Chapter 118 The Tranquil Morning Light and Strategic Reserves Everyone looked at Lin…

Everyone looked at Lin Yue, wondering what his plans were. Lin Yue didn't explain.

Looking into the unwavering trust in everyone's eyes, he finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.

You have to rely on yourself to fight for your other half.

It was late at night when the meeting ended. After rushing back from Blackrock City for days without stopping, and then immediately throwing himself into a high-intensity impromptu meeting, even Lin Yue, whose body had been tempered by the harsh environment of the Cursed Lands, felt waves of exhaustion from the bone marrow.

He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the bed, and slept very deeply, not even noticing when Xiao Hei jumped off his shoulder.

The next morning, as the first rays of dawn shone through the gaps in the linen curtains, illuminating a corner of the room, Lin Yue awoke from a rare, deep, restful sleep. Lying on the soft cotton bed, the languid feeling made him want to stay there forever.

How long has it been since I enjoyed such a peaceful morning?

Lin Yue stretched, feeling every bone in his body groan with satisfied satisfaction. The fatigue and tension of the past few days dissipated considerably with this deep sleep. During his time in Blackrock City, he had been like a taut string every day, scheming against this and guarding against that, his nerves constantly on edge.

Back in Hope Town, in his familiar home, he finally felt that his weary heart had found a safe harbor.

He walked into the ensuite bathroom, a standard feature in the room, and turned on the cold ceramic faucet. A stream of clear, sweet, and slightly cool purified water gushed out. He scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on his face; the icy touch instantly dispelled the last trace of sleepiness, completely waking his mind, which had been somewhat drowsy from overthinking.

The sun hadn't fully risen yet, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of early morning, a blend of grass and damp earth. Lin Yue didn't rush to the canteen for breakfast. Instead, he changed into a light linen shirt and, unusually, slowed his pace, strolling alone through the town.

He wanted to take another good look at his home.

The town of Hope in the early morning is filled with a peaceful yet vibrant atmosphere.

Colorful clothes were drying in the red-brick courtyards of every household. Some courtyards also had strings of golden corn cobs and dried meat strips hanging in them. Diligent housewives hummed off-key tunes as they swept their yards with newly made brooms; the men had already changed into their smart work clothes and were ready to head to their posts.

Wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, carrying the faint aroma of food into the sky.

As Lin Yue walked along the road, he was greeted warmly by residents.

"Good morning, Mayor!"

"Mayor, have you eaten yet? If not, come to my house. I just made these corn pancakes this morning!"

He passed through Central Park, where the Son of the Sacred Tree, on which so much hope was placed, stretched its verdant leaves in the morning light. Several children, also early risers, were barefoot, chasing and playing on the dew-kissed grass. Their laughter echoed crisply in the air like wind chimes.

Upon seeing Lin Yue, they swarmed around him like a flock of sparrows, excitedly sharing their wondrous experiences in the Silvermoon Forest.

"Brother Lin Yue, let me tell you, Sister Elf's hair really does glow."

"I even saw a talking squirrel, and it gave me a pine cone."

"You're lying, it can't talk!"

Hearing these childlike words, Lin Yue couldn't help but smile warmly from the bottom of his heart.

He suddenly realized that these carefree children seemed to have nothing to do except help with chores around the house every day. Their childhood shouldn't consist only of labor and food.

"It seems that some things need to be put on the agenda as soon as possible." A thought quietly sprouted in his mind.

Just then, a chubby-faced boy suddenly pointed towards the back mountain in the distance, and whispered to Lin Yue in a mysterious tone, "Mayor, I saw Xiao Fen this morning. She took Xiao Hei and sneaked into the woods behind the mountain. They must be going to raid bird nests."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue shook his head, both amused and exasperated.

Ever since Xiao Fen distinguished herself in the last battle between humans and chickens and was crowned the town's guardian beast, she's become increasingly unruly after distinguishing herself in scouting and early warning. Now, with Xiao Hei, her equally troublesome cat master, as an accomplice, the two of them together are practically the two great guardian beasts of Hope Town. Lin Yue just hopes they don't go too far and actually dart into the depths of the Cursed Land and provoke some formidable monster.

He strolled over to No. 1 Store.

The huge menu wall has been updated with a summer special menu according to the seasons. In addition to the regular roasted meats and stews, there are now several refreshing cold dishes and chilled tart fruit juices.

