The expedition returned to the shelter.
When the carcasses of the tough-skinned water rhinoceros, which resembled a small mountain, were brought back, and when rows of iron-jointed bamboo, gleaming with metallic luster, were neatly stacked in the square, everyone's faces were filled with joy and anticipation for the future.
After a brief celebration, the more arduous manufacturing work began seamlessly.
The shelter, this small machine, was divided into three highly efficient, independent yet collaborative production units.
The entire shelter had become a noisy workshop filled with clanging, grinding, and work chants.
The first production unit, which was also the most arduous and busiest place, was Li Xiangbin's forging workshop.
His task was to forge the steel heart of the entire "Fountain of Life" project—the pump body and impeller of the centrifugal pump.
This was completely different from his previous work on swords, spearheads, and tools; it required precision, structure, and sealing.
Manufacturing the pump body is the biggest obstacle.
Lin Feng's design drawings required that the pump body's interior must be a smooth, continuously increasing volute shape.
This shape is crucial for ensuring water pressure and improving pump efficiency.
However, using existing forging techniques, directly hammering out a hollow iron lump with complex internal curves is almost an impossible task.
Li Xiangbin and the two women studied the blueprints for two whole days, but were at a loss.
They tried welding iron plates, but they couldn't guarantee a good seal or sufficient strength.
"Brother, this thing... damn it, it's all twisted inside, I can't get my hammer in!" Li Xiangbin was covered in sweat, the veins on his thick arms were bulging, and his face was full of frustration.
"Then let's change our approach and stop thinking about 'knocking' all the time."
Lin Feng appeared at the workshop entrance without anyone noticing. He picked up a lump of clay and quickly shaped it into a snail shell. "We can't knock it out, but we can 'pour' it out."
"Water?" Li Xiangbin looked bewildered.
Lost-wax casting method.
Lin Feng succinctly uttered an ancient term: "Use clay to first create the final model of the pump body you want, we call it the 'outer mold'. Then, evenly coat the surface of the model with a layer of wax, the thickness of which is the thickness of the pump wall you want."
“On the outside of the wax layer, another layer of clay is wrapped to form an ‘inner mold’. Finally, the entire mold is heated, and the wax melts and flows out, forming a hollow ‘cavity’ between the inner and outer molds that is exactly the same as the pump body you want. Molten iron is poured in through the reserved gate, and after cooling, the outer clay is broken up, and a complete, one-piece pump body is born.”
Li Xiangbin and the two women beside him listened with rapt attention; they had never imagined that forging could be done in such a "clever" way.
"I see!"
A fire reignited in Li Xiangbin's eyes. Like a child who had received a new toy, he immediately led his men to the riverbank to dig up the finest clay.
For the next week, the focus of the forging workshop shifted from blacksmithing to playing with mud and boiling wax.
They failed countless times, either because the model was inaccurate or the wax layer was uneven. But after consuming a large amount of clay and animal fat wax, a perfect casting mold that met Lin Feng's requirements was finally completed.
On that crucial afternoon, the atmosphere in the entire forging workshop was extremely tense.
The furnace flames were propelled to their strongest intensity by the blowers, melting the highest quality iron ore stored in the shelter into bubbling, golden-red molten iron.
Li Xiangbin personally took charge, and under everyone's watchful eyes, steadily and slowly poured the deadly, scalding liquid into the mold's sprue.
"Sizzle!"
White steam rose up, carrying a burnt smell.
After a long, agonizing cooling process that felt like an eternity, Li Xiangbin carefully used a sledgehammer to break open the outer layer of clay that had long since dried and cracked.
When the last piece of clay fell off, a completely black, rugged, and industrially aesthetically pleasing iron volute pump body appeared before everyone, perfectly intact and without any flaws.
"I did it! Big brother! I did it!!" Li Xiangbin excitedly hugged the still warm iron lump. The seven-foot-tall strong man's eyes were even a little moist.
The pump body was successfully completed, and the impeller manufacturing was entrusted to Pang Dahai.
The impeller blades are required to have a precise backward curvature in order to achieve optimal hydraulic performance.
This cannot be done by casting; it must be forged piece by piece.
Li Xiangbin was responsible for forging steel sheets of uniform thickness using the best steel, while Pang Dahai, with his chubby yet rock-solid skillful hands, took over all the subsequent work.
His kitchen is half stove and half worktable.
He, along with Tang Bao and two other skillful women, first meticulously carved a standard mold of the leaf's curvature using hard wood.
Then, the steel sheet that Li Xiangbin sent was heated until it was red-hot, and it was placed on the mold. It was then carefully and patiently hammered into shape little by little with a small hammer.
This process is tedious and demands extremely high standards.
Pang Dahai, however, found great enjoyment in it. He discovered that this extreme pursuit of precision was similar to his control over the heat and knife skills when making a top-notch dish.
A week later, six perfectly curved, identical blades were born.
