novelraw Chapter 132-1: The Monster in the Smelting Plant Basement (1)
Chapter 132-1: The Monster in the Smelting Plant Basement (1)
Lin Xun stared thoughtfully at the fourth option.
To be or not to be the Plant Owner, that was the question.
Based on the relative strength of the workers and technicians encountered so far, he could roughly estimate: with the might of the Earth Giant shell, killing the Plant Owner wouldn’t be effortless, but his chances of victory were very high.
His main concern was whether the Plant Owner might be tied to a side quest or hidden event.
Lin Xun looked at the four choices in front of him.
After much deliberation, he selected the first option: everything in the facility is normal.
He definitely wanted the Plant Owner’s shell eventually, but there was no rush to take over just yet. Best to see what storyline this might trigger first.
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner nods, indicating that it’s feeling rather drowsy. It pulls out a key and tosses it to you.]
[It instructs you to take today’s batch of copper bricks to the basement, to feed the monster.]
[Once you finish the task, you’re free to clock out and get some sleep.][It mutters as it speaks, grumbling about how the monster’s appetite has grown out of control and has already consumed all the refined copper in storage…]
[You have obtained the Smelting Plant Basement Key (Key)]
Lin Xun’s eyes lit up.
Sure enough, using the Technician shell had triggered a hidden event.
Basement. Monster…
He instantly locked onto the key elements.
[You bow slightly, back out of the office, and quietly close the door behind you.]
The in-game text halted at that point.
Lin Xun opened his inventory to inspect the new item.
[Smelting Plant Basement Key (Key), a key as thick as a forearm and forged from refined copper. A door that requires such a key must be equally massive. With this key, you can unlock the corresponding lock.]
Lin Xun furrowed his brows.
He now had the key, but didn’t know where the basement was.
He’d already fully explored the rest of the smelting plant and hadn’t found any sign of a basement entrance.
None of the memories from the shells he’d possessed had offered any clues either.
Unwilling to give up, he roamed the plant several more times, combing it thoroughly, yet still found nothing resembling a way to the basement.
Suddenly, he thought of something.
Back in the office, the text mentioned that the Plant Owner was feeling drowsy…
He returned once more to the office door.
[You linger outside the office, ears pressed to the door. From inside, thunderous snoring can be heard…]
Lin Xun smiled faintly.
Since the Plant Owner was asleep, perhaps now was the time to do a little sneaky business.
No sooner thought than acted. He opened the Shell Panel and selected the Dancer shell.
[You have possessed the shell of the Corrupted Theater Dancer!]
If there was sneaking around to be done, it was best left to an assassin.
To be safe, he activated the stealth skill before entering the office again.
[You maintain stealth and silently open the office door…]
[Behind the desk, the Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner snores away, slumped in a plush leather chair. The sound fills the entire office.]
[Do you want to wake the Plant Owner or search the office?]
Without hesitation, Lin Xun chose the latter.
There just might be something valuable hidden in here.
[You take advantage of the sleeping Plant Owner and tiptoe to the desk, quietly opening a drawer…]
[Inside the drawer lies a sheet of paper covered in intricate lines.]
[You have obtained the Underground Chamber Construction Blueprint of the Smelting Plant (Map)]
Bingo. The office was hiding treasure.
With this item, he should now be able to access the plant’s basement.
Just as Lin Xun was preparing to open his inventory and inspect the loot.
The game suddenly updated the text.
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner stops snoring. It seems to sense something. All of its countless eyes suddenly snap open!]
[Thousands of pitch-black eyes swivel simultaneously to stare directly at you, it has seen through your stealth!]
“Shit!”
Lin Xun cursed under his breath.
He was currently possessing the Dancer shell, not a worker or technician.
Getting caught sneaking into the office in the Dancer’s body, how was he supposed to talk his way out of this?
Or… should he just kill the Plant Owner outright?
[Panicked Apostle, what will you do?]
[1. Silently chant ‘You can’t see me, you can’t see me,’ act as if nothing happened, and calmly walk out of the office.]
