AWACS - An American With A Chinese System
Copyright© 2025 by PT Brainum
Chapter 37
Being online again, I didn’t even care about the dampness from being outside. Searching online I eventually found a mailbox store that was willing to work with me. They were happy to rent me their largest delivery box, and accept packages from Amazon on my behalf. They even said that they were not far from an Amazon distribution point there in Phoenix, and would probably be able to get rapid delivery on most items. Their system would also text me when any item arrived. I had a google voice account, so I had them text that, because I would get that anywhere I had internet on any of my phones, and it wouldn’t be an international text message, which sometimes companies got weird about.
I set up a new Amazon account, putting in delivery addresses for Phoenix, my servants in Portland, Aida in Portland, and Pete, all just in case. I made Phoenix primary, and started adding things to my cart.
About thirty minutes later I realized I had a potential issue. I added RV toilet paper to the list, and happy campers tank cleaner.
After getting my order placed, I sat down in the recliner, and considered Scribe. We needed to have a chat.
“Scribe, can you show me other skills that would have gotten me out of the casino safely if they were fully upgraded?”
People mountain people sea blinked twice. That was interesting, a super power that focused on getting thru obstacles. I hadn’t even considered using that during my escape. The double blink probably meant that I’d have to upgrade it twice to get the effect, it was a three level skill, and I was at level one.
“Scribe, can you show me skills that would make or save money if upgraded?”
Thunder huge raindrop small blinked once, ask price, make counter offer blinked once, economize carefully eat frugally also blinked once. The last one was odd, I hadn’t actually figured out how to activate it yet, I’d bought stuff for the island, but hadn’t gotten a discount, even when paying with cash.
Finally, I asked, “Scribe, which skills if upgraded would give me more points?”
Alpine mountains, flowing water, blinked twice. Guest arrive as if to return, blinked three times, as did bitterness finishes sweetness begins, and a good person does good deeds.
I had a thought, “Scribe can you show me the names of skills that I’ve seen before, but that would also have gotten me out of the trouble I was in at the casino?”
骑虎难下 riding tiger difficult dismount (0/1)
自由自在 naturally you naturally free (0/1)
Well that was helpful. Makes me wish I’d picked those skills previously. I guess it wasn’t one of the available skills when I leveled up, or Scribe would have had me get it instead.
The rain paused, as I was eating lunch. The humidity was still high, so I turned on the RV air conditioner. I had to open a window as the various ceiling vents connected to the AC all blew dust when it started. Running the microwave or the electric hot water while running the AC would pop the main breaker, so I had to try to remember not to do that. With lunch finished, I returned my dishes and utensils to their spot, fully cleaned on arrival. Way better than the tiny dishwasher I used to have.
I rode my ATV thru the slightly muddy roads, realizing that I wasn’t really dressed for the weather. I activated my clothing skill, and they shifted into good work jeans, work boots, and long sleeve tee.
I arrived at Down Rope, and flew over the edge onto the beach.
“Scribe, are there any upgrades that would make me better at building stuff like this tunnel?”
Jade not cut with tools blinked once, which wasn’t too surprising, as that was the skill I was about to use. It was a three level skill, and I had just one level. It made me wonder what the third level did if it wasn’t construction based?
“Scribe, are there skills that would make me better at carving?”
维妙维肖 maintain wonderful maintain resemblance (0/1)
百发百中 100 shots 100 hits (0/3)
班门弄斧 Ban’s door play with hatchet (0/4)
Nothing I could buy right now, but definitely skills to look for in the future. I was feeling hot, the sun coming down right on my head as I stood below the cliff and tried to figure the best place to start digging. My clothes shifted into swim wear, and I considered if it was the skill, or Scribe was influencing the skill.
I waded out into the water, and the sandals shifted into flippers, so I dived in, and soon was wrapped in a wetsuit, with mask and snorkel. This was nice, I thought, as I peered down into the water of the only beach on the island. The slope was not overly steep, but the ground was littered with sharp volcanic stone. I swam deeper, and found a regulator pushing into my mouth.
I spit it out, and my goggles transformed into a full face mask, with a breathing hose connected to a tank on my back. That was better, I could breathe normally, as I swam deeper into the water. This clothing skill was proving to be very versatile. I wondered if it could do a space suit.
There was a bit of a ridge further out, then the ground dropped sharply into the sea. That ridge would be an excellent spot for my removed rock, to serve as a breakwater for the beach.
I returned to the surface, the full face mask disappearing, the flippers returned to beach sandals as I stood, and transformed again into work boots as I approached the rock face.
I set an area of one fen, which was only three and a third centimeters, and carefully aimed it up at thirty degrees. Mentally I could see where it reached the end of the solid material it was going to make a hole in. I maneuvered it around a bit, until I had it coming out next to the tennis courts.
The angle was a bit more than thirty degrees, but the cost was still eye watering. I fired off the skill. Now with an access hole, I carefully used my ultimate knife.
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