[Good morning, dear residents of Xingfu City!]
[This is Xingfu City's Morning Radio, here to keep you company every morning at six sharp. I'm today's broadcaster, Little Sun. I hope I can send you warmth and happiness through the airwaves!]
[First, let's check the weather. Take a look outside! A mischievous downpour is gently covering Shi Province, Yun City, Yang City, and Chuan City, where our very own Xingfu City is located, along with six other cities. They've all been embraced by this "Sweet Rain." But the playful rain might be having a little too much fun! Mountain Floods could pop up at any moment, like Infected playing hide-and-seek. If you're heading out, remember to keep your eyes peeled, or you might get swept away to another province~]
[Speaking of our neighbors in Yun City, good news! The Infected Tide there has finally come to an end. Unfortunately, Yeyue Shelter City wasn't so lucky. Word is they've suffered heavy losses in the Infected Tide and are now reduced to shivering in underground facilities. Little Sun is cheering them on! I hope the gloom lifts for them soon!]
[Oh, right, one more important reminder! Some Hydrophilic Type Infected have been affected by the downpour and might decide to take an impromptu "trip." Brave souls about to head outside Xingfu City, make sure you're on your guard. Don't let those savage creatures scare you!]
[Next, news from the neighboring provinces. Strange, dense fog has appeared in Sha Province recently. Anyone who walks into it is like getting lost in a cloud of cotton candy. Could Yun Duo have secretly hidden them away?]
[A new tentacle Infection Source has appeared in Hai Province. They say it's a full thirty meters long and a distant relative of the Death Whisper Tentacle. Ew, how disgusting!]
[...]
A cheerful female voice came from the old radio, utterly at odds with the Wasteland's prevailing theme of death.
The sound of rain enveloped the room.
Uncle Dong lounged in a wicker chair with one leg crossed over the other, waving a palm-leaf fan as he occasionally muttered curses, exclamations, and questions along with the broadcast.
The Morning Radio, which aired every three days, was one of the few forms of entertainment available to the people of the Buffer Zone's Bottom Layer.
It was nothing like the Evening Broadcast, which came on punctually every day in an unwavering, iron-gray tone. Its words were steeped in the threat of death, as if anyone who didn't heed its warnings would be torn to shreds by Infected at any moment.
Little Sun's broadcasts always made people feel at ease, as though the Infected had become friendly neighbors.
But happy moments were always so short. In the blink of an eye, the half-hour news segment was over, and the broadcast of rumors from across the Wasteland came to an end.
The closing words drifted slowly from the radio's Loudspeaker:
[All right, the director's already rushing me, so that's it for today's broadcast~]
[Before we wrap up, though, I still want to have one more little chat with my family in Xingfu City. Please don't be afraid of new developments. Our diligent guards patrol the city outskirts around the clock, keeping the threat from Infected to a minimum. And our real-time Information Sharing Network, built in coordination with more than twenty neighboring Sanctuary Cities, lets us stay on top of every change as soon as it happens.]
[And of course, we have the most, most, most professional inspectors, who can keep every Infected outside the Checkpoint and protect every resident right from the source!]
[Come on, get up! Take the energy Little Sun's sending you and have another lively day~]
"That's it?"
The sweet, coquettish voice vanished, replaced by a burst of static.
Uncle Dong grumbled, still wanting more, and pulled his right hand back out of the pocket he'd just slipped it into.
Damn downpour. It had even cut Little Sun's airtime short by two minutes, robbing him of the sweet song at the end.
He'd only just been getting ready, and it was already over?
He glanced up at the Electronic Clock on the wall. The hands had just passed 6:31. Uncle Dong smacked his lips. The damp weather had made his injured right arm start hurting again.
"I still need to earn more and get surgery as soon as I can."
Damn rainy weather. He probably wouldn't get any business all day.
But thinking of the exorbitant cost of surgery, Uncle Dong had no choice but to get up and slowly raise the Rolling Shutter Door.
The rusty Iron Chain creaked, and the roller groaned like the gears of an old machine. When the opening reached half a person's height, a pair of bloodshot eyes slowly came into view.
"Holy shit!"
Uncle Dong shuddered. He'd been retired for years, and his nerve had clearly gone soft. He actually stumbled back two steps in fright.
Thud.
A pair of hands held the door and lifted it from the outside. The bloodshot eyes moved downward, revealing the young man's sharply defined jaw.
"Cheng Ye?"
Seeing it was Cheng Ye, Uncle Dong visibly relaxed, though his heart was still pounding.
"What are you doing here so early—"
The words caught in his throat. Cheng Ye had only been gone for a day, but the state he was in left Uncle Dong's memories in disarray.
His skin was growing paler. Dark blue veins showed beneath it, like vines swollen from soaking in the rain.
His body had once been almost entirely flat, but now muscles bulged beneath his skin. His chest in particular was beginning to form the faint outline of an inverted triangle.
Besides that, drawing on his many years of experience as a veteran, Uncle Dong noticed that Cheng Ye's hands seemed to have grown larger?
That was a sign seen only in people who trained in martial arts. It meant the Qi channels in their hands had opened, letting them grip weapons more securely in close combat or unleash greater force with their bare hands!
"Uncle Dong, how much Nutrient Paste do you have left? Bring it all out. I'll take everything!"
