Li Ke walked out of the sleeping quarters in a heavy, contemplative silence. He had just finished cleaning Toph's face, but the air between them still hummed with the aftereffects of their "lesson." They joined a still-crimson-faced Elsa at the breakfast table, where the tension was quickly replaced by a much more primitive concern.
As he watched Toph demolish her portions with a staggering, almost predatory appetite, a cold realization struck him. He had been so focused on managing their "World Rejection" and his own energy cultivation that he'd overlooked a fundamental crisis: they were running out of water.
While Li Ke's body could adapt to the "Minecraft logic" of pixelated pools, Elsa and Toph were still biologically anchored to their own worlds. To them, the blue blocks in the pits weren't life-giving—they were an evolutionary dead end.
"No other way around it, then."
Li Ke walked over to an open space he had intentionally left clear in the main hall. He'd originally planned to use this spot for later decorations, but now it would serve as the anchor for the 7 Days to Die merchant.
He extended his hand and activated the system's power.
A point of World Power was instantly consumed. The air before him twisted and warped, and a familiar shop materialized right in the middle of the cavernous hall. Unlike its original world, the outer courtyard was gone; only Merchant Jen's small cabin remained.
Li Ke hurried inside and opened the shop interface, letting out a long sigh of relief the moment the menu appeared.
The inventory was fully stocked. Items here cost Energy Points, and standard supplies were incredibly cheap—one point could buy a hunk of meat, a bottle of water, or a piece of iron ore.
However, the medical supplies that he used to have in abundance were now astronomically expensive. A single medical kit cost 10,000 Energy Points—the equivalent of one full point of World Power! Only now did Li Ke realize just how much of a "newbie bonus" he'd been enjoying until now.
Still, there was one specific thing he cared about more than the prices.
He reached under the counter where Jen stood, fumbling around until he found the vulva. He gave it a few experimental twitch, and the moment he saw a steady stream of water begin to flow, he initiated a conversation with her.
An instant later, Jen's shop "reset" to its pristine state.
"Yes!" Li Ke cheered internally.
This was absolute lightning in a bottle for Li Ke. Miss Jen might not have been much to look at compared to the princesses in his life, but she was incredibly functional.
She required no cleaning, never complained, and felt exactly like a real human being. Best of all, she was a closed system—perfectly hygienic, free of disease, and utterly predictable. Was there any tool more suitable for a moment of stress relief?
Li Ke instinctively reached out, resting his hands on Miss Jen's chest. As he absentmindedly toyed with her generous curves, his eyes scanned the options on the merchant's display.
"Wait... there's even a quest system?"
Seeing the familiar interface, Li Ke rubbed his chin with one hand. "Does this mean 7 Days to Die quests are going to start spawning in this world?"
Unsure, he let his hand drop from his chin and returned it to Miss Jen's chest, continuing his idle massage. It might have been his imagination, but the moment his hands made contact with those "massive mounds of humanity," his thinking speed seemed to kick into high gear. It wasn't that she acted as an external brain or anything; Li Ke figured he just thought more clearly when he was in a good mood.
Opening the quest log, he found several intriguing entries:
World Fragment Collection: Reward: 1 World Power per fragment. Collected Essence does not need to be surrendered; simply store it in the Flame Keeper Space. (Repeatable)Essence Accumulation: Reward: 10 Energy Points for every 10 World Power collected. (Repeatable)Cross-World Specialities: Reward: Skill books generated based on the rarity of the item. Note: Requires activation of 7 Days to Die world rules to utilize. (Repeatable)Mass Accumulation: Reward: 10,000 Energy Points for every 100 million cubic meters of matter collected. (Repeatable)Essence Exchange: Reward: 500,000 Energy Points for every 100 points of World Power surrendered. (Repeatable)Extermination: Reward: 1 Energy Point per 7 Days to Die monster killed. (Repeatable)Recovery of Anomalous Essence: Certain fragments of perfected World Power have leaked into other realms. Retrieve this highly-mutated essence. Reward: 1 year of Conceptual Lifespan per point recovered. (Repeatable).
"Well, as expected, it's stingy as hell," Li Ke grumbled, his eyes scanning the option to trade 100 World Power for a mere 500,000 Energy Points. "And I feel like there's something going on here I don't know about. Besides, what exactly is this 'Conceptual Lifespan' anyway?"
The intentions behind these specific numbers were so glaring that Li Ke would never believe they weren't connected to the World Will of 7 Days to Die.
