CH 128

The grasshopper that had been petted, unfortunately lacking fur, was heartlessly reserved by Shu Shuishui for breakfast the next day. Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu rested on the balcony until after 9 PM. The humidity outside gradually increased, and the temperature was steadily dropping. Considering that Gu Langu also lacked fur, they returned to their room.

Compared to setting up tents on the rooftop, Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu preferred a less soft but spacious big bed. Therefore, the two of them still chose to rest in the boat’s dormitory.

As for the rest of the fleet, most of them preferred the land and had gone to rest on the rooftop or in the rooms on various floors. However, in this unfamiliar environment, they didn’t want to spread out too far, so they kept their distances relatively close.

The lively fleet gradually quieted down, and many had already entered dreamland.

The gray rats, accustomed to nighttime activities, started coming out one by one for a breath of fresh air. Of course, some of them were resting at night because they had been doing domestic chores during the day.

The underwater surveillance had excellent performance and outstanding night vision capabilities. Although the gray rats were vigilant, they hadn’t noticed the subtle changes underwater that weren’t life forms. However, they did manage to catch two snakes, judging by their vibrant colors and triangular heads, they were likely venomous.

These two snakes, however, were not particularly intelligent. While it was true that they were rats, the snakes didn’t seem to consider whether they could swallow something as large as the mutant rats. Moreover, as soon as they dove onto the boat, they were discovered by the gray rats and swiftly dealt with. As a result, the spoils of war hanging on the boat increased by two more items.

However, because the snakes’ entry point was quite tricky, the surveillance cameras didn’t capture that moment. Instead, they caught several large rats swiftly darting around the ship at night. These gray figures were agile and silent.

The people from the Shangyang Base were a bit chaotic at this moment. So, while this seemingly powerful fleet was approaching, they were actually dealing with a rat infestation, a mutation rat infestation at that. Based on what they saw earlier, the people on the boat had no defenses and were unaware of the mutation rat infestation.

“These group-dwelling mutant creatures are the trickiest. Should we wipe them out before they arrive? Once the rat infestation spreads, it can easily lead to an epidemic in this environment,” someone from the Shangyang Base suggested.

“We don’t even know if they can reach our location yet. Judging by the number of mutant rats, it seems quite severe. Perhaps it won’t take them long to self-destruct,” a more conservative person argued, reluctant to start a war.

“Do we have higher-resolution surveillance? We can’t see the full picture of the boat,” someone cautiously analyzed.

The Shangyang Base was particularly vigilant about this newly appeared fleet, especially considering its considerable size and advanced hardware equipment. The mental state of the personnel also seemed quite good, making it difficult for them to determine the situation regarding this fleet.

Cang Zhan Star was already facing a severe shortage of land and resources, especially with this year’s thawing and increased precipitation causing a rapid rise in sea levels, submerging large areas of land. In this complex situation in the Northern Hemisphere, where various bases were competing for habitable land, and with a continuous influx of migration fleets from the Southern Hemisphere, the situation had become even more complicated and tense.

However, as expected, the Northern Hemisphere had a unanimous hostile attitude towards newly migrating fleets. Land was limited, and the fewer people there were, the better. Therefore, most of the migrating fleets were still in a drifting state, unable to come ashore because once they did, they would face attacks from Northern Hemisphere bases.

The Shangyang Base discussed this matter extensively but couldn’t reach a consensus. In the end, the leaders decided to inform other major bases, and if necessary, the various forces would join together to deal with this unprecedentedly massive fleet.

At this point, the Shui Jing Gong was still unaware that its arrival had already attracted attention and that it might be directly challenging the entire Northern Hemisphere power. Starting off with such intensity was clearly not a favorable development.

However, at this moment, the fleet’s encampment remained peaceful. Everyone was peacefully asleep, and there were patrols and rats outside. Even if people were unreliable, rats were absolutely trustworthy, so everyone slept soundly without any fears.

This trust between humans and rats had developed over time, and it was a mutually satisfying relationship. The gray rats felt that, apart from the Shui Jing Gong, they probably wouldn’t trust anyone else, as no one else had someone like Shu Shuishui.

The gray rats moved around the ship during the night. Those who had exchanged for micro-farms were tilling potatoes in the moonlight, carefully carrying each potato back to their dormitories.

After digging the potatoes, they would conscientiously wash their paws and fur by the water’s edge before shaking their bodies and returning to their dorms. Tidy rats didn’t allow a single grain of sand to enter their dorms.

Some rats went to Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu’s dormitory. They stood outside the door without knocking and sat obediently. It didn’t take long before the door to the dormitory opened silently at the agreed time.

The waiting gray rats handed over today’s unified profits to Gu Langu. Gu Langu counted it briefly, nodded in satisfaction, and then shook paws with the gray rats as usual. The rats carried two small flags with new designs and swiftly ran away. Gu Langu closed the door and carefully counted today’s harvest once again: three sweet potatoes, two potatoes, thirteen corn kernels, seven melon seeds, two peanuts…

Not enough! It still wasn’t enough! Greedy Gu Langu felt that his secret stash was still too small and didn’t match up to Shu Shuishui’s. So, he needed to work harder, and ideally, he could expand the Gray Rat Company. Gu Langu was busy making various plans, completely unaware that he was slowly heading towards becoming a miser.

