"Luna, you'll have to work a bit harder."
"These farmers need protection. Please patrol the area outside the small courtyard where they are gathering resources."
Zong Shen instructed Luna.
"As you command, my Lord!"
Luna had no complaints. She pressed a fist to her chest and bowed to Zong Shen.
Riding her black panther, she slowly walked out of the small courtyard.
Today's task was to build at least six [Tier 1 Thatched Sheds] before nightfall.
Thatched sheds were not just for resting; they were basic structures capable of restoring health points.
They were very useful.
As for a basic barracks, there was no rush for now.
Because Zong Shen didn't have many farmers.
With the Wolf Rider, the Night Huntress, and himself, they were enough to handle the combat needs of the early development stage.
Zong Shen didn't intend to stay idle either. With a wave of his hand, he retrieved an iron axe and walked quickly out of the courtyard.
Outside the yard, Gou Dan's [Tier 1 Thatched Shed] had already been completed.
Since there were still 10 units of wood left in the territory's reserves, Zong Shen placed another [Tier 1 Thatched Shed] right next to Gou Dan's.
He patted him on the shoulder.
"Keep working, Gou Dan. I believe in you!"
Gou Dan's face fell instantly, but he couldn't show any displeasure in front of Zong Shen, so he could only force a smile.
He turned and headed toward the phantom outline of the shed to continue hammering away.
But the smile he left behind looked for all the world like it was written with the word "misery."
Zong Shen didn't mind, merely nodding slightly.
These buildings could be placed anywhere for now, but once the territory expanded and walls were built, he would need to plan and organize them properly.
Lord permissions allowed for one-click relocation without extra resource costs, though it would require reassigning people to spend time rebuilding them.
That wasn't an urgent matter, however.
The construction of several buildings instantly filled the open space near the small courtyard.
It finally started to look a bit like a territory.
Zong Shen nodded with satisfaction and walked toward the nearest tree.
He picked up his axe and began to hack forcefully at the base of the tree!
Perhaps due to his high strength attribute, he didn't find it very strenuous. He only needed five or six swings to completely fell a tree as thick as a thigh.
Then, he only needed to drag the tree for a short distance to easily pull it into the courtyard for conversion.
[Wood +4]
As soon as the tree entered the courtyard, it was converted into wood and automatically deposited into the territory's storage box.
The actual amount of resources converted from trees and other gathered materials was related to the volume collected.
For example, the thigh-thick tree Zong Shen dragged back could be converted into 4 units of wood.
The arm-thick trees the farmers dragged back usually only converted into 2 units of wood.
Zong Shen's overall efficiency was equivalent to the gathering output of four farmers in the same amount of time.
The strength attribute certainly had a very obvious effect.
At the very least, Zong Shen didn't feel much of a burden while working.
"Keep going!"
He rolled his neck and headed back outside the territory.
His targets were those thigh-thick trees!
His efficiency was high, and he barely stopped or slacked off.
Such a lead-by-example performance caused the farmers to speed up their pace as well.
In this busy atmosphere, an hour and a half passed.
Night was approaching, and the orange-red glow of the sunset stained the western sky.
"It's getting dark. Bring back the resources you have on hand and call it a day!"
Zong Shen dragged back the last tree.
Standing outside the courtyard, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and shouted to the farmers.
"Long live the Lord!"
"The Lord is mighty!"
The farmers cheered one after another and returned to the courtyard with the wood they had gathered.
This collective labor session had been quite productive.
During this time, Zong Shen had added two [Tier 1 Thatched Sheds], and there were still 33 units of wood in reserve.
In just an hour and a half, he and the other farmers had gathered 53 units of wood.
His individual efficiency alone was worth that of four or five farmers.
However, after working at full capacity for so long, Zong Shen also felt a bit fatigued.
All the buildings were now complete.
Six thatched sheds were enough to accommodate 12 farmers.
As for Colby and Luna, including Zong Shen himself, they served as the territory's combat force and would need to take turns standing guard at night.
"Time to cook."
"But why hasn't Colby returned yet?"
Zong Shen walked to the stove, a faint sense of unease in his heart.
He began to cook.
Because of the lack of seasonings and ingredients, he could only make roasted wolf meat with the few ingredients he had on hand.
[Roasted Wolf Meat]
[Requirements: Wood ×1, Wolf Meat ×1]
[Cooking Time: 3m]
In one go, he submitted ten portions of wolf meat and ten units of wood to begin cooking.
He decided to wait another half hour.
If the food was finished in half an hour and Colby still hadn't returned, he would send Luna out to search for him.
In the sky, the last bit of sunset glow vanished.
Night fell, the stars filled the sky, and a silver crescent moon hung high overhead.
The night seemed to be Luna's home turf.
As long as she stood still, she could remain in a state of near-invisibility.
It was difficult to spot her with the naked eye.
This was the innate ability of the Night Elf race: Hide!
It was truly powerful!
"Awoo~"
Suddenly, a melodious wolf howl echoed.
"Awoo..."
"Awoo..."
Then, wolf howls erupted one after another from all directions of the grassland.
The grassland under the cover of night was pitch black.
It was like a gaping abyss, capable of swallowing everything.
"Roar!"
"Awoo!"
"Boom!"
After the wolf howls, a series of beastly roars followed.
These howls and roars echoed under the night sky, making it impossible to distinguish their exact location.
All the farmers wore expressions of terror, instinctively huddling together.
Zong Shen and Luna both focused their attention outward.
They both felt that there were many hidden, prying eyes around the territory.
At this moment, a massive figure slowly emerged through the night.
Two eyes reflecting blue light in the darkness appeared before everyone.
Luna had already gripped her moon blades.
Zong Shen also drew his sharp Germanic sword.
They stood ready!
The figure's speed was not slow, equivalent to a travel horse running at full tilt, so it quickly reached the edge of the territory.
In Zong Shen's field of vision, a name suddenly appeared above the dark shadow.
[Wolf Rider Colby]
Zong Shen breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand at Luna.
"Relax, it's one of our own."
The next moment, Colby, riding his giant wolf, arrived outside the courtyard.
He gradually slowed down, came before Zong Shen, dismounted from the giant wolf's back, and knelt on one knee.
"My Lord, Colby has returned!"
Zong Shen looked at Colby and the giant wolf, his eyes narrowing slightly.
A sharp arrow was embedded in Colby's shoulder, and there were sword wounds on his right arm, dripping with blood!
Fortunately, the bleeding from the wounds had stopped, forming scabs.
Colby had actually been wounded!