Chapter 107: Camp Strength, Rapid Improvement (2-in-1 Big Chapter)

The facts were just as Xia Hong expected. Less than ten days after Luo Yuan broke through, Zhao Long broke through, followed by Xia Chuan, Zhao Hu, and Zhao Bao, who all broke through to the Earth-Digging Realm in the following twenty days.

More crucially, in this process, the number of people breaking through to the Woodcutting Realm among the reservists was still constantly rising.

By the time Zhao Bao, the third of the three Zhao brothers, broke through to the Earth-Digging Realm, the total number of Woodcutting Realms in the camp had already grown from 110 to 140, and according to Xia Hong's observation of the reservists, this trend was still continuing.

The reservists had a full 302 people. Now only 109 had broken through. Under the same standard of cold beast meat supply, breakthroughs would have a sequence due to talent, but the staggered time would definitely not be too long.

It could be foreseen that in the near future, the other 193 would all break through, so the current growth cycle of the number of Woodcutting Realms in the camp was far from over.

The rapid growth in the number of Woodcutting Realms brought obvious benefits.

First was the accumulation speed of timber, which was almost doubling. It could be said that under the current population scale of Great Xia, timber was no longer a problem at all; it would only overflow and would no longer be in short supply;

Second was Mu Dong's Craftsman Workshop and Xia Chuan's Camp Supply Office, which were no longer just the three of them as bare-pole commanders. Both institutions selected some people from those Woodcutting Realms according to their respective needs.

Finally, there were more and more people doing things in the valley.

Organizing timber, cleaning the valley environment, going out logging, exploring the surrounding environment with the logging team, cooperating with the Craftsman Workshop to make utensils, cooperating with the hunting team to process cold beasts, cooperating with the Camp Supply Office to organize the warehouse...

These things sounded simple.

But in reality, people without the cultivation of the Woodcutting Realm simply couldn't do them.

Just taking the simple task of organizing timber, those giant trees weighing thousands or tens of thousands of jin—if your base strength didn't meet the standard, you couldn't move them at all. Even if you were given a knife, you couldn't cut them;

You couldn't even break the wood, let alone use iron tools to make utensils.

Even Mu Dong, before breaking through to the Woodcutting Realm some time ago, had to ask the logging team for help when making accessories for the new wooden house.

Xia Hong had suspected from the very beginning that the Woodcutting Realm was the bottom-line standard for humans in the Frozen Abyss World. Anyone who didn't reach this realm, without relying on the strong, simply didn't even have the qualification to survive.

Let alone going out logging, or even doing more other things.

Although there was still a pile of realistic problems in front of him.

But the increasingly busy scene in the valley camp made Xia Hong feel fulfilling in his heart, feeling that his efforts during this period hadn't been in vain.

Five months of high-intensity crazy hunting, what he paid wasn't just energy and fatigue. Regardless of him or the other fifteen people in the hunting team, there were real extra scars on their bodies.

Moreover, others had even encountered situations where they almost lost their lives several times.

If it weren't for Xia Hong strictly controlling the hunting range within five hundred meters of the periphery, plus having a magical medicine like Golden Sore Powder, the hunting team having deaths could be said to be a high probability.

Probably because Xia Hong, the Leader, set a good example, everyone in the camp who broke through to the Woodcutting Realm was basically not idle at night.

Either go out logging with Cheng Feng;

Or help the Craftsman Workshop do things;

Digging foundation piles didn't need Xia Hong's arrangement at all. As long as the iron-smelting furnace burned coal, someone would immediately take over the idle tools and start digging;

At worst, they were helping organize timber and clean the valley in the valley.

People had a competitive psychology. The first hundred-plus people who broke through created this hot atmosphere, which aroused higher cultivation enthusiasm in the remaining reservists who hadn't broken through yet.

Not to mention proving their value, just being able to go out after breaking through was enough for them to envy.

The reservists were like this, let alone the remaining ten people in the hunting team.

Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, and five others broke through. The ten sets of clothes for the Earth-Digging Realm promised earlier only had five sets left. For the sake of the remaining five sets of clothes, their cultivation drive was even stronger. Whether going out hunting or staying in the camp, they were secretly cheering themselves on, afraid that if they broke through slowly, the clothes would be snatched by others.

Xia Hong didn't make any changes to the camp, nor did he specifically sort out the affairs of the four institutions of the logging team, hunting team, Camp Supply Office, and Craftsman Workshop, but let the camp continue to maintain this atmosphere.

Of course, it wasn't that he didn't do anything. In order for the new wooden house to break ground and start construction as soon as possible, he still lowered the frequency of hunting and took Xia Chuan and the four others to specifically set aside time to mine and dig foundation piles.

One month after Zhao Bao broke through.

