“5 new sites?! Just for rapid-drying concrete?!” Aven exaggeratedly backed up, though it wasn’t completely an act.

“Yes!” Bhanas continued to expound on the subject in a very animated manner, “And it was approved just because we already have all the base materials and large-scale industrial machines productions, so why not add a new industry that needs all this foundation both for research and production! It’s theoretically sound, they said!”

“But still, 5 new sites? Are they planning for another Eland Continent Conquest? Or is it because there’s really an innovation that has been found in this field?” Keeping his gaze sharp, Aven followed effortlessly after him.

Even after 2 hours of non-stop talking, Aven’s curiosity was just never filled and he could keep asking questions that kept making the conversation devolves further into unplanned territory. Coincidentally, he seemed to have encountered someone similar to himself in the chattering department.

“I don’t think there’s a big ploy behind that development, it’s just another show,” Bhanas settled down a bit as he explained how he saw the situation from his veteran point of view, “For decades already Eland’s leaders have kept expansionist policies at the core of their mandate, but in the end, they just never had the general support for taking actions.”

“Oh, yeah~ I think I heard when I was a kid that the creation of Star Trail had shaken the very foundation of the expansionist party, did something like that happen?” Similarly settling down, Aven tried to remember hard about yet another subtly-linked but irrelevant subject.

And Bhanas was more than happy to jump into it, “You’re pretty much right. Star Trail was created after massive lobbying from the Vow Church and the Eternal Vow Kingdom. At that time, they kept making so many concessions left and right that everyone believed the economy would collapse the moment someone refused to adhere.”

“Really?” Aven had never learned about that, or maybe he had forgotten, he didn’t know, it happened when he was a little kid after all, “Shouldn’t concessions be useful for something like an expansionist policy?”

“You would be right if Star Trail hadn’t been so monstrously successful back then,” Bhanas shook his head in denial and resignation, “Every big power sent their best researchers and supers there to respect the agreement they made with the Vow Church, but surely, no one had expected or planned for the explosive technological progress that was made in such a short period of time…”

“Did… Something like that happens? Why did I never hear any of that? What happened?” A resurgence of curiosity made the subject drift even more, without any of the 2 realizing it as for them, they were just happily chatting.

“If I had to say only a few of those revolutionary innovations that were made during that time… I would start with the tech turbine,” he seemed overwhelmed when he said that, and the moment he heard this term, Aven opened his eyes wide.

“The tech turbine? Isn’t that-” He didn’t have time to comment that he was interrupted.

“Yes, the tech turbines that you can now see everywhere in the entire world, even in the undeveloped countries, have only been invented a bit less than 2 decades ago by Star Trail,” Bhanas told him a truth he had never suspected even in his wildest dreams, “It was released to the public with no patent, and its propagation was so fast that no one in the energy sector at that time understood what was happening.”

“And the Eland Royal Family in all that? Why did I learn in school that the tech turbines were invented by them?” Conflicting him on this extremely preposterous truth, Aven became extremely skeptical.

“That’s because at that time a few of the royal family members were part of the research team that developed the first tech turbines,” he simply solved his conflict with a few words, “In their fairy form, even the less talented ones have an energy intensity so high that they became the key to finding the unusual reaction that allowed for tech turbines to eventually be created.”

“Oh~ Okay, that makes sense,” he nodded seriously at that and deduced for himself how he had come to learn that Eland was the one who invented the tech turbine technology, “And what other innovations came from that time?”

“Hehe, so many, just so many! For supers, I heard about special martial researches that made cultivation resources for grades 1 and 2…”

A few more hours passed before Aven’s notepad was filled with more intel about the production industry than he could have ever hoped before asking Bhanas.

“I think it’ll not be the last time we see each other Bhanas,” packing everything up back in his backpack, the flushed face and lively eyes said everything that needed to be said about his satisfaction with the outcome of this coincidental meeting.

“Time passed so fast, sigh…” The production manager with a fake exhausted face lamented the end of this chattering session, “If I had known my morning today would be so unique, I would have brought a few snacks.”

“Hehe, next time. There will always be a next time,” good-naturedly answering as he finished packing his backpack, he concluded the farewell stage efficiently and stepped out of the building 5 minutes later.

“Well, well. Now it's just a question of which place I want to visit first,” whispering to himself the truth of his situation, he mentally reviewed everything he had learned about this huge Blackdale Industrial Military Center.

True to its name, the first, primary, foremost, fundamental objective of this military base was to be an industrial center, alternatively named a production center.

‘Still, they pushed it way too far… At this level, it can’t be considered a center anymore. It's an industrial mini-city.’

As he reviewed the information he still remembered, however, a certain industry still seemed to impose itself as the first that should be visited before any others.

