BXBX NOVEL Chapter 105: Offers
Thud…
The ground met his boots. Then, he approached the gate, his hand steady as he unlatched it.
Stepping beyond the safety of the estate\'s walls, Gene stood about three meters from the undead, separated by the mysterious force field.
Indeed, there was another three meters "safety zone" outside the wooden wall of their shelter.
He then moved to the side, away from the Runner Zombies.
Then, he reached out tentatively, his fingers meeting resistance as if pushing against a viscous curtain.
With a grunt of effort, he pressed forward, the barrier giving way just enough to allow him passage.
"What sorcery is this? It yields to the living but not the dead." He muttered softly, guessing that only those who weren\'t Zombies could pass through the barrier.
Graaghh!
Once on the other side, the Runner Zombies, sensing fresh prey, lunged with a guttural snarl.
Gene\'s reflexes were swift; his Serrated Reaper Blade hummed as it sliced through the air, its edge finding the rotten flesh of the undead.
One, then two, the Runners fell, and their threat ended as quickly as it had begun.
With Gene\'s current battle experience and set of equipment, these weak zombies were no longer a threat.
\'Mhmm… If the Zombies around will only be this weak, I think exploring the outside with Super Soldiers should no longer be a problem.\' Gene thought as he felt that over the past couple of days, the number of Zombies reaching their shelter had decreased a lot.
At this point, their collection of experience points, zombie cores, food, water, and item upgrade crystals would greatly slow down.
As he wiped his blade clean, a sizzling sound filled the air.
"Mhmm?"
Gene turned just in time to see two Spitter Zombies emerge from the shadows, their mouths agape with acidic bile.
They spat them out with deadly accuracy!
Gene\'s eyes widened as he swiftly moved, diving back towards the barrier.
"Not today, fiends!"
The acid splashed harmlessly against the barrier, and protected Gene perfectly!
The barrier actually allowed him to quickly slip through the barrier. It was completely different from his earlier struggle when passing through the barrier!
Once inside, he turned to face the Spitters, now seeming frustrated by the barrier that had saved him.
Well, he couldn\'t really tell their expressions, but he could feel that they would be frustrated if they had intelligence.
"This barrier… It\'s so mysterious… it knows friend from foe…"
He marveled at the intelligence of the defense system. It was surely a silent ally in the fight against the Apocalypse.
Gene knew that with such defenses, the estate was more than a refuge; it was a fortress!
***
In the heart of the manor, Shane\'s focus remained undisturbed by the commotion outside.
Although Shane knew that Gene was battling against the two Spitter Zombies at this time, he wasn\'t worried, since he also learned that the two Super Soldiers were rushing in his direction to help.
All of that was reported by Cloud, his A.I. Assistant.
Anyway, Cloud\'s updates on the battle outside were a mere background hum to his focused task.
The fact that the Super Soldiers were en route to assist Gene allowed him to concentrate on his work without concern.
Because he crafted the Bulwark Beacon, he could either make 2 more of them and 6 Sentinenl Spheres or 2 Guardian Nodes and 5 Sentinel Spheres.
[ Crafting Successful! ]
[ You have created a Sentinel Sphere.
For your ingenuity and resourcefulness, you have been awarded:
+30 Experience Points ]
\'There\'s no reputation points this time… Is it because I only crafted an item below Master-Grade?\' Shane mused as he saw the notification from the system.
In any case continued to make two more of them.
In the end, with the Bulwark Beacon and the three Sentinel Spheres, Shane just spent a total of 360 Zombie Cores and 11 Reputation Points!
That was certainly not a small amount!
The Sentinel Spheres were soon in front of Shane…
Each Sphere was a seamless orb, its surface a lattice of energy lines that glowed with a soft, pulsating light.
The outer shell was crafted from a lightweight, yet incredibly durable, alloy, allowing for both mobility and defense.
"Let\'s see how well you perform." Shane muttered to himself.
As Shane activated the first Sentinel Sphere, it came to life with a gentle hum, the energy lines brightening as they traced a complex network across its surface.
