Mountain Stronghold News

North of Tami Village, at the Manor construction site.

In front of the Manor was a small, stone-paved path, surrounded by a fence made of tung oil wood. At the base of the fence was a half-height stone wall, built from discarded stones quarried during excavation. Due to the rudimentary tools available, even though the village was near the mountains, villagers rarely used stone for building houses as it was too difficult.

Tung oil wood was unique to the Amon Mountains. Its trunk grew tall and straight, and due to its oily nature, it was very moisture-resistant and could last decades without rotting. This made it the villagers' choice for fences and houses. The downside was that this wood was extremely flammable and, once lit, burned for a long time. This also made it the primary choice for firewood among the villagers.

Being highly flammable was certainly dangerous for a house, but compared to the humid climate of the Amon Mountains, this minor flaw was negligible. In fact, being easily combustible might not even be a flaw at all.

Due to the arduous nature of stone quarrying, only one small building in the Manor was entirely constructed from stone, with the rest being wooden structures. Now, both the stone and timber were ready, piled up in the Manor's open space like two small mountains.

Colin was also at the Manor, supervising alongside Abel. Looking at the two-story stone building, already half-constructed, Colin felt immense joy. Ever since Lord Nord arrived, life in the village had steadily improved, especially after the discovery of yams, which solved their food problem. For days, Colin hadn't stopped smiling. Helping Lord Nord build the Manor quickly was his greatest reward, and it was why Colin had led the villagers to work on it even through the rain.

Nord was very satisfied with the progress. He slowly observed the surrounding villagers, noticing their high spirits. They weren't complaining about working in the rain, especially since they'd been getting hot yams every day for the past few days, eating their fill without worrying about where their next meal would come from, unlike before. Now, they walked with a spring in their step, feeling full of energy.

Nord approached Colin, watching the spirited old man enthusiastically direct the villagers, even more dedicated than Nord himself. He stepped forward to share the good news.

"Chief Colin, I have good news for you. The yams have sprouted."

"Lord Nord, you're here. What good news did you just mention?"

Chief Colin was a little surprised by Nord's arrival. He didn't immediately grasp the meaning behind the yams sprouting, and Colin wasn't particularly concerned about it. There were still plenty of yams in the nearby mountains; as long as one searched carefully, they could always find a good harvest.

"I tried a method for cultivating yams, and I just went to check. The yams from a few days ago have all sprouted. That means we can start planting yams now."

"That's truly good news, then! Congratulations, Lord Nord. I'll arrange for some people to help you plant yams tomorrow."

A slight smile appeared on Colin's face. He was actually a bit indifferent to Nord's idea of cultivating yams. Colin believed there were so many yams in the mountains that there was no need to plant them; he thought it would be more efficient to just take a few more trips into the mountains to find plenty. However, he didn't want to disobey Nord's command, which was why he said he would arrange people to help Nord plant yams.

Nord also sensed Colin's indifference. Colin lacked long-term vision, and Nord saw no need to explain it to him. It was useless to tell him now; he would understand Nord's good intentions later. Besides, the workload for planting yams wasn't large and didn't require too many people. The villagers' main work was still building the Manor and digging up yams.

"No need to congratulate me, and it's not just for me. Yams take no more than three months to grow. If we plant them now, we can harvest before the cold season arrives."

"Understood, Lord Nord. I'll make the arrangements."

Hearing that yams only took three months to harvest, a flicker of surprise crossed Colin's eyes. Due to the climate, wheat here took five or six months to mature, and yields weren't high. Yet, Colin still couldn't grasp the necessity of planting yams.

"Also, Marco told me they rescued an injured Mountain Dweller in the forest. He seems to be from a Mountain Stronghold deep in the mountains. He's still unconscious, but his injuries are stable. I'll go into the mountains to see him soon."

Colin didn't smile when Nord mentioned finding a Mountain Dweller. Colin knew Nord's obsession with the Mountain Stronghold deep in the mountains, and Colin didn't approve of venturing deep into the mountains. As an old hunter who frequently entered the deep mountains, he knew the mountains were too dangerous. Recklessly entering the deep mountains in the future would inevitably lead to casualties, especially now that the food problem was solved; there was even less need to go into the mountains. Colin looked at the enthusiastic Nord, wanting to speak but holding back.

"Lord Nord, if you have any questions about the Mountain Stronghold deep in the mountains... you could try asking... Old Mor."

"Got it. Old Mor is experienced, after all."

Nord thought about seeing the person from deep in the mountains, feeling a mix of excitement. He didn't understand the hidden meaning in Colin's words.

After greeting Colin and Abel, Nord left with Marco and the others. Although excited, Nord was not in a hurry. The person was still unconscious, and his injuries were not life-threatening, so there was no need to rush. On the way, Nord was still thinking about how to deal with the Mountain Stronghold issue.

From the very beginning, Nord had harbored ambitions for the Mountain Strongholds deep in the mountains; these strongholds were to be the foundation of his future development. After being in the village for over half a month without any news of them, Nord had genuinely been anxious. Relying solely on Tami Village's hundred-odd households, it would take an eternity to develop.

However, when news of a Mountain Stronghold finally arrived, Nord calmed down. He carefully considered how to build good relations with the stronghold. After all, each Mountain Stronghold deep in the mountains lived in isolation, making communication difficult. If this attempt failed, he didn't know when the next opportunity would arise, so this chance was crucial.

The air in the mountains after the rain was incredibly fresh, with raindrops still clinging to the leaves. Entering the forest, it felt as if the entire world had been cleansed, radiating vibrant vitality.

The Wild Boar Cave was no longer as it was during his first visit. Not only had the surrounding fence been expanded, but the ground at the cave entrance had also been leveled. There was now a sizable training ground inside, filled with various training facilities, making it more akin to a Stronghold.

The trees outside the fence had also been cleared in a circle, creating a buffer zone between the Stronghold and the forest. From the fence, one could clearly see the situation in the forest. The moment Nord and his group reached the open area, they were spotted by the hunters inside the Stronghold.

As Nord approached the Stronghold gate, Ryman already came to greet him with his men.

"Lord Nord, you've arrived so quickly."

"I'm quite interested in this person. How is he doing now?"

"He's still unconscious, but there are no major problems. You can tell he's very strong; he should wake up soon."

Stopping before the Wild Boar Cave, Nord felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. The outcome might disappoint Nord, or it might open a new chapter for his domain.

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