[Abilities Acquired: Survival Adaptation ·LV1]
[Survival Adaptation ·LV1: Survival means constant self-evolution. Regardless of the harsh environment, you can adapt quickly.]
Mei experimented; she found that in the ocean, she'd developed the ability to breathe through her skin. In space, she'd developed the ability to survive in the vacuum. Her adaptability was explosive, though the adaptation process wasn't comfortable, and it took time—not instantaneous, but more than ten or twenty minutes.
She didn't pay much attention; she only recalled killing a particularly ferocious zombie beast, likely the source of the Survival Adaptation ability.
Adaptation still required time and process, but Mei had simply crushed the beast with overwhelming force; it hadn't had a chance to adapt.
A sonic boom echoed through the sky. Mei was en route to another abandoned city, her upgraded telekinesis easily propelling her at eight times the speed of sound.
At this hypersonic speed, an invisible force instantly invaded Mei's sensory range, hitting its target without error.
Boom!
Mei's expression hardened.
"Telekinesis?"
Two powerful telekinetic forces collided with a deafening roar. Mei's resilient telekinetic shield blocked the attack. A figure appeared on the horizon, instantly arriving before her.
It was a handsome young man with white hair and red eyes.
Mei was astonished.
"The first one?"
She hadn't expected him to come looking for her. The information provided by the chairman differed significantly; the first mutated subject didn't seem mindless and possessed incredibly powerful telekinesis.
Mei assessed him. The previous attack had been powerful, but still significantly weaker than her own telekinesis. In a fight, she could easily overpower him.
The first mutated subject smiled warmly. "My apologies for this rather abrupt greeting. It's a bit conspicuous here; shall we talk somewhere more private?"
"Talk about what?"
"The truth about the apocalypse."
His words dissuaded Mei from attacking. She was curious to hear what he had to say. Had the East Extreme Island board lied to her?
Mei hadn't fully believed the board's account. She was interested in hearing his version of the truth, which turned out to be extremely unexpected.
Both slowly descended to the ground.
The first mutated subject seemed to know everything. "The East Extreme Island board wasn't lying; that's the truth from their perspective."
Mei caught the key point.
"Their perspective?"
"Exactly."
The first mutated subject looked towards the sky, sighing. "Compared to the vastness of the cosmos, humanity is insignificant. Before I present my perspective, I need to explain a few things. Do you know what the Gaia consciousness is? What about Ālaya-Vijñāna?"
Mei nodded.
"I know."
The Gaia consciousness is a holistic system formed by the living and non-living entities on a planet; it's a scientific hypothesis that hasn't gained widespread acceptance.
Ālaya-Vijñāna can be summarized as the collective consciousness of all beings, an abstract concept of humanity's collective consciousness. Neither are supreme beings; they're merely theoretical hypotheses and concepts.
"That's roughly the idea,"
The first mutated subject patiently explained. "Expanding this to the entire universe, the Gaia consciousness is actually the universe's operational system, and Ālaya-Vijñāna is the collective consciousness of all sentient beings within it. Ālaya-Vijñāna is part of the Gaia consciousness, but they don't always agree."
Natural laws seek balance. If hunters eliminate all wolves, the rabbit population explodes. To control the rabbit population, new predators must be introduced.
"This apocalypse is the Gaia consciousness introducing a new predator. Humanity disrupted the planet's balance; the Gaia consciousness needs to control them. You can view this as the planet's own choice or as a universal system adjusting for overall balance."
Mei understood.
"And then?"
"The moment I regained consciousness, I understood. My existence was the Gaia consciousness's choice. The zombies on this planet serve a purpose. I hope you'll show mercy."
"..."
For a moment,
Mei fell silent, lost in thought.
Receiving no immediate answer, the first mutated subject urged, "Opposing the Gaia consciousness isn't wise. I hope you'll reconsider…"
Boom!
