Chapter 18: Furnace and Blueprint

The outline of Shelter No. 7 emerged in the blood‑red dusk, like the back of a weary giant beast. The ambush on the way home and the sky‑shield anomaly stripped the Echo squad's return of any triumph, replacing it with a heavy, looming stillness as if a mountain rain were about to fall.

Inside the base, the atmosphere was solemn. Chen Mo placed the energy‑filled ordinary magic core and the high‑quality tactical axe forging blueprint directly in front of the technical supervisor sent by Zhang Zhen.

"We need weapons, now," Chen Mo said with no room for negotiation. "The best materials, the fastest speed. Compensation can be offset with a portion of this mission's loot and points."

The technical supervisor was a middle‑aged man with thick glasses and disheveled hair. He lifted the blueprint and the magic core, his hands trembling slightly, and a fanatical light flared in his eyes: "A high‑grade blueprint! And such a pure magic core! My god… give it to me! I've spent my whole life forging iron, never thought I'd find such a treasure after the apocalypse! Give me twelve hours—no, ten hours!"

Without a moment's pause, Chen Mo gathered the entire squad into the conference room. His gaze swept over each weary yet resolute face.

"The shield will disappear in less than seventy hours," Chen Mo said bluntly, his voice echoing in the cramped space. "You all know what that means. What we faced before may have been only an appetizer."

He produced a flame‑emblem metal badge seized from an ambusher and tossed it onto the table. "The trouble from the 'Flame' won't end; it will only become more frequent. Beyond the shield lie even stronger demons, and… possibly other survivors who may see us as prey or obstacles."

Everyone's breathing grew a few beats heavier.

"So complaints and fear are useless," Chen Mo declared firmly. "All we can do is make the most of this final buffer period, turning ourselves into an unchewable hard bone, or even… a spear that can pierce an enemy's throat!"

He began allocating resources. Aside from reserving a portion for the squad's operational base, most of the system points and ordinary materials obtained from the mission were divided evenly, to be used by each member at the shelter's official store for basic skill scrolls or enhancement potions matching their attributes. Han Qing exchanged for a shield‑enhancement scroll that grants a weak block recoil effect, while Zhang Yang and Li Siwen chose temporary enchantment oil that boosts weapon sharpness and armor‑piercing capability.

"For the next two days, our mission is 'hunt,'" Chen Mo said, pointing to several map zones marked 'high‑risk' but not yet 'restricted.' "The goal is to gain experience, refine formations, and familiarize ourselves with the newly acquired abilities. Su Yu, your Perception Training cannot stop; I need you to quickly adapt to the potentially more complex and chaotic energy environment outside the shield."

"I understand," Su Yu nodded heavily, her eyes bright, no longer clouded by previous confusion. The factory's real‑combat and the homeward warning had made her keenly feel the importance of her abilities.

After the brief meeting ended, everyone dispersed to digest the gains and prepare for the upcoming hard fight.

Chen Mo stayed alone in the conference room, taking out the last Primordial Blood (diluted stabilizer type). He didn't ingest it immediately; instead, he held it, quietly feeling the heart‑pounding energy fluctuations it contained.

The risk system had already warned about continuous consumption. Yet the urgency of the shield's disappearance whipped him like a lash. He needed power, needed to break his limits again!

After long contemplation, a resolute glint flashed in Chen Mo's eyes. He didn't drink it outright; instead, he fetched a clean metal container and poured the reagent into it. Then, he carefully activated his Death Echo talent, attempting to actively Resonance and analyze the Primordial Force.

It was an extremely bold and dangerous attempt! The energy tier of Primordial Blood far exceeds any skill he has so far encountered; forced analysis could easily trigger a backlash.

But he had an intuition: Death Echo, as an SSS‑rank talent, holds potential far beyond merely copying skills! It might even be able to… comprehend and perhaps wield this primordial power!

His consciousness sank inward, like fine threads winding around the crimson liquid in the container. In an instant, a torrent of chaotic, violent thoughts and energy data surged into his mind like a breached dam! Excruciating pain struck, sharper than when ingesting directly, as if his soul were being torn apart!

Chen Mo steadied his mind, pushing Death Echo's perception to its limit; no longer a passive copy, but actively listening and dissecting the rule fragments within the chaotic energy flow.

