Chapter 60: Strength Over Survival

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Strength Over Survival

Chen Wei’s eyes widened in disbelief as Liora urged him again. "Absorb it," she said, her voice calm yet firm.

For a moment, he thought he had misheard.

Absorbing the crystal? That was never even a possibility in his mind. Seeing it, touching it—just knowing that something this powerful existed was already overwhelming. But taking it for himself? That was unthinkable.

His hands trembled as he pushed the crystal back toward Liora, shaking his head. "No, I can’t. This isn’t mine. It belongs to you." His voice was resolute. "You should keep it for yourself. A crystal of this grade... it would be a waste on me."

He clenched his fists, frustration evident on his face. "What if it doesn’t work? What if I fail? A crystal like this could keep you from starving for an entire year, maybe even longer. I can’t take it, Liora."

Zhou Yinuo and Liang Zihan immediately nodded in agreement, their expressions mirroring his concern. "Chen Wei’s right," Zhou Yinuo said. "You should keep it. You never know when you’ll need it. This is way too valuable to be used on a gamble."

Liang Zihan crossed his arms. "Yeah, even if we find another crystal like this in the future, it won’t be anytime soon. You should use it for yourself, Liora."

Their words carried weight, but Liora only smiled, her foxy eyes filled with unwavering confidence. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "You’re right," she said easily. "If I keep it, I won’t have to worry about food for a long time. But then what? What happens next year? The year after that?"

The trio stiffened, not expecting her response. Liora continued, her voice patient yet firm. "You’re all thinking about survival, about hoarding supplies so you can live longer."



"But do you know that’s the wrong mindset?" Liora continued after a brief pause, looking directly into their eyes. "Now, it’s not the same world anymore. It has changed. The motto has changed. It isn’t about living longer—it’s about becoming stronger."

She picked up the crystal and held it between her fingers, letting its crimson glow reflect in their wide eyes. "If Chen Wei absorbs this and grows stronger, we’ll be able to fight for more resources, hunt higher-level zombies, and take missions that actually pay well. We won’t have to scavenge for scraps or depend on luck to survive."

Her words struck something deep within them.

They had never thought about it that way before.

For them, survival had always been about securing as much food and supplies as possible, ensuring they could last through the next few weeks or months. But Liora was looking beyond that. She was thinking about the long term.

"Think about it," she went on. "If we stay weak, we’ll always be at the mercy of those stronger than us. The rich will keep offering food in exchange for crystal cores, getting stronger while we stay the same. If we don’t change our way of thinking, we’ll never escape this cycle. We’ll always be one step away from starvation, from being cast aside like we don’t matter."

Everyone was so shocked by Liora’s words. She had shown them a different side of the world. If it was only them, could they have ever thought about it? Definitely not.

She was right. If they always thought about living another day, then they would never realize how they died one day, and then there would be no room for regret.

They did not want to die like losers. They did not want to serve any assholes. And they definitely did not want to be cannon fodder, mere stepping stones for the rich.

Zhou Yinuo bit her lip, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. Liang Zihan let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck. Even Chen Wei, who had been so adamant about refusing, found himself looking at the crystal with a new perspective.

Liora was right.

The world didn’t reward those who simply survived. It rewarded those who were strong enough to take what they needed.

Chen Wei swallowed hard, his previous hesitation slowly fading. For the first time, he wasn’t just thinking about getting through the next day. He was thinking about the future—about the possibility of becoming someone others could rely on.

Finally, he met Liora’s gaze. There was no longer fear in his eyes, only determination. "Alright," he said, his voice steady. "I’ll do it."

Liora gave him a satisfied nod and slid the crystal back toward him. Without another word, he picked it up and stood.



Everyone watched as he made his way to his room, his grip on the crystal tightening. He left the door open, allowing them to see. He wanted them to witness this, to learn from it in case they ever had to do the same.

Standing in the center of his room, he took a deep breath and sat down.

He knew the process should be peaceful, but there was always a risk. If he wasn’t careful, the energy could backlash. If he failed to guide it properly, the power could be lost forever.

He closed his eyes, focusing all his attention on it. Almost immediately, everything around him vanished. The murmurs of his friends, the dim candlelight in the room, even the faint breeze brushing against his skin—all of it was gone.

He felt like he was floating in an endless void.

There was nothing here. No sound. No movement. Just darkness stretching infinitely in all directions. Yet, within that darkness, the crimson crystal glowed with an otherworldly brilliance, pulsing like a living heart.

Chen Wei could feel its immense power swirling within it like a raging storm barely contained. A force so vast and strong that it sent shivers down his spine. It was waiting, observing, as if testing him.

Then, the energy began to stir.

Like wisps of smoke, it rose from the crystal, curling and twisting through the air before slowly creeping toward him. It surrounded him, brushing against his skin, then retreating as if uncertain.

Chen Wei felt like the energy had its own consciousness. It was probing him like a curious child, showing uncertainty after leaving its previous shell to find a new one.