Chapter Four: The Beginning

The undead and the void are the most destructive among the ten races. Their formidable biotechnology stands at the pinnacle of the universe. In a mid-tier technological plane like this, not even those advanced planets that rule several star systems and possess wormhole technology could withstand their onslaught for long. For the undead and void, all other races pale in comparison when it comes to starting positions. In a low-magic world with a well-developed network and high public intelligence, their methods are simple—usher in the apocalypse.

Do the players on Planet D know how to create an apocalypse? Of course they do. Biohazard, Dawn of the Dead, Alien, and countless popular end-of-the-world novels—they haven’t watched them for nothing. Gathering the intelligence Little Peach mentioned earlier, the earliest players arrived in this plane half a year ago. The undead bloodline offers a high mental boost in the early stages. With half a year to unlock new undead technologies and powers, they must be well prepared by now.

Guo Lang belonged to the Rosa Federation, a union of capitalist nations where industry giants wielded power equal to the government. The Star Origin Group that Little Peach mentioned was likely their first target in realizing the apocalypse. But Guo Lang still needed to observe secretly to see how far things had progressed.

First, he had to solve his own identity, living arrangements, and a series of basic survival issues. He glanced around. Judging by the artificial greenery and water features, this was probably a high-end villa district. The landing spot was, at least, an excellent one.

Guo Lang was about to ask when Little Peach cut in, “The energy shield is about to disappear, master. You must quickly merge with your bloodline!”

Guo Lang sighed and nodded. Little Peach opened his spatial storage pack, revealing his starter supplies: a bottle of high-purity first-generation Nightblood, two hundred bottles of coarse Nightblood, an enchanted dagger, an enchanted short sword, a soft inner armor, a Night-special bow and living wood arrows, a magic-powered pistol for beginners, and a high-capacity sniper rifle.

Not a bad starter kit, Guo Lang thought with satisfaction. Compared to the equipment he had as a follower of the Lord of Light in his previous life during the public test, these were leagues ahead. Nightblood, due to having fewer followers early on, received heavy investment.

First came the bottle of high-purity first-generation Nightblood. Its high purity and pure genes would not interfere with later professional enhancements, maximizing the basic qualities of an ordinary person to the level of a standard Night Elf. This was for his own use. The two hundred bottles were diluted and mixed with other strengthening agents—these were for recruiting followers in this new world, the biggest asset for any newcomer. The enchanted cold weapons were extremely useful. Elven craftsmanship ranked among the best of the ten races, and their enchanting skills were exceptional. Enchanted weapons offered attribute bonuses. The magic-powered pistol and sniper rifle were essential for any beginner.

Guo Lang had no intention of using them unless absolutely necessary. Many players in his previous life grew enamored with these era-crossing magic firearms in the early stages, only to regret it later. As one’s attributes improved, cold weapons became mainstream. The gods never gave useless things—when your attributes are low, firearms are best, but you can’t rely on them too much. The enchanted cold weapons were meant to help you build proficiency early on. Once your foundation is solid and your attributes rise, weapons will feel more natural in hand. In this kind of world, human evolution happens quickly. If you don’t master your body through cold weapons, you’ll fall behind your own potential and become easy prey.

Nightblood had a slight advantage here: its bloodline growth leaned toward agility, offering high bonuses in the early stages and making cold weapons highly effective. Yet, among the ten races, Nightblood was relatively weak, mainly due to late-stage unit deficiencies. But since Guo Lang had chosen this path, he would accept its flaws. He took out the high-purity blood, mixed it with the starter gene agent Little Peach provided, and injected it into his vein.

Hiss! Even with the gene agent’s tempering, the potent blood still caused him excruciating pain. His veins bulged grotesquely from the intense transformation. Though he’d undergone numerous enhancements in his previous life, he couldn’t help but convulse on the ground, writhing in agony. If he hadn’t been too weak to scream, his cries would have echoed through the entire district.

It was unclear how much time passed before the pain began to slowly subside. The energy shield around him grew faint as bubbles, and Little Peach floated idly above his head.

With a crackling sound of bones shrinking, Guo Lang slowly stood up. If one looked closely, they would notice he’d grown about three centimeters taller—not much, but a change nonetheless. After a long moment, he slowly opened his eyes. A faint purple light flickered in his once-black pupils. For now, his bloodline was still weak, unable to produce the dazzling eye color and signature markings of high-level figures.

Guo Lang felt the changes in his body. The first thing he noticed was his enhanced vision—he could see at least three times farther than before. His insight had improved too. He could even track the flight paths of nearby insects and the frequency of their wingbeats.

He took out the dagger and tested his agility, spinning it deftly between his fingers. To the average observer, it would seem like a fan’s blurred afterimage, dazzling to behold. Even Little Peach was impressed, “Master, you’re quite skilled with that dagger.”

“Heh,” Guo Lang chuckled but didn’t reply. In his previous life, he was a knight, specializing in two-handed swords and holy hammers. Daggers were only entry-level for him. He’d seen professionals wield daggers, their fingers moving as fast as motorized fans. Even after countless enhancements, he couldn’t follow their trajectories—those were true experts, though it also depended on his own agility parameters.

The Nightblood enhancement leaned toward agility but also boosted strength and mental power. Guo Lang moved a bit and found these attributes quite good for the early stage. Compared to the Snow Tribe, whose growth focused on mental power, agility was much more practical. High agility meant quick reaction, and adaptability to emergencies was greatly improved. For now, his starting point was excellent. As for the late-stage unit weaknesses of Nightblood, he’d deal with those later.

After a while, the energy shield around him dissipated entirely. Guo Lang knew his beginner’s protection had ended. The environment was still favorable, and according to the intel, those undead brats hadn't started their actions yet. He had a bit more time to prepare—survival first!

Guo Lang had seen undead openings too many times before. In worlds like this, they usually infiltrated large pharmaceutical companies and had famous biologists announce epoch-making drugs—cures for terminal illnesses, life extension, and so on. When the medicines spread, they’d introduce viruses, and a pure biological apocalypse would ensue.

No other race could pull off this routine. The undead and void’s biotechnology was unrivaled in the universe. No other race could find cures for their viruses, or even stop their spread. Especially in low-magic worlds where average resistance was weak—they could finely control the strength and final evolution of mutated beings according to the natives’ resistance. It was extremely professional, impossible for other races to imitate.

So how do you handle an undead apocalypse? Most players don’t object, since you can profit from the chaos. Otherwise, relying on yourself alone to build a cult in war-torn countries would take ten years before you achieved anything.

Though undead forces are stronger in an apocalypse, you can still benefit from the fallout. Morality collapses, and ordinary people desperately seek protection. Building up private power becomes much easier. At first, Guo Lang found it cruel, but if you can't change it, you can only go with the flow.

Given the current situation, he needed to gather external information first. Through news media, the internet, and other sources, he had to deduce when the apocalypse would start. Next, he needed a base—not too crowded, with some defenses but not so conspicuous as to attract military attention. He’d need enough survival supplies to recruit survivors.

Guo Lang looked around. This was a wealthy villa district—not ideal for a base. The location was poorly defensible, and most wealthy residents held social status, likely to be protected by the military first, which would hinder his plans. Still, it was a good starting point—at least he could get some money and a heavy-duty vehicle.

With his plan in mind, Guo Lang wandered the district, deftly avoiding cameras and guards. Based on the terrain, he selected a standalone villa near the courtyard but close to the south gate. With a flash of purple in his eyes, he leapt over the five-meter-high wall with ease and slipped inside without a sound.