The base before me had undergone tremendous changes in just ten days.
The not very durable banana leaves on the roofs of the camp were all removed and replaced with large clay tiles.
Many houses also began to expand outwards, and people even saw a large number of earth bricks piled up in the camp. It was obvious that the earthen houses were going to be replaced with brick houses: the houses were going to be upgraded.
There is a wooden fence outside the camp, which clearly defines the scope of the camp.
The planting areas outside were also fenced off one by one, and some unused land was also reclaimed, sprinkled with fertilizer made from grass and animal excrement to improve the soil, and surrounded by fences to prepare for planting more plants in the future.
Further ahead, the sharp log traps facing the forest were also removed.
Instead, there are two large catapults, which are quite intimidating just by looking at them.
In front of the catapult, there are two rows of wooden arrow launching mechanisms suspended in the air and slanted downward, facing the forest.
The mechanism can be automatically fired by simply cutting the corresponding mechanism rope from within the camp. It looks like an automatic crossbow tied to the sky, which is also very oppressive.
Fan Wenqing and the others were stunned, and for a moment they didn't even dare to go over: Is this their camp???
Their camp didn't look like this ten days ago, how come it changed in the blink of an eye?
At this moment, a resident of the camp noticed Fan Wenqing and the others. Surprised and delighted, they approached them. "Hey, you're back? Come on in! What are you all standing there for? Do you need any help?"
Only then did Fan Wenqing and others become convinced that this was truly their camp.
Entering through the camp's newly built fence gate and looking at the brand new place, Fan Wenqing couldn't help but ask, "We've only been walking for a few days? Didn't we lose our memory and get transported into a time-space turbulence? We've only been walking for about ten days, right? How did this place become like this?!"
The residents helping them carry the items laughed and explained, "Everyone has more resources these days, so they have a lot of free time. So they're thinking of making some improvements to the campground."
"It just so happens that Miss Si Lan has been in good spirits lately. She said she was bored in the camp, so she led us to make catapults and automatic archery machines."
"Don't tell me, when we first heard her say she only used wood to make this kind of thing, we were worried that it wouldn't work. But Si Lan was the only one who could think of it, not her. Even today, we still want to know how she came up with the structure of those catapults."
"As for the other fences and other things, some were made from scraps from catapults, and some were made by the children. We have quite a few people in the camp, so this collaboration will definitely increase efficiency."
Fan Wenqing was particularly interested in things like slingshots. She quickly dropped everything and ran over, circling around the slingshots and archery machines.
These two things don’t look complicated, but the details are very well done.
The connections between the parts are designed very cleverly. In order to address the problems of low load-bearing capacity and low hardness of wood, many details are added to make the power transmission of the entire catapult light and smooth, without weakening the throwing effect of a catapult of this size.
She managed to overcome all the shortcomings of the wooden catapult. If I really have to give her an evaluation, I can only say that Sister Si Lan is too good at physics.
Fan Wenqing walked around the trebuchet and couldn't help but ask the residents, "Where is Sister Si Lan? Please ask her to come over and teach me how she came up with these designs!"
Everyone was about to say that she had gone out, but they saw her walking towards them from the direction of the forest, holding a little wild boar in her hand that was still kicking its legs hard in the air - it turned out that she had caught something new.
Seeing Fan Wenqing, she raised her eyebrows: "Are you back?"
Fan Wenqing hurried over: "Quick, Sister Si Lan, tell me how you made all these things, and why are you able to achieve such a level?!"
Si Lan glanced over and didn't care much: "It's not a very delicate thing, anyone with hands can make it. In the end, it's still fragile."
Fan Wenqing thought to herself, this is still vulnerable. Are you trying to make something like a nuclear weapon?
She asked, “Can I see the results?”
Si Lan waved to the resident nearby and said, "Show me how."
So the residents picked up a few stones from the stone cart next to them and put them into the slingshot.
