The Appearance of the Life-Return Catalyst, a Lifesaving Pill in Reality

"Please trust those above you, trust the higher-ups!" someone advised.

Upon hearing this, no one bothered to believe it.

"Hmph, ordinary people, good things, no waiting in line, the impossible triangle law, ever heard of it? These three things cannot exist simultaneously."

Someone else pressed on urgently, "We'll trust whoever can give us complete security! I'm just afraid the tragedy of Xuancheng will be repeated elsewhere."

"When will the rat population be eradicated? Can the higher authorities give a definite answer? What we need is action, not excuses!"

In response, the authorities stated, "A large number of professionals have been dispatched to thoroughly investigate all underground pipelines in Xuancheng."

"Even if we can't find the source right away, we will eventually take comprehensive measures in Xuancheng to ensure that not a single rat can escape."

"Please rest assured!"

However, it's hard for most people to believe these words.

The reason is simple.

Some people break their promises far too often.

Anyone who has taken on a certain type of project knows what's going on.

Therefore, many people have their own plans. "It's better to rely on yourself than on heaven or earth."

"Regardless of what they say, we must first make ourselves stronger."

"Yes, even if you call the police, there will be long queues or no one will take care of it, let alone something as important as this," someone else agreed.

"High-level players in those large guilds probably aren't as panicked as we are, because they have the ability to deal with monsters in the real world."

"So, isn't the primary goal right now to improve oneself?"

"Let's form teams and head out into the wilderness for training, fighting until the end of time!"

"Anyone who's willing can come and see who can last the longest!"

These words immediately stirred up a surge of heroic spirit.

An ID named "Blade Conquers All" commented. "Well said! After so long, someone finally said something tough! Count me in!"

"I am a mighty berserker, why would I fear mere rats?"

"If they dare to show themselves, I'll make sure they never leave alive!"

Someone on the forum recognized the ID: "It's that renowned local expert!"

"This expert is right; passively waiting will only hinder us from becoming stronger."

"Never give up—as long as you're alive, there are endless possibilities."

"One day, we might become like the 'Chongxing' boss!"

"Hehe, you're overthinking it. That's cheating. We're the Black Chiefs."

Mentioning this name immediately veered the conversation. "Speaking of the great artist Chongxing..."

"Where do you live, Master? I'm planning to move soon, and I wonder if it would be possible to move next door to you? I'm a loyal follower of yours!"

"Yes, with the strength of the great god Chongxing, he could probably take on ten thousand men single-handedly in reality."

"Great sage, could you please go to Xuancheng and take a look? I beg you to get rid of those nasty rats!"

"If the Great God Chongxing had intervened sooner, Xuancheng might not have suffered such a calamity..."

Suddenly, all sorts of moral blackmail began to emerge.

This is a common reaction among ordinary people when facing a crisis.

They complain and blame others, finding scapegoats and blaming one person after another, just to vent their fear and dissatisfaction.

Although the incident is not directly related to Chongxing, many people still place their expectations or even blame on him.

The greater one's ability and reputation, the higher the expectations others place on them.

The most typical example is donating money; those who know, know.

However, Zhang Mingzhen didn't care about what others thought.

After all, he was a time traveler and didn't have a real sense of belonging to this world.

In his view, one should ultimately Protection one's own life; placing hope in others will only lead to disappointment.

What do these things have to do with him?

He had no money from these people, no obligation, and no responsibility to risk helping them resolve these dangers.

However, the Xuancheng incident did indeed catch his attention.

Ordinary rat swarms shouldn't possess the power to kill large numbers of superhumans; there might be an unknown secret behind it.

It wasn't just out of curiosity, but more out of a sense of preparedness.

So one late night, he put on the Mistshadow Set, spread his wings, and quietly headed towards Xuancheng.

This was his first real-world long-distance use of a flying wing.

The combination of the Mistshadow Set and the Flying Wings is perfect: the set is named "Mist Shadow" because it blends into the darkness at night, making it difficult to detect.

Moreover, its stealth properties can also cover the wings, concealing the golden luster that originally flowed across them.

Otherwise, flying at night would be like lighting a lighthouse, dazzling and eye-catching.

With the aid of the suit and wings, he arrived over Xuancheng in just over an hour.

He landed on the street and wandered around.

Perhaps because a large number of lives were lost not long ago, the entire city is still permeated with a somber, deathly atmosphere, so oppressive that it is suffocating.

In the dead of night, Xuancheng is fraught with danger.

Some investigation teams only dare to operate during the day, as the danger increases dozens of times after nightfall.

They can only use drones and other methods to detect every corner through infrared sensors.

People like Zhang Mingzhen, who walk on the streets without any disguise, are almost nonexistent.

He used his senses to evade the patrols of drones and intelligent systems, spreading his mental energy outwards from his feet and exploring along the main road one by one.

As we approached the city center square, an indescribable aura suddenly enveloped us.

