Chapter 7

Small in size, light in weight, easy to store, and high in calories, sugar can provide a lot of energy for the human body in situations like this.

Moreover, its applications go beyond that. It can increase the explosive power of gunpowder and enhance the adhesion of incendiary bombs, among other things.

For the same volume of supplies, sugar's usefulness is much greater.

"Everyone, keep pushing! The faster we move now, the higher our chances of survival! This isn't for anyone else; it's for your own sake!"

The supplies quickly piled up on their shoulders. Orlan himself carried a lot, with his exoskeleton operating at full capacity. This made Orlan notice something unusual.

His strength seemed to have increased significantly since arriving in this sea. Orlan planned to give himself a thorough check-up once they left to understand his current condition.

Orlan led them to the agreed gathering spot, a depression in the valley that Ivankov and Ginny had found before discovering Orlan's ship. It could serve as a temporary base.

Now that there were more local residents from God Valley in the group, these people knew the terrain better than Ivankov and Orlan, even finding a small path through the valley.

Everyone, from strong adults to the elderly and weak, carried various-sized bundles. In these circumstances, everyone had to contribute, regardless of the amount.

"Brother Orlan, there's a cave about 200 meters ahead. The entrance looks narrow, but it's quite spacious inside. It can hide a lot of people, and there's a spring inside!"

As they neared the gathering spot, a boy, about ten years old, pointed to a thicket.

"A spring? How big is it?"

"Well, my friends and I sometimes bathe there. There are even live fish inside."

The boy spread his arms to illustrate the size, indicating the spring was quite large.

"Lat! Didn't I tell you not to play in the valley! You... never mind."

A woman beside him wanted to scold him but couldn't muster the energy. She had been going about her daily chores when God Valley was attacked. Though she escaped with her child, her husband, a kingdom soldier, was missing. The harsh reality and bleak future weighed heavily on her.

"Alright, ma'am, save your strength. Your son just solved a big problem for us."

Besides food, water was also an issue. Although God Valley had abundant rivers, the Celestial Dragons knew this too.

Humans need water to survive, and the Celestial Dragons would surely hunt along water sources.

Since the spring had fish, it was likely connected to the outside world through underground rivers, ensuring a steady water supply. Having such a hidden water source was a great advantage.

"Lat, besides your friends, does anyone else know about that place? And you adults, have you heard of this cave before?"

Based on Lat's description, it seemed like a good hiding spot. If others knew about it, more people might come, increasing the risk of exposure.

"Only my friends know. I've never seen anyone else there. It's our secret base. I just don't know how they are now..."

"I haven't heard of any cave in the valley, and I've lived here most of my life."

The locals answered in turn. Lat found the place while playing exploration games. The older generation didn't know about it, indicating the cave might have formed recently due to geological activity.

Orlan brought the group to the agreed meeting point and then went to check the cave, including it as part of their base.

"Rest and replenish your strength. We'll need to make a few more trips. Some of you stay and gather dry branches and other fire-starting materials. If anyone knows the local terrain well, draw me a detailed map."

On the way, Orlan assessed their physical capabilities. Weak individuals couldn't carry much, but there were plenty of tasks to do.

"Besides, you need to dig some pits here. First, dig a large pit, then a small one from the other side. Connect them from the bottom and dig three trenches on top, covering them."

The granary had crowbars, shovels, and other tools. Orlan used these to demonstrate a smokeless stove, which would greatly conceal fire and smoke, enhancing their stealth.

Not long after, Orlan received a communication from Ivankov. They had found the shipyard workers and were bringing them to the base. At this point, Kuma approached.

"What's up, Kuma? Any problems?"

"Nothing. I've rested enough. I just want to know our next plan."

Looking at Orlan studying the map, Kuma asked quietly.

"We'll dismantle some things and set up devices in these locations to hide this area."

Orlan planned to dismantle his ship. According to the plan, the ship could be teleported after building the teleporter, but the larger the object, the longer it would take.

The ship was valuable, but Orlan could build a new one given enough materials and time.

He decided to use the limited transport capacity to evacuate people. The ship would have its final role here.

For instance, it could be converted into a massive self-destruct device, and its holographic projection could be modified to cover a larger area from multiple directions by lowering the image quality, provided the energy issue was solved.

Orlan briefly explained this to Kuma, knowing he'd have to repeat it once Ivankov brought the craftsmen.

Kuma didn't press further and pointed to another side.

"Orlan, the person you asked me to watch hasn't responded. She won't talk, eat, or even move. You should check on her. She's only spoken to you."

"I see. Take a break. We need to prepare as much as possible before the Celestial Dragons' game starts."

Orlan walked over to a small figure sitting warily on a rock. As he approached, she tensed up, her fur standing on end.

(End of Chapter)