Jiang Chen hid behind the abandoned train car, continuing to observe the battle at the entrance of the Supply Station.
After a period of chaotic fighting, the situation had undergone some subtle changes.
The initial chaotic momentum of the monster raid had passed. Some unlucky individuals who were too slow to react or too weak had already permanently fallen beside the cold railway tracks, becoming ghosts under the monsters' claws. Their blood stained the sand black, and the scent of blood in the air grew thicker.
The survivors were either somewhat capable and intelligent, or exceptionally lucky.
At this moment, they were roughly divided into several groups.
A small portion of people, seeing the unfavorable situation, had quietly retreated to their own trains, tightly closing the doors. They clearly intended to just tough out the 30-minute stopover time, prioritizing their lives. They chickened out, but not entirely; staying alive was the ultimate truth.
Most people were still entangled in battle with the monsters. The number of those dark-red monsters seemed to have decreased somewhat, and there were several puddles of black liquid left by dead monsters on the ground, as well as a few crystals emitting a faint red glow.
A few bold survivors, after killing a monster, would quickly rush forward to pick up the crystal, then immediately retreat, vigilantly looking around.
People die for wealth, and birds die for food. This principle is eternal.
Jiang Chen noticed that among these survivors, a few individuals stood out particularly.
A burly bald man, wielding a fire axe, struck with immense force with every swing. Several monsters had already perished under his axe. He was covered in blood, both from monsters and himself, but his momentum grew stronger with each battle.
There was also a young man wearing a baseball cap, exceptionally agile, who used two daggers to weave through the monster horde, specifically attacking vital points like their eyes and joints with high efficiency.
“It seems not all survivors are soft targets,” Jiang Chen thought to himself.
However, deeper within the Supply Station, monsters still seemed to be active, with occasional low growls that kept people on edge.
“Going in now still carries significant risk,” Jiang Chen assessed the situation.
But the unknown metal box in the central area held an irresistible allure for him.
Based on previous experience, such unknown items, when enhanced by his Infinite Amplification talent, were likely to turn into unexpected surprises.
“I can't wait any longer, time is limited.” Jiang Chen glanced at his wrist; although he had no watch, he could feel the passage of time. Nearly one-third of the 30-minute stopover had already passed.
He had to act quickly.
Just as he was about to move, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
“My amplification talent's description says it can amplify attributes!”
Jiang Chen's heart pounded.
Before, he had always focused on amplifying items, but he had overlooked himself!
If he could amplify his own attributes... wouldn't his combat power skyrocket?
He still had 5 basic amplification opportunities left.
“Should I... try it?” Jiang Chen licked his somewhat dry lips, a flicker of excitement and anticipation in his eyes.
In an apocalyptic environment, any increase in strength could mean the difference between life and death.
“If I can enhance my physical fitness, then I'll have a much greater chance of success in my next actions!”
Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.
He no longer hesitated, concentrating his mind and directing his will towards himself.
“Basic Amplification! Target: Overall physical fitness!”
As his will was given, a gentle yet immense pale golden warm current, far more so than when amplifying items before, suddenly surged from his heart. Like a breaching river, it instantly swept through his limbs, bones, and every single cell!
“Ugh!”
Jiang Chen couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
He felt his muscles trembling slightly, his bones making subtle sounds, and the speed of his blood flow seemed to have greatly accelerated. An indescribable sense of comfort and power continuously surged from deep within his body.
His body, which had been slightly fatigued from the Crossing and previous actions, now felt as if it had been injected with endless vitality!
This feeling... was truly marvelous!
It was like rain after a long drought, or a butterfly emerging from its cocoon!
The entire process lasted about ten seconds.
When the warm current slowly integrated into every corner of his body, Jiang Chen opened his eyes.
His gaze became brighter, sharper!
He gently clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body.
【Notification: Your basic physical functions have received a 2x amplification. Strength, agility, reaction speed, stamina, and recovery ability have all significantly improved. This amplification is a permanent intrinsic enhancement.】
In his mind, the system's notification sound rang out at the opportune moment.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, feeling the air become much fresher, and his five senses grew sharper. He could clearly hear the faint sounds of distant combat and see objects further away in the dust.
