"Luna, you'll have to work a little harder."
"These farmers need protection, please patrol within the range outside the courtyard where they are gathering."
Zong Shen instructed Luna.
"Understood, my lord!"
Luna showed no complaints, placing a fist against her chest, saluting Zong Shen.
Riding a Black Panther, she walked out of the courtyard at a slow pace.
The task today is to build more than six Tier One Grass Huts before night falls.
The grass huts are not only used for resting, but they are also foundational buildings for restoring life value.
They are very useful.
As for the basic barracks, it's not urgent for now.
Because Zong Shen's farmer population is not large.
With the Wolf Cavalry, the Dark Night Female Hunter, and himself, it's enough to meet the needs of early development battles.
Zong Shen also didn't plan to stay idle, with a spin of his hand, he grabbed an iron axe, and quickly walked out of the courtyard.
Outside the yard, Gou Dan's Tier One Grass Hut had already been completed.
Coincidentally, there are still 10 units of wood reserves left in the territory, so Zong Shen placed another Tier One Grass Hut beside Gou Dan's.
He patted his shoulder.
"Keep working, Gou Dan, I'm counting on you!"
Gou Dan's face instantly fell, but he couldn't show displeasure in front of Zong Shen, so he managed to squeeze out a smile.
He turned and went to the phantom of the grass hut, continuing to hammer away.
But the smile he left behind, seemed to be filled with words of suffering.
Zong Shen didn't mind, just nodded slightly.
These buildings can now be placed freely, and once the territory expands and city walls are built, it will require careful planning and organizing.
With the lord's authority, structures can be moved with a single key, without extra resource expenditure, but it'll need people to rebuild over time.
There's no rush for this now.
The construction of several buildings quickly filled the vacant plot adjacent to the courtyard.
It seems like now there's finally a semblance of a territory.
Zong Shen nodded satisfied, walking towards the nearest tree.
He grabbed his axe and started chopping vigorously at the base of the tree!
Perhaps due to his higher strength, he didn't find it too strenuous, a tree as thick as a thigh, required only five to six swings to completely cut it down.
Then, just dragging the tree for a bit, he could easily bring it into the courtyard for conversion.
[Wood +4]
Once the tree entered the courtyard, it was converted into wood, automatically stored in the Territory Storage Box.
The actual quantity of wood and other gathered resources that can be converted also depends on the quantity gathered.
For instance, the tree Zong Shen dragged back was thigh-thick, able to be converted into 4 units of wood.
The trees farmers brought back, usually arm-thick, could typically be converted into 2 units of wood.
Zong Shen's overall efficiency equaled that of four farmers in the same amount of gathering time.
The strength attribute truly has a noticeable impact.
At least Zong Shen doesn't feel exhausted when laboring.
"Let's continue!"
He twisted his neck, heading outside the territory again.
The target was those thigh-thick trees!
His efficiency was high, almost without any pause or idling.
This proactive behavior urged the farmers to quicken their pace too.
In this busy atmosphere, an hour and a half passed.
Night approached, the orange-red sunset lit up the western sky.
"It's almost dark, bring back the resources you have on hand, then call it a day!"
Zong Shen dragged back the last tree.
Standing outside the courtyard, he wiped his forehead sweat and shouted to the farmers.
"Long live the Lord!"
"The Lord is mighty!"
The farmers cheered, carrying their gathered wood back to the courtyard.
They had gained a substantial harvest from this collective labor.
During this time, Zong Shen had added two more Tier One Grass Huts, leaving 33 units of wood reserves.
In just one and a half hours, he and the farmers had gathered 53 units of wood.
His personal efficiency equaled that of four or five farmers.
However, having exerted himself fully for so long, Zong Shen felt somewhat tired.
All the buildings had been completed.
Six grass huts could accommodate 12 farmers.
Regarding Korby and Luna, including Zong Shen himself, as the force leaders in the territory, they needed to take shifts at night.
"Time to cook."
"But why hasn't Korby returned?"
Zong Shen approached the stove, feeling a tinge of unease in his heart.
Starting cooking.
Due to a lack of seasoning and ingredients.
He could only make roasted wolf meat from the few ingredients he had.
[Roasted Wolf Meat]
[Requirements: Wood ×1, Wolf Meat ×1]
[Cooking Time: 3min]
He submitted ten units of wolf meat and ten units of wood, starting the preparation.
He decided to wait for another half hour.
And if Korby has not returned when the food is ready, he will send Luna out to search.
In the sky, the last bit of sunset light disappeared.
Nightfall arrived, stars dotting the sky, a silver crescent moon hung high above.
Night seemed to be Luna's domain.
She could simply remain motionless.
Becoming nearly invisible.
She was hard to detect with naked eyes.
This is the Dark Night Elf Race's talent ability, hiding!
Indeed, it's strong!
"Awoo~"
Suddenly, a lingering wolf howl sounded.
"Awoo..."
"Ao...woo..."
Then, a chorus of wolf howls came from all directions in the grassland.
The grassland under the night's cover was pitch dark.
Like the open mouth of an abyss, devouring everything.
"Roar!"
"Awoo!"
"Bang!"
After the wolf howl, came a series of furious beast roars.
These howls and roars echoed under the night sky, their exact location unrecognizable.
All farmers wore expressions of terror, instinctively crowding together.
Zong Shen and Luna focused their sights outside.
They all felt many hidden peering gazes around the territory.
At that moment, a massive silhouette slowly cut through the night.
Two eyes reflecting blue light in the dark appeared before everyone.
Luna clenched her Moon Blade.
Zong Shen unsheathed his Sharp German Sword.
They stood ready!
The silhouette's speed wasn't slow, akin to an Old Traveling Horse at full speed, hence, it quickly reached the territory's edge.
In Zong Shen's vision, a name suddenly appeared above the shadow.
[Wolf Cavalry Korby]
Zong Shen breathed a sigh of relief, waved to Luna.
"Relax, it's our own."
Next moment, Korby on the Giant Wolf reached the courtyard's outside.
Slowing down, then standing before Zong Shen, dismounting quickly from the Giant Wolf, kneeling on one knee before him.
"My lord, Korby has returned!"
Zong Shen looked at Korby and the Giant Wolf, squinting slightly.
An arrow pierced Korby's shoulder, his right hand had knife wounds, blood dripping profusely!
Fortunately, the bleeding wounds had stopped, forming scabs.
Korby was injured!