"Although it isn't a skill book I can use myself, it's still pretty good!"
A delighted look flashed across Cao Xing's face.
After all, the GZ-Mark Robot was an early-game god-tier skill for mechanics.
It only required some iron and mechanical energy to summon a Mark robot with formidable attributes. Not only did it possess ranged attack capabilities, but its defense was also astounding.
It could be said to greatly improve a mechanic's early survival ability.
"If this skill book were put on the market, it would definitely spark a frenzy among mechanics."
Cao Xing continued examining his other gains.
Black Iron Bracer (Green)
Quality: Excellent Armor: 7–9
Additional Effect ①: Constitution +4
Additional Effect ②: Long Arms (increases attack range by 20%)
Small Resource Pack: After opening, obtain Wood ×100, Stone ×50, Iron ×10.
Mithril (Purple): A precious metal that can be used to forge advanced equipment or buildings.
After reviewing the attributes of these items, Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction.
"That Black Iron Bracer is green equipment, and its attributes are pretty good too."
"Especially the second effect—it can increase my maximum attack range. That's seriously strong!"
Cao Xing equipped it without hesitation, then checked his attributes.
Attributes: Click to expand "Good, good, good! My vitality and attack power have both increased tremendously."
"Compared to when I first arrived in this world yesterday, my strength has increased by far more than double!"
Joy appeared on Cao Xing's face.
Moreover, aside from equipment, he still had bear gallbladder and bear meat that could improve his attributes.
By then, Cao Xing's strength could rise another notch.
After sorting through all his gains, Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, then turned around and said, "Let's go. Time to head back."
They had already been out for nearly an hour this time.
The return trip would take at least another half hour.
Cao Xing had to seize every moment to develop his territory.
After the group returned to the camp, waves of warmth from the bonfire washed over them.
Tap... tap...
They all shook the snow off their feet.
Cao Xing looked at the sky. "Good thing it hasn't snowed lately. If it did, traveling in this damned weather would be incredibly difficult."
He looked at Assam beside him and said, "Assam, come here."
Upon hearing this, Assam immediately walked over with his body ramrod straight.
Cao Xing raised his staff and sent a green light toward him.
[Ice Healing Technique successfully cast. Eternal Power talent activated. This skill has become permanent.]
Green +10, +10 numbers appeared above Assam's head.
Compared to before, the healing amount had doubled again!
Cao Xing was overjoyed. "Just as I thought! When the same skill is applied to the same target, the higher attribute bonus overrides the lower one."
Because Cao Xing's Spirit attribute had increased, the effect of Ice Healing Technique had naturally increased as well.
Now, Assam could recover 10 health points per second. Combined with his terrifying defense, he was truly an unkillable cockroach.
Then, Cao Xing cast another Ice Armor Technique, adding 8 armor to Assam.
He did not leave his Frost Wolf out either.
"Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh!"
Beams of green light flew over one after another.
Cao Xing discovered that after his Spirit increased, the number of times he could cast magic had increased as well.
Even now, he had not felt that dizzy sensation.
After restoring Assam and the Frost Wolf's statuses.
Cao Xing said, "Assam, you did very well this time. Your next task is to continue scouting the area within ten kilometers around the camp."
"Mark all resource points and monsters. You must return to camp before dark."
Upon hearing this, Assam respectfully replied, "As you command, my lord."
"Your command is my destiny!"
After saying that, he mounted Winter, the Frost Wolf, and charged back into the snowy wilderness.
Cao Xing then looked at Ilena nearby. "Ilena, your task is to apply Snakefolk Berserk and Scale Armor to those newly recruited Polar People."
"Remember to rest once your Spirit runs low."
Ilena flicked out her tongue and nodded. "As you command, my lord."
Then, Cao Xing opened the Small Resource Pack he had just obtained from the Silver Treasure Chest.
Small Resource Pack opened successfully. You obtained Wood ×100. You obtained Stone ×50. You obtained Iron ×10.
