Wang Jun shook his head slightly. "Right now, we can’t determine where this toxin is coming from or how long it will last! And with the constantly rising temperatures... this world is just full of problems!"
"When our abilities aren’t enough to solve the world’s problems, we just have to do our best to survive in this problematic world," Ji Yizhi said with a sigh.
Long Zhan gave him a thumbs-up. "That sounds a lot like something Taoyuan Yang would say. Looks like you two would have a lot to talk about!"
Previously, when he and Wang Jun had gone drinking with Ren Yuanyang, Ren Yuanyang had said that regardless of the truth behind the flood, the most important thing was to keep on living.
Ji Yizhi paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "I’m sure we’ll have the chance someday!"
「Meanwhile, Dawn Base was also struggling with the water problem.」
Before this, whenever anyone got thirsty, they just tilted their heads back and drank the rainwater. The more particular ones would, at most, collect it and boil it before drinking.
All the survivors drank it this way without any issues, so everyone gradually stopped worrying about the water.
"Captain, with our current purifiers, I’m afraid we can only supply drinking water for half of our people!" the staff officer said, his brow tightly furrowed.
Jing Shu rubbed his forehead. After a long silence, he spoke. "I’ll ask the other bases if they have any better water purification equipment."
With their fleet’s capabilities, it was impossible for them to manufacture their own purification equipment. They could only buy it from other bases.
He figured that no base would be willing to sell their purification equipment right now, but he had to ask anyway.
After a moment of deliberation, Jing Shu sent a message to Wang Jun: "Captain Wang, I was wondering if the Aircraft Carrier Base has any spare water purification equipment?"
Wang Jun naturally understood his intention. But having already firmed up his own stance, he certainly wasn’t going to sell purification equipment to Dawn Base.
"Our base has a large population, and we don’t have nearly enough purifiers as it is," Wang Jun replied immediately.
After a slight pause, Wang Jun continued typing his message: "I’ve heard that Peach Blossom Base has quite a few purifiers. I suggest you take the initiative to bury the hatchet with them. It would be beneficial for your base’s development."
Seeing this message, Jing Shu instantly understood Wang Jun’s position. He snorted coldly and replied, "We and Peach Blossom Base are irreconcilable. Goodbye!"
Wang Jun shook his head helplessly. ’Good advice is lost on a damned fool. Let him be!’
Since the Aircraft Carrier Base had no purification equipment to spare, Jing Shu could only turn his sights to Xi’an Base.
"Captain Bao Mu, I was wondering if Xi’an Base has any spare water purifiers? Could you sell some to us?"
Upon receiving Jing Shu’s message, Bao Mu smiled faintly and replied, "We don’t have any spare purification equipment, but our purifiers are quite efficient. We can sell you some purified water!"
Jing Shu’s brow furrowed. Buying purification equipment would be a once-and-for-all solution. If he bought water, he would have to keep buying it indefinitely.
But the other party had made it clear they wouldn’t sell the equipment. Jing Shu could only continue to ask, "How are you planning to sell the purified water?"
"Food or people, either works!" Bao Mu replied with a faint smile.
"People? We will not treat people like cargo!" Jing Shu shot back immediately.
"Then use food to trade for it," Bao Mu replied indifferently.
"Isn’t there anything else we can trade for purified water?" Jing Shu asked, his brow furrowed.
"Do you have anything else? Like high-tech ships and weapons," Bao Mu retorted.
Jing Shu could only respond with silence.
"Actually, there’s nothing wrong with trading people. It would lessen the population pressure on your base, and they wouldn’t lack water to drink once they came to ours. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?" Bao Mu coaxed. "It’s just like with those Evolution Potions before. You can let them choose for themselves!"
"I’ll... consider it." Jing Shu was starting to waver.
After ending the communication, Jing Shu relayed Xi’an Base’s terms to the staff officer beside him.
The staff officer pondered for a long time before sighing. "He’s not wrong. It’s better for them to take their chances at Xi’an Base than to die of thirst here. Even if they only have a slim chance of survival, it’s better than waiting to die at our base!"
Although Bao Mu didn’t reveal his purpose for needing people, any normal person could guess what he was up to.
"Announce this to everyone. Tell them about Xi’an Base’s likely intentions and let people choose for themselves. For the next two days, we’ll supply drinking water at the minimum amount required for survival. After that, they’ll have to figure something out on their own." Although Jing Shu was repulsed by the idea, his staff officer had a point. He could only let out a helpless sigh.
