With a flash of light, a Golden Scroll materialized before Wang Yi.
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Name: Construction Drawings for a Weaponry Workshop +7
Description: Upon use, constructs an enhanced version of the Weaponry Workshop in your territory: the [Exquisite Armory].
Exquisite Armory Introduction: A small but highly specialized factory for producing cold weapons, equipped with a complete Automatic Production Line.
Function: [Weapon Crafting]+7, Enhanced to [Automatic Production Line].
Note 1: Products from the Exquisite Armory are guaranteed to be of superior quality. To ensure the production line operates smoothly, please provide ample production funds. Depositing Gold Coins is recommended. These funds are primarily used to automatically purchase auxiliary materials and other raw ingredients (the Lord need only provide the core materials).
Note 2: The Exquisite Armory can only produce cold weapons, including traditional, technological, and enchanted varieties.
Note 3: As the Exquisite Armory has only one Automatic Production Line, its output is low and its products are relatively uniform (a single core material can only be processed into one type of cold weapon).
Note 4: Provides operating instructions and a production log. After activating the Exquisite Armory, the Lord Player only needs to supply the core materials; the production line will then automatically design and complete the weapon's creation.
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'Huh? An Exquisite Armory... this thing is a bit like the Gourmet Processing Plant. But the Gourmet Processing Plant is fully automatic and has unlimited energy, while this armory needs you to pump money into it.'
Wang Yi was still quite satisfied. He felt the Exquisite Armory could definitely be considered a piece of black-tech architecture. With it, he might not have to worry about equipping his territory's soldiers anymore.
However, when Wang Yi returned to his territory and tried to use the Construction Drawings for the Exquisite Armory, he received a system notification: "Ding! Use failed. The current territory has no available land. The Exquisite Armory requires 1000 square meters. Please expand your territory before using."
'The territory's too small...'
Wang Yi shook his head and put the drawings away for the time being.
Meanwhile, the territory was bustling with activity.
The Rock Giant Scorpion had been locked in the Beast Cage, and a crowd of villagers had gathered around it, whispering and pointing, making quite a commotion.
The Combat Chicken Squad also came to join in on the fun. They flapped their wings outside the Beast Cage, squeezing through the crowd and squawking, "Gegeda! Gegeda!" as if they also wanted a look at the monster inside.
The Rock Giant Scorpion lay motionless inside the Beast Cage, but it was already in the process of being tamed.
'Taming should be easier while it's near death. Once the taming is successful, its injuries will be healed, and it'll immediately become a powerful combatant... The second wave of the void invasion is coming soon. This should be ready in time!'
Filled with anticipation, Wang Yi glanced at the sky. It was getting late, so he decided to let the villagers stop working for the day. He distributed roasted chicken and Vegetable Soup and dismissed them.
A few moments later, most of the villagers had dispersed, but the militiamen, including Yang Qingniu and Zhang Lengzi, remained behind with Pang Damao.
Yang Qingniu and the others were militiamen, and Man Datou had instructed them to build a shelter so they could spend the night in the territory.
As for Pang Damao, he was just trying to make a good impression.
After dusk, as the sky began to darken, the group from Huangni Village arrived at the warehouse courtyard carrying large baskets on their backs.
A large pile of river sand had accumulated in the small courtyard. The villagers had worked hard today; every one of them was drenched in sweat.
"Not bad," Wang Yi said, "I'm very satisfied with your performance!"
Wang Yi clapped Boss Li on the shoulder and gave Man Datou a meaningful look. Man Datou then retrieved six Golden Roasted Chickens and ten cups of Vegetable Soup, which Wang Yi had prepared earlier, from the Chaos Warehouse.
"This is your payment for today. Take it, get some good rest, and we'll continue tomorrow!"
Wang Yi gave a casual wave and turned his attention back to studying the pine oil.
They had collected five jin of the pine oil. Han Qinghe, Zhang Lengzi, and Pang Damao were using pine branches to craft oil lamps and torches. They had also built a bonfire, so it looked like the territory would be lit by firelight tonight.
Boss Li and the others were so surprised they could hardly believe it. They stood there, stunned, for a long time, completely forgetting to thank him.
...
「In Huangni Village, beneath the moonlight.」 Inside a dilapidated thatched hut, a faint blue light suddenly began to glow.
Inside, a little girl of six or seven was playing with a small, square box. It was this very box that was emitting the light, illuminating the room.
If a Player had been there, they would have immediately recognized the object in the little girl's hands as a Chaos Blind Box, and a blue-quality one at that.