As time ticked by, fine cold sweat beaded on his forehead, his body trembled slightly, and a trickle of blood welled at his mouth corner. Yet he did not give up; like the most patient craftsman, he searched within the raging flame for that core 'branding mark.'

After an indeterminate span, just as his consciousness seemed about to be overwhelmed, a faint yet crystal‑clear 'understanding' flashed like lightning in the dark, suddenly illuminating his perception!

He 'saw' it! It wasn't a specific skill model, but a fragment of the underlying rule concerning 'energy compression and property transmutation.' Though only a tip of the iceberg, it gave him a brand‑new conceptual direction for using his own energy—primarily the Energy Shot.

【Ding! Host successfully parsed a portion of the Primordial Blood rule fragment, deepening understanding of energy essence.】

【Energy Shot skill effect increased, energy consumption reduced by 10%, limited form‑adjustments possible (e. g., converting penetration into area splash, requiring extra spirit power).】

【Spirit attribute permanently +1!】

Success!

Chen Mo snapped his eyes open; though his face was pale and his spirit exhausted, his eyes shone with excitement! He had found a path to use Primordial Blood that was safer and far more potent than simple ingestion.

Though the process was extremely perilous and inefficient, it meant that in the future he could repeatedly employ this method to draw rule fragments from Primordial Blood and other high‑tier energy sources, strengthening his grasp and control over power—far more valuable than merely boosting attributes.

He carefully stored the Primordial Blood in the container, its energy drained by nearly half and its hue dimmed. This thing would become his 'key' to comprehending the rules.

At that moment, a clamor and scorching energy ripple emanated from outside the base.

Chen Mo furrowed his brow, rose, and stepped out.

At the base's entrance, Luo Heng, accompanied by Lin Wei and several other core members of the 'Flame' squad, faced off against the sentry Han Qing and Zhang Yang. Luo Heng radiated a powerful LV9 energy surge, his face showing unabashed anger and murderous intent.

"Chen Mo! Get out of here!" Luo Heng's voice thundered, drawing the eyes of many nearby survivors, "Anyone who dares kill my 'Flame' must give me an explanation today, or I'll tear this damn base apart!"

Sure enough, it arrived. The report came faster and more direct than expected.

Chen Mo walked forward expressionlessly, standing at a distance from Luo Heng: "Your men were ambushed midway, their skill inferior, they deserved to die. What explanation do you need?"

"Good! Very good!" Luo Heng laughed angrily, firelight flickering around him, "Looks like you prefer punishment over a toast! Don't say I'm bullying you; according to the shelter's rules, awakened disputes can be settled with a 'death duel'! You and I step onto the arena, decide superiority and life or death! Dare you?!"

Death duel!

A murmur rose around them. Zhang Zhen rushed over upon hearing the news, his face grim: "Luo Heng! Don't go too far!"

Luo Heng sneered, "Chief Zhang, rules are rules. He killed my man; I challenge him to a death duel—it's only natural! Unless he kneels now and bows three times for me, then hands over that woman, this won't end!"

All eyes turned toward Chen Mo.

Su Yu anxiously grasped Chen Mo's arm, worry evident in her eyes. Han Qing and the others also wore anxious expressions; Luo Heng was LV9 with a powerful flame‑control talent. Though Chen Mo's strength was unfathomable, his level was still one tier lower.

Chen Mo gently patted Su Yu's hand, signaling her to stay calm. He looked at the frenzied Luo Heng, his gaze steady and unruffled, as if watching a circus clown.

Just as he was about to speak, the technical supervisor Old Li brandished a brand‑new tactical axe that glimmered with cold light, faint energy runes flowing along the blade, and rushed over excitedly:

"Team Leader Chen! The axe is ready! Hey, this time it's divine—it even triggered both 'Sharpness' and 'Energy Conduction' enchantments! Want to try it out?"

Everyone's gaze instantly fixed on the war axe, which exuded an extraordinary aura.

Chen Mo took the axe; it felt heavy in his hand, the grip perfect, its affinity with his own energy extremely high. With a casual swing, a refined white‑hot energy spontaneously wrapped around the blade, emitting a faint hum.

He lifted his gaze to the slightly flushed Luo Heng, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Death duel? Fine."

"Time, place— you decide."

"Perfect, use your blood to sharpen my new axe…"