novelraw Chapter 284: Ranked Number One
Chapter 284: Ranked Number One
Time moved like the September wind — arriving without a trace, leaving without a sound.
The leaves turned yellow. The corn in the fields was harvested.
The elderly, the weak, the women, and the children were strategically relocated to the third underground level. Lead-alloy protective doors were installed. Machinery, vehicles, batteries, lathes, welding equipment, and other items vulnerable to the Radiation Storm were carefully sealed and stored.
Fifty sets of special lead-alloy armor were distributed.
The camp building completed its final round of sealing, with lead-alloy panels fitted over windows and doors as simple radiation barriers.
All engineering tasks were finished. September was drawing to a close.
One day left.
A faint blood-red tinge had appeared on the distant horizon — the harbinger of the approaching Radiation Storm.
And at this moment, the forty-two freeman soldiers led by Benjamin, Santiago, Xavier, Javier, and Mark finally received their equipment.
Three-Star plain helmets, reinforced from former tactical helmets.Three-Star plain chainmail, reinforced from former bulletproof vests.
Three-Star plain combat boots, reinforced from former tactical boots.
Three-Star plain Refined Steel Tower Shields, round shields, and kite shields.
Three-Star plain spears, two-handed swords, one-handed swords, and maces.
Twenty Three-Star plain siege crossbows. Twenty Three-Star plain infantry longbows.
These were the strongest among the freemen — the ones who could fight outside during the Radiation Storm without needing lead-alloy protective armor.
Only logistics support personnel needed that equipment.
Over the past month, Li Wei had even changed his original plan. He had initially intended to take them out hunting mutant creatures to grind Universal Gold Cards and build combat strength.
But after a period of intensive training, he had decided that improving their technical and tactical skills was the better priority.
Because most of them had seen their physical attributes surge dramatically in just one or two months — their bodies were still adjusting. Continuing to upgrade Profession Cards at this stage would have limited benefit.
Better to train comprehensively instead.
Looking at the results after nearly a month of intensive drilling — the effect was excellent.
Without Leon activating his Executioner title, Benjamin, Santiago, and Javier could each defeat Leon within ten rounds.
Yes — defeat.
A large part of that was because Benjamin and Santiago were former special forces soldiers who had fought through fifteen years of apocalypse. The combat experience they had accumulated was not to be underestimated. With Profession Cards boosting their attributes, they were even more formidable.
As for Javier — the old man was a special case. Perhaps he had been an amateur combat champion in his earlier life and had stayed disciplined and trained consistently throughout.
But those three were the standouts. The rest of the patrol members were all still losing to Leon.
All in all, Leon was still very capable.
"Everyone to your positions. Remember your training. Remember — you are not fighting alone. Stay alert, stay aware of the battlefield around you. Know how to coordinate and cover each other's positions."
"Who is the shield wall, who is ranged, who is close-range support — be clear on this. Don't get confused."
The distant horizon had already turned red. Thunder rumbled faintly from high above. Inside the Scavenger Camp, everyone including Li Wei was eating and drinking in the fourth-floor canteen. Only He Yuying was still outside, drilling and instructing the freeman soldiers.
For the first half of the month she had been enthusiastic about sparring with Li Wei. For the second half, after Li Wei had laid his cards on the table with her, she never brought it up again — she simply threw herself into training the freeman soldiers with full focus. Her level was far above Thomas's. She had even reorganized the soldiers into new tactical groups, specifying how each team should coordinate, and had managed to bring even standouts like Benjamin and Santiago fully in line.
She had also arranged combat positions for the freeman soldiers based on the camp's defensive depth — all in all, it was impressive work.
These were things Li Wei wasn't skilled at. This was his first Radiation Storm — what did he know?
Equally, Thomas, Leon, and Zhao Xuanxuan were all inexperienced.
Zhang Jinjun was the indifferent type — completely unbothered.
Li Yue and Liang Yuzhi understood this kind of thing, but obviously had no interest. They were better suited to operating independently.
In the end, unexpectedly, it was He Yuying who had pulled everything together.
As evening fell, the quiet camp building held just over a hundred people: forty-two freeman soldiers, fifty logistics support personnel, and eight players.
Everyone ate a hearty dinner by candlelight. The freeman soldiers moved in shifts to their defensive positions. The logistics personnel stood by on standby. Only the eight players remained at the table, waiting for the long-awaited end-of-month settlement.
BOOM!
A crack of thunder split the horizon. Rolling thunder followed, as though tearing the sky apart. Ink-black clouds swept in, and the howling wind echoed in the distance like a demon's laughter.
Dense, heavy rain fell, carrying the radiation of uncontrolled magical particles, raging and surging.
The annual Radiation Storm had finally arrived.
But at the same moment, lines of text appeared before everyone at the table.
[This has been a month of harvest, unity, and unexpected fortune. Under the leadership of Head of Household Li Wei, through the efforts of all, the Scavenger Camp has advanced to Level 5. In this apocalyptic world, no one can afford to ignore a force this powerful.]