Since this slingshot was used to defend against wild beasts, the key point was not how big the stone was, but how strong the impact was. Therefore, they used gravel with uneven edges and threw a few stones at a time. Even if they failed to kill the beast, they could still have a deterrent and blocking effect.
Everyone released the rope, and the slingshot made of tough materials such as straw, vines and bamboo threads bounced up instantly, throwing the gravel into the distance.
Then another resident cut the rope of the archery mechanism on the top floor, and the arrows flew into the distance at a rapid speed.
This range was carefully adjusted by Si Lan, and it was just within the range of throwing gravel. If there were any wild beasts there, they would be hit by both the gravel and the arrow feathers.
The remaining second row of arrows was used for "finishing the job". The third row could not be completed due to time constraints. Otherwise, with three rows of defense, the lethality would have been increased to a higher level.
After everyone finished demonstrating the device to Fan Wenqing and others, Fan Wenqing just wanted to kneel down.
Awesome, so awesome.
Without any game assistance or automatic generation, this thing was created purely by humans. If anyone saw it in modern times, they would say it was cool.
Fan Wenqing continued to circle around these mechanisms. As she circled, Si Lan couldn't help but ask her, "So what resources did you bring back? Can they be used? With metal, these devices are far more powerful than they are now. You don't need to circle around them."
Fan Wenqing then remembered the important matter and quickly told them everything they had gained.
After listening to this, Si Lan nodded, and a long list instantly appeared in her mind.
At this moment, she looked at the residents who were storing resources in the camp and quickly noticed that there were fewer people. "Where are Officer Fang and the others?"
When Fang Xun was mentioned, other residents realized that Fang Xun was nowhere to be seen in the returning team.
Everyone immediately became anxious and asked Fan Wenqing, "Oh, right? Where's Officer Fang? And several others? Why haven't they come back? Did something happen on the way?!"
Fan Wenqing quickly asked them to calm down and explained what happened on the way.
Having said that, she felt it necessary to make clear Fang Xun's thoughts and the thoughts of her companions, so she stopped looking at the catapult and took everyone back to hold a small meeting.
The general topic is whether or not to follow Fang Xun's wishes and incorporate the people from that camp into their camp.
According to the wishes of the National Infrastructure Group, it is best for players to gather together, work together to build infrastructure and wait for rescue, and there is indeed strength in numbers.
But the problem with that camp was that they were visibly lacking in infrastructure experience, and more than half of the team were young players. Bringing them back would be like adding a dozen more mouths to feed, but not necessarily much more labor. This would put pressure on their own camp, and without the overall consent, no one dared to take the initiative to bring them back.
Fan Wenqing analyzed the pros and cons in detail based on the actual situation.
After saying that, he quietly waited for everyone to make a decision.
The residents of the camp also have mixed opinions. Some are willing to accept newcomers, believing that they are still laborers and can be trained by coaches even if they lack experience.
Some people also feel that the camp is already very harmonious, and admitting new people doesn't guarantee zero conflict. Secondly, you can't judge a person by their appearance. If a few more people like the arsonist, the rich second-generation player, show up, will the camp still have the environment it has worked so hard to build? Wouldn't that just chill everyone's spirit?
Some people also think that it is difficult to manage too many children, and if there are some who are idle, they will be raising a group of ancestors.
After several rounds of analysis, more and more people were convinced by the opponents, and opinions gradually became one-sided.
At this moment, Fan Wenqing whispered again, "But to be honest, that camp looks... rather pitiful."
"And if we object to accepting them, Officer Fang might have to go there himself to lead them. Officer Fang has put so much effort into our camp, I really don't want to let him leave alone..."
Everyone fell silent again.
Finally, the crowd, unable to make a decision, gradually turned their attention to Pei Wen and Si Lan.
With the police officer Fang Xun away, Pei Wen was the only national professor with authority in the camp.
Not to mention Si Lan. Even though she always said that she was an ordinary salesperson, looking at the level of her performance every time, who would really think she was a salesperson?
Right now, these two are the only ones who can take charge of the situation, and the people are staring at them eagerly.
