Wasteland: My items are infinitely upgraded.

Chapter 350 Level 23 Evolution, Future Plans

With Ding Yi chosen as the third candidate for second-stage evolution, Chen Shanshan's twenty-third-stage evolution is nearing its end.

At this moment, her strength has doubled compared to when she was at level twenty-one.

It has increased from a basic force of more than ten tons to thirty tons, and can easily unleash a terrifying destructive force of nearly forty tons.

A single punch can break through a steel plate more than ten centimeters thick.

Wearing power armor, one can easily challenge opponents of higher levels. With late-stage evolution at the second tier, and even with the Dark Domain ability, one can directly kill opponents of higher levels.

After Chen Shanshan had become familiar with the power surging within her body, Lin Feng also prepared to begin his final upgrade at the early stage of the second tier.

Four pure level 20 evolution potions would be worth four million points in the wasteland. Even if sold to the Wilderness Hunter Guild at half price, they would still be worth more than two million.

That's enough to exchange for ten ordinary Tier 2 Rock Horse Evolution Agents, enough to create a Tier 23 early-stage powerhouse.

These precious resources are only enough to allow Lin Feng to advance from level 22 to level 23.

With everything in place, Lin Feng ate as much as five kilograms of level 20 jerky in one go, then injected himself with four injections of pure evolution agent, and lay on the experimental table to undergo transformation.

At the same time, Ding Yi also talked to Chen Shanshan about their future plans.

Currently, the team's combat strength, apart from the leader Lin Feng who far surpasses him, is second only to Chen Shanshan, who ranks second.

The latter possesses exceptional close-combat abilities. Unlike Lin Feng, who can easily suppress groups and forces, Chen Shanshan is particularly suited to targeting specific individuals...

As the team's second-in-command, her most important task was to assist Lin Feng in maintaining order within the convoy.

Chen Shanshan reacted quickly:
"You mean I have to keep an eye on my subordinate A-Lian, and Ma Chenfeng?"

"Ah Lian should be fine. She's a partner we recruited from the beginning. We've been through several battles and missions together, so we can trust her."

"Ma Chenfeng is the main culprit. He was originally a wanderer who joined us halfway through his life. Apart from this battle, we don't know anything about his background."

"Once they become second-tier evolvers, who knows, one day they might take advantage of Lin Feng's absence to contact his old subordinates, launch a rebellion, and leave the team..."

Ding Yi nodded. After experiencing so much, Chen Shanshan was no longer the naive girl she used to be, and she understood the importance of being prepared and taking precautions.

However, the analysis was only superficial and failed to recognize the real crisis lurking within the team.

Thinking of this, Ding Yi replied:
"Yes, we need to be wary of Ma Chenfeng. However, the reason we promoted Alian was to create a balance between her and Ma Chenfeng."

"This will help maintain the balance of power in the middle ranks."

"As a second-tier evolver, especially a level 23 powerhouse, your purpose is clearly not just to intimidate a late-stage first-tier evolver."

Chen Shanshan frowned slightly:
"You and Lin Feng mean that A-Lian and Ma Chenfeng are not considering advancing to the second tier for the time being?"

"Who will be the next candidate for second-tier advancement? It can't be Amin or the Liu siblings, can it?"

In the initial team, apart from A-Lian who had combat abilities, the other three members were A-Ming, Liu Mingfei, and Liu Qian.

Of the three, only Amin had some combat experience, while Liu Mingfei had been serving as the driver since the Wild Rift operation.

No longer participating in frontline combat directly confronting threats.

This is understandable. Lin Feng did not force the team members to risk their lives. Besides, the team also needs a trustworthy driver to ensure the long-term stability of the convoy.

His sister, Liu Qian, was gradually marginalized because of her awakened supernatural abilities.

Lin Feng and Ding Yi were worried that Liu Qian's absorption and release of energy would be related to the blazing curse of the Blazing Sun Forbidden Zone, and that she might easily become a person cursed.

If there is a risk of being corrupted by the Sun Curse in the future, one could easily become a Sun Cultist, spreading the curse to corrupt others in exchange for one's own survival...

Therefore, Liu Qian is currently focusing on empowering the grenades and bullets, preventing them from coming into contact with other things.

From this perspective, of the remaining three, only Amin is still capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility, possessing a certain level of combat ability after advancing to the second tier.

But this approach is completely putting the cart before the horse.

Wouldn't it be better to just promote Ah Lian directly?

Seeing Chen Shanshan's puzzled look, Ding Yi smiled and continued:
"Stop daydreaming. After discussing with Lin Feng, the final choice for the next person to advance to the second tier is me!"

Chen Shanshan looked surprised:
"you?!"

"But you have absolutely no experience in combat!"

