I STACK ATTRIBUTES IN THE APOCALYPSE -MyOwnEdit-

After mentioning the peculiar placement of items within the Black Mist Zone, Bai Tianyu paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing his report.

"In the Black Mist Zone," he revealed, "we acquired a second Basic Breathing Technique, some weaponry, and another Origin Power Skill."

"The issue isn't the usefulness of these items," he clarified, "but rather the locations where they were found..."

He paused again, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "They were all discovered within the ruins of that ancient city I mentioned earlier. Their placement was oddly conspicuous, and they were remarkably well-preserved, as if... as if someone had deliberately left them there for us."

Huo Sheng listened intently, nodding in understanding. Once Bai Tianyu concluded, he interjected with a single word: "Text."

"The text is very peculiar," he elaborated. "Is it in Chinese?"

Bai Tianyu confirmed his suspicion. "Yes."

"That's the most puzzling aspect of it all," Huo Sheng stated, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Do you remember the 'Basic Breathing Technique' book that Chang Yi had?"

"After some research," he continued, "we discovered that Chang Yi's copy was the original, not a duplicate he had made."

"And the original," Huo Sheng emphasized, "was written in Chinese..."

The implication was clear.

"I also communicated with the New York side," Huo Sheng revealed. "The Basic Breathing Technique they found in the Black Mist Zone was written in English."

It was as if unseen hands were at play, manipulating the world and its inhabitants like pawns on a chessboard. This mysterious entity had orchestrated everything, pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

This was the theory of the mastermind that Huo Sheng had proposed earlier.

However, the true motives and intentions of this mastermind remained shrouded in enigma.

Lu Ming disliked dwelling on such speculations. In truth, when Bai Tianyu had mentioned "another Origin Power Skill," Lu Ming's interest had been piqued.

After Huo Sheng finished his explanation, Lu Ming eagerly interjected, "Let me see that Origin Power Skill."

Bai Tianyu nodded, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a book similar in appearance to the Basic Breathing Technique.

He handed it to Lu Ming, who peered down at the cover.

Two large characters greeted his eyes:

[Explosive Fist]

Bai Tianyu and Huo Sheng continued their conversation, discussing their experiences in the Black Mist Zone.

But Lu Ming's attention had shifted entirely to the booklet in his hands.

Explosive Fist!

Unlike the Basic Breathing Technique, this was a fist technique! Lu Ming knew from his experience with the breathing technique that this kind of skill was classified as a Origin Power Skill by the system, and thus could be recorded and learned.

Ever since, Lu Ming had yearned to acquire a Origin Power Skill that he could master immediately, but he was unwilling to risk venturing into the Black Mist Zone.

His desire had remained unfulfilled until now.

Bai Tianyu had brought back exactly what Lu Ming had been craving!

With newfound excitement, Lu Ming ignored the ongoing conversation, his focus solely on the booklet in his hands. He eagerly flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the text and diagrams.

The illustrations were detailed and lifelike, while the instructions were clear and concise. It was a skill designed for easy learning and mastery.

After carefully reading through the manual once, Lu Ming closed the book, his mind racing as he contemplated the intricacies of the Explosive Fist.

Unlike traditional martial arts, this Origin Power Skill emphasized utilizing specific breathing patterns to harness both the internal and external Origin Power within the body – the Mystery Factor.

Through the resonance between the internal and external Mystery Factors, the Explosive Fist amplified the lethality of strikes, much like practical martial arts techniques.

But unlike traditional martial arts, the Explosive Fist didn't rely on specific forms or movements.

In essence, the Explosive Fist was more about channeling force through specific punches, similar to the Cold Light technique.

"Its true value," Lu Ming realized, "lies in the breathing rhythm and the method of force exertion described in the manual."

With his Hand-to-Hand Combat skill at LV32 (2000/3200), Lu Ming's comprehension of unarmed combat was exceptional. This allowed him to quickly grasp the key principles outlined in the manual.

