Inside the bottle space, upon sensing the remnant soul energy entering, Old Lin and the others couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
"I knew Little Li wouldn't forget us. With this amount of replenishment, if we get another one in half a month, everyone will be back to their peak!"
Someone rolled their eyes beside him.
"Old Lin, weren't you the one complaining the most earlier? You're the fastest to change your tune."
Thick-skinned people always had poor hearing, so Old Lin directly ignored these words.
However, he also poured cold water on Old An.
"Don't get too happy too soon. Little Li is about to go out, and there likely won't be any more remnant souls for replenishment in the short term. Distribute today's supply yourselves; it's best to give more to those who've consumed a lot. Don't wait until the follow-up support runs out and you perish first."
"Ah?"
Disappointment immediately appeared on Old Lin's face, and he muttered, "Little Li isn't very helpful this time. He can't even handle a bit of praise from me."
Another round of eye-rolls. Caihong couldn't help but retort, "It's good enough that we have supplies. Say a few less words."
"This is about being clear with rewards and punishments. I'm doing this for your own good!"
"Tch."
All the souls collectively gave Old Lin the middle finger.
Of course, it was just a minor jest to liven up the atmosphere. Old Lin then turned to Old An and said, "Old An, can you still hold on? If not, I can switch out and go. I've recovered half my strength anyway."
This was hardly concern, but rather a clear indication he was bored and wanted to go out for some fresh air. How could Old An not know his little intentions? He simply chose to ignore him.
Meanwhile, after tallying his spoils, Li Chonglou buried all items that carried hidden dangers. He tidied his thoughts and then headed back towards the camp.
The journey was uneventful. Perhaps due to luck, outside the safe zone, Li Chonglou had yet to encounter any truly dangerous situations.
Except for the ever-present black spirit, which forced one to dig a small hole underground and then use internal energy to expel the spiritual energy containing the black spirit, even when just wanting to breathe fresh air.
This was the most troublesome aspect outside the safe zone.
So upon returning to the safe zone, Li Chonglou paid no heed to the dense spiritual energy and directly took several deep breaths.
"The safe zone is still the best. Besides being cautious during the black spirit period, usually, there's no need to be so careful. Outside, it's like a person who can't swim falling into water."
Although the opportunities within the safe zone were minimized due to years of exploitation and development, it also provided a sense of security. Returning to the safe zone not only felt like coming home but also brought a sense of freedom.
Looking at the tall jungle scenery, Li Chonglou found himself appreciating the landscape for the first time in a while.
If everything were to settle down, perhaps bringing his closest loved ones here to settle would be a good option?
This thought suddenly appeared in Li Chonglou's mind. This wasn't a tendency towards becoming a "black child," but rather that human society was too full of scheming and complexity. But it was different here. Aside from the lack of entertainment, the pure principle of the strong prevailing was sometimes the freest environment.
However, it was too early to think about such things. Even if he were to truly enter, Li Chonglou felt it would be best if he could establish his own territory. Living within the camp was essentially the same as being outside.
After all, where there are people, there is a martial world.
Passing by Camp No. 3, Li Chonglou considered going in to have a proper look. But remembering that the company's matters were not completely resolved, he ultimately bypassed Camp No. 3 and headed straight for Camp No. 1.
In terms of facilities and popularity, Camp No. 1 was undoubtedly the best. Before leaving, Li Chonglou needed to find someone to refine the Sky Soul Grass he had into elixirs, and it would be best to find someone in Camp No. 1.
The official organization of the primary camp was the first choice.
So, upon returning to Camp No. 1, Li Chonglou headed directly for the boss's stall.
Although there was a distinction between day and night in the underground world, the light during the day wasn't from the outside sun but from a special crystal overhead.
Some called this crystal the Sun-Moon Crystal, while others called it the Cycle Crystal. Its sole purpose was to provide brightness, and with a certain quantity, it would undergo a qualitative change, multiplying the light countless times. This was why it felt like daytime.
As for the night, which was like the outside world's night, it was due to the crystal's properties. Every forty-eight hours, these crystals would retract their light, dimming to a faint level as if recharging, creating the effect of entering nighttime.
However, unlike the outside, the night here lasted a full twenty-four hours.
In other words, if day and night rotation were used to define a day, then a day here was sixty-eight hours, equivalent to about three days outside.
And when Li Chonglou returned to the camp, it was the last six hours of daytime.
The underground world was unlike the outside. Normal electricity couldn't be used here, and even phones used special information transmission. This meant that once night fell, all stalls would choose to close, either to replenish supplies or simply to rest.
In any case, Li Chonglou had to find someone who could refine elixirs within these six hours. Otherwise, he would have to wait another twenty-four hours.
Old Wolf was still at his original stall. Li Chonglou saw him as soon as he entered.
"Boss, long time no see."
Li Chonglou walked over and greeted him.
The latter was somewhat taken aback.
"It's you?"
As he spoke, Li Chonglou kept his eyes on him, and apart from surprise, there was no other unusual expression.
It seemed he was genuinely unaware.
Actually, Li Chonglou had initially suspected if he had been set up by him, but the performance of the Little Knife Squad and others was too subtle. If he hadn't been mindful, he might not have noticed the anomalies.
Furthermore, many suspicious points had first been pointed out to him by this Uncle Wolf. Li Chonglou then suspected that perhaps the Little Knife Squad had deceived Uncle Wolf as well.
After all, if they were in cahoots, there would be no need for those cautionary words. It would be better to say more positive things to lower his guard.
However, he didn't intend to bring this matter up with Uncle Wolf. He spoke first, "The mission with the Little Knife Squad that you introduced was a bit beyond my strength. It seems I can't stay."
Uncle Wolf looked confused, "No way, Lie Dao is an old acquaintance of mine, and you're also a newcomer who just entered. As far as I know, the Little Knife Squad is quite friendly to newcomers."
Li Chonglou sighed, "It's my problem. I don't have enough experience venturing out of the safe zone for the first time, and I couldn't adapt well. I had to return early."
Uncle Wolf asked, "So, you've already signed a contract?"
Li Chonglou nodded.
Uncle Wolf smiled, "It's fine as long as you've signed a contract. Everyone has a first time, and you'll get used to it next time. The Little Knife Squad is quite good. If you perform well and can become a regular member, it would be quite good."