Clay Pot

Qing Kuo and the others said they would help keep an eye on things, so everyone stayed there.

By evening, Qing Kuo said, "The charcoal should be almost ready."

Jian Mo turned to look at the large kiln, and asked uncertainly, "Is this about it?"

Qing Kuo nodded, then said, "I smelled it."

Jian Mo looked at him, then at Da Yao: "You can tell just by smelling it?"

Zhou Fu chimed in eagerly from the side, "Yes, I can smell it too. The smoke smells different."

As he spoke, Zhou Fu even activated his animal-like nose and sniffed again. "That damp feeling is gone."

Jian Mo took a sniff as well, and didn't think the smoke coming out was any different from the smoke before.

He hesitated.

Zhou Fu emphasized, "It's true, I cook every day, and the taste of burning wet firewood is completely different from burning dry firewood. The smoke that comes out doesn't smell like wet firewood."

Jian Mo decided to listen to them. "Let's put out the fire."

Zhou Fu rolled up his sleeves. "Should we just pour this water in?"

Jian Mo nodded. "Pour it out. There's still some residual heat inside. The water will evaporate after the fire is extinguished, so it's fine."

Jian Mo personally lifted the bucket and slowly poured water into the vent to extinguish the fire inside.

When cold water hits a hot kiln, it hisses and crackles, but thankfully it doesn't explode.

Jian Mo looked at the kiln and breathed a sigh of relief.

The kiln they have now is still a bit rudimentary. If they plan to use it for a long time in the future, it would be best to build a specialized kiln.

He was somewhat familiar with this place; he had visited it specifically during his travels.

The fire in the kiln went out, and no more smoke rose from the top.

Qing Kuo asked, "Are we just going to wait now?"

Jian Mo: "Yeah, we'll come and open the kiln first thing tomorrow morning, just like opening a pottery kiln."

Jian Mo packed her things and went home.

When he got home, he went to see the Pack-Pack Beast first.

The Pack-Pack Beast is doing alright, both the mother and the cub are fine, but he can't express the Pack-Pack Beast's milk yet, which he's been longing for.

This is the baby animal's food. If he takes away the milk, the baby animal will starve to death.

They can only start milking the cubs after they are a month old, after they have continued to feed them carefully and maintain the Pack-Pack Beast's milk production.

Wu Jiong returned and, seeing Jian Mo there, asked, "How's the charcoal burning?"

Jian Mo: "I don't know yet. We'll know when the kiln opens tomorrow morning. Shall we go take a look together tomorrow morning?"

Wu Jiong: "I'll get up early tomorrow morning."

Charcoal was a completely new invention of Jian Mo's, and while Wu Jiong and Qing Kuo were willing to go through the trouble, some people in the tribe were not optimistic about it.

If you really want to make charcoal, the charcoal left after burning firewood is still charcoal; why bother with all that extra work?

Jian Mo's status in the tribe is different now. Some people don't think highly of her, but they don't say anything.

They only came early in the morning to watch the excitement when the kiln was opened.

Jian Mo was used to everyone gathering together, and seeing so many people coming, he didn't think anything of it.

He and Wu Jiong waited for Qing Kuo and De Jiang by the kiln.

Once everyone had arrived, Jian Mo glanced around and said, "We can open the kiln now."

Qing Kuo: "I'm here. I'm curious to know how the charcoal inside is burning. If it's all burned out, I'll put it out earlier next time."

Jian Mo smiled at him, "No, it won't."

Everyone worked quickly, and in a few moments they peeled away the outer layer of kiln mud, revealing the dark charcoal inside.

The charcoal is very long; it retains the shape of the firewood that was put in yesterday.

Not only is it long, but its surface is also very smooth, even a little reflective.

It is not the texture of firewood at all, nor is it the texture left over from burning firewood in a fire pit.

Qing Kuo picked it up; the charcoal felt heavy in his hand, even heavier than wet wood.

If you tap two pieces of charcoal together lightly, it will produce a crisp sound like stones.

Qing Kuo exclaimed in surprise, "How could this be?"

Jian Mo raised her head slightly. "This is what good charcoal looks like. It seems the firing process was successful this time."

Qing Kuo: "Wow, I've been burning firewood for decades, and this is the first time I've ever produced charcoal like this. It's really good. You said it burns very slowly, so the fire it produces must be very hot, right?"

Jian Mo: "That should be true."

Zhou Fu squeezed his way over from the side. "So, does that mean we can make pottery now?!"

Jian Mo: "I think it's a good idea."

Chapter 21 Earthenware Pot

Looking at the charcoal in front of them, even those who had never used charcoal before could tell from the sound and texture that it was a good product.

Qing Kuo turned to Wu Jiong and Jian Mo and asked, "How should we divide this charcoal?"

Jian Mo said, "I have no objections, I'll listen to Wu Jiong."

Wu Jiong turned and glanced around. "Keep one-third for the tribe's reserves, and distribute the rest according to the amount of labor contributed."

This method is fair, and no one has any objections.

Qing Kuo deftly directed everyone to distribute the charcoal.

It was everyone's first time burning charcoal, and they examined it with great surprise as they held it in their hands.

Jian Mo helped with the distribution, and each time she would specifically tell people that the charcoal could not be burned in a sealed place; there had to be an opening, otherwise it would be poisonous.

The orcs and sub-orcs who received the charcoal expressed their understanding. "It's just like burning firewood; if it's sealed up, it becomes poisonous."

Zhou Fu even more direct. "Don't worry, none of the houses here are sealed off particularly tightly."

Jian Mo remembered the drafty house she had just patched up with mud, so she didn't say anything more.

After dividing the charcoal, Wu Jiong carried the two portions home.

Jian Mo looked at the charcoal she had just picked out. "Shall I take some out to burn?"

Wu Jiong: "Should we take it to the Pack-Pack Beast's place to burn?"

Jian Mo: "Not for now? Pack-Pack Beast can just burn firewood during the day over there. I'll try it at home first and see how it goes."

Wu Jiong then took out a large, worn-out ceramic basin from the pile of junk. "Use this."

Jian Mo took the earthenware basin, grabbed a handful of withered leaves to place underneath, then took out a piece of charcoal, gently broke it into pieces, and placed it on top.