Kim Haru shuddered to think what would've happened if they'd chosen Sir Peckington instead.
Little Nugget, anwhile, seed bewildered. It blinked its tiny, bean-like eyes in confusion, staring at Kim Haru, then back at the ducklings trailing behind it. It let out a soft, uncertain "cheep-cheep."
Kim Haru grinned and patted the little hero. "Little Nugget, look how much they like you. Since you hatched them, why not take care of them too? Just treat them as your underlings, like Sir Peckington. I trust you—you've got this."
Little Nugget: "…"
Absolutely problematic.
Kim Haru inspected the remaining duck eggs in the nest. He wasn't sure when they would hatch, so he didn't dare disturb them recklessly. After leaving the chicken coop, he carefully prepared finer food suitable for the ducklings.
When placing the food inside, he specifically warned Sir Peckington, "This is for the ducklings. Don't you dare snatch it. If you do, I'll move you to your own living quarters."
Kim Haru had just checked the system and noticed that the sudden arrival of new ducklings had unlocked the Duck Shelter option in the building nu. The duck shelter looked similar to the chicken coop but featured an extra large basin filled with water about two-thirds full—clearly ant as a small pool for the ducks.
However, it was evident that the ducklings weren't ready to live in the shelter alone yet, so Kim Haru decided not to rush into building it. Still, if Sir Peckington misbehaved, constructing the duck shelter and moving him there seed like a good backup plan.
After all, if zombies could live in the cowshed, why couldn't wild chickens live in a duck shelter?
When Go Okrim passed by carrying a bunch of radishes, he heard about the new ducklings and eagerly poked his head into the chicken coop for a look.
As expected, his forehead got pecked by Sir Peckington, who was still cold and grumpy.
Unlike Kim Haru, Go Okrim wasn't so lucky. His forehead didn't just end up with a red mark—it actually bled a little.
And that was with Sir Peckington holding back.
The minor injury didn't bother Go Okrim, though. He rubbed the ducklings a couple of tis, marveling at how soft their down feathers felt. The ducklings squird weakly in his hands, their struggles so gentle that he worried even slightly stronger pressure might accidentally hurt or crush them.
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Reflecting on the massive ducks they'd seen upstream, it felt almost unbelievable that those giant creatures had started out as such tiny fluffballs.
"Ducklings can't be exposed to the wind right after hatching. Don't lift the coop door too often," Kim Haru instructed, not only as a reminder to Go Okrim but also to himself.
"The others should be arriving soon—let's focus on preparing the food."
This served as a prompt for both of them. Kim Haru realized he still hadn't prepared the at dishes he'd promised earlier, as he'd been preoccupied with getting food for the ducklings.
For the hotpot, the at didn't need to be pre-cooked. Frozen pig at was best sliced into thin, even pieces—ideally with a good balance of fat and lean at. Pure lean at, on the other hand, needed to be coated in a thin layer of sweet potato starch so it wouldn't accidentally overcook in the hotpot.
In addition to the at slices, Kim Haru decided to make so crispy fried pig at. He also planned to prepare tender atballs, both of which were perfect for hotpot.
After all, he had plenty of at and an abundance of sweet potato starch.
As he worked in the kitchen, his movents were fluid and practiced. Just as he finished frying a fragrant plate of crispy pork, the sound of barking ca from outside.
Kim Haru knew imdiately—it had to be the others arriving.
Wiping his hands on his apron, he stepped out of the kitchen to confirm. Sure enough, the Cyro Wolves were leading the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, mbers of the Delta Squad, and others like Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee into the farm's grounds.
As soon as the sled stopped, the Cryo Wolf expertly shook off their harnesses and eagerly charged toward Kim Haru with their tails wagging wildly.
"Mr. Kim."
"Good morning, Mr. Kim."
The group that got off the sled greeted Kim Haru one after another.
The sled was created after the safe zone signed a contract with the Cyro Wolves. Unlike Kim Haru's wooden design, theirs was made of earth and tal, covered with thick animal hides on the outside to prevent the tal from becoming too cold in winter. Although not as refined as Kim Haru's system-assisted craftsmanship, it was sturdy enough and quick to mass-produce. Ten sleds were soon ready, ensuring every Cryo Wolf had one.
This ti, all the Cryo Wolf returned, but not all the sleds. Only four were brought back, as each sled could fit two people comfortably.
The sled carrying the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander had only him as a passenger, but it wasn't much lighter than those carrying two people. The empty side was occupied by a large box, about a ter tall.
As Kim Haru reached out, he patted each of the wagging-tailed Cryo Wolf that had gathered around him one by one. Nodding in response to the group's greetings, he finally managed to send the Cryo Wolf off to play before giving his full attention to the people in front of him.
When Kim Haru got a good look at them, his brows furrowed imdiately.
"What happened to you all? Did you encounter danger on the road?" he asked, noticing that aside from the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, the others were covered in bruises, as if they had been in a serious fight.
But with Cryo Wolf pulling the sled, they shouldn't have faced any threats. Kim Haru had experienced firsthand the speed and strength of the Cryo Wolf—traveling with them was smooth and safe, not even a bump or stone would be overlooked.
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