"Even if you advance to the second tier, you'll only be a support staff member, just like an ordinary priest in the church. Even if you become a second-tier evolver, your combat strength will at most be considered that of a level 19 evolved expert."

“It’s okay to keep Ma Chenfeng in check, but doing so is too wasteful of resources. After all, the consumption of a second-tier evolver is several times that of a first-tier late-stage evolver.”

Ding Yi adjusted her glasses, ignoring Chen Shanshan's true assessment of her, and continued speaking:

"What do you think is the most important task for our team right now?"

Chen Shanshan thought for a moment:

"Establish a foothold in the Holy City, and then build a mature industry like Farm Village, so that in the future Lin Feng can be provided with an armed force and evolutionary resources."

Ding Yi nodded:

"According to the previous plan, this industry is the evolution path of the Steppenwolf. The mass-produced Steppenwolf source material evolution agent, which is used to suppress the Rock Horse Warrior, is enough to sell at twice the base price and obtain excess profits."

"Therefore, the most important thing at this moment is to quickly overcome the evolution path of the wasteland wolf and be able to stably produce the evolutionary source of the wasteland wolf clan."

"Besides relying on the divine hound to advance to a second-tier wild wolf behemoth for reproduction and expansion, this also requires laboratory extraction and evolution of the source material to develop it into a stable and reliable evolution agent."

"And accelerating this process requires my intelligence and brainpower as a foundation, and advancing to the second tier is also for this purpose."

Chen Shanshan realized that although Ding Yi did not have combat ability, the value she could provide was far greater and better than that of an ordinary second-tier rock horse warrior.

Moreover, in the previous Oasis Arena competition, it has been fully proven through actual combat that the strength of the Wild Wolf Warriors far exceeds that of the Rock Horse Warriors of the same level, and they can even suppress Rock Horn Horse Evolvers with higher evolution levels.

An ordinary level 20 Wild Wolf Warrior can be on par with a level 22 Rock Horse Warrior.

Later, when the vast army of the Wilderness Wolves pressed in and a town-level beast calamity broke out, even the late-stage first-tier leader-level giant wolves could effectively deter the leaders of the second-tier rock horse warriors in the two villages, preventing them from daring to risk entering the wolf pack.

All things considered, from a purely combat power perspective, training Rock Horse Warriors is far less cost-effective than promoting Wild Wolf Warriors later on.

After all, if this trend continues, it's only a matter of time before the Rock Horse Warriors are gradually replaced by the Wild Wolf Warriors.

This trend will accelerate, especially in large settlements with relatively abundant resources.

Thinking of this, Chen Shanshan recalled the question Ding Yi had asked her at the beginning.

If Ding Yi is the one to be promoted to the second tier, then who will be the person I need to be wary of and intimidate? As one of the original trio, Ding Yi stood firmly by my and Lin Feng's side when the team fell apart, so it's clear she would never betray us.

Moreover, as a logistics researcher, she lacks the ability to command and mobilize.

Other combatants may not necessarily obey his orders.

Thinking of this, Chen Shanshan said with a hint of excitement:

“But in that case, it seems the team doesn’t need me. After all, having you there is enough. With A-Lian and Ma Chenfeng keeping each other in check, plus your presence, there won’t be any risk at all…”

"So, from now on, does that mean I can go out with Lin Feng on missions anytime I want?!"

During this town-level beast disaster crisis, Chen Shanshan practically became the team's caretaker, missing several opportunities to fight alongside Lin Feng.

Even when he finally led his troops out to reap the rewards on the battlefield, he missed Lin Feng and was unable to join forces with him to kill the second-tier wild wolf behemoth.

In Chen Shanshan's view, with the fusion of the level 26 Armor-Piercing Wolf Spear and the Formless Demon Spear, she and Lin Feng had a real chance to severely injure or even kill Wolf Ao, who had evolved to level 29 and was at the peak of the second tier.

The latter possesses abundant wolf king power. Once killed, it will not only completely destroy the threat posed by the wasteland wolf clan, but also yield a large amount of high-level evolutionary essence, paving the way for Lin Feng's future evolution and advancement...

At the same time, enriching the Wolf King's third-tier power will also greatly assist in mastering the evolution path of the Wasteland Wolf in the future, as well as in enabling the Divine Dog to inherit the Wolf King's legacy.

Unfortunately, due to the situation in Oasis Town and the convoy, Chen Shanshan was required to stay in Oasis, so the event had to end in disappointment.

In fact, looking back at the battle later, if Chen Shanshan had been present when Lin Feng was supporting the Salvation Army, there would have been a real chance to completely capture Lang Ao.

Upon hearing Chen Shanshan's question, Ding Yi patted her on the shoulder, signaling her not to be too happy yet:

"Don't overthink it. You do need to be wary of them. Although it's not me, there's also A-Lian and Ma Chenfeng, but they are more troublesome than those..."

