Qin Ziwu's expression was subtle. "This speech style... it always feels strangely familiar somehow."
Zhao Pu observed the expressions of the elderly people around them. "In the current environment, many elderly people are absolutely vulnerable groups. They don't hold the advantage in terms of physical strength or power. Now that someone representing their group has stepped forward, his voice will be amplified infinitely."
Qin Ziwen looked around and noticed that many elderly people in the audience below the stage were staring intently at the speaker.
Qin Ziwen said, "If he's genuinely acting for the public good, then for these elderly folks, it really could be a good thing."
The man in the suit on stage suddenly lowered his voice. "Uncles, aunties, brothers, sisters! Why... why do you feel obtaining food is so difficult? Because you're fighting alone! One person gathering food, one person chopping firewood, one person farming the fields, one person hunting!
What can one person accomplish, huh?" The suited man's voice gradually grew more impassioned. "You all have too many things to do every day. Why can't we unite as one force? Let those who chop wood specialize in chopping wood, those who fish specialize in fishing, those who set traps specialize in setting traps. We gather the resources collected each day, then distribute them equally, so everyone has meat to eat, everyone has firewood to burn! That's what true resource sharing is! That's what it means to not leave a single person behind!"
Someone in the audience asked, "But what if I'm old and can't do heavy labor?"
"This gentleman asks an excellent question! Everyone has their own use. I promise you all, our Mutual Aid Society has dedicated material registrars. Every contribution you make will be recorded. If you have extra tools or supplies at home, you can contribute them. Right now, our Alliance Mutual Aid Society is in its founding stage. If you join now, you'll be founding members in the future..."
Hearing this, Qin Ziwen turned to leave. "Let's go."
"Cough, cough, cough~"
Behind him, intermittent coughing sounds came from the crowd of onlookers.
Returning home, the speech downstairs continued until the sky darkened, and the crowd only gradually dispersed after eight o'clock.
......
「You have successfully survived the eighteenth day in the wilderness. You obtained a card from an altar, hunted a Black Falcon, acquired some crop seeds, and drew a rough map to an advanced altar... Comprehensive Score: 120 points」
「You have received rewards: 【Expansion Card】 Blank Expansion Card (Small) 1, 【Building Card】 Level 1 Blacksmith 1, 【Enhancement Card】 Animal Constitution Enhancement Card (1-Star) 1, 【Building Card】 Level 1 Field 1」
The next morning.
The first thing after waking was to check yesterday's settlement.
The rewards from the score were dazzlingly abundant.
It was the first time receiving a small Blank Expansion Card. The new area added by a small Blank Expansion Card was the same as the sandy area, 20*20 meters.
Wanting to construct advanced buildings, this expansion card came just in time. With just one more small expansion card or two micro expansion cards, the Celestial Star Arrow Gallery could be built.
Besides that, the other two building cards overlapped perfectly with his existing buildings.
They would allow an upgrade of the Blacksmith and the Field.
Going to the expanded area behind the bathroom, standing at the entrance of the Level 1 Blacksmith, holding the other identical card in hand, he chose to use it.
As light enveloped the entire structure, its area also expanded slightly. When the light faded, the original Level 1 Blacksmith had transformed dramatically.
The outer walls were still rammed yellow earth, but the inner layer was mixed with many crushed stones.
The roof changed from thatch to a mixed structure of wood shingles and thatch. The wooden door in the middle was now clad with a layer of iron sheet.
The biggest change was the interior space. The floor was paved with blue bricks.
The original furnace was not only larger but also constructed into a circular kiln using firebricks. The bellows on the side became double-piston, and their volume doubled, likely providing significantly more airflow than before.
A row of tools hung on the wall: files, iron chisels, grindstones, wide-jaw pliers, needle-nose pliers...
"Iron Mountain should really like this." Qin Ziwen looked it over and nodded in satisfaction.
【Level 2 Blacksmith: Level 2 Furnace High Temperature, Level 1 Quenching Boost, Level 1 High Morale】
Pushing the door open, he walked to the front of the Field.
Used the card on the Level 1 Field.
Light enveloped the entire field. When it dissipated, the biggest change was that the soil had turned black, looking incredibly fertile.
【Level 2 Field: Level 2 Growth Acceleration, Level 2 Fertility】
Huh? No new trait appeared. Instead, the original two traits were both upgraded to Level 2.
But that's fine. For crops, having these two traits is already excellent.
Finally, he took out the 【Enhancement Card】. This enhancement card was specifically for animal use.
Different from the Human Constitution Enhancement Card he used before, this card's color was deeper, closer to dark green.
The only pet at home was the Crowned Eagle. It was the only one to use it on.
Returning to the master bedroom, the Crowned Eagle was still sleeping in its nest.
Hearing familiar footsteps, the Crowned Eagle's eyelids twitched, but it still didn't open them.
Qin Ziwen walked up to it and directly slapped the enhancement card onto its body.
The Crowned Eagle jolted awake. With eyes still clouded by confusion, it was directly engulfed by light.
The light persisted until it finally faded.
The Crowned Eagle's size had increased by a full three times its original volume.
Previously, its height was just over one meter. Now, after enhancement, its height had grown by nearly half, exceeding one and a half meters.
Just standing there, it was taller than a child.
When it spread its wings, the wingspan reached a full three meters.
Not only that, all its previous injuries had completely healed.
The only slight imperfection was that the little backpack originally sewn for it had been "burst open."
A mere one-star enhancement caused such a noticeable change.
Did this mean that within this world, the potential range for the Crowned Eagle species was vast?
During breakfast, the others saw the dramatically changed Crowned Eagle.
Qin Ziwu reached out his hand. The Crowned Eagle turned its head. His hand paused in mid-air for a moment. Seeing the eagle didn't react, he finally lowered it, gently rubbing its head.
"Maybe because it got bigger, its gaze feels even fiercer now," Qin Ziwu remarked.
After breakfast, the five gathered downstairs, preparing to set out for the bat cave again.
Walking ahead and slightly to the side, an old man was clutching his chest, coughing violently, his hunched back almost bent into a bow.
"There seem to be quite a few people coughing in the residential complex lately. The contagiousness of this wind-cold..." Zhao Pu's words trailed off.
Ahead and to the side, the old man kept coughing, then suddenly let out a dry retching sound, "Wah!", and vomited a large mouthful of thick, dark-red bloody mucus.
The five walking individuals simultaneously and unanimously stopped in their tracks.
Zhao Pu's face instantly turned ashen. Connecting it to the frequent coughing symptoms in the complex lately, "These aren't symptoms of a wind-cold. This is some kind of infectious disease."
He hadn't heard of symptoms like this, so it was very likely some unknown, indigenous virus from this world.
Thinking of his son, Zhao Shuhuan, who had been in the complex these past few days, potentially infected or in an incubation period...
Deng Guang's body trembled, his face turning deathly pale.
Both their hearts simultaneously filled with panic.
......