I built a safe house in the eerie night.

The sun rose higher and hung overhead.

After a morning of hard work, the strange corpses outside the village were finally cleared away, and all the dropped resources were collected.

The cleared bones were neatly stacked in open spaces outside the village, forming rows of stark white piles of bones.

These young men in the village may seem rough and naive on the surface, but they are very organized when they get to work.

Even the small amount of gray succulents remaining on the corpses, though of little value, were carefully peeled off by them.

However, the village has limited space, and there are too many skeletons and gray spirits, so they have to be piled up in the open space outside the village, almost overflowing the altar's territory.

Jiang Ning looked at the mountain of bones that was about to overflow and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

"These are all ammunition, they have value, but the quantity is far too much."

"At this rate, the more monsters are killed, the more bones and corpses will accumulate. Sooner or later, the village will be filled with them, and the piles of bones will look unlucky..."

Moreover, Jiang Ning also harbored some concerns.

Will this massive, concentrated pile of eerie skeletons, the aura of death emanating from it, and the lingering eerie energy attract even more bizarre retaliation from the mountains?

"We need to find a way to deal with this... but right now, there's no good way to deal with it."

Jiang Ning rubbed his temples.

After much thought, if the bones really can't be stored away, the only option is to temporarily abandon them in a more remote wilderness and bring some back when needed.

But it is ultimately just a stopgap measure, which is both time-consuming and laborious.

Jiang Ning temporarily suppressed his thoughts and shouted to the young people who were still busy:

"Guys, take a break and have some water!"

"Alright! Young Master Jiang!" Everyone responded cheerfully, stopping what they were doing.

Despite having done heavy physical labor under the scorching sun all morning, they showed no signs of fatigue on their faces, but rather radiated energy.

The mountains are often shrouded in gloom, cold and damp. The sun is rarely so intense and warm. Being able to bask in the sun makes them feel warm all over, and they have extra energy to work.

But... my stomach was empty, and my throat was parched.

However, they had long been accustomed to this physical depletion; in their minds, living seemed to be just like this.

Endure hunger and thirst, endure all kinds of hardship.

They are born with few choices.

Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze and looked at the resources that had fallen from the strange creature at his feet. He couldn't help but swallow hard, his eyes burning with desire.

Last night's battle roughly estimated that six or seven hundred strange creatures were killed, most of which were tumor-like "spirit monsters" and a small number were humanoid "wandering ghosts".

This batch of spoils included four low-level material lucky bags, containing three exotic beads of different colors.

"This harvest... is not bad."

Jiang Ning's calculations were within expectations.

However, he also sensed that as the number of monsters killed within his territory increased, especially the base number of low-level monsters, the probability of resource drops seemed to be slowly decreasing.

The underlying principle is unknown, but it may be related to some kind of balancing mechanism.

He didn't know if the large cities outside the mountains also had similar drop mechanisms when resisting the strange phenomena.

But one thing is certain: even if it exists, the probability is extremely low.

Jiang Ning still remembers that an ordinary first-tier rare treasure bead could sell for hundreds of low-grade spirit stones in the market of Danhua City.

Thinking about it this way, my drop rate these past few days has been like it's been on and off, my luck... is actually pretty good.

Jiang Ning raised an eyebrow, then first picked up the four stained lucky bag pouches and wiped them clean with his sleeve as if they were rare treasures.

If it weren't for the mental hurdle he couldn't overcome, he would have loved to kiss it and pray for a super rare and amazing resource.

As usual, don't rush to open the lucky bag. Put it in your pocket, warm it up first, and absorb some good luck before you do anything else.

Then, Jiang Ning looked at the three exotic beads.

Two of them were a familiar grayish-white color with a dull luster.

The third one, however, was pure white, gleaming softly in the sunlight.

"A good find!" Jiang Ning's eyes lit up. "Could it be... a second-tier rare treasure!"

He quickly accessed the [Heavenly Craftsman] interface.

[Tier 1 Treasure-type Rare Item: Can be opened]

"Treasures?"

Jiang Ning squinted, recalling the "Pulse-Seeking Compass" he had found in the withered forest, which he still didn't know how to use.

"Could it be the same type? Let's open it and see!"

[Successfully unlocked a Tier 1 Treasure-type Exotic item, obtained: "Guardian Banner"]

The pure white bead in his hand turned into white smoke and dissipated, only to re-condense in Jiang Ning's palm.

Finally, it transformed into a small banner the size of a palm, with gold thread along the edges and a dark black body.

On the surface of the banner, crooked and twisted patterns, seemingly formed naturally, create mysterious designs.

【Shou Tuban:? ? ? 】

[Note: This may require a special method of spiritual awakening.]

"This tactic again?" Jiang Ning frowned, somewhat bewildered.

"A special method of awakening spirits? I have a cheat code, why can't I use it?"

Helplessly, he examined the small banner over and over, then took out the old, black "Pulse-Seeking Compass" and studied the two treasures together for a long time.

