Chapter 106: Leading the world, triggering passive system upgrade!
"Lin Yue sent a private message asking for any alloy. Liu, why do you think he wants alloy? Last time he directly asked Guo Lei for alloy, and it wasn't a small amount."
Xia Feihong closed the system panel and said.
Liu Kai chuckled, "Who cares what he wants it for? Whatever he's doing doesn't concern us. Our goal is resources, and as long as he has water, that's enough."
Xia Feihong nodded, pushed up his glasses, glanced at Guo Lei in the distance picking chives, and let out a light humph.
"Liu, this time we must secure the water and vegetables. We can't afford to irritate Lin Yue, who has the most resources in the whole group, like last time. If we hadn't gotten a few bottles of water then, a few of us might have died of thirst."
Liu Kai nodded, "But it's hard to pin down Lin Yue. He might truly be lucky, or exceptionally strong, but in this Otherworld, going solo never beats collaboration. During life or death situations, humans need to band together rather than only care for themselves."
"Definitely."
"Xia Feihong, imagine if you were Lin Yue and you were the last person left in this world, what meaning would there be in surviving?"
Listening to Liu Kai's words, Xia Feihong nodded silently.
Indeed, according to the numbers the system released yesterday, after two disasters, more than half of Earth's total population had decreased by a terrifying number.
Though this included large numbers of elderly and sick people and those unable to adapt to such harsh environments, in any case, it's undoubtedly a catastrophe for all of humanity.
Although there's not much evidence, there shouldn't be many who've survived two disasters while continuously fighting the treacherous Otherworld on their own.
Banding together has become the choice for the majority since humans are social creatures after all.
This habit, originally formed within society or accustomed to the subtle constraints of rules, has led people to quickly congregate with their families, forming collective shelters like theirs.
The more people there are, the more labor force and the more harvests, but it also brings more issues like water and resource shortages.
After Guo Lei messed up last time, they've been looking for a breakthrough, since currently, in the group of a hundred thousand, only Lin Yue had such a massive supply of water.
But this person, purely by his own strength, acquired such vast materials, always staying ahead of everyone else.
However, Xia Feihong felt Lin Yue probably only had an abundance of water and food at most.
"Liu, now we..."
[Emergency alert, emergency alert!]
Just then, everyone in the Otherworld suddenly heard the system's announcement!
[A survivor has been detected advancing to the Electronic Technology stage early, a survivor has been detected advancing to the Electronic Technology stage early!]
[According to the rules, the system will air-drop a reward for this survivor!]
...
[System passive update function check in progress...]
[On the 15th day of the Wasteland Era, a survivor successfully manufactured a computer and exoskeleton equipment, obtained over 200 design schematics, triggering a system passive upgrade update function.]
[The system will advance to the 3.0 update ahead of schedule]
[Update progress: 21%, 45%, 78%...100%]
[System update complete]
[Update content 1: New world channel, each person can speak twice daily in the world channel]
[Update content 2: New world ranking, the day before the disaster everyone's survival points will be ranked, and the top ten in the world ranking will receive various levels of rewards! The top three prizes in the original group will still be awarded!]
[Update content 3: Added voice and video call features between groups and private chats, supports sending and uploading pictures and short videos, and will impose bans on system functions according to the severity of violating uploaded images, videos, and audio]
[Update content 4: Added positioning function, increased shelter coordinate function, which can be turned on or off as required]
[Update content 5: The next disaster will escalate to a dual disaster!]
[Other updates will gradually be made available in the coming days!]
[Reminder, death here means real death!]
[All humanity, good luck!]
The system's voice faded away, but within the Otherworld, billions of individuals had already plunged into chaos.
Updating the system means more functions will be unlocked.
Yet each system update brings a harsher survival environment!
It's safe to say that system updates are processes of increasing difficulty.
Groups around the world were already fervently discussing this update.
Of course, everyone was also speculating about the real identity of the person who manufactured the computer and exoskeleton.
And with the ability to speak on the world channel, everyone joined in.
"Whoa, I just got rid of eating raw meat and drinking blood, and someone's already got computers and exoskeletons? Where are these big shots from?"
"Probably a group-focused individual, channeling all resources to one person?"
"Maybe a scientist or high-skilled talent; who can assemble a computer in the Otherworld as a regular person?"
"Maybe someone who repairs computers; you give him $100, and he can build you a machine. By the way, what's an exoskeleton? Wearing mutant creature bones?"
