03 Looting

He touch-opened a folder labeled and skimmed through the many, many before he selected the open and pressed .

The computer display showed a loading screen for a bit before the files were finally sorted.

He then click-opened the first text file and-

A bluish glowing progress bar floated above the LCD screen, as it slowly filled up.

Ding!

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[Hidden Mission : Truth of Existence] (New!) : You were in cryostasis sleep for almost 200 years as a test subject for a covert scientific experiment. The experiment was aimed to create humans with extraordinary physique and mental capabilities. You found that you could perceive things beyond your senses.

Requirement :

- [Rare Title : Subject-023] obtained.

- [Act 0 - Main Story Mission : Rise from Cryostasis Sleep] completed.

Progress :

- : ( 0 >> 1 /3 )

Reward(s) :

- Level +1.

- identified.

- identified.

- identified.

- [Race] identified.

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F**k, yeah! The only problem now is I still can't open the Abilities & Skills as well as the Talent Trees tab to access the details of these unknown ability and talent, but it isn't as if I couldn't totally use it, hehehe...

Nuel stored those thoughts to the back of his mind for the moment and searched inside the folders of the other two test subjects like what he did with his own experiment log files.

Another bluish bar appeared above the LCD screen and began progressing.

Ding!

_____

[Hidden Mission: Truth of Existence] : You were in cryostasis sleep for almost 200 years as a test subject...

...

Progress :

- : ( 1 >> 2 /3 )

_____

Then, at that moment-

Thud!

Screech!

Thud! Thud!

Screech!

KRIEeaAGHHH!!!

Nuel froze as he turned his head to the right, looking at the metal door at the other end of the room, horrified by the sound of such an otherworldly cry.

And he could actually sense a chaotic mental presence just beyond the door!

It's here! A Shadow f**ker is really here!

He took a quick glance at the main mission details and almost cursed that he had spent a long-ass five minutes on the computer terminal.

He flitted his steps to retreat to the second metal door at the other end of the room and immediately scattered his gaze around.

His gaze landed on an object at the corner of the room.

Oh, Lord, thou indeed hath NOT forsaken me...free loot is really everywhere in this dungeon!

A metal stick was jutting by the wall as Nuel grabbed it out of its holding stand, automatically equipping it as his at his [Equipments] tab.

Ding!

_____

You have obtained × 1.

_____

He swung the baton a few times in his hand to familiarise himself with it before he returned to the door.

He's going to escape the room and hide at another rescue point!

Fortunately, he had completed the monthly dungeon mission last night, so his memory was still fresh.

He knew where the three rescue points were and the passwords to enter each rescue points.

Since the mission would fail should none of the three Civilians from any three rescue points survive, players usually used the 'divide-and-conquer' strategy to minimise any risk.

Nuel keyed in one of the three password sequences using the alphanumerical pad placed at the wall by the side of the door, and when it denied his access, he simply keyed in the next sequence.

The red indicator light above the door frame blinked and turned green as the metallic door slid open.

Now, it's the moment of truth!

Nuel took a deep breath and began to focus, isolating the noisy environment from his mind. He was searching for something, he could already recognize his own mental fluctuations, now to spread his 'senses' beyond his self.

Ding!

_____

You have successfully used the !

Due to its unidentified state, you can only use it partially.

You are able to vaguely sense any mental presence within a certain range around you.

_____

It really is that talent, hehehe. This will make things a tad bit safer...

The corridor was of white metallic walls and barely lit with fluorescent ceiling lamps.

Every once in a while, Nuel would paused for a while as if he was sniffing threat in the air with his mind.

There were some closed doors along the long, boring corridor; Nuel paused for a bit in his steps as he eyed them covetously, his gripped on the stun baton tightened as he swallowed a gulp.

...f**k it, I'm looting these rooms!

Despite the game operating on a mouse-and-keyboard game, it had a great amount of unbelievable realism to it - there were a lot of items pickupables in the game.

Every plastic wrappings by the rubbish bins, every concrete rocks by the side of the road, every rusted metal pipes in the junkyard, everything was pickable!

Of course, the devs had hinted during pre-launch that the game's environmental realism was bound within reason, some were obvious and others more concealed - which led to Nuel wanting to loot said 'thrash' items!

He quickly slipped into one of the rooms across the other end of the corridor and manually closed back the sliding door behind him - the automatic function seemed to have not been in operation, as it should have been, like in the game.

The dark room stared back at Nuel.

With the lighting of the green emergency exit lamp above his head, he slowly scanned around the room.

Furniture strewn everywhere with one or two of their legs missing or broken.

Rusted iron tools, metal scraps, torn fabrics and other unidentified thrash items were lying haphazardly across the floor.

