Apocalypse: The Primordial Pearl Recognizes Its Master, Starting with Infinite Space

Lin Chen carefully organized and categorized his gains for the day within his spatial dimension, immersing himself in the process. He didn't know how much time had passed—

"Brother Lin, dinner's ready."

Li Ya's clear voice came from outside the door, like a bird returning to its nest after a storm, carrying a calming and vibrant energy that brought him back from the inventory of supplies.

"They're here."

He pushed open the door and followed Li Ya downstairs. The living room on the first floor was brightly lit, with a crystal chandelier casting a warm yellow light—thanks to China's robust infrastructure, the power system was still functioning normally, and this faint light became an important psychological pillar in the darkness.

Su Yun, Zhou Xiaomin, and Zhang Jing were serving dishes to the dining table. The other girls sat scattered throughout the living room in silence.

Some people were glued to their phones, their fingers mechanically swiping; others stared blankly out the window at the relentless crimson rain; and a little girl was curled up in the deepest corner of the sofa, hugging her knees, as if trying to hide herself in an invisible shell.

Lin Chen walked to the head of the table and sat down, his gaze calmly sweeping over everyone.

"Is the room all tidied up?" he asked, offering no further comfort. At this moment, words often prove powerless.

"It's all ready, Brother Lin," Li Ya replied softly, pulling up a chair to sit down next to him.

"Come and sit down, everyone," Lin Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears. "Let's eat first."

The girls quietly gathered together and sat down on either side of the long table. The table was a little crowded, but it could barely accommodate everyone.

The dishes on the table were unexpectedly plentiful: steamed lobster, poached chicken, honey-glazed char siu, slow-cooked soup, and glistening white rice. The aroma filled the air, but no one touched their chopsticks. It wasn't until Lin Chen picked up a piece of chicken that everyone seemed to receive tacit approval and began to pick up their bowls one after another.

The atmosphere at the table was oppressively quiet, broken only by the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks. Yet everyone ate quickly—physiological needs took precedence over everything else.

About an hour later, dinner ended. Lin Chen led everyone back to the living room.

"I know you're scared," he said, his voice steady. "The world collapsed overnight, you might never see your loved ones again, the familiar order is gone... Anyone would break down in that situation."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Li Ya, Su Yun, the twin sisters... one young face after another, yet filled with panic.

"But people have to keep living. As long as you're alive, you have to keep looking forward."

Thinking of the harsh challenges ahead, his tone hardened: "Starting tomorrow, everyone will face zombies and participate in the battle. Since I promised to protect you as much as possible, I won't let you go to your deaths empty-handed."

Before he finished speaking, he flipped his palm, and fourteen radiant Creation Crystals appeared out of thin air.

"This is called 'Creation Crystal'." Lin Chen's voice carried a strange persuasiveness. "Swallow it, and you will awaken 'superpowers'. In this world, superpowers are not just about strength, but more importantly—the awakened body will have natural immunity to the zombie virus."

"Immunity...infection?" A timid voice came from the corner. It was Zhao Xiaomeng, the student who had been curled up. She raised her head, and for the first time, a faint light appeared in her eyes.

"Yes, immunity," Lin Chen affirmed. "This means that as long as you're not bitten to death on the spot, you won't turn into those things outside."

It was like a boulder being thrown into stagnant water! An incredulous light flashed in the women's eyes. In this hopeless apocalypse, this news was like lightning striking from the darkness.

"Brother Lin... this, is it really for us?" Zhou Xiaomin's voice trembled.

"What else would we do with them?" Lin Chen distributed the spirit crystals to everyone. "Now, swallow them."

Without hesitation, Su Yun was the first to put the warm, smooth crystal into her mouth, followed closely by the others.

Their desire for power, their tenacity for survival, and their inexplicable trust in the man before them led them to make the same choice.

Fourteen people took the medicine at the same time and began to awaken simultaneously—a scene that even Lin Chen, who had lived two lives, had never witnessed before.

The process was astonishingly fast. In less than a minute, their eyes opened one after another. Surprise, disbelief, and the relief of surviving a disaster... a variety of emotions flowed across their faces.

