The arrival of four new refugees increased the population of Li En's camp.
Since the dormitory had already been built, there was no issue accommodating them.
[Current Camp Population: 10/16]
More people could still be recruited to improve the camp's productivity. However, the bonfire's cooldown wouldn't reset until tomorrow at lunchtime, meaning no new refugees could be attracted until then.
For now, efficiency could be further boosted by crafting better tools and expanding work areas.
Li En checked his system interface and opened the [Buildings] tab. After upgrading the bonfire, a new option—[Lumberyard]—had appeared. He immediately assigned workers to construct it.
[Ding~ Congratulations, Li En! You are the first player in the entire server to build a Lumberyard. Reward: Workbench ×1]
With the [Lumberyard], wood collection became much faster.
Li En then ordered the workers to build a [Quarry], workbenches, [Hunter's Cabin], and other essential structures before allocating tasks:
- [Hunter's Cabin]: 2 people assigned to hunting.
- [Lumberyard]: 2 people assigned to logging.
- [Quarry]: 2 people assigned to mining stone.
- [Coal Mine]: 2 people assigned to mining coal.
This arrangement multiplied work efficiency, ensuring the camp's short-term self-sufficiency.
But this was far from Li En's ultimate goal.
Now that he had returned to The Divine Epoch—this time with the entire global population—he knew that while he and Hill had unique talents, they weren't the only ones.
His advantages lay in his head start and his experience from the beta version. But as time passed, more skilled players would emerge. To stay ahead, he needed to accumulate every possible advantage in the early game and build an impregnable fortress that others could only admire.
This time, his territory would surpass even the grand capital of his past life.
He would reunite with his former subordinates, collect even more monster girls, and establish a haven with them.
The thought filled him with excitement.
"Hill, and you three—come with me. We're going fishing."
"Yes, Lord Li En."
Li En took Hill and one worker each from the Lumberyard, Quarry, and Coal Mine, heading toward the lake on the right to secure a new food source.
The fishing tip from yesterday's system message likely came from someone who had been holding a fishing rod when they were transported into this world. Li En, unfortunately, had only been wearing sunglasses.
If someone had been holding the entire Earth, would it have been transported too?
At any rate, very few people would have the means to fish at this stage.
The bread provided by the system at the start would also be running out for most players soon.
If Li En could secure a steady supply of fish, he could trade it in the marketplace for valuable resources while others struggled with food shortages.
When they reached the lake, they found its surface frozen solid.
Li En cautiously chipped a small hole near the shore to test the ice's thickness. Confirming it was safe, he and Hill dug a larger hole and prepared to fish.
Focusing his mind, Li En raised his staff and shouted:
"Lightning Bolt!"
Electric energy gathered at the tip before surging into the water.
This was a new skill he had unlocked after reaching Level 3 from defeating the giant spider.
"Too weak," Li En muttered.
The fish in this world seemed resistant to magic.
He tried Fireball next, but the results were similarly disappointing.
Switching tactics, he took out a fishing rod and baited it with wolf meat before casting his line.
Holding his breath, he let the hook sink deeper.
A fish eventually approached, circling cautiously before finally biting.
The moment Li En felt the tug, he yanked the rod back hard.
A shimmering fish burst from the water, its scales glinting under the sunlight.
---
Meanwhile, the regional chat channel was buzzing.
Many had finally accepted that they were truly trapped in this game.
With one-fifth of the initial population already gone and constant reports of deaths, everyone understood: dying here meant staying dead. No respawns, no return to Earth.
The priority now was finding game guides to survive this apocalyptic world.
The starter food would only last about two days. Once it ran out, starvation would follow.
And where were the guides? The most reliable source so far was Li En's system-wide achievement announcements.
Survival groups had already begun analyzing his moves for strategies.
BigMaHou: "Li En secured a coal mine this morning. I'm gathering some brothers to try the same. We picked warrior classes—maybe we can go berserker later."
321QieZi: "Damn, Li En moves fast. I just got my bonfire to Level 3, and he's already built half the structures in the system."
XiaoSiMa: "Has anyone added him as a friend? I've sent seven or eight requests—no response. So annoying."
KaiMeiKai: "Give up. His camp must be full already. Otherwise, there's no way he's progressing this fast. If I'm wrong, I'll eat this system screen."
PiDiDi: "Anyone want to join our camp? We're three short of a full team. Let's speedrun development and grab all the first-achievement rewards!"
The discussions raged on.
---
By late afternoon, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, the fishing party returned with full baskets.
Most of the catch consisted of redfin trout, along with some salmon and perch.
The new camp members wore broad smiles—this was the first time since the apocalypse began that they had such an abundance of food.
Li En, after scouting the area, had left the others to continue fishing while he and Hill hunted in the forest behind the camp.
This not only provided meat but also helped him level up. Most importantly, it meant thicker pelts for warmth at night.
After processing, the total haul included:
- Raw Fish ×20
- Raw Wolf Meat ×40
- Spider Meat ×10
With this surplus, Li En planned to trade in the marketplace later. Among the tens of thousands in his region, someone was bound to have useful gear or resources.
As night fell, the camp gathered for dinner before retreating to their shelters against the deepening cold.
Snow began to fall, and the temperature dropped even lower than the previous night.
To ward off the chill, Li En and Hill engaged in some... strenuous exercise before bed.
Afterward, with Hill nestled sleepily in his arms, Li En opened the [Trading Channel].
Rows of listings appeared before him—offers from players across the region, each hoping to survive another day.