Thanks to the high-yield multiplier from the Covenant of the Saint, his system inventory had already swelled by sixty kilograms of copper ingots, fifty kilograms of resin, sixty kilograms of rubber, two hundred forty kilograms of plastic tubing, and two hundred kilograms of electronic scrap.

Frankly speaking, aside from the missing silicon blocks, Kevin had already gathered every raw material needed to manufacture drones.

Still, he didn’t give up hope. After posting three purchase requests for silicon blocks on the global channel, he and the two girls returned to the captain’s quarters.

Dawn had broken. After a grueling night of combat, all three felt a hint of exhaustion.

To prepare for the intense fighting that night, Kevin ordered them to rest first. He continued monitoring the trade messages while silently opening the Mechanical Sovereign Talent panel.

[Mechanical Sovereign: Kevin]

[Blueprints Mastered: Sail & Steering Mechanism, 9mm Pistol Ammunition]

[Mechanical Followers: None]

[Production Workshop: Empty]

[Resource Vault: Wood 50kg, Iron Ingots 75kg, Copper Ingots 60kg, Resin 50kg, Rubber 60kg, Plastic 240kg, Electronic Scrap 200kg]

Kevin studied his current resources, running the numbers in his head.

Drones needed silicon. Bullets needed gunpowder.

Quite the headache, indeed.

He clapped his hands and took out the drone and the Glock 19 pistol stored in his inventory.

"Never mind. Let’s scan them first."

[Initiating scan of mechanical structure: Semi-automatic pistol.]

[Scan progress: 0.01%... 0.02%...]

As the progress bar crawled forward, Kevin shifted his focus back to his system inventory.

He had just counted it: remaining combat supplies were barely over two hundred rounds.

By his plan for nightly large-scale hunts, these bullets would last at most two more nights.

And that was only if he conserved ammo for Luna and Amelia, fighting himself with the Lance of Longinus in close quarters.

If he relied on firearms, the supply might not even survive a single night.

Kevin sneered softly. "Forget it. Let’s Enchant them all first."

His left hand continued scanning the pistol, while his right hand drew out bullets one by one, engraving magical patterns onto their casings.

Though he possessed the Enchantment Talent and the Fireball Rune, each bullet required time and concentration to process.

By the time he finished enchanting one hundred twenty rounds, the pistol’s scan was nearing completion.

Just as he was about to pull out the drone for scanning, a rapid system alert chimed in his ear.

Kevin focused his will, and a virtual window materialized before his eyes.

A Survivor named "Celula" had sent him a direct message: "Mr. Kevin, I know where to find silicon blocks. I’d like to trade this information with you."

Kevin sensed the urgency radiating from the message, a faint smile touching his lips as he typed back: "How do I know your intel is accurate?"

After a minute of silence, Celula replied instantly, this time attaching an image.

The photo showed an endless expanse of dark, rolling ocean, with a faint, jagged silhouette of an island barely visible on the horizon.

Celula: "Mr. Kevin, our vessel spotted this island during our patrol. We tried to approach but didn’t make landfall. I swear, I saw pristine white beaches and the silicon blocks you’re looking for. Just melt the sand and soil, and you’ll have more than enough."

Kevin’s eyebrows shot up. The fatigue on his face vanished in an instant.

An island? Another Survivor had already discovered one?

He clenched his fist, excitement bubbling up, but quickly forced himself to stay rational. He typed back: "Alright. What do you want from me in return?"

After a brief pause, Celula replied: "We need weapons. Heavy-duty firearms capable of taking down other Survivors. In fact, another Survivor group has been hunting us ever since we crossed paths."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. He casually dragged the Glock 19 and ten standard rounds into the trade window.

"Those should be enough to kill ten people. But out here in the open ocean, how do I even find the island you mentioned?"

Celula hesitated for a moment before responding: "Mr. Kevin, my companion and I deeply respect your combat capabilities. In truth... we’re hoping you can come personally to protect us."

