After the meeting, Shen Cong didn't immediately leave the settlement. He went to find Yu Fucheng, director of the Sweet Potato Research Division, and let Yu Fucheng walk him through the current state of Activity fruit cultivation.

"Activity Sweet Potatoes are the primary crop at the moment. High yield, short growth cycle — the main constraint is Jin Ke La consumption, which runs high. Life-Saving Soybeans have a somewhat lower yield, but we've shifted those entirely to processing and storage. Soybean products are everywhere in the camp kitchen now — tofu, dried tofu sheets, soy milk, all of it integrated into the daily menu."

Yu Fucheng continued as they walked: "The Activity Peach trees have produced their first harvest. For the camp's evolved individuals, the effect is quite pronounced. All three of these crops trace back to your contribution, Hu Colonel. New Hefei getting through the famine period — that was entirely down to you."

Shen Cong gave a mild nod. "I've seen what I needed to see here. Go back to work."

Next stop: the Bee Treasure Laboratory. He wanted to check on the colony he'd left behind.

Laboratory Director Xu Changde — also the Research Institute's Deputy Director — accompanied him personally. "The Treasure Bee colony has reached the wild population scale you specified, Hu Colonel. We've built a large protective mesh enclosure around the hive to keep them safe."

The colony was thriving. A hive the size of a small room, covered in Treasure Bees moving in dense patterns. The queen occupied a raised platform at the top, resting with the ease of something that had never known scarcity.

Shen Cong quietly compared this to the hive inside Great Vajra. Same species, same queen designation, entirely different living conditions. His bee queen had been surviving on rationed Royal Treasure Jelly and whatever the colony could forage. This one was living in a palace.

"Is Bee Treasure and Royal Treasure Jelly production sufficient for the camp's needs?"

"Not yet meeting full population demand, but we have a substantial stockpile. You can draw from it at priority rates, Hu…