odessanovel Chapter 220: Memory Drives
Chapter 220: Memory Drives
The small container sat in the deepest corner of the freight depot.
Unlike the containers holding gold coins and [Gray Fog Timber], its surface wasn’t covered in too much dust. The silver-gray metal layer still retained a faint luster. Small veining ran along the body like a protective system that had been operating for a very long time.
Elith stood before the container door.
A few small spiders crawled around the lock, then quickly returned to her arm.
"No monsters."
Nanoe looked at the slightly unusual metal, her expression becoming serious.
"But there’s energy fluctuation."
Selina placed her hand on the sword hilt.
"Should I cut it open?"
"Wait."
Nanoe stopped her.
"If the item inside is special, forcing the lock open with strength could damage what we need to retrieve."
Rover stepped forward.
He placed his hand on the metal lock.
Darkness from beneath his feet slowly spread upward, covering the entire lock. The defensive veining lit up once, as if trying to resist the intrusion. But [Shadow] didn’t directly destroy. It slipped into each gap, pressuring the internal latches to separate.
Crack!
A small sound rang out.
The lock fell to the floor.
The container door slowly opened.
No monsters lunged out.
No traps.
No blinding light like when opening supply crates.
Inside there was only a silver metal case secured firmly in the center of the container. Around the case were layers of cushioning material that had slightly decayed, proving this thing had once been preserved with extreme care.
Rover stepped inside.
Nanoe followed close beside him.
He opened the lid of the case.
The items inside left everyone slightly puzzled.
There were dozens of small drives shaped like data storage devices. Some resembled portable hard drives. Others looked like thin metal sticks with very faintly glowing veining on the exterior. Each drive was placed in its own slot, clearly numbered, and covered with an additional transparent protective layer.
Sunako tilted her head.
"What are these?"
Rover picked one up.
A notification panel immediately appeared before him.
....
[Unidentified Memory Drive]
[Type: Special item.]
[Rank: Unidentified.]
[Status: Cannot be used.]
[Requirement: Compatible building or device needed to read data.]
[Note: Should not attempt to force open with energy.]
....
Rover slightly frowned.
Cannot be used.
Cannot be read.
Also unknown what data is inside.
He handed the drive to Nanoe.
She looked at the small item in her hand, then examined the entire metal case. Inside there were a total of forty-eight drives. Most were still intact. A few had lost their glow but weren’t necessarily completely broken.
Nanoe didn’t try to open them.
Didn’t do anything foolish out of curiosity either.
"Keep them."
Rover looked at her.
Nanoe continued: "Can’t be used right now doesn’t mean it will be useless later. These drives are preserved more carefully than the gold coins and timber. That alone is enough to prove what’s inside has value."
Rover nodded.
"Could the [Equipment Production Workshop] read them?"
"Not certain."
Nanoe looked at the numbered symbols on each slot.
"But after we establish the territory, the number of buildings will increase. If not the Equipment Production Workshop, we’ll sooner or later find compatible equipment."
Sunako also curiously looked at the case of drives.
"Could there be blueprints inside?"
"Possibly."
"Crafting formulas?"
"Also possible."
"Secrets of the world?"
Nanoe curved her lips slightly.
"That possibility also exists."
Sunako immediately became more serious.
"Then we must guard them very carefully."
Selina glanced at her.
"Your attitude changed pretty fast when you heard ’secrets of the world.’"
Sunako answered very naturally: "I’m the future territory’s backup maid. My responsibility is to protect all assets with potential for appreciation."
Rover paid no attention to that exchange.
He put the entire metal case into his backpack.
No upgrading.
No trying to force it open with energy.
Things not yet understood were best not touched casually. Especially when the information panel had already clearly warned against it. Rover was greedy for benefits, but not foolish enough to destroy a special item himself just because he lacked patience.
Nanoe returned to the main warehouse area.
She looked at the gold coin crates, the two containers of [Gray Fog Timber], and the rows of parcels still not completely checked, then quickly made a decision.
"We can’t bring everything in one trip."
Rover nodded.
"Priority?"
"Gold coins first."
Nanoe spoke very quickly.
