Starting with building a sandbox town

"Let me briefly explain the situation. Currently, the basic awakening fluid being researched by the Lighthouse is only effective against a few dozen types of monsters. The list is here; you can make a copy."

Bai Xiu took the list, which contained dozens of common monsters, including the human-faced bee. As he looked at it, he asked, "Senior, you said the basic awakening liquid is only effective against these monsters. What about the higher-level awakening liquids?"

"The types of monsters haven't changed much, but the effects are much stronger. The probability of learning a level 2 special skill has increased, but don't even think about it. The advanced awakening liquid requires 5,000 merit points, and unless you are exceptionally outstanding and have special approval from the deputy director, you must serve in the Firefly Division for five years before you can exchange it."

"Is it that rare?" Bai Xiu asked, somewhat surprised.

The old man shook his head and said, "Of course, you should know the value of a level 2 skill. Learning a higher-level skill not only improves your combat power, but also improves your body and increases your chances of learning a high-level body refining technique."

"Successfully mastering an advanced body-refining technique allows you to break through to the late stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. After that, by simply waiting for the right time, you can reach the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Although your average lifespan doesn't double like in the Rebirth Realm, it's still possible to increase it by ten years. So now you know why high-grade Awakening Fluid is so precious, right?"

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Bai Xiu suddenly realized that learning a level 2 special skill could also improve physical fitness and make it easier to learn advanced body-refining techniques.

No wonder all four teams envied Captain Nightingale's level 2 sinkhole.

The old man chuckled and said, "You understand now, young man? So when absorbing magic cores, try to find ones of better quality. Absorption is a long process, so you need to be fully prepared before you begin."

"Thank you, senior." Bai Xiu thanked the old man, then spent 1400 merit points to exchange for basic awakening liquid. As for the magic core, he did not intend to use the one provided by the Firefly Division, but planned to go to the Sandbox Town to find a rare one.

The level at which you learn a special skill is crucial for learning advanced body-refining techniques in the future, so it cannot be taken lightly.

……

After leaving the Firefly Division, Bai Xiu went straight home.

It was seven o'clock in the evening, and the evening breeze was slightly cool.

I opened the door to my house, and it was pitch black.

"Hmm?" Bai Xiu was a little puzzled. Generally speaking, his sister's shop should have already closed down.

However, sometimes business is good and they stay open for an extended period.

Bai Xiu didn't think much of it. After changing his clothes, he went straight back to his room.

After absorbing the resources of the human-faced bees, the town changed a lot, and even a princess castle appeared.

Bai Xiu sat on the bed, casually opened a bottle of mineral water, and drank it while eagerly checking the system notifications.

[Congratulations! The absorption of the human-faced bee resources is complete, and the town is poised for further development.]

[New Change: Due to the discovery of the human-faced bee corpse, a new facility, the Human-faced Bee Decoration Shop, has opened, where residents can purchase human-faced bee costumes and decorations at any time.]

[After a vote by all residents, it was unanimously agreed that the Human-Faced Bee Decoration Shop should be handed over to the Human-Faced Bee to operate. After Wang Ming's repeated explanations that he was merely a mutant and not a Human-Faced Bee proved fruitless, he reluctantly became the shop owner.]

"Hilarious." Bai Xiu saw that a yellow bee-faced decoration shop had opened next to the Rock Bird Tavern, and Wang Ming, with a pale face, was helplessly serving customers.

He continued watching.

[New Change: Rockbird Tavern introduces a new wine, mead, which increases residents' attack power after consumption.]

[After the last town defense battle, Li Ye, Feng Ling, Ying Huo, and Wang Ming have all leveled up, and some characters have learned new skills.]

[When your town reaches level 3, you will receive a random population expansion bonus of 20 new residents.]

[New rare character acquired, Miss: Shui Yue Lian]

Bai Xiu's eyes lit up when he saw the new character appear.

However, he preferred to save the best for later, so he checked on Li Ye and the others who had upgraded first.

Wind Chime didn't learn any new skills, and Firefly didn't learn any new skills either, but her Ice River Slash leveled up to level 2, making the effect even more exaggerated.

【Cut Ice River Lv2】

Detailed Explanation: The legendary divine sword, the exclusive sword skill of "Winter". Only unparalleled talent can wield and master it. With a single strike, an icy river appears.

Effect: Creates a 2-meter-long glacier, providing a very strong level of both defense and attack. In the early game, the glacier's power and size double with each level the firefly gains. Note: The firefly will be weakened after use. (Exclusive skill, cannot be learned by the player.)

"That's outrageous! The range of the glacier has doubled, so its power must have increased as well." Bai Xiu took a deep breath. The previous level 1 glacier was ten meters long, but now it has become twenty meters long.

The level 1 Ice River already feels powerful enough to surpass the peak of the Marrow Cleansing stage, while the level 2 Ice River is definitely stronger. With one move, Captain Nightingale and other main members would probably be wiped out.

Firefly is only at the mid-stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

He is undoubtedly a peerless genius. If he were summoned into reality, it would probably shatter people's worldview.

Bai Xiu then checked on Wang Ming and was equally pleasantly surprised.

Wang Ming

Rating: 3

Background story: An unlucky guy who was stung by a mysterious human-faced bee.

Possesses the skill: Human-faced Bee's deadly venom.

Effect: The attacks it possesses are inherently highly poisonous.

Learn a new skill: Spread.

Effect: The poison automatically spreads from enemies to the entire group, and the spread is very rapid.

"Interesting." Bai Xiu was quite surprised that Wang Ming had actually mastered the Spread technique. Combined with the human-faced bee venom he already possessed, this was simply a powerful weapon for group battles.

Wang Ming has always been unremarkable, but now it seems that the other party is not simple.

Next, Bai Xiu checked Li Ye and was surprised to find that Li Ye had actually reached level 4.

What's going on?

Bai Xiu curiously checked and discovered that Li Ye's level 3 skill was called "Experienced," which could boost his level by 1 out of thin air, thus making him the highest-level character in the sandbox game.

To Bai Xiu's surprise, Li Ye actually learned the body-refining technique on his own.

Li Ye, who had fought alongside Captain Tie Fu for many years, finally comprehended the Tie Fu Body Refining Method.

Effect: The body becomes as hard as steel, and the power is doubled when using the captain's exclusive red iron axe!

"Not bad body refinement, late stage of marrow cleansing, plus the double power of the iron axe, it must be very strong."

Bai Xiu had been worrying about how to learn advanced body-refining techniques when a character in the town reached level 4. It seems that the character can comprehend their own exclusive body-refining techniques, which saves him a lot of trouble.

The Iron Axe Body Refining Technique looks good; it should be stronger than regular high-level body refining techniques.

Regardless, Li Ye has reached level four, and Bai Xiu now possesses the combat power of a genuine Firefly Division vice-captain.

After reviewing all the characters' skills, Bai Xiu looked expectantly at the magnificent pink princess castle. More than ten butlers stood outside the gate, while a blue-haired girl, dressed in a princess dress, was elegantly having dinner inside the castle.

Are these the new residents?