Apocalyptic Flood: Sexy Beauty Neighbor's Midnight Plea for Food Chapter 1116 - 461: Zhao Kai’s Breakthrough, Cold Abyss Giant Turtle

Time drifted by at a sluggish pace. A mere half-hour vanished in the blink of an eye. Beneath Liang Yuan’s feet, a thick, solid sheet of ice had manifested completely. Across from him, Zhao Kai was swallowed by a swirling frost, with actual snowflakes beginning to drift down around his silhouette. This phenomenon occurred because the temperature plummeting directly around his frame forced the falling rain to crystallize instantly into ice.

The entire surroundings now mimicked the brutal, frozen depths of the ninth lunar month. With the ground locked in ice and snow, and Zhao Kai still shrouded within his chilling fog, Liang Yuan stood motionless, his eyes sealed shut, waiting. Suddenly, his gaze snapped open, fixated on Zhao Kai. He watched as the mist surrounding Zhao Kai boiled and roiled, rapidly shrinking inward. Simultaneously, the ambient temperature began a swift recovery.

Within an instant, the fog dissipated entirely, revealing Zhao Kai clad in a pristine set of ice-blue armor. Even his head was shielded by a matching helm of translucent blue. Witnessing this sight, Liang Yuan faltered, his voice colored with surprise as he asked, "What in the world is this?" Zhao Kai beamed, answering, "Brother Liang, I succeeded. This is the inherent talent of my genetic species."

"A talent ability?" "Indeed, it is the Zero-Degree Armor." "Hmm? A skill specialized in defense?" Zhao Kai offered a nod. "That is correct. The Zero-Degree Armor provides elite physical protection while also layering in elemental and spiritual shielding." Hearing this, Liang Yuan immediately projected his own spiritual power, testing the integrity of the armor. To his amazement, the ice-blue shell actually possessed the capacity to rebound spiritual force!

Liang Yuan chuckled, asking, "What is the designation of your genetic map?" Zhao Kai replied, "It is classified as the [Ax’s Cold Abyss Giant Turtle]." Liang Yuan fell into deep reflection. "It sounds like a turtle-class genetic map." In general, paths associated with the turtle species inherently come equipped with defensive techniques. It was just that Liang Yuan had not anticipated that while he awakened the Ice Bear map with his own ice-attribute species, Zhao Kai would develop the [Ax’s Cold Abyss Giant Turtle]. Clearly, every individual’s talent is unique, and the genetic maps that bloom within them vary significantly, once again proving the immense diversity of genetic expression.

"Test your attribute amplification now." "Understood!" The two men promptly launched their experiments within the forest. Regarding offensive maneuvers, Zhao Kai’s mastery over frost became significantly more versatile. He was no longer limited to simple ice; he could manifest floating ice shards that clustered into dense spikes. The range of his assaults expanded drastically, and his raw destructive capacity grew immensely. Furthermore, he could trigger these shards to detonate through mere thought, scattering lethal fragments at his targets. Such attacks were subtle and struck with terrifying suddenness, making them catastrophic for any unsuspecting foe. When Liang Yuan engaged him to test the defensive qualities, the Zero-Degree Armor proved formidable. Strikes generating less than fifty points of force failed to make a dent. For impacts exceeding fifty, it required at least fifty-seven points of strength to successfully shatter the defense. This represented the physical strategy for forcing a breakthrough. On the front of spiritual disruption, it took approximately fifty-six points to bypass the helmet’s protection and assault Zhao Kai’s mind. As for elemental interference, the armor displayed high resistance. Flame-based attacks only caused the shell to begin melting once the spiritual enhancement hit sixty points. Water-based attacks were effectively neutralized as they would instantly freeze upon contact with the armor. Ultimately, this Zero-Degree Armor acted as a potent counter to the water element. For other elements, a threshold of around fifty-seven points was generally required to breach the defenses. Given that Zhao Kai had just surpassed the fifty-point milestone—his spirit attribute likely hovering near fifty-one—the fact that this armor pushed his defensive limit to fifty-seven was quite an impressive feat. This was clearly the result of his [Ax’s Cold Abyss Giant Turtle] inheritance.

"With your strength as it stands, no one in all of Yangshan, save for myself, could hope to challenge you. Only with this confirmation can I finally depart to seek the virus expert with a clear mind." Zhao Kai’s expression turned somber. "Brother Liang, do you suspect something is fundamentally wrong?" Liang Yuan offered a faint nod. "This epidemic virus arrived with too much ferocity; it is far from natural. While I cannot pinpoint the exact cause, a dark foreboding has taken root in my mind. Forget that for now; I have prepared something for your use." With a flick of his wrist, Liang Yuan produced a ruler. It was the very same one gifted to him by Li Xiangyang, containing intricate rune circuits. It was through this artifact that Liang Yuan had unraveled the secrets of the Yangshan Gene Activation Technique. "If you ever face an adversary that overwhelms you, rely on this ruler." Zhao Kai questioned, "Is this a high-tier superpower weapon? I already possess several, Brother Liang." Liang Yuan shook his head. "This one is unique." He had woven a 'Causality Line' into its core. This link enabled damage redirection, allowing Liang Yuan to channel a portion of his own strike force through the object. Effectively, even if Liang Yuan were leagues away from Yangshan, he would perceive whenever Zhao Kai utilized the ruler, allowing him to dump his assault power into the weapon at critical moments. It was essentially granting Zhao Kai the ability to borrow Liang Yuan’s strength in tight spots. That was the terrifying reality of purple-quality skills—they defied the logic of the world. Of course, this causal transfer only handled damage; it could not stockpile energy like Huang Mingkai’s methods. To this day, the mechanics behind how Mingkai absorbed the attacks of others remained a mystery to Liang Yuan. Regardless, he felt satisfied extracting such a potent causal-transfer skill from his opponent’s remnants.

