C89

We quickly went out to greet her. I took the item from her hands and found that it was extremely heavy. I curiously looked inside and found that it was a rusted iron lump.

"Today, you guys are going to dig a shallow well." Before I could ask, MaggieQ spoke up.

"Well?" We all asked curiously.

MaggieQ nodded and said, "Right now, this base's biggest weakness is the lack of water. If the water source problem is not solved, then no matter how strong the defense is, it's useless.

"But it's not that easy to dig a well …" "I saw people digging when I was in the countryside," he said. "That's technical. It's a lot of work."

MaggieQ gave a rare smile and said, "You're talking about the kind of water well that can be used to lift water from a bucket. We don't need to go through so much trouble."

MaggieQ pointed to the surface of the guide and said, "This place is close to the river and almost certainly has shallow water. It is very likely that you will reach the aquifer after three to four meters, and this city is basically covered in soft soil. "You guys go get some of the thickest pieces of steel."

Fortunately, there was no shortage of all kinds of building materials in this half-built factory. We quickly found a few 40MM solenoids and, under MaggieQ's guidance, cut one of them into three sections, one meter long, two meters long, and three meters long.

Then, at the northwest corner of the yard, near the house, we began to dig.

"Why not open the well there?" With one hand, Monkey pointed to the edge of the eaves where we used to sit. With the other hand, he steadied the spiral steel, and with the other hand, he used a 16p iron hammer to strike down hard, and with each blow landing precisely on the spiral steel, the spiral steel shuddered and suddenly burrowed into the ground, leaving only a short section of the 1m long spiral steel exposed outside in a matter of seconds. He and Monkey both worked together to pull it up again, then they stuffed the 2m long spiral into the hole they had just made and continued their hammering.

"Because you stupid pigs built the toilet there!" MaggieQ said, pointing to the latrine across the eaves.

"Haha …" After putting on the third, three-meter long, solenoid, he smiled and said, "The well must definitely be located upstream from the toilet. Otherwise, we'll have to drink fecal water from now on."

"What about the other pollution?" I asked worriedly, "With so many corpses, would there be any water seeping through?"

MaggieQ shook his head. "As long as the source isn't too close, most of the pollutants will be filtered out by the soil. But just to be safe, the water here has to be boiled before it can be drunk."

"Will it be alright to wash the vegetables and wash the clothes?" Zhang Yiling who was standing to the side and watching the commotion said.

"And a bath!" Xiao Jie couldn't hide his excitement, the expression on his face was like a girl who had seen some famous bag before a crisis.

With the last powerful blow, the three meter length of solenoid finally came to an end. Together we pulled it out again, and a hole the size of a wine cup appeared before our eyes.

MaggieQ poured a bucket full of water into the hole, and we all crowded around in anticipation, head against head, not daring to breathe, as if a sound would scare the water away.

However, after the water was filled, it only swirled for a moment before it quickly fell. In just a few seconds, the water that had been poured into the hole disappeared.

"Ah …" Zhang Yiling and Xiao Jie both gasped as they covered their mouths. I also sighed in my heart, as if the hope of opening a well in the courtyard had also followed the flow of water.

MaggieQ, however, straightened up and looked around at us with a bright gaze. "Congratulations, you've hit the aquifer!" he said with a smile.

"Yay!" We all cheered and clapped our hands to those around us, happier than meat.

Under MaggieQ's guidance, we inserted the same 40MM diameter PVC tube into the hole, then took out what she had brought with her. After assembling, I recognized the lump of iron as a hand pump, a common sight in rural areas.

Dazzling and Monkey were working as plumbers again. Using a "direct" method, they connected the PVC pipe to the hand pump and then soldered a rack with steel bars. Then, a hands-like hand well appeared in front of us.

The first few moments were just the "hollow" sounds of the pump's leather bowl rubbing against the pump's wall. After a dozen shakes, a trickle of water trickled out of the pump's opening.

At first, it was yellow water accompanied by sand. Slowly, the water became clearer and clearer until finally, the impurities completely disappeared. The pumped water was like a stream of white water pouring down.

We kept on cheering and jumping in the mud, dipping our heads into the water to wash despite the cold. Everyone rushed to shake the water and filled all the containers. By today, the biggest problem that had plagued us had finally been solved.

"Let's celebrate today! Eat pigeon meat... One for each person! " Since the death of Uncle Feng and I, who had been in charge of the kitchen, I announced loudly.

There was another burst of cheers, and I glanced over my shoulder at MaggieQ and said, "Will you stay for dinner today?"

MaggieQ smiled slightly and nodded at me. I didn't think she would agree. I was stunned for a moment, and then I felt like drinking a glass of ice water in the summer.

Our pigeons have already grown to the size of thirty or so pigeons, and their cages are packed to the brim. If we don't eat some more, they will split themselves into groups.

I plan to make stewed pigeons so that everyone can eat meat and drink soup. I caught nine pigeons, Little Casey included, and everyone had a share.

With one hand, they twisted the neck of the pigeon behind their back and grabbed it with their wings. With the other hand, they picked up the pigeon and cut off the blood vessel and trachea, then they poured the blood into a bowl filled with some salt.

After letting the blood flow, Zhang Yiling and Xiao Jie would take over the pigeon's fur. The tiny organs inside the pigeon's stomach would not be a waste, since the water source was no longer a problem, even their intestines would be carefully washed. The two girls would wash their hands by the well, but their faces would be smiling like blossoming flowers.

I washed and peeled the pigeons, then neatly stacked them at the bottom of the deep cast-iron LeCreuse pot. The spices of ginger and garlic were long gone, but we searched a branch of Hu Qingyu Hall on a field mission and brought back a large amount of Chinese medicine. I threw a few slices of jute on top of the pigeon, a handful of cordyceps, and then added water that hadn't touched the pigeon. When the water boiled, I threw the foam away and covered the pot with the lid.

To save fuel, I put a tray of steamer on top of the pot, inside steamed a pile of potatoes, today there is pigeon soup, do not eat rice.

Half an hour later, the rich aroma of pigeon meat mixed with Chinese medicinal herbs gushed out from the pot. We waited anxiously for another half an hour. When I picked up the basket, there was a puff of steam. When the white steam slowly dissipated, everyone shouted — nine pigeons were glowing with steam. I sprinkled more medlar into the pot, making the golden soup even more alluring.