BXBX NOVEL Chapter 94: Flare
As soon as he opened the chat board, he found dozens of friend requests and messages.
It wasn\'t quite surprising that his inbox was flooded with messages, traders from every corner of the continent eager to barter.
Offers ranged from rare materials to enchanted gear, each more tempting than the last. Yet Shane\'s resolve was firm; his eyes skimmed past the messages, searching for the specific trade he desired.
[ Renner: Hey Shane, I\'ve got high-tier armor. Interested in a swap for some of those crystals? ]
[ Mysty: I can offer you healing potions that aren\'t being sold in the store. It something only I could make with my talent. Let\'s make a deal! ]
[ Stale: I have a collection of stealth cloaks that are perfect for any situation. They\'re most used when raiding Zombie Lairs. Trade for crystals?"
He read through such requests, but Shane was unswayed. His focus was on finding messages that were trading for their Unhatched Pet Eggs.
It wasn\'t long before he spotted the names with such messages.
They came from Raze, Caelum, Aria, and Elara.
[ Raze: Shane, I have an Unhatched Pet Egg. Let\'s trade for those crystals. ]
[ Caelum: I\'m in possession of an egg as well. Willing to trade for 30 of your crystals. ]
[ Aria: One Unhatched Pet Egg here. I accept your terms for the crystals. ]
[ Elara: I\'ll trade my egg for the crystals. It\'s a deal. However, this is only a Common Unhatched Egg, and you\'re sure that it is still worth 30 Crystals, right? ]
With a sense of satisfaction, Shane began to coordinate the exchanges.
Of course, these eggs weren\'t going to be cooked for their dinner.
According to the system, a Survivor was only allowed to have a single pet. However, nothing was mentioned about the other survivors in his shelter. He believed that it wouldn\'t be problem for others to have pets as well!
They do not have the Apocalypse System, but it doesn\'t mean that they could no longer have pets/
In any case, even if they could not be linked to him, he believed that those pets could still be trained to do so just like Lucky!
After some time, Shane accepted the trade requests of the four Survivors from different regions.
[ Raze: Shane, you\'re a lifesaver! These crystals are just what I needed. My gear\'s going to be top-notch now. Can\'t wait to climb up the ranks. Thanks a ton! ]
Raze immediately began planning which piece of equipment to upgrade first, envisioning the battles ahead. Well, she didn\'t need the Unhatched Pet Egg that she obtained since Roan, her baby dragon, doesn\'t like her having a different pet.
Shane\'s generous offer came perfectly in time!
She was lucky that she had befriended this amazing Survivor from her region!
[ Caelum: Your swift acceptance of the trade is much appreciated, Shane. These crystals will significantly enhance my equipment. I\'m one step closer to the Auction Event, all thanks to you. I hope that we can meet somewhere someday. ]
After this reply, Caelum shared the news with his Sprites, who buzzed around him in a jubilant dance. His trusted Sprites could truly feel his emotions right now.
\'I guess it\'s time to upgrade my weapon… I should try hunting more Zombies now.\' Caelum thought.
Well, because of his Sprites, he doesn\'t have any problems about food and his living conditions. He could also kill the Zombies that would normally get near him.
If he could not win, he could ask his Spirites to help him hide underground. However, living his comfortable life should end now. He was planning to act more aggressively once he upgraded his blade!
[ Aria: Thank you, Shane! I was on edge waiting for a response, and you came through. These crystals are the key to upgrading my arsenal. I\'m truly grateful for the trade. ]
Aria then let out a triumphant cheer after confirming that she received the Item Upgrade Crystals. It even startled a nearby bird.
[ Elara: I don\'t have Unhatched Pet Eggs anymore but if you have intention of trading the crystals for other things. Please, let me know. The crystals will be put to excellent use. I\'ve been striving to join the Top 1000 in my region, and this trade might just be the turning point. Your promptness is commendable. ]
Elara allowed herself a rare smile, her thoughts already on the strategies she would employ once her gear was enhanced.
Seeing their immediate replies, Shane could not help but let out a grin of satisfaction.
