Survival in an apartment, starting with a stroke of luck on a plane

He walked to the Taoist study and looked at the [Core of World Power] on the offering platform.

At this moment, the core is still slowly rotating, but its function of absorbing and transforming external distorted energy does seem somewhat "redundant" given that the energy inside the apartment is already saturated and of high quality.

"We won't need it for now?" Lin Yu rubbed his chin, not feeling disappointed.

This thing must have other uses; perhaps it will come in handy in the future.

He didn't put the core away, after all, he hadn't forgotten what happened before. There seemed to be something inside this thing, so he decided to let the True Lord and the Third Prince keep it under control.

This is safer.

He then carefully studied the detailed functions of the [Heart of Nightmare World].

"Nightmare World..." Lin Yu was most curious about this feature. With a thought, he connected with the [Heart of Nightmare World].

hum~

The space of the apartment's living room seemed to ripple like water, and a twisted "door" made of pure dark energy quietly appeared on the wall.

Inside the door was a chaotic grayness, and one could vaguely sense a small space that was slowly "breathing".

Lin Yu stepped inside.

The view before me suddenly opened up.

This is a strange space, roughly the size of a football field.

The ground was pitch black soil, seemingly capable of absorbing all light. Dark purple swirling clouds rolled across the sky. There was no sun, moon, or stars, only a faint light emanating from somewhere, preventing the space from being completely dark.

The air was filled with a rich yet unusually docile nightmare energy, several times purer than inside the apartment.

The edge of space is a blurred, constantly writhing dark barrier, slowly expanding into the distant nothingness like a living thing.

This is the world of nightmares.

Lin Yu could clearly feel that he had absolute control over this space.

Here, he is the creator, able to freely manipulate the nightmare energy, modify the terrain, and even establish simple rules.

"Growth by devouring space fragments or space-related items and materials..." Lin Yu recalled the words in the description.

He opened the trading post and directly purchased a piece of space material that wasn't particularly high-grade, then placed it on the barrier of the Nightmare Space.

laugh!

The moment the material touched the barrier, it was swallowed and dissolved by the writhing darkness.

Immediately afterwards, the entire small space trembled slightly and expanded outwards in an extremely slow, almost imperceptible manner.

"It's alright. It seems I'll have to collect more space-related materials in the future." Lin Yu nodded. Although the growth rate was slow, the potential for growth was already good. With hard work, he might be able to cultivate it into a real, vast world in the future!

"Nightmare trait..." Lin Yu thought of another function.

On a whim, he took some ordinary water and dripped it onto the black earth.

The clear water did not seep into the soil, but instead, like ink dripping into clear water, it was quickly stained black and began to boil slightly, emitting a faint nightmare aura.

A few minutes later, it solidified into a small black droplet emitting a faint energy.

"Even ordinary water can be transformed into materials containing nightmare energy..." Lin Yu glanced at it and found that the water droplet had been transformed into a black iron-grade material, which amazed him.

If you put some spirit plant seeds or low-level creatures into it to cultivate, in time you will surely be able to harvest nightmare materials or creatures with special attributes.

This is practically a scalable, dedicated resource production base.

Unfortunately, it can only produce materials with the Nightmare attribute.

Lin Yu was once again impressed by Lao Chen's skill.

He then tried other abilities.

The [Lord of Nightmares] talent grants him an extreme affinity for and control over nightmare energy, while [Nightmare Guardian] provides powerful mental protection, and [Nightmare Mental World] allows him to effectively utilize even his sleep time.

Overall, the [Heart of the Nightmare World] is of considerable value.

Satisfied, Lin Yu exited the nightmare world and began planning his next move.

Next, Lin Yu planned to deal with another important matter.

That is the bloodline inheritance of the dragon vein.

He walked to a corner of the living room, sensing the surging dragon vein energy beneath the ground.

