Survival in the Apocalypse: Max Level Drop Rate with Abundant Resources

The carnage within the instance is far more brutal than outsiders imagine.

Shen Xi led Ming Ying through the ruins for half an hour, encountering three groups of scattered corpses along the way, which he easily cleared away. Their points rose from 0 to 23, and their ranking appeared; he was over 1800th.

Because his ranking was so low, no one noticed his name.

He wasn't in a hurry and proceeded steadily.

But what really caught his attention wasn't the points.

Instead, it was the message that was being flooded with messages in the [Regional Channel - Kyoto Ruins Arena].

"Holy crap! The military and the Gu family are at war! In the North District, the military killed at least a dozen members of the Gu family!"

"Not only the Gu family, but members of the Jin family were also killed! The fighting is even fiercer in the West District!"

"Is this some kind of championship or a clan feud? They haven't even killed a few zombies yet, and they're already killing each other?"

"What do you mean 'our own people'? The military and the four major families have never been on the same side!"

"Oh no, this dungeon is going to turn into a battleground..."

Shen Xi glanced at it.

Just as he guessed. After the young military officer killed the two members of the Gu family, the news spread like wildfire throughout the instance. There was already a rift between the two sides, and now that the opportunity was ripe, both sides seized it and went for the kill.

Just then, an announcement appeared at the very top of the regional channel...

[Regional Announcement - Lord Wu'an]: "All military players, listen to my command! From this moment forward, focus all your efforts on eliminating members of the four major families. One kill earns one merit. Ten kills earn a major merit. One hundred kills will earn me a personal commendation from the higher-ups. This is an order."

It is clear that Lord Wu'an used a special tool that allows him to post announcements in the regional channel.

The entire regional channel went silent instantly.

Then, it completely shattered.

"Lord Wu'an has spoken! This signals the start of a full-scale war!"

"Holy crap, the military's going to kill us!"

"The four major families are finished, completely finished..."

Upon seeing the announcement, Shen Xi was delighted; the more chaotic the instance, the more opportunities he would have.

Lord Wu'an finally couldn't hold back any longer.

To be poisoned and betrayed by the Gu family and yet only react now shows remarkable self-control. Anyone else would have already led their men to storm the Gu family's headquarters.

However, none of this concerns him.

What he needs to do now is accumulate points.

Just as Shen Xi was about to lead Ming Ying deeper into the ruins ahead, a fierce fighting suddenly broke out.

It wasn't the howling of rotting corpses, but the screams of people and the clash of weapons.

"Is someone fighting?"

Shen Xi narrowed her eyes and stealthily moved over with Ming Ying.

As he walked through a row of collapsed shops, the sight ahead made him pause.

On a wide street, seven or eight corpses lay scattered about.

The corpses were dressed in black combat uniforms with gold military insignia embroidered on their chests; they were military personnel.

Standing amidst the corpses was a burly middle-aged man, around forty years old, with a face full of scars and a broad, thick waist. He wore heavy plate armor and carried a massive tower shield, its surface engraved with a roaring golden lion. Fresh blood still clung to the edge of the shield, dripping down.

It's priceless.

The level 14 [Iron Wall] class.

At this moment, he was standing with his foot on the chest of a military player, looking down at the blood-stained face.

"People from the military?" Jin Buhuan's voice was deep and gruff, tinged with contempt. "That's all?"

He suddenly pushed off with his feet.

"Click..."

Rib fracture.

The military player coughed up blood, twitched a few times, and then fell silent.

Jin Buhuan loosened his grip and kicked the corpse to the side of the road like it was trash.

"Tell your Lord Wu'an," he turned around and shouted to the players hiding in the ruins, "that I, Jin Buhuan, will kill every single one of the military personnel I see. If you want to live, stay away from the military."

After saying that, he shouldered the tower shield and strode forward.

Behind him, the bodies of seven or eight soldiers lay scattered in a pool of blood.

Shen Xi crouched in the shadows of the ruins and witnessed the entire scene.

His gaze fell on the huge tower shield in Jin Buhuan's hand.

