Brian Carter rushed toward the warehouse at top speed, no longer able to pay attention to the devastation at the base. It seemed the movies had actually downplayed the combat power of the Zago; the sight of the torn steel plates was truly hair-raising. That five hundred meters felt endlessly long to Brian Carter, but at last he saw the warehouse—only to be met with despair.

The warehouse had already been flattened by the Zago. Brian Carter had no time for sentiment; he quickly packed the debris into the spatial crystal at the fastest speed. Perhaps due to the expansion of his spiritual sea, he suddenly sensed something moving in the distance.

Chapter Four: The Stick Is Gone

...A giant Zago.

Brian Carter didn’t immediately bolt, though he desperately wanted to. Calm down, Old Man always said, “Impulsiveness is the devil.” He was often impulsive himself, which is why he ended up like this. So Brian Carter gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to dash back, because he was absolutely certain this Zago would tear him apart before he could make it back to the mine.

Five minutes felt like sitting on pins and needles. Brian Carter didn’t even dare to breathe loudly. Fortunately, the Zago clicked and clattered away.

When the mine’s main gate slowly closed behind him, Brian Carter plopped down on the ground. Never in his life had he experienced such excitement.

A daunting problem now lay before him: even with the strictest rationing, all the food here would last, at most, a week. If rescue didn’t come within a week, he might really be left to die.

No matter how talented Brian Carter was, he was still just a kid who had just graduated from junior high. Here, all he had was a type-C non-combat robot, a week’s worth of food, and a pitch-black, not-so-safe mine.

Most people would either go mad or be utterly depressed in this situation, but after lamenting his fate, Brian Carter calmly started eating.

After all, whether happy or sad, it wouldn’t change the outcome, so why not try to be a little happier? There was still a week left. God created mankind in seven days, which meant a lot could happen in seven days. Maybe a transport plane would land at the mine entrance, and a beautiful flight attendant would invite him aboard.

After a few bites, Brian Carter fell asleep again. His body had just recovered and was still weak, and after such intense tension, he couldn’t help but doze off.

In the darkness, only Black Charcoal dutifully stood guard over Brian Carter.

Failure always happens after one gives up completely.

Old Man was always saying things full of philosophy, though he never managed to follow any of them himself.

Brian Carter was still young, and he didn’t want to give up. Maybe it was because of his youth, but honestly, aside from the initial terror, he was already getting used to it. Brian Carter spent a week in the pitch-black mine, and with Black Charcoal’s help, he gradually expanded his range of activity. Clearly, after destroying the base, the main Zago force had already left; only scattered Zago remained nearby, and their level wasn’t very high. Although Brian Carter still couldn’t resist them, at least he didn’t have to just sit and wait for death. There wasn’t much usable stuff left in the base, but a nutrient converter had miraculously survived intact, which made Brian Carter overjoyed.

Given the poor environment here and Black Charcoal’s low level, he couldn’t expect any gourmet meals. To prevent malnutrition, every base was equipped with such a device. It could turn organic matter into pill-like things. The taste made you want to strangle the inventor, but the effect was excellent.

And the tall plants of Norton Star were indeed organic matter. Brian Carter solved his food problem and thoroughly searched the base, unexpectedly finding a crate of well-preserved cheap liquor and some broken biscuits. To him now, these were treasures to be rationed. During this time, he kept hearing rumbling noises and seeing sparks in the sky. It seemed the war wouldn’t end as quickly as he’d hoped. Humanity’s army was facing fierce resistance from the Zago. Brian Carter wasn’t stupid; better to rely on himself than others. As long as he survived, there would always be a chance.

He was already prepared for a long-term struggle.

Maybe he was just naturally optimistic and adventurous, but he actually found this exciting life more invigorating than staring at a screen all day watching clumsy robots mine. Of course, a big reason was the opening of his eighth brain region. Although he didn’t know how to activate his gene core, his strengthened mental power made him more sensitive to his surroundings, increasing his vigilance.

What humans fear most is the unknown. Once you have some control, the Zago, though terrifying, are harmless if they can’t reach you. The mine had become Brian Carter’s new home.

“Black Charcoal, put the food deeper inside... Wait, leave a bottle of liquor.”

“Yes, master.” Black Charcoal was the most loyal companion. Over this period, Brian Carter found Black Charcoal more and more endearing. He couldn’t imagine how he’d get by alone.

The mine was already paralyzed; inside, apart from a pile of scrap metal, there was nothing of value. And the deeper you went, the worse the air and conditions became—not suitable for humans. But food was most important and had to be well hidden.

Most of Brian Carter’s time each day was spent practicing the Blade Technique. Whether it was the opening of his eighth brain region or just that Old Man’s Blade Technique was truly amazing, he felt better and better. Adapting to the gravity was easy, and his perception was growing sharper. His intuition told him this was his lifeline for survival here.