’I knew it... They’re not showing their best products...’ Shane mused as he realized what was going on.

The shopkeeper leaned closer and then lowered his voice as if revealing a secret. "It’s here..."

From beneath the counter, he carefully placed a small chest on the table.

When he opened it, a faint golden glow spilled out, illuminating the scales on his gauntlets.

Inside rested a single item...

"This is a Dragonheart Vein Crystal."

A wave of gold energy pulsed faintly, as though it were alive.

Although the shopkeeper closed it immediately, the aura it emitted was heavy, carrying both warmth and pressure, like standing near the breath of a living dragon.

Shane could already guess what kind of crystal it was.

"This," the shopkeeper said, "is no ordinary relic. It was formed from the condensed essence of a dying Dragonoid King. A fragment of its heart crystallized into this vein. It can be used to strengthen dragonkin, forge weapons that resonate with dragon blood, or even awaken dormant talents tied to draconic lineage. Well, if you don’t have any ties with dragons, then you can also use this to increase your vitality. It will also help you become active every night! Fifteen rounds per night is not even an issue... It’s just the start!"

"..."

Shane’s eyes narrowed. "And the price?"

"Three hundred fifty small Spirit Stones," the man replied without hesitation.

But he gulped a bit as he stared at Shane’s eyes, afraid that he’d price it a bit too much.

Shane paused for a bit.

Even if he had plenty of Spirit Stones, he was aware of how important it was... He couldn’t just take that price given.

Anything could be negotiated at this point.

"That’s steep. You’re asking for more than ten times what I paid for scales and blood. Even for something rare, that’s excessive."

The shopkeeper didn’t flinch.

"Excessive? Perhaps. But this crystal is unique. You won’t find another in the marketplace. It’s worth more than Zombie Lord Crystal... It carries the essence of a dragon’s life itself. There’s no way for me to restock them as well."

Shane considered as he looked at the small box.

"Two hundred Spirit Stones. And I’ll add twenty Item Upgrade Crystals. That’s fair."

The shopkeeper frowned, clearly reluctant. After a long pause, he finally nodded. "Two hundred Spirit Stones, plus your crystals. Also, if you have a set of equipment dropped by Zombies, I’ll accept it. That’s my final offer...

Shane smirked. "Deal."

He placed the stones and crystals on the counter...

Then, he searched through his inventory and found a Juggernaut Set Equipment...

"They’re drops from Juggernaut Zombies. It has two Set Effects when worn. They’re quite heavy but I’m sure you’ll like it."

"Juggernaut Zombie? Whoa... There are no Juggernauts here on the island. So it’s very precious. Thank you!"

Just like that, the shopkeeper slid the Dragonheart Vein Crystal toward him. As Shane picked it up, he immediately felt how great it was.

With a simple check on his system, he confirmed that it was indeed a precious item.

"This will be useful," Shane muttered, already thinking of Raze’s dragon.

The shopkeeper was also happy with this transaction.

After all, back in the Dragon’s Realm, the currency they were using was gold coins, and in some cases, when trading high-value items, they were using draconic stones.

Draconic stones were useful in their previous realm, but now, it was quite useless...

***

In the meantime, while Shane secured the Dragonheart Vein Crystal, the others were having similar experiences across the marketplace.

Each vendor seemed eager for items tied to zombie types that simply didn’t exist on the island.

Lysandra stopped at a stall selling enchanted tomes and scrolls.

The vendor’s eyes lit up when she offered a Siren Zombie’s Mask, a rare drop that carried the eerie ability to amplify sound.

"We’ve never seen Sirens here," the vendor admitted. "This mask alone is worth more than a hundred Zombie Cores."

Lysandra traded it for several rare scrolls that could accelerate her learning curve even further. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Lily, the wind elementalist, found a shop specializing in elemental charms.

The merchant asked specifically for items from agility-type zombies.

Lily didn’t have a lot of them but she produced a Jumper Zombie’s Tendon and even shoes! As for the tendon, it was a flexible material that could be woven into gear to enhance agility. In exchange, she received a set of wind‑infused anklets that resonated with her powers, amplifying her control over currents.

Then, at the same time, Elsa wandered toward a stall lined with rows of potions. The merchant greeted her eagerly as soon as he confirmed that she wasn’t from here...

Without a doubt, she must have something unique in her inventory.

