Chapter 38: Danger Approaches, Population Recovery

Deep within the mine, Yang Keli had just successfully unearthed a diamond when, only a few steps away, she spotted a bronze supply crate. Her face lit up with delight; she hurried over and pried it open, her heart full of anticipation that it might contain a blanket.

However, inside the crate lay only two loaves of bread, two bottles of mineral water, and a carton of cigarettes. A smile immediately graced Yang Keli’s face. "Chen Fan loved to smoke back in Lanxin. This is the perfect thing to bring him."

After carefully stowing the items away, she jogged toward home with a beaming smile, eager to place the gift in Chen Fan’s hands as soon as possible. Though she had told him more than once in the past not to smoke in front of her, for some reason, she now found herself hoping he would light one up immediately. "Sigh, it seems I really have fallen for Chen Fan. But is it dependency, or is it love?"

Meanwhile, as Chen Fan led several animals back home, the other survivors they passed on the road were utterly bewildered—was it really possible to do that with animals?

Upon reaching their underground base, Rem had already finished the renovations. Torches were mounted on the walls and wooden fences, and the 20-by-20 space had been clearly partitioned. The livestock area, located at the very back, had been further subdivided into five independent sections measuring 20 by 4. The farmland was divided into three plots; the largest one in the center was sown with wheat seeds, while the other two were used for various other crops. Stone steps had been laid out to access the farmland, and a dedicated path had been reserved on the far right. Furthermore, the entire farming area was carefully enclosed by wooden fences to prevent anyone from accidentally trampling and destroying the crops.

Chen Fan and Xu Xinjie worked together to pen the sheep and cows in their respective areas. Chen Fan then fed the cows until little red hearts floated above them. He felt a surge of joy, knowing this signified the two cows had successfully mated. A moment later, a small calf appeared in the pen, blinking its eyes as it gazed at the strange new world.

"Hehe! Isn't he just adorable?"

[Congratulations on completing the hidden achievement: "Population Recovery." Reward: 500 gold coins.]
[Population Recovery: Feeding animals with wheat reduces their growth time by 10%.]

This achievement did not trigger a public announcement, so the other survivors had no idea that hidden achievements even existed.

Chen Fan smiled and fed wheat to the rest of the animals, knowing that new life would soon follow. After tending to the creatures, he turned to Rem and Ram. "Ram, Rem, redo the old farmland area and build a 9-by-9, two-story stone house. Oh, and make sure the first floor connects to our current space. Replace the wooden fences with stone ones and expand the perimeter by one block."

"Understood, Master," Ram and Rem replied respectfully before immediately heading to the first floor to begin construction.

Xu Xinjie, watching how deferential the two sisters were to Chen Fan, looked stunned. When did Brother Fan develop a taste for this kind of dynamic? He couldn't help but ask curiously, "Brother Fan, what’s going on here? Why are they so submissive toward you?"

Chen Fan explained briefly that Ram and Rem were unique entities in this world, similar to maid characters in Minecraft mods. Hearing this, Xu Xinjie’s eyes widened, then a playful smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Brother Fan, you’ve got it made! You’ve got such an obedient maid, and she even calls you 'Master'—why not 'Honey' instead?"

Chen Fan rolled his eyes at him. "Get lost!"

Just then, all the items he had put up for sale were sold, bringing his total to 5,219 gold coins. Pleased, Chen Fan opened the control panel and clicked on the "Homestead" window. He clicked "Upgrade," and a transparent white light descended over the area, expanding it to 21 by 21 by 21. Seeing the cost for the next level, he couldn't help but grumble, "Why is the price going up? It costs eight thousand gold coins!"

"Brother Fan, what’s next?" Xu Xinjie asked.

Chen Fan pursed his lips and smiled. "Let’s go. Time to catch more animals."

"Let's go!"

Just as the two were about to set off, Yang Keli’s voice called out, "Chen Fan, I found something good for you!"

Chen Fan and Xu Xinjie turned to see Yang Keli running toward them, breathless and brimming with excitement. She stopped in front of Chen Fan, leaned over slightly to catch her breath, and held up the cigarettes, boasting, "Look, guess what this is."

She shook the carton of Zhonghua cigarettes in front of Chen Fan, too excited to notice the person standing beside him.

Chen Fan’s eyes flashed with pleasant surprise. He quickly took them, opened the carton, tucked the remaining packs into his inventory, and handed one to Xu Xinjie. He then lit a cigarette with a torch and took a deep drag. "Refreshing. Haha, Keli, you really know me best. I’ve been holding back for so long, I thought I’d never smell this again."

Xu Xinjie teased from the side, "Oh, so Sister Keli is here specifically to bring Brother Fan some benefits? I want one too."

Yang Keli was startled by the voice and only then noticed the man standing nearby. She flashed a look of surprise, followed by an eye-roll. "Move along, you and your glib tongue. But no, there’s none for you."

"..."

Yang Keli curiously examined the layout of the base, praising the newly divided livestock and farming areas. "Rem and the others did a great job; the planning is meticulous."

Chen Fan laughed, "Yeah, it is. By the way, stop mining for now. Let’s go round up more animals first."

"Alright."

Xu Xinjie suddenly remembered something. "Brother Fan, shouldn't we increase our defenses first? Even with stone fences, what if someone comes to tear the place down?"

Chen Fan gave a mysterious smile. "Let them try to tear it down first."

Seeing Xu Xinjie’s bewildered expression, he explained about the Land Deed he had obtained. Xu Xinjie’s eyes lit up in realization, and the three of them set off toward the Great Plains, laughing and chatting.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Gu Feng was leading his men through the trees. They were determined to find Chen Fan’s location, though they had veered slightly off the path leading to his cabin. As Gu Feng thought of the beautiful women Chen Fan had with him, his eyes gleamed with greed, and his pace quickened.

"Scarface, are you sure you haven't brought us the wrong way? We’ve been walking for ages, so why is there no sign of that wooden cabin?" Gu Feng frowned, questioning the scarred man beside him with impatience.

Scarface hurriedly stopped and looked around, a hint of confusion crossing his face. Realizing the terrain looked slightly different, he still feigned composure. "Boss, I’m absolutely sure. Really, just a little further ahead and we’ll definitely be there."