Coarse cloth, also called homespun cloth, is made from pure cotton. One foot of cloth costs one thousand infrastructure points, and Shen Nong guessed that there probably wasn't any cotton in this beast world.
He scrolled down and saw linen, fifty construction points per foot. So cheap, this material could be found all around the Wood Tribe.
Infrastructure points are scarce, and he couldn't afford to waste a thousand points just to filter tofu, so he ultimately chose linen. Although it wasn't as good as cotton, he'd make do with it.
I also bought the brine from the shop. Since the Beast World doesn't produce sea salt yet, brine is 10 base points more expensive than gypsum water. It costs 15 base points, but it's still much cheaper than cloth.
Tofu made with brine is firmer and tastes better when stewed, fried, or stir-fried. Tofu made with gypsum water is softer and tastes better when used in soups. Shen Nong wanted to try both, so she bought one portion of brine and one portion of gypsum water.
Making tofu doesn't require much skill; it mostly relies on physical strength. After watching Shen Nong make it once, the food production team members were able to easily get the hang of it.
The next day, after the tofu was ready, the food preparation team tried it out in every way imaginable – frying, stewing, stir-frying, and pan-frying. They cooked meat every day, so their culinary skills had become quite good. However, because frying and stir-frying tofu required a lot of oil, they made relatively little of it; only Shen Nong and the team leaders had some.
The remaining tofu wouldn't keep for long, so the orcs from the food-making team put on raincoats and straw hats and went door-to-door distributing tofu to the orcs, while also telling them how to make soup.
When it was divided, firm tofu and soft tofu were mixed together. The beastmen couldn't tell the difference between the two; to them, this white, tender thing called tofu was just as soft and delicious.
The rain was drizzling outside, and the doors of every household in the Mu tribe were open. Inside, the hearth was lit, and a clay pot was stewing meat on it, a full pot, with tofu distributed by the tribe also added.
This soft, tender thing seems to go straight down without needing to be chewed.
After finishing a bowl of pickled meat and tofu soup, their annoyance caused by the rain was soothed, and their attention was involuntarily drawn to the rain outside the door.
Their past memories of rain were filled with hunger, mud, and extreme worry—the fear that the fire would be extinguished by the rain. This was the first time the Wood Tribe beastmen hadn't thought about anything; they simply watched and listened to the rain.
The rain, which should have gradually subsided by the third day, showed no signs of letting up by the fifth day. The rain pounded down relentlessly, and instead, it poured even harder.
The water that was previously below the instep has now reached the ankle.
Fearing that the tribe would be flooded, Shen Nong and Shen San began leading the tribe's orcs to dig ditches and evacuate on the third day, working themselves to the bone every day.
For some reason, Ze had learned to massage Shen Nong's legs and back without any instruction, which allowed Shen Nong to get a slightly more restful sleep at night.
On the morning of the sixth day, Shen Nong was awakened by the sound of rain. He quickly washed up, put on his raincoat and straw hat, and went to find the captains of each team.
The large river not far from the village can't withstand this much rain. In another two days, there will likely be a flood.
Shen Nong had no way of knowing whether the rain would stop tomorrow, but he was certain that if it didn't stop tomorrow, flooding would come very soon.
Better safe than sorry. After notifying the team leaders, the Wood Tribe beastmen, led by their captains, all sprang into action.
They wanted the entire tribe to move to the Salt Tribe, which was the highest point in the surrounding area. Moreover, the Salt Tribe had many caves, so they could squeeze in and find a place to stay.
Every beastman packed everything they could carry from the earthen hut into their baskets, each filling at least one large basket. They even looked longingly at the earthen hut, wishing they could pack it into their baskets and take it with them as well.
The Wood Tribe had more than a dozen warehouses, which were filled with large quantities of cured meat, animal hides, fish skin clothing, pottery, and dried seafood. Shen Nong didn't keep a single animal hide; she put them all into the system warehouse.
These were all painstakingly saved by the tribe members for winter and for trade.
Shen Nong also threw all the wooden furniture from the military guard barracks, workers' dormitories, and log cabins into them. If the houses couldn't be saved, it would be enough to save the furniture.
The system warehouse couldn't hold live animals, so the pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks raised in the livestock area were herded around by Dahei and Tuanzi, and by the children who took care of the livestock area.
Big Black was also covered with a lot of equipment that each team couldn't afford to lose, as well as a shrunken catapult and ballista.
Shen Nong's system repository also has space limitations and cannot hold these.
Besides the salt mountains previously stored behind the waterfall, a significant portion of the salt from the salt extortion department was still piled up in his system warehouse, taking up space.
The distance between the Wood Tribe and the Salt Tribe isn't actually that far. If they don't transform into human form, it takes about two hours to walk there. If they do transform, it only takes half an hour.
Due to the heavy rain and deep water, it took the Wood Tribe orcs nearly three hours to walk, even though they had all transformed into human form.
