I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 670: King’s Ace in the Hole

This function is so practical.

In the previous two months, Jing Shu had come up with the idea of electrifying the rotten mermaids underground to take away the White Energy and even conducted experiments. It was through touch that she captured some rotten mermaids for experimentation, to thoroughly understand this new species of the apocalypse. But after eating the White Energy, the rotten mermaids became dimensional products. Unless personally touched and taken into the space, it was impossible to capture them.

The most impressive feature of the upgraded milky white space is that within a one-kilometer radius of its expansion, as long as there are rotten mermaids, they can be collected into the space and then released unexpectedly. This distance is not fixed. When the Magic Cube Space upgrades next time, it will be 11x11x11 = 1,331 cubic meters, and this kilometer radius will expand as well. In other words, the milky white space is also akin to a summoning gate. Within this range, Jing Shu could summon countless rotten mermaids anytime she desired, provided, of course, that there were any within that range. Perhaps it wasn’t limited to rotten mermaids; it could also apply to other Dark Creatures.

Just like now, the Mud Sea was teeming with countless rotten mermaids, and Jing Shu casually summoned a giant one. After feeding it diluted White Emulsion, it spawned like a cannonball.

From now on, I will have an endless supply of rotten mermaids! Jing Shu clenched her fist, the overwhelming sense of doom that had plagued her since being stranded on the isolated island finally dissipating. In this apocalypse, Jing Shu had gained another ace up her sleeve—her lifesaver. It could be said that as long as no nuclear bombs were targeting her, little else could trouble her. At worst, she could covertly summon an endless stream of rotten mermaids. Moreover, these large rotten mermaids, unafraid of bullets and physical attacks, were perfect as meat shields. Of course, I must consider carefully how to use this ace covertly, and I need to reassess my position.

Jing Shu continued to ponder. The year of the Mudstone Flow will soon be over, and the Mudstone Flow Sea isn’t a place to stay year-round. To cultivate this secret trump card, I must keep the rotten mermaids somewhere nearby so they can be summoned at any time. All the White Energy underground must be collected. Although the rotten mermaids can survive on anything, they still need a regular supplement of White Energy, especially for reproduction. The advanced form of White Energy is the White Emulsion. However, the White Emulsion in my space is too precious. So, before leaving, it would be best to collect all the White Energy into the space; otherwise, with so many rotten mermaids, losing one means one less. Therefore, it’s imperative I stay in the Mud Sea for a few more days to seize the opportunity and collect all the White Energy.

Jing Shu’s expression turned peculiar again. Previously, the high-rise had been swirling like a vortex for over two months, endlessly circling until it finally reached this central point. According to my mysterious intuition, everything was the doing of the white insect in my neck. Drawn by energy, it ventured into the Energy Storm. The Magic Cube Space’s ability to directly absorb White Energy and summon rotten mermaids might have all been due to the white insect’s powers. Now that the white insect is gone, the building has come to a standstill. But, to my surprise, all of this has now worked out in my favor.

Touching a small mark on her neck, Jing Shu was deep in thought when Jun Jia arrived in a flurry, bringing a group of people with him. He had managed to work up a sweat running over in this bitterly cold weather, which was no small feat.

"Jackie Chan told me you found something edible? What is it? Please don’t let it be crap. In this empty building, there’s nothing but crap. What else could there be? Are we supposed to eat dirt? But even dirt won’t do; it’s killed quite a few people before..." Jun Jia chattered nonstop as soon as he arrived.

Jing Shu led them to the room where Bone Powder was being made and said, "Try eating Bone Powder. Adding it to the other supplies and boiling it into a mush should help us last another seven or eight days."

Upon seeing a room full of bone racks, Jun Jia found it hard to put his feelings into words. "Can we eat this? It seems harder to digest than dirt, doesn’t it?"

He’d heard that this stuff, when applied to a bite wound, caused instant petrification.

Jing Shu, who hadn’t publicized her initial small experiment, said, "You can eat it, and it’s actually quite fragrant. I originally planned to bring it back as a rare seasoning for the apocalypse, but now we’ve really hit rock bottom." She then explained her small experiment.

The Bone Powder produces a special fragrance in food, Jing Shu thought. By making more Bone Powder, not only can it serve as an adhesive, but it can also become a valuable seasoning in the apocalypse. I plan to add it to Insect Cakes later and sell them. At the very least, I could even distribute it nationwide. Sprinkling Bone Powder on rotten corpse insects would make them somewhat more palatable, preventing starvation and possibly saving some lives. That would be doing what’s within my power.

Jun Jia’s eyes lit up. Being trapped here, surviving an extra day meant a greater sliver of hope. Since it was edible and tasted good, he waved his hand magnanimously and said joyfully, "Then let’s add it! Jing Shu, you’ve truly made another great contribution."

Starvation might drive people to cannibalism, let alone eating bones, but who could have imagined grinding bones into powder to consume them? No wonder Jing Shu thrives in the apocalypse. This woman, truly, will try anything to see if it’s edible. She must have suffered from severe hunger before. The fact that she always carries food in her inseparable box, taking it everywhere, shows her deep-seated insecurity. And yet, her fastidiousness in this post-apocalyptic world is baffling.

Perfect! This is also an opportunity to promote Bone Powder and open up the market widely. I can even conduct a large-scale experiment to confirm that Bone Powder is safe for human consumption. The more Jing Shu thought about it, the happier she became.

Having resolved a major worry, Jing Shu’s mind settled. She continued to feverishly collect the dense White Energy from below while pondering how to get back.

Suddenly, the countless rotten mermaids beneath gave Jing Shu an idea. Why not use this free labor force to transport the building back? Sleds need reindeer to pull them, and ships at sea can use fish. The building might be rather large, but with countless rotten mermaids in the Mudstone Flow Sea, couldn’t they carry it underwater? This is also fortunate because I want to collect White Energy from different places. If I miss this opportunity, I might miss out completely. I can also capture all the wild rotten mermaids while I’m at it!

In places invisible to others, myriads of densely packed rotten mermaids swam to the base of the building. They burrowed underneath it and slowly began to move in one direction.

Their pace was slow, but the building indeed began to move.