The next morning, before dawn even broke, the base was already bustling with the sound of footsteps and clinking tools—busier than the early-morning meetings at Lucas's old company. After resting the day before, the survivors were full of energy, their eyes burning with determination. Finally, they had a camp to call their own, plenty of weapons and supplies, no more living in fear and hunger every single day.
Lucas woke up early, quickly tending to his wounds, then grabbed his blueprint and headed to the base yard. He stood in the center, looking at the survivors in front of him, cleared his throat, and shouted loudly. "Brothers, sisters—starting today, we're going to repair and expand our base! I've got a detailed construction plan. Now, I'll assign tasks. I hope everyone takes this seriously—no slacking, no lazing around. This is our home, after all. If we don't work hard, who will?"
Everyone stopped what they were doing, turning to Lucas, their eyes filled with anticipation and trust. After what happened yesterday, they'd fully accepted this seemingly thin but incredibly capable young man. Some even whispered privately that Lucas was their "savior"—way more reliable than those so-called "envoys" from the Holy Church.
"Captain Marco, you and the combat team will be in charge of reinforcing the stone walls and building the arrow towers." Lucas held up the blueprint, walking to Marco and pointing to the walls and towers on the map. "According to the design, we'll add steel plates to the stone walls to reinforce them, then build one arrow tower at each of the four corners. Each tower will have a rifle and plenty of ammo. Also, we'll dig a trench around the walls and set traps—spiked traps, tripwire traps. Simple, but they'll work against mutants and raiders, no doubt."
"No problem!" Marco patted his chest, confident. "I'll get it done! I'll lead the combat team to make the stone walls sturdier than my muscles, and the arrow towers taller than me. Any mutant or raider who comes here won't make it out alive!"
Lucas smiled, moving on to assign more tasks. "Sophia, you and the logistics team will repair the barracks and clear farmland. We need to fix those run-down barracks—replace the doors and windows, clean out the clutter—so everyone has a comfortable place to live. No more sleeping on the ground like stray cats. Also, we'll clear a patch of farmland at the back of the base, plant radiation-resistant crops like potatoes and corn. That way, we can be self-sufficient in food—no more stealing or scavenging, no more choking down protein bars till we puke."
"Got it!" Sophia nodded, a soft smile on her face. "I'll lead the logistics team to clean the barracks spotless, till the farmland neat and tidy. We'll grow food as soon as possible, so everyone can eat hot meals—no more those terrible protein bars."
"The rest of you, come with me. We'll oversee the entire infrastructure project, and fix any problems that come up during construction." Lucas said. "We're short on time—no one slacks. If anyone dares to laze around, they'll be stuck eating protein bars for three days, no hot food. Trust me, you won't want that."
Everyone laughed, the mood lightening up. "Don't worry, Lucas—no slacking!" A young survivor shouted. "For our home, we'll fight till the end!"
"Yeah! Let's do this!" The others echoed, their voices loud enough to echo across the base.
Once tasks were assigned, everyone got to work, and the base became a hive of activity. Marco led the combat team to the stone walls, tools in hand, starting to reinforce them. They used scrap steel and stones from the base, piling them onto the walls one by one, moving quickly and full of energy. "C'mon, brothers—put your backs into it!" Marco shouted as he worked. "We'll make these walls impenetrable. No mutant or raider gets through that gate!"
Sophia led the logistics team to the barracks, starting repairs. They cleaned out the clutter and dust, patched the cracks in the walls with scrap wood and bricks, replaced the doors and windows, and spread hay on the floors—making the barracks clean and cozy. "C'mon, sisters—just a little more!" Sophia said as she worked. "We'll make sure everyone sleeps well at night, no more fear."
Lucas moved between the construction sites, checking progress and fixing problems. He went to the stone walls, guiding the combat team on how to reinforce them and build the arrow towers; then to the barracks, checking the logistics team's work and offering suggestions; then to the back of the base, planning the farmland and showing everyone how to till the soil and plant seeds.
"Lucas, get over here! The arrow tower support won't stay steady. If we keep going, it'll collapse!" Marco shouted to Lucas, panic in his voice. They'd built half the tower, but the support kept wobbling—no matter how they adjusted it, it shook like a leaf in the wind.
Lucas hurried over, checking the support carefully, a smile tugging at his lips. "Captain Marco, you're building it wrong—like trying to build a house with chopsticks. Of course it's wobbly." He squatted down, picked up a piece of wood, and pointed to the joint. "See? The connection isn't secured, and the angle of the support is off. It should be triangular—triangles are stable. Basic engineering, like how you have to stand firm to not get knocked down in a fight."
