[Congratulations! You have successfully recruited a D-class Support Talent – Engineer "Li Ya"!]
A golden light flickered in front of Mike as the mysterious prompt echoed in the air. Within moments, a figure materialized from the glowing radiance.
The woman before him stood tall and graceful, exuding an aura of quiet authority. Her sleek black hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and sharp eyes, framed by golden-rimmed glasses, gleamed with intelligence. Dressed in a simple, dark work uniform, she wore a multifunctional tool belt around her waist, stocked with an array of precise tools—screwdrivers, micro-welders, and more. Even her gloves were custom-made, anti-static, while her backpack bulged with electronic components and measuring instruments.
"Another [Talent] reward!" Mike's eyes lit up with excitement. It seemed as though, as long as food and water were available, talent rewards were appearing one after another.
"Does this mean that, according to the talent system, my biggest deficiency right now is… talent?"
His mind churned. The shelter had a population data system. Population was a scarce resource, just like talent. In essence, talent units were advanced forms of population.
As Mike pondered, Li Ya, with a polite smile, addressed him. "Hello, Boss. It's an honor to serve you."
"Boss?" Mike raised an eyebrow, the title unfamiliar, but he dismissed it. Titles didn't matter much when the talents were loyal to the shelter.
While he observed Li Ya, Mike quickly accessed her data panel for more details.
[Talent Information]
Name: Li YaAge: 28Type: EngineerTalent Grade: DPhysical Strength: 75Neural Reaction: 90Endurance: 80Mental Will: 78Self-Healing Immunity: 78
Talent Traits:
[Wisdom]: Exceptional IQ and problem-solving abilities, with strong logical thinking skills. Intellectual-type research talent.Talent Specialization: [Engineering Expertise]: Highly skilled in engineering and scientific research, specializing in the development, improvement, and creation of technological items specifically for the shelter.Research Ability: 85 points
An entirely new talent type.
"An engineer... specializing in shelter development?" Mike quickly picked up on the key details.
While Lin Yue was a combat-oriented talent, Li Ya's abilities were more intriguing.
In a world where human technology had all but collapsed, how could Li Ya, a scientific research talent, still create technological items?
Mike noted that all of the technological items Li Ya referred to had a prefix: [Shelter].
"Does this mean shelter technology is a separate system from human technology?" Mike mused aloud.
He paused for a moment before asking Li Ya, "What kind of things can you create?"
Li Ya responded confidently, her enthusiasm apparent. "I specialize in improving everything related to the shelter's environment—defense systems, living amenities, and expansions. Of course, at my current level, I can't create anything too advanced."
Her D-class status meant she could only craft basic items, but the potential to improve the shelter was a promising start.
"Wait... Expansion?" Mike caught the word, his excitement rising.
Li Ya could expand the shelter?
That was huge! More space meant room for more people, better defense, and greater disaster resistance. The shelter could be optimized to handle future threats.
"Li Ya," Mike asked eagerly, "How would you go about expanding the shelter?"
Li Ya nodded thoughtfully. "It depends on the type of shelter you envision, Boss. I'll also need the right materials for the expansion."
As she mentioned materials, a new prompt flashed before Mike's eyes.
[Necessary Prerequisites for Expanding the Shelter:]
Own the corresponding talent or technical blueprint.
Have enough building materials for the expansion.
Have sufficient space adjacent to the current shelter.
[Currently, your shelter is Level 0. To upgrade to Level 1, you must meet the following conditions:]
Choose the upgrade direction for the shelter type (Not Completed).
Own the corresponding talent or technical blueprint (Engineer acquired).
Have 100 Doomsday Survival Points (Currently, 10 points).
Have space adjacent to the current shelter that is at least 1x its current size (Not surveyed).
Have 100 units of the required building materials (Not owned; can be obtained by sending talents on exploration missions).
"Whoa!" Mike blinked in surprise, his mind racing as he scanned the requirements. Five conditions... And this is just to upgrade to Level 1?
He was both intrigued and overwhelmed. What would happen when the shelter reached Level 1?
As he pondered, another prompt appeared.
