Chapter 59: Fixed! Praise the Machinery!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Praise the machinery!”
Su Mo hurried over to the buggy, caressing the s.h.i.+mmering metallic l.u.s.ter of the roll cage with a bellyful of emotions.
He had not seen this car in nearly two days and it seemed to tug at his heart; its shadow lingering even in his sleep.
In the wasteland, where no paved roads existed, a small car with off-road capabilities such as this was much easier to drive than a sedan.
With fewer mechanical parts and a simpler structure, it was easier to maintain and repair.
He ran his hand over the car; from the front hood to the rear engine. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. Forcing himself to calm down, he focused his attention on the buggy.
A screen of blue light appeared next to it and displayed the properties of the buggy.
[Compact, rear-wheel drive, off-road Desert Racing Car (Good) (Damaged)]
Description: A desert racing car produced by the quasi-intermediate level manufacturer ‘Magoo’. Has good off-road ability and a powerful engine. The overall shape is beautiful and the materials used are solid. It is one of the better vehicles for traveling in the wasteland.
Damage: The car has been damaged by external forces and has many dents. The battery is slightly depleted. A few parts of the engine are damaged and require substantial repairs.
Horsepower: 212hp.
Torque: 400 Nm.
Fuel consumption: 14 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (it will increase or decrease by varying degrees depending on the terrain).
First upgrade option: Repair the car. Enhance its two basic attributes, increase its protection factor, increase the height of the cha.s.sis and improve its off-road capabilities. Survival points required (1,750).
Second upgrade option: Reconstruct the car. Change the car’s structure, improve the value of its all-round attributes, increase weapon options, improve the navigation system and increase its combat ability. Survival points required (4,800).
Introduction: Please fix it and turn on its radio. You will make a major discovery!
“Huh?”
“It’s the first time that the system’s evaluation is so formal. Does this racing car really hold some amazing secret?”
Su Mo’s gaze focused. With the aid of the flashlight, he located the small black box under the steering wheel of the car.
Next to the play b.u.t.ton was a painted black part the size of a fingernail that had been abruptly snapped off.
Usually, no one would have thought this was an issue if not for the prompt.
However, given the system’s evaluation and reminder, Su Mo’s heart started beating rapidly when he took a second look.
“I definitely can’t afford 1,750 points. Even after the disaster this time, I don’t think I can save up that much. I can only look at this from another angle.”
With a thought, a detailed upgrade option popped out.
[Compact, rear-wheel drive, off-road Desert Racing Car (Good)]
Description: A desert racing car produced by the quasi-intermediate level manufacturer ‘Magoo’.
Upgrade option: Repair (410), improve horsepower (200), improve torque (200), reduce fuel consumption (150), install protective gla.s.s (270)…
“Alas, even just repairing it requires 410 points, but I only have 159 points now. This is going to be tough.”
Survival points were always insufficient when he needed to use them!
After all, time was running short. Otherwise, according to the daily fixed increase, he could probably acc.u.mulate this number in another two to three days.
However, now…
“I can only try to put in materials to reduce the cost.”
He checked some of the required materials. As this was under the category of an overall repair, the system did not give specific requirements. As such, Su Mo had to try each piece one by one.
The first thing he tried was putting in the iron bars. After putting in three units, the survival points required for repair were reduced by 18 points. After putting in another unit, there was no change.
He put in one unit of wood but there was no change.
He put in 35 screws. 10 units lit up and reduced the cost by 10 points.
One bottle of psychic energy water…
A packet of spicy chips that he had opened but not eaten yet…
A sand wolf that still reeked of blood…
A pink bra… and so on…
Why was this thing still in the storage s.p.a.ce? Throw it away!
One item after another in the storage s.p.a.ce was taken out and put back in by Su Mo.
Then, when a damaged circuit board was taken out, the repair cost dropped again by 44 points, but there still remained a gap of 189 points.
“This is pretty difficult. If I really can’t do it, I can only try my hand at exploring again tomorrow!”
Su Mo frowned as he continued taking out one item after another to try his luck. However, there was still no reduction in cost even after almost everything had been taken out and put aside.
“Huh, what is this?”
Focusing mentally, he controlled a small object in a corner of the storage s.p.a.ce and it floated out. Su Mo held it in his hand and looked at it carefully.
Suddenly, with a brilliant flash of light, the required survival points actually plummeted by 210 points!
“This is… the good quality rotor that I collected earlier?”
