After familiarizing himself with Levy I, Thomas set the confiscated items aside. He had bigger plans. This was just the appetizer. The real power of Levy I lay in its second effect. He opened the Super Monopoly panel and adjusted the perk, designating the shooting range as the item repository.
Preparing for his daily roll, he noticed the Super Monopoly map had expanded fivefold, now including coastlines, forests, and factories. His properties were clustered in the bottom left corner. The map now encompassed all of Sparrow City. His playable area had expanded. He could potentially own the entire city.
His gaze drifted to the city center, where a large laboratory icon marked the CBS Laboratory. Just as he’d suspected, the source of the first calamity’s chaos. He resisted the urge to use a Flight Card to acquire it immediately. It was only the first day after the calamity. He needed to conserve his cards.
His daily investment income was 553 Apocalypse Coins, bringing his total to 1199. Before rolling, he surveyed the six spaces surrounding his avatar: two random events, eight properties, a bank, and a lottery. Nothing compelling enough to warrant a card.
He performed his usual pre-roll ritual, washing his hands and freshening up. Standing before the statue of Lord Guan, he lit three incense sticks. “Lord Guan, I, Thomas Smyth, humbly offer my respects. Grant me good fortune and prosperity.”
He placed the incense in the burner and rolled the dice. It landed on six. Two sixes in a row. If he rolled another tomorrow…
The miniature Thomas hopped across the board.
“Spend 580 Apocalypse Coins to purchase the Sparrow City Library?”
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“Yes.”
His Apocalypse Coins decreased to 619. The virtual map of the library appeared. Thomas’s eyes widened. Five survivors were inside: one human and four multi-species individuals. Five items materialized in the shooting range as Levy I took effect.
He checked the library’s perk.
[Extensive Collection]
Type: Sparrow City Library Perk
Effect (Level 1): Provides one rare blueprint or recipe every three days.
---
“Wow…” This was incredibly powerful. Two rare blueprints or recipes per week, whether for personal use or trade, was a significant advantage. A new recipe appeared in his inventory: Nightshade Lagoon.
[Nightshade Lagoon Recipe]
Type: Rare Recipe
Effect: Creates a Nightshade Lagoon cocktail using alcohol and other beverages.
Requirements: Alcohol crafting facility, Level 2 Water Collector.
---
He closed the panel, the recipe reminding him of the daily item generation at the Crimson Cabaret and City Hospital. He checked both locations, but found no rare items.
His priority was hiring staff. He scanned the virtual map of Garden Station. The tactical squads had departed after the initial confiscation, avoiding further losses. Only two multi-species survivors remained. Their luck had run out. They’d been in the station for over ten minutes, triggering the second effect of Levy I. They’d lose at least half their resources. Their red auras suggested hostility. He’d deal with them later.
He surveyed his other properties, searching for potential employees. It was a long shot, but if he found no suitable candidates, he’d explore other options.
The Crimson Cabaret held a rat-like survivor hiding from a hostile squad. The City Hospital, White Tower Park, and initially the Trading Center yielded no promising leads.
Wait.
He returned to the Trading Center’s map, focusing on a white, fox-like humanoid on the ninth floor. She appeared to be a medic, bandaging a tall, four-armed creature. He now noticed that many of the Trading Center’s occupants weren’t human. Over thirty individuals of various species mingled with the human majority. The fox-like humanoid was the only one without a red aura. A pale yellow light surrounded her.
He narrowed his eyes and used Staff Review. Her information appeared.