Name: Lion's Fortress

[Type: Armor - Shield]

[Quality: Silver]

[Defense: 45-55]

【Special Effect 1: Iron Wall - Block success rate +30%, reduces damage by 50% when blocking】

【Special Effect 2: Counterattack - After a successful block, there is a 30% chance to deal 50 points of counterattack damage to the attacker】

【Special Effect 3: Roar of the Lion - When activated, increases defense by 50% for 10 seconds and taunts all enemies within 10 meters. Cooldown: 120 seconds】

[Note: This is a shield passed down through the Jin family, said to have accompanied three generations of the family in battle. Weighing over 100 pounds, it cannot be used by anyone other than a strength-based warrior.]

Shen Xi's eyes lit up.

This shield has pretty good stats!

With a defense cap of 45-55, all three special effects are practical. Especially the "Roar of the Lion," which taunts and increases defense, perfectly matches Mingying's "charging in to take hits" fighting style.

If Mingying were equipped with this shield and the Shura Spear, wouldn't she be a mobile fortress?

"Good stuff." Shen Xi licked her lips. "We need to find a way to get our hands on it."

However, Jin Buhuan is a member of the Jin family, and the military and the four major families are currently embroiled in a power struggle. If he were to act rashly, he might be mistaken for a member of the military, which could lead to even more trouble.

However, it's not like there's no chance at all.

Shen Xi's gaze swept around.

Although Jin Buhuan killed the seven or eight soldiers, he himself was not unscathed. His plate armor bore several claw marks, and a wound on his left arm was still bleeding. His breathing was also somewhat rapid. Clearly, the last stand of those seven or eight men had caused him considerable trouble.

Moreover, he is now all alone.

The rest of the Jin family members have been teleported to an unknown location.

"Mingying," Shen Xi said in a low voice.

Mingying lowered her head slightly.

"See that big guy with the shield?"

Mingying nodded.

"I want his shield." Shen Xi's lips curled into a cold smile. "I'll make my move later. You're in charge of blocking his escape route. Remember, your task is to stop him."

Mingying nodded again.

Just as Shen Xi was about to make a move, hurried footsteps came from the other end of the street.

Three figures rushed out of the ruins. They were all military personnel, two men and one woman, all covered in wounds and in a sorry state. The one in the lead was a man in his early thirties, with the rank of captain on his shoulder insignia, and holding a long knife that was still dripping blood.

Their expressions changed drastically the moment they saw Jin Buhuan.

"Invaluable!" the captain gritted his teeth. "You dare kill our men?"

Jin Buhuan turned around, saw the three people, his fat face twitched, and a cruel smile appeared on his face.

"Three more suicide missions?"

He shouldered the tower shield and strode toward the three men.

The captain's face was ashen, but there was no fear in his eyes, only anger.

"You're priceless! Lord Wu'an will not let you get away with this!"

"Lord Wu'an?" Jin Buhuan sneered. "Don't worry, I'll kill him."

Before he finished speaking, he moved!

Despite his massive size, Jin Buhuan was surprisingly fast. He charged towards the three men like a runaway heavy truck! Each step he took produced a dull thud!

The captain gritted his teeth and raised his sword to meet the attack!

"clang!"

The longsword struck the Lion's Fortress, sparks flying! Jin Buhuan remained unmoved, and with a backhand slam, smashed his shield into the captain's chest!

"Bang!"

The captain was sent flying backward, crashing heavily against the wall, spitting out blood!

The other two men's expressions changed drastically. One raised his sword and thrust it towards Jin Buhuan's throat, while the other drew his bow and shot an arrow!

Jin Buhuan dodged to the side, the sharp sword grazing his shoulder, leaving only a white mark on his plate armor. At the same time, he raised his tower shield to block the incoming arrow.

"this one?"

Jin Buhuan sneered and lunged at the archer again!

"Bang!"

Another shield struck, sending the archer flying. He crashed into a crumbling wall and was buried in the rubble, his fate unknown.

Only the female soldier remained.

She gripped the dagger, trembling all over, but still stood in front of Jin Buhuan, refusing to back down.

Jin Buhuan looked at her, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"A female soldier? She's not bad looking. Too bad, I don't like forcing people."

He raised his foot and kicked her in the lower abdomen!

The female soldier screamed and flew several meters away, rolling several times on the ground before curling up into a ball, unable to get up again.

Jin Buhuan shouldered the tower shield, looking at the three people lying on the ground with a smug expression.

"The military? Nothing special."

He turned to leave.