Before he could finish, Mei suddenly attacked, unleashing a furious torrent of telekinesis, hurling him several dozen kilometers away. She didn't stop there; a rapidly spinning telekinetic vortex created a ball of plasma.
Mei's eyes were cold.
"If you're the Gaia consciousness's choice, then I'm likely the manifestation of Ālaya-Vijñāna. I think you've misunderstood something. I don't care about humanity, this planet, or the universe. You coming to me saved me a lot of trouble."
Using the first mutated subject's own terms, the Gaia consciousness seeks to control humanity's survival. Mei, clearly capable of providing humanity with immense power, was the manifestation of Ālaya-Vijñāna.
With the Gaia consciousness and Ālaya-Vijñāna in conflict, humanity, for its survival, should choose the side of Ālaya-Vijñāna. Failure to understand this would easily lead to manipulation.
However,
Mei didn't care about the Gaia consciousness or Ālaya-Vijñāna. She was here to complete the mission and gain power; the fate of this world was inconsequential to her.
As she spoke, a blinding blue plasma beam shot out, precisely hitting the first mutated subject dozens of kilometers away. An invisible telekinetic shield deflected the beam, but the dissipating energy instantly vaporized everything around him.
The first mutated subject finally understood.
"So you're one of those… this is a headache."
Mei ignored his ramblings. His initial probe attack had revealed her strength, prompting a change of tactics—an attempt at deception. If the probe had been effective, he wouldn't have wasted time talking.
Mei clenched her fist. The ground trembled violently as she lifted the ground beneath the first mutated subject, bringing him before her.
"Your power exceeded my expectations, but only slightly."
Rumble!
Several kilometers of earth were lifted. The first mutated subject's telekinesis surged wildly, attempting to escape Mei's control, but to no avail. His expression was one of extreme seriousness.
"This power… is far too excessive!"
Mei's growth was too rapid, almost exponential. The first mutated subject had initially been able to evade her, but now he could no longer escape.
He had to resolve this before Mei became even stronger—either eliminate her or reach an agreement to stop her from killing zombies. Otherwise, the balance between humans and zombies would inevitably be disrupted again.
Clearly,
He'd overestimated his abilities and underestimated Mei's strength. Only after engaging in direct combat did he realize just how unreasonably powerful she was.
Continue like this, and he would die!
At the critical moment, as Mei pulled the first mutated subject before her, and her powerful telekinesis was about to break through his defenses, a blue light erupted from his eyes.
Boom!
The first mutated subject's power surged, momentarily matching Mei's strength, forcefully resisting her telekinesis.
"Hmm?"
Mei noticed that as his power increased, the surrounding vegetation withered, as if instantly drained of life force.
The first mutated subject's handsome demeanor vanished, replaced by furious anger. Escaping Mei's telekinetic grip, he unleashed his own powerful telekinesis, pressing down upon her.
"It's futile. I am the Gaia consciousness's choice. This planet is draining its life force to enhance my power. You cannot contend with the power of an entire planet!"
"Too much talk."
Even with the planet's life force forcibly boosting the first mutated subject's power, he could only barely match Mei.
The Gaia consciousness was, in essence, the natural order. It lacked human emotions and feelings; it wasn't even a sentient being, possessing no self-awareness or intellect—merely a system maintaining the natural balance. Where the balance was disrupted, it adjusted.
Mei was too powerful, so it drained the planet's life force to enhance the first mutated subject to match Mei, maintaining this so-called balance. That was all.
However,
If the first mutated subject believed that simply matching Mei's telekinetic strength would allow him to fight back, he was naive. Mei's telekinesis wasn't just about raw power.
Control.
Application.
After a brief exchange, Mei realized she far surpassed him in these areas. He was merely a child wielding a powerful weapon, without understanding its applications.
Boom!
Mei's telekinesis coalesced into a drilling vortex, instantly shattering the first mutated subject's telekinetic barrage. The unstoppable force struck; his eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?!"
Panicked, he frantically reinforced his telekinetic defenses, creating a thick, armored barrier—like a tank.