He had previously offered some low-level dragon-related materials to the dragon vein, and after the trading house opened, he continued to purchase dragon-related materials to offer as sacrifices. So far, the progress of the inheritance has reached 56.6%, which is still far from meeting the requirements.

In fact, he had some good things in his possession, but he just hadn't offered them up.

That is the [Mysterious Dragon Head] (diamond-grade material) from the world of Seeking Immortality.

He thought the material might be useful later, so he never offered it as a sacrifice.

But this thing has never been of any use. Now that I think about it carefully, I might as well just sacrifice it.

What's more, he had just obtained another diamond-grade material, the Soul of the Abyss Dragon.

Both of these items contain the primordial power of the dragon race.

"Let's sacrifice the Ghost Dragon Head and see if we can fill the progress bar directly." Without further hesitation, Lin Yu took out the hideous black crystal skull—the Ghost Dragon Head—and placed it on the ground where the dragon vein's aura was most concentrated.

hum.

The black light on the surface of the [Mysterious Dragon Head] began to flow, and wisps of the dragon's original aura were stripped away, like rivers flowing into the sea, and absorbed by the dragon vein.

[Note: A high-quality item related to "dragons," the [Mysterious Dragon Head], has been sacrificed to the Dragon Vein. Current progress of the inheritance is 106.6%.]

The progress jumped by 50% instantly; the diamond-grade material is indeed extraordinary.

[Notification: The conditions for activating the Dragon Vein [Bloodline Inheritance] have been met! Activate the inheritance now?]

"Activate!" Lin Yu confirmed.

Boom!

The entire apartment trembled slightly, as if the dragon vein beneath the ground had been fully awakened, emitting a deep and majestic dragon roar.

In the center of the living room, purple-gold dragon energy surged forth, intertwining and condensing in the air, eventually forming a hazy, constantly rotating purple-gold light gate.

Inside the portal, countless dragon shadows seemed to flutter and dance, and ancient dragon chants could be faintly heard, exuding a vast and ancient aura.

"This is the Gate of Inheritance..." Lin Yu could feel the vast knowledge and power of the dragon race behind the gate.

"Hey!"

Just then, Jin Ling flew to his side, stood on his shoulder, and looked curiously at the purple-gold light gate in front of him.

"What's wrong? Do you want to go in?"

Lin Yu patted Jin Ling's head and asked with a smile.

Jin Ling stared intently at the portal, without answering Lin Yu.

"Jin Ling? You..."

Lin Yu looked at Jin Ling and found its expression quite strange, that look... a bit like it was drooling.

"You don't want to eat it, do you?"

Lin Yu spoke with slight hesitation.

Although Jin Ling didn't speak, because the two were bound together, Lin Yu subconsciously sensed Jin Ling's inner thoughts.

Jin Ling blinked at Lin Yu.

That expression seemed to be asking, "Is it okay?"

"...That's really true."

Lin Yu remained silent for a while. He looked at the purple-gold gate in front of him, then at Jin Ling beside him, and finally said, "Alright, go ahead."

"Hey!!"

Jinling let out a joyful cry, then suddenly spread its wings and opened its mouth.

hum!

In an instant, the purple-gold gate in front of them, which was radiating a vast dragon aura, flew directly into Jin Ling's mouth like trash being sucked up by a vacuum cleaner.

Lin Yu watched this scene without feeling any pity.

He doesn't lack knowledge or skills at the moment; in fact, he has more than enough.

He wouldn't have that much time and energy to study if he had any more.

Moreover, the dragon vein is only a diamond-level item, and Lin Yu doesn't really believe it can provide any particularly powerful inheritance; that's unrealistic.

Therefore, since Jinling has such an idea, it's not unreasonable to feed it to her.

Lin Yu stood in the center of the living room, watching Jin Ling swallow the purple-gold inheritance gate in one gulp. The entire apartment seemed to fall silent for a moment.

"Hey——!"

After swallowing the Gate of Inheritance, Jinling let out an unprecedentedly clear and long cry, its voice filled with satisfaction and a vibrant sense of power.

