Chapter 112: A Fulfilling Plan

Erin felt that even among Yu Sheng's vast collection of bizarre ideas, this newly proposed concept was excessively bizarre.

But on the other hand, every idea this fellow proposed indeed carried a certain wickedness that made one unable to help but care—after the initial shock and amazement, the little puppet found it could not suppress a strong interest in this "creativity," although it sounded so absurd, so strange, so inconsistent with the "basic rules of puppet manufacturing" and "alchemy theory," but...

Shouldn't we really try? Just try... it's not a bad thing.

"See, you think this idea is good too," Yu Sheng guessed the other's thoughts just by seeing the change in Erin's expression, and he immediately became proud, "And it's not just that the skeleton can be replaced with rebar; I'll try using cement to cast a set of parts for you. Mixing that stuff into blood is much easier than with lotus roots..."

Erin's expression froze again, and after hesitating for a moment, she spoke softly, "Isn't this a bit too absurd?"

Yu Sheng looked serious: "Clay is earth, concrete is also earth; that is how I see it."

Erin: "... Yes, yes, is that so?"

"I knew I should have gone to the building materials market when we went out to shop," Yu Sheng said with a hint of regret, "I could have brought back a bag of cement and some steel bars... oh, and I'd need some professional equipment, a welding machine and an angle grinder and such; I don't know how expensive they are."

No matter how Erin listened, she felt these were not terms that should appear in alchemy.

However, Yu Sheng did not dwell on this topic for long; he soon waved his hand, "It's fine, there's no rush this time. You get used to this extra body for now; just in case, you can organize any suggestions for improvement. Next time I make you a new body, I'll strive to make it even better."

He appeared full of enthusiasm, as if this matter brought him immense joy.

Afterwards, he came to the edge of the platform, called Hu Li over, and pointed with his finger at a patch of empty ground beside the crude stone house that looked like a large matchbox.

"Let's raise the little chicks here. I'll make a simple chicken coop first; once they grow up and the vegetation in the valley has been 'urged' out by me, we'll let them out."

As he spoke, the surface of that patch of ground trembled slightly, and then stones grew from underground, quickly forming a fence; inside, there were water troughs and feeding troughs—crude, but sufficient.

Hu Li blinked her eyes, rummaged inside her tail, and placed a group of little chicks into that fence; then she added food to the feeding trough and filled the water trough with clear water—her tail truly had everything in it.

While doing all this, the fox girl's face was full of seriousness and happiness, even carrying a touch of indulgence.

It was an indulgence for future braised chicken legs, roasted chicken wings, mouth-watering chicken, smoked chicken, roast chicken, and stewed free-range chicken.

"Later, I'll divert a water channel from nearby," Yu Sheng said, looking at Hu Li who was seriously taking care of the chicks, stating his upcoming plans, "There's a water source over by the original small grove, not too far from here. Next time I come, I can also bring some tools and materials to perfect this camp; in the future, this valley will be the base for our inn..."

"Having a base is nice, but the trouble is that only you can open the door each time," Erin muttered beside him at that moment, "In the future, if Hu Li comes to feed the chickens, she'll need you to open the door; isn't that a bit inconvenient?"

Yu Sheng's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

This was indeed something he had been unable to stop thinking about lately.

The ability to "open the door" was convenient, that was true, but if he had a team and a "team base" like this valley, then a door that only he could open would actually become a restriction; if Erin and Hu Li couldn't enter or leave this valley on their own, then strictly speaking, this couldn't be considered a base for "all members of the inn."

"I've been pondering this matter too," Yu Sheng said while thinking, "If we could set up a permanently open passage for this valley—that kind which doesn't require me to maintain it, and which you can use as well."

"Can that be done?" Erin blinked her eyes, "It sounds like there's no train of thought at all."

"First, this is a foreign realm, and all foreign realms inherently have methods of entry; it's just that this valley's original entry and exit channels were destroyed and overwritten by me," Yu Sheng analyzed with a serious face, "So the key lies in how to re-establish this kind of 'public channel,' and secondly, regarding the train of thought... actually, there isn't zero train of thought."

Now, not only Erin, but even Hu Li, who was seriously counting the little chicks beside her, perked up her ears at once and cast a curious gaze toward Yu Sheng.

"Does the Benefactor have a way?"

