Chapter 12: Shield Armor Mode, Dining and Bathing

Upon reaching lv4, Lin Feng's health and constitution each increased by five points, but his spirit surprisingly jumped by seven points.

The extra two points likely related to the newly acquired Eagle Eye ability.

The lv10 next to the skill name stood out.

Gaining the next level's physique early significantly boosted Lin Feng's lv4 prowess.

Though not a direct enhancement to his physical attack power, Lin Feng didn't lack offensive means with his legendary handgun. What he needed was auxiliary abilities like Eagle Eye.

With Eagle Eye, Lin Feng essentially had a built-in 4x scope. Combined with his legendary handgun, he could take down any enemy within two hundred meters with precision. He was becoming a sharpshooter.

Lin Feng was thankful for the intuitive decision to upgrade his eyes to Eagle Eye, maximizing the combat potential of his legendary handgun.

Chen Yanyan, finding a pack of wet wipes, recalled Lin Feng's bleeding eyes and approached him worriedly:

"Are your eyes hurt? Are you okay? Do you need eye drops?"

Lin Feng took the wet wipes, thoroughly cleaning his face and wiping away the bloodstains at the corners of his eyes. As he reopened his eyes, his pupils focused sharply, giving Chen Yanyan the eerie feeling of being watched by a predator, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Once cleaned, Lin Feng shook his head and turned his gaze away:

"No worries, even if there were, it's a good thing. My eyesight improved after the upgrade. The blood was just impurities and clotted blood from my eyes."

He then returned to upgrading the red carapace.

With his efforts, another lv2 small Red Armored Shield was created, just right for Chen Yanyan.

Six carapaces remained: two large and four small.

Lin Feng decided not to continue crafting. For one, the three existing Red Armored Shields were sufficient. Secondly, the electric drill was running low on power, and the drill bits were worn out.

Unfortunately, the drill couldn't be upgraded further. Otherwise, Lin Feng would have used the toolbox to connect and weld multiple carapaces, creating a temporary safe house.

It would be safer than staying in the house overnight.

The extra six carapaces were reserved for upgrading the Red Armored Shield.

Lin Feng tried fusing a small carapace with his lv3 Red Armored Shield, but nothing happened.

After some thought, he added two more.

Indeed, upgrading the lv3 shield required three carapaces, just like upgrading a person.

Once the conditions were met, a flash of white light appeared.

The Red Armored Shield in Lin Feng's hand gained a silver-white coating, rapidly shrinking to only forty centimeters long and thirty centimeters wide, akin to a piece of chest armor.

"Red Armored Shield lv4/9, White Quality"

"Durability: 10/10, Defense: 20, Activate Variant Mode: Carapace (unconditional), Shield Armor (1h/1 carapace)"

"Evaluation: This is no ordinary shield, possessing two modes for flexible use. Collect similar materials for upgrades."

Lin Feng examined the carapace mode, which automatically adhered to his back, like an armored carapace, providing rear protection.

This mode primarily facilitated carrying, freeing his hands, though not practically useful. Lin Feng focused more on the Shield Armor mode.

Maintaining it for an hour required consuming a carapace.

Such a cost suggested transforming the shield into full-body armor.

Lin Feng thought this likely, intending to test the Shield Armor mode during their next action.

With the shield and his legendary handgun, he could fully embrace monster-killing and leveling up.

Lin Feng clenched the Red Armored Shield, which expanded from its forty-centimeter carapace mode to its original 1.8-meter size, weighing only four or five pounds—extremely lightweight.

His equipment was growing stronger, and instead of fearing the insect swarm, Lin Feng was eager to hunt the giant insects.

The mundane work life couldn't compare to the thrilling, dangerous world of giant insects.

As a seasoned gamer, Lin Feng began enjoying the thrill of leveling up and growing stronger.

Chen Yanyan watched Lin Feng's magical operations, initially stunned, but now numb to the continuous surprises.

Even if Lin Feng pulled a bomb from his pocket next, she'd find it perfectly reasonable.

Seeing Lin Feng unwilling to explain, she refrained from further questioning, knowing that understanding boundaries was crucial for earning favor. Chen Yanyan had developed the good habit of doing more and asking less.

At that moment, Zhang Yuruo called them to dinner from the kitchen.

Due to the portable gas stove's low heat and lack of sealed cookware, Zhang Yuruo didn't cook rice. Instead, she boiled two bags of frozen dumplings from the fridge, accompanied by two small meat dishes and a vegetable dish, making Lin Feng's mouth water.

Though simple dishes like stir-fried meat with green peppers and minced meat with potatoes, Zhang Yuruo's culinary skills made them delicious and aromatic.

Lin Feng ate thirty dumplings and most of the stir-fried dishes, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied burp.

Zhang Yuruo set down her chopsticks, gazing out at the evening glow, and asked:

"Are we leaving today?"

Lin Feng shook his head, knowing that even with Eagle Eye, his nighttime vision would be severely limited, barely seeing three to forty meters. If surrounded by bugs, it would be dangerous.

To be safe, they should leave early the next morning. Rescue wouldn't arrive until after 8 AM, while driving to Haicheng University would take only ten minutes.

They had plenty of time.

For now, it was best to rest in the neighborhood, recharge overnight, and face the outside world at their best.

Hearing Lin Feng's plan, the women nodded, needing sleep to regain their energy.

After eating, the lack of water made washing dishes impossible, and even bathing became a challenge.

After a day of combat, especially during upgrades, their bodies sweated profusely.

Their clothes reeked of sweat.

Lin Feng could tolerate it, but Zhang Yuruo and Chen Yanyan couldn't stand the sticky feeling, with sweat-soaked hair making sleep difficult.

Fortunately, Lin Feng, too lazy to boil water, had ordered two 18L barrels of drinking water, with one and a half remaining. He also found a large white bucket filled with water in the bathroom of apartment 201.

Gathering these water sources in 302, the drinking water was reserved for the journey, while the bucket's tap water wasn't enough for all three to bathe.

Lin Feng intended to let the women use it, as he could manage without a full wash.

But Zhang Yuruo insisted he needed it most, as the team's core member, to maintain peak condition.

Sitting on the bathroom stool with a bucket and towel, Lin Feng reminisced about his father bathing him as a child.

In his memory, his father, Lin Yu, was always by his side.

His mother, He Yiwen, a university professor, was seldom around, leaving little time for her son.

As Lin Feng reminisced, the bathroom door suddenly opened, unlocked from outside.

Zhang Yuruo entered with a fresh towel, wearing a thin yoga top and short shorts, her fair skin and voluptuous figure on display.

She approached Lin Feng in the bathroom.

Lin Feng froze, turning to look with surprise and a hint of panic:

"Sister-in-law, Yuruo... I'm not done yet..."

Zhang Yuruo tucked a stray lock behind her ear, blushing slightly, and gave a mature, charming smile:

"I brought you a fresh towel."

"Not used to washing with a bucket, huh? Need help with those hard-to-reach spots?"

Before Lin Feng could respond, she closed the door and locked it.

Lin Feng considered using the shield armor mode, like a protective barrier, to fend off the "demon."