Chapter 3: The Iron Age
Adrian pried open the iron door between the living room and the bedroom. Once inside, he eyed the large wooden bed, preparing to break it down into blocks of usable material.
A thought struck him.
"AI, what materials can I convert into blocks right now?" he asked.
Ding!
"The host's current cumulative level is 1. At this level, block conversion is subject to strict limitations. For the relationship between levels and conversion restrictions, please refer to Block Conversion Restriction Index."
(Note: Any content marked with angle brackets like < > is omitted from the main text because it's either too detailed or part of unfinished lore. These settings will only be explained when necessary for plot development or worldbuilding.)
"Under the restrictions of cumulative level 1, the host can still convert many block types. For specifics, refer to Current Convertibles List."
"Additionally, block conversion is governed by a number of metric conditions. See Block Conversion Metric Requirements for details."
"However, to simplify things, the system will usually present the minimum metric requirements relevant to the current scenario."
"For example, when converting leather, the system might only mention 'minimum surface area: 0.25 m².' But in reality, other metrics—like thickness—also apply. They're just omitted because they don't affect the outcome in this case."
As the AI continued its explanation, Adrian skimmed the documents: Block Conversion Restriction Index, Current Convertibles List, and Block Conversion Metric Requirements.
"Alright, I get the basics now," he said. "So, I can convert this bed into Wood, right? Great. AI, convert the bed board into Wood."
Ding!
"Detected: current Wood volume is at least 0.125 cubic meters. Maximum yield: 2 Wood blocks. Proceed with conversion?"
"Yes, convert it."
With 2 blocks of Wood in hand, Adrian quickly crafted planks, then used them to make sticks. With sticks and iron ingots, he synthesized a set of iron tools: sword, axe, pickaxe, shovel, and hoe.
"I don't need all of these just yet, but they'll come in handy. The iron hoe will be great for farming when I find seeds. The shovel? Perfect for digging up sand quickly."
Next, Adrian turned to the bedding stacked on the bed frame.
"AI, can the unknown filler material in this bedding be converted into Wool?"
Ding!
"Answer: Yes. However, detected volume is less than 0.125 cubic meters. Conversion is currently not possible. Please collect more of the same material."
"If not Wool, what about string?" Adrian asked, exploring a different option.
Ding!
"Answer: Yes. Detected length ≥ 0.5 meters, cross-sectional area ≥ 0.25 cm². Material can yield up to 1600 units of string. Proceed with conversion?"
"Holy crap," Adrian muttered. "That much string? Looks like we're never running out now."
He paused, thinking. "Let's not go overboard. AI, convert just one stack for now. I'll save the rest to try converting into Wool once I have enough similar material."
Ding!
"Conversion complete."
"Perfect. With string, I can make bows and fishing rods. Unfortunately, no feathers yet… even if I dig up some flint later, I still won't be able to make arrows."
Adrian groaned. "So typical. No bow, no arrows. Then when I finally get a bow, still no arrows. What's the point?"
He considered his options.
"Instead of crafting arrows one by one, I'll just hit up a local factory later, order some low-quality arrows, and convert them into usable ones. Should be cheap and save me time."
Satisfied with the plan, he nodded to himself.
"Now that's thinking. Smooth like a chrome stream. Grandma and Grandpa would be proud. If only they could high-five me through the net."
Chuckling, Adrian got to work. He crafted a bow, a fishing rod, and an iron bucket.
"I'll search the area for leftover water or drinks people might've missed when they evacuated. If I can find two source blocks of water, I can make an infinite water supply."
He held up the bucket.
"With water on hand, I can pull off a landing from any height—just need to time it right."
Then Adrian dismantled all the iron doors connecting the rooms, searched each one meticulously, and eventually discovered a bottle of spoiled soda.
"Some sketchy off-brand junk. AI, can spoiled drinks still be used to convert into water source blocks?"
Ding!
"Answer: Yes. However, detected liquid volume is below 0.125 cubic meters. Cannot convert. Collect more similar items."
"Alright, I'll clear out the useful stuff from this room first, then hit the others."
Adrian salvaged all the iron and wood furniture and miscellaneous items, converting them into as many iron ingots and Wood blocks as possible.
(Note: Maximum-yield block conversion requires material volume between 0.125 and 1.0 cubic meters. Converting 0.125 m³ yields one block—the most efficient conversion method.)
"The owner of this place must've been living okay—not rich, but better off than most. A wooden bed instead of an iron one, though there wasn't much else of value."
He piled up the remaining unconverted items in the center of the living room and reinstalled all the iron doors to maintain the original appearance.
"I'm not converting the doors," he muttered. "I've got enough iron for now. If everything in here's stripped clean and the doors are gone, it'll look suspicious."
"People might think the owner brought in a demolition crew or something."
Adrian stepped outside, closed the outer door, clapped his hands clean, and looked toward the next house.
"Let's keep moving. Gotta find more supplies. If I'm lucky, maybe even some crusty old hamburgers I can convert into bread to keep me going. Otherwise, I might have to consider using the resurrection function to reset my hunger."
As he continued scavenging, Adrian thought through his next moves.
"First, gather more Wood and materials for Wool—to craft shields and a bed. Then find enough water-source materials to create infinite water."
"After that, I'll search for shrubs and dead grass. That should net me some saplings and wheat seeds. Then I can find a good spot to build my first shelter underground."
"Yep. That's the plan."
As the idea of building his first real home in this cyberpunk world took root in his mind, Adrian's pulse quickened. He picked up his pace, his eyes sharp and focused.