Chapter Twelve: The Fourth Master

“If they cut back on energy consumption, a sixty-meter radius could last at least three months. No matter how frugally they use it, half a year from now marks the deadline—when all supplies are exhausted and death is inevitable. The predators may not be able to get in, but the people inside will be trapped and die slowly.” Tong Jia pondered for a moment before answering my question. “Under normal circumstances, a single energy replenishment for the Pillar of Heaven lasts nearly half a year. Anyone with some standing is well aware of this.”

Ha! Was that a subtle jab at my lack of status? Am I to take that as an insult? Then again, someone like him—a scavenger team leader in a major settlement—may not be second only to the leader, but he’s close enough, practically the guardian deity of an entire camp.

I didn’t care how many people might die trapped inside the Pillar of Heaven; my concern was how long that pillar could hold out. After hearing Tong Jia’s explanation, I could now be certain: if this mission had a time limit, it would be three months.

Within three months, I had to carve a bloody path through ZZ City to reach the Pillar of Heaven, and I’d have to bring whatever was needed to replenish its energy and keep it from burning out.

This was utterly preposterous!

The energy source for the Pillar of Heaven was, in fact, quite simple: iron. As long as enough iron was thrown into the reactor, it would automatically replenish the pillar’s energy system, transforming into that protective, ashen light for everyone, with surplus energy converted into electricity.

That’s why people in the wasteland era said the Pillar of Heaven had everything one could need—the natural resources were so abundant that nothing was lacking.

I couldn’t see Tong Jia’s face clearly in the darkness, but he continued, “The biggest problem now is that the scavengers inside the Pillar of Heaven can’t get out. The outside is sealed tight. I’m sure they’ve tried to fight their way out, but they must have failed—otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent out a distress signal.”

I thought it over. Based on the news that all of ZZ City had fallen, at least the entire city’s corpse types must have gathered around the Pillar of Heaven! Not even a god could break through that. No wonder not a single settlement dared risk a rescue.

This genetic ecological chain is pushing me to be a savior—giving me a job that no one else could possibly do, and the penalty for failure seems especially severe.

Exhausted, I leaned back against the truck bed. To complete this first main mission, I’d have to think carefully. Who knows what terrifying foes might lurk around the Pillar of Heaven—perhaps even a single Tier Four corpse type, the kind capable of wiping out an entire settlement.

These abominations are as rare as Nightmares, their strength unfathomable. At this level, corpse types possess special abilities. Anyone could meet their end against one.

But there’s at least one silver lining: they don’t have the immortality trait of Nightmares. If you can find a way to kill one, you don’t have to worry about it coming back to life on the spot.

The problem is actually being able to kill it. A Tier Four corpse type has intelligence equal to a human adolescent; it can plan and strategize. Killing it isn’t as simple as just attacking, especially with those terrifying mutation abilities…

A wave of exhaustion washed over me. Perhaps the only good news was that there couldn’t be any Nightmares near the Pillar of Heaven.

The pale light suppresses Nightmares; they abhor the radiance emitted by the Pillar. So, it’s impossible for them to be around it.

At present, the only way to break through is to enhance my genetic ecological chain and raise my own strength as quickly as possible—especially my vision! Without sight, I had no chance of contending with these predators.

I made my calculations in silence and opened the genetic ecology interface.

“Level One Genetic Ecology Interface activated.”

I tapped on the vision ability.

“Reminder: Your current gene points are insufficient to upgrade vision again.”

[Advanced Vision Upgrade]: 1,000 gene points required.

Remaining available gene points: 22.

It felt as if ten thousand wild horses were rampaging through my mind. I stared at the requirement—1,000 points—speechless. The remaining 22 points must have been earned just now from clearing the remaining corpse types downstairs.

A thousand points!

That’s equivalent to killing a hundred Tier Three corpse types! This is highway robbery! Even the full reward for completing this random mission is only about that much!

No, I have to figure out a way to gather more gene points before setting out. I checked the time: it was already 3:00 in the afternoon. There were seven hours until the moonlit night at 10 p.m.—enough time to pull off something big.

That oil depot! I have to make use of it!

The ones the armored truck killed earlier definitely didn’t count for me. I suspected it was because the vehicle wasn’t mine, and all the weapon systems were activated by Tong Jia. For whatever reason, I was just a bystander.

But come on, driving the vehicle should count for something! Why didn’t I get any credit at all?

I looked up at the sky in exasperation—this was shamelessly unfair. Since when have I had to kill corpse types just for the sake of killing?

Wait, there was another part to the random mission’s reward—an upgrade to a random physical ability… I shouldn’t max out vision alone; I should bring all abilities up to the intermediate level, then use the mission reward to bump one to advanced.

I’d have to be thrifty—scrounge up as much as possible and conserve resources.

Resolving to take action, I kept a wildly ambitious thought to myself. I didn’t dare voice it, afraid I’d scare everyone else in the truck half to death—they’d think I was crazy. Then again, what I was about to do was pretty close to madness.

“Captain Tong, I have a few things to take care of. You all stay in the truck and rest. I’ll be back soon.”

I quietly informed Tong Jia. He mumbled something unintelligible, barely paying attention.

“Hala hala hala…”

Just as I was about to get out, the sheepdog that had been dozing by my feet suddenly stood up, rubbing against my pant leg.

“Hey, you little rascal, getting attached to me now? I can’t take you with me this time. Stay here and rest, alright?” I stroked the dog’s head, not caring whether it understood.

“Hmm… hmm…”

The sheepdog gazed at me with bright eyes, letting out a low, rumbling sound, as if warning me that if I didn’t bring it along, it would start barking!

I chuckled and shook my head, but in the end, I picked it up and jumped off the truck together. The dog was surprisingly heavy—at least seventy or eighty pounds. “Sigh, Fourth Master, it’s for your own good that I’m not taking you. You have no idea how dangerous it is out there. I risked my life to rescue you.”

Drooling contentedly, Fourth Master nestled in my arms and licked my face.

I looked at him with a strange expression. Was it just my imagination, or was this dog actually giving me bedroom eyes?

Who’d have thought that, even at the end of the world, a dog could be so charming? Life was getting out of hand!