As a result, there was no clue and no unusual fluctuations.

"well......"

In the end, Jiang Ning could only sigh helplessly and put away the two treasures that were temporarily useless.

Who knows, by chance, we might find the right key in the future, and it might come in handy for some unexpected purpose.

Jiang Ning looked at the other two beads.

"Give me something really good, architectural blueprints, defensive plans... just throw them at my face, okay?!"

Jiang Ning looked first at the bead in his left hand, and then focused on giving the activation command.

[Successfully activated Tier 1 rare treasure, obtained: Building blueprint "Observation Platform"]

【Observation Platform (Level 1)】

[Description: Once installed, a sturdy wooden observation platform will rise, allowing observers to monitor the movement, intensity, and approximate quantity of the strange tides within a certain range. It also possesses strong impact resistance.]

[Note: The observation range expands as the building's rank increases.]

[Required for crafting: 200 Black Tai Sui, 20 Yin Wood, 20 Black Stone]

It's a building blueprint, but it's not the most urgently needed defensive or offensive building.

Jiang Ning nodded and then shook his head.

It's just a functional building, its advantage lies in its low resource requirements.

It is indeed necessary to provide better battlefield visibility and early warning, so that we no longer have to hide indoors and rely on intuition to make judgments.

"At least there's something we can actually build now."

Jiang Ning looked at the last rare gem.

[Successfully activated Tier 1 Exotic Treasure, obtained: Building Blueprint "Incinerator"]

【Incinerator (Tier 1)】

[Description: A specially designed furnace capable of incinerating bizarre corpses, maximizing the efficiency of converting the special energy and substances remaining in the remains.]

[Note: The incineration process produces no open flame or odor, and can be safely placed on the periphery of the territory. The conversion product is high-density cremated ash, significantly reduced in volume, which can be directly used to recharge buildings that require bone energy (such as the "Bone Arrow Tower").]

As Jiang Ning read the description, his slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

"This is fine!"

This is also the most urgently needed thing right now, which can not only solve the predicament of mountains of bones with nowhere to be stored.

The cremated remains are small in volume and easier to store. They can also be used directly to power the arrow towers, which is much more convenient and efficient than transporting the entire skeleton, and we don't have to deal with the situation from last night.

Although Jiang Ning was slightly disappointed that he didn't get any more powerful defensive buildings or new attack tower blueprints, the crematorium provided some relief in his immediate crisis.

"The right way is to take things one step at a time, ensuring each day is peaceful and fruitful."

Jiang Ning consoled himself.

The most urgent task is to build this crematorium.

The interface prompt can be placed on the outer edge of the territory, which is perfect since space is limited inside the village.

Jiang Ning turned around, intending to leave the village to measure and choose a suitable location.

But as soon as his gaze swept across the village, he was taken aback and stopped in his tracks.

In the open space in the village, the group of young men who had been busy all morning were now lying or squatting in the shade.

They took off their filthy shirts, revealing their lean, dark bodies.

The body and face still bore the strange bloodstains and grime from cleaning the skeleton.

Water is precious in the village, and they are reluctant to use it for washing during the day. So they can only wipe themselves haphazardly with rough burlap, which only makes them smear dirt all over their faces and bodies, making them look quite disheveled.

However, no one complained.

They remained silent, each holding a piece of tough, fishy-smelling black sea cucumber, swallowing it in small bites to fill their empty stomachs.

Occasionally, someone would take a small, worn-out water bottle handed to them by a companion and savor a tiny sip.

Several young children, quite sensibly, gathered around.

Some used old palm-leaf fans to fan the adults, while others held slightly cleaner pieces of cloth and tried to stand on tiptoe to wipe the stains off the adults' arms and backs.

The scene is quiet, yet it conveys a poignant sense of hardship.

This scene caused Jiang Ning's heart to ache suddenly, and his throat felt tight for a moment.

This is the most authentic life of the displaced people at the bottom of society.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.

Before my arrival, their lives were probably even bleaker and more filled with struggle.

The responsibilities on my shoulders are heavy and the road ahead is long.

Protecting the village's safety and providing defense is only the first step.

He also wants to ensure that those who follow and trust him truly live, and live a better life.

There is still so much to be done.

"Things will get better slowly..." Jiang Ning murmured to himself.

The others noticed his gaze and almost reflexively stood up, facing Jiang Ning.

Even the children next to them immediately stood up straight, their little faces full of seriousness and solemnity.

"Young Master! What are your orders?!"

They spoke in unison, their voices loud and clear, their eyes all focused on Jiang Ning, awaiting his instructions.

The weariness faded from their faces, replaced by obedience and trust.

For them, Jiangning is the absolute backbone, the guiding light.

As long as you follow his arrangements, there will be hope for the future and no hardship.

Jiang Ning looked at those faces, stained with dirt but with exceptionally pure eyes, and forced a smile.

"It's alright, everyone... please continue to rest."