Gareth’s miraculous recovery breathed new life into the camp, serving as a massive morale boost.
However, the incident served as a grim warning. From that point on, no one was foolish enough to tempt fate by standing in the Black Rain. While the allure of becoming an Awakened was strong, the crew unanimously decided that keeping their lives was a priority.
That evening, the system chimed with a notification. Jax had completed a task, earning a shipment of 100 units of Refined Iron. Moments later, a Bounty Protocol settlement came through, depositing 100 Stardust Stones into his inventory.
"Finally, time to upgrade."
He checked his storage: 120 Stardust Stones and 100 Refined Iron. A satisfied glint appeared in his eyes. He wasted no time, striding to the foot of a Sentry Tower.
"Tier 2 Sentry Tower... Upgrade."
At his command, the stone structure began to hum. A brilliant light enveloped the tower.
Ten minutes later, the system notification rang out in his mind.
[Tier 2 Sentry Tower upgrade complete!]
Jax immediately pulled up the interface to inspect the new stats.
[Tier 2 Sentry Tower]
Attack Power: 200
Range: 100
Attack Speed: 1.0
Durability: 200
Jax’s eyes widened. "Haha! Hell yes. One of these packs the punch of two Tier 1 towers combined. Double damage, double range, double speed... this is going to be a slaughter."
He couldn't help but grin. Without hesitation, he moved to the second tower and initiated the same process.
[Tier 2 Sentry Tower upgrade complete!]
Now, the Outpost boasted two Tier 2 Sentry Towers. With their firepower drastically increased, Jax’s anxiety about the Rodent-Maw Creepers evaporated.
That night, sensing the lingering tension among his crew, Jax addressed them with a relaxed smile. "Don't worry, everyone. It's just two waves again tonight."
"Boss, is it going to be two waves forever now?"
"Hard to say," Jax mused. "Probably for a while, but the system is unpredictable. I'll let you know if anything changes."
"Fair enough. Look, we've given up on the whole 'standing in the rain to Awaken' idea. But... when are you going to hook us up with some of that stamina juice?"
Silas’s expression was hopeful, and beside him, Kaleb stared at Jax with equal intensity.
The difference in Gareth was impossible to miss. Ever since he downed the mysterious liquid Jax had provided, his endurance had skyrocketed. Over the last two days, Gareth—previously the frailest of the group—had been outworking Silas in the mines.
Silas averaged about ten Energy Shards a day. Gareth used to cap out at the same number, but since recovering from his fever, he was mining with a vigor that put the others to shame. They had asked, and Gareth had mentioned the "medicine" Jax gave him. To them, it wasn't just medicine; it was a magical elixir that enhanced strength and stamina—possibly a safe pathway to becoming an Awakened.
Jax looked at their eager faces and smirked. "You want that stuff? Sure. It's yours for 100 Cores a pop. You got that kind of cash?"
Silas and Kaleb froze.
"That expensive? Alright, never mind then. But hey, if I catch a cold next time, do I get the same VIP treatment?"
Jax’s expression went flat. "Rest assured, you won't. I'll prepare a coffin for you instead. Hand-carved, real nice wood."
"Boss, is the favoritism really that blatant?"
"It's not favoritism. It's a reality check," Jax said, his voice turning serious. "Stop fantasizing about getting superpowers from the Black Rain. You don't have the destiny for it, and neither do I. And that serum Gareth drank? It wasn't cold medicine. It was a gamble. If his body hadn't handled the surge, he would have died. I was treating a dead horse as a live one because we had no other choice."
Silas and Kaleb exchanged a look, their envy replaced by sober realization. They nodded silently.
"But don't look so depressed," Jax added, his tone lightening. "If you stick with me and perform well, I might find a way to make you stronger than an Awakened eventually."
"What? Really?" Kaleb jumped in, unable to contain himself. He had never heard of anything surpassing an Awakened.
"Depends on your performance," Jax said, cutting the conversation short. "Alright, back to work. Pack it up and get some rest. Two days until the weekend. Silas, get ready. You're heading back to civilization soon. I need you to swing by the Helios Syndicate and see if there's any news on the streets."
"You got it, Boss."
The group dispersed, returning to their rooms to sleep off the day's labor.
