8: Chapter 8 Finding a Base

The silence deep in the mine shaft was amplified by the sound of his own breathing and heartbeat.

Lin Qiming leaned against the cold rock wall, clutching the slightly warm metal core in his hand. The dialogue from just now, spanning sixty million years—if it could even be called a dialogue—still echoed in his mind.

Hephaestus.

A name. An AI. An existence that had waited alone in the darkness for sixty million years after the end of humanity's Golden Age.

"So..." he spoke in a low voice, his words creating a slight echo in the narrow tunnel, "what can you do now?"

[Basic functions activated.]

[Currently executable operations: Environmental Scan (50m radius), Basic Database Query (partially repaired), Energy Reserve Monitoring, stc core status monitoring.]

[Warning: Energy reserves at only 3 ENU. It is recommended to prioritize energy replenishment.]

The panel expanded in his field of vision, showing a few more options than before. Most prominent was a small energy bar in the upper left corner displaying "3/100 ENU." In the lower right corner, a "Scan" button had appeared.

"Environmental Scan," Lin Qiming attempted to issue the command.

*Hum—*

A faint, almost imperceptible ripple rippled outward with him as the center. A few seconds later, a simple wireframe map appeared on the panel.

[Scan complete.]

[Current Location: Abandoned Mine Shaft Sector B-7.]

[Surrounding Structures: Large space (approx. 80 sq. meters) 32 meters to the northwest; stable rock structure detected, no life signals. Tunnel collapse/blockage 18 meters to the southeast. Faint airflow detected 12 meters above, presumed connection to ventilation system.]

[Threat Assessment: Low. No traces of recent large biological activity.]

"That space..." Lin Qiming stared at the square marked as a "Safe Zone" to the northwest on the map. "Is it habitable?"

[Database Comparison: Golden Age colonial outpost standards.]

[This space meets the minimum requirements for a "Temporary Dwelling": good enclosure, stable structure, potential water source (rock wall condensation).]

[Comprehensive Evaluation: B-. Superior to your current cesspit.]

"...Thanks for your objective evaluation," Lin Qiming twitched the corner of his mouth.

He closed the panel and stood up, leaning on the metal pipe. The splint on his left arm had been fixed for three days, and the pain had lessened, but the fracture was far from healed. His HP stayed at 22 points, and his stamina had recovered to 35. His backpack contained half a piece of black bread, two bags of Protein Paste, and about 300ml of filtered water in his canteen.

"Let's go," he said to himself, and to the AI that had just awakened.

Moving northwest along the tunnel. Hephaestus's scan was accurate—after walking about thirty meters, an inward-recessed crack appeared in the rock wall. The crack was narrow, requiring him to turn sideways to squeeze through.

The moment he squeezed through, the space suddenly opened up.

This was a naturally formed cavern, irregular in shape, about four meters at its highest and ten meters at its widest. The ground was relatively level, covered in a thick layer of dust and some rubble. One corner of the cavern showed clear signs of water seepage; water trickled down the rock wall, forming a small puddle at the base. Some dark green moss-like plants grew beside the puddle.

Most importantly, there was no sign of that ubiquitous cesspit stench. Although the air was damp and cold, it was at least "clean"—relative to the standards of the Hive Bottom.

Lin Qiming set down his backpack and slid down against the rock wall.

"This is the place."

[Confirm marking current location as "Temporary Stronghold"?]

A prompt popped up on the panel.

"Confirm."

[Stronghold marked.]

[Triggered Mission: Cornerstone of the Workshop]

[Mission Description: Equip the Temporary Stronghold with a stable water source, a reliable food source, and basic security defenses.]

[Mission Rewards: EXP +500, Stronghold Naming Right x1, Random Blueprint x1]

[Current Progress: Water Source (0/1), Food (0/1), Defense (0/1)]

"Naming right..." Lin Qiming looked at the reward column. "Sounds expensive."

[According to Golden Age colonial archives, naming rights usually cost 100 colonial points or require the completion of three basic construction missions,] Hephaestus's voice was calm and flat. [Given your current resource reserves, it is recommended to prioritize survival issues.]

"I know." Lin Qiming pulled the half-piece of black bread from his backpack, tore off a small piece, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Chewing. Swallowing. It tasted like sawdust mixed with rust.

[Consumed: Stale Black Bread x1]

[HP +1, Stamina +3]

[Current HP: 23/68 | Stamina: 38/100]

"Impressive effect," he muttered, tearing off another piece.