"Understood!" the staff officer replied, then turned and left.
Just then, a guard came in and saluted. "Reporting, Captain! The test results for the Evolution Potion are in!"
Jing Shu immediately stood up, took the documents the guard brought in, and began to quickly scan them.
Dawn Base had recruited one hundred volunteers for the last batch of Evolution Potions from Xi’an Base. In the end, only twenty-two of them survived, and of those twenty-two, only one awakened a Superpower.
"Didn’t they say it had a 25% success rate?" Jing Shu frowned slightly. "This is more like a 25% *survival* rate, isn’t it?"
He immediately questioned Bao Mu about this matter.
Bao Mu chuckled and explained, "Through our testing, we’ve found that not all Evolvers awaken a Superpower. Some just have their strength or agility enhanced. You can test the ones who didn’t awaken a Superpower; their physical constitution has also been strengthened!"
Hearing this, Jing Shu was slightly taken aback. "Oh, so that’s how it is!"
"We only noticed this recently after compiling all our experimental data. Before, we thought any physical enhancements were just natural, and we didn’t consider the diversity of evolution," Bao Mu continued.
"Thanks for sharing this information," Jing Shu replied.
"Don’t mention it. We’re close partners!" Bao Mu shot back.
Jing Shu didn’t respond, choosing to end the conversation.
’Peach Blossom Base... do you really have that much purification equipment?’ Jing Shu wondered, gazing out at the curtain of rain.
「At that moment, aboard a yacht in Peach Blossom Base, Lin Mu and the others were chatting idly while watching the regional channel.」
Watching Jin Ziyu wolfing down Dongpo pork, a staff member from the livestock farm couldn’t help but remark, "The leader is so generous, killing a whole pig for us to eat!"
The livestock farm staff had seen Xin Wan lead that pig away, so they could naturally guess its fate.
"What? The pork we ate today was really freshly butchered?" Si Youqin asked, surprised.
When Si Youqin and the others went to the butchery, Tu Chong had already cleaned up the scene, and the pork was all packed in metal barrels, so they hadn’t seen the slaughter.
"Yeah, it was butchered today," Tu Chong nodded.
"But... isn’t eating it like this wasteful?" Si Youqin asked, looking confused.
Tu Chong looked a bit resigned. "I thought so too, but according to Minister Xin, our livestock farm is up and running properly. We won’t be short on meat from now on."
Si Youqin suddenly recalled that the staff who had entered the livestock farm mentioned upon their return that the poultry and livestock inside grew incredibly fast, changing almost by the hour.
"I see. I guess I was making a big deal out of nothing," Si Youqin remarked.
"Anyone who comes to Peach Blossom Base would be surprised!" Tu Chong said with a smile.
Just then, Jin Ziyu finally finished her "battle," placed her plate in the dishwasher, and patted her little belly in satisfaction before heading out of the yacht.
"It’s getting late. Everyone except those on patrol duty should get some rest," Lin Mu said, standing up and looking at the group.
"Yes, Minister Lin!" everyone responded in unison.
As everyone walked out of the yacht, they were immediately hit by a wave of heat.
"The temperature is rising fast," Lin Mu said, his brow furrowed.
Yu Ren nodded slightly. "This time, the smaller survivor settlements are probably going to be wiped out, unless they can find shelter with a large base in time."
"The large bases probably aren’t having an easy time either. The high temperatures will cause water demand to skyrocket. They won’t make it unless their purification equipment is extremely efficient," Lin Mu analyzed, shaking his head.
"In that case, the large bases might also have to abandon some of their survivors," Yu Ren said with a start, sighing.
"Yeah," Lin Mu said, looking at the specks of light twinkling in the Banyan Forest. "Luckily, we joined Peach Blossom Base."
Jianghu, who had been standing by, suddenly spoke up. "Do you think an Advanced Civilization is deliberately trying to cull some of the population?"
"Who knows!" Lin Mu shook his head helplessly. "Even if that’s the case, all we can do is watch."
"I’m worried that if an Advanced Civilization is really behind this, doesn’t our leader’s Dripping Lotus disrupt their plans? What if they decide to make things especially difficult for us at Peach Blossom Base?" Jianghu continued.
Lin Mu was completely stunned. After a moment of thought, he said, "That’s a real possibility. No, I have to go warn the leader. Are you coming with me?"
"Let’s go together," Jianghu and Yu Ren said, nodding.
The others chose to go back and rest, seeing no need for so many people to go.

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