Nova's work was done for now. Li Ya had taken the initiative to scout the area surrounding the shelter, hoping to find valuable resources.
"Did you encounter any danger?" Nova asked, his tone concerned. He paused, adding, "Be careful out there. Don't take any unnecessary risks."
"Thank you for your concern, Boss." Li Ya nodded. "Before I went out, I made sure everything was secure. I was careful not to make much noise, either."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I was planning to craft a lockpicking tool to get into the neighbors' units. But when I went out, I found their doors had already been forced open."
Li Ya's expression grew serious. "The other three units on this floor are empty, just some bloodstains on the floor. It looks like someone broke in from the outside. The places are in disarray—food and water have been stolen, and all I could salvage were a few leftover repair materials."
"Considering what happened to the neighbors, I took some precautions. I made some modifications to our door, set traps on the other room doors, and even crafted five steel spears."
Li Ya gestured toward the corner of the room. Five steel spears, each about two meters long, were propped against the wall. The spear shafts were made of steel pipes, and the tips had been welded with sharpened kitchen knives, carefully polished to a gleaming shine.
"These are excellent tools!" Nova's eyes lit up, impressed. In a world without firearms, these polearms could serve as a solid defense against raiders.
"Li Ya, you really are amazing!" Nova praised her.
"Thank you for the compliment, Boss."
Nova then frowned, his gaze lingering on the door. "By the way, those people didn't break through the main door, did they? Did they know someone was inside?" Nova's frustration grew. He had slept through all the commotion and now felt a bit guilty about missing it.
"It doesn't seem like they realized we were here," Li Ya replied, shaking her head. "I followed your instructions, made sure there was no noise, and used a soundproofed welding tool."
She paused, her voice dropping slightly. "However, a regular wooden door can't hold up against their hammering. Sooner or later, they'll figure out we're hiding inside."
Li Ya's analysis was spot on. Being discovered was inevitable. Nova needed to prepare even more.
"Got it," Nova muttered, taking a deep breath. He looked around the room. Li Ya had made a lot of modifications. The windows had been reinforced with insulation boards, the curtains thickened, and a makeshift cooling system had been installed in the freezer. Not only had she considered the shelter's safety, but also its comfort.
"No wonder it's colder tonight." Nova smiled slightly. "You've really worked hard, Li Ya."
Li Ya gave a small smile in return, though her focus remained on her task. "I've already eaten, Boss. You go ahead. I still have some more adjustments to make."
Nova nodded, grabbing some bread and cold water. He ate while flipping through the trading platform, checking if any useful items were available. Trading surplus cold water had become a daily routine to maximize the shelter's resource reserves.
As he scrolled, Nova noticed something interesting. One of the requirements for upgrading the shelter had already been completed.
[Successfully surveyed the nearby spaces required for shelter upgrade.]
Surveyed? That was why Li Ya had been checking the neighboring units.
"So, if there are other shelters next door, does that mean I'll have to wipe them out to meet the expansion requirements?" Nova mused aloud.
After all, in this post-apocalyptic world, when two shelters were next to each other, there was bound to be conflict if one tried to expand.
"It seems that no matter what, if I want to upgrade, I'll have to deal with others." Nova sighed. "In the apocalypse, everyone wants to survive and get stronger. Upgrading... it's a cycle that will lead to conflict and death."
Nova's thoughts darkened as he opened the trading platform again, searching for weapons. Weapons were his most pressing need right now. A gun and ammo would be a godsend.
"I still have six bottles of cold water. That should be enough for a decent trade," Nova thought.
He quickly found a listing for weapons from a shelter called Jinling Rescue Team.
"Various police weapons and equipment available for trade. Can exchange for food, water, or medical supplies. Contact for more details."
The message caught his attention. Not only was the seller offering weapons, but their tone suggested they knew something about the shelter system.
"Seems like they tried to rescue more survivors in the city," Nova muttered. "But it didn't go well. Is this part of the game's mechanics? Are we really forced to fight alone, unable to truly unite with others?"
He quickly submitted his order for the cold water and asked some questions about the details.
The reply came swiftly.
"Hello, Cold Water Guy. I'm interested in your order. Let's discuss further."
In their exchange, the seller didn't haggle much and quickly agreed to the trade. They even shared some vital intelligence.
"... Cold Water Guy, humans who own shelters cannot stay in other shelters. Those who abandon their shelters can't be accommodated elsewhere. Our Level 0 shelter can only support a limited population. We can't offer more rescue assistance; we can only provide food and weapons. We're worried about our survival too. This game has torn apart our ability to unite, but we haven't given up. We're still trying to find ways to help more people."
Nova sat back, absorbing the information. There were still groups trying to organize rescue operations, though their efforts had failed. They were searching for new ways to help survivors.
"Thanks for the info. I'll do what I can," Nova replied, though his tone was casual. He didn't intend to help others; he only cared about protecting himself.
"Six bottles of cold water, in exchange for two 54-style pistols and 50 rounds of ammunition."
"Great deal," Nova thought, impressed as he held one of the pistols in his hands. The guns were a bit old, and the ammo was limited, but at least now the shelter would be armed.
"Li Ya, do you know how to use a gun?" Nova asked quietly, glancing toward the shadows.
Li Ya's head appeared from the darkness, her features illuminated by the moonlight. "Boss, I know how to use a gun, but my accuracy's not great."
"Can you teach me? I've never fired one before."
"Sure, Boss," Li Ya agreed, moving toward him and patiently showing him how to handle the weapon.
For the next two hours, in the dimly lit room, Nova focused on learning how to use the gun. Li Ya guided him carefully. Though the air was thick with tension, their focus remained on the task at hand.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door.
Li Ya's expression turned serious. She grabbed her gun, spun around, and aimed it at the door.
"Don't worry," Nova said, recognizing the rhythm of the knocks. "It's Lin Yue. She's back."
Li Ya carefully cracked the door open, and sure enough, it was Lin Yue. She entered the room, carrying bags full of supplies.
"Great job, Lin Yue!" Nova grinned as he saw the haul—electronic components and stacks of cash.
[Congratulations! You've acquired 103 units of electronic components and 76 units of cash from the talent exploration. You've earned 20 survival points.]
"This haul will help us upgrade the shelter!" Nova couldn't hide his excitement. With this, he had met most of the requirements for a shelter upgrade.
But just as he was about to relax, Lin Yue's voice broke the silence.
"Boss, on my way back, I overheard the group upstairs. They're planning to raid the entire building tonight."
Nova's expression darkened. Before he could respond, the sound of shouting came from the hallway.
"Hurry up! Grab your weapons!""Tonight, we clear out this floor. Tomorrow, we hit the next few floors.""We'll be the kings of Jinling!"
The voices were getting closer, right at his door.
Nova's face darkened. The marauders were moving faster than he expected. A night raid? This would be trouble.