The [Medical Station] was fully operational. Good. Time to get to work.
Thomas Smyth accessed the crafting menu and retrieved the completed [Oceanborn] gene evolution potion. The syringe contained a luminous, almost ethereal, pale blue liquid. It shimmered under the light, mesmerizing.
[Oceanborn Gene Evolution Potion]
Type: Epic Item
Description: The culmination of decades of research and a shit-ton of resources poured in by the CBS labs, this potion is said to bridge the gap between man and god. Take it, and you're not just human anymore. You become something... more.
Usage Requirements: Dive to a depth of at least 164 feet (50 meters) underwater without any diving gear or breathing apparatus, then inject the potion.
Effect 1: Grants the ability to breathe underwater.
Effect 2: Grants the ability to control water currents.
Effect 3: Grants moderate affinity with marine life.
Effect 4: Grants the [Oceanborn] physique, allowing the user to withstand water pressure up to a depth of 1640 feet (500 meters).
Effect 5: Grants the ability to summon a colossal sea beast. Uses: 1/day.
Effect 6: Within marine environments, grants the ability to sense weather changes up to 3 hours in advance.
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Thomas stared at the description, his mind reeling. It wasn't the six enhancements that blew him away. Those were expected. Epic-tier stuff should pack a punch. No, it was the usage requirement that threw him for a loop.
It felt... familiar. Like the requirements for his [Nightwalker] and [Refugee Conqueror] titles. Like some kind of twisted ritual.
A ritual. Yeah, that was it. A ritual, or maybe an exchange. A specific set of conditions that had to be met before he could unlock these powers.
And this potion? This was epic-level, alright. No way a newbie survivor could use this. This was for the veterans, the ones who'd been in this hellhole long enough to max out their physical and mental stats, the ones who could actually pull off a 164-foot (50 meters) free dive.
Which left Thomas in a tight spot. He could swim, sure, even swim well. But swimming and diving were two completely different animals.
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He slapped his cheeks, hard. Focus. He needed a way to free dive to 164 feet (50 meters). Without that, this potion was just a fancy paperweight.
Sure, the [Hideout Holographic Barrier] would keep him safe through this Calamity. But in the Apocalypse Game, you snooze, you lose. He might survive this one, but what about the next?
With that thought, Thomas headed to the second floor. "Tessia," he said, "I need you to find anything that can boost free diving capabilities. Books, gear, whatever. But no diving gear or breathing apparatuses."
Tessia Thorne saw the furrow in his brow. Smart as she was, she didn't ask questions. She just went to work, posting a request on the [Flea Market]. The price? A cool 500,000 to 1,000,000 Apocalypse Coins.
The [Flea Market] went wild. Survivors and players from other factions stared at the outrageous bounty. That kind of money for diving gear? It was unheard of. People started scrambling, contacting everyone they knew, hoping to find something, anything, that fit the bill. Rare items and blueprints usually went for 500,000 to 800,000, so this was a gold mine.
Thomas left the procurement to Tessia. He had other things to deal with. He pulled out the loot from Black Dog's room and Stephen Chow's safe.
He'd already tasked Eight with sorting the weapons and supplies. What he had left were three blueprints, a book, and a red keycard.
The keycard was identical to the black one he'd gotten from Ghostface. Both were access cards for the CBS lab's inner zones.
But the blueprints... those were something else.
[Strategic Information Support Center Construction Blueprint]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect: Constructs a Strategic Information Support Center within the hideout.
Construction Requirements: [Intelligence Center] (Level 2), [Data Navigation and Positioning Center] (Level 2), [Power Generator] (Level 4), Military Information Transmitter x5, Phased Array Unit x30, Military Battery x10, Military Circuit Board x20, Military Cable x20, Military Power Filter x10, Military DPS Radio Transceiver x10, Military GPS Signal Amplifier x20, Classified Intelligence x5, City Map x5.
Construction Time: 24 hours.
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Thomas's jaw hit the floor. Forget the [Data Navigation and Positioning Center], whatever that was. Just the list of military-grade materials was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat.
"Military-grade? What the hell is that?"
He'd collected tons of stuff, but aside from a few weapons, he'd never seen so many items with "military" in their names.
But if the blueprint said they existed, they had to be somewhere. And the most likely places? The rebel base in the city center or the Revolutionary base at the reserve station.
But knowing where they were and actually getting them were two different problems. Still, this facility wasn't something he could build overnight. He had time.
As for the [Strategic Information Support Center]'s function, he had a hunch. It needed the [Intelligence Center] and the [Data Navigation and Positioning Center]. It was probably an upgraded version of the [Intelligence Center], but way more powerful.
"Guess it's time to probe the rebels or the Revolutionaries," he muttered, stroking his chin.
The other two blueprints were for a [Black Hornet UAV] and a [Nightingale Biomimetic Bird UAV]. Both could be added to the [Intelligence Center]'s crafting list. He added them immediately. He had the materials, so why not?
Crafting Time: 6 hours.
Finally, Thomas picked up the last item: a book. And this was the one he was most interested in.
[C.A.R.S. Tactical Firearms System: A Comprehensive Guide]
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