Lin Qi looked at the master's-degree big brother and gave him an approving look.
Lin Qi knew he wasn't cut out to be a leader. He had only two advantages when it came to getting survivors to work for him.
He wielded Transcendent Power and had a technological edge.
Both were crucial to surviving the apocalypse. Mastering them meant having every survivor in the palm of his hand.
Lin Qi said, "That's right. We need weapons. We need strength!"
"Since the apocalypse began, I'm sure those who responded to the first official broadcast have discovered that taking Crimson Crystals can strengthen our bodies."
"Besides that, after exposure to the Crimson Moon, a tiny fraction of people gained even more unusual powers. I call them Transcendent Power."
Lin Qi looked at Xia Chu, who immediately understood.
Xia Chu controlled a bottle of mineral water that the survivors had drunk halfway, freezing it and suspending it beside her.
Most of the survivors looked astonished, while a few seemed to realize what was going on.
Among the more than three hundred survivors, a handful of lucky ones had become extraordinary individuals, each with a different Transcendent Ability.
Lin Qi continued, "Fortunately, I'm one of that tiny fraction. Unfortunately, my Transcendent Power is weak. It only enhanced my intelligence, which is why I was able to design and build the Exoskeleton and the mecha."
Lin Qi had found an excuse for the source of his technical expertise.
It was a crude one, but in circumstances like these, it was convincing enough.
A clever master's student in automotive engineering spoke up at once. "You're too modest, boss. Intelligence is the greatest power of all. It's what makes humanity great."
Lin Qi looked at the master's student again. The guy had potential.
The student immediately caught on. "Please teach us, boss!"
Having him there made Lin Qi's speech much easier.
"I hope the Modu University survivors can stand together as one. I'll also share some of my Exoskeleton designs."
"The lab workshop on the sixth floor has already been renovated, and there's a large stockpile of metal in the School of Materials Science warehouse."
"All survivors with a background in science or engineering, come with me to the lab workshop."
At a time like this, Lin Qi didn't need to say much more.
The survivors from Modu University already had a strong will to survive, and the first group to be rescued had an especially strong sense of initiative.
At his call, more than two hundred survivors stood up.
Judging by the numbers, science and engineering students seemed to have survived at a higher rate than humanities students.
But perhaps Modu University simply had more science and engineering students to begin with.
Lin Qi looked toward the master's student. "Come with me for a moment."
As he called the student over, Lin Qi also instructed Xia Chu to arrange living quarters for the survivors.
There was no way Lin Qi could teach more than two hundred people one-on-one.
He had a busy night ahead. He had to deal with the survivors, and he also had to use his Wizard abilities to analyze Extraordinary Items.
In the Cyber World, Lin Qi faced even greater troubles. He knew what deserved his attention most.
The master's student hurried over to Lin Qi.
"Hello, I'm Lin Qi." Lin Qi held out his hand.
Having lived two lives, Lin Qi had no objection to a handshake. He had rejected Si Ying earlier simply because he disliked him.
The master's student was visibly excited. "Hello, boss. I'm Wang Ziru."
Lin Qi paused when he heard the name, then smiled.
What a great name!
It sounded like the name of a capable man.
"Brother Wang, to be honest, I know a thing or two about technology, but I'm not good at management."
"There are more than three hundred survivors gathered here now. That's a fairly sizeable base. From the way you speak, I can tell you're not only a master's-level technician. You must have a lot to offer in management, too."
Wang Ziru immediately put on a moved expression. "Thank you for trusting me, boss. To be honest, I'm not a full-time student. I've been a senior manager at Gemi Group, a major automotive company, for quite some time. If you trust me, I'll do everything I can to help."
A real talent!
No wonder this was Modu University. It was full of talented people.
Lin Qi naturally chose to trust him. In an apocalyptic world, all power came from strength.
As long as Lin Qi had strength, he didn't have to worry about much else.
Besides, Lin Qi had never wanted to rule over anyone. He only needed enough people to help him track down Extraordinary Items.
He handed Wang Ziru a laptop. "There are two simple electric-powered Exoskeleton designs I made on here. The workshop equipment and materials should be enough to produce over a hundred suits. There's also a design for an Electromagnetic Pistol in the folder at the bottom right of the desktop."
"The designs are simple. Just follow the steps to manufacture and assemble them."
"I'll leave this task to you. Produce enough equipment as soon as possible. The Zombies are changing much faster than we expected. We need to gather more resources quickly and make stronger weapons."
"I plan to turn Modu University into a fortress against the apocalypse and wait for the Rescue Team to make contact with us."
Wang Ziru's eyes lit up. "Boss, three hundred people aren't really enough. Once we've made the equipment, we should send people to rescue more survivors on the outskirts—"
Lin Qi cut him off. "You handle the arrangements."
Time was running short. Night had fallen, and only six hours remained until the Gate's cooldown ended.
In the Cyber World, Lin Qi could choose not to activate the Gate. But in the Doomsday World, the moment its cooldown ended, the Gate would send him back to the Cyber World.
Before returning, Lin Qi needed to analyze and absorb a crystal to strengthen his Wizard abilities.
There were too many dangers in Greenland City. A First Rank Wizard's power was nowhere near enough to keep him safe.
After saying goodbye to Wang Ziru, Lin Qi told Xia Chu, "Stay with Wang Ziru and keep an eye on things. I need to think up some new designs."
Xia Chu nodded. The whole camp's operations depended on Lin Qi's advanced designs. They were essential to survival.
Lin Qi entered an empty room and sat down.
Three crystals lay in front of him.
"Which one should I analyze?"
"The Transcendent Abilities a Wizard gains from analyzing something are related to the Extraordinary Item itself. They won't be exactly the same, but they'll point in the same direction."
"Speed, strength, Mental Power. It seems the potential for mental abilities might be higher, but I'm in no hurry to get one now. I can save the fourth ability slot of a First Rank Wizard for a mental ability."
"What I need right now is a way to stay alive."
"Speed. That's what I need most. I have an entire Doomsday World to gather resources from. Only by staying alive can I gain greater power in the future."
After thinking it over, Lin Qi chose the pink crystal.
Through his Psychic Vision, he saw the Wizard's Mental Power, like a mass of eerie tentacles, touch the pink crystal.
The Mental Power slowly seeped inside.
Analysis.
This was an innate, unique talent of Wizards, an ability that even Wizards themselves couldn't understand.
After an unknown amount of time, the pink crystal vanished without a trace, and Lin Qi gained a completely new power.
"I thought it would be speed, but this ability... seems a little ridiculous. This thing is only First Rank?"
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