With the improvement of the shelter's external facilities and defense system, Lin Feng finally turned his attention to his personal residence, a huge three-story villa located in the center of the shelter, overlooking everything.
This will not only be his residence, but also the core and symbol of the entire steel fortress, and the embodiment of Lin Feng's will.
"The focus of all the work will shift to the construction of this house!" Lin Feng's voice echoed across the construction site.
Li Xiangbin, as the "project team leader," was entrusted with an important task.
Every day, he carried the blueprints personally drawn by Lin Feng, and led the gold thread miners and some women into this unprecedented and magnificent project.
Lin Feng's own house is far larger and more complex than the single rooms he previously built for women.
It boasts a more spacious interior, more complex functional zoning, and—a revolutionary design: a central heating system.
Lin Feng knew very well that although the alien winter had not yet truly arrived, once it did, it would be a threat far more terrifying than the alien beasts. To ensure the quality of life for everyone in the shelter, especially considering the comfort of long-term residence, an efficient heating system was essential.
In this fortress surrounded by steel and coal, the most ideal choice would be cast iron radiators and underground pipe heating.
"There's plenty of coal."
Lin Feng marked the location of the boiler room on the blueprint, a confident smile playing on his lips.
Since his arrival, the underground coal mines near the shelter have had their reserves preliminarily determined. The fuel is almost inexhaustible, enough to support the shelter's winter heating needs.
Therefore, the production of radiators was put on the agenda.
This was a piece of cake for Lin Feng, who was capable of large-scale steel production.
Shen Jiaqi and Qian Xiaoxiao mixed a fine alien sand with an adhesive to create a sturdy sand mold.
They used all their strength to pour the molten iron into the mold, watching the liquid solidify and cool inside, eventually forming cast iron radiators with heat dissipation fins.
At the casting site, the air was thick with heat, and the molten iron emitted a dazzling orange-red light as it flowed.
The Jinshi Miners were responsible for transporting coal and iron ore to keep the blast furnace running. Li Xiangbin and several strong women were responsible for removing the cooled radiators from the molds and giving them a simple polish.
"With heating, we're no longer afraid of the cold!"
Looking at the rows of neatly arranged radiators, Li Xiangbin's eyes were filled with excitement and pride.
With the radiators ready, the next step is the piping system to deliver warmth to each room.
Lin Feng decided to use underground installation to reduce heat loss while also ensuring the aesthetics of the interior.
He personally designed the route of the pipeline, starting from the boiler room, passing through Lin Feng's own three-story villa, and extending to the seven women's private rooms.
For the pipe material, Lin Feng once again used the steel he had smelted.
He guided Shen Jiaqi and Qian Xiaoxiao to manufacture iron pipes of various diameters and designed a simple threaded connection method to ensure the airtightness of the pipes.
"The slope of the pipes must be precise so that the hot water can circulate smoothly!" Lin Feng held a spirit level and meticulously inspected the underground pipe trenches dug by Li Xiangbin and the Jin Si Mining Team.
The gold miners were responsible for digging underground trenches, and their efficiency was astonishing.
Their sharp claws, like excavators, quickly dug trenches up to a meter deep in the hard soil. Li Xiangbin, along with several women, carefully placed heavy iron pipes into the trenches, connected them with threads, and finally coated the joints with Lin Feng's specially made resin to ensure they wouldn't leak.
The women were more excited than ever before. They had witnessed firsthand the entire process, from coal to molten iron, and then to radiators and pipes.
They knew that once the system was built, even in the harsh winter of an alien planet, they would be able to enjoy a warm, spring-like indoor environment, just like on Earth.
"With heating, we're no longer afraid of winter!" Tangbao jumped excitedly beside the pipe trench.
"Mr. Lin is truly a genius!" Su Wanqing exclaimed sincerely.
Qin Lan, on the other hand, thought more pragmatically: "With warmth, we can carry out more indoor activities in winter, and we can even consider expanding greenhouse cultivation in winter."
Zhao Delong was assigned the most arduous task—moving coal slag and cleaning up waste next to the blast furnace.
