Chapter Six: The Proper Way to Use a Cheat Device

“There you have it! Information truly is priceless. I didn’t spend a single contribution point, yet not only did I find survivors, I also discovered a horde of zombies. How about this... you give me ten contribution points, and I’ll reluctantly make the trip. After all, your main mission is to recover resources, not to keep milking me for points,” Lin Lei said with biting sarcasm.

“A medium-sized zombie horde would be worth approximately six hundred contribution points. Given the host's abilities, it would be difficult to handle. This system does not recommend the host proceed,” the system analyzed.

Once zombies start gathering in hordes, especially those of medium size or larger, they’re not just composed of the first tier; there are also large numbers of second-tier zombies, and sometimes even a few third-tier ones.

Lin Lei might be able to flee if he encountered first- or second-tier zombies, but if a third-tier zombie latched onto him, he might not be able to escape safely.

“Six hundred contribution points!” Lin Lei drooled. “If I clear this one out, I could take a half-year vacation!”

That goal of a hundred million points suddenly seemed within reach.

“Host is advised to carefully assess the risks of this operation!” The system reminded him once again.

It did need a substantial amount of essence, but it would never truly risk Lin Lei’s life. After all, a hundred years on standby would be an ordeal, not to mention the loan it still had outstanding from Lin Lei. No system would willingly accept a loss.

“Who said I was going to take them on alone?” Lin Lei scoffed. “I have my own plans. Either you obediently guide me and help me avoid the main horde, or I’ll fight my way through myself.”

Seeing Lin Lei’s determination, the system could only do its best to assist him. Banter and point-grabbing were fine in normal times, but when it came down to real danger, infighting was out of the question.

Switching to flight mode and following the system’s guidance, Lin Lei occasionally encountered a few scattered zombie packs along the way, all of which he dealt with handily.

“There are survivors detected one kilometer ahead to the left, currently being pursued by a small group of zombies.”

Having been in this world for nearly three hours, Lin Lei was finally about to interact with the locals.

“By the way, survivors are also recoverable, right?” Lin Lei suddenly asked.

“Yes, but the recovery process for survivors is rather complicated, and their recovery value is low. Recovery is not recommended,” the system explained.

Biological recovery had to be voluntary. Any sentient being would hardly agree to be reclaimed willingly.

Of course, there were rare cases where someone might choose to sacrifice themselves to achieve a specific goal. As long as you could fulfill their wish, they could also be reclaimed.

But not considering the time and effort it would take to fulfill someone’s wish, just the five-point recovery fee alone made it a losing proposition.

“So... the simplest way is just to kill them and recover the body?” Lin Lei seemed to understand.

“If you don’t want to be erased by the power of the rules, the host is advised not to attack neutral parties,” the system warned.

Neutral parties were those that hadn’t shown hostility or attacked Lin Lei.

In other words, he couldn’t attack first—only defend or retaliate.

Zombies had no independent will and existed solely to kill, so even if Lin Lei struck first, it was still considered self-defense or counterattack.

Most wild beasts were naturally hostile to humans; when encountered, it was a case of kill or be killed, so Lin Lei could attack them proactively—except for a few docile herbivores, of course.

“So, for the most part, I can’t make the first move? How am I supposed to snatch resources then?” Lin Lei was speechless.

If everything came down to fair trade, where would the windfall profits be?

Haven’t you noticed that all lucrative businesses are illegal by definition?

He had to follow the law on his own planet, sure, but this was an off-world assignment in a different space-time dimension. If he kept adhering to fair trade, what value would his “cheat device” have?

“The host can provoke the other party verbally, enrage them into attacking first, and thus trigger the counterattack condition,” the system advised. “If the host is unsure how to proceed, this system has ‘One Hundred Thousand Ways to Court Death’, ‘How to Anger Someone in Three Sentences’, ‘I Can’t Stop Until I Screw Up’, ‘How to Become a Master Troll’... nearly ten thousand such guides to choose from. Bulk discounts available.”

So, the correct use of Lin Lei’s cheat was to act superior, slap faces, and play the fool to catch the tiger.

“No wonder after three sentences with you, I have this urge to kill you!” Lin Lei finally understood why the system was so infuriating.

“The host is showing signs of psychological anxiety due to excessive stress. If left unaddressed, it may lead to cognitive decline or even dissociation—medically known as psychosis. However, there’s no need to worry, the supplies exchange offers solutions; you only need to...”

“The best solution is for you to shut up!” After barely half a day together, Lin Lei was already so aggravated he felt on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Though they bickered constantly, it didn’t slow Lin Lei’s progress. Soon he was hovering over the battlefield.

The survivors turned out to be a small squad. Only five remained alive; how many there had been before, Lin Lei didn’t know, as there were no bodies in sight.

The number of zombies wasn’t large, about thirty in total, but two stood out distinctly. Based on the information the system had provided earlier, Lin Lei identified them as two second-tier zombies with different attributes.

In this world, second-tier zombies evolved in two possible directions. One combined strength and defense—these zombies stood over two meters tall, boasted immense strength, and had thick skin and flesh. Ordinary cold weapons could barely scratch them; even firearms needed two shots to the same spot to penetrate.

But zombies weren’t stationary targets; in a tense fight, it was tough to land two shots in the same place. Hence, to kill one, it generally took five to eight hits.

Their only weakness was their slow movement. If you couldn’t win, you could always run.

The other type combined speed and agility. These zombies were petite—most evolved from female zombies. Not only were they fast, but their reflexes were exceptional, and their combat skills rivaled martial arts experts. Their only flaw was weak defense, only slightly tougher than first-tier zombies, and a single shot could take them down.

Unlike other zombies, which could be distracted by flesh and bought time to escape, these speed-type zombies loved to chase moving prey. Food seemed less important; their instinct was to pursue.

Once targeted by a speed-type zombie, it was a fight to the death—unless every last one was killed.

The main reason the system advised against coming here was precisely these speed-type zombies.

One or two, Lin Lei could handle easily, but if a dozen or more surrounded him, all he could do was watch helplessly from the sky. And if a third-tier zombie appeared, even the sky might not be safe.