[This month, unexpected windfall was the defining theme. Under the Head of Household's leadership, the camp's elite launched a raid eighty kilometers away on the Flame Duke's territory and successfully eliminated the Flame Duke. This is destined to be a legendary campaign worthy of being written into the annals of this world.]
[More freemen have joined the Scavenger Camp, doubling the camp's overall strength. The freemen's confidence grows ever stronger.]
[Total coal reserves of 1,000 tons, iron ore reserves of 150 tons, 3,000 logs, 200 tons of cement, and 5 tons of iron and steel ingots — these stores lay a solid foundation for the camp's future development.]
[This month, the maximum family Contribution cap has reached 120,000 points.]
[This month, the Scavenger Camp led by Head of Household Li Wei has earned a total of 350 Pioneering Points. Cumulative total: 821 points. Current ranking on the Pioneering Scoreboard: First Place.]
[Head of Household Li Wei performed consistently this month, giving everyone firm conviction and confidence in victory. He has earned an additional 20% Clearance Evaluation bonus, cumulative total: 63%. He has earned 10,000 Contribution points, of which 8,000 came from the freemen. Current cumulative total: 39,000 Contribution points.]
[Family Member Li Yue completed her vice-captain-level Monthly Main Task this month. She has earned 300 Contribution points. Cumulative total: 10,000 Contribution points.]
[Family Member Liang Yuzhi completed her vice-captain-level Monthly Main Task this month. She has earned 300 Contribution points. Cumulative total: 30,000 Contribution points.]
[Family Member Leon completed his captain-level Monthly Main Task this month. He has earned 500 Contribution points. Cumulative total: 3,500 Contribution points.]
[Family Member Thomas completed his vice-captain-level Monthly Main Task this month. He has earned 300 Contribution points. Cumulative total: 3,500 Contribution points.]
[Official Camp Member Zhang Jinjun completed his vice-captain-level Monthly Main Task this month. He has earned 300 Contribution points. Cumulative total: 2,000 Contribution points.]
[Official Camp Member Zhao Xuanxuan completed her captain-level Monthly Main Task this month. She has earned 500 Contribution points. Cumulative total: 6,000 Contribution points.]
[Provisional Camp Member He Yuying has earned 200 Contribution points from training tasks this month. Cumulative total: 230 Contribution points.]
[Current real-time family total Contribution: 94,230 points.]
[Head of Household Li Wei will continue as Head of Household. Leader Buff remains in effect.]
[Due to his continued tenure, Prestige +10. Current cumulative total: 310 points.]
—
The notifications faded. The plot kill phase began.
The table remained quiet. Thomas, Leon, and Zhao Xuanxuan all looked at Li Wei. He Yuying watched him quietly as well.
At the start of the month, everyone had had strong reservations about He Yuying. But after Li Wei had thoroughly beaten her into submission, she had seemed like a different person — especially in the second half of the month, when her intensive drilling of the freeman soldiers had been visible to everyone. None of them could honestly say they would have done it better.
In all fairness, no one wanted to cast a plot kill vote against her. He Yuying still had five months left. If she could get her hands on a Five-Star Retention Card, that became nine months — and if she joined their side, it was practically a sure thing.
But Li Wei didn't hesitate. He cast the plot kill vote against He Yuying directly.
[Head of Household has initiated a Plot Kill against Provisional Member He Yuying, wishing that she depart peacefully in her sleep due to sudden illness within the next twenty-four hours.]
The next instant, Li Yue and Liang Yuzhi both voted to approve first. Liang Yuzhi even gave He Yuying a rare genuine smile.
The indifferent Zhang Jinjun cast an abstention without ceremony.
Thomas, Leon, and Zhao Xuanxuan voted to approve in succession. They probably understood — different departments were one thing, but forcing He Yuying to stay at this critical juncture would be a disaster for her. Scar Glenn from the Commerce Department was already furious. If she dared to stay, Li Wei had neither the means nor the strength to protect her.
Better for everyone to part on good terms.
He Yuying herself also voted to approve. She gave Li Wei a grateful nod, then nodded to the others in thanks. No words were needed. She stood, stepped away from the table — and the next instant, a grey mist swallowed her figure. She had settled and left.
Twenty-four hours was just a polite way of putting it.
The plot kill had finally succeeded.
The group waited quietly for a few minutes. Then another crack of thunder rang out, and the battered, hole-riddled A4 sheet finally arrived — only to turn to ash the moment it appeared. No one could see the other players' Pioneering Point rankings or scores.
But it hardly mattered. Because below first place, everyone else was an afterthought.
And the ashes of that sheet of paper, in this moment, formed the most powerful curse.
Including Li Wei, everyone's heart seized with a sharp, violent pain. Then a line of chilling, blood-soaked text appeared.
[You have been locked on. Within the next 108 hours, a special boss rated Six-Star minus may appear at any time within thirty kilometers of the Pioneering Card. No one can escape. Item cards cannot be used to settle and leave. Either eliminate the special boss — or every last one of you dies.]