The Wood Tribe had so much to carry that it couldn't possibly move it all in one trip. The tribe's orcs were also extremely reluctant to let their precious possessions be washed away by the flood. Although the priest said there was only a possibility of a flood, they didn't want to gamble on that possibility.
So the higher-ranking orcs made two more trips to the Wood Tribe, completely emptying the tribe. The remaining orcs followed their priests' instructions and put all their non-personal belongings into the cave.
After the Salt Tribe's defeat, the Wood Tribe orcs searched all their caves. They originally wanted to see if there were any usable animal hides left, but even the animal hides in the Salt Tribe chieftain's cave were not half as good as the worst animal hides in their Wood Tribe.
However, those piled together, freshly skinned animal hides, can still be tanned and have some value.
At that time, the Wood Tribe orcs thought the caves of the Salt Tribe were too smelly, so they emptied every single cave.
Unexpectedly, this saved them a lot of effort and spared them from enduring the stench. Each cave was empty, without even a blade of grass. Shen Nong assigned the caves to the tribe members as quickly as possible to help them settle in.
Depending on the size of the cave, the smallest cave housed five people, while the largest cave housed fifteen people.
Although it's a bit crowded, the number of orcs in the Wood Tribe is quite large now. In addition, some of these caves need to be reserved for the animals in the pasture area, and for the things hanging on Big Black's body.
Even with so many caves in the salt region, the resources available are still somewhat insufficient when divided among different groups.
After dividing up the caves, the Wood Tribe beastmen began preparing their lodgings. Since there was no dry grass to lay on the ground, the Wood Tribe beastmen simply spread rolled-up bamboo mats on the floor, placing pillows and animal hides on them. They then took out the earthenware pots and bowls they would need and placed them beside their bamboo mats.
In the center of each cave was a small fire pit, which the Salt Tribe beastmen used to keep warm in winter. In the small cave for five people, the beastmen dug an additional small fire pit.
The large cave, which housed fifteen people, originally had two fire pits, but because stewing meat took a long time, they dug three more to make sure everyone could eat meat as soon as possible.
After digging the hearth, the orcs took out the chopped firewood from their baskets. Making fire by friction is now a basic skill for every orc in the Wood Tribe, and even the newly joined orcs of the Wushan Tribe have basically mastered the art.
The beastmen carried their tools with them at all times, and the tinder they used for starting fires was wrapped up very well so that it didn't get wet at all from the rain.
Once the fire was lit, they divided into groups of two or three and began stewing meat one by one. The water used for stewing the meat was rainwater collected directly from outside the cave by holding the earthenware pot out of the cave.
By the time all the orcs were settled, it was completely dark.
Perhaps because their vision was obstructed, the beastmen felt that the rain outside was getting louder.
Shen Nong has already sent Shen San to inform the Mountain Tribe, as well as the other surrounding tribes. She also asked Shen San to inform them, but she doesn't know if they took it to heart. The terrain of the other tribes is better than that of the Wood Tribe, so if they go up in advance, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Shen Nong had arranged everything, but he couldn't help feeling worried. He feared that if a flood really broke out, even those in the high-lying Yanbu area wouldn't be able to escape the disaster. But he was helpless; the only thing he could do was carry out disaster relief operations.
But he didn't want to see his people die. Everything was going in a good direction, and he wanted everyone to live well.
Shen Nong's mind was preoccupied with things he couldn't control, and he didn't sleep well all night.
Ze had sensed his partner's anxiety, but he didn't know how to soothe it. Ze focused all his attention on his partner, and as soon as the other showed any signs of waking up, he would immediately become alert. He would gently stroke his partner's back, soothing him back to sleep.
Shen Nong had a mediocre sleep; her tired body was rested, and her mental state improved somewhat.
He stood at the cave entrance, his heart sinking. The rain outside grew heavier and showed no sign of stopping. The sky seemed to have been ripped open, with water pouring down as if to submerge the entire world.
The rain intensified.
The seven tribes that were working in the wood-giving tribe became much more serious after Shen San said that the heavy rain might cause floods that would inundate their tribes.
Especially after Shen San described what a flood was, some of the older tribal priests had memories of the flood, while the younger priests learned about it from the previous priest.
They had frequent contact with the Wood Tribe and even lived there for a period of time. They trusted the Wood Tribe priest's words; even if there wasn't a flood in the end, being cautious was still good for the tribe.
The other tribes responded only moderately, with only two tribes taking the advice to heart and braving the heavy rain to climb to higher ground.
Floods have happened before, and each tribe has its own ways of dealing with them. There are caves at higher elevations in the tribes to avoid floods.
The Wood Tribe priests weren't sure if they actually had anything, and they didn't want to make the trip in the pouring rain. What if the Wood Tribe had done this on purpose, just to lure them up, knowing they couldn't take everything, and then taking all their tribe's belongings while they were away?
They had traded quite a few things at the market in the Wood Tribe before.
The Salt Tribe had done this kind of thing before, and they knew the process. This time, they would never fall for the Wood Tribe's trick.
Besides, if the flood really comes, they'll still have time to escape. Even if their level is low, they can run very fast after transforming. How fast can the water be? Can't the orcs outrun the water?
