Chapter 43: Doubt × Departure
At the top of the item list was a bottle of potion emitting a blue glow.
That blue light was somewhat similar to the radiance of a blue diamond, very dazzling.
The item list read as follows:
【Human Gene Enhancement Fluid】
Origin: Reincarnation Paradise, Marcus Human Gene Research Institute.
Quality: Blue
Type: Potion.
Effect: After consumption, Stamina +4, Strength +2. (The effect is a permanent increase.)
Stock Quantity: 1
Exchange Conditions: 15,000 CCG Contribution Points, Quasi-Special Class Investigator Rank.
Description: This potion can be consumed once per person; repeated consumption is ineffective.
...
【Crushing Elf (Premium)】
Origin: Tokyo Ghoul.
Quality: Green
Attack Power: 6~20. (Attack power is a comprehensive calculation of destructive power, firearm power, and weapon performance.)
Category: Koukaku (Large Handgun)
Ammunition Capacity: 6. (Koukaku-type firearms automatically reload; cooldown time is 2 minutes.)
Durability: 35/35
Equipment Requirements: Strength 12 points, Agility 10 points.
Equipment Effect: Gaze Shot (Active). After activation, the user must gaze at the enemy for 5 seconds. During this period, movement speed is reduced by 50%. After 5 seconds, a rapid shot is fired at the gazed enemy, expending all six bullets in the gun in an extremely short time.
Tip: After activating Gaze Shot, the target is locked, and the fired bullets are homing projectiles.
Tip: Using Gaze Shot consumes 50 Mana Points.
Tip: Gaze Shot (Active) cooldown is 24 hours.
Rating: 30 (Note: Green equipment ratings range from 1 to 30. Equipment with a rating of 30 will be marked as 'Premium' and will have additional special attributes.)
Description: My marksmanship is terrible, but I can stare at you. Once I set my sights on you, there's only one outcome: death. Unless... there's a large amount of obstacles in front of you.
Price: 3,800 Paradise Coins.
Stock Quantity: 1
Exchange Conditions: 13,000 CCG Contribution Points, Quasi-Special Class Investigator Rank.
...
【Type C Field Injector】
Origin: Tokyo Ghoul.
Quality: Green.
Type: Potion.
Effect: After injection, restores 30% of health and rapidly heals injuries.
Stock Quantity: 1
Exchange Conditions: 8,000 CCG Contribution Points, Quasi-Special Class Investigator Rank.
Description: A life-saving medicine, the result of CCG human experiments.
...
Below these three items, there were many more potions, Koukaku, and other items.
However, aside from these three, Su Xiao had no desire to exchange for the others; their prices were inflated.
To be precise, what Su Xiao most wanted to exchange for was that bottle of 【Human Gene Enhancement Fluid】. This item granted +4 Stamina and +2 Strength.
Moreover, this was the first blue-quality item he had ever seen.
Blue-quality items were extremely rare, and along with their rarity came higher value.
This bottle of 【Human Gene Enhancement Fluid】 was not an item from the Ghoul world; it originated from Reincarnation Paradise.
From this, it seemed that District 24 was a special area; otherwise, such an exchange function would not appear.
Other CCG branches in other districts did not have this function, at least not in Districts 14 and 20.
Perhaps it was because District 24 was very dangerous? Or maybe due to its special location? Su Xiao had no way of knowing.
He only needed to do one thing now: delve deep into District 24 to kill ghouls and explore its unknown regions.
Exploring the unknown areas of District 24 could also earn some CCG Contribution Points, provided that the area was of value to the CCG.
If he still had surplus Contribution Points after exchanging for the 【Human Gene Enhancement Fluid】, he could consider the 【Crushing Elf】, a very powerful handgun.
Su Xiao was a lone wanderer with no teammates, so he needed some ranged capability. If he encountered a special enemy without ranged options, he might be kited to death.
Developing ranged abilities was not simple; it required a massive investment.
However, the skill attached to 【Crushing Elf】 gave Su Xiao a way to quickly develop his ranged capabilities.
