[Congratulations! You have successfully recruited a D-class Support Talent – Engineer "Li Ya"!]
As the mysterious prompt echoed through the air, a golden light appeared before Yi Bai. In the blink of an eye, a woman materialized from the radiant glow.
She was tall and graceful, her presence exuding an air of quiet authority. Her sleek black hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and behind golden-framed glasses, her sharp eyes gleamed with intelligence. She wore a simple, dark work uniform, with a multifunctional tool belt hanging at her waist, equipped with a variety of small yet precise tools—from screwdrivers to micro-welders. Even her gloves were custom-made, anti-static, and her backpack was packed with electronic components and measuring instruments.
"Another [Talent] reward!" Yi Bai's eyes gleamed with excitement. It seemed that, as long as food and water were in supply, talent rewards were appearing one after another.
"Does this mean that, according to the talent system, my greatest deficiency right now is... talent?"
His thoughts swirled. The shelter has a population data system. So, population is another scarce resource. Talent units are essentially more advanced forms of population.
He mulled over it quietly while Li Ya, with a polite smile, addressed him. "Hello, Boss. It's an honor to serve you."
"Boss?" Yi Bai raised an eyebrow, the title unfamiliar. But it didn't matter much. These talents were loyal to the shelter, after all—titles were secondary.
While Yi Bai took in Li Ya's appearance, he accessed her data panel for more details.
[Talent Information]
Name: Li Ya
Age: 28
Type: Engineer
Talent Grade: D
Physical Strength: 75
Neural Reaction: 90
Endurance: 80
Mental Will: 78
Self-Healing Immunity: 78
Talent Traits:
[Wisdom]: She possesses exceptional IQ and problem-solving abilities, with strong logical thinking skills. She is an intellectual-type research talent.
Talent Specialization:[Engineering Expertise]: Li Ya is highly skilled in engineering and scientific research, specializing in the development, improvement, and creation of technological items specifically for the shelter.
Research Ability: 85 points
A completely new talent type!
"An engineer... specializing in development for the shelter?" Yi Bai's mind quickly picked up on the key details.
While Lin Yue was a combat-oriented talent, Li Ya's data was far more intriguing.
In a world where human technology had all but failed, how could Li Ya, a scientific research talent, still create technological items?
Yi Bai noticed that all of the technological items Li Ya referred to had a prefix: [Shelter].
"Does this mean shelter technology is a separate system from human technology?"
Yi Bai paused for a moment before turning to Li Ya with a question. "Li Ya, what kind of things can you create?"
Li Ya responded with confidence and a hint of enthusiasm. "I specialize in improving anything related to the shelter's environment. That includes the shelter's defense systems, living amenities, and expansions. Of course, my abilities are limited at my current level, so I can't create anything too advanced just yet."
Her D-class status meant that the items she could craft would be relatively basic, but the possibility of improving the shelter was a promising start.
"Wait... Expansion?" Yi Bai caught the word, his excitement palpable.
Li Ya could expand the shelter?
That was huge! More space meant not just room for more people, but also better defense and disaster resistance. The layout of the shelter could be optimized, making it far more adaptable to future threats.
"Li Ya," Yi Bai asked eagerly, "how would you go about expanding the shelter?"
Li Ya nodded thoughtfully. "It depends on what type of shelter you envision, Boss. I'll also need the appropriate materials for the expansion."
The moment she mentioned materials, a new prompt appeared in front of Yi Bai.
[Necessary Prerequisites for Expanding the Shelter:]
Own the corresponding talent or technical blueprint.Have enough building materials for the expansion.Have sufficient space for the expansion.
[Currently, your shelter is Level 0. To upgrade to Level 1, you must meet the following conditions:]
Choose the upgrade direction for the shelter type (Not Completed).Own the corresponding talent or technical blueprint (Engineer acquired).Have 100 Doomsday Survival Points (Currently, 10 points).Have space adjacent to the current shelter that is at least 1x its current size (Not surveyed).Have 100 units of the required building materials (Not owned; can be obtained by sending talents on exploration missions).
"Whoa!" Yi Bai blinked in surprise, his mind whirling as he read through the requirements. These five conditions... And this is just for upgrading to Level 1?
His curiosity was piqued, but there were still too many unknowns. What exactly happens when the shelter reaches Level 1?
Yi Bai's eyes moved to the shelter upgrade options, and a new prompt appeared.
