Small in volume, light in weight, easy to store, and high in calories, white sugar could provide the human body with a great deal of energy. Under the current circumstances, it could serve an enormous purpose.
And its uses did not end there. It could increase the explosive power of gunpowder and improve the adhesion of incendiary bombs. There were many more ways it could prove useful.
For the same volume of supplies, white sugar was clearly far more effective.
"Everyone! Put your backs into it! The faster we move now, the better our chances of survival! This isn't for anyone else—it's for yourselves!"
Supplies soon piled high on their shoulders. Oran himself carried a large amount as well, and his exoskeleton had already begun operating at full capacity. That was when Oran noticed something unusual.
He seemed to be much stronger than he had been before coming to this sea. Oran planned to give himself a thorough physical examination once they got out of here, to determine his current condition.
Oran led them toward the gathering point he had discussed with Ivankov. It was a depression within a canyon that Ivankov and Ginny had spotted before finding Oran's ship, suitable as a temporary meeting place.
There were now some local residents of God Valley among the group. They knew the terrain better than Ivankov and Oran did, and they had even found a small path through the canyon.
Whether they were sturdy adults or the elderly and weak, everyone carried bundles of varying sizes. In a situation like this, everyone had to contribute. The only difference was how much they could do.
"Brother Oran, there's a cave about two hundred meters that way. The entrance looks narrow, but it's quite spacious inside and can hide a lot of people. There's even a spring inside!"
As they were nearing the gathering point, a child who looked no older than ten suddenly pointed toward a patch of bushes.
"A spring? How large is it?"
"Um... My friends and I sometimes bathe there. There are even live fish inside."
The boy spread his arms wide to demonstrate to Oran. The spring seemed to cover quite a large area.
"Late! Didn't I tell you not to play in the canyon? You... forget it..."
A woman beside him wanted to scold him, but under these circumstances, she simply was not in the mood. She had been doing housework as usual when God Valley had suddenly suffered this upheaval.
Although she had escaped with her child, her husband was a member of the Kingdom Army, and his whereabouts were now unknown. The cruel reality and bleak future had placed immense pressure on her.
"It's all right, ma'am. Save your strength. Your son has just solved a major problem for us."
Besides food, water was also an issue. Although God Valley had abundant rivers, the Celestial Dragons knew that as well.
Humans needed water to live, so the Celestial Dragons would certainly hunt their prey along water sources.
Since there were fish in the spring, it was likely connected to the outside through underground waterways, ensuring an ample supply of water. A hidden water source like that could not have been better.
"Late, aside from you, how many people know about that place? And have any of you adults ever heard of it before?"
Based on Late's description, it was a good hiding place. If others knew about it too, they might bring more people there, which meant a greater risk of exposure.
"Only a few of my friends know. We never saw anyone else there. It was our secret base. I just don't know how they are now..."
"No. I've lived here for most of my life, and I've never heard of any cave in the canyon."
The local residents answered one after another. According to Late, he had found the place while playing exploration games. Yet none of the older generation knew about it. It seemed the cave had only formed in recent years due to geological activity.
Oran first brought everyone to the agreed-upon gathering point, then went to inspect the cave and incorporated it into the gathering area as well.
"Take the time to rest and recover your strength. We'll have to make several more trips later. You few shouldn't come along this time. Gather dry branches and other kindling around here instead—we'll need them later. If anyone knows the terrain around here, draw me a map. The more detailed, the better."
Along the way, Oran had gained a general understanding of their physical capabilities. Even if the weaker ones worked themselves to the bone, they would not be able to carry much. Fortunately, there were still many other places where manpower was needed.
"Besides that, you need to dig holes nearby. First, dig a large pit like this, then a smaller one on the other side. Connect them from the bottom, then dig three trenches like this and add coverings over them..."
There were still tools in the granary, such as pry bars and shovels. Using them, Oran demonstrated how to build a light-concealing, smoke-dispersing stove—a smokeless stove.
This would greatly conceal the firelight and cooking smoke, further improving their concealment.
Before long, Oran received a message from Ivankov. They had found the shipyard workers and were bringing them to the gathering point. At that moment, Bear approached him as well.
"What is it, Bear? Is there a problem?"
"Nothing. I've already rested enough. I just wanted to know what our next step is."
Bear spoke softly as he looked at Oran, who was studying the map.
"Dismantle some things, then set up equipment in these locations to hide this entire area."
What Oran intended to dismantle was none other than his own ship. According to the plan, once the Flying Gate was completed, ships could be transported as well. But the larger the object, the longer the transportation would take.
The ship was certainly valuable, but for Oran, as long as he had enough materials, he could build another one with some time.
In the end, Oran decided to use the limited transport capacity to send living people away, while the ship that had brought him here would make its final contribution in this place.
For example, it could be converted into a massive self-destruct device. The holographic projection system aboard could also be modified to cover a larger area from several directions by lowering the image quality, provided they solved the energy problem first.
Oran briefly explained it to Bear. After all, once the craftsmen from Ivankov's side were brought back, he would have to explain it again.
Bear did not press further and instead pointed to the other side.
"Oran, that person you told me to keep an eye on hasn't responded to me at all. She won't speak, and she won't even eat. You should go take a look yourself. So far, she's only responded to a few words from you."
"I understand. Sit a while longer. Before the Celestial Dragons' so-called game begins, we need to make as many preparations as possible."
Oran stood and walked to one side. A somewhat slight figure sat atop a rock, her eyes full of vigilance. When she sensed someone approaching, every hair on her body practically stood on end.
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