Chapter 390 - 379: Spending Money
Chapter 390: Chapter 379: Spending Money
The meeting adjourned.
Allen politely declined Vera’s dinner invitation, passed through Hub City’s portal array alone, and returned to the Great Library Plane.
Deep Blue Residence.
He pushed open the door to his study and, without turning on the lights, went straight to the main control console and sat down.
The sea outside the window was swallowed by the night. Occasionally, the phosphorescent glow of a deep-sea behemoth swimming below would shine up from the depths, outlining its vague form.
"Jarvis, pull up the financial summary for the last six months."
[Retrieved.]
A light screen silently unfolded, displaying Weisren Heavy Industry’s business data for the last two quarters in neat rows.
The Golem division’s net profit totaled 17.1 million Low-Level Magic Stones, while the educational aids and environmental protection divisions had a combined profit of 6.87 million. Allen’s personal share was 14.38 million Low-Level Magic Stones.
From the Association, he had completed twenty-three production contracting tasks and two investigation support tasks in six months, for a total reward of 46,000 Mid-Level Magic Stones, equivalent to 4.6 million Low-Level Magic Stones. He accumulated 147.5 Credit Points which, when added to his previous balance of 69.5, brought his total to 217 points.
After factoring in his previous account balance and monthly salary, and subtracting some expenses, his current liquid capital was 27.41 million Low-Level Magic Stones.
’Money gathering dust in an account isn’t going to multiply. I need to put it to use.’
"Jarvis, initiate ’Cybertron Phase II Expansion and Upgrade Plan’."
"First, upgrade the power systems. Add five Earth Vein Magic Furnaces, to be procured from the Association’s supply depot. At the same time, perform technical modifications on the five existing Magic Furnaces, replacing their arrays with the enhanced ’Original Magic Power Connection Array’ to increase internal power supply efficiency to its design limit."
[Estimated procurement cost: 2.55 million Low-Level Magic Stones. Modification cost: 300,000 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
"Second, expand the production systems. Build five new automated production lines, bringing the total to fifteen. Perform technical upgrades on the ten existing lines, integrating the relevant technologies I learned from the knowledge base to increase production efficiency and product quality by another 15%."
[Core precision-machining components must be outsourced. Estimated cost: 3.2 million Low-Level Magic Stones.]
"Third, supplement the workforce. Immediately begin production of two hundred workshop servants using the optimized design, for a fifteen percent increase in individual work efficiency."
[Estimated production cost: 200,000 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
"Fourth, construct research facilities. Initiate the construction of the ’Spatial Theory and Application Laboratory’ and the ’Precision Component Development Laboratory’. The list of required equipment will also be sent to the supply depot for procurement."
[Total quote for the equipment for two top-tier laboratories: 1.4 million Low-Level Magic Stones.]
Jarvis faithfully recorded every expense as the numbers on the light screen flashed rapidly.
"Finally, replenish strategic material reserves. Increase the redundancy rate for all models of ammunition and standard-issue Golem spare parts from twenty-four percent to forty percent."
[Estimated funds required: Approximately 1.1 million Low-Level Magic Stones.]
After he finished issuing the series of commands, Allen looked at the total budget. It came to 7.65 million Low-Level Magic Stones.
"Report on the timeline."
[The procurement period for the Magic Furnaces and core production line components is about one month. Production line installation, debugging, and component manufacturing will require three months. It is estimated that the Phase II expansion plan will be fully completed and operational in four months. At that time, Cybertron’s comprehensive production capacity will be 1.7 times its current level.]
Allen nodded slightly. This portion of the investment was to solidify his foundation.
Next, he turned his attention to his own development.
The industrial system was his foundation, but a Wizard’s own power could not be ignored.
He quickly filtered through the Association’s supply depot interface, his gaze locking onto a palm-sized curio shaped like a black starfish.
[Name: Deep-Sleep Star Core]
[Category: Cultivation Assistance Curio (Level 2)]
[Effect: During Meditation, it actively draws in surrounding Magic Power and converts it into gentle Spiritual Power to nourish the Sea of Consciousness, slightly increasing the efficiency of Will Rune inscription by about 15%.]
[Price: 2.8 million Low-Level Magic Stones.]
’The higher the level of a cultivation item, the more expensive it is.’
He also bought an anti-curse ring, which could passively negate one curse-type Witchcraft. After being triggered, it required thirty days to naturally recover.
An anti-divination bracelet that, when worn, could block most Level 2 and below divination and location-based detection.
These two pieces of equipment were targeted purchases to shore up some of his weaknesses, costing a total of 800,000 Magic Stones.
"Purchase."
Without the slightest hesitation.
