Wasteland: I Awakened A Plant System

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[Shadow Clairvoyance Orb (Purple-Gold) — Special Evolution One-Time Use Item. The user’s four-dimensional physique is increased by 2 points each. Visual ability is slightly enhanced. There is a 40% chance to obtain the special ability: Night Vision. There is a 30% chance to evolve Shadow User ability or himself.]

[Night Vision — In pitch-black, lightless environments, the ability can be actively turned on or off to gain vision equivalent to daytime.]

[Shadow Evolution — If the target possesses a Shadow-type ability, Shadow affinity, or a Shadow-related evolution path, there is a chance for that ability to evolve into a higher form. Compatible with Assassin-type professions, summons, and evolution paths. Can trigger rare evolution opportunities for Shadow-attributed units.]

Looking at the information panel, a sharp glint flashed through Vikram’s eyes.

The reason he wanted this orb wasn’t because of Night Vision. To him, Night Vision was merely a bonus.

What truly interested him was the final effect.

Shadow Evolution, others might not understand its value. But Vikram immediately realized what it represented. His Assassin Druid had already reached the requirements for its next evolution.

And only the Shadow Core Orb can evolve him, and this Shadow Clairvoyance Orb happened to provide exactly that opportunity.

If the Shadow User ability was successfully awakened, then there was a possibility for the Assassin Druid to evolve into an Assassin Treekin.

Even though the probability was only thirty percent. It was still a chance.

And in the wasteland, anything related to evolution was worth far more than a hundred kilograms of vegetables.

Looking at the orb being moved backstage, waiting for him to settle the payment and claim it after the auction, a sharp glint flashed in Vikram’s eyes.

"This thing isn’t as bad as Lilith said; it’s practically a divine tool."

Vikram, who had clearly found a bargain, could barely suppress the upward curve of his lips.

First was the quality.

Vikram didn’t know whether Lilith had intentionally concealed it or simply didn’t know.

This tool wasn’t of ordinary Epic quality.

Instead, it was Purple-Gold quality, a rarity that stood between Epic and Legendary.

Thinking of this, the smile on Vikram’s face became even harder to suppress.

Vikram, who had steadily bid for the Shadow Clairvoyance Orb, revealed a look of ecstasy on his mask-covered face.

He deliberately waited for Snape to make a bid, then raised the price so high in one go, also to avoid arousing suspicion from others.

Sure enough, Snape, that old fellow, had been scammed too many times; he only made one bid at the start and then stopped playing with Vikram, and was now still gloating in the front row.

Ignoring the other party’s self-absorbed amusement, Vikram sat up straight, finally showing some interest in this auction.

If there were other orbs that could potentially increase abilities later, he would take them no matter what.

While waiting for the next item to be brought up, Vikram turned his head to look at Ron and the other three in the seats behind him.

"Are there any suspicious individuals watching us?"

The number of people at this auction was approaching two hundred, and in such a noisy and crowded environment, it was inevitable to be targeted by those with ill intentions.

As expected, what was originally just a casual question, Ron and Harry both nodded.

To prevent people with high physiques from hearing them, the two leaned their heads close to Vikram’s ears to report the situation, "Brother Vikram, when you were bidding just now, that group from the Official Shelter sitting in the very front row secretly looked at you several times."

"However, their eyes didn’t show any malice; I’m not sure what they wanted to do."

Vikram’s face showed surprise upon hearing this, and he thought to himself, "How did I suddenly get on the Official Shelter’s radar?"

As soon as Ron finished his report, Harry immediately spoke up, "Boss, a few Survivors sitting next to us have been a bit restless with their hands and feet; I’ve been watching them for a long time."

"Not long ago, I saw them reach out and snatch something from a Survivor, and now they seem to have set their sights on us."

As Harry spoke, he slightly tilted his head, motioning for Vikram to look at the few Survivors sitting close to them on the left.

At a glance, several classic thug-like faces appeared before his eyes.

Their figures were lean but exuded a sense of wiry strength, as if all their muscles were tensed, and their eyes darted restlessly.

Their faces weren’t ugly, but they all carried a hint of ruthlessness.

