Chen Yu saw that Lin Yi had already closed his eyes again, focusing on guiding the energy in the gray crystal in his palm. He turned away and said quietly, "All right, Brother Yi. You rest up first. I'll go tell Uncle, Auntie, and the others."
After speaking, he turned and strode toward the people hard at work, his steps seeming unusually heavy.
Hearing the footsteps fade, Lin Yi sank his mind into his body. As he guided the energy, he grumbled to himself.
"Seriously. An energy wasteland."
The stretch of Source Energy-poor space where Blue Star was located had an appallingly low Source Energy concentration. The free-floating Source Energy particles in the air were so sparse as to be almost negligible.
Drawing Source Energy from the environment through the Guidance Technique was probably less effective than simply taking deep breaths. It wasn't even a drop in the bucket.
"Once the assessment is over, if I make it big, I'll have to move Blue Star somewhere else. I hear a Planet Migration Engine costs just over seven hundred million Purple Gold Points. We went to all this trouble to get three Source Energy Crystals in this dump, and one of them has to go just to replenish what I've used."
Thirty minutes passed in a flash, and the energy contained in the Source Energy Crystal ran out.
Lin Yi sensed that the Source Energy inside him had been replenished. Without pausing, he immediately took out a second Source Energy Crystal and absorbed it without hesitation.
This time, it was for cultivation.
For a novice 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 adapt to the violent energy as it washed through and transformed it. Forcing down a second crystal could cause anything from damaged meridians to an energy loss of control, with unimaginable consequences.
But Lin Yi was an exception.
Given the Source Energy control he had demonstrated so far, he could easily absorb another half a crystal.
He could forcibly restrain the energy pouring out of the crystal—which should have surged like a wild horse—and guide it into a relatively gentle stream, greatly reducing the impact and damage to his body's channels.
Of course, he was still deliberately holding back, intentionally displaying the level of control expected of someone who had just reached the Stardust Rank.
After all, even a "genius" needed to reveal his talent gradually.
Showing his abilities in stages over time was the safer choice.
But the most important reason was that the control expected of someone new to the Stardust Rank was enough. No matter how strong his control was, his body couldn't absorb any more Source Energy.
As he felt his cells grow full and a faint ache spread through his body, Lin Yi understood: this was the limit of his body's current capacity and rate of enhancement.
He could absorb at most one and a half crystals a day.
No matter how delicious the food was, the stomach only had so much room. Force-feeding himself would only make it burst.
"The remaining half will be just enough to replenish the increase in my Source Energy capacity from my enhanced physique."
A little over half an hour later, the second crystal was completely absorbed. Lin Yi felt fully recovered, his Source Energy reserves replenished 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, their faces full of worry.
His mother, Zhou Jinghua, had especially red eyes. She had clearly been crying earlier.
Before anyone could speak, Lin Yi stood up first. He stretched his hands and feet, then swept his gaze over everyone. His voice was calm but firm.
"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Eldest Uncle, I've recovered. The plan hasn't changed. We'll rescue the survivors nearby first, then I'll set out early tomorrow morning for the Gathering Point near the Old Department Store to contact the authorities."
Zhou Jinghua's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but her husband, Lin Ruiming, gently took hold of her arm.
Lin Ruiming looked at his son, his expression conflicted. In the end, he could only let out a heavy sigh. "Xiaoyi... Dad knows you're capable now, and that you've made up your mind. But outside... be careful, no matter what! If things get too dangerous, come back. We'll think of something else. 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'll actually be easier to go alone."
Zhou Jianjun stepped forward and gave Lin Yi's shoulder a firm pat, his soldier's directness on full display.
"That's my boy! Your uncle knows you're a real man, so I won't waste time with empty words. Don't worry about things here. With me around, I'll keep everything 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 in good physical shape.
"The defensive fortifications must be completed as soon as possible. Block off the spiral staircase and leave only the rope ladder access. Check and reinforce every window on the second floor. Don't stop the shifts and patrols. At night especially, have at least two people watch the Abyss Wolves outside."
"Understood!" Zhou Jianjun nodded firmly. "Leave it to me. I guarantee there won't be any mistakes!"
Zhou Jianjun was reliable enough, so Lin Yi said no more and turned his attention to Zhou Yuxuan.
"Class monitor, I need to ask you to handle the second thing."
"You're the fastest learner. The authorities have already released the complete Guidance Technique and instructional videos. Study them as soon as possible, combining them with the inheritance in your mind."
"Once you gain any new insights or make progress, teach them to Ah 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, even if only a little. That's not just for fighting; a stronger physique is vital for surviving the apocalypse, too. Also... help my uncle out."
Zhou Yuxuan pushed up his glasses. His expression was more serious than ever. "Lin Yi, don't worry! This is where I can be of the most help right now. I'll give it everything I've got."
After the initial setback, Zhou Yuxuan seemed to have pulled himself together. He looked like he was itching to prove himself.
Finally, Lin Yi looked at 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 hurriedly nodded. There was even a trace of respect in his expression that hadn't been there before.
"Don't worry, nephew. I'll take care of it! I've already spoken with a few groups. They know you led the effort to clear out the monsters downstairs, and they saw that even the authorities used your video. They're much calmer now, and they've all said they'll follow instructions. It's just... a few families couldn't get their loved ones inside, or haven't been able to contact them. They're still pretty down. They'll need some time."
Lin Yi heard this and sighed to himself.
He had seen situations like this far too many times in his previous life, so many that he had long since grown numb to them.
In the apocalypse, grief was a luxury. Survival was the only priority.
"Right, I understand. We should still do our best to comfort them, but we also have to help them understand that staying alive is what matters most now. The world has changed, and soon the pressure to survive won't leave them much time to dwell on their grief." Lin Yi sighed. "There was something they said in biology class that made a lot of sense: humans are highly adaptable creatures."
Everyone reacted differently, but they all nodded silently.
"All right, everyone, get back to work. I'll train a little longer, then head out." Lin Yi waved a hand.
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