The Situation in Yeouido (1)
Thick steam billowed out from the drop hangar in Car 2, accompanied by the system's cheerful completion chime.
"Oh, finally done... Huh?"
As the steam cleared, something clanked and crawled out from the spot. But its appearance was downright bizarre. No wings or propellers for flying in the sky—just a squat, thick steel-armored thing that vaguely resembled a crab. Actually, correction needed: four legs with steel breastplates... less crab, more like one of those slightly dumb units from a strategy game set in space.
"I definitely made a—"
A gleaming breastplate covered its steel carapace, topped with a massive cannon mounted squarely on top.
"You're supposed to be a bombardment drone, right?"
Clank, clunk. It reacted to my voice, slamming its heavy steel leg against the floor and staring right up at me.
"At least it listens. Head up to the armory."
No sooner had I given the order than it scurried up onto the workbench with its four steel legs moving busily—clop clop clop. Each step made the floor of Car 2 thud heavily, conveying its immense mass. I tried appraising it with the armory function.
◈ Result of combining the bombardment drone blueprint with a heavy golem core.
◈ Cannot fly, but capable of slow gliding.
◈ Can mix mana stored in its core with nearby materials to produce shells on the spot. (Can be charged with mana stones.)
"I definitely made a bombardment drone..."
It was neither bombardment nor drone. A bombardment golem. It had turned into a proper ground-crawler with four legs. Honestly, it didn't even match my idea of a golem either.
"...Ended up making a steel flower crab instead of a drone."
As I tapped its sturdy carapace and let out a hollow chuckle, a familiar golden message popped up cheerily in the air.
Hammer Warrior notices the golem's birth and laughs holding his belly!
Hammer Warrior guarantees the golem is proficient in crafting and will be a big help!
'Proficient in crafting?'
I eyed it skeptically, and the bombardment golem, which had been obediently awaiting orders, suddenly scurried its legs and clanked ahead toward the cockpit in Car 1.
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
I hurried after it. It had gone right up to the control panel, tapping one spot on the screen with a steel foot. It was checking the panels one by one, as if inspecting something. Then it tapped firmly on one spot.
What it pointed out was none other than the spike reinforcement upgrade I'd been putting off while dithering. A decisive gesture, like what have you been doing without upgrading this?
"No... this takes a ton of materials, and even if upgraded, it's kinda iffy—huh?"
Looking closer, the description had changed. Before, it just said spikes would apply to a wider area. Now, it explained that the spikes would act as grinders, pulverizing monster byproducts and items from kills directly into storage. It must've updated after the train shifted to a crafting-oriented upgrade.
"Even rechecking ones I've seen before..."
Thanks to the golem, I'd learned something new. I decided to upgrade that next, as it suggested.
But...
"...Running out of mana stones after so long."
I'd slacked on farming them, thinking I had plenty, and now I was short. I had a decent stock of lowest-grade mana stones for fuel, but the low- and mid-grade ones for crafting were lacking. Those higher grades mostly dropped from dungeons or escapees, so...
For now, spike reinforcement was tabled. I ran more tests on the golem.
"It says it can glide slowly..."
Based on the bombardment drone blueprint, the description noted it couldn't fly but could glide slowly.
At my words, it bent its four steel legs and leaped up high enough to nearly hit the ceiling of Car 2. Incredible jumping power for something so heavy. And the next moment—
Hisss— Something like a blue light jetted from its underside like a jetpack. It floated in the air, descending toward the floor oh-so-slowly, like it was in zero gravity.
'Feels like slow descent...'
Couldn't fly freely, but this was plenty for jumping from heights, raining aerial bombardment, or nullifying fall damage. Plus, on-the-spot shell production was a huge ability. I could make its own, but I'd craft dedicated bombs for it anyway—my skills made them more effective.
This time, using only materials from the decomposer and lowest-grade mana stones, no special monster parts, I made bombs.
◈ Bomb that detonates compressed mana stone energy.
◈ Makes the target's body heavier on explosion.