After eating, he began to inspect his new "home." The cavern was about eighty square meters and could be divided into several zones: the innermost part was dry and level, suitable for sleeping; the middle area had more space, suitable for stacking supplies and tools; the side near the puddle was humid but convenient for drawing water.

He first cleared the sleeping area. He used a relatively flat metal plate he had found as a ground mat, covering it with a layer of thermal lining stripped from an old backpack. Though still hard, it was at least better than sleeping directly on the rock.

Next was the water source. The water in the puddle looked fairly clear, so he had Hephaestus scan the water quality.

[Scanning...]

[Water Quality Analysis: Contains trace amounts of heavy metals and radioactive isotopes; concentration is 37% lower than the average drinking water standard in the Hive Bottom.]

[Recommendation: Usable after boiling. Long-term consumption may lead to chronic poisoning; it is recommended to find a filtration device as soon as possible.]

"It's good enough just to have something to drink." Lin Qiming took out his canteen, filled it, and then built a simple stove out of rubble by the puddle. He gathered some dry moss and rotten wood, lighting a small fire with a piece of flint he had found—actually, a piece of chert that could still strike sparks.

He set the canteen over the fire to boil.

The firelight danced in the cavern, bringing a long-awaited warmth. Lin Qiming sat by the fire, watching steam slowly begin to rise from the mouth of the canteen.

"Hephaestus," he suddenly spoke.

[I am here.]

"Sixty million years... how did you endure it?"

A brief silence. Then—

[Database corrupted. Unable to retrieve complete memory files.]

[Remaining log fragments: Hibernate. Wait. Energy decay to critical threshold. Hibernate again.]

[Repeat. Until today.]

"Waiting for what?"

[Waiting for someone who can activate the core.]

[Waiting for an... Anchor.]

"Anchor?" Lin Qiming frowned. "What's that?"

[Insufficient permissions. Related database entries corrupted.]

[Hint: Basic archive queries can be unlocked when the stc core repair progress reaches 15%.]

Repair progress again. Everything depended on repair progress.

Lin Qiming looked at the number in the corner of his vision: 8.03%. From 5% when he woke up in the cesspit, to 7% after absorbing the old power cell, to the slight increase during the conversation just now. Every point of growth was hard-won.

"How can I speed up the repairs?" he asked.

[Conventional methods: Absorb energy residues from technological creations, acquire complete technical blueprints, construct infrastructure meeting STC standards.]

[Unconventional methods: Unknown. Database corrupted.]

"Technological creations..." Lin Qiming thought of the old power cell he had absorbed in the pump room. 22 points of energy for 0.03% repair progress. "So I have to scavenge everywhere in the Hive Bottom, looking for junk that still has energy residues?"

[An accurate description.]

[Furthermore, the act of construction itself will promote the synchronization rate between the core and the physical universe.]

"Construction..." Lin Qiming looked at his meager belongings: a metal pipe, a pair of rusty pliers, a few scraps of scrap iron, and half a roll of wire. "With just this?"

[Golden Age proverb: A great workshop begins with the first wrench.]

[You already have a pair of pliers. This is progress.]

Lin Qiming laughed. Not a laugh of joy, but one of "what the hell else can I do."

"Alright then," he said. "Then let's start with the first wrench."

The water boiled. He carefully poured the hot water into another container to cool, then refilled the canteen and put it back on the fire. While the water was boiling, he began to organize the scrap he had collected.

Rusty gears, broken springs, half a hacksaw blade, a few usable screws, a palm-sized relatively flat metal plate... all were dug out of trash heaps over the past few days. Previously, there was no place to put them and no tools to process them, but now with this cavern, he could at least spread them out and take a look.

[Processable materials detected: Low-quality Steel Scraps x3, Brass Part x1, Hardened Spring (Damaged) x1.]

[Recommendation: Attempt to manufacture simple tools. Basic processing equipment required.]

"Such as?"

[Minimum requirements: Fixing clamp, striking tool, grinding surface.]

[You currently possess: Pliers (can serve as a simple clamp), Metal Pipe (can serve as a striking tool), Rock Floor (can serve as a grinding surface).]

[Comprehensive Evaluation: Feasible, but inefficient.]

"As long as it's possible." Lin Qiming picked up the palm-sized metal plate and the half-piece of hacksaw blade. "I want to make a knife. A small one, something that can cut and be used for self-defense."

