Apocalypse: My Items Upgrade Infinitely

Hearing Lin Feng's response, Ling Shuyan's expression turned serious, her body trembling slightly, and her chest heaving with surprise. She immediately retorted, "Impossible!"

"This is an impossible occurrence!"

Lin Feng shrugged, continuing to reveal:

"Why is it impossible?"

"This ability is called 'Devour and Assimilate.' After consuming the flesh and blood of the insects, it can alter one's form, not only gaining the insects' hard armor and sharp limbs but also their monstrous physical attributes..."

"At the Tier 1 awakening phase, it provides a 50% boost in physical attributes, far superior to other physical enhancers of the same period. After consuming a Blue Wing Bug, one can even grow membrane wings and soar freely."

"Although there are issues with mental state decline, his sustained combat ability far surpasses that of gene warriors, and there's no life-overdraft or premature aging."

"Your gene warriors are merely poor imitations."

"I believe this awakener's body might hide the perfect fusion of human and insect genes..."

"Though I'm sure Director Ling's relentless experiments will eventually find this sequence, the insects won't give humanity that chance."

"By cooperating with me, you can directly obtain the answer."

"And just a reminder, the Hunter Warriors of the insects are progressing at an astonishing speed; if you don't hurry, gene warriors might become obsolete before they're even deployed!"

"Of course, if you don't believe me, you can verify with Qin Hu. He fought alongside this natural gene assimilator in the underground nest, and this person even saved them."

Without waiting for Ling Shuyan's reply, Lin Feng hung up the call.

The next moment, the woman called back:

"I will confirm with Colonel Qin, but before that, let me remind you..."

"The nature of superpowers is closely linked to the lifestyle habits of the awakeners, something I don't need to elaborate on."

"Before the insect invasion, Bluestar organisms couldn't have contacted foreign genes. The only way to integrate with insect genes is if someone ingested or injected the genes before the qualitative awakening!"

"But for ordinary people, even enhanced humans, insect flesh is toxic. Even cooked, it's lethal, causing internal bleeding."

"Theoretically, natural integration is impossible!"

"Unless he contacted insects before the apocalypse!"

Lin Feng frowned.

He knew Shen Jie had deliberately hidden something about his experience in Haicheng, but it was irrelevant.

The appraisal showed he wasn't parasite-controlled; as long as he identified as human...

No matter how Shen Jie overcame the toxicity, even if he became entirely insect-like, Lin Feng could accept it.

So, he replied:

"That's the truth. Once you verify and are willing to cooperate, we can discuss more..."

He hung up again.

Meanwhile, back at the bio-research institute, Ling Shuyan returned to the lab entrance, put down her phone, and peered through the glass at Qin Hu and others in the stasis pods, her eyes narrowing.

The sudden turn of events made her overlook being hung up on twice.

The rational skepticism and subjective eagerness clashed...

Leaving her conflicted.

After Lin Feng hung up, he noticed Ding Chenghai giving a thumbs-up, remarking with admiration:

"Wow, you're the only one daring enough to hang up on her—twice! Aren't you afraid of that madwoman holding a grudge, secretly tripping you up later?"

Lin Feng replied confidently:

"Such high-and-mighty women shouldn't be indulged..."

"Given the gene warriors' performance, once she confirms with Qin Hu, it'll be her turn to worry."

"Don't worry, everything's under control."

Ding Chenghai expressed admiration, then scrutinized Lin Feng with a mischievous grin:

"If you can handle that madwoman, it'll greatly benefit your power's growth, but only if you can handle her demands!"

Lin Feng shrugged, turning to leave.

Ding Chenghai called after him, offering a final reminder:

"Stay on the front and develop; leave He Jie's matter to me..."

Understanding Ding Chenghai's implication, Lin Feng nodded, vanishing into the night.

