Chen Yu watched as Lin Yi closed his eyes again and focused on guiding the energy within the Gray Crystal in his palm. In a low voice, Chen said, "All right, Brother Yi. You should recover first. I'll go let Uncle and Auntie know."
Then he turned and strode toward the others, who were busy at work, his steps a little heavy.
Hearing the footsteps fade, Lin Yi sank his awareness into his body. As he guided the energy, he couldn't help grumbling to himself.
"Honestly... what an energy desert..."
The Origin Energy Barren Belt where Blue Star was located had an outrageously low concentration of Source Energy. The Source Energy Particles floating freely in the air were so scarce they were almost negligible.
Drawing Source Energy from the environment with the Guidance Technique was probably less effective than simply taking a deep breath. It wasn't even a drop in the bucket.
"After the assessment, if I make it big, I'll have to move Blue Star. I hear a Planet Migration Engine costs just over seven hundred million Purple Gold Points... What a dump... I worked so hard to get three Source Energy Crystals, and just replenishing what I've used up is going to cost me one..."
Thirty minutes passed in a flash, and the energy contained in the Source Energy Crystal was depleted.
Lin Yi sensed that his Source Energy had filled back up, and without pausing, took out a second Source Energy Crystal and absorbed it without hesitation.
This time, it was for cultivation.
For newcomers who had just stepped onto the path of Source Energy cultivation, absorbing one Source Energy Crystal a day was already the limit.
It wasn't that there wasn't enough energy. The body needed time to adjust to the way this violent energy washed through and transformed it. Forcing down a second crystal could damage the meridians in mild cases or cause the energy to run wild in severe ones. The consequences were unthinkable.
But Lin Yi was an exception.
Based on the Source Energy control he had displayed so far, he could easily absorb another half a crystal.
He could force the energy surging out of the crystal—which should have run wild like a stampeding horse—to settle into a relatively gentle stream, greatly reducing the strain and damage to his body's channels.
Of course, he was still holding back on purpose, deliberately making his control look like that of someone who had only just entered the Stardust level.
After all, even a "genius" needed to show progress gradually.
Revealing his talent in measured increments over time was the safer choice.
The most important reason, though, was that the control of someone newly at the Stardust level was enough. No matter how strong his control was, his body couldn't absorb any more Source Energy.
As his cells grew full and a faint ache began to spread through him, Lin Yi understood that this body had reached its current limit in both capacity and rate of enhancement.
At most, it could absorb the equivalent of one and a half crystals a day.
No matter how good the food was, the stomach could only hold so much. Force it down, and you'd only make yourself sick.
The remaining half will be just enough to replenish the increased Source Energy capacity from my improved physique...
A little over half an hour later, the second crystal had been fully absorbed. Lin Yi felt restored to his peak, his Source Energy reserves filled once more, and his combat strength greater than before.
When Lin Yi finished cultivating, his parents, his uncle Zhou Jianjun, his eldest uncle Lin Ruiheng, Chen Yu, Zhou Yuxuan, and the other key members gathered around him, worry written all over their faces.
His mother, Zhou Jinghua, had especially red eyes. She had clearly been crying.
Before anyone could speak, Lin Yi stood up first. He loosened his arms and legs, then swept his gaze over the group, his voice calm but firm.
"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Eldest Uncle... I've recovered. The plan hasn't changed. We'll rescue the nearby survivors first, and then early tomorrow morning, I'll set out for the gathering point near the old department store and get in touch with the authorities."
Zhou Jinghua's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but her husband, Lin Ruiming, gently took her by the arm.
Lin Ruiming looked at his son, his expression complicated. In the end, he could only let out a heavy sigh. "Xiaoyi... Dad knows you're capable now and have a mind of your own, but out there... be careful! If things get bad, come back. We'll figure something else out. Your safety comes first!"
"Don't worry, Dad. I know what I'm doing."
Lin Yi nodded. "I'm only going to scout and make contact. I have a detector, and I can handle myself. It's actually easier to move around alone."
Zhou Jianjun stepped forward and clapped Lin Yi firmly on the shoulder, his soldierly directness on full display.
"That's my boy! Your uncle knows you're a tough one, so I won't waste your time with a bunch of empty words. Don't worry about things here. With me around, I'll make sure this place is secure!"
"Right, Uncle. That's exactly the first thing I wanted to remind you about."
Lin Yi looked at Zhou Jianjun, Chen Yu, Zhang Haotian, and the other young men who were in good shape.
"The defenses need to be completed as soon as possible. Block off the spiral staircase and leave only the rope ladder route open. Check and reinforce every window on the second floor. Keep the watch rotations going, especially at night. At least two people need to monitor the Abyssal Wolves outside."
"Understood!" Zhou Jianjun nodded firmly. "Leave it to me. I'll make sure everything's handled!"
Zhou Jianjun was reliable, so Lin Yi said no more and turned his attention to Zhou Yuxuan.
"Class monitor, there's a second thing I need to ask you to handle."
"You're the fastest learner. The authorities have already released the full Guidance Technique and instructional videos. Study them as soon as possible and compare them with the inheritance in your mind."
"Once you gain any new insights or make progress, teach A Yu, my uncle, and anyone else who's willing to learn and has potential. We need to get more of our people to the point where they can use Source Energy, at least a little. That's not just for fighting; improving our physiques is crucial to surviving the apocalypse, too. Also... help my uncle out."
Zhou Yuxuan pushed up his glasses, his expression more serious than ever. "Lin Yi, don't worry! This is where I can help the most right now. I'll do everything I can."
After his initial setback, Zhou Yuxuan seemed to have recovered. He looked as if he were determined to prove himself.
Finally, Lin Yi turned to his eldest uncle, Lin Ruiheng. "Eldest Uncle, the third thing is coordinating the other survivors in the hotel. I'll have to leave that to you."
Lin Ruiheng quickly nodded, even showing a trace of respect that hadn't been there before.
"Don't worry, nephew. I'll take care of it! I've already spoken to a few groups. They know you led the effort to clear the monsters from downstairs, and they saw that even the authorities used your video. They've calmed down quite a bit and all said they're willing to follow instructions. It's just... a few families weren't able to escape here with their loved ones, or they can't get in touch with them, so they're still feeling down. They'll need some time..."
Lin Yi sighed silently.
He had seen too much of this in his previous life. So much that he had grown numb to it.
In the apocalypse, grief was a luxury. Survival was the only thing that mattered.
"Right, I understand. Still, we should do what we can to comfort them, while helping them understand that the most important thing now is staying alive... The world has changed completely. Before long, the pressure of survival won't leave them much time to sink into their grief..." Lin Yi sighed. "There's a saying from biology class that makes a lot of sense... Humans are highly adaptable creatures."
The group reacted in different ways, but all nodded silently.
"All right, everyone, get back to work. I'll train a little longer, then head out." Lin Yi waved them away.
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