Chapter 61: Scavenging Top Talent

After several minutes, the man and woman were left battered with bruised faces, noses swollen. If not for Duan Wenxuan’s intervention, the enraged man might have choked the woman to death. Conversely, if his reaction had been slower, the woman’s fingers would nearly have gouged out his eyes, intent on killing him.

Separated and exhausted, each clutched the bread that Duan Wenxuan had thrown earlier, their expressions wary but predominantly fearful of him.

Two ordinary individuals… Duan Wenxuan decided to squat down, casually examining them. “Tell me, where exactly is this place, and what are your names?”

“Before the Great Cataclysm, this was Luoluo City. My name is Song Boxue, and she is Roy.”

Song Boxue clearly displayed more composure than Roy. At first glance, whether it was Duan Wenxuan unhesitatingly offering strategic-grade rations like instant noodles and bread, or his body showing no signs of radiation infection, everything indicated that he was far from ordinary. Realizing this, while Roy remained cautious and hesitant, Song Boxue promptly made a decision to respond.

Duan Wenxuan’s gaze shifted to Song Boxue.

Nearby, Roy instantly regretted his hesitation, wanting to speak but fearing to do so recklessly. With laws no longer binding, the Doomsday operated largely on survival of the fittest, and countless individuals lost their lives over a single word.

Song Boxue swallowed nervously, casting a fearful glance at Duan Wenxuan.

“Do you know how the great catastrophe occurred?”

“I do. Seven years ago, war erupted between Yitai Nation and Brightsea Nation, eventually escalating into a global conflict. Coincidentally, during this war, there was a massive meteor shower event. These meteors not only triggered earthquakes and tsunamis, causing billions in financial losses, but most importantly, they carried peculiar radiation.

The technologically lagging Yitai Nation pioneered the use of these meteors, creating a super bomb called ‘Red Cap’. After Red Caps were fully deployed on the battlefield, Brightsea Nation rapidly suffered defeats.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Brightsea Nation also began researching the meteors. Not only did they develop the ‘Starmete’ bombs, but they also created a biological toxin named ‘Silence’.

The war lasted for two years until both Yitai and Brightsea Nations ultimately realized that everything had reached a point of no return. Even though they began discussing peace, the biological poisons and various meteorite radiation continued to spread, plunging the world into utter chaos. For the subsequent five years up until now, apart from the Urban City ‘Heaven’ which Yitai and Brightsea Nations barely managed to maintain together, all other places have become ruins.”

“Oh.” Duan Wenxuan looked at Song Boxue. “What did you do before?”

Song Boxue’s speech was highly logical, succinctly yet clearly recounting the events of the catastrophe. Such individuals typically possess some level of education and knowledge.

“I originally studied at Nitalia University. During my university days, I successfully developed a medication called Sifert, showing remarkable effectiveness in treating vascular tumors. After graduating, I seamlessly entered Yitai Nation’s Special Research Institute. Within three years, I further refined the Sifert medication, achieving nearly complete treatment for vascular tumors.

For the following two years, I left the research institute and established my own bio-pharmaceutical company. In just one year, my company gained widespread acclaim throughout the entire Yitai Nation.”

“You truly are a genius,” Duan Wenxuan remarked.

Of course, he understood Song Boxue’s intention behind elaborating his background - he was taking a chance, hoping that perhaps Duan Wenxuan could indeed save him.

“And you?” Duan Wenxuan turned to Roy.

Seizing the opportunity, Roy strained her neck to conceal the abscess on it, “I am a celebrity. Before the Doomsday, I…”

“Enough.” Before Roy could finish, Duan Wenxuan interrupted her. Initially, he had assumed that since she was associated with Song Boxue, she must also be a scientist of similar caliber. To his surprise, she turned out to be a celebrity. Such a profession held no significance for Duan Wenxuan.

Roy dared not speak further and instead looked pleadingly at Song Boxue. Now, all she could do was hope that if Song Boxue genuinely found a way out, he wouldn’t abandon her, as they had always relied on each other for support.

