Chapter 3, Energy Collection

Wu Ming walked to the outskirts of the crowd, and the simple "Vitality Collector" on his wrist immediately emitted a series of beeping sounds. At that moment, Wu Ming secretly thought there was an opportunity, yet he stood there, pretending to be a curious onlooker.

According to Wu Ming's estimation, this energy collection device can gather a total of three units of energy, while the amount of energy required for a human to awaken is twenty-four units. Therefore, it needs to be collected eight times. Fortunately, the Hetian jade purchased earlier has been cut into several small pieces, which is sufficient for storage.

Wu Ming wandered around this sports store for more than three hours before leaving. During this time, his energy collector gathered one unit of energy. Although it was not much, Wu Ming was quite satisfied, as the passage to the other world had not yet fully opened. Having this small gain was already quite good.

It is not difficult for the body to absorb vital energy; one simply needs to sit quietly and control their breathing, placing a jade stone with both hands pressed up and down on the lower abdomen, allowing the body to gradually absorb the vital energy

In addition to food and water, people are even frantically purchasing clothing and charcoal stoves due to rumors that the world will soon enter a glacial period

In less than ten minutes, police cars arrived and simultaneously sealed off the scene

The illustration vividly depicts a bizarre scene: a pitch-black beetle is emerging from the soil, while several animals are scattering in panic. Judging by the proportions, this beetle is quite large. Upon closer inspection, one can see that the beetle's sharp limbs are slowly moving, as if it were alive.

This is already a significant event. When faced with the unknown, humanity often finds itself at a loss, experiencing fear and being swayed by various rumors. At this time, those who possess the truth, for various reasons, keep it hidden, which only exacerbates this fear

It is fortunate that Wu Ming made the procurement early; otherwise, even with money, one would not be able to purchase anything now. Undoubtedly, along with the *illustrated* books, not only Yucheng but the entire world has fallen into a state of panic. After all, thousands of `meteors` fall across the globe every day, causing significant losses and casualties. It is said that in the past few days, the number of people who have died due to meteor strikes has already exceeded ten thousand

When Wu Ming arrived, he happened to see the citizen passionately expressing his views, which mainly revolved around demanding the government to disclose the truth about the meteorite's fall. In fact, a day earlier, many rumors had already begun to spread online, and essential supplies such as food and water in supermarkets had been completely sold out, resulting in many supermarkets running out of stock.

The accessories of the aura collector include a watch-type mobile phone, some electronic components, and a piece of Hetian jade

In the following days, Wu Ming spent his time in a flurry of activity, first gathering all the cash he could muster, including the savings he had accumulated over the past few years, and then using this sum to purchase all kinds of supplies he could think of

The two units of vitality can indeed improve my constitution, but it is not enough to awaken. If I remember correctly, Yucheng will ultimately drop six cards, which will absorb the surrounding vitality from these six cards. It seems that I can only store six units of vitality. To absorb more, I must be within a ten-meter range of the cards. However, the drop sites are currently under strict surveillance and isolation, making it impossible to approach!" Wu Ming looked at the glowing card in his hand and thought to himself that this simple vitality collector and jade cannot store vitality for long; over time, it will dissipate, so it must be absorbed immediately. He thought to himself that this simple vitality collector and jade cannot store vitality for long; over time, it will dissipate, so it must be absorbed immediately

The vitality of another world is also a peculiar form of energy, akin to the 'electric energy' in the human world, which can be stored in certain mediums. Naturally, the best storage medium is the 'energy card'; however, in the absence of energy cards, Hetian jade can serve as a substitute.

Yucheng has also begun to experience incidents of "meteorites" falling. Around three o'clock in the early morning, a dazzling fireball, reminiscent of illustrations, descended from the sky, landing on the playground of a middle school on the Third Ring Road in Yucheng, creating a large pit with a diameter of seven to eight meters. Five to six meters below the pit, a black card was seen floating in the air

No one knows that on the small screen of Wu Ming's wrist, the number representing the energy reserve is slowly increasing, just like charging

With the energy collector, weapons and armor are still needed. The development of weapons and armor in the new world is extremely rapid, and one of the most important attributes is 'hardness.' Only with sufficient hardness can one withstand the sharp claws of monsters and break through their tough skin and shells. In the new world, various new types of 'alloys' have emerged, all with high hardness. However, Wu Ming does not know how to manufacture such alloys, but high-strength steel can serve as a temporary substitute.

After closing and locking the door, Wu Ming took out the piece of Hetian jade used for storing vitality from the vitality collector. Once the lights in the room were turned off, the jade piece, no larger than a fingernail, surprisingly emitted a dim glow.

In addition to strength, speed, hearing, vision, and reflexes have also improved. In the early morning, a fly flew over Wu Ming's head. Sensing the fly, Wu Ming swiftly reached out and caught it in his palm. Achieving such a feat would have been quite difficult before, but after absorbing two units of vital energy, Wu Ming accomplished it with ease.

However, people's curiosity will not diminish due to this isolation; rather, it will become even more intense. At this moment, the periphery of this place is surrounded by layers of people, with mobile phones and cameras all at the ready, and there are even reporters conducting interviews nearby

This card has no support and simply floats there, surrounded by a halo of light the size of a basketball, which protects the card securely. Upon closer inspection, the card is inscribed with numerous mysterious characters, and in addition, there is an illustration.

