The smoke from the destroyed vehicles had long since frozen into shimmering clouds of ice dust when Lin Fan stepped out onto the battlefield. The temperature was holding steady at an aggressive -70°C, but inside his Cryo-Armor, Lin Fan felt nothing but professional anticipation.
The chaotic scene—crippled vehicles, spent casings scattered across the ice, and the lingering energy signature of the neutralized RPGs—was a monument to his technological and elemental supremacy. The Iron Hand had left him a generous donation of salvage.
The Spoils of War
Lin Fan approached the vehicles methodically. His focus was cold and absolute: every piece of abandoned metal, ammunition, and sophisticated component was merely raw data waiting to be converted into Scavenge Points (SP).
He started with the enemy's heavy weaponry. The machine guns, flash-frozen solid by his cryogenic blast, were carefully dismantled. The high-caliber barrels, communication arrays, and targeting systems were all registered by his System.
[Tier 2 Salvage Detected: 4x Heavy Caliber Machine Guns. Acquisition initiated.][Tier 2 Salvage Detected: Advanced Military Comms Array. Acquisition initiated.]
He moved to the crumpled APC, now partially encased in the ice pillar he had conjured. Using a specialized, System-created diamond saw (a quick 10 SP expenditure), Lin Fan cut into the APC's armored chassis, harvesting the heavy-gauge, hardened steel plating and internal electronics.
The sheer volume of Tier 2 materials was staggering. The Iron Hand had effectively delivered a small armory to his doorstep.
[Salvage Process Complete. Processing Yield: 8,500 kg of High-Grade Steel, 40 kg of Rare Earth Metals, and assorted electronics.][Scavenge Points Gained: +1,250 SP!][Total SP: 1,280!]
Lin Fan felt a surge of gratification. The risk of the engagement had paid off handsomely. He had not only secured his immediate area but had funded his next phase of technological expansion.
The Industrial Leap: Tier 3 Refinery
With a phenomenal 1,280 SP available, Lin Fan's immediate priority shifted from defense to sustainable manufacturing. To build the high-tier components needed for global exploration—like his planned Cryo-Skimmer—he needed purified, refined materials that his current Tier 1 fabrication utility couldn't produce.
He returned to the Shelter Matrix and accessed the Tier 3 catalogue.
He found the blueprint he was looking for:
[Tier 3 Module: Automated Resource Refinery (A.R.R.M.)]
Description: A self-contained chemical and metallurgical processor capable of refining raw ores, frozen organics, and salvaged metals into pure Tier 3 manufacturing elements. Essential for advanced component creation.
Cost: 900 SP.
The cost was immense, representing a significant portion of his wealth, but the capability was non-negotiable.
"System. Create one Automated Resource Refinery Module (A.R.R.M.)."
[Cost: 900 SP. Confirm?]
"Confirm."
The creation process was the longest and most complex yet. It took nearly an hour, the creation box vibrating violently as complex chemical and thermal processes were simulated and manufactured instantly.
The resulting A.R.R.M. was a sleek, cylindrical unit the size of a commercial refrigerator, covered in specialized cooling vents and multiple input slots for various materials.
Lin Fan integrated the module directly into a dedicated corner of his main chamber.
[Automated Resource Refinery Module (A.R.R.M.) - Online.][Tier 3 Manufacturing Capability Unlocked. SP Remaining: 380.]
He immediately tested the unit, feeding it a small sample of the salvaged steel plating. Moments later, the A.R.R.M. produced a stream of perfectly purified, high-density Tungsten-Chromium Alloy—a material essential for aerospace applications. His fortress was now a self-sustaining, Tier 3 industrial complex.
The Strategic Target: The Bio-Facility
With his base secured and his manufacturing capability confirmed, Lin Fan turned his attention to high-value external targets. The Iron Hand's routed status created a strategic vacuum.
He accessed the Global Sensor Network and analyzed the area surrounding The Iron Hand's recently abandoned P.F.B.
The facility was located 15 kilometers northeast: a pre-apocalypse Bio-Research Facility (BRF-7), known for specializing in cryo-genetics and complex chemical synthesis. In his past life, this facility had been a goldmine for advanced chemical reagents necessary for creating high-tier Evolution Serums—the next level of personal power progression.
"The Iron Hand was guarding that facility," Lin Fan mused, tapping the location on the map. "They knew its value. Now that they are broken, the only defense is the cold and the mutants."
This was the perfect window. He needed to acquire the BRF-7's chemical inventory before any other opportunistic faction could move in, or before a new, powerful Tier 4 mutant claimed it.
Preparation for the Apex Vehicle
The journey to the BRF-7 was too far and too dangerous for the Cryo-Armor alone. He needed the vehicle he had planned since day one: the Cryo-Skimmer.
Lin Fan accessed the necessary Tier 3 blueprints. The final component required was the specialized chassis, built from the new Tungsten-Chromium alloy.
"System. Create: Cryo-Skimmer Advanced Chassis (Tier 3). Input Material: Purified Tungsten-Chromium Alloy (A.R.R.M. Output). Cost: 300 SP."
He fed the refined alloy into the creation box.
[Cost: 300 SP. SP Remaining: 80. Creation Initiated.]
The final component—the large, aerodynamic, and incredibly strong vehicle chassis—was manufactured with flawless precision.
Lin Fan looked at the chassis, already imagining the integration of the infinite power core and the cryogenic control systems. This wouldn't be a truck; it would be a fast, stealthy, combat-ready exploration vessel.
He worked through the final preparations: loading medical supplies, checking his ammunition, and ensuring his Cryo-Armor was fully charged. He loaded the chassis onto a large, internal lift system, ready to be raised to the rooftop extraction platform he had secretly built into the building's infrastructure.
"BRF-7," Lin Fan stated, locking the coordinates into his personal map interface. "The time for static defense is over. It is time for the Ice Lord to stake his claim on the world."
The first long-range expedition was set. His power was absolute, and his ambition was only just beginning to unfold.
(Author's Note: The A.R.R.M. is online, and the Tier 3 Cryo-Skimmer is about to be assembled! Lin Fan is leaving the security of his shelter for a major resource grab at the Bio-Research Facility. What dangers await him on the road? Don't miss the first expedition in Chapter 14! Drop a Power Stone if you're ready for the Ice Lord to take flight!)