Volume One: The Apocalypse Begins Chapter 8: The Whole Family Mobilizes, Meteor Hammer

Xiang Dongliang asked, “How do we improve our strength?”

Xiang Chenguang replied, “Through the Apocalypse Survival System. Each monster outside gives at least 10 points of spiritual energy when killed. Fifty points of spiritual energy raise your level by one, and each level grants one free attribute point.

From my experience, as long as your agility is above six and your constitution reaches seven or more, and you’re armed, you can basically face a single monster without fear.”

Xiang Dongliang checked his attribute panel and said, “My constitution is already at seven. If this so-called Apocalypse Survival System is really that miraculous, that means when I hold a shield-type weapon, my constitution could reach eight.

But my agility is only five. If we work together—me defending and you attacking—we should be invincible as long as we’re not surrounded.

Even if we want your mother and Xiaoxiao to increase their strength, the best plan would be for us to fight first. Once we have enough power to guarantee their safety, then they can start killing monsters to level up.”

Xiang Chenguang said, “Right now, the monster density outside isn’t high, and their strength is weak. We can ensure their safety.

But as time goes on, the monster density will increase, and they will become stronger. The longer we wait, the more uncertain the situation becomes.

Those giant centipedes are considered low-tier among otherworldly creatures. Later on, there will be monsters with stronger bodies and supernatural powers.

So we must seize this early window of the apocalypse, let them adapt to fighting and improve their strength, or else it will get much harder later.”

Xiang Dongliang asked curiously, “Where did you get this information?”

He Wan and Xiang Xiaoxiao also looked at him inquisitively.

Xiang Chenguang hesitated for a moment, then decided to come clean to his family. Since it was already the apocalypse and they all had the survival system, having another system was no big deal.

As a dual-system holder, he was destined to show differences going forward. If he kept hiding it, he would have to tell countless lies to his family—something he didn’t want.

He said, “Actually, more than two years ago, I already had a system.”

He Wan said, “More than two years ago? Is that when you suddenly started loving exercise?”

Xiang Chenguang said, “Yes. The system’s main function was to push me to work out. Each time I reached a certain exercise quota, I could choose to enhance my physical attributes or grow taller.”

“Grow taller!” Xiang Xiaoxiao suddenly understood and said, “No wonder you, who were originally only 1.74 meters tall, suddenly grew after your sophomore year and ended up at 1.79 meters. And you called it a second growth spurt? You big liar!”

Then, her eyes sparkling as she stared at him, she said, “Now that I have a system, can I grow taller too?”

Xiang Xiaoxiao’s barefoot height was barely 1.6 meters, which had always been her sore point. She was already eighteen this year and basically had no chance of growing taller. She often blamed her parents for giving her a name that was somehow responsible.

She had always been envious and resentful of Xiang Chenguang’s sudden growth spurt more than two years ago, when he grew a full five centimeters in height.

Now learning that his height growth was thanks to the system’s power, hope stirred once again within her.

Xiang Chenguang said, “My height growth came from my unique system, not the Apocalypse Survival System we just got today. So forget about it, little potato!”

Ignoring the furious, clawing Xiang Xiaoxiao beside him, he continued, “Before coming back this morning, I completed a mission rescuing two middle school students, and earned a reward: the beginner’s catalog of otherworldly creatures.

In this catalog, zero, first, and second-tier otherworldly creatures are classified as basic. Even the giant centipede you saw is only a low-tier zero-level creature.

However, it’s considered one of the stronger zero-level creatures. Killing it grants eighteen points of spiritual energy.

My three basic attributes are all at ten now. With your father’s cooperation, even if we encounter three or four of these zero-level bugs at once, we can keep everyone safe.”

In the end, his parents were convinced, and the whole family decided to mobilize and start hunting monsters to level up.

But before heading out, they had to prepare. First, they needed to wear clothes suitable for movement—skirts and slippers were out of the question.

Next, Xiang Chenguang had to prepare a weapon.

Everything else was fine; whether giant centipedes or spider monsters, a 1.6-meter-long riot baton was sufficient. But flying monsters required something more.

He needed a weapon capable of medium to long-range attacks, so he wouldn’t be completely passive against flying creatures.

After searching around the house, Xiang Chenguang found a pair of dumbbells tucked away in the corner of his room.

They had been a birthday gift from his father last year. Seeing him obsessed with fitness for over a year, Xiang Dongliang bought him a pair of five-kilogram dumbbells.

Xiang Chenguang mainly did bodyweight exercises, so he used the dumbbells a few times initially, then they were left gathering dust in the corner.

Each dumbbell weighed five kilograms, cast from pure iron—sturdy and heavy.

Then he found a roll of packing rope, braided three strands together into a tougher, approximately ten-meter-long rope.

Tying one end to a dumbbell, he made a crude meteor hammer.

Though simple, with a five-kilogram iron head and Xiang Chenguang’s extraordinary strength, he had yet to face a first-tier otherworldly creature, but judging from how the giant centipede was a relatively strong zero-tier, a first-tier monster would probably kneel after one strike from this weapon.

After making the meteor hammer, his parents and sister changed clothes as well.

Xiang Dongliang wore camouflage with black combat boots; He Wan was in gray sportswear; Xiang Xiaoxiao wore her county’s top high school uniform, and both she and He Wan switched to sneakers.

Prepared, the family set out on their monster-hunting and leveling journey.

Xiang Dongliang led the way carrying the riot shield, with Xiang Chenguang wielding the baton behind him, protecting He Wan and Xiang Xiaoxiao in the center. For now, He Wan held the meteor hammer.

The family of four first headed upstairs.

They planned to patrol their building’s Unit 2 in Building 3 to secure their rear.

Also, they locked the iron door leading to the rooftop to prevent creatures like the giant centipede or spider monsters, which had formidable climbing abilities, from entering the stairwell.

The path to the rooftop was smooth, with no other otherworldly creatures spotted along the way.

After locking the iron door with a chain, Xiang Chenguang and the others descended.

Passing the second floor, Yang Chenguang noticed the giant centipede’s corpse had long since lost all vitality, looking dried out as if much time had passed.