He tried a light jump, and his body was so light it felt weightless, easily leaping over a meter high! He landed silently!
“This... is this the effect of attribute amplification?” Jiang Chen felt the changes in his body, and a colossal wave surged in his heart.
Too strong!
Just a basic 2x amplification had brought about earth-shattering changes in his physical fitness!
He felt like he could punch a cow to death right now! (Of course, this was just an illusion.)
If he was just an ordinary office worker before, now he had initially gained the potential of a superhuman!
“Hahahahaha! Infinite Amplification talent! Forever divine!” Jiang Chen roared with laughter in his mind.
This was the true treatment of a protagonist in a power fantasy novel!
What apocalypse survival? In front of my BUG-level talent, all difficulties are paper tigers!
He glanced at his attribute panel; the status column still read 'Healthy', but Jiang Chen knew that behind those simple two words lay a completely different meaning.
Now, he had even more confidence to venture into the central area of that Supply Station.
He switched his multi-functional tactical entrenching shovel from his right hand to his left, stretched his limbs, and felt the power surging within him.
“Second metal box, here I come!”
Jiang Chen once again lowered his stance, but this time, his movements were swifter and more silent than before.
The gravel and sand under his feet seemed unable to hinder his steps. Like a nimble cat, he weaved through abandoned train carriages, collapsed walls, and scattered debris, quickly making his way towards the half-collapsed office building ruins in the center of the Supply Station.
Along the way, he also saw traces of battle.
Several human corpses, horribly disfigured. There were also several puddles of black liquid left by monsters and scattered red crystals.
Jiang Chen didn't pick up those crystals.
Although those crystals were certainly useful, his primary goal right now was the unknown metal box. Moreover, the areas around those crystals often meant that battles had occurred there, which might attract other survivors or residual monsters.
The less trouble, the better.
Soon, he arrived near the half-collapsed office building ruins.
This building should have been three or four stories high originally, but now only broken walls remained. Large amounts of concrete blocks, twisted rebar, and shattered glass were scattered everywhere, looking like a complete mess.
According to the memory from the wide-area scan, the metal box was in a corner of these ruins, partially buried under some collapsed precast slabs.
At this moment, this area was relatively quiet, and the sounds of distant battle also seemed to have lessened considerably.
But Jiang Chen did not relax his vigilance.
The quieter a place, the greater the danger often lurking within.
He carefully skirted around several large concrete slabs, his gaze vigilantly sweeping the surroundings.
Suddenly, his steps paused.
Not far in front of him, in a corner shrouded in shadow, he saw several dark-red monsters!
Three in total.
They seemed not to have noticed Jiang Chen, and were circling a dismembered survivor's corpse, gnawing at it with a horrifying “crunch, crunch” sound.
Jiang Chen's brows furrowed.
These three monsters were directly blocking his path to the metal box.
“It seems a battle is inevitable,” Jiang Chen tightened his grip on the multi-functional tactical entrenching shovel.
After the attribute amplification, he was eager to test his skills!
He didn't rush forward recklessly, but first observed the terrain.
The position of the three monsters had some collapsed walls and piled-up debris nearby, which could serve as cover and leverage points.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, lowered his center of gravity, and then suddenly exerted force!
His figure shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, silently!
The improvement in agility was fully displayed at this moment!
Almost the instant Jiang Chen moved, the three monsters, who were gnawing on the corpse, seemed to sense something. They suddenly raised their heads, their crimson eyes locking onto the charging Jiang Chen, letting out threatening growls!
But Jiang Chen's speed was too fast!
Before they could react further, Jiang Chen had already rushed to the nearest monster!
The multi-functional tactical entrenching shovel in his hand cut through the air with a fierce cold glint, accompanied by the sound of wind, and fiercely struck the monster's head!
“Pfft!”
A sickening thud!
The sharp shovel blade easily cut through the monster's hard skull, embedding itself deeply within!
Dark-red blood and brain matter instantly splattered out!
The monster didn't even have time to scream, its body twitched violently once, then it crashed to the ground, lifeless!
Killed in one blow!
Jiang Chen himself was somewhat surprised.
He knew he had become stronger after the attribute amplification, but he hadn't expected to be this strong!
This multi-functional tactical entrenching shovel in his hand was practically a divine weapon!
