upgrade

"Um... I'm done bandaging you."

Lin Qingqing quickly ran to the side, carefully wrapped the Tier-3 Nightmare Crystal in a plastic bag, and handed it to Huan Tian.

Huan Tian lowered his head to take it. His gaze lingered on her face, and a faint smile slowly surfaced in his eyes, like gentle ripples spreading across a calm lake.

But before he could enjoy the moment, a sharp pain in his waist yanked him back to reality without mercy.

"Ugh—damn, that hurts."

He frowned and cursed under his breath, forcing his spasming muscles to endure. "This must be the first time this body's suffered such serious injuries."

In his mind, he gave the command: "System, upgrade. Now."

Every time he leveled up, his body would instantly return to peak condition. In fact, Huan Tian had long accumulated more than enough Demon Hunt Points to level up, but had deliberately held off, saving them as his trump card.

Because he knew: in a life-or-death battle, an upgrade could be the key to turning the tide—restoring his stamina in an instant, essentially granting him a second life.

That's why, from the beginning, whether it was the explosion or his torn-up waist, he never truly panicked.

Even if he lost all four limbs in a blast, as long as he still had a breath left in him, he wouldn't die.

[Received. Initiating upgrade protocol.]

[Congratulations, Host has reached LV3. Gained: 4 free attribute points. Current system level: LV3. Demon Hunt Points: 987/200. Exchange Store updated. Weapon Enhancement function unlocked—bind and upgrade weapons using Demon Hunt Points and Nightmare Crystals.]

Great risk often brings great rewards.

Though this explosive ordeal had left him battered and bruised, the spoils were well worth it: nearly a hundred zombies and the Six-Legged Black Widows inside them were slain, earning him a massive haul of over 900 Demon Hunt Points.

The searing pain in his waist slowly gave way to a tingling itch—that familiar sensation of accelerated cellular regeneration brought on by the system upgrade.

A refreshing wave of energy washed over his entire body, lighting every fiber of his being.

With a single thought, he assigned all four free attribute points to Spirit.

Name: Huan Tian

Strength: 14

Agility: 12

Constitution: 11

Spirit: 14

Gene Enhancement Level: Tier 1

Gene Unlock Level: None

The sudden surge in Spirit made Huan Tian feel as if his mind had been completely refreshed.

His thinking became clearer, sharper, and more precise—his perception and focus during Demon Hunt Mode improved significantly.

But none of that was the real reason he had invested all his attribute points into Spirit.

He quickly opened the Exchange Store, and the moment his eyes landed on the newly unlocked item icon, the corners of his mouth curled upward uncontrollably. A wild joy flickered in his gaze.

Just as he had expected!

[Tier-1 Gene Unlock Serum]: Utilizes the Nightmare Virus's powerful gene fusion ability to impact human DNA. Grants a chance to unlock the first genetic lock.

With this serum, Huan Tian could officially unlock the first gene lock of his life—and advance into a Tier-1 Evolver!

Without hesitation, he spent 200 Demon Hunt Points to redeem a vial.

While the Gene Unlock Serum didn't place as much strain on the body as the Gene Enhancement Serum, it still required at least thirty minutes of uninterrupted rest.

And under the current circumstances, he didn't have the luxury.

"System, explain the Weapon Enhancement function."

[Weapon Enhancement System]: Allows bound weapons to be upgraded using Nightmare Crystals and related materials at the cost of Demon Hunt Points.

Huan Tian opened the Weapon Enhancement interface.

His familiar Desert Eagle lay quietly within the menu.

[Collector's Edition Desert Eagle]: A handgun with decent power, though more of a collector's item than a practical weapon.

[Current Stats]

– Weapon Power: LV1

– Recoil Reduction: LV1

– Firing Speed: LV1

– Magazine Capacity: LV1

[Upgradeable]

[Available Attachments]: Suppressor, Scope, Laser Sight, Melee Bayonet

[Overall Rating]: Excellent

Huan Tian stared at the stats in stunned silence.

The system's capabilities had exceeded his imagination.

Not only could it alter the weapon's core stats, but it could even install auxiliary attachments!

Like he'd suddenly gained access to a full-blown armory.

But the moment he scrolled down and saw the horrifying upgrade prices, his good mood took a sharp nosedive.

Each of the four primary stats had an upgrade cost that matched his level-up progression:

LV1 required 20 points, LV2 cost 50, and LV3 would take a staggering 200 Demon Hunt Points!

