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墨書 Inktalez
"Hold the gun straight, strike quickly, and put it away steadily. Don't always think about your Superpower; focus on mastering your shooting first." Zheng Yifan lay on the front of the Tricycle, enjoying a chilled watermelon.
In front of him, Li Ning was sweating profusely as he practiced his Shooting Skill. Throughout the journey, Li Ning had spent most of his time either sleeping or eating, with little opportunity to showcase his Superpower. Even the other members of the team had never seen it.
However, they all knew that the strange weapon in this guard's hand was definitely designed for his Superpower.
And his Superpower must be quite unique.
"Captain, let us handle the Zombies; you don't need to go. Also, Li Ning hasn't had much rest lately; he will wear himself out," said a female accountant from the team, unable to hold back her concern as she walked over to Zheng Yifan.
"Don't call me captain. From now until we return to Ruiguan, you should call me leader. As for Li Ning, don't worry about him; this is training for his physical limits. Superpowered Individuals are different from ordinary people; while ordinary people can wear themselves out, Superpowered Individuals only grow stronger with more exertion," Zheng Yifan said with a mischievous grin.
"Understood, leader." Throughout their journey, Zheng Yifan had noticed the glances exchanged between the Girl and Li Ning but chose to let things unfold naturally. If they were to end up together, he wouldn't hesitate to offer a grand gift.
"Roar!" In the distance, two Zombies staggered across the grassland in search of prey, their noses twitching as they tried to catch a scent on the wind.
"Roar!" Suddenly, they caught a whiff of food and excitedly sprinted toward an almost abandoned road.
"Whoosh!" A flash of fire erupted, followed by a red beam connecting the necks of both Zombies. In an instant, they were engulfed in flames and transformed into green liquid.
Zheng Yifan casually pocketed a Zombie Crystal that floated in mid-air. Meanwhile, a young man from the back of the team approached the Zombies and quietly absorbed their liquid into a transparent plastic bag. He then slapped the bag with a "pop."
The liquid inside instantly condensed into a pill-sized capsule, which he placed into a cloth bag on the Tricycle.
This young man was Sun Jiang, Zheng Yifan's male secretary. When considering who would use an auxiliary Essence quota, he was chosen.
After using the Essence, he gained a Superpower called Concentration, allowing him to transform substances into concentrated forms.
Water could be turned into concentrated ice cubes, and solids could have their density increased. The melted liquid from the Zombies could also be made into concentrated capsules; the plastic bag became the capsule shell while the liquid inside was condensed into Zombie essence. Of course, this wasn't true Essence and didn't activate any Superpowers; it was merely convenient for transport. The only effect of consuming such a thing would likely be either poisoning from the plastic or turning into a Zombie.
With Zheng Yifan's reprimand, Li Ning trained even harder, and the flash of fire from Zheng Yifan's gun excited him even more.
He did not possess the power of flames, nor could he wield the destructive force of an Enhanced Esper, but he had his own Superpower.
Duality was no longer a useless Superpower in his hands; its immense strength left him both astonished and terrified.
However, he did not understand why Zheng Yifan insisted on not allowing him to use his Superpower for training. Instead, he was forced to build his physical strength and hone his Shooting Skill.
He diligently complied, refining his Shooting Skill to greater precision. His powerful physical control allowed him to learn at an accelerated pace.
The strength of a Superpowered Individual was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Their adaptation and learning of normal strength could take only a few moments to reach heights unattainable by others in a lifetime.
But it was impossible to wield a Superpower like Zheng Yifan.
Just moments ago, Zheng Yifan had swung his gun in mid-air, fire erupting forth. A few sparks had already pulled the Zombie Crystal from both ends of a Zombie into the air, and the body had merely been singed by the flames before quickly extinguishing.
In Li Ning's eyes, Zheng Yifan's control over his Superpower was evidently far superior.
The convoy moved forward slowly; any Zombie they encountered would be dealt with, whether it was First Level or Second Tier. As for Third-Stage Zombies, they had yet to encounter one. Third-Stage Zombies rarely acted alone in the wild; they always stayed with a group of Zombies, almost like leaders.
A dozen Tricycles lined up on the road was quite a spectacle, with each vehicle loaded with goods that attracted all humans.
However, those they encountered on the road were generally barely surviving. They traveled to areas far from the Gathering Place in search of items that could be exchanged for food.
Occasionally, a few people approached asking for water or rations. Zheng Yifan generously provided them with some assistance but would also inquire about the current situation in Han Sui City Gathering Place.
