18: Chapter 18 Teaching the Little Mouse to Recognize Parts

On the tenth day, Lin Qiming decided to postpone going out.

His energy had been exhausted yesterday, so he needed to recover his strength today while handling some internal affairs. Moreover, he realized a problem: his understanding of the Hive Bottom was not systematic enough.

While his memories from his past life were useful, they were on a macro, strategic level. When it came to the specific ecology, resource distribution, and power dynamics of the Hive Bottom, he needed more localized knowledge.

And Xiao Haozi, this little thing who grew up in the depths, might be the best source of information.

"Xiao Haozi, come here." Lin Qiming sat at his workbench and beckoned to the little guy who was playing with water.

Xiao Haozi let out a "squeak," jumped onto the workbench, and squatted in front of him, looking at him with beady black eyes.

Lin Qiming took several common parts from the pile of materials: a screw, a gear, a fragment of a circuit board, a battery (exhausted), and a bone from a mutant rat.

He lined them up in a row.

"Do you recognize these?" he asked.

Xiao Haozi tilted its head, looked at them, then pointed a claw at the screw and let out a "squeak."

"This is called a screw." Lin Qiming picked it up. "It's used to fix things in place."

He picked up the gear next: "This is called a gear; it transmits power."

The circuit board fragment: "Circuit board, it controls electrical signals."

The battery: "Battery, it stores energy."

The bone: "Bone, it's useless now, but it can be ground into tools or fertilizer."

Xiao Haozi listened intently, its little head nodding as if it were taking notes.

Lin Qiming then brought out several types of food: Nutrient Paste, Compressed Dry Rations, Roasted Rat Meat (a little leftover from yesterday), and a pinch of moss.

"These are for eating," he introduced them one by one. "Nutrient Paste tastes terrible but keeps you alive, dry rations can be stored, rat meat must be roasted, and moss can be used in emergencies but has no nutrition."

Xiao Haozi let out a couple of "squeaks," pointed at the rat meat, and then at its own mouth—it liked that one.

Lin Qiming laughed: "Alright, if there's meat in the future, I'll give it to you first."

He continued teaching. Tools, materials, danger signs (like radiation symbols and poison markers), common creatures (mutant rats, Hive Giant Rats, Warp Spawn)...

Xiao Haozi learned very quickly. Although it couldn't speak, it could express understanding through cries and movements. For example, upon hearing "danger," its fur would stand on end; upon hearing "food," it would lick its lips.

After teaching for an hour, Lin Qiming began testing.

He mixed several items together: "Xiao Haozi, pick out the things that can be eaten."

Xiao Haozi immediately used its paws to pull out the Nutrient Paste, dry rations, and rat meat, but after a moment of hesitation, it also pulled over the moss—it remembered Lin Qiming saying moss could be used in an emergency.

"Very good." Lin Qiming rewarded it with a small piece of dry ration.

Next was: "Pick out the useful parts."

Xiao Haozi pulled out the screw, gear, circuit board, and battery, but didn't touch the bone.

"Excellent."

Lin Qiming discovered that Xiao Haozi's intelligence was much higher than that of an ordinary animal. It could not only identify items but also understand simple classifications and purposes.

Perhaps... it could do even more.

"Xiao Haozi, can you help me find things?" he asked. "For example, parts like this."

He picked up a screw.

Xiao Haozi let out a "squeak," jumped off the workbench, ran to a corner of the cave, and pulled several similar screws out of that small hole, carrying them back in its mouth.

"Yes, exactly these." Lin Qiming took them. "In the future, if you see useful things like this, bring them back. I'll give you rewards."

Xiao Haozi squeaked excitedly and ran out again, quickly returning with a rusty bearing in its mouth.

Lin Qiming smiled. This was equivalent to having an automatic loot-collection robot; although the efficiency wasn't high, the long-term accumulation would be considerable.

He continued to teach Xiao Haozi more complex instructions: "If you see glowing blue crystals, you must bring them back; those are the most important."

Xiao Haozi nodded seriously.

"If you see people, or hear human voices, hide immediately, then come back and tell me."

Xiao Haozi nodded again.

"If you see red eyes, or feel something isn't right, run immediately. Do not go near."

Xiao Haozi let out a "squeak" and its body trembled—it remembered yesterday's monster.

When the teaching session ended, Lin Qiming felt a great sense of accomplishment. In the Hive Bottom, he didn't just have a companion; he now had an "apprentice."

Even if the apprentice was a rat.

He walked to the western rock wall and continued digging. His physical strength had recovered well today, and combined with his improved tools, his efficiency was higher.

After digging for half an hour, his chisel suddenly struck something hard.

It wasn't rock, but metal.

