Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Ying Yuanxing packed the newly crafted bombs into a box. Glancing at the nearly full container, he then fashioned another row of wooden boxes.

Thankfully, the bombs stored in boxes wouldn't detonate; otherwise, so many packed together would be utterly terrifying.

Previously, Ying Yuanxing hadn't made many bombs, partly due to insufficient resources and partly because bombs could harm both enemies and himself.

Reality wasn't a game where damage merely meant losing HP; it meant real pain. Consequently, Ying Yuanxing hadn't stockpiled many bombs.

But now, with a boon from the Consciousness of the Weird World, he discovered that the damage he dealt wouldn't harm him but could kill other Weird creatures. Naturally, he began aggressively stockpiling bombs.

Even if a single bomb's power wasn't overwhelming, throwing an entire set would undoubtedly be devastating.

Ying Yuanxing hadn't yet tested the full force of a bomb set—after all, the cost was high, and the explosion would surely be massive. He wasn't bold enough to casually test it.

But if anyone were foolish enough to provoke him, they'd get a taste of his bombs.

Though no Weird creature had experienced a full bomb set yet, some had already experienced the blast of a single bomb.

……

Xia State’s border.

Compared to other regions, the Dawn Bureau’s rescue teams here bore far heavier responsibilities due to their proximity to neighboring countries.

Four years into the apocalypse, Xia State remained relatively stable, but nearby smaller nations weren't as fortunate. Some still maintained a nominal government, while others had fractured entirely, reverting to warlord rule.

Of course, these so-called warlords were merely armed individuals who bullied ordinary people. They might have acquired a few Weird Artifacts to barely resist Weird creatures, but against humans, they were ruthless.

With the emergence of the JoyBuy app, ordinary people could now exchange emotions for Weird coins, drastically altering their circumstances. Governments and warlords imposed Weird coin taxes, squeezing civilians dry and making life unbearable for neighboring populations.

Naturally, this oppression attracted hordes of Weird creatures. Since Weird creatures didn't discriminate by borders, many spilled over into Xia State.

"Captain Meng, a Weird creature is approaching rapidly from your ten o’clock direction," a voice crackled over the radio.

Meng Liqun looked up and saw a Weird creature sprinting toward him, clearly being pursued closely from behind.

Assessing the Weird creature’s size, Meng Liqun pulled out a slingshot and loaded a small, fiery-red bomb—a new weapon their team had recently acquired, designed for long-range attacks against Weird creatures.

Honestly, when bombs first appeared, Meng Liqun had been skeptical of their effectiveness. Ying Yuanxing was undoubtedly skilled at growing Weird Plants, but crafting bombs was a whole different field.

Yet he was quickly proven wrong. Ying Yuanxing had wreaked havoc in the mines with his bombs, turning monsters into mere resource dispensers. Witnessing his efficiency, other Weird creatures grew envious—no one mined as efficiently.

While Weird creatures cared about bomb efficiency for mining, humans were more interested in their lethality.

For humans, the most frustrating aspect of fighting Weird creatures was the ineffectiveness of conventional firearms. Only Weird Artifacts and Weird Plants worked, and those couldn't be mass-produced around the clock.

But now, bombs were effective, and Ying Yuanxing’s ore production was high, making them a sustainable weapon.

Watching Ying Yuanxing obliterate monsters with bombs, viewers couldn't help but imagine themselves doing the same—coolly tossing explosives and annihilating Weird creatures.

However, Ying Yuanxing didn't sell bombs to civilians, only supplying them to the Dawn Bureau.

Though Xia people felt some regret, they understood the reasoning.

*"Sure, throwing bombs looks cool, but dodging the aftermath? Not so much."*

*"Even fireworks can burn your hand if you’re careless. Imagine holding a bomb when it goes off—there goes my hand."*

*"Worst-case scenario: You light the bomb but can’t find the Weird. Now what?"*

*"Forget safety—what about property damage? Blow up a Weird in your house, and your home’s wrecked too. Any insurance covering that?"*

*"Leave it to the professionals. Besides, ores aren’t cheap. Saving up for a bomb takes forever—better spend those Weird coins on Weird Food instead."*

Indeed, even rescue teams mostly used bombs in open areas for long-range attacks.

Meng Liqun focused on the Weird creature charging toward him, pulled back the slingshot, adjusted his aim, and launched the bomb.

The bomb soared through the air and struck the Weird creature squarely. Caught off guard, the Weird creature kept running—until the bomb exploded, blasting a gaping hole through its body.

The Weird creature looked down at the gaping hole, then collapsed mid-air. A rescue team member swiftly netted it and secured the capture.