"An exoskeleton, fully known as a mechanical power exoskeleton, is a machine wearable outfit made of a steel frame that provides extra energy for limb movement. In short, putting on an exoskeleton increases your combat ability to easily handle dozens of enemies, and while opponents are down, you're not even out of breath."
"You still have time to figure out who that moron is? Because of that moron reaching the Electronic Technology stage, we're now faced with a dual disaster next time! I'd better not find out who it is! Even separated by worlds, I'd take him down!"
"Wow, we can record videos now, let me share something nice"
[Warning, the system detected a video violating rules uploaded by this user. This user will receive a 12-hour ban as punishment]
"I've told you, the insides of the system aren't places beyond the law, yet some moron still uploads this. Dude, I can still see it before the system retracts... so white."
"Did everyone come here by luck or what? Hmm? I seemed to have seen a black dot float down from the sky, it looks... it looks like what I saw before."
"Upstairs, the black dot in the sky is the air-drop reward, but since it isn't the top on the leaderboard, so... that must be the one who made the computer and exoskeleton! Who did you see it from last time?"
"Hurry and tell us, whose was it?"
"+1"
"+10086!"
"To the bigwigs, last time, I saw the system air-drop to our group leader Lin Yue, do you know him?"
This person's answer instantly set off an explosion in the world channel!
Chapter 107: How Many Golden Treasure Chests Is This Now? Top-Tier Processing Equipment Unboxed!
"Is the situation... getting out of hand?"
Upon receiving successive system messages, Lin Yue truly didn't grasp why the system's passive update feature was so easily triggered by him.
Wasn't it just a matter of installing a computer and playing a couple of rounds of Spider Solitaire? Why the big fuss?
Just set up a computer and an exoskeleton, and the system evaluated it as "electronic technology stage." Is that even possible?
The system decided to upgrade five days ahead of schedule... well then.
After reading the update details, Lin Yue immediately foresaw that half of the people in the group chat and the newly-opened World Channel would likely be cursing the person who made the computer and exoskeleton—which is him.
After all, next, the disaster turned into a double disaster, which should have been the content of the next disaster.
However, the system seemed to have not mentioned his name, so this bunch probably wouldn't be able to easily guess, right?
Exiting the shelter's gate, Lin Yue looked up towards the sky, where a small black dot, cushioned by a parachute, was steadily descending towards his shelter.
Reward air-drop!
This was the reward the system mentioned to give him, and the term "first to enter the electronic technology stage" implies that he is the first human to possess a computer and exoskeleton, right?
Being the first among all people in this aspect made Lin Yue's sense of achievement gradually increase as the air-drop descended further.
"Puu~" Bai ran back from outside, noticing something flying in the sky and rushed back to Lin Yue's side.
"It's okay, it's okay, just like last time, it's all air-dropped supplies." Lin Yue patted Bai's back, suddenly feeling that the sensation was somewhat different from usual.
Looking closely, Lin Yue noticed two symmetrical block-like protrusions on Bai's back, constructed seemingly by two pieces of bone, not at all a swollen texture.
What is this?
Moreover, was it just an illusion, Bai seemed to have grown taller again?
"Bai, stand straight so I can take a look."
Bai mimicked Lin Yue, standing straight and tall, and Lin Yue was amazed to discover it wasn't an illusion; Bai indeed had grown taller again!
From the initial half-meter length, now, excluding the tail, it was nearly over a meter!
Now, Bai seems more like a small white dinosaur rather than anything resembling a lizard.
"Are you going to evolve again..."
If Bai were to evolve during this period, it would truly be double the joy.
Bang!
With a dull thud landing sound, Lin Yue returned his gaze to the descending supplies.
He walked over and expertly collected the parachute into the storage space.
For now, the parachute didn't hold much use, but stored in the storage space, it would turn into a convenient unopened umbrella package, ready to be strapped on whenever needed, occupying no space.
Speaking of which, this was the second time receiving system air-dropped rewards, and it was likely another Golden Treasure Chest inside.
Pulling out the fire axe, Lin Yue, just like last time, chopped open the small lock, and the entire wooden box immediately fell apart.
Bai immediately closed its eyes, having almost been blinded by the Golden Treasure Chest inside last time, it had learned its lesson this time.
[You have obtained a Golden Treasure Chest!]