Afterward, he used the Association’s internal network to contact a listed Level 2 Magic Potion Wizard, submitted his Spiritual Power data and basic physical condition, and ordered a custom batch of auxiliary Magic Potions worth 1 million Low-Level Magic Stones.
Because he had never undergone any flesh-and-blood modifications, his body was relatively "pure," so the price for the custom Magic Potions was also relatively fair.
This one million’s worth of Magic Potions would last him a year.
"DSeek, recalculate my cultivation progress."
[Command received. Integrating effects of ’Deep-Sleep Star Core’ and custom Magic Potions... Calculation complete.]
[First Core Matrix (36 Will Runes): Current progress 19/36.]
[Single matrix inscription period compressed from six years to four years and two months. Total period for eight matrices shortened from forty-eight years to thirty-three.]
[Mental Sub-thread Differentiation: Single sub-thread inscription period compressed from two years to one year and seven months.]
Allen looked at the updated timeline, his expression blank.
"Still too slow."
But he knew that, without using Credit Points to redeem those heaven-defying curios, this was the best solution money could buy. At the very least, he had shortened a path that would have taken "three past lives" to complete down to just "two past lives."
After dealing with his cultivation plan, Allen’s gaze finally fell upon the last, and most critical, item in his budget.
Knowledge and Technology Procurement.
He pulled up two lists that DSeek had already compiled.
One was "Basic Literature Directly Purchasable with Magic Stones," and the other was "Short-Term Target Knowledge List (Credit Point Exclusive)."
’First, I’ll buy what money can solve.’
Allen’s finger slid across the light screen, selecting 87 paid documents he had been coveting for a long time.
Detailed Explanation of Miniaturized Parallel Rune Scribing Technology, Design Concepts for Thermal Management Systems in Humanoid Mechanical Bodies, Research on Alternative Solutions for the High-Density Magic Conductivity Material ’Spiritual Energy Guiding Silver’...
Each one directly addressed the technical difficulties of his "Puppet Zero" project.
[Confirm purchase of 87 knowledge documents. Total: 4.76 million Low-Level Magic Stones.]
"Confirm."
A massive stream of data instantly flooded into DSeek’s database through the Association’s network.
Fueled by the infusion of this new knowledge, the nine sub-threads began cross-validating and running deductions at an unprecedented rate.
He could almost hear the sound of countless new branches on his tech tree growing with a series of CRACKS.
After all this, his account balance had over nine million Magic Stones left, which he planned to keep as a reserve fund.
Now, it was time for the 217 Credit Points.
Allen’s gaze fell on the "Short-Term Target Knowledge List," his eyes focusing on the items at the very top.
[General Precepts of Advanced Puppet Design, Price: 100 Credit Points.]
[Analysis of the Three Paths of Artificial Soul Technology, Price: 40 Credit Points.]
[Small Golem Power Technology, Price: 50 Credit Points.]
"Artificial soul..." Allen’s fingertip hovered over the item priced at 40 Credit Points.
This was his key to the third level of Golem intelligence and the only path for him to break through the technological bottleneck of the Soul Core.
As long as he bought it, he could immediately begin learning how to build the intelligence framework for Puppet Zero.
Besides, Rhine’s soul couldn’t be preserved for much longer. He needed knowledge related to souls.
Combined with the literature he had already purchased, his technical reserves regarding humanoid combat Golems had already leaped from "entry-level" to "practical-grade."
The Credit Points in his account were just enough.
He took a deep breath, preparing to confirm the exchange.
But at that very moment—
[Warning, Commander.]
Jarvis’s voice suddenly rang out in Allen’s mind, carrying an urgent warning.
[A full-process simulation based on the just-entered ’Cybertron Phase II Expansion and Upgrade Plan’ has revealed a potential risk.]
Allen’s movements froze, his brow furrowing slightly. "What risk?"
[Processing power.]
Jarvis’s voice was as steady as ever, but the word it uttered made Allen’s heart sink.
[When all fifteen production lines are operating at full power, five laboratories are simultaneously conducting high-intensity research, and all deployed legion datalinks are connected in real time, the peak demand for comprehensive processing power will reach ninety-seven percent of the workshop’s will’s maximum capacity.]
[In the event that you are simultaneously engaged in high-intensity Meditation or field combat and need to call upon your sub-threads—]
Jarvis delivered the cold truth:
[Cybertron may experience intermittent processing power fluctuations. At that time, the probability of production accidents will rise to an unacceptable level.]
Allen’s gaze moved away from the exchange page for "Artificial Soul." The problem he had temporarily set aside had now reappeared before him in a way he could no longer avoid.
Cybertron’s expansion was about to hit its invisible ceiling.
And that ceiling was Jarvis itself, the will of the workshop.