wasteland 10
Chapter 200: Captain of the Scavenging Squad Under the Galaxy
The subway station's hall is exceptionally spacious.
Lin Yue walked around here, found some Iron Horse Guardrails, and transformed them into stainless steel blocks, storing them in the Storage Space.
Crossing the turnstiles, he found the upward passage, but discovered that its end was shrouded by something.
"White threads... spider silk, huh."
A thick layer of spider web completely sealed the upward passage, as if capping this underground space, yet Lin Yue wasn't unfamiliar with this spider silk.
Previously, in a Secret Realm of a European Ancient Town, he had encountered this silk; he didn't expect to come across it again this time.
Spider silk, the monsters capable of spitting it out—Lin Yue had not yet encountered or fought them, not knowing what they looked like or how big they were.
"Gawoo." At this moment, Bai signaled to Lin Yue that there was no danger above.
Lin Yue took out a torch and lit it, with the crackling sounds of the fire echoing through the silent space.
The scorching flames touched the white threads, burning and retreating them bit by bit. It didn't take long for a deep hole to appear in the white web.
And as Lin Yue moved forward, the deep hole in the web grew larger.
"Gawoo." Bai reached out to Lin Yue, seemingly wanting to help.
Lin Yue was certainly glad to have another helper; he lit two more torches and handed them to Bai.
With Bai's assistance, the efficiency of eliminating the spider silk improved significantly, and soon, he was able to see the outside world from the Silk Cave.
Moonlight dyed the world silver white.
Lin Yue extinguished the torch and placed it back in the Storage Space, looking at the golden full moon hanging in the sky.
The night sky without light pollution was extraordinarily clear, and he looked toward the center of the sky, where the Milky Way hung like a silver waterfall.
This world, devoid of traces of human activity, had reverted back to its original state within decades.
He looked towards the subway exit behind him and scanned the surroundings.
Countless vines, wild grasses, and unknown wildflowers thrived here, re-covering the original concrete jungle with lush greenery.
He raised his head to look into the distance, where a gigantic silhouette stood out against the night sky.
Even without the aid of moonlight, he could clearly see the towering structure not far away.
"Metal tower... this shape looks like the Eiffel Tower?" This is definitely not the Tokyo Tower that he saw in the previous Secret Realm, which was taken down by a massive six-legged monster. It's the real one that he had seen in countless pictures but never visited!
"Eiffel Tower... this is Paris." Lin Yue realized that he had arrived at another unfamiliar place.
"Gawoo." Bai scanned the surroundings, still indicating no danger.
However, Lin Yue didn't want to confront any potential monsters that might suddenly appear in the night.
If it were daytime, he'd be interested in searching the city thoroughly, but now, he seemed to only be able to gather what he could without any immediate threats.
"Xiao Meng, take two Little Ice Lizards to search for enemies nearby. Bai, stay by my side."
Lin Yue glanced back at the subway exit behind him.
Having come here, he couldn't return empty-handed.
The Secret Realm would shift locations tomorrow. To not gather something to take back from here would indeed be a loss.
Though securing plenty of sulfur made Lin Yue quite happy, not experiencing the thrill of collecting goods in the Secret Realm during the day left him somewhat unsatisfied.
What's that saying?
Earning less means losing.
The Little Ice Lizards scattered away, Bai kept watch nearby, and Lin Yue boldly began dismantling things.
Street lamps, dismantled; benches, dismantled; metal railings at the subway exit, dismantled!
Moreover, not far from here seemed to be a shopping street. Lin Yue, clad in his Exoskeleton, carried his workbench and went over.
Ignoring the rotted wooden doors and broken glass, he entered the closest store.
This shop was practically engulfed by green plants. If it weren't for the massive amount of table and chair debris at the entrance and the partially faded sign, he wouldn't easily recognize it as a café.
Inside and outside, there were decayed tables and chairs and debris everywhere, and the wide-open store door led to a scene of chaos.
Lin Yue removed the lighting fixtures inside that seemed not entirely broken, also taking the wires inside.
He then approached the bar counter, packing up the coffee machine and various small machines there.
Of course, he didn't forget to take the various porcelain cups. As for coffee beans, they would likely be unusable; exposed to air, even without dampness, they couldn't guarantee quality, so taking them wasn't possible.
After circling around again, having taken the cash register and other knick-knacks, Lin Yue suddenly heard intense fighting sounds from an unknown direction, though Bai seemed utterly indifferent, waiting patiently outside.
Lin Yue glanced at the time; he'd been out for more than an hour. He decided to stroll a bit more before heading back.
He had come to the city; he couldn't leave without scavenging thoroughly, could he?
Especially since this time he had brought the workbench; if he encountered anything large, he could break it down into more manageable materials.
For instance, cars crashed into walls or each other along the roadside.
Previously, he hadn't had solutions for these big items, as they took too much space. The last time, he hadn't thought it through and didn't bring the workbench, only able to take four or five cars, making it impossible to take other things.
If given another chance, Lin Yue felt he would need to empty not just the parking lot, but the whole street!
As Lin Yue continuously dismantled, the originally rusted cars turned into piles of parts, and Lin Yue searched for still usable items among these parts.
Car shells and bodies could become alloy; though not much, it was enough, and he skipped the seats and took the engines or similar parts instead.
After some operations, Lin Yue had finally packed up five cars and continued forward.
With about 20 cubic meters left in the Storage Space, Lin Yue wasn't worried as he kept collecting along the street.
After taking all the wines from a tavern, he found Xiao Meng had returned with the two Little Ice Lizards. Their bodies were covered in blood, though it clearly wasn't their own.
It seemed these war-hungry little creatures went bullying Strange Rats in a newbie village again.
"Gawoo!" Bai suddenly turned sharply, looking towards the distant tower, as a rustling and strange noise erupted all around!
...
Chapter 201: The Shelter That Cannot Be Returned To
Is the night suitable for combat?
Lin Yue doesn't think so.
Even now, wearing the night vision device, he doesn't find fighting the enemy at night an easy task.
"Gawu!" Bai seems just as puzzled, tilting his head at Lin Yue, seemingly baffled by the sudden appearance of the enemy.
"Bai, are you trying to say, this enemy appeared too suddenly?" Lin Yue looked around, despite having the night vision device, the source of the sound was so vast that he couldn't clearly see where the enemy was.
"Gawu." Bai nodded in agreement with Lin Yue's observation.
Indeed, the enemy appeared too abruptly, even Bai found it unbelievable.
Listening to the distant sounds, Lin Yue could tell it was some distance away, and the sound didn't resemble anything like a six-legged giant creature, nor did it sound like the Tentacle Monster he'd encountered before. It didn't even sound like the Monster Winged Dragon.
A new enemy?
Moreover, judging by the rustling sounds, they seemed to be numerous!
"Bai, retreat to the place we came out from!"
Lin Yue started to run, and the position he was in wasn't far from the subway entrance they came from. Enemies that could threaten Bai were actually few, and judging by Bai's current behavior, the enemy seemed to be just one of them.
"Gawu!" Bai suddenly spread his wings, caught up with Lin Yue, and embraced him tightly, letting out a low roar, flapping his wings vigorously!
"Bai? Why fly?" Lin Yue already saw the underground entrance was within reach, confused by Bai's actions, and noticed their altitude gradually rising without realizing it.
"Gawu!" Bai looked toward the subway entrance, and Lin Yue soon discovered a massive number of pitch-black monsters pouring out from there!
With the help of the night vision device, he recognized what they were.
"Eight legs, no, ten legs, with long horns and dense tentacles—a spider?" Lin Yue was stunned by the shape of the monsters he saw. The creature sealing the subway entrance with webs finally revealed itself, numerous and frightful, and large!
"Puchi!" Xiao Meng and the other two Little Ice Lizards were in Bai's embrace too, following Lin Yue's gaze below.
"Can't return for now... Bai, where are you taking us?"
Lin Yue noticed Bai flying higher, gradually approaching a higher place—the top of the Eiffel Tower!
Bai spiraled down, landing on a small platform at the tower top, placing Lin Yue near the tip.
"Good thing I'm not scared of heights."
Lin Yue grasped the metal of the tower tip tightly with one hand, sitting down next to it.
The tiny area, merely a few square meters, truth be told, wasn't suitable for humans to rest, much less as a viewing platform.
But indeed, those spiders are highly unlikely to discover them up here.
Lin Yue took out the sighting scope, looking downward.
White streaks started appearing on the street; clusters of spiders, emerging from the subway entrance and farther away, were continually spewing webs, gradually layering the city's roads and some buildings with white nets.
Where did these spiders crawl out from? What are they weaving webs for?
Standing on the tower top, he's free from worrying about attacks for now, but returning has become a problem.
Looking through the sighting scope toward the subway entrance, it was shrouded by a swarm of dark spiders, seemingly their lair, with none nearby when he passed earlier, hence the lack of danger then.
