Lucian opened the cabinet carefully, his fingers brushing over the dust-covered surface of a copper artifact. The moment his skin made contact with the antique, a translucent prompt appeared in midair before his eyes.
[Do you want to convert this?]
Yes / No
Lucian blinked in surprise. "Oh... so it doesn't automatically convert anything. That's good." He let out a breath of relief. "At least I can keep some of Grandpa's favorite pieces, especially that jade Buddha statue..."
His gaze lingered on the jade Buddha perched atop the shelf. It had triggered the system when it fell on his head earlier, but more importantly, it was his grandmother's most cherished treasure. He would never part with it, no matter the rewards.
With that thought, Lucian carefully began sorting the items into two groups: those he wanted to keep and those he was willing to convert.
After finishing, he stood in front of the pile marked for conversion. The system prompt updated immediately.
[System detects mass conversion]
• 6 Jade
• 12 Gold
• 10 Silver
• 20 Copper
[Do you want to convert this? ]
Yes / No
Lucian didn't hesitate. He clicked [Yes].
*DING*
[Congratulations! You have received 20 Survival Points and 20 EXP]
"A little bit more," he muttered under his breath, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Driven by a growing excitement, he hurried to the second floor. He pulled open drawers, overturned cabinets, and rummaged through storage boxes. Inside, he found rows of watches and accessories.
"These things have no value in the apocalypse. Better to turn them into Survival Points," Lucian reasoned aloud.
Still, he set aside a few sentimental items—mementos of his parents and grandparents. Everything else went into the pile. Another batch conversion earned him 30 Survival Points and 30 EXP.
*DING*
[You have completed Survival Newbie Quest #1: Convert items worth 30 Survival Points. Reward: 30 EXP]
Lucian felt satisfied as he opened his character interface. The glowing status screen unfolded before him like a bright page, showing his progress.
[Name: Lucian Wang]
Level: 1 (80/100 EXP)
Strength: 15/50 [+]
Agility: 10/50 [+]
Endurance: 18/50 [+]
Speed: 12/50 [+]
Charm: 20/50 [+]
Skill Points: 0
Inventory Slots: 2/3 [+]
• Teleportation Pill (1)
• System Manual
Survival Points: 50
Quest: [ 4 Available ]
Lucian rubbed his chin, satisfied. 'Just 20 more EXP to reach Level 2 and I can unlock the Space.'
Opening the quests interface, he studied the glowing text carefully.
[Survival Newbie Quest #2]
Clear Conditions: Body Strengthening
Push-Ups: 0/100
Squats: 0/100
Sit-Ups: 0/100
Running: 0/10 km
Reward: 20 EXP, 2 Skill Points
[Survival Newbie Quest #3]
Clear Conditions: Use Teleportation Pill Reward: 10 EXP
[Survival Newbie Quest #4]
Clear Conditions: Spend 4,000,000 Starlight.
Reward: 30 EXP
[Survival Newbie Quest #5]
Clear Conditions: Upgrade to Level 2
Reward: Space Unlock, 2 Skill Points, Space Inventory Manual
Quest #2 looked straightforward but time-consuming. He shook his head. "I'll postpone that. Stockpiling comes first."
Quest #3 required using the teleportation pill, but he refused to waste such a rare item without knowing when—or if—he'd get another.
Quest #4, however, caught his attention immediately. Spending 4,000,000 Starlight aligned perfectly with his plans, and the reward would give him enough EXP to reach Level 2.
"Perfect."
Lucian grabbed his laptop from the bed, carried it into the living room, and flopped down on the sofa. Pulling out his phone, he checked his bank account.
His eyes lit up. With the additional 500,000 Starlight from the system, his current balance now totals 3,508,290 Starlight.
He exhaled slowly, recalling his inheritance. Much of this wealth came from his grandparents and parents. Besides liquid assets, he also owned one luxury apartment, 20,000 square meters of undeveloped land, an old restaurant, and his grandparents' house.