“Base materials it is… So north exit,” pushing on a pedal after automatically climbing on his bike, he started rushing towards the first true industrial production zone he had ever visited.

…

‘Again, there are so many different types of polymers…’

Watching 5 different waterfalls of polymer powders created for their own unique specs with their own intended more advanced products, Aven turned the page of his guidebook once to arrive at the page talking about the production building he was in.

‘The greenish one is used for vehicles, the grayish one is for weapon coating, the pinkish one is for… Composite electronics base?’

Reading the same sets of specs and descriptions he had seen in all previous base materials production buildings, he once again realized that as long as he didn’t go to the final advanced product description page to understand why it needed these materials and for which properties… He would never be able to see the bigger picture.

‘I can somehow understand why, and I can even somewhat understand the how, but there’s just too much for me to process…’

After finishing reading through the 5 polymers produced in this building, he mentally threw them whole and undigested in the pile of dozens of ceramics, dozens of alloy, dozens of plastics, and dozens of polymers base materials he had gathered in the last 6 hours.

‘I know why it's important to have all those different and unique base materials, yet, I just can’t come to terms with it. The base materials industry is something I would need to dedicate my everything to really make it mine. And no matter how I see it, it’s not worth it.’

Shaking his head in an admission that he was nowhere close to being able to make full use of this supremely fundamental but supremely time-consuming field, he relegated this whole industry to the background.

‘Next are the super-restricted mixed research and production areas, and the experimental nanomaterials. Should I visit it today though? I think it’s best to continue directly with a visit to this infamous advanced electronics industry.’

Not even thinking for more than a minute, by the time he had returned to his bike, he had already decided to not enter the super’s sanctuary at the center of the base. He would do it another day when he had understood the rest of the non-super industries.

“I’ll not be able to tour all the electronics industries by today, but I’ll sure try!” Voicing out his determination aloud, he rode on his bike in the direction he knew an electronics-producing building to be.

…

In the end, 5 days hadn’t been enough for visiting all of Blackdale Industrial Military Center.

Aven Amias

Faction: Nation of Eland Military

Energy Grade: 1

Energy Cultivation: 21/100

Energy Affinity: Tech

Physical Talents: None

Energy Talents: Basic Tech Energy Affinity, Basic Energy Sense

Spiritual Talents: Inquisitive Spirit, Basic Knowledge Integration

Universal Talents: Unawakened Fairy Ancestry

Rubbing his forehead as he saw he had finally “joined the military” after this night, his morning bad mood quickly evaporated and was replaced by his always enthusiastic true self, though a slightly sarcastic one, “Yeah! More things for me to plan around! My brain can still take it! I know it!”

Perfectly knowing that he was still missing 2 major industries to his list of places to visit before making any decisions, the fact that his status had been actualized didn’t actually make him want to change his plans.

Putting on some background music, he took out his innate ability notepad and brought up his quests, hoping for something revolutionary.

‘Let’s see what I’ll be working with…’

Faction Contribution Quests: Nation of Eland Military

Volunteering: Contribute to the stability of your faction without asking for anything in return. The more time spent and the harder the tasks, the greater the contribution.

Securing: Investigate and resolve problems occurring inside your faction. The more problems resolved and the more difficult their resolutions, the greater the contribution.

Performing: Go above and beyond for the missions and tasks you are given. The better the missions and tasks results, the greater the contribution.

Innovating: Give your faction new ways to achieve its goals. The more impacting and practical the innovations, the greater the contribution.

As if on cue with him, the background music took on a slight turn to a more slow and cold musical rhythm.

“It’s different…” Stating the obvious after not seeing the influencing, donating, educating, and participating quests anymore, Aven flipped his notepad’s pages until he arrived at the quest section where he ripped off all the pages associated with those 4 has-been quests.

“I didn’t lose the most important quest. And those 2 new ones… Huhu~ Interesting,” translating his thoughts into words that wouldn’t make any sense to anyone listening, he was impressed by the potential of his 2 new quests.

“There’s a slight conflict between performing and volunteering nonetheless. Something like… Or maybe not? Or yes. Is there one?” Questioning himself on the implications behind the performing quest, he hesitated on its conflicting degree with the volunteering quest.

‘It’s a conflict between the difficulty factor and the better factor. Which one is more rewarding depends on… Many things… Freak. Why can I only accept one quest at a time?’

Writing down his thoughts as he got them, he soon ran out of inspiration and decided to move on to the next relatively more critical matter of his faction contribution shop.

‘If my honorific second lieutenant rank as an official engineer is recognized… It’s going to be so huge.’

Taking a few deep breaths, he finally willed his shop to existence in the form of a floating screen.

And his will was answered.