Xia Hong, who led the hunting team and rushed back to the camp covered in dust, was sought out by Mu Dong before he even walked into the wooden house.

Hearing the few words Mu Dong said, Xia Hong's face suddenly showed joy, then pondered for a moment, turned to Xia Chuan behind him, and said: "Chuan, you go and summon everyone in the camp who is at the Woodcutting Realm or above to gather at the wooden house."

"Yes, Leader!"

After letting Xia Chuan notify others, Xia Hong walked quickly into the wooden house and sat directly on the wooden chair by the iron-smelting furnace.

【Camp: Great Xia (Level 0)】

【Leader: Xia Hong】

【Territory Population: 902】

【Resources: Wood 52905, Coal 230, Iron 150, Silver 0, Gold 0】

【4 Buildings Opened: Iron-Smelting Furnace (Level 2), Wooden Dummy Pile (Level 1), Medicine-Decocting Pot (Level 1), Grinding Stone (Level 1)】

【5 Buildings Not Opened: Green Bamboo Fence, Marking Stone, Yellow Land, Small Wooden Table, Coarse Iron Chain】

Opening the camp system interface and seeing the data of the three resources of wood, coal, and iron, Xia Hong breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Although coal and iron didn't have much left, they could be considered stable.

Not only did they supply the consumption of materials for the new wooden house, but with more and more people participating in mining, a slight surplus appeared.

For the current camp, this was already very good.

Six Earth-Digging Realms, the daily coal mining output could reach 1200 jin, and the daily iron mining output was 600 jin. Converted into the system, both were 60 units.

Theoretically, 60 units of coal or iron every day, a month had passed, Xia Hong's coal and iron resources shouldn't only be this little.

But the actual situation was much more complicated than expected.

Xia Hong couldn't just lead people to mine. Hunting activities still had to be carried out. The camp's demand for cold beast meat was still there.

Although he had the heart to hand over the hunting task, Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, and the five were only newly broken through, and their strength and experience were not sufficient, so Xia Hong certainly had to wait and see for a period of time.

The instability in the hunting process was too high. The camp was short of resources now, and it relied on these five Earth-Digging Realms. Losing any one of them was unacceptable to Xia Hong.

The cold beast meat reserve was already a lot now, so this month, Xia Hong only set aside ten nights for hunting, and the other twenty nights were half used for mining coal and the other half for mining iron.

At present, almost all the coal and iron in the camp were used on the one thing of building the new wooden house.

Iron ore was all used to make tools or forge accessories for the new wooden house; coal stone was mostly put into the iron-smelting furnace to soften the ground, allowing more Woodcutting Realms to participate in digging trenches and increase the speed of driving foundation piles.

"The foundation piles will be driven soon. Once the new house is built, the hoarding speed of coal and iron resources should be able to improve. Should I upgrade the building first, or exchange for the other few buildings first?

No, no, more and more people will break through to the Earth-Digging Realm. I should forge weapons first, and animal traps also need to be made in a batch to continue to reduce the difficulty of hunting. And some iron tools are also in short supply now..."

Xia Hong helplessly discovered that there were too many places in the camp that needed iron and coal. No matter which of the four buildings already clicked in the system, the coal and iron needed for upgrading were simply not something he could think about in a short time.

Among the four buildings, the one that consumed the least resources for upgrading was the iron-smelting furnace.

Upgrading from Level 2 to Level 3 required 2000 wood and 5000 iron.

Timber was naturally not a problem, but 5000 units of iron, even if he led Xia Chuan and the five Earth-Digging Realms to do nothing but mine iron ore, it would take at least about three months.

Six Earth-Digging Realms doing nothing but mining iron ore was itself unrealistic, not to mention that the camp still had places to use it, let alone that the resources needed for the other three buildings were even more astonishing.

In a short time, there was definitely no need to think about upgrading buildings. It was still better to follow the previous idea of steadily improving the camp's overall strength. Once more people broke through to the Earth-Digging Realm, resources would naturally be more abundant.

Xia Hong settled his mind and looked up, only to find that more than a hundred people had already gathered in front of the iron-smelting furnace, and more people were arriving one after another.

Standing closest were the four Earth-Digging Realms of Luo Yuan and the three Zhao brothers; further back were Yuan Cheng, Mu Dong, Cheng Feng, and members of the hunting team; then were the twenty people of the logging team; the outermost periphery were the hundred-plus people who had broken through recently.

"Leader, there are 140 people at the Woodcutting Realm or above, all present."

Xia Chuan walked over from the back, and after a report, stood directly beside the four of Luo Yuan.

In the Frozen Abyss World, the concept of respecting the strong had long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and Great Xia was no exception. This could be seen from the standing positions of everyone.

During this period, under the supply of sufficient cold beast meat, the physique of everyone in the camp was also soaring crazily. These 140-plus Woodcutting Realms in front of him were the best among them.

