Anna staggered, overwhelmed by the flow of information that went through her brain in a few seconds.
"Anna…" Shane said while steadying her…
"Are you alright?" He asked as holds her shoulders.
Anna blinked a few times as if to confirm where she was before nodding at Shane...
"I'm fine… You're right. I really learned Alchemy Mastery and Elixir Brewmaster Skills. It feels incredible, I feel as if I've learned it for about a decade."
After this matter was settled, Shane allowed Anna to explore her new skills and left the place.
Shane settled into the quiet nook outside the manor. Soon, the digital glow of the Survivor Store illuminated his face.
He finally browsed through the new listings of the Store.
[ Reinforced Barricade (Rare): A sturdy barricade reinforced with steel rods and carbon fiber mesh. It can be deployed quickly to fortify any entrance or window, providing a robust defense against the undead hordes.
Price: 30 Zombie Cores
[ Healing Salve (Common): A jar of thick, green paste made from a blend of medicinal herbs and zombie marrow. When applied to wounds, it accelerates healing and reduces the risk of infection.
Price: 5 Zombie Cores
[ Night Vision Goggles (Uncommon): These goggles use advanced optics to amplify low light, turning night into day. Ideal for scouting missions or night watches, they ensure you're never caught off guard in the dark.
Price: 15 Zombie Cores
[ Zombie Lure (Common):
Description: A small, throwable device that emits a sound frequency and scent that's irresistible to zombies. Use it to distract and divert zombie swarms away from your location.
Price: 3 Zombie Cores
[ Random Mutant Vegetable Seeds (Rare): A total of 50 Seeds from vegetables that have adapted to the new world. They grow quickly and are unusually nutritious.
Price: 20 Zombie Cores
[ Radiation-Resistant Gloves (Uncommon): Gloves made from a material that resists radioactive contamination. Essential for handling hazardous materials.
Price: 75 Zombie Cores
Without hesitation, Shane purchased all the Healing Salve and spent a total of 50 Zombie Cores. He also wanted to purchase all the Random Mutant Vegetable Seeds, but that would be 200 Zombies Cores, and he doesn't have enough Zombie Cores for that.
Of course, the gloves, goggles, and the barricade also seemed useful and he wanted to take them all!
"I have to get more Zombie Cores today…" Shane muttered as he had the whole day to hunt zombies! He needed to hunt hundreds of Zombies and obtain their cores before the duration ended or the items in the Store would refresh!
Then, Shane checked the two items that would be available for seven days.
The previous ones had given him the Serrated Reaper Blade that Gene uses now and the Electric Shock Blade that he uses now. He was looking forward to see what kind of item he'll get this time.
[ Tactical Combat Drone ( Master ):
Description: An autonomous drone equipped with a camera and a small-caliber gun. It can scout ahead, provide real-time surveillance, and offer support during skirmishes.
Price: 250 Zombie Cores
[ Mystic Amulet ( Epic ):
Description: An ancient amulet that vibrates with arcane energy. It enhances the wearer's natural abilities, providing a boost to physical strength, agility, and mental acuity.
Price: 1,000 Zombie Cores
"What?" Shane's eyes lit up as he saw the items being sold. This was the first time he had seen an Epic Item in the store!
However, the price was simply too high!
He wasn't sure if he could kill a thousand zombies within seven days to obtain this amulet!
"We can't just stay here…" Shane muttered as he knew that he had to explore other areas if he wanted to gather this many Zombie Cores. He couldn't wait for the Zombie Wave to arrive since that would be too late!
Although there wasn't any specific information about the boost that he would receive in his stats, he didn't mind it at all! Since it was an Epic item, he wouldn't be surprised if he got an increase of about 50 points or even more!
Nonetheless, Shane had to build a team that would follow him outside the shelter. With the Grenade Launcher, Flamethrower, Barriers, and others that were protecting the estate, he was confident enough that even if a Giant Zombie somehow attacked this place, they would still stand victorious even without his presence.
'It's time to use my Recruitment Stones…' Shane muttered.
Shane stood in the clearing, the weight of the pouch in his hand grounding him to the moment.
The pouch was obviously from the Administrator, whom he had just recently met.
The five stones within the pouch pulsed with a deep red glow, like the heartbeat of the forest itself. With a deep breath, Shane released the clasp and poured the stones onto the palm of his hand.
They were warm, almost hot, and they vibrated with unknown energy that Shane could feel resonating through his bones.
[ Elf Recruitment Stone. ]
[ Hint: The Elf Recruitment Stone is a single-use item that a Survivor can trigger in order to recruit a loyal Elf. They could be warrior, craftsman, mage, or ranger ]
[ Do you want to activate the Elf Recruitment Stone? ]
He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the connection between the stones and the energy it was emitting before he answered.
As he triggered them simultaneously, a profound silence enveloped the clearing. The air shimmered, and the ground beneath him thrummed with energy.
The recruitment was completely different from what he knew. It wasn't the Gray Fog at all!
Instead, a massive oak tree at the edge of the clearing appeared from the ground and began to twist and groan, its largest branch unfurling like the hand of a giant.
Leaves rustled and the branch split open, revealing a portal aglow with ethereal light.
From within the luminous fissure, five figures stepped forth—one after the other, their boots making no sound upon the fallen leaves!