The sharpest spear met the strongest shield. The impact created a violent shockwave, blasting a massive crater into the earth.
The sturdy telekinetic shield was pierced layer by layer. The first mutated subject, terrified, managed to withstand the attack, but was sent flying at hypersonic speeds towards the horizon. Mei followed, leaping into the air.
She could break through his defenses; it would just take more effort. But Mei had no intention of prolonging the fight.
The first mutated subject could draw power from the planet's life force; she could upgrade her telekinesis. It depended on how quickly the Gaia consciousness reacted.
Boom!
Boom!
Two figures, leaving sonic booms in their wake, streaked across the sky. The first mutated subject constantly maintained a thick telekinetic shield, on the defensive, fearing that drawing more power would weaken his defenses. He was fighting a frustrating battle.
Soon,
They passed over a ruined city. In an instant, over 300,000 zombies exploded into a bloody mist. This wasn't limited to that city; within a two-hundred-kilometer radius, every abandoned city within Mei's range suffered the same fate.
Simultaneously,
Mei's zombie kill count skyrocketed.
[Zombies Killed: 6.27 Million]
[Zombies Killed: 7.84 Million]
[Zombies Killed: 8.44 Million]
...
[Zombies Killed: 10.05 Million]
By the time the first mutated subject realized something was wrong, it was too late. He couldn't stop Mei.
The moment the zombie kill count surpassed ten million, upgrade task 7 was complete!
[Upgrade Task 7· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV8!]
At that instant,
Mei's telekinesis surged. Her sensory range expanded to two thousand kilometers. Powerful telekinesis erupted, distorting the light, even reaching into space.
Boom!
A massive wave rose along the continental border. The earth and sky trembled violently; it was a scene of utter destruction.
With this power, Mei was confident she could sink an entire continent with a single blow; destroying terrestrial civilization would be effortless.
Whoooooosh—
Immense telekinesis enveloped the first mutated subject, stopping him in mid-air, rendering him completely immobile. His eyes were filled with disbelief.
"What the hell is going on?!"
He knew Mei grew stronger by killing zombies, but he couldn't understand how she became this powerful. His strength came from the Gaia consciousness, from the planet's life force. Where did Mei's power come from?
The first mutated subject couldn't comprehend it.
Without further ado,
Mei, with a thought, crushed his skull, denying the Gaia consciousness any chance to react, decisively ending the battle.
Unlike ordinary zombies, the first mutated subject, a vessel of the Gaia consciousness, was a high-level boss. His demise resulted in an exceptional loot drop.
As a high-level being, a vessel of the Gaia consciousness, the first mutated subject dropped top-tier equipment and items.
Several streams of light appeared before Mei, revealing their contents.
[Equipment Acquired: Sky Cleaving Blade]
[Sky Cleaving Blade: A materialized, highly compressed telekinetic blade imbued by the Gaia consciousness. Even an ordinary person wielding it could cleave the earth and tear the sky.]
——
[Equipment Acquired: Bulwark Coat]
[Bulwark Coat: The coat itself offers no defense but can store your telekinesis for any situation. When ambushed, it automatically releases a telekinetic shield to block attacks. With full telekinetic energy, it can provide ten minutes of enhanced combat capability.]
——
[Item Acquired: Chapter of Gaia]
[Chapter of Gaia: While the Gaia consciousness is an abstract concept, lacking physical form and intellect, using this token allows interaction with it. Will you engage in a transaction?]
——
[Ability Acquired: Voice of All Things]
[Voice of All Things: Transcending language, species, and even life forms, you can hear the voices of all living and non-living things.]
——
Equipping the Sky Cleaving Blade and the Bulwark Coat, Mei infused the coat with telekinesis; the process took precisely ten minutes.
If her own telekinesis was depleted, she could use the stored energy within the Bulwark Coat to continue fighting for ten minutes—a valuable safeguard. She wouldn't use the blade unless absolutely necessary.