As he watched the women, sweating profusely yet filled with excitement under Lin Feng's command, and listened to their aspirations for a warmer future, his heart felt as if it had been stabbed by countless knives.
Everything he once possessed was easily replicated, and even surpassed, by Lin Feng here.
The insane jealousy and hatred burning within him intensified beneath his numb exterior.
He secretly observed the operation of the blast furnace and the laying of the pipes, plotting how to sabotage everything and make Lin Feng completely lose his proud "masterpiece".
But he dared not show it, and could only bury this malice deep in his heart, his face bearing a deathly calm.
Lin Feng's three-story mansion is destined to be the highest point in the entire shelter. Like a lurking beast, it will stand proudly on this alien land.
To support its astonishing size, the foundation was far deeper than the women's single rooms. Lin Feng personally issued the commands, and the inhuman strength of the Gold Silk Miners was on full display. They dug deep into the ground, excavating a pit large enough to accommodate a small fortress, ensuring that this behemoth remained as stable as a rock.
"A double layer of steel mesh is necessary here!"
Lin Feng pointed to the unfolded blueprints, his eyes gleaming, demanding the utmost attention to every detail.
Li Xiangbin led the miners to meticulously bind steel bars as thick as a child's arm according to a complex structural diagram. These bars intertwined to form a dense grid. Then, a torrent of concrete, several times thicker than that of an ordinary house, poured down and solidified into an indestructible foundation.
During the construction process, the women's skills transformed at an astonishing pace.
Qin Lan and Su Wanqing have mastered the art of understanding architectural drawings. They can not only execute them precisely, but also offer ingenious optimization suggestions based on the on-site situation. Their professional insight even impressed Lin Feng.
Shen Jiaqi and Qian Xiaoxiao's hands became increasingly skillful amidst bricks, welding sparks, and sawdust. Their bricklaying, welding, and carpentry skills became more and more exquisite, and every chisel and weld embodied new confidence.
Although Tang Bao and Ruan Mengtian were initially clumsy, under Lin Feng's patient guidance, they became increasingly skilled in both strenuous physical labor and simple auxiliary tasks.
The villa's walls are a perfect combination of sturdiness and warmth, featuring a double-layered structure.
The outer layer is made of thick, rough-textured alien rock, while the inner layer is made of fired red bricks.
Between the two layers, Lin Feng filled it with a plant fiber that he had accidentally discovered on an alien planet; it was lightweight yet had amazing heat retention properties.
This design not only gives the villa unparalleled sturdiness, but also ensures that warmth can be locked inside to the maximum extent possible in the harsh winter of an alien planet.
The bricklaying work was extremely time-consuming, and the placement of each brick was like a precise game of chess.
Lin Feng demanded perfection in every detail. He personally inspected the walls, lightly touching them with his fingers to feel the smoothness of each wall and scrutinizing the uniformity of each brick joint.
Tang Bao and Ruan Mengtian still made mistakes in the early stages, but the complaints had long since disappeared. Instead, they silently dismantled and rebuilt until the stringent standards were met.
The interior partitions make extensive use of wood and lightweight composite panels, cleverly dividing different functional areas.
Lin Feng's office is spacious and bright, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a panoramic view of the entire shelter, as if the world is under his control.
In the conference room, the huge wooden table and chairs that Lin Feng had personally crafted exuded authority and outlined the contours of order.
The construction of the second and third floors is exponentially more difficult, testing everyone's perseverance and wisdom.
Lin Feng designed a complex truss structure, with a maze of intersecting wooden and steel beams, ensuring the roof's unparalleled load-bearing capacity and stability.
The Jin Si Miners, with their amazing strength and agility, moved freely on the steel roof frame, which was more than ten meters high, and installed the huge wooden and steel beams precisely in place, with every connection being seamless.
"This is my bedroom, and this is my study!"
Lin Feng pointed to the three-story blueprints, his eyes gleaming with the confidence and ambition of a planner.
The women were busy on the towering roof, laying down waterproofing layers and tiles.
