BXBX NOVEL Chapter 93: Exploration
Then, the four people soon felt their senses sharpened to an almost unbearable clarity, and their minds processed thoughts with a speed that left them reeling.
"Ughh…"
All of them groaned as everything was happening too quickly… Then, they soon felt their minds being slowly clouded until they felt they were slowly falling asleep…
Over the next few minutes, the transformation was complete.
They stood taller, their bodies now sculpted into the peak of human potential. Their skin had taken on a subtle sheen, a visible marker of the enhanced durability that now coursed through them.
Cassius and Mara, once the sole Super Soldiers of the shelter, now welcomed their new peers.
Shane watched the transformation with satisfaction.
The ampules from Project Z2 had not only given them four more defenders but had also sown the seeds of hope among all the shelter\'s inhabitants.
With these new Super Soldiers, their chances of survival had increased exponentially…
Nonetheless, Shane had to confirm their strengths were quite similar to Cassius and Mara.
The four individuals had soon stood amidst an array of equipment and materials… They were materials that Leo had prepared for their daily muscle training.
Well, they weren\'t difficult to make, and it took Leo only a few hours to make them last night.
This all started after Shane believed that their Strength and Agility wouldn\'t just increase from leveling up. He believed that there was a way to increase their status points, and it just required them to meet a certain level of training.
First, they approached the standard weights that Leo had arranged in the Forge.
Clank…
What was once a challenge to lift was now hoisted with ease, the metal discs rising and falling as if they were no more than cardboard!
Their arms showed no sign of strain, the veins on their forearms standing out in their skin.
"Good… Do more." Leo laughed as he saw the Super Soldiers making an easy work with the weights he prepared for Shane.
With that said, the four moved on to more substantial tests outside the Forge.
A large concrete block that was lay nearby from the broken manor was now used…
It was the sort that required several men to move.
The first of the four stepped up, placed his hands on the rough surface, and pushed. To everyone\'s astonishment, the block slid across the floor with a grating sound, leaving a trail of disturbed dust in its wake.
\'Well… I guess it\'s time to clean this manor…\' Shane thought after seeing that they seem to have the strength to protect themselves even if the Manor collapses during their investigation.
Of course, the test didn\'t end there since Shane was still curious to see their limits.
The second test involved a thick steel beam, a previous part of the Manor\'s structural reinforcements. Gripping it firmly, the female Super Soldier lifted it overhead, her arms extended.
The beam, which would normally bend under its own weight when held at such a length, remained straight and true.
\'Awesome!\' Shane praised her in his mind. He was getting more and more confident that this survivor camp would now do well even if he was away doing some explorations outside!
The other Super Soldiers then found the remains of the crashed plane outside. Although they had taken some metal scraps from it already, there were still plenty of them that had remained since they were difficult to salvage, especially since they weren\'t professional scavengers.
Working together, they positioned themselves at the front and back of the broken plane.
On a silent count, they lifted.
Crank! Crank! Crank!
The crashed plane, once an immovable relic, rose from its resting place. One of its tires even tumbled around as if the plane was being hoisted by a crane rather than human hands.
As they continued to experiment with their abilities, a sense of invincibility grew within them. They sprinted across the compound, their legs propelling them with incredible speed, each step a thunderous echo on the ground.
With Shane\'s instruction, they also jumped, reaching heights that would make an acrobat envious, and landed with the earth trembling beneath them.
\'They can surely contest those Jumper Zombies…\' Shane smiled at this thought.
After some time, Shane also confirmed their hearing abilities. Well, their senses, too, were heightened.
Apparently, they could hear the distant conversations of others in the shelter, the subtle rustle of leaves in the wind, and even the steady heartbeat of their comrades.
Shane was fascinated by this…
Their eyes could discern the finest details from afar, and their skin could detect the slightest change in the air\'s temperature and pressure.
These were actually the things that he had forgotten to test with Cassius and Mara… Nonetheless, now that Shane learned about this, he knew that he would have a better use on these Super Soldiers.
Of course, for now, they would become his laborers as there were still plenty of things to repair in their estate.
***
On the morning of the next day, two of the new Super Soldiers, followed Cassius and Mara into the Manor.
The place was thick with dust, and the morning light streamed through cracks in the walls, illuminating the first floor\'s disarray.
Rubble lay scattered like the aftermath of a storm, and one of its beams that supported the Manor\'s grandeur was splintered and broken.
At the very least, temporary wooden logs propped up what remained. It was a precarious solution to a dire problem. Well, Shane arranged it with the help of the others. It was better to have such support than to have none of it.
Shane gave clear instructions to the super soldiers on how to explore the Manor.
"I\'ll wait for you outside. If you think that the Manor is about to collapse, make your escape." Shane said as he watched the group enter the building to explore it.
It was probably better to have only one explorer inside but he wanted them to scatter and have quick exploration instead.
The Super Soldiers tread carefully, their enhanced strength allowed them to move debris with ease.
Amidst the ruins, they uncovered remnants of the Manor\'s past—faded portraits whose eyes seemed to follow them, antique furniture that held secrets in hidden compartments, and a grand piano that, despite the chaos, still held a tune.
They knew that Shane weren\'t interested in these things so they continued with their exploration.
After the four of them confirmed that there was nothing of value in the first floor aside from the metal scraps they could probably collect, the Super Soldiers decided to go to the second floor.
Ascending to the second floor, the atmosphere shifted.
Here, the destruction was less, and the history of the Manor could be filled in the air.
It only seemed as if the previous people living in this Manor had hurried to leave this place and taken what they could carry in their hands before abandoning this place.
There were several rooms here, and most of them were bed chambers, study or library rooms, and some even a pantry.
However, what truly caught the four\'s attention was the only locked room on the second floor.
They knew that the library might interest Shane but it was something they could easily take later on.
After some agreements between the Super Soldiers, they destroyed the rusty lock on the wooden door and forcefully opened the room.
Crank~
As the door opened, the four of them got ready to fight in case a Zombie suddenly jumped on them…
However, no zombies appeared, and they entered what appeared to be an armory!
The walls lined with racks of weapons.
Swords with blades that shimmered with an unnatural frost, crossbows that were engineered to be silent and swift, together with gauntlets that seemed to be brand new!
In a corner, they found devices of curious makes… They had no idea what they were, so it was better to bring them back and have the butler appraise them…
Soon, the Super Soldiers gathered the weapons and devices, knowing that each of them was valuable to some degree…
Furthermore, this was only the second floor! They couldn\'t help but look forward to what they\'d see on the third floor!
***
Meanwhile, outside, the other two Super Soldiers worked alongside Gene as their axes cut through the trees.
Trees fell not with random crashes, but with controlled thuds, each tree was chosen to provide the necessary lumber without disturbing the delicate balance of the surrounding woods.
Shane smiled after seeing how Gene was teaching the Super Soldiers of the things he learned through his own experience by cutting trees…
"Ohh… It\'s time to check the private message. There should be some random people willing to trade their Unhatched Egg with Item Upgrade Crystals, right?" Shane murmured as he opened the Chat Board.