Seeing this, the other two monsters immediately let out an angry roar, and lunged at Jiang Chen simultaneously, one from the left and one from the right!
Their speed was extremely fast, and sharp fangs gleamed in their wide-open, blood-filled mouths!
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed; he didn't retreat, but advanced!
He violently pulled out the entrenching shovel stuck in the first monster's head, bringing with it a spray of blood, then twisted his body to the left, dodging the monster's pounce from the right!
At the same time, the entrenching shovel in his hand swept horizontally!
“Clang!”
The side of the entrenching shovel slammed heavily into the waist of the monster pouncing from the left!
“Ow!”
The monster let out a mournful shriek, its body flying sideways as if hit by a speeding car, crashing heavily against a concrete slab with a dull thud, the sound of bones breaking clearly audible.
It struggled on the ground a few times, then stopped moving.
Only the last monster remained!
That monster seemed to be intimidated by Jiang Chen's ferocity, and its pouncing momentum paused slightly.
But Jiang Chen wouldn't give it a chance to breathe!
He pushed off with his foot, his body charging forward again, the entrenching shovel in his hand turning into an afterimage, aiming straight for the monster's throat!
Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!
“Pfft!”
The shovel blade precisely sliced open the monster's throat!
A large amount of fresh blood gushed out like a fountain!
The monster whimpered, its claws futilely clawing at the air a few times, then it softly collapsed.
In just over ten seconds, all three ferocious dark-red monsters were killed by Jiang Chen's entrenching shovel!
Clean and decisive!
Jiang Chen stood in place, slightly out of breath, but with a flush of excitement on his face.
Strong! Too strong!
This pleasure of controlling power and dominating life and death made him somewhat addicted!
He looked down at his hands, then at the entrenching shovel covered in monster blood.
“It seems I'm naturally suited for this apocalyptic life,” Jiang Chen chuckled self-deprecatingly.
If he were still in his original world, he might have remained an ordinary office worker his entire life, toiling for a living.
But here, with the Infinite Amplification talent, he could unleash such powerful strength!
Fate, this thing, was truly damn strange.
After the three monsters died, they also turned into three puddles of black liquid, leaving behind three crystals emitting a faint red glow.
Jiang Chen walked over and picked up the three crystals.
【Name: Inferior Energy Core】
【Type: Material / Consumable】
【Effect: Contains a small amount of chaotic energy, can be used to power certain devices, not recommended for direct absorption, has side effects.】
【Note: The energy core of low-level mutated creatures, better than nothing.】
“Inferior Energy Core...” Jiang Chen looked at the crystals in his hand.
“Amplify!”
He placed the three crystals together and activated his talent.
Light flashed.
【Name: Standard Energy Core】
【Type: Material / Consumable】
【Effect: Contains relatively pure energy, can be used to power various devices, or to supplement one's own energy in small amounts.】
【Quantity: 3】
【Note: Purified energy core, widely used, one of the hard currencies in the apocalypse.】
“Not bad.” Jiang Chen nodded in satisfaction, putting the three Standard Energy Cores into his backpack.
With the monsters dealt with, he could finally search for the metal box with peace of mind.
He walked to the location he had scanned earlier, and sure enough, under a pile of collapsed precast slabs and concrete blocks, a corner of a metal box was exposed.
Most of the box was buried, with only a small part visible.
Jiang Chen stepped forward, grabbed the exposed corner, took a deep breath, and exerted force!
“Heave!”
After the attribute amplification, his strength far surpassed that of an ordinary person!
With a series of grating “creak, creak” sounds, those heavy precast slabs and concrete blocks were actually pried open by him, creating a gap!
Jiang Chen pressed on, his arm muscles bulging, veins throbbing!
“Get up!”
“Rumble!”
The obstacles pressing on the metal box were completely overturned to the side by him, revealing the full extent of the metal box.
It was a silver-white briefcase, appearing to be made of alloy, with a smooth surface and a sense of technology. The box wasn't large, about the size of a regular briefcase, but it felt quite heavy.
There was no password lock on it, only a small fingerprint recognition area.
“Fingerprint recognition?” Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “I can't open this thing.”
However, he had the Infinite Amplification talent!