The supermarket shelves were stocked with a wide variety of new and exquisite items. There were small furniture pieces made from different types of new wood, ceramic vases with beautiful patterns, and even new summer dresses made from freshly dyed cotton.

The restaurant was already filled with workers preparing for their shifts and some early-rising businessmen. They chatted quietly as they ate their breakfast.

Lin Yue ordered himself the simplest breakfast—a bowl of thick corn porridge and two freshly steamed star-shaped buns. He sat in an inconspicuous corner, quietly enjoying the unique atmosphere of Hope Town.

Around noon, he found Old Mo, who was directing everyone at the farm to expand the fence, and Ashu, the Silent Youth who had just returned from a rubber plantation on the outskirts of the city and was in charge of managing the Ula trees.

"Mayor, you've arrived." Old Mo greeted Lin Yue with a warm smile. He pointed to a newly built, more spacious enclosure in the distance. "Look, we've separated the different kinds of poultry. The gulls and the colorful-winged pheasants are kept in separate areas, and we've built new chicken coops for them. The rock horn sheep and the newly introduced docile herbivores also have more space to roam."

"Well done." Lin Yue nodded, but then frowned. "However, I heard from the logistics team that our feed supply seems to be running low?"

Old Mo's face immediately showed a troubled expression.

“That’s right, Mayor.” He sighed. “Especially those rock horn sheep, they’re very picky eaters, they only like to eat certain kinds of moss and shrubs in the forest. We’re short-handed right now, and we spend most of our time every day just collecting fresh fodder for them. If we expand the breeding scale, relying on wild animals alone probably won’t be enough.”

Ashu added from the side, "Mayor, it's the same at the rubber factory. The few Ula trees we transplanted, although they've adapted to the environment here, are still seedlings and we can't harvest too much sap from them. Right now, we still have to buy most of the rubber raw materials we use to produce seals and tires from Boss Barry at high prices. It's a long way, and if we need them urgently someday, there won't be enough time."

These two issues are like two sharp swords, precisely piercing the pain point of Hope Town's current industrial and agricultural development—the problem of independent control over core raw materials.

Before dinner, while Lin Yue was still racking his brains over this matter, Xiao Fen finally returned from the back mountain, covered in grass and mud, carrying Xiao Hei, who had been playing wildly all day.

Lin Yue looked at the cat lying on Xiao Fen's back, licking its paws with its pink little tongue, and a thought struck him.

He lifted Xiao Hei off the wolf's back and sat down to the side: "Xiao Hei, I remember there are seeds of various crops that can be exchanged in the system shop, right? Are there any grasses that grow really fast and are very nutritious?"

"Yes. High-yielding alfalfa and ryegrass," Little Black replied lazily.

"Then... what about crops that have particularly high yields and can be used as both a staple food and animal feed?"

[Super sweet potatoes and high-yield soybeans.]

"Okay, these four items, give me one bag of each." Lin Yue rubbed his hands excitedly.

【So you'll run out of points again. Do you still want to exchange them?】

"Change!"

However, for the first time ever, Xiao Hei did not immediately carry out the operation. It raised its obsidian-like eyes and calmly looked at Lin Yue.

[Friendly reminder: The supply of basic crop seeds in the system shop will gradually decrease as the host's agricultural technology tree improves, and due to other reasons. Please do not rely on them excessively.]

"Other reasons? What reasons?" Lin Yue keenly sensed the unusual nature of its words.

"...The connection with your original world is becoming increasingly weak." Xiao Hei's voice carried an extremely faint and almost imperceptible ethereal quality.

Lin Yue's heart sank.

Before he could ask any further questions, Xiao Hei had already completed the exchange and closed his eyes again, as if nothing had happened.

Lin Yue looked at the several heavy bags of seeds that had suddenly appeared in his hand, and his feelings became complicated.

He handed the seeds to old Bud and explained in detail the planting methods and important value of these new crops.

"Uncle Bud, these kinds of forage grasses grow quickly and are rich in nutrients, making them excellent feed for cattle and sheep. These sweet potatoes yield even more than potatoes; they can be used as a staple food, made into noodles, and fed to pigs. These soybeans are even more precious; they can be pressed for oil, made into tofu, and sprouted..."