Marco scratched his head, embarrassed. "Oh, right. I thought we just piled the wood together. Didn't know there was so much to it."
"Don't worry—I'll show you." Lucas smiled, picking up his tools and guiding the combat team to adjust the support angle and secure the joints. "See? Now it's steady—even a strong wind won't knock it down. From now on, use your head, not just brute force. Otherwise, you'll end up working twice as hard for half the result—like that bastard Brian, who only knew how to micromanage and mess up projects."
Everyone nodded, rebuilding the arrow tower according to Lucas's instructions. Sure enough, the adjusted support was rock-solid, no more wobbling. "Lucas, you're a genius!" Marco couldn't help saying. "Without you, we'd still be struggling with this tower. You're better than those so-called 'experts'."
"It's nothing—just a little engineering knowledge." Lucas smiled, keeping a low profile. To pretend to be weak and catch others off guard, you had to act the part—no showing off. Otherwise, you'd attract trouble. The three superpowers were already watching, and Brian Cole, the other time-traveler, was probably lurking somewhere, keeping an eye on him.
At noon, everyone stopped working to rest, eating protein bars and drinking water. Even though it was still protein bars, everyone ate happily—they knew, with hard work, they'd soon be eating their own grown food, living a stable life.
"Lucas, you're amazing. Not just infrastructure—you're full of wisdom too." Sophia sat beside him, handing him a bottle of water, admiration in her eyes. "All the men I've met before were either just good at fighting or lazy. Someone as capable and smart as you? First time."
Lucas took the water, smiling. "It's nothing—Brian forced it out of me. He PUA'd me every day, made me do all kinds of work, called me useless. After a while, I got into the habit of learning and thinking more. Otherwise, he would've fired me long ago."
"That Brian is such a jerk!" Sophia frowned, angry. "How dare he treat you like that? If I ever meet him, I'll stab him in the butt with my spear—teach him a lesson for bullying people!"
Lucas laughed. "Thanks, Sophia. But no need. One day, I'll teach him a lesson myself. I'll make him regret looking down on me, pushing me around—it'll be the biggest mistake of his life." His eyes turned firm, the fire of revenge flaring up again in his heart.
After resting, everyone got back to work. With Lucas's guidance and leadership, the base's repair and expansion went smoothly. In just one week, they finished reinforcing the stone walls, building the arrow towers, repairing the barracks, clearing the farmland, and setting traps and warning devices around the base.
The base was now unrecognizable from before. The reinforced stone walls were tall and solid, lined with steel plates; the four arrow towers stood tall like loyal guards, protecting the base. The repaired barracks were clean and cozy, with hay on the floors and new doors and windows—no longer the run-down, drafty mess they'd been. The tilled farmland was neat, planted with radiation-resistant potatoes and corn, a patch of green full of life. The traps and warning devices around the base were dense—any mutant or raider who got close would trigger a trap and get beaten to a pulp.
"Now, our base has basic defensive capabilities and self-sufficiency." Lucas stood at the top of the base, looking at the transformed camp, a sense of accomplishment flooding his heart. "Next, we need to set up a sound management system, clarify everyone's responsibilities, improve efficiency, and avoid chaos and infighting. In this wasteland, unity is everything. If we fight among ourselves, we'll just give others a chance—like those stupid raiders, who only fight each other and end up destroyed."
Marco nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. "I agree. We can set up a management committee to handle daily operations and decisions. You're the base's hero, the most capable person. I nominate you as the committee's chairman, leading us to develop the base."
"No, I can't be chairman." Lucas shook his head, deliberately declining. He didn't want to stand out yet—he wanted to develop in secret, pretend to be weak. When he was strong enough, he'd step up and take charge. "Captain Marco, you're the公认 leader—experienced and respected. You should be chairman. I can be vice-chairman, in charge of infrastructure and production, helping you manage the base."
Marco hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, I'll be chairman. But remember—you're the heart of this base. Without you, we'd never be where we are today. From now on, the base's infrastructure and production are in your hands."
"Don't worry—I won't let you down, or let everyone down." Lucas nodded. "We'll work together to make the base stronger, so every survivor can live a stable life here."
Just then, a blue light flashed, and the system panel popped up again: [Detected Host Establishing Management System. Reward: 50 Survival Points] [Survival Points: 110/100] [Unlocked Intermediate Infrastructure Knowledge Pack: Water System Upgrade, Weapon Improvement, Power System Construction]
"Yes!" Lucas grinned, almost jumping for joy. "With the intermediate infrastructure pack, we can upgrade the base's facilities, make it stronger. No more fearing mutants or raiders!"
He immediately told Marco and Sophia about the intermediate pack. When they heard they could upgrade the water system, improve weapons, and build a power system, their faces lit up with excitement, almost cheering.
