Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

Hearing this, many of the figures rowing over in small boats froze, unable to fully grasp its meaning.

But several figures who had just left the Sanctuary of Legacy paled when they heard it.

"Crap!"

’So there were better options after all.’

’It sounded like the One-Star class Authority, ’Rune Walker,’ was actually the worst, rock-bottom option.’

’They were truly numb with regret now.’

...

The appearance of the Sanctuary of Legacy caused quite a stir, and the rumors about changing classes were enough to make anyone’s hands itch with anticipation.

At the same time, people also discovered that the Rune Store, submerged in the water, had new stock. Seven new items had been added, including single-use scrolls and two quality-of-life items: a Thermostatic Cloak and a self-purifying water bottle.

The prices, however, were not pretty.

The self-purifying water bottle alone required 3 Water Element essences to exchange, and its capacity was only 250ml.

But for the powerful individuals who weren’t short on essences at this stage, drinking safe water was more important than anything. As a result, people on some of the motorboats were shouting, trying to trade for Water Element essences.

In their desperation, some were even willing to throw in extra daily supplies.

"Great disasters are always followed by great plagues. Who knows how many monster corpses are soaking in these waters? This self-purifying water bottle is definitely not a loss."

Meanwhile, rather than focusing on the new merchandise, personnel from the official committee had arrived and begun gathering intelligence on the various classes available from the Sanctuary of Legacy.

There were too many factors to consider, so the related broadcast announcement was not expected until the afternoon.

...

「Qingye Collection Campground.」

As Su Chen stepped out of his RV, he made a point to check underneath it but didn’t see the little raccoon cat.

The rain had been torrential last night, and there had been a tide of migrating monsters. If the little one was okay, it must have hidden in some building to survive the terrifying night.

At that moment, wisps of cooking smoke drifted up from the RV encampment. Inside the circular formation of vehicles stood a steel-framed canopy and two large tarp tents, where some of the elderly and children were gathered.

"The diesel generator for the central kitchen’s cold storage exploded last night," someone reported, running up with the bad news.

This was more or less expected. Between the torrential rain and the impact of the beast tide, some collisions were inevitable.

However, the worse news was that all the frozen food stored in the cold storage was also gone.

Not a single scrap was left.

According to the security personnel, it was likely washed away by the rain. In any case, not a single remnant could be found.

"Holy crap, don’t tell me this was a ’Fire Dragon burns the granary’ situation," many people cursed in unison. It was just too convenient that not a single crumb of food remained.

The rain was so heavy last night that almost no one was outside. It was hard to say if someone had secretly transported the food away, or if some ’fat rats’ had already been lining their own pockets beforehand.

In any case, there was no evidence, and no one to question.

"I have a feeling that gang from the Longitudinal Line Club was behind it." As fellow RV owners, their previous bad impression of the club made everyone view them with suspicion.

Some also suspected Manager Shao of manipulating things behind the scenes. If he hadn’t been the one to take control and maintain order at the very beginning, all the food in the shops would have likely been looted long ago.

He had made empty promises, vowing to distribute daily food resources. And now, look what happened—everything was gone.

However, an RV owner named Bao Fusheng was quite optimistic.

He laughed. "Don’t worry! With my ’Guide to Connoisseurship of Otherworld Monster Ingredients,’ I guarantee I’ll help everyone evaluate which monster meats are the tastiest and safest to eat."

On the grill in front of the former food blogger, strips of loin from a Demon Rabbit sizzled under high heat, releasing a greasy, fragrant aroma. After he sprinkled on some spices, the smell became even more tantalizing, making the children nearby cry with hunger.

One little boy with a lopsided braid finally couldn’t take it anymore and burst out crying, "Wabbits are so cute... but why does it smell so good...?"

Hearing this, Bao Fusheng laughed heartily and coaxed the boy, "The east side of the base has become a huge lake, and I hear the water is very clear. Later, I’ll join the fishing bros’ team and help improve everyone’s meals."

Hearing this, Su Chen also began to ponder the food situation. Considering his increased caloric needs, the food in his RV would barely last another two and a half days.

’In any case, the alternative is right in front of me. Just eat the cooked meat of roasted monsters.’

’With my current superhuman physique, I don’t have to worry about germs.’

’Worst case, I can just use a Purification Skill.’

He wasn’t an extreme survival enthusiast and had no interest in surviving in the wild, but he knew that a long-term diet of only rabbit meat or only fish would lead to serious health problems.

