Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

A full one thousand Rune synthesis formulas.

With such a massive number of Rune effects, humanity had only managed to glimpse a tiny fraction of them.

It was worth noting that the Combat Defense Department personnel hadn’t found a single Ice Element Essence. They had only reverse-engineered its existence from multiple Runes that bore the imprint of the Ice Element.

”Are there really Ice Element monsters?”

As their curiosity grew, their thoughts turned to the mountain range at the northernmost extent.

Viewed from the high-altitude perspective of a professional-grade DJI drone, the sprawling mountain range looked like the planet’s frozen spine. From the mid-slopes upward, a vast blanket of snow covered everything.

”That place is definitely a kingdom of ice and snow,” someone said with conviction.

「Meanwhile.」

In the broadcasting room, several clerks were cross-referencing the transcribed formula information. After confirming there were no errors or omissions, they immediately took the documents to a printer to be copied.

The previous night, they had already established radio contact with the city district.

The Combat Defense Department was extremely short-staffed. Only after repeatedly dispatching reconnaissance drones to confirm the campsite was not in any danger did they finally relax.

General Manager Shao also followed protocol, assigning people to monitor the official radio station for important news and implement secondary broadcasts or even direct document distribution.

And it wasn’t just them...

「At this moment.」

Throughout Dongfu City, the homeowner associations of every residential community, large and small, had sprung into action, listening to the radio broadcast and transcribing the information.

To further expand the reach of their announcements and to accommodate those in self-built housing units and rural village areas, the Security Committee would also print especially critical information into newsletters for newsstands or couriers to help distribute.

「At the same time.」

A major event was unfolding.

On the southern edge of Dongfu City’s Wanghai District stood the half-remains of the Holiday Shopping Plaza.

As it bordered the forest, all survivors within the plaza had already been safely evacuated.

But from the moment dawn broke today, a mysterious, vaguely outlined building began to quietly materialize from the ground.

The surrounding construction steel and stone, the light and Wind Fluff that filled the air, and even all the elemental fluctuations surged toward it as if answering a call.

These materials and Elemental Energy intertwined and reconstructed themselves within an invisible force field. In just one hour, a mysterious and bizarre Rune building was born from the Void.

Such a spectacular sight naturally attracted many people from nearby.

The many specks of elemental light twinkling on the building’s surface made people want to reach out and pluck them.

”Holy shit!”

”This is a ’Level 1 Store’!”

When someone got close and touched it with their hand, a stream of mysterious information flowed into their mind. It then manifested visually as an interactive interface, in a way that humans could comprehend.

[Level 1 Store]

A total of 12 items were displayed.

Among the Potions were Power Potions, Swift Potions, Recovery Potions, Invisibility Potions, and Rock Potions, among others.

It also listed the required items for purchase.

And that was... Elemental Essence!!

[Power Potion]: 1 Fire Element Essence.

(Effect: After consumption, gain a 100% increase to your Strength Attribute for one minute.)

...

[Swift Potion]: 1 Wind Element Essence.

(Effect: After consumption, gain a 120% increase in movement speed for two minutes.)

”Holy crap, you have to use Elemental Essence as currency to buy Potions!!”

The person who had stepped forward and triggered the interface was stunned.

Never before had the monetary value of Elemental Essence been so clearly demonstrated.

Many people had already imagined that Essence would inevitably become a high-value, hard currency in the apocalypse, indispensable for future trade.

But they never expected that a Rune Store, appearing out of thin air, would so definitively establish another crucial role for Elemental Essence.

More and more people eagerly pressed forward.

”Let’s not even talk about where this mysterious store came from. I’m just thinking, you’d take an Essence you could absorb yourself and use it to buy a one-time-use Potion?” A man holding a sledgehammer said, his face showing his disappointment.

”It does seem a little ridiculous. What’s the point of a single-use Power Potion? It’s just a short-term temporary boost. It would only be a good deal if the effect was permanent!”

This sentiment left some people speechless.

But the armed personnel who arrived didn’t see it that way.

As members of the Combat Defense Department who engaged in intense frontline combat, they understood deeply that in a desperate, life-threatening situation, a single Swift Potion could be enough to escape with their lives.

Battles were often decided in an instant.

A significant boost to one’s personal Power, defense, and agility could undoubtedly introduce a massive variable that would lead to victory.

Not to mention...

”This Recovery Potion is great. It quickly heals injuries and restores your Rune Energy Bar, and it even leaves a Recovery buff for a minute afterward.”

In an online game, this would be like combining a red potion and a blue potion, restoring both Life Force and mana at the same time.

It would be an absolute lifesaver at a critical moment, far more effective than a single Wood Element Essence.

Besides Potions, the Rune Store also had some other interesting consumable items.

Explosive Charges, also exchanged for one Fire Element Essence. It was currently unknown what their TNT equivalent was.

Revealing Dust, exchanged for one Light Element Essence. It could reveal all invisible units within a certain range and make creature footprints glow faintly.

A bag of Thorn Seeds, exchanged for one Wood Element Essence. Sowing a single seed on the ground could instantly grow a wall of thorny trees several meters long.

”A whole bag of seeds? How many are in there? This looks really promising!”

Upon seeing this, a staff member from the Urban Defense Engineering Office was immediately tempted. These Thorn Seeds could clearly be used to modify the environment.

「Just then.」

While one group was engrossed in studying the items, the officials who were gradually arriving were more focused on discussing why the Rune Store had appeared in such a remote, borderland area.

”If it’s really like they say—a gift from the gods, a reward for us killing monsters yesterday—then why didn’t it appear in the city center? What kind of reward is this?” one person complained resentfully.

After all, just a few meters away lay that cursed forest.

For all they knew, a pack of beasts could raid the area and trample this Rune Store to rubble in less than half a day.

Then they wouldn’t be able to exchange for items anymore.

Just as everyone was completely bewildered, a designer from the City Construction Bureau suddenly mentioned something.

”If you look at all of Dongfu City from a geographical perspective, the area where this shopping plaza is located is more or less right on the center point.”

Fearing that others wouldn’t understand, he added, ”The city center is not the same as the city’s geographical center. From a geometric standpoint, the area we’re standing on right now can indeed be considered the geographical center.”

”As for why it appeared in a remote border area, it’s because the portion of the urban district that was transported here makes up less than 46% of the original city’s total area.”

After he broke it down like that, everyone began to understand.

After a moment’s thought, a terrifying idea occurred to someone, the implications of which were horrifying.

”Do you think it’s possible—I mean, just suppose, I could be wrong—that the entirety of Dongfu City actually came over?”