Its dazzling golden feathers seemed to be infused with new vitality, the flowing light becoming even deeper, and the edges of the feathers faintly shimmering with a purplish-gold luster.

Its body also expanded, and its aura rose steadily at a visible rate, increasing significantly from the initial Platinum level, and it was still growing slowly and steadily.

It affectionately nuzzled Lin Yu's cheek, conveying a warm and powerful message, full of gratitude and dependence. Then it flapped its wings and flew to the Daoist study, landing beside the statue of the [Qingyuan Miaodao Zhenjun]. It concealed all its aura, as if falling into a deep sleep, and began to fully digest the immense power of the dragon vein.

"It seems that the benefits of this inheritance are even greater than I imagined." Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction as he sensed the earth-shaking changes taking place within Jin Ling's body.

Sacrificing a legacy that might only be a bonus for oneself in exchange for a boost to Jinling's strength isn't a bad deal.

After dealing with the matter of the dragon vein inheritance, Lin Yu turned his attention to another gain—the [Diamond-level Equipment Upgrade Card].

Which piece of equipment should I use this card on?

"The Demon-Slaying Sword or the Heaven-Shattering Cloak?"

Lin Yu pondered silently.

However, he quickly made a choice: he chose to enhance the symbiotic flower, Willow Vine.

The reason for choosing it is simple: both the Demon-Slaying Sword and the Heavenly Cloak are bound to the True Lord Statue and will be strengthened in sync with the upgrade of the statue.

Now that the [Heart of Nightmare World] provides a massive amount of pure nightmare energy, the True Lord Statue and Nezha Portrait will inevitably be upgraded after absorbing it; the advancement of these two pieces of equipment is only a matter of time.

Therefore, the best use for this precious upgrade card is his other core equipment - [Earth's Blessing - Flower Fairy Spirit - Symbiotic Willow Vine].

This platinum-grade plant life armor integrates defense, control, healing, and cultivation assistance, making it a comprehensive device. Upgrading it to diamond grade would undoubtedly greatly enhance his overall strength.

"Upgrade: [Blessed by the Earth - Flower Fairy Spirit - Symbiotic Willow Vine]".

Lin Yu took out the upgrade card and gently pressed it onto the emerald green vines wrapped around his arm.

hum!

The diamond-level upgrade card transformed into a dazzling stream of light and instantly disappeared into the vines.

The symbiotic willow vine trembled violently, bursting forth with a dazzling emerald green light, mixed with a heavy, earthy yellow radiance and eerie pale pink floral shadows.

In the light, the vines underwent subtle yet fundamental changes in form.

Its color became deeper, like an ancient tree, with the veins of the earth flowing through its texture.

The leaves have become thicker and wider, with sharp golden glints shimmering at their edges, while the budding flowers exude an even more captivating fragrance that is invigorating just to smell.

【Blessed by the Earth, Spirit of the Flower Fairy, Symbiotic Willow Vine】

【Category: Armor】

[Tier: Diamond]

[Defense: 1000]

【Durability:1200/1200】

[Effect: Strength +8, Constitution +25, Spirit +8]

【① Destroying Ghosts and Souls: The attacks of the Flower Willow Vine can directly damage ghost entities, scattering and purifying them, increasing damage against spirit-type enemies by 150%.】

【②Thousand Strangulation: Summons countless thicker and tougher willow branches, vines, and phantom flowers releasing hallucinogenic spores for a wide-area attack, greatly increasing both coverage and power.】

【③ Bio-Armor - Earth Pulse: The connection with the earth is deepened, allowing for rapid absorption of the earth's power and the essence of the sun and moon. Self-healing speed is significantly increased, and a portion of the earth's power can be converted into a temporary shield. While standing on solid ground, the regeneration rate of health and mana is doubled.】

