Next Tier

Shane swiftly checked his inventory to see the Blood Samples that he had.

[ Inventory: Memory Spherex25, 6 Item Upgrade Crystals, 10 Zombie Cores, 200mL Crawler Zombie Blood, 500mL Walker Zombie Blood, 200mL Runner Zombie Blood, 4.6L water, 10 Spirit Enhancement Bottles ] 

He didn't think too much and just gave all the blood to the A.I. He had no plans of drinking them anyway.

"Is that enough?" He asked.

[ Yes, my detection ability can now distinguish Runner Zombies from other types. Once the analysis of the Crawler and Walker Zombies is completed, my detection will be able to encompass them as well. ] 

"Sounds promising… Can you also predict their next mutations? I've heard about a Spitter Zombie, but I haven't come across one yet."

[It's highly likely that we can predict their mutation once my analysis of Crawler and Walker Zombie Blood is completed. ]

"Great, I'll be relying on you. I'm going to sleep… Can you wake me up if there's a Zombie within your perception range? It doesn't matter if they notice our shelter or not." 

[ I can. ]

Upon hearing Cloud's reply, Shane was overcome by exhaustion and promptly drifted off to sleep. He didn't even bother making a campfire since it wasn't that cold, with the house, tent, and sleeping bag providing warmth.

The following morning, Shane awoke to several notifications from the A.I.

[ Zombie Blood Analysis Completed. ] 

[ Do you want to see the result? ]

"I'll check it later."

[ Understood. It's now possible to identify Crawler, Walker, and Runner Zombies through the detection ability of the A.I. Assistant. ]

"Oh! That's more convenient..." Shane replied as he began stretching his body.

"No Zombies passed by?"

Shane queried as he fixed his sleeping bag and exited the tent. Due to the fog, the tent was quite damp, so he couldn't help but feel satisfied with setting up his tent inside the poorly-conditioned house.

[ No. ] Cloud answered.

"I guess those ten zombies are the only ones in the area, huh..." Shane mused as he removed the wooden plank from the door to step outside.

Looking out, he noticed that the fog had significantly lessened. He had initially expected it to be thicker early in the morning.

'Will it completely disappear before the Zombie Wave?' He mused.

"Cloud, how much time has passed since I entered this Apocalypse?"

[ 1 day, 7 hours, 42 minutes. ]

"I still have plenty of time before an inhabitant visits me here. I guess I'll be hunting some zombies instead…" Shane said with a smile. 

But before that, he turned his attention to his food.

This time, he decided to cook instant noodles for breakfast...

Of course, he chose to do this in another house so the smell wouldn't linger in his current shelter.

After some time, Shane was finally prepared to explore the surrounding area. He felt that he needed to understand the terrain thoroughly before the first Zombie Wave began.

But before that, he examined his Inventory System.

[ Inventory: Memory Spherex25, 6 Item Upgrade Crystals, 10 Zombie Cores, 3.5L water, 10 Spirit Enhancement Bottles ] 

He retrieved one of the Spirit Enhancement Bottles. 

'Let's try this one first…' 

Shane mused. He actually believed that this was a rare item drop. However, the passive effect of his Talent made it seem quite ordinary.

Upon removing the cap of the small bottle, Shane didn't hesitate to consume the blue liquid, which amounted to about 50mL. 

He wasn't sure what to expect since it lacked a discernible smell. However, upon tasting it, he realized it was a bit bitter but acceptable and wasn't difficult to swallow.

As he pondered using the bottle to store other liquids, he noticed that it stared, shattering into fragments of light before completely disappearing.

"This really feels like a game," Shane muttered as a notification from the Apocalypse System appeared.

[ You have consumed a Spirit Enhancement Tonic. ] 

[ Spirit Enhancement successful. ] 

Shane smiled after seeing this as he checked his status. He wanted to find out what kind of enhancement he had received.

Survivor Name: Shane Wells 

Title: Fairy Realm's Lone Survivor, A.I. Rebellion's Chosen One

Level: 1

Vitality: 99/100

Spirit: 105/105

Strength: 15

Agility: 15

Luck: 10

Perception: 10

After consuming the blue liquid, Shane experienced a 5-point increase in his Spirit. Moreover, he discovered that his Vitality had already reached 99 points! 

Noticing this, he realized that his shoulder no longer ached. 

No wonder!

"Awesome… I guess sleeping is the best way to recover Vitality Points…" Shane muttered as he shifted his attention to his 6 Item Upgrade Crystals.

Shane had already utilized three crystals to enhance his hatchet and one for his revolver. Now, he deliberated on whether he should allocate the remaining crystals to further upgrade his weapons once more.

"Even if I encounter a Spitter Zombie, I still have a revolver to deal with it. However, with my limited bullets, I should only use them when facing zombies stronger than the Runner Type…" 

Shane reflected, feeling that his current set of weapons remained adequate for this early stage of the apocalypse.

Ultimately, he contemplated upgrading his tent, hoping for a special effect to repel zombies, or enhancing his current gear. 

After careful consideration, he made the decision to upgrade his Jacket, Pants, and Boots!

Currently, what he was worried about was getting bitten by a zombie since that would be the end for him. He didn't have any vaccine or courage to cut a part of him that was bitten.

Furthermore, he could guess what a Spitter Zombie could do based on its name. 

Because of that, he felt that having a higher tier of Survivor Gear would help him in that situation.

Without wasting any more time, he completed his upgrades.

[ Survivor Jacket ( Tier 2 ): A sturdy and durable jacket made to protect the upper body from zombie bites and scratches. It is made of thick leather and reinforced with metal plates, and has several pockets and straps for carrying items. It also provides slight resistance to acid spits from Spitter zombies, reducing the damage and burn effect. 

Effects: +10 Physical Defense, +15% Acid Resistance, +10% Burn Resistance ] 

[ Survivor Pants ( Tier 2 ): A tough and comfortable pants made to protect the lower body from zombie bites and scratches. It is made of denim and reinforced with kevlar, and has several zippers and buttons for adjusting the fit. It also provides slight resistance to acid spits from Spitter zombies, reducing the damage and burn effect. 

Effects: +10 Physical Defense, +15% Acid Resistance, +10% Burn Resistance ] 

[ Survivor Boots ( Tier 2 ): A strong and reliable boots that are made to protect the feet and ankles from zombie bites and scratches. It is made of rubber and reinforced with steel, and has several spikes and studs for enhancing the grip and damage. It also provides slight resistance to acid spits from Spitter zombies, reducing the damage and burn effect. It is a good choice for survivors who want to balance protection and stability. 

Effects: +10 Physical Defense, +15% Acid Resistance, +10% Burn Resistance ]