Small in size, lightweight, easy to store, and packed with high calories, white sugar could provide the body with a large amount of energy. In their current situation, it could play a vital role.
Moreover, its uses went beyond that. It could enhance the explosive power of gunpowder or increase the adhesiveness of incendiary bombs. There were plenty more applications where it could prove useful.
For the same volume of supplies, white sugar clearly offered greater utility.
"Everyone! Put in some extra effort! Every step we take now increases our chances of survival by a fraction! This isn't for anyone else—it's for your own fight!"
The supplies quickly piled up on their shoulders. Oran himself was carrying a substantial load, with his exoskeleton suit operating at full capacity. This also led him to notice something unusual.
His strength seemed to have increased significantly since arriving in this sea. Oran decided that once they escaped, he would give himself a thorough medical checkup to assess his current condition.
Oran led them toward the rendezvous point he had discussed with Ivankov, a recessed area in a canyon that Ivankov and Ginny had spotted before finding Oran's ship. It could serve as a temporary gathering spot.
With the addition of some Valley of the Gods natives to the team, they now had people far more familiar with the terrain than Ivankov or Oran. They even found a small path through the canyon.
Whether sturdy adults or the frail and elderly, everyone was carrying packages of various sizes. In this situation, everyone had to contribute, the only difference being how much.
"Big Brother Oran, there's a cave about 200 meters that way. The entrance looks narrow, but it's pretty spacious inside. It can hide a lot of people, and there's even a spring in there!"
As they neared the rendezvous point, a boy who looked no older than ten suddenly pointed toward a cluster of bushes.
"A spring? How big is it?"
"Um, my friends and I sometimes bathe there. There are even live fish inside."
The boy spread his arms to show Oran, indicating that the spring was of considerable size.
"Lat! Didn't I tell you not to play in the canyon? You—"
A woman nearby started to scold him, but in this situation, she lacked the energy to continue. Like any other day, she had been tending to household chores when the Valley of the Gods was thrown into chaos.
Though she had escaped with her child, her husband, a member of the kingdom's army, was now missing. The harsh reality and bleak future weighed heavily on her, creating immense psychological pressure.
"Alright, ma'am, save your strength. Your son just solved a big problem for us."
Besides food, water was also a critical issue. While the Valley of the Gods had abundant rivers, the Celestial Dragons were aware of this.
Humans need water to survive, so the Celestial Dragons would undoubtedly hunt along water sources.
If the spring contained fish, it likely connected to an external underground river, ensuring a sufficient water supply. A hidden water source like this was ideal.
"Lat, besides you, how many people know about that place?
And you adults, have you ever heard of this place before?"
From Lat's description, it sounded like a good hiding spot. If others also knew about it, they might bring more people, increasing the risk of exposure.
"Only a few of my friends know. We never saw anyone else there. It's our secret base. I just don't know how they're doing now…"
"No, I've lived here most of my life and never heard of any caves in the canyon."
The local residents provided their answers. According to Lat, he had discovered the place while playing an adventure game. The older generation, however, was unaware of it, suggesting the cave had likely formed recently due to geological activity.
Oran first led the group to the agreed-upon rendezvous point and then inspected the cave, incorporating it into the gathering area's scope.
"Rest up and regain your strength. We'll need to make a few more trips later. You few, don't come along this time. Gather dry branches and other kindling around here—it'll come in handy.
If anyone's familiar with the nearby terrain, come help me draw a map. The more detailed, the better."
Along the way, Oran had gained a rough understanding of their physical stamina. Those who were weaker wouldn't be able to carry much even if they tried their hardest. Fortunately, there were plenty of other tasks where manpower was needed.
"Beyond that, you'll need to dig pits around here. Start with one large pit, then dig a smaller one from the other side. Connect them at the bottom. Then dig three linear trenches like this, and cover them with camouflage."
The granary had some tools like crowbars and shovels. Oran used them to demonstrate how to build a smokeless stove, also known as a light-shielding, smoke-dispersing stove.
This would significantly conceal firelight and cooking smoke, enhancing their ability to stay hidden.
Before long, Oran received a communication from Ivankov. They had found the shipyard workers and were bringing them to the rendezvous point. At this moment, Kuma approached.
"What's up, Kuma? Something wrong?"
"Nothing. I've rested enough. I just wanted to know what our next steps are."
Looking at Oran, who was studying the map, Kuma asked softly.
"Dismantle some things and set up equipment in these areas to conceal this region."
What Oran planned to dismantle was none other than his ship. Though the plan was to teleport the ship once the Teleportation Gate was complete, larger objects took longer to transport.
The ship was undoubtedly valuable, but for Oran, with enough materials and time, he could build another one.
Ultimately, Oran decided to use the limited teleportation capacity to transport living people out, while the ship that had accompanied him here would meet its end.
For instance, it could be converted into a massive self-destruct device. The ship's holographic projection could also be modified to cover a larger area from multiple directions by lowering the image quality, provided the energy issue was resolved first.
Oran briefly explained this to Kuma, knowing he'd need to repeat the explanation once Ivankov's craftsmen arrived.
Kuma didn't press further and instead pointed to another direction.
"Oran, that person you asked me to keep an eye on—she doesn't respond to me, doesn't talk, and won't even eat. You should check on her yourself. She's only spoken a few words to you so far."
"Got it. Sit for a bit longer. We need to make as many preparations as possible before the Celestial Dragons' so-called game really kicks off."
Oran stood and walked to the side, where a slight, slender figure sat on a rock, her eyes brimming with wariness. As she sensed someone approaching, her hair practically stood on end.