The next morning, Jim woke up feeling refreshed, contrary to his expectation of waking up with body aches from the strenuous work of the previous day.
Jim took some water from the water dispenser to wash his mouth and face. He then ate yesterday's food, which he had cooked, and forgot about it after eating food brought from the system.
Jim then sat at the table and restarted the tablet to check today's weather.
[weather]
Mostly sunny with little clouds
[Temperature]: -10 degrees centigrade
[Radiation]: - Mild until 9 am
Severe radiation from 9 am
(Recommended to stay in the shelter for today)
Jim checked the time and realized it was already 7 a.m., leaving him with only two hours for exploration. Consequently, he decided against going out to hunt zombies and instead to remain in the shelter or transport the tree he felled outside to the cave entrance on the hill.
He then stood up from the chair and began wearing the exoskeleton, which he had placed in charging mode.
Owing to the enhancement of his physical capabilities and strength from the awakening of his talent, Jim experienced no strain on his body while equipping and operating it.
He proceeded to open the shelter door, stepped outside toward the cave entrance, shifted the rock obstructing the path, and let the light and fresh air flood into the dim cave.
Jim took a moment to relax in the warm sunlight at the cave entrance for 10 minutes, beginning his descent down the mountain to retrieve the fallen trees and return them to the mountain top.
Upon descending, Jim discovered the fallen trees in the location where he had sorted them the previous day.
He then proceeded to break them into pieces by forcefully jumping on them, as he determined that these trees were unsuitable for constructing fences due to their brittleness and tendency to break under pressure. The sturdier wood could be utilized to craft small tables or chairs, while the brittle and smaller pieces could serve as firewood.
Jim fashioned a rope from the tall grass to secure the wood and began transporting it back to the cave.
Within an hour and a half, Jim had carried all the pieces of wood into the cave and sorted them approximately by size they had been broken down.
After organizing them, Jim realized he had overlooked the summit of the mountain where the power-generating device was located.
Promptly leaving, Jim commenced his ascent, but due to unstable footing, it took him over ten minutes to reach the peak.
There, he noticed several polished plates arranged at the top in various directions. At the center of these radiant plates stood a machine, measuring one meter in both height and width, with a marble-sized crystal adorning its upper side.
Jim approached and discovered that the marbles were identical to those he had obtained while hunting the tree zombies the previous day. Closer inspection revealed that one of the marbles had turned gray, in contrast to the others, which remained shining.
Jim promptly analyzed yesterday's power consumption and deduced that the machine is utilizing the cores he acquired from the zombies to generate the electricity necessary for the shelter.
Each crystal core functions for a single day once installed, and six cores remain in the machine, ensuring an uninterrupted supply of electricity to his shelter for the next six days.
Subsequently, he must provide it with cores for continued electricity generation, strategically compelling the survivors to venture into the wild to obtain the cores if they wish to avoid starvation, as electricity is essential for the machines in the shelter to produce water and food.
Jim resolved to carry the crystals he had discovered in the zombie's head at the top of the mountain the following day and place them in the machine. He wished to avoid the risk of the machine ceasing to function during the night, which could result in a shortage of water and food for the next day.
Jim cautiously descended the mountain without disrupting the setup and returned to the cave, carefully sealing the entrance with the boulder he used as a door.
Upon observing the laborious process of opening and closing the cave entrance with the boulder and narrow passage, Jim thought of making the passage a little wider and installing a proper door using is talent he has awakened.
Decisively taking action, Jim promptly returned to the shelter and retrieved a 25-kilogram iron piece, which is available to purchase at the store.
Each iron block was rated at 10 points, and he could only buy up to 10 pieces a day from the store.
The 10 pieces can only increase his shelter area by one square meter in length.
Jim initially considered increasing the shelter size but decided against it, realizing that a one-square-meter expansion would not make a significant difference. Instead, he determined that by securely sealing the entrance with shelter iron, he could effectively prevent radiation from entering the cave and utilize it after a simple expansion.
Jim brought the iron and sturdy wood to the boulder, which now blocked the cave entrance, placing one hand on the boulder and the other on the iron block and wood he had carried.
Then closed his eyes and began picturing the blueprint of his door, which he liked to design.
The design incorporated a boulder as the primary material, with iron and wood serving as supporting elements to transform it into a functional door. Additionally, the design provided a camouflage effect, which ensured the boulder blends seamlessly with the mountain when viewed from the outside, enhancing the safety of his shelter.
After envisioning the necessary design, Jim skillfully employed his talents and the materials as though they were seamlessly fluid, effortlessly merging under his mental command. The result was a newly crafted stone door, with iron supports and fitted with a handle, now securely sealing the entrance to the cave.
Jim unsteadily sat at the entrance, his mental energy rapidly depleted, leaving him dizzy. It took him a few minutes to partially recover and stand. He then returned to the shelter, closed the door, and lay on the bed to rest.