Preparations Before Departure

Chen Yu watched Lin Yi, whose eyes were already closed again, his face focused as he continued to guide the energy from the gray crystal in his palm. He whispered, "Alright, Brother Yi, you go ahead and recover. I'll go tell Uncle and Aunt."

After speaking, he turned and walked quickly toward the busy group, his footsteps appearing slightly heavy.

Listening to the footsteps fade away, Lin Yi sank his consciousness into his body. While guiding the energy, he couldn't help but complain inwardly.

What a joke. An energy desert.

The region of the Blue Star was a barren belt for Source Energy; the concentration was infuriatingly low, and the free-floating Source Energy particles in the air were so thin they were practically negligible.

The efficiency of drawing Source Energy from the environment via the Guidance Technique was likely less effective than simply taking deep breaths; it wasn't even a drop in the bucket.

Once the assessment is over, if I strike it rich, I'll have to move the Blue Star. I heard a Planet Migration Engine only costs over seven hundred million Purple Gold Points. I struggled to get three Source Energy Crystals in this dump, and now I have to use one just to replenish what I've consumed.

Thirty minutes flashed by, and the energy contained within the Source Energy Crystal was completely exhausted.

Lin Yi felt the Source Energy within his body refill. Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately took out a second Source Energy Crystal and absorbed it again without a second thought.

This time, it was for cultivation.

For a novice who had just stepped through the gates of Source Energy cultivation, absorbing one Source Energy Crystal a day was the limit.

It wasn't that there wasn't enough energy, but that the body needed time to adapt to the scouring and remodeling of such violent energy. Forcing a second crystal would, at best, damage one's meridians, and at worst, lead to an uncontrollable energy surge—the consequences would be unimaginable.

But that did not include Lin Yi.

Because with the level of Source Energy control he currently displayed, he could fully absorb another half-crystal.

He could forcibly constrain the energy surging from the crystal—which should have been like a stampeding wild horse—and channel it into a relatively gentle stream, greatly reducing the impact and damage to his body's meridians.

Of course, he was still deliberately holding back, intentionally showing the level of control expected of someone who had just entered the Stardust Rank.

After all, a "genius" is best served by a process of gradual progression.

Showing off his talent in layers as time passed was a safer choice.

Of course, the most important reason was that his control at the entry-level of the Stardust Rank was already sufficient; no matter how much stronger his control became, his body couldn't absorb any more Source Energy.

As his body cells reached a state of satiety and a faint, bloated pain began to spread, Lin Yi understood that his body's current capacity and rate of strengthening had reached its limit.

He could absorb at most one and a half crystals a day.

Just like how no matter how delicious a meal is, the stomach only has so much capacity; forcing more in would only cause harm.

The remaining half will be just enough to supplement the Source Energy cap that increased due to my physical improvement.

After another half hour, the second crystal was completely absorbed. Lin Yi felt his physical state had returned to its peak, his Source Energy reserves were full once more, and his combat power was even better than before.

Seeing that Lin Yi had finished his cultivation, his parents, his uncle Zhou Jianjun, his eldest uncle Lin Ruiheng, Chen Yu, Zhou Yuxuan, and the other core members gathered around, their faces filled with worry.

His mother, Zhou Jinghua, had eyes that were red and swollen, clearly having cried just moments before.

Before they could speak, Lin Yi stood up first. He stretched his limbs slightly, then swept his gaze over the group, his tone calm yet tinged with firmness.

"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Eldest Uncle, my condition has recovered. The plan remains unchanged. Later, we will rescue the nearby survivors, and then tomorrow at the crack of dawn, I will set out first to head to the Gathering Point near the Old Department Store to make contact with the authorities."

Zhou Jinghua's lips trembled as if she wanted to say something, but her husband, Lin Ruiming, gently pulled her arm.

Lin Ruiming looked at his son with a complex expression, eventually letting out a heavy sigh. "Xiao Yi, Dad knows you have great ability and a firm mind, but out there... you must be careful! If it really doesn't work out, come back, and we'll find another way. Safety 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 my skills are what they are; it's actually more convenient to act alone."

Zhou Jianjun stepped forward and patted Lin Yi's shoulder firmly, the decisiveness of a soldier fully reflected in the gesture.

"Good lad, your uncle knows you're a man. I won't waste words. Don't worry about things here; with me around, I'll make sure everything is held down tight!"

"Yes, Uncle, that is exactly the first thing I wanted to instruct you on."

Lin Yi looked at Zhou Jianjun, Chen Yu, Zhang Haotian, and the other young men with better physical stamina.

"The defensive fortifications must be completed thoroughly as soon as possible. The spiral staircase must be blocked off, leaving only the rope ladder access, and all windows on the second floor must be checked and reinforced. Duty patrols cannot stop, especially at night; there must be at least two people monitoring the movements of the Abyss Wolves outside."

"Understood!" Zhou Jianjun nodded heavily. "Leave this to me; I guarantee there won't be any slip-ups!"

Zhou Jianjun was reliable, so Lin Yi didn't say more and turned his gaze to Zhou Yuxuan.

"Class monitor, I need to entrust the second task to you."

"You have the strongest learning ability. The authorities have already released the full text and instructional videos for the Guidance Technique. Combine that with the inheritance in your own mind and master it as quickly as possible."

"Once you have new insights and progress, teach them to Ah Yu, my uncle, and anyone else who is willing to learn and has potential. We need to get more of our own people to the point where they can initially utilize Source Energy as soon as possible. This isn't just for combat; physical enhancement is also crucial for survival in the apocalypse. Also... assist my uncle well."

Zhou Yuxuan adjusted his glasses, his face showing unprecedented seriousness. "Lin Yi, don't worry! This is where I can be of the most help right now, and I will do my absolute best."

Having experienced his initial frustration, Zhou Yuxuan seemed to have recovered, and he appeared to be holding onto a drive to prove himself.

Finally, Lin Yi looked at his eldest uncle, Lin Ruiheng. "Eldest Uncle, the third task: the coordination of the other survivors in the hotel will require your extra effort."

Lin Ruiheng nodded quickly, his face even showing a hint of respect that hadn't been there before.

"Big nephew, don't you worry, I'll definitely get this done! I've already made initial contact with a few groups. They know you were the one who led the effort to clear the monsters downstairs, and they saw that even the authorities used your video, so their emotions are much more stable, and they've all expressed a willingness to listen to arrangements. It's just... just that a few families whose relatives couldn't make it in or can't be contacted are still feeling quite low; they need time to process it."

Hearing this, Lin Yi sighed silently in his heart.

He had seen such situations far too many times in his past life—so many that he had long since become numb to them.

In the apocalypse, grief is a luxury; survival is the only theme.

"Yes, I understand. But we still need to comfort them as much as possible, while also making them understand that the most important thing now is to stay alive. After all, the world has changed drastically, and soon, the pressure of survival won't give them much time to wallow in grief." Lin Yi sighed. "There was a saying in biology class that made a lot of sense: humans are a species with very strong adaptability."

The group nodded silently, their expressions varied.

"Alright, everyone go get busy. I'm going to train a little longer before I head out." Lin Yi waved his hand.