Meanwhile, in the "Emerald Lake Villa Area" on the outskirts of Chengtian City, Zhao Laosi's life was quite different.
"Oh dear, my little darling, slow down, don't fall!"
In the spacious living room, Zhao Laosi was frantically chasing after a chubby boy who had just learned to walk and was wobbling unsteadily.
This boy was born to his first wife, Sun Li, and was named Zhao Xingguo.
On the other side of the living room, on the soft carpet, the second wife, Li Juan, and the third wife, Wang Mei, were each holding an infant in swaddling clothes, chatting quietly.
These two are Zhao Laosi's second son, Zhao Zhenhua, and third son, Zhao Anbang.
Zhao Laosi, a bachelor who once struggled to even get enough to eat, is now a successful man with three wives, three sons, and a two-story villa with a garden.
"Can't you be a little more steady, father? Look how scared you've made the child."
Sun Li came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of sliced fruit and gave Zhao Laosi a reproachful glare.
"Hehe, this kid's got some strength! Just like me!" Old Zhao picked up his son and kissed him on his chubby cheek, making the little guy giggle.
He looked around his home, his heart filled with boundless satisfaction and emotion.
Bright floor-to-ceiling windows, soft sofas, and an endless supply of fruit and snacks on the table—all of this was something he could never have dreamed of before.
"Honey, aren't you on duty today? Why are you back so early?" Li Juan asked softly, holding the child.
"It's my day off today."
Old Zhao put his son on the sofa, then plopped down himself and sighed contentedly. "Perfect timing. I just went to the logistics department to collect this month's benefits. Guess what new gadgets we got this month?"
He mysteriously pulled out several vacuum-packed bags filled with ice from a large canvas bag at his feet.
"What is this? Is it a fish?" Wang Mei asked curiously as she leaned closer.
"Fish?" Old Zhao laughed heartily. "This isn't just any fish! Look at this!"
He picked up a bag and saw a huge, orange-red crab claw inside, almost half the length of his forearm.
"This is called a 'Giant Crab'! I heard from the logistics department that it was brought back from a place called 'North Sea' in the north by our kingdom's expedition team! It's said that the place is so cold that it can freeze people into popsicles, but the sea is full of countless good things!" Zhao Laosi's tone was full of boasting and pride.
"Such a big crab leg? Can we eat it?" Wang Mei asked in surprise. It's five times bigger than a king crab.
"Of course you can eat it! The logistics department said that this thing, if steamed, tastes incredibly delicious! And that's not even the rarest thing about it."
Old Zhao pulled out another bag containing several slices of fish meat, a tempting pinkish-white color. "This is called 'Snowflake Fish,' supposedly living hundreds of meters deep in the ocean, its flesh as tender as tofu. And this is called 'Blue Shell Clam,' it's great for making soup!"
He took them out one by one, like a child showing off a treasure. The three women stared in amazement at these novel seafood items.
"These...were all given to us?" Xiaofang asked incredulously.
"Of course!" Old Zhao patted his chest and said, "This is 'top-tier children's welfare'! Our kingdom now has a rule that any family with infants under three years old can receive a 'high-nutrition fresh food package' every month. His Majesty said that children's nutrition is the future of the kingdom and absolutely cannot be compromised! We have three boys in our family, so we can receive three packages! From now on, you can eat seafood every meal until you get tired of it!"
“Your Majesty…you are truly a god descended to earth…” Wang Mei stroked the cold packaging bag, her eyes reddening slightly.
"Alright, alright, stop standing there. Juan'er, you're the best cook, you're the chef tonight, let's see what this 'Giant Crab' tastes like!" Zhao Laosi waved his hand triumphantly: "I'm going to the basement to get that bottle of 'Kingdom No. 1' I've been hiding! Today, our family is going to have a special treat!"
As night fell, Zhao Laosi's restaurant was brightly lit and filled with delicious aromas.
The huge crab legs, steamed until bright red, are placed in the center of the plate, next to a milky white fish soup and several delicate side dishes.
