145: Chapter 145: Food Crisis Resolved! 165 Points Needed to Unlock the Close-In Weapon System

Eight o'clock in the morning.

Third-floor cockpit.

Lu Chen sat in the pilot's seat, the updated food audit report that Zhou Yuan had compiled overnight spread out before him.

The communicator was connected to Lin Xiao and Zhou Yuan.

He pressed the call button. "Go ahead."

"The latest data on the food audit," Zhou Yuan began, "will be reported in three parts."

"First part: staple foods."

"The optimization program for Genetically Modified Fast-growing Crops was completed at nine o'clock last night. The leaves of the Winter Wheat in the greenhouse have all turned a bright yellow-green, and they are growing extremely fast."

"Has Lin Wan confirmed the optimization was successful?" Lu Chen asked.

"Confirmed. She measured the leaf height at four o'clock this morning; it has grown three centimeters compared to the same time yesterday. For normal varieties, this amount of growth would take four days."

"In other words, the seven-day maturity period described by the system is credible."

"Credible."

"Based on a seven-day harvest cycle, the greenhouse will yield three hundred and fifty tons of staple food annually once at full capacity. This can cover the staple food needs of thirty-five thousand people."

"Second part: protein," Zhou Yuan continued his report.

"The initial breeding stock at the farm has stabilized. Thirty pigs, twelve cows, and forty sheep—all are healthy."

"Four adult cows are expected to begin lactating the day after tomorrow. There are eight sows in the pig herd, and the first litter is expected to be ready for market in twenty days."

"Combined with the daily meat output from the farm and the nutrition bar output from the protein synthesis machine, the protein supply can cover eighteen hundred to two thousand people."

"Third part: transitional grain reserves."

"The stored grain in The City-State's storage area can last sixty-five days at a seventy percent ration. Before the first harvest of the greenhouse's fast-growing crops, these sixty-five days of reserves will serve as the staple food safety net for the transition period."

"So you're saying that once the first batch of fast-growing wheat is harvested in seven days, the transition period will be over?" Lu Chen asked.

"Not entirely. The yield of the first harvest depends on the current sowing area. Currently, eighty-three percent of the greenhouse area is sown, with cereal crops accounting for forty percent."

"How many people will the first harvest support?"

"Twelve to fifteen thousand."

"And the gap?"

"The remaining fifteen to eighteen thousand will need to be covered by The City-State's reserves and subsequent expansion of sowing."

"How long will the expansion take?"

"Lin Wan's plan is to immediately sow fast-growing wheat and rice in all vacant racks after the first harvest. Starting from the second batch, the greenhouse will fully transition into fast-growth mode."

"From the second batch onwards, there will be a harvest every seven days, and production capacity will climb. In sixty days, the greenhouse can reach full production, which can completely cover the staple food gap for thirty thousand people."

Lu Chen tapped a button on the panel. "How many days are left in The City-State's grain reserves?"

"Based on a seventy percent ration, sixty-five days."

"That's enough," Lu Chen said.

"It's enough," Zhou Yuan confirmed.

Lin Xiao's voice came through the communicator.

"Brother Lu Chen, let me interrupt for a moment."

"I heard all the numbers Zhou Yuan just mentioned. Three hundred and fifty tons annual yield, staple food for thirty-five thousand people, protein for eighteen hundred, full production in sixty days."

"Correct."

"I want to confirm one thing."

"After sixty days, will the problem of feeding thirty thousand people be completely off our minds?"

"For the most part, yes," Lu Chen used his words cautiously. "Provided the greenhouse doesn't malfunction, the farm operates normally, and the agricultural technology team continues their management."

"Is the probability of a malfunction high?"

"Equipment generated by the system rarely fails. Regarding human management, Lin Wan and Song Ya are leading thirty-eight people in three shifts; it shouldn't be much of an issue."

"Does the farm need dedicated management?"

"The fully automated system manages daily feeding. However, one or two Veterinarians are needed for regular inspections."

"A Veterinarian..." Lin Xiao paused for two seconds. "There used to be a Livestock Experimentalist on the sixth floor of The City-State named Liao Dacheng. He's in his fifties and has raised pigs and sheep. I don't know if he counts as a Veterinarian."

"Experience is enough. Have him go take a look at the farm."

"Alright, I'll arrange it this afternoon."

"There's one more thing," Lu Chen's finger moved to the tech tree panel. "The balance is six thousand eight hundred and thirty-five. We're one hundred and sixty-five points short of unlocking the next seven-thousand-point node."

"Short by one hundred and sixty-five?"

"Yes."

"Killing one mid-level Mutant Beast would be enough."

"The density of mid-level Mutant Beasts in the Rustwind Wasteland isn't low, but it would take me half a day to go out hunting."

"Is it worth going out for half a day for one hundred and sixty-five points?"

"Depends on what node you're unlocking."

"The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System."

The other end of the communicator went quiet for two seconds.

"Air defense?" Lin Xiao's voice dropped.

"To intercept incoming rockets and Flying Ice Beasts."

"The Iron Hoof Legion has rockets?"

"I'm not sure. How could a Lv.5 Wonder-class firepower configuration not have Indirect Fire Weapons?"

"When are you going hunting?"

"No rush. Let's finish up the migration and the seedling transfer first."

"What's the status of the migration?"

"Zhou Yuan," Lu Chen called out.

"As of this morning, the total number of registered residents is six thousand and twelve," Zhou Yuan took over. "The City-State has twenty-three thousand nine hundred remaining. At a rate of two thousand people per day, it will be completed in twelve days."