He glanced at his territory resources.
Food: Bread ×45, Snake Meat ×10, Wolf Meat ×111, Bear Meat ×1215 Wood ×314, Coal ×124, Stone ×153, Iron ×110
Cao Xing said happily, "After building the logging camp, the rate at which we obtain wood has really increased a lot."
"That coal mine has also started production."
"Next, I need to build the tailoring shop and the ore processing plant."
Cao Xing called over four Polar People.
He assigned them the construction tasks.
Then, he looked around the camp.
There was already a circle of seven or eight small houses nearby.
In just one day, they had gone from a single small bonfire to so many buildings.
A powerful sense of accomplishment filled his heart.
Liu Muxue asked softly, "A-Xing, is there anything you need me to do?"
Cao Xing shook his head. "Not for now, sister-in-law. Let's go inside and warm up first."
Liu Muxue nodded.
Then the two of them entered the Lord's Cabin together.
As soon as she entered, Liu Muxue naturally squatted beside the stove and held out her jade-like hands to warm them.
"Phew~ So warm~"
A blissful smile appeared on her face.
In this frozen wilderness, being able to warm oneself by a cozy stove truly was something that made people feel happy.
A few minutes later, perhaps because she was too close to the stove, sweat beaded on Liu Muxue's forehead.
She took off her wolfskin coat, revealing her curvaceous figure once more.
Then, she crouched back down by the stove to warm herself.
Liu Muxue's posture perfectly displayed her voluptuous figure.
Especially since Cao Xing was sitting on the bed at that moment, from that angle, he could see the graceful curves of her body perfectly.
Her chest was pressed together by her knees, appearing even fuller, a dazzling expanse of pale skin that confused the eyes.
Below her slender waist was a round, supple rear tightly wrapped in a black bodycon skirt.
Liu Muxue possessed a temperament that was mature yet carried a trace of youthful innocence. Just one glance made it difficult to look away.
At that moment, Liu Muxue seemed to notice that her stockings were torn.
Several delicate, adorable toes beneath her slender feet curled together.
She raised her head and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Um... A-Xing, my stockings seem to be torn..."
"Can I take them off, wash them, and put them away for now?"
Cao Xing froze for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. There's prepared water in those wooden buckets. You can just make a new wooden bucket yourself."
Liu Muxue nodded lightly. She seemed to want to say something, yet found it difficult to voice.
Then, she stood beside the bed, raised her long, slender leg, and gently removed her stockings.
It seemed to be her first time doing something like this in front of another man. Liu Muxue's cheeks turned so red they looked ready to drip, and she did not dare look into Cao Xing's eyes the entire time.
Cao Xing saw that after removing her stockings, Liu Muxue's upper thighs had a slight softness to them, while her calves were long and slender rather than the excessively thin stick-like type.
Truly perfect.
Cao Xing sighed inwardly.
Liu Muxue picked up the stockings.
Just as she was about to stand up, she suddenly noticed a few small mud stains on Cao Xing.
Blushing, Liu Muxue said, "A-Xing, your shirt seems to be dirty..."
Cao Xing lowered his head and took a look. There really was a patch of black mud on the white shirt he had been wearing before transmigrating.
After thinking about it, he figured it had probably gotten on him when he lay on the ground to use the Barrett.
Liu Muxue said instinctively, "How about you take it off, and I'll wash it for you?"
Then, she seemed to realize that there was something subtle about those words. Her face reddened even more, and she lowered her head.
Cao Xing froze for a moment, but he did not think much of it.
Before the tailoring shop was built, this was his only set of clothes.
So Cao Xing nodded. "Then I'll trouble you, sister-in-law."
Cao Xing naturally unbuttoned his shirt, baring his upper body and revealing his lean, muscular physique.
Seeing Cao Xing's body, Liu Muxue seemed a little surprised, and her beautiful eyes could not help stealing several extra glances.
