[Current Exploration Tasks (Automatically Refreshed Daily)]
Material Collection: An E-Class exploration task that lasts 8 hours. It offers a chance to obtain random materials. Task rewards depend on talent ratings, talent levels, and task levels. One shelter talent required.
Material Gathering: A D-Class exploration task that lasts 12 hours. It offers a chance to obtain materials for shelter upgrades. Task rewards depend on talent ratings, talent levels, and task levels. One shelter talent with a minimum of D-Class required.
Medicine Collection: A D-Class exploration task that lasts 12 hours. It offers a chance to obtain medicine. Task rewards depend on talent ratings, talent levels, and task levels. One shelter talent required.
Nova carefully examined the available exploration tasks on the panel. Only three tasks were available, each with distinct objectives—but all required sending out a shelter talent.
"So, as long as I have enough talents in the shelter, I can gather survival materials without stepping foot outside," Nova mused. "This could actually be pretty safe. No need to risk going out and getting caught in the open. Even if food and water are scarce, I can send someone out to scavenge for me."
The introduction of exploration tasks was a huge boon for Nova. Considering the unique nature of his shelter talent, he couldn't afford to venture out himself. The outside world was too dangerous. Others could risk it, but not him.
However, that also meant he had fewer options for gathering resources.
"With talents, though, I can stay here and send them on expeditions. That means double the rewards—talent and exploration rewards." Nova smiled at the thought. "More materials, less danger."
The question now was which task to choose.
He needed everything from these three tasks, but right now, Lin Yue was his only available talent.
"Let's try the 8-hour task first," Nova decided after a moment's thought. "It's quicker, and the results will come faster."
He hesitated slightly, not wanting to send Lin Yue out for too long, especially with the ever-present threats in the building. The last thing he needed was for the assailants to discover his location.
Nova selected the task. The moment he did, Lin Yue responded.
"Chief! I've received the task and will make sure it's completed!"
She saluted sharply, but before she could turn to leave, Nova called out to her.
"Wait!"
He paused, glancing at the crossbow in his hand. After a brief moment of hesitation, he handed her a bundle of kitchen tools.
"Pick something useful from here," Nova suggested. Then he handed her a heat-insulating coat. "And this—see if it fits."
"Also, take some food and two bottles of ice water. It's scorching out there. Don't get heatstroke."
Nova had considered giving Lin Yue the crossbow for additional protection, but his instincts told him the real priority was his own safety. The risk of the assailants breaking in was still very real. He couldn't afford to sacrifice his own security for hers.
"Thank you, Chief," Lin Yue said as she accepted the coat. She chose two fruit knives as backup weapons, patted her holster, and smiled confidently. "Don't worry, Chief. I'm very capable!"
Nova blinked, realizing something important.
"Is the ammunition enough?" he asked, suddenly concerned.
Lin Yue nodded. "Yes, Chief. It's a submachine gun with a 20-round capacity and three magazines. Sixty rounds in total."
Nova relaxed. "Good. Go, then. Be careful, and don't take unnecessary risks with the materials."
"Understood, Chief!"
Lin Yue nodded briskly before turning toward the door. But as she reached the threshold, she stopped and pointed at the pile of debris blocking the way.
"Chief, this door…"
Nova slapped his forehead, embarrassed. "Ah, right. We used the debris to block it for extra security."
Lin Yue smiled. "Smart move, Chief. I'll take care of it."
She swiftly cleared the debris from the door and, before stepping out, knelt to adjust something.
"Chief, I've set up some basic defense traps and early warning devices," Lin Yue said as she worked. "If you hear anything strange outside the door, stay alert and wait for me to come back."
She stood up, gave Nova one last look, and headed down the corridor, stepping into the oppressive heat outside.
As soon as Lin Yue was out of sight, Nova quickly shut the door and moved the objects back into place, sealing himself in once again.
Sweating heavily and feeling lightheaded from the heat, Nova grabbed the crossbow and rushed to the bathroom. He splashed half a bottle of ice water on his face, drank the other half, and then stripped off his clothes, collapsing into the bathtub. Only then did the heatstroke symptoms begin to ease a little.
"This heat is unbearable. It's almost enough to kill someone indoors. I can't even imagine what the situation is like outside."
Nova thought of Lin Yue. "I really hope she stays safe. She's my only shelter talent."
His gaze drifted toward the freezer. "The ice water from yesterday is gone. I gave Lin Yue two bottles and used one myself. That leaves me with seven. Should I trade them for something useful?"
Nova opened the trading platform, browsing through the available items. There were some interesting options compared to yesterday, though most of them were food and water—exactly what he needed. But the prices were steep.
"Looks like it's not just my shelter talent that's valuable," Nova thought as he scrolled. "Other people's talents probably aren't bad either."
He didn't find anything particularly useful but decided to buy some storable food for the future. After all, the value of ice water would likely diminish as more goods became available.
"I'll hold on to the last four bottles of water for now," he thought. "Let's see what happens by tonight."
The rest of the afternoon dragged on. To pass the time, Nova reread the comic books lying around to stave off the boredom.
Around five o'clock in the evening, the sound of smashing and shouting from upstairs broke the silence once again. This time, Nova was more accustomed to it. He didn't panic as he once had. Instead, he listened attentively, checking the corners of his shelter to ensure everything was hidden and secure, bracing himself for the inevitable.
"How many people upstairs have those thugs hurt? How much longer before it's my turn?" Nova wondered grimly.
"I have to deal with these thugs sooner or later," he thought, "but I need to be careful. If they find me, things could get messy."
He mulled over his options. "I could send Lin Yue with a gun to deal with them… but that's not ideal. She's alone, and if anything goes wrong, I'll be in trouble. Plus, I don't know what kind of talents the assailants might have."
Nova sighed. "I'll have to wait. No use rushing into it. I'll stay low for now, keep building up my strength, and deal with it when the time is right."
The hours passed, and around six o'clock in the evening, Nova heard the sound of footsteps upstairs—muffled voices mixed with shouting and cursing.
"Damn, it's getting hotter and hotter. Brother… Can I get a little more ice water?"
"Wait until we're out. The guy who finds the most stuff gets a sip."
Nova heard more muffled exchanges before the footsteps faded. He glanced out the window and saw a group of men dragging empty sacks out of the building.
"That's them," Nova thought. It was Brother Li and his crew—now with even more members. Their numbers had grown to thirteen.
"Looks like I've been noticed," Nova realized. The soundproofing in the building was poor, and Brother Li's group must have heard him summon Lin Yue.
Nova quickly calculated. "The building has eight floors, four households per floor. That means there are at least 32 people here. If Brother Li and his crew are responsible for the assaults, their group must be down to about 20 members."
His mind raced as he thought of the worst-case scenario. "I live on the sixth floor. They're probably on the seventh and eighth floors. If things go south, I'm next. They'll find me either tomorrow or the day after. Maybe even tonight."
"I don't have much time."
Nova's urgency grew. With the group expanding, relying only on Lin Yue might not be enough to fend off the attackers.
"I need to find a way to reinforce the shelter," he thought. "If I can, I need to turn this place into a bunker."
His eyes lingered on the door. "Maybe I can have Lin Yue fortify it... hold the fort until reinforcements arrive."
As Nova pondered his next move, a sharp knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Nova tensed. The sound of knocking echoed in the silence, a warning that he was no longer alone.