After that, Wu Ming went to another card drop point to collect energy. By the time he returned home in the evening, he had already collected two units of energy

Due to the meteorite incident, crime rates in various countries have surged. Some individuals are taking advantage of the chaos, while others are seizing the opportunity to vent their frustrations. There are also those who wish to indulge in a final spree before the end of days

Of course, all of this has nothing to do with Wu Ming. The public security in Yucheng is relatively good. At this moment, he is sitting on a bus heading towards the city center of Yucheng. Naturally, Wu Ming is not going shopping, but rather to collect vitality. The places where the cards have fallen naturally contain some faint vitality due to the existence of a passage to another world. Moreover, there is also vitality present on the cards themselves. As the time for the cards to automatically activate draws nearer, Wu Ming must find ways to collect some vitality as a reserve.

Ultimately, whether it was the protests of the crowd or the inquiries from the media, the special police officer at the gate remained indifferent, allowing no one to enter and saying nothing. After several hours of gathering, the crowd gradually dispersed, with only a few sporadic individuals approaching to observe, but after finding nothing, they too left helplessly.

Naturally, Wu Ming had considered sneaking in, but upon seeing the armed military police, he chose to leave instead

According to news reports, a meteorite fell in Yucheng last night, landing in a shopping center in the city center. By the time Wu Ming arrived at the vicinity, he found that the crash site had already been cordoned off. It was a three-story specialty store for sports and leisure products located on a street. At this moment, the roof of the building had been smashed in, and the entire structure had collapsed. A restricted area was marked off with barriers outside, and the ruins of the building were covered with plastic sheeting, making it impossible to see what was inside. A dozen uniformed special police officers were guarding the area, preventing anyone from approaching.

Thus, throughout the entire night, Wu Ming remained seated on the floor, absorbing these two units of vital energy. By the second day, the two units of vital energy had all been absorbed into Wu Ming's body.

Before humanity awakens, the best weapon is naturally firearms. However, firearms are not easy to obtain, so for the time being, we can only make do with cold weapons.

Wu Ming stayed at home for two full days, personally taking charge, and transformed that watch-shaped mobile phone along with a small piece of Hetian jade into a "vitality collection device"

Food, water, medicine, tools, batteries, clothing—one could say that Wu Ming bought everything he could think of, and he piled all these items in his newly rented house

Wu Ming purchased a Tang sword crafted using the technique of patterned steel, featuring a handle made of pear wood. The craftsmanship is exceptionally meticulous, and he spent a considerable amount of money to acquire it. After sharpening it upon his return, the sword proved to be extremely sharp, capable of cutting through steel bars without damaging the blade. In addition, Wu Ming also bought a set of armor made using ancient methods, constructed from high-strength nylon rope and numerous steel plates the size of Mahjong tiles, providing a certain level of defense.

Wu Ming was naturally quite excited about this. Although in his previous life, as an Awakened, he had already reached the officially recognized Level 2 rating, capable of lifting objects weighing 300 kilograms with one arm and easily plucking the wings off a flying fly without killing it, this current improvement was nothing compared to his past life. However, at this point in time, it was still quite commendable.

In recent days, Wu Ming has seen the news about the attack on Yucheng by a 'meteorite' on television, and he has also made notes, drawing one circle after another in red pen on a map of Yucheng as annotations

Vital energy can continuously transform the body, essentially strengthening the bones and muscles, making the human body more robust. In simple terms, if Wu Ming's previous limit was lifting a weight of 100 kilograms, after absorbing two units of vital energy, he can now lift 120 kilograms.

Although it is only a small improvement, if such improvements accumulate, they can be quite significant in terms of the overall perspective on books

The frequent reports of meteorite falls from around the world have become the hottest topic of the moment, with news flooding television, newspapers, and the internet. Meanwhile, various claims and speculations have emerged, both official and unofficial. Almost all official narratives are striving to downplay the situation, yet people everywhere share a common sentiment: they do not trust what the official media reports. The more the authorities insist that there is nothing to worry about, the more anxious the public becomes, preferring to believe in the myriad of bizarre and strange claims circulating in society.

In popular discourse, the theory of the apocalypse occupies a significant portion, with many believing that the falling meteors are a precursor to a great disaster. Of course, there are also those who claim that what falls from the sky is not actually meteors, but rather another kind of object, a highly mysterious card

However, this statement is clearly not very convincing, much like the official media. Yet who can truly know that often the truth is hidden among numerous lies

Our reporter has arrived at the site where the meteorite fell last night, but has been informed that entry is prohibited. A large number of military and police personnel have cordoned off the building, and the situation inside remains unclear. Now, we will interview some citizens regarding this incident. Hello, may I ask what your thoughts are on the meteorite falling in the city center?

A mobile phone can receive signals, and vitality is also a special type of 'signal'. Once received, it can be stored in Hetian jade. Wu Ming made a small modification to the liquid crystal display of this phone, indicating the current amount of vitality. If vitality is detected, a 'beep beep' sound will also alert the user.

In addition, Wu Ming also purchased components for making the 'Qi Collector', which are relatively common electronic devices. Scientists in the New World can create one using just smartphone parts and jade. Wu Ming has also studied this; before the disaster, various components were quite easy to obtain, and it is not difficult to create a simple Qi collection device.