Under Elias's experienced eye, the construction of the log cabin became a simple, joyous task of connecting the dots.
The glowing blue lines showed them exactly how to notch the logs, where to place the supports, and how to angle the roof beams.
What would have taken a team of experts days of painstaking work, Ryan's five loyal citizens accomplished in a mere four hours.
By late afternoon, a sturdy, respectable log cabin stood in the center of their camp.
It smelled of fresh-cut pine and the promise of safety.
When the final roof beam was laid and the holographic blueprint dissolved, a cheer erupted from the small group.
Ryan watched them, a proud smile on his face. But as he looked at the massive pile of logs they had used, and the still-vast forest beyond, a sobering reality set in.
They had spent half the day building one small cabin. They still needed to finish the palisade, build a storehouse for food, a workshop for Elias, and expand the farm. All while gathering more wood, hunting for food, and standing guard against whatever else the Calamity might throw at them.
He looked at his five people, their faces flushed with victory but etched with deep exhaustion.
They were incredible, but they were only human. They couldn't be in three places at once.
He had thought they could handle it all, but he was wrong. He needed more hands.
With a sigh, he made the decision. It was time to invest in his greatest resource: his people.
He opened the System Shop and navigated to the Population tab. He had 130 points.
It felt like a fortune, but he knew it would vanish in an instant.
He selected the 'Human' option.
[Purchase 3x Human citizens?]
[Total Cost: 120 Development Points.]
[Confirm Purchase!]
He took a deep breath and confirmed it. His balance plummeted to a measly 10 points. He was poor again.
But as he looked at the solid cabin and the determined faces of his people, he knew it was the right call.
A moment later, a pillar of soft blue light descended into an empty space within their camp.
When the light faded, three new figures stood there, blinking in confusion.
It was two men and a woman, all looking young and healthy, dressed in the same simple starting clothes.
As they took in their surroundings—the half-built wall, the new cabin, the group of armed people staring at them—the expected fear was quickly replaced by something else. Recognition.
"Mark? Sarah?" one of the new men exclaimed, his eyes wide.
The new woman, Sarah, looked at the other newcomer.
"Liam? You're here too? What about…?"
"I'm here!" the third newcomer, Mark, grinned, looking between his two friends with sheer disbelief and relief.
"We're all here!"
It seemed the system had a flair for the dramatic. Ryan's first five citizens had been strangers, but these three were clearly close friends.
Ryan let them have their moment, a genuine smile on his face. This was good.
People with existing bonds would work better together.
He stepped forward, clearing his throat.
The newcomers immediately fell silent, their eyes turning to him. Like his first citizens, a look of innate understanding dawned on their faces.
"Welcome," Ryan said, his voice calm and steady.
"My name is Nameless. I am the Lord of this territory. You are safe here. We have a lot of work to do."
He quickly brought the three newcomers—Liam, Mark, and Sarah—up to speed, explaining the situation with a brevity born of experience.
He then turned to his entire group of eight.
"Liam, Mark, Sarah, you three will join Leo and Sam on woodcutting duty. We need to expand this wall before anything else. The five of you, your only job is to bring us as many logs as you can."
The five young people nodded eagerly, grabbing the spare axes.
"Elias," Ryan continued, turning to the older man. "You've earned a rest. For now, I need you and the others to come with me. We have shelter, but we have no food."
He held up his Blood Hunter, its crimson tip gleaming.
"It's time we went hunting."
Elias nodded grimly, his hand resting on the simple wooden spear Ryan had given him.
Mara and Elara, who had proven their courage during the goblin attack, also picked up their spears, their expressions resolute.
The four of them ventured into the forest, moving with a caution born from their battle with the goblins.
The woods were deep and quiet, the only sounds being the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of strange birds.
A large, fat rabbit was nibbling on some clover, its long ears twitching.
Before Ryan could even line up a throw, Elara moved.
With a fluid motion, she stepped forward and hurled her spear. It flew true, pinning the rabbit to the ground. It was a perfect, clean kill.
"Nice shot, Elara!" Ryan praised. She flushed with pride, a confident smile gracing her lips for the first time. They had their first meal.
They pressed on, hoping to find more game.
The forest grew thicker, the ground becoming softer and wetter underfoot. Soon, they broke through the trees and found themselves at the edge of a murky, stagnant swamp.
Standing near the water's edge was a creature unlike the goblins.
It was a reptilian humanoid, about a meter tall, with mottled green and brown scales. It held a surprisingly well-made spear tipped with sharpened obsidian and had a tattered leather pouch at its hip. It was a Kobold.
It hadn't noticed them yet. It was poking at something in the mud with the butt of its spear.
Ryan motioned for his team to halt.
This creature looked far more intelligent than the frenzied goblins. They needed a plan.
But before they could formulate one, the Kobold's head snapped up, its beady black eyes fixing directly on them.
A normal monster would have shrieked and charged. This one did something far more unsettling. It smiled, a wide, toothy grin that was deeply unnerving.
"Greetingsss, warm-bloods," it hissed, its voice like stones grinding together. It didn't raise its spear in aggression. Instead, it gestured with an open, three-fingered hand towards the swamp.
"You seek treasure? Yessss? Great treasure lies beneath the murky water. This one can show you. A gift, for new neighborsss."
Ryan and his companions exchanged wary glances. It could talk. And it was trying to make a deal.
"What kind of treasure?" Ryan asked, taking a step forward, his grip tight on the Blood Hunter.
"Shiny thingssss!" the Kobold hissed, its eyes gleaming with avarice.
"Gold! Gems! Powerful weapons! Sunken with the old ones. This one knows the spot. We can share. You help this one, this one helps you."
It was tempting. Incredibly tempting. But there was a cunning, deceitful light in the creature's eyes.
This was a trap. The swamp was likely filled with hidden dangers, and this creature wanted to lure them into its preferred killing ground.
"I think we'll pass," Ryan said flatly.
The Kobold's smile vanished, replaced by a venomous snarl.
"Foolish warm-bloodss! You reject the generosity of Ssskaal? Then you will become food for the swamp!"
In a flash, it whipped its arm back and hurled its obsidian-tipped spear.
It wasn't aimed at Ryan, but at Mara. The attack was swift and deadly accurate.
Elias, reacting with the speed of a veteran, shoved Mara to the ground, the spear flying over her head and burying itself in a tree trunk.
With its spear gone, the Kobold didn't retreat. It hissed and drew a wicked, curved dagger from its belt, darting forward with surprising speed.