"Chat Function?" Shane was surprised as soon as he got the message from the system.
Then, another blue virtual screen appeared in front of him. There were two tabs on them showing two types of Chat.
[ World Chat ( Locked ) ]
After activating the chat function, Shane took a moment to familiarize himself with its features.
Upon realizing that he was the sole individual online, he confirmed that he was the only one in his region to have reached the second level.
'They're still taking advantage of the safety zone... I guess that's the normal and safest method...'
He easily speculated that most others had likely opted to remain within the safety of the Beginner Protection. However, that also means that making progression to the next level would be difficult or perhaps even an impossible feat while inside the Safety Zone.
Anyway, further exploration of the chat function revealed that each region comprised only a hundred thousand inhabitants, piquing Shane's curiosity about the total number of regions in existence.
However, his enthusiasm was tempered by the realization that the usage limit of the chat function was limited to ten interactions, a restriction that left him somewhat underwhelmed, given his anticipation of the need for future communication with fellow survivors.
'I hope it increases once my level increases…' Shane mused.
Disheartened by the limitations of the chat function, Shane eventually closed the interface, lamenting the seemingly meager effects of his level up.
'Wait… There's no way that's the only effect of my level up…'
Curious to ascertain any alterations to his current status, he opened his System Profile, seeking indications of the impact of his recent advancement.
Survivor Name: Shane Wells
Title: Fairy Realm's Lone Survivor, A.I. Rebellion's Chosen One
Inventory: Memory Spherex25, 8 Item Upgrade Crystals, 13 Zombie Cores, 5L water, 300mL Runner Zombie Blood, 12 Spirit Enhancement Bottles ]
Survivor Skills: None
Survivor Talent: Complete Loot ( Legendary Talent ), Otherworldly Mechanic ( Legendary Talent ), Territory Lord ( Legendary Talent )
"Oh… 5 points increase in Vitality while 1 points increase in Strength and Agility! It doesn't look bad." Shane said in satisfaction after seeing his new status.
Although the Spirit didn't increase, he could simply consume Spirit Enhancement Bottles if he really wanted to improve it.
What was even more amazing was the fact that his Vitality had fully recovered!
At this time, the slight redness of his arm that was almost bitten had already disappeared!
'This confirms that leveling up means can be used for strategic moves.'
Afterward, Shane proceeded with his patrol for the next three hours, gradually venturing farther from his estate.
During this period, he no longer encountered any Runner Zombies but instead encountered several Crawler Zombies.
These zombies were distinctly unsettling, with emaciated, contorted bodies and elongated limbs that made them move quite slowly despite their menacing posture.
'They look strong and fast, but they're actually weak and very slow… No wonder they were called Crawler Zombies.'
Fortunately, the Crawler Zombies weren't the Crawlers he had imagined before. They couldn't climb or crawl on the walls and move fast.
Furthermore, Shane had already overcome his aversion to their repulsive appearance, so he was able to dispatch them without encountering any complications.
In total, he eliminated eight Crawler Zombies, as they moved at a sluggish pace, rendering them relatively easy to target by his hatchet.
Nevertheless, his previous peculiar encounter with the anomalous Runner Zombie lingered in his thoughts, prompting him to consider the possibility of an atypical Crawler Zombie exhibiting enhanced speed and even the ability to climb trees.
Such a development seemed entirely plausible, given the unpredictable nature of the early stages of the Apocalypse.
"Cloud… Have you finished analyzing the blood samples?" Shane inquired.
[ It's 87% complete. However, my Zombie Detection Range has now reached 34 meters ]
"Oh! That sounds great. I hope it will continue to increase…" Shane remarked as he made his way back to his shelter to have lunch.
On this occasion, he opted not to cook his food and instead consumed another granola bar. Well, he was still uncertain of when he might encounter another food source.
Essentially, he aimed to conserve his provisions and ensure they lasted for approximately another 15 days or so. He planned to eat only his canned goods or instant noodles in the morning or evening.
'I'm getting water from my loots but not food… I wonder where to get them.' Shane mused as he finished his granola bar.
After that, he started drinking his hot tea.
Although the cold was bearable, after staying outside for several hours, it was actually starting to get into him, so he returned to his shelter to warm himself.
In any case, it wasn't difficult to get a fire since, for some reason, the fire in the crash site wasn't getting extinguished at all!
After finishing his tea and tidying his shelter, Shane ventured out once more in search of zombies with the assistance of his A.I. Companion.
"I wonder how the others will confront these zombies… Especially those who didn't choose for the Weapons Gift Pack…" Shane pondered aloud as he traversed an unexplored area.
This time, he followed the road from his estate, eager to discover where it led.
Mindful of his prior error in allowing zombies to approach from behind, he avoided moving in a straight route, instead navigating a winding path to maximize the coverage of his A.I. detection.
During this period, he successfully eliminated 12 more walker and crawler zombies, resulting in another level-up!
However, there was little time for celebration as Shane fell silent, startled by the sight of a colossal zombie in motion.
Its towering upper body loomed above the trees! It was something he didn't expect to see close to his territory!
'A Giant Zombie?!' Shane exclaimed in his mind.