Sitting on the toilet, Chi You opened his phone and reviewed the shopping mall map he had photographed on the first floor, carefully planning his escape route.
The mall’s population density was simply too high.
In his previous life, he had only come to the shopping plaza for supplies after reaching Level 7.
If he got surrounded by zombies during the early stages of the apocalypse, then even with a Sub-Legendary weapon capable of cutting through them with ease, sheer numbers would eventually exhaust him to death.
“If escaping is the priority…”
Chi You looked toward the mall’s two emergency exits.
There was a stairwell on both the left and right sides of the mall.
The left stairwell led to the first floor, while the right one connected directly to the underground parking garage.
The crowds weren’t limited to the mall itself. The plaza outside was even worse.
The best route would be taking the right-side stairwell to the underground parking garage, bypassing the most densely populated areas and leaving the shopping center directly. During the opening stages of the apocalypse, this place was no different from a giant meat grinder.
This was the optimal route.
Chi You checked the time.
Five minutes remained.
He unlocked the stall door and was about to push it open to observe the situation outside.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the restroom.
Judging from the sound, there were two people.
Chi You quietly pulled the door back, leaving only a narrow crack.
A few seconds later, a man and a woman sneaked into the restroom.
Hmm?
Chi You froze for a moment before narrowing his eyes.
The apocalypse was only moments away. Seeing the pair acting so suspiciously, he wondered what they were planning. Hopefully they wouldn’t interfere with him obtaining the treasure chest.
The two looked around carefully, paying special attention to whether the restroom stalls were occupied.
After confirming that no one was inside, they hurried into the stall furthest away.
After a series of rustling noises came sounds that were difficult to describe.
“So that’s what they’re doing.”
Realizing what was happening, Chi You rubbed his forehead speechlessly.
He could hardly blame himself.
In the apocalypse, relationships between men and women were so commonplace that nobody needed to sneak around.
He had assumed they were planning something else.
Chi You pushed the stall door open a little wider and continued watching.
Time passed second by second.
During that period, no one else entered the restroom.
Then, the moment the time on his phone changed from 11:59 to 12:00…
Brilliant light exploded before Chi You’s eyes.
A small black treasure chest emerged from the radiance.
It was square-shaped and roughly the size of a small safe.
Each of its six sides was engraved with a different demonic face.
Black and white light intertwined across its surface.
Without question, this was a Sub-Legendary Grade treasure chest.
The next instant, the notification window announcing the arrival of the Apocalypse Game appeared.
Chi You had no interest in reading it.
He immediately swiped it aside and focused all his attention on the sounds coming from the stall at the far end.
Less than three seconds later, a scream of agony erupted from the neighboring stall.
At the same time, horrifying screams echoed from outside the shopping mall.
Chi You slowly pulled his stall door shut and held his breath without moving.
More than ten seconds passed.
The man’s screams suddenly stopped.
Then, accompanied by a large pool of blood flowing into Chi You’s stall, a chilling chewing sound came from next door.
Zombies loved human brains.
Chi You could already picture the scene.
The woman, now transformed into a zombie, had used her powerful claws to tear open the man’s skull and was frantically devouring his brain and surrounding bone fragments.
Holding his breath, Chi You remained motionless like a stone statue.
It didn’t take long for a zombie to consume a human brain.
After finishing its meal, it would inevitably be drawn away by the screams outside.
Just as Chi You expected, a loud crash echoed shortly afterward, followed by rapid footsteps.
Only when the footsteps completely disappeared did he finally let out a long breath and push open the stall door.
The first thing he saw was the treasure chest.
The second was a trail of bloody footprints stretching from the stall all the way outside.
He glanced at the dead man inside the neighboring stall.
Not only had his skull been forcibly torn open, but everything below was also a mangled mess of flesh and blood.
Getting attacked by your zombie girlfriend during that kind of activity…
If the man ever reincarnated with his memories intact, the psychological trauma alone would probably leave him impotent for life.
