Han Huohuo and Gou San, both soaked like drowned rats, stared at each other.
Looking across the whole camp, the only thing that seemed able to keep off the rain was the thatched hut — but the thatched hut had no roof. The straw that might once have covered it had long since been blown away by the wind.
So miserable!
Nowhere to shelter.
The rain fell harder and harder. Han Huohuo finally just gave up and let it be — let it pour. When the heavens decide to deal you a beating, there's no court to take your complaint.
The mountain wind blew, carrying a chill, and he couldn't help sneezing.
This was the misery of having only one point of Endurance!
Nearly an hour passed, and the wood and stone were finally enough.
Ten mechanical workers could theoretically chop 1,000 wood in half an hour, but in practice it took longer, because hauling the wood back and forth wasted a fair bit of time.
There was no helping it — there was no warehouse beside the woods, so once the workers chopped the wood, they had to lug it all the way back to camp.
【Confirm upgrading to a Tier-2 Main Base?】
"Confirm!"
As the command went out, light burst skyward from the thatched hut in the downpour. In an instant it transformed: a structure like an ancient chieftain's tent appeared in its place.
This tent was excellent — it looked to be wood and oxhide, and at the very least the roof was intact and kept off the rain.
【Main Base】: Tier 2, an Ancient-Era building.
【Population Cap】: 200 (including workers and troops)
【Buildable】: housing, market, warehouse, beast pen, Tier-2 farmland, Tier-2 wooden wall, recycling furnace, smithy, well, Catapult Barracks, Cudgel Barracks, workshop.
【Upgrade】: the next tier requires 10,000 wood, 5,000 stone, and at least six Ancient-Era buildings.
The building list had added a workshop and a beast pen. Tier-1 farmland and Tier-1 wooden walls could now be upgraded to Tier 2 as well.
【Congratulations, Lord. Your Main Base has reached Tier 2. You are the first Lord to advance a Main Base to Tier 2. Broadcast this worldwide?】
"Decline!"
Han Huohuo had decided to keep a low profile to the bitter end — absolutely no letting anyone know.
【First to upgrade the Main Base. Reward: one treasure chest. Please accept it, Lord.】
Another reward.
Han Huohuo was overjoyed.
He opened the chest, and three options popped up.
【Ring of Life】【Goblin Bow】【Dragon Pearl Ring】
【Please choose】
Han Huohuo spat. So stingy — three ordinary treasures and he had to pick just one. They really couldn't all be his?
Then, without hesitation, he chose the Ring of Life.
【Ring of Life】: increases the Lord's Endurance by 2 points.
He hurried to slip the ring onto his hand. A warm current flowed through his whole body — so comfortable. This ring really was a timely rain; his Endurance instantly tripled.
My Endurance is finally more than one point. Three Endurance is just fantastic.
The rain came down in sheets, and Gou San was getting a little flustered.
"Chief, the rain's heavy out here. Let's go shelter inside the Main Base, shall we?"
Gou San was beside himself with worry, but with Han Huohuo not going into the Main Base, he didn't dare run in alone either.
Han Huohuo laughed heartily. "The moment I saw the treasure I forgot all about the rain. Come on, let's go take cover in the Main Base now."
The words were barely out of his mouth when a sudden gust scattered the clouds and cleared the rain. The light of the setting sun poured into the Hundred-Thousand Mountains, like the light of heaven, or like a flashlight shining down from the sky, and in an instant ten thousand rays of sunset glowed.
The scenery was exquisite!
Han Huohuo was in no mood to admire scenery. Back in the Main Base, he was thoroughly put out. How could the rain stop just like that? My freshly built Main Base hasn't even had a chance to be useful yet.
Inside, the tent was clean — clean to the point of being utterly empty.
Oxhide all around, a stone floor underfoot. Honestly, a bit cold.
"Go cut me some straw!"
"Huh? Me?"
"If not you, then who — me?"