He then turned to Old Bard and everyone in the agricultural group, and solemnly said, "Gentlemen, we may have a major operation coming up, and we urgently need to stockpile a large amount of food that can be stored for a long time. Over the next month, we'll have to work hard to produce as much fresh vegetables and fruits as possible to ensure the supply of raw materials for canning. This is a heavy responsibility, so if you have any difficulties or needs, please come to me anytime."

After handing over the tasks to the agricultural group, Lin Yue plunged into the food processing laboratory.

This time, he not only invited Mia and Aunt Lian, but also Elder Farador and several Silent Ones who were most knowledgeable in herbalism.

“Elders, everyone,” he showed them the secret letter about the dwarf's decay and the conclusion of “scurvy + salt deficiency syndrome” from the system analysis without reservation, “I'm afraid we'll have to rely on everyone's wisdom to find a solution to this strange disease. I was thinking, could we try to formulate a few targeted prescriptions and make them into therapeutic canned food?”

Elder Farador and the Silent Ones, with their profound understanding of the medicinal value of the various unique plants in the Cursed Land, provided Lin Yue with one valuable recipe after another.

For example, they discovered a vine called Bloodvine that grows in dark places. Although its sap is slightly poisonous, it can greatly promote blood circulation and replenish a substance similar to iron after being boiled.

There is also a type of sour berry that tastes like vinegar. Its rich acidic substances can not only stimulate the appetite and quench thirst, but also help the body absorb and utilize nutrients from other foods.

Xiao Hei's system is like a ruthless database, accurately analyzing the nutritional components and best pairings of each ingredient.

Ultimately, through everyone's joint efforts, several special canned food products, imbued with the wisdom of Hope Town, were successfully developed specifically for treating deterioration.

They have "Vitality Replenishing Salted Meat Canned Goods" which are rich in snow salt and various minerals.

There is a canned vegetable dish that is rich in vitamin C, made by simmering a large amount of sour prickly fruit and frosty radish together.

There's even a "blood-nourishing and body-strengthening chicken liver pâté" made by simmering the juice of the blood-veined vine with the liver of a gugu chicken. The taste is indescribable, but the effects are outstanding.

To mass-produce these special therapeutic canned foods and ensure their long-term safety and effectiveness, a comprehensive upgrade of the existing canning process is necessary.

Lin Yue once again summoned Mia, Aunt Lian, and Ella, the three "canned food queens".

“Our existing iron-button seals are usable, but they are too inefficient and too costly,” Lin Yue said, pointing to a brand-new design. “We need a simpler and more efficient sealing method now.”

He then looked at Ella: "Sister Ella, can your pottery workshop produce a batch of special pottery jars and lids with screw threads? Like this..." He gestured with his hand as if he were twisting a bottle cap.

At the same time, he headed to the blacksmith's shop. This time, he didn't look for Tie Niu, but instead handed the blueprints to one of the most experienced retired veterans sent by Ryan, who had previously worked at the royal capital's military factory.

"Master, take a look at this. Our next step in canning sterilization requires a large, pressure-resistant pot. Could you and the other masters try to see if you can make one?"

It was a huge iron pot forged from refined steel plates through thousands of hammer blows and precise welding. The lid was extremely heavy, with thick rubber sealing rings around the edges, and was tightly connected to the pot body with more than a dozen huge, rotatable iron bolts.

The sterilization experiment has begun.

The workers carefully placed the first batch of canned meat, sealed with threaded caps, into a pressure cooker, added water, locked the lid, and began heating it over a high flame.

As the temperature and pressure inside the pot continued to rise, the simple pressure valve on the top of the pot began to emit a hissing sound.

The entire process was fraught with uncertainty and danger. Everyone nervously hid at a distance, fearing that the massive machine might explode on the spot.

But the experiment was ultimately successful.

As the lid was slowly opened, a blast of hot steam filled with the aroma of meat burst out, revealing that the canned goods inside were perfectly intact.

Canned goods subjected to this high-pressure treatment not only undergo more thorough sterilization and have a longer shelf life, but the high temperature and pressure inside the pot also seem to have an effect similar to stewing meat in a pressure cooker, making the meat in the canned goods more tender and flavorful.

Moreover, by utilizing the principle that water vapor reaches higher temperatures under high pressure, they can shorten the sterilization time of canned goods from several hours to just half an hour, which not only greatly improves production efficiency but also ensures the absolute safety of canned goods.

The first batch of Hope brand second-generation canned goods, produced using brand-new threaded sealing caps and high-pressure sterilization technology, has just come off the production line.