“As for me…” Song Boxue nervously glanced at Duan Wenxuan.

“You’re quite impressive. I need your intellect to work for me. Let’s start here, making this hotel our temporary base. As compensation, from now on, every meal will be like today’s, how does that sound?”

“Alright!” Song Boxue responded without any hesitation. “However… this hotel has very strong radiation, possibly due to meteorite fragments inside. We can’t stay here for long.”

“No problem, I’ll locate and discard them shortly. But even outside, there’s radiation everywhere. How have you managed to survive until now?”

“Not just by chance. We have this.” Carefully, Song Boxue pulled out from his pocket a circular piece of iron about the size of a palm. On one side of the iron disc, a simple circuit was embedded, with a red stone roughly the size of a fingernail at its center.

“This is red stone. The radiation from the initial meteorites was quite peculiar, especially after the Yitai and Brightsea Nations utilized the meteorites to spur explosive advancements in war technology. After various mutations, they transformed into their current state.

In areas with extremely high radiation levels, these veins of red stones tend to form nearby. When stimulated slightly by electricity, this red stone emits certain waves that effectively counteract some of the radiation.

“By carrying it with us, we can to some extent delay the effects of radiation. However, red stone veins have only formed in recent years and are extremely rare. Whenever they appear, people risk their lives to exhaustively mine them clean, primarily for maintaining Heaven’s operations.

The remaining portions are then distributed by Heaven based on the various resources contributed annually by self-established bases.”

Duan Wenxuan used his Twisted Eye to sense it and discovered that the red stone was actually emitting a type of radiation as well. If there were no meteorite radiation in the air, the red stone’s radiation would still pose harm to humans. Fortunately, the two types of radiation counteracted each other, providing humanity with a chance to catch its breath.

“Can it be continuously used?”

Song Boxue immediately shook his head. “No, this piece will likely last around three months. Two months ago, Roy and I exchanged it at the base using the radiated wild chickens and rabbits we caught outside.”

Of course, he didn’t mention Roy’s personal sacrifice involved in obtaining it, but Roy had voluntarily brought it up at the time. They needed two pieces of red stone, and the captured radiated animals alone weren’t sufficient.

In the aftermath of radiation and Doomsday, women’s physical constitutions were generally weaker. Coupled with the chaos unleashed during this period, within the first two to three years of the apocalypse, a significant number of women perished, leading to their scarcity. Currently, both women and some physically slender, attractive males often serve as tradable commodities.

Although Roy had a disgusting lump on her neck, the rest of her body showed minimal skin deterioration. Her facial features were considerably more refined compared to most ordinary people, and combined with her pre-apocalyptic status, she still attracted attention from certain men.

Casually tossing the red stone back to Song Boxue, Duan Wenxuan said, “I’ll handle the meteorite issue first.”

Leaving Song Boxue and his group behind, Duan Wenxuan activated the Twisted Eye. Instantly, he felt a transformation in his left eye’s field of view. Various eerie light patterns emerged amidst the normal scenery. Following the most distorted and suppressed rays, Duan Wenxuan located a black meteorite amidst the rubble on the second floor’s right side.

It seemed likely that the presence of this meteorite forced previous occupants to hastily abandon the hotel.

The moment Duan Wenxuan grasped the meteorite, he exerted slight pressure with his left hand, causing all the emitted radiation to be absorbed by the Twisted Eye. A small portion was retained by the Twisted Eye itself, while the majority was actively seized by the Greed Pot.

Within a minute, the black meteorite completely consumed its radiation and crumbled into dust. The Greed Pot transmitted a vague consciousness to Duan Wenxuan, indicating it wanted more.

Now that’s interesting.

Originally, the Greed Pot relied on human greed to absorb souls overflowing with negative energy, but this process was slow. However, with the addition of the Twisted Eye, the Greed Pot acted like a bandit, directly plundering others’ abilities. This fundamentally changed the method for advancement, greatly accelerating it.