Ding Chenghai picked up his empty bowl and dialed a number:

"Old Zhang, didn't you want to stay on the front to study the latest Tier 2 insects? I know they're prioritized for the bio-research institute, but I have another opportunity..."

...

Returning to the reserve granary, Lin Feng's people were transporting canned goods from the underground warehouse into the Land Cruiser Battleship's storage.

There were 150 tons, taking up over 150 cubic meters, including packaging, reaching 200 cubic meters.

Fortunately, the battleship's storage, minus insect materials, had 300 cubic meters left.

The vehicles didn't need to share the load.

With the food supply issue resolved effortlessly...

The countdown to taking over as commander of the Thirteenth Division had begun.

Once loading was complete, Lin Feng ordered a return to the highway service area.

On the way back, viewing the once-bustling streets across the river, now dark with only scattered lights flickering silently under the night...

Some survivors remained in Jin City.

Han Yuxin explained:

"According to our statistics, about 100,000 survivors remain in the city's central districts. Most are elderly, sick, and some enhanced humans and early awakeners hoping to use buildings to fight insects."

Lin Feng nodded. As Jiangnan State's capital, Jin City once had over ten million residents. With refugees from Haicheng and Wu City, retaining 1% was normal.

With over 100,000 scattered across 6,000 square kilometers, about sixteen or seventeen per square kilometer, some buildings were likely empty.

Group clustering turned vast city areas into veritable ghost towns.

Once Wu City's forces withdrew, opportunistic observers would follow.

Survivors would dwindle further.

Lin Feng hoped more would leave, avoiding interference in urban warfare training.

Han Yuxin continued:

"Among the 100,000, most are in small groups of tens or hundreds. The largest have gathered two to three thousand, occupying food warehouses and malls..."

"These gangs' core members are mostly awakeners, with some late Tier 1s. They fled from northern Jiangnan cities, attacked by queens. The insect invasion slowed after taking some areas."

"If you lead regular forces into Jin City, these mixed forces will surely ally."

Lin Feng shook his head:

"I don't need allegiance. Feeding 15,000 is hard enough. They either join to fight or leave Jin City."

"As for civilian survivors, they must work for shelter and food."

Han Yuxin was delighted, asking:

"What about the criminal thugs? Just let them go?"

Lin Feng frowned, then smirked:

"Don't worry, they'll meet a fitting end."

After dropping Han Yuxin and the others at Jin City's south service area, the battleship continued.

The eastern sky was brightening.

...

Lake Tai service area, temporary camp.

In a hotel room on the second floor, Shen Jie tightly held a sweaty hand.

The hand belonged to Zhang Liying, who began her Tier 2 awakening after consuming a Tier 2 egg.

She started awakening at midnight, and four hours later, showed no improvement.

Zhang Liying was drenched in sweat, her body trembling violently, with more dark green diamond-shaped scales appearing on her skin—exoskeleton from the Blue Wing Bug.

It was the insect she'd consumed most.

But Zhang Liying, seldom using assimilation, struggled with the drastic mutations from her awakening.

Shen Jie held her hand, using his other to feed her cups of organic nutrient liquid.

Despite drinking several pounds, it only slowed her transformation, offering no mental relief.

Sustaining her with nutrient liquid wasn't a long-term solution.

Increased awakening would exacerbate her mutation, turning her permanently into an insect.

Unless she awoke soon to control her turbulent assimilation!

With Lin Feng absent, Shen Jie recalled something, retrieving a long segment of jointed limb from his pack.

About twenty centimeters thick, resembling an enlarged crab claw.

It was one of the Hunter Warrior's limbs; after slaying it, he found the human-like hand intriguing and kept it.

He remembered Lin Feng's theory: Hunter Warriors were hybrids of insect and human genes.

Could it stabilize Zhang Liying's unstable assimilation?

With insect flesh no longer toxic to them...

Shen Jie held the limb over the cup, squeezing its translucent pinkish juice into the white nutrient liquid, creating a strange metallic scent.