"Captain, when do I get to use one of those bombs?" the teammate asked eagerly, eyeing the slingshot hungrily.

Though Ying Yuanxing sold many bombs, Xia State’s population was vast, and each rescue team’s supply was rationed. Even with extra supplies for border regions, not every member could be armed.

"When you pass the slingshot marksmanship test, you’ll get five small bombs," Meng Liqun replied flatly.

The teammate’s face fell. His poor aim was precisely why he coveted the weapon.

Slingshot accuracy seemed simple but demanded nerves of steel—waiting until the Weird creature entered the bomb’s optimal kill range before firing.

Since Weird creatures could change direction, attacking from too far risked misses. The best strategy was to lure them close before striking, conserving ammunition.

There was also a coordinated attack method—bomb barrages forming an inescapable net—but that was reserved for stronger Weird creatures requiring long-range engagement. Getting too close to such foes was suicidal.

Though their offensive power had improved, human defenses against Weird creatures remained lacking. Previously, facing powerful Weird creatures meant fighting desperately. Now…

Meng Liqun inspected his slingshot carefully, ensuring it hadn't taken damage, then gave it careful maintenance.

"What’s the story with this Weird creature?" he asked while working.

"The usual story. Neighboring regions are exploiting people brutally, attracting Weird creatures left and right," the teammate sighed.

"Captain, I took a quick look—those guys treat humans like livestock. They already taxed 70 Weird coins daily, now it’s up to 100."

The dangers of coercive Weird coin extraction had been exposed before, but only Xia State took it seriously. Other nations briefly feigned concern before resuming their exploitation.

After all, the future was abstract—the present mattered more. Fail to pay, and life became unbearable immediately. That was daily reality abroad.

"Enough. We can’t fix their problems. Focus on training—slack off, and you’ll bleed next encounter," Meng Liqun steered the conversation away.

"Oh, the Bureau’s strawberries are fruiting. Heard many are ripening—wonder how the Power Strawberries taste?" he added, changing the subject.

"Strawberries already? Last I checked, they weren’t even red yet!" The teammate’s gloom vanished instantly, replaced by strawberry-fueled excitement.

"I passed the cafeteria and caught a whiff of their scent. Asked around—turns out some are ready," Meng Liqun said, smiling at the thought.

"Some? So there are still unripe ones?" The team member asked nervously. "Last time my sweetie went to check, our strawberry fruits didn’t seem as big as others', so they must be ripening slower."

"Wrong guess. I asked around, and turns out each plant has at least one ripe strawberry. You’ll definitely get to eat one today."

"Hey, Captain, I heard that after eating the strawberries, we can actually hurt the anomalies just by punching them barehanded. Wonder how strong that hit’ll be?" The team member couldn’t help but voice his curiosity.

Though they had known about this effect before, without trying it themselves, they couldn’t shake the curiosity.

"You’ll find out once you try it. Move it—everyone’s probably waiting for this," Meng Liqun said, shaking his head.

When Meng Liqun returned with the team, he noticed the entire Dawn Bureau staff were spacing out. Though they tried to focus, their eyes kept darting to the cafeteria.

The area behind the cafeteria, originally a flower bed, had been converted into a strawberry greenhouse, just for growing the strawberries the bureau bought.

They could’ve grown their own strawberries, but Dawn Bureau staff were too busy—especially the rescue teams, who might get called out anytime.

If they grew strawberries themselves and were suddenly sent on a mission, failing to water or fertilize them in time, who knows how they’d turn out? It was better to let the bureau handle cultivation collectively. Each plant had a tag to avoid mix-ups.

Seeing that the dispatched rescue team had returned, the bureau chief didn’t hold them back. He just waved them off to go grab their strawberries.

At this command, even the most composed individuals couldn’t help but show a flicker of excitement, bolting for the greenhouse.

Meng Liqun led the charge into the greenhouse. Though the strawberries all looked similar, he headed straight for his plant.

Spotting several red berries on his strawberry plant, Meng Liqun let out a happy gasp.

"Captain, my little darling has ripened one! Look, it’s big, red, and smells amazing—I almost don’t want to pick it."

The team member’s strawberries were planted next to Meng Liqun’s. He stared unblinkingly at his own plant, his voice sugary sweet.

The greenhouse had been quiet as everyone inspected their plants, but the team member’s exclamation shattered the silence, sparking a chorus of voices.

"My sweetie is amazing! Look at this huge strawberry it grew for Daddy—so good, so good!"

"My baby is strong too. This berry might not be the biggest, but the fragrance is way richer than the others."