It felt as if a cold gaze was being cast upon him from all directions, yet he couldn't pinpoint its source.

After a moment's thought, he turned his gaze to the ground below.

The reason the rats' nests had been so difficult to locate earlier was likely because they were hidden too deep inside.

It's important to understand that the underground remains one of the unconquered territories of humankind.

Bunker buster bombs are useful, but they're too expensive.

The underground of Xuancheng had by then been connected by countless tunnels.

These crisscrossing passageways became the routes for the rats to roam.

Zhang Mingzhen followed the trail of the rats and discovered that these creatures were simply enlarged versions of common rats on Blue Star —but their size had increased several times over, and their strength and speed had also multiplied.

A single rat is negligible in combat; any superhuman could easily take it down.

Their true terror lies in their almost abnormal efficiency in reproduction and growth.

Clearly, this still falls within the realm of technology.

It is not a monster from a fantasy scene.

Rather, it is the proliferation of technological power that has led to Mutation Tier in muscles, bones, and genes.

Without hesitation, he leaped into a previously explored tunnel and headed deeper into the earth.

Because the rats were so large, the tunnels were dug wide enough to allow a normal person to walk through without any obstruction.

He casually eliminated the few rats he encountered along the way.

These rat monsters are not even as strong as the lowest-level Spotted Rat in the game.

But how did they manage to slaughter so many living beings—including some with superpowers—overnight?

These questions drove him to keep going deeper.

After going about a hundred meters deeper, an underground hall appeared, and the main force of the rat swarm finally came into view.

The large group of rats was not as active as usual; instead, they seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep after a full meal.

They huddled together densely, intertwined and huddled into a vast, dark mass of flesh in the dim light.

The sight sent chills down my spine.

In the bloodied and mangled pile of rats, some individuals were even stuck together due to overcrowding.

Zhang Mingzhen was unwilling to watch this disgusting scene any longer and decided to take direct action.

It's time to give my eyes some peace and quiet.

He disregarded whether the noise would disturb the rats and launched a massive "Eagle Strike" at the mass of flesh in front of him.

Then, skills such as "Spirit Strike," "Ling Yue," and "Chasing Wind" were unleashed in succession.

Faced with such a large number of enemies, single-target attacks are meaningless; only continuous area-of-effect bombardment can clear the field.

He simultaneously activated the recovery technique continuously to replenish the spiritual energy that had been severely depleted.

This gave him an idea.

In reality, what do these so-called spiritual powers correspond to?

For a battle of this scale, relying solely on recovery methods is still insufficient.

Fortunately, he also carried a large quantity of top-grade elixirs specially made by the Fragrant Cloud City Pharmacy in his bag.

These drugs have also become a reality.

Even Gao Linzhi, the mastermind behind it all, was puzzled by this.

After all, the core code of the Game System is too much and too difficult.

Currently, Gao Linzhi's way of using the Skyfall Game System is similar to driving a car: he knows how to drive, but he doesn't know how it works.

"Refined Great Restoration Pill): Restores 1000 points of spiritual energy, cooldown 20 breaths."

In Gao Linzhi's view, this pill was actually a kind of high-tech crystal that could quickly restore physical strength and high-dimensional energy.

The pill has a short cooldown and provides sufficient recovery.

With the combined support of the recovery method and the elixir, Zhang Mingzhen was like a mobile artillery platform, unleashing a continuous barrage of attacks on the rat swarm.

In reality, when monsters are killed, they do not leave behind corpses, but instead turn to ashes and disappear completely.

In less than half an hour, this massive swarm of rats, capable of wiping out an entire city, had been completely wiped out.

The entire underground passage was empty except for a piece of flesh resembling animal tissue, lying forlornly where the rats had once roamed.

Zhang Mingzhen examined it carefully, but still couldn't discern its origin.

In reality, there is no identification function like that found in games.

He tried to put it into his storage space—and he succeeded.

Let's wait until we get back to the game to see what this is.

After finishing his business, he rushed home to his villa that very night.

Upon returning home, I immediately logged into the game.

As soon as he stepped into the God's Domain, he sensed something was amiss.

After confirming several times, he was certain that his experience points had indeed increased.

Logically, the Flower Spirit clone he summoned should dissipate after logging off and stop fighting monsters.

Furthermore, he clearly remembered that his experience points were at 34% before he logged off, but now they had increased to 40%.

During this time, he only managed to eliminate the rats in Xuancheng —could it be that you can gain experience by killing monsters in real life?

It seems that the integration of this world and games is deepening day by day.

He then opened his bag and examined the unidentified piece of meat he had previously acquired.

System annotations appear:

[Flesh Nest (Rat): The reproductive core formed by the collective will of the rat colony.]

[Through this acupoint, the species can reproduce indefinitely, possessing evolutionary potential; reproduction temporarily ceases during evolution.]

