Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1276: 420: Recuperation in Fengyang Village, Ambush and Heavy Injuries, Hatred and Wrath (Part 2)

The frigid setting of the Ice Abyss obviously holds no shortage of water.

However, that water isn't suitable for direct drinking.

Within typical camps, people collect somewhat cleaner snow or ice, melt it using intense heat first, filter away the impurities afterward, and solely then is it safe for immediate consumption.

Because of the bitterly low temperatures in the Ice Abyss, melting water proves incredibly challenging; firewood offers meager heat, so the pace of water melting naturally falls short compared to the fiercer blaze from coal stone.

Back in Great Xia's early phases, this approach served to secure water too, yet amid swift progress over recent years, the Craftsmen Department delved deeper into water studies. They realized long ago that drinking water purity profoundly impacts health and even lifespan, thus standards for potable water have grown ever stricter.

These days, Great Xia's standard water-gathering routine mirrors the melting stage of regular methods, but the filtration differs markedly.

Common camps employ sieve cloths to eliminate obvious impurities from the water, deeming it ready for drinking post-that; in Great Xia, clearing visible debris marks merely the initial phase, followed by blending powdered coal stone into the water so coal powder can soak up and settle subtler contaminants. This precedes the third phase: refreezing the water via daylight's chill gleam to form a pristine ice chunk, meltable for direct use.

Lin Kai belongs not to the Craftsmen Department, nor does he grasp why Mu Dong complicates water procurement so elaborately, yet Mu Dong has openly stated that sustained intake of this ultra-pure water sharply cuts illness risks while boosting lifespan by no less than 20%.

Who wouldn't crave fewer ailments and extra years of life?

Since Mu Dong revealed this water-obtaining technique publicly, nearly every capable household across Great Xia has embraced it for their water needs.

Naturally, that's within Great Xia.

Beyond its borders, standards loosen, though it doesn't imply self-sourcing water on-site; for Lin Kai and his four companions en route, water and supplies came purchased from village camps via coin.

Thus, the attendant's proposal rings true.

Before long, the group spotted a modest village emerging southward in the distance.

This village nestles amid twin modest peaks, and disregarding scale, it echoes somewhat the Twin Dragon Valley hosting Xia City.

Though it's deep into night—prime hours for human stirrings—the village ahead shows scant signs of life. Lin Kai's party hailed repeatedly at the gate over a dozen times before three quivering middle-aged Earth-digging Realm men emerged, bargained briefly, then guided them inside.

Quickly, those three ushered them to the village's finest dwelling. The lead middle-aged man directed his pair, who dashed out promptly to fetch five skewers of beast meat plus a barrel of refined water.

The man set the duo's haul on the table first, then pivoted, cupping hands toward Lin Kai as he spoke: “Please forgive us, sir. Our village endured a disaster last year; only 400 souls remain now. This humble spot offers little worthwhile, just this beast meat and purified water.”

“Leader Zhu, return the beast meat! We seek merely some purified water, and I won't claim it without payment…”

Reflecting on Fengyang Village's dire straits, Lin Kai furrowed his brow faintly, drew a small silver chunk from his pouch, and pressed it into the middle-aged man's palm.

Leader Zhu, feeling at least a pound-plus of silver, froze briefly, then hurriedly shook his hands and protested.

“Sir, it's merely a bit of purified water—no need at all, truly…”

“Enough. We're merely passing through without lingering, so head back and grant us rest.”

This poised youth in white garb had plainly noted the village's hardships and bestowed ample silver on purpose. Leader Zhu gazed up at Lin Kai, deeply touched.

“Gratitude, sir! Zhu Fu departs!”

Once Zhu Fu and his two departed, Lin Kai settled by the window, surveyed the village's plight, shook his head with a sigh: “Dragon Valley Town utterly neglects these subordinate villages. Had we known sooner, the Lord should've claimed Peak Mountain too, sparing folks such grueling existences.”

Peak Mountain fell originally under Jiangxia's domain but got seized midway by Dajue Temple. Post-Dajue Temple's fall, Chui Mountain eyed it, only for Great Xia to thwart them; ultimately, Xia Hong assigned Peak Mountain to Dragon Valley Town.

In Bashang's climactic clash, Dajue Temple—to revive the Five-headed Mysterious-faced Maitreya—deployed the Primordial Soul Pill, slaughtering over 90% of village-camp folk in its lands. Fengyang Village, encircling Peak Mountain Camp, fell victim too.

Peak Mountain lies near Hongmen, and as a Hongmen Guardian, scouting nearby villages counts among Lin Kai's responsibilities. Thus, Fengyang Village aside, he knows well the state of all villages in Peak Mountain's sphere.

With populations slashed 90% overnight and elite fighters wiped out, one can fathom the perils plaguing Dajue Temple-held villages like Fengyang now.

Conditions in Jiangxia fare marginally better; battle scars from Dajue Temple fights prompted them to relocate surviving village-camp denizens to townships for repopulation, intensifying their resource strains lately.

Dragon Valley differs: untouched directly by Dajue Temple clashes, town losses stayed light with no population gaps to fill. Consequently, village camps in Peak Mountain and Longzhou zones languish overlooked, and current signs suggest they won't yield tributes either.