They were all burly and robust, and because the vast majority wore animal hide skirts, most of their muscles were almost exposed, and because their breathing muscles were powerful, the interval between breaths was very long.

More than a hundred people stood in front of him, full of oppressive force.

Of course, as the Leader of Great Xia, Xia Hong didn't feel this oppression, only a thick sense of achievement and the pride constantly rising in his heart.

After all, these 140-plus people were all the foundation of Great Xia, or to put it another way, they could be considered the generous return he obtained after his painstaking efforts during this period.

"How long has it been since Great Xia moved to this valley?"

The whole field was silent, so Xia Hong's inquiry was exceptionally clear.

"It has been six months, Leader!"

It was Luo Yuan who answered. As a person from the former Luo Ge camp, clearly, he remembered the time Great Xia moved over very clearly.

Xia Hong nodded and said loudly: "Not bad, it is six months. The cold beast meat system I promised at the beginning has also been implemented for six months. As of today, our Great Xia camp has a total of six Earth-Digging Realms and 140 Woodcutting Realms. You haven't let down the hard work of the hunting team, and you haven't let me down. Very good!"

As the voice fell, the whole field was still silent, but everyone's faces involuntarily showed pride, and their eyes also raised a thick reverence for Xia Hong.

The camp was only that big, and everyone basically had a rough idea of how many people had broken through. The problem was that getting Xia Hong's personal affirmation made them feel more honored in their hearts.

Secondly, they also understood that if it weren't for the cold beast meat system implemented by Xia Hong, which gave them the opportunity to cultivate, I'm afraid they could only lie in the wooden house and live in a daze now.

Even Luo Yuan, the three Zhao brothers, and all the people from the former Luo Ge camp looked at Xia Hong with reverence, and even gradually revealed a trace of fanaticism;

Even they were like this, let alone the people from Da Shi, Da Chuan, and Huang Zhao. Even the people from the Great Xia camp looked at Xia Hong with eyes no different from looking at a god, full of fanaticism and piety.

Six Earth-Digging Realms, 140 Woodcutting Realms—this strength, let alone far exceeding the previous Luo Ge camp, even if all the camps in Red Wood Ridge before were added together, they couldn't compare with the current Great Xia.

Respecting the strong was originally a commonality of humans, let alone in a world like the Frozen Abyss that was like an icy purgatory;

A leader who was not only powerful but could also lead the camp to develop and grow, making everyone live better, had a status in their hearts that was absolutely far superior to gods, or even ten thousand times.

After all, the Frozen Abyss World was rumored to be the product of divine punishment.

Gods wouldn't save them, but Xia Hong would. Not only did he save them, but he also made them live better and become more powerful.

"The camp's hunting ability is getting stronger and stronger, so the supply of cold beast meat will still be according to the previous system and won't change. Correspondingly, your cultivation cannot be slackened just because you have achieved some results.

To be honest, the strength of the Woodcutting Realm, except for going out to cut trees and helping with small things in the camp, doesn't have much effect. Hunting doesn't work, mining doesn't work, and even digging trenches—you people can only dig the part of the ground softened by coal stone.

So cultivation, cultivation, still need to cultivate. Only by breaking through to the Earth-Digging Realm can you truly have the capital to stand, and at the same time, you can truly help me and make more and more important contributions to the camp. Do you understand?"

"Understand, Leader!!!"

More than a hundred people, including the six Earth-Digging Realms like Xia Chuan and Luo Yuan, answered in unison, sonorous and powerful, shaking the whole wooden house.

From the firm expressions on everyone's faces without exception, Xia Hong also felt their determination and drive, and his expression was slightly moved.

"Good, then I will wait and see!"

After saying this, Xia Hong finally revealed the true purpose of summoning everyone over.

"Summoning you over this time is for two things. The first thing is the arrangement of the camp's Woodcutting Realm personnel from now on."

Hearing the first thing Xia Hong said, everyone immediately became spirited.

During this period, the Woodcutting Realms increased by more than a hundred. Except for the Camp Supply Office and Craftsman Workshop recruiting a few people, the other Woodcutting Realms, although they also followed Cheng Feng out to log and collect, didn't have the official status of logging team or hunting team members.

This was no small matter!

The official status of a logging team member meant a daily quota of 5 jin of cold beast meat, and the hunting team had more, 10 jin a day;

The two institutions of the Camp Supply Office and Craftsman Workshop, although currently only Xia Chuan, Yuan Cheng, and Mu Dong could get an extra 30 jin of cold beast meat per month, according to the recruitment standards set by Xia Hong, as long as they could enter these two institutions, they would certainly be able to get more cold beast meat in the future.

Xia Hong hadn't made specific arrangements for the hundred-plus newly broken-through Woodcutting Realms recently, all following the rules set by Xia Chuan. Currently, they received the highest standard in the reservists, two jin of cold beast meat a day.

