Chapter 128: Absurd Numbers

Adrian still had two weeks before the barrier became the impenetrable wall it was meant to be.

So he didn’t have to focus on creating the formation just yet. The cracks present on the barrier was still enough for him to slip through if the need ever arises.

His mind shifted gears. Recruitment. The idea of bringing people into this desolate expanse was crucial for his vision, but it couldn’t be rushed.

Bringing them into an unknown, potentially deadly environment without preparation was a recipe for disaster and distrust.

He needed that detailed map and a comprehensive blueprint of his revolution idea.

Only then could he confidently lay out his plans, assure potential settlers of their safety, or at least, the managed risks, and share the ambitious scope of his goals.

The drones were key for the map to be completed.

He mentally reviewed the Factory’s production schedule.

Forty-five drones would be completed within the next thirty hours. Once launched, their primary mission was clear: map every inch of the Corrupted Lands.

From the desert entrance where the Varyn’s dom’s influence faded to the very edges against this immense barrier, and everything in between.

He estimated it would take them roughly three and a half days to cover the territory thoroughly with overlapping sweeps, ensuring no patch of ground was missed.



A small, satisfied nod escaped him. He wouldn’t need to redesign the drones for this task.

The core principles he had built them on when he was searching for the magic source were perfect.

The only modification required was removing the specialized mana detector module from their original design.

That was a task that he would easily complete once the main bodies were complete.

The timeline crystallized. Five days was a significant chunk of time he had no intention of wasting.

Adrian had two main objectives to conquer within this window. The first was marking his inventions.

They all needed his Soul Imprint that would let him see through them.

He planned on delivering all the completed inventions to the Association when he left for recruitment, so he had to be done with the mapping before that.

His second objective was cultivation. The recent strengthening of his dantian was a great opportunity for him.

Adrian planned to cultivate intensively, pushing his newly expanded capacity to its limits and testing how much progress he could make.

He strategized his approach, which was to cycle between them.

He would enter the Factory and mark inventions until the active period ended, then immediately begin cultivating until the Factory cool down was over and was ready to activate again.

He would maintain this relentless cycle until every single invention in his possession bore his Soul Imprint.

Once that was done, he would dedicate the entirety of his remaining time solely to cultivation, maximizing his gains before the map was ready and the next phase began.

Decision made, Adrian didn’t linger. The Rover stood nearby so he decided to start with it.

He approached the robust vehicle, and this time he didn’t need the System’s prompt.

His gloved fingers traced the cool metal, finding the subtle "AD" insignia engraved on the body.

Taking a deep centering breath, Adrian focused his will. He poured his intent and his very presence into the insignia.

His soul energy surged from him, channeling into the engraved letters and the AD lighted like with the Drone.

Adrian felt the tangible connection snap into place.

[Soul Imprint Successful!]

[Your Invention now bears your Presence!]



[Autonomy Rating Updated: F- >> E]

The notifications flashed across his vision.

He felt the Rover more intimately now. "Still impresses me."

With a mental command he sent the Rover into his [Inventory] and instructed next. "Visit Factory."

The desolate landscape dissolved, reforming instantly into the familiar space of the Factory.

Adrian didn’t waste time to enter inside and approach the workshop.

But just as he reached his worktable, a crucial oversight halted him mid-step.

"I still haven’t tallied how many magic crystals I actually harvested," he muttered aloud, a slight frown creasing his brow.

He had sliced entire walls of embedded crystals and stuffed the massive, crystal-studded slabs directly into his [Inventory] and they were still there.

Adrian focused his query inward, "Provide the exact count and classification of all magic crystals currently stored within my Inventory."

[Analyzing Inventory Contents...]

[Magic Crystal Inventory Report]

[1-Star Crystals: 487,571 units]

[2-Star Crystals: 97,658 units]

[3-Star Crystals: 1,078 units]

[4-Star Crystals: 400 units]

[5-Star Crystals: 32 units]

Adrian’s jaw dropped.

He understood the tall walls were thick with gems... but this? This was beyond his most optimistic calculations. It was staggering. Absurd.

The implications exploded in his mind with how long he could use them for.

"I can accomplish so much with all this..."

Now, with the staggering reality of his wealth clear, he approached the fabrication corner.

He needed those crystals out of the rock walls and readily accessible.



Manually chiseling them free from tons of stone was unthinkable. He focused on the workshop hub, recalling its recent upgrade.

He hadn’t fully explored its new capabilities, but he suspected it could do a lot more from the hub.

He poured his intent into the system interface connected to the fabrication unit: Process the crystal-embedded walls in my Inventory. Extract all magic crystals. Discard the remaining rock material.

The workshop hub responded instantly as sections of machinery appeared.

A large, flat processing bed slid into position, flanked by powerful, articulated arms tipped with precise cutting tools and delicate manipulators.

With a muffled thump, one of the massive, crystal-studded stone slabs materialized from his [Inventory] on it.

The articulated arms sprang to life with astonishing speed and precision. High-frequency cutters sliced through the rock around clusters of crystals with surgical accuracy, avoiding damaging the gems.

It was a mesmerizing display of automated efficiency. As soon as one slab was processed down to gravel and the last crystal secured, it vanished, replaced instantly by the next crystal-laden wall segment from his [Inventory]. The process repeated tirelessly.

Adrian watched the first slab disintegrate. Satisfied the system was working flawlessly he gave a final, decisive nod.

"Now that everything is finally taken care of, I can actually begin."

He turned away from the processor and walked to his main worktable.

With a focused thought, series of Mana Detectors appeared on the smooth surface before him. Time to work.