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Chapter 152 Everything is for a Better Jiangcheng

Three days later, the overall survey of Building 99 in Mala Village was basically completed.

It has a total of 75 layers, almost running through the entire mountain. The habitable space is divided into three sections: upper, middle and lower. The upper section has the thinnest rock wall, which is only about the thickness of a palm and can be easily broken with a pickaxe.

The mezzanine floors between residential areas serve various purposes, such as warehouses, water storage rooms, boiler rooms, etc. Indeed, Chen Xuan discovered an operating room with a large boiler on the 22nd floor, and both the boiler and the pipes were basically well preserved, seemingly ready for use at any time.

Next to the boiler room was a warehouse used to store coal. Unlike the rice, the coal, which had been shaped into cubes, remained largely intact except for being covered with a thick layer of ash.

The reason it was renamed Building 99 instead of Mountain 99 is because the pioneering team discovered a similar situation in another mountain one kilometer away.

Clearly, this building in the mountains is not an isolated case.

"So, not only were people living in the Wanshan Wilderness before, but many tall buildings were also built, turning this place into a city?" Lin Qing concluded.

The three were currently standing on the "rooftop" of Building 99, atop one of the mountain pillars, discussing their discoveries of the past few days. Only from this vantage point could they truly appreciate the remarkable regularity of the pillars' arrangement; though varying in height, the intervals were remarkably consistent. Countless pillars formed the unique landscape of this desolate wilderness, and now, knowing that buildings might be hidden among these rocks, it seemed even more extraordinary.

However, no matter how much he looked into the distance, Chen Xuan did not see the giant sword stele that Liu Zhidong remembered.

Perhaps he had already ventured deep into the heart of the wilderness, far from Qingzhou.

"We can basically think that way now, but there are still some mysteries that haven't been solved." Chen Xuan picked up a stone and drew on the ground. "There are a lot of equipment and supplies in the building that are on the upper floors, so a lot of elevators are needed. We have indeed found many devices that look like mobile platforms, but the problem is that they don't seem to be powered by electricity or steam."

Rather than asking ultimate questions like who built them and why they were abandoned, he considered more practical issues.

Because an idea came to Chen Xuan's mind.

That means letting Mala Village "take over" these houses and reuse them!
These are excellent concrete houses, covered with metal panels on the outside. They are sturdy, durable, and cool in summer and warm in winter. Aren't they much more comfortable than those cave dwellings at the foot of the mountain? The village is now basically self-sufficient in food, and animal furs and herbs can be exchanged for cloth and ironware. The only problem is housing.

Despite the efforts of thousands of people building wooden houses, the number remains stagnant. With the weather gradually turning colder and heavy snow expected in two months, housing will become a major headache.

Thanks to Liu Shuyue's infusion of dragon blood, everyone's physical condition has improved; otherwise, a cold winter could have wiped out the entire village.

Just being able to endure the cold doesn't mean you like it. Who doesn't want a warm home instead of dozens or even hundreds of people crammed into a cave to spend the night?

Therefore, moving to these buildings in the mountains is undoubtedly an extremely attractive option.

The residential area of ​​Building 99, which has now been identified, is large enough to accommodate two thousand people.

Of course... if we discard the lower and middle levels where it's inconvenient to enter and exit, and only use the upper level, then it would be around eight hundred people.

If we make do with some of the empty warehouses and convert them into temporary accommodations, the number of people we can accommodate can be several times greater, and the height and spaciousness of these accommodations are far superior to those of caves.

Since we're going to live there, we naturally have to make full use of the existing resources of the building; otherwise, garbage can't be disposed of, food and drink can't be brought in, and living in a high-rise building for a while would be like rendering it useless.

"Could it be driven by spiritual energy?" Liu Shuyue suddenly had a whimsical thought. "For example, the device that the Immortal Alliance uses in the Moon Gazing Tower seems to be able to use spiritual energy to move external objects."

"Unfortunately, we didn't find anything similar in the building... and even if we did, I doubt we'd know where to begin." Lin Qing spread her hands, indicating that this was completely beyond her knowledge. Chen Xuan thought about it and felt it wasn't impossible.

It's understandable that the equipment is completely different, after all, they are two different worlds, and the use of spiritual energy would definitely be very different. "I did ask Xu Yuanqing about this point - actually, whether it's the elevator or the Six Harmonies Instrument used to test spiritual energy, they all rely on magical artifacts to operate. When spiritual energy is injected, it will react, and its size and shape depend on its purpose."

Liu Shuyue seemed to be thinking, "If that's the case... I might have a way."

"any solution?"

“The sect taught a rather obscure spell that can be used to find magical treasures and tools scattered in various places,” she said slowly. “According to Master, some early disciples would carry a sect magical treasure with them before leaving the mountain. After they died, these things would dissipate among the people. It would be best if they could be recovered. However, the primary purpose of the disciples who leave the mountain is to assist the country and bring peace to the people. Almost no one would waste their energy on such things.”

Chen Xuan guessed, "It uses the property of magical artifacts to absorb spiritual energy to find it?"

"Indeed, you are very clever," Liu Shuyue praised. "Remember the Smoke Soul Pillar? If a receiver is set, it will transmit messages between the two locations. In fact, it can also be modified to connect to other targets. This spell utilizes the characteristics of the Smoke Soul Pillar, allowing the smoke to seek out areas that need to absorb spiritual energy. My weapon-refining skills are not as good as Liu Zhidong's, so I probably can't make a new Smoke Soul Pillar, but I can still modify the one from the Liu family."

"If there really is a mechanism driven by spiritual energy in this mountain building, it might be detected by the Soul Smoke, causing the smoke to gather. I'll have the villagers infuse it with spiritual energy to see if this idea is correct."

She said with great enthusiasm.

……

Back inside the shop, Lin Qing said with a smile, "That's great, Miss Liu looks like she's regained her spirits."

Chen Xuan wasn't surprised at all. "If she were so easily defeated, she wouldn't have led a group of disaster victims to the Great Wilderness of Ten Thousand Mountains under the pressure of breaking the sect's agreement."

When she realized the world wasn't as she knew it, disappointment and confusion were inevitable, but that was in the past—regardless of whether she could truly realize her ideal of serving the country and its people, at least the villagers of Spicy Village had genuinely been saved by her and now trusted her completely. Faced with responsibility, Liu Shuyue never chose to run away.

Actually, Chen Xuan was a little happy.

He had always worried that his apathy would have a negative impact on her, gradually turning her into someone whose inner feelings overlapped with her outward indifference. But now it seemed that Liu Shuyue had not been changed by this ability; she still cared about the villagers and her attitude towards him remained the same.

Perhaps the high wall of mental defense only stands up when faced with emotions that need to be overcome; in other words, it is a proactive skill.

He happily turned on the TV, ready to open for business.

The news broadcast on television made Chen Xuan stop in his tracks.

Lin Qing also turned her gaze to the screen.

"...In light of the previous public safety crisis, the Security Agency has decided to establish a professional emergency response team to meet Jiangcheng's security needs. This team will recruit all individuals with special abilities openly and is willing to accept supervision from the entire society. According to a spokesperson, this plan has already received the support of the police, and this is the first time the authorities have officially recognized the importance of individuals with special abilities."

"The first round of recruitment will begin this Saturday morning at the West Square of the City Talent Market. Our reporter will provide full coverage of the event."

"Finally, let us thank the relevant authorities for their efforts in creating a better Jiangcheng, and also call on viewers to fully support the ordinary residents who dare to stand up against lawbreakers and cheer them on!"

(End of this chapter)