[Note: As a prize, this Golden Treasure Chest can remain even after opening, please store it carefully]
Hmm, not much of a surprise, still alright, how many Golden Treasure Chests has it been? How about sending a more powerful chest, system?
Critical comments aside, Lin Yue still chose to open it directly.
[You obtained: Refined Wheat Flour 25kg, Alloy Anti-theft Door Design Map X1, Precision Multi-axis Machining Center X1]
Eh?
Seems like some good stuff?
Not much to say about the wheat flour, but there's also an Alloy Anti-theft Door Design Map...
[Alloy Anti-theft Door: Any alloy X5, wire X2, control chip X1]
Apparently doesn't require too many materials, nor is it too difficult, but what's with the wire and control chip?
Nevermind that, what Lin Yue is more concerned about is the Precision Multi-axis Machining Center!
A machine tool... isn't it used for manufacturing? Now with a design map, what could this thing make?
Lin Yue has heard that with a machine tool, you can make anything as long as you want and have enough materials.
And precision multi-axis machining center... could it even produce some figurines?
So, let's see how much space this thing occupies; from online impressions, it's also about ten square meters.
[Precision Multi-axis Machining Center, occupies 35 square meters]
This is pushing me, Fat Tiger.
How large is this machine tool, actually requiring 35 square meters?
Lin Yue currently doesn't have more shelters, if he wants to place it, he needs one more shelter.
He doesn't have any shelter design maps now, either he buys one from the survival points mall, or...
"Should I take a look at that unoccupied shelter next door?"
Lin Yue recalled a marked location of an unoccupied shelter on a mapped fragment earlier, he had been planning to visit it before, and now seemed just the right opportunity.
The shelter design map sold in the survival points mall costs 4000 points, though he currently has nine thousand points, spending them like this isn't wise.
Furthermore, these survival points are held for emergencies, better to save them.
Not only that...
Lin Yue opened the system panel, checking the area map.
The site of the unoccupied shelter isn't too far away, and it still doesn't show signs of a survivor.
It seems if there are no issues, visiting it could be worthwhile.
Back home, the Little Ice Lizards keep watch, there shouldn't be any major problems.
The Golden Treasure Chest contents won't occupy space, just leave them there for now.
"Bai, let's go!" Although the distance is somewhat far, he temporarily avoids the underground ruins and the secret realm with a strange monster he can't approach; with the exoskeleton's power, his energy is ample.
This time, it's just right to take a trip there, not to mention retrieving the shelter design map, perhaps there are other relics as well.
Meanwhile, waiting for those items he listed earlier to fetch a price.
"Puu~" Bai dashed over to the Little Ice Lizards, chatting away before following Lin Yue out the door.
Lin Yue considered, closing the door; the Little Ice Lizards seemed quite adept at climbing over the wall to go outside, closing the door wouldn't hinder them much. Also, it wouldn't lead to the mutant sheep being brought over when hunting, potentially harming various structures in the shelter.
Having strapped on the steel repeating crossbow and donned the bone armor, Lin Yue also stored the exoskeleton in the storage space in case of emergencies.
He fixed the area map to the upper right corner of his vision, and Lin Yue and Bai embarked on their journey.
...
...
At this moment, a medium-sized team had already gathered over a dozen kilometers away from Lin Yue's shelter.
The system's air-dropped supplies attracted not only envious or jealous gazes but also drew raiders who've long eyed Lin Yue's supplies hungrily!
Having roamed the desert for a long while, after gathering information from the World Channel, they coincidentally stumbled upon a small black dot in the sky, realizing the legendary Lin Yue was incredibly close to their location!
"How capable can one person be? His stuff, now belongs to us!"
Chapter 108: Expedition, Fatal Déjà Vu (Third Update, Bonus Chapter!)
"It's really quite far, but it's a good way to digest after a meal."
The crossbow arrow shot out, taking down a charging Spotted Wolf, and after gaining a Copper Treasure Chest, Lin Yue yawned.
There was no challenge; these mutants on the desert.
He wondered if it was just his imagination; the Mutant Sheep on the road now seemed to run away at first sight of him instead of charging.
Even those groups with three or four acted this way, as if he were a Tiger-striped Shadow Deer, far more formidable than them.
Usually, didn't they charge as if they were fearless?
"Squeak, squeak!" Bai rushed towards two Mutant Sheep chasing large grasshoppers in the distance, but they ran off like they were escaping from the plague.
