116. Stronger Togethe

That night, the Garuda Pioneers gathered on Deri’s private island. Activities like this had become a habit over the past few weeks. They would usually eat together, chat, or simply sit around the campfire after a full day of work. Especially over the past month, when things back home had been difficult, spending time together like this had felt increasingly important.

That night had started out casually as well.

The meat they had hunted was roasting over the fire. Some people were busy grabbing food, while others talked in small groups. Occasional laughter could be heard whenever someone cracked a joke.

Until Fajar suddenly started a conversation.

“Hey, you guys know what? I got kicked out earlier today.”

Several heads immediately turned.

“Kicked out?” Andre raised an eyebrow. “From an island?”

“Yeah. Desert Island.”

Fajar took a piece of meat from a wooden skewer before continuing.

“Me and another guy were mining salpeter. We’d barely started when some Pioneers from Sakura and Bald Eagle showed up. They said they wanted to use the area and told us to leave.”

“So what did you do?” Rian asked.

“I argued with them.”

Andre immediately chuckled. “Now that sounds like Fajar.”

“Shut up.” Fajar pointed at him with the piece of meat. “I told them we got there first and weren't bothering them. But they still told us to leave.”

Siska frowned.

“Did they threaten you?”

“They didn't attack us. But they were clearly forcing us out.” Fajar sighed. “So I left. I didn't want a war to start over some salpeter.”

Several Pioneers around the fire exchanged glances.

“That happened to me too,” one of the Pioneers said. “On Stone Island. I was looking for iron ore when a foreign group suddenly showed up. They immediately said they wanted to use the area.”

“Tropical Island was the same,” another added. “I had barely gotten off the ship.”

The relaxed atmosphere from earlier began to change.

“So now we're the ones who have to move whenever we encounter a foreign group?” someone grumbled.

“Looks like it.”

“Even though we need resources too.”

Andre, who had been listening all this time, finally joined in.

“My group had it even worse.”

Fajar turned toward him. “You and Siska?”

“Yeah. We were looking for rice. Then several groups from Eastern Dragon, Eastern Elephant, and Sakura showed up. They told us to leave too.”

Andre leaned back.

“Luckily, Rangga’s Baryonyx was there.”

Several people immediately laughed.

“The one that made them run away?”

“Yeah. The moment Baryonyx showed up, they scattered.” Andre chuckled. “Didn't even need a long argument.”

Rangga, who was sitting not far from the fire, simply raised a hand.

“Don’t blame me. I didn't do anything either.”

“That’s exactly the point,” Andre said. “They ran away before you even did anything.”

Laughter broke out again, but it didn't last long. More complaints began to emerge.

This text was taken from NovelPhoenix. Help the author by reading the original version there.

It turned out Fajar and Andre weren't the only ones who had experienced something similar. Over the past few weeks, more and more Garuda Pioneers had felt that they were being treated poorly whenever they were on resource islands.

Deri had been quietly listening all this time. Eventually, he put down his food.

“To be honest, we’re also partly at fault.”

Several people immediately turned toward him.

“How?” Fajar asked.

“We have been too aggressive over the past month.”

“They started the problem first,” someone replied.

Deri nodded.

“I know. And I’m not saying you’re wrong to be cautious. But I’ve seen reports from several other groups. Some merely approached you and were immediately warned. Some had only just asked about resources and were already told to leave.”

“We were suspicious of them,” Fajar replied. “After what happened back then, it’s only natural that we’d be suspicious.”

“Exactly,” someone else added. “We were the ones who got attacked. We’re the ones who have to be careful now. Are we supposed to wait until someone shoots us before we're allowed to be cautious?”

“No one is asking you to wait until you get shot.”

Deri looked at them one by one.

“I’m just saying, if we treat every foreign group as a threat, this problem will keep going in circles.”

Several Pioneers still looked dissatisfied.

“Then what are we supposed to do? Just trust them?”

“No.”

Deri’s answer was brief, but before the discussion could continue, Rangga, who had been quiet until then, suddenly spoke.

“Hey, I have an idea.”

Everyone turned toward him.

Rangga looked around, then pointed at the food in his hand.

“I think we don't need to worry too much about them anymore.”

