Discussing Entering the Mountain

The sun blazed overhead, and the ground was a scene of bustling activity. Nord made a full circuit of the site and found there were still some issues that needed improvement.

First, although the villagers were full of enthusiasm, their efficiency was actually quite low. They weren't pooling their strength toward a single goal; everyone worked on their own, or relied on everyday tacit understanding to make simple cooperations. Moreover, the villagers had never gathered together to build such a large project before.

What seemed like a simple manor to Abel and Nord was already considered a major undertaking in the villagers' eyes. Normally, when building a house in the village, relatives, friends, and neighbors would just lend a hand. Mobilizing the entire village's labor to construct a manor was an unprecedented event for the people of Tami Village.

So the scene inevitably looked a bit chaotic. Nord turned to look at Colin.

"Village Chief Colin, why not divide the villagers into several small teams? Each team can select an experienced or respected leader to guide them, then assign them different tasks. Under the team leaders' direction, work can proceed in an orderly fashion."

Nord found the messy scene hard to tolerate. Though the villagers were enthusiastic, after entering the construction site and observing closely, he couldn't help but offer this suggestion to Colin.

Colin's eyes were filled with confusion, as if to say, "What you're saying sounds reasonable, but I didn't understand a word." His facial expression clearly conveyed, "Explain it more carefully."

Nord felt a bit helpless, so he patiently explained the modern concepts of division of labor and coordinated planning to Colin in simple, easy-to-understand terms. Of course, it was only basic knowledge—Nord probably couldn't have explained anything too technical anyway.

With Nord's guidance and help, Colin divided the villagers at the site into six teams based on family and where they lived. The chosen team leaders were all experienced middle-aged men.

Following Nord's advice, two teams went to quarry and dress stone, two teams went to fell timber, and the remaining two teams stayed behind to level the ground.

Watching the site gradually become orderly under the team leaders' direction, Nord felt a sense of accomplishment. He supposed he was now a little foreman in this other world.

As the four teams headed into the mountains to prepare materials, the immediate area grew quieter, but efficiency didn't drop. With everyone cooperating, the pace actually picked up.

Nord also wanted to introduce a reward system to further motivate the villagers—but not yet. First, let the villagers adapt to the team work model, then gradually add competition and rewards. You had to take things one step at a time; too big a stride and you'd tear something...

He left the manor construction task to Abel, who had basic engineering knowledge and knew how to build a manor. Then Nord called Ryman and Old Mor out from the crowd.

"Ryman, I plan to take a look around the nearby forests tomorrow. Is there anything I need to prepare?"

Ryman and Old Mor exchanged glances, not understanding why the Lord would risk entering the forest. Ryman thought for a moment before answering.

"We're only at the edge of the Amon Mountains here, so the danger level isn't high. If you just want to look around the nearby woods, there's not much risk. You can come back the same day, so you don't need to prepare much. But if you want to go deeper, it becomes very dangerous."

"Oh? Dangers even you can't handle?"

"Once you enter the jungle, you can never let your guard down. Danger lurks all around you at all times—poisonous insects, fierce beasts can attack at any moment. You have to stay focused every second. One moment of carelessness, and you might lose your life. So I can't guarantee your safety."

"Then let's just look around the nearby area first. No need to go far. But I will explore the mountains eventually—you need to be mentally prepared for that."

When Ryman heard Nord only wanted to look nearby, a hint of joy showed on his face. But at the last sentence, his smile froze, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Nord ignored Ryman and turned to Old Mor, the old hunter who had spent most of his life roaming the mountains.

"Old Mor, have you ever been deep into the mountains?"

Old Mor faced the vast, misty mountains, a trace of nostalgia in his eyes. But due to the angle, Nord didn't notice.

"The deep mountains... I've been there. The longest time, I spent seven days and seven nights alone in the forest. In the deep woods, the scariest thing is losing your direction. Especially in the dim jungle, where sunlight is blocked by the tall trees and your surroundings all look the same—one slip, and you'll never find your way back."

"During the day, some light still filters through the gaps in the canopy. But at night, it's so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face. Pitch black, as if only one color exists between heaven and earth. And the mountain beasts come out to hunt in the dark. Most people who die in the mountains die at night. So try not to spend the night in the forest."

Nord was stunned by Old Mor's description. He hadn't taken the danger of the mountains seriously before, because in his past life, humans were the masters of Earth. In the era Nord had lived in, the environment and wild beasts could hardly threaten humans anymore.

All kinds of fierce animals had become protected species, most of them kept in zoos for people to look at. They had lost their wildness and didn't look fierce at all.

It was only today, hearing Ryman and Old Mor's repeated warnings, that Nord understood—this was no longer that age of advanced technology. And he didn't even know what kinds of fierce beasts existed in this world. Rushing deep into the mountains would indeed be unwise. But exploring the mountains was also key to developing his territory—it had to be done.

"Then tomorrow, call four or five hunters and take me to look around the nearby area first. After that, we'll discuss a plan for exploring the mountains."

Ryman and Old Mor nodded to show they understood, though their faces still showed worry about Nord's plan to go into the mountains.

After handling the construction site matters and setting the itinerary for the next day, Nord took Reed and headed back to Colin's small courtyard.

Along the way, Reed was hopping and skipping, looking quite cheerful. Nord was puzzled and asked him.

"What's got you so happy? Tell me about it."

"Lord Nord, as your herald, I should be by your side at all times. So tomorrow, I'm going into the mountains too!"

Reed put on a proud air.

"The mountains are so dangerous—what's there to be happy about?"

"There's not much danger. The mountains are tons of fun! Countless wild fruits and herbs, all kinds of interesting things. My big brother never takes me, so I always sneak in by myself. When they catch me, they give me a good scolding. Now I can go in openly—of course I'm happy."

Nord found it a bit amusing. Ryman and the others treated going into the mountains as extremely dangerous, something they wouldn't do unless absolutely necessary. But Reed was the exact opposite—he thought the mountains were fascinating. Truly a fearless calf that doesn't fear tigers.

Shaking his head, Nord stopped paying attention to the silly boy and headed toward the small courtyard.