Chapter 1259: Chapter 1259

1259: Chapter 1245: Developer 1259: Chapter 1245: Developer As darkness began to settle, clusters of campfires had already been lit.

Not only did they serve to dispel the night and the cold, but they also functioned as illumination to ward off wild beasts.

However, unlike most worlds’ wood-based fuel, the campfires and lighting here utilized various liquid and solid fuels, in addition to a variety of sunflowers.

“These, can’t really be called sunflowers anymore, can they?”

In the center of the camp, a lighthouse had already been slowly erected.

Half a day earlier, it was merely over three meters long, tied to the back of a large carrying beast, resembling a withered, thin tree.

But after watering and fertilizing, and following a half day of dance-like rituals performed by someone who seemed to be a gardener, it transformed into a real lighthouse.

Inserted at the camp’s center, its roots buried deep into the earth, it gradually rose to about five meters, while its trunk thickened significantly.

One by one, branches and leaves unfurled, and specks of starfire floated out from them, spreading light and heat.

At the top of the tree, crystals blossomed with sunlight-colored brilliance, dispelling the darkness and subtly calming the restlessness in people’s hearts.

“…Quite interesting.”

Flames, one after another, drifted with the wind, and upon touching them, one felt warmth but not burning; they were mimicries of flames.

Allowing these “flames” to float on his hand, Lu Ping’an could sense these were plant-like “leaves” breathing slowly, gradually converting life energy into heat.

Lu Ping’an was now surrounded by countless sparks, a costly gesture of goodwill from the “Ariel Lighthouse” to the Creator.

Lu Ping’an, using his spiritual power, lightly touched its top and was met with a burst of sparkling fire rain.

They made Lu Ping’an’s side even warmer than beneath the lighthouse, attracting many gazes.

“I am a fifth-tier Gardener…”

A casual remark, brushed off those curious looks, but drew even more envious ones.

However, Lu Ping’an himself was more interested in the completely modified “Sunflower Modules.”

With the involvement of Lin Nu’s Church, this world was not lacking in high-level Beast Tamers and high-level Gardeners, making the “specialty” sunflowers a natural focus for modifications.

Now, watching those mercenaries patrolling with “flower lamps,” sentries using spot-lights for reconnaissance, and the prevalent warming communal fires, Lu Ping’an had to admit that the “Lamp Flowers” had not only completely localized but had also been integrated into the civilization and rules of this world.

“So, I’ve played the role of a bee, huh…”

After all, this module originated from the Sun God’s special powers in the Silent Mountain Range World.

Lu Ping’an had brought it to Earth for a series of local adaptations before ultimately bringing it to this world.

He was like a diligent bee, though his task was to collect nectar, he, unintentionally, achieved the effect of “pollination.”

The mercenaries before Lu Ping’an, almost all of them carried simple “Light Sticks,” as Lamp Flowers had completely integrated into everyone’s daily life.

And contrary to Lu Ping’an’s ongoing impression, most of the mercenaries in this world were actually not humans…

Precisely, most human masters had plenty of options and didn’t need to take on the strenuous and dangerous mercenary work.

The Long Hand Clan comprised seventy percent, Fishmen made up the remaining twenty-seven percent, with only a few humans mingled among them, generally in rather safe and comfortable positions, seemingly logistics or technical staff.

Those setting up “Lamp Rings,” “Lamp Arrays” were mostly human gardeners.

Indeed, although gardeners were plentiful in this world, the native land was genuinely not suitable for gardeners’ growth; native gardeners must be a rare species.

And those humans who mastered some rare, high-level techniques in logistics actually had a more prosperous life than those in battle professions.

In fact, due to the widespread use of Lamp Flowers, the gardeners’ good life—maintained as long as they plant, maintain, use, and cultivate Lamp Flowers—was truly thanks to Lu Ping’an, the pioneer.

“…Still hasn’t come back, huh?”

As the night deepened, despite the warmth from the lights, a rising sense of unease gripped everyone.

It had already been over six hours, yet the fog persisted, and not a single person who entered had returned.

The third group, composed of shallow reconnaissance personnel who were to return after venturing one kilometer, also failed to come back.

If it were not confirmed through special means that they were still alive, many would have already considered retreating.

Actually, rescue personnel had been dispatched, many already estimating that this was not an issue they could resolve…

“Preliminary results are in, but it’s probably of no use; that ‘fog’ is a type of ‘Life conglomerate’ — quite fascinating.

If we haven’t misunderstood, the extent of this ‘dense fog’ would suggest the entire city’s populace is here.”

“So, it’s not the fog causing the disappearances but the disappearances causing the fog?

This thing is somewhat abnormal…”

Lu Ping’an faintly realized the fog itself might not be the biggest issue, but merely a byproduct of the “problem”.

He didn’t rush into the disconnected city, knowing full well from his knowledge of the fragments that some things genuinely defied logic; even with sufficient strength, one could easily perish in a single misstep.

He directed his logistics team to sample and analyze the fog, and develop targeted protection gear, only to discover that this wasn’t addressing the real issue.

But from the looks of it, they actually did shield the true problem…

“If these are all made of life matter, then the local residents…”

“All their life energy has leaked out; the residents…can you revive them?”

“Stop kidding; even a God-level Healer doesn’t have that capability…

Lu Ping’an glanced at the quietly arguing mercenary high-level; they might have come with a mission to rescue, probably still unaware that the people inside were likely all gone.

After considering for a moment, he dispatched Meow…

“I have serious business…”

“You just find it bothersome, Meow!

Always pushing the troublesome tasks onto others, Meow!”

Despite such complaints, Meow still diligently went to do the work; in Catherine’s absence, she had become Lu Ping’an’s de facto proxy.

Meanwhile, Lu Ping’an indeed had serious matters to handle.

“This fog is troublesome, whatever is inside, these things that obstruct vision and movement, they will vastly negatively impact combat…”

Although a consensus had been reached, normal professionals presumably had no solution for the fog.

“…But since they are also life, is it possible to develop Magic Plants that ‘draw specified life’ or say, ‘Burn Life’?”

Normal first-tier Magic Plant development started at half a year, and that was with high-level Gardeners accelerating the process; however, for Lu Ping’an it was not much of a challenge.

He had actually been researching something similar and now had even more suitable “materials” to test.

As for the “raw materials” and “prototype modules,” there were harsh invectives everywhere one looked.

Over two hours later, a group of trembling mercenaries holding “torches” entered the fog.

After making a round trip, they successfully returned.

This time, the places through which these lights passed did not immediately close up with fog, but instead left behind faint ashes.

“The ‘Burning Life Lanterns’ seem to have worked; let’s go, we can set off now.”