After eating the Earth Yam and Sourberry, the hunger in my stomach subsided, but seeing the plump Silverskin Fish and the occasional flash of a small shrimp in the river, my craving for “meat” still rose.
The System’s prompt that I could utilize my Water Essence Affinity gave me a great deal of confidence.
Walking to a shallow area of the river where the current was relatively calm, I picked out a few river stones of moderate size and relatively flat edges, rolled up my sleeves, and began working in the slower-flowing shallows.
First, I used larger stones to build a semi-circular base, embedding it into the riverbed’s mud and sand to secure it, then stacked them layer by layer.
Soon, I had enclosed a small circular pool on the riverbank, about half a meter in diameter and deep enough to cover my calves.
Finally, on the upstream side, I deliberately left an opening about a palm’s width wide, allowing a small amount of fresh water to continuously flow in, preventing the pool from becoming stagnant.
“Phew…” Straightening my back slightly, I patted the mud and sand off my hands.
Looking at my “work,” I felt quite satisfied.
This was essentially bringing over the same set of tricks I used to play with by the stream in the countryside as a child, only now my hands-on ability and understanding of the water’s flow and terrain seemed to be much stronger.
Perhaps it was a physical instinct?
With the preparations complete, I squatted by the pool, steadied my mind, and once again focused my attention on the slowly flowing river water.
This time, my target was clear: the Silverskin Fish in the water.
I closed my eyes, but not to shut off my vision completely.
Instead, I switched my perception to that strange “Water Essence Veins” sight.
In my eyes, the river water became interwoven, flowing azure light bands, more active and lighter than the pale yellow veins of the Leyline.
A few tiny silver points of light, representing the fish, were nimbly darting through these blue light bands.
“Let’s try…” I focused my mind, first attempting to “feel” the pulsation and direction of the water’s flow itself, rather than forcing it into submission.
Then, I carefully extended a few extremely fine filaments of mental intent into the water, not to grab the fish, but to try gently “nudging” the Water Essence flow around them, creating an extremely faint but constant current push.
At first, I was a bit clumsy, either using too much force and scaring the fish away, or moving in the wrong direction.
But soon, I got the hang of it.
I guided a stream of water, like an invisible yet gentle hand, to lightly “push” a Silverskin Fish foraging by a rock crevice from the side.
The fish seemed only to find the current’s direction a bit strange, wiggling its tail fin to adjust its posture, but it was unaware that it was being “pushed” by this soft current, slowly moving toward the opening of my preset pool.
“This could work!” A jolt of joy struck me, and I focused even harder.
I split my attention, using another wisp of mental intent to lightly “block” the current on the opposite side of the pool’s entrance, slightly increasing the flow’s pull at the opening.
The Silverskin Fish was led into the pool’s entrance, completely oblivious, guided by my “water massage” all the way in.
It was then “sucked” in by the slightly more concentrated current at the entrance, swimming in confused circles within the pool.
“I did it!” I opened my eyes, my ice-blue pupils gleaming with excitement.
This was far more elegant than using a fork or a fishing net, and also…
much less effort?
Though it did drain my mental energy, the feeling of precisely manipulating the water and working in harmony with the natural elements was intoxicating.
Following the same method, I “invited” in a second, slightly larger Silverskin Fish.
Looking at the two shimmering, lively silvery fish in the pool, my hunger seemed to transform into a sense of accomplishment.
“Extra food for dinner…” I was just happily thinking of this when a very practical problem suddenly struck me.
I had the fish, but how to eat them?
Raw?
Eating raw flesh and drinking blood was simply beyond what I could accept.
How should I start a fire?
My excitement instantly cooled by more than half.
I scanned my surroundings: green mountains and clear water, but absolutely no trace of civilization’s warmth.
Drilling wood to make fire?
The success rate was doubtful, and it looked incredibly time- and labor-intensive.
Striking stones to spark?
That seemed to require specific flint stones, right?
I picked up two ordinary river pebbles from my feet and knocked them together hard.
Aside from a few sparks (I wasn’t even sure if I’d imagined them), not even a wisp of smoke appeared.
Am I really supposed to be like a primitive human, grinding away all afternoon with patience and luck?
I sat back down on the rock in resignation, glancing at the fish in the pool and then at my own hands, which now looked slender and soft but might actually hold non-human strength.
Could I try using my “fire” element affinity?
But the panel showed my Fire Affinity was only 94, on the lower end of the “ordinary” grade, and I had absolutely no idea how to actively trigger that elemental power.
I had guided the water essence just now by relying on my “Water Essence Affinity” and the environmental advantage of being by the water.
But what about fire?
Was I supposed to “channel my intent” at a pile of kindling?
It sounded completely unreliable.
“System,” I sought help again, “do you have…
any suggestions for starting a fire?
Or is there anything like fire starters or flint in the shop?”
[Proposed Solution One: Utilize environment and available resources.
Host can try searching for dry, flammable dead grass and fine tinder (such as materials from certain bird nests or dried moss) as fire tinder, and collect dry twigs and hardwoods.