Cheng Ye's voice sounded like sandpaper scraping rust, frighteningly hoarse.
Uncle Dong furrowed his brows, but ultimately didn't ask anything. He soon came out carrying a box of Nutrient Paste.
"I've got thirty-five packs left. Drink as much as you want. It's on me today!"
Cheng Ye didn't answer.
He had already reached out with both hands, seized two packs roughly, and popped them straight into his mouth.
Milky white liquid ran down the corners of his mouth. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he gulped continuously.
To be fair, the Nutrient Paste made in Xingfu City wasn't bad.
It tasted a little like Soy Milk diluted tenfold, with a faint sweetness and a hint of grass.
That was the one thing Cheng Ye had been glad about since transmigrating to the Wasteland.
At least the researchers in this Wasteland world weren't as stupid as the ones in many Wasteland novels, who made the main source of energy for the lower classes into some horribly disgusting concoction. That kind of food disparity only drove some people to revolt and overthrow the class system.
Drinking Nutrient Paste for a long time did leave your mouth craving something flavorful and take away some of life's meaning, but it was much healthier than modern meals made with gutter oil.
"Six packs. Eight packs. Ten!"
Uncle Dong narrowed his eyes. As Cheng Ye devoured the food, his complexion gradually lost its pallor and gained a faint blush.
The exposed skin no longer looked wrinkled and pale, as if it had been waterlogged. Its color and sheen quickly returned to normal, and it looked even healthier than before.
Uncle Dong kept his eyes fixed on Cheng Ye's hands, his gaze flickering with envy and a trace of jealousy.
Qi Pulse Hand, one of the talents martial artists wanted most.
The traditional martial arts of the Old Era had all kinds of miraculous qualities, but changes in human genetics had kept them from flourishing. After many years in the Wasteland, human genes had returned to their primal wildness, and those martial arts had finally found a use again.
With his own talent, though, he'd trained all his life and hadn't even crossed the threshold. Cheng Ye was so young, yet he'd already grasped the first hints of the art.
Comparing yourself to someone else really could drive you mad!
Soon, Cheng Ye had finished his eighteenth pack of Nutrient Paste.
He stopped at last, feeling the hunger in his abdomen ease enough to become bearable.
"Uncle Dong."
Before coming in, Cheng Ye had already thought of an explanation, but Uncle Dong waved a hand first. "No need to explain. Before A Long left, he even gave you a tube of Gene Purification Serum. You really know how to hold out. You waited until today to use it and get the most out of it."
Gene Purification Serum?
What was that?
Was it the Captain America kind?
The original owner hadn't had any contact with that sort of high-class stuff in the Inner City. His days had been spent either flirting or tinkering with poetry and music. Cheng Ye had gone through his memories and thought the guy was going to become some kind of Wasteland idol.
Now that Uncle Dong had offered an explanation, Cheng Ye kept his expression neutral and put away the excuse he'd been about to give about taking a special drug.
But he still kept his guard up, worried that Uncle Dong had made up some nonexistent serum to test him.
So he didn't confirm it. Instead, he smiled and shook his head. "Come on, Uncle Dong. What Enhancement Serum? I've never even heard of it. I was just so busy at work yesterday that I didn't have time to eat. I was starving!"
"It's good that you haven't heard of it. Just remember to eat on time from now on."
Uncle Dong smiled without a hint of concern and pushed the remaining Nutrient Paste over with the box. "The expiration date's only two days away, anyway. Take it all."
"How much?"
"I said it was on me. Are you really going to refuse Uncle Dong a little face?"
"Thanks, Uncle Dong. If you ever need help, just come to me."
Cheng Ye thumped his chest and made the promise without hesitation, then carried the box out of the shop.
Uncle Dong had spent more than twenty years fighting on the battlefield, and even after retiring with an injury, he'd managed to return and open a shop.
That took more than just intelligence. He was definitely a tough character with a knack for handling people.
"He's investing a box of Nutrient Paste in me to earn my gratitude. Fair enough. I need Uncle Dong to keep this secret, too, so our goals don't conflict."
After returning to his room, Cheng Ye shut the door.
He tore open ten of the remaining seventeen packs and gulped them down. Only then did he finally feel somewhat full, driving the hunger that had been festering in his mind away completely.
He went to the communal restroom and took off his shirt. The body in the mirror was no longer as thin as before. Overnight, a layer of lean muscle had appeared. The lines weren't exaggerated, but they carried a powerful beauty.
Staring at his reflection, Cheng Ye was more shocked than ever before.
"That's terrifying! The benefits this skill brings are way beyond what I imagined!"
It was hard to explain scientifically what had happened.
Basic Strength at Lv. 1 had not only given him strength techniques and Muscle Memory, but also transformed his body overnight, saving him months of hard training.
"Could it be that the Muscle Memory for generating force needs enough muscle to support it?"
"If I find a skill that improves my physique in the future, will I get another huge boost like this?"
Back in his room, Cheng Ye was overcome by a happy dilemma.
The sudden surge in his strength had greatly improved his chances of surviving the upcoming Field Mission.
But the obvious overnight changes also made it difficult for him to lie low and develop among the crowd.
Beep beep beep.
The Defense Communicator on the table received a call request.
Who was calling me this early?
Cheng Ye curiously looked at the screen, then froze.
It wasn't Liu Bi, but a name he had never expected to see.
Before you continue