Building a Camp

Feng Xu did not rush to smelt iron.

He prepared charcoal while building a wall.

He wanted to build a camp here.

"I know you have ambitions, but people are not on your side right now. You cannot accomplish anything alone."

Inside the cave, Feng Xu spoke calmly to the second-in-command.

Feng Xi, standing nearby, looked grave. He knew the second-in-command had wanted independence for more than a day or two.

Even if Feng Sui came in person, the man would likely only submit on the surface before continuing to seek an opportunity later.

"What could a child like you possibly understand?"

The second-in-command looked disdainful. If Feng Xi had not been present, he would not even have been willing to speak with Feng Xu face-to-face.

"What if I said I could let you develop a tribe here and assign people to you?"

Feng Xu was unfazed and went straight to what the other man cared about most.

The second-in-command's expression changed in shock. He could hardly believe it.

"That's impossible. I know the chief. He would never agree."

"I have my own methods. Just tell me whether you are willing."

Feng Xu glanced at him and said casually,

"I came to discuss this with you because I think you have ability and ideas. If you are unwilling, I can find someone else."

Feng Xi said nothing, and the three fell silent for a long while.

Before coming here, Feng Xu had instructed him not to say anything. He only needed to protect Feng Xu from the side.

"Tell me what you have in mind."

After a long time, the second-in-command spoke first.

"The mountain beside us is very important to the tribe and needs people stationed there. If you can handle this matter well, I can persuade the chief to make you the chief here."

"What use could that mountain possibly have?"

"You will find out in a few days. I will give you three days to consider it."

After saying that, Feng Xu left with Feng Xi.

Building a camp would take considerable time and could not be finished quickly. At the very least, they had to put up the walls first. They would serve as defenses and keep the wild wolves outside from watching them.

Feng Xu planned to build a camp against the mountain, four li on each side.

They would enclose it with wooden palisades first, then smelt iron.

There were not many people, and the cave was enough for everyone to rest in. There was no need to rush to build houses.

The men felled and transported trees, while the women dug trenches and latrines in the designated areas.

These strenuous tasks required no technical skill and happened to be what the warriors excelled at. They had completed half the enclosure on the first day.

Everyone was busy. Even the children were ordered by Feng Xu to learn to read with him.

They had to learn five characters every day. If they failed, their food ration would be cut in half the next day. If they still failed for two consecutive days or more, it would be cut in half again.

Starting on the second day, Feng Xu selected several clever people. Using the wall as cover, they circled around behind it to avoid the wolves' sight and scout the surrounding terrain.

At dusk, the second-in-command took the initiative to find Feng Xu and said he was willing to remain stationed here.

"This place will become a branch of the Wind-Fire Tribe. You will become its chief and make all major and minor decisions here. But if Feng Sui gives an order, you must obey it."

Feng Xu briefly explained the second-in-command's rights and obligations, making the superior-subordinate relationship between the two tribes clear.

Each year, the Wind-Fire Tribe would assign production quotas here and grant corresponding rewards based on output.

If the tribe encountered any problems it could not resolve during its development, it could seek assistance.

There were no women here. Every winter, they could return to the Wind-Fire Tribe and be assigned women. This expedition had brought back quite a few women, enough for everyone.

For now, the women and children could only remain in the Wind-Fire Tribe, where better healers could care for them.

This was Feng Xu's method for temporarily controlling the new tribe.

He offered benefits while also keeping hold of the tribe's next generation. He could instill ideas in them from a young age and prevent this side from becoming uncontrollable after it developed.

After all, men of this era had only desires and needs, not the awareness of being husbands or fathers.

Seeing the second-in-command nod in agreement, Feng Xu began his grand naming endeavor again.

"This place will be called the Red Iron Tribe. You will be the chief of the Red Iron Tribe, and your name will be Iron Mountain."

"Iron Mountain?"

Iron Mountain murmured softly.

"From now on, you are Iron Mountain. It is how you will be distinguished from others."

Iron Mountain's eyes lit up. From that moment on, he was the one and only Iron Mountain.

After dinner, Feng Xu told the people who had come out with Iron Mountain about his plans.