[Invoking Basic Manufacturing protocols...]

[Blueprint Retrieval: Simple Cutting Tool.]

[Required Materials: Metal plate (≥10cm x 3cm), handle material (wood/plastic/metal), fasteners (screws/rivets/binding rope).]

[Processing Steps: Shaping, Sharpening, Heat Treatment (optional), Assembly.]

[Estimated Time: 4-6 hours (manual).]

[Success Rate: 72% (based on current skill level and tool conditions).]

"A seventy percent chance..." Lin Qiming weighed the metal plate in his hand. "I'll take those odds."

He first clamped the metal plate with the pliers, placed it on a relatively flat rock, and then used the metal pipe as a hammer, striking the edges bit by bit, trying to beat it into a rough knife shape.

*Clang. Clang. Clang.*

The clanging echoed in the cavern, each strike making his left arm go numb. But he gritted his teeth and continued.

After hammering for about half an hour, the metal plate finally took on a crude outline: one long side intended for the blade, and a shorter "spine." Next was sharpening—he used the half-piece of hacksaw blade to scrape and grind along the edge of the blade bit by bit.

This was an extremely tedious and physically taxing process. The hacksaw blade soon began to heat up, and his hands were rubbed raw and sore. But he didn't stop.

[Stamina: 38→29.]

[Arm muscle fatigue rising; rest is recommended.]

"Rest after it's done," Lin Qiming panted, continuing to scrape.

Another hour passed. A bevel was finally ground onto the edge of the blade. Although it wasn't sharp yet, it at least looked like a blade.

Next was the heat treatment. He placed the preliminary knife blank by the fire to heat it—lacking professional heating equipment, he had to use this crude method. He heated it until the metal turned slightly red, then quickly plunged it into the cold water he had prepared nearby.

*Hiss—*

White steam rose.

After the blank cooled, he took it out. The metal surface was covered in a black-gray oxide layer. He carefully ground away this layer with a stone, revealing the dull metallic color beneath.

Finally, the handle. He found a relatively straight wooden stick, sawed it into two pieces with the hacksaw blade, sandwiched the tang of the knife blank, and then wrapped it tightly with the remaining wire.

By the time he finished, it was dark—or rather, the eternal gloom of the Hive Bottom had deepened. The fire was also nearly out.

Lin Qiming slumped on the ground, soaked in sweat, the wound on his left arm beginning to throb again. But in his hand, he held the newly completed knife.

Crude. Ugly. The blade was covered in hammer marks and scratches, the edge wasn't particularly sharp, and the handle was wrapped crookedly.

But it was a knife.

A knife he had made himself out of trash.

[Manufacturing Complete: Simple Dagger]

[Quality: Crude]

[Damage: 4-8 (Piercing)]

[Durability: 12/12]

[Special Effects: None]

[Maker: Lin Qiming]

[EXP +150!]

[Skill [Basic Manufacturing] proficiency increased! Current: Lv1 (87/100)]

[Triggered Perk Lead: Artisans Heart—Unlocks after successfully manufacturing 10 different items.]

Lin Qiming looked at the prompt on the panel, then at the knife in his hand, and suddenly laughed.

This time, it was a real laugh.

"From trash to a dagger," he whispered. "I've evolved."

He tucked the knife into a homemade holster at his waist—actually just modified from an old backpack strap. Then he relit the fire, heated the last bit of Protein Paste, and ate it with some hot water.

[Consumed: Protein Paste x1]

[HP +2, Stamina +5]

[Current HP: 25/68 | Stamina: 34/100]

His stamina had recovered somewhat. He leaned against the rock wall, watching the flickering firelight.

"Hephaestus," he spoke again.

[I am here.]

"Thank you."

A brief silence.

[Logic Conflict: You did not submit a request that requires gratitude.]

[Analysis: This is a form of human emotional expression.]

[Response: You are welcome.]

Lin Qiming laughed. This time, he smiled more relaxedly.

He closed his eyes. The eternal roar of the Hive City in the distance reached him through the rock layers, low and oppressive. But in this small cavern, it was safe, at least for now.

There was fire. There was water. There was a knife.

And there was an AI that had slept for sixty million years and just woken up.

The road was still long. But at least he had taken the first step.

In the corner of his vision, the stc core's repair progress ticked slightly.

8.03%→8.05%.

The growth was infinitesimal.

But it was growing.

That was enough.