[Shelter Type Options for Level 1 Upgrade:]
Refugee Camp: Offers more living space. Shelter residents gain 20% resistance to extreme natural environments. Corresponding building material: Refugee Wood.Laboratory: Provides a more detailed tech tree for creating more shelter items. Corresponding building material: Electronic Components.Workshop: Reduces the time consumed by exploration missions by 20%, increases mission supplies by 10%. Corresponding building material: Large Bills.
Please choose your shelter type carefully. Each type has a fixed upgrade path. Once selected, the shelter type cannot be changed without specific means.
Yi Bai scanned the options, his thoughts racing. Each shelter type had its own advantages, corresponding to different strategies for survival: disaster resistance, scientific research, or efficiency in resource collection.
But… Which one should I choose?
His thoughts then turned back to reality. Wait, I haven't even met the upgrade requirements yet. Why am I thinking about the shelter types already?
Those building materials sound like nothing from Earth. I need to focus on gathering them first.
He chuckled bitterly, realizing that whichever material he gathered first would likely dictate the shelter's future upgrade.
"Lin Yue! Get ready for another exploration!" Yi Bai turned to her, opening the mission interface. He selected the Materials Collection task, which would take 12 hours.
"Understood!" Lin Yue nodded, grabbing two bottles of ice water and some food. She cleared the obstacles by the door and left, ready for the task ahead.
Once she was gone, Yi Bai turned back to Li Ya.
Originally, he had thought about sending her on an exploration mission too, but given her engineering role, she didn't seem equipped for combat.
"Li Ya," Yi Bai asked, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "What specific items can you create? Can you tell me more about them?"
"Boss, I'm not sure how to explain it," Li Ya said, considering for a moment. "But if you tell me what you need, I can get started right away."
"Do you need special materials to make things?" Yi Bai inquired.
"For low-level items, I can gather the materials I need on-site," Li Ya replied with quiet confidence.
Yi Bai's mind immediately raced with possibilities. "Can you generate electricity? A generator, maybe?"
Electricity was vital. If he could generate power, it would open up a world of possibilities.
Li Ya shook her head. "I can't do that without specific materials or blueprints."
Yi Bai's shoulders slumped slightly, but he didn't give up. "What about fortifying the shelter? Can you improve its defenses?"
"Yes," Li Ya answered. "I can make basic repairs and reinforcements, but I'm limited with the materials I currently have."
"Then start with that. Every little bit helps."
Yi Bai was already more than satisfied. As long as the shelter was sturdy enough to withstand immediate threats, that was enough for now.
"Get to work. And keep the noise down—we don't want the neighbors hearing."
"Understood, Boss." Li Ya nodded and began to work, measuring, planning, and silently getting to work.
Yi Bai wandered around aimlessly for a while, unsure of how to contribute. Eventually, he lay down on the bed, his mind racing through his next steps—shelter upgrades, talent management, the looming threat of people like Li Ge, and more.
The temperature in the room remained stifling, but thankfully the cooler kept pumping out cool air, slowly lulling Yi Bai into a deep, exhausted sleep.
"Boss? Boss, wake up."
Li Ya's voice gently pulled him from his slumber. Yi Bai snapped awake, his body jerking upright in panic.
It was dark outside.
"Li Ya, how long have I been asleep?" he asked, still dazed.
"Nine hours, Boss," Li Ya replied softly, squatting by the bed. "You've been under a lot of mental strain, so you fell into a deep sleep. But that's a good thing—it helps restore your mental state."
"Was anything unusual while I was asleep? Any sounds outside?"
"About an hour ago, a group of men showed up outside," Li Ya said quietly. "They tried to break down the door, but didn't succeed."
"It's Li Ge and his group!" Yi Bai's heart skipped a beat, instinctively glancing toward the door.
But what he saw made him freeze in shock.
The obstacles he had piled up in front of the door were gone, neatly returned to their place in the room. And the old wooden door? It was now reinforced with a steel frame, intricate crossbars, and spikes designed to make it virtually impregnable.
"Did you do all this?" Yi Bai asked, wide-eyed with surprise.
Li Ya nodded. "Yes, Boss. With the limited materials, this is the best I could do for now."
"Where did you get the materials?" Yi Bai asked in astonishment. There was no metal in the house.
"Did you… create these out of nothing?"