Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely-Chapter 277 - 158 Preparation, Arrival_3

"My family is the same. Ever since the day before yesterday, they have been staying in the Blacksmith Room. My brother also went to the mine to extract iron, and he hasn’t come out yet."

Hearing Shi Lu’s words, Lin Wan was reminded that her husband Yuan Cheng and her brother-in-law Yue Feng were both part of the Hunting Team.

"After nightfall, I saw Mu Dong leading a lot of people to move many iron lumps and thick chains from the Blacksmith Room, placing them at the four corners of the wooden house. They also brought out a large iron door and replaced the original one.

Using so much iron to reinforce a wooden house and having us move wood to block it around, this situation clearly indicates preparations against Cold Beasts. Yet, I wonder, what kind of Cold Beast requires such a vigilant defense?"

Though Lin Wan was a woman with Logging Realm capabilities, her husband and brother were both in the Hunting Team, so she knew more than others.

The camp typically dealt with deceitful monsters using ovens, solidified fire oil, and torches. Using so much iron to reinforce the wooden house and stacking this much wood around likely meant preparations against Cold Beasts.

Yet precisely because of this, she was even more puzzled.

According to her husband and brother, high-level Cold Beasts were beyond their touch, while intermediate Cold Beasts surely didn’t threaten the camp.

As for dealing with the Mirror Immortal Camp people, such precautions were even less necessary.

The last few times they returned, Yue Feng personally mentioned that Xia Hong’s prowess was enough to intimidate the Mirror Immortal Camp. They definitely wouldn’t dare to act knowingly.

During this period, the camp reduced its activity range simply to conserve strength. Once more people reached the Earth-digging Realm, the Mirror Immortal Camp would cease to be a threat.

"It couldn’t be that the Rodent group has returned, could it?"

Lin Wan and Shi Lu weren’t the only ones with this confusion. Others in the camp felt the same. But limited by their strength and understanding, most could only speculate that it was about defending against Cold Beasts.

Arriving at the conclusion of a Rodent group was actually quite commendable.

Only a very few, aware of the recent Cold Beast disappearance around Redwood Ridge, combined with a few orders from Xia Chuan over the past two days, felt a chilling suspicion bubble in their minds.

Of course, when they arrived at this terrifying suspicion, they also immediately understood why Xia Chuan hadn’t publicly voiced it.

Upon realizing this, they unanimously adhered to a principle of silence.

......

First Year of the Great Xia, March 18, nearing nightfall

Clang... clang... clang...

On the second floor, inside the Blacksmith Room, the sound of forging was nonstop.

Fifteen people formed three groups, each grouped around a furnace, holding iron hammers and striking in cooperation.

Zhao Long’s group of five was forging arrowheads.

Nearby, over a hundred Logging Realm were assisting with melting arrow embryos and sharpening arrow tips, making production highly efficient; arrows were being produced in bulk.

Luo Yuan and Mu Dong’s group of five were forging Iron Core Bows.

Luo Yuan, with three Earth-digging Realm, forged the bow frames, while Mu Dong led over a dozen Logging Realms to assemble and adjust bowstrings. Already, four or five dozen Iron Core Bows were stacked nearby, one of which was conspicuously larger, and the bowstring was not entirely transparent but had a hint of white mixed in.

Xia Chuan and Yuan Cheng’s group was forging a long iron ingot. Before it took shape, it was unclear what it was supposed to be.

Beside them, over fifty Logging Realm people were squatting down, each holding a large knife and constantly grinding edges, indicating they were sharpening too.

Whether it was the fifteen people currently forging or the additional Logging Realm helpers, everyone was sweating profusely.

Though their faces showed exhaustion, their expressions were intensely focused. Apart from occasionally wiping sweat when it dripped into their eyes, they made no unnecessary movements.

Thud, thud, thud...

Outside, a hurried series of footsteps approached, and Shi Ping quickly entered, placing a bag of iron ore beside Xia Chuan.

"How many pounds?"

"Half a day’s worth, a total of over twelve thousand four hundred pounds."

Upon hearing Shi Ping’s reply, Xia Chuan didn’t pause in his work but promptly calculated before instructing, "Send it to Zhao Long’s side, all of it to be used for arrow making."

"Yes, sir!"

Shi Ping delivered the iron ore to Zhao Long’s side and immediately returned.

"Sir, the wood from both sides of the valley has been entirely piled around the house. According to your instructions, we’ve built crossed wood walls; the outermost layer and the top have been inserted with special iron spikes, and the top of the wooden house has been outfitted as well.

Additionally, the outerwood walls and outer layers of the wooden house have been covered with Teng Jiao Skin as informed to everyone.

The entire valley now has only one small opening for single entry and exit, which can be sealed at any time."

Hearing this, Xia Chuan immediately turned to look at Luo Yuan nearby.

More accurately, he looked at Mu Dong adjusting the bowstrings beside him.

Mu Dong, noticing Xia Chuan’s questioning gaze, quickly nodded and said, "Rest assured, sir, last night I led people in reinforcing the wood wall structure with iron!"

Hearing this, Xia Chuan showed a relieved expression and turned to Shi Ping:

"These past two days, there must have been a lot of discussions in the camp, right?"

Shi Ping nodded, speaking solemnly, "The actions have been significant, so everyone has roughly guessed, but they’re just uncertain. A few have even suspected it’s preparation against a large number of Cold Beasts but probably also know that you’re not sure, so they haven’t spread the word."

Hearing this, Xia Chuan gently shook his head, a hint of worry in his eyes.

He wasn’t intentionally withholding from others, but he himself was unsure if the Cold Beast disappearance was related to the Mirror Immortal Camp’s deceitful monster.