Apocalyptic Sequence

Chapter 13 Exploration Rewards

As the morning sunlight streamed into the apartment, the pre-set alarm clock rang on time.

Jingle Bell!

Lu Fan got out of bed and turned off her phone alarm.

He rushed into the bathroom as fast as he could, and after washing up, he went downstairs to have breakfast feeling refreshed.

Downstairs in the building, inside a Suzhou-style pan-fried bun shop.

Zi la la!

The moment the freshly cooked pan-fried buns were placed on the table, Lu Fan couldn't wait to reach out with his chopsticks, pick up a small bun about the size of his thumb, and put it into his mouth.

Hot, fresh, and fragrant!

The small steamed buns, pan-fried in peanut oil, are infused with the aroma of meat and the umami of aged vinegar—simply a delicacy.

Unfortunately, this should be the last breakfast of his peaceful life... Lu Fan sighed silently, turned to look at the bustling crowd in the store, and couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.

Some things are only appreciated when they are lost.

What may seem like ordinary life becomes all the more precious against the backdrop of an impending apocalypse.

Just as Lu Fan was sighing inwardly, the television hanging on the wall inside the store was playing the morning news.

According to Xinhua News Agency, a joint military exercise for college students from military academies across the country has begun. The exercise is led by the Eastern Theater Command and covers 19 higher military academies nationwide.

"Among them, university students from the First Military Academy will participate in live-fire exercises alongside other military personnel of the same age. Those who perform exceptionally well will be awarded a third-class merit..."

The First Military Academy, the university Tang Rou attended... Lu Fan frowned deeply upon seeing the morning news. Sure enough, the Federation's high command knew the apocalypse was imminent, so military academy students were being sent to the field for military exercises, making them far safer than ordinary university students.

As for other ordinary college students, even those who are top students from prestigious 985 universities, they will still face the apocalyptic crisis.

Lu Fan couldn't help but feel somewhat dissatisfied, but he was also aware of the difficulties faced by the Eastern Huang Federation.

If the apocalypse is truly imminent, once the news is announced, the entire society will descend into chaos.

At that time, before the apocalypse even breaks out, internal strife among humans can paralyze the entire government, causing it to lose its original ability to execute tasks when faced with a crisis. After all, no one knows who will turn into zombies.

Only by concealing the news, minimizing the impact, and simultaneously dedicating the entire federation to developing a virus antibody, can the apocalyptic crisis be ended.

Although he understood the difficulties faced by the Eastern Federation, Lu Fan couldn't help but feel disappointed.

After all, the federal government has probably already set up a sanctuary.

However, these places are not open to the general public for the time being and are considered highly confidential facilities.

Only individuals who meet certain eligibility criteria are eligible to reside in the shelter.

Hopefully, after the apocalypse breaks out, the Federation can quickly organize an army to rescue the surviving people... Lu Fan silently drank his soy milk. According to his guess, when the apocalypse truly arrives, the surviving humans will have the opportunity to be rescued by the army, and these people will be placed in shelters.

After all, population is the foundation of a regime.

Just like how military academy students are assigned to military exercises, it's clear that the Eastern Federation remains determined in this regard and wants to save more lives.

If I can survive the first wave of crisis and wait for military rescue, I will definitely be able to enter the shelter eventually.

Therefore, the most dangerous phase was the first wave of the virus outbreak.

With that thought in mind, Lu Fan got up, paid for his breakfast, and then headed straight for the subway station.

He planned to use the advantage of the mental disability panel to see if the Jinling City Public Security Bureau was safe and whether the security guards inside had also been turned into zombies.

Half an hour later, the subway station announcement came:

"Attention, we have arrived at Qinhuai Station. Passengers who are disembarking, please prepare accordingly."

Lu Fan exited the subway station and, following the directions on Gaode Map, arrived at the location of the Qinhuai Public Security Bureau.

Through the gate of the Public Security Bureau, you can see all kinds of security guards inside. They are all wearing light blue security uniforms and are busy going back and forth. After all, the duties of the grassroots security guards are very busy, and they are in charge of almost everything.

Even minor incidents like neighbors arguing or cats and dogs getting lost will prompt them to call the police.

As Lu Fan's gaze focused on the other person, a notification sound immediately popped up on the "mentally challenged" panel—

[Warning: Low-level zombies ahead, please treat them casually!]

[Warning: Low-level zombies ahead, please treat them casually!]

[Warning: Low-level zombies ahead...]

Sure enough, even the police station had fallen... Lu Fan sighed silently. It seemed that the police couldn't be relied on. The key was the army. Only the army had any hope of ending the zombies and saving the survivors.

Turning back to the subway station, Lu Fan went to several more police stations.

Without exception, these police stations all fell into the hands of zombies, and the busy security guards all turned into low-level zombies.