Just then, a voice came from the shadows of the ruins.

"Let's stay a little longer."

Jin Buhuan paused, then turned around.

Two figures slowly emerged from the shadows of the ruins.

The person in front wore a silver-gray uniform that shimmered with faint starlight. The hood covered most of their face, revealing only their chin. Their cloak fluttered gently behind them, and with each step, starlight flickered beneath their feet.

Behind them was a two-meter-tall skeletal figure, wearing a ferocious battle helmet, holding a jet-black spear in both hands, the tip of which gleamed with a chilling light.

Jin Buhuan narrowed his eyes, sizing up the two uninvited guests.

Who are you?

Shen Xi did not answer.

He simply walked up to the three fallen soldiers and glanced down at them.

The captain was still alive, but he had at least several broken ribs, and blood was constantly oozing from the corner of his mouth. He saw Shen Xi, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes; he had never seen this person before, but he still managed to speak with difficulty:

"Brother...brother...run...you're no match for him...go find Lord Wu'an..."

Shen Xi looked at him and sighed.

Then, he raised his head and looked at Jin Buhuan.

"Your shield is good."

Jin Buhuan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"What? You want it?" He patted the lion's stronghold, making a dull thud. "You can have it, but you'll have to pay with your life."

Shen Xi did not speak.

He simply took out the Pangu Axe.

The dark gold axe body exuded an ancient and timeless aura under the hazy skylight. The axe blade was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it gave people the illusion that it could cleave everything in two.

Jin Buhuan's smile gradually faded.

He stared at the axe, his expression turning serious.

This axe... is no ordinary weapon.

"You think you can take me?" Jin Buhuan slung his tower shield over his shoulder, his eyes filled with disdain. "I've been in Kyoto for so long, what kind of experts haven't I seen? Who do you think you are?"

Shen Xi remained silent.

He simply carried the Pangu Axe and walked step by step toward Jin Buhuan.

Mingying followed behind, holding the Shura Spear horizontally in front of her chest, blocking Jin Buhuan's retreat.

Jin Buhuan's expression finally changed.

He wasn't stupid; these two were clearly going to attack him.

But he did not back down.

Because he is very confident.

"Since you want to die, I'll grant your wish!"

But he did not back down.

Because he is very confident.

"Since you want to die, I'll grant your wish!"

Jin Buhuan roared and raised the Lion Barrier, charging towards Shen Xi!

……

Meanwhile, at the Kyoto Convention Center.

The audience of over 100,000 remained completely silent.

Everyone stared at the image on the screen.

Two figures, one silver-gray and the other bone-white, were walking towards Jin Buhuan.

"Who...who are these two people?" someone asked in a low voice.

"I don't know, I've never seen it before..."

"Wait! I remember now!" A spectator suddenly stood up, pointing at the screen, "That guy in the starry clothes! He's the mysterious person who spent 20,000 gold coins at the betting station to bet on Wu Anjun for third place!"

"What? It's him?"

"Spend 20,000 gold coins to buy third place in the Wu'an Jun lottery? Are you crazy?"

"He didn't just buy 20,000; the big guy behind him also bought 20,000, making a total of 40,000!"

"Forty thousand gold coins to buy the third place of Lord Wu'an? Isn't that just throwing money away?"

"Wait a minute, he's going to challenge Jin Buhuan? Jin Buhuan is a level 14 Iron Wall class, his defense is among the top three in Kyoto! What makes him, an unknown nobody, stand up to him?"

"I think he's asking for it..."

There was a lot of discussion in the audience. No one was optimistic about Shen Xi.

Even the military personnel looked grim.

"Is this guy insane?" A major general frowned. "Even if Lord Wu'an himself were to take action against Jin Buhuan, his defense would be formidable. How could a mere casual player possibly have that kind of power?"

The old man beside him remained silent.

He just stared at the silver-gray figure on the screen.

Inside the instance.

Shen Xi walked up to Jin Buhuan and stopped.

Jin Buhuan raised the Lion Barrier, and the golden lion relief on the shield seemed to come alive in the hazy light of the day, exuding a powerful sense of oppression.

"Boy, state your name," Jin Buhuan said in a gruff voice. "I don't kill nameless nobody."

Shen Xi raised her head, and in the shadow of the hood, her eyes were calm as still water.

I didn't mean to tell him.