Chapter 172: Small Upgrades
Programming the basic interface was simple, as the buildings already had an operating system installed with a default display when the System upgraded them. She just needed to add options that were more in depth than the Library’s streaming service, and link it to the user, so you could only activate your own information on the screen.
In theory, it would work for everyone, but only those who had a level rating would be able to see the System status for themselves, or a Credit balance.
As far as she could tell, there was still no way for anyone else to store a System Point, so they would forever be reliant on those who could for the ability to complete quests.
Kalli stared at the lines of code on the screen, frustrated by the fact that there were so many people who couldn’t use the points or complete quests on their own. It was making the whole integration a giant pain in the ass, with duplicate layers for everything, based on who was using it.
That gave Kalli an idea.
If there was a bank, or some sort of savings card, she could link that to the computers, and then everyone could use it.
It would be the perfect blend of technology and magic, with System Points becoming the universal currency of Marimgar. But when she searched the store for them, one depressing line put the end to her dreaming.
{Bank Functions Not Available During Trial Period}
So, it didn’t matter how much she advanced, how great the city became. Only if they managed to successfully complete the trials would they be able to use the System’s banking functions.
Was she getting ahead of herself?
She didn’t think so. Not with tens of thousands of refugees in the city, between the apartments and the Arks. If they were going to settle down, they were going to need such a function.
But perhaps the System simply intended for them to be prepared to flee at any time if a trial went wrong?
It seemed possible.
Everything that they had heard about the other stationary bases said that they were eventually overrun or breached by monsters. So, there was a chance the same would happen to Marimgar, and the Arks would be forced to flee with the survivors.
Keeping the smaller Arks within the walls not only allowed their heroes to come out and complete quests, it also allowed them to collect food from the city, send their level 0 occupants out to work and complete quests, and to safely lower their shields to open the vents and let fresh air in through the system.
A seemingly small thing that made a world of difference to the morale of those on board.
"You look deep in thought. Is there something that we can help you solve? Or is it concern about the preparations for the next attack?" Sanchez asked as he entered the hall of heroes.
"I have a bunch of rewards to improve the city. Two dungeon portals, and six building construction orbs from the completion of the second trial that I haven’t placed yet. Then, I have a number of freely assignable bonuses that I was planning to use to fortify the city, and expand our amenities.
Perhaps some vehicles?
I don’t know if the six building orbs will make as large of a building as we will need with all these new arrivals in the Arks, but I assume that eventually they’ll want more space than the six rack closets that they call bunks right now.
The Arks were made for maximum capacity and survival, but they’re not big on free living space."
"How do you even know that?" Sanchez asked.
Kalli laughed and pulled up the floor plan of one of the smaller Arks.
"I am the Coordinator. I have administrator access to most things System related, and while it won’t let me alter things, I have no problem accessing a bunch of System created ships that nobody ever changed the login password for."
That made the special forces team leader laugh, a genuine and heartfelt noise.
"Why am I not surprised that they never thought to change the password?"
"They didn’t even know that there was one. I had to pull up the operations manual and forward it to them so that they could do more than simply move the ships around and fire the guns.
And they still haven’t read half of the book.
But the point is that they are super overcrowded, and we have both building space, and the ability to add more buildings. I wish that we had some sort of defensive shield, but we have a decent bit of defensive weaponry, our hero count just doubled, and now we’ve got a full day to prepare for the next wave.
The question is whether we should add more turrets, which are expensive. Or if we should focus on getting all the heroes a little bit better gear, while we add buildings and equipment for the city to use.
As with most trials, we’re going to be judged on how well our city is doing at the end, so we have to do something."
Sanchez considered the options. "I think that we should double the number of turrets on the outer wall, and let the level 0 heroes in training work them. Between physical training and combat experience it should push them through to the next level soon.
The kids running ammunition are likely to be first, but some of the older ones who were fighting Goblins might have already advanced.
When they do, they normally collapse from exhaustion for a bit, so they’re probably still sleeping. So, prepare to gear them up, then put up those buildings you had orbs for. Maybe check the arks to see if they have advanced building plans?
They’re made to rebuild society, right? Then they should have blueprints in there somewhere."
Kalli had somehow completely glossed over that fact when she was in the computers.
"Of course they should. I’ll search for it now, and get some buildings up. If we can do some mixed use habitation towers, with factory and commercial floors in them, it will save us a huge amount of headache.
Then, I’ll put long range defensive weapons on them, if I can buy them.
The Air Defence Batteries use too much power to keep adding them. But we could add a handful of longer range single target weapons to supplement the forces at the walls.
It feels like we’re just building a bunker like the ones that fell, but I think that once we get through the waves of the third trial, we should have a bit of time to start expanding our influence. Planting fields outside the walls, dragging a blade to rebuild roads. Whatever it takes to make the System recognize that this is our territory."