It's Time to Settle Down

"Well, I've scoured the base thoroughly. There's still an Emergency Escape Device I could craft, but my Pocket Factory has devoured all my materials..."
"What's most regrettable is that reactor array. Ah... energy is what I need most right now."
At the base's lowest level, there was originally an array of six large reactors connected in series, supplying power to the entire facility.
Unfortunately, by the time Xiao Bai arrived, five had completely melted down, leaving nothing salvageable.
Fortunately, they were Paradise Reactors, less dangerous than traditional nuclear fission reactors. Otherwise, the base would likely have been completely destroyed.
The remaining reactor was on its last breath, its power output unstable. The faint electricity still lingering in the base was its final, desperate struggle.
After Xiao Bai finished absorbing its energy, even that last flicker of power vanished, leaving the base utterly silent and lifeless.
Yet the components he obtained were for that Plasma Launcher...
"There's still that radar station left to search. I'll check it out today, and then it's time to visit my 'good buddy' and reminisce."
Xiao Bai still remembered the first time he approached the base, when he was remotely locked onto by radar.
But after thoroughly searching the base, he couldn't find anything related to radar, suggesting it must be deployed outside.
Xiao Bai then summoned his three subordinates: 'Shuttle Crab', and two excavator-type 'Ghouls' that had been rescued.
After storing them in his Storage Space, he activated his own radar, attempting to detect the opposing wavelength and locate the Radar Station.
However, the Radar Station seemed to have fallen silent, possibly because the Central Control System was no longer functioning.
Fortunately, with his newly acquired 15 drones, he quickly made a discovery after releasing them all.
Xiao Bai hurried to the site.
It wasn't far, only a few dozen kilometers away, and the scale was small. The radar was an older-style 'grid' type, and around it were empty missile launchers, likely depleted during the Great Demon Lord's invasion.
The area was eerily quiet, with no signs of life detected by his Scanner, nor any facilities for personnel. It appeared to be fully automated.
"The intense radiation here is still too dangerous for humans, so most people are concentrated within the base, relying on the radiation-proof barriers to survive..."
"Hmm? There's a Second Master lying around here? And it looks pretty intact too?"
Xiao Bai quickly descended and located the Guardian Mecha crouching outside the barbed wire fence. He then released the Shuttle Crab, instructing it to assess and repair the mecha.
He had previously obtained the repair plan from Professor Wang, but this time, he felt too guilty about taking advantage and paid the required Contribution.
"Hmm... Almost completely undamaged, except the Central Control System is missing and it automatically shut down. Well, I'll gladly accept it then."
After reviewing the assessment report, Xiao Bai had the Shuttle Crab start recruiting members and chuckled:
"With this one, plus the two Ghouls, the Shuttle Crab, and the Little Milk Cat, haven't I gathered my Five Tiger Generals?"
Xiao Bai always maintained this optimistic mindset, even in adversity. He scratched the Little Milk Cat behind the ear with his mechanical arm and encouraged:
"You're the first to join, so from now on, you'll be Second Master."
"Meow?"
The Little Milk Cat couldn't hear what he was saying, but it simply pawed at the mechanical arm with its fluffy little claws, acting quite clingy.
Guided by the Scanner's alerts, Xiao Bai quickly began his search, starting with the empty missile launchers. He collected all the parts and electronic components, causing the launchers to collapse with a crash, scattering into a pile of scrap metal.
Xiao Bai then unleashed his "Zhao Yun" and "Huang Zhong" mechs, tasking them with compressing the scrap into neat metal ingots for easier retrieval.
With his Pocket Factory, he could now absorb these materials. The Panel categorized them as "Metal Raw Materials," suitable for manufacturing ammunition or fueling the Reactor.
Next, Xiao Bai approached the old radar station. After a moment's consideration, he activated the green scanning beam.
10,000 parts absorbed.
5,000 electronic components absorbed.
10 radar components absorbed.
5 computational chips absorbed.
"Ugh... Just mosquito legs. Not even enough to upgrade the Pocket Factory once..."
Xiao Bai grumbled, then examined what these radar components could be assembled into:
Eye of Odin Airborne Phased Array Radar : An active phased array radar developed by Da Feng Industrial based on Paradise Technology. Designed to operate in various complex environments, its unique miniaturization allows it to be mounted on Commander-Type Mecha.
The small text below read:
"Why does this thing attract so many Demonic Beasts as soon as it powers up?"
Xiao Bai pondered for a moment, then decided to assemble the device. He had barely even warmed up the newly acquired parts and electronic components before they were all gone, and he even had to dip into his dwindling inventory.
After a series of printing sounds, a massive "pot lid" appeared before him.
"This radar was supposed to be over ten meters tall, but it's only this small when assembled? And why is a phased array radar shaped like a pot lid? This doesn't make sense!"
Grumbling to himself, Xiao Bai equipped the radar and discovered that it somehow incorporated some mysterious magnetic levitation technology, allowing it to hover above his head like a glowing halo.
The energy consumption was manageable, and the coverage range reached 2,000 kilometers—farther than even his missiles could reach.
It was clearly sufficient for his needs, but ultimately useless. The area was completely empty; everything that moved was already clustered around him.
"It's the same problem as before. This thing might be useless, but I can't do without it."
Xiao Bai stored the radar in his Storage Space and turned back to inspect the reactor.
The result was a pleasant surprise. Although the reactor had been shut down as an emergency measure, it wasn't damaged. By having the Shuttle Crab overwrite the system, Xiao Bai could make it his own.
However, this large reactor couldn't be fitted into his mecha, and retracting it into his Storage Space would halt its operation, requiring a full reboot each time he needed to use it.
So, Xiao Bai left it in place and connected the output cables directly to himself, treating it like an enormous portable charger. The generated energy flowed directly into his Storage Space.
Watching the energy reserves skyrocket like a runaway train, Xiao Bai nodded in satisfaction.
"The energy problem that's plagued me for so long is finally easing up. It's not very portable, but at least I don't have to be so stingy with my resources anymore."
Xiao Bai used the drone and scanner to carefully survey the surroundings. Though small, this was the highest point in the flat expanse of Paradise . The area was also relatively clean, with fewer ruins and debris to clear. Its potential for development made it ideal for setting up a base.
"It's time to build myself a little home."

Chapter end