Chapter 35: Entering the Wasteland

October 2274 - Vault 101

Victor had always been meticulous in his planning, and today was no exception. With the help of AZ, he had assembled a dozen neural helmets, each customized for his closest friends. As the evening approached, he discreetly distributed the packages to them, giving a casual smile as he handed them over.

"Don't open these until you're in your room tonight," he instructed, his tone light yet firm.

His friends nodded, curious but trusting Victor's judgment. They didn't ask questions—Victor was known for his surprises, and they were used to his mysterious ways.

Later that night, as his friends sat alone in their rooms, they carefully unwrapped the packages to reveal sleek, sci-fi-looking helmets. Each package contained a note with simple instructions:

"Install the plug into the wall socket, lie down on your bed, and command: 'Link Start.'"

Intrigued, they followed the instructions. As they connected the neural helmets, they felt a brief surge of energy before their consciousness shifted into a vivid, hyper-realistic virtual world. They looked around in amazement as the environment materialized around them—a vast, open wasteland, eerily beautiful and full of possibilities.

As they marveled at their surroundings, Victor appeared among them, his expression cool and composed. "Welcome to the Wasteland," he said, his voice calm yet carrying an air of authority.

His friends gathered around, their eyes wide with wonder. Butch was the first to speak, his usual bravado tempered by awe. "This is... incredible, Vic! How did you even do this?"

Victor smiled slightly, keeping his explanations simple. "It's a virtual reality , old tech I've been working on restoring for a while. You can explore, interact, and learn skills here. MINI," he said, gesturing toward a pixie-like avatar that materialized next to him, "will guide you through everything. She's your personal assistant in this world."

"MINI? That's adorable!" Susie exclaimed, reaching out to the pixie avatar, who responded with a cheerful wave.

"I have things to take care of, but you're in good hands, MINI will take care of you. Have fun exploring," Victor said, his voice friendly but with an undertone of business.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Freddie asked, still taking in the vast world around him.

Victor nodded. "I've got some homework to do. You'll be fine here. I'll check in on you later."

With that, Victor logged out, leaving his friends in the capable hands of MINI. The AI, with its friendly demeanor and extensive knowledge of the virtual world, quickly set about showing them the ropes, answering questions, and guiding them through the various features of the simulation.

Meanwhile, Victor returned to his room and pulled up his lab reports on his Pip-Boy. The data was promising, but there were still challenges to overcome. The shock-absorbing plates he had developed were effective but brittle. He reviewed the report thoughtfully, then issued new instructions:

"AZ, reinforce the shock plates with a nano polymer alloy layer and elastic polymer. I need armor that balances protection and flexibility."

AZ's voice responded with a mechanical precision. "Acknowledged. Modifications will be implemented. Estimated time for testing: 48 hours."

Victor's mind raced as he reviewed the performance data of the combined materials. The nano polymer alloy plates were excellent at deflecting projectiles and reflecting laser beams, but they faltered against plasma rays. The nanotube polymer, on the other hand, provided elasticity and resistance to penetration and slashing, with good heat insulation and noise absorption.

After analyzing the data, Victor instructed NIM, "Create prototypes for chest armor, helmets, boots, gloves, wrist guards, elbow guards, shoulder pads, knee guards , and throat guard. Run a performance test in different scenarios."

"Make Reinforced Vault suits with nanotubes clothes materials after successful test. I want these ready for my friends by next month."

NIM processed the request, responding with its usual efficiency. "Prototypes will be developed as specified, running simulation."

The real-time feedback was encouraging—his friends were already acclimating to the neural interface, and the potential for learning and skill acquisition while sleeping was astounding. After his friend adjusts to VR, they will start their advanced combat training maybe from next month.

Going through progress data on neural chip implant "Run simulations on the chip implantation process," Victor orderedNIM. "I want to explore every possible outcome before proceeding with the surgery in the next few months."

"Parameters updated, Simulations underway," NIM confirmed. "Comprehensive analysis will be completed within 72 hours."

Victor then turned his attention to his reconnaissance bots. They were fully assembled and equipped with enhanced miniaturized sensors, ready for deployment. The only thing left was to wait for the tunnel's completion.

Later that night, as Victor lay in bed, his mind buzzed with the possibilities. The lift from his room to the hidden lab had made access to his secret base more convenient, but the tunnel to the outside world would open up entirely new opportunities. His plans were moving forward, step by step.

For now, he allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The VR world was a success, his friends were safe, and his projects were advancing smoothly. But there was always more to do.

"AZ," Victor muttered softly, "how's the progress on the tunnel?"

"Seventy percent complete. Security measures are being installed. Estimated time to full functionality: seven days."

Victor nodded to himself. Everything was proceeding according to plan. With his mind at ease, he closed his eyes, already thinking about the next steps .