Chapter 25: Counting the Spoils, Zombie Summoning Card

"Hiss! It's actually bound to the dormitory door." Xu Lang had checked the monitor's information the moment it was installed, hoping to see its durability, but he hadn't expected this result.

A camera that couldn't be destroyed—the very thought was exhilarating. It could prevent ambushes and allow for the observation of monsters outside; its utility was immense. By extension, he suspected that the refrigerator, the air conditioner, and the other items were likely just as extraordinary. Still, what was missed was missed; there was no point in dwelling on regrets.

Xu Lang returned to the dormitory in high spirits and shared the monitor's information with Cao Yaxuan and Tong Qi. The two women shrieked with delight. This monitor was significant; it meant they could see live footage of what was happening outside, rather than relying on the fragmented glimpses through the peephole as they had before.

The trio began to tidy up the room. They hadn't cared much about cleanliness before, but now it was a necessity. The clutter scattered in the center of the room was becoming an eyesore. Xu Lang was very satisfied with the upgraded dormitory; his only regret was the lack of windows. He had reviewed all three floor plans earlier and hadn't found any windows or balconies in any of them.

Once that was settled, Xu Lang opened the chat interface. There were many people tagging him, asking if he possessed a gun, how he had killed the large zombie, and what loot it had dropped. Others were curious about his door and why it had upgraded so quickly. When they saw that Xu Lang wasn't responding, their enthusiasm waned, and the frequency of his name being mentioned dropped. Almost everyone had mentally labeled Xu Lang as "cold," but no one dared to complain in the public chat. This was because some had realized that Zhou Tao had been shot to death.

"Most people are putting their attribute points into Constitution..." Xu Lang mused, silently gathering information. The effect of adding points to Spirit wasn't obvious—it just provided more focus and a clearer head—and many who had invested in it were expressing regret.

Xu Lang opened his own information panel:

[Player: Xu Lang]
[Seniority: First Phase]
[Room Number: 200 (Owner)]
[Attributes: Constitution 7, Spirit 6]
[Free Attribute Points: 6]
[Skills: None]
[Backpack 3/9: Baseball Bat, Alloy Combat Knife, Colt Python]
[Funds: Copper Coins 21,320, Silver Coins 1, Gold Coins 0]

"Seven points in Constitution is still a bit low... even a bit worse than Wu Huihui's. This is the disadvantage caused by my past physical weakness." Xu Lang pondered how to allocate his points. The best strategy for free attribute points was to save them; the Spirit attribute surely wasn't as simple as it appeared on the surface, or else it would be a wasted investment.

Moreover, he had to prepare for future confrontations to compete for the upcoming "Super Gift Packages." This was the difference between people: while others were still immersed in the joy of having survived, top players like Xu Lang were already considering what lay ahead. If Wang Yang were still alive, he might have considered this too, but unfortunately, he was dead.

"Xu Lang, what are you thinking about?" Cao Yaxuan asked, noticing Xu Lang’s daze.

"Thinking about how to allocate my attribute points," Xu Lang said, coming back to his senses. "I haven't asked you two yet—what are your Constitution and Spirit stats?"

"Both of mine are five," Cao Yaxuan replied.

"Same here," Tong Qi nodded in agreement.

Xu Lang: "..." So, even a woman had a higher Constitution than him? He realized that Constitution didn't just reflect raw strength; it also encompassed agility, coordination, and more, though everyone’s focus differed.

"Don't rush to allocate your points yet. Those attributes might have a major use later on," Xu Lang advised.

"Okay," Tong Qi responded.

Cao Yaxuan instinctively asked, "How do you know?"

"Believe it or not," Xu Lang shrugged. Cao Yaxuan pouted, feeling that Xu Lang was being a bit harsh, though he had simply used his normal tone.

"Alright, let's see what we've got," Xu Lang said, changing the subject. It was time to take stock of their spoils so he could make informed decisions based on their collective combat power.

"Yes, yes!" Tong Qi clapped, acting as the group's cheerleader.

Xu Lang first took out the loot from the large zombie. It had dropped some copper coins and a card.

[Zombie Summoning Card]
[Type: Permanent Item]
[Level: 1]
[Effect: Summons a Level 0 zombie to attack enemies. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]
[Summon Attribute: Constitution 3]
[Summon Skill: Infection]
[Upgrade Condition: 75 Nightmare Coins]
[Description: A biochemical creature that can howl.]

"A permanent item?" Xu Lang found the term interesting. If there were permanent items, there must be disposable ones as well.

"Ew, Xu Lang, please put that away!" Cao Yaxuan said, sounding frightened. She didn't have the Zombie Virus Immunity Serum, and if she got scratched, it would be all over.

Although Xu Lang had shared the information, they still couldn't see the upgrade conditions.

"It feels just like a Yu-Gi-Oh card," Tong Qi said, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Xu Lang smiled and put the card away. While this summon wasn't powerful in terms of combat, it was useful for intimidation. Furthermore, the "Infection" skill was quite good; it could cause cellular instability in humans, leading to anything from fever and dizziness to full-blown zombification.

Next, Xu Lang brought out the loot he had scavenged from Zhou Tao. The loot from the crawling monster had likely already been claimed, but there was one problem: he hadn't found anything special among Zhou Tao's items, save for one silver coin.

[Deposit into panel? Yes/No]

Xu Lang chose "Yes," and the silver coin in his hand vanished.

"Xu Lang, did you kill Zhou Tao?" Cao Yaxuan asked in a soft voice, glancing at the key engraved with the number 24.

"Speak clearly. You sound like a buzzing mosquito," Xu Lang frowned.

Cao Yaxuan took a breath and repeated, "Did you kill Zhou Tao?" Having read the chat logs, she knew people were saying Xu Lang had shot him.

"Yes, I did," Xu Lang nodded.

"Oh, okay then." Cao Yaxuan didn't think much of it; she was just curious. Since the person involved was right in front of her, it was natural to want the scoop. After she finished, she explained to Tong Qi, "Zhou Tao kicked our door earlier; he was an enemy."

"Oh!" Tong Qi realized. She had thought Xu Lang killed him for no reason, but knowing there was this grudge, she felt he had truly deserved it.

"This is somewhat useful," Xu Lang said, picking out a syringe and tucking it into his backpack.

[Adrenaline Syringe]
[Type: Medical]
[Level: 1]
[Effect: Significantly reduces pain and increases tolerance.]
[Upgrade Condition: 40 Nightmare Coins]
[Description: No need to question the value of a life-saving needle.]

Finally, he organized his haul. His backpack contained eight items: the Colt Python, the Alloy Combat Knife, the Adrenaline Syringe, Instant Sirloin Steak, Delicious Whole Wheat Bread, Green Bull Energy Drink, 10 bottles of Mineral Water, and the Zombie Summoning Card.

Beyond that, he held something in his hand that was more precious than all the items in his backpack combined:

The Ability Serum!