Chapter 23: The Art of Felling

After taking a nap in the lounge and eating an early dinner, Fang Heng returned to the game.

[Prompt: During your offline period, your zombie cleaners cleared the prison plaza and collected: Evolution Crystal Shards *41, Recipe - Espresso, Precision Parts *3, Skill Book - The Art of Logging *1, Scrap *2...]

Skill books? And an espresso recipe?

These were all good things!

With a flicker of interest, Fang Heng immediately set to work prying open the reinforced wooden boards on the window and climbed through into the prison plaza.

The zombies in the prison plaza had already been cleared out completely.

*Clatter!*

The moment his feet hit the ground, Fang Heng abruptly turned his head to look at the building nearby.

"Huh?"

The lights were on inside Building No. 3.

According to the game's background description, more than a month had passed since the zombie outbreak. How could there still be lights on in this building?

Fang Heng was greatly surprised.

"Maybe it's the backup emergency power in the prison system..." Fang Heng muttered to himself.

His zombie clones shuffled toward him one by one, dropping the collected supplies on the ground.

Fang Heng flipped open one of the white skill books.

Skill Book - The Art of Logging.

Description: Upon reading, you will master this skill, which slightly increases logging speed and provides a small chance to obtain resources such as seeds, berries, and honey after cutting down trees. This skill can be leveled up to a maximum of LV: 30 (skill level cannot exceed the current player level).

A skill that was better than nothing.

It seemed that in the future, he could fill his stomach just by having the zombies chop down trees.

Recipe - Espresso.

Description: Learn the method for making espresso.

Effect: After drinking espresso, you will enter an "Exhilarated" state for 12 continuous hours. During this state, energy recovery speed is increased by 100%. After 12 hours, you will fall into a state of "Severe Fatigue."

Additional Note: Continuous use of espresso can further extend the duration of the Exhilarated state, but you will also suffer additional penalties in terms of the "Severe Fatigue" effect and duration.

Good stuff!

Espresso could alleviate drowsiness with an effect comparable to a "stimulant"; it had always been considered emergency supplies in the game.

It was just that the coffee beans required to make it were not easy to come by.

A bountiful harvest!

Fang Heng tapped the skill book and recipe against his forehead.

[Prompt: You have learned the skill - The Art of Logging.]

[Prompt: You have learned how to make espresso; your Cooking skill experience +30.]

Next...

Fang Heng narrowed his eyes and observed the situation within the prison once more.

There was still about half an hour before sunset.

According to his original plan, Fang Heng should leave immediately and return to the shelter quickly before sunset.

However, the light emanating from Building No. 3 changed his mind.

Under normal circumstances, due to the darkness of night, visibility is short and danger increases significantly.

But this office building before him had ample lighting.

Furthermore, having slept for an entire day, Fang Heng was currently full of energy.

He wouldn't be able to sleep if he went back anyway; he might as well take this time to explore.

Having made up his mind, Fang Heng controlled his zombie clones to clear the path ahead as they cautiously approached Building No. 3.

The main doors could not be opened; they had been locked from the inside.

According to the signposts, Buildings No. 1 and No. 2 were prisoner housing, while Building No. 3 was the office building for prison staff.

Through the glass in the windows, Fang Heng could clearly see zombies wandering inside the building.

Fang Heng did not enter Building No. 3 immediately; instead, he ran to the entrances of Buildings No. 1 and No. 2 to observe.

The doors to Buildings No. 1 and No. 2 were both locked from the outside with thick iron chains.

"It looks like the zombie virus first broke out in Buildings 1 and 2 where the prisoners were held, so the guards locked them up in advance," Fang Heng speculated.

But strangely, both buildings were exceptionally quiet.

Fang Heng tried approaching the door of Building No. 2 again, pressing his ear against it.

There wasn't a single sound. It was so quiet that it felt eerie to Fang Heng.

That didn't make sense.

If it were full of zombies, it shouldn't be this quiet.

Frowning deeply, feeling that something was still off, he picked up a small stone hammer and tried tapping the iron chain.

*Thud!*

The chain locking the door had a durability of 500,000 points; a single strike from the small stone hammer only removed 7 points.

Relying solely on the small stone hammer, it would take at least two or three days to hammer it open.

"Quite tough..." Fang Heng muttered to himself.

With the doors locked so tightly, even if there were mutated zombies inside, they wouldn't be able to get out for a while.

He could ignore Buildings 1 and 2 for now and proceed directly to clearing Building No. 3.

He could establish a player shelter using Building No. 3 as a base, and then find a way to deal with the zombies in Buildings 1 and 2 gradually later on.

If everything went smoothly, he could complete his plan to relocate the prison by tomorrow!

After all, there was currently a group of villains eyeing his small wooden cabin, and Fang Heng couldn't rest easy.

The sooner he could move, the better!

Having decided, Fang Heng sent a message via the survival radio to Liao Bufan, informing him that he wouldn't be returning to the shelter tonight. Afterward, he led his zombie clones back to Building No. 3.

It was time to smash the doors!

The zombie clones all raised their small stone hammers.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

After a series of strikes, the doors to Building No. 3 were completely destroyed in just a few minutes.

"Uuugh..."

The zombies lurking inside the office building smelled the presence of the living and began to shuffle toward the door.

The zombie clones blocked the entrance, holding wooden spears to meet the enemy.

The zombies surging out of the building fell in waves, like wheat being harvested.

...

The sun gradually set.

[Prompt: The sun has set. Amidst the darkness, you feel an unspeakable fear.]

[Prompt: At night, staying in the wild for a long time will make you feel uneasy, entering the 'Darkness Fear' state.]

[Prompt: Please find a building to take shelter in as soon as possible.]

The last zombie to shuffle out of Building No. 3 collapsed in front of Fang Heng.

Hundreds more zombie corpses now lay on the prison plaza.

The interior of Building No. 3 had also fallen completely silent.

Fang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and stepped inside.

[Prompt: You have entered a building containing danger. You cannot confirm if this building is safe, but it can provide you with minimal shelter in the dark of night.]

[Prompt: The protection of the house and the comfortable lighting make you feel less afraid.]

[Prompt: You are no longer affected by Darkness Fear.]

Walking into the interior of Building No. 3, Fang Heng looked around.

The office building looked as if it had experienced an apocalypse; bloodstains could be seen everywhere, and various documents were scattered across the floor.

Fang Heng took out a newly crafted wooden door from his backpack, installed it at the entrance, and then reinforced it with two layers of wooden boards.

Done!

This way, he wouldn't have to worry about being ambushed by zombies from behind.

Then, Fang Heng commanded the zombies on the spot to search the entire building and attack all visible zombies.

He would let the zombie clones clear the building first to reduce the risk.

Fang Heng had always been cautious.

After issuing the idle command, he sat down where he was, built a campfire, and began soaking instant noodles in hot water.

(End of Chapter)