In the dormitory area, a few emergency lights flickered dimly.

The air was filled with a pungent smell of metallic oil and sweat, which was not pleasant, but it gave people a strange sense of peace.

It was already 2 a.m., but no one could sleep.

At two in the morning, no one can sleep.

"Sizzle!"

The sound of the bolt striking was particularly jarring.

"Hey, do you guys think that ranking list is real?"

As Zhao Tian frantically cleaned the now gleaming rifle, he lowered his voice and said, "Last-place elimination, kicked straight back to the civilian area to unclog the sewers?"

"You dare not believe Instructor Su?"

Wang Meng snorted coldly, but his eyes unconsciously drifted to Mo Yun's bed. "Mo Yun was a weak scholar just a few days ago, but he awakened his superpowers and now he lives in a single room in Zone A and eats special meals. He's not even a species like us anymore."

Mentioning Mo Yun caused a noticeable pause in the air in the dormitory.

Hey.

Naked jealousy.

Who among those who can live here isn't a top talent, one in a million?

Who doesn't have a bit of pride?

But now, the gap between people is greater than the gap between people and dogs.

Several promising young talents sat together, their expressions quite interesting.

"That guy Mo Yun..."

Zhao Tian sighed, "He told me that he had never even killed a chicken in the lab before, but now the way he looks at me is as cold as a knife."

"This is the end of the world; we have to fight for our lives."

Wang Meng gulped down a bottle of mineral water, the bottle squeaking as he gripped it. "We're all either awakening out there, or we'll rot away. I'd rather be devoured by zombies than slink back to the civilian slums!"

"They're insane, they're all fucking insane..."

Under Su Ran's deliberate guidance, the entire base is rapidly transforming into a massive gladiatorial arena.

……

The next day, at 08:00.

The snow on the Kunlun Mountains looked somewhat dirty and messy against the backdrop of gunpowder smoke.

The massive alloy gates of the Kunlun base burst open with a roar. This time, what poured out was no longer a probing reconnaissance team, but a true torrent of steel.

Thousands of Type 99A main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles formed an endless Great Wall of Steel, their tracks crushing the frozen ground and their exhaust pipes spewing black smoke that blotted out the sky.

The wasteland outside the base, which was a ruin yesterday, has now been leveled overnight by the engineering corps and turned into a smooth field runway.

The infrastructure of Daxia is terrifying.

Su Ran, dressed in a black combat trench coat, stood ramrod straight at the very front of a steel formation.

Behind him was a group of "seeds" wearing specially made exoskeletons and carrying heavy-firepowered rifles.

These former scholars, students, and even nerds are now facing the biting cold wind, and the naivety in their eyes is rapidly fading.

"Today, I won't make empty promises, talk about ideals, or talk about protecting what we can."

Su Ran surveyed the entire venue, her voice booming like thunder through the loudspeaker.

"I'll only discuss the pros and cons with you. Want to live well? Then trade your crystal cores!"

"Listen carefully to the rules: 10 points for each Tier 1 crystal core! The special watches on your wrists will keep track of your points in real time, and you'll be able to see your ranking starting tomorrow at 12 PM!"

"On the territory of Great Xia, there is no room for idlers, much less for useless people. If you want to rise above others, then fight your way out with your life!"

"roar!"

His response was a chorus of slightly hoarse but frenzied roars.

This is the effect Su Ran wanted.

He suddenly waved his hand, the movement swift and decisive.

"Set off!"

On the eve of civilization's collapse, the most primal law of the jungle is more effective than any eloquent rhetoric.

Rumble!

The armored formation began its advance.

The tracks rolled over the scorched frozen earth, raising clouds of dust.

Behind them, a dense formation of armed helicopters took off and hurtled toward the distant city ruins.

Ye Xiao, carrying the two huge Tang Dynasty swords on his back, had just stepped onto the armored vehicle with one foot when he couldn't help but turn back.

He turned to look at Su Ran, his eyes filled with eager anticipation and fervor.

"Brother Su, are you really not going with us?"

"I have other tasks."

Su Ran shook his head, his gaze deep. "Within three days, I need to travel to the other eleven underground bases across the country. I'm the logistics captain; I need to replenish their food, ammunition, and medical equipment."

Ye Xiao chuckled: "Alright then, when I get back, I'll dazzle you with a bag of crystal cores."

"Enough talk, come back alive first."

Su Ran walked over and patted his shoulder hard.

Then, Su Ran turned to look at Mo Yun, who had been standing silently in the shadows.

Mo Yun's demeanor has changed drastically.

He was wearing tactical protective goggles, and his originally pale skin had an eerie bluish-gray tinge.

His fingers were trembling slightly, clearly still adjusting to the violent force.

"Are you scared?" Su Ran asked.

"No."

Mo Yun adjusted his glasses, his voice cold, "I'm just worried about accidentally injuring friendly forces."

"Your superpower has just awakened; it's capable of indiscriminate, large-scale destruction."

Su Ran stared into his eyes, her expression serious. "Remember, you are controlling the poison, not the poison controlling you. You must learn to control the spread of the poisonous fog like a scalpel."

Mo Yun stiffened and nodded heavily: "Understood."

"As for you."

Su Ran finally looked at Ye Xiao, her tone becoming harsh and direct, "Don't rely on bullets. You are a demon, a monster who needs to bathe in piles of corpses. Drop the gun, use your knife. Only when every inch of your skin feels the chill of death will your body truly remember this feeling of evolution."

Ye Xiao grinned, his expression both ferocious and fanatical: "Just what I wanted."

"You will follow the first echelon tank company as assault vanguards."

Su Ran said, "I want to see the top five standings by noon tomorrow. If those new recruits surpass you, you can go to the junkyard."

"Just you wait, Brother Su!"

Ye Xiao laughed confidently and arrogantly: "My greatsword has long been thirsty for blood!"

Mo Yun nodded emphatically as well.

The two turned and boarded the armored vehicle.

Su Ran watched as the steel torrent completely disappeared from sight.

Turning around, he saw Bai Lu leaning against a Mengshi off-road vehicle.

Today, Bai Lu's ponytail was tied high, and her close-fitting combat uniform outlined her perfect figure, making her look both cool and wild.

She had no gun with her, only the throwing knife storage box that Su Ran had given her.

"Be careful, your strengths lie primarily in..."

Su Ran was about to explain her understanding of Bai Lu's abilities.

"Advisor Su, you're really long-winded."

Bai Lu didn't even look up, directly interrupting him, "Save those mother hen-like instructions for those 'seeds,' they're the ones who need babysitters. I don't need one."

Su Ran touched her nose, thinking to herself with a touch of self-deprecation: "A genius."

"I'm worried that you'll exhaust yourself, and then I'll have to carry you back."

Su Ran replied half-jokingly.

"Hmph, you want to carry me? Get in line!"

Bai Lu snorted coldly, took a long stride, and directly climbed into the driver's seat of the Mengshi vehicle.

She pressed the electronic rearview mirror on one side, straightened her ponytail in front of the mirror, and her eyes instantly changed from cute and innocent to fierce.

"I'm on the first wave of the cleanup operation. That severely damaged industrial park in the east is mine."

"Let's go!"

Without giving Su Ran a chance to refute, she floored the accelerator.

The Mengshi off-road vehicle let out a beastly roar, kicking up clouds of scorched earth, and shot into the distant darkness like an arrow released from a bow.