However, Du Yu’s task also served as a wake-up call.

It meant that from now on, they all had to consciously learn how to forge weapons and craft other equipment.

This was where the importance of buildings became apparent.

Special buildings could shorten the time it took to craft weapons and tools. Some could even provide special effects. For example, metal smelted in the Furnace Fortress would be tougher and have more unique properties.

After everyone else had left, Li Tieshan handed over two modified sets of Zha Armor.

The two sets of Zha Armor had been adjusted to fit his and Cao Biansheng’s builds, making them more form-fitting.

"Brother, I don’t have any," Qin Ziwu said plaintively.

Qin Ziwen glanced at him and said, "During the hunt tomorrow, you’ll stick with the main group. Don’t rush ahead on your own. The ones in armor are supposed to be at the front."

Qin Ziwu fell silent, finally muttering under his breath, "I want to be at the front, too."

"We’ll talk about it after you reach Full Stars in your constitution."

"Alright, take this set of armor over to Cao Biansheng." Qin Ziwen handed the Zha Armor to his brother.

Qin Ziwu took the armor and carried it upstairs. Cao Biansheng was stunned when he received it. "Is this really for me?"

"Just take it. Don’t be picky, I don’t even have one," Qin Ziwu said sourly.

Hearing that, Cao Biansheng felt the armor in his hands was almost too hot to hold.

"How about you take it?" Cao Biansheng asked tentatively.

Qin Ziwu’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Just kidding, haha." Cao Biansheng quickly pulled it back.

...

[You have successfully survived in the wilderness for a thirty-third day. You have obtained one Card and captured a pack of Single Claw Dragons... Overall Score: 100 points.]

[Reward Obtained: Level 2 Marvel, Blade Stone x1]

He was curious. This was the first time he had ever received a Marvel-type reward. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

With a thought, Qin Ziwen summoned it.

His palm grew heavy, and a brick-sized, circular, crimson stone appeared in it.

[Level 2 Marvel] Blade Stone (Can be socketed into buildings like the Blacksmith Shop, Workbench, etc.)

He mentally activated Insight.

Blade Stone: When socketed into a compatible building, any bladed weapon sharpened within will become significantly sharper, making it easier to tear through armor.

’Interesting. The enemies we’re facing are getting tougher, especially the larger ones with their thick hides. If our weapons aren’t sharp enough, it’s hard to inflict deep wounds.’

He went to the Level 3 Blacksmith Shop. The building turned ethereal, and an illusory Card flew out, solidifying into a transparent Building Card.

The Card automatically flipped over, revealing a slot on its back. He placed the Blade Stone into the slot.

The two instantly merged.

When Li Tieshan and Du Yu arrived, Qin Ziwen informed them of the Blacksmith Shop’s new effect, warning them to be careful not to get accidentally cut by the newly sharpened blades while working.

Afterward, Du Yu took a newly forged spearhead and sharpened it on the whetstone. Doused with cool spring water, the spearhead glinted with a deadly cold light.

Qin Ziwen went to the Leather Armor Workshop and asked Chen Pi, "How is the leather coming along? How long until you can make Leather Armor?"

Chen Pi replied, "Sir, it will take another three to five days. Tanning is time-consuming. Fortunately, one batch of hides has already been partially processed, so they’re basically semi-cured. That will save a lot of time. They just need to be cut, punched, assembled, and then sun-dried to hold their shape. However, because the processing was crude, the quality of this batch of Leather Armor might not be very good."

Qin Ziwen nodded thoughtfully. "Alright."

Jia Liangcai, standing behind him, spoke up. "My Lord, armor is difficult to make. Even more so than weapons, armor is a strictly controlled item. In the Great Yong, the penalty for privately owning one weapon was ten strikes with a staff; it took five weapons to earn a death sentence. However, secretly possessing armor—even a single piece—was considered treason, punishable by immediate death. Owning more than five cured hides was treated the same. Commoners were also forbidden from possessing ’awls with blades thicker than two fen,’ as they could be used to punch holes and assemble armor."