"Two days later than scheduled."

"The reason?"

"Yesterday, a batch of constant-temperature transport boxes carrying seedlings occupied the Snow-Free Zone passage, and the migration team waited for forty minutes."

"Stagger the time slots for seedling transfers and personnel migrations from now on."

"Understood, I'll adjust the schedule."

Lu Chen leaned back in the pilot's seat.

On the panel, the number for the total registered residents was ticking up at a steady pace.

Six thousand and twelve.

It was rising every hour.

"City Lord Lin Xiao," he spoke.

"I'm here."

"About the Iron Hoof Legion."

"Mm."

"Yesterday you mentioned the Dawn Legion."

"Yes."

"Were you serious?"

"I'm serious," Lin Xiao's voice lost its usual boisterousness, revealing the weight an Old City Lord should carry. "The Rustwind Wasteland, Pale Shoals, and Ash Rift Valley are all on the very edges of the Central Ice Field. We have nowhere to run here."

"A single lv.3 fortress like ours can't hold out against the Iron Hoof Legion's Lv.5 plus four Lv.4s rolling over us."

"Even if the Polaris's armor is immune to lv.3 shells, what about Lv.4 and Lv.5 armor-piercing shells?"

"Reactive Explosive Armor reduces the damage from Lv.4 armor-piercing shells by sixty percent," Lu Chen said.

"Even with a sixty percent reduction, there's still forty percent left. With four Lv.4s taking turns bombarding us, there will eventually be a time when we can't hold on."

"So you want to find allies."

"Yes. The Dawn Legion is the only power in the Central Ice Field besides the Iron Hoof Legion that possesses a Lv.5."

"Why would they help?"

"Because a man like Iron Crown won't stop at the edges," Lin Xiao said. "His goal in moving south is the Coal Crystal Veins. Where is the largest Coal Crystal Vein in the Central Ice Field?"

"Around the Iron Curtain Frozen Sea."

"Exactly. The Dawn Legion's home turf."

"Once Iron Crown has wiped out all the peripheral forces, his next step will be to head straight for the Iron Curtain Frozen Sea."

"The Dawn Legion won't just sit and wait for death."

"But do they know the Iron Hoof Legion has moved south?" Lu Chen asked.

"Not sure. That broadcast by Ice Thorn was on a Public Frequency; theoretically, everyone could receive it. But the Dawn Legion's communication base station is in the center of the Iron Curtain Frozen Sea, seven hundred kilometers from here. The Public Frequency might not be received clearly."

"In other words, they most likely don't know yet."

"So we need to send someone to notify them and, at the same time, discuss cooperation."

"Who will we send?"

"I'm still thinking about that," Lin Xiao paused for a moment. "We need to choose someone who understands diplomacy, is sharp-witted, and can represent our interests."

"Do you have someone suitable among your subordinates?"

"Zhou Yuan could do it."

"If Zhou Yuan leaves, what about the Staff Department?"

"I'll have a deputy take over temporarily," Lin Xiao said. "But I haven't discussed it with Zhou Yuan yet. We'll decide after the food situation is fully settled."

"Fine."

"No rush."

Lu Chen glanced at the panel.

Time: 9:10 AM.

Six thousand eight hundred and thirty-five points.

Short by one hundred and sixty-five.

He calculated that there were still mid-level Mutant Beasts active near the factory ruins fifteen kilometers north of the Rustwind Wasteland.

If he hunted a mid-level Iron-Spine Wolf, the beast core conversion would be between three hundred and eighty and five hundred points.

Far exceeding the one-hundred-and-sixty-five-point gap.

The surplus could be saved.

But there was no rush.

Finish the migration first.

Finish moving the seedlings first.

Arrange the Veterinarian for the farm first.

Wait for Han Zhengqing's three thousand beds to be welded first.

Only when the food infrastructure is set up does everything else have meaning.

Lin Wan's voice came through the communicator.

"City Lord."

"What is it?" Lu Chen connected the call.

"The last batch of ten agricultural technicians and fifteen boxes of seedlings has set off. They are expected to arrive by ten o'clock."

"What will the total number of people be once everyone is in place?"

"Including Song Ya and myself, forty people."

"Is that enough?"

"It's enough. Forty people to manage fourteen thousand square meters of greenhouse plus ninety-six hundred square meters of farm—it'll be running at full capacity."

"You're managing the farm too?"

"Song Ya and I will take turns watching over it in the early stages, then we'll hand it over once that Veterinarian named Liao Dacheng arrives."

"Good."

"City Lord, there's one more thing."

"The strawberries grew to three centimeters today."

When Lin Wan said this, she lowered her voice half a notch, as if reporting a piece of private good news.

"Three centimeters."

"The speed is fifteen percent faster than I expected. The environment of the Dome Greenhouse is an extremely good fit for the A-rank Seeds."

"Can the maturity time be moved up?"

"If this growth rate is maintained, the strawberries can be harvested early."

"What about the Watermelons?"

"The Watermelons are a bit faster too; they'll be ripe by the middle of next month."

"Are you looking forward to it?"

"I'm looking forward to you not killing the seedlings."

"They won't die," Lin Wan's tone was as serious as if she were making a military pledge. "I guarantee it on my character."

"I don't need your character; I need your technique."

The communicator hung up.

Lu Chen leaned back in the pilot's seat and closed his eyes.

Another item on the task list was crossed off.

Food.

Mostly resolved.

Next item: military power.

Short by one hundred and sixty-five.