C1 was efficient, but it was only one machine. It had to handle gold recycling, account settlements, maintaining order, answering basic questions from newcomers at the door, and monitoring the overall situation...
Soon, it was overwhelmed, and the frequency of its synthesized electronic voice prompts increased significantly.
Su Wan stood at the entrance of Room 102, watching the bustling yet orderly scene in the lobby. Without hesitation, she pulled up the System Shop.
“Exchange for a new ‘Basic Management Robot.’”
【Exchange successful. Points consumed: 2,000. Current Points: 8,320.】
The new robot, C2, was quickly generated and placed on the other side of the lobby.
Su Wan performed a quick setup, authorizing it to be specifically responsible for tasks like “new tenant recruitment, contract signing, basic information entry, and preliminary room allocation,” creating a division of labor with the original C1.
With C2 joining in, the congestion at the entrance was immediately relieved.
The newcomers were guided into a queue, where C2 performed simple eligibility screenings, explained the rules, signed contracts, allocated rooms, and guided them in using the Star Coin Exchange Machine to set up accounts.
Looking at the Points increasing due to the growing number of tenants, and considering the upcoming scale of a hundred people or more, Su Wan decided to make an infrastructure investment.
She pulled up the building management interface and selected the model of the entire twelve-story unfinished building.
“System, install ‘Standard Security Door & Window’ in all vacant rooms of the current building that do not have them.”
The entire building had twelve standard rooms per floor. Excluding those already occupied or renovated, there was a large number of empty rooms.
【Calculating... A total of 108 sets of ‘Standard Security Door & Window’ need to be installed.】
【Points consumed per set: 30. Total Points consumed: 3,240.】
【Confirm?】
“Confirm!” Su Wan ordered decisively.
This investment was necessary. Only with doors and windows would the rooms truly have privacy and basic security, which was essential to attract and retain tenants.
【Points deducted: 3,240. Current Points: 5,080.】
【Installing... Installation complete.】
Silently, the exterior of the grey, unfinished building underwent a significant change.
All the previously dark, hollow window openings were now covered with dark glass windows, and brand-new dark grey metal doors replaced the rough entrances.
Su Wan did not immediately upgrade them to “Standard Single Rooms” equipped with beds, tables, and chairs.
She knew that for these vagrants who had just escaped a state of precarious survival, an absolutely safe, clean, and uncontaminated space with a door and windows was already a dream-like luxury.
Tiered consumption and needs were more conducive to long-term management and motivation.
As the last security door solidified onto its frame, the appearance of the Terminal Station building underwent a earth-shattering transformation.
The once-gaping window holes were now uniformly covered by dark glass, and the sturdy metal doors marked each independent unit.
Almost the moment the last door and window were installed, a system notification sounded in Su Wan’s mind with a rhythm different from before:
【Ding! Detected that the basic enclosure of the bound building ‘Terminal Station’ has reached 100% (all standard residential units are equipped with basic doors and windows).】
【Building integrity has significantly improved; plane anchor point stability enhanced.】
【System Shop has detected a new stage for the building; updating product list...】
【Update complete! Unlocked new categories: ‘Basic Ability Strengthening,’ ‘Basic Energy Application,’ ‘Basic Medical,’ ‘Simple Fortifications,’ etc.】
Su Wan’s spirits lifted, and she immediately pulled up the System Shop interface.
Sure enough, next to the original categories for building materials, furniture, facilities, and robots, several new icons were glowing faintly.
She eagerly clicked on the 【Basic Ability Strengthening】 category.
There weren’t many items in the list, but each one made her heart race:
Mental Condensation Potion (Basic): Slightly increases mental power purity and total volume, enhancing the precision of ability control. Exchange Points: 5,000.
Physical Coordination Strengthening Agent (Basic): Optimizes the connection between nerves and muscles, improving reaction speed, body coordination, and endurance. Exchange Points: 3,000.
Ability Resonance Crystal (Single-use): Guides ability energy for a small degree of purification and expansion; has a high probability (60%) of steadily promoting a Level 1 Ability to the Level 1 mid stage. Exchange Points: 8,000.
Basic Energy Guidance Manual (General): Records common methods for energy circulation and ability cultivation; helps solidify foundations and reduce energy waste. Exchange Points: 2,000.
These were exactly what she needed most right now!
She had only recently awakened her ability and knew her foundation was still shallow, far from being a truly powerful expert.
She needed to improve her strength quickly and steadily!
Looking at the surplus of over five thousand Points in her account, Su Wan didn’t hesitate for a second.
Aside from the guidance manual, she exchanged for one of each of the other items.
【Exchange successful. Points consumed: 16,000. Current Points: -10,920.】
The three items instantly appeared in her storage space.
She first took out the Mental Condensation Potion (Basic), uncorked it, and drank it in one gulp.
The potion felt icy as it went down her throat, then transformed into a clear stream of energy that rushed straight to the top of her head!
A slight swelling pain was accompanied by an unprecedented sense of clarity. She could feel her perception range expanding slightly, and her control over her mental power became more natural, like an extension of her own limbs.
Next was the Physical Coordination Strengthening Agent (Basic). After she swallowed it, a warm current quickly spread to her four limbs and hundreds of bones, merging into her muscles, bones, and nerve endings.
She could almost hear the sound of her body optimizing and reorganizing. Her joints became more flexible, her muscle fibers responded faster, and even her five senses seemed to sharpen.
Finally, she gripped the Ability Resonance Crystal.
The crystal was activated, transforming into a majestic yet gentle stream of pure energy that surged into her energy center like a tide, drawing her own mental power to dance and merge with it!
The energy core in her chest throbbed violently, as if her heart were pumping blood with great force.
She could clearly feel her total mental power volume growing steadily and its purity increasing once again. The foundation of her Mental Domination ability was rapidly being solidified.
The entire process lasted about half an hour.
When the last trace of the crystal’s energy was completely absorbed and it crumbled into drifting powder, Su Wan slowly opened her eyes.
She lightly clenched her fist, her knuckles making a crisp cracking sound.
With a slight thought and without needing to concentrate intentionally, the water cup on the table floated up steadily and slowly circled her. Its trajectory was smooth, and her control was exquisite.
At the same time, she could clearly “perceive” the subtle friction of Butler-C1’s rollers as it patrolled the hallway outside, as well as the low-voiced conversations of the new tenants in their rooms further away.
Rate on N.U.