The alien leaves, after undergoing special treatment, were meticulously fixed one by one to the rooftop, forming an impenetrable green barrier to protect against the alien wind and rain.
Working at heights remains a huge psychological test for Tang Bao and Ruan Mengtian, who are afraid of heights, but they grit their teeth, their hands trembling, and persevere step by step.
Because they know that this is not just work, but also building hope for the home they depend on for survival.
Each floor of the three-story villa is covered with sturdy wooden flooring specially made by Lin Feng, which has been finely polished and waterproofed with special resin, resulting in a mirror-like finish.
With the completion of the main structure, the work on interior decoration and functional improvement has reached its climax, as if injecting flesh and blood and soul into this steel skeleton.
Huge floor-to-ceiling windows were also built, allowing sunlight to flood the entire room.
Furniture production then commenced. Lin Feng personally sketched out the design drawings and meticulously guided Shen Jiaqi and Qian Xiaoxiao in crafting various wooden furniture pieces—beds, tables and chairs, bookshelves, storage cabinets…
Their style is simple and practical, with smooth lines, and each piece is full of Lin Feng's unique and understated aesthetic.
The most exciting moment was when the steam pipes in the boiler room were connected to the radiators inside the villa and were tested for the first time.
As the valve opened, hot air rushed through the pipes, the radiators gradually heated up, and a long-awaited warmth began to slowly seep in, spreading to every corner of the room.
"It's getting warmer! It's really getting warmer!"
The women cheered excitedly, eagerly touching the radiators that were gradually getting hotter, their eyes shining with disbelief.
This convenience, which is commonplace on Earth, seems so precious and magical on this alien planet. It is not just about temperature, but also about peace and hope in dire straits.
After a long and arduous construction period, Lin Feng's three-story mansion has finally transformed from blueprints into a tangible reality.
It stands majestically in the center of the shelter, like a giant steel fortress, a beacon guiding the way in the darkness, the foundation upon which everyone depends for survival and the inextinguishable hope in their hearts.
Every brick and every steel bar embodies Lin Feng's extraordinary wisdom and the selfless dedication of all his followers.
During this long and arduous construction process, Li Xiangbin and Xiaomei's relationship grew rapidly and steadily, like a seedling breaking through the soil.
Lin Feng's tacit approval of Xiao Mei was like an invisible endorsement, allowing their relationship to develop openly and legitimately.
Every morning, when Li Xiangbin led the Jinshi Mining Team to the construction site, Xiaomei would always prepare an extra breakfast and hand it to him personally.
"Brother Xiangbing, don't forget to eat breakfast. You have a lot of work to do today, so you need to eat more." Xiaomei's voice always carried a hint of gentleness and concern.
Li Xiangbin took the breakfast, smiling sheepishly with a hint of shyness on his face: "Hey, Xiaomei, thank you. You don't have to go to so much trouble."
"It's no trouble at all, I'm happy." Xiaomei smiled sweetly, her eyes revealing an undisguised dependence on this man.
Li Xiangbin worked even harder at the construction site.
He knew that Lin Feng had high hopes for him, and Xiao Mei was also silently supporting him.
He not only completed the tasks assigned by Lin Feng efficiently, but also took the initiative to help other women carry heavy objects or solve some minor problems.
His simple kindness and powerful strength made him increasingly popular among women.
Even Zhao Delong, who had only used Li Xiangbin in the past, could only feel silent jealousy when he saw Li Xiangbin's current status and treatment, but dared not show the slightest contempt.
Xiaomei also became more proactive in her work.
She not only diligently completed the life support tasks assigned to her by Lin Feng, but also proactively sought advice from Li Xiangbin about things on the construction site and learned various construction knowledge.
"Brother Xiangbin, Mr. Lin praised you again today." During a lunch break, Xiaomei whispered to Li Xiangbin, who was resting against the wall.
A satisfied smile spread across Li Xiangbin's face, his eyes sparkling: "Really? My brother... he's so good to me. I must work hard and not let him down."
"Yes, we will not let Mr. Lin down." Xiaomei's tone was gentle but firm.