So that explains why the rat swarms expand so rapidly despite the risk of casualties.

Isn't this just the Insect Clan?

However, the system does not explain the specific uses of the Flesh Nest, which seems to require further investigation.

The first person he thought of was Zhang Mingcheng, the manager of the Fragrant Cloud City Auction House, who was knowledgeable and knew everything about rare and exotic items in the world.

Zhang Mingzhen immediately set off for the auction house in the city, found Zhang Mingcheng, and asked him what the purpose of this Flesh Nest was.

A hint of envy flashed in Zhang Mingcheng's eyes as he sighed, "I never expected you to find such a rare material. Your abilities are truly extraordinary."

He took the piece of meat, examined it carefully for a moment, and continued to explain, "This thing is called the Flesh Nest, which is the foundation for the birth and reproduction of demons."

"The reason why the demons in the world seem to be inexhaustible and endless is precisely because of this kind of core existence."

"And we call it the Life-Return Catalyst, the core ingredient for refining the miraculous medicine of life and death, the Bone-Returning Resurrection Pill."

"The reason this elixir is so valuable yet unavailable is precisely because the Life-Return Catalyst is nearly extinct, and no one has seen it in recent years."

"Your ability to find this item is truly remarkable."

Zhang Mingcheng further advised, "If you entrust this to the auction house, we will do our utmost to ensure it fetches an astronomical price."

Zhang Mingzhen, however, had already made up his mind. After politely declining, he turned and walked towards the pharmacy.

Upon entering the shop, he first replenished his Qi-tonifying potions, and then inquired with the female shopkeeper, "Ganoderma," about the refining method and specific effects of the Bone-Returning Resurrection Pill.

Ganoderma explained in detail, "The Bone-Returning Resurrection Pill belongs to the category of elixirs, and as the name suggests, it has the ability to reverse life and death."

"After taking it, a wisp of life will remain in the body. Even if one dies, this wisp of life can pull one back from the brink of death."

"Unfortunately, this pill has its limitations; within thirty days of its effects being triggered, the body will develop resistance to it."

Even so, it's enough to save a life in a life-or-death situation.

"In ancient times, these elixirs were a staple for every traveler in the martial world, but nowadays, almost no one can gather all the materials needed to refine them."

Zhang Mingzhen showed her the information about the "Life-Return Catalyst".

"Take a look. Is it possible to refine the Bone-Returning Resurrection Pill with this? What price would be required?"

"The Life-Return Catalyst?! Is this really the Life-Return Catalyst?"

Ganoderma pressed on, "Where did you get this? How is this possible... Are you really going to use it to refine elixirs?"

Zhang Mingzhen ignored her surprise and doubt, and simply repeated the question he had just asked.

Ganoderma then composed herself and replied seriously, "The Life-Return Catalyst is the main ingredient; the other auxiliary ingredients are not difficult to find, and the shop can provide them all."

"It's just a pity... your Life-Return Catalyst isn't of high grade; you can only refine a maximum of three."

"If you wish to have your piece fired in our shop, the cost of materials, excluding labor, will be approximately fifty taels of gold per piece."

"Of course, if you are willing to share one of the pills with me, I will not take a single penny."

Fifty gold apiece!

If it weren't the only pharmacy in the city, he would definitely have compared prices at several other pharmacies.

Zhang Mingzhen decisively refused. "I will pay the 150 taels of gold as promised. Please start the furnace immediately."

Fortunately, I still have some savings from the past, but I'm afraid they'll be gone again this time.

"Alright, I'll come and collect it at this time tomorrow."

"Pay half the deposit first."

Seeing that he remained unmoved, the proprietress stopped pressing him.

After paying the deposit and leaving the pharmacy, Zhang Mingzhen, "The trip to Xuancheng was indeed worthwhile."

With three Soul-Returning Pills in hand, one's life in reality is more secure.

Although one's own innate skills can be considered an extra layer of Amulet, since reality and the game have become intertwined and the Earth's crisis has deepened, it's always good to have more means of survival.

Moreover, as Priest, he can resurrect others, but he cannot cast spells on himself.

He usually keeps to himself, so how can he feel at ease without having a few backup plans?

It's just unknown whether this "Life-Return Catalyst" will ever reappear in the future.

Why is it that despite defeating so many monsters in the game, no one has ever heard of discovering the Life-Return Catalyst?

Is someone keeping it a secret? That's unlikely.

Could it be... that this thing can only be generated in the real world?

The real world is different from games; monsters cannot spawn indefinitely. This Life-Return Catalyst, which continuously generate Warcraft...

To investigate the origins of the Life-Return Catalyst, Zhang Mingzhen changed course and headed to the City Lord's Mansion.

The mansion's Library Pavilion houses the city's richest collection of ancient books, which may contain secrets from ancient times—since the "Life-Return Catalyst" was quite common in that era, it's likely that it was recorded there.