If it weren’t for the lack of conditions in the Wasteland World for them to dye their hair, Vikram wouldn’t be surprised if they dyed it blonde and rode Ghost Shelter motorcycles to blast through the streets.

After scanning them with the system and learning their physiques, Vikram no longer paid them any attention.

Instead, he focused on the ongoing auction.

However, the next few items were again mundane; even though Vikram tried his best to keep his spirits up, he really couldn’t get energized and soon began to feel drowsy again.

It wasn’t until a girl’s angry rebuke from the left, followed by a loud slap, that Vikram woke up again.

"Slap!"

"Keep your hands clean. If you don’t want that perverted hand of yours anymore, I can help you chop it off."

Startled, Vikram quickly turned his head, and when he saw the thug sitting on his left, a clear palm print had appeared on the man’s lean face.

The girl’s voice was not quiet, and the auction hall was not large and was fully enclosed.

Naturally, it attracted the attention of the buyers in the other auction seats and Director Lilith.

The girl was Stella, the Space Mage, and since she had fully evolved after regularly accompanying Vikram, she had developed ample assets.

"Sir in the back, what happened? Do you need my help?" Director Lilith, seeing that it was one of Vikram’s people who had an issue, slightly raised her voice to inquire.

"No need, it’s just a small matter. Director Lilith, please continue the auction; we can handle it ourselves. No need to trouble you."

After Vikram finished speaking, he didn’t bother with anything else and immediately swapped seats with Stella, who was sitting on his left.

(I had originally thought about the nickname Nova, but since it was mostly used as a boy’s name, like Nova from the Marvel Universe and many other famous Novas, I eventually chose Stella.)

He asked softly,

"What did that little rascal do just now?"

Although Stella was still a plant being and mentally still a child, except for Vikram, a few girls in his Territory, and the other plant beings, she didn’t like anyone touching her.

If Vikram hadn’t already told everyone to ask for his permission before doing anything, that person would probably already be dead by now.

Looking at Vikram, who cared about her, Stella became pleased and told him in detail how that guy had been trying to touch her.

Hearing this, Vikram immediately became angry.

In the Wasteland, he didn’t let anyone take advantage of him.

And Stella was like his younger sister, so how could he allow anyone to molest her?

Upon learning the truth, Vikram turned his head to look at the face still bearing the palm print.

Before the other party could say anything or react, another person’s hand had already appeared on his previously restless arm.

"Snap!"

"Crack!"

Right in front of everyone, Vikram crushed the man’s right wrist with his bare hand.

Splintered bone fragments mixed with blood immediately sprayed onto the ground, staining the auction floor.

The Survivor whose wrist had been crushed was in excruciating pain and was about to let out a miserable howl.

However, upon seeing Vikram remove his goggles, he tightly shut his mouth under that cold, murderous gaze.

"Don’t say I didn’t warn you; if you don’t want to die, don’t scream!"

The Survivor, whose arm had been crushed bare-handed, knew Vikram’s terror and could only nod frantically like pounding garlic, swallowing his screams and turning them into muffled whimpers.

Stella, on the right, watched this scene; and found it pleasing.

"Hey, kid, that’s enough."

"My brother just had restless hands; he didn’t actually do anything to your woman."

"He didn’t even touch her and still got slapped by her. Give me some face; how about we let this matter go?"

The man who seemed to be the leader of the other group stepped forward to persuade him.

From his appearance, he seemed to be wary of Director Lilith and clearly didn’t want to escalate the situation at this auction.

Vikram originally didn’t intend to kill anyone over such a small matter, but hearing the other party’s tone, he suddenly felt energized.

"Oh? For your face? Then tell me who you are and what kind of ’face’ you have?"

"Hmph, we are one of the very few Survivor teams with vehicles among this group of Survivors, the Ghost Shelter."

"Do you know what our ride is?"

"A motorcycle!!"

"A motorcycle, just one of which could buy ten of your women with plenty to spare, understand?"

The speaker’s face was brimming with uncontrollable confidence as he mentioned their vehicle.

"It’s fine that you didn’t know before, but now that I’ve told you, quickly let go of him."

"Otherwise, when the auction ends, let alone your woman, even you will have to pay the price."