Fajar frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“The country is starting to stabilize, right? We don't need to send as much as we did a few weeks ago anymore.” Rangga shrugged. “So maybe now it’s time to focus on ourselves again.”

The atmosphere began to settle down, and Rangga continued.

“I mean our technology.”

He pointed at several Pioneers sitting around the fire.

“We all still have a lot of catching up to do. Not all of our Production Benches have been upgraded yet. Once our Production Benches are upgraded, we'll have more technology options too.”

Several people began nodding.

“And the second goal,” Rangga continued, his eyes beginning to sparkle, “is that we make Hijack Devices.”

“The thing that controls mechanical dinosaurs?” Rian asked.

“Yep.”

Rangga grinned widely.

“Imagine if every one of us had our own dinosaur.”

“You trying to build a zoo?” someone quipped.

“If we can, why not?”

Laughter erupted around the campfire.

But afterward, several Pioneers began calculating what they still needed.

“My materials aren't enough yet.”

“Same here. I’m still missing a few components.”

“I don't have enough Steel Ingots yet.”

“Same with Brass.”

Fajar scratched his head.

“And the problem is, we don't know what island will appear tomorrow.”

Rangga nodded.

“Exactly. That’s the next problem.”

He stared into the fire for a moment before speaking.

“What if we create a central logistics system?”

Deri immediately focused on him.

“Explain.”

“We pool our resources.”

Rangga began explaining while using a piece of wood to draw lines in the dirt.

“So everyone doesn't have to gather every material themselves. We make something like a shared warehouse. If I have extra materials, I put them in. If Fajar has extra materials, he puts them in too.”

Andre began to understand where he was going.

“And what if someone is missing something?”

“They can ask the others.”

Rangga pointed at Andre.

“For example, you're short on hardwood. Tomorrow, it turns out the island that appears isn't Tropical Island or Swamp Island. You don't have to wait who knows how long to get hardwood.”

He then pointed at Fajar.

“On the other hand, Fajar needs iron ore, but tomorrow there isn't a Stone Island. So if you happen to get a Stone Island, you gather extra iron ore and trade it for the hardwood Fajar needs.”

Fajar slowly nodded.

“So the distribution is based on everyone's needs.”

“Exactly.”

Deri looked increasingly interested.

“That’s good. That way, the type of island that appears each day won't have as much of an impact on each person's progress.”

Rangga nodded quickly.

“Exactly. We have a shared stockpile. So if someone happens to get an island with materials another person needs, they gather extra.”

“And whoever gets a different island just gathers whatever materials the group needs.”

“Yep.”

Several Pioneers began calculating the possibilities in their heads.

“Then we can gather the materials for Production Bench upgrades together.”

“Once someone finishes their upgrade, they can help the others.”

“So no one gets left behind.”

Rangga immediately pointed at the person who had spoken.

“That’s it.”

He smiled.

“Those who have already gotten theirs shouldn't just stop there. Help the ones who haven't. If we all help each other, we can level up together.”

Fajar leaned back and nodded.

“Then it really will be faster.”

“And once our Production Benches are upgraded...” Rangga raised one finger. “...we focus on Hijack Devices.”

Andre immediately laughed.

“In the end, it’s dinosaurs again.”

“Of course.”

Rangga laughed.

“You don't want to ride a dinosaur?”

Andre was silent for a moment.

“...I do.”

“See?”

Laughter once again filled the area around the campfire.

Even some of the Pioneers who had still been annoyed about the incidents on resource islands began to look more relaxed. For the first time that night, their conversation was no longer centered on the foreign groups driving them away.

They began talking about what they could build themselves.

Deri finally nodded.

“All right. Starting tomorrow, we'll establish a shared logistics system. Record everyone's needs, then we'll determine the priorities for gathering.”

Fajar raised his glass.

“Then, what’s our next target?”

Rangga immediately answered with a wide grin.

“Upgrade the Production Benches.”

He raised his glass as well.

“Then make Hijack Devices.”

Several Pioneers raised their glasses too.

“Let’s go.”

“Agreed.”

“Level up together.”

Under the glow of the campfire, for the first time in weeks, they weren't talking about how to deal with the world outside.