Opening the chest
As soon as he unscrewed the cap, a pungent medicinal smell wafted out. Lu Heng tilted his head back and took two small sips. The warm medicinal power slid into his chest cavity, gently soothing the remaining restlessness and soreness in his body.
He poured the remaining medicinal wine into his palm and repeatedly rubbed and wiped his bruises all over his body, paying special attention to every spot on his legs where the python had strangled him, leaving no dark bruise untouched, ensuring that every inch of damaged skin was thoroughly soaked in the medicinal wine.
After wiping repeatedly several times, the medicinal wine was evenly applied to the whole body, and a rich medicinal aroma filled the air.
Lu Heng lay down on the dry bed, resting quietly, waiting for the medicinal wine to dry naturally and be slowly absorbed into his skin.
His body completely relaxed, and his nerves, which had been tense for most of the day, finally loosened. He raised his hand to turn on his Wristband and opened the public chat channel.
The interface refreshed, but the latest news was still from two days ago.
Lu Heng understood.
The Swamp Giant Python was far more formidable than imagined. Because of this strange beast, no survivors dared to approach the area for two whole days. Apart from the birds that had flown overhead, the entire region was almost completely desolate and isolated.
He went through the pile of old messages in the group one by one, and slowly came to understand the trivial matters that had been put aside for the past two days.
In the channel, a man struggling to survive alone sent out many messages. He had been waiting for his family to reunite with him. Eventually, his parents arrived safely at his hiding place, but his young child, who was supposed to come with them, never showed up and was completely missing.
The man repeatedly asked questions on the channel, his tone anxious, filled with worry and unease.
At first, a few people tried to comfort her and help analyze the road conditions. But as the conversation went on, the tone of the comments section completely shifted.
Some people casually speculated and joked that the child was probably not his biological child, which was why he couldn't come along.
One sentence completely changed the mood.
The comments below instantly flooded the screen, all expressing amusement and amusement.
My condolences, brother.
"Luckily, the system is there to protect me, otherwise I'd be stuck being a beast of burden in the Paradise World for the rest of my life."
"This is really hard to explain."
I wonder when things will finally settle down.
The screen was filled with restless banter, unfounded speculation, and indifferent sighs, all piled up densely together.
Lu Heng quietly scanned the messages, surprised that he could still be a gossipmonger in this situation.
He casually closed the channel page, closed his eyes, and lay flat.
The medicinal wine slowly seeped into the skin and flesh, gradually reducing the soreness in the legs, while the warm, restorative sensation within the Bronze Flesh Core continued to circulate.
For now, there are no disasters or difficulties, and the supplies have been plentiful. We just need to rest and recuperate completely before opening the boxes to take stock of the resources, organizing the python remains, and accumulating strength in peace.
The cave was quiet and still, the damp chill from the swamp kept out by the heavy stone door. The bed was neatly made with bedding, and after washing away the mud, there was no longer any sticky discomfort when lying on it.
Lu Heng planned to close his eyes for a while to relieve the fatigue accumulated from days of fighting and traveling. His nerves had been on edge for a long time, and the Tiger Bone Wine he had applied to his body continued to seep into his flesh, bringing waves of soreness and warmth, and his tense vigilance slowly relaxed. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, his chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down, and before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
There are no complicated dreams during sleep. There is only a long, steady, warm force that continuously travels through my limbs and bones.
Lu Heng knew the source clearly: the Bronze Flesh Core remaining in his body was still releasing energy. The Black Iron Tier core energy was short-lived and consumed quickly, unable to last long. The Bronze level was completely different, with a rich and lasting source, continuing to repair damage to various parts of the body even when consciousness fell into slumber.
I don't know how much time passed, but the faint sunlight seeped in through the natural cracks in the second-floor window of the stone cave, casting pale spots of light on the ground.
Lu Heng slowly opened his eyes.
Without the sudden shock of waking up, he lay quietly for a moment, carefully assessing his physical condition. The fatigue accumulated over the past few days had mostly dissipated, and the congestion and pain caused by the giant python squeezing his chest and abdomen had almost disappeared. He could raise his arms and turn his waist, and his upper body moved smoothly without any sluggishness.
With a thought, the Wristband projected a three-dimensional attribute light screen.
Strength: 24
Physical condition: 24
Agility: 23
Seeing the values, Lu Heng understood. Compared to before, the three basic attributes had increased significantly. The life force contained within the Bronze Flesh Core was indeed far superior to that of low-level resources.
