National Survival: I Supported the Dragon Nation by Hunting Dinosaurs

Zhang Li tied one end of the vine into a standard double figure-eight knot at his waist and handed the other end to Wang Qiang behind him.

"Hold on tight."

Before he could finish speaking, he leaned back and instantly disappeared into the darkness.

The wind whistled in my ears, carrying with it a damp, misty atmosphere.

After falling about twenty meters, I felt a solid sensation under my feet.

Zhang Li slightly bent his knees to dissipate the force of the fall and landed steadily on a rocky platform.

The air here is more humid, and the sound of flowing water echoes in the enclosed space.

[The All-Seeing Eye, Awaken!]

In the darkness, a wide underground river rushed by, its water shimmering with a ghostly blue light.

[Underground river water quality analysis: Rich in minerals, filtered through multiple rock layers, pH 7.2, non-toxic, and safe for direct consumption.]

[Flow velocity measurement: Average flow velocity 2 m/s, with a velocity reaching 3.5 m/s at narrow passages.]

[Biological monitoring: A large number of blind fish were detected, with an average body length of 40cm. Their flesh is tender, they are blind, and their reactions are sluggish.]

This is not just water.

More importantly... it's an energy source!

"Zhang Li! Are you alright?!"

From above, Wang Qiang's anxious shouts could be heard.

Zhang Li looked up at the faint light above and said, "Brother Qiang, we've struck it rich this time."

"The water quality below is perfectly fine and drinkable. Plus, there are blind fish in the river, which gives us another source of food security."

At this point, Zhang Li paused, his gaze sweeping over the surging water, a glint of ambition flashing in his eyes.

"The most important thing is the flow rate. The drop in elevation and the flow rate here are perfect. If conditions permit, we can even build a turbine generator here later."

……

Blue Star, Dragon Kingdom Live Stream Room.

The previously quiet comments section was instantly roused by this sentence.

"Holy crap? Did I hear that right? A generator?!"

"In this Jurassic period where dinosaurs roam freely, is Li Shen planning to build a hydroelectric power station by hand?"

"Isn't this a bit of a leap? We were just in the Stone Age, and suddenly we're jumping into the Electrical Age?"

Inside the studio.

Several experts who were feeling a bit sleepy from the early shift instantly perked up.

He Jiong turned to Professor Li Zifei beside him: "Professor Li, is generating electricity using underground rivers... realistic under current conditions?"

Li Zifei frowned, his face etched with the word "absurd".

"In theory, the principle of hydroelectric power generation is not complicated. It is simply using the water flow to impact the turbine, which drives the rotor to cut magnetic field lines and generate current."

He pointed to the harsh conditions on the screen, his tone serious: "But! This requires an extremely advanced industrial base!"

"First of all, where is he going to find a strong magnet? Without a magnetic field, the rotor won't generate electricity even if it produces sparks!"

"Secondly, the electricity generated is alternating current, which is extremely unstable and requires a rectifier and battery pack! Are you suggesting he can just smash these electronic components out of the ground with a rock?"

"The most fatal flaw is the wiring! Without copper and aluminum, how can electricity be transmitted?"

Professor Wang, who was standing next to him, nodded in agreement.

"That's right. Although Zhang Li has shown amazing chemistry skills, electrical engineering is a different matter."

Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice; under the current conditions, that's simply a pipe dream!

The experts' analysis was well-reasoned and logically sound.

But the viewers in the live stream didn't buy it.

"I just love seeing experts make bold predictions."

"Waiting to see them proven wrong. Someone had the same question last time! Now they're all silent!"

"If someone else said this, I would think they were crazy; but if it's Zhang Li, I'm already looking forward to seeing how he'll manage to make copper wire."

In a corner of the studio.

Academician Ma, who is known for his "sharp tongue," sat quietly with a smile, took a sip of tea from his thermos, and remained silent.

The assistant beside him asked in a low voice, "Mr. Ma, won't you say something?"

Academician Ma glanced at Professor Li, who was speaking eloquently, and secretly gloated: Ha, young people just can't keep their composure.

I was previously subjected to a barrage of criticism in the live chat, but this time it's finally someone else's turn to take the fall.

"It cannot be said, it cannot be said." Academician Ma shook his head mysteriously.

"In Zhang Li's case, science... sometimes has to take a backseat."

……

Deep inside the cave.

Zhang Li was unaware of the controversy outside. He took out the ceramic jars from his storage space, filled them all with water, and then put them into the space.

He then gripped the vines tightly and skillfully climbed up.