Their feelings for each other deepened through their interactions. They began to share their pasts: the hardships of delivering food and working odd jobs on Earth, and the uncertainty about the future.
In the harsh reality of an alien world, this mutual understanding and comfort are especially precious.
One evening, Li Xiangbin was in his room when Xiaomei knocked on the door and came in carrying a basin of hot water.
"Brother Xiangbing, let me give you a foot bath. You must be exhausted today," Xiaomei said softly.
Li Xiangbin was stunned. His face turned bright red instantly, and he was at a loss for what to do: "Oh dear, I can't accept this. I can do it myself."
"It's okay, Brother Xiangbin, as long as you don't treat me like an outsider." Xiaomei smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
Li Xiangbin remained silent for a moment, and finally, with Xiaomei's gentle insistence, he clumsily put his feet into the basin of hot water.
Xiao Mei knelt down and gently massaged his aching feet. The warm water, Xiao Mei's gentle fingertips, and the faint herbal fragrance filling the room made Li Xiangbin feel more relaxed and happy than ever before.
He looked at Xiaomei's lowered head; her profile appeared exceptionally beautiful in the dim bioluminescence. Gratitude and love welled up in his heart like a spring.
"Xiaomei..." Li Xiangbin called softly.
"Hmm?" Xiaomei looked up, her eyes clear and gentle.
Li Xiangbin reached out and awkwardly grasped Xiaomei's hand as she soaked his feet. His palm was a little rough, but it carried a reassuring warmth.
"Thank you, Xiaomei. Thank you for being so good to me." Li Xiangbin's tone was full of sincerity, and his eyes were even a little moist. In his entire life, he had never been treated so tenderly by a woman.
Xiaomei felt the warmth of his palm, and a sweet feeling welled up in her heart.
She raised her head, bravely meeting Li Xiangbin's gaze, and whispered, "Brother Xiangbin, we...we'll be together forever, okay?"
Li Xiangbin's heart skipped a beat; he knew Xiaomei was confessing her feelings to him. Without hesitation, he nodded vigorously, his face beaming with the brightest smile he had ever given: "Okay! I'll definitely treat you well!"
Zhao Delong's madness was silently growing in a corner of the shelter.
He was completely marginalized and excluded from the inner circle.
He watched Li Xiangbin and Xiaomei's intimacy, the women's fervent worship of Lin Feng, the molten iron gushing from the blast furnace, and the ever-growing three-story mansion. He felt abandoned by the world.
Everything he once took pride in was trampled into nothingness here.
He buried his resentment deep inside, appearing outwardly compliant and numb, but in reality, undercurrents were surging.
He began to secretly collect flint and dry flammable materials during each trip to transport coal.
He knew his strength was insignificant, but he firmly believed that as long as he could start a fire, a fire that could destroy Lin Feng's "masterpiece," he could seize everything in the chaos.
The poison in his heart had blossomed into an evil flower, emitting a rotten and foul stench.
He repeatedly reenacted the scene after the fire in his mind, imagining Lin Feng screaming desperately in the flames, while he himself rebuilt his kingdom from the ashes. This morbid obsession was the only lifeline he could grasp.
Lin Feng naturally did not relax his surveillance of Zhao Delong.
Wangcai and the horned wolf's patrols never slackened, while Xiaomei's secret mission was proceeding in an orderly manner.
Everything was under Lin Feng's control. He knew that someone like Zhao Delong would never truly be content, but his resistance was destined to be nothing more than a pathetic farce.
He only needs to wait, wait for the moment when this malignant tumor fully erupts, and then completely eliminate it.
Lin Feng's three-story mansion stands majestically, with the central heating system successfully commissioned and all necessary facilities inside.
The entire shelter was no longer a simple refuge, but a self-sufficient fortress with a nascent scale and complete functions.
However, Lin Feng's gaze never stopped moving forward.
He knew that for this steel fortress to truly exist and grow in the long term, it was necessary to establish a stable internal ecosystem and continuously explore the outside world to acquire more resources and knowledge.
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