He then used the strongest riveting and welding techniques available to him to fix them onto a circular disc, ultimately forming a centrifugal impeller that gleamed with a metallic gleam and exuded a sense of power.
Lin Feng's most important job was to make "shaft seals".
He carefully cut the finest pelt, taken from the neck of the water rhinoceros, into several rings.
Then, they are soaked in refined, scalding animal fat, allowing the fat to fully penetrate every fiber of the leather.
After several days of soaking and drying, these leather rings become supple and elastic, with a natural waterproof membrane covering their surface.
Following Lin Feng's drawings, he used these leather rings, along with springs and pressure caps, to create a primitive yet highly effective "filler seal" device.
When installed at the connection between the pump shaft and the pump body, the rubber ring can be tightly wrapped around the pump shaft by tightening the gland, which allows the pump shaft to rotate while perfectly preventing the leakage of water molecules.
The third production unit is the "pipeline engineering team," which is personally led by Qin Lan and is spread throughout the entire shelter.
Their task was to transform twenty enormous hollow iron bamboo poles into a three-kilometer-long "water dragon" leading to the shelter.
This work involves a huge amount of work, but the technical difficulty is relatively low.
All the women were mobilized. They divided into groups and used red-hot iron rods to burn through the layers of septa inside the bamboo, creating unobstructed channels. The process was smoky and fiery, but no one complained.
Next came the connection of the pipes. They carefully polished the ends of each bamboo stalk so that they could be nested together.
At the joint, a thick sealant made from rubber tree sap and fine clay, prepared by Pang Dahai, was applied. After the joint was made, the seams were tightly bound together with strong animal sinew.
One, two, three...
In this way, the three-kilometer-long pipeline, meter by meter, was stubbornly extended from the center of the shelter towards the glacier in the east, through the hardworking hands of the women.
At the same time, after completing the pump manufacturing, Li Xiangbin received a new task—building a water tower.
In a high place within the shelter, he led the people to build a sturdy tower base, fifteen meters high, using stones and cement (made from limestone).
At the top of the tower base, they used the thickest wooden planks and captured, scattered metal plates to build a huge, sealed reservoir that was thoroughly waterproofed with fish glue and rubber liquid, capable of storing tens of tons of water.
Lin Feng then personally modified a high-power motor in his laboratory.
He used double layers of rubber and thick layers of animal fat to thoroughly waterproof the entire motor, ensuring that it could operate stably for a long time in the damp environment by the river.
One week later.
All preparations have been completed.
On the frozen riverbank, a sturdy yet simple little house built of stone and wood has appeared – the pump house.
The steampunk-style electric centrifugal pump, a product of the wisdom and hard work of everyone in the shelter, was securely placed inside.
Its suction pipe, like a giant elephant trunk, extends deep into the surging river beneath the ice through an opening in the ice.
Its outlet connects to the starting point of the three-kilometer-long black pipeline that winds its way across the snow like a giant dragon.
Everyone gathered inside the shelter, beneath the towering water tower.
Everyone's face was filled with tension and anticipation.
On one side of the water tower, a brass valve, hand-polished by Pang Dahai, gleams in the sunlight.
This valve controls the main water supply to the entire shelter.
Pang Dahai's kitchen, as the first and only pilot facility to have running water, had already been connected to the pipes ahead of schedule.
A simple faucet made of bent copper wood was fixed above his huge stone trough, which looked somewhat comical, yet was full of epoch-making significance.
A moment later, a low, buzzing sound of an electric motor starting up came from the distant Earth's core, traveling along the land and faintly reaching the feet of everyone.
The heart of steel has begun to beat!
When a deep, resonant hum, representing strength and hope, came from underground, the dozen or so people gathered under the water tower instinctively held their breath.
The air seemed to freeze, and time stretched out infinitely. All eyes were fixed on the towering water tower, and ears strained to catch the slightest sound.
One second, two seconds, ten seconds...
silence.
A deathly silence. Only the howling wind through the shelter and the pounding of people's own hearts could be heard.
Disappointment and unease began to appear on the faces of some women.
Could it be... a failure? A 1-kilometer-long pipe with so many connection points—if even one place leaks, the water will never rise.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Pang Dahai's forehead.
He nervously rubbed his hands together, his eyes fixed on the direction of his kitchen.
Only Lin Feng and Qin Lan remained calm.
Lin Feng had absolute confidence in his design and calculations, while Qin Lan had absolute trust in him.
Finally, just as people's patience was about to run out and they began to whisper among themselves, a very faint "glug...glug..." sound came from the huge reservoir at the top of the water tower.
"There's a sound!" Tangbao, with her sharpest ears, was the first to exclaim in surprise.
Everyone's spirits lifted instantly! They looked up again, listening intently.
The "gurgling" sound was initially very faint and intermittent, like a newborn baby tentatively uttering its first cry.
But soon, the sound became clearer and more rapid, changing from "glug" to "splash" and then to a continuous rushing sound of water!
This sound is like heavenly music!
