Chapter 32: Expansion-No apocalipse, estoques bilionários de suprimentos e domínio total da construção em terras devastadas!(A lua segue o barco que navega.)

Jiang Qiyu rubbed her cheek, which had just been ambushed by Qiuqiu, and offered a helpless smile. This little one was becoming more and more lawless.

She set Qiuqiu down and opened the system interface to check the current quest progress: Stone (0/1000), Wood (0/1000), Timber (0/100), Villagers (33/100), Basic Warehouse (1/1).

Previously, she hadn't been in a rush; the villa area and the shopping mall were ready-made resource points. But as zombies invaded the villa area, the base had become increasingly crowded. The original villas could no longer accommodate the growing farming and cultivation teams, not to mention the massive stockpiles of supplies.

Expanding the territory was imperative.

Jiang Qiyu carefully planned the layout for the expansion.

First, the livestock area needed to expand. The original chicken and duck enclosures were already somewhat cramped, and with more chicks and ducklings hatching, a larger space was required to ensure their healthy growth. She planned to clear a new area behind the villas to build a larger farm that could accommodate more poultry and even consider raising livestock like pigs and sheep. Next to the farm, a dedicated feed processing workshop would be needed to handle and store feed, thereby increasing farming efficiency.

The cultivation area also required further expansion. While the existing fields met current needs, the growing population of the base would lead to an increasing demand for food.

She intended to cultivate the vacant lots around the villas to grow more vegetables and fruits, ensuring the base's food supply. At the same time, she needed to build a greenhouse to grow crops with higher temperature requirements, such as strawberries and watermelons, to enrich the residents' diet.

The issue of resident housing also needed to be addressed as soon as possible.

The original villas were overflowing, and more rooms were needed to accommodate new residents. She planned to incorporate the adjacent villas into the territory and convert them into dormitories.

Each villa could house about ten people, which would solve part of the housing problem. Additionally, she aimed to build a public canteen in the center of the villa area to facilitate dining and foster interaction among the residents.

The previously conceived moat also needed to be put on the agenda.

A moat, two meters deep and three meters wide, would be dug along the perimeter of the villa area to serve as the base's first line of defense. Outside the moat, a perimeter of high walls and watchtowers would be constructed to strengthen the base's defensive capabilities. Specialized personnel would be assigned to the watchtowers to monitor the surroundings at all times and sound the alarm immediately if any abnormalities were detected.

To annex other villas, Jiang Qiyu planned to proceed in stages. First, she would select villas closer to the base with fewer zombies to clear and renovate. After clearing the zombies, the villas would be reinforced and repaired to ensure safety. Then, these villas would be incorporated into the territory and allocated for residential use or other purposes.

The construction of a defensive zone was also crucial. Traps and obstacles needed to be set up around the perimeter of the base to block zombie incursions.

At the same time, she could train a specialized combat squad responsible for the base's security. This squad would need to be equipped with high-quality weaponry and undergo regular training to improve their combat effectiveness.

The villa area was well-landscaped with lush trees, and with the unfinished stadium nearby, there was no shortage of stone and wood—the problem was transportation. Moving these bulky materials was time-consuming and labor-intensive, and since many zombies were still roaming the area, guards would be required during transport.

Jiang Qiyu’s gaze fell on the list of confiscated supplies; she recalled that there were several cargo trucks among them.

Right, and that large ship! She had only managed to empty four containers before; the rest of the supplies were still waiting for her on board.

Thinking of this, Jiang Qiyu immediately got up to find Shi Chao. "Shi Chao, how is your ability training coming along?"

Shi Chao took a deep breath, as if gathering strength, and his body underwent a strange transformation. His formerly healthy skin gradually lost its color, turning gray and pale like paper, as if all vitality had vanished. Simultaneously, his firm muscles began to wither, and his powerful physique became gaunt and thin. His eyes lost their luster, becoming hollow and lifeless, just like a walking corpse. Even the frequency of his breathing became slow and heavy, identical to the zombies wandering the villa area.

The survivors nearby were stunned by this scene, and one timid girl even screamed in terror, "Oh my god! He’s turned into a zombie!"

Shi Chao reverted to his human form and smiled at the girl. "Don't be afraid, it's me."

The girl’s face was pale, still shaken; she patted her chest with trembling hands, as if trying to calm her racing heart. "That... that was amazing!" she stammered in admiration, having never imagined that anyone could imitate a zombie so realistically.

"It was... it was too real," another girl added, clutching her companion’s arm tightly, her face deathly pale as if she were about to faint. "Really, it was exactly like one! Oh, I really thought you had turned into a zombie for a second there, you scared me to death!" She patted her chest, her voice laced with a hint of a sob, clearly still reeling from the shock.

Li Dalin walked out from a corner, holding a gun. Seeing Shi Chao return to normal, he let out a long breath and lowered his weapon. Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, he said with lingering fear, "You scared the hell out of me; I really thought you'd turned! That camouflage—it's a shame you aren't in the movie business. By the way, now that you've perfected this ability, what are you planning to do with it?"

Jiang Qiyu nodded with satisfaction. "Good, it seems you haven't been slacking off. Come with me; we’re heading to the docks."

"Going there and back will take a lot of time, and we don't know the situation at the docks right now. What if we run into a large horde of zombies..." Zhang Qiang said with concern.

Lu Yao, who had been squatting on the ground playing with Qiuqiu using a cat teaser, immediately tossed the toy aside upon hearing that Jiang Qiyu was taking Shi Chao out. Ignoring the cat, he scrambled to his feet.

He rushed over to Jiang Qiyu in a flash and clung tightly to her arm, terrified that she might leave him behind.

His large, watery eyes were filled with anticipation, his long lashes fluttering as he looked at her like a pathetic little puppy, fearful of being abandoned by its master.

"I want to go too."

Jiang Qiyu’s gaze was as cold as frost as she stared at Lu Yao. Far from being intimidated by her sharp glare, Lu Yao put on an even more dramatic performance, his eyes reddening slightly with crystal-clear tears welling up, looking as if he were on the verge of weeping.