Chapter Forty-Eight: Considerations for the Initial Arrangements

“Oh God, is this a fairy tale?” After entering the jelly they had chosen, everyone found themselves thinking the same thing, though they were not in the same location. What they saw could only have come from a storybook.

It was clearly a strange, green, jelly-like mass from the outside, but once inside, it transformed into a spacious room of over a hundred square meters. The architecture was entirely wooden, decorated in a whimsical style reminiscent of the Yordle fairy tales seen in fantasy films—distinctive and enchanting.

“Sorry!” Guo Lang spoke to everyone through the Tree of Life’s communication system, “The conditions are quite basic for now. Please bear with it. Once the engineering institute is established, anyone interested in becoming an architect can receive specialized training. Then, the Tree of Life’s internal space can be used to reconstruct rooms according to your preferences.” He paused, then continued, “I declare tonight a time for relaxation. Everyone, enjoy yourselves!”

Wow! As soon as Guo Lang finished speaking, the atmosphere erupted in excitement. Couples wasted no time and indulged in their affections right in their rooms, while others visited one another, gathering in small groups to celebrate. They broke out the strong liquor from their reserves—once saved for emergencies, now finally enjoyed in a moment of true respite.

Each room told a different story.

David, his wife, and his sister busied themselves with making the rare room feel more like home. David’s sister retreated to her own space, hugging a green, fragrant medicinal pillow, her face serene, soon drifting into sleep.

Compared to the tranquility of David and his wife, Thomas and Kelly were much wilder. Both special forces soldiers, they immediately tangled in the living room, their passion fierce and untamed.

Abel, unable to sit still, wandered from room to room. He first visited Thomas, was scolded, and left in a huff to his subordinates’ quarters, dragging a few back to his own for drinks.

Ordinary folk, meanwhile, were torn between joy and sorrow. In just a week, they had been separated from loved ones, faced horrors beyond imagination, and lived in constant fear in prison. Now, with homes of their own, everything felt surreal. Many, overwhelmed by emotion, broke down in tears beside their beds.

Within this single tree, the dramas of countless lives played out—some mourning the past, others dreaming of the future.

Among them, Guo Lang’s room was the calmest.

“I think the style of this room is wonderful…” Laura touched the furniture, instantly sensing its uniqueness—wood with the smoothness of rosewood, the scent and color of huanghuali, and the beautiful grain of red sandalwood. She had never seen such fine materials.

The craftsmanship was exquisite, completely harmonious, and natural. Laura estimated that such a room would cost at least a hundred million in the Federation.

“Daddy, there are only two rooms. How do we divide them? One for me, and one for you and Mommy?” Alice asked, her face innocent.

“Um… hahahaha.” Guo Lang glanced at Laura, who was biting her lip and glaring at Alice. He felt a bit guilty, “Children say the darndest things, you know.”

“Hmph!” Laura rolled her eyes, saying nothing.

“Well… You two can share for now. Once I leave, you’ll each have your own room.”

“What?” Laura was stunned, and the adorable Alice's expression stiffened as well.

Finally, Laura broke the silence, “You’re leaving? Where to?”

“Uh…” Guo Lang scratched his head, “Back to my hometown.”

After building the base, Guo Lang received a notification from the intelligence system: he could set up a space-time node and return home at any time. The main god had even gifted three teleportation scrolls for free.

Guo Lang knew these scrolls could teleport any marked objects, though with energy limits—the stronger the weapon or creature, the higher the cost. But the basic scroll was already sufficient for him. No one in reality could exceed its energy capacity.

He had already planned to help his father avoid the disaster from his previous life, quickly connect with trustworthy followers, and then return to deal with the undead of this plane. The bargaining chips and costs for recruiting teammates would be negotiated according to their abilities.

“Wow! Does Daddy not want Alice anymore? Did Alice do something wrong?” Alice hugged Guo Lang tightly, afraid he would disappear any second.

“Hey!” Guo Lang picked Alice up, tapping her tiny nose, “I’m not leaving forever—just preparing some things.”

“When will you be back?” Laura asked.

“If all goes well, maybe a month; at most, three months.”

“Oh…” Laura lowered her head, lost in thought.

“Ooh, so long!” Alice pouted, aggrieved, “Why not take Mommy and me with you?”

Guo Lang’s face darkened. That would be extravagant—his return was free, but bringing them would cost two scrolls, one for each journey. He couldn't afford such luxury, and Alice had her own tasks.

Guo Lang pressed his forehead to Alice’s, comforting her, “Don’t be like that. Children must learn to be strong and independent. I have a mission for you, and when I return, I’ll check your progress. If you fail, you’ll get a spanking!”

“What mission?” Alice asked, unwilling to accept it.

“You’ll know tomorrow!” Guo Lang set her down, “Go take a bath and rest well—the tasks ahead are tough!”

Guo Lang quietly checked the energy points he received for establishing the base—about thirty thousand. He quickly paid off his debts to stop the intelligence system from exploiting him. He had originally earned nearly five thousand points for killing two undead followers, but hadn’t dared pay immediately, fearing he’d need them later. Now, after settling up, he found he had about thirty-two thousand left, though the interest had eaten over a thousand points—painful, indeed.

Fortunately, killing the undead followers had earned some rewards: one Moonwell seed, twenty sets of Night Archer equipment, and five sets for Huntresses.

So, the budget was just barely sufficient. The Moonwell was especially vital—it was expensive, nearly as much as a War Tree, costing nine thousand compared to fourteen thousand for the War Tree. Without the reward, buying a Moonwell early would have been unbearable. This item was indispensable—the elves drank only Moonwell water, which nourished the land, improved the environment, and enhanced everyone’s constitution. It was a strategic resource, though its benefits were long-term and didn’t provide immediate combat power, so many owners regretted the purchase.

The War Tree was for training low-level units during first-tier tech lock: Night Archers, Swordsmen, and Huntresses—the basic units. Later, advanced options unlocked with further tech, like Hawk Riders, Scouts, Elite Archers, etc., and once units reached certain attributes, they could be further trained.

That was for the future. What Guo Lang needed now were basic units and a profession hall.

The War Tree provided a space of over a hundred thousand square meters, equipped with various training facilities and virtual instructors for formal unit training. But in this plane, the cost-effectiveness of basic units like archers or swordsmen was low.

That’s why a low-magic, high-tech world is not ideal for collecting basic units: the low mana means people have inferior attributes, and the presence of firearms means that, no matter how hard you train an archer, they’re still outclassed by a machine gunner.

The answer: Before reaching Level 3, archers are no match for firearms!

Yet, in the early stages, all races strongly resisted using firearms.