When in the reservists, two jin was certainly enough, but after breaking through to the Woodcutting Realm, two jin was far from satisfying their cultivation needs.

Cold beast meat was originally hunted by the hunting team risking their lives outside. Plus, during this period, everyone saw Xia Hong busy and exhausted, so they were even more embarrassed to take this matter to bother him.

At this moment, hearing that Xia Hong was finally going to make arrangements, everyone was naturally extremely excited and listened intently.

"The current hunting team of fifteen people can meet the camp's needs, and absorbing Woodcutting Realms is useless, so the hunting team will not be expanded this time. Moreover, only those in the Earth-Digging Realm can apply to enter from now on."

Hearing Xia Hong's words, the others had no reaction, but the people in the original hunting team other than the five who broke through to the Earth-Digging Realm all breathed a sigh of relief.

Now there were six Earth-Digging Realms, and they were all worried that Xia Hong would cut the scale of the hunting team and remove all the Woodcutting Realms. Fortunately, the worry was unnecessary.

"The logging team is currently 21 people. This round will first be expanded to 80 people; in addition, a collection team will be added, tentatively recruiting 40 people. The treatment of collection team members is the same as the logging team."

"Leader, is the collection team specifically for picking Crystal Fruit?"

Hearing someone ask, Xia Hong immediately shook his head and said: "Picking Crystal Fruit is only one item. Recording the growth cycle of Ice-Boulder Trees, searching for usable medicinal materials in the wild, finding and recording more fruit plants, etc... And as our hunting team's activity range expands, the collection team must also follow up to search for more useful things for the camp. These are all the collection team's affairs..."

Speaking of this, Xia Hong paused and continued: "The collection team's work is very important. Our Golden Sore Powder formula came from that Blue Condensing Grass brought back by Cheng Feng."

Everyone understood what the collection team was and nodded thoughtfully.

"In addition, the treatment of the Camp Supply Office and Craftsman Workshop is also the same as the logging team and collection team, 5 jin of cold beast meat per day. These two departments recruit people, and Xia Chuan and Mu Dong are fully responsible. They only need to report to me. Whether you can enter depends on your own ability."

The Camp Supply Office managed all the supplies of the camp. As there were more and more supplies, it certainly needed people, but currently, there weren't many things, so it didn't need many people;

What the Craftsman Workshop needed wasn't ordinary Woodcutting Realms, but Woodcutting Realms with certain craftsman skills, or at least craftsman talent. Currently, it didn't need many people either.

And during this period, Xia Chuan and Mu Dong had already recruited some people. The Camp Supply Office recruited two, and the Craftsman Workshop recruited five, all of which were reported to Xia Hong, so he knew them all.

"Logging team and collection team, you can choose to enter as you like. There are a total of 120 positions, enough for you to choose at will. Of course, you can also choose not to enter either, but in that case, there will be no share of cold beast meat for you in the future."

Hearing this sentence, everyone shook their heads, only thinking that Xia Hong was joking. Breaking through to the Woodcutting Realm and not entering the collection team or logging team, wouldn't that make them parasites who didn't do anything?

Such people, let alone getting cold beast meat later, even the ones eaten before, the whole camp would have to find a way to make you spit them out.

With Xia Hong, this Leader, as an example, it could be foreseen that not only now, but even in the future, the Great Xia camp couldn't accommodate such parasites.

"In short, eight words: Great Xia camp does not raise idlers!"

"Without strength, before you can go out, it is right for the camp to raise you. With strength, it is time for you to feed back the camp. Great Xia relies on me alone, no matter how strong it is, there is an upper limit. Only when everyone exerts their value will the camp's strength become stronger and stronger, and our life will definitely be better and better!"

Xia Hong said these two sentences with a quite serious tone.

Everyone nodded heavily and engraved it firmly in their hearts.

"Good, the first thing is finished, let's talk about the second one."

Giving everyone some time to digest, Xia Hong also began to talk about the second thing, but he didn't say it directly, but first gave a look to Mu Dong.

Mu Dong nodded and stood out with a spirited expression.

"Everyone, the preparatory work for the new wooden house has been fully completed, and the tools and accessories to be prepared have all been prepared. The foundation piles have now been driven for more than six hundred meters. We can already construct synchronously!"

Hearing that the new wooden house could finally break ground and start construction, the 140-plus Woodcutting Realms, as well as other people who gathered around, were full of joy.

Xia Hong, even though he had already known this news a step earlier than others, couldn't help but show a smile when looking up and looking around at this wooden house that had been lived in for half a year.

The wooden house lived in now was really too crowded.

Like everyone else, he had long been looking forward to breaking ground and starting construction early and living in a new house.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 108 =====