The faint silver moonlight gradually faded from the cracked iron walls of the shack, replaced by a pale gray glow that seeped through the gaps, signaling the arrival of early dawn in the Chip Graveyard. A bitter, dusty wind whistled through the towering piles of scrap, carrying with it the faint stench of rusted metal and decaying debris. In the distance, the low growl of a low-level mechanical beast echoed from the deeper zones of the graveyard, a constant reminder that even the early hours held danger here. Lu Zhechuan did not sleep a wink the entire night; his mind was filled with the system's repair plan and the three captured pursuers hidden in the tunnel behind the shack. Every nerve in his body remained tense, ready to respond to any sudden danger at any moment. After five years of being a powerless scavenger, one wrong move could still cost him his life.
Once the sky brightened slightly, he immediately rose to his feet and moved silently to the back of the shack, checking on the three members of the small Blackstone Gang he had subdued. All of them were still tightly bound, their Dao Core energy completely sealed, their faces twisted with silent rage. After confirming they posed no immediate threat, he did not kill them—doing so would only leave more obvious traces and draw greater trouble once their allies arrived. Instead, he used the simplest method: he moved them deeper into the winding scrap tunnel, blocked the entrance with several heavy, rusted metal plates, and ensured no one could easily find or rescue them. By the time they managed to free themselves, he would already be far away from this area, collecting the materials the system required.
After disposing of the three captives, Lu Zhechuan quickly tidied up the messy shack, erasing all signs of the previous night's fierce battle. He scattered a thin layer of dust and debris over the dented iron door and the marks left by energy attacks, making the small dwelling look just like any other dilapidated, abandoned shelter in the Chip Graveyard—ordinary and unnoticeable. Before leaving, he tucked a sharp, broken metal shard into his cloak, a basic weapon for any unexpected encounters.
Once everything was in order, he slung the tattered canvas bag over his shoulder, tightened his ragged black cloak, and quietly slipped out of the shack. He did not take the main paths that other scavengers usually used; instead, he stuck to the narrow, winding gaps between towering scrap heaps, relying on his years of living in the Chip Graveyard to move forward stealthily. He could see faint torchlight in the distance, other scavengers already beginning their day's work, and he ducked lower to avoid being spotted. Drawing attention was the last thing he needed.
The system's optimal repair plan required five of the lowest-grade scraps: Low-Grade Circuit Wafers, Fractured Energy Cells, Worn-Out Control Chips, Basic Alloy Frames, and Scrap Power Stabilizers. These were all items that ordinary scavengers would dismiss as worthless trash, but even so, they were not concentrated in one spot. He had long known that different types of waste tended to pile up in different zones of the graveyard, so he planned his route in advance to minimize unnecessary movement.
He first headed to the western scrap heaps, an area mostly filled with discarded civilian devices and broken low-level Dao Cores. As expected, he quickly found a few damaged low-level Dao Cores half-buried under debris. He carefully pried off the thin, fragile circuit substrates from inside—these were the Low-Grade Circuit Wafers the system needed. His finger was nicked by the sharp edge of a broken core, and a drop of blood welled up; he wiped it on his sleeve without hesitation, used to such minor injuries in the wasteland.
A little further in, he spotted several corroded energy lamps and broken heating equipment. He pried open the shells and took out the small, cracked cylindrical batteries inside. He tested each one with a faint pulse of his own Dao Core energy, confirming they still held a faint trace of residual energy, which fully met the system's requirements.
Next, he moved toward the southern piles, which were mostly old electronic parts. He rummaged through a heap of damaged remote controls, toy drones, and worn sensor switches, picking out several microchips whose advanced functions had failed but whose basic logic circuits were still intact. These were the Worn-Out Control Chips. He made sure to avoid any piles that looked unstable, as scrap heaps in the graveyard could collapse without warning.
Basic Alloy Frames were even easier to find. On the way, he passed countless rusted cans, broken tool brackets, and abandoned metal packaging. He picked several thin, malleable metal strips that possessed basic energy insulation properties, selecting those that showed no signs of severe corrosion.
The Scrap Power Stabilizers were the most inconspicuous, usually attached to the joints of energy wires or old charging ports. He deliberately slowed down, carefully inspecting every damaged energy component he passed. After a thorough search that lasted nearly ten minutes, he finally found a few tiny, dusty stabilizer sheets hidden near a broken Dao Core charging interface, half-covered by fine sand.
In just under an hour, following his planned route, Lu Zhechuan collected all five types of lowest-grade scraps. He held the bag lightly, feeling a faint stir in his heart. These worthless pieces of trash, ignored by every other scavenger, were exactly the key to activating the system's first functions. For the first time in five years, he truly felt a glimmer of hope that he could escape his powerless fate.
He did not immediately start the repair. Instead, he searched for a hidden, sheltered crevice between two large, stable scrap heaps, a spot that blocked vision from all sides. He then arranged a simple warning mechanism by leaning a few loose metal sheets against the entrance; anyone approaching would knock them over and create a loud noise. Only after triple-checking his surroundings and confirming no one was following did he sit down cross-legged, taking out the Primeval Origin Core along with the five scraps.
As he placed the scraps near the black core, the golden lines on its surface suddenly lit up slightly, as if recognizing the materials. A soft, mechanical voice echoed in his mind once more, concise and direct.
…Materials confirmed. Matching temporary emergency repair requirements.
…Commencing minimal repair process. Estimated duration: 5 minutes.
…Do not disturb during repair.
The five scraps slowly floated up and gradually disintegrated into tiny streams of light, merging into the Origin Core. The core hummed gently, its faint golden glow flickering steadily as it fixed its most basic internal circuits. Warmth spread from the core to his chest, flowing slowly through his meridians. Lu Zhechuan held his breath, his heart filled with quiet excitement, his entire focus fixed on the ongoing repair.
Three minutes passed, and the repair progress was halfway complete.
Suddenly, the Origin Core's light flickered violently, and an unexpected alert sounded in his mind, its tone sharp and urgent.
…Warning: Unknown energy fluctuation detected.
…Origin Core registering abnormal reaction. Source unknown.
At the same time, a blurry, fragmented image flashed violently in his mind—a bright white laboratory, the blurry figures of two people in white coats, the shrill wail of a red alarm, and a string of cold numbers that burned into his consciousness:
Project-001
The memory was gone in an instant, leaving Lu Zhechuan stunned. What was that? A laboratory? A project? It had nothing to do with the scrap-filled Chip Graveyard he had lived in his whole life. Could it be related to his parents, and the true origin of the Origin Core?
Before he could process the strange vision, his simple metal warning mechanism clattered loudly.
Footsteps. Male voices. Familiar tones, belonging to the Blackstone Gang.
"Search carefully! He must be hiding around here!"
"He can't have gotten far! Find him and tear him to pieces!"
The voices were getting closer, clearly heading straight for his hidden crevice.
The system's repair timer continued to count down.
Only two minutes remaining.
Lu Zhechuan's body tensed instantly, his hand gripping the metal shard at his waist.
He could not run. He could not hide.
Interrupting the repair would mean losing his only chance to grow stronger.
But if he stayed, the gang members would find him at any moment.
The golden light of the Origin Core continued to flicker, the unknown energy fluctuation still lingering, and the sound of pursuit drew near with every passing second.