Chapter 121: Tier 3 Fortress Construction
The moment Jax arrived at Sector 33, the rhythmic, thunderous boom of [Howitzer Turrets] greeted him.
He scanned the perimeter. No insectoids had breached the defensive line; the swarm was effectively pinned down beyond the kill zone.
“Excellent. The defense holds.”
Relief washed over him. He steered his vehicle beneath the safety of the main platform. Hearing the engine’s approach, the survivors on the ramparts peered down, their faces lighting up with recognition.
Jax grabbed the climbing rope and hoisted himself onto the platform with practiced ease.
“Status report,” Jax commanded, eyes fixed on the distant, writhing mass of the swarm. “When did the wave hit? Any breaches?”
Elena stepped forward, wiping soot from her forehead. “It started shortly after you left this morning. We sensed the tremors and recalled the scavenging teams immediately. Less than an hour later, the Sandworms breached the surface.”
Jax peered over the parapet. Behind the Wall, the ground was littered with the mangled carcasses of Sandworms.
“Looks like the heavy artillery did its job. They didn’t even touch the wall.”
“Exactly,” Elena nodded, her voice tinged with pride. ” The turrets tore them apart. We’re on the second wave now—Rodent-Maw Creepers. They can’t close the distance either.”
Jax nodded, the tension in his shoulders loosening. “Good work.”
“What about the materials?” Elena asked eagerly. “Did you get the Stardust Stone and Refined Iron?”
“I did. All secured,” Jax replied, his gaze shifting to the central structure of his base. “No time to waste. We upgrade the Fortress now.”
He strode to the control interface of the base and selected the upgrade option.
[System: Upgrading Tier 2 Fortress… Please wait.] [Time Remaining: 01:00:00]
“One hour,” Jax muttered, checking the timer. “Manageable.”
He turned back to Elena. “What’s our reserve on Energy Shards?”
“We have about 130 left.”
Jax frowned, calculating rapidly.
Damn. Only 130. That’s cutting it close. I need to ramp up production the second this upgrade finishes.
An hour passed in tense vigilance. Finally, a crisp chime echoed in Jax’s mind.
[System: Tier 3 Fortress Upgrade Complete!] [New Buildings Unlocked: Champion’s Altar, Technique Factory, Cryo-Tower.]
“Finally,” Jax exhaled.
The survivors gathered around, gasping in awe as the base transformed before their eyes.
The structure shimmered and expanded. What was once a reinforced single-story bunker grew upward and outward, solidifying into a three-story fortified command center. It was a perfect square, 10 meters on each side, exuding an aura of impregnable steel and stone.
“It’s… it’s beautiful,” someone whispered.
“A Tier 3 Fortress!” Barnaby cheered, pumping his fist.
Elena’s eyes sparkled. “It’s huge! We might actually get private rooms now.”
“Housing is secondary,” Jax cut in, his voice pragmatic. “Survivability comes first. Elena, how long has the current wave of Rodent-Maw Creepers been attacking?”
Elena checked her watch. “Over three hours.”
“The Sandworms lasted five,” Jax mused. “These creepers will likely follow the same pattern. We have two hours before the next shift.”
He addressed the group, his tone commanding. “Stoke the fires. Prepare for the transition.”
Barnaby immediately lit a fresh Torch and tossed it into the prepared bonfire pit, illuminating the perimeter against the encroaching dark.
Jax ignored the activity, squatting down to access his interface. He needed to analyze the new blueprints. First up: the [Cryo-Tower].
[Tier 1 Cryo-Tower]
Cost: 200 Stardust Stone, 200 Refined Iron
Attack Power: 20
Targets: 3
Attack Speed: 5.0
Range: 50m
Effect: Deals Frost Damage. Reduces enemy Movement Speed and Attack Speed by 50%.
“Fifty percent slow…” Jax’s eyes narrowed in appreciation. “That’s massive. If I combine that with a [Tar Pit Trap], the bugs will be practically statues.”
He frowned slightly. “Targeting cap of three is low, though. It’s good for elites, bad for swarms.”
He checked the next tier in the construction guide.
[Tier 2 Cryo-Tower]
Cost: 500 Stardust Stone, 500 Refined Iron
Attack Power: 50
Targets: 10
Range: 80m
Effect: Deals Frost Damage. Reduces enemy Movement Speed and Attack Speed by 70%.
“Expensive,” Jax hissed. “More than the Fortress upgrade itself. But hitting ten targets with a seventy percent slow? That’s a game-changer for crowd control.”
