11.1 per cent for option I, 55.5 per cent for option II and 33.3 per cent for option III.

……

[Option 2]

【Damage Trap】

……

Damage Traps.

This alchemical product slowly cauterizes captured plants, causing them to slowly wither and die.

Most importantly, seeds will be left behind.

“…… As long as there is enough population, everything is not a problem. ”

Zheng Zhuo made up his mind.

……

Water, wheat flour, rhizome slime, lime powder, prismatic thorns, wood gum, plant ash, barbed wire and steel.

As recipes become more complex, so do the contents. It took Zheng Zhuo a long time to throw them all into the cauldron.

Miraculously, even with so many things lost – including heavy loads of lime powder, wheat flour and steel – the crucible did not make any sound of reaching the limits of its load-bearing capacity.

The flame was lit. Familiar fluttering and white smoke.

A whole set of [Damage Traps] has been crafted. It is divided into several groups, connected together, all spread out enough to cover the entire perimeter of the wall.

Of course, the necessary sacrifice to make this amount is that the [lime powder] is all used up.

Zheng Zhuo thought about it for a while. He decided to arrange the exterior of the wall as a [Combination Wall] - [Damage Trap] - [Wind Chime] structure.

The damage trap is placed just below the wind chime. In this way, some strange plants attracted by the ringing can be trapped in place and then slowly corroded.

Strange plants that you or you have domesticated can collect seeds in the process.

"Is the town starting to go semi-automated?"

Zheng Zhuo thought with relief.

It can both prevent invasions and capture populations. With a population, the town will also be lively, and the number of things that can be done per unit of time will be greatly increased.

"Good stuff."

The Damage Trap will be the second major technological leap after the Slide Track.

……

Zheng Zhuo slept for a while, then got up in the early hours of the morning. All morning, his time was spent weeding and installing [Damage Traps].

The structure of these traps is quite complex, and they are difficult to install. For a moment, Zheng Zhuo had the urge to call [Luffa Flower] and [Snake Vine] to come over and help.

But he quickly suppressed the impulse.

The reason is simple: if the hard-earned plant is caught by a trap, something will happen.

The work continued until noon. However, Zheng Zhuo only took a short break.

He couldn't sit still - there was still a lot to do.

For example, he now has a lot of ideas for upgrading his equipment.

First of all, the [engine oil] brought back by the loofah flower yesterday.

With this thing, the furnace of the [blacksmith shop] can be completely repaired.

Zheng Zhuo immediately took action. It took some more time to move the crucible. After several tosses, the parts were reloaded and the furnace was back in operation.

Zheng Zhuo looked at the blazing hearth and baked a little [vanilla biscuit] in it.

"Delicious."

He gave a high rating.

Of course, the purpose of the furnace is not limited to this.

Now, he can do more firing operations.

As for who is responsible for the firing......

“……”

Zheng Zhuo sat at the door of the blacksmith shop. He looked at the loofah flowers passing by.

“……”

The loofah flower felt fear. It shook its head incessantly and quickly left.

"Can't you make an effort? I think you're amazing plants that can overcome deep fears. ”

Zheng Zhuo tries to use words to convince the loofah flower and the snake vine.

“……”

It's strange that their hearing becomes bad at this point.

"Oh, this, too, for the development of our town-"

“…… (rustling) ......"

“……”

After several failed attempts at communication, Zheng Zhuo reluctantly gave up the proposal.

"No way."

It seems that the work related to firing has to be done by itself.

In the afternoon, he stayed in the blacksmith's shop to make simple steel.

[Steel] is getting more and more. After getting this material, Zheng Zhuo immediately used the crucible to improve the [Weeding Saw].

Now it's a weeding hacksaw. More performance, more lethality.

Zheng Zhuo also used the newly obtained [Engine Oil] to make 3 [Fragmentation Bombs].

This thing can't compete with the lethality of [Explosive Bomb]. However, it can handle some situations that a weeding hacksaw can't handle – such as the need for crushing and large pieces of ignition.

Not bad. Everything is on track.

Later in the afternoon, Zheng Zhuo finished refining. He left the blacksmith shop and looked at the loofah flower and snake vine.