When the man and woman entered the stall earlier, Chi You had already considered the possibility that one of them might become a zombie.
However, he couldn’t drive them out beforehand.
At the time, the apocalypse was still five minutes away.
If he had revealed himself and gotten tangled up in an argument, attracting more people, he would have been finished.
There was no need for him to interfere.
There had only been three possible outcomes.
Either both of them remained human.
Both became zombies.
Or only one transformed.
If both stayed human, they would inevitably be attracted to the treasure chest.
In that case, Chi You could easily eliminate them.
As for the other two outcomes, it didn’t really matter.
In an enclosed space, the zombies could pose a threat to him.
But with endless screams coming from outside, any zombie would immediately be drawn away.
Stepping forward, Chi You opened the treasure chest.
Unlike many other treasure chests, this one wasn’t locked.
It required neither waiting time nor lockpicking skills.
With a click, the lid opened.
Inside lay three cards.
Chi You picked them up.
The treasure chest immediately dissolved into countless particles of light and vanished.
He examined the cards.
[Weapon: Ice Jade (Evolvable)]
[Type: Long Saber]
[Grade: Sub-Legendary]
[Durability: 150/150]
Attributes: All four primary attributes increased by 10%
Special Attribute: Frost Resistance +30% (reduces frost damage received and associated negative status effects)
[Special Effect 1: Power of Ice Crystal. Deals additional frost damage to enemies.]
[Special Effect 2: Attacks ignore 10% of the target’s armor.]
[Special Effect 3: While out of combat, Ice Jade automatically restores 5 durability per hour.]
[Special Effect 4: Locked]
[Special Effect 5: Locked]
[Additional Skill 1: Locked]
[Additional Skill 2: Locked]
[Kills Required for Upgrade: 2,000]
[Equipment Requirement: None]
Just like in his previous life, neither the weapon nor its attributes had changed.
The Long Saber, Ice Jade.
It had been the weapon Chi You used until his death.
Although it was only Sub-Legendary Grade, after completing its three evolutions, its attributes were no weaker than those of a Legendary weapon.
Furthermore, it could unlock a series of set-equipment quests. Once the full set was assembled, a complete Sub-Legendary set could rival scattered Legendary equipment.
Of course, this wasn’t because Chi You possessed heaven-defying luck.
In reality, everything had merely been prepared as a gift for the protagonist.
After Chi You died, the weapon naturally fell into the protagonist’s hands.
It became one of his favorite weapons.
Eventually, after obtaining an even stronger Divine weapon, the protagonist gave Ice Jade to one of the women in his harem.
In his previous life, Chi You had been the perfect stepping stone.
He trained the protagonist.
Delivered resources.
Delivered weapons.
Delivered subordinates.
And in the end, delivered his own life.
Chi You tore open the card.
A freezing aura swept through the surroundings.
He reached into the ball of light and drew out a long blade.
The weapon measured 1.6 meters in total length.
A blue crystal was embedded within its dark-gold hilt.
When he removed the silver-blue scabbard, a blade covered in frost was revealed, radiating astonishing cold.
“Old friend, we meet again.”
Chi You chuckled softly before looking at the remaining two cards.
Just like before, they contained a skill book and an accessory.
Skill Book: [Frost Strike (Cannot Be Upgraded)]
Activation Requirement: Must wield a frost-attribute weapon or wear an accessory that grants frost-attribute attacks.
Skill Description: Deals frost damage equal to 300% of the user’s strength attribute and has a chance to inflict the Frozen status.
Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Learning Requirement: Blade Mastery LV7 or above.
…
[Accessory: Featherfall Ring]
[Grade: Gold Grade]
[Attribute: Spirit +1]
[Skill: Featherfall (reduces falling damage by 90%; cooldown 10 minutes; duration 3 minutes)]
[Equipment Requirement: None.]