"My little one grew twins! They’re fused together, but they still look great."

...

"Captain Meng, your strawberry plant..." After gushing over his plant with cringey praise, the team member finally glanced at Meng Liqun’s and froze.

"Captain Meng, you actually have three ripe strawberries!" he exclaimed. Though all three were average-sized, three was a big deal.

The outburst drew everyone’s attention. Many turned to look at Meng Liqun, eyeing him with envy and curiosity.

Even the bureau chief, who had been inspecting his own strawberries, turned toward Meng Liqun.

Carefully, Meng Liqun plucked the three strawberries. Despite knowing they weren’t that fragile, he treated them like glass, afraid of crushing them.

The others followed suit, harvesting their strawberries before migrating from the greenhouse to the cafeteria. Everyone stared at their berries, drooling, fighting the urge to scarf them down.

But since no one in the bureau had eaten yet, they held back out of politeness.

"Alright, skip the speeches. Everyone, enjoy what you’ve grown—this is our first taste of homegrown produce," the bureau chief said briefly before eagerly biting into his strawberry.

The rest of the cafeteria followed suit. Since the greenhouse cultivation was clean, no one even rinsed them—they just dug in.

For a moment, the cafeteria was filled with the sound of happy chewing.

Not only because of the strawberries' unique properties, but also because they were genuinely delicious.

The aroma of the strawberries was rich and enticing, and with the first bite, the tender flesh exploded with flavor, instantly conquering the taste buds and immersing the eater in the fruit's sweetness.

"This strawberry is insanely delicious—a hundred times sweeter than the ones I bought last time," someone exclaimed after taking a bite.

The speaker waited for others to chime in, but when they looked around, everyone was silently savoring their strawberries, too preoccupied to even speak, as if trying to inhale every bit of the fruit's fragrance.

The aroma might not be filling, but it still brought joy.

Seeing the others' reactions, the speaker fell silent too, wordlessly devouring their strawberry.

But no matter how carefully they ate, a single strawberry was only so big. Soon, amid longing stares, the strawberries were all gone, and the cafeteria filled with sighs. Then, many turned their eyes toward Meng Liqun.

Meng Liqun had just finished one strawberry and was reaching for his second when he met the envious stares of his colleagues.

"Brother Meng, we all took care of our strawberries the same way. How come yours ripened three?" someone asked in confusion.

Meng Liqun hesitated before answering, "Maybe it's because I praised the strawberry plants often."

"I praised mine too," another person wondered.

"Maybe Brother Meng has some kind of natural green thumb. We should report this to the research institute—he might get assigned to farming full-time," someone joked.

"Hey, if Brother Meng can figure out how to make three strawberries ripen at once, he’d be a real legend," a colleague added.

Meng Liqun didn’t respond further, quietly finishing his remaining two strawberries. He couldn’t risk saving them—before the strawberries had ripened, the greenhouse had already suffered several attacks.

Once, an anomaly had suddenly appeared and made a beeline for the greenhouse. Other times, wild animals had tried to get in. If not for their strict defenses, the strawberries might have been eaten before they even ripened.

As Meng Liqun ate, none of his colleagues asked to share. With other things, they might have joked about it, but Power Strawberries were too important to take lightly.

Of course, it also helped that while they didn’t have three strawberries, they had at least eaten one. Having at least one softened the envy.

After finishing the strawberries, the Bureau Chief wasted no time testing their effects.

Considering the danger of anomalies, they picked a severely weakened one for the trial.

The anomaly brought forward had claimed many victims. The Dawn Bureau had lost several field agents capturing it. Normally, it should have been executed, but at the time, they lacked the means to fully destroy it, and they also needed anomalies for research, so it had been kept alive until now.

When the anomaly saw the field agents approaching bare-handed to beat it, it let out a derisive snicker. To it, this was just humans lashing out in futile anger.

But when the first staff member stepped forward and socked it hard, the anomaly’s expression changed.

It could actually feel the human’s strength—unlike before, when their blows had passed right through.

The team members lined up, each taking their turn. One of them unleashed a barrage of frantic punches before finally stepping aside under the urging of those behind him—after all, lunch break was short, and everyone wanted a chance to hit the anomaly.

"Captain, the strawberry’s effect is amazing!" the team member marvelled. Before, when they fought anomalies, their strikes had felt like hitting air. Now, it was like hitting something tangible, if faint.

The impact wasn’t strong, but at least they could make contact.

And judging by the anomaly’s expression, it was beginning to sweat.

