Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

’What’s going on?’

’Why is a car coming up from the bottom of the ramp?’

The middle-aged man behind the vehicle barricade jumped in fright. His sudden movement startled the figures eating barbecue behind him. A few of them, however, had already downed two or three glasses of liquor; they were completely unconcerned, just slacking off and spouting drunken nonsense.

Just then, headlights swept over them. An SUV pulled up and stopped right at the edge of the ramp. As several people stared, dumbfounded, a tall figure emerged from the driver’s side.

’Is that a person or a ghost? It’s not some kind of Illusion Technique, is it?’

One man, holding a weapon, stepped forward. He had been thoroughly spooked by the earlier Invisibility Technique.

He was immediately stopped.

”Don’t be an idiot. That’s the guy who killed the Night Tiger and drove off that horde of monkeys,” the middle-aged man said, recognizing him.

The young man couldn’t be called burly, but he was tall and well-proportioned. Perhaps it was the lingering impression he’d made earlier, but he gave off a sense of cold, sharp Power.

As a long-time fitness enthusiast himself, what he envied most were the man’s broad shoulders. ’He has the kind of physique you see once in a million people—a true Sacred Body for working out.’

Su Chen placed a hand on the barricade and vaulted over it with ease.

He said, ”Everyone who went down the slope to block the bridge is dead.”

The few people around were already mentally prepared for this. They hadn’t returned for a long time, so they had most likely been ambushed and killed by Dark Attribute monsters while setting up the blockade.

’The question was, how had this guy survived?’

They all exchanged glances, but no one dared to voice the question on their minds.

Ever since the young man’s arrival, an indescribable chill had begun to spread through the air. It felt as if a pair of eyes were staring at them from the depths of the night.

The drunk, however, had no such reservations. He brandished a bottle of liquor and yelled, ”Holy shit, bro! How many monsters did you have to kill to get up here from down there?”

Su Chen paid him no mind and continued walking forward, stepping into a camping supply store.

The middle-aged man, Xing Jingsong, had been about to scan the darkness for anything lurking, but when he saw the man enter his shop, he lowered the thermal night-vision scope he was holding.

”I’m the owner of this shop. Can I help you with anything?” he asked, hurrying back to greet him warmly.

The store was quite large, primarily selling a variety of camping supplies and outdoor sports equipment. It had everything from tents and sleeping bags to folding tables, chairs, stoves, and lanterns, as well as quick-drying outdoor clothing, first-aid kits, and medical packs.

During the day, it also served as a triage center for the wounded.

At night, due to its proximity to the top of the ramp, it was left open for the guards to use as a temporary post.

It was clear the owner was good with people and had earned the respect of many; when the nearby grocery store by the bonfire was looted, his shop hadn’t been touched at all.

”Do you have any Small Straight Knives? Or survival knives?”

Su Chen glanced around before walking directly to a display table. The folding knives and multi-function Swiss Army knives on display didn’t meet his standards for throwing.

The requirements for a Flying Knife were quite high. It needed a full-tang construction to ensure the blade was strong enough to handle the power of a Flame Burst. At the same time, the blade’s center of gravity had to be as balanced as possible to ensure stable flight.

Once those standards were met, it was best if all the knives were identical to ensure a consistent, perfect feel in his hand.

”We do.”

Understanding Su Chen’s requirements, Xing Jingsong immediately trotted over to a storage shelf and pulled out a large box.

Despite the box’s size, once the seal was torn off, it revealed just thirty smaller gift boxes inside. Each elegant box contained a single knife.

He opened one. Inside was a tactical Small Straight Knife, no more than twenty centimeters long. The blade had a dark gray metallic sheen, and its single-piece forged construction gave it very smooth, clean lines.

Su Chen took the Small Straight Knife and weighed it in his hand. He could feel that the weight was evenly distributed, perfectly matching his expectations.

While it couldn’t compare to professionally customized Flying Knives, under the current circumstances, this tactical straight knife was the perfect choice.

”Are there any more?” Su Chen asked.

”That’s all I have of this brand and model of Small Straight Knife. I have a few other miscellaneous survival knives, but I’ve already given most of them away for self-defense,” Xing Jingsong answered honestly.

”Fine, I’ll take them all. And one Engineer Shovel.”

Su Chen didn’t hesitate. He reached into his canvas backpack and took out a water bottle. Inside it was an Earth Element Essence.

”Is this enough?” he asked politely.

”Ah!”

Xing Jingsong was startled. It was more than enough.

In this apocalypse, the value of cash had plummeted. Besides, who even carried bills on them anymore? If there was one absolute hard currency, it was these Essences that granted wondrous Elemental Power.

Not long ago, a serious conflict had broken out at the top of the ramp over a single Elemental Essence left behind by the dead. A friendship of over a decade had shattered in an instant.

And over at the western defensive line of the campgrounds, it was rumored that a dispute over loot distribution had nearly led to infighting.

’This thing... it’s practically a divine artifact.’

”This Essence is far too valuable. I can’t accept it.”

Xing Jingsong suddenly had a realization. The reason no monsters had come up from either of the two ramps for so long was likely because this young man had been holding the bridge down below.

His eyes widened in understanding. ”I should be the one thanking you! If you hadn’t been clearing things out down there, my little shop probably wouldn’t have survived.”

”If this Essence can be used for the trade, then just take it.”

Su Chen never liked owing people favors, and he hated this kind of polite back-and-forth even more. He said decisively, ”Please just unwrap them for me. And throw in two tactical belts.”

To others, a single Earth Element Essence was a rare resource that could be used to strengthen defenses or construct Runes.

But for him, they were laughably easy to come by. He’d even had two more drop on his way back.

In exchange, getting so many tactical straight knives would provide him with a much more substantial return on his investment.

’This trade is absolutely worth it.’

Seeing this, Xing Jingsong didn’t feel right refusing any longer. He even threw in a thermal night-vision scope as a gift.

He was also very perceptive. Noticing Su Chen’s shirt was soaked in blood, he offered to give him three sets of outdoor windbreaker jackets and pants. He even threw in a professional, heavy-duty mountaineering backpack.

It was very spacious, large enough to perfectly fit his War Axe, golf club, Engineer Shovel, and other gear.

Su Chen didn’t refuse. It was indeed far better than his canvas backpack, superior in both durability and comfort when carrying a heavy load.

And just like that, all the supplies from his big purchase were stuffed into the heavy-duty mountaineering pack.

At that moment, an idea struck Xing Jingsong. His expression grew excited as he said, ”I have another outdoor supply store in Dongfu City. The stock there is much larger; it might have more of the Small Straight Knives you’re looking for.

By the way, in a creative park just outside the suburbs, not far from this campground, my younger brother runs a smithy. He specializes in custom-crafting historical armor and has worked with many museums and historical shows. The quality is absolutely guaranteed. If he’s alright, maybe I could introduce you.”

The reason Xing Jingsong was so eager to recommend him was, of course, that he’d seen Su Chen’s Rune-inscribed Wind Blade War Axe and had an idea. ’Wouldn’t Rune Armor have incredible potential, too?’ he thought.

Beyond that, in this apocalyptic crisis, he truly wanted to befriend—and align himself with—such a genuine powerhouse.

’He might not be a fighter, but if he could handle logistics for someone like Su Chen, perhaps he could secure a bright future for himself in this new world.’