Outside the territory's wire mesh defensive wall, Lao Hansi was leading the spirited farmers in their vigorous effort to dig trenches. With yesterday's experience, the trench digging progressed even faster.
This meant an accelerated consumption of materials like wire fences and barbed wire nets.
Additionally, Yan Xing felt it was now necessary to expedite the construction of the village-level Council Hall. Only with this foundational building could the territory's functions be gradually realized.
Moreover, every week, based on the territory's prosperity, the Lord could receive a batch of God-given gold coins in the Council Hall.
A mosquito might be small, but it's still meat. Even one Gold Coin could be exchanged for many things in the real world.
Leaving the territory in the hands of Gao Sipa, Eddie, and Lao Hansi, Yan Xing drove a truck back to the real world.
Tents couldn't be used for the construction of the village-level Council Hall. After all, the Lord System had its own quality certification for functional buildings, and it couldn't be dealt with haphazardly.
Yan Xing also believed that as the central building of the territory, the Council Hall needed to be built with style and an imposing presence, enough to awe those swamp barbarians.
Reinforced concrete isn't an option for now, but we can try building with traditional grey bricks and large tiles.
After delivering a batch of materials for the trench system, including iron fences and barbed wire nets, to the territory, Yan Xing began purchasing bricks, cement, sand, and floor slabs.
Materials were hauled to the territory truckload by truckload, and money was spent in tens of thousands.
The 450,000 yuan obtained from selling Gold was quickly dwindling. Yan Xing had to sell some Gold Coins for emergency cash.
「By noon」
Yan Xing drove a farm tricycle back to the territory with lunch.
The farmers ate, took a short break, and then returned to work. Yan Xing, meanwhile, brought out the Werewolves from the prison one by one and fed them until they were full.
Finally, Steel Fang was brought before Yan Xing.
Steel Fang hadn't eaten anything since the previous night. After two bottles of beer, it had all passed through him.
Therefore, although Steel Fang still looked quite energetic, his stomach was extremely gaunt. Compared to the other Werewolves, who were fed until their bellies were round, his waistline was not on the same level.
Yan Xing was gnawing on an apple. This was an after-meal fruit specially prepared by Aunt Lee. It looked extremely juicy on the outside, and a bite released a mouthful of sweet juice.
Watching Steel Fang's hungry and covetous expression, Yan Xing tossed the twice-bitten apple to Eddie.
"Thank you for the reward, Master," Eddie said, happily nibbling on the apple. He had already eaten one, but no amount of this delicious fruit could satisfy his craving.
Steel Fang, seeing the juice dripping from the corner of Eddie's mouth and the fragrant, meat-laden food at Eddie's feet, felt even hungrier.
"Steel Fang!" Yan Xing said to the Great Werewolf, "I won't waste words. Surrender to me, and you will be put to good use..."
Before Yan Xing could continue his recruitment, Steel Fang firmly refused, "I will not betray my pack."
Yan Xing, his persuasion attempt cut short, touched his nose and sighed. "Think it over carefully. I'll give you the afternoon. At dinner, you'll have one more chance to agree. Take him back! The Werewolf that jumped the farthest just now gets a bottle of beer as a reward."
"Yes, Master."
Eddie led the farmers to take Steel Fang back to the prison. After giving the winning Werewolf a bottle of beer, he closed the cell door.
The beer was once again snatched by Steel Fang.
But this time, the theft wasn't as smooth as the previous two.
The rewarded Werewolf, upon receiving the beer, immediately challenged the approaching Steel Fang, "This was given to me by Lord Yan Xing! It's my reward for winning, you can't take it!"
Steel Fang also bared his fangs. "I am the leader of this wolf pack! All food must be handed to me for distribution. Give me the beer."
"No! This is my honor. I won it in the competition; it doesn't belong to you..."
Steel Fang, already burning with hunger and fury, slapped the Werewolf across the face, forcibly snatched the beer, and roared, "You are a member of the wolf pack, so you follow the pack's rules!"
The agitated Werewolf wanted to resist but was held back by another.
The turmoil temporarily subsided. Steel Fang opened the beer bottle, took a drink, and walked to one side to sit down.
He didn't notice that his wolf pack was quietly undergoing a change.
The Werewolves' social structure was very simple. Their status within the pack depended on priority access to food and the right to distribute it. Losing these two privileges naturally destabilized their standing.
For a short time, Steel Fang might still be able to use his accumulated authority to make the other Werewolves obey.
But with the honor and wealth inherent in Yan Xing's rewards being stolen, the Werewolves' attitude toward Steel Fang was no longer as reverent as before.
Now, three Werewolves had their rewards stolen by Steel Fang.
The competition would continue, and all the Werewolves hoped to be the next victor. But even if they won, how could they protect that bottle of fine wine in its emerald green bottle?
Yan Xing, watching from outside the prison, observed the wolf pack within with satisfaction.
Yan Xing admired Steel Fang and had opened the door for him. But if this Great Werewolf was truly obstinate, then it was time to make a clean break and not waste any more time on him.
A storm was brewing within the wolf pack, but Yan Xing didn't waste his precious time observing them.
There was still a lot of work waiting for him in the territory.
The excavation of the trenches outside the defensive wall was proceeding very quickly.
Under Lao Hansi's command, the farmers wielding shovels dug in sections, which they eventually managed to connect seamlessly.
Visually assessing the project's progress, the three trenches could definitely be fully dug before nightfall.
So, Yan Xing pulled eight farmers back to begin constructing the village-level Council Hall.
Bricks, cement, and sand had already been unloaded at the center of the territory.
Yan Xing called Gao Sipa over, marked out the land for the Council Hall in front of him, and then asked, "Do you know how to build houses?"
Gao Sipa answered confidently, "Yes, of course we do! We're farmers. We farm the land, repair urban areas, build castles, and construct wonders! As long as we have enough materials, we can build anything. Of course, advanced buildings require blueprints, but constructing a village-level Council Hall is well within our capabilities."
Yan Xing didn't think Gao Sipa was boasting.
After all, this was a world with game-like rules; the farmers here couldn't be viewed the same as those in the real world.
Besides, even if it was a matter of pushing them to do something they weren't accustomed to, he had to have them try and build the village-level Council Hall.
"I'm not asking for wonders, nor am I asking you to build a castle. Just take these men and build me a village-level Council Hall..." Yan Xing then pointed at the construction materials he had brought and said to Gao Sipa, "These are square bricks—better than stones. This is cement—better than clay. Here are water buckets, and sand. In a bit, I'll teach you how to mix cement. All eight of these farmers are under your command. Get that Council Hall built for me as quickly as possible! If you have any spare capacity, dig a well too."
There was a stream near the territory, but if they were besieged, it would be necessary to have wells inside for water.
This area is close to the marshlands, so groundwater should be abundant. Hmm... We could also build several archery towers along the inside of the defensive wall.