Back on the platform, Zhang Li said to Wang Qiang.

"Let's go back first."

He then secured the vine to a stalactite and marked it.

The two returned along the same route.

......

As the first rays of dawn shone into the cave entrance, the four-person team sat together once again.

Now that the location of the underground river and the nitrate veins have been determined, the division of labor becomes particularly important.

"The ranking competition will be even fiercer tonight."

Zhang Li drew a simple plan on the ground with a twig. "To ensure we finish in the top three, Qiang Ge and I must go hunting, and our targets must be at least medium-sized dinosaurs."

Upon hearing this, Li Yue immediately raised her hand: "What about me? What would Ying-jie and I do? We can't just sit around doing nothing, can we?"

Although Huang Xiaoying's left arm was still bandaged, her eyes were resolute.

"Zhang Li, you are the core of the team. Just tell us what to do. We are a team."

Seeing the eager looks in their eyes, Zhang Li felt a warmth in his heart.

"There are indeed two things."

"First, we need a large amount of saltpeter. This is crucial for us to create this 'weapon of mass destruction'."

"Secondly, we need more containers. Earthenware pots, earthenware bowls, and even large vats for storing fresh water."

Zhang Li looked at Li Yue, "You're physically strong, and that rock crevice requires climbing up and down steep slopes. The mining task is yours."

Li Yue's eyes lit up, and she struck an exaggerated pose: "No problem! From now on, please call me Gold Miner Li!"

"As for Xiaoying..."

"Your injuries haven't fully healed yet, so stay at the cave entrance and watch the fire and fire the pottery, and also keep watch. This is the most important logistical support."

Huang Xiaoying hesitated for a moment: "But... I don't know how to make pottery."

"It's alright, I'll show you how to make a batch of pottery blanks first."

Zhang Li acted immediately.

He took out the remaining large chunks of kaolin and mixed them with water and mud.

His hands seemed exceptionally nimble in the mud.

Kneading, pinching, pulling, and coiling—in just a few minutes, a rounded pottery jar took shape in his hands.

"Like this, the coil building method," Zhang Li explained while demonstrating.

"Be careful to purge the air from inside, otherwise it will explode when it's burning."

Li Yue came over and started doing it, imitating Zhang Li's movements.

It has to be said that girls are naturally good with their hands.

Li Yue quickly mastered the trick and the bowls she sculpted looked quite realistic.

In contrast, Wang Qiang...

This tough guy molded a lump of mud in his hands into a pitiful mess.

"Why is this thing even harder to handle than a gun?"

Wang Qiang looked at the strangely shaped object in his hand and blushed.

Zhang Li glanced at it, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

"Brother Qiang, did you squeeze a bowl or a hand grenade?"

"Pfft—"

Li Yue burst out laughing: "Brother Qiang, if you used this 'bowl' to drink soup, the soup would probably all leak out from the side!"

Wang Qiang scratched his head awkwardly, then kneaded away the lump of mud and started over:

"Go away, go away, this is abstract art!"

The cave was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

This relaxed atmosphere made the viewers in the live stream feel a little dazed.

Looking at the four people enjoying themselves on screen, Xu Zhiping exclaimed, "This is what a true team is. They can maintain optimism even in dire straits, trust each other, and work together towards a common goal."

He Jiong nodded: "Compared to the scheming alliance of the neighboring United States, the Chinese team is a breath of fresh air."

This is the cohesion of the Chinese people; when they come together, they are an impregnable fortress!

……

After finishing the clay blanks and placing them in the air-drying area, Zhang Li patted the clay off his hands.

Next up is the main event.

He found some dried hardwood.

The dagger flashed, and wood chips fell in a flurry.

Zhang Li shaved the branch straight, cut a groove at the tail, inserted stiff feathers plucked from the golden-winged dragon, and then reinforced it with fine, tough animal sinew.

Finally, the iron arrowhead made last night was deeply embedded into the front of the arrow shaft.

Having made these preparations, Zhang Li put the arrows into his quiver.

At this moment, Wang Qiang also took over the crossbow that had been seized from the Wildebeest Kingdom from Huang Xiaoying.

"Set off."

Li Yue, carrying a shovel, waved to the two of them: "I'm going to mine! Wait for you to bring back a big meal!"

Huang Xiaoying's gaze followed the two until they disappeared into the dense ferns before she sat back down by the fire.

……

In the jungle.

Zhang Li and Wang Qiang maintained a tactical distance of five meters, one in front of the other.

Wang Qiang lowered his voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. "Zhang Li, where are we going today?"