"Game currency lets us continue trading with Otrix and others. Next, the memory drive case. Then bring a portion of the [Gray Fog Timber] back for Morie to examine."
She looked at the route outside the warehouse.
"Mark the locations of the remaining parcels. We need to turn this place into the first resource point, then organize transport across multiple trips."
Rover looked around.
"Do we need to leave someone to guard it?"
Nanoe thought for a few seconds.
"Not yet. Other Survivors may not yet dare enter the fog. Even if someone has enough courage to follow the lantern route, they couldn’t take all the resources in a short time."
"What about monsters?"
"Elith leaves spiders to keep watch." Nanoe said. "If a variable appears, we’ll know."
Elith gently nodded.
Some small spiders immediately crawled out from her sleeve, dispersing onto the ceiling, wall crevices, and containers near the door. They weren’t sufficient to fight strong monsters, but could observe and send warning signals.
Rilia stood near the warehouse door.
She didn’t participate much in the inventory check. Her gaze only kept looking toward the fog outside, as if sensing something very unsettling.
Rover noticed this.
"Something wrong?"
Rilia frowned slightly.
"Not certain."
"What are you sensing?"
"Cold aura."
Sunako looked at the thin ice beneath Rilia’s feet.
"Didn’t you create that?"
Rilia shook her head.
"Not the same."
She looked deep into the curtain of fog.
"This is colder."
Nanoe immediately turned her head.
The air in the warehouse was still quiet, but the sense of safety that had just appeared after clearing the monsters had disappeared. Outside the warehouse door, the fog swirled more sluggishly than before, as if the entire gray-white curtain was being pulled in one direction by something invisible.
Right at that moment, the lantern near the warehouse door suddenly trembled slightly.
Flicker...
The yellow-white flame contracted.
At first only slightly.
Then more noticeably.
A thin wisp of black smoke slowly crawled around the lantern core.
Rover immediately recalled Otrix’s warning.
If the flame contracts or turns black, don’t stand there investigating.
Turn around.
Run.
Elith closed her eyes.
One strand of spider silk on her fingertip snapped.
Then a second.
A third.
The scouting spiders placed along the route were losing connection one by one.
Not all at once.
But disappearing in sequence from far to near.
Like something was crawling along the lantern route, slowly advancing toward the freight depot.
Nanoe didn’t hesitate.
"Retrieve the important items."
"Prepare to retreat."
Selina immediately returned to combat position.
Sunako gripped the lantern in her arms tightly. Her face went slightly pale but she was no longer as panicked as when she had first stepped into the fog. She quickly transferred the smaller gold coin crates into her backpack, then backed toward Rover.
Rilia still stood at the door.
The cold aura around her body began intensifying.
[Frost Battle Domain] hadn’t fully opened yet, but individual ice crystals were already floating in the air.
Rover stepped toward the warehouse door.
Beyond the light zone, the fog churned more violently than before.
Screech...
Screech...
Screech...
The sound of scraping against the road surface rang out from within the darkness.
Not the sound of a mutated monster’s footsteps.
No breathing sounds.
No growling.
Only a dry, rhythmic sound, like countless fingernails or white bones being dragged across concrete.
A shadowy figure appeared outside the light zone.
Then a second.
A third.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Malformed spirits slowly rose from within the fog. Their bodies were hazy, their faces deformed, their hollow eyes staring in unison toward Rover.
None of them charged into the light zone.
They only stood there.
Silent.
Waiting.
Behind the procession of spirits, a tall shadow slowly materialized. It hadn’t fully stepped out of the fog, but just the cold aura it radiated had already caused the lantern flames to contract another degree.
Rilia looked at that shadow.
Her voice dropped colder.
"It’s not a monster guarding the warehouse."
She clenched her hand tightly.
"It’s looking for us."
Rover looked at the flame being gradually surrounded by black smoke, then looked at the hundreds of spirits outside the light zone.
The darkness beneath his feet slowly spread outward.
Not retreating.
Not afraid.
The corner of Rover’s lips slowly curved up.
"Good then."
He looked at the procession of spirits drawing closer.
"I also want to know..."
"How many points these outside spirits can exchange for."