On the other side, beneath Li Yi's giant statue, in the central square of the Fire Seed Base.

After Li Yi finished his speech and announced the list of winners of the "Tombstone Exemplary Fund Investors" award, he disappeared from the fund investors' sight from the giant statue's hand in the air.

The "Torchbearer Exemplary Citizens" commendation event has entered its next phase.

Ye Kexin, the head of the Human Resources Department of the Spark Base, personally presented medals and certificates to each winner and shared their touching stories.

On the large stage below the statue, the third-prize winners had already completed the award ceremony and stepped down from the stage.

The second-prize winners have also completed all the procedures and are ready to leave the stage.

They first bowed respectfully to the giant statue above, then expressed their deep respect and gratitude to the base leaders on the stage, and finally waved to the base members below the stage, conveying positive energy.

Their faces beamed with genuine smiles and overflowing confidence.

Their eyes revealed boundless anticipation for the future. With confident strides, they stepped off the stage and returned to their respective teams.

After the second-prize winners left the stage, it was the turn of the first-prize winner of the "Tombstone Exemplary Investor" award to come on stage to receive their award.

Although Li Yi, the leader of the Fireseed Base, had already announced the list of winners, the majority of base members were still full of anticipation and curiosity for the first prize winner who was about to take the stage.

After the second-prize winners left, the atmosphere in the square became even more enthusiastic and solemn.

The fund investors' eyes were fixed on the stage, eagerly anticipating the announcement of the first-prize winner.

At this moment, the host on stage picked up a pre-prepared card, composed himself, and then said with great emotion, "He is a role model for the Fire Seed Base, an elite of our time. Through his hard work and dedication, he has made outstanding contributions to the base and its inhabitants, demonstrating the dignity and value of the working people! He is Xue Tao, the leader of the 513th squad of the Fire Seed Base excavation team!"

After an apocalyptic, extremely cold natural disaster struck, the ecological environment of Earth underwent drastic changes. In the harsh living environment, life was no longer suitable for survival, and our human civilization was in grave danger.

Fortunately, our great leader descended like a god, and with extraordinary wisdom and leadership, turned the tide and led the people to build the Firestarter, the last fertile ground of human civilization, guiding us to find hope for survival in dire straits.

Our Spark Base has come this far thanks to the wise leadership of our leader, as well as the joint efforts and selfless dedication of every member of the base.

Xue Tao is one of the most outstanding representatives of all of us fund investors.

He not only performed exceptionally well in his daily excavation work, but also stepped forward at critical moments, making significant contributions to the stability and development of the base.

Recently, our vast number of fund investors have launched a spontaneous campaign to catch up on deadlines and push the limits in order to accelerate the development of the fund.

Xue Tao led his excavation team, who spontaneously worked more than 23 hours a day on the snowy plains, and the team exceeded the minimum workload of the base setup by 2.5 times.

During this time, Xue Tao persuaded a teammate who wanted to return to the base to deliver food to his elderly father, and encouraged an old teammate who had suffered frostbite and broken both legs during a rush task.

Not a single member of the team fell behind. The snowfield was their battlefield, and they fought to the very last moment. It wasn't until our leader, showing concern for his subordinates, forcibly restricted everyone's working hours that they stopped their almost frantic work pace.

In the early days of the base's establishment, resources were severely scarce. Xue Tao took the lead and voluntarily led his team to give up half of their daily food supply. They survived on a bowl of porridge each day in the freezing cold and snow, and persevered in completing the arduous work, creating favorable conditions for the base's construction.

Xue Tao's story is not an isolated case, but she serves as an inspirational role model. We hope that all our fund investors will emulate Xue Tao's spirit and start a wave of learning from and emulating this exemplary figure!

The host paused here, then raised his voice again: "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome our first 'Model Fund Investor' from the Spark Base—Xue Tao—to the stage to receive his award!"

As the host gave an enthusiastic introduction, thunderous applause erupted throughout the square.

However, while some were clapping, they couldn't help but wonder: "Is that old father who didn't receive food from his son doing alright now?"

It's understandable that they would have such thoughts. After all, the excavation team members are at the very bottom of the base. They work themselves to the bone every day and the food they receive is not even enough for themselves, let alone to share with others. Presumably, that old father usually survives on a bowl of thin porridge. With that teammate working outside for so long, his old father must have starved to death long ago.

At the Fire Seed Base, all the lower-level base members were starving. They couldn't expect anyone to help the elderly father of Xue Tao's team member. If that team member hadn't had other young and strong relatives to share food with his father during those days, his current situation would probably be dire.

There was also his old teammate who had been encouraged to continue working at such a high intensity, but whose legs had frostbitten. It was over -70 degrees Celsius outside. If his frostbitten legs had not received timely treatment and adequate warmth, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

It's hard to say whether they can survive. Even if they are lucky enough to survive, their legs will definitely be useless. Without their legs, how will they work in the future?

The Fire Seed Base doesn't support idlers. If you don't work, there will be no food supply, which is no different from suicide.

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