Chapter 21、Unlocking the Technology Tree: A Fresh Start to Life!

All of Lin Yue's basic information has exceeded 100 points, and she has also acquired a new talent trait.

[Exploration and Discovery]: When dispatched on exploration missions, there is a slight probability of obtaining additional supplies.

Furthermore, Lin Yue's talent level has risen from D to C, and her combat rating has also increased slightly.

However, her physical condition is marked as [Weak], and the data indicates that a 10-hour recovery period is required.

"It seems that the 1,000-point genetic medicine has worked wonders."

Yi Bai was somewhat astonished: "It's better than I expected. It can be said to be well worth the cost."

Yi Bai analyzed that this might be due to Lin Yue's relatively low talent level, combined with the fortunate encounter of an improved probability of the genetic medicine.

Speaking of luck, Yi Bai remembered that he still had a special reward unused.

[The Horn of the Pioneer], which can bestow a new trait upon a talent, a trait that brings good fortune.

Judging from the introduction, although the effect of this item is not entirely precise, it is still a special reward.

"Now I only have three talents. Who should I give it to?"

Yi Bai pondered, conventionally, it would naturally be given to Jiang Xiaoci, who has the highest rank.

However, all of Jiang Xiaoci's traits and talents are fixed bonus effects, and she is an internal affairs talent. The responsibilities she undertakes in the shelter have little to do with [luck].

Even though Jiang Xiaoci's traits mention words like strategy and tactics, Yi Bai has not yet delved into these aspects and is unsure whether they require the blessing of [luck].

On the contrary, Lin Yue, who has always been the main combatant in exploring for supplies, is in great need of [luck].

If her luck improves, she will naturally bring back more supplies.

As for Li Ya... Yi Bai didn't even consider her. As a scientific research engineer, what good luck does she need at this stage?

Scientific research requires a down-to-earth approach.

"Let's give it to Lin Yue. It seems that she will gain the most from this trait."

Without hesitation, while Lin Yue was resting with her eyes closed, Yi Bai opened the shelter panel and chose to use the special reward on Lin Yue.

When a golden light flashed across Lin Yue's body, the prompt message indicated that Lin Yue had acquired the [The Horn of the Pioneer] trait.

"Chief, I feel like there's something more in my mind?"

Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes, looking a bit bewildered.

Yi Bai smiled and comforted her: "Don't overthink. Just lie down and rest. You're our only protector now."

"Okay."

Lin Yue nodded obediently and rested peacefully in bed.

Yi Bai didn't think using the special reward on Lin Yue was a waste, nor did he have the intention of hoarding it until a more suitable talent emerged.

After all, although the current shelter mechanism resembles a game, it is based on reality.

Appropriate hoarding is beneficial, but mindlessly stockpiling everything will only endanger one's safety.

Some things should be used when they are needed. The earlier they are used, the earlier one can enjoy the benefits!

The night was empty and silent. The only sounds in the entire building were the clanging of Li Ya constructing safety facilities downstairs and the soft murmur of Jiang Xiaoci counting supplies.

Yi Bai opened the shelter. Only at this moment did he have the time to carefully tally today's gains.

Thanks to today's talent reward boost, Yi Bai eradicated all the thugs and occupied the entire building.

The supplies that Brother Li and the others had continuously collected from outside in recent days all fell into Yi Bai's hands.

Yi Bai roughly estimated that if only four people were to use them, these supplies could surely last for several months, and they could live relatively comfortably.

After all, while other survivors in the city were still fretting about food and water, Yi Bai had already resumed using toilet paper, toothbrushes, and other items that enhance the quality of life.

Incidentally, he could also smoke, and there were even some pornographic magazines and comics in the supply pile.

It seems that Brother Li and his group of men really took everything they could get and brought all kinds of things into the building.

Having more supplies is good, but there are also some drawbacks.

"There are too many supplies. The freezer has limited storage space, and some food will surely spoil prematurely in the high temperature."

Yi Bai frowned: "I need to hurry up and trade out some of the perishable food in exchange for new things."

"By the way, how many survival points do I have left?"

Yi Bai checked and found that he still had 1,806 survival points.

"Let's build the empty areas of the shelter first. With the remaining points, let's see if we can get something nice."

Yi Bai opened the shelter's construction module, and that out-of-body experience emerged once again.

Yi Bai's perspective was elevated to an overhead view. This time, without excessive shock or contemplation, he immediately began to carefully examine the overall structure of the shelter.

This is an old residential building with a total of eight floors and four households per floor.

Yi Bai's current shelter area encompasses the entire sixth floor, including the upper and lower staircases.

Judging from the trend of the shelter's expansion as it upgrades, Yi Bai could easily predict that as the shelter upgrades, it will eventually occupy the entire building.

"Then, my construction vision should be a bit more long-term. I should use the entire building as the main body to plan for the future blueprint."

"For now, I still can't build things directly on the other floors, so I can't achieve the defense mechanism on the first floor either."

"So the defense mechanism shouldn't be the main target... and besides, it's too expensive."

Yi Bai glanced at the items that could be built in the shelter. There were basic defense facilities such as iron gates, electric gates, wire meshes, and even wall-mounted guns, laser traps, and movable floors.

It was a vast array with numerous classifications, impossible to take in at a glance.

But without exception, the prices of these items were extremely high.

Even the simplest iron gate required 100 survival points.

Although the advantage of building in the shelter was that it could be installed directly, eliminating the need to collect building materials and construct manually.

Yi Bai still didn't plan to purchase anything from here because he found that the only suitable shelter defense mechanism he could currently purchase was the [Iron Gate].

And for the [Iron Gate], Li Ya could build it herself. Although it wouldn't be as excellent and sturdy as the one in the shelter construction module, it could still be used 勉强.

As for the other defense modules, either the shelter level was insufficient or there were prerequisite conditions.

Yi Bai discovered that not only defense modules and items, but most of the things that could be built in a level 1 shelter, including circuits, underfloor heating, central air-conditioning, chemical research labs, and all other building information, required a prerequisite room called the [Research Room].

[Research Room]: Consume 1,000 survival points to build a level 1 research room. It can unlock the technology tree system of the current shelter type and enable the research of more shelter prerequisite technology modules.

"Got it. We need a technology tree to climb the technological ladder and directly purchase more shelter building items."

Yi Bai nodded: "It makes sense. I really feel like I'm playing a game."

This is truly so authentic. It's just a perfect doomsday survival game tailored for humans on Earth, isn't it?

Yi Bai had no choice but to reluctantly part with 1,000 points and purchase the [Research Room].

[Please select the placement location of this room. The available room range for you to choose has been marked in purple.]

As the prompt message lit up in front of him, Yi Bai saw that the research room occupied a vast area!

It was just one room, yet it occupied the entire area of a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment next door!

The area of the newly upgraded level 1 shelter was not small, but this one room took up one-third of it!

"It truly lives up to its reputation as the most important prerequisite building. It really takes up a lot of space."

Yi Bai sighed and, after a brief consideration, chose to place it in a more interior position, further away from the staircase.

This thing is so crucial that it must be well protected.

In case the building encounters enemies in the future, it must be ensured that the research room won't be discovered or attacked by the enemy first.

[Congratulations! You have successfully placed the "Research Room"!]

[Your shelter has unlocked the technology tree system. Upgrade doomsday technology! Transform for a better life!]

"A better life? Let me see how good it is."

Yi Bai rubbed his hands in anticipation and opened the newly unlocked [Technology Tree] module on the shelter panel.