【④ Flower Fairy Master: The Flower Fairy's spirit intelligence and abilities are enhanced, enabling more complex communication and allowing her to briefly detach from the vines, act independently within a certain range, and unleash some of her abilities.】

【⑤ Life Absorption/Blooming Feast: Absorbs life force more efficiently and provides a stronger feedback effect. Releases poisonous flowers with a wider range, extremely strong hallucinogenic and paralyzing effects, and can be actively detonated, causing a ranged mental shock.】

【⑥ Earth - Plant Life Mode: After transforming into plant life, it possesses a Platinum-level peak biological panel, greatly increasing its combat power. Its aura effect is enhanced, significantly increasing the health and mana regeneration speed of friendly units within its range, and strengthening its comprehension enhancement effect.】

【⑦ Unyielding Guardian: Protective instincts are maximized, defensive reaction speed is faster, and it can actively block attacks for its master (cooldown 12 hours).】

【⑧ Blessing of the Earth (Enhanced): When standing on the ground, gain the "Earth's Protection" effect, slightly increasing all attributes and making you extremely sensitive to vibrations and energy impacts from the ground.】

[Description: An extraordinary life nurtured by the earth and inspired by miraculous forces.]

The upgraded Flower Willow Vine has received a significant boost in all aspects of its attributes, especially in terms of defense and constitution.

The newly added [Exorcising Ghosts and Souls] and [Unyielding Guardian] effects are extremely useful, and the [Lord of the Flower Fairy]'s independent action ability also provides more tactical options.

Lin Yu could clearly feel the even more powerful vitality and incomparably tough defensive power emanating from the vines on his arms, as if they had established an incredibly deep connection with the ground beneath his feet.

With a thought, the willow vines instantly spread out, weaving around him into an ancient suit of armor that covered his entire body and shimmered with a blend of metal and wood.

"Very good!" Lin Yu felt the power of the new armor and withdrew it with satisfaction.

Lin Yu stood in the center of the living room, feeling the new power brought by the diamond-grade willow vine. He was planning to go to the Time Chamber next, and use the 500% comprehension bonus and dragon vein spiritual energy in the Daoist study to properly digest his recent gains.

However, just as he lifted his foot to walk towards the Taoist study, the notification sound of friend requests in his mind rang one after another like a relentless alarm bell.

[Notification: Player "Guardian" has requested to add you as a friend.]

[Note: Player "Guardian" has requested to add you as a friend again.]

[Notification: Player "Guardian" has requested to add you as a friend...]

Lin Yu frowned slightly.

This ID was unfamiliar; he was certain he had never encountered a player named "Guardian."

Such persistent additions are probably not ordinary requests for communication or transactions.

He initially intended to ignore it, but the other party's unusual persistence piqued his curiosity.

He doesn't know many people, and apart from the time he made a name for himself in the previous delivery game world and the merged game, and after he quit, some people added him as a friend, he has always been quite low-key and has never shown off in front of others.

Therefore, not many people actually know him.

Moreover, he was certain that he had never encountered the ID "Guardian" in the previous game.

In apartment games, such unusual behavior often hides important information or trouble.

After a moment's hesitation, Lin Yu agreed.

Almost the instant the friendship was established, the other party's communication was immediately connected.

[Guardian]: The Witcher?

[The Witcher]: Who are you? Why do you keep adding me as a friend?

Lin Yu's reply was concise and to the point.

[Guardian]: I am... former shelter number 004.

Upon seeing this message, Lin Yu's eyes sharpened instantly, and his aura slightly solidified.

People from the former internment camp? They really came. Is it a threat? Or revenge?

[The Witcher]: Oh? So, you're here to spout tough words on behalf of the internment facility?

However, the other party's reply was beyond Lin Yu's expectations.

[Guardian]: No, you misunderstood. I contacted you not out of hostility.

The other party replied very quickly.

[Guardians]: You should already know that the shelter has been disbanded and all members have been reverted to player status.

What I want to tell you is that many of them, especially the original No. 002 and No. 003, hate you to the point of no return.