They collected a lot of stuff and corroded a lot of steel.

However, the very critical lime has not been obtained.

"Hmmm......"

Zheng Zhuo checked what he was holding.

……

【Zheng Zhuo】

[Alchemy materials (mass): water, wooden sticks, white grass, wood gum, hard shell fragments, vines, plant ash, broad leaves, rhizome slime, wheat flour, pig iron, prismatic thorns, sacks, steel]

[Alchemy materials (small amount): engine oil, corrosive liquid, pig iron, steel]

[Alchemical products: filter screen, tea, weeding saw]

[Other items: a set of alchemical equipment, a short-barreled shotgun]

……

The furnace was repaired, the loofah flower was also corroded and taken away, and the [steel] went from a rare material to a saturated material overnight.

Now, Zheng Zhuo's side is full of steel.

He reinforced the weeding saw with them. But obviously, there's still a lot of weight left.

"Is this weight something to consider...... Do a little more [sliding track]? ”

Zheng Zhuo touched his chin and thought.

The loofah flowers did not find the lime. Without avoiding the powder, it will take a lot of time to continue deep into the forest.

However, is it possible to consider extending the Slide Track into the forest?

This allows him to glide along the sliding track towards the forest. It must be very fast, and it is easy to escape in case of danger. He can send loofah flowers to guard near the sliding tracks and clean up plants that climb up the tracks.

However, this move is bound to be dangerous.

There is a limit to how much the loofah flowers can be cleaned. Zheng Zhuo can't guarantee that no plants will invade the town along the sliding tracks.

The first few plants should be able to be captured by Damage Traps. However, if the number is too large and exceeds the load limit, it is difficult to say.

Zheng Zhuo ushered in the evening in hesitation. He didn't go deep into the forest that day, but simply trimmed the road he had entered yesterday.

He decided to see the effect of the [Damage Trap] before making a plan.

……

Another night.

When he woke up the next day, Zheng Zhuo got a better harvest than expected.

Early in the morning, Zheng Zhuo, who went to check the wall, found that the [Damage Trap] had an effect. It caught two enemies.

Both enemies have been corrupted by the damage trap and are incapacitated.

One is a loofah flower. Zheng Zhuo easily cut it with a hacksaw that became more handy.

He found a Seed.

Now, he is going to have three loofah flowers. There are more and more loofah flowers, so that the weeding tasks around the stone wall can also be given to them.

There is also a [Impatiens].

When Zheng Zhuo found out about this, he was very surprised - this is the kind of plant that he sprayed seeds in the fields not long after he first arrived in the town.

It's just that now it's almost impossible to see the appearance. It was melted even more violently, and he could only rely on [Identification] to discern it.

Nan Wu San.

Zheng Zhuo split it.

Unfortunately, he did not find the seeds. But......

Zheng Zhuo found some black powder in its abdominal cavity.

……

【Gunpowder】

……

The short two words on the [identification] interface brought Zheng Zhuo a great shock.

He had looked up the synthesis path of [Bullet] in the "Alchemy Dictionary". Among them, the alchemy material he lacked was [gunpowder].

Now, his [Short-barreled Shotgun] works.

With the Weeding Hacksaw, the Explosive Bomb, and the Short-Barreled Shotgun, Zheng Zhuo decided it was time to try his hand at going deep into the forest—trying to deal with the giant monster that was patrolling.

But before he could do that, he had to decide how to get in.

……

【Question】

[Next, how do you enter the forest?] 】

[Option 1]

【Trekking in】

Pros: The town will not be attacked for its actions

Cons: Need to spend at least two nights outside

[Option 2]

【Build a sliding track that leads to the forest】

Advantages: Quick entry and evacuation

Cons: Enemy plants can invade from this

[Option 3]

[Waiting for the loofah flowers to find the lime]

Pros: The safest

Disadvantages: Waiting time is long, and you don't know what the enemy will do while waiting

You can leave a message in the form of [said in this chapter] after [option 1], [option 2] and [option 3]. Messages under 1 ID will be counted as 1 vote.

The vote count is until 12:00 noon on January 12, 2023.

Finally, ask for a recommendation vote~

(End of chapter)