[Abilities Acquired: Voice of All Things ·LV1]
The ability orb exploded, transforming into light that merged into Mei's body. Instantly, Mei could understand the information carried within the wind's whispers.
The wind didn't speak, but Mei understood the secrets hidden within its sounds. Birds couldn't communicate with her, but she could understand their messages in their songs—today's insect catch wasn't enough, and the nestlings were crying for food.
The sky and the earth revealed themselves from entirely new perspectives. She perceived far more information than before.
As the description stated, it was purely listening; no communication was possible.
"Excellent."
Mei was pleased with this ability, almost feeling favored by nature. Gathering information would be much easier, saving significant time and energy.
This ability fit the Gaia consciousness's style. As for the Chapter of Gaia, Mei kept it; she didn't dare use it carelessly.
The item description indicated a possible transaction with the Gaia consciousness, but having just eliminated the first mutated subject, using it now felt risky.
Theoretically, the Gaia consciousness could only control natural balance through planetary and cosmic factors. But who could guarantee it wouldn't attack if Mei confronted its conceptual manifestation?
Every world has its own Gaia consciousness; Mei decided to use the Chapter of Gaia in other worlds for safety.
After handling the equipment, items, and abilities, Mei's telekinesis surged.
"Let's just wipe out all the zombies on the planet at once."
She spoke.
Whoooooosh—
An invisible wave swept across the entire continent. In an instant, countless zombies exploded into a bloody mist—both those in the ruined cities and those roaming the wilderness. All were eliminated in a flash.
...
In a wilderness area,
"Holy sht! Holy sht! Holy sh*t!"
Charles ran frantically, pursued by a horde of rabid, bloodthirsty zombie beasts, their decaying flesh revealing grim bone and even visible internal organs.
Bang!
Just as Charles felt his soul freeze, a dull explosion echoed behind him. He turned, his steps slowing to a halt, his face filled with astonishment.
The bloodthirsty zombie beasts had vanished, leaving only a crimson mist of blood.
"What the…?"
Similar events unfolded worldwide. That day, it was as if a savior had descended, cleansing the planet of zombies.
...
[Zombies Killed: 20 Million]
[Zombies Killed: 40 Million]
[Zombies Killed: 90 Million]
...
[Zombies Killed: 130 Million]
[Zombies Killed: 300 Million]
[Zombies Killed: 800 Million]
...
[Zombies Killed: 1.1 Billion]
Mei circled the planet, and every zombie and zombie beast within her sensory range exploded into a bloody mist—around 2 billion zombies worldwide, not counting the countless animals infected and transformed into zombie beasts, particularly in the ocean.
This massive slaughter completed two upgrade tasks consecutively.
[Upgrade Task 8· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV9!]
...
[Upgrade Task 9· Complete]
[Telekinesis Upgrade!]
[Telekinesis ·LV10!]
Boom! Boom!
Two consecutive upgrades caused a massive surge in Mei's telekinesis. Her sensory range instantly covered the entire planet's surface; the power was almost unbelievable.
Comparing it to the planet's diameter, she estimated her sensory radius to be 300,000 kilometers—approximately the speed of light; perhaps this was the limit.
"300,000 kilometers…"
This was an unbelievably vast distance. Without exaggeration, Mei could crush this planet like a snow globe; it would be effortless.
Such immense power resided within her frail body; even she found it excessive. Mei focused, carefully controlling this power, preventing the planet's destruction.
The wildly updating zombie kill count finally stopped at 4.38 billion, signifying the eradication of all zombies and zombie beasts.
It was a pity she couldn't reach over 10 billion to complete the final upgrade task, but Mei was satisfied. Knowing when to be satisfied was key to happiness—a habit and virtue she'd developed during Earth's apocalypse.
With a thought,
The headless corpse of the first mutated subject floated before her. Mei opened the interface, which displayed a long-standing prompt.
[Main Mission · Complete]
[Do you wish to immediately receive the next mission?]
