CH 147

Since Cui Cui unlocked the skill of catching grasshoppers, it had taken on an additional job: herding. Shu Shuishui had come to trust Cui Cui deeply and entrusted it with managing the micro-ranch.

Occasionally, when Shu Shuishui transformed into a dormouse form, he and the similarly transformed Gu Langu would bring a mini barbecue grill into the micro-ranch and barbecue the grasshoppers nearby, ensuring they were absolutely fresh. During these times, the little hummingbird would flutter around the micro-ranch, selecting the plumpest grasshoppers for its own feast.

Gu Langu, chewing on a grasshopper leg, strangely found the bird rather pleasant to look at.

In the evening, all three of them decided not to leave the micro-ranch and set up a small tent inside, preparing for a camping experience.

Although they had essentially been camping since entering the Cangyu Mountains, this was a more leisurely type of camping.

The nights in the Cangyu Mountains were especially cool, thanks to the natural green barrier that isolated the scorching heat of the outside world, creating a separate realm. Most of the people from the Shui Jing Gong base were already preparing to rest, with only a few staying up late, sitting together and conversing in hushed tones, appearing relaxed and far from people stranded on a desolate star.

Through the open tent, Qing Mengxing observed the situation outside. The cool evening breeze gently blew into the tent, making it tempting to take a deep breath. The person sleeping next to him had already dozed off and, while turning over in their sleep, ended up squeezing against the rat sleeping next to them.

The gray rat nudged, making a little more room for itself, then closed its eyes and returned to dreamland.

This scene might appear eerie to outsiders, but it was entirely commonplace in the Shui Jing Gong. Although Qing Mengxing hadn’t ventured far from the tent since waking up, it was evident from observing his tentmates and tent-rat that the presence of mutant rats was entirely normal here, and they coexisted harmoniously with humans.

Outside the tent, the rhythmic hooting of owls could be heard. Qing Mengxing didn’t get up, merely gazing outside for a while before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

Qing Mengxing continued to reside in the Shui Jing Gong like this, and the people here had already witnessed his robust recovery abilities. Even with such severe injuries, by the third day, he could move freely within the base.

As for the information Qing Mengxing brought with him, the Shui Jing Gong had already informed all the settlements in the Cangyu Mountains. After a month, all the bases had found satisfactory places to settle down. Just like the Shui Jing Gong, they were actively engaged in infrastructure development, knowing that the dry season was ending, and they would soon face the harsh winter.

During this time, the fastest construction progress was in the communication network among the bases. Each base had formed its own communication organization, and some of the resource-rich bases had even connected to the  Shui Jing Gong through cables and communication devices, enabling real-time messaging. The news of the impending attack by Zones A and S two months later immediately became a hot topic in the Cangyu Mountains.

Even the mutant creatures started paying attention to this matter because, after all, if a war were to break out, they living in the mountains would also be one of the main forces.

“Considering the current situation, the Cang River might run dry in two months, and it’s clear that Zone A and Zone S won’t choose the waterway for their attack. We need to focus on defense in these specific directions.” In preparation for the upcoming war, many bases naturally gathered at the Shui Jing Gong to discuss strategies.

As per the initial rules when they joined the Cangyu Mountains, the Shui Jing Gong had absolute command and leadership. After a month of adjustment, everyone had fully accepted this rule. They now lived peacefully, not so much under the protection of the Cangyu Mountains but rather under the protection of the Shui Jing Gong.

“The Cangyu Mountain range is too long, and defending the entire length is simply impossible. Moreover, Zones A and S have been established for a long time, and they certainly possess extraterrestrial technology products obtained through exchanges in simulated space. If we confront them head-on, the outcome may not be favorable.”

“It’s not impossible. The Cangyu Mountains are vast, but there are also many mutant creatures inside, and their natural instinct is to be alert to their environment. As long as we deploy our defense forces reasonably and can mobilize and support in a timely manner, it should work.”

“It sounds easy, but who knows what those fanatics in Zones A and S are thinking? What if they just use aircraft to airdrop into the area?”

“Large-capacity aircraft capable of carrying passengers is impossible to appear on the Cang Zhan Star, and after all this time, no base has been seen with manned aircraft.”

“Since there are so many uncertainties, why don’t we take the initiative to strike!”

…

The intense discussion didn’t yield a conclusion. Each person had their subjective judgments and ideas. In such moments, the role of the Shui Jing Gong became prominent. The people who couldn’t reach a consensus turned their eyes towards the position of the Shui Jing Gong.

Sitting there were three individuals: the one with the highest combat strength, Gu Langu, the one responsible for wisdom and management, Nan Ge, and the seemingly non-threatening young man, Shu Shuishui. In just a month, they had already learned that Shu Shuishui enjoyed exceptionally high popularity in the Shui Jing Gong, to the point that even Gu Langu had to take a back seat. For example, when they first joined the mountain range, someone questioned Gu Langu and received a disdainful look from the Shui Jing Gong people. Another person questioned Shu Shuishui and ended up getting a severe beating. It was only then that they finally understood that in the Shui Jing Gong, Shu Shuishui was someone you absolutely shouldn’t offend.