Since he hadn’t built the Tier 1 version yet, the Tier 3 stats remained hidden, but the scaling potential was obvious.
He swiped to the next blueprint: the [Champion’s Altar].
[Tier 1 Champion’s Altar]
Cost: 100 Stardust Stone, 100 Refined Iron
Function: Unlocks 1 Awakening Slot.
Effect: Can Awaken one NPC (excluding User). Requires Loyalty 90+. Awakened Skill is random.
Cap: Max Level 30 for Tier 3 Fortress.
“Awakening a hero unit…” Jax rubbed his chin. “Cheaper than the tower, but the loyalty requirement is steep.”
Finally, the [Technique Factory].
[Tier 1 Technique Factory]
Cost: 500 Stardust Stone, 500 Refined Iron
Function: Produces Tier 1 Technique Potions.
Capacity: Max 10 potions/day.
Cost: Production consumes Energy Shards.
Upgrade Requirement: Requires Tier 4 Fortress.
Jax sighed, closing the menu. “Damn it. I have the mines, but the raw output is too slow. I’m bottlenecked by resources again.”
He paced the platform, his mind racing through the system mechanics. Building upgrades, tower upgrades… wait.
He stopped dead, slapping his forehead.
“I’m an idiot. How could I overlook this? I treat this world like a game, yet I forgot the most basic mechanic of resource scaling.”
If the Fortress upgrades unlocked new tech, they surely unlocked upgrades for existing resource generators.
Jax sprinted toward the [Extraction Wells].
Silas and Gareth, who were taking a breather near the pit, exchanged confused glances before scrambling to follow him.
“What’s the Boss doing?” Gareth whispered.
“No idea. Maybe he thinks we’re slacking?” Silas muttered nervously.
They trailed him to the edge of the mine. Jax placed his hand on the frame of the oldest Extraction Well.
[Tier 1 Energy Shards Extraction Well]
Status: 500/500 Mined.
Upgrade Available: Tier 2 Energy Shards Extraction Well.
He checked the second one. Same status.
“Yes!” Jax clenched his fist. “No extra material cost for the upgrade—just previous output requirements. This is the efficiency boost I needed.”
Without hesitation, he authorized the upgrades for both wells.
He turned to the two laborers, his eyes scanning them like assets on a spreadsheet. “You two. Come here. I want to test something.”
Silas and Gareth froze but obediently lowered their heads as Jax approached.
Jax placed a hand on Silas’s shoulder. The interface popped up.
[Subject: Silas (Ding Qiang)]
Class: Level 1 Miner
Proficiency: 100/100
Status: Eligible for Promotion to Level 2.
He moved to Gareth.
[Subject: Gareth (Lu Yue)]
Class: Level 1 Miner
Proficiency: 96/100
Status: Promotion Unavailable.
“System,” Jax queried internally. “Does the level up trigger strictly at one hundred proficiency?”
[Affirmative. Level 1 cap is 100. Proficiency is gained through labor.]
“Understood.” Jax stepped back, looking at the two men. One was ready to evolve; the other needed to grind.
“Silas, you’ve hit your threshold,” Jax announced. “I’m unlocking your potential.”
He tapped the upgrade button in his vision.
Silas gasped, his back arching as a visible ripple of energy surged through his muscles. The fatigue vanished from his face, replaced by a flush of vitality. He looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. The grip strength was visibly terrifying.
“Haha! Boss, I feel… powerful!” Silas laughed, swinging his pickaxe with effortless speed.
Jax checked the new stats.
[Subject: Silas]
Class: Level 2 Miner
Proficiency: 120/200 (Next Level: 3)
“Good,” Jax nodded. “Your efficiency just went up.”
Gareth pointed at himself eagerly. “Jax! What about me?”
Jax shook his head. “You’re close, but not there yet. Get back to work. Silas has a higher yield now, but if you grind hard enough tonight, you might trigger the upgrade before dawn.”
Gareth’s face fell, but Silas patted him on the back, grinning smugly. “Don’t worry, I’ll carry the load for a bit. Go hit those rocks!”
“It’s not favoritism, Gareth,” Jax clarified coolly. “It’s math. Keep digging, and the system will reward you.”
Gareth grinned, motivated by the promise of power. “Got it, Boss!”
Thirty minutes later, a chime resonated in Jax’s mind, signaling the completion of the infrastructure expansion.
[System: Tier 2 Energy Shards Extraction Well Upgrade Complete.]
[System: Tier 2 Energy Shards Extraction Well Upgrade Complete.]
“Perfect,” Jax whispered, looking at the humming machinery. “Now, we build the army.”
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