Chapter 85
Death
Two nights after the Wood Tribe orcs stayed in the Salt Tribe's cave, they suddenly heard a huge rushing sound of water outside.
They were awakened by the strange and terrifying sound and immediately looked outside. It was pitch black outside, making it difficult to see anything, but they still trembled and felt a chill run down their spines.
The orcs felt as if the great river beneath their feet was about to sweep them away.
Soon, orcs began to try to start a fire in the cave by touching the black wood, but because they were in a hurry, it took them a while. Firelight gradually filled the cave, and the orcs, seeing the scene before them by the light, were so frightened they forgot to breathe.
Outside, a fierce wind and torrential rain lashed against the surrounding trees. Branches swayed wildly, and leaves rustled rapidly, producing a chilling sound.
The muddy road during the day was still puddled with water, but at least you could wade through it. Now, that muddy road had disappeared, replaced by a wide and long "river".
The river surface was splashed with several droplets of water as large raindrops pounded down. The water surged and flowed downstream, with no end in sight.
Shen Nong hadn't slept at all. The moment he heard the strange noise, he rushed to the cave entrance, watching as the raging floodwaters surged toward him. The wind outside was fierce. Ze stood beside Shen Nong, extending a hand to shield him.
“Priest, it’s cold outside, come inside.” Ze noticed the priest’s furrowed brow and gently smoothed it with his fingertips. “I’ll go check on the people. You go and rest, and wait for me to come back.”
Shen Nong knew Ze wouldn't agree to him going alone, but he would also worry if Ze went out alone. The wind and rain outside were too strong, and the river had long since flooded the roads. Shen Nong knew that under these circumstances, it was impossible for a person to walk outside, but Ze could transform into a half-beast and fly away.
If he goes with us, we'll have to keep an eye on his condition.
Shen Nong really wanted to say that no one should go. She hadn't heard any shouts yet, so everyone should be alright. But in the end, Shen Nong sighed, hooked her fingers around Ze's, and whispered, "Don't get hurt."
He nodded in agreement, "Okay."
Golden light surged forth, and beautiful wings appeared behind Ze. After Ze left, Shen Nong contacted Shen Yi and Shen Er through the system's chat platform to inquire about their situation.
It was raining in Shen Yi's area too, but it was light and intermittent. There was no sign of flooding, and mining continued uninterrupted. Meanwhile, the sun was shining brightly in Shen Er's area. He also reported on the progress of the seaside dormitory construction, which was now ready for occupancy.
The Feather Tribe, who fished for the Wood Tribe for a long time in the coastal tribe, were also considered orcs working for the Wood Tribe, so naturally they needed dormitories to live in.
Besides the orcs from the Feather Tribe who had to live in workers' dormitories, there were also orcs from the Seaside Tribe.
Previously, at the Feather Tribe, the tribespeople told Shen Nong about the situation of the Seaside Tribe. Shen Nong wanted to establish a long-term, stable presence in the Seaside Tribe, so he couldn't ignore them. Therefore, he also asked Shen Er to communicate with the Seaside Tribe members, asking if they were willing to work for the Wood Tribe in exchange for equivalent amounts of animal hides and cured meat.
Shen Er then recounted some information about the coastal tribes, which made Shen Nong raise her eyebrows slightly, clearly surprised.
The coastal tribes are now in a state of polarization.
One group consists of small tribes that want to work in the Mu tribe, while the other group consists of large tribes that strongly disagree. They not only disagree with their own tribesmen doing so, but also do not allow members of other tribes to go.
Just as Shen Nong was about to ask Shen Er if he knew the reason, a message popped up from Shen Er: "According to the priest of the largest sea tribe among the coastal tribes, someone did this a long time ago. They believed it at the time and sent the orcs to the other tribe, but those orcs never came back. However, it seems that the smaller tribes did not encounter such a situation. They all say that the sea tribe and several other large tribes are making things up."
It wasn't that Shen Nong was boasting, but the fact that the animal hides and cured meat from their Mu tribe were offered to the orcs for work was something that the orcs, who were often hungry and cold, found very hard to refuse.
Even in large tribes, there are still some orcs who are hungry and cold.
Although no other tribes besides the seven tribes that had initially agreed to work for the Wood Tribe sent orcs to do so.
But that's because he didn't want them, not because those tribes hadn't considered sending their orcs. The reasons for not wanting them were twofold: firstly, they already had enough people; secondly, the priests from those tribes who came to talk to them had such calculating eyes that they were practically plastered on their foreheads.
Although the Wood Tribe is not afraid of these things, who would deliberately put woodworms on good wood for no reason?
Therefore, Shen Nong believed the reasons behind the attitudes of the Hai tribe and several other large tribes.
Shen San sent another message: "Those large tribes not only prevent small tribes from working here, but they also forbid them from learning how to row boats and fish. They don't allow any of the orcs from the small tribes to have any contact with us."
Shen Nong clicked her tongue; this was not a good matter.