In other words, even with the 1,000+ points he had just earned, he couldn't even afford two Level 3 upgrades.

And as for the attachments?

Each one demanded a whopping 200 points. Each.

Huan Tian's face twitched.

"Damn it... does this mean I'll be working for the system for the rest of my life?"

Huan Tian couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating sigh.

But the truth was, he urgently needed to boost his combat power.

And now it was clear—just one Tier-1 Gene Enhancement wasn't nearly enough to get him safely to the 35th floor.

Even if it meant gritting his teeth, he had to upgrade.

Fortunately, the effects of weapon modification were immediate and tangible.

Take magazine capacity, for instance—each level added one extra round. And in a life-or-death moment, that single bullet could mean survival.

Besides, compared to the terrifying power of mutants, the human body was simply too fragile.

Even at the same level, humans were at a serious disadvantage in close combat—one wrong step, and they could be crushed in an instant.

A human's true edge wasn't strength—it was the strategic use of weapons and gear.

So even though Demon Hunt Points could be used to improve base attributes, Huan Tian decided to prioritize weapon upgrades for now.

After all, why risk infection in melee when you could kill from a distance with a gun?

"Upgrade all other stats to LV2, magazine capacity to LV4, and add a suppressor."

[Enhancement complete. Demon Hunt Points consumed: 530. Remaining: 257]

[Collector's Edition Desert Eagle: A handgun with decent power, though more of a collector's item than a practical weapon.]

[Current Stats]

– Weapon Power: LV2

– Recoil Reduction: LV2

– Firing Speed: LV2

– Magazine Capacity: LV4 (7 rounds → 10 rounds)

[Equipped Attachments]: Suppressor

[Available Attachments]: Scope, Laser Sight, Melee Bayonet

[Overall Rating]: Excellent

Huan Tian summoned the Desert Eagle from his system inventory.

The magazine now extended noticeably below the grip, and the ammo count had increased from 7 to 10 rounds. A black metal cylinder at the muzzle indicated the installed suppressor.

The gun felt slightly heavier, but still well-balanced.

As for how the upgrades performed in battle, that would have to be tested in the field.

Only 257 Demon Hunt Points remained.

After setting aside 200 points for his next level-up, he was left with just 57.

After a moment of thought, Huan Tian chose to spend 50 of them on a Tier-1 Gene Enhancement Serum, intending to inject it into Lin Qingqing when the time was right.

He turned to her, only to find her face growing visibly pale, as if lost in grim thoughts.

"Huan Tian," she said in a low voice, "I think we've got trouble. Smell the air."

Huan Tian holstered the Desert Eagle and flared his nostrils slightly.

Sure enough, there was something strange in the air.

A sour, irritating scent that made the inside of his nose itch.

It was like the acidic secretion of some kind of creature.

And this didn't belong in any normal environment…

"This smell—it's released by those dead Six-Legged Black Widows," Lin Qingqing said gravely in a low voice.

"Weren't you always wondering why those bugs go insane and relentlessly hunt us down?"

"I once read a popular science post saying that many social insects release hormone signals

when they die. These signals cling to their killer, and their companions detect the scent and swarm in to avenge them."

The joy on Huan Tian's face vanished instantly.

He finally understood—there must be a hormone signal left on them by the first Six-Legged Black Widow they killed!

That's why the following Black Widows went mad, relentlessly pursuing them!

And now, having just wiped out so many Black Widows in one go…

The "hatred marker" on their bodies was probably so strong it couldn't be washed away.

No matter where they ran in this building, they couldn't escape the Black Widows' hunt!

"How long does this signal usually last?"

Huan Tian's heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from his throat, and his whole body tensed.

Lin Qingqing shook her head, her expression grave.

"The post said sometimes a few hours… sometimes it can last several days."

"This is bad!"

Huan Tian's face darkened as he sprang up, quickly stowing all their gear into the system.

"We need to leave—right now. We can't stay on the thirty-seventh floor any longer!"

But just as they rushed to the door, a deep, ferocious roar suddenly swept through the corridor behind them!

The sound exploded like thunder in a closed space, turning into a wave of noise that crashed through the entire hallway, like a wall of sound.

It carried the oppressive force of a violent storm, slamming into Huan Tian and Lin Qingqing like a gale.

Their breaths caught, and they were slammed hard by the incoming hurricane.

The air was thick with a pungent, sharp stench of blood!