Seeing the sudden drop in the required survival points, Su Mo was surprised and delighted.
He had already forgotten when he had collected this little thing, but that did not affect its usefulness at this moment!
“It seems that the damage in the engine needs to be repaired with the rotor. This is really… lucky!”
After painstakingly sneaking into shelter number two in the middle of the night, this reward was truly satisfying.
Su Mo placed the rotor on the ground with elation and called out the upgrade panel. When he locked on to all the materials required, the survival points requirement was reduced to 128 points.
The current 159 points he had were perfectly adequate!
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”
“I’ve relied on my own efforts to collect all the materials to repair this buggy and have finally been rewarded this time.”
When he thought of the buggy that would gain a new lease on life, Su Mo could hardly contain his excitement and shouted, “System, fix it for me!”
As soon as he said that, the green light that brought joy to people’s hearts began to spread, heading toward the body of the car and the materials on the ground.
The small silver-white rotor began to dance on the ground, the circuit board began to melt and the iron bar’s color began to change.
The green light was like super radiation, forcibly attaching to several totally unrelated items.
Swis.h.!.+
Swoos.h.!.+
Sounds like tidal waves stirred within the underground garage of shelter number two.
The roll cage that had been originally bent began to emit a creaking noise, as the dents visibly began to disappear and the frame straightened out.
The engine, which had been painted with waterproof paint, slowly began to shake as if a big invisible hand was fiddling with the machinery inside.
As the depleted battery also began to roar softly, it seemed like everything was on track.
After three to five seconds, the green light retracted.
As the sights and sounds disappeared, Su Mo took a look at the repaired buggy that had been restored by the light.
This time, there were no traces of defects from the cha.s.sis to the engine. Even the small depressions and b.u.mps on the front hood had disappeared under the system’s repair work.
If this had been placed into an automotive 4S service center, it could only be called fresh out of the factory!
After fumbling around for a bit, Su Mo found the location of the fuel tank.
He unscrewed the fuel tank cover and confirmed that there were no residual impurities inside. With a thought, the storage s.p.a.ce automatically opened and a barrel of diesel flew out.
After adding half of the original 100kg diesel barrel to the generator previously, there was still about 50kg of diesel left at this time.
He unscrewed the cap of the diesel barrel. Putting some force into his arms, he grabbed the handle of the oil barrel with both hands. Su Mo took several deep breaths, then lifted the barrel and placed it at the opening of the fuel tank.
Glug!
Glug!
The oil in the barrel burst out and flowed into the interior of the fuel tank.
“It seems that my training paid off. My strength has really increased.”
Despite using two arms to grab a diesel barrel weighing about 50kg, Su Mo felt only slightly strenuous; unlike previously when he felt that he could not lift it at all.
The veins on his biceps rippled and his blood pumped and surged powerfully, transmitting great strength into both arms.
The fuel tank of the buggy seemed bottomless.
Even after adding all 50kg of the diesel, only slightly over two-thirds of the fuel tank was filled and there was still quite a bit of room before it could be filled up completely.
The buggy’s fuel storage capacity completely surpa.s.sed that of compact cars and could even be considered on par with some medium-sized cars.
He placed the empty diesel barrel back into the storage s.p.a.ce and carefully screwed the fuel tank lid back on.
Su Mo walked to the front of the buggy and clambered inside. After pulling on the mechanical handle to adjust the seat to a comfortable position, Su Mo exclaimed in surprise.
“I wonder where Magoo got the leather seats from. It’s really comfortable to sit in.”
The unknown leather composition of the racing seats comfortably wrapped around the sides of the driver’s bottom, providing excellent support.
The roll cage was firmly fixed around the body and felt very secure.
He flipped the ignition switch on the buggy.
Toot, toot! Puff!
After a dull sound, the engine ignited successfully and began to deliver power to the battery.
Without trying to fiddle with the buggy’s controls, Su Mo simply pressed the radio’s play b.u.t.ton.
He was very curious about the secret that the system had mentioned.
The depleted battery had been charged by the power converted by the engine and transmitted that power to the radio in the front. A buzzing noise sounded temporarily before stabilizing.
The next moment, a clear cough sounded!
“Ahem…”
“Huh, is that a human voice?!”
Despite having guessed Magoo’s ident.i.ty…
At this moment, Su Mo felt a little excited when he heard the coughing from the radio!
This was someone of the same race!