Victor’s eyes imdiately lit up at the ntion of the semi‑automatic pistol. He then learned more about it from Sera.
Compared to the old revolvers, this was a leap forward.
A revolver carried only six rounds, and reloading in the middle of a firefight was slow and clumsy.
But a semi‑automatic pistol, specifically the M9 Beretta, the model Kai had secured, carried seventeen rounds in a single magazine!
That ant nearly triple the firepower before reloading, and faster reloads with spare magazines.
For survivors who often faced multiple Sentinels or mutants, the difference between six bullets and seventeen could an life or death.
Victor’s voice carried a mix of excitent and disbelief. "Then, for one Survivor dal... how many rounds of ammunition can I get?"
Sera smiled as she could tell that Victor realized how amazing this was... She then replied with a calm voice.
"Previously, one Survivor dal could be exchanged for a revolver with at least fifty rounds. But Kai has changed the system. Now, one dal gets you a semi‑automatic pistol with three extra magazines, plus two boxes of ammunition with forty rounds each. That’s eighty bullets, on top of the loaded pistol and magazines. It also cos with a holster, an axe, and a freebie of two stun grenades."
Victor blinked, stunned. "Stun grenades?!" His voice rose in disbelief. "We only had smoke grenades before!"
Sera smirked.
"Kai upgraded the options. Amazing, right? I think he has improved his ability to acquire resources. Anyway, stun grenades can disable machines for a few seconds, enough to give you an opening. It’s a huge advantage."
Victor’s mind raced. He knew the value of a Survivor dal. One dal wasn’t easy to earn, it represented weeks of survival and acknowledgent from the system.
In the past, a single dal could cover food and necessities for four people for two weeks with three als a day, clean water, living quarters, and protection under Shelter‑45’s defenses. Obviously, it could increase if they only eat once per day.
Then, if the group contributed more with tailoring, crafting, cooking, or other production skills, the dal’s value could easily stretch to a month, sotis even longer. It was the currency of survival, tied directly to the prosperity of the shelter.
And now, that sa dal could buy not just food or shelter, but a weapon package powerful enough to change a survivor’s odds in battle.
Victor realized this wasn’t just about survival anymore... it was about fighting back. Perhaps, Kai was gearing them up to hunt more Sentinels!
He didn’t hesitate.
"I’ll make the trade."
Sera nodded, retrieving the pistol set from one of the crates. She laid out the Beretta M9, the spare magazines, the two boxes of ammunition, the holster, the axe, and finally, the two stun grenades.
Victor stared at the collection, his hands trembling slightly as he picked up the pistol. The weight felt solid, reassuring.
"This... this changes everything," he whispered.
"Ohhh... Here. Since this is your first transaction. Kai ntioned to give you this." Sera said as she provided Victor with a Signal Jamr!
"Wait? Signal Jamr?" Victor was surprised.
"Yep... This way, you can hunt Swarrs without any issues." Sera replied.
Swarrs were terrifying not because of their strength but because of their ability to call for backup!
But now, it was different. With the Signal Jamr, he’d no longer fear going outside!
"Uhmm... Can I have a raincoat as well?" Victor asked.
Sera stared at him for a mont and nodded.
Then, after getting raining, he didn’t waste any more ti. Victor left the chamber and spread the news throughout the New Haven Shelter‑45.
The other Survivors gathered, listening in awe as he explained the new trade system.
They were still doubting the new pistol since they were already used to the revolver’s recoil and had almost mastered it by now.
However, the ntion of extra magazines and a higher number of bullets, including the stun grenades, sent a ripple of excitent through the crowd...
"Stun grenades?" Aurora asked.
"Is it like a flashbang in the gas I’ve heard about?" Marissa guessed after recalling her classmates talking about so FPS shooting gas before.
"Yes. That’s basically the sa thing..." Wallace replied.
It was certainly a tool they had never imagined having.
Just like that, word spread quickly... Without Kai’s knowledge, his Survivor dals increased even more!
***
Soon, Victor stepped out of the main building, pulling the hood of his new raincoat tighter against the downpour.
The rain was calr now, but it was still soaking the muddy ground around the shelter. Still, he didn’t care.
He was still excited about his new weapon. With the pistol at his side, and the signal jamr tucked safely away. He felt ready for battle despite being just a chanic.
Nonetheless, as he went out, his excitent was ignited even more after seeing the massive artillery piece waiting outside.
The weapon was huge. It was nearly ten ters long, its barrel stretching like a steel spear.
Its body was also quite bulky, filled with heavy plating, supported by six chanical legs designed to anchor and adjust the gun’s position.
They had salvaged it after eliminating the Sentinels and Spyders that had tried to siege the shelter. It wasn’t operational yet, but Victor and his small team had been working tirelessly to position it properly.
Even half‑assembled, the artillery was a sight to behold.
It had the potential to change the balance of power.
Once completed, it could tear through enemy ranks, destroy advancing machines, and give New Haven Shelter‑45 a true defensive backbone.
Victor’s heart raced at the thought of firing it for the first ti.
He imagined the thunderous roar, the recoil shaking the ground, and the machines scattering under its destructive force...
"The Sentinels will be no match for this..."
Unfortunately, the rain made progress difficult.
Mud sucked at their boots, tools slipped from wet hands, and visibility was poor. Still, Victor pressed on, determined to see the artillery standing tall.
Then, movent caught his eye.
A few silhouettes appeared in the distance, blurred by the sheets of rain.
At the sa ti, the watcher stationed in the tower spotted them as well.
Cling! Cling! Cling!
The alarm bell rang out, echoing across the compound.
Everyone froze.
They have visitors!
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