Chapter 500: Chapter 500: Building the Lord’s Sanctuary
Just as the three of them were working fervently, a commotion broke out at the Shelter’s entrance.
One, two, three... a whole herd of over twenty Four Seasons Deer were filing in through the entrance.
At the head of the herd was the largest one, the leader. It held its head high, its gait elegant, as if it were inspecting its own territory.
Behind the Deer Herd, Dexter Luther spread his hands with an innocent look on his face. "Sullivan, I didn’t bring them here! They insisted on following me in. I couldn’t stop them!"
Before Seraphina Sullivan could say anything, a system notification chimed in her mind:
[Ding! Four Seasons Deer (24) have requested to enter your Lord’s Sanctuary. Do you approve?]
[Notice: Each Four Seasons Deer will occupy 1 Shelter member slot.]
Seraphina Sullivan’s eyebrow twitched.
Twenty-four Four Seasons Deer meant twenty-four member slots.
Adding the original seven people, that instantly took up thirty-one slots.
She looked at the Deer Herd.
They were strolling leisurely across the soil. Some lowered their heads to sniff the earth, while others nuzzled each other’s necks, clearly having no intention of acting like outsiders.
The lead deer, meanwhile, met her gaze with a look that seemed to say, ’It’s your call.’
Seraphina Sullivan was silent for two seconds, then she smiled.
"I approve."
A series of system notifications followed, and the Shelter’s member count soared, finally stopping at "31/1000".
Matthew Dawson scratched his head. "Sullivan, you’re not mad? That’s so many slots..."
Seraphina Sullivan shook her head, her gaze falling upon the Deer Herd. "I’m not mad. The benefits they can bring are worth far more than twenty-four slots."
As if to prove her words, the lead deer suddenly reared up and let out a clear, ringing cry.
The next second, all the Four Seasons Deer lowered their heads in unison, faint green motes of light emanating from their mouths.
The motes of light drifted out, landing on the freshly tilled soil, on the uncultivated wasteland in the distance, and in every corner of the Shelter.
Crystal Lynn was surprised to see a small sprout that had just poked through the soil near her hand suddenly shoot up a bit taller.
A catalyst for plants.
The corners of Seraphina Sullivan’s lips lifted. She took something out from her pocket—a palm-sized seed with a warm, reddish-brown luster.
It was the seed from the Treasure Chest she had opened earlier.
[Seed of the Giant Redwood Tree]: When planted, can grow into a towering tree. Its wood can be used for construction, and its canopy can form a natural shelter. Requires a special environment to catalyze growth.
She crouched down, dug a hole in the soft soil with her fingers, gently placed the seed inside, and then covered it with dirt.
"Come on," she said, standing up and looking at the Deer Herd. "Show me what you can do."
The Four Seasons Deer seemed to understand her, turning their heads in unison.
Green motes of light floated from their mouths like ribbons of green silk, slowly descending onto the spot where the seed was buried.
The ground trembled slightly.
A tender green seedling broke through the soil.
Then, before everyone’s shocked eyes, the seedling began to grow at a frantic pace visible to the naked eye—sprouting branches, unfurling leaves, shooting upward, and thickening—
「Ten minutes later.」
A massive Redwood Tree, a full thirty meters tall, now stood majestically in the center of the Shelter!
Its thick trunk would take more than a dozen people to encircle, and its dense canopy, like a giant umbrella, shaded nearly a hundred square meters of land. Soft light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, creating a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the ground.
Crystal Lynn tilted her head back, her mouth agape. "This... this is just unbelievable..."
Even Flora Sullivan showed a rare expression of surprise, her long hair stirring without any wind, as if she were sensing the giant tree’s vitality.
Seraphina Sullivan stood under the tree, reaching out to stroke the rough bark and feel the vibrant Life Force contained within.
’The Shelter is feeling more and more like a home,’ she thought.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Shelter, a completely different scene was unfolding.
Sean Chandler was shirtless, standing in a specially cleared open area. His muscles bulged as sweat trickled down his back.
Across from him, Dexter Luther was panting heavily, his hands on his knees.
"Again!" Sean Chandler grunted.
Dexter Luther wailed, "Sean, let me rest... just for a little while..."
"No." Sean Chandler’s expression was blank. "Once you’re in a dungeon, the enemy won’t let you rest."
Dexter Luther gritted his teeth, straightened up, and took a fighting stance. "Fine, fine, fine! Let’s go!"
The two of them began to spar again.
Sean Chandler’s punches and kicks were heavy and powerful, each attack whistling through the air.
Dexter Luther was much more agile, dodging, blocking, and looking for a chance to counterattack. Though he was running out of stamina, his eyes grew more and more focused.
Nearby, Paul Payne was holding a small notebook, diligently writing something down.
He would occasionally look up at their fight before lowering his head to write and sketch.
After finishing her farm work, Crystal Lynn also came over, squatting to the side and watching with great interest.
As for Paul Payne, Dexter had specifically called him over for some "special training."
"Listen up," Dexter Luther shouted to Paul Payne, popping his head out of the fight for a moment. "This is your first time in a dungeon, so you’re different from us veterans. The first thing you do when you get in—don’t panic!"
Paul Payne nodded earnestly.
"Second thing—observe your surroundings! Check the terrain, the environment, and see if there’s anyone else around! If you start out alone, find a place to hide first. Don’t just stand there like an idiot!"
Paul Payne continued to nod.
"Third thing—and this is the most important!" Dexter Luther’s expression turned serious. "Don’t trust anyone easily! Inside a dungeon, the only person you can trust is yourself!
Other Players might stab you in the back when you least expect it!"
A flicker of change appeared in Paul Payne’s eyes, but he still nodded firmly. "I’ll remember that."
Only then did Dexter Luther look away, satisfied. He was promptly hit in the shoulder by one of Sean Chandler’s punches, sending him rolling away with a howl.
"Sean, that was a cheap shot!"
"No one on the battlefield is going to tell you when they’re going to strike."
"..."
「Dusk.」
Beneath the giant Redwood Tree in the center of the Shelter, the aroma of food began to drift through the air.
Seraphina Sullivan had personally cooked a sumptuous dinner using her Magic Cuisine Talent.
There was meat, vegetables, and even a small jar of wine she’d unearthed from somewhere.
Everyone gathered in the clearing under the tree, sitting before plates of steaming food. Above them, the massive canopy filtered the light into dappled shadows.
Dexter Luther picked up his bowl and took a deep breath, his eyes turning a little red. "Smells so good... I’d almost forgotten what meat tasted like..."
Crystal Lynn smiled and put a piece of food in his bowl with her chopsticks. "Eat up. You won’t get treated this well in a dungeon."
Matthew Dawson held up the small jar of wine and poured a small cup for everyone, not even skipping Sean Chandler.
He raised his own cup and cleared his throat.
"Uh... I’d like to say a few words."
Everyone looked at him.
Matthew Dawson looked uncharacteristically embarrassed, but he continued, "It wasn’t easy for all of us to end up together like this.
We all know how many people have died since the apocalypse began to get to where we are now."
The mood grew a little somber.