Chapter 23: Reinforcement, Support, and Logistics

"Hiss..."

An intense surge of emotion caused him to accidentally aggravate the wound on his shoulder. A sharp, piercing pain washed over him, and Han Ning couldn't help but tremble all over.

"I'm injured now, so it's not convenient to go out hunting for a while. I have to heal my wounds first at the very least."

Enduring the pain, he unwound the blood-soaked gauze, exposing the gruesome wound to the air. On his left shoulder, near the collarbone, was a claw mark deep enough to reveal the bone. The flesh was curled back, its edges tinged an unnatural greyish-white. If he hadn't dodged in time, that bone spur would likely have slashed his carotid artery. Seeing the wound, a wave of lingering fear washed over him.

He closed his eyes, a faint emerald glow emanating from his palm as he hovered it over the injury.

[Rejuvenation (Novice) Proficiency +1, Current 38/100]

The vibrant green light seeped into the wound, bringing with it a subtle, tingling itch. Under the therapeutic effects of the Rejuvenation spell, the flesh began to slowly knit together.

"My Rejuvenation proficiency is too low; the healing effect is less than ideal."

Han Ning frowned, glancing at his Druid panel.

[Class: Novice Druid (Lv3)]
[Spirit Power: 15/20]
[Skills:
Vine Control (Intermediate): 182/200
Rapid Growth (Novice): 78/100
Rejuvenation (Novice): 38/100
Barkskin (Novice): 12/100
Animal Companion (Novice): Xuebing (Swamp Crocodile Lizard Lv1, Growth Progress: 34/100), Skill Proficiency (27/100)]

The proficiency for his Intermediate Vine Control had already reached 182/200, just a tiny bit away from leveling up. However, unlike the Novice level, Intermediate Vine Control could not be leveled up simply by casting it into thin air or striking small objects while hiding in a room. Han Ning remembered clearly that no matter how much he practiced indoors over the past few days—making the vines lash out at the air or wrap around furniture—the proficiency gauge had remained completely unmoved. It seemed that only by experiencing the pressure of real combat—colliding with the scales of monsters, engaging in raw strength contests, or even being torn apart—could the Vine Control spell absorb the "nutrients" required for growth.

"I might as well take this time while healing to practice my other skills."

This experience taught him that in a desperate situation surrounded by monsters, survival ability is always the top priority. Healing, defense, and logistics were every bit as important as offensive capability.

...

"Knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock."

Just then, the door was tapped lightly.

Xuebing, who had been lying on the floor, immediately grew alert.

"Don't be nervous." He patted Xuebing on the head. Without needing to ask, Han Ning immediately guessed who it was. He walked over and opened the door.

Standing outside was indeed Liu Feng. He was alone, carrying a bag wrapped in waterproof cloth.

"Brother Han Ning." Liu Feng smiled, lifting the bag in his hand. "I brought some things over. I wanted to have a chat."

Han Ning remained silent for a few seconds. He didn't step aside to let Liu Feng in; instead, he blocked the doorway and said coldly, "We have nothing to talk about."

Liu Feng, standing outside, seemed to have expected this. He offered a bitter smile. "I know you're angry. If it were me, I'd be angry too. That bastard Chen Yan... he really went too far. He was just terrified by that giant lizard at the time, he lost his head... I apologize to you on his behalf."

Liu Feng bowed slightly to Han Ning.

"Are you his father? Why do you have to apologize for him?" Han Ning was completely unmoved.

Liu Feng’s face was full of bitterness. "To be honest with you, Chen Yan and I... our relationship is quite deep. His father and my father were comrades-in-arms, and I'm two years older than him. Three years ago, my father passed away from illness, and Chen Yan's family helped me a lot... It’s hard to choose between my own palms and the back of my hand. This is my fault for not coordinating things well."

"There's no point in saying these things." Han Ning waved his hand, interrupting him.

It wasn't just Chen Yan; he suspected that Lu Minghu and Zhou Wan also had deep ties to Liu Feng. Lu Minghu had been hesitant, acting like a fair-weather friend when they encountered danger, but at least there was still some kindness in his heart. That was why Han Ning hadn't bothered him. As for Zhou Wan, she had acted as if she were uninvolved, but from the shift in Liu Feng's emotions when he called her name, Han Ning intuitively sensed that their relationship was anything but ordinary.

"Fine, let's not talk about Chen Yan." Liu Feng paused, his tone becoming more sincere. "But brother, in this world, sticking together is the only way out. I've been trying to contact residents on other floors for the past two days, trying to find others who have awakened their abilities. If there are other awakened ones, I can help you organize a new hunting team. It would be completely independent; I wouldn't interfere at all."

"No need." Han Ning's voice was devoid of ripples. "Forget it. I'm used to working alone."

Liu Feng sighed. "I know you have the ability, but one person is ultimately weak. You saw how dangerous the road to Egret Port is... Even if you don't join the team, I hope we can move together when the time comes, so we can look out for each other..."

"I said, no need."

Han Ning shook his head, his tone resolute. "I appreciate the gesture, but take your things back."

With that, he stopped paying attention to Liu Feng, closed the door, and turned toward the living room.

Outside the door, it became completely quiet. It took a full half-minute before he heard the faint rustle of a plastic bag being placed on the floor, followed by Liu Feng’s barely audible sigh and his retreating footsteps.

Listening to the footsteps fade away, Han Ning felt no wavering in his heart. Chen Yan's desertion and underlying malice, coupled with Liu Feng's initial hesitation, had caused him to lose all trust in this makeshift group. No matter what was said, Liu Feng was unwilling to cut ties with Chen Yan, so there was nothing left to discuss. The so-called "looking out for each other" was merely a fragile fantasy in the face of true life-and-death stakes. He would rather face unknown dangers alone than entrust his back to unreliable people again.

This time, he would chalk it up to his own naivety.

He walked back to the door, opened it a crack, and pulled the heavy bag inside. Opening the waterproof cloth, he found two bottles of sealed bottled water, several packs of compressed biscuits, two boxes of self-heating rice, and two pounds of beef jerky carefully wrapped in foil. In the apocalypse, these supplies were precious.

Han Ning twitched the corner of his mouth, his expression blank. The other party's intention to ease the relationship with supplies was obvious. He accepted them—not because he forgave them, but because these were tangible survival resources, and there was no need to refuse them for the sake of empty pride. In this world, staying alive was the only truth.

In the time that followed, Han Ning hunkered down at home to improve his other skills. The wound on his left arm was the first problem to solve. Practicing Rejuvenation was straightforward: keep casting the skill on the wound, consuming spirit power, and building proficiency. Next was Barkskin. He thought of a method: he would cast Barkskin, covering his body in bark, and then command Xuebing to use its sharp claws to tear at the bark, just like a cat using a scratching post. As long as the bark broke, he would continue to mend it, simulating the conditions of combat. Finally, for Rapid Growth, he simply kept casting it on his plants. Previously, because his spirit power was stretched thin, he hadn't given the plants enough attention. Now that he wasn't practicing Vine Control, and his overall spirit power limit had doubled, the proficiency for Rapid Growth soared quickly.

Time slipped away in the midst of his diligent practice...