Ch. 3
Chapter 3: [Alien Underground Colony Construction System]
A colossal bronze wall, embedded with gears and pipes, towered before Samael.
Looking up, there was no end in sight; looking down, no bottom. To the left or right—boundless in every direction.
Bronze-colored metal components, etched with ancient patterns and streaked with bluish-gray rust, interconnected in a complex manner, supporting and maintaining one another, forming an enormous and unparalleled machine.
It was an ancient relic, a world, an incomparable… machine.
Pale blue arcs of light flickered through the intricate mechanical veins, and suddenly, a dark cyan virtual screen lit up:
【Detected working body: Type III. Space-type. No oxygen required, no heat preservation required. Suitable for extreme and hostile environments, including outer space.】
【Detected intelligent consciousness currently piloting the body.】
【Activating...】
【Alien Underground Colony Construction System — Activated.】
【Identity verification… failed.】
【Second verification… failed.】
【Third verification… failed.】
【Unknown user. Access level: 0.】
【Only Level 0 technology tree available. Technologies above Level 0 locked.】
【Description of Level 0 Technologies: Capable of assisting in extraterrestrial survival, manufacturing essential weapons and production tools, processing, constructing basic living facilities, and developing underground ecosystems.】
【The stars are distant. This system will assist you in surviving within the deep cosmos and building an underground oasis. Good luck.】
Samael lowered his head, gazing at his armor-clad metallic hands.
A faint recollection—or perhaps realization—flashed through his mind. But before he could grasp it, a voice called out:
“Samael?”
He awoke from his dream.
Before his eyes were Thaleia’s steel-gray pupils.
“Samael? Samael?” Thaleia shook him anxiously. “Are you still here? You… you have no eyes, no breath, no pulse—when I called, you didn’t answer! I thought you’d been exorcised—or maybe your undead attachment wasn’t stable enough and just fell off the armor or something…”
“It’s fine… I just accidentally fell asleep.” Samael pushed himself up from the ground. “Had a… strange dream.”
Thaleia had been traveling alone for a long time in search of ancient ruins.
Exhausted from the previous night, the two had rested on the dimly lit ruin floor until morning.
“So ghosts can sleep too?” Thaleia asked, curious. “The ones I’ve met before never slept, nor had self-awareness. You’re quite special.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard ‘You’re quite special’ from something other than a scam ad or fake personality test…” Samael joked out of habit.
He fell silent in thought.
Alien underground colony? Dungeon?
He looked down at his armored hands again—and suddenly, a ghostly cyan screen appeared before him.
【Body Model: Space Type III】
【Body Status: 79% functional, minor damage】
【Scanning…】
【Remaining Energy: 63% (Ambient heat detected. Auto thermal absorption and recharging active)】
【Power Framework: Stable】
【Component Communication: Stable】
【Joint Adhesion: Average (easily loosened under impact)】
【Level 0 Technology Tree unlocked】
【Detected: Incomplete tech database. Proceed to nearest underground colony database to reset tech schematics, or scan technological products, collect environmental data, and manually restore tech schematics.】
【Level 0 Bioengineering Database Retrieval…】
【Detected entries: Slime lifeform, Primitive fungus, Symbiotic flora Type-1, Symbiotic flora Type-2, @Missing Entry@, Symbiotic flora Type-4, Luminous fungus, Nitrifying bacteria, @Missing Entry@…】
【Material Repository: Empty. Level 3 Technology “Artificial Incubation Chamber” not unlocked. Manufacturing unavailable.】
【Level 0 Tech Tree Retrieval…】
【Primary Categories: Basic Energy Studies, Fundamental Phase Transition, Basic Dynamics, Basic Materials Science, Elementary Colony Management, Basic Medicine, Basic Chemical Engineering, Basic Psionics, @Missing Entry@, Basic Automation, Artificial Biology, Exobiology, Asteroid Survival Manual…】
【Detected incomplete tech schematics. Please proceed to the nearest underground colony database to reset, or scan technological products and environmental information to manually reconstruct the schematics.】
【Scanning auxiliary components:】
【Scanner operational.】
【Logic analyzer and oscilloscope operational.】
An endless cascade of entries appeared, dense and complex, interspersed with waveform charts and analytical keywords—like a massive labyrinth of data.
Countless encrypted or semi-encrypted records flooded Samael’s vision.
For a moment, he felt transported back to his high school years—his first afternoon playing Dwarf Fortress and Oxygen Not Included.
