Chapter 20: Secondary Supply Crate, Strength Doubling Technique

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It was a girl. Thin, small. Clearly wearing a high school uniform, yet it hung loosely and sagged on her frame. She curled up in the corner by the glass door, hugging her knees, chin buried in them—no cries, no fear, no joy or sorrow—numb as a piece of wood. Suddenly, the wooden figure moved. She lifted her hollow eyes and met Lu Ming’s gaze. For a moment, time seemed to pause, then her eyes dropped again the next second.

Lu Ming’s pupils constricted sharply; his heart twisted violently. The joy he felt in the clothing store instantly crumbled beneath that familiar expression. Gripping his straight blade, he turned and walked past the store as if he hadn’t noticed anything.

In the fleeting moment their silhouettes crossed, the scene of reality swapped with a buried memory—same dark corner, same curled-up posture, same hollow numbness. The only difference was that the figure was himself. Believing no one, caring for no one, hoping for no one—that was who he once was, the one without salvation.

He understood too well the emotion contained in those eyes. Compassion stirred within him, yet what could he do? This was the apocalypse, a desperate wasteland where survival demanded ruthless effort. He never saw himself as a savior of mankind, even with his miraculous abilities. The only thing he could do was fulfill the last wish of the person who died before him—just survive. Nothing more.

So what did “kindred spirits” mean to him? What did it matter? Only a pity for a clothing store so close at hand. Never mind—food was hard to find, but clothes were everywhere. Settling his mind, Lu Ming decided to check out the crossroad after the relocation. After all, city crossroads were the busiest parts of the social districts; maybe he could find a supply crate, heh heh heh...

He smiled to himself, then wiped the smile away. Shadows from his bangs concealed his eyes; his footsteps slowed to a halt. Finally, with a self-mocking smile, he turned and walked back.

Back at the store entrance, he looked at the reflection of his “huge” yet “stylish” self in the glass door, feeling helpless. To appear less like a villain, he crouched down, squinted with a smile, and spoke gently: “Hey little sister, what’s your name? What grade are you in? Can you open the door? Uncle wants to come in for a bit.”

Though his face remained unchanged, inside his mind he was clutching his head, twisted in a tortured scream—heavens and earth, what kind of nonsense opening line was this? Why not get straight to the point? This sounds like a kidnapping! Who’d open the door for you with a speech like that?

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“Hey, little sister, what’s your name? Where did you come from, weird old man?” Inside, the girl lifted those hollow eyes again, staring at him for a moment.

Sweating nervously, Lu Ming said timidly, “Ah, no, I... um... I’m not bad, don’t be afraid. I just... want to change my clothes.”

He even pointed to his bulky chest.

“Get it?”

Get it? Not a chance!

He gasped sharply, his heart sinking—Lu Ming, what the hell are you doing?!

Forget it, destroy it all. He was tired.

Just as he was ready to give up and leave, the girl suddenly stood and, to his stunned amazement, pulled open the store door. Yes, she just pulled it open. All along, he had thought the door was locked, but it had no protection at all.

This girl cared nothing for her own life or death, nor whether the stranger outside was friend or foe.

Her oversized uniform made her small figure seem even more fragile. Since Lu Ming didn’t enter, she just stood there holding the door, staring blankly at her feet like a lifeless, stiff machine.

“Thank you.”

The awkwardness vanished instantly as Lu Ming, smelling foul, stepped inside.

When he looked back, the girl had released the handle and returned to her corner. She showed no reaction to his smell, not even a glance, as if he were not a towering man but a wisp of colorless, odorless air.

Silent, she turned away; silent, she chose clothes. Lu Ming’s mind was elsewhere.

He wandered the cramped store several times before realizing there were no sizes suitable for him.

His eyes swept toward the clothing warehouse section marked “No Entry for Unauthorized Persons.” Dust piled thickly on the door handle, with no fingerprints—clearly the girl had never explored that area after entering.

“Scan.”

Focusing on the space behind the warehouse door, Lu Ming activated his Eye of Truth.

Labels popped up rapidly. No alien creatures present, so the area was safe.

Opening the warehouse door, dust fell through the gap.

Inside was not the expected darkness; rather, it was quite bright.

Looking around, the so-called warehouse was actually the living room of a private residence.

Straight ahead was the living room’s main door.

Presumably, the owner’s house was large, and the back door happened to open onto a residential alley, so they had converted that back entrance into a clothing shop to do some business.

Dust was even thicker inside; most objects scanned by the Eye of Truth appeared blackened, with very few usable items.

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However, when his gaze shifted to the right, it was immediately caught by a blue item label.

“Level 2 Supply Crate!”

In a larger room to the right.

His mood finally lifted from heavy to joyful. Lu Ming flashed into the room and, sure enough, saw a blue crate—a stark contrast to the surrounding furnishings—tucked in the corner between the bed and the wall.

Unlike the arched treasure chests in games, it felt aged.

Instead, it was a mechanical box full of futuristic technology.

“Scan.”

[Level 2 Supply Crate] (Special Item)

Category: Container

Description: A sturdy container holding advanced supplies, including 3 bottles of 500ml multifunctional sports drink, 1 random skill book.

...

The items inside were revealed directly by the Eye of Truth.

The surprise of opening was gone, replaced by the comfort of knowing its contents in advance.

Especially the random skill book—an item capable of yielding special skills like the “Master Key,” a godlike ability.

Lu Ming picked up the crate; a blue button sat in its center. Pressing firmly, gas hissed out, and the box opened with a snap.

Inside lay a neat purple book embossed with a golden question mark, along with three bottles of multifunctional sports drink.

[Prompt: Detected “Random Skill Book.” Use now? Using will grant a randomly selected skill book of level e to a.]

Only up to A level? So the “Master Key” he considered a divine skill wasn’t even S level?

[Prompt: Use now?]

Not receiving an answer, the program began urging him.

Lu Ming was about to confirm when he suddenly thought: if not for the girl’s complete devastation, this risk-free supply crate should belong to her.

Of course, that was just a thought.

If he actually gave away the crate, he’d think he was crazy.

At most, he’d give the girl some compensation when he left.

“Yes!”

[Congratulations! You have obtained B-level skill “Strength Multiplication.”]

...

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