Lu Fan's heart grew heavier. It seemed that his only hope lay with the army.

However, are zombies really the only thing in the apocalypse? Lu Fan hadn't forgotten the records on the mental disability panel. When it introduced the origin of the Z virus antibody, it pointed out that this thing came from the virus antibody developed by the Eastern Empire Federation half a month after the outbreak of the apocalypse.

Even with antibodies against the virus, the Eastern Federation still couldn't end the apocalypse.

The apocalyptic crisis is not just caused by zombies; there must be other factors at play that perpetuate it.

However, due to a lack of information, Lu Fan was temporarily unaware of the factors involved.

As he pondered, Lu Fan walked out of the last police station, the Jiangning branch.

He spent the entire morning clocking in at different police stations, even more diligently than the security guards.

Suddenly, a task prompt popped up on the mentally challenged panel—

[Hint: Your map exploration progress has reached 20%, triggering a special reward!]

[Hint: You have obtained a Tier 1 Sealed Artifact - High-Sensitivity Telescope!]

Another sealed artifact? Lu Fan's expression froze for a moment. He hadn't expected that his actions of following the subway station and searching for the police station would actually increase the map exploration rate to 20%, successfully unlocking a sealed artifact reward.

"It seems I have a chance to get an achievement reward by exploring the entire Jinling map!"

Lu Fan's face lit up with joy; this was great news.

With eight or nine hours left until midnight, I had the opportunity to explore most of Nanjing by using public transportation such as subway stations, thus increasing my completion rate to 40%.

Of course, the main reason for the exploration reward is that the timeline determined by the panel is after the outbreak of the apocalypse, when a large number of zombies blocked transportation and made human movement difficult.

Lu Fan took advantage of the time difference to explore the entire Jinling during peacetime, which significantly reduced the difficulty.

You truly are my cheat code; the idiot control panel is all thanks to you!

Lu Fan checked the binoculars in his backpack to obtain information about the sealed artifact.

High-sensitivity telescope

Rank: Tier 1 Sealed Artifact

Equipment effect: Using this telescope, you can see spiritual beings (souls) and spiritual rifts that are imperceptible to normal people. You can also use this telescope to find underground spiritual veins (spiritual veins generated from spiritual rifts).

Negative effect: When you use it, spiritual energy gathers around you, making you more attractive to spiritual beings.

Is this a telescope specifically for viewing spirits?

Lu Fan was taken aback. It seemed that this telescope had the potential to be a voyeur.

After putting the sealed item back into his backpack, Lu Fan continued to use the subway station to explore the map.

As night fell again, Lu Fan's legs were about to give out from walking. Finally, he pushed the exploration progress to 40%.

[Hint: Your map exploration progress has reached 40%, triggering a special reward!]

[Hint: You have obtained the Golden Hourglass (Special Item)!]

A golden hourglass? Lu Fan was stunned for a moment, not expecting the reward to be an hourglass.

He hurriedly opened his backpack to check the information on the golden hourglass.

Golden Hourglass

Rank: Special Item (No Rank)

Equipment effect: This is an invitation from the Heavenly Principles Society. When you possess it, you can attend a special gathering of the Heavenly Principles Society. This is a blessing that spans more than three hundred years, and also an ancient curse.

What is this?

Lu Fan was somewhat bewildered. He hadn't expected that after all the hard work he had put in to travel across half of Jinling, what he would end up with was an invitation to the so-called "Heavenly Principles Society." What was the Heavenly Principles Society?

What exactly is this special gathering?

Filled with doubt, Lu Fan tossed the golden hourglass into his backpack, intending to study it when he had time.

By this time, it was already late at night.

Lu Fan didn't plan to stay too late, because the apocalypse was about to break out tomorrow, and no one knew whether it would break out at midnight or during the day. Lu Fan didn't dare to gamble on the timing of its outbreak.

In light of this, Lu Fan returned directly to his apartment and locked the door.

Ji Guxuan's messages were still popping up on my phone. Judging from the messages, she seemed to have given up on Lu Fan's chances of being recognized and only wanted him to come to class tomorrow.

Lu Fan casually replied, "Don't go to general classes tomorrow," and then turned off his phone.

Then, lying in bed, Lu Fan was still feeling unsettled and found it difficult to fall asleep.

The apocalypse is about to break out, and the peaceful life that has lasted for more than a decade will be shattered. Humanity will face its greatest crisis yet, and all of this makes it difficult for Lu Fan to fall asleep.

He tossed and turned in bed for what seemed like an eternity before finally falling into a deep sleep, lost in thought.

—Ring ring!

When the familiar bell rang, Lu Fan suddenly opened his eyes; the morning light was already just beginning to break outside the window.

Today is the day the apocalypse begins!