Night fell, and as they returned to the base, Yuriko launched a surprise attack on Lu Wen, who didn't resist.
A night of passionate revelry drew them closer.
The next day, after breakfast, Lu Wen pulled out a list of resources and equipment, leaving the procurement to Yuriko and Nakagaki Mami.
There was no rush to clear out the remaining zombies; the area around the base was already clean, and any further clearing would require venturing farther afield.
The souls Lu Wen had collected during yesterday's zombie purge had already surpassed ten thousand, fulfilling the initial goal of his arrival in this world, but he was now collecting as many as he could.
He split the energy he had accumulated for expanding his personal space in half, using one half to strengthen the materials of the Emperor's Banner and increase its soul capacity.
The space occupied by souls and Yin Spirit warriors was minimal, otherwise it would be impossible to accommodate them in his personal space.
With a simple command, Lu Wen's subordinates brought him what he wanted.
Looking at the pile of copper, iron, gold, silver, and high-grade steel before her, Saeko Busujima asked curiously, "Lu Wen-kun, what are you planning to do with this?"
While using electromagnetic force to heat the copper, iron, gold, and silver, Lu Wen replied, "I suddenly had an idea. I'm going to forge a weapon for you, Saeko."
Upon hearing this, Shizuka Kikukawa and Koume Nanri also looked over with curiosity.
Lu Wen delved into his knowledge and data, pondering and calculating the weapon's design.
He planned to incorporate intricate and beautiful Damascus patterns into the weapon.
It was less about forging a weapon and more about showcasing his skills in creating a work of art.
He layered iron at the base, followed by copper, gold, and silver, using electromagnetic force to precisely control the temperature and ensure complete fusion of the contact surfaces between the four materials.
The high-grade steel was then sandwiched between the four metals, which were fused together.
The four fused metals were merely for creating the patterns, while the high-grade steel comprised the blade and its edge.
He heated the metal block again, using heat and forging to shape the blade and, in the process, modify the patterns of the four fused metals.
The process was more akin to making lacquerware than forging a Damascus-patterned weapon.
With Lu Wen's meticulous calculations, after half a day of forging, the material had been shaped into the form of a katana.
Finally, after polishing and etching, the weapon displayed intricate, regular patterns.
The blade was decorated with a depiction of a magnificent river, while the two sides of the blade exhibited different motifs.
One side showcased battle scenes, while the other depicted scenes of cultivation.
Copper formed the base color, silver threads served as outlines, and gold depicted weapons.
Only Lu Wen had the time and patience to create such an ostentatious weapon.
Both the blade and edge were made of high-grade steel, making it a divine weapon even by ancient standards.
But it wouldn't take many battles for the patterns on the weapon to be scratched.
He finished attaching the accessories and presented the weapon, which appeared to be a work of art, to Saeko Busujima.
Saeko drew the sword, testing its feel, and stroked the patterns on the blade, saying, "Lu Wen-kun, this weapon feels very good in my hand, but isn't it a bit too ostentatious? I'm afraid I might feel too much heartache to use it in battle."
Without stopping his work, Lu Wen replied casually, "Keep it as a collector's piece. I'll forge another weapon for you."
He was also practicing with this weapon forging. After developing his magnetic power, his electromagnetic cannon initially used steel balls as ammunition, but as his strength grew, so would the size and weight of the ammunition.
Eventually, it would become similar to the Noble Phantasm, directly launching manufactured weapons as ammunition.
He then forged another katana, entirely made of high-grade steel, and used his synthesis ability to enhance its quality, making it even sharper and tougher.
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye, and under the command of Yuriko and Nakagaki Mami, a batch of resources had been collected and transported back to the survivor base.
Lu Wen took Saeko Busujima out to clear zombies, and she enjoyed the thrill of killing, highly satisfied with the weapon Lu Wen had forged for her.
After lunch, Lu Wen remained at the base, pondered for a moment, and then ordered, "Yuriko, bring all the survivors back to the base."
Yuriko was puzzled but didn't argue, readily agreeing.
She reported, "The zombies in the surrounding areas have been cleared this morning. Besides the items on Lu Wen-kun's list, we've also gathered a lot of survival supplies."
"The current supplies are enough for the survivors at the base to use for a month or two."
Although Yuriko knew they would leave in a few days, she didn't completely abandon the survivors at the base. She and Nakagaki Mami were still preparing a way for them to survive.
Lu Wen paid no attention to the actions of the two women. He had already obtained many of the items on the list he provided this morning.
Organizing the survivors at the base to search for resources was far more efficient than doing it alone.
The nuclear explosion would cause an electromagnetic pulse that would damage electronic devices.
Lu Wen still hoped to rely on the survivors at the base to collect various resources for him in the coming days.
"The vehicles at the base can't be damaged in the nuclear explosion. I have to find a way to protect them," Lu Wen thought, looking at the resources collected by the base.
Besides the resources he had listed, the rest were all survival supplies that were of no use against the impending electromagnetic pulse.
After thinking for a while, Lu Wen used his electromagnetic force to attempt to build a magnetic field.
He wanted to cover the critical areas of the base and protect those equipment from the electromagnetic pulse.
Lu Wen was somewhat worried, "The magnetic field I can create with my current strength is too fragile. I need to find a way to strengthen it."
Thinking for a moment, he commanded, "Yuriko, start all the generators at the base and make sure the wiring throughout the buildings is in good condition."
Lu Wen wanted to use the external generators and the electrical network in the buildings, leveraging their power to construct a reinforced defensive magnetic field.
This was essentially a signal blocker, but the magnetic field Lu Wen was creating was to intercept the electromagnetic pulse.
"How long can the fuel for the base's generators last?" Lu Wen asked.
Yuriko recalled, "The base has already started to limit power consumption. We also gathered some fuel this morning. Just the current consumption alone should allow it to last for ten to fifteen days."
Lu Wen nodded in relief, "It doesn't need to last that long. It should be over this afternoon. Hopefully, my arrangement will work."
He told Saeko Busujima and the others to stay by his side, mainly out of concern for any potential accident during the nuclear explosion.
If it didn't detonate in the high atmosphere over the ocean like in the original story, but slightly closer to the city, the blast would be beyond Lu Wen's current ability to withstand.
If such a change occurred, Lu Wen would sense the danger and instantly bring all the girls into his personal space, taking shelter himself as well.
With spatial power, avoiding the core area of a nuclear explosion was quite easy.
Yuriko and the others sensed Lu Wen's anxiety. Yuriko hesitated for a moment and asked, "Lu Wen-kun, can I call my daughter here as well?"