98: Chapter 98 Increased Production, the Entire Family Excited

The morning light had just climbed onto the metal eaves of the Alchemy Workshop when Chen Wuwang pushed open the door.

He still clutched the jade bottle in his hand; seven golden-patterned spiral Medicinal Pill lay quietly inside, their medicinal fragrance unscattered, wrapping around his palm like a thin mist.

His Mechanical Prosthetic Eye swept across the square outside. The Worker Ant Mecha were already lined up and waiting, with sealed boxes neatly stacked on the transport platform. Their cold, gleaming alloy shells reflected the early sun, motionless, just waiting for the order.

He didn't rush to leave, pausing on the threshold for two seconds.

Three days ago, this place was still piled with the debris of exploded furnaces, coolant flowed all over the floor, and the scorch marks from burst conduits had not yet been wiped away.

Now, only the faint lingering warmth of Spiritual Qi remained in the air, along with a subtle, elusive fragrance—that was the scent of success in Alchemy, the smell of coming back to life.

"Pass the order." He spoke, his voice not loud, but it spread throughout the entire Family via the Spiritual Qi broadcast Formation. "From today on, the Alchemy Workshop will produce three hundred Nine-Turn Qi Condensing Pill daily, prioritized for clan members below the Foundation Establishment stage."

The moment his words fell, the entire Chen Family seemed to be ignited.

The street outside the Alchemy Workshop originally had only a few early-rising patrol guards, but upon hearing the broadcast, they suddenly looked up, their footsteps faltering.

Immediately after, a roar came from the Medicinal Field to the east: "What did you say? Three hundred pills?!"

The hammering sounds from the Artifact Refining workshop to the west stopped abruptly. A bare-chested man threw off his gloves, rushed out, and clung to the corner of the wall, shouting: "Is this real? Can you really claim three hundred, even if it's machine-refined?"

No one believed it.

But disbelief aside, people were already swarming toward the square.

The first Worker Ant Mecha slowly opened its sealed box, its mechanical arm lifting to reveal the inner vacuum chamber.

Rows of jade bottles were neatly arranged, each one glowing with a warm golden light, the fine patterns flowing on the surface of the Medicinal Pill clearly visible.

"Damn..." someone gasped, "This quality is even better than the one my dad risked his life for back in the day."

"Your dad's was just a botched Medicinal Pill; the furnace temperature wasn't controlled, and it almost burned him to a crisp."

Someone nearby immediately chimed in, their tone actually holding a hint of pride, "Now it's better; everyone can eat proper Medicinal Pill."

As the wind blew, the medicinal fragrance spread even faster.

Several children chased after the scent, standing on tiptoe to peek into the boxes, their little faces flushed red.

An old clan doctor walked over tremblingly with a cane, took out a magnifying talisman mirror, and looked for a long time before suddenly bursting into tears: "It's alive... the Alchemy Dao of our Chen Family is alive..."

The crowd gathered in greater numbers, the discussions turning from suspicion to amazement, and then into irrepressible cheers.

"From now on, the top ten in the monthly assessment will be rewarded with an extra ten pills!" A hoarse yet resonant voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone turned back to see the clan elder standing on the high stone platform, holding an engraved token in his hand, his face full of excitement: "Whoever advances two stages within three months, the Family Head has said, will be rewarded with the right to test the Spiritual Qi Mecha!"

"Wow—!"

This completely set things off.

Young people jumped up and cheered, middle-aged people patted each other on the shoulders, and even the usually dullest Artifact Refining apprentice roared at the top of his lungs.

Several young girls hugged each other and spun in circles, laughing until tears came out.

A skinny youth squeezed to the front, pointing at the sealed box: "I want to eat! I want to Cultivate! I will definitely get into the top ten this time!"

"You were third from the bottom last time!" someone nearby laughed and scolded.

"That's different!" the youth stiffened his neck, "Before, there were no Medicinal Pill, but now there are! I don't believe I can't compete with them!"

Laughter, shouts, and footsteps blended together; the square was like boiling water, bubbling incessantly.

Chen Wuwang didn't walk forward, nor did he speak.

He retreated to the high platform in front of the Main Hall, leaning against a pillar, silently watching the crowd below.