"Ohh... Young miss, I can accept Zombie Cores, but you can also trade with me. If you have item drops of Zombies in the mainland, I would be happy to trade them."

The man said as his eyes scanned for what she might offer.

Unlike the sea‑type zombies that plagued this island, he was desperate for relics from the mainland.

"Mhhmm... Let’s see... What can you give me with this?"

When Elsa revealed a Crusher Zombie’s bone whip, the man nearly gasped.

The rough piece of bone was dense and heavy...

"This... this is exactly what I’ve been searching for," the merchant whispered, clutching the bone whip as though it were treasure.

In return, he presented her with vials filled with condensed dragon‑scale essence. The liquid glowed like sapphire, and as Elsa held it, she felt the energy ripple through her veins.

It resonated with her affinity... As soon as she made a quick appraisal, she realized that it could actually increase her Survivor Skill Mastery!

"Five of these for the bone whip... Am I not losing?" Elsa asked, though she was already thinking about how she was able to get it for a cheap price.

After all, Crusher Zombies weren’t that strong, and there were tons of them in the marketplace.

"F-five... I think that’s fair, young miss... But since this is our first transaction, how about I add this leather bag... It’s designed by a Master Craftsman. I’m sure it’ll fit your style.

"Ohh... I’ll take it then!"

Just like that, she stored the vial carefully into her inventory since she didn’t feel safe putting it inside her bag...

In any case, the Shinja, Chaloem, Travis, Layla, and Tundra had also dumped their unnecessary items in the market.

As for Travis’ Clone, representing the Drakeheard Vanguard, he visited a weaponsmith. The smith asked for items from Tyrant Zombies, which were unheard of here.

While Natalie, Clan Leader of New Haven, explored a shop of mystical accessories. This time, she traded with various Zombie items, but the one that the vendor really wanted were those artifacts from Screamer Zombies, which the fort had never encountered.

Natalie produced a Screamer’s Echo Crystal and many others in exchange for a necklace with a pendant called Dragon Tear... It was said to protect the wearer from mental corruption and other negative effects...

By the time they regrouped, each of them had secured rare trades...

But as they were planning to check the ruins that Wendel had mentioned, something unexpected happened.

[ System Announcement: Cross‑Apocalypse Invasion Event ]

[ Attention, Survivors! The System has initiated a new global challenge: the Cross‑Apocalypse Invasion Event.

[ In 10 days, shelters across the world will face simultaneous assaults not only from zombies, but also from forces drawn from other apocalypses. Prepare for a clash of worlds where dragons, vampires, and undead converge in a single battlefield. ]

[ Event Details:]

[ The invasion will last 24 hours, divided into three escalating phases.

Phase One: Mid‑tier zombie hordes combined with vampire thralls.

Phase Two: Mutated zombie elites supported by vampire lords and wyvern packs.

Phase Three: Apocalypse bosses – Zombie Kings, Elder Vampires, and Draconic Beasts, will lead coordinated strikes against shelters.

Difficulty will scale with shelter size and defenses. Larger shelters will face stronger bosses and mixed forces. ]

[ Survivors may earn Invasion Points by defeating cross‑apocalypse enemies, protecting civilians, and minimizing structural damage. ]

Rewards include hybrid crafting materials (dragonbone fused with zombie cores, vampire blood crystals), unique talents, and fortification upgrades.

The top shelters globally will receive System‑recognized relics tied to cross‑apocalypse lore, granting permanent enhancements.

Prepare yourselves, Survivors. The Cross‑Apocalypse Invasion Event is the ultimate test of survival, where worlds collide and only the strongest will endure.

[ Countdown to the Invasion begins now! ]

"Cross‑Apocalypse Event? What the heck?" Tundra was stunned.

Everyone had the same reaction. They were confused and couldn’t believe that this was happening!

Shane felt like he just had a headache.

"Cross‑Apocalypse... here? This is the Fiend Continent. It’s supposed to be the Zombie Outbreak, not Vampire’s Rise or Dragon Awakening."

Natalie’s expression was the same... "The System is mixing apocalypses. That’s unprecedented. If Elder Vampires and Draconic Beasts are coming, shelters like this one will probably have a hard time surviving..."

Travis’ Clone let out a low chuckle as he read it as well.

"So... what about our shelter in the mainland?"