Bai chased for a while but eventually lost interest and returned.
Now, only the scarce Spotted Wolves still charged in like delivering takeout.
[You obtained Spotted Wolf skin X1]
Lin Yue didn't squat down for dissection; after all, these mutant animals, about the size of a medium-sized dog, didn't have much meat, and their smell wasn't great either.
He set up a wall on the ground, climbed a ladder, and took out a telescope to observe the distance.
On this undulating desert, trees were sparse, mostly small shrubs, without the height for observation.
The wall he carried was quite handy; its three-meter height served as a vantage point to observe the situation like now, or to hide during an encounter with many enemies in Underground Ruins, or to snip from high ground or sneak attack from behind the wall.
Or set up seven or eight traps under the wall for a chain reaction, leaving the enemy helpless from a distance.
It was simply too convenient.
He wondered if others did the same; it should be a basic offensive and defensive method, shouldn't it?
"That ahead looks like the Shelter, it doesn't seem too far away." Lin Yue spotted a black silhouette and checked the surroundings, confirming no mutant creature hordes or giant creatures seen before, then descended and packed up the stone wall.
"Squeak!" Bai saw another lone Mutant Sheep, and as it was about to charge, the sheep fled again.
Lin Yue noticed, these Mutant Sheep seemed to have good running ability, just their close-range reactions were a bit slow.
After walking for nearly half an hour, the gray outline of the Shelter gradually became clear.
"Walking is indeed slow, it's been about an hour, right?"
Lin Yue glanced back towards his Shelter direction, not tired but the time was indeed long.
Without transportation, just walking like this was indeed slow.
Speaking of transportation, he had previously obtained an off-road bicycle design map from Du Ping.
But that thing, let alone making it, was full of hard-to-find parts, simply impossible to manufacture.
Later, when opening a Silver Treasure Chest, he did find a folding bicycle, but it wasn't suitable for riding in this wilderness.
Other things... hang on, wasn't there a car in the yard?
He had crafted a car in the Secret Realm, later identified as "damaged" by the system, and left it in the yard gathering dust.
Now, it seemed he could use the High-Precision Research Workstation to dismantle it, then find one or more cars in the Secret Realm to bring back, ultimately combining them like that computer into a usable car.
But even with a car, there was no road to drive on.
This was indeed troublesome.
Lin Yue pondered how to tackle this issue while continuing forward.
After half an hour, he finally arrived next to the Shelter.
"Could it be an iron Shelter, how unexpected, but I guess it's a win."
An iron Shelter is stronger than a stone one, at least more solid.
Lin Yue surveyed around.
The breeze brushed the wild grass, a deserted and desolate Shelter.
He searched but found no trace left by the original owner nearby.
Pushing open the iron door, Lin Yue looked around.
The room was sparsely furnished, a dusty iron bed, iron furniture, with many iron blocks piled in the corner, and a fireplace against the wall.
Moreover, there were a dozen pelts on the floor, some looking like fur coats.
Lin Yue thought for a moment, stored them in his Storage Space, then walked back out.
Seems like an iron block gathering spot nearby, making this place an iron Shelter with iron furniture.
Yet, he felt this Shelter seemed familiar with an elusive semblance.
Iron Shelter, animal pelts, fireplace... wasn't someone's Shelter like this before?
[Fold unmanned Shelter?]
The system voice asked.
"Yes."
[Congratulations, you obtained Shelter Design Map X1]
A pale blue design map remained after a white light vanished.
He searched for the iron mine nearby, walked around, finally spotting a naturally formed, nearly 10-meter deep pit, strewn with stones on the ground, and a dark cave.
It's probably a mining field.
He encountered this mine for the first time, his place was too barren, with only a small patch of sparse forest, not even finding quarries or mines.
He jumped down, turned on a flashlight, and entered the cave.
The cave was dry and not shallow; after walking about ten meters down inside, he entered a large space.
His flashlight illuminated extremely dark rocks on the walls of this space.
"Is that... iron ore?"
Lin Yue approached for a closer look, Bai joined him, both intrigued by the glossy items.
"Gurgle..."
Suddenly, Lin Yue's stomach growled.
Hungry.
After traveling far, the instant noodles he ate were fully digested.
"Bai, let's get some lamb chops!" This place had a certain vibe, Lin Yue lit a torch, placing it by a large rock, fixed with stones.
"Squeak..."