"Can't go back for now... No, gotta think of a solution." Lin Yue looked up at the golden full moon, pondering ways.
This time being blocked from returning is totally different than the previous two instances.
The first time being trapped in the Secret Realm was at Tokyo Tower, surrounded by a horde of Monster Winged Dragons, rendering him unable to exit the restaurant, ultimately forced to spend the night there. The next day, the Monster Winged Dragons vanished, allowing him to retrace his steps.
The second time was at the Australian Coast, the Ancient Secret Realm Gate was submerged by seawater, forcing him to exit through other Survivors' Ancient Realm Gates and then to Xia Feihong's Refugee Village. After a fever upon returning to the Secret Realm, the evolved Bai led him back through the Ancient Gate to his Shelter.
Both instances of being trapped happened on the first day of the two-day cycle in the Secret Realm, unlike now on the second day.
After that system upgrade, the stay time in the Secret Realm was restricted: rotating places every two days, and closed during the seventh day disaster.
So even when forced to stay the night in the Secret Realm previously, he could return the next day.
"I was overconfident when coming, I need to remember this lesson."
Lin Yue shook his head.
Indeed, he thought to rush in and rush back.
After all, last time from this Secret Realm, he got such scarce resources like rail tracks, which did tempt him to come again despite being exhausted from mining natural sulfur ore by the lake.
Initially, things went smoothly, getting lots of iron horse guardrails, acquiring some stainless steel, and even some phones.
Moreover, coming here yielded many small machines and other items, admittedly, the gains were a strong incentive to keep collecting more.
Greed does harm indeed.
Lin Yue resolved that if he safely returned this time, he'd thoroughly contemplate overconfident actions and avoid taking undue risks in scenarios like this.
"Gawu." Bai seemed to wait for Lin Yue's command, calling again.
"Bai, no worries, we can return, but it's too high here, let's go down to the second level, closer to the ground."
Bai, following orders, lifted Lin Yue from the tower top to the second level, still over two hundred meters from the ground.
Lin Yue took out the Burning Arrow, knowing fire is the best against bugs.
Moreover, judging from the traits of the Monster Winged Dragons and Tentacle Monsters he'd encountered, they were highly susceptible to fire, igniting fully when touched by it.
The flame quickly ignited, Lin Yue gazed toward the ground.
The height of two hundred meters remained too high, but for his safety, it's the only option.
Spiders could climb up, after all.
The Alloy Tactical Crossbow aimed at the square below, already covered with webs, resembling a snowy field.
Lin Yue held his breath, focused, aimed, and pulled the trigger.
The arrowhead, trailing flame, flew instantly down, striking a giant spider squarely!
A blaze erupted, rising on the ground!
Chapter 202: Fire Ignites, Fire Extinguishes, Farewell to the Tentacle Behemoth
The specks of flames, like the stars in the night sky, gradually burned and rose on the ground.
And they gradually became larger, converging like a river into a pond of fire, a lake of fire, an ocean of fire!
"Using the flame-thrower, the effect is extraordinary?" Lin Yue looked at the gradually spectacular scene, though he was prepared, he did not expect it to burn so quickly.
These spider-like creatures are more like inflammable fuel tanks, as the flames are absurdly effective.
Thick smoke billowed up, but Lin Yue did not stop.
He aimed toward the subway entrance and shot three arrows, igniting three more fires, and miraculously, one flame mistakenly entered the subway entrance, and then fire erupted inside, followed by thick black smoke emerging from within.
There were some burning arrows left, but Lin Yue didn't intend to use them all immediately.
The number of spider monsters was still quite large, and although the flames caused heavy casualties and drove them away from this area, many had not yet fled.
"How can there be so many of these things... Where were they hiding originally?"
Lin Yue put down the alloy tactical crossbow and decided to let the fire burn a little longer.
Now, even if he wanted to continue down to the subway entrance, it was impossible because the flames there had not stopped.
"Ga-oo..." Bai looked down at the ground, seeming worried about whether they could return, and the three little ice lizards seemed to feel the same.
Speaking of which, did Xiao Meng and the others' battles draw out so many spider monsters?
He posed the question to Bai, thinking if that's the case, then he should indeed discipline them well later.
Bai growled low at the three little ones, then communicated with a series of "ga-oo" and "puchi puchi" sounds, which Lin Yue thought might be the language evolved by such intelligent creatures.
In the end, Bai shook its head at Lin Yue.
"A coincidence?"
Bai quickly nodded.
Lin Yue pondered, could it be that the spider monsters were hiding in a secret place from the beginning and only emerged when they made noise? Or is it...
Boom, boom...
At that moment, Lin Yue suddenly heard rumblings from afar!
Wait, isn't this sound... isn't it from a giant creature?
Is that thing here too? Where on earth are they coming from?
Lin Yue felt like they suddenly passed through a portal and appeared here one after another.
This made him feel like he'd entered a magical world or a dream.
However, when he thought of giant creatures, the first thing that came to mind was the ox-carrier serpent dragon he'd defeated before, which had a bull's head, serpentine neck, and an elephant's body like a small mountain, but he quickly realized this Secret Realm also had another kind of giant creature.
That was the disgusting tentacle monster covered in tentacles and with six legs!
After so many visits to the Secret Realm, he had only seen it once near Tokyo Tower, could it be that he could see it again this time?
Bai suddenly turned around, looking in the opposite direction, the vibrations from over there were like the tolling of a death clock, shaking the earth and heralding death!
"Ga-oo!" Bai once again lifted Lin Yue, carrying him and the little ice lizards to the rooftop, where Lin Yue saw a colossal shadow in the moonlight!
With the constant trembling sounds, it gradually approached the fiery area, with countless tentacles swaying in the wind, like giant serpents reaching for the sky!
Even at hundreds of meters up, Lin Yue could feel the oppressive force of this giant creature as he looked down.
He even felt this creature was far more intimidating than the ox-carrier serpent dragon.
If it had come near the Shelter back then, he might not have been so impulsive to fight.
After all, those tentacles and its head were simply too terrifying, like something out of a nightmare.
However, Lin Yue also felt something was amiss.
Generally speaking, the monsters in the Secret Realm, whether the monster winged dragons at the beginning, the tentacle monsters later, or even these spider monsters, were extremely afraid of fire and ignited easily.
But why did this giant tentacle monster, out of nowhere, head straight for the fire?
Was it seeking death?
Lin Yue crouched down, put on the night vision goggles again, and observed the development of the situation.
The fire was getting stronger, even igniting some buildings, but the number of spider monsters didn't decrease much, and they continued fleeing in all directions like sardines swimming in a sea of fire.
As the giant tentacle monster moved, the rumbling grew louder and more pronounced.
Lin Yue noticed this creature, standing tens of meters tall, actually looked up at their position on the tower spire before continuing forward.
This look even gave him an inexplicable chill.
Even the spiders farther from the fire seemed to avoid the giant tentacle monster like the plague, and Lin Yue noticed their crawling speed was still quite slow, contrary to his expectations.
The giant tentacle monster even crushed several that couldn't dodge in time but didn't stop, continuing toward the flames.
"Wait, the fire's out?"
Lin Yue suddenly noticed that as the giant tentacle monster passed by a flame, it didn't ignite but instead, the flame was suddenly extinguished, emitting a wisp of thick smoke!
What happened?
"Bai, did you see that?" Lin Yue put down the sighting scope, feeling disbelief.
How did the fire extinguish?
"Ga-oo..." Bai nodded but then shook its head.
Lin Yue continued watching and found that wherever the giant monster passed, the flames would suddenly be extinguished, dwindling from large to non-existent.
The once raging fire that consumed the spider monsters and webs on the street below was rendered ineffective in the face of this creature, and the fire gradually dwindled.
Good heavens, is it a large mobile fire extinguisher?
Lin Yue stared intently, unable to deduce the principle behind it.
However, he wondered if it was a delusion that the tentacles near the giant monster's head seemed longer and denser compared to when he first saw it?
Even the color had changed from a pale shade to a darker hue.
The distance was too great, and although illuminated by the firelight, it was still not very clear through the sighting scope. Lin Yue looked at Bai, wanting it to take him down.
"Ga-oo." Bai shook its head, indicating it was too dangerous.
Lin Yue understood, realizing that since Bai felt that way, there was no need to insist; when it came to sensing danger, Bai was the expert.
The flames continued to be extinguished, and the spider monsters scattered, leaving the street sparse once more.
Even the firelight within the subway tunnel was extinguished by the giant tentacle monster, leaving only thick coils of smoke.
Lin Yue waited, and waited.
As time passed, the giant monster gradually moved farther away.
The street was now devoid of firelight, leaving only the charred corpses of spider monsters scattered everywhere.
"Ga-oo!" Bai looked towards the direction where the giant tentacle monster disappeared and finally spread its wings.