Recently, people wanted to buy all of them. The government built a new highway nearby, which made the properties worth more. The restaurant, which had been closed for years, was right next to the highway. He didn't need the other apartment. His grandparents' house was very old and needed major renovations that would take a lot of time. For the apocalypse, the current apartment was the most practical base.
Stocks and shares would soon be useless. He needed tangible supplies to survive. Without hesitation, he called his broker and lawyer to finalize the sale of everything within three days.
Then he opened a new document on his laptop, typing out his survival plan.
[First Priority: Food]
· Canned food and fruits
· Dried fruits, nuts, fish, and meats
· Pickled vegetables and fruits
· Noodles and ramen (instant and dried)
· Rice, beans, wheat, flour, pasta, grains
· Spices and condiments such as oil, salt, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and more
· Long-lasting essentials like powdered milk, dark chocolate, ready-to-cook meals, military rations, and compressed biscuits
Water storage was essential. He needed large tanks, tubs, and ways to filter water if the tap became unsafe. He also needed to buy many mineral bottles of different sizes.
He added cat litter, toilet paper, and wipes, anticipating sewage issues in the future.
Alcohol and wine were also necessities, not only for indulgence but also for medical use as disinfectants when hospitals became inaccessible.
Finally, he listed fresh food—meats like chicken, duck, lamb, goat, pork, and beef, plus eggs, fish, fruits, and vegetables—to buy later once he confirmed whether his storage space had preservation functions.
[Second Priority: Medicine]
He typed with focus:
· Fever reducers
· Cough medicine
· Allergy treatments
· Constipation remedies
· Asthma inhalers
· Anti-inflammatories
· Painkillers
· Alcohol disinfectants
· Face masks
· Bandages and dressings
· Multivitamins
· Medicinal Herbs
He paused, rubbing his chin. Something was missing. "Ah, that's right... inhibitors, contraceptives, and condoms."
Lucian's face reddened slightly at the thought, but he knew better than to ignore this.
As a dominant alpha, his rut cycles could be disastrous in the wrong circumstances. Pregnancy pills and condoms would also become highly valuable in a world where survival outweighed romance. "No one wants a baby in the middle of doomsday," he muttered.
[Third Priority: Clothing and Equipment]
Clothes, shoes, and underwear for all seasons and sizes—not just for himself, but for bartering later. Survival gear was just as important: solar batteries, generators, tents, sleeping bags, ropes,
portable stoves, gas canisters, matches, flashlights, an emergency raft, flares, binoculars, knives, outdoor filters, and first-aid kits. If he were forced to abandon his home, these would be lifesaving.
He also listed hardware supplies: nails, screws, wires, shovels, bricks, and cement, since he plans to renovate the other rooms.
Lumber and coal were also added to the list, as, based on the novels he read, winters often feel very cold.
Lastly, different types of seeds, soils, repellents, pots, and fertilizers are needed as he plans to turn the balcony into a vegetable garden.
[Fourth Priority: Weapons]
Lucian's father had left him a pistol, and his grandfather's collection included blades—a tang sword, a samurai sword, a machete, and a spear useful for close combat. But he needed ranged weapons, too.
"Maybe I should learn archery," he mused, typing "bow and arrows" into the list.
His mechanical engineering degree, combined with his father's lessons on firearms, gave him the confidence to build makeshift guns. He then added metal plates, machines, and components needed for crafting, as well as tutorials to search later about making smoke bombs and explosives for emergency escapes.
[Fifth Priority: Miscellaneous]
Lastly, he added high-capacity power banks, USB drives, and SD cards to store entertainment and important information he planned to download later, along with books, board games, playing cards, and other recreational items to help pass the time and ease boredom.
As for transportation, Lucian's grandfather had owned several properties. Before he passed away, he sold some of the land, gifted Lucian a yacht, and handed over the remaining funds, which Lucian used to buy stocks and two Range Rovers—one of which he had planned to give to his father before he died.
*DING*
Lucian's phone buzzed. Checking the notification, he couldn't help but grin.
[20,000,000 Starlight has been deposited into your account.]