Chapter 53: Escape & Rescue Operation I

In only seven days, because of the increasing amounts of origin crystals that are being added to Damon’s growing pool and subsequently being doubled, Damon’s origin crystal balance had grown exponentially—

[Balance 28000 oc]

During this time, the team started averaging around ten to twenty origin crystals in a day’s hunt. This greatly boosted the turnover Damon received daily. Now, as they sat in the living room of apartment 20C, everyone was excited to see just what Damon would be gearing them with for the operation that was to be carried out later that night.

This was the day everyone had decided that they would escape the building and rescue Tessa along the way.

The plan was simple: Raid the penthouse floor with Tessa’s assistance, who succeeded in letting Brad and his crew let down their guard around her as planned. She put in even more effort to have him believe that she was coming around to seeing him differently; all for this day.

She would inform the team when Brad and his crew were asleep, and Harvey and Mildred would ride the elevator up, hack the lock to the penthouse door, which Brad had slyly reset so only he had access; but he isn’t aware of Mildred’s advanced skill with locks.

After the extraction, they will all rendezvous on the twentieth floor, where everyone will then take the elevator to the ground floor of the building, before proceeding to access the parking lot, where they still have some cars in good condition. The other cars had been taken by the residents who either ran out of the building for somewhere better or were chased out by Brad. But because Redmont was so swamped with mutants, these cars, just like the ones lying discarded all over the road, would not be able to make it far at all.

For this— Harvey had come up with a push-through and clear strategy which was built heavily upon some gadgets present in the origin-store that was probably too expensive for anyone to consider buying.

Unlike most people whose direct plan would be to find a way to make it to the open road and then head to a more rural town, city, or even the countryside, they had to first make a quick stop at the local college that wasn’t too far from the Grand, before quickly finding the nearest expressway. It was a risky plan, but Hazel couldn’t leave without her brother.

So they would, in fact, be carrying out two rescue operations.

Kora later divulged her abilities to the group. And everyone agreed that her ability was most suited to protecting Damon and always remaining by his side, so she continued her role as a game addict bodyguard.

The two awakeners on the team have already been receiving special investments throughout these seven days, raising their stats slowly at the cost of reduced scheduled daily provisions. Both of them had poured the investment into their mentality stats since they are espers. Kora could now do her short-burst boomerang a few more times before running out of mental points and needing to recoup.

And Nick, who had tested out his abilities quite extensively over the last few days, had discovered that as long as his feet were connected to the earth, he could use the first-class skill of his earth esper class: Earth wall.

Nick had become a vital part of the team, casting out his fears and being instrumental in their repeated hunts, and his role would be pivotal in their escape plan. He received even more quotas of the origin crystals to improve his mentality stat so he could cast Earth Wall even more before running out of MP.

They had become considerably stronger and more cohesive as a team, and it was time they made their way out of The Grand before the projected horde of mutants trudging this way got to them.

Damon looked at his balance, which was sitting at twenty-eight thousand crystals. There were a few purchases that had to be made, and the first one was—

[T-0 CP319 Body Armor (Bronze) ]

[Functionality: Moderate Body Defense for damage below T-1 ]

[Durability: 20/20]

[Cost: 1200 oc]

The description was broad and not very specific. But it is assumed that T-0 should include all of the mutants; meaning, unless this vest loses its durability completely, the team would be able to survive most encounters.

This item is so expensive that probably no one will think of buying it. Not that anyone can afford it when survivors are busy working hard to get a few crystals to eat. Maybe those incredible rankers can afford it; but even they would prefer to invest such a large amount if they have it into their stats, rather buying some gear that would require regular durability fix.

Such lavish expense wouldn’t even make sense to those powerful awakeners who could probably afford to buy one of these, since they could just use their skills to clear the threats to their lives. A little bruise could be taken care of with a simple health injector afterward.

And just like the health injector, there are stronger versions of the Body Armor; there should be stronger versions of the body armor; but it would no that be insanely expensive; and the origin store grade would need to be ranked up to access those.

For now, Damon had none of the efficiency concerns a normal person in this trial would have. If they were to venture out, they would venture out overgeared.

Damon wasted no time and executed the purchase of eight CP219 Body Armors.

Instantly, on top of the table in front of him, three ring-like objects appeared. Everyone in the living room stared in confusion. They expected a collection of military-grade tactical gear to appear, or something close in appearance, since the items provided by the origin system always seemed to be made from a different resource, even the provisions, but what they were seeing was just eight rings.

"Where’s the Body Armor?"