Still, would a World Will really let him knead her chest like this without any reaction at all? Even if she didn't care about the physical contact, wouldn't it be more efficient to just talk to him directly?
Li Ke didn't fully understand her game, but he knew for a fact he wasn't touching Option 5, nor would he touch the obvious trap in Option 4. Both felt like "charity" work for the system. Even though he lacked a way to convert World Power into Energy Points, this was a blatant rip-off. A 50-50 split was a ruthless way to "harvest the leeks." It was barely cheaper than money laundering.
World Power might be labeled as a power "beyond his control," but that didn't give the system the right to fleece him like this.
He was far more interested in the third quest. While it required spending points to activate the 7 Days to Die sub-system, it promised a shortcut to mastering skills. It reminded him of the skill books he used to get after a zombie horde—he just wondered what counted as a "Specialty Item," how hard they were to find, and if the cost-to-benefit ratio was worth it.
"I wonder if Elsa's hair counts..."
Li Ke was still quite greedy for Elsa—not just for her body, but for her magic and raw power. If sacrificing a few strands of her hair could grant him access to her frost magic, it would be an incredible deal! Even if he weren't as strong as her—likely only reaching the same proficiency he had with fire—it would still be a massive upgrade.
He could imagine himself shouting, "A duality of Ice and Fire!" while his blade erupted in flames on one side and frost on the other. He wasn't sure if a standard sword could handle the thermal shock, but it would look cool as hell!
Finally, looking at the seventh quest, Li Ke mused that this "Anomalous Essence" was likely tied to his level in 7 Days to Die. If he remembered correctly, his level had skyrocketed near the end. There were just too many zombies; blowing up a single Cop Zombie would trigger a chain reaction of explosions, netting him a mountain of experience at once.
After a moment of hesitation, he chose to complete the quest.
In an instant, a subtle sensation washed over him—as if a layer of dust that had been clinging to him forever had finally been blown away. A mysterious power surged out of his body and vanished into a strange void.
He suddenly had an epiphany: even if the world of 7 Days to Die still existed, if he stepped back into it now, he would no longer be that ten-times-overpowered superhuman. He'd be starting back at level zero.
But in exchange, a strange, indescribable substance had suddenly appeared within him. He could feel that he had control over this power; he could keep it for himself or bestow it upon others.
He immediately pulled up his system interface and found a new addition to his skill tree.
Conceptual Lifespan: This is a metaphysical form of longevity that functions in any world—a gift from the universe itself. It is a manifestation of World Power and a mark of cosmic recognition. You may freely apply this lifespan to yourself or bestow it upon anyone whose strength does not exceed your own. You do not need to see the recipient in person; as long as you are within the same world, you can grant life with a mere thought.
Even those who perished millions of years ago can receive this gift.
During its duration, no matter what happens, the possessor of a Conceptual Lifespan will not die; they will survive through sheer miracles until the allotted time is consumed by the passage of years.
For deceased organisms: those with a physical form will be restored to their healthy state prior to death and persist until the lifespan ends. Those without a form will be granted a body as it existed at the moment of their passing. All injuries, diseases, curses, and other negative statuses will vanish, allowing them to enjoy this life as a normal living being.
For the living: if granted this gift, this "Conceptual" life will be consumed first. While it remains active, the individual cannot die, regardless of the circumstances.
You may also imbue objects with this power, rendering them absolutely indestructible for a set period.
Note: This lifespan offers no protection against the direct "Laws of Reality" or attacks from a World Will. Do not use this power as an excuse to provoke a World. While it prevents "Death," it does not guarantee your physical state, and it remains useless against higher-tier primordial forces. In the vast, infinite Sea of Worlds, simple longevity is meaningless.
This is the power of Miracles—the very power of the World itself. Use it with reverence and caution, for once life is given, it cannot be reclaimed.
However, while you cannot take back the life you have granted, you retain the power to personally deliver that life into the embrace of Death.
Current Balance: 83 Years.
Based on your current mastery of World Power, 10 points of World Power can be exchanged for 1 year of Conceptual Lifespan.
Li Ke stared at the flickering text on his status screen, his breath hitching in his chest. This wasn't just a longer life or a boost to his vitality; it was a defiance of the natural order itself. A chill ran down his spine as he realized the true scale of the gift he held in his hands.
"Hiss... calling this 'Conceptual Lifespan' is an understatement," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper in the quiet of the shop. He looked at the balance of eighty-three years—eighty-three years of absolute, unyielding existence. "This isn't just longevity. This is a literal Great Resurrection Spell."