[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete":3,"chapter-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-19":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from the Apocalypse, I Alone Severed Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312401,4518,"Chapter 19: Black Iron Chest, Fine Steel Sword","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-19",19,"\u003Cp>\"As the first player to kill a Level 3 monster.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have received a Black Iron Chest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s it? Just this? Where’s the reward for a level-skipping first kill?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this reward nonexistent, or was it taken by someone else first?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was filled with regret; he had a strong feeling it was very likely taken by someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already the third day of the apocalypse; surviving humans must have already organized themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before individual strength diverged significantly, large organizations were powerful, and with their numbers, they might have already achieved a level-skipping first kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without many people, some traps could accomplish it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, no one had yet claimed the reward for the first Level 3 kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it seems the level-skipping kill was of a Level 2 monster—meaning the reward for the first Level 2 kill was also taken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forget it, don’t push too hard; the level-skipping first kill reward was probably just something like a Black Iron Chest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At most, a Bronze Chest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Black Iron Chests only drop equipment matching the character’s level, and offer no particularly good rewards.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bronze Chest equipment is slightly better in quality than Black Iron Chest equipment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After all, level-skipping kills aren’t that difficult; it’s class-skipping kills that are hard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The reward for a class-skipping kill is definitely worth an attribute point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi comforted himself: since it had already happened, better to focus on securing the next first kill than dwell in regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he was somewhat surprised—apparently, each level’s first kill had its own reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this time, at least, he had gained something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about the reward for the first Level 1 kill?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi thought again: he had been the first to open his attribute panel—wasn’t that the first Level 1 kill?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since no reward appeared, it was very likely merged into the reward for being the first to open the attribute panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder such a reward, involving a degree of luck, was so valuable—it granted a random attribute point directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was time to test his luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The area chest Fang Shi had long dreamed of was, in reality, just a subpar Black Iron Chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for his bad luck, constantly failing to encounter Level 2 Elite Corpsewalkers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he would have had the strength to obtain the area chest back when he leveled up to 2 yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t too late now; compared to area chests, which randomly drop food, medicine, and other materials,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a Black Iron Chest always drops equipment matching the character’s level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a saying: System-made items are always top quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The equipment from a Black Iron Chest wasn’t necessarily outstanding,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but for Fang Shi at this stage, it was absolutely vital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi most wanted to obtain a weapon suited to him; for enemy attacks, he could dodge using experience and agility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his own attacks were different—a good weapon could kill in one strike, conserve stamina, expand battlefield gains, and enable effective parries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, against monsters with high defense, if he couldn’t break through, no matter how skilled his techniques, they’d be useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Fang Shi focused his mind, the Black Iron Chest on his attribute panel trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After shaking for about five seconds,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a long sword forged from fine steel appeared in the chest’s place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Son of a bitch!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi cursed inwardly—he got a weapon, but why was it a sword?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It left him slightly frustrated; he’d have preferred a greatsword, or even a staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that Fang Shi looked down on swords; it was that in combat against monsters, swords were less effective than blades or staves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swords have edges on both sides, seemingly offering dual attack potential,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but in reality, they weaken weapon durability and momentum; without advanced sword techniques, ordinary users were better off swinging a greatsword wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, Fang Shi wasn’t skilled in swordplay; before his rebirth, the environment\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>didn’t allow him to learn such an indulgent art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, indulgent—sword weapons required considerable training time to become truly effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the apocalypse, time was the scarcest resource.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danger lurked everywhere; if progress was slow, he might not see tomorrow’s sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To maximize combat power as quickly as possible, Fang Shi had focused on blade techniques before his rebirth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His panel still had numerous proficiencies enhancing blade damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why, after rebirth, he handled his cleaver so naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he had a sword—while it didn’t outright weaken his combat power, it was far from ideal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine Steel Sword\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hardness: 10\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sharpness: 5\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Durability: 10\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damage Type: Slashing \u002F Piercing\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damage Range: 1d8\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Critical Range: 18–20 \u002F ×2\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Weight: 1500 grams\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Type: One-handed\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Evaluation: This is a sword that can slice through iron as if it were mud.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forget it, I’ll use the sword for now—I’ll just chop with it like a blade. At least the system’s weapons are tougher than my cleaver.