[2. Shout, ‘A customer shows up and you don’t even notice! At your age, at your stage, how can you still be sleeping?’]
[3. Let out a sinister cackle, ‘Now that you’ve seen my face… you’ll have to die.’ Then strike with the Hidden Blade for a heart-piercing blow.]
The three options appeared in blood-red font, trembling on the screen, clearly a timed choice.
The first was pure denial, the third was murder.
The second option, though, hinted at a possible trade.
Lin Xun didn’t have time to think too hard. He chose the second option.
[You slap a piece of Fading Trace of Spirit Essence onto the desk, signaling that you’re a big client here to conduct business.]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner immediately rises and invites you to sit. Clearly thrilled at the arrival of an important customer.]
[It tells you you’ve come at the perfect time. Today marks the completion of the final batch of refined ore. Had you come a few days later, the plant would’ve shut down for furnace maintenance…]
[As it talks, it pulls a list from the desk and hands it to you…]
So the Plant Owner was a vendor NPC.
Lin Xun was instantly glad he hadn’t chosen to kill him.
After all, NPCs with trading functions don’t drop shop items when killed.
Even if you possess their shell afterward, you’ll only get the body, none of the wares.
He had already milked every free refined copper brick from the plant, and the highest quality he could get through smelting was Elite.
It was very likely that Ultra-Grade refined copper bricks could only be obtained by purchasing from the Plant Owner.
[You take the list and read it carefully…]
[Large Brick of Ordinary Refined Copper (Material), Spirit Essence Cost: 3,000, Stock: 999]
[Large Brick of High-Quality Refined Copper (Material), Spirit Essence Cost: 6,000, Stock: 999]
[Large Brick of Superior Refined Copper (Material), Spirit Essence Cost: 12,000, Stock: 999]
[Large Brick of Elite Refined Copper (Material), Spirit Essence Cost: 24,000, Stock: 999]
Lin Xun’s lips twitched.
Not only was there no Ultra-Grade refined copper for sale, but all the other grades were absurdly overpriced.
He still had 75 bricks of Elite Refined Copper in his inventory. Based on the Plant Owner’s prices, that was worth 1.8 million Spirit Essence.
He almost wanted to sell them back to the Plant Owner.
Unfortunately, the vendor only had a Buy function, no option to sell items.
[You wave your hand dismissively, saying you have no need for this trash. If there’s to be a deal, he needs to bring out the best refined copper.]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner lifts his chin and says the highest-tier refined copper is Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Bricks. Due to their rarity, only customers who spend over 100,000 Spirit Essence are eligible to buy them.]
[The price of one Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Brick is 48,000 Spirit Essence.]
Lin Xun clenched his jaw.
The Plant Owner might as well have ‘You’re broke’ tattooed on his face.
No purchases over 100,000 Spirit Essence? Then no Ultra-Grade copper.
And the damn bricks were ludicrously expensive!
He pulled up the crafting list he was given him earlier.
[Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Spring (Material) *1]
[Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Gyroscope (Material) *2]
[Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Core (Material) *5]
[Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Bearing (Material) *15]
[Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Gear (Material) *20]
[Ultra-Grade Refined Copper Linkage (Material) *25]
Assuming a 1:1 ratio between item and brick, he needed at least 68 bricks of Ultra-Grade refined copper to meet his upgrade requirements.
The technician shell he’d obtained was already the highest-tier body available in the facility, and its smelting skill could only produce Elite refined copper.
Lin Xun suspected the Plant Owner possessed an even higher-grade smelting skill, but even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.
The ore in the facility had already been exhausted.
He still had 75 bricks of Elite Refined Copper.
With the 2:1 refining ratio, even if he turned all of them into Ultra-Grade bricks, he’d only get 37.
That left a deficit of 30 bricks.
And 30 bricks of Ultra-Grade copper meant nearly 1.5 million Spirit Essence.
Just then, Lin Xun noticed something else, his inventory still held a large number of Rough Large Copper Ore.
He checked the count: over 240 pieces!
Excited, he canceled the trade window.