Lin Yue was gently lifted, smelling the scorched air, filled with confusion and bewilderment.
As he re-entered the subway station, jumping back to the Secret Realm's iron gate from the platform, he still felt as if it was all a dream.
Chapter 203 Consecutive Evolution, Blast Salamander Hunter Lizard!
[Doomsday Calendar, Day 23]
[You have a 520 square meter advanced large shelter and a 60 square meter alloy shelter. It has a suitable living environment, and you have equipped it with sturdy double-layered walls. It will be your guarantee for a comfortable and safe living, Survival Points +990]
[You have established a 160 square meter branch shelter at a resource point, clearing a passage for storing large amounts of supplies, Survival Points +411]
[The stockpiled drinking water and food are enough for you to survive for more than half a year. Congratulations, you might need to consider the shelf life issue, Survival Points +1087]
[You have built two vegetable greenhouses, which will continuously supply you with substantial nutritional needs, Survival Points +235]
[You are now the best-off survivor in the world. After entering the electrical era, your quality of life has improved dramatically, Survival Points +890]
[With a large amount of materials, they are the cornerstone of your continuous construction, Survival Points +425]
[You have successfully become the first survivor in the world to own a car and an airplane, Survival Points +200]
[In the Otherworld, your pet has become your most effective survival companion. After two evolutions, its strength allows you to easily face large groups of mutant creatures, Survival Points +300]
[You have defeated the giant creature, Ox-Carrier Serpent Dragon. Survival Points +500]
[You found the sulfur mine, Survival Points +211]
[You explored the Secret Realm, obtained a large amount of supplies, and successfully returned, Survival Points +450]
[...]
[Survival Points daily settlement succeeded: Survival Points +5699]
[Survival Points remaining from yesterday: 10477]
[Total Survival Points: 16176]
Lin Yue closed the system panel and relaxed his eyes.
It's been a long time since he last looked at the detailed report of Survival Points.
This report, you could say it's useless since it just reports the daily base and total amount of Survival Points.
But if you say it's useful, it is, as it allows people to intuitively feel all the achievements made so far, providing an intuitive sensation.
He sat up from the bed, feeling soreness in his limbs.
Last night's encounter in the Secret Realm was like a dream, making him still not fully recovered.
He didn't turn on the light, Bai's breathing was calm; it seemed not to have woken up yet. This little guy indeed worked hard yesterday, whether dealing with the Ox-Carrier Serpent Dragon in the morning, going to the Natural Sulfur Ore site later, or finally taking off several times under the Iron Tower; it did its best.
Gently pushing open the door, Lin Yue walked to the corridor, and came to the window's side again.
The sun hadn't risen yet, and the light was dim.
In the distance, the stars twinkled densely like the Milky Way, but the two moons in the sky told him at least this was definitely not the solar system he knew.
"What kind of place is this Otherworld? Where could it be?" Lin Yue muttered to himself as he looked up at the starry sky.
Today is the 24th day, and unknowingly, almost a month has passed in this Otherworld.
From the initial unfamiliarity, exploring for survival, to now feeling at ease, it certainly took quite a bit of effort.
But the more he explores, the more questions he has in his mind.
Otherworld, Underground Ruins, Secret Realm.
The deeper he goes, the deeper the mysteries become.
Ultimately, it's this bizarre and strange so-called "Survival Game."
What exactly is controlling the Survival Game? Why are there "Ancient Secret Realm Gates" that connect to Earth decades later? What do the murals in the Underground Ruins mean?
Finally, Lin Yue shook his head.
The information he has is really minimal.
After finally returning to the shelter last night, he had very little energy left. After feeding Bai and the Little Ice Lizards, he collapsed onto the bed and slept.
This exhaustion is both physical and mental.
Although his physical strength and power have increased to varying degrees during this survival, doing so much in one day was indeed a bit much.
No matter what, today he must act within his limits.
After all, compared to anything, health is the most important.
"Boop," suddenly, there was a sound beside him, Lin Yue looked over, it was the little guy, Xiao Meng, coming out.
Lin Yue patted the little guy's head and took out a piece of fried meat to feed it.
Yesterday in the Secret Realm, he mistakenly blamed them, causing some guilt in Lin Yue's heart.
"Boop boop." Xiao Meng wasn't as close as Bai before and often didn't quite listen to him, doing its own thing.
But now it seems much better, even allowing Lin Yue to play with it without resisting, appearing to have gotten a lot closer.
Chewing on that piece of fried meat, Xiao Meng suddenly looked up at Lin Yue.
"Boop." It rubbed its small head against Lin Yue's hand in return.
However, at this moment.
[Congratulations, you have acquired a new pet.]
Hmm?
Lin Yue was momentarily stunned, good heavens, actually tamed Xiao Meng at this time?
[Pet Species: Ice Lizard]
[Pet Name: Xiao Meng]
[State: Juvenile]
[Description: A rare mutated creature inhabiting the inside of caves, its breath can lower the surrounding temperature by five degrees, enjoys activity in water.]
[Ability: Acceleration, its agile movements allow it to escape the battlefield at maximum speed, or gain a speed advantage in battle
Cold Breath: Breathes out cold air, freezing the opponent for a few seconds and inflicting minor damage]
[Lifebound Talent: Fierce Battle Fury]
The system detailedly informed Lin Yue that Xiao Meng was different from Bai back then.
It has even mastered its Lifebound Talent!
"Fierce Battle Fury... just from the name, it seems quite aligned with your personality, Xiao Meng, so then..."
Suddenly, a gentle white light emerged from Xiao Meng's body. In this light, Lin Yue suddenly noticed its body began to expand like a balloon, elongating progressively, and its color even started to change!
And at this moment, the system voiced again!
[Please confirm pet information]
[Pet Species: Blast Salamander Hunter Lizard]
[Pet Name: Xiao Meng]
[State: Adult]
[Description: A rare mutated creature with immense strength, it roams unimpeded in caves, deserving of the title Cave King]
[Ability: Bursting Combo: Uses sharp claws and teeth to launch a frenzied strike on prey with extreme force.
Rapid Charge: Utilizes the entire body's strength to fiercely and rapidly ram the enemy repeatedly, inflicting significant damage.
Deadly Tail Whip: Uses its entirely bone-structured tail tip to hammer the enemy, causing fainting or death]
[Lifebound Talent: Fierce Battle Fury: The stronger the opponent faced, the greater the combat strength and attack power] )
Good heavens, Lin Yue called out good heavens.
He looked at Xiao Meng in front of him, for an instant thought he might have seen something wrong.
It was completely silver-gray, upper arm and leg muscles bulged prominently, its head expanded significantly, with far more formidable fangs than Bai back then, and its back spine as sharp as a blade.
Evolved? And an entirely different evolutionary path compared to Bai back then?!
What exactly is the Ice Lizard, not only capable of evolving, but several evolutionary paths are even possible?
"Grrraow." Xiao Meng called softly, seeming particularly surprised at its own change, yet also joyously excited.
"Evolving twice in a row, you are quite impressive."
Lin Yue took out a lion-headed bear steak, he now gained another powerful helper!
Chapter 204: Establishing a Super-Large Warehouse, A Boon for Hoarders
The abundant and warm sunlight shone into Greenhouse No. 1, where the sound of Little Ice Lizards filled the air.
The newly evolved Little Fierce had already led the Little Ice Lizards to harvest the vegetables and fruits inside the greenhouse.
Their speed was quite fast, and they also ensured that the skins of the fruits and vegetables were not damaged while successfully placing them into wooden boxes.
It didn't take long for them to finish the harvest here.
Lin Yue noticed that ever since Little Fierce evolved, it seemed even more diligent than before.
Previously, his relationship with the Little Ice Lizards was more akin to "employment." He provided food, and these little creatures hunted and guarded the Shelter, including harvesting crops.
But now, a closer bond had formed between Little Fierce and him after its evolution, marking a further step into a "partner" relationship. He believed that such occurrences would become more frequent, and more Little Ice Lizards would gradually join this ranks.
Satisfied, Lin Yue gently patted the Little Fierce and the Little Ice Lizards who had completed their tasks and rewarded them with fried meat.
While the little ones were eating, Lin Yue quickly gathered the fruits and vegetables from the wooden boxes on the ground and soon opened the system panel, entering the group.
He glanced at the number in the upper right corner. 89,310 people.
The trend of decreasing numbers seemed to be extremely slowing down, compared to the initial exaggerated daily death rate of almost a thousand people from the original 10,000-member group, now it could be considered incredibly slow.
It seemed that since the last earthquake disaster, this trend had persisted; from mass deaths to now not even reaching a hundred in the ten thousand-member group.
It's indeed a good thing that this proves that Survivors are adapting to this world, adjusting to various disasters, and have more means for survival.
The ones remaining also have a deeper understanding of this world, stricter self-demands, and are the more fortunate ones too.