Faction Contribution Shop: Nation of Eland Military

Faction Authority: Second Lieutenant

Faction Contribution Points: 0

Knowledge: Basic Energy Specializations (5 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Inscribing (5 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Psy Energy System (6 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Elemental Energy System (6 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Tattooing (6 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Martial Energy System (6 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Tech Energy System (6 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Pure Energy System (6 500 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Intermediate Swimming (15 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Fast-Roping (15 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Free-Fall (15 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Singing (16 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Fishing (16 200 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Intermediate Long-Range Rifle Shooting (85 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Explosive Breaching (85 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Emergency First Aid (85 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Sniper Rifle Shooting (85 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Counterintelligence (85 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Guerrilla Tactics (85 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Aircraft Piloting (85 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Jet Piloting (86 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Helicopters Piloting (86 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Psychological Operations (86 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Hacking (86 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Short-Range Rifle Shooting (86 300 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Energy Applications (86 300 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Nanomaterials (86 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate War Planning (86 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Handgun Shooting (86 500 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate History (86 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Alloys (86 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Cooking (86 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Super Biology (86 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Energy Cultivation (86 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Innovative Designs (86 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Artillery Handling (87 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Oceanography (87 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate High-Speed Driving (87 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Filming (87 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Audio Engineering (87 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Triangulation (88 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Criminology (88 200 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Advanced Military Procedures (134 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Water Engineering (135 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Air Engineering (139 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Firearm Shooting Skills (141 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Vehicle Driving (142 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Politics (156 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Logistics (175 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Communication (176 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Administration (189 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Economy (207 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Ammunition Engineering (216 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Inspection (221 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Human Resources (224 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Management (228 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Infiltration (235 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Teamwork (237 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Diplomacy (240 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Chemical Engineering (243 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Special Operations (247 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Weapon Systems (249 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Vehicle Designing (250 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Cyber Warfare (251 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Combat Engineering (252 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Programming (254 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Aeronautical Engineering (258 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Demolition (258 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Close Quarters Combat (260 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Industry Skills (263 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced High-Pressure Mentality (264 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Aircraft Piloting (265 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Materials Engineering (267 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Electrical Engineering (269 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Psychology (270 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Aerospace Engineering (272 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Biology (273 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Physics (275 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Military Tactics (276 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Biomedical Engineering (281 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Mathematics (282 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Surgery (284 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Armament Engineering (300 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Mechanical Engineering (301 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Leadership (312 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Problem-Solving (356 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Industrial Engineering (367 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Weapon Engineering (370 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Developmental Engineering (452 000 FCP)

“Sigh~” A mix of wonderment and fuzziness as well as a smirk slowly crept onto Aven’s face as he tried to calm himself down from what he had just got a glimpse of. He had been so overwhelmed when he felt a slight prickling in his eyes that he had closed them by reflex.

Opening them slightly again, the whole floating screen was visible to him, and he could finally begin to read through everything.

“That’s thousands…” Instinctively knowing how many knowledge were available for purchase, he looked in extreme hesitation at his notepad waiting for him to fill it, “I think my previous method might be slightly outdated…”

Thinking further, he realized that there were just no miracle solutions. He couldn’t copy-paste what he was seeing, and he also didn’t have an eidetic memory, so…

“Well, freak me,” swearing at himself, he decided that switching to a computer spreadsheet was the best way to clean up this endless list of knowledge that now included the level above intermediate.

Starting his analysis after his brain had the time to get used to this massive visual output it was forced to process, he began with the most obvious, the prices, “It certainly looks like a linear 10 times increase per knowledge level…”

Half an hour later, when the White had already risen over the horizon in its entirety, Aven stopped his analysis of his new faction contribution shop with a sigh of realization, “Sigh~ It’s not going to be a work of a few days. I’ve only just scratched the surface.”

His mind filled with all sorts of new knowledge names, he turned off the TV and the music that came with it as he started preparing himself in the same way he had in the last 5 days.

A quarter of an hour later, he was out and ready for his touring of the second last major industry of the Blackdale Industry Military Center, and it was occupying a big part of it.

“I’m so close,” he breathed out as he pushed on a pedal and started accelerating, “Let’s just ignore my faction shop for now and focus on completing my full tour. After that, I’ll cross the available knowledge, industries, people…”

Complex factors all influencing a much larger web appeared in his mind as he thought of what he had seen, thought, and deduced until now. The addition of a faction contribution shop set at an extremely high authority hadn’t been out of his expectation all things considered.

He frowned for a single second when he thought of his newly available quests however, “There’s those too… Well, it’s just more factors to add, nothing revolutionary. Anyway! Empty head! Focus!”

Refocusing completely on what he was doing, his destination was the industry area for industrial machinery, and he for sure didn’t want to miss out on understanding this area of the industrial center.