Sweat, Fatigue, and the Spring of Eden
Clang, clang!
Boom! Crash—!
The first large-scale welfare facility of Ark 69.
The Public Bathhouse construction project was progressing much more smoothly than I had anticipated.
"Pomen—! Lift that beam a bit higher!!"
"Got it, Arva!"
The ECHOs belonging to the combat squad, including Arclight, moved heavy H-beams and concrete blocks as if they were light pieces of styrofoam, while Lena and Karen installed piping and electrical facilities according to the precise blueprints.
"…They're fast."
Everything was proceeding seamlessly.
Cranes or trucks, which are usually common sights at construction sites, were completely unnecessary.
Each individual ECHO was performing a role far beyond that of heavy machinery.
Even….
"Hello, Commander!"
"Hey, Rai."
As I received a greeting from Rai, who was waddling along while carrying a concrete block that looked to weigh at least several hundred kilograms, I felt a strange sensation.
Even if she was an ECHO, looking at her appearance, she was a girl much younger than me.
"……."
Driven by a pointless sense of competitiveness, I tried to grip and lift a similarly sized concrete block nearby.
"Ngh."
But it didn't budge an inch.
[It is impossible with human strength, Commander.]
"……I know. I just thought I'd try."
[Of course, I know a way to make it possible.]
"Forget it. I don't want to become a cyborg yet."
One mechanical arm on my left was enough.
In the end, all I could do was carry cool water and snacks for the ECHOs at the construction site.
Actually, I could have just rolled around in the commander's office, but since this was the Ark's first large-scale construction, it felt wrong for me to be the only one missing.
This was the time to show my face and manage their affection levels.
"Waaaah—! Strawberry bread!!"
"Strawberries and bread. Just because there's bread next to a strawberry doesn't make it strawberry bread, Rai."
"That's right! Strawberry bread has to have cream in it."
"…Cream? What's that?"
"Uh... something incredibly delicious!"
Like a joyful festival, the atmosphere at the construction site remained harmonious throughout.
It seemed to be because of the joy of creating a space for themselves with their own hands.
Well, whether it was Ark 69 or Ark 74, this would have been unimaginable in previous Arks.
"Current construction progress is at about 60%."
"…I think it's only been about four days since we started?"
"Everyone is working hard. The structural work is expected to be finished soon. After that, we'll move on to waterproofing and interior finishing, which is work that most ECHOs do not need to be involved in."
I nodded as I listened to Lena's report.
In other words, mass-produced ECHOs would be sufficient.
I decided to leave the finishing work to Lena and Karen and planned to head to Hongwei-7, our farming spot, to secure resources.
With the dangerous entity known as the Carapace Lord gone, it was about time to expand the scale of the Ark.
[The purpose of this expedition is to explore industrial resources buried in the northern mountain region of Hongwei-7. We must stably secure coal and graphite to rapidly produce nanofiber in large quantities.]
"Okay, I understand. That's so we can manufacture heavy armor frames, right?"
[Correct. They are core components essential for the production of military-grade ECHOs.]
I nodded as I listened to Wanderer.
Once the production of heavy armor frames began along with the nanofiber, it would mean taking another step toward the production of mass-produced ECHOs.
Of course, other resources like copper had to be secured, and there were various other things needed, but as long as the frames were stably secured, the rest could be obtained somehow through the Money Compass.
Copper sold on the Money Compass is 10,900 Cash per ton.
I didn't know if that was expensive or not, but regardless, it could be obtained.
Additionally, there was another reason for this expedition besides the resource exploration in the northern region.
Rumble!
"Wow... it's really huge!"
"Rather than a vehicle…. it's more like a mobile fortress with guns mounted everywhere."
Luna shouted in admiration.
A single Bastion, a fixed defense platform, was following behind us with a loud noise.
[If possible, shouldn't the Bastion be deployed to prepare for intrusions into the Ark?]
[Actually, the Ark's defense functions are currently sufficient even without the Bastion. Unless a Named or a large-scale hostile lifeform swarms in. And even then, the Bastion wouldn't be able to stop that level of threat.]
[Then what?]
[I think it would be better to use it for the defense of the areas necessary for our resource acquisition. For example….]
[Hongwei-7.]
After a meeting with the ECHOs, it was decided to deploy the Bastion at strategic points in Hongwei-7 and the northern foothills.
[If we just station two B-707s there, we should be able to block most zombie hordes, Commander.]
According to Helena, since the Bastion is equipped with medium-range missiles and an automated turret system, it would be sufficient to hold off even if a large number of higher-tier zombies, such as Bone Blades or Brutes, swarmed in.
Hongwei-7 and the northern mountains are areas where we will continue to secure resources in the future.
Stabilizing that region was more important than anything else.
[Po—! Popopopo!]
And while exploring Hongwei-7, I met Podic once again and spent some passionate time.
[Pooot!! Popopopot!]
"Hey, hey—! What are you? A ghost obsessed with dicks or something? Suck a bit more gently!"
Had she been that starved while I was gone?
Podic sucked my member more aggressively and persistently than usual, and then, like a hungry beast, she shook her plump and elastic buttocks relentlessly on top of me.
"Haa… ngh!"
In a world where there was no need to worry about pregnancy anyway…
I poured all of my semen inside Podic without hesitation.
Then, like land meeting sweet rain after a long drought, Podic's pussy absorbed my semen without leaving a drop.