Of course, Lin Yue also noticed one thing.
More and more Survivors seem to have formed teams, and groups obviously make survival much easier than being alone.
Refugee Villages appeared, and perhaps next would be Refugee Towns, Cities, etc.
Just like on Earth, places where people gather eventually form cities, and an aggregation of cities ultimately becomes a country.
But there's a major premise.
That is, resources must be abundant enough.
"This Otherworld, it's just not feasible." Lin Yue was clear about this point.
Firstly, water itself is a big problem.
Although Earth's freshwater resources are increasingly scarce, the situation in this Otherworld is much more severe.
Not sure about other groups, but at least in this group, the scarcity is quite evident.
Twenty-some days have passed, and if even the most basic things cannot be guaranteed, it indeed poses a big problem.
Not to mention necessities like vegetables and fruits.
Leaving the greenhouse, Lin Yue went outside and looked at the construction bar.
"The things from last time need to be built, otherwise there's no place to put the minerals and various items scattered around the courtyard. Plus, some things can't always be stored only in the Shelter warehouse; they're too space-consuming."
He looked at the "Medium Warehouse Blueprint," and the system immediately provided the construction requirements.
[Medium Warehouse: Wood/Stone/Iron Block/Alloy X100]
Lin Yue glanced at the materials in his hand and directly chose Iron Blocks as the construction material.
A metal warehouse seemed proper; Lin Yue didn't want to incur losses due to fire or collapse among other possible events.
As for the alloys, there weren't enough at the moment, so he had to settle for Iron Blocks temporarily.
[You built Medium Warehouse X4!]
A flash of white light passed by, and soon four dark shadows appeared beside the open ground near the Melting Furnace!
"Wow, the area is indeed quite sizable."
He also noticed that each building covering 300 square meters wasn't like a house with walls on four sides, but a structure supported by a large roof and numerous metal pillars, allowing ventilation everywhere.
And after connecting the four warehouses together, they directly offered a massive space of 1200 square meters for storing items!
After spending a little time, Lin Yue piled the small plane and a large amount of minerals into the gigantic interconnected warehouse and found a problem.
The courtyard seemed more crowded than before.
Now, only the area behind the Shelter is relatively open; the other spaces are constrained by the walls covering 8000 square meters.
"Perhaps it's necessary to establish a third layer of walls on the outer perimeter and dismantle the first layer..."
He increasingly felt that with the growing volume of materials and items, the urgency of such tasks was mounting.
He glanced at the trash compactor left outside and shook his head.
This thing seems completely useless.
Almost all types of used garbage, barring kitchen waste, can be recycled for useful materials at the workstation.
And kitchen waste can simply be buried and used as fertilizer, although it's not needed at the moment.
Lin Yue thought maybe he could see if this garbage compactor can be traded away, otherwise, just disassemble it.
He looked again at the friends list and the names of those three people.
Fei Yue, Xia Feihong, and Xing Lingfeng.
"I'll trade with those three first and see if they have anything good."
Lin Yue planned to chat with them first, and then go to the Natural Sulfur Ore Mountain with Bai to pack as many ores into the Shelter there as possible before considering others.
The previous exchange with these people had already yielded many items, including many alloys and various components, even gaining more gasoline. This time, he hoped to collect more good things.
These three individuals also had large Refugee Villages behind them.
Their needs were great, especially in terms of vegetables and fruits.
It's safe to say that these people need not worry about other basic living needs, but they are concerned about a balanced nutrition.
In this Otherworld, there are no fruits or vegetables to eat, even wild grass is deemed inedible by the system.
Survivors with health concerns have an extreme craving and demand for fruits and vegetables.
These, naturally, are Lin Yue's bargaining chips, which allow him to exchange for a wide variety of needed items, whether it's alloys, damaged electrical appliances, or things that appear to be junk.
All three of them had unread messages in the chat box with him.
First, looking at Fei Yue.
"Do you need anything, Lin Yue? We gathered some good stuff from the Secret Realm yesterday; here's a picture. Do you want anything? Image.jpg"
Lin Yue looked at the picture, which showed a pile of various machine parts, although rusty, they looked quite nice.
Furthermore, he spotted a rather interesting little gadget from the picture. The message was sent last night; it seems they went to the Secret Realm yesterday.
"I want them all, name your price." Now with the large warehouse, there was no fear of having too many of these things.
Upon sending the message, Fei Yue quickly responded.
"Lin Yue, our leader wants to chat with you before the trade; do you have any interest?"
"Leader?"
He raised an eyebrow.
Chapter 205: Leaders of Humanity's Future
The stone-walled city encloses this small refugee village with more than thirty two-story shelters.
The concept of city walls was not valued at all beforehand, until that time when Elvin Fisher, leader of the so-called "Storm Group," attacked Lin Yue's shelter and was eliminated. This concept then truly started to spread.
City walls can block those survivors who live by looting, as well as repel hordes of mutant creatures, and all they require is some easily mined stones.
Except for the depths of deserts and wastelands, stones are still quite easy to obtain.
During that time, Lin Yue's shelter's restriction and control over the Storm Group, along with its many uses and functions, showed survivors its importance, allowing stone walls to be promoted throughout the world.
"Old Master, he hasn't replied yet," Fei Yue turned back to look at the elder behind him, feeling somewhat uneasy.
Lin Yue has almost become synonymous with "mystery" and "indifference" among all survivors. He never said a word in survivor groups or in the world channel, living solely through the survivors' descriptions of him.
Whether it's praise, defense, or admiration, or insults, jealousy, or vilification, Lin Yue has never come forth to say anything, nor has he done anything.
But all survivors understand one thing: Lin Yue is the most powerful survivor in this Otherworld.
He even single-handedly became the strongest person ranked first for survival points in the survivor world!
Yet, this strongest person is overly indifferent, except occasionally when some boastful survivors claim they've chatted with Lin Yue in the group, others can only learn about him through early broadcasts by Lin Yue and photos taken by survivors he once rescued in the Underground Ruins.
"No reply? It's normal. If he easily replied, he wouldn't be much. Dayue, you need to maintain patience, and don't just have no independent opinion and come ask me everything, understood?" the Old Master sighed.
Although the Old Master has endured these two rounds of disasters, he knows very well that his aging body is unsure if it can withstand the fourth or fifth disaster.
The fourth disaster announcement will be issued tonight, but the supplies still fall short.
The refugee village absorbed twenty-three survivors, almost all young adults, with a few children, no elderly.
Weak physical strength, low immunity, body functions far inferior to young people, making the elderly in this Otherworld live exceedingly difficult lives, almost becoming a burden.
Aside from their knowledge reserves and labor experience, the presence of elderly people is extremely thin.
The Old Master could maintain the current situation in this refugee village only because of his original status and exceptional leadership ability.
But the larger the refugee village, the more time and effort it costs to manage, and with his current physical state and spirit, it's estimated that he can't maintain it for long.
Moreover, as newcomers continuously join, the uncertainty factors keep rising, and a strong and capable person must maintain stability and development here.
Fei Yue is the only talent he depends on and values.
Although he indeed falls short, the Old Master can't find anyone better.
If forced to find someone...
He looked toward the group at Lin Yue's clear profile picture.
This person should be trusted, right?
But can he accept it?
The Old Master's purpose this time is just that.
"Old Master! There's something I don't know how to say..." Fei Yue shook his head and sighed, "I'm really not cut out for it. I'm only decent in combat aspects. If it's leading the entire refugee village, you've really got the wrong person."
The Old Master showed no expression: "Then what?"
"Then... um, like, I think, it should still be you. Your prestige is high, your words carry weight, your experience extremely rich, and in terms of survival, you're simply an expert. No one is more suitable than you..."
"People will die," the Old Master interrupted him, "being able to live until now doesn't mean I can continue to be here."
"Rest assured, Old Master, even if the sky falls, Fei Yue's here, definitely won't let you suffer any harm!" Fei Yue patted his chest.
The Old Master coldly looked at him: "In this Otherworld, for a body like mine to hold on until now is already quite difficult, maybe the next disaster comes, maybe by tomorrow I won't be here, that is not impossible. Yet, you haven't made any progress in these twenty-three days, which indeed makes me somewhat disappointed."
Fei Yue lowered his head and dared not speak.
He understood the Old Master's nurturing, but he was inherently not good at communicating with people, saying he should lead the refugee village was truly difficult to undertake.
These are dozens of lives; he can't bear this responsibility.
"Fei Yue, if this time Lin Yue doesn't agree, then prepare yourself," the Old Master thought he had nothing else to say.
What's needed to be said has been said, and this Fei Yue...
"Old Master! Lin Yue says okay! He said to add him as a friend, you talk to him!" Fei Yue suddenly saw that Lin Yue replied to the chat message, and quickly told the Old Master.
"I got it." The Old Master added Lin Yue as a friend, waited for a while, and soon got a confirmation.
