While observing the heated debate on the channel, Norman noticed an increasing number of people engaging in a lively conversation about the facilities and sub-functions.
Regarding the system that has provided us with information, it has been criticized for being ambiguous and lacking proper guidance.
However, no one ever mentioned the golden text he had been seeing.
A strange look gradually appeared on Norman's face.
Logically speaking, if everyone is like him and can see the gold text in addition to the normal information, even if only some people can see it, someone in the communication channel should come forward to provide an explanation or at least ask about it.
After all, it's not a secret if some of them have it, and it wouldn't impact how they use it; it's not worth hiding.
However, Norman searched the channel chat for a long time but did not find any topics related to the golden text.
He frowned and touched his chin, deep in thought.
"Is this some kind of bug in the system? Or a cheat like those from fanfics I read about?"
"If it's a system mechanic or only for a few pioneers, why don't other people question it on the channel? If it's a cheat or bug… just seeing the gold text seems a bit useless, doesn't it? Or is it useful… mmmmh?"
Norman was confused, unsure why he would have such a cheat or bug, if that's what it could be called.
After pondering for a while and still being confused, he decided to simply ignore it.
"Forget it; let's ignore this for now. The most important thing is to get acquainted with the submarine as soon as possible and then make plans to reach the gathering outpost."
"Time doesn't wait for anyone; I can't waste time debating whether it is or isn't!"
Resolute, Norman looked away from the center console display, got up, pressed the hatch door switch in the cockpit, and walked out.
The system's description of the subframe was that it was extremely small but had simple facilities; there was not much to explore inside.
Beyond the cockpit hatch, there was a living compartment and an airlock at the back of the room leading outside, which gave Norman some creepy vibes about what might be waiting for him out there.
After a while of looking around, Norman found that the overall size of the sub, measuring 10x10x8 meters, was acceptable.
He noticed a simple bed in the innermost part of the living cabin.
When his eyes focused on the bed, the mysterious golden text appeared again in front of him.
(Info Drop: A simple bed is the most basic necessity for sleeping. Just so you know, it's not comfortable. When you arrive at the gathering outpost, you can spend mileage points to buy a better bed, which would improve your quality of sleep.)
"What the… objects also have information about them?"
Norman was stunned. At this moment, he finally realized that something was wrong.
The golden text that appeared right in front of him did not seem to be aimed only at the center control panel.
Anything he focused on seemed to be introduced by the golden text.
Once he was distracted or looked away, the golden text disappeared from sight.
When he looked back and concentrated on the object again, the golden text would reappear.
"Incredible… so it seems that the golden text appears when I concentrate on an object or anything I look at. Interesting. Could this be a talent or a passive skill? Or maybe a bug from an abrupt teleportation?"
Norman frowned in thought and touched his chin out of habit.
"Although this information, or info drop, that's what I'm going to call it for now since every time I look at something, it provides information, seems more like an analysis or identifying skill."
After pondering for a while, Norman turned his head to learn more about the other objects in his sub.
On one side of the living cabin wall, there were two strangely shaped devices.
He noticed that one of the devices had a label on the box that read "Crafting Station."
Norman focused his attention, and the golden text appeared again.
(Info Drop: Crafting Station: This can be used to craft various materials and daily necessities, including food, and can upgrade and improve your submarine. Simply put the corresponding amount of resources into it. When you get a new crafting blueprint, you can add it to the list and unlock it for crafting.)
Norman nodded and then curiously opened the crafting station.
Suddenly, a whole list of items appeared right in front of him.
[FreshWater Extractor: Iron 0/5; Copper 0/5]
(Info Drop: Most important equipment to have; without it, you will die of thirst before reaching the gathering outpost, so get to it!)
[Harpoon Launcher: Iron 0/5]
(Info Drop: A medium- to short-range light weapon that can fire harpoons at high speed and is suitable for any environment. It's a powerful weapon for killing small to medium aquatic creatures if aimed at weak spots.)
[Underwater Lighting Rod: Plastic 0/1; Fluorescent Grass 0/1]
(Info Drop: It can dispel the darkness within 20 meters for five minutes.)
[Energy Bar: 0/5 Edible Fiber; 100ml Fresh Water]
(Info Drop: It can maintain your hunger in times of need; though low on nutrients, it can still keep your hunger at bay!)
[Grilled Fish: Small Fish 0/1]
(Info Drop: Any small fish caught can be grilled, and the different kinds of fish you catch will have different tastes. So why not try to catch them all? Also, if you catch too many, you can consider selling them for supplies on the market.)
[Fishing Net: Plant Fiber 0/10]
(Info Drop: It is used to catch fish by hanging it on the tail of the submarine; the probability of catching fish is not high, but you might catch one if you use it wisely in a suitable situation!)
The items on the crafting list were incredible, to say the least, but they all required different materials to be synthesized.
For each item, the golden text provided a corresponding introduction to what it does.
In addition to the crafting list, there was a modding list in the crafting station.