The next morning, the sky remained overcast, with dark and heavy clouds that looked like old cotton, casting a gloomy atmosphere. The weight pressed down on their heads, and the clouds seemed to be thickening.

The information from the detectors indicated that a storm would arrive in forty minutes.

The fleet acted swiftly, forming their positions without a hint of panic.

Forty minutes later, the storm arrived as scheduled. Compared to the storms in the Southern Hemisphere, this one was much milder, and the Shui Jing Gong didn’t even need to use seals to easily withstand it.

The rain struck the water’s surface, creating a frenzy of rhythmic ripples, and the underwater monitors lost their functionality, resulting in a blurry picture.

After the storm had passed, the fleet was unscathed, and not a single person showed any signs of panic. Everyone calmly raised anchor and prepared to set sail once again.

The people of Shangyang Base felt uneasy. This fleet had easily abandoned the city without showing any signs of attachment, unlike other fleets. This meant they didn’t have more time to gather information about this fleet. Once they left the monitoring range, they would lose track of this fleet.

What made Shangyang Base even more fearful was the formidable execution of this fleet. From raising anchor to leaving the monitoring range, this massive fleet took less than fifteen minutes, and not a single boat fell behind. They seemed to have an extraordinary level of cohesion and almost reflexive execution.

Led by the Shui Jing Gong, the fleet moved steadily toward their next target, Shangya Mountain, located to the northwest of Shangyang City.

Once out of the monitoring range, the people of Shangyang Base immediately organized their defenses, as they were currently in the only high ground nearby. As expected, around four o’clock in the afternoon, that massive fleet appeared near Shangya Mountain, clearly well-prepared.

The Shangya Mountain range was quite long, with a small portion submerged to the south, but the majority remained above the water level. This area had not been popular in the past due to its harsh environment and lack of resources, making it unsuitable for habitation.

However, in the current circumstances, this place had become a coveted treasure, offering safety from the rising waters. The people of Shangyang Base had dealt with such situations before, and everyone quickly reacted, hiding themselves and reporting information promptly.

Each person from Shangyang Base had their nerves on edge, observing the approaching fleet through binoculars. They weren’t in a hurry to attack; in familiar terrain, they were better at hiding. After all, once a battle started, it would be a relentless struggle.

So, in the tense atmosphere of Shangyang Base, they watched as the fleet found a suitable place to anchor. However, the people on board were well-trained and showed no signs of crowding or rushing into the mountains.

From the flags and markings on the fleet, it was clear that this was not a unified base, but the one with the heaviest presence had the most advanced equipment. Their flag had a snowy white background with dark cloud-like patterns, and in the center was embroidered a sky-blue crystal palace, giving it an exquisite appearance.

After disembarking, the people on board were eager and ready, like the previous fleets. They seemed impatient, waiting only for a command to rush into the mountains.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn. Two individuals emerged from the fleet—one with a stern demeanor, the other wearing a warm smile. One cold, one warm, their contrast was striking. Then the young man who appeared to be in his early twenties issued some orders. The waiting crowd immediately erupted into cheers. Following that, enormous mutated rats carried bundles of what seemed to be saplings out.

These people acted as if they were under a spell. They lined up to receive different quantities of saplings and eagerly started digging holes, planting trees, and watering them at the landing site—digging, planting, watering…

In addition, several gray-colored rats swiftly darted into the mountains, clearly checking the surrounding area.

The bizarre behavior of this fleet, along with the sudden appearance of the mutated rats, sent shivers down the spines of the people from Shangyang Base. They dared not make any rash moves. Some with wild imaginations even suspected that these people were being controlled by the mutated rats. But why were they planting trees? Each of them was as enthusiastic as someone buying a lottery ticket. What on earth was going on?

The leadership of Shangyang Base was also perplexed. If they attacked, these people didn’t seem in a hurry, and they were still far from the attack range. If they didn’t attack, given their enthusiasm for planting trees, it wouldn’t be long before the trees reached their doorstep!

Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu also joined the tree-planting efforts. The mutated rats sent out for patrols would ensure the safety of the surrounding area, and the group didn’t rush to expand inward since it was more convenient to access water from the periphery.

Shu Shuishui cradled a small sapling, while Gu Langu diligently filled the soil around it with each shovel. Suddenly, Shu Shuishui remembered the seeds they had buried in a snowman they built together. “I wonder if the seeds we planted in the snowman have sprouted.”

“They’ll grow because Shui Shui planted them,” Gu Langu responded without hesitation.

Shu Shuishui touched his ear. “You’re right. Both of us turned out so good-looking; there’s no reason the seeds wouldn’t grow.”

Passing by nearby, Cheng Que looked puzzled. “So, what’s the causal relationship between being good-looking and planting trees?”

On the Shui Jing Gong’s side, leading the people from other bases, they were planting trees enthusiastically. Along the way, they had already had four tree-planting experiences. People from other bases joined the afforestation efforts in exchange for micro-farms.

On the other hand, Shangyang Base was scratching their heads, feeling like they couldn’t figure out the Shui Jing Gong’s game plan.

Before long, the mutated rats that had gone out for reconnaissance returned. They hurried to Shu Shuishui’s side and quickly reported their findings with a series of squeaks. Shu Shuishui nodded from time to time, deep in thought.

After the mutated rat had finished reporting the basic information, it swiftly dashed away to continue patrolling.