novelraw Chapter 317 I don't have it either!
Chapter 317 I don't have it either!
The convoy slowly drove away from the river and headed towards the abandoned mooring area.
They were not greeted by the expected deathly silence, but by the wind that welcomed the visitors.
Unlike the stagnant, damp winds on the mudflats, the winds here are fiercer and more intense.
But it also carries the salty, fishy smell unique to the water.
At the edge of the berth, one can vaguely see the collapsed concrete wharf, broken mooring bollards, and several equally dilapidated warehouse-style buildings with collapsed roofs.
Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and salt frost, gleaming blindingly in the blood-red sun.
The river port wasn't large, but the signs of human life were overwhelming.
Everyone was imagining how prosperous this place must have been before the apocalypse.
"This place... is really desolate." Tashan's tone was filled with undisguised disappointment.
"Let's rest here for today! Everyone, quickly search this place and take anything useful! Remember, no one should act alone!"
Fu Xiaojian scanned the berth; there wasn't much to search, but the warehouses might yield some valuable finds.
Everyone except Xu Si got moving.
Xu Si is now all alone. Apart from Nirvana's embezzlement, the supplies in his car are enough for him to live on for a year, so he doesn't need any supplies.
What he cared more about was the [Sword of Punishment] in his hand, which was about to be upgraded.
【00:02:17】
【00:02:16】
……
[Item upgrade complete!]
[Current Wonder: Sword of Punishment]
[Rank: 379]
Feature 1: Judgment of Justice
Description: As the adjudicator, you can choose to issue a direct judgment on the target's actions. The Sword of Punishment will determine the outcome automatically. Success: The target will be poisoned; Failure: The wielder will be poisoned. (Note: Dare to gamble, bro?)
Feature 2: Self-defense
Description: When the target attacks you first, no judgment is needed; the target automatically enters a poisoned state. During this state, the target's spirit and status are significantly and continuously weakened, while the holder's spirit and status are continuously and cumulatively weakened. (Note: Everything that is detrimental to me becomes beneficial to me.)
Feature 3: Unlimited spending
Description: Water has no fixed form, and a sword has no fixed shape. If one sword isn't enough, then take a hundred million more! (Note: The more you take, the more you have to give back.)
[Price: Those who act against their conscience will be condemned by this sword!]
[Comment: This is a double-edged sword. (Note: Compromise is only made with those who are fair.)]
As expected of a level 5 loot, its ranking is even higher than [Sanctuary Spirit], [Time Badge], and [Heart of the Ice Abyss].
Xu Si slowly drew his sword.
It didn't radiate the cold light I had imagined.
On the dark metal, fine, hair-like crystal patterns flowed slightly, presenting an eerie luster of interwoven dark green and multicolored light, as if viscous venom was slowly writhing inside the sword.
Along the spine of the sword, a thin, scarlet line runs from beginning to end, like congealed blood or the marks of judgment.
The "texture" of the sword also became extraordinary.
It still has the heavy feel of metal when held in your hand.
However, it also possesses a gentle, tender quality, making the sword seem as if it were custom-made to fit his hand shape.
Although he rarely used his hand to wield a sword, this strange feeling captivated him.
He tried to put a sliver of his intention into it.
Om-!
The sword trembled slightly, and the thin crimson line suddenly lit up, sending a cold, rational, and emotionless "gaze" through the hilt.
However, the characteristic of "just judgment" was not activated.
Goals? Conditions? Shortcomings?
Xu Si frowned slightly.
This feature... is quite unique.
He temporarily suppressed the urge to conduct the experiment.
It seems we still need to find a suitable opponent; this is not the right place.
"bass……"
Xu Si skillfully swung his sword back into its sheath without the slightest hesitation; even he himself didn't realize that his swordsmanship was now quite proficient.
Ranked 379th, even higher than Yi Yi, the potential of this sword probably far exceeds his imagination.
Outside the vehicle, the team members who had been exploring the parking lot had already returned one after another.
Apart from some rusted tool parts, rotten ropes, and cargo remains that were no longer recognizable, almost nothing was found.
The stranded ships were riddled with holes by silt and moisture, and valuable items had long since been lost.
"Apart from a few bundles of rotten wood that can barely be used as firewood, there's nothing left." Tashan, not knowing whether he had dismantled the stakes on the shore, suddenly threw them on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Fu Xiaojian wasn't surprised. After so long since the apocalypse, it would be a miracle if something remained intact in a place completely exposed to moisture.
"Alright, let's pack up and get ready to set up camp. That's all for today. Everyone should get some rest this afternoon. We'll set off early tomorrow morning, and the rest of the journey will be easier!"
The rebirth was just announced, and it seems we've returned to the beginning, with straight roads and an ever-present, lingering fog.
It was just past noon, and Fu Xiaojian gave this order so that everyone could regroup and linger a little longer in this human remnant.
Previously, we had driven through the desert and then through the mudflats, which took several times more physical and mental energy than driving on land.
Physical fatigue can be relieved, but mental fatigue can only be recovered slowly on its own.
As the team leader, Fu Xiaojian knew he couldn't put too much pressure on everyone.
At this moment, Lin Zhennan returned with Hinata Aoi and the others.
"What's this?" Fu Xiaojian asked, noticing a black box-like object in the other man's hand.
"Don't even mention it, everything's rotten. We just salvaged a half-used walkie-talkie from the captain's cabin to see if it could be used as a spare part!"
Despite not gaining much, the group didn't seem too disappointed.
Each item, decayed beyond repair, reminds them of experiences from some unknown time.
"This is a cruise ship, it goes on the water. Didn't Daddy take you on one before?"
"These are shipping containers, used for loading cargo onto ships, but unfortunately they're too rotten to be used!"
As Wang Hu walked, he earnestly explained to Yao Yao the things that were both familiar and unfamiliar.
He feared that the longer time passed, the fewer these human remains would remain, and the less likely he would be to see them.
Until one day they all disappear completely, no one remembers them, and people even doubt whether they ever existed.
Until memory becomes memory.
"I've never seen it before!"
"I don't have any either!"
DouDou, DouBao, and the others listened even more attentively than YaoYao.
……
The group began to clear a relatively clean area, lit a campfire, and prepared dinner.
The atmosphere was somewhat somber, but not oppressive.
The fatigue from trekking on the mudflats for several consecutive days made everyone somewhat lose the desire to talk.
It felt like a ship that had been adrift at sea for months, and you were bored with everything.
Fu Xiaojian also noticed this situation; it seemed that since the apocalypse, humans were slowly losing their social abilities.
Even someone as cheerful as Jiao Jiao deliberately avoids excessive social interaction.
This was almost inevitable.
No one could stop it from happening.
Even if a safe zone is established.
Even if human society is reshaped.
Xu Si believes this is an irreversible process.