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi glanced at the weapon’s stats and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, a sword was still a weapon—better than his nearly broken cleaver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Huaxia, swords and blades were tightly regulated; if his cleaver broke and the Black Iron Chest didn’t drop another weapon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi wouldn’t know where to find a weapon with both hardness and sharpness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his cleaver broke and no weapon dropped at all, that would be the greatest blow to his combat power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Fang Shi harbored a quiet ambition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he’d been reborn, why repeat the same path? Couldn’t he walk a better one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weapon path of a Martial Master wasn’t so simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a sword wasn’t just about looking cool—it could lead to a transformation into a Swordsman, Sword Saint, Sword God, and ultimately, a Sword Immortal who roamed the azure heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riding swords through the air, snatching heads from a thousand li away—those were basic skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single sword’s light chilling nineteen continents—that was true mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was merely one of Fang Shi’s future development plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the apocalypse’s harsh environment, key items for transformation were hard to obtain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his rebirth experience, he couldn’t guarantee success with certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, even if hard to get, he’d give it his all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless Fang Shi was content with mediocrity and refused to transform entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the 732 experience points on his attribute panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Soon. Very soon, I’ll reach Level 3.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry, move it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the rooftop, Fang Shi urged Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already past six; the sunset bathed the earth in gold, the entire city bathed in amber light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nightfall was only an hour away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Fang Shi’s pressure, Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan were exhausted, their clothes soaked in sweat, then dried under the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White salt crystals clung to their backs, glinting in the sunset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though both had undergone attribute enhancement, this level of physical labor was nearly at their limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Fang Shi killed the Level 3 Elite Corpsewalker, he immediately came down to push Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Xiao Xi’s request to open the attribute panel, he didn’t hesitate—he smashed open a house and dragged out a Corpsewalker for Xiao Xi to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Xi was initially deeply moved, thinking Fang Shi was cold on the outside but kind inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his next actions made Xiao Xi scream: \"Demon!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi knew exactly the limits of 10 Strength; every time he looted, he pushed them to their absolute limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He worked alongside them, acting as supervisor, preventing even the slightest laziness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they could no longer go on, he tied them up to prevent escape attempts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he returned to the rooftop to farm Corpsewalkers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He repeated this cycle several times; Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan were nearly broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Big brother, my good big brother, spare us—we can’t take it anymore!\" Xiao Xi croaked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this time, she cried more than once, but Fang Shi’s heart was stone and utterly unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhai Yan, who could comfort her, was himself a laborer and could not solve the problem—only offer helpless outbursts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the last time. After this, you’ll be free, and I won’t bind you anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi’s eyes held a flicker of urgency, but his tone was utterly firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Fang Shi’s promise, Zhai Yan hurriedly asked, “Really? Big Brother, you won’t lie to us, will you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Zhai Yan doubted him—during this period, Fang Shi’s methods were even more capitalist than the capitalists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never!” Fang Shi said decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once it’s 7:30, the alien creatures will emerge from the spatial rift—what use will you be then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, Fang Shi had accumulated only 2,607 experience points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still nearly 400 points short of leveling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had overestimated the number of zombies on the streets; the farther he went, the fewer he attracted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, the apocalypse began at 7 p.m., when most people were at home and the streets were nearly empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, some zombies had died during the initial golden ten minutes, and later, some survivors had hunted them down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This forced Fang Shi to spend more time and energy luring monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t understand where the countless zombies in the movies came from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially in foreign countries, where population density was far lower than in Huaguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t improve efficiency, he might not gather enough experience to reach Level 3 before the spatial rift opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, Fang Shi resorted to extreme measures, squeezing Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Fang Shi himself did not slack off—even when Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan rested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was clearing zombies, luring them, pulling them, and emptying rooms of corpses, never once letting up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, he still hadn’t gathered enough experience to level up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was somewhat grateful to the unknown survivor who had lured the zombies over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for her recklessness, which had drawn a massive horde at the start, his current shortfall would be at least two or three hundred points higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s wonderful!” Xiao Xi cheered, working with renewed vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had decided that once free, she and Zhai Yan would climb over the wall and find a room to hide in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if tomorrow this demon started forcing them to work again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Working for this demon was worse than fighting zombies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi looked at the two joyful figures and shook his head helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, he had been just as naive—after surviving the Law Transformation, he thought the apocalypse was merely zombies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He believed that by eliminating zombies, humanity could rebuild its glorious civilization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the monsters appearing at night, he thought they were just a curfew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He assumed that once humanity organized itself and grew stronger, they would eventually find a way to destroy them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he never expected those monsters, which only appeared at night, to show up in broad daylight on the fourth day of the apocalypse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The alien creatures emerging from the spatial rift once again shattered humanity’s fragile order.\u003C\u002Fp>",1830,"2026-06-20T12:43:33.559Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","145ef57b4e5af83853acc1b6003c81c6cf31763e4501356e7011aac819343fac","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-20","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-18",109,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-cover.jpg"]