[Pooh! Popopopo!]
Only after a long time had passed did Podic make a satisfied sound and get off me.
"Did you want dick that badly? Did something happen?"
[Pooh? Popopopo.]
"…Right."
It seemed like she was trying to say something happened... but since the only word she knew was Po, it wasn't easy to understand.
As I was catching my breath, Podic brought a glass bottle that had been wiped clean without a single speck of dust.
Then she approached me again and began to take my member into her mouth.
"What's with that glass bottle? Hng…."
Having made my member hard again, Podic began to press it violently using her throat, making squelching sounds.
"Wa-Wait, Podic! I think I'm gonna come—! Keugh!"
Although I had poured semen inside Podic several times, the intense stimulation of her soft mouth and tongue forced me to pour semen into Podic's mouth once more.
And….
[Poohhhhh...]
Only after carefully collecting all the semen held in her mouth into the glass bottle did Podic close the lid with a satisfied smile.
Then, as if she had obtained a precious treasure, she hugged the glass bottle containing the white, thick liquid dearly.
"Huh—?"
Watching that, I shook my head.
An Anomaly that treasures my semen like a jewel. Truly, this world was amazing in many ways.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Deploy the Bastion over there, on the hill where the northern foothills are visible at a glance."
[Understood, Commander. Activating the fortification mode of the fixed defense platform Bastion.]
Rumble!
With a loud roar, the Bastion's wheels drove deep into the ground and transformed into spikes.
Once the chassis was firmly fixed to the ground, the automated turrets and missile batteries mounted on top revealed themselves, showcasing their majesty.
"…It looks reliable."
"Ordinary zombies won't even be able to intrude."
Helena spoke confidently.
If I had about ten of those, defending a region wouldn't be difficult….
Since I found that near the military base in Zhenlong City…. I thought I should take some time to explore the Zhenlong City area once more.
"Alright. Then let's start the exploration of the northern region. Everyone, did you share the resource locations on the scanner?"
"Yes!"
"Yes, Commander."
At my command, the ECHOs began to move in an orderly fashion.
Helena's Cerberus squad took the lead for reconnaissance, and I also set out on the exploration, dealing with the zombies still lingering around while checking the areas that Mercury Howl could pass through.
"…Is it here?"
The exploration proceeded relatively smoothly.
As Wanderer had predicted, high-quality coal and graphite were abundantly buried in the northern mountainous region of Hongwei-7.
Not only that, but traces of past mining remained intact.
Thanks to that, we were able to quickly find places where a significant amount of resources were buried over several days.
"Mining immediately would be impossible, right?"
"Yes. We would need at least five C-type mass-produced ECHOs. Related construction for mining would also have to be carried out in parallel."
"……Right."
I smacked my lips in disappointment at Arva's answer.
And the resources required for the production of mass-produced ECHOs would likely have to come from my Money Compass.
"I'll have to hurry the exploration of Zhenlong City even more."
When I returned to the Ark after finishing several days of arduous expedition, the first thing to welcome us was the steaming public bathhouse, Spring of Eden.
"Waaaah—! It's, it's a bathhouse!!"
"This is my first time washing my body with water, what should I do?"
"Wouldn't it be the same? First, you have to take off your gear."
"Commander! Hurry and come in! I'll scrub your back!!"
"No. I feel like that would become a dangerous task, so I'll pass, Rai."
The ECHOs returning to the Ark cheered and ran toward the bathhouse, excited like children on a field trip.
Watching them, I burst into laughter once more. Yes, is there anything sweeter than the rest enjoyed after hard labor?
[The Commander's bath is this way.]
"Right."
I wondered if there was a need to make separate passages for the Commander and the ECHOs, but I followed Wanderer's guidance toward the bathhouse.
And a moment later, I was left speechless by the sight unfolding before my eyes.
"…They put a lot of thought into this."
The Commander's private tub, located at the innermost region of Spring of Eden, was the absolute pinnacle of luxury and extravagance.
"Where on earth did they get these materials?"
[They are processed from existing materials, Commander.]
"……Is this the technological power of the Ark?"
The floor and walls were all finished with top-grade cypress wood that was resistant to moisture and emitted a subtle fragrance, and the ceiling, consisting of black marble reminiscent of the night sky, had numerous fiber-optic lights embedded in it, creating the illusion of falling stars.
Was that all?
The giant circular tub located in the center exuded an incredible sense of luxury, as if it had been carved from a single piece of jade.
"This isn't real jade, is it?"
[It is not. It is marble of a similar color.]
That’s good, right?
Besides this, it was equipped with dozens of hydro-massage facilities that I couldn't possibly use all by myself, and a cutting-edge system that allowed me to freely adjust the water temperature and the color of the lighting.
"Lena really put a lot of effort into this."
To create such a space for a single Commander.
Suddenly, I wondered what the ECHOs' space looked like. Well, I'll probably see it when I have the chance later.
It was right then.
"Commander."
With a cautious voice, someone appeared wearing a pure white bathrobe.
It was Noah. After greeting me, she slid toward a corner of the tub and took something out and unfolded it.
An air mattress?
Why is that here?
Suddenly, images from the previous world flashed quickly through my mind.
The Saintess, Noah.
"Come here, Commander. I'll melt all your fatigue away."
She was the real deal.
She was truly a Saintess (of sex).