Chapter 434: Chapter 195: The Creaking Sound on the Bamboo House Darkness cloaked the land, and the sky seemed to have a massive hole as torrential rain poured down. It was already four in the morning, and Liang Yuan’s group finally had a place to rest their feet. The bamboo house, tens of meters high, was built alongside the mountain. In this darkness, fires were lit in each layer of the bamboo house, driving away the dark and bringing warmth. Although it was already September, the weather should have remained hot for a while, but in this torrential rain, one’s body could easily become unstable, making the fire source essential outdoors. The mutant bamboo, green with hints of red, was not only exceptionally tough but also seemed highly resistant to heat. However, to prevent fires, everyone lined the fire pits with mud, set up iron pots, and boiled water. Those who had some flour cooked a pot of dumplings, and the fragrant aroma brought a sense of satisfaction to everyone. After days of continuous travel, they finally had a place to settle down. No one had to worry about floodwaters rising or the mutant creatures that could appear at any moment from the water. They also didn’t need to worry about the building collapsing or the water level continuing to rise, trapping them inside. On this mountain, there was land and vegetation. Everyone could plant sweet potatoes and potatoes and gather wild vegetables. In short, here, everyone could see hope. It seemed that everything was about to get better. In the top-floor room, Liang Yuan and Yang Mei had hastily finished their meal. He took out a tent and a bathtub from the storage. Setting up the tent and placing the bathtub inside formed a simple bathroom. He poured hot water into the bathtub, adjusted the temperature, and then called Yang Mei to come in for a bath. "Sister Mei, the water’s ready. Come in and wash up." Yang Mei’s fair face blushed slightly, "Isn’t it inappropriate? Everyone else is downstairs." Liang Yuan laughed, "It’s just a bath. What are you thinking about?" "Really?" "Really." Only then did Yang Mei feel at ease, lifting the tent flap, from which the rustling sound of clothes being removed could be heard. Liang Yuan began brushing his teeth and washing up. "Little brother, you haven’t mentioned how you plan to build the shelter." Liang Yuan rinsed his mouth, "I observed in Tu Long and his camp earlier. Their camp was quite primitive and incomplete." "It couldn’t possibly defend against the creatures in the forest. I believe this is just the outer part of their camp. Their actual shelter isn’t there." "Jiang Zihao mentioned that the floodwaters are influenced by tidal patterns, and around the fifteenth or sixteenth of each month, a lot of mutant creatures from the floodwaters will come ashore, forming a sea tide." "To cope with the sea tide, they can’t possibly rely on simple camp measures. They must have some method of barrier." "Here in Yangshan, besides climbing higher, there’s only one way to avoid these dangers." "What way?" Yang Mei couldn’t help but ask. From the tent came the sound of water splashing, suggesting she had just gotten into the bathtub. Liang Yuan could already imagine her fair and slender beautiful legs gently dipping into the bathtub’s aromatic scene. He could not help but glance outside. The rudimentary bamboo house had no walls, just simple structures for cover. Although he used planks to partition the space, the soundproofing was poor. He suppressed his inner heat and put aside some fanciful thoughts, "Of course, it’s to drill into the mountain." "What place could provide more safety than a cave?" "A cave?" Yang Mei was surprised. "Hmm, I guessed that they have excavated caves in the mountain. After all, a sturdy mountain can resist external dangers." "As long as we control the size of the cave entrance, large creatures can’t get in, and small creatures can be easily dealt with." "We’ll base our shelter on this mountain behind the bamboo house and figure out how to drill into the mountain to create our own refuge." Yang Mei imagined everyone living in a mountain cave, digging out a three-room, one-hall place, which seemed quite possible. At least the solid mountain walls provided a strong sense of security. However, thinking of everyone emerging from the cave, Yang Mei couldn’t help but laugh, "It feels like we’ll all turn into cavemen." Liang Yuan laughed, "Cavemen are better than camping in the wilderness." Zzzzzip~ The zipper of the tent was suddenly opened, startling Yang Mei, who was bathing. She quickly looked up. She saw Liang Yuan, already naked, slipping inside. Yang Mei’s face turned crimson with embarrassment. She quickly covered her ample chest, "What... what are you doing? Didn’t you promise not to misbehave?" Liang Yuan came closer, whispering, "I’ve been soaked in the rain all night. I need to wash up too." "Then... Then I’ll get out first." She turned around in a fluster, climbing out, her fair and beautiful back exposed to Liang Yuan’s eyes. Liang Yuan couldn’t hold it any longer and stepped forward, hugging her from behind. "Why go out? Let’s wash together." "Ah—" Yang Mei exclaimed as he pulled her back into the water. Splash, splash... The water in the bathtub began to rhythmically sway. The floorboards creaked along. Downstairs, Ding Yan, Song Wen, Dong Yan, and the other girls who were about to sleep suddenly fell silent. Instinctively, they all looked up at the wooden boards above. They weren’t novices; they knew what was going on. Song Wen’s face flushed red. Dong Yan also covered her ears, her face turning bright red. Only Ding Yan rolled her eyes and cursed softly, "Are they beasts? They’ve been busy all day and still have the energy for this."