Chapter 43: Failure Before It Even Begins-No apocalipse, estoques bilionários de suprimentos e domínio total da construção em terras devastadas!(A lua segue o barco que navega.)

Jiang Qiyue stood by the window of the lord's mansion, holding a cup of warm water, her gaze drifting through the glass toward the base's courtyard. The lingering rays of the setting sun spilled over the grounds, where busy residents were carrying out their respective tasks methodically in accordance with her instructions. Although the base was still modest in scale, it had already begun to take on a preliminary sense of order.

She withdrew her gaze, and the system's prompt echoed in her mind. The recently completed upgrade quest had brought her a brief wave of relief, but the challenges ahead remained formidable. She opened the territory information panel of the system to closely examine the current status.

[Territory Information]
- Level: Tribe (Novice)
- Prosperity: 20
- Prestige: 0
- Defense: 1500
- Lord's Mansion: Level 1
- Villagers: 33/10
- Special Talents: 2
- Buildings: Novice Warehouse * 1

[System Prompt: Base zoning construction has been unlocked. Please complete the following side quests to raise the territory level:]
1. Novice Animal Husbandry: Shed (1/1), Livestock (25/20), Eggs (10/100)
2. Novice Agriculture: Farmland (1/1), Crops (50/50)
3. Novice Base Zoning: Residential Area, Dining Area
4. Lord's Mansion Level Upgrade

Jiang Qiyue's gaze swept over the quest list, and a preliminary plan already formed in her mind.

The expansion of the base involved much more than merely increasing the population; it required rational zoning and resource allocation as well.

Although the Dawn Base of her past life had been massive in scale, its internal management had been chaotic and its resource distribution uneven, ultimately leading to internal collapse. She must never allow the Weimo Base to repeat that same tragic mistake.

"Residential area, dining area, agricultural area, livestock area..." she muttered softly, quickly sketching out a future blueprint for the base in her mind. The villa had limited space, so they needed to expand outward as soon as possible, occupying the surrounding vacant villas and land. She decided to start with animal husbandry and agriculture to secure the base's food supply.

Just as she was immersed in planning for the future, the system's prompt sounded once again.

[An unstable factor has been detected within the base. Please exercise caution, Lord.]

Jiang Qiyue frowned, a trace of vigilance rising in her heart. She recalled the producer who had just been expelled, along with those who had secretly chimed in to support him.

Though the base's residents obeyed her management on the surface, internal dissatisfaction and friction still existed. She had to establish a comprehensive management system as soon as possible to ensure the stability of the base.

She turned and walked toward the bathroom, preparing to wash away the fatigue of the day. The warm water cascaded over her body, helping to slightly relax her tightly wound nerves. Even so, her mind was still turning over the future of the base.

---

Meanwhile, in a dark corner of the base, two figures were conversing in low whispers. They kept their voices extremely subdued, as if terrified of being overheard by anyone, yet the malice and hatred in their tones were completely unmasked.

"That woman is too arrogant, actually daring to kick the producer out!" Qian Duoduo said through gritted teeth, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes were filled with venom, as if Jiang Qiyue were his mortal enemy.

"Don't rush; she won't be proud for much longer," the producer replied coldly, a sinister smile hooking the corner of his lips. His gaze was as chilling as a venomous snake while he toyed with a sharp dagger in his hand, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim light. "I've already contacted the others. We'll make our move tonight. Who does she think she is? Just a woman, what gives her the right to ride roughshod over us?"

"Are you certain there won't be any issues?" Qian Duoduo hesitated slightly, though excitement dominated his expression. A trace of greed flickered in his eyes. "Once we take care of her, the base will be ours. By then, those supplies, weapons, and that system will all belong to us!"

"Of course there won't be any issues," the producer sneered, spinning the dagger around in his hand. "I've already arranged it. Outsiders will launch an attack at midnight to draw her attention. And as for us..." He paused, a fierce ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, "we'll strike directly from the inside, taking care of her amidst the chaos. Once she dies, the base will plunge into disorder, and then we can step forward and take over everything."

