'I'm stupid… I should ask them about the Zombies first.' Gene shook his head as he realized that the Zombies weren't just simple creatures who had their bodies mutated and turned into human-eating creatures.
They have mutated to a level that they possess inhumane capabilities, perhaps even sorcery!
'I hope it can still be fixed…'
Gene could only sigh in relief after recalling that they have a blacksmith here.
He then heard someone clapping behind him. He turned around and saw Shane walking towards him with a smile.
"That's an amazing performance, Gene! You killed them all by yourself! You didn't even need my help!" Shane praised him genuinely. He really thought that he would have to use his gun to save this young knight.
However, he had underestimated the Level 10 Swordsmanship skill.
'No, it wasn't just his swordsmanship… I can tell he also has plenty of experience to back it up…' Shane commented in his mind.
The Zombies don't look pleasing to the eye. They smelled really bad, and they had a menacing appearance of rotting flesh.
However, Gene remained composed throughout the battle. He didn't show any disgust or get affected by their appearance during the whole battle.
He was a true warrior, and Shane couldn't help but feel glad about this. He finally had a combat expert in his shelter!
Although he had obtained the memories of his past self, they were still in the early stages, and he was not considered an expert at that time. For the upcoming battles, he would have to consider this man's opinion for sure.
"Thank you, Sir Shane! It was nothing! I'm just doing my duty!" Gene said modestly. However, Shane could tell that he was happy to be acknowledged.
"Come on, don't be so humble! You're awesome! You should be proud of yourself!" Shane said as he started approaching the Zombies.
"I am, Sir Shane. I am." Gene replied with a gentle nod.
"Good. Now, let's see what they have. Maybe you'll find something useful or valuable." Shane said.
"Alright, let's check them out." Gene said.
They walked over to the corpses of the zombies and started to loot them.
First, Gene looted one of the Walker Zombies.
Shane wanted to see what kind of items he would get from them.
[ You have earned 1 Experience Points. ]
[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal ]
"I got an experience point and an Item Upgrade Crystal. It looks decent." Gene commented after seeing the loot in his hands. Unlike Shane, who could store his loot in his System Inventory, Gene and the others would have their items appear in front of them whenever they looted the corpse of a Zombie.
On the other hand, Shane was also looking at the notification he got from the system.
[ You have earned 4 Experience Points. ]
'Interesting…' Shane squinted his eyes as he confirmed one of the hidden functions of the system. Because he doesn't have a subordinate, servant, or party member in the early stages of the other two Apocalypses, he had no idea about this.
"Ahem… That's right. The Item Upgrade Crystal is quite a rare find, so that's considered a good loot, Gene."
"Very well, I'll continue with the loot. I'm not being selfish, but I have a skill that allows me to obtain better loot. Right now, we need a lot of resources so I have to take charge. I will let you guys have a loot once we have stable resources, food, or even water." Shane explained.
[ Do you want to retrieve the loot? ]
[ You have earned 5 Experience Points. ]
[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal, 1 Zombie Core, 500mL water, 100mL Walker Zombie Blood, 1 Spirit Enhancement Bottle ]
[ You have earned 5 Experience Points. ]
[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal, 1 Zombie Core, 500mL water, 100mL Runner Zombie Blood, 1 Spirit Enhancement Bottle ]
[ You have earned 5 Experience Points. ]
[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal, 1 Zombie Core, 500mL water, 100mL Runner Zombie Blood, 1 Pair of Running Shoes, 1 Spirit Enhancement Bottle ]
"Ah?" Shane stopped looting for a moment as he realized that he just looted a pair of Running Shoes from the Runner Zombie.
'Let's see…' Shane muttered as he looked at its specification in his inventory.
[ Running Shoes ( Tier 1 ): A pair of lightweight and breathable shoes that are made to improve the speed and agility of the wearer. They are made of synthetic materials and have a rubber sole, and have a simple design and color. They are ideal for survivors who want to outrun and evade zombies, but offer little protection from bites and scratches.
Effects: +10% Movement Speed, +5% Evasion, -5 Physical Defense ]
"What? Why is it negative on physical defense? Can't you just remove it?" Shane remarked after seeing the negative effect. Nonetheless, it was truly saying that this item wasn't for combat. It was only meant to be used for fleeing.
"Is everything alright, Sir Shane?" Gene asked.
"Yes… Here, take these shoes. I'm sure it's uncomfortable to always wear your armor. You can try wearing these if you're not in combat…" Shane said as he thought of giving it to Gene.
However, he immediately recalled that it wasn't in its best state yet.
"Wait, let me upgrade this quickly." Shane then quickly took out a few Item Upgrade Crystals and upgraded the shoes to a Tier 4 Item.
Gene wasn't too sure of what Shane had said, but he could guess what he was about to do.
Soon, Shane obtained a great item!
[ Running Shoes ( Tier 4 ): A pair of advanced and adaptive shoes that are made to optimize the performance and comfort of the wearer. They are made of nanofibers and have a smart sole, and have a sleek design and color. They are perfect for survivors who want to outrun and evade zombies, and also offer moderate protection from bites and scratches.
Effects: +20% Movement Speed, +10% Evasion, +5 Physical Defense
Dash: The item allows the user to dash forward, covering a short distance in an instant and damaging anything in their way. Cost: 10 Spirit ]