Then, his attention was turned to the eggs in his possession.
[ Unhatched Pet Egg ( Common ):
Description: A fiery orange egg adorned with swirling patterns of flames, emanating a gentle warmth.
Requirements: 50 Zombie Cores to awaken the dormant creature within.
Potential: Unleashes a loyal Fire Elemental companion that offers fiery support in battles, increasing damage dealt by 10%. ]
[ Unhatched Pet Egg ( Common ):
Description: A frosty blue egg shimmering with icy crystals, exuding a frosty chill.
Requirements: 50 Zombie Cores to trigger the hatching ritual.
Potential: Summons a Frost Wyrm pet that freezes enemies upon attack, slowing their movements by 10%. ]
[ Unhatched Pet Egg ( Common ):
Description: A verdant green egg adorned with intricate leaf patterns, exuding a refreshing aroma of the forest.
Requirements: 50 Zombie Cores to awaken the dormant life within.
Potential: Calls forth a Spriggan companion that enhances healing effects on allies by 10% and provides passive health regeneration. ]
[ Unhatched Pet Egg ( Common ):
Description: A crackling egg pulsating with electric currents, emitting sparks of energy.
Requirements: 50 Zombie Cores to initiate the electrifying hatching process.
Potential: Releases a Thunderbird pet with a 10% chance of shocking enemies with each attack, causing them to be periodically stunned during combat. ]
"Mhmm… Nice eggs. They only cost 50 Zombies Cores to hatch, but it seems their skills are quite bad." Shane muttered, but he couldn\'t really expect that much from Common Pets.
They only have somewhat passive skills, and their maximum increase was only 10%. It was quite a low increase but still quite better than none.
\'I wonder why they didn\'t bother hatching you guys…\' Shane muttered while looking at the eggs.
\'Do they have better eggs or pets they got from a quest?\'
He couldn\'t help but think of this since these eggs still seemed quite decent in the early stages of this Apocalypse.
Anyway, he didn\'t immediately hatch them as he was planning to wait for his Super Soldiers to return. Well, he wanted them to have these pets instead!
Since these Super Soldiers would be the people who would mostly go outside and kill Zombies, he believed it was only natural for them to have these pets instead.
After keeping them back in his Inventory System, Shane decided to open his Reputation Store…
He wanted to see if another Talent Expansion Scroll was there…
Unfortunately, it wasn\'t there.
"I wonder how many Luck Points do I need…" Shane sighed as he saw familiar items being sold in the Reputation Store.
[ Tattoo: A permanent and artistic mark on the Survivor\'s skin that can impress or intimidate others. It has 100% chance of unlocking new Survivor Skills. The tattoo\'s design will depend on the unlocked Survivor Skill. ]
Price: 20 RP ]
[ Zombie Potion: A potent and mysterious potion that can turn the Survivor into a Zombie. If you manage to resist being turned into a Zombie, you will become a Chosen Survivor.
Price: 5 RP ]
[ Cute Heart Necklace: A beautiful and magical necklace that can enhance the charisma of the Survivor. It can grant some benefits and bonuses to the Survivor, such as increased luck, health, or talent. It has a chain, a pendant, and a clasp, and can be worn and removed easily.
Price: 10 RP ]
After seeing the Zombie Potion again, Shane really couldn\'t help but feel curious about it.
Being a Chosen Survivor seemed to be quite cool, and it will probably give him a decent Title Effect for that.
\'Will I get immunity from this Zombie Potion if I take the ampule at the same time?\' Shane chuckled at this idea, but he immediately shook his head.
Perhaps he would only consider taking the ampule for himself if in case he was bitten by a Zombie and was about to be turned into one.
Thud… Thud… Thud…
As he was thinking of checking his Survivor Store next, he heard someone\'s footsteps rushing to his side.
"Shane, someone fired an emergency flare gun. It came from the other side of the Iron Mine…" Gene immediately reported as soon as he arrived near Shane\'s tent.
"A flare gun?" Shane frowned after hearing this.
"Do you think they\'re asking for help, or they\'re attracting the Zombies\' attention?" He gravely asked after some thoughts.