His Mechanical Prosthetic Eye silently swept over each face—the orphan who always huddled in the corner now stood with a straight back;

the girl who had her engagement called off due to insufficient Spiritual Qi now had light in her eyes;

the young man who had once wanted to sneak away to a large Family to work as a servant was now discussing a Cultivation plan with his companion.

Three years ago, when he first transmigrated here, the Chen Family was almost finished.

The mineral veins were seized, the Medicinal Field was desolate, and the clan members were so hungry they gnawed on tree bark. At night, they didn't even dare to light lanterns for night watch, fearing they would attract bandits.

He remembered a child crying and asking her mother: "Are we going to die?"

The mother hugged her, unable to say a word.

Now, they no longer ask about death; they are fighting to live.

Fighting to become stronger, fighting to get ahead, fighting for a breath of dignity.

"The first mountain has been crossed." He said in a low voice, his voice so soft that only he could hear it.

His fingers tapped the pillar unconsciously, three long and two short, his habitual rhythm.

He knew these three hundred Medicinal Pill were not just medicine.

They were a rice bowl, hope, and a ladder that could let a Family climb out of the mud.

In the distance, a youth opened a jade bottle in public, poured out a Medicinal Pill, and swallowed it.

In less than half a cup of tea, the Spiritual Qi fluctuations on his body suddenly surged, his cheeks flushed with the rosy hue of accelerated Cultivation, and the people around him exclaimed in succession.

"It's really effective!"

"I want to sign up for the morning training squad too!"

"Starts tomorrow! Whoever doesn't come is a fool!"

The cheers grew even louder.

Chen Wuwang's lips curled slightly, and he turned to step into the Main Hall.

The light inside the hall was soft. On the sandalwood desk lay yesterday's production report, the latest line reading: [Daily Production Stable Value: 302 pills | Average Purity: 98.4%].

He didn't sit down, just stood by the window, looking toward the square.

The clan members were still rowdy, still laughing. Some had already started spontaneously organizing the morning training squad, some were registering names, and some were scrambling for front-row spots.

Even those old craftsmen who once scoffed at "machine Alchemy" were now standing far away, looking at the row of Worker Ant Mecha with complex expressions, remaining motionless for a long time.

He knew that although some people were unconvinced with their mouths, they were already calculating in their hearts—whether their own children could get a share of one pill.

He also knew that this excitement would not last long.

Three hundred pills sounded like a lot, but divided among everyone, it would only be one pill every month or two.

Resources were still tight, and competition would only become more intense. But it didn't matter; as long as it had started, the path could be walked.

Technology was not divine magic, but it could allow Mortals to step out of desperate straits, step by step.

He raised his hand and gently stroked the three claw marks on his right cheek left by the Zerg.

Did it hurt? He had long been numb to it.

But some things were more important than pain.

For example, right now, he heard someone outside shout: "The Chen Family is going to rise again!"

Someone else replied: "Not by relying on charity, not by groveling, but by relying on our own hands!"

"Right! Relying on the Family Head! Relying on this Mecha! Relying on these Medicinal Pill!"

Chen Wuwang closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the depths of his eyes were as calm as a deep pool.

He didn't walk out to accept the cheers, nor did he order increased production or organize a celebration.

He just stood there, listening, remembering, engraving every excited face and every leaping name into his heart.

Then, he turned and walked toward the inner hall.

At the end of the corridor, the door to the Council Hall was ajar, the sunlight cutting in diagonally, casting a long shadow on the ground.

He walked in, and the door closed gently behind him.

Outside, the cheers continued.

Inside, it was silent.

His footsteps didn't stop; he walked through the long corridor toward the main seat that belonged to the Family Head.

On the table, a new list lay quietly—tomorrow morning, representatives from the three surrounding families would arrive to request an audience with the Family Head and discuss cooperation.

He glanced at it but didn't open it.

Instead, he walked to the wall, picked up a pen, and wrote three words on the whiteboard: "Steady, Accurate, Fast."

The tip of the pen paused, and he added another sentence: "Let them watch first."

Footsteps came from outside the door, moving from far to near, as if a clan member wanted to enter and report something.

He raised his hand and pressed it gently against the doorframe without turning back. "Come in later."

The voice was very soft, yet as steady as a mountain.

The footsteps outside stopped.

The sunlight shone on his silver-white hair ends, emitting a cold and bright light.