The active ability of 【Crushing Elf】 could lock onto an enemy, followed by six rapid shots.
What concerned Su Xiao most was the homing projectile attribute of the rapid-fire ability.
His marksmanship was poor, but since 【Crushing Elf】's skill didn't require marksmanship, it was a very good choice.
As for the last item, the 【Type C Field Injector】, it was also a good item that could save lives.
Su Xiao wanted all three of these items, but after looking at his current Contribution Points, he could only sigh in regret.
【Upper Class Investigator, Contribution Points 2053/10000.】
First, he needed to be promoted to Quasi-Special Class Investigator before he could exchange for these items, and second, he needed a massive amount of CCG Contribution Points.
With 12 days of automatic action time remaining, he needed to obtain a total of 33,947 CCG Contribution Points. The road ahead was long and arduous.
However, District 24 was notoriously dangerous, and there should be a considerable number of ghouls. Additionally, he could earn Contribution Points by handing in Kagune and exploring unknown areas.
Thinking about it this way, it wasn't impossible to obtain that many Contribution Points.
That afternoon, Su Xiao, Kishou Arima, and Yuna gathered.
"Check the supplies. Our explorations in District 24 don't just last a day or two."
Kishou Arima carried a large backpack, held a Koukaku in each hand, and had changed into a white trench coat.
This white trench coat was unique to the Zero Squad. Su Xiao was now wearing one as well. The coat fit well and was suitable for combat.
Yuna was dressed similarly, with a backpack containing food, fresh water, and other living supplies.
Su Xiao, on the other hand, had empty hands and carried nothing. His supplies were all in his storage space.
The storage space was about two cubic meters in size, not very large, but it could hold a lot of living supplies.
Inside the storage space, more than two-thirds of the space was filled with food and fresh water, enough to last him a long time.
The remaining space held combat equipment and restorative food.
"I'm fine. Ready to go anytime."
Yuna looked at Su Xiao with some curiosity.
"What do you use to fight?"
The Dragon-Slaying Flash appeared in his hand, and Su Xiao raised the hilt.
"This."
"Pfft."
Yuna let out a snicker, pointing at the Dragon-Slaying Flash in Su Xiao's hand.
"Isn't that an ordinary metal weapon? Can it really break through a ghoul's membrane?"
Clearly, Yuna had little trust in Su Xiao's strength.
"Clang!"
A flash of cold light passed, and a few strands of black hair fell to the ground. The Dragon-Slaying Flash was already resting against Yuna's neck.
"Gulp."
Yuna looked at Su Xiao in disbelief.
"So fast!"
Not only Yuna, but Kishou Arima also turned his gaze toward Su Xiao.
"Now, do you think it can cut through a ghoul's membrane?"
Yuna placed her finger on the blade of the Dragon-Slaying Flash and gently drew it across. A trace of blood appeared on her slender, jade-like finger.
Yuna put her finger in her mouth and sucked on the bloodstain.
"With this sharpness, there won't be a problem."
The Dragon-Slaying Flash was sheathed. Su Xiao was very comfortable using this longsword, but unfortunately, its quality was too low; it was only a white-grade piece of equipment.
If not for its high rating of 10 points, it might have already failed to keep up with Su Xiao's pace.
Even so, during the battle with the Queen, the Dragon-Slaying Flash had shown signs of weakness.
Replacing the weapon was only a matter of time, but Su Xiao found the prospect of changing weapons somewhat troublesome.
Frequently changing weapons was definitely not a good thing. He needed a weapon that could grow.
Unfortunately, obtaining such a weapon was certainly not easy. With his current strength, trying to acquire one was nothing short of a pipe dream.
"Let's go. The 108th exploration of District 24."
Kishou Arima was the first to walk out of the temporary branch, with Su Xiao and Yuna following behind.
Soon, the three arrived at the pitch-black cave entrance. The opening led straight underground, and a sobbing "wailing of ghosts" echoed from within the cave, as if some kind of monster was lurking inside.