Qin Ziwen’s eyelids twitched as he listened. ’That’s insane.’ "I thought only Iron Armor was restricted," he said. "Leather Armor is banned too?"

Jia Liangcai explained, "You may not be aware, Sir, but while Leather Armor is weaker than Iron Armor, it has three key advantages: it’s easy to make, easy to hide, and easy for large numbers of people to acquire. In the early days of the Great Yong, the Rouruo Tribe of the northern plains boasted an army of three hundred thousand, all equipped with Leather Armor. The entire tribe was armored precisely because it’s so easy to produce. Though it takes time, it doesn’t require a dedicated workshop; anyone can make it."

Qin Ziwen nodded and turned to Chen Pi. "Alright. In five days, then, how many sets of Leather Armor can you deliver in the first batch?"

Clenching his jaw, Chen Pi said, "Sir, I can get ten sets done!"

"Good. Ten sets it is."

Before setting out, Qin Ziwen took everyone’s Long Spears to the Blacksmith Shop to sharpen the spearheads. After sharpening, the spearheads glinted with an even colder light.

...

Sand and dust swirled through the air.

Large groups had gathered outside the east gate of the Gated Community.

At a glance, there were no fewer than two hundred people, all of them young and able-bodied.

A bustling crowd was split into several groups.

They were all fully armed. Some wore armor cobbled together from pots and pans, while others had on homemade armor of tree bark or animal hide. Their weapons were even more of a hodgepodge, a testament to their varied and creative imaginations.

One group near the northern side stood out. Du Yu was clad in Mountain Armor, while Qin Ziwen and Cao Biansheng wore Zha Armor. The rest of their team, though unarmored, all carried uniform Long Spears, making them a conspicuous sight.

A flash of envy crossed Huang Tao’s eyes. Although his group had also salvaged plenty of scrap metal from other facilities in the Gated Community, these modern metals had very high melting points. They were difficult to process once cast, and the resulting weapons were unreliable.

Once everyone was assembled, the groups set off in silence, heading across the wide plain toward the mountain ridge to the east.

The weather was hot, and the column of people marched in silence.

After nearly half an hour of walking, they finally reached the foot of the ridge.

Qin Ziwen took the stainless-steel cup from his waist and took several large gulps of water.

Before them lay a landscape of scattered gravel and piled rock walls.

The cliff faces were bare, and the narrow path was strewn with loose stones.

A narrow slot canyon led deeper into the mountains, its high walls blocking out the sun.

After passing through the slot canyon, they emerged into the gorge proper. The passage here was much wider.

They rounded several more bends before the people at the front suddenly halted.

"There’s something up ahead."

Qin Ziwen moved through the crowd, leading his team to the front.

There, in the distance ahead of the column, a brownish-gray beast was staring at them. It was about as long as a Giant Hyena King, but its shoulders were noticeably higher.

The beast weighed at least a ton, with a shoulder height of over two meters and a body length exceeding four meters. Its skin hung somewhat loosely, and its square head looked like a cross between a mastiff and a bear. It stared fixedly at the group.

"This one doesn’t look friendly," Zou Jianghe muttered to himself.

"We’re the visitors here!" Cao Biansheng said confidently, sizing up the beast. "Looks like a Flesh-Splitting Beast from the Hunting Celestial List, doesn’t it?"

Luo Gang looked to Qin Ziwen, who nodded. "We’ll handle it."

The men in his group raised their Long Spears, formed a phalanx, and slowly advanced.

Meanwhile, Qin Ziwen held up a cloth pouch, weighing it in his hand to feel the mixture of lime and sand inside. He then advanced with his men.

Behind them, the people from the Alliance Association and the Student Union watched the members of the Qin Alliance approaching the Flesh-Splitting Beast, their expressions grim, holding their breath.

The path inside the canyon was not very wide, only seven or eight meters across.

Seeing the humans approaching it, the Flesh-Splitting Beast stomped its feet uneasily and let out a low, warning growl from its throat.

...

...