On the lunar surface, at the mine exit from the underground ruins.
The subsidiary base here had already begun to take shape. Within an area several hundred meters across, the newly completed Robot Production Line was steadily turning out basic-model miniature robots made from ordinary materials.
As soon as these miniature robots rolled off the line, the AI Core, Codename, took control of them and set them to work gathering mineral resources and nuclear fusion fuel. Meanwhile, the Mechanical Insects handled the construction of large functional structures and machinery, including energy centers, steelmaking equipment, transport vehicles, and mining equipment, while continuing to expand the miniature robot production lines.
Everything proceeded efficiently and methodically. The ample supply of Mechanical Insects allowed this subsidiary base to expand at an astonishing rate.
Besides this base, the other six newly established subsidiary bases were also developing rapidly. Meanwhile, the original East Factory base, which already covered several kilometers, had begun a new task!
A level road extended from the East Factory base toward the mine. All the uneven ground along its path had been flattened, and even some of the impact craters it passed through had been filled in.
At the end of this road, a construction crew slowly advanced as it worked.
Leading the way was a superheavy bulldozer, which leveled the ground as it crawled forward. A road roller followed behind, compacting the surface.
The road roller's heavy drum was unusual: it had a raised ridge about five centimeters high in the middle, leaving a shallow trench just five centimeters deep down the center of the road it rolled over.
Next came several miniature robots, which scanned the ground to verify its levelness.
They were followed by a vehicle resembling a water truck, which evenly sprayed a superadhesive material.
Once sprayed, this