He fed the concoction to the unconscious Zhang Liying.

Within minutes, her condition improved; her tremors subsided...

And her mutations lessened.

Absorbing the Hunter Warrior's Tier 2 genes reduced her assimilation excess.

As Zhang Liying stabilized, Shen Jie relaxed, tension easing.

It was more nerve-wracking than the Hunter Warriors' swarm attack...

But he saved her.

Soon, Zhang Liying awoke, eyes fluttering open...

Regaining awareness, she smacked her lips, suddenly retching over the bed's side, but her stomach's nutrient liquid was absorbed.

Tears in her eyes, she gripped Shen Jie's hand:

"Why...why do I still taste that..."

Shen Jie's heart ached, holding her tightly:

"It's okay, it's over now."

After calming her, Zhang Liying cried herself to sleep, exhausted.

Outside, the camp was lively. Shen Jie covered her with a blanket, stepping out.

Walking alone down the corridor, his thoughts echoed back to the apocalypse's onset.

Their survival in the school gym wasn't due to eating insect flesh but fallen comrades poisoned by insect blood.

Initially, one was infected with red beetle blood from a wound, dying in the gym.

The survivors, sweating heavily from adrenaline, grew parched and weak after a day without water.

At night, someone tried drinking the dead's blood for energy, hoping to escape for help.

But they soon collapsed from pain, unconscious until the next day when Shen Jie and Zhang Liying awoke to find their companions "no longer breathing."

To survive, having killed several red beetles, Shen Jie, a level two enhanced human, cut a companion's wrist.

He drank sparingly, using the bodies to lure red beetles away, escaping with Zhang Liying.

They fled the gym, reaching the school bus...

Joining Lin Feng and others in fleeing Haicheng.

That was the truth then.

In hindsight, they survived the poison because the insect blood was diluted twice, reaching a tolerable limit for enhanced humans.

Yet the toxins remained like a blood curse, even after awakening, shadowing them.

They vowed to bury the secret deep.

Shen Jie had come to terms with it, but Zhang Liying was haunted.

Facing death again, her guilt resurfaced with that taste, overwhelming her.

Shen Jie composed himself.

Heading outside, he awaited the fleet's return.

Exiting the battleship, Lin Feng announced the mission's success; logistics were secured.

Tomorrow, they'd follow him to the second line to assume command.

During celebrations, Lin Feng spotted Shen Jie in armor, nodding.

The next morning, eager Li Ran, like many soldiers, couldn't sleep and began preparations at six.

They polished their armor until it shone, their shotguns gleamed, and they scrubbed their mud-caked vehicles clean inside and out.

By nine, when Lin Feng emerged yawning, the assembled troops stood ready by pristine vehicles, awaiting orders.

Seeing the majestic formation, Lin Feng's envisioned super-army took shape.

In high spirits, he ordered:

"To the second line, Thirteenth Division base!"

The fleet sped away, ignoring southern outposts, entering the second line.

Slowing before the main fortress in the university district, flanked by academies and a large plaza.

There, the Thirteenth Division's leaders, including the senior commander, awaited the fleet.

Standing on the prow, Lin Feng frowned at the hundred-strong handover group.

As the battleship stopped, Lin Feng leapt down, eyeing the empty plaza:

"Where are the other soldiers?"

"Fifteen thousand, and this is it?"

"Tell them, those willing to follow me, report here!"

Nearby guards hesitated, looking to the senior commander.

He coughed:

"The line needs monitoring; most junior commanders are here. With them, the troops stay intact."

Lin Feng shook his head, his strategy not defensive. He surveyed the hundred officers, commanding loudly:

"Remember my first order!"

"From now, this unit has only warriors dying in charge, no cowards retreating!"

"My soldiers exist solely to defeat insects and reclaim human lands!"

"Now, return and quickly gather your men, telling them to report if they wish to fight!"

"Else, remain in logistics forever!"

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