Chapter Forty-Nine: The First Glimmer of Form

“Everyone, please pay attention. Tomorrow we’ll begin planning the construction of this island. Rest well tonight,” Chen Yi’s voice echoed through the night.

The crowd quieted down. After eating their fill, they each sought a place to rest.

At this moment, Chen Yi made his way to a middle-aged man who appeared experienced and asked, “Uncle, thank you for your hard work tonight. Would you mind sharing your thoughts with us?”

The man looked up, nodding gently. “No problem, young man.”

“My name is Zhou Jianguo. I work in construction engineering.”

Hearing this, Chen Yi’s eyes lit up. “That’s wonderful! We’re in need of someone with your experience.”

“That’s good. We do indeed need to arrange tomorrow’s plans.”

“We must ensure the construction is logical, make the best use of the island’s space, and establish defenses.”

Chen Yi clenched his fist, silently resolving himself.

Zhou Jianguo looked at the enthusiastic young man before him and smiled faintly. “I’ve already taken a preliminary look at the terrain today. This area is suitable as our main base—it’s flat, and the soil is good for planting.”

“Additionally, the water source seems stable. I suspect the island is deep, with groundwater beneath.”

“But it’s best to create a tool to filter seawater into drinkable water. For that, I’ll need some tools. I estimate I can make it within a week.”

Chen Yi was extremely satisfied—this man was crucial. Able to plan construction and improve drinking water, he would be valued in any base.

Chen Yi hadn’t expected that his newly established base would immediately attract such hidden talents.

He nodded, then turned and called out to the people nearby, “I need a few volunteers. We must conduct a detailed survey; tomorrow is important.”

Several volunteers quickly stepped forward, eager to assist.

Chen Yi couldn’t help but feel grateful—there were many dedicated people in this team.

Among them was a young woman who smiled and said, “My name is Li Yao. I studied architectural design and worked on many projects at school. I hope I can help.”

“With your participation, our work will go much more smoothly. If it gets too exhausting, just let me know,” Chen Yi said sincerely.

“Once we settle the temporary lodgings, we need to consider acquiring building materials,” Zhou Jianguo continued.

“I’ll assign people tomorrow to search for usable materials, while ensuring we have enough food and water,” Chen Yi replied, his thoughts clear and organized.

The group began exploring the island together.

They observed the terrain, the soil, and the spatial layout, forming a rough overview.

The entire island stretched about five kilometers both lengthwise and widthwise.

Except for a small mountain in the north and a patch of woods in the southwest, the rest was fairly flat.

After examining the terrain, they made their way to the shore, breathing in the sea breeze.

Zhou Jianguo pondered for a moment, then declared, “I need two days to draft the designs.”

“That way, we can use the island’s resources more efficiently.”

Chen Yi nodded, “Alright, Uncle Zhou. You can relax for a day or two.”

“Everyone’s exhausted today; there’s no need to rush.”

Just then, a team member interjected, “Captain Chen, do you think the island is big enough? If our population grows in the future, can it accommodate everyone?”

“Whether the population will increase is another matter,” Chen Yi replied coolly. “What we’re planning now is our own utopia. Do you understand?”

His gaze turned cold. While future growth was important, focusing on that now was unreasonable.

Clearly, there were some overly kind-hearted members in the team.

He wondered if it was necessary to conduct a more thorough education, lest some fail to appreciate the situation.

For now, seeing the team member lower his head, Chen Yi did not pursue the matter further. Instead, he continued discussing future plans.

A while later, Chen Yi looked around. “Let’s rest well tonight. Tomorrow will be a crucial day.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

…

The next day dawned bright and warm.

Chen Yi led a few people on a tour of the island.

Unlike the previous night, today they followed the island’s perimeter, carefully examining every terrain and patch of soil.

“This island really is oval-shaped, wider along the north-south axis,”

“After the last big wave, its shape changed somewhat,” Lu Kai remarked calmly.

Chu Yunxi crouched down, picked up a handful of soil, and squeezed it. “The soil here is quite fertile—good for planting crops. We shouldn’t build houses here, right?”

Zhou Jianguo nodded in agreement. “Yes, let’s mark this area off.”

For a while, they continued surveying every corner of the island.

Chu Yunxi discovered a hidden little meadow deep in the woods. She exclaimed with delight, “This could be turned into a small garden.”

“When everyone is tired, they can rest here.”

Chen Yi’s eyes sparkled with a smile. “Great idea. We all need spiritual relaxation.”

Lu Kai chimed in, “Never underestimate the power of the mind. It lets people find hope even in desperate times.”

“That’s how I held on and waited for you, Brother Chen!”

They stood around the meadow for a while, savoring its tranquility.

Suddenly, Chu Yunxi noticed a small bird pecking at food nearby and sighed, “Life always reveals its beauty when least expected.”

“Yes, just like us now—we’ve regained hope,” Chen Yi replied, moved.

They continued through several areas and unexpectedly found a small stream flowing!

This proved the island could store water.

“This stream is a perfect natural water source,” Zhou Jianguo’s eyes lit up with excitement. “We can use it to solve our water problem for now.”

“Indeed,”

“It seems this island hides many treasures. The sooner we uncover them, the better for building our new base,” Chen Yi agreed, waving them onward.

They pressed forward until dusk, then returned to their temporary base.

Zhou Jianguo busied himself recording the day’s discoveries, while Lu Kai gathered volunteers to discuss the next day’s tasks.

“We need to organize a few small teams for detailed investigation,” Lu Kai told the volunteers.

“At the same time, developing the area around the stream should be prioritized.”

Chen Yi approached Zhou Jianguo. “Uncle Zhou, what do you think of today’s results?”

Zhou Jianguo smiled. “Very promising—I have some preliminary ideas.”

“Tomorrow we can put some plans into action.”

“Good.”

Chen Yi turned to Chu Yunxi, “Yunxi, remember to rest. We all need to devote ourselves to building the base.”

Chu Yunxi nodded, “Of course. Only when we help build the base do we truly become part of it!”