Chapter 159: New Territory
Old Liu, being a businessman, had excellent persuasive skills.
After his speech, the emotions of everyone present were stirred.
Yan Xi Nian, however, remained calm, almost indifferent, just watching them from the side.
Xia Huo Qu, Xia Lu Nong, and Kong Zhi all had calm expressions as well.
Once the initial enthusiasm of Ba Niu and the others had cooled a bit, they noticed the different expressions on everyone’s faces and realized something was off.
Ba Niu wiped his face and then shifted his tone, saying, “Captain Yan, I’ll follow your lead. Whatever you say goes.”
Yan Xi Nian nodded, his eyes scanning everyone before he seriously declared, “As long as I’m here, our base will never be an aggressor.”
Yan Xi Nian’s words were spoken clearly, each word distinct.
It was like a bucket of cold water, drenching everyone’s excitement.
Ba Niu and the others felt a mix of pride and frustration, while Xiao Tang and the others looked on with admiration and respect.
Old Liu didn’t appear embarrassed. He nodded and said, “I was just offering a suggestion. I also want what’s best for the base, but of course, the final decision is up to everyone.”
Yan Xi Nian patted his shoulder without saying much, and the matter was left at that, with no one bringing it up again.
Later that night, back in their vehicle, Yan Xi Nian lay on the seat, hands clasped behind his neck, and sighed, “Morale’s scattered. It’s getting harder to lead.”
“Hard or not, you’ve still got to lead,” Xia Huo Qu replied. “Old Liu is well-connected. If he has this idea, it’s probably because he’s heard something. We need to be prepared.”
Xia Lu Nong, sitting in the vehicle, gave a confused glance at Kong Zhi, feeling that he didn’t quite belong in the car but under it, considering how little he seemed to understand.
Kong Zhi ruffled Xia Lu Nong’s hair and patted him on the back. “I’ll explain it to you later.”
Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu continued their discussion, not bothering to keep it private, openly conversing in the car.
Xia Huo Qu said, “Last year, we built the walls around the base. This year, we should consider developing the plains below.”
“It’s not that easy,” Yan Xi Nian replied. “We managed to build so quickly last year because of the survival crisis. Everyone was desperate to protect their own lives. Look at us this year—what do we have?”
He spread his hands to show they were empty. “This year, we’ve got nothing. Even morale is fading. Building a city now would be a fantasy.”
Xia Huo Qu suggested, “If we don’t build a city, why not build something else?”
At this point, Xia Lu Nong sensed something unusual. He peeked out from under the blanket, staring at his brother, waiting for him to reveal the answer.
Yan Xi Nian was also caught off guard by Xia Huo Qu’s line of thinking. “Something else?”
Xia Huo Qu said, “There’s a big river running through the plains below, isn’t there?”
“There is, but…” Yan Xi Nian looked at him in disbelief. “You’re not suggesting we dig up the river, are you?”
“Why not?” Xia Huo Qu countered. “We built the walls to keep out mutated plants and animals. Digging a deep moat could serve the same purpose. So why not dig a moat instead of building walls on the mountains?”
Yan Xi Nian had never thought of this before.
He rubbed his knee and said, “This is too sudden. We should think it through carefully.”
Xia Huo Qu replied calmly, “We’re living in chaotic times. Every decision has to be made ahead of time. If we wait, it’ll be too late.”
Xia Huo Qu continued, “Old Liu’s comments today were a clear signal. If we miss this opportunity, someone else who understands its value will seize it.”
Yan Xi Nian’s head started to ache. He wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea. Being someone who enjoyed comfort more than most, he hadn’t considered it.
After a pause, he said, “What’s your plan? Just say it. I’m listening.”
Xia Huo Qu replied, “Adapt to the circumstances.”
“Dig a deep moat and use the plains at the foot of the mountain as the site for a second base.”
Yan Xi Nian paused for a moment, then turned to look at Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi. “What do you two think? We’re all family here. Share your thoughts, and let’s discuss it together.”
Xia Lu Nong blinked and said, “I’ll follow my brother. I think he’s right. In this situation, we need to plan ahead.”
Yan Xi Nian sighed, “You’re just your brother’s shadow. You always say you’ll follow him! What about you, Kong Zhi? Do you agree with Huo Qu?”
Kong Zhi nodded seriously, “Everything is evolving—mutated plants and animals, and other bases too. If we fall behind now, we’ll only fall further behind. Look at the technological gap between us and Black Gold Base. I think we need to act quickly.”