He slowly sat up and tried to bend his knees to exert force.
My legs still feel heavy and sore, and I feel unsteady when I exert force, lacking stability.
The injuries caused by the Swamp Giant Python's prolonged constriction were too deep, severely damaging the meridians and nerves. Even with continuous energy supply from the core for repair, such severe internal injuries could not be healed overnight and could only be managed through gradual rest.
After resting for a while, his mind was completely clear. Lu Heng activated the Storage Space on his Wristband, took out the Bronze Treasure Chest he had found at the bottom of the swamp silt, and placed it next to the bedding. There were still some black mud residues on the surface of the chest that had not been cleaned off. The metal shell was cool and simple, without any intricate carvings.
[Bronze Treasure Chest]
Description: Treasure chests left in the wild can be opened to obtain valuable supplies and weapons.
Lu Heng reached out and grabbed the buckle on the box, applying gentle pressure.
With a soft click, the lock popped open, the lid lifted, and a faint light emanated from inside the box, revealing the items one by one.
The first thing they took out was a round crystal bead, completely transparent, with tiny specks of light slowly rising and falling inside.
[Sunlight Pearl | Bronze Tier]
Description: It can autonomously simulate natural sunlight. The emitted light contains trace amounts of solar radiation and has a restraining and killing effect on all spirits, evil spirits, and demons; irradiating crops can greatly accelerate their growth rate and shorten their maturity cycle.
Holding the Sunlight Pearl in my palm, it radiated a gentle, non-scorching warmth. With this item, the Shelter's planting area no longer needed to rely entirely on the outside weather; it could provide a stable supply of light even at night or on rainy days. The accompanying restraining effect could also strengthen the cave's defensive weaknesses.
After carefully storing the Sunlight Pearl, the second item is a simple-looking building module.
[Building Module - Fence | No Level]
Brief introduction: During the generation process, it can automatically adapt and form according to its own materials. The fence and the house belong to the same building system. When the house is upgraded, the fence will be upgraded simultaneously.
Perimeter defense has always been a weakness of Shelter. In the past, building a fence required a lot of time and manual construction. This module saves a lot of work, and subsequent expansions and upgrades do not require repeated modifications to the fence, making it very valuable in the long run.
The next item is a set of components, shaped like a snare in its folded state.
[Standardized Bear Trap | No Level Required]
Description: Specialized animal traps can be crafted using the materials used, and can be hidden and set in traps to injure passing targets when triggered.
Lu Heng's fingertips traced the cold metal components. Traps could be laid in the woodlands and swamps surrounding the cave, providing an extra layer of reliable early warning and killing methods for future outings or for Shelter.
Continuing to flip inwards, the fourth module is neat and square.
[Building Module - Study Room | No Level Requirement]
Introduction: This device can store and organize various types of books. The more books you store and the more diverse their categories, the more it can subtly nourish your spiritual essence and slowly enhance your mental strength.
Lu Heng pondered for a moment. The three-dimensional attribute panel only displayed strength, constitution, and agility. Mental strength was a hidden attribute with no specific value, making it impossible to measure directly. Changes could only be perceived through one's own physical senses. He silently memorized this hidden rule.
At the bottom of the box, a dark red pill lay quietly.
[Blood Beast Pill | Bronze Tier]
Description: A burst-type pill refined from the heart of Bronze Tier exotic beast. After consumption, adrenaline surges threefold, simultaneously increasing the body's blood reserves. Once the effects wear off, blood must be replenished quickly, otherwise the pill will forcibly draw 30% of the user's blood to replenish the depletion. Essentially, it uses the user's own blood as a reserve energy source to achieve a short-term burst of power.
Lu Heng carefully put the pill away separately. This was his trump card for turning the tide in a desperate situation, with an extremely strong amplification effect, but the backlash could be just as deadly. He absolutely could not use it lightly unless it was a matter of life and death.
After the five items were inventoried, Lu Heng sorted out their uses one by one.
Sunlight Pearl is responsible for cultivating crops and suppressing evil; Fence Module improves infrastructure; Animal Traps construct outer traps; Study opens up a path for spiritual growth; Blood Beast Pill serves as a last resort for survival.
The gains from this battle in the swamp, achieved at great risk, exceeded expectations.