Chapter 517: What Is an Enemy?

Huang Shaohua wasn't too sure.

"If you really manage to reach this point... just as I said before."

"Once you raise your attributes to 40 points before unlocking the gene lock, it means that after unlocking, your strength will surge to an unimaginable extent."

"I've heard that some Awakened Ones try to desperately increase their attributes before hitting the peak of the Second Level."

"The goal is to fix the strength after unlocking at a higher value."

"After all, once the gene lock is unlocked, the enhanced strength becomes fixed. Like a bucket, increasing attributes afterward can't achieve the same effect as increasing them before unlocking the gene lock."

"In the information we mutually researched."

"Many Awakened Ones who rely on equipment to reach 30 points rush impatiently to the Training Tower to advance to the Third Level, and most of them suffer bodily collapse."

"Just like ordinary people becoming Awakened Ones, if the bare attribute gap to the checkpoint is too great, it's essentially gambling with one's life."

A chill ran through his heart.

Huang Shaohua's statement actually answered a question he had before.

That's why advancing to the Third Level causes bodily collapse.

The answer seems to match up.

Awakened Ones like Gao Tian, who reached the Six Kings level in their past life, likely entered the Secret Realm and boosted their base attributes.

Rather, it's not that they think their talent or genes are special; they simply aren't afraid of bodily disintegration upon promotion.

Lin An pondered for a moment, and his thoughts became orderly.

After unlocking the gene lock at the Third Level, one's strength before unlocking is fixed as the minimum limit.

At the same time, strength gains a one-time boost.

Before unlocking, the higher the base attribute, the better.

As for the system mentioning a 40-point attribute value, it gave him an idea.

Zero-level awakening... Third-level gene lock... Fourth Stage

For the first two, the higher the attribute before promotion, the better...

Low attribute means great danger upon promotion; lightly, one faints; severely, bodily collapse and death.

But if the attribute reaches the extreme, not only is danger reduced, but strength also far surpasses that of ordinary people.

Does that mean...

Is advancing to the Fourth Stage so difficult largely because most Third-Level Awakened Ones are actually stuck at the passing line?

Their base attributes are too low, so after the unlocking boost, their strength becomes fixed.

When they try to advance to the Fourth Stage, does a scene of insufficient attribute value occur?

Supernatural...

Does this mean the Savior System is giving a direction for one's own advancement to the Fourth Stage?

Is the 40-point extreme attribute the key to the Fourth Stage?

It's not that Lin An is thinking too far; indeed, all kinds of clues point to this.

Fourth Stage...

A moment of daze.

After digesting this information, Lin An put away the crystal ball.

It seems the plan for the auction needs to change; originally wanting to exchange more equipment must be altered.

Exchanging more items that increase base attributes and fruits is the key.

There's also special equipment for ancient scenes.

For example, exorcising ghosts and subduing demons?

Somewhat strange... after confirming that the Yin Mountain Secret Realm belongs to an ancient fantasy setting, he could only guess as such.

Seeing Chu An continue to write and draw in his notebook.

Lin An pondered for a moment and then asked:

"Have you chosen the auction's target?"

"I don't have much time left."

"Although the mission requires a week, I'm afraid that delaying a few more days will cause an accident."

In his sight, the blood-red countdown kept jumping.

"Change the original plan; this auction should mainly exchange spiritual energy fruits and attribute enhancement props."

Chu An heard the voice, lifted his head, and lightly adjusted his glasses frame.

"I know."

"But if we exchange these things, the difficulty will probably be great."

"Fruits and items that increase base attributes—many people just eat them after obtaining them, making them hard to retain."

"I'll try to exchange as many as possible."

Zhang Tie, who was sitting aside with nothing to do, leaned over, rolled his eyes, and said in a cheap tone:

"Um, Captain Lin."

"Do the spiritual energy fruits come in peach flavor?"

"The Manchineel Flower I ate last time—those leaves were truly awful..."

Lin An helplessly glanced at Xiong Hanzi; he had no idea whether there was a peach flavor.

Also, I don't know why this guy likes eating unsweetened peach canned food so much.

Chu An laughed and replied to Xiong Hanzi that all kinds of fruit flavors are available, then turned his head toward the window and said:

"For this auction's target, I've already found a suitable candidate."

I will arrange for people to spread false rumors, saying someone stole the "Divine Artifact" from you.

When the time comes, you step forward to cooperate, issuing false news about hunting down players who stole the Divine Artifact.

Thus to lure the fish to bite.

After all, with your reputation added, credibility and value will greatly increase.

Lin An nodded after hearing it, and asked Chu An with a hint of curiosity:

What's the target?

We're releasing false news in the Huaxia war zone; those who take the bait will likely be forces from this war zone, and probably the capital...

Didn't you say we were going to pit foreigners this time?

We're not on the same channel; how are you going to do it?

Chu An heard the voice, smiled, and turned his head.

Who said that if we send news in the Huaxia war zone, foreign war zones won't know?

Lin An, you greatly underestimate the hidden foreign forces within Huaxia.

You might not usually look at chat channels, but according to my information summary over this period, there have been over 47,000 suspected foreign agents stirring things up in the chat channels.

Recruiting manpower, sowing division and provocation...

These people are distributed across all sub-war zones of the Huaxia war zone; wherever you go, they're there.

Don't forget, border war zones like Taiwan, Dandong, and Qingdao are very close to other foreign war zones.

As long as you cross the war zone boundary, you can relay our war zone's news back.

Geographical factors, Lin An then realized, some provinces are actually very close to foreign countries.

Inside the car, Gao Tian couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

Chu Colonel, it's already the Apocalypse.

Do foreign forces still have the mood to do these things?

Everyone is struggling to survive; do they still have this capability?

Chu An calmly adjusted his glasses frame and replied casually:

Isn't that strange?

Actually, think about it from another perspective—what's the difference between the Apocalypse and war?

These foreign agents' proxies are almost all carefully selected, extremely loyal to their own countries.

In many countries' view, the Apocalypse actually makes them want to invade and overthrow another nation.

Great chaos inevitably brings great war!

Lin An remained silent.

He knew Chu An was right.

In his past life, humanity was already struggling to survive amid various disasters, yet internal wars never ceased.

Even at the end of the first year, there had been a nuclear war between nations.

For the ambitious, the Apocalypse means paradise.

Someone once lamented sadly.

Humanity's enemy is none other than oneself...