The next day brought no relief from the weather. The sky remained a bruised, murky black, with thick clouds obscuring the sun. Lightning snaked through the darkness above.
Silas and Gareth headed out early, having fully adapted to the rhythm of mining life.
Kaleb, however, stood next to Jax. He had finished processing the insect corpses from the previous night and was now at a loose end.
"Ahem. Boss, maybe I should go down and help them mine?"
Jax glanced at him. "You serious?"
Kaleb paused, then shook his head sheepishly. "Honestly? No. I just feel bored. Watching them break their backs while I stand around feels... awkward."
He scratched his head, looking helpless.
"Let me check the slots," Jax muttered.
Truth be told, Jax wanted to build another Extraction Well. But his manpower was capped. He wasn't about to grab a pickaxe himself, so the current setup was efficient enough.
Still, watching the relentless Black Rain, Jax felt the pressure to hoard resources. He had nearly 100 Tier 1 Energy Shards in stock, but a nagging instinct told him it wouldn't be enough.
He opened his mental interface.
"System, can I construct another Extraction Well right now?"
[Current level allows for one additional Extraction Well.] [Construction Cost: 100 Refined Iron, 100 Stardust Stone.]
Jax winced. "Are you kidding me? That’s the same price as upgrading the Defense Tower to Tier 2! System, are there mines for Refined Iron and Stardust Stone out there?"
[User can obtain coordinates for resource mines via Bounty Protocols.]
"Huh. So they do exist," Jax murmured, intrigued. "But I need Bounty Protocols to find them. Damn. Still, if I can secure a steady source of iron and stone... upgrades won't be a bottleneck anymore."
A flicker of ambition lit up his eyes.
He turned back to Kaleb.
"What are you doing?"
"Uh... you zoned out," Kaleb said. "I thought you went to your 'happy place' again."
"Right. Anyway, no miner slots open right now. You'll have to wait."
Kaleb slumped his shoulders, but his exhale was one of pure relief. "Oh, thank god."
"Excuse me?"
"I mean... I'm not mentally prepared for manual labor yet," Kaleb admitted. "Waiting is good."
"Don't get too comfortable," Jax scoffed. "You won't be waiting long."
Jax weighed his options. A new Extraction Well meant he needed two more miners. Kaleb could take one spot, but the second? Annie was the only girl in the camp, and sending her into the pit felt wrong. Barnaby would go without complaint, but if Elena found out Jax turned her brother into a majestic miner, she’d probably burn the Outpost down.
And Jax certainly wasn't going to do it.
I'll shelve it for now, he decided. I need to stockpile more Refined Iron and Stardust Stone first anyway.
Night fell, bringing the familiar rumble of the earth.
A massive wave of Sandworms surged toward the valley. By now, Jax was desensitized to their grotesque appearance.
However, tonight was different. He had new toys to test.
Instead of loading the Artillery Platform with Energy Shards, he loaded one of the newly upgraded Tier 2 Sentry Towers.
[Mission Triggered: Annihilate all Tier 1 Sandworms.] [Reward: Artillery Platform Upgrade Permission.] [Penalty for Failure: Builder Level -1.]
Jax froze. "Annihilate them all? Now that is interesting."
He peered into the dark rain. The mass of writhing worms was dense, a carpet of flesh moving against the mud.
"If I let even one escape, I lose a level? That penalty is vicious."
Jax’s mind raced. He had become Proficient with his [Decoy Clone] skill—a seemingly niche ability that had proven critical time and again. He would need it tonight.
"Listen up! Tonight's operation is going to be tricky. We need a clean sweep. total annihilation."
The crew looked at the sea of monsters uneasily. "Boss, kill them all? What if they scatter?"
"That's why we're splitting up," Jax commanded. "I'll take the main entrance. You guys guard the valley mouth. Do not let a single worm get past you."
It was a simple plan, but the sheer volume of enemies made it high-risk.
The team didn't hesitate. They grabbed their gear and moved to their positions.
Barnaby moved to follow Jax down to the ground level, but Jax stopped him.
"Barney, stay here. I need eyes on the Defense Tower. Listen closely: Do not add Energy Shards until I give the signal. Understand?"
Barnaby looked torn.
"Got it, Bro."