Gazing at the overwhelming flood of panels, parameters, and the utterly unhelpful UI, he had felt that same surge of intellectual thrill—like a veteran locksmith standing before an endless vault of locked treasures.
Samael scrolled through and analyzed the data entries and tech trees.
The sheer amount of information was staggering.
Even for someone like him—who once calculated heat exchange, usable energy outputs, and biological cycles in engineering modules of simulation games—it would take considerable time to fully grasp even one technological entry and its application.
Suddenly, he thought—dying suddenly and being reborn in another world as a living suit of armor was strange, yes—but perhaps not entirely unacceptable.
“Samael?” Thaleia’s cautious voice interrupted his thoughts. “What are you looking at?”
She waved her hand in front of his face; her fingers passed straight through the faintly glowing blue screen—seeing nothing at all.
Only Samael could perceive the “Alien Underground Colony Construction System.”
“Nothing.” He closed the virtual screen before him. “Just thinking—we’ll definitely build a dungeon. Perhaps… something greater, grander than a dungeon.”
He fell into contemplation again.
“I once heard that sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic,” he said, rising and adjusting his helmet. “Perhaps this world is no exception.”
He looked toward Thaleia, studying her closely.
Data flickered like a game UI, and scan results appeared along the edge of his vision:
【Hybrid Space Demi-human】
【Parentage:】
【Human (maternal), Space Demi-human (paternal)】
【Summary of Space Demi-humans: A human subspecies with unique biological structures adapted for prolonged survival in darkness, extreme temperatures, and high or low gravity environments, as well as exposure to Aether radiation. Possesses enhanced sensory perception, regenerative capability, and physical strength—approximately 340% to 5300% of an enhanced human’s capacity. Psionic aptitude roughly 530% to 4700% greater than that of enhanced humans. Natural pioneers of alien frontiers. Certain individuals exhibit spontaneous temporary evolutionary traits such as unusual height, scales, claws, horns, ears, or skin color; reversible upon adaptation.】
【Biological Integrity: 99%】
【Stamina: 86%】
【Psionic Reserves: 97%】
【Age: 21】
【Condition: Healthy, mildly hungry】
【@Refresh@】
【Emotion: Displeased】
Hmm? Samael froze.
“Did you just use 【Appraisal】 magic on me?” Thaleia frowned, stepping back and crossing her arms. “Using 【Appraisal】 without permission is extremely rude! That’s way too forward!”
“Sorry, sorry! Gomenasorry!” Samael performed a full 180-degree bow—so deep that his helmet flew off, clattering across the floor. “Ow! My head!”
Thaleia sighed.
“Hey, body—over here!” the helmet called from the corner to the headless armor. “Here! Come over!”
The headless body fumbled around, wobbling forward.
“Yes, this way, this way, forward—stop! …Ow! You kicked me, you idiot!” Clang! The body accidentally kicked the helmet, sending it flying again.
“Enough—let me.” Thaleia bent down, picked up the helmet, and placed it back on the armored neck. “Seeing you like this doesn’t inspire much confidence about rebuilding a dungeon…”
“Don’t worry, Thaleia. Everything starts with a single step.” Samael adjusted his helmet, fastening the plates around his neck. “Are you hungry?”
“Uh… maybe a little.” Thaleia turned away awkwardly, slipping her helmet on to hide her face—but her stomach’s faint growl betrayed her, loud enough to suggest she could devour an entire cow.
“These are underground ruins. Let’s head for the surface first—and maybe find something to eat along the way,” Samael mused. “A man can’t fight on an empty stomach.”
He lowered his helmet’s visor—just to make sure no one would be spooked by the emptiness inside.
“Uh…” Thaleia hesitated. “Do you… have any money? Demon currency from the Age of the Gods, or human coinage?”
“No,” Samael replied blankly. “Why would you think I’d have money from this world…? Wait—you don’t have any?”
“I’ve been traveling for two years searching for ruins. This was the last one. I ran out of money long ago.” Her muffled voice came from behind her helmet. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to leave this place alive anyway…”
“Don’t say that, Thaleia!” Samael interrupted, voice firm. “This world has adventurers and mercenaries, right? We can start as adventurers—earn some coin, explore a bit, and find a good location for our future dungeon!”
He strode boldly toward the temple exit, leaving behind an optimistic and unyielding silhouette.
At the doorway, he paused and turned back.
“Outside’s a labyrinth of ruins—I don’t know the way,” he said. “Uh… mind leading?”
“…Fine. Follow me,” Thaleia sighed, covering her face and dragging her heavy polehammer as she led the way forward.