[Yes]
[No]
If Mei didn't choose, the option would remain until the main mission's five-year deadline. The apocalypse's truth had been revealed; the first mutated subject's remains were obtained, and all zombies had been eliminated. It was time to end the mission.
However,
Before returning to Hyperdimensional Space, Mei had one last set of spoils to deal with.
Countless streams of light swirled around Mei, displaying equipment, items, and abilities. Mei glanced at them, discarding ninety percent of the junk—she didn't keep a single piece of equipment.
Aside from the unique items from the first mutated subject, this world hadn't yielded anything particularly good; it was mostly mundane trash.
After careful selection, Mei chose a few useful abilities.
[Abilities Acquired: Enhanced Speed ·LV1]
[Enhanced Speed ·LV1: Enhances leg muscles, allowing for cheetah-like speed and increased jumping height.]
——
[Abilities Acquired: Enhanced Arm Strength ·LV1]
[Enhanced Arm Strength ·LV1: Enhances arm muscles, significantly increasing arm strength.]
——
[Abilities Acquired: Enhanced Vision ·LV1]
[Enhanced Vision ·LV1: Enhances eyesight, allowing you to see farther.]
...
With all the abilities acquired, Mei's physical attributes improved significantly.
[Detectable Mergeable Abilities]
[Ability Merge Complete]
[Abilities Acquired: New Human ·LV1]
After the merge, the previous ability entries disappeared, leaving only "New Human." Mei was surprised.
She hadn't expected abilities to merge; this was convenient, simplifying things. However, she suspected this ability would require many points to upgrade.
Then,
[Main Mission · Complete]
[Do you wish to immediately receive the next mission?]
[Yes]
[No]
Mei chose "Yes."
The moment she chose, her figure flickered like a still from an old television, then vanished completely.
Tzzz—
[Main Mission Assignment Successful]
[Upgrade Task 10· Failed]
[Settlement Complete]
[Points Acquired: 1000]
[Remaining Points: 1000]
...
From Mei's perspective, the scene instantly changed after she made her choice. Looking around, she found herself standing in a bustling, modern plaza.
"Energy supplement without side effects—worth having!"
"Should I go shopping later?"
"I'm telling you, this game is rigged! I could play better than these guys, and they call themselves a grand army? Ugh, waste of my time!"
Mei looked up at a giant screen in the plaza; it was live-streaming a war in some other world, looking like a massive sci-fi spectacle. The visuals were amazing, while a nearby man grumbled.
The interface appeared.
[Welcome to Hyperdimensional Space, Void Wanderer]
[Congratulations on completing your beginner world mission. You will embark on a new journey here, experiencing countless worlds, uncovering their truths, and pursuing boundless power.]
[So,]
[Enjoy.]
[Item Acquired: Hyperdimensional Space Guidebook]
A guidebook appeared in Mei's hand. She opened it; the most crucial information was on the first page, easily visible.
First, Hyperdimensional Space contained countless worlds, each with only one Void Wanderer. This meant Mei's world couldn't have other Void Wanderers.
Secondly, Hyperdimensional Space maintains consistent time flow across all tethered worlds. Theoretically, time passes at the same rate in each Void Wanderer's world. Only Hyperdimensional Space exists outside these tethered worlds; no matter how long you spend here, returning to your world will feel instantaneous.
Even if a Void Wanderer spends a long time in a mission world, returning to their original world will still feel instantaneous because mission worlds are not tethered.
Thirdly, based on the tethered world's synchronized time, Void Wanderers must undertake a mission every month. This is a mandatory mission and cannot be avoided.
Therefore, Hyperdimensional Space missions have no failure penalties. This is good; failure only means no reward, which is insignificant.
Attempting to avoid missions by remaining in the space is impossible. Intentionally avoiding missions will result in being sent to another world for a mandatory mission. It's truly mandatory.
Meanwhile,
Many Void Wanderers returned to the space from the plaza. A rough estimate suggested over a thousand, including Charles and others. They were forcibly returned after Mei completed the main mission. Their missions had failed, but at least many survived.