"Let's upgrade the water system first!" Marco exclaimed. "The base's water supply is limited, and the water is impure—full of impurities. Drinking too much makes people sick. If we upgrade the water system, we'll have more clean water—enough for drinking, and for irrigating the farmland to boost crop yields."
"Yes! Water system first!" Sophia agreed. "Last time I drank the base's water, I had diarrhea all day—almost killed me. With clean water, we'll get sick less, work more, and build the base stronger faster."
Lucas nodded. "Alright, I'll make a water system upgrade plan right now. We can build a reservoir on the mountain near the base to collect rainwater, then use pipes to bring it to the base. We'll install filtration equipment to remove impurities and radiation, making the water safe to drink. That way, we'll have plenty of clean water for drinking and irrigating the farmland—two birds with one stone."
"That's a great idea!" Marco said excitedly. "Lucas, you're a genius for thinking of this. Without you, we'd never have clean water."
Lucas smiled. "It's nothing—just a little water engineering knowledge. As long as we work together, we'll finish this project and get plenty of clean water."
Over the next few days, Lucas worked on the water system upgrade plan. Using the intermediate infrastructure knowledge from the system and the base's actual conditions, he designed a complete plan—building a reservoir, laying pipes, installing filtration equipment—expected to take a month to finish.
"We start building the reservoir tomorrow." Lucas said to Marco and Sophia. "Captain Marco, you and the combat team will build the reservoir and lay the pipes. Be careful—the mountain terrain is complicated, easy to have accidents. Sophia, you and the logistics team will handle supply procurement and transportation, making sure we have all the materials we need on time. I'll oversee the entire project and fix any problems that come up."
"No problem!" Marco and Sophia said in unison, their eyes burning with determination.
The next morning, the water system upgrade project officially started. Lucas led the survivors to the mountain near the base, starting to build the reservoir. They used scrap steel and cement from the base, piling up the dam one piece at a time. It was hard work—everyone was covered in sweat, blisters on their hands—but no one complained, still full of energy.
During the reservoir construction, Lucas faced some difficulties. The location and design had to consider terrain, geology, and hydrology. One wrong move could cause the dam to collapse—wasting all their work and even causing casualties. But with his engineering knowledge and the system's help, he solved every problem, ensuring the dam's safety and stability.
"Lucas, get over here! The dam is loose—it's going to collapse!" Marco shouted to Lucas, panic in his voice. They'd built half the dam, but the part near the foot of the mountain was loose, dirt sliding down—looking extremely dangerous.
Lucas hurried over, checking the dam carefully, a plan forming in his mind. "Don't worry—it's not a big problem." He said to Marco. "The foundation isn't solid enough, and the soil is too wet, making the dam loose. We just need to lay a layer of steel at the bottom of the dam, then fill it with dry stones to reinforce the foundation. It's like walking—you can only walk steady if you stand firm."
Everyone followed Lucas's instructions, laying steel at the bottom of the dam and filling it with dry stones to reinforce the foundation. Sure enough, after a while, the dam became solid, no more sliding dirt.
"Lucas, you're incredible!" Marco looked at the solid dam, admiration in his eyes. "No matter what problem we face, you can fix it. You're our savior. With you here, our base will keep getting stronger, and we'll survive in this wasteland."
Lucas smiled. "It's nothing—I just got lucky, knowing how to fix these things. As long as we work together, there's no problem we can't solve, no challenge we can't overcome."
With Lucas's leadership, the water system upgrade went smoothly. In just half a month, they finished building the reservoir, laying the pipes, and installing the filtration equipment. When the first stream of clean water flowed through the pipes into the base, all the survivors cheered, excitement on their faces.
"Yes! We finally have clean water to drink!" Sophia picked up a glass of water, took a sip, a satisfied smile on her face. "It's so sweet—sweeter than any water I've ever drunk!"
"Yeah! No more getting sick from bad water!" A young survivor exclaimed. "Now we can farm and work in peace, no more worrying about water!"
Lucas watched, a sense of accomplishment filling his heart. He knew this was just the beginning. Next, they'd improve weapons, build a power system, expand the base, recruit more survivors, and build a truly powerful force—standing firm in the wasteland, even rising to the top of the world.
"Now, our base has strong defensive capabilities, self-sufficiency, and a sound management system." Lucas stood at the top of the base, looking at the transformed camp, shouting to all the survivors. "Next, we'll expand the base, recruit more survivors, build friendly relations with nearby survivor camps, and trade supplies and cooperate. We'll take this base as our center, gradually expand our influence, bring nearby survivor camps under our wing, and build a truly powerful wasteland empire!"
