"Huff..."
Chen Fan took a deep breath before looking at Wang Kui. "Carry these five chests back to the camp, empty them, and bring the chests back up."
The chests were heaved onto the crocodile.
It would take a few trips to ship them.
Soon.
They were back to work.
No one minded the filth. Zhou Mo and the others had scraped a living out on the wastelands before the rainy season began. They understood the horror of the Perpetual Night all too well, and they knew exactly what Eerie Stones meant for them during the rainy season—it was their ticket to survival.
In a rainy season where they might die at any moment, no one was so delicate as to complain about the stench.
Even Dayu, the only woman among them, showed no sign of disgust.
Finally—
As dusk approached, the job was done. The group, laden with bundles of all sizes, hurried back to the camp on the crocodile's back in batches.
"Really nothing more?"
Before departing, Chen Fan looked regretfully around. How he wished the crocodile would use its front claws to dig again and unearth another latrine pit. Unfortunately, the crocodile looked at him with an innocent, helpless expression, spreading its stubby, thick front claws, indicating there was no more.
...
In the camp.
Qi Chong was alone in Cave No. 1. The Perpetual Night had not yet fallen, and the Eerie Fire wasn't lit. The light inside the cave was dim, blurring one's vision.
"You are the best."
"You look really beautiful."
"I really like you."
He lay prone next to the Level 2 farmland, his cheek almost pressed against the floor, sincerely and repeatedly praising the Sunflower Seed buried in the soil. His voice had even grown a bit hoarse from talking so long.
This was an Eerie Plant.
The more praise it received during cultivation, the larger and higher-grade its yield.
Last time, the Eerie Plant "Eerie Flesh Mother-Child Seed" entrusted to him by the Station Master prematurely matured after the destruction of the old camp. Although he knew that wasn't his fault, as the person in charge of the farmland, he couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty.
So—
When the Station Master handed him this Eerie Plant, the Sunflower Seed, he secretly vowed to cultivate it well, without a single mistake.
But...
He had never said such mushy words before.
Although he had gradually gone from inexperienced to fluent, with a limited vocabulary, he was hardly capable of any sophisticated praise. He planned to ask Crippled Monkey for advice when everyone else had returned. Among them, Crippled Monkey was the only one who had attended a private school and was considered well-educated.
Just then—
From outside the city wall came noises.
He listened intently and determined it was everyone returning. But after hesitating for a moment, he didn't go to greet them. Instead, he decided to carry on his own duties.
...
Chen Fan stood outside the city wall of Cave No. 1 with a broad smile. With a thought, he made one section of the wall sink into the ground. Zhou Mo and the others started carrying the chests toward the warehouse. He looked into the ill-lit cave, then thoughtfully glanced back at the crocodile lying on the ground behind him, waiting to be fed.
He needed some means of illumination.
The glowing stones embedded in the walls of that fellow's cave seemed quite good.
But...
He felt a bit embarrassed to ask for anything more.
That felt like he was looting a friend's home.
It would be dark soon.
No major projects tonight. He would take stock of the camp's resources and upgrade some of the basic buildings.
The second latrine pit contained more Eerie Stones—over a thousand more than the first pit. After all, the first one wasn't full yet.
Currently, the camp had a total of 12,975 Eerie Stones.
The cost of one Level 5 Cannon Tower was 480 Eerie Stones.
There was enough to build 27 of them.
That was what it took to set up a firepower network on the cliffs around the abyss pit.
Chen Fan looked toward the basic buildings inside the cave, intent on upgrading the Altar and houses. Currently, there were three Stone Houses in the camp.
All were Level 3.
The wooden houses turned into sturdier Stone Houses at Level 3.
Two served as living quarters, the third a warehouse.
He wanted to see what changes occurred at Level 4.
After consuming 50 Eerie Stones, the house he lived in was upgraded to Level 4.
「Upgraded to Level 4. Has become sturdier.」
「Please choose an upgrade direction.」
「1: Life Workshop: can produce everyday items.」
「2: Artifact Workshop: can forge Spirit Treasures from Eerie Materials, requires an Artificer.」
「3: Alchemy Workshop: can refine pills from Eerie Materials , requires an Alchemist.」
Chen Fan was taken aback. He had thought upgrading the house to Level 4 would increase its area or comfort. Yet, as it turned out, it came with new functions. There was no Qualitative Change, meaning these were the standard upgrade directions for a Level 4 Stone House.
The last two options were dismissed offhand.
He currently lacked personnel for those.
He chose the first option without hesitation.
The next moment—
The unreal shape of this Stone House, composed of white lines, slowly surfaced and began changing shape. When it had solidified again, it looked vastly different from the original Stone House, slightly larger, somewhat resembling the "Vehicle Workshop," but not as big.
Standing in front of the building, he could see many tools.
Such as...
a sewing machine, a forge, hammers, and clothes hanging on racks. Those linen clothes were what he had left in there.
He looked at the panel for this "Life Workshop."
「Building Name」: Life Workshop.
「Building Grade」: White.
「Building Level」: 4.
「Building Effect」: Can produce certain special everyday items.
Currently producible items:
1: Bone Hammer: requires some Eerie bones and must be crafted following the given production process.
2: Eerie Oil Lamp: requires fat from Eerie Creatures and must be crafted following the given production process.
3: Eerie-hide Map: requires skin from Human-Skin Ghosts, Monkey-Head Ghosts, etc., plus 1 Eerie Stone, and must be crafted following the given production process.
4: Fur Coat...
7: Token of Authority: requires Eerie bones and the Lord's fingertip blood and must be crafted following the given production process.
PS: Upgrading to Level 5 requires 500 Eerie Stones. Each upgrade unlocks new everyday items.
Chen Fan took a few Eerie bones from the warehouse, entered the Life Workshop, and used tweezers to place the bones into the specially made forge inside.
Under the high temperature, the bones soon began to change color.
They did not melt.
They gradually turned blue.
He glanced up at the "Token of Authority" production process chart posted on a wooden board. Once the entire bone turned blue, he quickly removed it, placed it on an anvil, grabbed a sledgehammer, and began striking it repeatedly.
After striking it exactly forty-nine times, the blue luster faded.
He quickly pricked his index finger, dripped a bit of blood on it, and swiftly immersed it in cold water to quench.
The next moment!
The Token of Authority took shape.
Like the "Eerie-hide Map," it wasn't an Extraordinary Treasure, nor was it a man-made Spirit Treasure. It had no grade.
Its sole effect was—
This Token of Authority held permissions granted by Chen Fan. After initial bonding, the holder of this Token of Authority could use the permissions on buildings under Chen Fan's name.