Favorite of the Beast-world: I Got Rich Through Farming-Chapter 157 - 121: The Wolf’s Mind and a Late Confession
A vast blanket of snow fell from the sky, and the howling wind was cold enough to make one shiver. Now and then, massive hailstones would plummet from the heavens.
The forest, its branches bent low under the weight of heavy snow, was terrifyingly silent. A thick white mist hung in the air, and not a single animal could be seen.
The great, rushing rivers had frozen solid. Beneath the thick layer of ice, the faint shadows of a few fish could occasionally be seen swimming by.
The Beastmen had sealed their doors and windows tight, draping the females in thick, tanned bearskins. An Jin’s home was no exception.
However, without a special diet, the silk spun by the silkworms was too light and thin to be made into warm, plush coats. So, in the harsh winter, most Beastmen still opted for heavy fur clothes made from animal hides.
Most of the wheat the tribe had harvested before the rainy season was ground into flour and stored in the warehouse. A small portion was set aside as seed for the following year’s planting.
The corn and sweet potatoes were also stored in dry, sealed warehouses.
Sweet potatoes were a high-yield crop. Their tubers could be used for propagation, making them a key way to expand food production in disastrous years. They could also be stored for several years in cool, dry conditions.
To prevent the Beastmen from facing starvation during the harsh winter, An Jin had consciously planted sweet potatoes over a large area.
Of the tribe’s five large warehouses, two were stuffed full of sweet potatoes.
...
Atop the majestic, snow-covered city walls, a plume of black and red smoke rose high into the air.
From a kilometer away, one could see that long plume of black and red smoke burning fiercely, piercing the clouds.
Ling Hong added another handful of dry wood to the brazier, making the signal fire burn even brighter.
The weather was too cold. He stepped forward and pulled the thick hood of her cloak over her head. "Are you sure you want to open the city during the dead of winter? There won’t be many Beastmen around this season."
An Jin brought her red, frozen fingers to her lips and blew a warm breath on them. Her gaze fell upon the snow-covered forest below the city. "Food is scarce in the dead of winter. There are definitely Beastmen out there, risking their lives to hunt in the snow."
"The city is being opened for them."
’She wasn’t thinking about making money from the city just yet.’
’Opening the city to Beastmen ahead of schedule was a preliminary experiment. It would allow her to find any overlooked flaws and carry out a second phase of construction.’
Ling Hong nodded. Seeing the tip of An Jin’s nose turn red, he subtly shifted his warm body closer to hers, shielding her from some of the biting cold.
Then he went back to adding more wood to the brazier.
"Hey, look down there! Are those Beastmen?" An Jin asked, her voice full of pleasant surprise.
"Be careful! Don’t fall."
Seeing the female step forward and grip the top of the wall, the color drained from Ling Hong’s face. He quickly pulled her back into his arms.
Only then did he follow her gaze.
Standing high on the stone city wall, they could easily see several small orange and brown dots appearing one after another on the snow-covered ground below.
These weren’t Beastmen from their city.
"You’re right."
A look of pleasant surprise also appeared on Ling Hong’s face.
"Is this a new city? It was just a forest when I came through here last year."
"This weather is cold enough to freeze a beast to death. Perfect timing to go inside and take shelter."
"Which tribe did this city used to be?"
"I don’t know, never heard of it. Seems like it was a small tribe?"
"I happen to need some thick bear pelts. I haven’t been able to catch a bear, so maybe I can buy some while I’m here..."
An Jin’s guess had been spot on.
Although the city was new and hadn’t yet built a reputation, and despite the limitations of the cold season, the number of visiting Beastmen wasn’t large. Still, a few came and went every day.
After a few days, the foot traffic actually showed a faint trend of increasing.
This world wasn’t as developed as the internet age. The flow of information was heavily restricted, so the city couldn’t attract a large number of Beastmen in a short period of time.
’She had to make good use of these scattered groups of Beastmen to lay the foundation for future growth.’
As An Jin sat in her room, a blue light shimmered before her eyes, revealing a simplified 3D model of the city.
It was just like one of those city-building games.
Every road, every shop, and every Beastman moving through the city was reduced to a small icon on the model.
As the little Beastman icons walked and stopped on the small 3D map...
...a stream of comments appeared before An Jin’s eyes—it was the Beastmen’s internal feedback and opinions about the city.
This would help the Builder quickly grasp the Beastmen’s desires and make improvements to the city.
[This city may not be big, but it has everything! [Smiley Face]]
[They even have lots of cloth here, and those sweet stones! The food is also incredibly delicious! [Smiley Face]]