[Primary Sonar System (0/3), upgrade requirements: Iron 0/10; Copper 0/10; Carbon 0/10]
[Submarine Hull (0/5), upgrade requirements: Rebar 0/20; Titanium 0/20; Iron 0/20]
The list of modifications was obviously for upgrading the submarine.
The materials required for upgrading were more than those needed for crafting!
All kinds of materials would undoubtedly be very valuable resources.
Norman briefly browsed the items in the crafting station, and after doing so, understood what the station offered. He then closed the list and turned his attention to the device next to him.
[Weapon Station]
(Info Drop: Here, you can manufacture all kinds of sub-borne weapons and ammunition, including torpedoes and underwater firearms. However, due to the simple hull structure of the submarine, currently only one type of sub-borne weapon can be equipped. Please choose carefully!)
"It turns out that sub-based weapons have to be made by oneself. This is not going to be easy," Norman thought.
He held his chin thoughtfully and opened the weapons station.
[Electromagnetic Turret: Steel 0/20; Copper 0/20; Iron 0/20; Aluminum 0/20]
(Info Drop: This sub-borne weapon has high cost performance and strong versatility and can cause greater damage to small and medium-sized aquatic creatures. For larger aquatic creatures, it is recommended to use it in the next phase when you reach the gathering outpost.)
[Machine Gun Turret: Steel 0/20; Copper 0/20; Iron 0/20; Aluminum 0/20]
(Info Drop: The damage of this sub-borne weapon is average, but its rate of fire is impressive, causing great damage in a short period. However, the ballistic dispersion makes long-distance targeting difficult. It is suitable for multi-turret link use, but due to the high consumption of ammunition, it is not recommended for early use.)
[Laser Turret: Lithium 0/10; Sodium 0/10; Steel 0/20; Copper 0/20; Iron 0/20]
(Info Drop: This sub-borne weapon has strong penetrability and can cause serious damage to creatures of any size. However, its charging time is slow, and it has a low fault tolerance rate when dealing with smaller creatures. For larger abyss creatures, it will overheat. It is recommended to use it with other turrets.)
There weren't many types of sub-borne weapons in the weapon station—only a few in total.
Judging by the names alone, it would be difficult for other pioneers to assess the performance of various turrets.
Once the choice is made, that's it; it's more likely to affect other pioneers who don't know what each turret does.
But with the golden text, Norman could easily make a choice, and the info drops provided optimal solutions.
"This cheat of mine is a godsend; while knowing hidden information is cool, understanding the surrounding information can help me stay ahead of the competition."
A smile appeared on Norman's face as he nodded with satisfaction.
He decided to stay at the weapon station for a while and get a general understanding of the types of weapons on the list.
Norman found that whether it was a hand-held weapon or a sub-borne weapon, it was not something he could make at this time.
There were too many resources required, and gathering them would be difficult.
Therefore, Norman stopped and looked at the airlock entrance on the side that led to the outside of the sub.
He walked towards it and stood there, recalling the creepy vibes from earlier.
After a while, he opened it, and several items were stored inside.
[Ordinary Diving Suit]
(Info Drop: It can withstand water pressure of more than 3000 meters during your journey to the deep abyss. However, you will eventually need a better suit for deeper dives. Your oxygen meter can last for 30 minutes. The material is average and can break easily if punctured or attacked by an abyss creature.)
[Handheld Mining Tools]
(Info Drop: Can mine various mineral resources at an average speed.)
[Dive Knife]
(Info Drop: Can be used for close-quarters combat (CQC) and to collect plant resources.)
[Harpoon]
(Info Drop: The most basic underwater weapon, it can inflict some damage on small fish and smaller abyss creatures. For more formidable abyss creatures, it does not pose much of a threat. After loading it on a harpoon launcher, it can increase its lethality.)
After reading the introductions to these items, Norman frowned.
"This survival game is really not going to be simple, is it? How dangerous are these abyss creatures, and how much more dangerous will they be as I go deeper?"
Given that the golden text is not clear enough, Norman would also need to go into the water and collect materials by hand in the dark abyss with nothing but him and a stick (a harpoon). That's just insane!
But imagine that for those who suffer from deep-sea phobia, just sitting in the cockpit and seeing everything outside the porthole is enough to make them shudder.
How could he possibly have the courage to put himself in the dark abyss as well?
"This setting of all earthlings being teleported into the depths of the ocean is so unfriendly to people with deep-sea phobia, and let's not forget claustrophobia… damn!"
Norman smiled bitterly, murmuring silently to himself.
Suddenly, a thought came to Norman's mind, and at the moment he thought of collecting materials, he vaguely grasped something.
Immediately afterward, a crazy idea flashed through his mind, and he started breathing hard.
"The system instructions mentioned that all resources and treasures would be displayed on the submarine's sonar display as green HV points or dots!"
"However, even if detected, there's no information about what they are!"
"What if I concentrate on these HV points? Can it also give me a golden text and then provide info about those unknown HV points?"