Across the forests, over the hills, and through the wild grasslands.
At dusk, Lynn and the group of four returned to the cabin.
Opening the wooden door, the cabin was normal, with no traces of disturbance.
Besides Lynn and the others, no outsiders had come.
After carrying the barley for more than twenty miles, Red was panting heavily.
It seemed that Red noticed Lynn's gaze and was somewhat confused.
"Master Lynn?"
They stopped several times to rest on the way back.
But right after returning, Red was sent to work...
Was Red really to become nothing but a beast of burden?
After placing all the items down, Kuisi said, "Master Lynn, I'll go check the rabbit cage and the fishing cage."
Upon hearing Kuisi's words, Lex's eyes lit up.
Before Lynn could speak, Red stood up, "Master, I've rested, I'll go instead."
After finishing his words.
Red walked outside, though he was still panting slightly.
Lynn stopped Red, "Take Lex with you, let him familiarize himself with the environment, and he can handle this work in the future."
Red nodded, and Lex also responded as he followed him out.
Lynn looked at Kuisi, "Prepare dinner, bass barley porridge, add more barley, it's too watery to be filling."
Kuisi quickly answered, "Yes, Master Lynn."
Watching Kuisi rekindle the coals and busy herself making dinner, Lynn carried the flint axe and walked out of the cabin.
He needed to find some suitable branches for making handles for the iron tools.
The sky was getting dark.
Lynn, holding a bundle of branches, returned to the cabin first.
Just opened the wooden door, a scent filled with fish and barley wafted to his nose.
Lynn looked toward the fire pit's center, the bass barley porridge was boiling and bubbling in the pottery pot.
A rich aroma emanated from the bursting bubbles.
Not long after, Red and Lex also returned to the cabin.
Handing over the few large fish and processed wild rabbits to Kuisi, Red couldn't help but praise, "Smells delicious."
Lex swallowed his saliva.
Using a sharpened stir stick, Kuisi stirred in the pottery pot, making the barley and bass cook more thoroughly.
She spoke, "Master Lynn, just wait a bit longer and it will be ready to eat."
With the iron kitchen knife, Kuisi's cooking efficiency had greatly improved.
Lynn replied with a sound, picked up a branch as thick as an arm and inspected it carefully.
The branch was free of cracks, worms, or damage.
Exerting force with both hands, Lynn tested the stick's strength and hardness, then took out the iron axe to begin installation.
With previous experience of making the flint axe, installing the iron axe was too simple for Lynn.
He carved the end of the stick to the appropriate size, inserted it tightly into the axe's opening, and continuously hammered it to make the iron axe go further up the stick.
Then he hammered some pegs into the axe's opening, preventing it from falling off, and sawing the extra length of the stick with the iron saw.
A complete iron axe was assembled.
[Production Experience +1]
Lynn stood up, raised the iron axe in his hand, it was much heavier compared to the flint axe.
Seeing this, Red also busied himself.
Originally being villagers, they were quite familiar with these farming tools.
After all the iron agricultural tools were installed, Kuisi said, "Master Lynn, it's time for dinner."
Lynn responded with a sound.
After dinner, Lynn continued to weave fishing cages with Kuisi.
The Acadia River had an abundance of river fish.
Lynn felt that for a long time, river fish would become their main source of income.
Making fishing cages wasn't difficult, at Lynn's speed, he could weave one in over an hour.
Weaving two overnight, the remaining time would be spent on correcting and perfecting the ones Kuisi held.
Meaning, they could weave three fishing cages before sleep.
As the number of fishing cages increased, the daily catch of river fish would also increase.
Then, the uneaten river fish would be smoked, sold, and traded for necessary goods.
Would this barely count as an industry?
Watching Lynn and Kuisi weave, and Red sharpen the iron products, Lex felt somewhat restless.
Even Master Lynn, who was the lord, busied himself during his free time. Was it too leisurely for him, a new servant?
He needed to prove his worth!
Lex looked at Lynn, "Master Lynn, before starting brewing, besides gathering wild rabbits and river fish, I think I could also undertake daily cooking."
Lynn glanced at Lex, "Alright, these tasks are yours, Lex, don't let me down."
Listening to Lynn's last words, Lex was filled with trepidation, "Of course, Master Lynn."
Night deepened.
Though it was already spring, the temperature at night was still very low in the wasteland.
The cabin Lynn built wasn't large, with some clutter making it seem even more cramped.
Now with four people lying inside, it felt even more crowded.
Lynn understood that he needed to quickly build another simple cabin.
Checking the [Heavenly Artifacts]'s [Holographic Map], a path through the forests appeared on the map.
Further away, there was a village labeled 'Kent Village'.
Only places Lynn had visited would light up, showing detailed surrounding terrain.
However, it only showed the terrain.
Other resources hidden in the forests couldn't be seen.
...
The next day.
At dawn.
Four figures were busying themselves on the wasteland.
Lynn and Red held hoes, cultivating on cleared weed land.
With the addition of iron hoes and iron cross pickaxes, the cultivation became faster and more effortless.
Not far away, Kuisi and Lex were diligently removing weeds.
While clearing weeds and stones, Lex asked Kuisi, "Kuisi, does Master Lynn work with us too? Isn't it... Isn't it somewhat improper?"
Lex had this question in mind since last night.
How could a lord personally craft labor tools?
More than that, Lynn faced the dirt like a farmer or a slave, holding an iron hammer and cultivating the land?
Moreover, Master Lynn ate the same food as them!
Lex swore, not only had he not seen, he had never heard of such a thing.
Kuisi was not surprised at all, she calmly said, "Master Lynn is different from other lords, he is the lord newly appointed to this wasteland by Marquis Ducazef, he always leads us in labor..."
Lex nodded, no longer having any issues.
Even though he was just a free person who could brew wine, he had heard that many great lords, to expand their economic income, would grant wastelands to capable vassals.
With Lynn's current working style and ability, he was evidently such a person.
Lex pondered.
Following a lord like this, eating well and drinking adequately was quite advantageous.
To say nothing else.
At least last night and this morning, Master Lynn allowed him to eat his fill.
After working for some time, Lex looked at the sky, he then walked quickly to Lynn's back and respectfully spoke, "Master Lynn, shall I return to cook now?"
Lynn acknowledged, "Go ahead, add more barley to the meal."
Lex bowed and retreated quickly back to the cabin.
At noon.
When Lynn, Kuisi, and Red returned to the cabin, Lex had just finished making rabbit and barley porridge.
Lex called out, "Master Lynn, lunch is ready."
[Rabbit Barley Porridge]: Non-toxic, rich texture, protein complement, balanced nutrition, etc.
Lynn nodded, feeling somewhat wistful.
Indeed, only with more labor, could development be faster.
With Red's recovery and Lex's arrival, Lynn could clearly feel the reduction in many tedious tasks.