Chapter 157 - 156: Cave, Distribution

Chapter 157: Chapter 156: Cave, Distribution

"Keep up." Han Ning took the lead, chasing after it.

The Tree Demon followed with a HONG LONG, its heavy footsteps echoing through the valley. It brushed aside the hanging branches, and the view suddenly opened up. This place looked more like a giant, semi-open mountain hollow. Although the terrain was relatively low, it was overall dozens of meters higher than the outside; the floodwaters couldn’t reach here for the time being.

On one side was a relatively steep cliff face, covered in thick moss and various plants. An area higher up on the rock face caved inward, forming a giant cave about ten meters deep and wide. Although its position on the cliff made it dangerous for ordinary people to enter and exit, it provided a natural barrier against approaching creatures.

At the bottom of the hollow was a relatively open gathering point for streams. Several mountain streams flowed down from different heights of the rock face, forming a shallow puddle here before winding their way down the mountain... At least, this was probably what it looked like before. Now, affected by the torrential rain, the water level at the bottom of the hollow had surged. It flowed at a rapid speed, rushing outward with a loud HONG LONG. However, the vertical distance between the cave and the bottom was nearly a hundred meters, so it wouldn’t affect them for the time being.

On three sides of the hollow, apart from the steep rock face with the cave, the other two sides were gentler slopes growing sparse woods. Some of the trees were quite tall with thick trunks, serving as excellent sources of wood. Han Ning didn’t think much of these trees, but this area could be used to plant other Extraordinary Crops.

"This place is pretty good." Vice President Zhao looked around and said with great satisfaction, "There’s a cave to shelter us from the wind and rain, running water to meet our basic needs, the elevation is high enough, and the entrance is relatively secure. It’s a hundred times better than soaking in the water. We finally have a place to catch our breath!" Looking at the giant cave entrance, he let out a slow exhale.

However, no one knew what the situation inside the cave was like yet. Han Ning waved his hand, signaling everyone to approach. Since everyone was an Awakened, entering this kind of cave on a cliff face wasn’t difficult for them. With a few leaps across the rock, they jumped inside.

Damp and cold air blew against their faces. The light inside was dim, with only the daylight filtering through the entrance barely outlining the general contours.

"It’s huge..." someone exclaimed in a low voice, the sound echoing between the empty rock walls.

It was much deeper and wider than it appeared from the outside. The ceiling hung high, hidden in the darkness, visually estimated to be at least twenty meters tall. The ground was relatively flat, covered with soft dust and crushed stones, while the cave walls were made of rough, dark brown rock. The space was expansive. Not to mention their group of less than a hundred people, even if a few hundred more came, it could easily accommodate them.

But this also brought a problem. The entrance was too large and had no cover. The cold wind poured in through the opening, HOWLING and chilling people to the bone. Moreover, they didn’t know what kind of creatures lived inside, though from Han Ning’s perception, there shouldn’t be any large creatures.

"GALU..." The Ironthorn Tree Demon’s body almost blocked half of the entrance as it observed the cave. In its eyes, this wasn’t really a good place. There was no fertile soil and no lush vegetation; its only advantage was that it could shelter them from the rain, which carried a detestable scent. The Treasure-Seeking Bumblebee hovered beside it, its chubby body swaying slightly, its giant compound eyes observing the interior.

"Thank you for guiding and leading the way. This place is not bad." Han Ning took out some High-Energy Soil and Crystal Stones again, handing them to the Tree Demon and the Bumblebee respectively.

"GALU..." The Tree Demon took the soil and merged it into its palm. The red light in its eye sockets flickered, showing great satisfaction. The Treasure-Seeking Bumblebee happily let out two "COO COO" sounds. It cupped the Crystal Stone with its forelimbs, its antennae quivering at high frequency, appearing exceptionally joyful.

The two combat partners were, after all, only summoned temporarily. After fulfilling Han Ning’s request, they lingered for a brief moment before returning to their dwellings. The Treasure-Seeking Bumblebee was still somewhat curious about everyone, indicating that it would continue to come over and play in the future. The Ironthorn Tree Demon did not show any such intention, since a cave wasn’t suitable for a Tree Demon’s lifestyle. However, they both extended invitations to Han Ning, asking him to visit their territories as a guest.

"Yu, you can call Chairman Wu and the others over now," Han Ning said to Yu after sending off the two combat partners. Yu was fast and could now fly for short durations, making him the best candidate for delivering messages.

"Understood, Mr. Han!"

"Hmm... next, we need to carry out basic modifications to this cave," Han Ning muttered to himself as he sized up the barren, empty space.

"Mr. Han, leave the cleaning to us!" Vice President Zhao stepped forward and volunteered.

"Sure, I’ll leave it to you." Han Ning nodded. Seeing Vice President Zhao so enthusiastic, Han Ning granted his wish.

Vice President Zhao was absolutely full of motivation. His gaze swept over the group of Awakened, and he said loudly, "Old Yu, you and a few others go outside the cave to find suitable trees. We need a large amount of wood to partition the space and build shelters."

"Understood!" Old Yu flapped the insect wings on his back and immediately led a few strong companions, striding towards the entrance.

Vice President Zhao continued to call names. "Lü, I remember you used to do road construction. You lead a team to level the ground, clear the rubble, and map out the main pathways and functional areas. Remember, the ground must be compacted!"

"Leave it to me!" Lü stepped forward in response.

"Those of you who are Fire Element Ability Users will be responsible for processing the wood later. The timber they chop back needs to be dried, cut, and polished." Vice President Zhao instructed the only two such Awakened in the team. "Pay attention to fire safety. Find a well-ventilated spot deep inside the cave to set up the drying area, away from flammable materials."

"Got it." The two fire-related Awakened took their orders and left.

"Qianqian, lead the rest of the people to see if we can draw water in from the outside and set up a water storage and Purification point. We need a stable source of fresh water." Vice President Zhao looked at Lin Qianqian and the others.

Lin Qianqian nodded and led a few companions towards the depths of the cave to investigate if there were any underground streams or seepage points.

"As for me... I’ll participate in the whole process. First, I’ll help them chop trees, and then I’ll come back to build houses and level the ground." Vice President Zhao grinned and said to Han Ning, who was standing to the side, "Mr. Han, what do you think of my arrangements?"

This Vice President Zhao not only had good strength but also possessed a certain level of management ability. No wonder he became Chairman Wu’s right-hand man. In an apocalyptic environment, having a commander who could take charge of the overall situation and stabilize morale was extremely important.

Han Ning nodded slightly, showing his approval. "Sure, we’ll do as you said. I have no objections. Old Xu, Nana, you guys go with Vice President Zhao and Qianqian. But there’s one thing: regarding the planting area, you must listen to Professor Ye."

"That goes without saying." Vice President Zhao nodded vigorously.

Even before Chairman Wu and the others arrived, the crowd began to actively work on building their new home.