They could remain here from now on and help Iron Mountain—and the Wind-Fire Tribe—develop this place.

If anyone truly wished to return, he would not stop them. They would stay busy for the time being, then return to the Wind-Fire Tribe before winter.

Afterward, he gave all of them names as well.

They began smelting iron on the third day.

There were two more wild wolves outside the wall, but they still could not see what was happening inside the tribe.

Most people built defenses, while a small number accompanied Feng Xu in smelting iron.

Construction of the iron furnace began on the first day. It stood five chi tall, with a base three chi in diameter that narrowed slightly toward the top.

Air vents and an iron outlet were left in the furnace wall, while the top had a feeding opening.

Since it was made from mud mixed with chopped grass and was their first attempt, it was not large.

Feng Xu directed the tribesmen in smelting iron while Iron Mountain and Feng Xi learned from the side.

Charcoal was spread across the furnace bottom and ignited, while several tribesmen took turns fanning the flames. At intervals, they added a layer of charcoal, then a layer of processed crushed iron ore.

This world differed from his previous life. Although the temperature inside the furnace had long exceeded the minimum required for iron smelting, no iron emerged for a long time.

Feng Xu furrowed his brow and personally watched over the furnace for an entire day and night.

They stopped fanning, broke open the sealed base of the furnace, released the slag first, then dragged out the iron bloom.

Before the residual heat faded, they placed it on a stone anvil and forged it together, hammering it repeatedly to squeeze out the impurities within.

Feng Xu personally began crafting an iron tool.

The first iron tool in the Primordial World would be an iron axe. It could be used to fell trees and build homes, and it could also wound enemies.

He used physical means to forge it into the shape of an axe, then deeply refined it using the artifact-refining method he had previously observed Merit use to refine treasures.

It was Feng Xu's first attempt as well. After many failures, he successfully forged a mid-grade postnatal magical artifact, not even enough to be considered a true treasure.

This earned him fifty thousand Merit points.

After attaching a wooden handle, he tested its feel. It was decent. Then he used it to chop down a tree, and its efficiency far surpassed that of a stone axe.

"This shall be called the Mountain-Cleaving Axe!"

In an instant, wind and clouds churned as a ray of golden light descended from the sky. The iron axe's appearance quietly changed.

The words "mountain-cleaving" were anything but ordinary.

Iron Mountain also tried it for himself.

After experiencing the power of an iron tool, he finally began to take Feng Xu seriously.

If treating the chief before had been a matter of luck, then this iron smelting was truly turning waste into treasure.

That ominous mountain could actually produce such a sharp weapon.

The child before him possessed wisdom beyond ordinary people.

After setting up more than a dozen iron furnaces, Feng Xu brought out all the iron ore. It was enough to last them for some time.

For every kilogram of iron consumed to forge iron tools, he received two Merit points.

This would not do. Transporting iron ore would also become a major problem later, so they needed suitable transportation tools.

They could be used to transport ore, and once roads were opened in the future, they could transport other goods as well.

But their most urgent task was resolving the wolf pack crisis.

Feng Xu guided them in forging iron hammers. They could be used to forge iron and to fight.

Before their next great battle with the wolf pack, they needed to forge a spear for every warrior.

The wolf pack excelled at coordination and was highly mobile, much like light cavalry.

However, it had no long-range attack methods.

They could thrust with spears and form a shield wall with fish-scale shields for defense.

No matter how well the wolves coordinated, they would be unable to break through such defenses.

Unless the Wolf King acted.

Five more days passed, and the wild wolves outside began gathering in packs, occasionally running to the outer perimeter of the walls to probe.

Yet they were blocked by the trenches and cheval de frise.

"A few days ago, when you came to harass us, I feared you somewhat. Now that you want to fight, it is too late."

The people sent outside to scout the terrain had already returned.

According to the map they had drawn, this area was filled with mountains. The wolf pack had many possible routes if it wanted to flee, making it nearly impossible to stop.

All that remained was to stall for time. The longer they delayed, the more advantageous it would be.

Feng Xu only had one chance to use a magical treasure. If he failed to catch the Wolf King, the enemy would become wary afterward, and success would be even harder.