Kevin’s brow furrowed immediately. "I don’t even know where this island is, let alone your current location. How am I supposed to find you? And how can I protect you?"

Miles away, across the open sea, two battered vessels were locked in a tense chase.

On the deck of the leading ship, Celula stared at her screen with mounting anxiety.

Beside her, a girl with an identical face-Monchhichi-tugged frantically at her sleeve. "Well? Did Kevin agree to come protect us?"

Celula’s expression faltered. "But... are we really sure we should call in a Survivor this powerful? What if he turns on us? Isn’t that like inviting a wolf into the house?"

Monchhichi’s face hardened with resolve. "At the very least, we’ll survive."

She turned, glancing behind them.

Two nautical miles back, a tattered sailing ship was hot on their tail, refusing to let up.

Monchhichi let out a heavy sigh. "Before the Eldritch Descent, those bastards were human traffickers-kidnapping girls to satisfy the depraved whims of the elite."

"Now that civilization’s rules are gone, they’re only growing more vicious."

"You know exactly what’s waiting for us if they catch us."

Celula bit her lip, nodded firmly, and sent another message to Kevin. "Mr. Kevin, allow me to formally introduce myself. My Talent is called [Navigator]. As long as a Survivor is within a two-hundred-and-fifty-nautical-mile radius, I can lock onto their exact location."

"In fact, we’re currently about one hundred and thirty nautical miles from your vessel. If you’re also sailing a two-masted ship like us, maintaining full speed, you should be able to reach us before nightfall."

Kevin’s excitement, already sparked by the mention of the island, surged further. Even before knowing about the Talent, he’d already decided to make the trip just for that beach. Now that he learned they had a live navigation system? He absolutely couldn’t miss this. With Celula on board, future expeditions would never risk getting lost again.

Still, Kevin kept his true intentions locked behind a calm exterior. He deliberately waited five minutes. Only after Celula sent two consecutive question marks did he finally reply: "I sympathize with your situation. But I’m afraid you don’t yet have enough collateral to cover the cost of my rescue."

A hundred and thirty nautical miles away, Celula sat on the deck. Seeing Kevin inflate his demands, her expression immediately fell. "Damn it! This guy is too greedy! I already told him there’s a huge beach waiting for him, and he’s still trying to squeeze me dry!"

Monchhichi, having heard the exchange, let out a short, knowing laugh. "That’s actually a good sign. At least it means he respects the rules of trade." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Celula’s eyebrows lifted. It made sense. If they’d dealt with trash like their pursuers, there’d be no bargaining. They’d just agree, close in, and then turn violent, leaving nothing behind.

She stood up and continued typing. "We still have some food and water. If you want it, we’ll hand it all over. Even every scrap of loot you gain from this rescue, I’m willing to leave to you."

Kevin’s reply came quickly, almost amused: "I don’t need food or water. As for the loot? That belongs to me anyway. There’s no need for you to ’give’ it to me."

Seeing Kevin’s tone leave no room for negotiation, Celula looked genuinely flustered. "Then what do you want? Aside from food, water, and loot... I truly don’t have anything else left to trade."

Kevin’s response was straightforward: "No. You still have collateral. Yourself. I want you to join my team."

Celula’s eyes widened, pupils trembling as she read the message. She grabbed Monchhichi’s arm, her voice shaking. "Kevin... he wants to recruit us!"

Monchhichi glanced at the message, considered it for a moment, then nodded. "If Kevin can drive those bastards off our tail, joining him isn’t a bad idea. On this monstrous sea, there’s nothing more reassuring than relying on someone strong." She turned to face Celula, her voice firm. "Accept him."

Kevin received Celula’s reply almost instantly. She fully accepted his terms.

Of course, Kevin wouldn’t place blind faith in spoken promises. His demands were clear:

"Very well, Ms. Celula. Since you’re serious, I expect to see you and your companion publicly address me in the World Channel. Your message needs to demonstrate unequivocal sincerity, loyalty, and resolve."