Chapter 564: Shelter Facilities Merged and Built, Cree Mountain Sheep Give Birth

“Ahhh~~~ Turtle, turtle!”

In the Giant Tree World, at Seaway Lake.

The Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle zipped across the lake’s surface with little Jieni on its back.

The Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle moved like a flying fish, constantly bouncing up and down on the water, splashing countless droplets everywhere.

Its balloon-like shell securely held Simon and Jieni in place, drawing gleeful screams of joy from the little boy.

Up in the sky, over a dozen water birds chased after Jieni, chirping incessantly.

Yu Yuan watched this scene unfold.

His suspicion that Jieni possessed some kind of ‘animal affinity’ talent was further confirmed.

Just then, a message came in from Zhou Yuan.

[Zhou Yuan: Leader, the Insect Breeding Research Institute has been completed.]

Yu Yuan immediately mounted Mie Mie and headed for the Insect Breeding Research Institute.

Dale and Zhou Yuan were already communicating over the blueprints when they saw Yu Yuan arrive.

They promptly handed the blueprint over.

“Boss, this is the plan I adjusted last night based on the current layout…” Dale’s voice was tinged with excitement and enthusiasm.

“Chief Zhou Yuan had already arranged for experienced designers before, so the general layout doesn’t need changing. I just made some tweaks based on my own habits and added an insect mutation lab…”

Yu Yuan only gave the blueprint a cursory glance.

With an expert like Dale here, there wasn’t likely to be any major issues.

He turned to Zhou Yuan.

“Is the interior already renovated?”

“It’s done. With the Titan Constructor around, construction was fast. Now we just need to install the breeding racks and the machines in the processing workshop.”

“According to Professor Dale, the current mealworm population isn’t too large yet, so I’ve temporarily assigned three people to assist him with research.”

“Once the mealworm numbers grow, we’ll add more staff.”

Yu Yuan nodded. Zhou Yuan’s management skills were decent enough.

With that, Yu Yuan directly opened the shelter management interface.

After advancing to the Bronze Rank, he had gained the [Shelter Restriction Lifted] permission.

He now had the authority to freely construct shelter facilities and merge them with other buildings.

Now, Yu Yuan selected the [Insect Breeding] list from the [Underground Ecological Farm] group.

The list contained all sorts of shelter facility blueprints related to insect breeding.

From the smallest Insect Breeding Eco-Chamber to the largest Insect Breeding Processing Plant—over a dozen construction entries.

This time, Yu Yuan’s gaze locked onto the [Insect Ecological Breeding Research Base] at the very bottom of the list.

For Yu Yuan now, the construction materials for this research base were no longer an unattainable amount.

He directly selected [Merge Construction].

The target for the building merge was the newly completed Insect Breeding Research Institute in front of him.

[Confirm this building as the target for merging into the ‘Insect Ecological Breeding Research Base’?]

—— [Yes]

Yu Yuan completed the selection.

The Insect Breeding Research Institute was immediately enveloped in a green light barrier.

—— [Construction Time: 8 Hours]

Yu Yuan looked at Dale.

“In eight hours, you’ll be able to conduct your research here to your heart’s content.”

Dale gazed at the green light barrier, a smile tugging at his lips, tears glistening in his eyes.

Since the wasteland descended, he had never imagined he would see the day when he’d have a research institute again.

Yu Yuan sent a message to Simon.

Not long after.

“Ahhh~ Turtle…” Jieni’s voice came from the sky.

The massive Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle was seen gliding toward them from the direction of Seaway Lake.

Except, it had clearly forgotten that this was land, not the lake.

It couldn’t slow down.

And so, amid everyone’s startled and shocked gazes,

the Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle hit the ground and began skidding all the way.

Finally, it came to a slow stop right in front of Yu Yuan.

Sensing that it had stopped and feeling Yu Yuan’s gaze on it,

the Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle twitched the corner of its mouth, then used its two wing-membrane forelimbs to cover its face.

It actually had a sense of shame!

Yu Yuan gave the creature a kick in exasperation.

“Stop playing dead. Get them down for me.”

“Chirp——”

The Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle quickly released the air from its shell’s air bladders. Simon, holding Jieni, slid down along the turtle’s tail.

It was clear that the two had been startled as well.

Little Jieni especially pouted, looking at the Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle with a hurt expression.

The Cloud-Tide Flying Turtle kept one wing-membrane over its eyes, not daring to look back.

The pathetic look on it was unbearable to see.

Yu Yuan ignored it.

He led Simon, Jieni, and Dale back into the shelter.

Simon’s wife, Larr, hadn’t gone over today. Instead, she was in the shelter organizing the items they would be taking with them.

The supplies on the fourth underground floor also needed to be sorted out quickly.

As it turned out, just as Yu Yuan and the others entered the fourth underground floor, Simon’s wife, Larr, hurried over.

“Boss, you’re finally back. That flock of sheep should be about to give birth!”

“What!”

Yu Yuan and the other two immediately headed for the Mammal Breeding Room.

Sure enough, they saw five Cree Mountain Ewes with swollen bellies, constantly pawing at the ground.

They frequently looked back at their abdomens, their eyes somewhat vacant.

Two others were lying on the ground, their hind legs stretching out repeatedly.

As for that Ram, the moment it saw Yu Yuan appear, it scurried to a corner and started facing the wall.

“Boss, I’ve read Professor Dale’s notebook on ‘Postnatal Care for Ewes’ before. The way these five ewes are acting, it feels like they’re about to give birth any moment!”

Larr was just explaining when,

a “baa” sound rang out.

Everyone looked over.

One of the standing ewes suddenly had a pool of fluid spill out from beneath her.

Dale took one look, his eyes going wide.

“Her waters just broke. She really is about to give birth!”

As soon as those words were out,

Yu Yuan and the others immediately snapped to attention but didn’t go inside.

Larr was about to go in to help, but Dale stopped her.

“Don’t go in and disturb them. They can deliver on their own. If we go in, we might just scare them.”

“Let’s observe for now. When they need help, we’ll go in.”

As it turned out, Dale’s decision was correct.

Not long after,

“It’s out, it’s out!” Larr said excitedly.

Amid the ewe’s continuous ‘baa’ cries, two front hooves emerged.

Just then, Mie Mie also came up behind Yu Yuan.

The radiance of [Hoofprint Spring] spread across the breeding room.

“Sheep, come on, you can do it!” Little Jieni added his own voice.

Under everyone’s expectant gazes, the mouth and nose nestled between the hooves soon appeared, and the ewe’s belly contracted rhythmically.

“No problem, it’s a head-first position. This birth is very safe,” Dale promptly analyzed the situation, steadying everyone’s nerves.

And just then, whether influenced by this ewe or not,

one ewe’s waters broke, letting out a pained cry—the second birth had begun.

Soon after, the third ewe also began to deliver.

Just as the fourth ewe’s waters broke,

amid Larr’s joyful gasp,

a lamb, completely soaked, detached from the first ewe and fell to the ground.

It heralded the birth of a new life.

And at that very moment, just as the lamb was fully delivered,

a mechanical prompt rang in Yu Yuan’s ear.

[Achievement Unlocked…]