"Mama, what kind of treasure is this? It's so magical!"
The little girl asked the woman who was half-reclining on a wooden bed.
The woman seemed lost in thought. Snapping back to reality, she said urgently, "Sweetheart, put that treasure away, quick! Don't let anyone see it."
As she spoke, the woman roughly snatched the Chaos Blind Box from the little girl's hands and quickly shoved it under a tattered cotton quilt.
The little girl, having lost her new toy, burst into tears.
"What are you crying for? Stop it! Be quiet!" the woman scolded.
Hearing this, the little girl only cried harder. "Mama, I'm hungry," she sobbed. "I miss Daddy. When is he coming home? Mama, they said he's not coming back. Is that true?"
The woman's heart ached at her daughter's words. She pulled the girl into her arms and began to cry with her. "Nonsense," she said, "That's all nonsense! Your daddy is a lucky man. He'll definitely come back!"
"Okay, I'll stop crying. Mama, you stop crying, too!"
The little girl grew flustered and tried to comfort her mother in return.
But even though the woman quieted her sobs, tears continued to stream down her face.
She was overcome with sorrow whenever she thought about recent events.
Her brother-in-law had been beaten to death by Ma Changgui and buried in a simple straw mat. Her husband, the man of the house, had been forced into hard labor and would, in all likelihood, never return. She was left a widow with a child, and she herself was paralyzed, unable to even get out of bed. 'How can we possibly go on living like this?'
The woman considered ending her own life and her daughter's. 'We can't survive anyway,' she thought. 'It would be less suffering, and maybe my baby could be reborn into a better life.'
Suddenly, BANG! The door was thrown open, and a cool breeze swept into the hut, nearly extinguishing the oil lamp.
"I'm home!"
A tall man's voice boomed. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. It was Boss Li.
"Husband!"
"Daddy! It's Daddy! Daddy's home!"
The woman and her daughter were overcome with shock and joy.
Boss Li wiped away his tears and laughed heartily. "I'm back!" he said excitedly. "Everyone's back, and we're all safe! And I brought something good to eat!"
"How is that possible?"
His wife, her face still streaked with tears, stared at her husband in disbelief. "I heard that Roasted Chicken Immortal is a ruthless killer. Even a monster like Ma Changgui was slaughtered. How could he possibly have let you come back!"
"Slander! It's all slander! The Roasted Chicken Immortal didn't harm us, and it wasn't forced labor! That great man is the kindest person in the world! If anyone dares to say a bad word about him again, they'll have to go through me first!"
As he spoke, Boss Li slammed the things he had brought onto the nearby wooden table: two roasted chickens and three cups of Vegetable Soup.
"But enough about that! Wife, daughter, come and try the wonderful gift from the Roasted Chicken Immortal! He's a great man, the Roasted Chicken Immortal is! He made me the director of the sand works and gave us six whole roasted chickens. I used my position as director to bring two of them home for us. Quick, come have a taste!"
Boss Li excitedly tore open the packaging of a Golden Roasted Chicken, and a tantalizing aroma instantly filled the tiny, dilapidated hut.
He tore off the drumsticks, giving one to his wife and one to his daughter, grinning like a fool.
"It smells so good! Daddy, this drumstick is delicious!"
"It is, it's so delicious. Husband, you eat too! Ah, if only your brother were still alive..."
"Let's not talk about sad things from the past. From now on, I'll work my fingers to the bone for the Roasted Chicken Immortal, and our lives will get better and better. Who knows, maybe one day your legs can be healed. You might even be able to stand again, and our family of three can have a good life..."
Inside the dilapidated thatched hut, the family of three ate the roasted chicken in blissful, quiet warmth.
But the atmosphere was soon shattered when a group of villagers rushed into Boss Li's yard.
Startled, Boss Li grabbed a stick and went outside. Seeing the villagers, he put on a brave face and yelled, "What do you all want?"
To his surprise, the villagers all bowed with cupped hands.
"Factory Director Li, I want to join the sand works! Can you take me with you tomorrow?"
"Factory Director Li, take me too, please!"
"Factory Director Li, we know we were wrong! We want to work at the factory too! You're a bigger man than us, please forgive us!"
It turned out all these villagers were begging Boss Li to let them work. After the other four sand-diggers returned, they had spread the word: not only had the Roasted Chicken Immortal not harmed them, he had even given them roasted chicken as a reward.
The very same people who had snubbed Boss Li, shutting their doors on him and even mocking him, had an immediate change of heart. Full of regret, they now showed up at his home, begging him for a chance to work at the sand works and earn some of that roasted chicken.