With this thought, Duan Wenxuan fully activated the Twisted Eye, absorbing large amounts of radiation within the hotel’s vicinity. As he expanded the absorption range further, even the Twisted Eye began showing signs of strain. In reality, the effective coverage of the Twisted Eye was not extensive; it primarily targeted individual points rather than entire areas.

Under such intense absorption, the hotel’s radiation levels significantly weakened compared to other places. Although over time, as long as Luoluo City remained contaminated with radiation and toxic gases, the hotel’s radiation would gradually increase again, there is still a gradual process involved.

Outside the hotel entrance:

Song Boxue suddenly shivered, swiftly glancing at Roy. “Have you noticed that the hotel’s radiation has weakened? The prickling sensation on my skin is gone.”

Even with the red stone, discomfort persisted.

“Yes,” Roy acknowledged after sensing it briefly. She distinctly felt that upon entering the hotel, the air she breathed no longer carried that uncomfortable burning sensation.

Before Song Boxue and Roy could respond further, Duan Wenxuan emerged and said, “Come inside now. The radiation has significantly improved.”

Song Boxue and Roy exchanged looks, then eagerly entered the hotel with expressions of delight.

“I can continuously maintain this environment. Now, I need you both to do something: go to Luoluo City’s survival base and recruit personnel. Either those with intellectual skills, such as biologists, chemists, surgeons, architectural experts, etc., all of whom I require. Or individuals with decent physical strength, as I want people to repair and refurbish the hotel into an office building. Additionally, find ten women; their appearance doesn’t matter. Once they arrive, have them start by cleaning up here, and later they will be responsible for cooking and housekeeping tasks.”

With that, Duan Wenxuan looked at Roy, “You’ll oversee these recruited women. Any issues?”

“No,” Roy replied firmly.

“Good. You must be tired as well. Go to the eighteenth floor and find rooms to rest for the day; we’ll set out again tomorrow. I’ll be on the nineteenth floor, and unless it’s urgent, do not disturb me.”

Song Boxue exchanged glances with Roy, obediently acknowledging Duan Wenxuan’s instructions.

By this time, twenty-four hours had passed. Seizing a moment, Duan Wenxuan returned briefly to the modern era, bringing back an entire day’s worth of pots, pans, utensils, several bags of rice, and boxes of instant noodles, entrusting them to Song Boxue’s care.

Seeing these food items, Song Boxue was nearly incredulous. Despite being mentally prepared, he still felt immensely excited. It had been years since he’d encountered such fresh, uncontaminated, radiation-free produce.

However, most of the text on these foods was unfamiliar to him, and considering how Duan Wenxuan seemed to conjure them seemingly out of thin air, Song Boxue had numerous speculations but kept them all to himself, daring not to ask any questions.

Duan Wenxuan’s lack of secrecy implied that he had nothing to fear. Moreover, after enduring the apocalypse, Song Boxue had lost his pre-apocalyptic arrogance and pride. His transformation began when he watched Roy trade bodies without hesitation, behaving more like a rogue, even fighting women over food… He had fundamentally changed long ago. For a mouthful of sustenance, he would do anything.

Once, he had principles, but now he had nothing left.

Patting Song Boxue’s shoulder, Duan Wenxuan said, “Tomorrow, I’ll be leaving for a few days. In five days, you and Roy should wait with the recruited people at the hotel lobby for my return. I trust you won’t do anything foolish.”

With each pat from Duan Wenxuan, Song Boxue bent further forward, resembling a subservient slave.

Having grasped the general situation of this world, where there were no significant superpowers, Duan Wenxuan saw it as an opportunity to gather top-tier talents to serve him. He was not remotely concerned about Song Boxue causing any trouble.

The paper figurines had already planted seeds within both Song Boxue and Roy. If they dared to run off with the resources, their fate would mirror Liao Yangsu’s - waiting to go insane and die in nightmares.

Rushing back to the present world, Duan Wenxuan promptly checked on Vena, the fat man, Winter, and others whom he had previously released. This time, he could make a grand move, given the drastic changes in the real world, signaling the emergence of a formidable power.