Volume One: The Arrival of the Apocalypse Chapter 53: Leveling Up for Everyone, The Underground Fortress Project

After posting the message, Xiang Chenguang expressed some regret, saying, “It’s a pity our system isn’t a merit system; otherwise, just this one post could have earned us a great deal of merit. Our little Martial God would definitely take off right here.”

Only then did Xiang Xiaoxiao realize that her somewhat embarrassing online nickname had been exposed. Her cheeks instantly flushed a deep crimson. Yet she tried hard to appear calm, methodically closing her computer before getting up and walking out.

Hearing Xiang Chenguang’s footsteps leisurely following behind, she quickened her pace until she broke into a run, sprinting all the way back to the dormitory and locking herself in her room.

Unable to suppress his amusement any longer, Xiang Chenguang, who was trailing behind and admiring her pink ears resembling little ingots, burst into hearty laughter.

At that moment, the dormitory door of Xiang Dongliang and his wife opened. He Wan poked her head out and gave him a sharp look. “Bullying your sister again?”

Xiang Chenguang quickly suppressed his laughter and cleared his throat. “No, it’s just that Xiaoxiao is too adorable.”

He Wan shook her head. “Your father is planning the camp’s future arrangements. Do you have any suggestions? Also, those three villagers we rescued yesterday hope the camp can bring their families over. What’s your opinion?”

Xiang Chenguang entered the dormitory where his parents lived. Aside from four iron bunk beds and a wardrobe, there was nothing else inside — identical to the dormitory he lived in. In fact, every room in this dormitory building had the same layout.

The only difference was that in his parents’ room, the two inner iron bunk beds had been moved together side by side, barely forming a double-decker bed. The two beds near the door remained in place and were used as chairs.

Xiang Dongliang sat on one of the beds and said, “Wangjiawan is a small village with only about twenty or thirty households. Due to severe population loss, only elderly, children, and women remain. Altogether, there are just twenty-six people. Recently, Wang Shuangjiang and Wang Defa caused trouble again, so who knows what condition they're in now. They’re not far from the camp. Since we have the means to rescue and shelter them, I hope we can bring the villagers to the camp.”

Xiang Chenguang was about to speak when the anti-routine system suddenly popped up: “Ding! Civilization Continuity task has been issued. In most post-apocalyptic novels, only able-bodied adults seem to have the right to survive. The elderly and children are either written off early on for some reason or deliberately ignored. The continuation of a civilization requires a normal population structure. Please rescue the villagers of Wangjiawan and help them find their proper place within the camp’s ecosystem. Upon completion, you may select a skill from any member of your faction to replicate as your reward.”

Another task, then. This was just a side matter, so Xiang Chenguang naturally wouldn’t refuse. “I’ll take people to bring those villagers here shortly. The elderly left in the village should be skilled farmers. Although we can use supernatural abilities for rapid planting, it’s unnecessary and wastes manpower. I think our primary farming method should be to use the corpses of invading monsters as fertilizer, with supernatural powers serving only as assistance. Conventional farming should remain the main approach.”

Xiang Dongliang nodded. “Our basic living needs are now secured, but external threats remain severe and are even increasing. I want to organize everyone capable of fighting monsters to level up together. In the apocalypse, relying on just a few guards to protect everyone isn’t realistic; we must have a militia of all able-bodied people.”

Xiang Chenguang said, “Dad, you’ll have to return to your old expertise and train everyone first. Otherwise, when facing monsters, if they get tense and freeze up, that won’t do.”

Xiang Dongliang replied, “But there’s a problem: our weapons and equipment are seriously lacking. To organize everyone for monster hunting and leveling, at minimum everyone should have a shield and a spear, just like the guards.”

Xiang Chenguang responded, “That’s easy to fix. Who doesn’t have some metal tools or iron objects at home nowadays? When I go to bring the villagers from Wangjiawan, I’ll gather some metal as well. If needed, we have eleven vehicles, and since we don’t need all of them now, we can dismantle one or two to make weapons. The crucial thing is we need to start building an underground base. Earth will begin to drift out of the solar system in a month and wander through space. For safety and comfort, an underground base is the better choice. Even with supernatural powers, constructing a secure shelter underground to hold about two hundred people requires steel and other building materials to guarantee its strength.”

Xiang Dongliang asked, “You want to go to Jianxin Street to get building materials?”

Xiang Chenguang said, “Yes. Previously, we avoided the giant army ants because of their huge numbers and relentless attacks. But now, the only place nearby with abundant building materials is Jianxin Street. Moreover, the giant army ants there are numerous but individually weak, making them perfect for quickly leveling up camp members.”

Xiang Dongliang said, “Then wait until I finish basic training for all camp members and get them leveled up two or three times before proceeding.”

Xiang Chenguang nodded. “We’ll train and fight simultaneously, using monsters invading through the spatial rift in the forest to level up camp personnel.”

At two in the afternoon, all camp members were divided into three groups. Xiang Chenguang took the three women from Wangjiawan to bring the rest of the villagers back to the camp.

Xiang Dongliang stayed behind to train camp members, boosting their combat will and ability.

He Wan, Xiang Xiaoxiao, He Jie, and Wei Wei led all the guards into the forest to continue clearing out invading monsters, enhancing the guards’ fighting skills.

With these four present, facing first-level monsters was no challenge.

Moreover, He Wan carried two submachine guns in her personal space. If they encountered monsters they couldn’t overpower, they could show them the power of firearms.

Once gunfire erupted, Xiang Chenguang would rush over immediately. With just a little delay caused by the guns, his current speed meant he could arrive within a minute or two.

The guards didn’t plan to get too close to the spatial rift; they set up a defense line near the camp to lure monsters out with noise and attack them.

The straight-line distance between Wangjiawan and the camp was less than a kilometer. The village was beside a small river flowing into the Li River, connected to the provincial highway by a narrow concrete road just wide enough for two vehicles side by side.

In fact, when Xiang Chenguang had visited the camp before, he had been to Wangjiawan. Bringing those three women was meant to gain the villagers’ trust.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for strangers to suddenly ask everyone to relocate with them.

Seeing the rice paddies and peanut fields along the unnamed riverbanks, Xiang Chenguang pondered whether to have a plant-controlling supernatural user accelerate the crops’ ripening.