Rabbit meat is too high in protein. Without supplemental fats and carbohydrates, a person would not only become depressed, but their liver would also be unable to handle the strain.

Fish is high in fat, but it also lacks other nutrients.

’Additionally, dietary fiber is essential. I might need a Growth Skill for that.’

’As for various vitamin supplements, I still have plenty of pills in the RV.’

’Logistics really are a huge pain.’

Su Chen knew very well that if he tried to handle everything himself, it would inevitably cut into his time for exploring the wilderness to kill monsters, or for personal training and rest.

’A logistics team for daily life is definitely necessary.’

"Morning!"

Just then, Liao Dahai and Yang Hongyu approached from not far away, both actively greeting Su Chen.

Interestingly, their real-world professions were quite a good match: one was a construction foreman, and the other was an architect specializing in ancient buildings.

A perfect pairing.

Yang Hongyu, wearing a yellow hard hat, smiled and said, "We were just planning to design some simple camp fortifications. We want to close it off to outsiders and keep people away from the RVs. Several groups of people were sneaking around yesterday, trying to scout us out."

It had to be said, this loosely-formed, temporary RV camp was beginning to show the first signs of an organization. They had a logistics officer in charge of food, a construction engineer leading the building efforts, and even young adults patrolling voluntarily nearby.

They were all strangers who had met by chance, but their common interests were perfectly aligned: to fend off covetous outsiders and protect their own RVs in this apocalyptic era.

Bound by mutual interest, people naturally gathered and were willing to work together in unity.

Su Chen shared this same need.

So...

He glanced at his watch. There were still 31 minutes until his appointment. After a moment of thought, he took the initiative and asked, "That’s a good idea. Is there anything I can do to help?"

As soon as he spoke, the two men’s faces lit up with joy. They were well aware that Su Chen’s strength was considerable, and he could be recruited by the Longitudinal Line Club or the base operators at any moment. His willingness to participate would undoubtedly add a major combatant to their camp.

Su Chen’s reasoning was also simple. Building a proper camp would definitely benefit him. After all, aside from when he was sleeping, he rarely stayed in his RV, which meant he needed others to look after it for him.

Yang Hongyu hadn’t said it outright yesterday, but his wife and daughter had helped drive away a would-be RV thief. Whether they did it intentionally or not, Su Chen would return the favor.

"That would be great!"

Yang Hongyu, realizing Su Chen’s time was valuable, didn’t beat around the bush. He stated directly that they needed some lumber to set up wooden posts as a framework. This would work in conjunction with the Earth Wall Skill to improve the wall’s compressive and shear strength.

Su Chen agreed.

It was a simple enough task—just logging. Since the trunks of the ancient trees were too difficult to haul back to the heart of the camp, their targets were just birch trees, a native Earth species.

Soon, the members of the loose-knit camp quickly reached a consensus. Several trailer-style RVs detached their rear compartments and headed for the forest belt on the eastern slope.

This was in the direction of the base’s commercial street, where dense birch trees grew on the upper part of the slope.

Upon arriving, everyone looked down the slope and was stunned. A vast expanse of water had almost completely submerged the former Riverfront Area. Of the lush birch forest below, only the treetops remained above the surface.

Without pausing for long, everyone quickly got to work. Or rather, they never got the chance. The man named Su Chen felled a birch tree with a single swing of his axe, effortlessly. The only thing the others had to do was watch where they were standing.

"That’s just absurd!"

While everyone was still in shock, the people on the commercial street were also drawn by the arrival of the RVs. Among them, Xing Jingsong, the owner of the camping supply store, felt his eyes light up. He had finally spotted the figure he’d been so anxious to see.

"Ah Bin, go get that box of goods—the batch of Small Straight Knives we got from the Mufeng Equipment Store yesterday."

Xing Jingsong immediately ordered his son to get it. Ever since his encounter with Su Chen two nights ago, he had been enthusiastically searching for Small Straight Knives. He had even negotiated with other shopkeepers, eventually trading a batch of food for a whole box of them.

’I absolutely have to latch onto this powerhouse.’

’Although I’m one of the local shopkeepers, my roots here are too shallow compared to the deeply entrenched personnel from Cyan Dragon Village. In the end, I’m just an ostracized outsider.’

’Moreover, ever since my son accidentally discovered that group secretly moving food from the cold storage last night, a sense of unease has taken root in my heart.’