C10 Gunner
Upon returning to his room, Lee Yuanhong eagerly called out to Yiling, "Now that we've got the Crystal Core, how do we activate the space?"
Yiling shared his excitement, "At last, we have a Crystal Core and no more energy worries. Show it to me, let's have a look."
Lee Yuanhong did as instructed, cradling the Crystal Core in his palm. Yiling examined it for a moment, then furrowed her brow and let out a sigh.
A sense of urgency gripped Lee Yuanhong, and he quickly inquired, "What's the matter? Is it unusable?"
Yiling responded calmly, "No, that's not the issue. The Crystal Core is newly formed and incomplete, lacking the energy to sustain the space for more than ten minutes. To have constant access to the space in the future, we'll need a fully evolved Crystal Core. No wonder the Level One zombie you defeated was such an easy target—it was an imposter."
Lee Yuanhong brushed off Yiling's frustration, his excitement undiminished, "Ten minutes will do. Let's open up the space and see what treasures lie within. By the way, how do I retrieve items from the space?"
"Simply open your watch, and you'll find a circular icon. That's where you can view the contents of your space. To take something out, select the item and then the 'retrieve' option below it. To store something, touch the item and navigate to the 'deposit' option in the space management menu."
"That sounds a bit complicated," Lee Yuanhong remarked, somewhat perplexed.
"Don't worry, it'll get easier," Yiling assured him with an easy smile. "Once the system upgrades, you'll be able to manage the space with just a thought."
"The system can upgrade? How does that work?"
"Absolutely, the system can be upgraded. You'll need ten Level-1 Crystal Cores to reach Level-2, ten Level-2 Crystal Cores for Level-3, and so on."
"Oh, that doesn't sound too hard."
Yiling didn't respond, but inwardly she scoffed at his naivety.
Lee Yuanhong failed to notice the shift in Yiling's demeanor, as he was thoroughly captivated by the contents of the space before him. The space management interface displayed "Level-1 Space Management" at the top, with the following details listed below:
Space size: 10 cubic meters
Used space: 9 cubic meters
Remaining space: 1 cubic meter
Beneath this text was a grid of five by five squares. The first square featured an icon of a figure wielding a long spear, with the caption: Spear Soldier*5 (occupying 5 cubic meters). The second square depicted a book, labeled as the magic tome: Truth Eye (0.0024 cubic meters). The third square showed an object resembling a juicer, identified as the Crystal Core Evolution Liquid Extracting Machine (4 cubic meters).
Intrigued, Lee Yuanhong clicked on the spear soldier icon, and a detailed description materialized beside it: A high-tech product of integrated sciences, combining biological science, mechanical technology, magic, rune studies, and puppetry. This basic infantry unit is equipped for close combat and initially skilled in spear arts (Beginner), shield arts (Beginner), and sabreplay (Beginner).
Health Points: 20, Magic Points: 10
Defense: 2, Spirit: 1, Attack: 4-6
Strength: 3, Speed: 2
Physique: 2, Wisdom: 2
Initial Equipment: Standard Issue Level 1 Spear (Attack: 4, Durability: 10), Standard Issue Spear Soldier Uniform (Defense: 1, Durability: 5), Standard Issue Spear Soldier Boots (Durability: 5)
Overwhelmed by the information, Lee Yuanhong felt his head spin. Biology and mechanics he could grasp, but what in the world were magic, rune studies, and puppetry? He refrained from questioning Yiling, however, as his eyes caught a countdown timer in the bottom right corner of the interface—a clear indication of a 10-minute countdown. Lee Yuanhong realized he had to make swift decisions to manage the space effectively.
He proceeded to examine the magic book. It offered the opportunity to learn the Truth Eye spell (Level 0 magic), which, at the cost of 2 magic points per use, allowed the user to discern the attributes of creatures or objects up to two levels above their own.
The introduction was brief, yet it described an incredibly useful spell. With it, Lee Yuanhong could instantly uncover the weaknesses of any unfamiliar monsters he encountered—a crucial advantage for survival.
Lee Yuanhong's attention then shifted to the description of the third item: a device for extracting Evolution Liquid from Crystal Cores. For every ten cores of the same level, one could obtain a bottle of corresponding Evolution Liquid.
This third item appeared to be essential for evolution, but since it wasn't immediately necessary, Lee Yuanhong set it aside for the moment. He proceeded to summon the spear and magic book. Abruptly, a black vortex materialized beside him, and several figures clad in ancient military garb emerged, followed by a book that floated out and landed on the ground with a solid thud.
Observing the soldiers, Lee Yuanhong noted their imposing stature—broad-shouldered and tall, with square faces. There were subtle differences in their features, but they were so minor that one would struggle to distinguish them without a close look. Each soldier gripped a 1.5-meter-long spear. Their presence alone filled the small room, instilling a sense of safety.
With palpable excitement, Lee Yuanhong turned to Yiling and inquired, "Yiling, can these soldiers be upgraded? Can they change their equipment? And how do I command them?"
"Yes, the soldiers can level up and switch out their gear. If you acquire the appropriate skill books, they can learn new skills and then be equipped with the matching equipment or tools. However, they're limited to melee weapons. Also, remember that these soldiers require energy maintenance."
"Energy maintenance?"
"Energy maintenance means they need a constant supply of energy. A Crystal Core can provide energy for an extended period. Without a Crystal Core, they'll need food to meet their daily energy needs."
"So, they need to eat, basically," Lee Yuanhong mused, mentally calculating whether his food reserves were sufficient.
After examining the soldiers, Lee Yuanhong picked up the magic book from the ground and asked Yiling, "How does one learn from this magic book?"
"This book has undergone a special treatment. Simply open it, and you'll be able to learn its contents."
"Is it really that simple? Are all spells learned this way?"
"Do you really think magic is a walk in the park? Learning magic requires relentless meditation on top of understanding. The more advanced the magic, the more difficult it is to master. This spellbook was tailor-made for novices like you. In plain terms, even a magic-illiterate barbarian could stand a chance at learning from it."
Lee Yuanhong let out an "Oh," his face a picture of dejection. He silently pondered, "What exactly is a barbarian?"
Upon opening the spellbook, a burst of white light emerged, shrouding Lee Yuanhong's head in a mist-like glow. It seeped slowly into his features and consciousness, bringing with it the knowledge of how to use the Truth Eye. Eager to test out the Truth Eye, Lee Yuanhong fixed his gaze on Yiling, revealing the following results:
Divine Artifact Elf: Yiling
Level: ???
Health Points: ???
Defense: ???
Speed: ???
Wisdom: ???
Lee Yuanhong was initially taken aback by the results. Then it dawned on him that the Truth Eye's description had mentioned its inability to scan beyond a two-level difference, indicating Yiling's formidable capabilities. But what exactly was a Divine Artifact?
Despite not being able to discern Yiling's attributes, the effectiveness of the Truth Eye was confirmed. Now, with a soldier at his disposal, it was time for Lee Yuanhong to venture out and stock up. After all, this soldier was a product of biotechnology, and to maintain combat readiness, it needed real sustenance.