With Zhao Kai’s combat capabilities verified, Liang Yuan’s mind was at ease. Leaving Yangshan in his hands allowed for his pursuit of Jiang Ziyin, the virus specialist. "Brother Liang, when will you set out?" "I intend to depart this afternoon." "So quickly?" "Indeed, this situation allows for no procrastination. As the virus persists in its spread, locating the expert is my absolute priority. Yangshan remains in your custody for the duration of my absence." Zhao Kai stood tall, his resolve clear. "Rest assured, I will guard Yangshan with my life." "No, I do not want you throwing your life away. Should a crisis arise that exceeds your ability to suppress, take Yang Mei and the others and flee immediately." Liang Yuan fixed him with a solemn gaze. Zhao Kai felt a pang of surprise. "Brother Liang, this facility... it is a bastion we bled to secure." Liang Yuan shook his head firmly. "No structure is more precious than your lives. Territories can be reclaimed, but once a life is extinguished, there is no second chance." Touched by this sentiment, Zhao Kai still insisted, "My friend, have faith. This is our home. Should the worst come to pass, not one of us will retreat without a fight." Liang Yuan smiled. "I am merely considering the contingencies. We remain in full control of the situation for now."

Exchanging their final strategies, they made their way back to the port. By the afternoon, Liang Yuan, accompanied by Bai Zhirui and Tu Long, boarded a speedboat and vanished from the shores of Yangshan. As the vessel cut through the water, Bai Zhirui looked on in quiet awe, observing the craft with keen interest. "Mr. Liang, this speedboat... is this truly a piece of technology salvaged from before the disaster?" Without waiting for Liang Yuan’s reply, Tu Long laughed. "This is the latest marvel from our R&D division. It runs not on petrol or electricity, but is powered entirely by refined superpower stones. The hull itself is forged from the crushed bones of mutant beasts, boasting durability equivalent to reinforced concrete. Observe these etchings; those are the power rune arrays expertly crafted by Professor Li’s team." Bai Zhirui gasped, "Is it possible that we are now capable of mass-producing such vessels at Yangshan?" Tu Long chuckled, amused by the young healer’s wonder. "That is merely the beginning. We have plans for full-scale naval fleets in the future." Bai Zhirui continued to run her hands over the side of the boat in disbelief. "Yangshan seems to evolve with every passing day." Standing at the bow, Liang Yuan gazed out at the horizon. "After the cataclysm, humanity endured the collapse of civilization, but the spark of progress was never extinguished. Everything is undergoing a transformation. Our future will be defined by the synthesis of advanced technology and mastery over superpowers. We have only just begun." He was reminded of the submarine he recalled seeing near Linjiang University—a marvel constructed from the shell of a gargantuan mutant mollusk. It served as a reminder that other factions were already merging biology and technology to build radical new machinery. "Mr. Liang, Yangshan is hardly falling behind," Tu Long remarked. "With this prototype entering production, our patrol squads will soon be fully equipped, ensuring these waters are finally secure." He had witnessed the city’s rise from its earliest days, a point of pride he often discussed with his partner, Wang Xiaoya. He knew it was Liang Yuan who paved this path, and thus he could not help but defend their accomplishments. Liang Yuan merely smiled in silence. They were insulated within Yangshan, unaware of the rapid developments elsewhere. While Yangshan stood as a formidable power in the New District, it paled in comparison to the might of Guangfu. Bai Zhirui diverted the conversation, asking, "Mr. Liang, what was your reason for bringing me along on this excursion?" She voiced her inner apprehension; she was no combat-focused user, and she feared becoming a liability. Despite her curiosity for the wider world, the dangers of the Flood World were daunting. Liang Yuan offered a gentle smile. "We are not venturing out for conquest. Our mission is to retrieve Jiang Ziyin. I worry that should we locate her, she may be in a dire state; having a dedicated healer in our party could prove the deciding factor. As for the rest, you need not worry. We have the situation handled." Understanding his intention, Bai Zhirui nodded. "I understand, Mr. Liang." Tu Long, watching the exchange, chimed in, "And what of me, sir? Why am I part of this envoy?" He knew he was a veteran of the early days, proficient in all domains of combat, yet he was cautious about comparing himself to the newer captains wielding elementalization powers. Liang Yuan cast a glance toward him. "Your versatility remains among the best in Yangshan. Your Tattoo Spirit abilities are invaluable for shifting between aerial, land, and aquatic combat. If I am occupied, your primary directive is to watch over 'Nai Bai'. Do you follow?" Hearing her nickname, Bai Zhirui’s cheeks flushed. It was a moniker born in the Martial King Pavilion—one that stuck despite the group's dissolution. With the success of her 'Nutrition Express' healing products throughout the mining sectors, her reputation was known to all, though few dared to call her by it openly. To hear Liang Yuan use it brought a strange thrill, tempered by shyness. Tu Long finally grasped his objective. He scratched his head with a grin. "Should chaos erupt, I suppose I will just have to spirits out with Miss Bai, and you will be on your own?" Liang Yuan laughed, shouting, "If I am present but still unable to shield you, do you honestly believe you would have the luxury of escaping?"