Zhao Laosi unscrewed the bottle with the simple label, but it was the first batch of baijiu produced by Wangguo Winery, brewed from pure grains, and poured himself a full glass.
He looked at his three wives and three sleeping sons sitting around the table, at the lavish dinner he had never dared to dream of before, and a surge of emotion welled up inside him. He picked up his glass and stood up.
“I, Zhao Laosi, am just a roughneck, I don’t know how to say nice things.” His voice was a little choked up, “But I know that we can live such a good life today, live in a big house, eat seafood, and have a wife and children with a warm bed, all because of someone.”
He bowed deeply towards the direction of the palace.
"This first cup of wine is for Your Majesty! Without Your Majesty, there would be no family like us! May Your Majesty live a long and prosperous life!"
He tilted his head back and downed the pungent liquor in his glass in one gulp.
Outside the window, the lights of countless homes in the capital city of Chengtian converge into a dazzling galaxy, reflecting the brilliance of the stars in the sky.
This is a kingdom in full bloom, a home brimming with hope and vitality. And the source of all this points to that distant, recently discovered, cold yet bountiful North Sea.
The discovery of the North Sea was not achieved overnight, but rather was an expedition filled with hardship, sacrifice, and perseverance.
As the kingdom's population rapidly expanded and its industrial scale continued to grow, resource consumption also increased daily.
Although the area surrounding Chengtian Capital was relatively prosperous, Lin Feng's gaze had long since extended beyond this tranquil cradle. On his desk lay a huge planetary map, compiled from intelligence gathered by satellite mapping and ground exploration teams.
Most areas of the map are marked with words like "radiation zone," "desert," and "unknown." Only the continent where the capital of Chengtian is located is depicted in detail.
"Our understanding of this planet is still less than five percent." Lin Feng's finger traced the vast white area on the map that represented the north.
Standing before him were several of the kingdom's highest-ranking officials: Minister of Construction Li Yuanchao, Minister of Agriculture Zhang Dehou, and Commander-in-Chief of the Exploration Force, Chen Yan.
"Does Your Majesty mean... that we should march north?" Chen Yan asked. He was a dark-skinned, tall soldier.
“It’s not an advance, it’s an exploration,” Lin Feng corrected. “Although our grain production has doubled year after year thanks to Minister Zhang’s efforts, the challenges ahead remain enormous. We need new sources of protein. Our industry needs more mineral resources. That unknown land in the north may hold everything we need.”
“But Your Majesty,” Minister of Construction Li Yuanchao said with a troubled expression, “the road to the north is extremely difficult. Our exploration team has only advanced to around 60 degrees north latitude, where the temperature drops to minus 40 degrees Celsius in winter and is covered by ice and snow all year round. Ordinary vehicles simply cannot pass through, and the cost and difficulty of building the road are astronomical.”
"Then build vehicles that can adapt to the environment, and invest resources at any cost to build roads."
Lin Feng's tone left no room for argument: "I don't want to hear about difficulties, I only want results. I want to see a highway within two years that allows heavy trucks to travel from Chengtian City directly to the Arctic Circle. I will name it the 'Icebreaker' Road."
"Chen Yan." Lin Feng turned to his exploration commander.
"Here!" Chen Yan immediately stood at attention.
“I’ll give you two reinforced exploration battalions, the best equipment, and the most abundant supplies. Your mission is to be the vanguard, reaching the edge of the northern ice sheet before the ‘Icebreaker’s Path’ is completed, establishing an advance base, and conducting preliminary exploration of that legendary ocean.” Lin Feng’s eyes were sharp as knives. “I need to know what’s in that sea.”
"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Chen Yan answered loudly without any hesitation.
At the command, the entire kingdom sprang into action like a finely tuned machine wound up to speed.
The construction of the "Icebreaker" route became a national project. Tens of thousands of workers, led by top engineers like Wei Chengye, ventured into the northern ice fields. They faced difficulties that are unimaginable to ordinary people.
Permafrost is the first major obstacle.
