Chapter 163: New Apartments

There was still plenty of unused land surrounding the developed areas.

Ni Mengxue began searching for a suitable location to establish the farmland.

She didn’t want it too close to the residential buildings.

The smell of manure could disturb the residents, and placing the fields near busy areas would make it easier for people to enter and tamper with the crops.

After examining the layout, she shifted her attention toward the northwestern section of the base.

A river flowed near the boundary, providing a convenient source of water.

’This place should work.’

She selected the area and placed the farmland there.

The miniature model immediately changed, revealing a large section of cultivated land.

She then connected the fields to the nearby river through the system’s irrigation function.

After all, one of the basic requirements for establishing farmland was access to a reliable water source.

Once the connection was completed, Ni Mengxue officially designated the entire northwestern section as the agricultural district.

Looking at the remaining empty land, another thought suddenly occurred to her.

’Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could build villas with private gardens?’

Residents could use those gardens to grow their own vegetables.

It would provide them with additional food while making their homes more comfortable.

Just as she was considering the idea, the system suddenly sent another notification.

[New Construction Features Unlocked!]

Ni Mengxue immediately checked the available options.

To her surprise, two-bedroom apartments had become available.

Her eyes brightened. She quickly examined the upgrade requirements.

Apparently, certain existing apartments could be converted into larger residential units.

However, apartments that had already been occupied by residents couldn’t be modified until they were emptied.

Ni Mengxue didn’t mind.

There were still several unoccupied units available for renovation.

She selected one and examined its upgraded layout.

The new apartment had two bedrooms, including a master bedroom and a smaller guest bedroom.

It also contained two bathrooms, a living room, and a compact kitchen with modern fittings.

Compared to the original one-bedroom apartments, the layout was considerably more spacious and practical.

The kitchen even had built-in cabinets and a designated area for electrical appliances.

Ni Mengxue nodded in satisfaction.

’It looks like I have plenty of work to do tonight.’

Without wasting another moment, she began arranging the upgrades.

.....................

The next morning, the residents of Fair Shallow Land woke up and stepped outside.

At first, nobody noticed anything unusual.

However, someone suddenly pointed toward the residential district.

"Hey! Look over there! Another building has appeared!"

The people nearby immediately turned their heads.

Sure enough, a new residential building stood beside the existing apartments.

Curious residents quickly gathered around it.

When they examined the information displayed near the entrance, they discovered that the building offered apartments ranging from approximately 422 to 720 square feet.

Some were compact one-bedroom units, while others had two bedrooms and more spacious living areas.

The discovery immediately attracted considerable attention.

One resident stared at the details excitedly.

"My wife, her other husbands, my grandparents, and I have been struggling to fit into our one-bedroom apartment. We had to rent 5 rooms."

He shook his head.

"There’s barely enough room for everyone to sleep. Sometimes, a few of us have to stay awake while the others rest."

He pointed toward the larger apartment.

"But this 720-square-foot unit would be perfect for our family! We should rent one!"

With that, he hurried toward the reception area to enquire about availability.

Several other residents followed him.

However, not everyone was impressed.

A few people stood nearby, whispering among themselves.

"Why is the base leader focusing on building larger apartments?"

"The heat waves are becoming worse every day. Shouldn’t electricity be the priority?"

"Exactly! They’ve started selling solar panels, but what are we supposed to do with them if our homes aren’t installed with wires?"

Although the first electrical connections had already been completed, many residential units were still waiting for installation.

This had left some residents dissatisfied.

Just as they were discussing the matter, a loud voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Hey, wait! There’s farmland in the northern district!"

Everyone turned around.

A young boy was pointing toward the northwestern section of the base.

"Come on! Let’s go and see!"

Without waiting for anyone, he began running.

The surrounding residents exchanged curious glances before following him.

Soon, a crowd gathered near the northern boundary.

There, close to the fence separating the riverbank from the inner sections of the base, they discovered a large stretch of freshly prepared farmland.

The soil was rich brown, with neatly arranged planting rows extending across the open ground.

Small irrigation channels ran between the fields, connecting them to the nearby water supply.

Standing in the middle of the farmland was a beautiful woman.

She had long, straight black hair and fair skin with a faint pinkish glow.

Her cheeks were naturally rosy, giving her a fresh appearance that suited her name.

It was Strawberry Lee.

She was crouching near one of the planting rows, carefully examining the soil.

When she noticed the approaching crowd, she immediately stood up. "Stop right there!"

Her voice was firm.

"This is an agricultural work area. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."

Several residents stopped. However, one man immediately frowned.

"Why are you making such a fuss?"

He pointed toward her.

"You’re standing inside the farmland yourself. What makes you any different from us?"

Strawberry remained calm. She reached into her pocket and took out her identification bracelet.

Then she held it up for everyone to see. "I’m an officially appointed agricultural worker."

She spoke in a professional tone. "I have permission to enter and work here. You don’t."

She glanced at the people standing near the boundary.

"If any of you enter without authorization, the base leader may punish you for violating the rules."

Her warning made several residents step backward.

However, a few people snorted disdainfully.

"What’s the point of showing off?"

"At the end of the day, you’re just a laborer like the rest of us."

Strawberry ignored their remarks.

She had no intention of arguing with people who were clearly trying to provoke her.

Instead, she returned to examining the soil.

Although some residents eventually left, many remained nearby.

They were curious about the newly established farmland.