C7 Preparation of Resources!(2)

He subtly influenced Boss Deng with a mental suggestion, convincing him to sell all his trade secrets. Lin Chen, however, didn't take advantage of the situation when it came to pricing; he accepted whatever Boss Deng quoted.

The inventory included: ordinary Miao knives with a hardness of 56, priced at 1,000 yuan each, with a total of 60 knives amounting to 60,000 yuan. There were also premium Miao knives with a hardness over 58, priced at 4,000 yuan each, with 20 knives totaling 80,000 yuan. Additionally, there were three exceptional Miao knives with a hardness of 60, priced at 40,000 yuan each, summing up to 120,000 yuan. Ten four-sided swords with a hardness of 56 were priced at 2,000 yuan each, reaching a total of 20,000 yuan.

The transaction for these items totaled 300,000 yuan, and all the blades had been expertly sharpened, meeting Lin Chen's discerning standards.

What thrilled Lin Chen the most was acquiring Boss Deng's prized possession: a six-sided heavy sword.

It was a mystery why such a gem existed in Boss Deng's shop. The sword measured 90 centimeters in length, weighed 36 kilograms, and had a hardness of 68, nearly rivaling that of diamonds and representing the pinnacle of Earth's current swordsmithing capabilities.

Boss Deng revealed that the sword was forged with meteoric iron, which explained its immense weight and why it had remained unused for many years. But for Lin Chen, the weight was trivial.

Under normal circumstances, the sword would be valued at no less than 1 million yuan, but Lin Chen's funds were running low.

Having returned from an apocalyptic world, Lin Chen wasn't about to play by the rules. While he could have easily taken the sword by force, he chose not to compromise his principles.

Instead, he lifted the mental hold on Boss Deng and posed a sincere question: "If I could make you robust, eradicate all your ailments, and double your physical strength, would you consider it a fair trade for five million yuan? Would you exchange the sword for that?"

Boss Deng, fully lucid, didn't hesitate to agree to the swap.

Lin Chen then prepared a cup of river water from the Seeds World, infusing it with a tiny drop of Origin Water, and offered it to Boss Deng to drink.

After enduring the excruciating pain of marrow cleansing for over ten minutes, Boss Deng lay unconscious in the warehouse, his body coated in black mud.

Lin Chen checked Boss Deng's physical condition and discovered that the improvements had surpassed his initial promise.

Securing the warehouse, Lin Chen carried Boss Deng back to his shop. There, he applied a mental suggestion to erase the night's events from his memory, then locked up and drove off.

The mental suggestion would dissolve in three days, but by then, the apocalypse would have begun. Boss Deng would recall everything, yet Lin Chen would be long gone.

As Lin Chen headed to his next destination, a smile played on his lips.

He had every reason to be joyful.

The sword he acquired would serve him well until he reached the Sixth Level of Extrasensory Perception.

Beyond the Seventh Level, an ESP user's body undergoes radical changes, rendering ordinary weapons ineffective. Only then would the divine armaments from the ruins become the true prizes for ESP users.

Still, Lin Chen felt indebted to Boss Deng and made a mental note to offer him more compensation when the opportunity arose.

Unbeknownst to Lin Chen, in his previous life, Boss Deng was destined to become a zombie during the first Heaven and Earth Test. But this time, having met Lin Chen and received a boost in his physical fitness, he survived the ordeal, evolved into an Innate Evolver, and awakened his fire-type ESP. He would even go on to become a legendary blacksmith, crossing paths with Lin Chen numerous times.

Around 8:40 PM, Lin Chen subtly altered his facial structure with his evolved abilities, shrinking a few centimeters in height and expanding his waistline before entering a bustling internet café. He logged onto a major social networking site at a secluded computer, created a new account, and crafted a post.

The post's title read: "Will the apocalypse arrive on December 22nd this year?"

The content mused: "Ten years ago, December 22nd was marked as the end of the world by the Mayans. When the Earth remained unscathed, people mocked the prophecy. Yet, I hold firm to that prediction. I'm convinced the apocalypse may be delayed, but it will never fail to arrive. And so, each year around this time, I stockpile ample supplies of non-perishable food and water, arm myself with suitable weapons, and brace for the apocalypse's inevitable approach."

If the apocalypse doesn't come, I could easily stay indoors for two months without needing to shop for anything, and I wouldn't suffer any losses.

I've always enjoyed reading novels and watching movies about the apocalypse. The zombies, crystal nuclei, extrasensory abilities, and survival bases are incredibly captivating.

I've heard that zombies can evolve, so if the end times truly arrive, I must take advantage of the early stages when zombies are weaker. I'll need to eliminate as many as I can, gather crystal nuclei, and awaken my own extrasensory abilities to secure a chance at survival.

December 22nd is fast approaching, and I've made my preparations as per tradition.

I'm not sure if the apocalypse will hit this year.

Yuan Fang, what's your take on this?

After adding that final humorous line, Lin Chen powered off his phone, stood up, and left.

"Medicine cures the sick, and Buddha saves those with fate." This post was Lin Chen's way of finding redemption for his sense of belonging as a Hiekith national, believing that those who prepare are indeed fortunate.

With over three hundred thousand yuan on him, Lin Chen drove to the 'Home Happiness' mega supermarket and nonchalantly spent over a hundred thousand on a mountain of snacks, drinks, and bottled water.

The supermarket staff, helping him load his purchases, didn't bat an eye, assuming it was a bulk buy for some company's outdoor excursion. After all, Lin Chen had arrived in a cargo truck, so no one suspected it had anything to do with apocalyptic fears.

Around ten in the evening, Lin Chen stowed his haul in the truck and headed to the hotel close to dormitory building number 47. He checked into a luxurious top-floor suite for three days, claiming a friend from out of town was visiting Janville.

He even reserved the rooftop garden for the entire duration.

Settling into the plush sofa of the suite, Lin Chen pulled out his phone with a grave look, "The last order of business today is to make a call to that young lady."

"Bro, why are you calling this late? Is something up?"

"Bro, why the silence? What's happened to you?"

"Bro... Bro..."

Lin Chen had convinced himself that his midday tears had purged his sorrow, yet the moment he heard that familiar, melodious voice on the phone—a voice he hadn't heard in years, clear as a warbler's song—his eyes betrayed him, welling up with tears.

It took a moment for Lin Chen to find his voice, rough with emotion, "Yaya..."

Lin Ya was startled by the sound of her brother's voice, so unlike himself. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was well past ten in the evening.

Something was wrong; her brother sounded terrible. Had something serious happened?

"Brother, please talk to me."

Lin Chen gathered his composure and said more steadily, "Yaya, I've had a rough day. Would you spend tomorrow with me?"

The concern was palpable in Lin Ya's voice. "Brother, what's going on? Please, don't do anything rash! I promise, I'll take the day off tomorrow to be with you."

"Yaya, there's no need to worry. I'm just feeling down. Meet me at the west gate of your school at eight in the morning," Lin Chen reassured her.

"Okay, I'll see you then, brother."

After hanging up, Lin Chen muttered to himself in frustration, "Damn this accursed end of days! I can't speak the truth, only weave a web of lies for my own kin!"

Unbeknownst to him, his call had left Lin Ya anxious and fearful throughout the night.