Otherworldly

'So they're back…' Shane thought as he saw the available Gift Packs in the choices. Essentially, what remained were the Gift Packs he didn't pick during the initial phase of the Apocalypse.

After some consideration, he decided to choose the Survival Gift Pack which contained, a fire starter, a compass, a pocket knife, a whistle, a rope, and a thermal blanket. 

He was debating whether to select Medical Gift Pack or the Survival Gift Pack but he went for the latter since he believed that they wouldn't get injured for a while. However, if given an opportunity, he would definitely select the Medical Gift Pack next time. 

"Now... What to do with this machinery?" Shane mumbled as he eyed the machine.

The machine looked like a large drill, with a metal rod and a spiral bit. It was covered with dust and rust, and had wires and cables attached to it. 

It seemed to be used for digging into the ground, but it was broken and useless now. Shane wondered if there was anything valuable inside the machine, or if he could salvage some parts from it.

Then, it was at this time that he recalled one of his talents.

[ Otherworldly Mechanic ( Legendary Talent ): The Survivor can easily create and modify any mechanical device, such as weapons, vehicles, automatons, and gadgets. The Survivor has limited access to alien technology and materials unavailable to other Survivors. ] 

'I can easily create and modify mechanical devices? It doesn't seem like I can do it. Do I need to activate it or something?' Shane pondered, uncertain of how to harness this remarkable talent. 

However, as he reached out and made contact with the machinery, a startling transformation unfolded before his eyes.

In his eyes, the once mundane machinery underwent a remarkable change, reminiscent of a game interface. 

There were glowing hues of red and blue illuminating various components, conveying a important message to Shane. 

He immediately knew the radiant blue segments indicated the machinery's good condition, while the crimson glow highlighted areas in need of repair.

Furthermore, a miniature holographic projection materialized, offering Shane an intricate 3D visualization of the mechanism, enabling him to commence the repair process. 

As he examined the array of options that materialized before him, he was presented with the choice to either Dismantle or Repair the mechanism, signifying the extraordinary capabilities at his disposal.

"Fascinating… This is an incredible talent!" Shane exclaimed, which startled Harper for a moment. 

However, seeing that Shane was looking at blank space, Harper immediately knew that Shane was looking at his own blue screen that the Lord of the Realms gifted to them.

Instead of bothering him, Harper simply shifted his focus as he guarded the surroundings.

Meanwhile, after Shane examined the Repair option, he realized that he wouldn't just need metal scraps, ores, crystals, or any game-like requirements to fix it. He would have to use so many materials!

Well, since he doesn't have them, he was also given another option.

[ Do you like to purchase the missing parts from the Anima Store to repair/improve the machine? ] 

Just like what was described in his talent, he had access to alien technology and materials! 

"Yes…" Shane answered. He simply wanted to know the price needed to repair this machine. 

[ Calculating Price… ] 

[ Zombie Cores x50, Power Cores x5, Reputation Points x2 ] 

[ You have insufficient resources to complete the transaction. ] 

"That's too much… What's Power Core and Reputation Points anyway?" Shane shook his head as he saw the price he had to pay.

After some thought, he recalled how he didn't even need such a piece of machinery in his shelter. It was better to turn it into a different device or machine that would help him in his shelter!

With this in consideration, he decided to Dismantle the machine, as he was also curious about what he could get from it. 

Then, as he selected the option, the machine started to break down into smaller pieces! 

He saw the parts and metal scraps floating in the air, as if waiting for him to collect them. 

However, as he was about to reach out his hand, they all vanished in an instant!

[ You have obtained Metal Scraps x30 ]

[ You have obtained Metal Plates x20 ]

[ You have obtained Grease x10 ] 

[ You have obtained Power Core x2 ]

[ The items have been transferred to your Inventory. ] 

Shane was amazed by the items he had obtained, especially the last one. 

He had never seen anything like it before, so he wondered what it was and what it could do.

Without hesitation, he checked his System Inventory and picked up one of the Power Cores to see the description of the item, if there was.

Luckily, although the item wasn't upgraded, there was a default description to identify it.

[ Power Core: A device that stores and supplies energy. It can be used to power up mechanical devices, such as weapons, vehicles, automatons, and gadgets. It has a limited capacity, and needs to be recharged or replaced. 

Energy: 5/100 ]

"Incredible…" Shane felt a spark of excitement, as he imagined the possibilities. He could use these items to create amazing devices that would help him survive and thrive in the Apocalypse. 

He had no idea what kind of machine he could build, but he could not wait to try them out, and see what he could make with the help of his Talent.

He looked at Harper, who was watching him with awe and curiosity. 

Well, Harper just saw how the machinery got dismantled and disappeared in a matter of seconds, so he was certainly curious about what was going on. 

Shane then smiled, and said, "Harper, we just hit the jackpot. I'll explain it to you later. Anyway, I'm only detecting eight more Zombies. After killing them, let's go back to our shelter…"