Methods for starting a fire can be chosen from:
· Drilling wood: Requires a sturdy wooden stick (as the drill shaft) and a hardwood board with a concave pit (as the drill board), combined with bow drill or hand drill techniques.
The System can provide basic skill knowledge injection (requires 5 points).
· Flint striking: Search for hard stones containing quartz or flint components (Environmental Scan can assist in identification), and strike them against metal objects (Host currently has none) or another hard piece of flint at high speed to generate sparks and ignite the tinder.
Flint identification knowledge injection (requires 3 points).
[Proposed Solution Two: Utilize abilities.
Host’s Fire Element Affinity is 94 (Ordinary).
Although no active skills have been activated, Host can try to combine weak mental power with the extremely small amount of free-floating fire elements in the environment under extreme concentration, strong emotion (such as survival instinct, urgency), or a specific ritualistic state, and attempt to ignite them on fingertips or dry tinder.
This method has a low success rate and requires high mental power control; it is not recommended as the first choice.
[Proposed Solution Three: System Shop.
You can purchase a ‘Simple Tinderbox’ (20 points), containing flint, a steel striker, and dry tinder, usable for approximately 50 times.
Or purchase a ‘Constant-Temperature Firestone (Novice)’ (50 points), which can provide a stable small flame for one hour upon infusion of a tiny amount of Spiritual Power (cooldown period: 12 hours).**
Spending points again…
I looked at my only 50 initial points, feeling a bit pained.
The tinderbox is 20 points, the Constant-Temperature Firestone is 50 points (I can’t even afford it yet).
Knowledge injection is cheap, but drilling wood sounds exhausting.
My gaze lingered on Solution Two for a moment.
“Strong emotion…
or a specific ritualistic state?”
Maybe…
I can try it?
After all, I’m not an ordinary person anymore.
Besides, it’s just a trial; if I fail, I’ll consider using points to buy knowledge or tools.
I immediately sprang into action, first gathering a handful of dry dead grass and fine twigs nearby, then breaking off some relatively dry shrub branches.
I found a clearing by the river far from any trees and plants, clearing out a small safe area.
Then I used stones to build a simple windproof stove, placing the driest and fluffiest dead grass as tinder in the center, and piling the fine twigs on top.
With the preparations complete, I knelt before the stone stove, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes.
Emotion…
Will to survive?
It didn’t feel that strong.
Urgency?
A little, mainly the craving for cooked fish.
Ritualistic state…
Right!
I recalled some of Shu’s settings and image in the game: she presides over grains and abundance, her power closely linked to the earth, growth, and even the “sparks” of civilization (cooking smoke).
Perhaps I could simulate that intention of “lighting the fire of civilization” or “where cooking smoke rises, there is home”?
I cupped my hands over the tinder, cleared my mind, and tried to recall the calm, inclusive, and nurturing aura from Shu’s character art.
Simultaneously, I poured my longing for “warmth,” “cooked food,” and “settlement” into it.
My will sank deep into my body; I stopped focusing on the Water Essence and instead tried to perceive, to call out to that relatively faint, hidden Fire Element Affinity.
At first, there was only silence, just the sound of wind blowing over the river.
I could clearly sense the dense Water, Earth, and Wood elements around me, but the part representing “Fire” was like a faint spark, deeply concealed.
I refused to give up, continuing to concentrate, imagining a point of warmth, a spark of light, a glimmer enough to ignite hope gathering at my fingertip.
My emotions gradually became more invested, as if I were standing on an untamed field, needing to kindle the first wisp of cooking smoke to declare my determination to root myself here.
After what felt like an eternity, just as my mind grew weary and I was on the verge of giving up…
A faint warmth, distinct from my own body heat, emanated from my fingertip.
Then, a single, orange-red dot smaller than a sesame seed flickered about a centimeter above my right index finger, before stubbornly, tremulously glowing to life!
It worked?!
Joy surged through me, but I immediately forced it down, terrified of startling this pitifully weak little flame.
With my mind, I carefully “cradled” it, as if nurturing a freshly sprouted seedling, and slowly moved it toward the dry tinder of withered grass in the center of the stone stove.
The moment the tiny flame touched the fluffy grass, a soft “whoosh” sounded, and the orange-red glow suddenly expanded.
The dry grass caught fire!
I quickly blew gently on the fire to help it grow, then carefully added finer twigs.
Soon, a small but steadily burning flame danced cheerfully in the stone stove, dispelling the slight chill by the river and illuminating my ice-blue eyes, which were alight with a surprised smile.
“It actually…
lit!” I let out a long sigh of relief.
I felt my mental energy had been considerably drained, but my heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment.
It seemed this body and this world still had much potential for me to uncover.
Now that I had fire and fish, it was time to prepare my first hot meal since arriving in this world.
I watched the Silverskin Fish swimming in the puddle, then looked at the flickering flames, and began to seriously consider how to clean the fish and how to roast them.
Should I just skewer them on twigs?
I’d need to find some suitable sticks…
or, should I check if there’s a knife in the “Basic Farming Tool Kit” provided by the System?