Perhaps due to Hyperdimensional Space frequently sending people to desolate and terrifying worlds, people in the space tended to be social. It might be a bipolar situation; solitude was undesirable, while excessive chatter was the norm.
Many people hadn't seen another human being for decades in some worlds, nearly developing mental illnesses. Upon returning to the space, they'd cling to others, rambling on, moved to tears. The atmosphere here was surprisingly relaxed.
"I can't believe it! I finally see another living person!"
"Bro, give me a hug!"
An overly excited man lunged towards someone, only to be kicked away. Charles stopped when he saw Mei.
"Miss, haven't we met in a mission world?"
"No."
"Strange."
Charles scratched his head, muttering as he walked. He felt Mei looked familiar but couldn't remember where he'd seen her.
"Star!"
"Hahaha, we're alive, Star!"
Several young men excitedly embraced a blue-haired man.
"New arrivals?"
Then,
A group of enthusiastic people rushed into the plaza, resembling touts at a train station. A friendly-looking thin man handed Mei a flyer.
"Handsome fella, if you're thinking of joining a squad, consider our Squad. If not, we have other services…"
...
The space was different from Mei's expectations. She'd imagined a place filled with crazed individuals or killers, but it was surprisingly harmonious.
Mei flipped through the guidebook. Hyperdimensional Space was vast, resembling a large, modern city, divided into residential, commercial, and other zones.
The busiest area was the commercial zone, where Void Wanderers had shops and a free market. Most importantly, the upgrade facilities were located there.
Mei had received 1000 points after completing the main mission; points could be used to upgrade equipment, items, and abilities—crucial for Void Wanderers.
Mei headed straight for the upgrade facilities in the commercial zone.
The upgrade chamber looked powerful and mechanical; its internal mechanisms and components were visible from the outside. The style was rugged and industrial.
After Mei entered, the heavy, sluggish door clanged shut, feeling like it needed lubrication.
Creak!
A receptacle opened inside the chamber. Mei removed all her equipment and items, placing them inside before the receptacle closed.
A moment later,
The interface appeared.
[Assessment Complete]
——
[Item: Sky Cleaving Blade]
[Type: Weapon]
[Grade: Tier 3]
[Description: A materialized, highly compressed telekinetic blade imbued by the Gaia consciousness. Even an ordinary person wielding it could cleave the earth and tear the sky.]
[Upgrade Cost: 10000 points/upgrade]
——
[Item: Bulwark Coat]
[Type: Defensive Item]
[Grade: Tier 3]
[Description: The coat itself offers no defense but can store your telekinesis for any situation. When ambushed, it automatically releases a telekinetic shield to block attacks. With full telekinetic energy, it can provide ten minutes of enhanced combat capability.]
[Upgrade Cost: 10000 points/upgrade]
——
[Item: Chapter of Gaia]
[Type: Item]
[Grade: None]
[Description: While the Gaia consciousness is an abstract concept, lacking physical form and intellect, using this token allows interaction with it. Will you engage in a transaction?]
[Cannot be upgraded]
——
The Chapter of Gaia being un-upgradeable wasn't surprising, especially since Mei had no intention of upgrading these items anyway—besides, she didn't have enough points.
"Tier 3."
In Hyperdimensional Space, stronger Void Wanderers have higher tiers, facing more dangerous and powerful mission worlds. Equipment and items also have tier classifications.
Normally, beginner world missions only yield Tier 1 equipment, but Mei was an exception, obtaining Tier 3 items.
Aside from those items, Mei also brought back things like zombie viruses and antidotes—common items with little value.
She checked her attributes and abilities.
——
[Name: Mei]
[Grade: Tier 1]
[Points: 1000]
[Abilities: Telekinesis ·LV10, Danger Sense ·LV1, Extreme Burst ·LV1, Night Vision ·LV1, Survival Adaptation ·LV1, Voice of All Things ·LV1, New Human ·LV1]
——
[Ability: Telekinesis]
[Level: LV10]
[Description: Extremely powerful telekinesis. Everything within a 300,000km radius is under your control; planets are like toys to you.]
