Underwater movement required a pressure-resistant diving suit. For combat, firearms were useless underwater. A spear gun, perhaps. Or something more… technologically advanced.
Thomas spent two hours meticulously planning for the Great Deluge. His trading priorities were now clear.
The blizzard's hidden opportunity remained elusive. But he had a theory. If the Golden Whip Kelp appeared in the deadliest part of the flood – the depths – then the blizzard's equivalent must be… the blizzard itself. He'd have to brave the freezing winds and snow to find it. A suicidal prospect, but he had time. Something might turn up.
The regional chat showed the temperature had dropped to -11°C. Everyone was huddled indoors. The chat was flooded with trade offers. He posted his own, offering [Nourishing Mutton Stew] and [Ibuprofen].
Thomas: Staying warm? [Image of Stew] and [Image of Ibuprofen] are your best bet against the cold. Priority trades for hideout upgrade blueprints. Also buying Graphics Cards, Disaster Coins, [Classified Intelligence], etc. DM with offers. Local discounts!
His earlier World Channel post had alerted everyone to the value of graphics cards. Some mocked him for "price gouging," but he didn't care. Some would always be desperate enough to trade. Survival first, speculation later.
The private messages were mostly underwhelming. He ignored them.
He returned to the Intelligence Center. Two reports awaited. He checked the daily report first.
[A small suitcase will appear under the bench by the central fountain in White Tower Park at 7:00 PM. The combination is 325876. Contains a blueprint.]
Thomas's eyes lit up. His park. Right behind the subway station. 2:00 PM. Five hours to go.
He accessed the weekly Critical Intelligence report.
[At 11:00 PM on the second day of the Polar Blizzard, a Disaster Wonder – the Glacial Lotus – will appear on the roof of the Sparrow City Trading Center during the peak of the storm.]
A Disaster Wonder. The Glacial Lotus. His theory was correct.
His expression turned grim. That lotus wouldn't be easy to get. The peak of the blizzard. Unimaginable cold and wind. And the Trading Center. Mad Dog's territory. A suicide mission.
A 16-hour cooldown timer appeared on the screen.
He studied the map. The Trading Center was close to the Pinewood Hotel, just across the street. 300-400 meters. He estimated Mad Dog's gang numbered at least a hundred. He couldn't take them head-on. He'd have to sneak in. A plan began to form.
6:30 PM. Fully equipped, he left the station. Six hours until the blizzard. -20°C. The sky was dark, snow beginning to fall. The mutton stew and his fur coat barely kept the shivering at bay.
He reached the park, concealing himself in the shadows behind a bush near a large maple tree. The bench was five meters away. Nothing underneath.
"7:00 PM," he muttered.
6:55 PM. Two red dots appeared on the map, sprinting towards the fountain. He saw them.
Bang. Bang. The first man fell, dropping a suitcase. The second rushed to grab it.
Just as his hand reached the suitcase, the fallen man rolled over, grabbing his leg. In his hand, a grenade.
"Holy…" Thomas dove behind the maple, covering his head.
The gunman saw it too.
Bang. Bang. Bang. The fallen man was riddled with bullets. But he'd achieved his goal.
"No… no!"
BOOM. The maple tree absorbed the blast, shrapnel thudding into the wood.
Thomas winced. "Should have brought the earmuffs." He hadn't expected this.
He cautiously approached the scene. Gore and body parts were scattered everywhere. The suitcase lay beneath the bench.
The time: 7:00 PM.
Back in his hideout, Thomas stared at the suitcase. He entered the code.
[325876]
Click.
The suitcase opened, whirring softly. A metal plate bearing the CBS logo lifted, revealing its contents. Thomas felt a chill. A bomb, its red light blinking ominously. A booby trap. The light went out as the plate opened.
Beside the deactivated bomb lay a blueprint, shimmering faintly. Unlike his other blueprints, this one wasn't paper. It had a metallic sheen, a subtle grid pattern visible from certain angles. High-tech.
He picked it up.
[Human Gene Modification Serum Synthesis Blueprint – Ocean's Child
Type: Epic Blueprint
Effect: Grants underwater breathing, water manipulation, and pressure resistance.
Requirements: Level 2 Medical Station, Level 2 Intelligence Center, Disaster Wonder x1, Rare Plant x2, Adrenaline Injector x2, Pressure-Resistant Diving Suit x1, Disaster Coin x1.
Synthesis Time: 24 hours.
Description: One of three perfected gene modification serums developed by the CBS Laboratory through extensive human experimentation. Possesses incredible power.]
---
Thomas's eyes locked onto the words "CBS Laboratory." He looked at the logo on the suitcase. Another product of that lab. One of three.
He wondered about the two men in the park. Their identities remained a mystery. He pushed the thought aside, focusing on the blueprint.
The CBS Laboratory. He finally understood its purpose. Human experimentation. Gene modification. The cultists' transformation potion. A failed byproduct, perhaps. Explaining their strange abilities.
And Black Dog's uncle, the city's puppet master. He must have known. That's why he'd warned Black Dog against the potion. He knew its dangers.
The hospital director, the uncle's brother, possessing the [Medical Station[ blueprint… It mirrored Black Dog's story. The uncle, entrusting his most valuable possessions to those he trusted before leaving Sparrow City. And now, both were in Thomas's hands.
The [Medical Station], the [Intelligence Center]… Were they connected to the lab? Too much of a coincidence. The two blueprints, both required for the Ocean's Child serum.
"Black Dog's diary," he remembered. "Someone had ordered the [Intelligence Center] blueprint for his uncle."
The [Medical Station], the [Intelligence Center], the [Ocean's Child] serum… all originating from the CBS Laboratory. Sold for profit. The uncle, a middleman, facilitating the transactions. The pieces were falling into place.
His resolve hardened. "I'm making this serum."
An Epic blueprint, recognized by the system. It must be safe. And essential for surviving the Great Deluge. Underwater breathing, water manipulation, pressure resistance… It solved his biggest problem.
He had the two required facilities. He just needed to upgrade the Intelligence Center.
The remaining ingredients: two rare plants, a Calamity Coin, two adrenaline injectors, and a pressure-resistant diving suit.
The rare plants were easy. The [Breathing Pothos].
He had the coin and the injectors.
The Disaster Wonder. He knew where and when it would appear. He'd need a plan.
The diving suit. He'd have to rely on trades.
He posted a request in the regional chat. His appearance sparked a flurry of stew inquiries. -22°C. Even with fires, many were struggling.
The regional chat, once 1000 strong, was down to 698. A 30% drop. Over a hundred had succumbed to hypothermia in the last two days. The survivors were resourceful, but the worst was yet to come.