Gradually, they also heard more about Shu Shuishui’s remarkable abilities. Especially his concepts of greening and the development of micro-farms and ranches. Shu Shuishui was the founder of these ideas. Moreover, no one had ever seen Shu Shuishui take action, but it was widely rumored that he could lift Gu Langu with a single hand, indicating his terrifying strength.

Gu Langu, true to his usual silent style, did not participate in the discussion. Nan Ge, on the other hand, was troubled by the lack of a perfect solution at the moment. As everyone was concerned, no matter how they fought or defended, the Cangyu Mountain Range would suffer heavy damage.

What was even more frightening was if Zone A and Zone S possessed large-scale weapons of mass destruction such as material missiles or quantum bombs, the Cangyu Mountain Range could be reduced to rubble. If Zone A and Zone S decided to abandon the Cangyu Mountain Range, they might very well launch such weapons for massive attacks and destruction.

Forced into battle, they had no ability to relocate the battlefield. The Cangyu Mountain Range was their refuge and sanctuary. Nan Ge was deeply troubled; in war, there were no winners, and no matter the outcome, both sides would suffer heavy losses.

However, he hadn’t come up with a way to prevent this war. According to the information available, someone like Mang Ya could not be swayed by others. If he decided to fight, he would not hesitate to do so, regardless of the consequences.

“I think we all understand that there are no winners in war. Especially in this special period, the destructive power of war is far greater than any extreme environment, and I cannot guarantee the safety of the Cangyu Mountain Range,” Nan Ge was candid, explaining the consequences of war.

The people there were well aware of this, as many of them were former prisoners of war exiled after the failure of interstellar wars.

“Shui Shui, do you have any good ideas?” Nan Ge looked at Shu Shuishui, who had been listening attentively beside him.

Initially, the people who had been discussing in low voices reflexively fell silent and turned their gaze to Shu Shuishui. After all, in the hearts of the Shui Jing Gong members, this person represented miracles. Perhaps, it might not be surprising if he could indeed work a miracle, otherwise, how could they explain his reputation and popularity.

Shu Shuishui thought for a moment and provided four words, “It’s worth a try.”

Nan Ge’s eyes lit up, but there wasn’t much surprise. After all, Shu Shuishui had created so many miracles. However, the others were truly intrigued and hung on to his every word, not wanting to miss a single breath of Shu Shuishui.

“My idea is to hasten the birth of Spirit Trees and have the protective formation of the Cangyu Mountain Range take shape within two months. If necessary, we can use Spirit Stones instead of Spirit Trees for spiritual energy replenishment, but this would require mobilizing a large number of people for afforestation, which would delay the progress of base construction,” Shu Shuishui’s plan was simple. Since they would inevitably suffer losses in a war, why not avoid it altogether? No matter how many tricks Zone A and Zone S had, they wouldn’t be able to touch the Cangyu Mountain Range if they didn’t engage in battle.

Nan Ge’s lips curled up. When he was in the Shui Jing Gong Valley, he carefully studied the protective formation arranged by Shu Shuishui. With sufficient spiritual energy and proper arrangement, there was no upper limit to its defensive power. One could imagine the expressions on the faces of Zone A and Zone S when the protective formation of the Cangyu Mountain Range took shape.

The others seemed to listen without really understanding. They didn’t know what a protective formation was, but from the literal meaning, it seemed like they were no longer planning to attack and had chosen to defend instead. They dared not openly discuss this but whispered in their hearts, wondering if this meant mobilizing everyone to plant trees?

“Very well, then we’ll follow Shui Shui’s plan. Starting tomorrow, all the bases, including the Shui Jing Gong, will leave only a small number of personnel to maintain normal operations, while everyone else will be engaged in afforestation. In addition, each base’s energy stones will be purified to nurture the Spirit Trees. I know you have many questions, and I will have specialized planting teams explain later…” Nan Ge methodically assigned tasks, leaving no room for others to question. He quickly finalized the tree-planting plan.

Until the meeting was adjourned, most of the people from the bases were left in a daze. They had come today to discuss how to deal with Zone A and Zone S, so why did it end with a tree-planting plan? Although they were puzzled, they quickly engaged in explanations from the specialized planting teams. As for the legendary protective formation, their limited imaginations couldn’t quite grasp it.

With many doubts and uncertainties, the various bases cooperated effectively. They promptly disseminated the information, followed the division of teams and zones, and transported energy stones to the designated purification areas.

The Shui Jing Gong immediately bustled with activity. Those familiar with the planting process took the lead, and the area for nurturing Spirit Tree seedlings quickly consumed spiritual energy as batch after batch of saplings were transported. The gray rats scurried back and forth, carrying tree seedlings and delivering messages.

Watching the scene outside, Qing Mengxing was somewhat dumbfounded. One moment, the Shui Jing Gong was in a leisurely development phase, and the next moment, it was bustling with activity, with not a single idle person. Qing Mengxing gained a new understanding of the efficiency of the Shui Jing Gong’s residents.

Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu set out as well, heading to find the white deer and preparing to mobilize the mutated creatures to participate in tree planting. With the help of these mutated creatures, it wasn’t impossible to cover the entire Cangyu Mountain Range with Spirit Trees in two months.