Chapter 8: Three Gift Packages (Part One)

"What could be in these gift packages?" Fang Chong entered the inner workings of the Maya system with excitement, but he also had a question – what did it mean for his level to increase by two?

Soon, Fang Chong found himself within the Maya system, and this time, the metallic room had some additions. Apart from the gray figure still present, there were a few more things. Three small red boxes were neatly placed there, and despite not knowing their contents, Fang Chong's excitement grew.

"Host, these are the gift packages you've earned from completing tasks. Please take a look," the Maya system spoke before Fang Chong could ask.

"Maya, what's inside these gift packages?" Fang Chong walked up to the packages but refrained from opening them immediately.

"Host, you'll find out when you open them later," the Maya system replied, deeming Fang Chong's question unnecessary.

"Hmm," Fang Chong didn't expect the Maya system to ignore him. For a moment, he was unsure what to say. It seemed he was currently being overlooked by the system, but considering the immense help the Maya system would provide him in the future, Fang Chong decided to endure it.

"What does it mean for my level to increase by two?" Fang Chong asked again, determined not to believe that the Maya system would withhold this information.

"Because the host killed an extra twenty-one zombies today, exceeding the task requirement. Every ten zombies killed results in one level," the Maya system provided a detailed response.

"And what benefits does this level increase bring me?" Fang Chong, surprised at his seemingly good luck, had unintentionally gained unexpected rewards for ensuring his safety by killing extra zombies. However, he still didn't understand the actual benefits of the levels mentioned by the Maya system.

"One level equals the strength of an adult. Simply put, with the current level, which is one plus two, equals three. This means the host's current strength is three times that of an adult, triple what it was before," the Maya system explained clearly.

"What? The strength of three adults?" Fang Chong's mouth hung open in astonishment after hearing the Maya system's explanation. It was evident that these words had left him incredibly surprised.

An average adult could easily lift a hundred kilograms, and now Fang Chong possessed the strength of three adults. This meant his hands could effortlessly handle three hundred kilograms – casually lifting objects that weighed three hundred kilograms. Before the apocalypse, this would have considered him a powerhouse.

"That's correct," the shadowy figure formed by the Maya system nodded.

"Does that mean if I exceed the zombie-killing quota every day, my level will keep increasing?" Fang Chong, realizing the seriousness of the Maya system, was almost ready to jump with joy. With the strength of three adults, how would he fare against zombies now?

With this newfound strength, he wouldn't need to rely on ambushes from behind; facing zombies head-on wouldn't pose much of a threat. If he could increase his level by two each day, he pondered, wouldn't he become invincible within a month?

"The host's physical attributes are effective up to level ten. Beyond level ten, ten times the number of zombies must be killed," the Maya system nodded without denying Fang Chong's excitement.

"Exceeding level ten requires ten times the amount, meaning I need to kill a hundred zombies to gain a level?" Fang Chong felt like his dream had just shattered. Following the Maya system's logic, at level ten, it would require ten times the number of zombies to advance to the next level. At level thirty, it would take a thousand zombie kills for just one level.

This calculation was too daunting for Fang Chong, who wasn't a homicidal maniac, even when it came to killing zombies. However, considering his current physical attributes were only at level three, he pushed these concerns aside for now.

"But I didn't feel any physical changes when I entered just now," Fang Chong, now coming back to reality, realized that his body seemed the same as before.

"The level has just stacked; the host will perceive it once consciousness returns to reality," the Maya system seemed to anticipate Fang Chong's question and provided a clear answer.

"Oh." After comprehending this information, Fang Chong's gaze focused on the three large red gift packages.

"The Maya system is a product of a level five civilization; the gifts it provides shouldn't be shabby," Fang Chong thought to himself as he approached the large gift packages.

Even though the term "level five civilization" was vague to Fang Chong, he grasped from the Maya system that even in the 21st century, Earth was considered a backward place just stepping into the first level of civilization. Due to this understanding, Fang Chong had high hopes for the gifts provided by the Maya system.

Aware that the Maya system wouldn't proactively disclose the contents of the gift packages, Fang Chong had no choice but to find out for himself.

"Hopefully, it's something good," Fang Chong squatted in front of the large gift package, carefully examining the exquisitely wrapped box.

"Rip." Fang Chong didn't waste time pondering any longer. At this point, his fate was in his own hands.

"A book?" Fang Chong opened the first red box, only to find something resembling a book. His expression immediately turned gloomy. In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, who would have the time or inclination to read?

Fang Chong was on the verge of cursing the Maya system for being absurd. However, when he picked up the book and read the words on the pages, his dismayed expression was replaced by joy.

"Survival Guide in the Apocalypse." Fang Chong held the book, not expecting to find something like this inside the gift package. It was genuinely surprising. Such a book held far more allure for Fang Chong than a handgun.

After two days of exploration, Fang Chong understood that the capabilities of the Maya system were beyond his imagination. This realization was a significant factor that made him trust in the contents of the gift packages. Other people might consider those who believed in such a book as fools, but Fang Chong saw its value.

After taking out the Survival Guide, Fang Chong didn't rush to see what it contained. The first gift package had already provided a pleasant surprise, and he expected the next two to be similarly satisfying under reasonable circumstances.

With hopeful anticipation, Fang Chong opened the second gift package.

"Storage Space."

Upon opening the second box, Fang Chong found only these four words inside, leaving him momentarily confused about their meaning.