[Upgrade Cost: 100000 points/upgrade]
——
[Ability: Danger Sense]
[Level: LV1]
[Description: When danger approaches, you will sense it in advance.]
[Upgrade Cost: 100 points/upgrade]
——
The upgrade cost for Telekinesis was the highest, at 100,000 points per upgrade. Danger Sense, Extreme Burst, Night Vision, and Survival Adaptation were the cheapest, costing only 100 points each.
Although abilities only showed levels and not tiers, Mei realized their upgrade costs were calculated based on equipment tiers.
Voice of All Things, obtained along with the Sky Cleaving Blade and Bulwark Coat, was easily Tier 3, costing 10,000 points per upgrade. New Human was likely Tier 2, costing 1,000 points per upgrade.
Mei considered her options and chose to upgrade Survival Adaptation. She only had 1000 points; upgrading New Human wouldn't provide a significant boost.
Survival Adaptation offered the best cost-effectiveness. If the next mission world had a harsh environment, this ability would be invaluable.
[Upgrade · Survival Adaptation]
[100 points deducted]
[Remaining Points: 900]
[Upgrade Complete]
[Survival Adaptation ·LV1.1⬆]
Mei felt a tingling sensation, quickly fading. Looking at the results, she realized ten upgrades were needed for a level increase.
Upgrade Tasks were profitable.
She'd completed nine in the zombie world; those tasks were equivalent to ninety upgrades for telekinesis, a significant amount of points.
In short, she'd made a killing.
Deciding,
Mei continued upgrading Survival Adaptation, ten consecutive times, spending all her points, bringing it to LV2.
——
[Ability: Survival Adaptation]
[Level: LV2]
[Description: Survival means constant self-evolution. Regardless of the harsh environment, you can adapt quickly within one hour.]
——
Mei recalled that adapting to the vacuum of space had taken several hours; this upgrade significantly reduced that time.
Creak!
The receptacle opened, and Mei retrieved her equipment and items. After exiting the upgrade chamber, she browsed the nearby shops before entering a store called "Little Star Treasures," specializing in equipment and items.
"Boss, do you trade equipment here?"
"Welcome!"
The shop was spacious and elegantly decorated; various pieces of equipment hung on the walls, and exquisitely crafted items were displayed in glass cases.
Behind the counter was a short girl with pigtails and a teardrop-shaped beauty mark near the corner of her right eye. She smiled. "Of course, miss. What would you like to trade?"
Mei glanced at the counter and pointed at a crystal. "Does this item have 1000 cubic meters of personal storage space?"
"Tier 3 item, guaranteed!"
The girl assured her.
"Excellent."
Mei placed the Sky Cleaving Blade on the counter. "This dagger should be worth roughly the same as this ring, don't you think?"
Trading among Void Wanderers in the space was voluntary and unregulated by Hyperdimensional Space. Since points couldn't be traded, Void Wanderers used currency. Mei didn't have any, so she had to barter.
Mei had a tendency to hoard. The sheer number of items she couldn't bring back from the zombie world bothered her; she could have sold the junk, but discarding it felt wasteful.
She needed personal storage; next time she'd be able to return as a wholesaler and make a profit.
"Huh?"
The girl's eyes lit up. She examined the Sky Cleaving Blade, then looked at Mei, slightly surprised before readily agreeing. "No problem, deal!"
She instantly recognized Mei as a newcomer to Hyperdimensional Space. A newcomer possessing a Tier 3 item was impressive.
The girl handed Mei the crystal, explaining its use. Mei immediately activated the item.
[Item Acquired: Personal Spatial Storage ·1000 Cubic Meters]
The crystal transformed into light, entering Mei's body. With a thought, she could access the 1000 cubic meter space.
With personal storage, she wouldn't have to worry about leaving items behind.