“Phase Shift.”
“Every two hours, you can teleport with a maximum distance of no more than twenty meters.”
“During the teleportation, none of your physical attributes can drop below 10% of their original value, and your mental energy must not fall below 20%. When using this skill, the destination must be within your line of sight, and there should be no obstacles exceeding 50% of your height between you and the destination.”
“Teleportation only applies to the equipped individual. If the body is restrained or the weight of carried items exceeds 50% of the body’s weight, the skill becomes ineffective.”
Ye Zhongming looked at the almost invisible ring on his hand and felt excited as he read about the Phase Shift skill.
Although it was just one ability, Ye Zhongming’s mind was filled with ideas on how to use it to kill enemies.
A sudden ambush before the battle begins, a sneak attack from behind the target after the battle starts, or even using the skill to escape quickly if the opponent proves too strong.
These were just the simplest applications. Combined with teammates or other skills, it could be used to execute more advanced tactics.
This skill was undoubtedly superb.
However, he quickly calmed down, realizing he was getting ahead of himself.
First, he didn’t have a fixed blueprint for crafting this equipment. He had relied on his top-tier smith job and high-quality materials. The ring’s level was only silver. For an item with such a powerful ability, being silver grade was clearly inconsistent with its value.
Second, Ye Zhongming still didn’t understand why his experiments with weapons, armor, and other equipment had failed, while only accessories succeeded. Was it just a coincidence, or were space abilities only suitable for accessories?
Moreover, he didn’t know if the ability he would get from crafting such equipment again would still be Phase Shift. If not, what would it be?
Ye Zhongming couldn’t answer these questions on his own. He didn’t want to engage in baseless speculation, so he decided to ask Liu Zhenghong for more of those eggs so that he could conduct more experiments and verify his theories.
As he left the room, he ran into Xia Lei, who was walking with Shasha and Bai Feng, followed by a few others. Seeing Ye Zhongming, Xia Lei was the first to approach.
The big sister of Cloud Peak glanced curiously at the new ring on Ye Zhongming’s hand, wondering why her man was wearing silver-grade equipment.
The silver glow of the Phase Shift ring stood out awkwardly among Ye Zhongming’s otherwise blue or colorless equipment.
Ye Zhongming immediately understood that these were likely the leaders of factions who had agreed to manage territories under Cloud Peak’s banner. He glanced at them and quickly assessed the situation, which was roughly what he had expected.
“Let’s talk as we walk,” Ye Zhongming said, pointing ahead and leading the way. The group quickly followed.
“Your choices may mean that, after some time, you will be inseparable from Cloud Peak. Have you all thought this through?”
Hearing this, the group nodded in unison. Bai Feng spoke up, “Don’t worry, Boss Ye. Like I said before, I’ve always wanted to join Cloud Peak. It’s just that… the more I’ve seen of Cloud Peak while being around you, the more I feel that this is how humans should live. What we’ve been doing on our own is like being wild, uncivilized beasts.”
The other leaders nodded in agreement.
In the apocalypse, everyone used to think that the ones who lived well were those who had “people and guns.” They could exploit their subordinates’ resources and have others risk their lives for them. Although being a leader came with its own set of troubles and could be exhausting, it was still worth it for the benefits.
However, after seeing how Cloud Peak operated, their perspective had fundamentally changed. Cloud Peak’s model was completely different from other organizations. Every individual was an integral part of the whole, and at the very least, they were treated with respect and fairness.
You didn’t need to overthink things; you followed orders, and naturally, you’d receive equipment and evolution potions.
As for risking your life? Well, in the apocalypse, everyone risked their lives. You had to take risks even as a leader; sometimes, it was even more dangerous. They weren’t foolish; they knew that Cloud Peak’s mortality rate was much lower compared to their own teams. Evolved in Cloud Peak’s combat ranks were safer, especially once they reached the rank of squad leader.
So, they had developed a desire to join Cloud Peak but lacked the opportunity.
Now, the opportunity had come. Although it wasn’t direct membership, they believed this was a test. Over time, they would naturally become part of Cloud Peak.
“Alright,” Ye Zhongming nodded. “Since you’ve trusted Cloud Peak, I won’t let you down. During your process of gaining control over your territories, Cloud Peak will send troops to support you, but you will still be the main force. Cloud Peak will only assist. Additionally, you will receive a batch of weapons and equipment for free. The quantity will vary based on the size of your teams. Middle-ranking members of your teams will each receive three pieces of green-grade equipment, while leaders will receive three pieces each—one blue and two green. As for which parts, you can decide and report them to Xia Lei.”
Everyone was thrilled.
Even as leaders of their respective factions, they didn’t have full sets of green-grade equipment. They had purchased some from Cloud Peak before, but they could even get blue-grade gear this time. Naturally, they were excited. Even Bai Feng and Shasha, leaders of larger factions, were tempted by the prospect of blue-grade equipment.
Even Cloud Peak’s core members didn’t yet have full sets of blue-grade equipment.
“In the future, when you trade with Cloud Peak’s headquarters, you’ll enjoy internal prices 20% lower than those for other territories.”
This was another huge benefit. A 20% discount meant they paid 80% of the standard price, almost half the external rate.
“In the future, you’ll also receive other benefits for free, such as defensive equipment, battle beasts, potions, scrolls, and more. But this will depend on your performance.”
After saying this, Ye Zhongming signaled to Xia Lei to lead the group away while he himself returned to Liu Zhenghong’s Life Gene Laboratory.