Then, it hovered effortlessly above the ground, ready to shield its bearer from harm.
He observed the floating Sentinel Sphere hovering in front of him before he extended his hand. Soon, the Sphere connected somewhat to Shane and formed a bubble around him!
"Impressive. Just like its name… It\'s really a Sentinel Sphere… Now for a real test."
Placing the Sentinenl Sphere on his chest instead of placing it in his hands, Shane felt the device sync with his movements.
"Ohh~"
It was as if the Sphere had become an extension of himself, its barrier moving with him, a personal shield against the dangers of the world outside.
He took a few steps, then broke into a sprint. The Sphere matched his pace, its barrier undisturbed by the increased speed.
Shane performed a series of quick dodges and rolls, the Sphere\'s barrier would actually adapt his form!
Although the toughness of the barrier wasn\'t as great as the other barriers, this would still be helpful in many situations like ambushes or when being sniped!
"It\'s like dancing with a shadow. It follows my lead perfectly. It\'s worth the price!"
Shane smiled as he planned on how to use it. He wanted to have the other Sentinel Sphere as his backup, and the third one would be left in the estate.
He wanted to give his Mr. Wadsworth and allow him to decide who would use it.
"Alright…"
Satisfied with the Sentinel Spheres\' performance, Shane knew they would be invaluable assets in the battles to come. They were more than just protective devices; they were symbols of the resilience and ingenuity that humanity still possessed!
"With these Spheres, we\'re not just surviving; we\'re fighting back… I think it\'s time to be on the offensive…"
After settling all of these, Shane then recalled the need for the Power Cores.
It must be remembered that the Reputation Points he used were just enough to fill the Barrier Generators.
The Bulwark Beacon could only last for 30 days with 7 Power Cores. The Sentinel Spheres could only last for a maximum of 10 days with 2 Power Cores. It may also lessen if the shield receives more stress than its normal capacity.
With the Barrier Generators requiring a steady supply of Power Cores to maintain their protective embrace, Shane knew he had to act swiftly.
He didn\'t immediately make a request in the Regional or World Chat since he would be drowned by private messages.
Instead, he decided to message the four people who had sold four Unhatched Pet Eggs to him before. They were Raze, Caelum, Aria, and Elara...
[ Shane: I trust you\'re well. I\'m currently sourcing Power Cores and would appreciate your assistance. Our previous dealings were swift, so I\'m informing you again. In return, I can provide Item Upgrade Crystals. Let\'s discuss this further if you\'re available. ]
After sending this message to all four of them, they immediately sent a reply!
[ Raze: Shane, always a pleasure. I\'ve got a couple of Power Cores in stock, been saving them for a rainy day. Your offer of Item Upgrade Crystals has certainly piqued my interest. How about we trade one Core for five Crystals? Let me know if that works for you. ]
[ Caelum: Good to hear from you, Shane. Power Cores are hard to come by these days, but I might have a few I can part with. Your Item Upgrade Crystals are quite the commodity. I\'m thinking of a one-to-four trade, Core for Crystal. If that\'s agreeable, we have a deal. How many do you need?
If you need a lot, we can still negotiate. ]
[ Aria: Hey Shane! Luck is on your side; I recently came across a stash of Power Cores. They\'re not easy to get, as you know. I\'d be willing to trade, but those Item Upgrade Crystals better be top-notch. There was recently lower-class Item Upgrade Crystals being circulated. How about six Crystals per Core?
We can negotiate if needed. ]
[ Elara: Shane, your timing is impeccable. I do have 10 Power Cores, but they\'re in high demand. I value our past trade, so I\'ll give you a fair deal. Three Item Upgrade Crystals for one Core sounds about right. If you\'re in agreement, let\'s set up the exchange. ]
"Ohhhh…" Shane\'s eyes lit up after seeing their replies.
Well, they don\'t really have a reference to use when exchanging items. After all, there are no system-managed stores selling Power Cores for Item Upgrade Crystals.
In the end, Shane had to negotiate for a better price.