A ferocious smile spread across Qian Duoduo's face. "Good! Let's do it! That woman thinks she's so impressive, but she's just trash relying on a system to throw her weight around. Tonight, we'll let her know who the true master is!"

Every word of their conversation was taken in by a pair of eyes hidden in the dark. Lu Yao stood silently in the shadows, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes. He had sensed something was amiss with these two individuals long ago and had been monitoring them in secret. Upon hearing their plot, his fists tightened slightly, his knuckles making a faint cracking sound.

"Courting death," he muttered softly, his figure flashing before vanishing into the darkness.

---

Deep into the night, most of the base's residents had already fallen asleep. The producer and Qian Duoduo crept stealthily beneath the windows of Jiang Qiyue's room, daggers gripped in their hands, their eyes brimming with murderous intent. They looked up at the lit window on the second floor, cold smirks playing at the corners of their mouths.

"Jiang Qiyue, tonight is your death day," the producer whispered, his tone filled with triumph and cruelty.

"Move quickly, before she notices," Qian Duoduo urged, a gleam of excitement flashing in his eyes.

Just as the two of them prepared to climb up to the window, they suddenly felt a chill at the back of their necks. They whipped around abruptly, only to lock eyes with a pair of icy glares.

"Are you... looking for me?" Lu Yao's voice was low and freezing, as though it had traveled straight from the underworld.

The producer and Qian Duoduo froze instantly, their daggers nearly slipping from their hands. They had never expected Lu Yao to appear here out of nowhere.

"Why... why are you here?" Qian Duoduo stammered, a shred of terror lacing his voice.

Lu Yao did not answer. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, fixed unblinkingly upon the two men. His silhouette appeared exceptionally slender under the moonlight, resembling a cheetah poised to pounce.

"You shouldn't have targeted her." Lu Yao's voice was cold and steady, yet it carried an intangible sense of oppression.

The producer gritted his teeth, a fierce ruthlessness crossing his eyes. "Kid, don't meddle in other people's business! Otherwise, we'll take care of you along with her!"

The corners of Lu Yao's mouth curved upward into a cold smirk. "Let's see you try."

Before his voice had even faded, his figure surged forward like a phantom. Before the producer could react, the dagger in his hand was kicked flying by Lu Yao. Immediately following that, a heavy blow struck his chest, sending his entire body flying like a snapped kite before he crashed heavily against the wall.

Seeing this, Qian Duoduo was scared out of his wits and spun around to flee. However, before he could take a single step, Lu Yao materialized right in front of him, a hand clamping around his throat like a pair of iron pliers.

"You... you can't kill me!" Qian Duoduo struggled, his voice choked with terror. "I... I am an important member of this base!"

Lu Yao looked at him coldly, devoid of any emotion. "Important members? You lot are nothing more than trash."

He applied a slight pressure with his hand, and Qian Duoduo's face instantly turned purplish-blue as his struggles grew increasingly feeble. A few seconds later, his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground, breathing his last.

Lu Yao released his grip and cast a cold glance at the two corpses on the ground. He bent down, hoisted the bodies onto his shoulders, and walked silently toward the base's perimeter wall, tossing the corpses over the side.

"Trash belongs where trash should be," he murmured softly, then turned and vanished into the night.

---

Jiang Qiyue remained completely oblivious to all of this. After showering, she sat on the edge of her bed, holding an agricultural book she had brought back from the commercial district, carefully studying crop-planting techniques. She knew the base's future depended on agricultural development, and the food issue had to be resolved as soon as possible.

Just then, the system's prompt sounded once again.

[The internal instability factors within the base have been detected as eliminated. The Lord may proceed with construction with peace of mind.]

Jiang Qiyue paused in surprise, though she didn't dwell on it too much.

Given the base's current circumstances, a bit of internal turbulence was to be expected.

"Let's begin the zoning construction tomorrow," she whispered, closing the book and lying down on the bed.

The night was deep and tranquil, and the base's courtyard was wrapped in stillness. Only the sound of distant waves gently lapping against the shore remained, playing a lullaby for this newly born base.