"Yes! Build a wasteland empire!" All the survivors raised their weapons, shouting loudly. Their voices echoed across the valley, full of determination and hope.
Just then, the sound of horse hooves came from the distance, getting closer—like a large group was approaching the base. Lucas, Marco, and the others tensed up immediately, gripping their weapons, their faces turning serious. They didn't know if the newcomers were friends or foes—all they could do was stand their ground, ready to fight.
Soon, a group of horsemen came into view. They wore black armor, held sharp weapons, and had fierce looks on their faces—looking like raiders. They stopped at the base gate, and a burly man at the front, tall and muscular with a scarred face, shouted to the survivors inside. "People inside! We're from the Bloodclaw Tribe—you're surrounded! Surrender all your supplies and weapons within an hour, or we'll attack, kill everyone, and level this base to the ground!"
A cold glint flashed in Lucas's eyes, a sneer tugging at his lips. He'd heard of the Bloodclaw Tribe—they were a raider group nearby, often attacking survivor camps, stealing supplies and weapons, cruel and ruthless. He never thought they'd set their sights on his base. They were asking for death.
"Captain Marco, you lead the combat team to get ready for battle. Guard the arrow towers and the gate—don't let them in." Lucas said solemnly, his voice firm. "Sophia, you lead the logistics team into the barracks, protect everyone—especially the injured and the little girl. I'll go negotiate with them, see if we can solve this peacefully. If they attack, we'll teach them a lesson—let them know the people of our base aren't to be messed with!"
"Got it!" Marco and Sophia nodded, acting immediately. The combat team climbed the arrow towers, rifles aimed at the raiders outside. The logistics team led the injured and the little girl into the barracks, closing the doors and windows, getting ready to defend themselves.
Lucas walked to the base gate, shouting to the burly man at the front. "I'm the base's leader, Lucas Witt. Why are you attacking our base, Bloodclaw Tribe? We have no grudge against you. This is too much! In this wasteland, we're all struggling to survive. Why can't we live in peace instead of fighting each other?"
The burly man sneered, his voice arrogant. "Too much? In this wasteland, the strong survive! Your base looks rich—weapons, supplies, clean water. We're just here to take what's ours! Surrender all your supplies and weapons within an hour, or we'll attack, kill everyone—no exceptions!"
"What's yours?" Lucas sneered. "We built this base with our own hands. We risked our lives to get these supplies and weapons. Why should we give them to you? You must be out of your minds—looking for a death wish!"
The burly man flew into a rage at Lucas's words, a murderous glint in his eyes. He shouted to the raiders behind him. "Brothers, charge! Storm the base, steal all the supplies and weapons, kill everyone inside! Let them know the power of the Bloodclaw Tribe!"
At their leader's command, the raiders charged toward the base gate on horseback, waving their weapons, shouting "Kill!" The scene was chaotic.
"Fire!" Marco shouted firmly.
The combat team on the arrow towers pulled the triggers immediately, bullets raining down on the raiders. At the same time, the catapults on the towers launched huge stones, slamming into the raider group. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The sound of gunfire and stones crashing echoed across the valley.
The raiders never expected the base's defenses to be so strong—their group was thrown into chaos instantly. Many raiders were shot, falling off their horses and dying on the spot. Others were hit by stones, bones breaking, screaming in pain. The remaining raiders were terrified, losing all their arrogance, scrambling to retreat.
The burly leader watched his team suffer heavy losses, fear flashing in his eyes. He'd never thought this seemingly insignificant base would have such strong defenses—it was beyond his expectations. "Retreat! Retreat quickly!" The burly man shouted, turning his horse and fleeing into the distance, terrified of being shot.
The other raiders, seeing their leader flee, turned and ran too—like stray dogs.
"Yes! We won! We beat them!" The survivors inside the base cheered, excitement on their faces. Some even jumped for joy.
Lucas watched the fleeing raiders, a murderous glint in his eyes. He knew these raiders wouldn't give up—they'd come back, with more men, to attack the base again. But he wasn't afraid. He believed, as long as he and the survivors worked together, they could defend against any enemy, protect their home, protect this hard-won land of hope.
"From now on, our base is officially named 'Dawn Base'." Lucas shouted to the survivors, his voice firm and powerful. "We'll build a new order here—where every survivor can live a stable life, where this wasteland can bloom with life and hope again. We'll make every enemy know—Dawn Base is untouchable!"
"Dawn Base! Untouchable! Dawn Base! Untouchable!" All the survivors raised their weapons, shouting loudly. Their voices echoed across the valley, lingering. Sunlight shone down on them, and on every corner of Dawn Base—bringing endless hope to the wasteland.
(End of Chapter 4)