Lin Qiming carefully cleared away the surrounding rubble, revealing the object underneath: a rusted metal plate embedded in the rock wall.

He expanded the excavation area and found that the metal plate was quite large, at least one square meter, with rivets and welding marks on the surface.

Was this a door? Or the wall of some facility?

"Hephaestus, scan behind it."

[Scanning...]

[Behind the metal plate is a hollow structure, approximately thirty square meters in size. A weak energy signal has been detected.]

[However, the metal plate is approximately five centimeters thick. Ordinary tools cannot penetrate it.]

A five-centimeter-thick metal plate... that was indeed difficult to handle. But there was space behind it, and an energy signal.

Perhaps this was a way out.

Lin Qiming noted the location and continued digging, but he avoided the metal plate area and went around the side. He wanted to first determine the size and shape of this space.

After another hour of digging, a rough outline emerged: the space was rectangular, about thirty square meters, and the metal plate formed one of the walls. The other three sides were natural rock, as was the ceiling.

If he could open the metal plate or dig in from the side, he would have an extra hidden room.

But his physical strength was almost spent for the day. He stopped, rested, and drank some water.

Xiao Haozi ran over with a small crystal in its mouth—it had found another fragment of the ancient ones relics nearby, though it was very small.

Lin Qiming took it and absorbed it.

[Absorbing: Ancient Ones Relic Fragment (Trace)]

[Energy Gained: 0.3 ENU.]

[Repair Progress: 16.5% → 16.6%.]

[Current Energy Reserves: 0.4 ENU.]

It was minuscule, but many littles make a mickle.

He rewarded Xiao Haozi with a small piece of dry ration and then began preparing lunch.

Today's meal was Compressed Dry Rations. The rock-hard blocks needed to be cut up with a knife and soaked in water to soften. They tasted like wood mixed with salt, but the calories were sufficient.

After lunch, he decided to explore the "Old Laboratory" marked on the treasure map.

Although his energy was low and the risk was high, he needed to restore his energy reserves as soon as possible. An old energy node might contain intact units.

"Xiao Haozi, watch the house," he said. "I'm going out for a bit and will be back soon."

Xiao Haozi let out a "squeak," squatted on the workbench, and watched him leave.

Lin Qiming took his machete, folding knife, flashlight, and the treasure map. His backpack held only a bag of Nutrient Paste and half a canteen of water.

He crawled out of the cave's fissure and advanced along the tunnel toward the Old Laboratory.

The route marked on the map was very circuitous, requiring him to pass through several abandoned pipes and ventilation shafts. Lin Qiming advanced carefully, his [Hive Survivor] specialty fully active.

After walking for twenty minutes, he reached the target area.

This place looked like a research outpost from an old era; the architectural structure was more regular than the Hive Bottom, but it had fallen into disrepair, and most of it had collapsed.

The entrance was half-buried by rubble, but there was a ventilation pipe nearby that he could crawl through.

Lin Qiming crawled in. Inside was a corridor with doors on both sides, most of which were locked or rusted shut.

Following the map's markings, he found the location of the "Main Laboratory." The door was a heavy metal one, but the lock was broken, and it opened with a push.

The space inside was large, about a hundred square meters. In the center were several lab benches, still holding broken glassware and rusted instruments. There were storage cabinets on the walls, most of them empty.

But in a corner sat a machine, half a man's height, with a casing that was still relatively intact.

Lin Qiming walked over. Words were printed on the machine's panel: "Portable Energy Node (Experimental Type)."

An energy node!

He inspected the machine. The casing had interfaces, but the cables had rotted away. There was a maintenance panel on the side, which he pried open with a tool.

Inside, as expected, was an Energy Unit—fist-sized, dark blue, with energy indicator lights on the surface; though they were dark, it looked relatively intact.

[Scanning: Portable Energy Node Core.]

[Residual Energy: Approx. 12 ENU.]

[Status: Dormant, can be activated.]

12 ENU! Enough to restore his energy reserves to double digits!

Lin Qiming carefully removed the core unit and stuffed it into his backpack. Then he continued searching the laboratory.

In another storage cabinet, he found some old experimental records and data disks (though they might be unreadable), as well as several old tools: a precision screwdriver, a small pair of pliers, and a magnifying glass.

All good things.

He also found a box of sealed chemical reagents—the labels were blurred, but the packaging was intact; they might still be useful.

He took them all.

Just as he was preparing to leave, Hephaestus suddenly warned: [Life signals detected approaching. Distance: Fifty meters. Count: 3.]

The Iron Tooth Gang? Or something else?

Lin Qiming immediately hid behind a lab bench, turned off his flashlight, and held his breath.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Footsteps approached quickly. Three people, their voices rough.