Han Huohuo scolded Gou San. With some real backing now, he wasn't afraid of this little turncoat anymore.
Gou San didn't dare talk back. Mumbling his assent, he hurried out, blade in hand, and reluctantly went off to cut grass.
On the hillside grew a kind of grass, long and soft. Once dried, spread on the floor it was quite comfortable.
Anything beat lying on the cold stone floor.
The truth was, Han Huohuo still didn't fully trust Gou San. The guy's stats were a touch higher than his own now, and he carried a blade. His Loyalty looked high, but this scoundrel's trait was "emotionally unstable" — no telling when his Loyalty might drop to 0. If he stuck a knife in him while he slept, wouldn't he die without ever knowing how?
Building a house didn't take many resources.
And to upgrade to the next tier, these buildings had to be built anyway.
In a bit he'd build him a house and kick him out of the Main Base. This was yours truly's turf.
But for now, he still needed him for some labor. Black Wind Stronghold absolutely did not feed idlers!
Don't work? You think I'm going to keep you in your old age?
Night was falling.
Among the towering peaks, the roars of tigers and wolves sounded everywhere. Deep in the underbrush, snakes and insects crawled. As he cut grass, Gou San trembled with fear.
He'd barely managed to cut some grass when Han Huohuo ordered him to fetch a few stones and rig up a crude stove in the Main Base.
Then the two of them gathered a bit of wood and set about making fire by drilling it. The two fools were one dumber than the other, and after wearing themselves half to death, they finally struck sparks with the blade, lit the dry grass first, then got the wood going.
Han Huohuo was overjoyed.
Watching the flames poke up from the stove, the Main Base warmed up at once.
"All right, head back and rest!"
"Chief, head back where?"
Cold and exhausted, soaked through, Gou San had been about to warm himself by the fire alongside Han Huohuo, and to bond a little with his boss in the bargain. But Han Huohuo wanted to sleep and was chasing him out — he was instantly dumbstruck.
"Oh, I've already built you a new house. You'll see it right outside the door."
"Hm?"
Hearing the giant mechanical wolves patrolling back and forth at the entrance, Gou San wouldn't dare harbor a second thought.
With a sheepish grin he left the Main Base.
Stepping outside, he saw a new house built in a corner of the camp, looking decent enough.
Only then did he relax. At least he wouldn't have to spend the night out in the open.
Once Han Huohuo had warmed the straw, he spread it on the floor, then dried his clothes by the fire.
He posted three giant wolves at the door to guard him — utterly foolproof!
This was where the mechanical workers' advantage showed. Unlike ordinary workers, they needed no rest at all. Even deep in the night they labored on without pause, and resources kept accumulating.
Han Huohuo was exhausted. He'd been fighting all day — though he hadn't actually lifted a finger himself, somehow watching the battles felt more tiring than doing it himself.
He spread the straw out and lay down on it in perfect comfort.
【Congratulations to Lord Cold Blade, the second to advance to a Tier-2 Lord. Reward: one treasure chest!】
【Congratulations to Lord Cold Blade, the second to advance to a Tier-2 Lord. Reward: one treasure chest!】
【Congratulations to Lord Cold Blade, the second to advance to a Tier-2 Lord. Reward: one treasure chest!】
......
The first day had left everyone worn out, and just as many Lords were getting ready to rest, scrolling messages suddenly flooded the screen.
Every Lord froze.
"Holy crap, which big shot is this good — leveled up on the very first day?"
"Amazing, just amazing!"
"Big shot, please accept my knees!"
"Are you even human? This is way too much. I look at the progress bar and I'm not even a tenth of the way through the experience!"
"Right? Is there a bug or something?"
After the buzz had gone on a while, someone finally noticed something was off.
"Hold on, how is the big shot the second? Who's the first?"
"Huh, now that you mention it, I hadn't noticed. This is the second to advance? Why wasn't there a broadcast for the first? What's going on?"
"Don't tell me... there's a hidden big shot too?"
"......"