Chapter Forty: Replicated Equipment (Third Update) Please Vote and Add to Favorites

“Ah…”
Looking up at the stars, Liang Jing couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. Memory truly is a drug, and it made him think once again of that woman—his first love. It was already deep into the night; though there was no wine, the two brothers had spoken for hours, sharing how their days had passed over the years, speaking of the state of this world, their plans for the future, and that Zhang family…

In fact, the Zhang family was the one involved in the case that Jia Yujin took the blame for on Liang Jing’s behalf—the very ones Liang Jing had struck during that incident. At the time, Liang Jing couldn’t endure the humiliation and verbal abuse, which escalated into a physical altercation, thus forging a grudge between them. He never imagined that after so many years, the other party would still bear it, refusing to let him or his companions go. Perhaps, all these years, it was nothing more than a game for them, but now, when the amusement fades, they seek utter destruction. Yet, who will ultimately be the hunter and who the prey remains to be seen.

He watched as his breath formed a white mist in the chilly night air, strikingly different from the searing daytime heat of nearly forty degrees. Shaking his head to dispel these thoughts, Liang Jing glanced at the mutated black-backed canine zombie beside him, its bones exposed in several places. With a thought, he commanded it to guard the people in the house, to resist and alert them if there were any intruders. Then, he set out with the Venomous Ripper to hunt…

Yes, Venomous Ripper was the name Liang Jing had given to the ‘Black Serpent’ zombie. It seemed fitting for its abilities and appearance, so from now on, it would be called the Venomous Ripper.

Liang Jing was gradually adapting to this new world. These days, he needed only two hours of rest each day, thanks to the constant restoration of his life essence by a strange source, and the adaptation had eased the mental strain he once felt. With the Venomous Ripper’s power, safety was now assured to a degree; there were not many formidable monsters nearby. He decided not to waste any more time—while the others rested at night, he would hunt to strengthen himself. Perhaps they were truly exhausted, both in body and spirit; despite resting nearly all day, they still fell asleep as soon as night fell.

Squeak!

A mutated bat in the night sky was blasted apart by a half-pound steel pellet, its skin, flesh, and blood scattering in every direction. A stream of white spirit-light shot from its corpse and entered Liang Jing’s body, flooding him with a sensation as comfortable as soaking in warm water.

Howl!

Beside Liang Jing, the Venomous Ripper, clad in brown-red leather armor, let out a howl and lunged at a swarm of mutated mosquitoes intent on attacking Liang Jing. Its claws tore at them mercilessly, and any mosquito it touched was swiftly corroded. Faint spirit-light drifted into Liang Jing’s body; meanwhile, the mosquitoes’ bodies, once corroded, released wisps of gray-black mist, which the Venomous Ripper inhaled. Liang Jing noted that its body and claws seemed to darken ever so slightly.

Good!

After its transformation, the Venomous Ripper retained the Black Serpent’s awakened abilities, though now they were more terrifying than before—not merely toxic blasts, but something worse. The toxin from the monsters it killed could be absorbed, strengthening its body and enriching its claws. Compared to its earlier magical abilities, this was superior by far. More importantly, this zombie servant under Liang Jing’s control could evolve and grow stronger perpetually. If this development continued, who could imagine what it might eventually become? Regardless, it would always be Liang Jing’s loyal enforcer.

Under the starlight, two figures moved ceaselessly…

Howl!

Liang Jing now felt as if he had become a summoner in a game—he didn’t need to lift a finger, simply watched his pet slay monsters and gain experience for him. That was his reality now; Liang Jing rarely engaged monsters himself, instead issuing orders to the Venomous Ripper to seek out and kill creatures, preferably those whose toxins would benefit it. Meanwhile, he trained several movements he had devised, striving to reach a strength value of fifteen as soon as possible.

Let’s begin!

His energy was fully restored, so Liang Jing decided to replicate the Warrior’s leather armor set and short knives. After careful consideration, he was satisfied with Wang Meng and the others’ determination to follow him that morning—blood had already been shed, meeting Liang Jing’s requirements to a certain degree. Therefore, he planned to equip each of them with a set (Warrior’s leather armor and short knife), ensuring their survival and combat effectiveness. These were his first batch of subordinates, after all; he couldn’t allow them to perish or stand idly by. Jia Yujin and his four lieutenants were not overlooked either—their willingness to risk their lives for Jia Yujin suited Liang Jing well. In short, no one would be left out; each would receive a set tonight, a task Liang Jing assigned himself.

0%…8%…17%…27%…41%…67%…81%…88%…91%…93%…100% complete.

…14%…67%…87%…100% complete.

…

Phew…

“At last, it’s done!”

As dawn broke, Liang Jing looked at his handiwork. After a night’s labor, his strength hadn’t grown much, but he had completed ten sets of weapons and armor. This was thanks to his body’s gradual absorption of monsters’ life essence, which had increased his energy capacity from the ability to replicate less than two short knives at a time to now producing four simultaneously. Although Liang Jing hadn’t mastered the cultivation method for his internal energy, simply absorbing life essence had more than doubled its volume.

Throughout the night, the Venomous Ripper tirelessly hunted mutated monsters, avoiding large groups and swiftly replenishing Liang Jing’s expended energy. However, replenishing physical stamina was slower, and his mental fatigue grew.

Bathed in sunlight, Liang Jing returned to the temporary shelter. Jia Yujin was already searching for him, wondering where Liang Jing had gone, though he never feared that monsters might have carried him off—the others regarded Liang Jing’s strength as unmatched.

When they saw the pile of equipment and short knives on Liang Jing’s back, everyone was taken aback. Was this what he had gone out for? Where could he have gotten it? Liang Jing ignored their questioning looks; there were things he didn’t want to provoke trouble over, secrets he kept even from Jia Yujin. Everyone had their own secrets—it was only natural.

“Each of you take a set of this equipment. It’s much better than what you’re using now!”

“Put on this leather armor, and as long as you avoid vulnerable spots, even a handgun won’t harm you.”

…

Liang Jing continually explained the features of the equipment, but the more impulsive members, like Zhang Hu and Liu Zhixiong, couldn’t contain themselves.

“Wow! Really? It’s exactly the same as the one the boss wears. I’ve wanted a set for ages!” Zhang Hu shouted excitedly.

“That’s right! Look at how imposing it is. Doesn’t it give you the air of a master?” Liu Zhixiong impatiently put his on, asking Yao beside him how it looked.

“Are you sure this is really for us?” When Liang Jing handed the equipment to the more reserved members like Mouse King Wang Meng, Wang Meng swallowed hard, still uncertain.

He could hardly believe it. He wasn’t as careless as Zhang Hu or Liu Zhixiong; he knew the value of these items—a set of protective leather armor equated to an extra life, and the short knife was a legendary weapon in a society riddled with shoddy goods. Without paying any price, they now received these precious items, even as their lives, food, and supplies depended on Liang Jing’s protection. It almost felt too good to accept.

“Yes! You’re all the first batch of core members, so you each get a set. It won’t be so easy for newcomers in the future,” Liang Jing explained. Only these ten or so people would receive them; later recruits would have to earn equipment and weapons through a points system—complete tasks, accumulate points.

For now, Liang Jing simply felt his followers’ strength was too low, making everything difficult, plus it served as advertising. With such impressive equipment, future recruits would be far more drawn to his cause.

Thus was born a group of nearly invincible, blade-breaking, iron-cutting warriors…