"... Are you sure it's here? Did that old fox, Old Cole, say that?"

"He said the kid might be active in this area. There are valuable things in the laboratory; the kid will definitely come."

"Damn it, if I catch him, I'll skin him alive."

Iron Tooth Gang. Judging by the voices, it was the same two people from last time (likely rescued by their companion), and they had brought a helper.

Lin Qiming gripped his machete tightly. Three against one—a direct confrontation would be disadvantageous.

He scanned his surroundings. The laboratory had only one entrance: that door. Windows? None. Vents? Too small.

He could only wait for them to enter and then ambush them.

But the three were cautious. They stopped at the doorway and shone their flashlights inside.

"Is anyone there?" a voice shouted.

No one answered.

"Go in and check. Be careful."

The first person walked in cautiously, the flashlight beam sweeping over the laboratory bench. Lin Qiming crouched behind the bench, not moving a muscle.

The second person followed. The third stood guard at the entrance.

Opportunity.

When the first person walked to the front of the laboratory bench and bent down to examine the debris on the floor, Lin Qiming moved!

He flashed out from behind the bench, his machete slashing straight at the opponent's back!

But the opponent reacted quickly; hearing the whoosh of the blade, he lunged forward, and the machete only slashed through his clothes!

"He's here!" the man shouted!

The second person charged over immediately! The third person also lunged in from the doorway!

Three against one—surrounded!

Lin Qiming backed against the wall, holding his machete horizontally in front of him. The three men approached in a fan formation, all holding knives.

"Kid, we've finally found you." The leader was a burly man with a scarred face, someone he hadn't seen last time. "The Iron Tooth boss wants your life."

Lin Qiming didn't speak; his eyes scanned rapidly, looking for a flaw.

The scarred, burly man attacked first! He slashed down with his blade! Lin Qiming blocked, his arm numbed by the impact—the opponent had great strength!

At the same time, the second person launched a sneak attack from the side! Lin Qiming dodged to the side, but the third person had already circled behind him and stabbed at his back!

In the critical moment, Lin Qiming rolled forward, dodging the pincer attack, but his shoulder was slashed!

HP - 8!

He stood up, swept his machete horizontally to force back the nearest enemy, and then rushed toward the door—it was empty now!

"Don't let him run!" the scarred, burly man shouted urgently!

But Lin Qiming had already reached the doorway; just as he was about to exit, a rapid "squeak" sound suddenly came from outside!

Xiao Haozi?!

The little guy had followed him without him knowing, and was currently crouching outside the door, squeaking anxiously!

"Xiao Haozi, run!" Lin Qiming shouted!

But Xiao Haozi didn't run; instead, it rushed into the laboratory and pounced straight at the scarred, burly man's face!

"What the hell is this thing!" The scarred, burly man swung his hand to swat it away, but Xiao Haozi dodged nimbly and bit down on his wrist!

"Ah!" The burly man cried out in pain, his movements stalling!

Lin Qiming seized the opportunity and slashed with all his might at the second person! The opponent raised his blade to block, but lacked the strength, and the blade was knocked from his hand!

The third person stabbed from behind, but Lin Qiming had anticipated it; he dodged to the side and backhanded his folding knife into the opponent's ribs!

Puchi!

The man screamed and fell to the ground!

The scarred, burly man shook off Xiao Haozi and slashed at Lin Qiming! Lin Qiming raised his blade to block it head-on!

Clang! Sparks flew!

The two were evenly matched in strength, locked in a stalemate! But Xiao Haozi pounced again, this time biting the burly man's calf!

The burly man was distracted; Lin Qiming seized the chance to exert force, knocking away the opponent's blade, and then kicked him in the abdomen!

The burly man stumbled back and crashed into the laboratory bench; it collapsed, and shards of equipment flew everywhere!

Lin Qiming didn't give him a chance to breathe, hacking away with his machete! The burly man barely managed to block, but was forced back step by step!

Finally, Lin Qiming caught an opening and slammed the back of his blade into the opponent's neck!

Bang! The burly man collapsed to the ground unconscious.

The battle ended. It took less than two minutes.

Lin Qiming panted as he checked his injuries. The wound on his shoulder wasn't deep, but it was bleeding. His HP dropped to 60.

Xiao Haozi hopped back onto his shoulder, squeaking, looking very anxious.

"I'm fine." Lin Qiming patted its head. "Thank you. You saved me."

Xiao Haozi rubbed against his face.

He quickly treated his wound, bandaging it. Then he checked the three unconscious enemies.

The scarred, burly man was the leader, and the other two were the same ones from last time; they were all still alive.

He couldn't kill them, but he couldn't let them go either.