Pei Wen glanced at Si Lan and said softly, "I'm not familiar with your camp."
The implication is that it is not good to give random advice.
Si Lan scanned the entire camp.
The residents’ ideas are all correct. Whether they agree or disagree, the issues they consider are very practical.
If you have to measure...
Her eyes fixed on another relatively open area on the side of the camp.
"Bring it here and develop it over there."
She pointed in that direction.
“By establishing a separate camp, we can provide help and guidance, and even share some resources, but the overall direction of development is their primary responsibility.”
"But when we talk to them, they still belong to our big camp. They're like... a sub-camp within the big camp. Do you understand what I mean?"
Everyone didn't understand at first, but Fan Wenqing was the first to grasp the point: "Not completely dividing the line is to prevent a complete separation, which would lead to competition or even rivalry between the two camps."
"Not fully incorporating them into our camp is to prevent them from developing a freeloader mentality and becoming dependent on the indigenous residents, is that right?"
Si Lan nodded: "The best way to settle a new group is to gradually lead them to integrate into the new group while preserving the existing group."
"Forcing people into the mix from the start doesn't matter whether they're willing or not. They might not even be willing, and they might not be grateful for such behavior."
Everyone suddenly understood.
It sounds like they were a bit wishful thinking before and put themselves in an overly arrogant position of being a benefactor.
They haven't agreed to come yet.
No one had any objection to Si Lan's proposal.
After all, if the subsequent development is good, this will be another great help, just like them and the camp next door, everyone helps each other, develops and progresses together, which is so joyful.
But if problems arise in the future, they can separate early and take countermeasures, at least it will not damage the foundation of their large camp.
Everyone agreed with her idea.
Someone missed Officer Fang and immediately urged Fan Wenqing to take two people to convey their opinions.
Fan Wenqing also asked Si Lan how much more mineral resources she needed so that they could collect some more when they went there.
Si Lan gave a list, and that night, Fan Wenqing took the list and the gifts that the residents had brought to another camp, and rushed back to find Fang Xun.
At that time, Fang Xun was still teaching everyone how to paste walls and fire porcelain.
Fortunately, the residents of this camp were obedient. They understood Fang Xun’s teachings and were able to put them into practice quickly, showing good initiative.
Seeing Fan Wenqing and the others turning back, Fang Xun left the residents to do their own things and went over to talk to Fan Wenqing and the others alone.
Upon hearing that the original camp was willing to accept this group of newcomers and also listening to Si Lan's suggestions, Fang Xun was very pleased and excited. He immediately agreed and conveyed to everyone in the camp his suggestion of taking them away and leading them to rebuild a new camp in a new place.
These residents lived a very hard life. Although they were worried at first about not being able to adapt to the new environment, they were immediately moved when they saw the "gifts" that Fan Wenqing brought them, and saw that the camp not only had tools and resources, but also that the food came with seasonings and salt.
After Fang Xun persuaded them a little more, they put aside their worries, packed up the few resources in the camp that day, took some wild fruits as a return gift, and followed Fang Xun and the others back.
They spent four or five days on the road, and when they returned to the camp, Fan Wenqing and others saw traces of iron tools in the camp.
The residents of the small camp who returned with them saw that the camp actually had large houses made of bricks and tiles, and outside the houses there were earthen kilns, fields and stoves.
In the sunny place, there is a meat drying rack full of fish and meat, in the shady place, there is a small cellar with a wooden door, and on the side there is a tool storage that is sheltered from the sun and rain.
Looking further ahead, they even have large defensive weapons to protect against wild beasts.
The arrow racks above were half filled with wooden arrows, the other half with long iron arrows. The residents had built an iron smelting platform and a forging platform in the back yard. Now, under the scorching sun, the residents stood under the shaded thatched shed, feverishly forging the next batch of iron tools. The sound of each hammering was crisp and melodious, even the notes imbued with the flavor of hope.
When the residents of the small camp saw this, tears suddenly welled up in their eyes.
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