Lin Yu's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not interrupt and waited for what was to come.

[Guardians]: They have joined forces and have used some hidden resources and backup plans.

According to the system's punishment, they must go through three highly difficult special games.

However, their plan is that after surviving these three games, they will use an extremely valuable item such as the "Designated World Tracking Card" to forcibly enter the game world you are in.

[Guardians]: Their goal is clear: within the rules of the game, they will stop at nothing to kill you.

Even without the protection of the containment facility and the recovery of their equipment and most of their power, 002 and 003 still possess peak Diamond-level strength. Moreover, they have a wealth of secret knowledge about game mechanics and various worlds, making them extremely dangerous.

You'd better prepare in advance.

There was a lot of information, and Lin Yu quickly digested it.

But he was actually more concerned about another issue.

[The Witcher]: Why are you telling me all this? Don't you hate me?

This is the most crucial issue.

Number 004's actions were tantamount to betraying her former comrades.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the communication, as if they were organizing their thoughts.

[Guardian]: It would be a lie to say that I have no resentment at all. After all, our organization, which we have built up for so long, collapsed instantly because of you.

[Guardian]: But, if we calm down and think about it, the reason why the containment center is what it is today is ultimately because we ourselves went astray.

Abuse of authority, overstepping boundaries, and even attempting to override the rules... this kind of behavior will eventually lead to systemic repercussions.

Even if it weren't for you, Witcher, someone else would have become the trigger.

[Guardian]: I've seen this clearly, so... I choose to let go. I want to let go of my past identity, power, and grudges.

Right now, I'm just an ordinary player, a "Guardian," who only wants to survive as peacefully as possible in this cruel game.

Lin Yu rubbed his chin, pondering the truthfulness of this guy's words.

He replied after a long pause.

[The Witcher]: I understand, thank you for the information.

[Guardian]: You're welcome. Telling you this is also a way for me to make peace with the past.

After saying this, the communication interface disappeared instantly without waiting for Lin Yu to reply.

[Note: Player "Guardian" has removed you as a friend.]

Clean and efficient, without any hesitation or fuss.

Lin Yu stared at his empty friend list, standing there lost in thought for a moment.

"002, 003... Diamond-level peak... Designated world tracking..." Lin Yu repeated these keywords in a low voice, but a cold smile slowly curled up at the corner of his mouth.

Is there pressure? Yes, but not much.

It's only diamond-level. With his current strength, he wouldn't say killing it is as easy as slaughtering a dog, but he wouldn't feel any particular pressure either.

Moreover, if 004 ​​wasn't lying, he still has three games to prepare.

If Lin Yu's strength doesn't improve to the diamond level during this period, then he'll be considered useless.

"Want to seek revenge? Then come on." A cold glint flashed in Lin Yu's eyes.

Of course, Lin Yu wouldn't rule out the possibility that 004 was lying.

He also knew that the most truthful lies are nine parts truth and one part falsehood. If most of the information 004 gave him was true, and there was only one lie in it, that would be enough to give him a hard time.

Therefore, Lin Yu couldn't be completely at ease during this period. What if those guys didn't come after three games, but instead came after him right after the next game?

……

Next, Lin Yu went to the Time Hut and used up all his rest time. Then he looked around the trading house and bought some useful items.

After finishing that, he went straight to the Black Mist World.

He wanted to practice on a few monster projections first, and this time he also planned to explore a farther distance.

He once again passed through the gate of the residential area and stepped into that desolate land shrouded in endless black fog.

The gray sky, the twisted dead trees, the pervasive smell of decay, and the eerie whispers and sense of being watched that faintly emanate from the fog—everything remains the same.

But this time, Lin Yu's feelings were completely different.

Perhaps it was due to the improvement in strength, or perhaps it was the effect of the Nightmare Guardian, but in any case, the omnipresent mental pressure was greatly reduced after entering the black mist this time.