Rotting Land: Survive

Chapter 555 545: Li Guo's Ideas (Part 2)

The sight before me was patches of red spots distributed irregularly across Old Xu's body, emanating a pungent odor that was enough to give anyone goosebumps just by looking.

Undoubtedly, these were the side effects left by the ointment Xu Renjie had applied previously to cover up the smell.

After examining for a few seconds, Zhang Zhicai confidently gave a diagnosis, saying: "Captain, these are typical allergic reaction symptoms. I'll apply some ointment now to ease the itch. Also, here's a bottle of capsules for you. Take three times a day, two capsules each time, for two or three days, and it should be fine. Additionally, try not to scratch, as breaking the rash could cause further infection."

With that said, Zhang Zhicai opened the medicine box, retrieved the relevant medication, and began treating Old Xu.

During the process, he gave numerous reminders, for he knew well his captain's temperament; the latter was cautious in most matters, yet surprisingly careless about personal issues.

After bidding farewell to Zhang Zhicai, Old Xu put on his clothes and prepared to return to the planning of his villa.

To his surprise, just as he entered the corridor, he bumped into Li Guo coming toward him.

Li Guo, upon seeing Old Xu, immediately ran over cheerfully, pulled a stack of documents from under his arm, and respectfully handed them to Old Xu.

"This is…" Old Xu, puzzled, looked at the documents in his hands and gave an inquisitive glance.

"The proposal draft! Concerning the solar power construction at the base!"

This was somewhat unexpected for Old Xu. He instinctively flipped through the documents, skimming a few pages. Although he couldn't understand the various data, the clearly listed articles and hand-drawn schematics explicitly stated the content of these documents: they were the implementation proposal drafts Old Xu had asked Li Guo to prepare last night.

"Did you complete all these last night?" Old Xu asked uncertainly.

"Yes!" Li Guo replied confidently, "I consider power supply to be crucial for the future development of our base, so I rushed to complete the proposal overnight. Captain Xu, please review it when you have time, and let me know if it's feasible."

Li Guo's performance evidently impressed Xu Renjie, boosting his rating significantly in Old Xu's eyes.

Though Old Xu was unsure of the proposal's value, Li Guo's effort and dedication alone were enough to earn him praise.

"Haha!" Old Xu chuckled self-deprecatingly, shaking his head, "Li, this proposal is too sophisticated for me; I can't approve it. How about we immediately convene a meeting, and you personally explain your plan to everyone, alright?"

"Sure, no problem at all," Li Guo replied confidently.

Moments later, in the living room, the survivors were summoned by Old Xu to the meeting room right after finishing breakfast.

Everyone was curious about the purpose of the meeting, whispering among themselves until Old Xu gestured for silence.

"Everyone, please be quiet. The reason for calling you here is because Li Guo has an important project he wants to implement. Li, please come forward and explain it yourself," Old Xu indicated for Li Guo to take the stage and found a seat for himself at the side.

Li Guo appeared calm on stage, without any of the usual timidness or pretense.

He picked up a magnetic pen from the table and decisively wrote the big words "Solar Power Generator."

The term immediately stirred a commotion among the audience.

The survivors were familiar with the concept of solar power, but most had no idea about its practical operation.

Li Guo was unhurried. He ignored the cumbersome, meaningless theories and quickly sketched a rough diagram on the board, explaining, "This is the final design for the solar power equipment I designed. It consists of three main parts: one is the bracket to fix the solar panel; the second is the support base to place the bracket, allowing it to rotate freely; the third is to install a transmission shaft on the bracket to achieve bracket linkage. Once completed, we can connect it to the home's battery array, obtaining sufficient electricity through the solar panel. As for the benefits, everyone will never worry about electricity again. This equipment can provide power continuously, 24/7, with no noise, no pollution, and no fuel consumption—you can do anything you want."

It must be said, Li Guo's explanation was truly enticing, as anyone in the dark of the apocalypse desperately longed for the convenience electricity could bring.

However, while outsiders marvel at the spectacle, insiders scrutinize the details. Unlike the excitement of others, Bi Dahu, a former electrician, was the first to raise his concern: "Li, your approach is good, but the problem is that the solar panel must receive sunlight to generate power, and the sun moves from east to west. How will you ensure the panel follows the sun's movement? You can't just assign someone to move the panel outside every day for the shift."

Bi Dahu's question hit the critical flaw exposed by Li Guo's previous explanation.

Li Guo seemed prepared for such a question. He pointed to his brother Li Zhong, saying, "Brother, you explain this part."

Li Zhong stood up and faced the curious eyes of the audience, smiling as he explained, "Everyone, don't misunderstand. As a computer engineer, I was specifically tasked with solving the solar panel's phototropism issue. I assure you, I've already thought of a solution. The necessary components were found in the package disassembled yesterday, so there's no problem. Rest assured."

Knowing that words alone might not enlighten everyone, Li Zhong abandoned lengthy theories and simply gave his assurance.

Bi Dahu found it hard to argue, as Li Zhong was professionally trained; undoubtedly, his knowledge base surpassed Bi's self-taught expertise.

Nonetheless, this didn't mean the proposal was guaranteed approval.

Old Zhao, following closely, asked, "Li Guo, one question: have you considered where to get these solar panels?"

Another pointed question, and this one was evidently more practical and critically important.

Li Guo remained composed and echoed Old Zhao's inquiry, then quickly responded, "Obtaining solar panels isn't difficult. On our way up the mountain, right in front of our villa, I recall seeing at least two rooftops with solar panels installed, so we just need to drive over and take them down."

With preparations settled, the survivors had no more doubts. What remains is whether Li Zhong and Li Guo can truly transform their designs into reality. (To be continued. If you like this work, you're welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)