"Not bad at all."
I placed the freshly made mana stone bombs on the workbench, and the bombardment golem approached, morphing one foot into a claw-like gripper and snatching them up. Clunk, click! It swiftly loaded them into the cannon on its carapace and chambered them itself.
The bombardment drone had mutated into a steel flower crab, but overall, a pretty satisfying result.
As I watched it, the train slowed to a stop. We'd arrived at a brief stop before Yeouido—a vending machine I was targeting. I'd stumbled on it while browsing the gallery; rumors said it sold skill random boxes and monster material boxes.
'Normal survivors wouldn't even glance at monster material boxes.'
But for me with crafting skills, they were different. One good material could make excellent gear. Plus, it was super close to the station.
"Is that... it?"
"Yeah, found it."
"But what's with all the green stuff around?"
Haseon, in the passenger seat, pointed out the window. A glowing vending machine sat alone in an empty lot. But around it were green, slimy blobs.
"Slimes?"
Wobble, wobble. Translucent, sticky liquid blobs occupied the lot, jiggling side to side like they were alive.
"Quite a few."
I stroked my chin and glanced back. The bombardment golem was blankly staring at Donggle in its tank. Not sure if it was the marimo or the drawings on the tank, but it was awfully close—probably intimidating for Donggle.
"Perfect timing. Let's test it out."
I grabbed my spear, lightly tapped the golem's leg, and opened the door to Car 1. It smartly followed behind me.
"Be careful out there, Sowon!"
With Haseon's cheer on my back, I strode confidently into the slime-infested lot, the thudding bombardment golem in tow.
"Fire a bomb at those first."
Clunk. At my command, the four-legged bombardment golem climbed the nearby walls, aiming its carapace cannon right at the slime cluster.
And—
Kaboom! A crimson flash erupted from the cannon, slamming a mana stone bomb dead center into the sticky slime horde.
"Whoa..."
The bomb's shockwave made the jelly-like slimes pop like soap bubbles, evaporating without a trace. A cleaner debut than expected. Can't fly, but climbs walls great. Unexpected bonus.
"Good job."
I patted the returning golem's sturdy carapace and headed to the vending machine in the lot's center. I spent credits on three skill random boxes and one monster material box. The golem grunted like it wanted to carry them, so I stacked the boxes on its head. Unsteady but balancing precariously, it marched back to the train with determination.
"Strength fits a golem."
Those boxes wouldn't be opened right away. I had a friend better at gacha than me anyway.
Business done, the train raced along the tracks and finally pulled into Singil Station, right before the Yeouido Safe Zone.
"Alright, everyone, good work. Grab your stuff and get off carefully."
"Engineer! Thank you so much! I'll never forget this kindness my whole life!"
The Paju survivors bowed repeatedly in gratitude as they disembarked. I nodded to the soldiers but didn't leave immediately this time. I told Haseon to hide well in the train and headed into the Yeouido Safe Zone with the drones. The golem I left inside near Haseon—just in case. The train was safe, but better safe. Haseon feared the gun drones but seemed okay with the golem; cannons felt less real than guns somehow.
"This way, right?"
I'd already contacted the person I was meeting.
"Convenience store not far from here..."
Yeouido's streets, with drones in tow, looked different from my last visit. Road debris was mostly cleared, some shops lit up. People bustled to reclaim pre-apocalypse infrastructure—impressive. They gawked blankly at my appearance and the drones.
Following the instructions along the road from the station, I spotted a familiar back in a nearby convenience store.
"Mom...?"
"Oh my...! Young lady!"
Jiwoo and Sua's mother, sorting shelves, spotted me and rushed out, grabbing my hands.
"How have you been? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, doing great! The safe zone management gave me work sorting leftover food from convenience stores and marts by expiration date."
Her skill enhanced eyesight, making the job easier. The safe zone seemed to run smoothly thanks to survivors' efforts.
"Shift's ending anyway. Come to our apartment! The kids have been waiting so much!"
She quickly called a replacement, then led me to her nearby apartment.