The terrifying blizzard is the second enemy.
But nothing can stop the kingdom's resolve. Lin Feng's will is the highest law of this country.
Countless resources were continuously being supplied to this front line from the rear. These included specially formulated low-temperature resistant cement, high-strength alloy steel, high-horsepower construction machinery, and logistical support vehicles that ensured workers could have hot meals even in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius…
Meanwhile, Chen Yan's advance team staged a modern version of a "polar expedition".
They were traveling in the "Expeditionary" six-wheeled heavy off-road vehicle, which the Kingdom's Armory had specially modified for this mission.
This vehicle has tires taller than a person, a specially reinforced chassis, and a complete heating and life support system inside, enabling occupants to survive continuously for a month in extreme environments.
The convoy, like a steel camel caravan, struggled to clear a path across the vast snow-covered plains.
They often only travel a few dozen kilometers each day. Navigators need to constantly refer to satellite maps and ground-penetrating radar to avoid ice crevasses covered by snow. Mechanics, on the other hand, have to inspect and maintain the vehicles almost every day in the biting cold wind.
"Commander, another one of our vehicles has had its engine block cracked from the cold." The report came from the third vehicle commander, his voice trembling slightly from the cold.
"Send the repair team over there immediately! The rest of the vehicles, form a circular defensive formation and activate Level 1 alert!" Chen Yan sat in the command vehicle, looking out at the vast expanse of white, his brows furrowed.
In such a place, even the slightest mechanical malfunction could be fatal.
In addition to the harsh natural environment, they also had to deal with the unique "native inhabitants" of this ice field.
A creature called the "snowclaw bear" is the overlord of this land.
They were larger than polar bears of the old days, covered in thick, needle-like white fur that could withstand conventional bullets. Their claws were as sharp as knives, capable of easily tearing through thin steel plates.
The convoy paid a heavy price for their first encounter with a snowclaw bear.
A hungry snowclaw bear, under the cover of a blizzard, attacked the convoy's campsite.
It overturned a supply truck, killing two soldiers instantly. In the end, Chen Yan personally operated the vehicle-mounted 12.7mm heavy machine gun, firing half a belt of ammunition before finally killing the monster.
From then on, every time the convoy camped out, they would set up electric fences and automatic sentry machine guns.
The meat of that snowclaw bear became an important source of protein for the convoy for a period of time.
Surprisingly, the meat of this bear becomes exceptionally delicious after being stewed for a long time, and it is also rich in a special type of fat that can make people feel warm in the cold.
And so, after a long and arduous four-month journey, Chen Yan's advance team finally arrived at their destination.
When Chen Yan stepped out of the "Expeditioner" vehicle and stood on a towering, black basalt cliff, he was utterly stunned by the sight before him.
Beneath his feet stretched a vast ice sheet that stretched for thousands of kilometers, seemingly endless, like a white shield left behind by a giant in mythology. And at the edge of the ice sheet, a vast expanse of deep blue, almost black, water appeared on the horizon.
That is Beihai.
Countless icebergs of all sizes and shapes float on the sea, reflecting a cold, eerie light under the pale sunlight.
A salty yet crisp scent filled the air. Unlike the deathly stillness of the inland, this place was brimming with the breath of life.
Flocks of birds, similar to seagulls but larger, circled in the air, emitting loud cries. On the distant ice, some black dots could be seen—seal-like creatures basking in the sun.
"We...have arrived." Chen Yan took off his goggles, letting the cold wind blow against his weathered face. His teammates behind him also got out of the vehicle, many of them hugging each other excitedly, some even shedding tears.
They succeeded. They were the first humans to reach the North Sea.
Following Lin Feng's orders, they established a forward base called "The Watchers" atop the cliff.
This is a semi-permanent camp assembled from more than a dozen prefabricated container modules, each with its own independent heating and oxygen supply system. At the center of the camp, a tall flagpole stands, and the black dragon flag of the Kingdom of Stars flutters for the first time in the biting Arctic winds.
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