But as the beating continued, the anomaly relaxed again. It realized that while the humans could touch it now, their strength barely fazed it.

Seeing the anomaly’s cocky grin return, Meng Liqun stepped forward and asked the Director, "Director, can I have a go at it first?"

Others were about to say no cutting in line! when they suddenly remembered something. According to research from the institute, the more Power Strawberries one eats, the greater the increase in strength. Among their group, Meng Liqun had eaten the most.

Their attacks on the weird creature had little effect, but what about Meng Liqun?

"Director, let Old Meng give it a try."

"You got this, Meng!"

...

Seeing everyone else speak up, the director allowed Meng Liqun to go first.

The weird creature grew inexplicably nervous as Meng Liqun stepped forward. Having interacted with humans for so long—albeit as a test subject—this weird creature understood that when humans volunteered, they usually had some confidence.

Noticing the weird creature’s forced calm expression but tense body, Meng Liqun gave a cold smile and delivered a heavy punch.

Unlike the others, he felt as if he had struck a somewhat rubbery net, with noticeable feedback. The weird creature, unable to maintain its composure, was slammed to the ground.

This was partly due to the weird creature’s extreme weakness, but also because Meng Liqun’s strength was substantial.

Everyone present gasped—could three Power Strawberries really make such a difference?

They all wished time would hurry forward so they could quickly eat more strawberries and gain strength, enabling them to fight back against the weird creature.

The director watched the recorded footage with satisfaction.

Similar scenes were occurring across Dawn Bureau branches in Xia State. Though the institute had published data on the Power Strawberries’ effects, the data was still too limited to inspire full confidence. More data was needed.

The director sent the footage to Dawn Bureau headquarters, where particularly impactful or meaningful clips might be broadcast as news.

The director didn’t hold much hope, but that evening, seeing Meng Liqun’s footage on the news, he was thrilled.

Online viewers were just as excited after watching the news clip.

"Seeing the Dawn Bureau team demonstrate the Power Strawberries’ effects, I’m so envious—I really want to find a weird creature and give it a shot!"

"Don’t be impulsive, the boost from one strawberry isn’t enough. You’ll need several before you can really test it."

"How about forming a team in advance? If we encounter a weird creature, we can all attack together!"

"Now I understand the saying, 'With power comes the urge to kill.' Before, I’d think of running from weird creatures. Now, I want them to run from me!"

"Hold on, everyone, stay calm. You can't trust random online teams—better to team up with neighbors for better coordination."

"Let’s not get too excited. Even though we can attack weird creatures now, our defenses are still weak. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t act recklessly—getting yourself killed wouldn't be worth it."

"Exactly, don’t be impulsive. This strength boost is just the beginning—we’re just starting. Don’t throw away the future over momentary recklessness."

"Don’t go looking for weird creatures, but if you encounter one, don’t forget your strength. Neither recklessness nor excessive caution is good."

"Watching the Dawn Bureau team fight weird creatures makes me want to try. Hey, Dawn Bureau, can you put a captured weird creature up for practice for us to beat up?"

"Whoa, that's actually an option! Look, if you had relatives or friends killed by a weird creature, and that weird creature is still alive in the lab, you can apply to beat it—until you're satisfied."

"Sigh, at least it gives those people some payback."

"I checked—the weird creature that killed my relative already died in experiments. No chance for revenge."

"The government's really thought this through. I’ve already applied and just have to wait for my scheduled time to go beat up the weird creature."

"I thought only the state could avenge us, but now I can do it myself. Thank you, Ying Yuanxing. Thank you, our country."

The news that people could personally fight weird creatures made many people break down in tears. Though weird creature-related deaths were relatively few across Xia State, for those affected, the loss was devastating.

Many survivors owed their lives to loved ones who shielded them until rescue arrived or they could escape.

Before, even if they saw weird creatures captured, they could only watch helplessly, unable to harm them. Even if the state avenged them, the bitterness lingered.

But now, they too could seek justice for their loved ones.

While the Xia people reveled in joy and the thrill of payback, in neighboring small countries, many bottled up their feelings, scraping together their last few Weird coins. After paying taxes, what was left couldn't even fill their stomachs.

They could only scroll through their phones, using the news to distract themselves, hoping to extract a few more Weird coins to keep themselves going.

"Mom, if I turned into one of those Weirds, could I finally eat until I'm full?" A girl so thin she was just skin and bones lay in her mother’s arms, her voice barely a whisper.

Her mother’s eyes were closed, her breaths coming shallow—clearly not long for this world.

In the slums, people too weak to move lay everywhere. A gray mist drifted among them, with a sinister feel.