He didn't even need to physically practice the technique. By mentally simulating the movements and breathing patterns, a change came over Lu Ming's expression.

He opened his attribute panel, scrolling to the bottom.

New lines of text had appeared on his retina:

• Origin Power Skill:

  • Basic Breathing Technique (Entry) (1/100)
  • Explosive Fist (Entry) (1/100): World Realm Origin Power Skill. After mastering, significantly enhances punching power. You have initially mastered the use of Explosive Fist, and your overall attributes +30! Your free attribute points +30!

• Note: Your hand-to-hand combat level has been detected to be LV32. When you cultivate Explosive Fist, you will receive additional proficiency increases. (Entry 100/100, Proficient 1000/1000, Master 10,000/10,000, Perfect 100,000/100,000)

• Amplification factor: 3.2x!

• Note: Practicing Origin Power techniques will significantly accelerate the proficiency gains of related basic skills.

"Wow," Lu Ming gasped in astonishment.

He was initially surprised by the sheer number of attribute points granted by the Origin Power Skill: a 30-point increase to each of his three primary attributes, along with 30 additional free attribute points! And this was merely at the novice level. Lu Ming couldn't even fathom the potential rewards at higher levels.

The second surprise came from the potential synergy between Hand-to-Hand Combat and the Origin Power Skill. The system's notes indicated that a higher level in Hand-to-Hand Combat would accelerate the cultivation of Explosive Fist, and in turn, practicing Explosive Fist would greatly enhance the proficiency of Hand-to-Hand Combat.

This meant that Lu Ming no longer needed to spar with Wang Xiong to improve his unarmed combat skills. Intense practice of Explosive Fist would be the most efficient and rewarding method.

With this realization, Lu Ming couldn't contain his excitement any longer.

Seeing that Bai Tianyu and Huo Sheng were still engrossed in conversation, he rose from his seat and declared, "I'm going to exercise."

Without waiting for a response, he strode out of the dining room.

The evening had arrived, and darkness was settling over the land, but Lu Ming's determination to farm attributes remained unwavering.

Rest?

Not a chance.

Explosive Fist was like a newly released, must-play game to Lu Ming. He wouldn't let his allies down by not staying up all night to master it.

Exiting Good Hope Village, Lu Ming headed towards a vacant area nearby.

Lu Ming surveyed the surroundings, ensuring he was free from distractions. He calmed himself, closed his eyes, and once more visualized the techniques of the Explosive Fist.

Moments later, he opened his eyes and adjusted his breathing, aligning it with the rhythm described in the manual.

Then, with a surge of power, Lu Ming unleashed a punch.

He felt a warm current flowing from his cells, converging into his fist. As he extended his arm, the invisible Mystery Factors in the air were drawn towards him like magnets, swirling around his clenched fist.

At the apex of his swing, Lu Ming heard a muffled explosion.

A visible shockwave erupted from his fist, sweeping across the empty space with a fierce intensity. The shockwave was linear, swirling yet concentrated. After traveling about ten meters, it detonated again, triggering a series of explosions in the surrounding air.

Lu Ming observed the effects of his Explosive Fist in stunned silence.

He hadn't even used his full strength.

As the saying goes, one force can overcome ten. Lu Ming knew that a full-powered punch would far surpass the destructive potential of this Explosive Fist.

However, if he hadn't utilized the Explosive Fist and relied solely on his raw strength for a standard punch or a Cold Light Stab, the resulting damage would be significantly less than the Origin Power Skill's devastating impact.

To test his theory, Lu Ming unleashed another punch, this time a Cold Light Stab with the same amount of force.

A sonic boom erupted as the punch connected with the air, but the resulting shockwave quickly dissipated. In both effect and momentum, it was far inferior to the Explosive Fist.

"Origin Power Skill... Origin Power Skill!" Lu Ming exclaimed, a realization dawning upon him.

Compared to ordinary skills, this Origin Power Skill was a true game-changer, a devastating weapon that could level the playing field against superior opponents.