Bai glanced at the cave side, then at Lin Yue's aromatic lamb chops handed over, fully captivated by them.
"Lamb chops are indeed delicious, and unlike Earth's mutton, less gamy, quite chewy."
Lin Yue ate and commented.
Though the mutton was tasty, constantly eating it was a bit cloying.
Maybe checking if anyone sells other mutant meats to swap with lamb, wouldn't that be delightful.
Finished leisurely, Lin Yue burped, pulling out an iron pick.
He hadn't tried mining before, why not experience it now?
"Squeak, squeak!"
As Lin Yue swung the iron pick, Bai suddenly shouted loudly!
Enemy alert!
Lin Yue dashed towards the cave entrance; being cornered in the underground mine would place him at a big disadvantage!
Could it be mutant creatures approaching? Or...
He sprinted to the cave entrance, climbed up from the pit, quickly identifying the enemy.
It was a large troop of ten or more people, within thirty meters!
"Hold it! If you don't want to die!"
Seeing Lin Yue emerge from the pit, they immediately shouted loudly!
...
Chapter 110: Crisis Descends, An Unexpected Discovery!
"Stop right there! Throw everything you're carrying on the ground, or I'll kill you!"
About ten meters ahead, a burly man with a full beard was shouting at Lin Yue.
Behind him, more people were wielding weapons aimed at Lin Yue, each face filled with menace!
Stop right there? Being too obedient could get someone killed.
Lin Yue glanced at the large pit; he was just a meter from the edge. With a leap, he slid down...
"Squeak!"
At that moment, Bai at the bottom of the pit suddenly let out a cry, drawing all their attention downward. Lin Yue seized the opportunity to jump!
He leaped off the edge of the pit and slid rapidly down to the bottom!
Thud, thud, thud!!
Three arrows immediately struck the bone armor on his back, producing three muffled thuds, but they didn't pierce Lin Yue's defense.
Lin Yue suddenly turned around and fired a crossbow arrow instantly!
"Ah!!"
A scream rang out, but Lin Yue didn't look back. He quickly reached the bottom of the pit and darted into the cave!
Safe arrival!
Lin Yue quickly leaned against the edge of the cave entrance, with curses and insults from outside continuing to echo.
Among them was the scream of the person he had shot!
Wow, just randomly fired an arrow and actually hit, huh?
"Squeak!" Bai wanted to rush out but was halted by Lin Yue.
The opponents had bows and arrows, and there were many of them; stepping out would make them targets. Even if Bai was fast enough, with over ten people outside looking down, it couldn't do much.
So, for now, this cave entrance was safe.
But these people were indeed brutal.
Lin Yue pressed his rapidly beating heart, taking a deep breath.
If he had hesitated for even a moment just now, he might have been caught by those people, with unimaginable consequences.
Without a doubt, these people were not good; as soon as he ran down, they shot arrows without saying a word, leaving no room for negotiation.
And Lin Yue had encountered people like this before.
Raiders!
Raiders don't search for water and food themselves. They abandon their shelters and roam the Otherworld in groups, using numbers and force to conquer solitary survivors.
The first time Lin Yue encountered raiders was with Korun and others in the Secret Realm. The second time was when Yellow Hair and his group attacked his shelter.
The common trait of these people is ruthlessness!
They completely disregard their fellow humans, desiring only all of the other's resources!
From the appearance, tone, and actions of these people just now, they were undoubtedly raiders.
But it's strange, how did raiders end up here?
Coincidence? That's too coincidental!
Lin Yue found it increasingly odd. How could he stumble upon this group of raiders as soon as he arrived here? It's just bad luck.
"Could it be the backlash from opening treasure chests so often, causing bad luck?"
The cursing outside didn't stop, and though Lin Yue hid at the cave entrance, not seeing the situation above, he knew stepping out meant certain death!
He took out a piece of hide from the storage space and tossed it outside the cave.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Almost simultaneously, several arrows pierced the hide!
Wow, quite accurate.
Though Lin Yue wore bone armor and an iron helmet, he couldn't just rush out heedlessly because of these protections.
Who knew what other weapons they might have?
Anything is possible in this Otherworld.
"Squeak!" Bai cried as several torches suddenly fell down at the entrance, followed by lots of dry grass.
The torches ignited the grass instantly, creating thick smoke!
Yet, Lin Yue remained calm.
"Squeak!" Bai leaped over, exhaled a frosty mist, freezing the torches and grass together.
