novelraw Chapter 299 - 291: Underground City Construction 1
Chapter 299 - 291: Underground City Construction 1
If only he had this magical seasoning, he could roast delicious meat that would make Jingtian drool with envy.
Fang Zheng chuckled at the thought, knowing that Jingtian was much more of a food critic than he was.
Cheng Dawei looked at another person eager to impress and sneered internally, what were they thinking? Were Contribution Points that easy to earn? He had only accumulated 50 points after so long.
Not to mention they hadn’t joined the Patrol Team yet, and even if they did, their daily wages were calculated in cents. Contribution Points were not something to even think about. They were rewards for special contributions, something they could only envy!
Receiving Cheng Dawei’s disdainful look, Fang Zheng shrugged it off, "I know we need to join the team to earn Contribution Points. I understand the rules, and I’ll work hard."
When the others bit into the delicious roasted rabbit meat, their eyes widened. What was this heavenly taste?
Mr. Cheng’s roasting skills were fantastic! The rabbit meat was tender with no gamey taste, crispy on the outside and juicy inside, with a fragrant aroma wafting from the cumin seasoning. It was impossible to stop salivating.
Even Fang Zheng, who came from a well-off family and had tasted many good things, hadn’t eaten such a delicacy, let alone the others. They felt that just for this alone, joining the 132th Regiment was worth it.
Each person received half a roasted rabbit, weighing about a pound. It was so delicious that they not only gnawed the bones clean but also chewed them to bits, enjoying every moment with regret that it wasn’t enough...
Seeing Cheng Xiaoxiao throw away the rabbit leg without finishing it, they all showed a look of disbelief at the waste.
Cheng Xiaoxiao was speechless, what was she supposed to do after finishing the meat?
Was she supposed to swallow the bones too?
Looking at the pile of bone fragments they spat out, swallowing the bones wasn’t that far off.
"..."
A group of men who hadn’t eaten meat for too long were drooling at the suggestion, "If you haven’t had enough, why not roast the remaining rabbits too?"
Hearing the captain suggest this, Cheng Dawei shook his head violently, "That’s not going to work! The remaining two rabbits have to be taken back and divided among the Patrol Team."
He didn’t want to let these outsiders have the meat. Without any big prey to show for it, it would be irresponsible not to take these back.
Since the rabbit nest was found under Cheng Xiaoxiao’s guidance and Cheng Dawei led the hunt, the others hadn’t eaten their fill but had no claim to the rabbits. Seeing Cheng Dawei protect the rabbits like a hen guarding food, no one dared to ask.
At this moment, a voice sounded in Cheng Xiaoxiao’s mind, "Host, from my investigation today, the northern geology is more suitable for building an Underground City."
"Then let’s continue exploring north tomorrow to finalize the location."
After a brief exchange, Cheng Xiaoxiao crawled into her tent and fell into a deep sleep. There were several men around, so she didn’t have to keep watch.
Of course, this was the apparent arrangement. The system had also scanned the area, confirming the absence of large beasts. The rocky environment was not suitable for animal habitation. The whereabouts of the animals was unknown.
The next morning, they continued north. The further they went, the more lush the vegetation became. The system also discovered some hidden roe deer, wild rabbits in caves, and snake nests.
Upon hearing about the snake nest, Cheng Xiaoxiao’s face turned pale, "Let’s not report that."
System: "..."
The host is still as afraid of snakes as ever!
They kept heading north, leaving Daxing Mountain’s inner perimeter. From a distance, through the snow and mist, they could see the continuous mountains ahead, which were Weilin Canyon.
As she marveled at seeing green forests in Weilin Canyon, the crystal pendant on her neck warmed slightly. Cheng Xiaoxiao smiled, wondering if Xiao Li had smelled the fragrance of the grass and trees and wanted to come out to forage.
While the others weren’t paying attention, she discreetly released Xiao Li.
Squeak!
Xiao Li squeaked and ran off.
"What’s that sound?" Quan Bin drew his long knife with a vigilant expression.
The others immediately surrounded Cheng Xiaoxiao, cautiously scanning the surroundings.
Cough, cough!
"Did you hear anything? Quan Brother, maybe you heard wrong," Cheng Xiaoxiao looked innocently in every direction.
"Yeah, I didn’t hear anything either. Did anyone else hear anything?"
Seeing everyone else shaking their heads, not hearing anything, Quan Bin began to doubt if he had misheard.
"No problem, let’s move forward."
Seeing nothing amiss, the group had no choice but to continue forward, though with heightened alertness.
Two-quarter hours later...
"Wait."
Cheng Xiaoxiao asked in her mind: What’s wrong?
The system’s energy waves blasted through repeatedly, scanning inch by inch, filling her with anticipation.
"Host, there’s a natural cave."
The sudden discovery of an underground cave was such a surprise that Cheng Xiaoxiao was momentarily stunned, "77, what did you say about a cave?"
"Host, host, keep walking straight ahead, about 3000 meters away, there’s an underground cave. It’s not small, and the deepest part is connected to an underground river."
"An underground river too?"
Shocked beyond words, Cheng Xiaoxiao didn’t know how to describe her excitement.
What did this mean?
If they could open the entrance to the underground cave, they could move in directly.
"Additionally, the rock layer above the underground cave is especially thick and firm, making it perfectly safe to live inside."
Overjoyed by the discovery, Cheng Xiaoxiao wasted no time in taking out paper and pen from her backpack, or actually the warehouse, finding a protruding large rock and starting to draw.
The others didn’t understand why Mr. Cheng had stopped.
Seeing her cheerful expression, although the others didn’t understand, they all stopped and prepared to set up camp.
They lit a fire beside the large rock where Cheng Xiaoxiao was drawing. The warmth from the flames dispelled the surrounding cold, reaching Cheng Xiaoxiao, prompting her to say thank you and continue her work.
Her frozen red hands were relieved, and the scribbling on paper sounded distinct in the wind and snow.
The men didn’t just idle around; some gathered wood, others prepared meals, and others scouted the surroundings.
Their operation was skilled, with teamwork and cooperation reaching a perfect harmony.
A burst of creative inspiration filled Cheng Xiaoxiao, allowing her to not only outline the discovered cave but also sketch a preliminary model for the Underground City, which vividly took shape on the paper.
The Underground City would be located between the inner and outer perimeters on the north side of Daxing Mountain.
This location was optimal. If it were in the outer perimeter, the temperatures would be too low to be effective. The inner perimeter posed a risk of altering the earth’s crust around the volcano.
If the volcano were to erupt, the distance would be not too near nor too far, making it possible to escape.
The Underground City would be located three to four kilometers north in the cave, where a tunnel would be excavated to connect to the cave.
The Underground City would serve as the residence for ordinary residents, while the cave would be her secret base, accessible only by members of the 132th Regiment.