Finding someone to help
We once again ventured into the Stone Beach River Valley in the middle of the Frost Forest.
A glance across the exposed, pristine rock bed reveals a significant increase in water levels compared to the last visit. The melting snow continues to carry water down the mountainside, creating puddles in the rock formations. Many previously suitable spots for quarrying are now covered by a shallow layer of water.
The water flows slowly along the natural patterns of the rocks, without any surging momentum, but simply spreading silently.
The water level swept over the rocks, and the marks left by the mountain torrents over the years were soaked in the water, making their outlines even clearer.
Lu Heng stepped onto several protruding rocks above the water, his shoes getting wet with a layer of cool water. He didn't linger there, his eyes scanning the surroundings, continuing to look for large, heavy rocks that could be used to reinforce the cave. He ignored the scattered pebbles on the ground, completely disregarding them.
He carefully avoided the spreading water and moved upstream in the valley, until he reached the foot of a cliff with its rock face completely exposed.
Lu Heng steadied himself, gripped the Bronze Hunting Blade with both hands, and wedged the blade into the gap between two rocks.
Keep your wrist steady and use your waist and back to slowly pry it open.
A dull cracking sound mingled with the sound of flowing water. The crack in the rock continued to widen, and a heavy rock broke off from the bedrock of the mountain and landed heavily on a rock platform that was above the water.
He repeated the same steps, peeling off one qualified piece of hard rock after another. After confirming that the Stone quality met the standards, he raised his hand and put it into the Storage Space of his Wristband.
While doing the work, I kept my ears open to any sounds coming from the surrounding forest, wary of any ferocious beasts hiding in the dense woods being attracted by the noise.
As time went by, the water level around the area continued to rise slowly.
The water, which had initially flowed only along the cracks in the rocks, had now spread to the vicinity of his feet, gradually covering many of the rocks that had been exposed.
Staying here to quarry will become increasingly dangerous, as there are fewer and fewer places where we can stand and work.
Lu Heng stopped what he was doing and ceased mining.
After taking stock of the Stone stored in the Wristband, it was found that the large pieces of hard rock needed for the current stage had been collected, and there was no need to risk lingering on the riverbank where the water level was continuing to rise.
Without further hesitation, he turned and left the Stone Beach River Valley, retracing his steps back to the Shelter.
The air in the forest was humid, and moisture permeated the vegetation. As we walked back to the cave, the soil under our feet gradually became damp.
Lu Heng stopped at the entrance of the stone cave.
He crouched down and used his Bronze Hunting Blade to scrape away the surface soil. The ground at the doorway was noticeably damp, the soil saturated with moisture, and felt wet and sticky to the touch.
He knew that the next step was to address the drainage issue.
It would be difficult to do this well by figuring it out on his own. He didn't know how to modify the terrain or dig diversion channels. Starting construction rashly could easily damage the terrain and have the opposite effect.
Lu Heng leaned against the stone wall of the cave, remained silent for a moment, and then raised his left hand.
A pale blue glow emanated from the surface of the Wristband, and the screen floated in front of the wrist.
He opened the survivors' public chat channel, swiped his finger across the screen, and scrolled through the channel's past chat history.
He recalled that many survivors had previously shared their experiences on Shelter renovation and foundation reinforcement in the channel, including some who specialized in infrastructure renovation.
After searching for a while, Lu Heng identified an account Lin Chuan.
The profile states that he used to work in civil engineering, and many survivors consulted him about Shelter construction, with generally positive feedback.
Lu Heng opened the private chat window directly and quickly typed and sent the message.
I need to modify the drainage system at the entrance of my Shelter; the stagnant water is flooding the foundation. Can you provide a complete drainage plan? The reward is five pounds of animal meat.
A few seconds later, a reply popped up on the other end, its tone pragmatic and concise, without any unnecessary words.
[Sure, I specialize in drainage and flood prevention. What's the terrain like where you are? Is it flat or sloping? Is the water seeping into the soil or flowing away?]
Lu Heng didn't dawdle; he only took three distant photos: the outside of the cave entrance, the open space in front of it, and the surrounding mountains. He avoided the internal structure of the cave entrance throughout the process and sent the photos after confirming it was safe to do so.
[The cave is located against a mountain, in a slightly low-lying area in front, where snowmelt seeps in severely, and there is a risk of flash floods. Requirements: one-time fixation, long-term effectiveness, and complete prevention of water seepage.]
Lin Chuan quickly glanced at the photos and gave a very professional reply.
[I understand the terrain; it's a typical low-lying area near a mountain where water accumulates, so it's not difficult to handle. I just need to calculate the slope of the drainage channel, the direction of the diversion, and the point where the water will settle.]
[I'll provide you with a complete set of construction drawings, trench dimensions, and drainage layout before dark today. The finished product will withstand a full season of snowmelt and flash floods without silting up.]
Lu Heng finalized the deal and confirmed it concisely.
[No problem. Once the plan is finalized and I've verified it's usable, I'll settle the payment for the five pounds of meat immediately.]
Okay, I'll send it to you on time tonight.
With those two sentences settled, the paid assistance request was officially finalized.
The entire transaction process was clean, pragmatic, and precise, with no unnecessary chatter. It was a highly efficient mutual aid transaction model among post-apocalyptic survivors.
Lu Heng closed the private chat interface, and the blue light on his Wristband slowly dimmed.
Professional tasks should ultimately be left to professionals. If you don't understand infrastructure, blindly digging will only waste your efforts and may even damage the original terrain, creating greater risks of water accumulation.
Sufficient Stone has been stockpiled. We are just waiting to receive the complete drainage plan tonight so that we can simultaneously start the reinforcement and diversion projects, completely eliminating the fatal threat of flash floods.
Since the drainage plan won't be available until tonight, it's better to prepare the construction materials in advance than to wait idly.
He turned and went into the cave, pulling out Iron Axe that had been lying dormant for a long time from a corner. The axe was heavy, and the blade was still sharp enough to cut down ordinary trees in the forest.
Pushing aside the stone slabs obscuring the cave entrance, Lu Heng stepped into the surrounding woodland.
The surrounding forest was humid, with melting snow dripping from the branches, wetting the lower layers of dead branches Withered Branch leaves. The ground was muddy and soft, and every step felt heavy and slippery.
He selected straight, moderately thick miscellaneous trees in the surrounding area. He didn't need towering giants, just regular poles, which would be used to later connect with trenches, fences, and auxiliary drainage structures.
The Iron Axe rose and fell steadily, the chopping sound echoing rhythmically through the quiet forest.
The crisp cracking sounds of dry and wet wood breaking alternated as logs were neatly felled one by one. Lu Heng casually trimmed the branches and removed the remaining tips, leaving only the clean and tidy trunks.
He proceeded steadily, continuing to cut timber and prepare materials.
With flash floods imminent, everything —Stone, timber, and drainage solutions—must be in place in advance.
Once it's completely dark and Lin Chuan sends the drainage construction drawings, he can start work immediately, completing the reinforcement of the Shelter and the drainage at the entrance in one go, eliminating any future problems.