Chapter 10: Skill Upgrades

“System, can I release the game right now?” Fang Qingzhou asked.

【Yes. As long as the host wishes, you may release the game at any time.】

“What about the one billion in marketing funds? Has it all been used up?” Fang Qingzhou asked, his eyes unconsciously drifting toward the skyscraper outside the window, which was still playing a loop of his handsome, middle-parted face.

【Five hundred million has been spent so far. The remaining five hundred million will be used for continued promotion after the game’s release.】

Fang Qingzhou truly drooled over that one billion. That was a whole billion! The interest from keeping it in the bank alone would have been enough for him to live comfortably for the rest of his life.

Even if he didn’t spend it on luxury, at ten million per revival coin, that billion was practically equivalent to having a hundred lives.

Still, he understood that marketing was crucial for a game. As long as the promotion was done right, given the stellar quality of 《Resident Evil: Raccoon City》, which he had risked his life to make, money would surely keep pouring in down the line.

Of course, most importantly, even if he wanted it, the System probably wouldn’t give him that billion anyway.

“System, is it okay if we wait a few days before releasing the game?” Fang Qingzhou asked again.

Even with a fortune spent on marketing, it took time for the hype to build to its peak. Releasing it immediately would waste the anticipation fostered by all that promotional spending.

It was just like a movie: once the trailer dropped, you had to give the audience time to discuss it, look forward to it, and spread the word so that you could release it at the optimal moment to maximize the box office.

【Of course. However, the host is reminded that you will re-enter the world of Resident Evil in one week. Please release the game within that week.】

“Only one week?! Give me at least a month of rest!” Fang Qingzhou was thoroughly outraged.

His total time in Resident Evil, including the drive to Raccoon City, came to just a few hours at most. Yet in those few hours, he had faced several life-or-death crises, and right before his return, he had been bitten and mauled by zombies until he was covered in wounds. And now it was giving him a mere week of rest!

【After clearing the storyline, the host will receive rest time.】

Fang Qingzhou leaned back in his executive chair and stared blankly at the ceiling for a while.

One week.

Seven days.

One hundred and sixty-eight hours.

It sounded like a lot, but when he thought about having to return in seven days to that hellhole swarming with zombies and reeking of rot, that amount of time felt pathetically short.

“System, when I go back next time, where will I start?”

【The host’s entry point next time will be the location where you departed: the main hall of the Raccoon City Police Department.】

“What about my physical condition? Will those wounds still be there?”

【Upon each return to the real world, the host’s physical condition will be reset to a healthy state.】

“That’s not so bad then…” Fang Qingzhou let out a small breath of relief.

He couldn’t imagine how he would have fought zombies with a body already pushed to its absolute limits. Then, remembering something, he followed up with another question.

“Then System, can I bring items from this world into the world of Resident Evil?”

If he could bring items over, things would be much easier. Even if he couldn’t get his hands on guns, he could at least procure a suit of armor and a blade harness in this world to take along.

Due to the recent boom in popularity of medieval games in this world, traditional craftsmen had experienced a second spring. Their hand-forged armor and swords were of exceptional quality, and thanks to modern materials, they were even superior to the genuine cold weapons of history.

【No. To maintain narrative continuity and realism, the host may only use items found within Resident Evil and skills from the template.】

Hearing that, Fang Qingzhou couldn’t help but sigh again.

He had actually anticipated this. After all, if you were fleeing with a little pistol in the first stage, only to turn into a hack-and-slash game in full armor with a sword in the second, it really would become a game that not even a dog would play.

“Right, System. You mentioned earlier that EXP could be used to enhance skills. Which skills can I upgrade with the EXP I have right now?”

The System said nothing, but a skill interface appeared before him.

【Firearms Mastery (Beginner) → Intermediate (Requires 100 EXP)】

【Effect: Increases accuracy and reload speed with standard firearms such as pistols and rifles. Unlocks an accuracy bonus while shooting on the move.】

【Basic Combat (Beginner) → Intermediate (Requires 100 EXP)】

【Effect: Increases melee attack power and reaction speed. Unlocks proficiency with dagger-type weapons.】

【Bristleback (Beginner) → Intermediate (Requires 200 EXP)】

【Effect: Damage resistance increased to three times normal, pain further dampened, physical resilience increased, and strength moderately enhanced.】

【Li Sanguang (Beginner) → Intermediate (Requires 200 EXP)】

【Effect: Expands supply-detection range, allows detection of hidden supplies, and grants a small chance to obtain usable supplies from slain monsters.】

Looking at these skills, Fang Qingzhou found it hard to choose. The one he wanted to upgrade most was without a doubt Bristleback. The single greatest contributor to his survival in the world of Resident Evil had undoubtedly been Bristleback.

If not for Bristleback, he would have died during that one-against-eight struggle. But he didn’t have enough EXP. The upgraded effect of the Li Sanguang skill was a bit like getting loot drops from slaying monsters, which might help relieve his supply shortages.

Unlike later installments in the franchise, Resident Evil 2 had both an inventory space crisis and a pathetic scarcity of supplies. Still, without enough EXP, he couldn’t upgrade that either.

That left him with only marksmanship and combat to choose from. Improving marksmanship would likely make it easier to shoot zombies in the eyes, which would also save ammunition.

If he upgraded combat, he might be able to go toe-to-toe with zombies directly. Just like in Resident Evil 4, where a rigorously trained Leon could take out a whole mob of zombies without even using a gun, though that would probably require an advanced combat skill at the very least.

“Should I save up the EXP and upgrade Bristleback next time…?” Fang Qingzhou still couldn’t take his mind off the Bristleback skill he craved so much.

That skill had saved his life far too many times. The first time a zombie bit him, Bristleback was what tanked the damage. When the car crashed, Bristleback was what cushioned the blow. And in the hallway, when it was one against eight, Bristleback was what allowed him to hold out until the end.

If he could upgrade it to intermediate level, his damage resistance would jump from twofold to threefold, pain would be dulled even further, and it would even grant enhanced strength. The next time he was surrounded by zombies, he wouldn’t have to fight so desperately.

Upgrading required 200 experience points, and he was still 60 points short.

In other words, the next time he entered the Resident Evil world, he only needed to kill six more zombies to gather enough experience points to upgrade Bristleback.

【Friendly reminder: The difficulty will increase the next time the host enters the Resident Evil world. The reason the system had the host return after completing the plot checkpoint was in the hope that releasing the first level would allow the host to earn more money to exchange for revival coins.】

【Host, please increase your strength as much as possible and earn more money within this week.】