"Well done!" Lin Yue handed Bai a candy bar.
Lin Yue believed it essential to give Bai enough food during battle, as its combat power peaked when it was full.
"Squeak squeak!" Bai blew another icy breath outside, freezing more falling torches instantly.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue shoved these items into the storage space; after all, his storage space had plenty of room, with a large compartment inside if needed.
However.
If the opponent intended to bury this big pit...
Boom!
A rumble echoed, followed by another, more sounds at the entrance, causing dust to rise, forcing Lin Yue to retreat inside.
Wow, they're serious, huh?
The place dimmed, and Lin Yue turned on his flashlight, retreating to the large space inside.
When Bai warned of the enemy, he rushed out, worried that the enemies might block all escape routes here.
But just now, aside from jumping into the big pit, there was no other option.
Getting caught would mean death, no matter what those ten or so people did.
Jumping in like this might still offer a sliver of hope.
But... why didn't Bai detect the enemy above? Why only warn when they were merely dozens of meters away?
Why?
"Squeak, squeak!" Bai listened to the rumbling outside, knowing that it and its master were trapped inside this cave, feeling anxious but helpless.
Lin Yue petted Bai's little head, realizing something was unusual from the start.
Given Bai's original ability to sense enemies, it should have detected these raiders already, but the reality was different.
The rumbling outside didn't stop. Lin Yue knew unless they filled the pit with rocks, the sound wouldn't cease soon.
If he used a pickaxe to break the rocks and drill out, he'd likely be shot, unable to survive.
The solution... wait until night?
Night brings mutated creatures with numbers and ferocity unmatched by those in daylight.
Even by the following day, would they still be waiting above?
This can't continue.
Lin Yue wandered around the spacious area with a flashlight, contemplating a solution.
While pondering, he caught a fleeting scent in his nostrils.
This scent wasn't like the roasted lamb chops they ate earlier, but a perfume-like fragrance.
Where could perfume come from in here?
But Lin Yue noted that as he went deeper, the scent intensified. Looking at Bai, it held its little paw over its nose, seemingly uncomfortable.
Wait.
Lin Yue suddenly had an idea.
Could Bai's detection ability be linked to its keen sense of smell?
It detected the strange perfume scent, blunting its olfactory sense, failing to notice the enemy outside.
Only when the enemy was close enough did it sense them?
That seems plausible.
"Clatter."
Suddenly, Lin Yue's foot hit something, like a glass bottle clinking against stone.
The flashlight beam revealed a glass bottle on the ground, along with two skeletons tightly huddled together in the deepest part!
Chapter 110: Cave Escape, Revenge Begins!
Lin Yue instantly felt a chill creep down his spine, sucking in a breath of cold air.
Under the flashlight's beam, he discovered a pair of skeletons embracing each other, leaning against the wall!
Oh my, during the meal earlier, he completely failed to notice them.
However, upon closer inspection, Lin Yue found that although there was no trace of flesh on the skeletons, they were very white in color, and there wasn't much dust on them, indicating that they hadn't been here for a long time.
Moreover, they were dressed in clothes that clearly belonged to people from Earth. Although covered in dust, they weren't tattered and appeared quite new.
One skeleton was large and sturdy, while the other was much smaller and seemed quite delicate—likely a man and a woman.
They were probably the owners of the iron shelter above.
But why did they die here?
"This is..."
Lin Yue picked up a glass bottle lying beside the skeletons and discovered that it still contained half a bottle of liquid with an extremely fragrant scent.
"Perfume, no wonder." As soon as he picked it up, Bai retreated several steps, appearing quite uncomfortable.
Lin Yue confirmed that Bai's sense of smell had indeed been overwhelmed by the perfume, making him less sensitive to detecting enemies above.
He stored the perfume in the Storage Space, thinking it might come in handy later.
The flashlight illuminated beneath the larger skeleton's hand, where Lin Yue found a dagger with a smear of reddish-brown stains on it.
He roughly understood what had happened.
These two might have suffered severe injuries, or faced an absolute shortage of food and drink, or were cornered by mutant creatures, unable to leave, ultimately choosing to die here.
After death, their bodies became food for mutant insects and lizards, leaving only bones.
Lin Yue squatted down, gazing at the two skeletons, then raised his head towards the cave ceiling.
Indeed, sealing the exit certainly resembled a tomb.
As Lin Yue illuminated the ground with his flashlight, he unexpectedly found two names carved into the surface.