When she looked at Lin Chen again, her gaze held an almost burning dependence and trust.

"I...I feel like there's fire in my palm!" Zhou Xiaomin was the first to exclaim, her palm faintly glowing red.

"I am ice!" A wisp of icy blue mist swirled around Zhang Jing's fingertips.

"I feel so light!" Wang Ting tried to walk a few quick steps, creating a gentle breeze.

The living room instantly came alive, filled with exclamations and whispers.

"Sister Yun!" Zhou Xiaomin suddenly leaned closer to Su Yun, her eyes wide. "Your skin... how come it's so radiant all of a sudden? Even your dark circles are gone!"

Su Yun subconsciously touched her face, and it did indeed feel smooth and moisturized. She looked down at her hands, and even the slight roughness at her knuckles, caused by years of work, had smoothed out.

"Really!" came an exclamation from the other side. "I feel like my pores have gotten smaller!"

"I feel so much more energetic now..."

The topic magically shifted to the "beauty" effects of awakening. Lin Chen stood to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips—women, ah.

But he knew in his heart that these people were not ordinary A-level, but rather all of them had A+ level potential.

Wu Fang (Thorn Entanglement), Zhou Hongmei (Steel Skin Armor), Ma Xiaoyan (Sonic Impact), Chen Yutong (Healing Light), Zhao Xiaomeng (Phantom Clone), Sun Li (Night Vision Perception), Zheng Jia (Gravity Field), Hu Juan (Lightning Technique)... Offense, defense, support, and control—the system is beginning to take shape.

The effects of the Creation Crystal are truly extraordinary.

At this moment, they are unaware of what this 100% awakening rate and starting A+ aptitude will mean in the future apocalypse.

Survivors from the outside world must risk their lives to hunt zombies and consume crystal cores, with a slim chance of awakening and generally low levels.

In comparison, their current situation can be described as divine favor.

"Alright," Lin Chen raised his hand, silencing the growing noise. "You can explore the specific effects and development of your abilities gradually later, and quickly build up your combat capabilities. Starting tomorrow, we'll be fighting side by side."

He glanced at the time: "Now, let's briefly introduce ourselves and get to know each other."

Li Ya was the first to stand up, poised and confident: "Li Ya, 22 years old, previously a flight attendant." Her answer was crisp and efficient.

The twins stood up together. The older sister, Jiang Yingxue, spoke in a gentle voice: "Jiang Yingxue, this is my younger sister, Yingyue, 20 years old, a dance major at Guangzhou Arts University."

Su Yun stood upright and spoke clearly: "Su Yun, 26 years old, was the regional operations manager of a chain of Western restaurants before the apocalypse."

Lin Chen's heart stirred slightly upon hearing the name. In his past life, he seemed to have vaguely heard of a female superhuman named "Su Yun," around Rank B, who had built a team with her outstanding management skills, but later disappeared due to a traitor. Could this be the person before him? He secretly made a mental note of it.

"I... my name is Zhao Xiaomeng, I'm 17 years old, a senior in high school." The student's voice was barely audible. She immediately blushed and sat down, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. "Today... I went to the music school to practice the piano..."

Then, Zhou Xiaomin, Zhang Jing, Wang Ting, Wu Fang… one name after another was called out. Most of them were newcomers to the workforce: sales assistants, cashiers, and waitresses. The panic in their eyes had faded somewhat, replaced by a glimmer of hope for the future.

Finally, there were Chen Yutong, Zheng Jia, Hu Juan, and Sun Li, all college students from nearby universities who were working part-time. When they left home in the morning, the world was still ordinary; when they returned, everything had changed drastically.

After the brief introductions, the tense sense of unfamiliarity between them seemed to ease a little.

Lin Chen looked up and saw that the clock on the wall had quietly slipped toward midnight.

On the first night of the apocalypse, in this sturdy villa, as the light of fourteen spirit crystals entered their throats, a nascent team composed entirely of female A+ level ability users was quietly born.

The bloody rain outside the window has not stopped.

But the fourteen hearts inside the house have been ignited with a flame of survival and struggle unlike any before.