Chapter 59
Despite Theo’s recent encounter with an AMSO unit, it didn’t deter him. He had no intention of sneaking into more unattended red zones, not yet, at least. His focus was on something more practical: clearing out the nearby towns surrounding the Twinfront Sanctuary first.
“Are you sure about this?” Brix’s voice crackled through the line, concern laced in every word. “They dispatched a unit just the other night. They’re clearly targeting you now p>
Theo leaned back against the wall, eyes narrowing. “I know, Commander. But it’s fine. My priority is clearing Agro Province of infectees. There are still a lot of survivors trapped out here. AMSO is stretched thin across the country p>
He had been keeping track of the situation, not through mainstream media, but through independent online channels that still dared to show the harsh reality. He followed underground updates, ones not censored by corporate-controlled networks.
Protests erupted outside government offices as desperate families begged for help, demanding the rescue of loved ones still trapped in red zones.
Theo understood AMSO’s limitations. Not all AMS had registered with the organization, and currently, AMSO had fewer than a thousand active agents nationwide, with only a handful of new recruits in training. They couldn’t be everywhere at once. That’s why Theo had to act because someone had to.
“Alright then. I’ll assist however I can, just like usual,” Brix said calmly on the other end of the call. “Text me the location you plan to infiltrate. If any of my men are patrolling the hatch area, I’ll create a distraction p>
Theo smiled faintly. “Thank you, Commander. I’ll be leaving the house soon and will message you once I confirm the location p>
The call ended. Theo leaned back in his chair and released a long sigh.
He didn’t bother checking the available main quests. The system always pinged him whenever he got close to a Meteorborn candidate, especially for a main quest. No need to waste time browsing. The Mutation Abyss system knew when to make itself known.
He stood up, ready to prepare for his next run, but paused when his eyes landed on the weapon resting near the door, an ordinary double-edged axe. He frowned.
“Right… I should check for updates on my stats.” He hummed thoughtfully to himself.
He was sure he’d gained enough EXP to either unlock something or enhance an existing ability. His current skills, while helpful, had drawbacks, especially the cooldown periods.
His energy shield, for instance, was practically useless in extended combat due to its short activation time and long recharge. He often got hit before he could even react.
He still had Granite Skin, which helped, but that only lasted sixty seconds. He needed more sustainability.
“I want to check my stats,” he muttered, and the familiar translucent blue screen shimmered into view before him.
[Rank: Mutant
Mutation Level: 3
HP: 100/150
EXP: 26,190
MP/EP: 100/150
Strength: 80/100
Agility: 80/100
Intelligence: 90/100
Endurance: 80/100
Perception: 50/100
Wealth: 2,549 Gold Coins]
“I need to get everything up,” he murmured.
Perception was the newest stat that caught his interest. It affected awareness, reflexes, and reaction time, especially during sudden danger or stealth-based situations. That could definitely come in handy, especially now that he was dealing with faster and smarter meteorborns and more frequent AMSO units in the future.
Theo tapped the system interface, opening the EXP Allocation Menu. A prompt appeared in front of his eyes.
[Unlock & Upgrade with EXP]
[Upgrade Stats]
[Enhance/Modify Active Abilities/Powers]
[Unlock Passive Traits]
[System Hints]
[Unlock/Enhance Weapons]
“Let’s start with stats first,” he whispered, selecting the Upgrade Stats option.
A detailed breakdown appeared, showing the cost to improve each attribute by one point.
[Stat Upgrade Cost – Level 3 Mutant]
Strength: 500 EXP per 5 points
Agility: 500 EXP per 5 points
Intelligence: 700 EXP per 5 points
Endurance: 600 EXP per 5 points
Perception: 450 EXP per 5 points
“What a rip-off! So much EXP for just 5 points,” he muttered, sighing. He hovered over the plus icon next to Perception, tapping it twice.
[900 EXP spent. Perception increased to 60 p>
Next, he eyed Endurance. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the
“If I can tank more damage, maybe I won’t rely too much on cooldown skills He added two points there.
[1,200 EXP spent. Endurance increased to 90 p>
[EXP Remaining: 24,090]
“Tsk. Will that even make a difference?” he sighed again, deeper this time. He made a mental note to level up faster, more EXP meant stronger stats and better upgrades. He needed to hit those red zones soon. It was the perfect way to do both: save lives and grow stronger.
“Let’s check the skill enhancement section next p>
He backed out of the stat screen and selected Enhance/Modify Active Abilities.
[Available Powers for Enhancement]
Energy Shield – Duration: 5s / Cooldown: 60s
Next Upgrade: Duration to 20s, Reduce Cooldown to 30s – [Cost: 5,000 EXP]
Granite Skin – Duration: 60s / Cooldown: 60s
Next Upgrade: Increase Duration to 120s, Gain Minor Bullet Resistance – [Cost: 6,000 EXP]
Pulse Wave – Short-range energy blast
Next Upgrade: Add Knockback Effect, Reduce Charge Time – [Cost: 4,000 EXP]
Theo smirked p>
“Let’s fix that damn shield p>
He tapped the upgrade option for Energy Shield.
[5,000 EXP spent. Energy Shield upgraded p>
[New Duration: 20s / Cooldown: 30s]
Without hesitation, he upgraded Granite Skin too.
[6,000 EXP spent. Granite Skin upgraded p>
[New Duration: 90s / Effect: Minor Bullet Resistance]
[EXP Remaining: 13,090]
Theo gulped. He had gone overboard, spending like he was on a shopping spree.
“I can’t let my EXP drop below 10,000,” he muttered, recalling how the system had burned through that exact amount to forcefully rank him up to Mutant when he was on the brink of death.
“Who knows how much it’ll need next time just to keep me alive he murmured, regret flickering in his chest. He should’ve hit a Red Zone first, stocked up on EXP, then decided what to spend. What if he ended up on death’s door again?
He shook his head. No point thinking that way.
“I should head out,” he muttered, deciding not to bother checking the other tabs on the EXP Allocation Menu.
But just as he turned away, his gaze fell on his standard double-edged axe. Curiosity tugged at him. Without thinking, he scrolled down to the last tab: Unlock/Enhance Weapons.