From their accounts, it seemed that while Han Sui City Gathering Place did not lack food, it was all controlled by the Ruler, making it difficult for ordinary people to obtain. There were only two ways to acquire food: the first was to join under the Commander’s banner, and the second—more accessible for most—was to venture out and find items that the Commander needed in exchange for food.
In the Gathering Place, the circulating currency is not Zombie Crystal s or food, but coins issued by themselves, marked with denominations. In this age where machines are everywhere, replicating them is nearly impossible, allowing for a swift issuance process that uses food as the standard for exchange—one unit of currency equals one pound of fine grain.
The highest denomination is 100, while the smallest is one cent. The currency is widely issued but circulates smoothly because there are several Granaries in the Han Sui City Gathering Place that are publicly accessible and can be exchanged for money at any time.
All members of the Gathering Place can exchange their currency whenever they wish, and after several months of testing, there have been no discrepancies.
Zheng Yifan came across a one-cent and a ten-cent coin from a man who had stopped to drink water and happened to grab a lunch.
The front features the stern visage of a soldier, while the back simply displays the denomination, giving it a rough and crude appearance. It is said to be the work of a Formation Master from Han Sui City Gathering Place who had managed to get a stamping machine operational again, making mass production possible.
However, Zheng Yifan knew that replicating these coins without electricity would be extremely difficult. Using hydraulic power was even more impractical; streams might be manageable, but rivers had long become deadly abysses—anyone who ventured near would meet their end. The vicious fish within, though not zombies, had evolved to the point where they could devour almost any creature.
“Captain, compared to Han Sui City Gathering Place, our Hope Gathering Place's system is still too loose. Our centralization isn't as strong as theirs, and we can't compete with their numbers. Should we initiate a second reform plan when we return?” Secretary Sun Jiang asked as he approached Zheng Yifan.
Currently, only he and Li Ning had the right to voice opinions to Zheng Yifan; naturally, it fell upon him to speak up. Li Ning was just a martial arts fanatic; expecting him to contribute was nearly impossible.
“Don’t worry. Having so many advisors isn’t just for show. Reforms need to be gradual; imposing too many restrictions on a loose group can easily lead to resistance. We should take it slow—going to Han Sui City Gathering Place now is about reducing their threat. We need to disrupt their food system and drain their Zombie Crystal s while also acquiring some Essence. It’s best if we can control this trade route and gradually weaken Han Sui City Gathering Place’s strength while obtaining what we need,” Zheng Yifan explained slowly.
“The main focus should be on flooding the market with luxury goods—selling tobacco, alcohol, food, vegetables, and meat—to ensure that people in Han Sui City Gathering Place can survive as long as possible.” Zheng Yifan couldn’t help but sigh.
This was all he could do; although he spoke of helping more people survive, in reality, it still required them to risk their lives for that little bit of Zombie Crystal in exchange for meager food.
The true price could never be driven down because they were already linked to the currency system. The administrators of Han Sui City Gathering Place would also monitor the entire market.
Zheng Yifan's actions would likely not remain active for long.
As their conversation continued, time ticked by slowly. Gradually, the team began to see the Stockade of Han Sui City Gathering Place in the distance.
It was truly a Stockade, not a wall of reinforced concrete, nor a structure of bricks and stones, but surrounded by massive wooden stakes, forming a Gathering Place.
From several kilometers away, the vast expanse of the Stockade could be seen. Occasionally, patrolling warriors were visible inside.
Outside the Gathering Place, groups of explorers appeared on the road.
Forget about Tricycles; all that could be seen were modified wooden carts, most using car tires, simply altered for use.
The majority of people relied on their own two legs; if someone had a bicycle in the crowd, they would be considered a leader.
The location chosen for Han Sui City Gathering Place was excellent, situated in the heart of the grasslands with abundant water veins and rich underground water resources. The Granary nearby had originally been a small town with hundreds of households, now completely cleared out.
The entire town resembled a large Granary, and there seemed to be plans to convert this grassland into farmland. Looking far into the distance, one could see almost endless Farmland stretching behind.
As they moved forward, everyone began discussing the structure of Han Sui City Gathering Place.
Here, relying on the original buildings of the town, it gradually expanded. With a population exceeding three hundred thousand, there simply wasn't enough housing. Outside were scattered makeshift wooden houses that barely provided shelter from wind and rain. If winter remained mild, they might manage to get through; however, if a harsh winter struck, most would surely freeze to death.
But no one cared about that; no one knew if they would survive until tomorrow. At the Gate, a long line stretching over a hundred meters began at the road entrance. Each person looked gaunt and weary, carrying backpacks. For individuals, there was an entry fee; one yuan for bicycles and five yuan for cargo carts. The transaction tax was calculated separately at the Slave Trading Market.
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