"There is one thing you remember—you can see and open the door at 66 Wutong Road," Yu Sheng reminded them, "Strictly speaking, the door at 66 Wutong Road is actually a similar 'entrance/exit'—leading to a foreign realm, invisible and untouchable to others, but I hold the 'permission to open the door,' and after you shared my blood, you also gained the ability to open that door."

"Right, right, yes!" Reminded by Yu Sheng, Erin immediately realized it, but then she furrowed her brows, "But the door at 66 Wutong Road existed originally, right? It had to be 'standing' there first for Hu Li and me to go open it, but now there is no similar 'door' in this valley—the passage every time we enter is temporarily established by you out of thin air; the moment you let go, it's gone."

"What if we use some method to fix this door in place? Essentially, manually create a 'door' similar to the main gate at 66 Wutong Road," Yu Sheng said thoughtfully, "Using the alchemy techniques you taught me, to imbue power into an object; theoretically, is that feasible?"

Erin listened blankly, and only after a long while did she react: "Does my alchemy that I taught you include this?"

"Ahem, I exerted a bit of imagination," Yu Sheng coughed twice, "I think it's feasible—let's try it later? Anyway, trying doesn't cost money."

Upon hearing this, Erin thought to herself that it was indeed Yu Sheng's classic "just try it," and it seemed that most of his bizarre ideas would ultimately take this step.

This could be called the "Dignity of a Single Trial."

"Now we'll be busy for a while," Yu Sheng happily made the decision and added a few more items to his upcoming action plan, "Build a new steel-reinforced concrete body for Erin, perfect the camp in this valley, next time properly prepare and plant the vegetable patch, divert a water channel, construct a stable teleportation gate... thinking about it like this, I feel the days ahead will be quite busy."

While speaking, he came to the end of the platform and gazed blankly into the distance at the vast expanse of open valley land.

The valley, once devoured by the Entity-Hunger, is now constantly recovering—under Yu Sheng's intentional catalysis, its recovery speed far exceeds natural circumstances.

The gullies scattered across the ground have been slowly filling in; the structures that collapsed and cracked on the distant mountains now show visible healing progress, and the faint greenery that first sprouted from the ground around the ruins that day... has unknowingly spread to very far places.

A pale green extended along the undulating terrain of the valley floor; among the newly sprouted grass shoots were tender shrubs; these were the vitality that once existed in this valley. They once perished in the deep darkness of the earth, but now they have drilled out of the surface again, embracing the daylight.

An unexplained sense of stability surged in his heart; looking at such a scene, Yu Sheng couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth rise slightly: "What a good place... truly a good place."

Footsteps came from behind; Hu Li walked over holding two little chicks, looking at Yu Sheng with a hint of hesitation: "Benefactor, I want to take these two home to raise; is that okay?"

Yu Sheng turned around and saw the fox girl looking at him with pleading eyes, her golden-red eyes full of expectation; the two chicks in her hands let out faint chirps, looking completely carefree.

Yu Sheng was somewhat curious: "These two...?"

"Bai Qie and Salt-Baked," Hu Li said immediately.

Yu Sheng: "..."

These were the two chicks the fox girl had specially named.

So she intended to raise them as pets!

His own fox not only took charge of raising chickens but also gave names to her favorite little chicks, calling them Bai Qie and Salt-Baked—this matter felt so bizarre even to Yu Sheng, but under the fox girl's innocent and expectant gaze, he finally suppressed the criticism about to burst forth, simply nodded with a stern face: "Alright, I'll find you a cardboard box when I get back; you can raise them on the balcony."

Hu Li immediately became happy: "Thank you, Benefactor!"

Just then, Yu Sheng suddenly felt his pocket vibrate a few times, followed immediately by a series of ringtone sounds.

He took out his phone and saw Li Lin's name appearing on the screen.

However, before answering, Yu Sheng was stunned for a moment.

... There's signal?!

In this valley, the phone has signal?!

Yu Sheng clearly remembered that when this foreign realm was still "Night Valley," there was no signal inside; at that time, Little Red Riding Hood, Li Lin, and the others were trapped here and had no way to contact the outside world.

But now there is signal here? Is this also a change produced after the "Feast"?

Many thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind; Yu Sheng hesitated for two or three seconds before picking up the phone to answer: "Hello?"

(End of this chapter)