Dried blackish fluid - maybe grease, maybe blood - could be seen sprayed all over the room.

No bodies could be found though.

It was obviously a maintenance room, but the state it was currently in suggested a frightening scene had happened in here a long time ago, right before it was abandoned.

Ding!

_____

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained...

_____

F**k yeah, this is much enough scraps. I think I need sensors, SCJ injectors, charge packs and bonding agents? Oh, found one!

Ding!

_____

You have obtained <50ml Crude Bonding Agent> × 1.

You have obtained <50ml Crude Bonding Agent> × 1.

You have obtained <50ml Expired Bonding Agent> × 1.

You have obtained...

_____

Ding!

_____

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained...

_____

Ding!

_____

You have obtained × 1.

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-----An Old World handtool used to perform simple wiring and reshaping metallic materials.-----

• <Tool Skill : Rusty Assemble> : Construct any Machinery- or Electronic-type item with crafting materials of at most Uncommon-Grade with a low percentage of success.

• <Tool Skill : Rusty Dismantle> : Break down any Machinery-type item of at most Uncommon-Grade to salvage some of its built materials with a low percentage of success.

_____

Nuel carefully sifted through the 'thrash' items at the floor, picking up a few at a time - an idea was obviously driving his looting choice.

I need charge packs as well. I think I'll be dismantling this stun baton after all. RIP, my friend...

With the rusty pliers in one hand and the Viperstick in the other, Nuel began channeling the <Tool Skill : Rusty Dismantle>.

A bluish holographic progress bar floated above his hands working on the baton.

Break!

Ding!

_____

You have successfully used <Tool Skill : Rusty Dismantle> on .

is destroyed due to the <Tool Skill : Rusty Dismantle>.

You have obtained <XP> +1.08.

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained × 1.

You have obtained × 11.

Do you wish to receive these items now?

- Y / N -

_____

Yes! Phew, got two charge packs, let's go!!!

BREeaaaAKKK!

All of a sudden, a distinct loud breaking sound was heard anything the screaming siren - it was like the sound of a metal plate being bent.

.

.

.

====================

Author's Post-Script :

Nuel's looted items

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[EQUIPMENTS]

-----A standard heavy-duty stun baton issued during the Old World to guards at high-security facilities.-----

Type : Melee Weapon | One-handed

Weight : 1.2kg | Grade : Common

Damage : 3 | Blunt, Electrical

Stamina Cost : 2

Durability : 33 /50

Effect :

• Grants <Ability : Shockstrike> : Increase [Total Melee Damage] ×1.5 and have +20% Chance to proc <Abnormal Status : Shocked!> against all , and targets. | Cooldown : 8s | Stamina Cost : 5 | Durability Cost : 1.

• +12.5% Damage against , and targets.

Additional :

• <Abnormal Status : Shocked> deals Electrical-type Damage-over-Time = 1.65 /s for 2s.

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-----An Old World handtool used to perform simple wiring and reshaping metallic materials.-----

Type : Crafting Tool | Machinery, Mechanical

Weight : 0.3kg | Grade : Common

Durability : 10/50

Effect :

• Grants <Tool Skill : Rusty Assemble> : Construct any Machinery- or Electronic-type item with crafting materials of at most [ Grade : Uncommon ]. | Success Chance ( Common \ Uncommon ) : ( 35% \ 15% ) | Channeling Duration : 10s + 2s/0.1kg | Stamina Cost : 0.3/s | Durability Cost : 1.

• Grants <Tool Skill : Rusty Dismantle> : Break down any Machinery-type item of at most Uncommon Grade to salvage some of its built materials with a percentage of success. | Success Chance ( Common \ Uncommon ) : ( 35% \ 15% ) | Channeling Duration : 10s + 2s/0.1kg | Stamina Cost : 0.3/s | Durability Cost : 1.

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[ CRAFTING MATERIALS ]

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-----Random assortments of metallic materials.-----

Type: Crafting Material | Machinery, Mechanical

Weight : 0.01kg | Grade : Common

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<50ml Various Low-Quality Bonding Agents>

-----A special type of polymer used to crudely stick things together. Due to material heterogeneity and other factors, it can be found with various subpar quality.-----

Type : Crafting Material | Machinery, Chemical

Weight : 0.01kg | Grade : Common

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-----A proximity sensor part using simple capacitive technology. Salvaged from other devices and defective, it still can be reused for low-accuracy tasks.-----

Type : Crafting Material | Machinery, Electronic

Weight : 0.01kg | Grade : Common

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-----A military grade rechargeable battery developed during the Old World for various purposes. The low-quality refers to material degradation of the charge pack, causing it to have lower stored voltage.-----

Type : Crafting Material | Machinery, Electronic

Weight : 0.2kg | Grade : Uncommon