Lin Qiming used their belts and strips of clothing to tie the three of them up securely, gagged them, and dragged them into a locker in the corner of the laboratory, locking them inside.

It would hold them for at least a few hours.

After doing this, he immediately left the laboratory. Xiao Haozi followed him.

On the way back, he was extra careful, taking a long detour to ensure no one was following him.

An hour later, he returned to the Deep Rock Workshop. Safe.

He slumped in front of the workbench, his shoulder wound throbbing faintly. But the gains were significant: an Energy Node Core (12 ENU), old tools, and chemical reagents.

And... the loyalty of Xiao Haozi.

If Xiao Haozi hadn't interfered earlier, he might have been done for back there.

"Xiao Haozi, you've done a great service." Lin Qiming cut a large piece of compressed rations for it. "From now on, whatever I eat, you shall eat too."

Xiao Haozi happily carried it away and ran to the side to eat.

Lin Qiming took out the Energy Node Core, preparing to absorb it.

"Hephaestus, absorb."

[Absorption: Portable Energy Node Core]

[Energy Obtained: 12 ENU.]

[stc core Repair Progress: 16.6% → 16.9%.]

[Current Energy Reserves: 12.4 ENU.]

It had finally returned to double digits. Although it was still far from 100, at least there was a foundation.

He finished treating his wound, ate something, and then began to organize today's gains.

Old tools: The precision screwdriver and small pliers were high-quality tools, much better than the ones he had made himself. The magnifying glass could be used to inspect tiny parts.

Chemical reagents: The labels were blurry, but after Hephaestus scanned them, it identified several types: acid solvent (can be used for rust removal), alkaline neutralizer, and a small bottle of concentrated nutrient solution (possibly used for cultivating organisms).

Nutrient solution... perhaps it could accelerate moss growth.

Lin Qiming experimented immediately. He took a drop of the nutrient solution, diluted it, and sprinkled it on the moss cultivation bed.

[Nutrient Solution Added: Moss growth rate +50%.]

[Estimated Harvest Time: Reduced from 7-10 days to 4-6 days.]

Very good. The food issue was expected to be alleviated.

He sat down at the workbench, opened the panel, and updated his plan.

Although he had encountered danger today, the gains were huge. Energy restored, tools upgraded, moss growth accelerated, and Xiao Haozi's loyalty confirmed.

But the threat of the Iron Tooth Gang was closer. They knew he was active in this area, and searches would become more frequent.

How much longer could the Deep Rock Workshop remain hidden?

He looked toward the western rock wall. The space behind that metal plate might be a crucial escape route.

"Hephaestus, analyze methods to open the metal plate."

[Analysis: Five-centimeter thick steel plate, cannot be cut with ordinary tools.]

[Available options: 1. Find professional cutting tools (such as a plasma cutter). 2. Dig around from the side rock wall. 3. Look for the original entrance (possibly buried).]

He didn't have professional tools. Side excavation was already underway. The original entrance... might require a more detailed scan.

"Scan the rock wall around the metal plate, looking for weak points or traces of original structures."

[Scanning...]

[Discovery: Behind the rock wall at the upper left corner of the metal plate, there is a pipe structure, approximately thirty centimeters in diameter, which may lead to the interior space.]

[But the pipe is blocked by rubble, clearing it will take time.]

A pipe... perhaps he could crawl inside.

Lin Qiming noted the location and decided to focus on digging there tomorrow.

He was tired today. He lay down on the stone platform, and Xiao Haozi curled up beside him.

"Hephaestus," he said softly.

[I am here.]

"Record: Day 10 of the New Calendar. Taught Xiao Haozi to identify items; it has a strong ability to learn. Excavation discovered a space hidden by a metal plate. Explored the Old Laboratory, obtained an Energy Node Core (12 ENU), tools, and chemical reagents. Encountered three members of the Iron Tooth Gang, defeated them with the assistance of Xiao Haozi. Energy reserves restored to 12.4. Plan for tomorrow: Excavate the pipe and attempt to enter the hidden space."

[Log recorded.]

[Supplement: Survival probability assessment has risen to 12.1% (due to energy restoration, tool upgrades, and the increase in Xiao Haozi's loyalty).]

[However, the threat of the Iron Tooth Gang is approaching, offsetting some of the gains.]

[Suggestion: Accelerate excavation of the hidden space and prepare an emergency escape route.]

"I know," Lin Qiming said, closing his eyes.

Today, he officially had an "apprentice."

Even though the apprentice was a rat.

But in the Hive Bottom, this was enough.

He fell asleep.

In his dream, he saw himself standing in a larger workshop, surrounded by tools and materials. Xiao Haozi was crouching on the workbench, like a little foreman.

Outside, countless points of light were approaching.

Waiting for the arrival.