He closed his eyes and slightly thought about how to phrase it, then looked again at the blue luminescent panel in the void.
"Lin Yue, I'm Meng Yutang."
"Hello, I'm Lin Yue, not sure what advice you have, Old Meng?"
Lin Yue's words were respectful and cautious, forming a sharp contrast with the Fei Yue beside him, making the Old Master sigh again.
"I don't want to say much about reasons, nor do I want to beat around the bush. Lin Yue, I want to entrust our refugee village to you, not sure if you can accept it."
The Old Master finished saying this, thinking the other would take some time to respond, but unexpectedly, Lin Yue almost replied instantly.
"Sorry, Old Meng, you think too highly of me, Lin Yue. I won't accept. I personally prefer surviving alone. Please consider someone else."
"Please think carefully, we're all from Tang Country, and in this Otherworld, we need to band together. If we can return to Earth in the future, I hope you become the leader in this apocalypse, not just the lone wolf! Lin Yue, our shelter isn't barren either. With 97 people, apart from me, all are young laborers, even children can help with some tasks within their abilities. Except for fruits and vegetables, our shelter isn't lacking in other resources. If you can come, I believe with your ability, you will soon lead these hundreds of men to accomplish a feat!"
"Sorry, I have no interest. Old Meng, this concerns the lives of 97 people; I can't shoulder it alone. This matter ends here. If engaging in long-term trade partner relationships, as long as you have what I need, as long as I have what you need, this relationship will be maintained. But to become the leader you imagine, I can't do it."
The Old Master looked at the text before him, knowing that whatever he said now was also useless.
This young man seems obsessed with the "lone wolf" identity and hopes to keep it forever.
Yet, the Old Master could see from Lin Yue's brief reply that this person is even more excellent than he imagined — more composed and more cautious.
After exchanging a few simple courtesies with Lin Yue, the Old Master closed the chat panel.
Although it didn't work today, it doesn't mean it won't work in the future.
Humanity's future needs a leader, and Lin Yue is the most suitable one in this world.
Chapter 206: This Wave is Wonderful, Obtained Industrial Production Equipment! (Added for Arthas Frey!)
"Human leader..." Lin Yue closed the chatbox with Meng Yutang, deep in thought.
[You lost 5kg of chives, 1 watermelon, 30 onions, 20 white radishes, 5kg of beans, 1 bottle of wine]
[You gained Hard Aluminum Alloy X30, Refrigerator (damaged) X2, Air Conditioner External Unit (damaged) X1]
Meng Yutang mentioned this...
Lin Yue had absolutely no interest.
Instead of some human leader, he preferred to use his current resources to exchange for more of what he needed.
Isn't it sweet to live well?
Isn't it nice to live a bit easier?
Lin Yue was still quite clear-headed.
Being able to lead all mankind out of adversity in this Otherworld, restoring human glory, did sound very beautiful.
But does he have that kind of appeal and capability?
Whether it's combat strength, knowledge reserve, leadership, action ability, or a strong heart, Lin Yue considered himself failing in every aspect.
Who doesn't want to be a hero, even for a second?
But this world is so cruel, a hero one second, gone the next.
Life is indeed precious, and Lin Yue didn't think he could afford to waste it now, after all, this isn't some game, if you die, you're really dead.
Maybe he'll really consider it later, but for now, he truly can't.
As for managing the lives of 97 people, Lin Yue respectfully declined.
He preferred to be unrestrained, to collect resources, explore Secret Realms and Underground Ruins, or do things his own way, rather than being bound by a bunch of people and becoming unhappy.
Lin Yue refocused on the Storage Space.
The recent gains were not bad, provided by Xia Feihong.
They also had a leader, someone who once told him that one can't live alone—Liu Kai.
However, it seems that since he rescued their people in the Underground Ruins, this person hadn't brought it up again, and even expressed gratitude—by sending a pile of alloys.
Also, because of this event, Lin Yue and them reached a strategic partnership.
He supplies vegetables, fruits, and even alcohol, exchanging for various materials they get from opening chests, or bringing out from Secret Realms or Underground Ruins.
"Received two refrigerators, though both are damaged, if I disassemble one and devise a blueprint, can I piece together a complete one? The air conditioner unit can directly be converted into parts."
As he spoke, Lin Yue placed the newly received items into the outdoor warehouse.
Hard Aluminum Alloy is currently in short supply, regardless of the type of alloy, all are needed for manufacturing certain machines and instruments, even weapons.
Not to mention, a single machine dog is a bit lacking; the previous one had proven to have some competence during patrol. If weapons and programming can be added, it indeed could come in handy.
Maybe later, when free, he'll try to create a few more machine dogs.
There were only two messages from Xing Lingfeng.
The first one asked about the appearance of a giant creature they defeated, the second one wanted fever medicine, willing to trade good items for it.
Lin Yue did have plenty of fever medicine, and Xing Lingfeng only needed 3 tablets, which wasn't difficult.
He was more interested in what kind of good items there were.
"Two Shelter Design Maps, can we trade?"
Upon hearing about them, the other party immediately responded.
Shelter Design Maps!
Lin Yue expressed, I'm very interested.
Just right to continue expanding the Shelter branches' area near the Natural Sulfur Ore Mountain, simply wonderful.
[You lost 3 tablets of fever medicine]
[You gained Shelter Design Map X2!]
The trade was successfully completed. Bai also pushed the door open and stepped out.
"Gawu?" Bai, seeing Little Meng coming from Greenhouse No. 2, was initially stunned, thinking it encountered an enemy, but quickly recognized by scent that this was its partner!
"Bai, Little Meng has evolved." Lin Yue patted Little Meng's shoulder; this guy now walked upright, not entirely white anymore, but the overall appearance still recognizable.
"Gawu?" Bai circled around Little Meng several times, seeming quite excited, and Little Meng, likely wanting to show Bai its post-evolution changes, took it out of the Shelter, probably to look for some unlucky Mutant Sheep or Tiger-striped Shadow Deer nearby.
Lin Yue posted a request on the trading board.
He needed Shelter Design Maps. These were quite scarce for him; he'd collect as many as possible if they appeared.
He had plenty of resources, whether fruits and vegetables, wine, whiskey, even items like toilet paper, wet wipes, or ice blocks made by an ice maker, all available for trade.
What he lacked wasn't solid currency, but a steady trading partner.
"It's time to prepare to head to the natural sulfur mine after that, lots to do then too." Lin Yue got the dune buggy ready, while emptying the Storage Space as much as possible, only taking necessary weapons, tools, and supplies.
Every day was fulfilling, and his schedule was packed.
Until now, he'd just delegated the greenhouse harvest work to the Little Ice Lizards; he handled everything else, gradually leaving him no free time.
Even opening treasure chests kept getting delayed.
"Maybe, should open a batch while Bai and the gang aren't back yet?"
Silver Treasure Chest 8, Golden Treasure Chest 2, Platinum Treasure Chest 2.
Alright, let's open 8 Silver Treasure Chests first.
[You gained: Mini Solar Charging Kit X1, Refined Wheat Flour 10kg]
[You gained: High-grade Mountaineering Protective Gear set, Mountaineering Shoes 2 pairs]
[You gained: Induction Cooker X1, Quick-dry Underwear 5 sets]
[You gained: Daily Nuts X40 bags, Cookie Biscuits 3kg]
[You gained: Electric Water Heater X1, High-grade Wall Design Map X1]
[You gained: Premium Angle Grinder Kit X1, All-wood Floor Design Map X1]
[You gained: High-precision CNC Machine X1]
[You gained: Multi-purpose Mechanical Arm Design Map X1]
This wave was fantastic!
Nuts, cookies, wheat flour aside, placed into storage—these are reserve rations, pretty good finds.
"Mountaineering gear and shoes, instantly got new clothes to swap." Lin Yue first tried on the new outfit and shoes; the size fit perfectly, even swapped into new underwear. Now, with 5 sets of quick-dry underwear, he's not worried about this aspect anymore.
Interestingly, the default sizes for clothes and shoes seem perfectly fitted, with no discomfort due to being too large or small.
Induction cooker, electric water heater, these fill gaps in the kitchen and bathroom respectively, essential for improving living standards.
Plus two maps for enhancing the Shelter facilities?
[High-grade Wall: Constructable as a 5m tall, 3m wide, 35cm thick stone wall]
[All-wood Floor: Waterproof, damp-proof, insect-proof, corrosion-resistant]
What's left are the Premium Angle Grinder Kit, High-precision CNC Machine, and manufacturing-use Mechanical Arm Design Map.
Wow, finely crafted industrial manufacturing equipment!
[Multi-purpose Mechanical Arm: Claw Arm, Claw Rod, Lifting Rotation Mechanism, Power Device, and Linkage Rotation Mechanism (Hard Aluminum Alloy X3), Drive Arm (Hydraulic Cylinder X1, Pneumatic Cylinder X1, Rack Gear X1, Cam X1), Guide Device, Control Components (Hard Aluminum Alloy X5, Precision Electric Actuator, Power Controller), Computer Control Console]
This design map... looks familiar?