He rarely spoke at such length.
Yan Xi Nian’s expression shifted, and after a long pause, he slapped his thigh and said through gritted teeth, “If you all agree, then let’s do it! What are your ideas? Let’s have a quick meeting and I’ll take notes.”
Xia Huo Qu smirked, “The first point is what you said—we must maintain our legitimacy and never become aggressors.”
Yan Xi Nian nodded, having no doubts about Xia Huo Qu’s character.
The two had known each other for so long that they were practically brothers. He was well aware of Huo Qu’s principles.
Neither of them had any admiration for those who took advantage of the weak or exploited others.
Yan Xi Nian noted the first point and looked up. “What about the second point?”
“The second point is to establish a backup base at the foot of the mountain. Our current base is too small, and there’s barely enough space to grow crops, let alone do other things.”
“The area at the foot of the mountain is quite large. We can use the plain as a base, and later, when more people come and the base expands, we can further develop the area.”
Yan Xi Nian realized what he was getting at. “You mean we should start fortifying the plain at the foot of the mountain from now on?”
Xia Huo Qu didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I’ve been observing the honeysuckle, and I doubt it will survive the coming spring. If we can persuade it, we should try to convince it to transfer its consciousness to the honeysuckle on the plain.”
As he spoke, Xia Huo Qu glanced at Xia Lu Nong. “Lu Nong, your abilities are crucial, more important than we first thought. You’ll need to help as much as you can and try to convince the honeysuckle.”
Xia Lu Nong peeked out from under the blanket, her bright eyes gleaming. “I’ll do my best!”
Yan Xi Nian asked, “So you’re saying we’ll use a moat as the first line of defense, and plants as the second?”
Xia Huo Qu nodded. “Exactly. The honeysuckle suggested we look for a rose. Since there’s a rose that’s just as strong as the honeysuckle, why not try to get the rose to cooperate with us? It could be mutually beneficial.”
Yan Xi Nian muttered, “That’s quite bold. We don’t even know what the rose’s stance is.”
“Since the honeysuckle brought it up, the rose’s attitude can’t be too bad. I’m confident about that,” Xia Huo Qu said. “Plants and humans are naturally mutually beneficial. There’s hardly any competition between us, so cooperation has a strong foundation. If we can convince them, it will benefit both sides.”
Xia Lu Nong thought her brother had been considering this for a long time, and that’s why he had so many plans ready when he brought it up.
Yan Xi Nian said, “We’ll have to rely on Xiao Nong for this. What do you think, Xiao Nong?”
Without hesitation, Xia Lu Nong agreed with his brother. “I’m all for it. Our base has to grow. We’re not doing too badly right now, but compared to others, we’re still lagging behind. Especially when you compare us to the Black Gold Base, we’re way behind.”
Yan Xi Nian had already guessed as much, nodding. “Alright, since you, the key player, agree, we’ll go with your brother’s plan.”
Yan Xi Nian continued, “Digging a moat is no small task. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions? We’ll need ideas to convince the others back at the base.”
Xia Huo Qu said, “Honestly, I don’t have many suggestions. The people at the base are living comfortably right now, so they probably won’t agree with our approach. What we need to do is to start building the foundation of this new base early.”
He glanced at his two younger siblings. “As you’ve realized, the technological capability of our base is too weak. We can afford to fall behind temporarily, but we can’t stay behind forever. Sooner or later, we need to catch up.”
“The plain at the foot of the mountain is less secure, but it’s spacious. We can build factories and farmlands there. We’ve already experimented by planting honeysuckle and beans down there, and they weren’t really bothered by any other mutated plants or animals. Let’s start by handling this ourselves.”
Xia Lu Nong hesitated. “But won’t it seem like we’re being too overbearing if we act on our own?”
“So what? We’re not relying on the base people to work with us, so we don’t need to seek their approval,” Xia Huo Qu said. “Let’s build the foundation of the new base first. Once that’s done, we’ll have full control over how it’s developed.”
He looked at them both. “If we involve everyone, it’ll be hard to divide the responsibilities later. On the other hand, if we hire others with money or resources, we’ll be able to claim legitimate control over the base.”
Xia Lu Nong thought for a moment. “Brother, have you been planning this for a long time? Did you finally find the opportunity to put it into action?”
Xia Huo Qu gave him a glance and said coolly, “Not really. It’s just that, since our family has you, I’ve had to think a bit further ahead.”
