The panel displayed a list of Lop Rabbit Clan-specific blueprints, recipes, and hideout traits.
"So I can choose," Thomas mused, his gaze settling on a particular hideout trait.
[The Bloomhaven Obsession]
Type: Hideout Trait
Description: Bloomhaven heart, Bloomhaven soul, striving to be the best!
Effect: Increases plant growth rate within the hideout by 30%, reduces growth resource consumption by 30%, increases yield by 30%, and increases the chance of ordinary plants mutating into rare plants by 15%.
A grin spread across Thomas's face. He selected it without hesitation.
He then retrieved the [Damaged Hideout Deed] from the Blood Bat.
Upon using it, the hideout didn't gain a separate area but expanded uniformly. The random reward was a rare medical recipe: [Portable Blood Bag Formula]. It allowed for the creation of 2000-unit blood bags that rapidly restored health and provided special effects when used. Thomas immediately added it to the Medical Station's production queue.
Eight approached, holding two blueprints. "Mister Boss, I can't use these. Please take them. I hope they help you."
Thomas accepted the blueprints and examined them.
[Small Elevator Blueprint]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect: Constructs a small elevator within the hideout, capable of connecting up to five floors.
Construction Requirements: Level 3 Generator, Winch x1, Steel Cable x3, Steel x10, Spring x10, Wire x10
Construction Time: 2 hours
[Hideout Warehouse Upgrade Blueprint - Automated Sorting Warehouse]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect: Constructs an automated sorting warehouse within the hideout. The warehouse exists in extradimensional space and doesn't occupy hideout area.
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Construction Requirements: Level 3 Warehouse, Level 3 Generator, Information Device x1, CPU x4, CPU Fan x8, Circuit Board x10, RAM x15, Programmable Logic Controller x3, Electronic Components x10, Steel x20, Chain x15, Conveyor Belt x20, Bearing x15, Shelf x15
Construction Time: 3 hours
Thomas was pleasantly surprised. The Automated Sorting Warehouse was exactly what he needed. He stored the blueprints, noting he lacked some of the required materials.
Upgrading the warehouse to Level 3, however, was immediately feasible. He hadn't prioritized it before because even an upgraded warehouse wouldn't have solved his overflowing inventory problem. Now, with the blueprint for the automated warehouse, he could address both issues.
He initiated the warehouse upgrade, a two-hour process.
He then furnished Eight's new living area with some of the furniture he had collected, creating a cozy space on the second floor, which he designated the "Employee Quarters."
He set Eight to work organizing the mountain of supplies accumulated over the past two days.
Watching Eight busily sorting, Thomas finally relaxed.
"Now, how do I recruit that white fox?" he pondered.
Just then, a message from Ben arrived. Remembering he had questions for Ben, Thomas opened the message panel.
His eyes widened in surprise as he read the first message, a look of understanding dawning on his face.
"So that's how it is!"
[Ben Walker: Legend Smyth, I've contacted the Seed Organization in the Base City. I received information about the real Apocalypse Game. I'm sending it to you now. Hope it helps.]
A long message followed, detailing the differences between the real Apocalypse Game and the First Calamity simulation.
1. The First Calamity was a mirrored version of the real Apocalypse Game, with some accurate information and some simulated events.
2. In the real game, weapons and armor have durability. Overuse reduces durability, increasing the chance of malfunction.
3. Ammunition types are more diverse than just standard and armor-piercing, each with advantages and disadvantages.
4. Armed personnel are significantly more challenging, possessing varying levels of military skill and training. They are not comparable to the refugees in the tutorial.
5. Keys have limited uses.
6. High-value, rare, and important resources are scarcer and heavily guarded.
7. Calamity warnings are issued three days in advance.
8. Physical, mental, and combat skills are introduced. Physical and mental skills appear automatically on the skill panel. Combat skills are activated by participating in combat with weapons.
9. The Apocalypse Game periodically issues Apocalypse Missions, open to all factions, but requiring specific keys to participate in competitive missions. These missions offer rare and sometimes even higher-tier rewards.
10. Joining a faction is the easiest way to survive, but joining a non-survivor faction forfeits survivor status and the hideout.
11. Killing other survivors of different races grants [Damaged Hideout Deeds], which can rapidly increase a survivor's power. This leads to organized hunting of other survivors.
The information was invaluable, confirming many of Thomas's suspicions. Reality, however, was even more brutal than he had imagined.
He then noticed a significant change in the chat channels. Besides the [World Channel] and [Regional Chat], a new channel had appeared: [Race Channel].
He opened it. As expected, new and veteran survivors were finally making contact.