...Chapter 207: Upgrade the Robot Dog, Gaining a Powerful Ally! (Added for Arthas Frey's Reward!)
"Goodness, isn't this multi-purpose mechanical arm made of materials similar to the previous mechanical arm?"
Lin Yue returned to the warehouse and started searching for the various parts needed.
Cylinder, air cylinder, rack, cam, guide device, precision electric push rod, power controller...
He placed these items into the Storage Space one by one. However, Lin Yue eventually realized that this manufacturing-type mechanical arm seemed to also require a computer control console?
Computer control console, huh...
Lin Yue walked to the workshop, first setting up a large table, then brought over the computer that had been left unused there.
Since the last time he played Minesweeper and triggered the system's so-called recognition of the "electronic technology stage," leading to a system upgrade, the computer hadn't been used.
Lin Yue still had quite a bit to complain about regarding this incident.
The so-called "electronic technology stage" was actually quite inflated.
Just by manufacturing a computer and a mechanical arm, he could be considered to have entered this stage? Isn't that a bit of a stretch?
After all, these two couldn't really accomplish much. If you add in the newly acquired CNC machine tool and this manufacturing-type mechanical arm, it might just reach the standard.
Lin Yue now thought that perhaps the system wanted to increase the difficulty, rather than because of his computer and mechanical arm.
The reason? The reason was too simple.
The number of survivors after the earthquake was simply too many. The second disaster seemed not to have met the system's default total death toll requirements, so the third time brought a double disaster.
And even lured survivors to seek refuge in the Underground Ruins, attempting to trigger mutual slaughter amongst them.
Yet, judging from the total number of post-disaster survivors, the system's hopes once again fell short.
"Who knows what the next passive upgrade might be?" Lin Yue put the computer back into the Storage Space and checked that nothing was missing before using the design blueprint.
[Multi-purpose Mechanical Arm: Claw arm, claw rod, lifting and rotating mechanism, power device, and link rotating mechanism (hard aluminum alloy 3/3), drive arm (cylinder 1/1, air cylinder 1/1, rack 1/1, cam 1/1), guide device, control parts (hard aluminum alloy 5/5, precision electric push rod 1/1, power controller 1/1), computer control console 1/1]
Materials gathered, begin manufacturing!
A flash of white light appeared and then faded, and two things suddenly appeared on the table.
Lin Yue saw that it was actually...
"It's actually a mechanical arm connected to a computer? Goodness, does this computer control console just need a software installed?"
What was in front of him was the type of mechanical arm he had seen in factory videos, but obviously more precise than what he had seen before, also equipped with a support pedestal to easily adjust the height.
The computer was connected by a cable to it, and surely there must have been corresponding software installed inside, right?
[Multi-purpose Mechanical Arm: With correct program input, it can replace human hands to automatically grab, transport, and operate in various environments according to pre-set programs. It can complete various tasks under programmed functionality.]
This is a good thing! But is it really that smooth?
Lin Yue plugged in the power, smoothly started the computer, and indeed saw a new software on the desktop.
He clicked open the software and found it was an operating system in the Tang Country language, making it easy and straightforward to set simple programs so the mechanical arm could perform complicated movements.
"It seems capable of doing a lot of tasks. Wait, if it can connect to a computer, can it connect to the robot dog?"
Suddenly inspired, Lin Yue looked at the mount position of the mechanical arm and saw it seemed detachable.
He went to the kitchen, woke up the robot dog charging there, and had it follow him back to the workshop.
Then he used tools to simply detach the mechanical arm, separating it from the computer, and installed it onto the robot dog!
But the mechanical arm was obviously quite heavy, and the robot dog couldn't stand steadily.
[Upgrade the self-patrolling robot to a work-oriented engineering robot? Requires Universal Upgrade Blueprint X1]
Goodness, it really is doable.
Although the Universal Upgrade Blueprint is precious, it should still be used when necessary.
"Yes, use it." Lin Yue confirmed, and the system began integrating the robot dog with the multi-purpose mechanical arm.
With a flash of white light, Lin Yue soon saw that the robot dog in front of him had changed in appearance.
A mechanical arm appeared as if welded onto its back, with its size noticeably reduced, yet its main body didn't seem to change much in appearance.
And the robot dog's limbs seemed much more robust than before, significantly thicker, indicating improvements in stability.
He squatted down to operate the robot dog's electronic editing panel and found there indeed was a new operating function interface, exactly like the one on the computer.
After setting some programs, the robot dog lay prone, and the mechanical arm on its back began operating. Lin Yue placed a pack of instant noodles in its hand. The four alloy claws extended over and gently lifted it without even crushing it!
The precision is impressive!
How about the weight control?
Thinking for a moment, Lin Yue took out a gold bar, an item he found in the Secret Realm villa's preservation warehouse. Although it didn't look like much weight, it was actually quite heavy, nearly over ten kilograms.
However, the mechanical arm easily lifted it and continued handling it as Lin Yue kept adding more, showing no issues until the twentieth one!
"Alright!" With over four hundred jin (approximately 220 kg) handled, it's indeed impressive!
When Lin Yue added up to the twenty-sixth bar, the robot dog's body struggled a bit to maintain balance, prompting Lin Yue to stop the experiment.
Patting the robot dog, Lin Yue expressed his satisfaction.
With nearly five hundred jin of lifting weight, it's much more capable than a human like him and could even compete against Bai.
If the robot dog itself could be further enhanced, this carrying capacity could expand even further.
"Let's try this and see if it can work?" Lin Yue finally retrieved the tool he needed for the ultimate purpose he thought of at the time, an iron pickaxe!
After setting the program, Lin Yue was pleasantly surprised to see the mechanical arm on the robot dog lift the iron pickaxe easily, consistently striking at multiple points in the void!
Success!
"No way, one unit might not be enough. I'll build another one!"
Lin Yue examined the current materials, noticing he almost had enough for constructing a robot dog but was lacking the cylinder, cam, and precision electric push rod needed for the mechanical arm.
Moreover, even if the materials were sufficient, the new robot dog wouldn't have enough battery power.
"I'll gather some supplies first, taking it slow." Lin Yue rubbed his hands, posting a wanted ad on the trading panel, then took the robot dog outside the Shelter.
But then he quickly noticed that Bai and Meng had seemingly brought him a great surprise.
"Gawu!" "Guow!" The two little ones seemed to be reporting their accomplishments to Lin Yue.
And at their feet lay the corpses of dozens of Mutant Sheep!
Looking at their paws, Lin Yue saw that only Meng's paws and body were stained with blood.
"Meng, did you do this yourself?"
"Gawu!" Bai nodded, and Meng also nodded along.
Lin Yue examined the wounds on the Mutant Sheep, nearly all had penetration marks, some even missing their heads.
Meng's attack power really was terrifying.
Lin Yue realized that his new partner was seemingly much more powerful than he had imagined!
Chapter 208: Encounter Battle, Acquiring a Large Number of Treasure Chests!
The wheels rolled over the Dream Poison Herb blooming with purple and pink flowers, racing quickly across the desert.
The soft ground prevented the sand buggy from bouncing too much, and thus its speed kept increasing.
After several drives, Lin Yue had gained more insight into driving the sand buggy and understood it better.
No longer as cautious as at the beginning, after familiarizing himself with the vehicle and the terrain of the desert, he drove more boldly and adventurously, allowing the sand buggy to move more smoothly across the wasteland.
Bai's long-distance flying was still somewhat lacking, especially considering the headwind now. The wind in the air would be even stronger, and even if Bai took flight, it would easily become fatigued. If it really couldn't continue, then it would wait until the return journey.
On the sand buggy, Bai and Xiao Meng sat in the back. Unlike their heavy appearance, their weight didn't significantly affect the vehicle.
Now, both of them puzzledly watched the machine lying on the passenger seat next to Lin Yue, not understanding why Lin Yue brought this thing to the mining site this time.
"It'll be of great use later, don't underestimate it. It might just surprise you," Lin Yue said. Bai and Xiao Meng always harbored an inexplicable hostility towards the machine dog, as if the strange metal lump operated in ways they couldn't comprehend, without any possible communication, making them react this way.
But Lin Yue believed the machine dog would definitely astonish these little fellows.
After over an hour of driving, Lin Yue finally saw the large lake in the distance and also noticed piles of huge stones by its shore.
However, he wasn't sure if he was mistaken, but he seemed to catch glimpses of some shadows passing by.
He immediately stopped the vehicle, and behind him, Bai also issued a warning, "Gawu!"
Enemies!
Lin Yue picked up the sniper rifle, extended its stand, and mounted it on the vehicle, attaching the highest magnification sighting scope he had, then peered toward the lakeside.
