A vast blanket of snow fell from the sky, and the howling wind was cold enough to make one shiver. Now and then, massive hailstones would plumt from the heavens.
The forest, its branches bent low under the weight of heavy snow, was terrifyingly silent. A thick white mist hung in the air, and not a single animal could be seen.
The great, rushing rivers had frozen solid. Beneath the thick layer of ice, the faint shadows of a few fish could occasionally be seen swimming by.
The Beastn had sealed their doors and windows tight, draping the females in thick, tanned bearskins. An Jin’s ho was no exception.
However, without a special diet, the silk spun by the silkworms was too light and thin to be made into warm, plush coats. So, in the harsh winter, most Beastn still opted for heavy fur clothes made from animal hides.
Most of the wheat the tribe had harvested before the rainy season was ground into flour and stored in the warehouse. A small portion was set aside as seed for the following year’s planting.
The corn and sweet potatoes were also stored in dry, sealed warehouses.
Sweet potatoes were a high-yield crop. Their tubers could be used for propagation, making them a key way to expand food production in disastrous years. They could also be stored for several years in cool, dry conditions.
To prevent the Beastn from facing starvation during the harsh winter, An Jin had consciously planted sweet potatoes over a large area.
Of the tribe’s five large warehouses, two were stuffed full of sweet potatoes.
...
Atop the majestic, snow-covered city walls, a plu of black and red smoke rose high into the air.
From a kiloter away, one could see that long plu of black and red smoke burning fiercely, piercing the clouds.
Ling Hong added another handful of dry wood to the brazier, making the signal fire burn even brighter.
The weather was too cold. He stepped forward and pulled the thick hood of her cloak over her head. "Are you sure you want to open the city during the dead of winter? There won’t be many Beastn around this season."
An Jin brought her red, frozen fingers to her lips and blew a warm breath on them. Her gaze fell upon the snow-covered forest below the city. "Food is scarce in the dead of winter. There are definitely Beastn out there, risking their lives to hunt in the snow."
"The city is being opened for them."
’She wasn’t thinking about making money from the city just yet.’
’Opening the city to Beastn ahead of schedule was a preliminary experint. It would allow her to find any overlooked flaws and carry out a second phase of construction.’
Ling Hong nodded. Seeing the tip of An Jin’s nose turn red, he subtly shifted his warm body closer to hers, shielding her from so of the biting cold.
Then he went back to adding more wood to the brazier.
"Hey, look down there! Are those Beastn?" An Jin asked, her voice full of pleasant surprise.
"Be careful! Don’t fall."
Seeing the female step forward and grip the top of the wall, the color drained from Ling Hong’s face. He quickly pulled her back into his arms.
Only then did he follow her gaze.
Standing high on the stone city wall, they could easily see several small orange and brown dots appearing one after another on the snow-covered ground below.
These weren’t Beastn from their city.
"You’re right."
A look of pleasant surprise also appeared on Ling Hong’s face.
"Is this a new city? It was just a forest when I ca through here last year."
"This weather is cold enough to freeze a beast to death. Perfect timing to go inside and take shelter."
"Which tribe did this city used to be?"
"I don’t know, never heard of it. Seems like it was a small tribe?"
"I happen to need so thick bear pelts. I haven’t been able to catch a bear, so maybe I can buy so while I’m here..."
An Jin’s guess had been spot on.
Although the city was new and hadn’t yet built a reputation, and despite the limitations of the cold season, the number of visiting Beastn wasn’t large. Still, a few ca and went every day.
After a few days, the foot traffic actually showed a faint trend of increasing.
This world wasn’t as developed as the internet age. The flow of information was heavily restricted, so the city couldn’t attract a large number of Beastn in a short period of ti.
’She had to make good use of these scattered groups of Beastn to lay the foundation for future growth.’
As An Jin sat in her room, a blue light shimred before her eyes, revealing a simplified 3D model of the city.
It was just like one of those city-building gas.
Every road, every shop, and every Beastman moving through the city was reduced to a small icon on the model.
As the little Beastman icons walked and stopped on the small 3D map...
...a stream of comnts appeared before An Jin’s eyes—it was the Beastn’s internal feedback and opinions about the city.
This would help the Builder quickly grasp the Beastn’s desires and make improvents to the city.
[This city may not be big, but it has everything! [Smiley Face]]
[They even have lots of cloth here, and those sweet stones! The food is also incredibly delicious! [Smiley Face]]
Reviews
All reviews (0)