Chen Shanshan was somewhat surprised, because in her memory, apart from these people, it seemed that no one could threaten the stability of the team.

Ding Yi turned around and looked at the rear of the convoy behind the window.

Next to the convoy used to transport the rockhorse herd, there was a special extended transport vehicle.

The object being transported inside was the divine hound, which had already advanced to the late stage of the first tier and become a leader-level giant wolf.

Besides eating and sleeping, it now also shoulders the important task of suppressing the rockhorse herd and fulfills the important duties of a herding dog.

Soon after, once it adapts to its ever-expanding muscles and body, it will undergo a second-stage evolution, transforming into a second-stage wild wolf behemoth.

This will perfectly complement Ding Yi's research mission, accelerating the deciphering and mastery of the Steppenwolf pathway.

However, as the divine dog's strength increases, its connection with the wolf clan will become closer, and its communication with the wolf king Ao's consciousness will become more frequent.

Don't be fooled by this guy's current intelligence level, which is only at that of a five or six-year-old. As his evolution level and strength continue to rise, he will eventually possess the intelligence of an ordinary human.

In addition to self-awareness, there will also be a sense of interests and class consciousness.

It is highly likely that, based on himself, he could lead a pack of wasteland wolves, along with other evolved individuals who have embarked on the wasteland wolf evolutionary path, to break away from the group and develop and grow independently.

After all, it possesses the bloodline of the Wolf King and can inherit the third-tier body from the Wolf King's Tomb. As long as it gains the Wolf King's approval and assistance, advancing to the third tier is only a matter of time.

So compared to the other members of the team, despite its unassuming appearance, the divine dog is the only one with the potential and ability to rebel.

A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime...

Even though the divine dog has been raised by Lin Feng and others since it was a puppy and has never shown any unruly nature, no one can guarantee that it will always be loyal in the future.

Giving trust is one thing, but being prepared to deal with betrayal at any time is another.

Chen Shanshan, possessing the strongest individual combat power, is capable of suppressing the divine dog with the Wolf King's legacy in close combat against a single target.

Since she can threaten Wolf Ao, the current leader of the Wasteland Wolf Clan, then she will be a trump card to defend against the Divine Dog in the future...

It couldn't be more perfect!
Thinking of this, and seeing Chen Shanshan's puzzled look, Ding Yi slowly continued:

"The person you need to be wary of is the only one in the team besides me who will advance to the second tier..."

"That is, our beloved dog who has always been with us!"

Upon hearing the words "divine dog," Chen Shanshan was taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered.

After all, even among humans, trust is hard to maintain...

As a divine dog of a different race, not of my kind, it is even less likely that I would absolutely believe it.

Although the divine dog has always been raised as a dog, its inherent identity as a member of the wilderness wolf clan gives it a natural bloodthirsty wildness.

Right now, it only dares not be too presumptuous because Lin Feng and Chen Shanshan are always around. But if Lin Feng and Chen Shanshan, both second-tier experts, were to disappear for an extended period of time...

When it loses the dominance and oppression of its superiors, but finds that there are no more life forms in its surroundings that can threaten its evolution, it will become the leader of the group in its self-awareness.

Moreover, the fighting prowess of the Wasteland Wolf Clan is undeniable.

Especially the second-tier Wild Wolf behemoth, which requires several fully armed Rock Horse warriors to contend with.

Other evolved beings, unless they come from top-tier large forces, may not be able to defeat the divine hound, even if they are strong individuals trained by ordinary first-rate forces.

After all, the latter is a being with the legacy of the Wolf King.

As the ancestor of the Wilderness Wolf Clan, the Wolf King was once a peak existence who raised the wolf bloodline to the late stage of the third tier, level thirty-nine!

This means that the upper limit of the wolf bloodline is only a hair's breadth away from becoming a god.

Only divine power and super firepower like Lin Feng's, which can suppress the wolf clan, are capable of such devastating damage.

Otherwise, other ordinary second-tier humans would find it difficult to gain an advantage over the wolf clan.

After Ding Yi's patient analysis, Chen Shanshan realized the problem and sighed softly:
"It seems I'll have to stay with the team indefinitely."

Ding Yi offered words of comfort:

"Once the research on the evolutionary path of the Steppe Wolf matures and the Divine Dog's assistance is no longer needed, you will be able to ride the Divine Dog to assist Lin Feng..."

"When the time comes, the one man and the wolf will wreak havoc on all sides, which will be even more impressive than fighting alongside Lin Feng!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Shanshan's worry instantly turned to joy, and she couldn't help but feel anticipation.

Meanwhile, behind Lin Feng's convoy, the Salvation Army and the Hunting Wilderness Guild's forces...

An elderly man with white hair, who had been following behind and was missing his left sleeve, broke away from the group and walked towards the Lin Feng convoy.

(End of this chapter)