188: The Expansion Era and the "Silver" Domestication Project

The collective improvement in cultivation was like a shot of adrenaline to the entire "Spark" organization. The previously nerve-wracking life of pioneering was instantly filled with drive and hope.

Increased strength meant improved survival capabilities, and it also meant broader space for exploration.

Wen Youyi did not waste any time and immediately formulated a new development plan—the Era of Expansion.

First was the expansion and reinforcement of their home.

Zhao Iron Pillar led the members who had grown stronger, and they began to drastically renovate the "Hope Platform".

Utilizing sturdy metal Materials "salvaged" from various places, they built more secure support structures and even began planning residential and functional areas for the second and third levels.

The crude "vegetable shed" dome was also upgraded; its coverage was larger, its structure more stable, and the interior was even partitioned into different functional areas using transparent crystals they had found.

Wang Wu was responsible for the expansion of "agriculture" and "animal husbandry".

In the newly reclaimed planting area, not only were the "stubborn stone fungus" and "star moss" growing promisingly, but they had also successfully transplanted several peculiar vines found in the shadows of the wreckage that were cold-resistant and could bear water-rich fruits.

He even attempted to farm a type of slow-moving "Starry Sky Snail" with a hard shell, found in a crack in a damp piece of wreckage; although the thing looked ugly, its flesh seemed edible.

Next was the deepening of resource exploration.

Wen Youyi led the team personally, expanding the exploration range from the previous three li around the platform to ten li!

Like interstellar scavengers, they shuttled between the massive wreckage, searching for every usable resource: energy crystals, special metals, intact equipment parts, and even... books or Jade Slips containing recorded information (though most were damaged).

During the exploration process, encounters with "Flowing Silver" became more frequent.

But with the improvement in strength and the equipping of "energy interference rods," the team handled them much more calmly.

Most of the time, they only needed to release interference fluctuations, and those "Flowing Silver" would retreat vigilantly, no longer pestering them as they had before.

During this process, Wen Youyi keenly discovered a phenomenon: the "Flowing Silver" in different areas seemed to differ in their "personality" and "intelligence."

In some areas, the "Flowing Silver" were extremely violent, attacking in groups at the slightest energy fluctuation; others were relatively "gentle," merely "observing" them from afar, or even imitating the structures they built; even more surprisingly, in a wreckage area filled with various discarded parts, Wen Youyi saw a group of "Flowing Silver" actually... assembling parts!

They used their own liquid metal to bond damaged gears and bearings, attempting to piece something together; although most ended in failure, the scene was filled with an eerie sense of "learning."

This discovery made that bold idea in Wen Youyi's mind surface once again—domesticating the "Flowing Silver"!

Or rather, not domestication in the traditional sense, but guidance and cooperation.

He discussed this idea in depth with Senior Brother Zhang and Ying.

["Theoretically feasible!"] Senior Brother Zhang analyzed excitedly, ["'Flowing Silver' possesses collective consciousness and learning ability. If we can find a stable 'method of communication' that they recognize, perhaps we can guide them to complete some repetitive and dangerous work for us, such as mining, hauling, or even... construction!"]

Ying added: ["We can try to establish a few fixed 'interaction points,' continuously emitting specific, harmless energy signals and simple 'task models' (like moving a certain Ore to a designated location) at these places, and provide a small amount of energy as a 'reward.' Over time, it might be possible to form a conditioned 'cooperative' relationship."]

Action followed thought!

Wen Youyi selected three relatively safe locations near different resource points on the periphery of the "Hope Platform" and established "Flowing Silver Interaction Points."

Each interaction point was equipped with a small energy transmitter that continuously emitted specific friendly signals and simple instructions, with a small pile of low-quality energy crystal fragments placed nearby as a "reward."

At first, those "Flowing Silver" just watched from afar, full of vigilance.

A few days later, some bold (or perhaps "smarter") "Flowing Silver" individuals began to cautiously approach the interaction points, consume the energy fragments, and then quickly flee.

A few days later, after consuming the energy blocks, some "Flowing Silver" seemed to "understand" the simple instructions and attempted to push a designated piece of ordinary Ore that Wen Youyi had intentionally placed nearby into the specified marked circle.

When it completed this "task," the interaction point immediately released a slightly stronger "appreciation" fluctuation and provided another small piece of energy crystal.

The "Flowing Silver" seemed to... "pause" for a moment, then happily (if that accelerated wriggling counted as happy) consumed the reward, lingered near the marked circle for a moment, and then slowly left.

When this scene was transmitted back to the "Hope Platform" via hidden sensors, everyone was ecstatic!

"It worked! They really can understand!" Wang Wu shouted excitedly.

"Awesome! Boss! Does this mean we'll have free miners and construction crews in the future?" Zhao Iron Pillar's eyes shone.

Wen Youyi also revealed a gratified smile.

Although this was only the first step in a long march and still far from true "domestication," it undoubtedly proved a brand-new, potential-filled path of development!

Utilizing local resources, guiding local "creatures," and building their New Homeland!

The survival and development of "Spark" had entered a brand-new, mind-boggling stage.

Wen Youyi looked at those busy (in their own minds) silver figures on the monitor and said softly:

"It seems our 'neighbors' aren't completely impossible to communicate with after all..."

(End of chapter)