Caelen sat on his handmade chair, staring out the door of his cabin. The forest was quiet, but he knew better. Sowhere out there were goblins, wolves, and maybe worse. Underground? Who knew.
He tapped his fingers on the wooden table. His eyes drifted toward the mine entrance across the yard. The tunnel he'd dug wasn't deep, but according to Google Brain, there was a cave nearby—and a chunk of iron.
A smarter version of himself might have sprinted straight in to grab it. But after days of barely surviving, inventing a toilet from scratch, and eating roots that may or may not have been edible, Caelen had learned one thing:
Rushing gets you killed.
Step 1: Don't Die Instantly (Armor)
He stood up, stretched, and opened his Google Brain.
Search (4/20): "How to make simple armor with no tal?"
[Bark chestplate, reinforced cloth or leather wraps. Mobility: low. Protection: minimal.]
He sighed. "Well, it's not fashion week."
He headed outside, peeled bark from trees, shaped it into rough plates, and tied them together with vines. It barely fit over his tunic and creaked when he moved, but it was better than running in with a T-shirt.
[Crafted: Bark Armor – durability: low. Still better than nothing.]
Step 2: Food Doesn't Grow in Caves
He checked his food stash—two smoked at strips, so salted mushrooms, and dried berries. Not bad, but he wasn't sure how long he'd be in the cave.
Search (5/20): "How to store food underground?"
[Dig into cool ground, insulate with leaves or stone. Create cover to prevent animals.]
The cellar he'd made under his floor worked fine, but he needed sothing portable. He packed a small pouch with rations and salt. Enough for a day or two, no more.
He double-checked that his food cellar was sealed tight, just in case a squirrel with a taste for smoked at ca sniffing around.
Step 3: Let There Be Light
Search (6/20): "Best way to light caves without dying in a fire?"
[Simple torches: cloth fat/oil stick. Burn ti: 15–20 mins.]
He wrapped old cloth around sturdy branches, soaked them in leftover cooking fat, and left them to dry. The sll was... aggressive. Sparkfin fluttered out of the room.
[Crafted: Basic Torch x3]
He added one to his belt, the rest in a bundle by the door.
Step 4: ntal Prep
He sat at the table and laid out what he had:
Bark armor: scratchy but usable
Copper pickaxe
Torches
Food pouch
Full Google Brain (14/20 left)
"Still feels like I'm forgetting sothing," he muttered.
He stared at the corner of the hut where the toilet was. Then nodded. "Nope, that's covered too."
Sparkfin landed on his shoulder, chirped softly, and settled in. The bird seed to know sothing was up. Or maybe it was just annoyed by the torch sll.
Tomorrow
Caelen looked out into the trees, the sky darkening behind them. He wasn't scared. Not really. But he wasn't in a rush either.
The cave could wait one more day.
Because this ti, he wanted to walk in prepared—and walk out alive.
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