Chapter 18: Level 3 Shelter
James checked the time and realized he had just over an hour left. Considering the time needed to transport all the wood and resources back home, he decided to start moving everything quickly.
With the joy of being able to upgrade the shelter, James found the work lighter than usual. In just over 50 minutes, he managed to transport 220 units of wood, 11 tree roots, and the bronze resource box back to the shelter.
While the day had not yet turned to night, James watered the potatoes and wisteria in the yard and checked their growth. The potatoes showed no significant reaction, heavily affected by the weather, leaving their survival uncertain. The wisteria, after being pruned of most flowers and branches, showed signs of wilt and yellowing injuries. However, James wasn't too concerned about the wisteria as it was primarily a source of tree roots, and as long as the roots were intact, it was fine.
The Guard Thorn was growing well, absorbing nutrients from plants placed nearby, satisfying its growth needs. But to propagate, it needed much more energy. James thoughtfully placed three of the eleven spruce roots he had collected that day next to the Guard Thorn. The plant absorbed the good-quality tree roots more slowly, indicating their abundant energy. Over time, it was evident that the Guard Thorn was growing faster, sprouting new branches quickly.
Amazed by this organism's ability to rapidly absorb nutrients, James realized that the Guard Thorn wasn't a traditional plant but a hybrid species, part animal, part plant. After absorbing sufficient nutrients, it could grow rapidly, even flowering and bearing fruit.
Suddenly, James remembered something and took out the "Mist Survival Handbook" to contact Karen.
James: "Do you have any more beetle dung?"
Karen: "Only 100 grams left. Beetle dung is scarce, so the price might go up."
James frowned at her apparent price gouging. She was selling in small quantities to avoid larger trades.
Karen: "In the future, 20ml of spring water for 50g of beetle dung. We can trade in large quantities if you agree."
James was displeased with her blatant attempt to exploit him and closed the chat channel without responding. The value of beetle dung was good for improving soil quality, but he knew there were alternatives. Plus, his excellent-quality spring water was more valuable than beetle dung.
Disappointed with Karen's attitude, James felt the only reliable bond in this new world was mutual benefit. Mary, who had promised to provide him with water sources, had also become unresponsive, causing a shortage of fresh water for James. He might have to ask Luke for help.
Luke and James shared a close relationship based on trust and mutual respect. It seemed odd that Mary didn't value her relationship with James, despite his possession of the valuable spring water. After their first trade, her attitude had always been dismissive.
The situation with Mary and Karen disrupted James's stable progress. He needed a new, more reliable source for soil and fresh water. The outside wind grew colder, piercing to the bone. Reluctantly, James collected the day's spring water and hurried back inside.
The fireplace had gone out, leaving the room dark and cold. Rubbing his chilly arms, James quickly rekindled the fire. The flickering orange light of the fireplace added warmth to the room, and the crackling sound of burning charcoal carried a comforting scent.
Feeling more relaxed, James's body warmed up. Half an hour later, the bedroom was cozy and warm. He got up to prepare some simple food. Today's cold weather made the kitchen, without a fireplace, even colder, so he opted for something easy. He cooked about a pound of bean pods in boiling water, cooling them down for a snack that could be stored for longer.
After eating and drinking his fill, James remembered he had gathered all the materials to upgrade his shelter. Chiding himself for his forgetfulness, he eagerly opened the "Mist Survival Handbook" and navigated to the shelter upgrade page. He had enough materials: 250 wood and 500 units of stone, with the wood being spruce wood this time.
He clicked to upgrade, confirming the action. Familiar white light enveloped the shelter, marking James's second shelter upgrade experience in this world. Each upgrade signified a step forward in adapting to this world and increasing his chances of survival.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes to a completely transformed shelter.
[Shelter: Level 3 Wooden House (100 square meters, including an 80 square meter house, 20 square meter yard, plus a 20 square meter fence, totaling 120 square meters.)
"Stone as the primary material, wood as the secondary! Exquisitely built, premium stone house!"
It now possesses basic resistance to hazards and greatly improved insulation!]
The Level 3 Shelter facilities included:
- Wall: 40/200 stone (Greatly enhances shelter defense.)
- Warehouse: 40/200 stone (Slows down food spoilage.)
- Vegetable Garden: 55/100 good-quality wood (Improves crop growth rate.)
- Animal Pen: 40/200 stone, 150/200 wood (Houses animals below good-quality, with a small chance of taming wild animals.)
- Workshop Upgrade: 40/200 stone (Upgrades the workbench.)
- Living Room Upgrade: 40/200 stone (Upgrades the stove to a fireplace.)
- Received 1 Shelter Relocation Scroll (Allows relocation within six miles of the original shelter.)
- Level 4 Shelter Upgrade Requirements: Not met!]
The upgrade brought several exciting changes, especially the "Shelter Relocation Scroll," allowing him to move away from the barren land. However, the facilities available for construction at Level 3 were fewer than before, indicating that special facilities like springs, gardens, and fences would need to be obtained from resource boxes, making survival more challenging and emphasizing the importance of resources like spring water.
James felt that the availability of resource boxes and system-equipped facilities would decrease over time. If one day there were no more resource boxes or system assistance, he would need to be self-sufficient. This made the cultivation of crops like crystal rice, despite its difficulties, even more crucial for a sustainable survival.
With a sense of accomplishment, James settled into his newly upgraded shelter, prepared to face the increasingly harsh environment outside.