C19 Archers
Eliminating mutant zombies turned out to be a surprisingly satisfying scavenger hunt. Lee Yuanhong stumbled upon a military and police supply store and took the opportunity to swap out his conspicuous Otherworld soldier uniform. He also snagged some walkie-talkies and binoculars he'd need in the future, and even replaced his battered makeshift shield with a new one. However, he realized that a true shield would likely only be found with the special police force, so he made a mental note to pay them a visit when possible.
The journey back was uneventful, and upon returning to their temporary shelter, Cuihua quickly endeared herself to the children and assumed the role of caretaker. But what truly delighted Lee Yuanhong was the addition of a portly chef to their group, liberating him from the confines of the kitchen. During their foraging expedition, Looh Fei had unearthed an alcohol stove and a vintage copper hotpot, which, as the elderly recounted, were wartime inventions that came in handy during power outages when a warm meal was a rare luxury.
As night deepened, Lee Yuanhong claimed a bedroom for himself, a necessity for the task at hand: preparing to explore a newly accessible space. After defeating a nearly second-level monster, he had discreetly inquired with Yiling about the distinctiveness of the newly acquired Crystal Core. Yiling presented him with two options:
First, two Crystal Cores could be merged into a vial of level one Evolution Liquid, triggering Lee Yuanhong's evolution mode.
Second, each Crystal Core could unlock a second-tier space for ten minutes.
Faced with these choices, Lee Yuanhong was curious about the contents of this newly unlocked space, hence his insistence on having a room to himself.
In the quiet of the night, with only Looh Fei's snores punctuating the silence, Lee Yuanhong summoned Yiling and handed over a Crystal Core. This new core was no longer a clear crystal; it contained a faint white mist, adding a touch of mystique, and was slightly larger than the first-level cores, a testament to its evolved nature.
A glow enveloped the Crystal Core, and in about five minutes, it vanished into his watch. Eagerly, Lee Yuanhong accessed the space feature and noticed that while the interface remained unchanged, the space's capacity had expanded to: 20 (10+10 "9.58").
Moreover, the numbers within the quotation marks were constantly fluctuating, suggesting it was a counter of some sort. It appeared to be a newly opened space.
Lee Yuanhong's gaze moved downward, noticing an abundance of items in the inventory. Beyond the newly scavenged market goods, there was a character icon and a book.
Clicking on the character icon, Lee Yuanhong read the description:
Level 1 Archer
Skills: Basic Archery, Basic Crossbow, Basic Dagger, Basic Eagle Eye
Attack: 2~6
Health Points: 10
Defense: 1 Spirit Points: 1
Physique: 2 Strength: 3
Speed: 3 Wisdom: 2
Archers are a sophisticated amalgamation of biological science, mechanical technology, magic, rune studies, and puppetry—a high-tech creation. As a foundational ranged unit, they are upgradable and come with a maximum ammo capacity of 20. They can generate five magic arrows or magic crossbow bolts daily, with each shot consuming 2 mana points. These magical projectiles inflict no physical damage and are ineffective against magic-resistant creatures.
Standard Equipment: Level One Short Bow (Effective Range: 2-30 meters, Max Range: 50 meters, Durability: 10), Iron-Tipped Arrows x20 (Attack Power: 4, Durability: 5, Physical Attack), Standard Archer Uniform (Defense: 1, Durability: 5), Standard Archer Boots (Durability: 5)
"
Lee Yuanhong was thrilled at the Archer's profile. A ranged unit—and five of them at that! Joy had arrived so unexpectedly. He promptly summoned the Archers and observed the five sturdy men before him. They lacked the gunners' ruggedness but exuded a military air of valor. Yet, their appearance was strikingly similar to that of the gunners, with the main difference being their more flowing hair compared to the gunners' stiffer style. It seemed the creator of these soldiers had a questionable sense of aesthetics.
After reviewing the Archer, Lee Yuanhong shifted his focus to the book. Level One Magic Book: Magic Arrow (Learning Requirement: Level 1 or higher, Intelligence Requirement: 4 or higher, Base Mana Cost: 5, Base Magic Damage: 1-20, Effective Damage Range: 1-20 meters, Max Damage Range: 30 meters. Damage and range will improve with level advancement).
Having perused the magic book's introduction, Lee Yuanhong realized that the spell was beyond his current grasp. He would have to wait until he had consumed the Evolution Liquid to tackle it.
Despite not acquiring any offensive spells, something nagged at Lee Yuanhong as he regarded the archers before him. His eyes then fell on the military uniform by the bed, sparking a realization that he needed to outfit the archers in proper gear. Without it, he'd be at a loss to account for the presence of these troops.