"Here you go, sister-in-law."
"Mm..." Liu Muxue replied softly.
Shyly, she took the shirt from Cao Xing and brought it aside to wash.
"Splash..."
The sound of water rang out.
Liu Muxue quickly finished washing both the stockings and Cao Xing's shirt, then hung them beside the stove to dry.
Then, she carried a basin of steaming water over to Cao Xing.
"Um... A-Xing... I noticed that there's some mud on your chest too..."
"How about... I wipe you down?"
She had originally wanted to tell Cao Xing to wipe himself down, but for some reason, those words came out instead.
For a moment, Liu Muxue was so embarrassed that she wanted to disappear into the ground.
Cao Xing also felt that something about those words was off, but to avoid embarrassing Liu Muxue, he nodded and said, "I'll trouble you, sister-in-law..."
"It's... it's nothing..."
Liu Muxue replied shyly, as though relieved of a burden.
At that moment, Liu Muxue placed the basin beside Cao Xing, then crouched down slightly and dipped her hands into the water.
Then, with flushed cheeks, she reached out and gently rubbed Cao Xing's chest with both hands.
Her delicate palms, soaked in warm water, carried a slick, soft touch.
At such close range, Cao Xing's nose was constantly filled with Liu Muxue's unique body fragrance.
Liu Muxue's movements were very stiff. It was obvious that this was her first time doing something like this too.
The warm, moist sensation continuously brushed across his chest. Cao Xing could clearly feel that Liu Muxue's body temperature seemed to be rising.
A few minutes later, Liu Muxue said with flushed cheeks, "A-Xing... I'm done wiping you down..."
Cao Xing nodded blankly.
Liu Muxue carried the basin away again, her entire face crimson.
To calm the restlessness in his heart, Cao Xing put his wolfskin coat back on and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm heading out for a bit to trade for some supplies at the market."
"Mm..." Liu Muxue replied quietly.
Cao Xing stepped out of the Lord's Cabin again.
The freezing cold outside instantly swept over him.
"Phew... Calm down, calm down."
Cao Xing took a deep breath, and his mind gradually calmed.
Then, he came to the market.
"Next, it's time to sell off a batch of the bear meat I have."
Cao Xing knew that food like this had to be sold as early as possible.
A few days later, once everyone was no longer struggling for food, the bear meat in Cao Xing's hands would no longer fetch a high price.
So, Cao Xing opened the world channel.
Takooka Masako: "Sob... My husband was bitten to death by a snow wolf. Now it's just me and my two children. Is there any kindhearted person who can take our family in?"
Yan Xiaotao: "Madam from Japan, what are your coordinates? I'll come save you right away! I don't mean anything by it—I just can't stand seeing people suffer."
Alvarez: "Damn it! Why do these recruited Polar People need food too? My family barely has enough food for ourselves. Where am I supposed to get food to share with them?"
Abdul: "Oh God! I haven't fed these Polar People for an entire day. They aren't working anymore—they're just sitting outside the house, and the way they look at me is starting to feel more and more wrong!"
Salman Khan: "My territory seems to be near an ice river. It looks like the Ganges near my hometown..."
Compared to yesterday, more and more people had come to understand how this game worked.
They had all begun building Lord's Cabins and recruiting Polar People to work.
But these Polar People all needed food, so most survivors were struggling with food.
At the current stage, the market could only trade resources with survivors in one's own region.
Thus, Cao Xing opened the regional channel.
Yang Jiaqi: "Brothers, I went out exploring today. At coordinates 12743, 6507, 15231, I found a wilderness camp with a group of masked people inside."
Wang Ziheng: "Brother above, I advise you not to go there. Those people are Ice Plains Hunters, a bunch of lunatics. Two of my Polar People were killed by them."
Chen Qian: "Does anyone have food? In this snowy wasteland, I have no idea where to find any."
Shen Hongguang: "Yeah, how the hell are we supposed to get food in this place?"
Before you continue