Vaguely, he saw some dark green figures flashing by the water's edge!
Their green appearance and unique walking style were very familiar to Lin Yue.
As old adversaries, Lin Yue knew their identity very well.
Lizardmen!
The opponents seemed completely unaware of this side and were busy among the rocks over there.
What were they doing? Were they stealing sulfur?
He recalled the encounters he had back in the Underground Ruins.
Outside the huge room in the deepest part of Zone F in the Underground Ruins, a Lizardman Priest was forced into a corner with no retreat by him, and finally threw out an explosive. Although not very powerful, it was indeed such a thing.
The most crucial ingredient in explosives was sulfur!
Now, the Lizardmen had come here to steal minerals after he had defeated the giant creature guarding this place...
Can this be tolerated?
"Bai, Xiao Meng, prepare for battle!"
This place was different from the Underground Ruins, lacking so many blind spots and with wide enough space that fighting Lizardmen here meant they had no chance of winning.
Whether it was the Alloy Tactical Crossbow or the M19 Pistol, or even the Sniper Rifle, they could inflict tremendous damage, reminding the Lizardmen of their place!
Besides, Lin Yue also wanted to try the shotgun M880 he had acquired earlier; its power could definitely impose a devastating blow and intimidation in close combat with Lizardmen.
However, the drawback was that he hadn't found any earplugs or earmuffs to withstand the loud blast of the shotgun.
Moreover, the shotgun shells posed another issue; it required lead blocks, something Lin Yue currently lacked and could only purchase from the Survival Points Mall.
"Gawu!" Bai growled lowly, looked at its master, now equipped and holding weapons, and at Xiao Meng, who seemed ready to rush out at any moment, knowing that the battle was about to begin!
"Xiao Meng, you distract the enemy; Bai, strike from the air!"
Their numbers unknown, although the Lizardmen's combat power was indeed lacking, a large quantity still posed a challenge.
The sand buggy resumed its forward drive, the engine's roar echoing through the wilderness, and this booming sound naturally attracted the green-bodied Lizardmen, who finally noticed the monster rushing towards them with a howl, becoming instantly flustered.
They crawled out from behind rocks, hurriedly gathering together, holding stone spears and javelins, but were hardly ready for battle.
From the howling monster, a large white silhouette flew into the sky, and a silver-gray shadow leaped to the ground, charging at them almost simultaneously!
A gust of extremely cold wind blew over, instantly freezing some unprepared Lizardmen, while another group huddled together was toppled by a violent storm, crying out miserably as their bodies were torn apart!
The remaining Lizardmen, seeing the giant monster stop in the distance, attempted to throw their stone spears, only to fall straight one by one, circular holes appearing on their heads, surrounded by treasure chests.
...
The battle continued, not ending immediately.
Lin Yue noticed that the number of Lizardmen was indeed not small. With his assaults from three directions alongside Bai and Xiao Meng, a large group of Lizardmen had been eliminated, yet they seemed hardly diminished, still emerging from every crevice between the mineral rocks, even increasing in number!
Good heavens, were these reinforcements? From where...wait, could there be a tunnel entrance?
Lin Yue recalled the details from the huge mural, where the Werewolves on the surface seemed to come in and out of tunnels.
He put away the sniper rifle; some Lizardmen had already charged out, and up close, the sniper rifle's effectiveness was greatly reduced.
Igniting Burning Arrows, Lin Yue used the Tactical Crossbow to shoot them out, turning one Lizardman after another into fireballs. NovelBin
These creatures, previously thought to have no concept of "fear," were finally retreating under the intimidation of the flames.
But Lin Yue had no intention of letting them go so easily.
The M19 Pistol summoned forth; red laser sights appeared on the foreheads of one Lizardman after another, quickly departing, leaving bullet holes in their heads!
By the lakeside, Bai and Xiao Meng coordinated seamlessly, one blanketing the Lizardmen with an aerial spray to restrict their movement, while the other transformed into a meat grinder within the icy fog, quickly turning a massive number of Lizardmen into mush.
As time progressed, the Lizardmen emerging from the tunnels were gradually forced to retreat by Lin Yue's gunfire, and the lakeside was littered with corpses.
Soon, realizing even their numbers couldn't overwhelm the enemy, the Lizardmen began a frenzied retreat, disappearing once again into the desert. NovelBin
Don't chase a cornered foe.
Especially when they might reappear underfoot.
Bai finally landed on the ground, and Xiao Meng ceased its ferocious assault, allowing Lin Yue to bring this sudden battle to an end.
The results were impressive.
Lin Yue inspected the area, finding 72 Copper Treasure Chests and countless Lizardmen corpses littering the ground.
If he had done it all himself, this number might well have tripled or quadrupled, if not more.
It must be said, Xiao Meng's combat prowess was indeed formidable!
Handing both Bai and Xiao Meng a piece of lion-headed bear grilled steak each as a reward, Lin Yue also packed up all the Copper Treasure Chests, only to be faced with a new problem.
What to do with all these corpses littering the ground?
However, he quickly came up with an answer.
"That large lake, could it be Acid Rain Lake?"
Chapter 209: The Robot Dog Shows Its Skills, I Just Collect a Billion Minerals
Lin Yue guessed correctly.
The large lake at the center, surrounded by ore, was indeed the Acid Rain Lake.
After the last acid rain flood receded, most of it seemed to have evaporated or seeped into the soil, but some entered cracks wrapped by rock layers or were preserved in rocky pits like this large lake.
The Acid Rain Lake in front of Lin Yue's door was one, and so was this one here.
When Lin Yue, Bai, and Xiao Meng pushed the Lizardman corpses into the lake, they quickly noticed white mist rising from the bodies, and soon the scales began to fall off. As the bodies sank, the mist became denser.
The flesh was continuously corroded by the lake water and eventually disappeared.
The Lizardman's corpse even turned into a skeleton in the Acid Rain Lake and finally sank!
"Damn, falling in would mean instant demise."
Lin Yue didn't know how deep the lake was, but regardless, it seemed like any living creature would meet its end.
Wasn't the previous acid rain equally powerful?
Even touching a little would make one end up like the Lizardman corpse, completely done for.
Lin Yue marveled at the acid rain's wonder and continued to throw more Lizardman corpses into the lake.
Bai and Xiao Meng worked hard as well, though some corpses were no different from meat chunks, they still followed their master and kept transporting them.
It didn't take long, with the Lizardman corpses cleared, Lin Yue was finally able to start excavating natural sulfur ore.
"Machine dog, start!" Lin Yue took the machine dog out from the Storage Space and pressed its switch.
Then, setting the program, and marking the natural sulfur ore, ...
After a series of operations, the machine dog took cautious steps towards a rock, the alloy claw on the mechanical arm gripping an iron pickaxe, beginning frequent and forceful strikes!
Piece by piece, the natural sulfur ore was chipped away, and when there was hardly any left, the machine dog moved to the other side of the rock and continued chiseling.
Bai and Xiao Meng stood by, amazed that this iron contraption could accomplish such a feat.
They even forgot to continue tossing Lizardmen, watching as the ore fell to the ground piece by piece, forming a small mountain.
Lin Yue watched with satisfaction, seeing that the machine dog's mechanical arm could even extend to about two meters in height, making the upper ore easy to handle.
Meanwhile, as the mechanical arm excavated, the machine dog's four limbs acted as supports on the ground, making it more stable overall, and the falling rubble couldn't damage its alloy body.
After finishing with a large rock, it followed its program, found a neighboring rock, and continued mining.
"Perfect." Lin Yue was very pleased, the efficiency almost matched him with an Exoskeleton.
Finally, after the Little Ice Lizards became little helpers in the greenhouse harvest, the machine dog became a small mining helper.
Once the parts were gathered, making a second, third mining-specialized machine dog wouldn't be far off, making the entire Natural Sulfur Ore Mountain just a matter of time to finish mining.
Lin Yue picked up another iron pickaxe, transformed it into a Diamond Iron Pickaxe, and realized an issue.
"Not enough universal upgrade design maps."
Currently, Lin Yue only had two universal upgrade design maps left, and these were very useful for many things after all; being limited by this would definitely be problematic.
As many areas required upgrades.
Bai and Xiao Meng were still throwing Lizardmen into the lake, while the machine dog had already started on the third rock, Lin Yue decided to take this time to check the long-neglected Survival Points Mall.
"Hmm, still have 16,170 points... How many universal upgrade design maps can I buy?" Last time, he bought this item, which increases in price each purchase, from 300 points up to 1000 points, and buying more would likely increase further.
But even if this item rose to 3,000 points, it's absolutely worth it.
Besides... Lin Yue thought he could trade it using various items since initially purchasing that item only cost 100 survival points, something almost all survivors could afford.
Although he believed the survivors knew how useful this item was, compared to some essentials, this design map wasn't that important.