It clearly tells everyone that the life-giving water from the glacier three kilometers away is being continuously pumped into the tower by that steel heart, conquering the height and gathering into a lake of hope!
"Success! The water's up!"
"Oh my god! It really...it really made it up!"
A low, barely suppressed cheer erupted from the crowd.
The women embraced each other excitedly, their eyes glistening with tears.
They knew all too well what this meant.
A relieved smile appeared on Lin Feng's face.
He glanced at Qin Lan beside him, who was also looking at him. Her eyes, which were always full of vigilance and determination, were now filled with shock, admiration, and an indescribable, fervent light.
"Sir, you have once again created a miracle," Qin Lan said sincerely.
“No, this is not a miracle.” Lin Feng shook his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: “This is science, this is labor, this is a miracle we created together.”
His words made everyone stand tall, their faces beaming with genuine pride.
Yes, every single one of them participated in this miracle.
According to Lin Feng's calculations, it would take about half an hour to fill the water tower's reservoir.
Those half hours felt like an eternity to the residents of the shelter.
They stood there under the water tower, heads tilted back, listening to the rushing water, as if they were listening to the most beautiful symphony in the world.
Finally, when clear water began to flow down from a specially designed overflow outlet at the top of the water tower, Lin Feng knew that the tower was full.
The pressure for the entire water supply system has been established.
He turned around and, amidst everyone's expectant gazes, walked towards Pang Dahai's kitchen.
The crowd parted automatically to make way for him, and everyone followed behind him, eager to witness this epoch-making, historic moment.
In the kitchen, Pang Dahai stood in front of the huge stone sink, his obese body trembling slightly with excessive excitement.
He looked at the simple yet embodying-everyone's hopes, his eyes filled with the same reverence he would have for a sacred work of art.
"Fatty, unscrew it." Lin Feng's voice was calm.
"Okay...okay!"
Pang Dahai took a deep breath, and with trembling hands, he reached out and grasped the simple faucet.
He closed his eyes, and then twisted them sharply!
Water did not come out immediately.
From inside the pipe, there was a hissing sound, as if air was being squeezed out by the immense water pressure.
Everyone's heart was in their throat.
The next second!
"puff!"
A stream of slightly turbid water, mixed with a lot of bubbles, shot out from the dragon's mouth like a beast that had been imprisoned for a long time!
Then, in just a moment, the water flow quickly became clear and steady, splashing and gushing into the hard stone trough, creating countless crystal-clear water droplets!
Under the bright electric lights, the water splashes refracted a rainbow of colors, a breathtaking sight.
"The water has come out!"
"Oh my god!! It's water! It's water flowing out on its own!"
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the shelter erupted in cheers that were even more frenzied, joyful, and hysterical than the last time the lights were turned on!
If electric lights brought them spiritual comfort, were a weapon against darkness, and a nostalgia for civilization...
So, tap water brought them the most direct, fundamental, thorough, and great revolution in their lives!
"Waaaaah..."
A woman responsible for fetching water, watching the clear water flowing freely, could no longer control herself and squatted on the ground, bursting into tears.
She used to have to brave the wind and snow to fetch water, but now, all they need to do is stand here, gently twist the wrench, and clean, clear, and inexhaustible river water will flow automatically to them!
Her cries touched all the women.
They smiled, yet tears streamed down their faces; their tears were filled with the joy of overcoming hardship and boundless anticipation for a new life.
Pang Dahai was like a mad child; he put his big face directly under the tap, letting the cool, vibrant water wash over him.
He opened his mouth wide and gulped down the cool river water, which flowed down his throat and into his stomach like a sweet spring, nourishing his parched soul.
He wiped the water from his face, unable to distinguish whether it was river water or tears, and then, with all his might, let out a blissful, resounding roar towards the sky:
"Cool!"
From that day on, this small shelter struggling on a wild planet completely bid farewell to the primitive lifestyle of slash-and-burn agriculture, eating raw meat and drinking blood, and carrying water by hand.
The pulse of civilization, along with the gurgling tap water, began to beat powerfully on this land.
Over the next few days, Li Xiangbin and Pang Dahai led the group to run more pipes from the water tower and install public water taps in every residential area.
Women no longer have to worry about water; for the first time, they have large stretches of free time during the day.
The public bathhouse became the most popular place in the entire shelter.
The huge bathtub can be filled in an hour simply by opening a valve.
Lin Feng further utilized his ingenuity, designing a simple circulating heating system using the waste heat from the boiler to keep the water in the bath warm for extended periods. This allowed everyone to enjoy a bath anytime, resulting in a significant improvement in everyone's mental well-being and hygiene.
Lin Feng even took advantage of this opportunity to carry out an even bolder innovation.
He personally designed and guided Li Xiangbin in building the most primitive "flush toilet" and an independent, deeply buried sewage pipe system.
All excrement is piped to a large, naturally formed crypt far from the shelter's living area for fermentation and disposal.
In just over a month, the prototype of a truly modern and sustainable civilized life has been established on this wild land.
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