"Sarah, Berg..."
These were their names.
They really were a man and a woman, able to accompany each other till the end, which could be considered romantic, right?
Reflecting on this, Lin Yue was suddenly struck by a flash of realization as if his mind awakened from a dream!
Berg? How is this name pronounced?
Iron shelter, animal skins, fireplace... Wait a minute, could this person be...
Lin Yue felt a shiver run down his spine, his heart racing, and he typed "Berg" into the group chat.
Soon, a familiar-looking gray avatar appeared in his search bar.
Of course!
The large skeleton was none other than Belger, once the third-ranking member of the group before the first catastrophe, ultimately dying here.
Indeed, it seemed that after the first catastrophe, he once traded with Belger, but afterward lost contact.
Who would have thought that the first and third-ranking members of the group would end up so close?
Lin Yue shook his head; life is unpredictable.
In this Otherworld, life and death are separated by a fine line.
Just like now, when he is trapped in this mine by people outside, powerless to act.
Wait.
Mine... mine!
Surely, the mine can be excavated!
This vast mine might be the result of Belger's tireless digging, so if one focuses on a point and continuously digs upward at an angle?
In this world, non-man-made items like trees and rocks can't be picked up and turned directly into timber or stone, nor can they be stored entirely in the Storage Space; tools like axes and picks must be used for harvesting and chiseling.
Otherwise, Lin Yue could have sung a tune while extracting tons of rock from the wall, simply escaping underground.
"Well then, find a spot to dig."
Lin Yue donned the Exoskeleton, brandished an iron pick, and swung it against the black rock in front of him!
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
[You acquired Iron Block X1]
Goodness, it took five swings to get one iron block? The efficiency is rather low.
No wonder the iron block count is so small initially.
If he kept swinging the pick without the Exoskeleton, he'd probably pass out from exhaustion within an hour.
But with the Exoskeleton, he's merely swinging, hardly tiring.
He swung five more times.
[You acquired Stone Material X1]
Whoa.
Not every swing yields an iron block, huh?
Seeing the half-meter deep gap before him, Lin Yue knew those ten swings weren't in vain.
Keep going!
Excavate upward at an angle!
The depth of about ten meters shouldn't be too much work, right?
Seeing the progress, Lin Yue resumed swinging.
Beside him, Bai chirped "buzzi, buzzi!" sensing that those outside hadn't yet left, warning Lin Yue.
"No worries, Bai; once we get out, not a single one of them will escape!"
Lin Yue continued digging, his anger steadily rising.
If they can't catch me, they want me dead?
Heartless and ruthless, huh? Just wait until I get out!
In these two weeks in the Otherworld, humanity's wild side has steadily magnified.
Even a normal man like Lin Yue, continuously confronting various mutated creatures, monsters, lizardmen, and humans wishing for his death, is transforming.
Ideas like "those not of our kind hold different hearts" have rooted deep in his bones, leaving him unmoved by any human trying to kill him.
Pity them, and they'll turn and stab your heart with a weapon, then claim everything of yours as theirs.
Peaceful coexistence without interference is ideal, but in situations like this, Lin Yue stands firm.
One arrives, one is killed; ten arrive, then ten are killed!
[You acquired Iron Block X1]
...
[You acquired Stone Material X1]
...
[You...]
Lin Yue continued digging, as blocks of stone and iron filled his Storage Space.
The tunnel before him began to take shape as he climbed up and went on chiseling.
The iron pick in his hands stayed busy, fueling his internal fury further!
He recalled a movie he watched long ago.
The protagonist was directly buried inside a coffin, deep underground.
Lin Yue felt his situation resembled the protagonist's.
Except, once he surfaces, the enemies will be ready outside!
After digging for an unknown period, he discovered he no longer unearthed stone blocks, but damp soil.
Using a shovel, he cleared a lot of earth, which poured down the newly excavated tunnel.
After further digging, suddenly a faint red glow appeared above!
Finally reached the surface!
And at that moment, it seemed to be dusk.
Now, Lin Yue could hear the raiders' wild laughter and shouts from outside, quite close to the tunnel he'd dug!
"Buzzi!" Bai rushed up from below, sensing the enemies above, cautioning Lin Yue to be extremely careful.
Lin Yue knew full well what awaited him, and equally knew what awaited the raiders!
"Bai, get ready to follow my command and send them off!"
...