"Sure enough, buying one increases the base price by 100 points."
After buying 5, spending a total of 6,500 points, Lin Yue did feel the survival point cost was quite hefty.
"Maybe try trading for some?" He opened the trading panel.
[Seller: Lin Yue]
[Auction item: Wine 1 bottle, total 20 bottles]
[Seeking: Universal Upgrade Design Map]
[Seller's note: Auction, highest bidder wins]
After setting this up, Lin Yue surprisingly found out that there were already many bids on cylinders, cams, and precision electric push rods needed for mechanical arms.
Lin Yue happily made a wave of trades with a few people, acquiring 5 cylinders, 7 cams, 4 precision electric push rods, and 3 guiding devices.
Now, combined with the original parts, it was enough to immediately manufacture at least three machine dogs equipped with mechanical arms!
"Wonderful." Lin Yue closed the trading panel, feeling quite satisfied.
Once back, he would assemble a team of machine dogs, and tomorrow he might only need to supervise here, perhaps even completing the mining here by then.
With this notion, Lin Yue used the two Shelter Design Maps he recently obtained from Xing Lingfeng to build two new interconnected warehouses, then picked up the Diamond Iron Pickaxe and joined the mining efforts.
Time flew by.
As he placed a large crate filled with natural sulfur ore into the last available space in the underground shelter, today's mining task concluded.
Bai and Xiao Meng returned too.
While Lin Yue and the machine dog mined the ore, the two little guys searched around the lake for any trace of Lizardmen once they finished throwing work.
They indeed found something, discovering dozens of tunnels going underground, but after digging a few meters, they found them thoroughly blocked, impossible to enter.
Lin Yue knew that as long as he was around, those Lizardmen wouldn't dare return.
He checked the time, seemingly just reached noon, the ore was plentiful enough to not only fill the large space created by the original four shelters but even the new shelter was packed full.
Although he wanted to continue, there were other important tasks to be done.
After resealing the shelters in both locations and rechecking the surroundings, Lin Yue took the ore-filled Storage Space and restarted the ATV.
Lizardmen...
What kind of technology did these creatures possess? Why could they handle gunpowder yet still use weapons like stone guns and spears?
The sound of the ATV engine roared.
It sped towards the main shelter.
Chapter 210: The Calm Before the Storm
The sharp blade sliced through the plump pork chops from the Horror Pig, cutting them into thin slices about 1 centimeter thick and 20 centimeters long and wide.
Chopped onions, plump cumin, chili powder, five-spice powder, salt, and dozens of pounds of meat were evenly mixed together in an iron basin.
Lin Yue wiped his hands and placed the iron basin into the refrigerator at the back.
He took out some ripe strawberries, pulled out a wooden stick, and mashed them in a glass for later use.
He also took out a chilled watermelon, washed the rice, and set up the pot to cook.
Then, he cut a white radish, washed some baby bok choy and placed it on the side of the cutting board, broke the green beans, and skewered some Lion-headed Bear meat along with them onto iron sticks.
After tidying up the chives, Lin Yue skewered them as well, setting them aside for later use.
The hungry Bai, Xiao Meng, and Little Ice Lizards anxiously awaited by Lin Yue's side.
Experience told them it was time for their owner to make something delicious again!
Sure enough, they soon saw Lin Yue take out a high-end grill, add some charcoal, and start grilling the items on top.
Halfway through, Lin Yue brought out a barbecue tray that came with the grill, placed the sliced pork from the Horror Pig on it, brushed them with oil, and put them in the grill.
As the temperature of the BBQ tray rose, the pork slices began sizzling and oozing oil. He flipped the meat using a spatula and sprinkled some barbecue seasoning, instantly releasing a delightful aroma!
"Gawu!" Bai drooled instantly, forgetting all the morning's exhaustion and the soreness from long flights.
"Don't rush, don't rush. There'll be plenty," Lin Yue said, brazenly grilling the meat outdoors, unafraid of attracting any threats to himself and his companions.
Rather, he hoped to attract some attention, which could turn into new food ingredients.
The meat from the 25 Horror Pigs obtained earlier was indeed excellent. Just like pork on Earth, it was divided into five layers of fat and meat. But after stabbing a piece with a dagger and eating it, he found the meat even more tender and closer in taste to beef.
One Horror Pig yielded two racks of ribs and 25kg of meat, much more than a mutant sheep. However, the downside was that these mutant creatures did not inhabit areas near his Shelter. To get them, he would have to travel long distances, near the natural sulfur mine.
Nonetheless, the hundreds of kilograms of meat were enough to keep Lin Yue busy for a while. His freezer was already full, so the rest had to go into the Storage Space.
Indeed, this product, unlike instant noodles or bread, took up quite a bit of space without sufficient storage room.
Once some pork slices from the Horror Pig were cooked, Lin Yue quickly stored them in the Storage Space to preserve their freshness, added some new ones to grill, and also put the bean and Lion-headed Bear mixed skewers and grilled chives onto the grill, exuding a tempting aroma under the spices.
Next, Lin Yue turned on the recently obtained induction cooker, placed a specialized pot acquired from the Secret Realm on top, added some cooking oil, and began stir-frying the baby bok choy.
One can't just eat meat; it's too unhealthy.
Even in this Otherworld, Lin Yue strived for a balanced diet. After all, humans are fragile beings, and without a varied diet, the body would suffer.
Without vegetables and fruits, the human body would eventually develop scurvy, causing abnormal bodily functions.
Rice, meat, vegetables, and fruits are indispensable—none can be omitted.
Even if cooking takes time, he would not want to cut corners.
To ensure he could have nutritious meals when time was tight, Lin Yue decided to use his time to make food that could last several meals.
Preparing the meal required effort, from getting the firewood to lighting it to pre-cutting and marinating the meat, which admittedly took some time. Yet, Lin Yue did not find the process tedious.
Who would feel burdened when surrounded by eager little ones who love eating what you cook?
The baby bok choy was quickly done, and after plating, it was placed in the Storage Space. Lin Yue sped up the grilling of other foods, continuously adding more to the grill.
All the marinated lamb chops, lamb meat, Lion-headed Bear meat, and the like were grilled together, reducing a lot in volume once done and making them easier to eat.
As for the Lion-headed Bear, mutant sheep, and Horror Pig innards, Lin Yue only kept those of the Lion-headed Bear. The rest were not very appealing to him, so he sold them to Xia Feihong and Xing Lingfeng, obtaining a substantial amount of stones in return.
Stones were currently in great demand for Lin Yue.
As materials for the high-level wall blueprint previously acquired, the importance of stones cannot be understated.
As he continuously expanded his territory, it became natural to build a larger stone wall.
"Lunch time, lunch time!" The rice was ready. Lin Yue temporarily put down his grilled meat, scooped some into a large bowl, and left the rest for Bai, Xiao Meng, and the other Little Ice Lizards.
He also took some of the chicken feathers, added ice to the glass with strawberry sauce, and poured Lei Bi on top.
He laid a large piece of grilled pork chop, organized the grilled beans and chives, and it was a success!
After serving himself, Lin Yue placed the remaining grilled meat into the rice pot, adding the stir-fried baby bok choy, which Bai and the others were used to eating, so they did not mind the vegetables.
As Lin Yue picked up his chopsticks and declared lunch, Bai and the others began their frenzied battle for the delicious food.
The meal was very sumptuous, allowing Bai and the others to fully appreciate the power of food.
After feasting, it was time to attend to serious matters.
Outside, the corpse of a giant creature was mostly reduced to a skeleton after the bugs devoured it to charcoal over just two days, leaving a massive skeleton.
With this potential source of disease gone, Lin Yue could truly relax.
After eating, Lin Yue tidied up slightly and led Bai, Xiao Meng, and the two Little Ice Lizards to the Shelter's basement.
They headed straight to the Underground Ruins Gate, which they had never explored before.
The door was located on one of three emergency paths. Without Bai, Lin Yue would never have found it so easily.
"Everything's ready; it's time to explore the Underground Ruins."
Just as before, Lin Yue donned his gear, taking all necessary weapons with him.
His goal was to explore as much of the Underground Ruins as possible before the next disaster warning.
As he pushed the door open, they disappeared inside.
Bai glanced back, "Gawu," and shook his head.
...
"Whoa, what's that smell? It's amazing."
"Smells like barbecue, but better than what Old Four makes. I say, if we can smell it, does that mean we're close to Lin Yue's Shelter?"
"Hey, who knows how many shelters are around here? Can't be sure."
"Da Mao, didn't you look at the area map before saying that? There's no other shelter nearby, here. Look through the telescope. That should be the remains of the giant creature Lin Yue took down; now it can't be wrong, right?"
"Hahaha, target confirmed! Let's set up camp here. Once Levik and their advance team arrive, we'll be able to attack!"
"With a group attack of 400 people, even Lin Yue probably can't handle it, right?"