[Shelter Type Options for Level 1 Upgrade:]
Refugee Camp: More living space. Residents gain 20% resistance to extreme natural environments. Building material: Refugee Wood.
Laboratory: Unlocks a more detailed tech tree for creating more shelter items. Building material: Electronic Components.
Workshop: Reduces exploration mission time by 20%, increases mission supplies by 10%. Building material: Large Bills.
Please choose your shelter type carefully. Each type has a fixed upgrade path. Once selected, the shelter type cannot be changed without specific means.
Mike scanned the options, his thoughts racing. Each shelter type offered distinct advantages: resistance to disasters, scientific research, or better resource collection efficiency.
But… which one should he choose?
His thoughts quickly turned back to the current reality. Wait, he hadn't even met the upgrade requirements yet. Why was he thinking about shelter types?
The materials sounded nothing like anything on Earth. He needed to focus on gathering them first.
He chuckled bitterly, realizing that the material he gathered first would likely decide the shelter's future upgrade.
"Lin Yue! Get ready for another exploration!" Mike ordered, tapping the mission interface. He selected the Materials Collection task, which would take 12 hours.
"Understood!" Lin Yue nodded, grabbing two bottles of ice water and some food. She cleared the obstacles by the door and left, ready for the task ahead.
Once she was gone, Mike turned back to Li Ya.
He had briefly considered sending her on an exploration mission too, but given her engineering role, she didn't seem equipped for combat.
"Li Ya," Mike asked, curiosity glinting in his eyes, "What specific items can you create? Can you tell me more about them?"
Li Ya paused, thinking. "Boss, I'm not sure how to explain it, but if you tell me what you need, I can start working on it right away."
"Do you need special materials to make things?" Mike inquired.
"For low-level items, I can gather what I need on-site," Li Ya answered confidently.
Mike's mind raced with possibilities. "Can you generate electricity? A generator, maybe?"
Electricity was crucial. If he could generate power, it would open up a whole new world of possibilities.
Li Ya shook her head. "I can't do that without specific materials or blueprints."
Mike sighed but didn't give up. "What about fortifying the shelter? Can you improve its defenses?"
"Yes," Li Ya replied. "I can make basic repairs and reinforcements, but I'm limited by the materials I currently have."
"Then start with that. Every little bit helps."
Mike was more than satisfied. As long as the shelter could withstand immediate threats, that would be enough for now.
"Get to work. And keep it quiet—we don't want the neighbors to hear."
"Understood, Boss." Li Ya nodded and got to work, measuring, planning, and silently beginning her tasks.
Mike wandered aimlessly for a while, unsure how to contribute. Eventually, he lay down on the bed, his mind racing through next steps—shelter upgrades, talent management, the looming threat of people like Li Ge, and more.
The room was stifling, but thankfully the cooler kept pumping out cold air, slowly lulling Mike into a deep, exhausted sleep.
"Boss? Boss, wake up."
Li Ya's voice gently roused him. Mike snapped awake, panic momentarily seizing him.
It was dark outside.
"Li Ya, how long have I been asleep?" he asked, still groggy.
"Nine hours, Boss," Li Ya replied softly, sitting beside the bed. "You've been under a lot of mental strain, so you fell into a deep sleep. But that's a good thing—it helps restore your mental state."
"Anything unusual while I was asleep? Any sounds outside?"
"About an hour ago, a group of men showed up outside," Li Ya said quietly. "They tried to break down the door but didn't succeed."
"It's Li Ge and his group!" Mike's heart skipped a beat, instinctively glancing toward the door.
But what he saw froze him in shock.
The obstacles he had piled up in front of the door were gone, neatly placed back in the room. And the old wooden door? Now reinforced with a steel frame, intricate crossbars, and spikes designed to make it nearly impregnable.
"Did you do all this?" Mike asked, wide-eyed with surprise.
Li Ya nodded. "Yes, Boss. With the limited materials, this is the best I could do for now."
"Where did you get the materials?" Mike asked, astonished. There was no metal in the house.
"Did you… create these out of nothing?"