"Mhm... right, you only got fragments," Kai muttered, recalling that Claire had mentioned it to him earlier.

Apparently, they had only managed to obtain a fragment, while Kai had been rewarded with a complete Talent Upgrade Crystal after securing Rank 1 on the Leaderboard during the first cycle.

Then, the next upgrade crystal came after becoming the first Guild Leader.

After sharing that with Mei, she could only accept that it would be really difficult to upgrade a Talent.

Right now, she only had 2 Fragments... If her only way of getting one was staying within the Top 20 Survivors, it would take her three more months to achieve that.

"I hope there’s another method to get them." She muttered.

"I’ll let you know if I find something related. Maybe the Reputation Store will sell one someday." Kai said as he believed that it was possible, considering the fact that the store was selling system-related items like the Guild Expansion Token.

After Kai explained the Talent Upgrade Crystal’s existence, he soon realized that it was getting late.

"We’ll stay here tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll continue our journey to Cameron City. But for now, this shelter needs rebuilding."

The six of them, Kai, Mei, Alfie, Claire, Farrah, and Ralph, immediately set to work.

Since this place was basically part of their Guild already, they weren’t just going to leave this place broken. They felt that they had a responsibility to strengthen the places under their protection.

Kai walked outside with Wallace and the others, surveying the cracked walls and makeshift tents.

The locals, twenty‑six in total, had all just finished satisfying their hunger. They regained some energy, but they still needed some rest.

However, Kai and his team couldn’t stay here for long, so they must work immediately. Soon, he raised his voice so everyone could hear.

"From today onward, Codebreakers will take care of this shelter. You’ll have food, water, and protection. But we’ll need your cooperation to rebuild this place..."

Of course, the announcement was still me with cheers and relieved murmurs.

Children clapped, while the adults nodded eagerly.

Kai then activated his Infinite Gift Pack system and withdrew several Gift Packs.

[ Shelter Gift Pack (Enhanced)

Contents: field tent, insulated sleeping bag, heavy‑duty flashlight, thermal blanket, heavy‑duty raincoat. ]

[ Shelter Gift Pack (Superior)

Contents: modular survival pod, weatherproof clothing set, perimeter alarm system set, portable air filtration device, calming incense set, and sleeping bag. ]

He opened five Enhanced Shelter Gift Packs and two Superior Shelter Gift Packs. Immediately, crates materialized, filled with neatly packed supplies.

The locals gasped in amazement.

Field tents were unfolded and raised, giving families proper shelter for the first time in a while.

As soon as it was built, children ran inside, laughing as they touched the insulated sleeping bags. Heavy‑duty flashlights were distributed. Then, thermal blankets and raincoats were handed out, ensuring protection against the elements.

After all, from a single Enhanced Pack, they could already have three flashlights and three raincoats.

But the greatest excitement came when Kai revealed the two Superior Gift Packs. The modular survival pods were unlike anything the locals had ever seen. Compact crates unfolded into sturdy frames.

Soon, they built the pods...

The panels clicked into place, and in just a few minutes, the pods were assembled step by step... These pods may not be big, but they would provide secure, insulated living quarters.

After that, the portable air filtration devices hummed softly, providing them with clean air. Weatherproof clothing sets were also distributed, replacing the ragged garments the survivors had worn for months.

Then, the perimeter alarm systems were carefully installed. As soon as they learned what it could do, it reassured everyone that danger would be detected before it struck!

Finally, the calming incense was lit near the pods, and its faint aroma was already easing the tension in the air. Just like that, the shelter felt like a place of peace...

Vera then approached Kai hesitantly. "Sir... Leader Kai... if I wanted more of these Gift Packs... could I pay with potions or Survivor Medals? Or maybe some other ways?"

As she said the last part, Kai noticed that she had somehow fixed her hair.

"Ahem..."

Anyway, Kai studied her carefully before answering. "I spend Survivor Medals to obtain these. If you want extra Gift Packs, I’ll only accept Survivor Medals. And this must remain secret."

Vera’s eyes widened, then she nodded quickly. "I promise. I’ll keep it secret. I’ll collect Survivor Medals, and once I have enough, I’ll let you know."

Kai gave a faint smile. "Good..."

Soon, the night settled over the shelter, as they stayed with the tents...

They then had some late snacks before they wrapped themselves in thermal blankets, and slept soundly.

Tomorrow, they will be traveling to Cameron City!

***

The next morning, before leaving the shelter that Vera and the others had begun calling Blue Grass Shelter, Kai decided to make one final check.

He retrieved the Status Crystal, its faint glow pulsing as he poured Spirit Energy into it.

[ Status Crystal: A rare crystal that reveals the complete status of the person who touches it. When activated, it displays their name, title, level, skills, and stats for exactly 10 seconds before fading.

Cooldown: 30 seconds

Charge: 50 ]

Kai held the crystal up for everyone to see what must be done.

The survivors lined up nervously. One by one, they placed their hands on the crystal.

The first was a middle‑aged man.

[ Name: Leron ]

[ Title: None ]

[ Level: 5 ]

[ Health: 105 / 145 ]

[ Spirit: 40 / 40 ] 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

[ Physique Rating: E ]

[ Active Skills: None ]

[ Passive Skills: Hardy Constitution Lv0 ]

[ Hardy Constitution (Level 0): Grants minor resistance to fatigue and illness. Slightly improves recovery rate when resting. ]

Kai nodded. It was quite a good skill but not enough to take note of.

Next was a young woman.

[ Name: Maris ]

[ Title: None ]

[ Level: 5 ]

[ Health: 85 / 115 ]

[ Spirit: 70 / 70 ]

[ Physique Rating: E‑ ]

[ Active Skills: None ]

[ Passive Skills: Forager’s Instinct Lv0 ]

[ Forager’s Instinct (Level 0): Improves ability to identify edible plants and safe water sources. Slightly increases efficiency when gathering food. ]