Chapter 36: Specialized Caulora Seeds

The World Channel remained unchanged, a persistent cesspool of international toxicity, as if the environment had reached a permanent state of decay.

Switching to the National Channel, however, was like a breath of fresh air. What had initially been a venting ground for despair had transformed into a space for rational discourse.

Lu Ming tapped the message screen to freeze the scrolling text and began to read through the history manually.

(Fu Di: I’d like to offer some encouragement to those of you who haven’t taken the first step yet. Perhaps the initial xenomorphs you’ve encountered look disgusting, bizarre, terrifying, or ugly, and they possess strength, speed, armor, and vitality far beyond human limits. This naturally breeds fear and hesitation. But anyone who has successfully killed one knows that they have low intelligence—they are brainless and incapable of tactics. As long as we identify their attack patterns and fatal weaknesses, and have a bit of physical fitness and a decent tool, anyone can achieve a solo kill.)

(For those without physical conditioning or specialized tools, you can form groups and use your numbers to overwhelm them. If that fails, use your wits: head to higher ground and drop heavy objects on them. Regardless, prioritize gathering ten Specialized Crystals for yourself or a trusted team leader. Upgrading your specialization to the Intermediate Soldier level will significantly boost your physical stats and bridge the gap between you and these creatures.)

(Once you and your team reach the Intermediate Soldier level, your efficiency and margin for error in killing xenomorphs will improve drastically, leading to rapid resource accumulation. Survival is no longer the issue; growth is the next objective. You need to accumulate the crystals required to reach the Advanced Soldier level as quickly as possible. Once everyone reaches that rank, these current xenomorphs will no longer be able to bar your path to survival. So, summon your courage, take up your weapons, and defend your right to exist!)

(Liu Sanlong: Brother Fu Di is right. We must not only take that first step but also quickly assemble personnel to clear out specific sectors, build human sanctuaries, and use those sanctuaries as bases to expand systematically. We should conquer entire regions to establish survivor bases and get things back on track. Our region is currently implementing this strategy. Surviving in the shadows is no long-term solution, and slaughtering our own kind is absolute folly. I hope other regions will plan ahead as well.)

(Chen Lin: Easy for you to say. Build a base, but what about food? What about supplies? Rely on scavenging? On distribution? How long can that last? If the supplies in this hellhole aren't enough for everyone from the start, only you "strong" ones will survive in the end. What happens to the rest of us gathered under your wings? Will we be categorized by status? Used? Devalued? Discarded? Or even secretly eliminated? Who can guarantee our safety? Without law or order, what good is a verbal promise?)

(Liu Yue: What are you talking about? What do you mean "except for us strong ones"? Aside from military personnel and a handful of elite civilians, how many people in China, or even on Earth, had an initial level above Intermediate Soldier? Don't harbor resentment toward those risking their lives just because of your own cowardice. And enough with the conspiracy theories—joining is voluntary. If you want to gather, gather; if you don't, stay by yourself. Why spread fear?)

(Liu Sanlong: Yueyue, stop. Let me clarify: gathering is entirely voluntary. Those in our region interested can contact me privately, and we will head to various locations to provide rescue. Those who aren't interested can also send us their location, and we will distribute enough supplies to last three days. As for the benefits of joining, meritocracy applies; those with special skills will receive preferential treatment. It’s cruel, but reasonable. Otherwise, if everyone received the same, who would be willing to contribute their knowledge and strength?)

(We will accept the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled; the treatment won't be luxurious, but basic sustenance will be guaranteed. Those without special skills will inevitably have to walk the path of a warrior. We follow the principle of veterans mentoring newcomers, led by the strong, to continuously improve everyone's strength. Those young and able-bodied individuals who just want to slack off, please have some self-respect; we cannot afford to keep idlers. Also, regarding supplies: at 13:36, someone on the World Channel revealed that someone in the Netherlands obtained a plantable local agricultural product—"Specialized Grass-Luo Seeds"—when opening a supply crate.)

(No specific details were revealed, nor do we know what they look like, but one thing is certain: this world may contain growable crops. If so, as long as the water problem is solved, the apocalypse isn't entirely hopeless; there is still a future.)

(Tian Yanan: You believe that? People in our region passed that rumor around too, but there’s not a shred of evidence. How can you take a baseless claim seriously?)

(Liu Sanlong: You're right, there is no proof, but having hope is better than having none. Besides, the truth is easy to verify. In a few weeks or months, just check the Trade House. If these items are being sold in significant quantities, the news is likely true.)

(Sun Yang: No one would sell them, right? Who would reveal such a resource in the apocalypse? If someone targets you, there goes your peace of mind. Besides, if the fruit is the seed, doesn't selling the fruit mean giving away your seeds?)

(Liu Sanlong: Target you? Target who? The Trade House is anonymous. You don't know who the other party is or which region they are in. The world is full of unknown dangers; who dares to explore maps or understand the xenomorphs of other regions without being an elite soldier? Also, the idea that the fruit is the seed—I wouldn't rule it out, but it’s unlikely. According to the logic of this world, specific items follow strict rules. If the fruit were the seed, the item wouldn't be called "Grass-Luo Seeds"; it would just be called "Grass-Luo," with a description noting it can be used as a seed.)

(As for your claim that no one would sell them—do you really think that's credible? If this item appears, it will monopolize the market and become a necessity. Hoarding it for personal use is a waste; trading it for other resources is where its true value lies. Perhaps it's not suitable for sale early on, but once regional supplies fall short of demand, this item becomes a lifesaver. It’s a massive business opportunity. Do you think a competent regional manager would pass that up?)

(Chen Lin: How do you know it's a regional manager? Couldn't it be a private individual? They grow it themselves and sell it themselves—isn't that better?)

(Liu Sanlong: Then you tell me: who released the news? And why? But let's leave this for later. After all, for any of this to matter, we first have to prove that the information released by that person is true, don't we?)