384: Chapter 384 The clansmen responded with high morale.

The morning light had just crested the ridge of the East Wasteland Main Peak, and the Chen Family plaza was already packed with people.

A dense sea of heads stretched from below the high platform to the edge of the training grounds; even the old men who usually guarded the Medicinal Field and women with children had come.

No one spoke, and no one moved; they simply stood there quietly, like a group of farmers waiting for a thunderbolt to strike.

When Chen Wuwang stepped onto the high platform, his pace was unhurried, but every step was steady.

He was not wearing that set of translucent armor, but only draped an old martial arts tunic over his shoulders, with a dagger and a rune-inscribed bronze plaque hanging at his waist, clinking softly.

The wind blew his long, silver-white hair back, and the three claw marks on his right cheek were particularly conspicuous in the morning light.

"Last night, I discussed three things with Tie Zhu and Xiao Dao," he began. His voice was not loud, but it traveled through the Spirit Array to everyone's ears.

"Beneath the No. 13 mining belt in the South Ridge, there is a branch vein; the Artifact Refining Workshop must implement an automated assembly line; and within three months, we will build a Cultivate simulation cabin."

Someone below the platform lowered their head and muttered, "This... isn't this too big of a commotion?"

"Yeah, we just caught our breath, and now we have to work ourselves to death again?"

"What do you know? If the Family Head can propose it, he must be certain of it!"

Before the words died away, Chen Wuwang raised his hand and pressed a device at his waist.

With a click, his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye slid out of its socket and landed in his palm, glowing with a blue light. He backhanded it into a spirit energy stone slab on the ground—

Boom! A three-dimensional projection suddenly exploded into the air, and the entire East Wasteland appeared above the heads of the thousands gathered. Mountains and rivers were clearly visible, with several red dots flickering incessantly.

"See clearly," he said, pointing toward the South Ridge.

"Three days ago, the System indicated 'active crystal core fluctuations three hundred zhang underground'.

I sent people to dig; at seven zhang deep, we hit gray rock; at one hundred and ninety zhang, we encountered a spirit-blocking layer; at two hundred and eighty-five zhang, a heat flow burst out; and finally, at three hundred and two zhang, we touched a thumb-thick branch of a crystal vein."

The crowd stirred.

"It's not just this one," he said, swiping the projection to zoom out. "The North Sand Plain is buried with ruins of an ancient battlefield, and the cliffs of the West Ridge have natural Formation arrays.

Others don't dare to touch these things, not because they are dangerous, but because their minds are still stuck in the era of 'relying on heaven for food'."

A young man suddenly stepped out from the crowd, his voice booming like thunder: "I'm signing up! I want to join the exploration team! Even if I die three hundred zhang underground, I will dig out the first new mine!"

"I'm going too!"

"Count me in!"

"I've been forging iron for twenty years; I can dismantle a furnace with my eyes closed! I'll watch the assembly line!"

Cheers erupted one after another, but in the corner, an old man still shook his head: "Making such a big fuss, won't it attract the covetous eyes of strong enemies? We've finally had a few years of peace..."

Before he could finish, Chen Wuwang suddenly pulled back his left sleeve, revealing an entire metal arm that glinted in the sunlight.

Then he tore open his shoulder armor; his chest was densely covered with old scars, with Zerg claw marks crisscrossing and entrenched like a hideous map.

"This life of mine crawled out of a pile of corpses thirty years ago," he said, his voice lower but heavier. "That night, the Zerg tide rushed into the village. I held the last child and hid under the stove, listening to the cries outside fade away bit by bit. You tell me—is it better to live in hiding for three days, or to fight for three hundred years?"

The whole place went silent.

An old craftsman wiped his face and said in a hoarse voice: "Family Head... we aren't afraid of exhaustion, nor are we afraid of death. What we fear is that after all our hard work, we won't end up with anything."

"That won't happen," Chen Wuwang shook his head. "This time, it is not for me, Chen Wuwang, nor is it for any specific Family or branch. It is for all of us.

Every person surnamed Chen will be able to walk with their head held high in the future, and wherever they go, they will have the confidence to say: 'I am a member of the Chen Family.'"

He paused and scanned the crowd: "Therefore, I am not recruiting laborers; I am recruiting comrades-in-arms. Those willing to fight this battle with me, take a step forward."

No one moved.

One second, two seconds.

Suddenly, the young man who had shouted first strode out and stood before the platform.

Immediately after, a second, a third...

The young and strong moved forward in droves, old technicians leaned on crutches and shuffled over, and even a few women on night patrol took off their aprons and followed.

In less than half an incense stick of time, the area in front of the high platform was packed with people, all with chests puffed out and heads held high.

"Good," Chen Wuwang said, the corners of his mouth lifting. "Since our hearts are united, don't scramble for work. I announce the establishment of the 'Family Development Command'. Each branch will appoint representatives to join, divided into four groups: Artifact Refining, Mining, Formation, and Spirit Cultivation. Register on-site, and we will assign tasks based on specialties."

Immediately, someone brought over a table and spread out the Jade Slip register.

Several literate elders sat down to record names with brushes, and a crowd immediately surrounded them, vying to report their names.

"I want to join the Furnace Upgrade Assault Squad!"

"I'm the first to sign up for the Earth Dragon Type-I mech test pilot group!"

"Count me in as a volunteer for the sword Formation coordination! I stayed up all night studying the synchronization rate formula!"

It was as noisy as a marketplace.

Chen Wuwang stood on the platform and did not stop them, only watching.

When the noise died down a little, he spoke again: "The three initial key tasks are all open for application. Anyone who renders meritorious service will have their name engraved on the Family History Golden Scroll, and their descendants will enjoy offerings and incense. Additionally—"

He raised his voice, "The first batch of Cultivate simulation cabins will be given priority use to the relatives of the participants."

As soon as these words came out, even those watching from the back surged forward.

"My boy is only six years old; can I register him first?"

"My wife is pregnant! If the child could use the simulation cabin for enlightenment, that would be a great blessing!"

"Family Head! My father has been paralyzed for three years; can you arrange an experience slot for him?"

"Yes," Chen Wuwang nodded. "As long as you are willing to work, everyone will have an opportunity."

At this moment, a little girl stood on tiptoe and raised her hand: "Big Brother Family Head! What can I do?"

Chen Wuwang looked down at her; she looked seven or eight years old, with two crooked braids, clutching a wooden board covered in runes.

"What can you do?" he asked.

"I can recite the 'Basic Spirit Flow Guidance Diagram'! And I can arrange terrain on a sand table! I want to be a dispatcher! To direct everyone where to mine!"

The crowd below laughed, but no one thought she was just playing around.

Chen Wuwang also smiled and took a bronze whistle from his bosom to hand to her: "Take it. From now on, the children at the training ground are under your care. Organize drills and pass on messages. If you do well, I'll trade you for a mech model at the end of the month."

The little girl took the whistle, her eyes shining like stars.

The crowd boiled over again.

Some ran to the Artifact Refining Workshop to claim task plaques, some drew zone maps on the training grounds, and several old men huddled together to argue about how to organize the mining teams.

Children jumped around the projection, imitating the walking posture of mechs, giggling.

Chen Wuwang said nothing more. He put his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye back on, a blue light flashed, and he retracted the projection.

The wind blew from behind, lifting the corners of his clothes. He still stood in the center of the high platform, watching the figures running and shouting below.

In the distance, the lights of the Artifact Refining Workshop were still burning, and the sound of metal striking metal rang out incessantly. A new day had begun.