Chapter 803, Dark-Coloured Liquid

Translator: Silavin

 

Xi Guo led a considerable number of Warrior Trainees and workers out of the Tribe early in the morning.

 

They were escorting the Flame Dragon Tribe’s workers, providing continuous protection for the road construction all the way to the farming fields in the middle of the forest.

 

This cement road running directly from the Flame Dragon Tribe to the forest’s centre had been under construction for several days now. The current construction distance had already reached the halfway mark, and the section near the Tribe’s entrance had long since dried.

 

Those who had only recently arrived at the Flame Dragon Tribe were utterly astounded when they saw this section of cement road.

 

Now there was no need for those stall performers at the entrance. The visitors, upon seeing this cement road, were already desperate to enter and observe exactly what lay within.

 

Even the rules requiring them to surrender their weapons upon entering the Flame Dragon Tribe was readily accepted.

 

When Su Bai had initially constructed this road, he had had no such intention in mind. This could only be considered a fortunate accident.

 

“We must quicken the construction. This road must be completed before the rainy season arrives,” Xi Guo instructed from the sidelines.

 

Beyond serving as the leader of this worker protection team, he was also an important supervisor. He had to properly oversee these workers, preventing them from slacking off or cutting corners, ensuring they hastened the cement road’s completion.

 

With only forty-odd days remaining until the rainy season, a substantial section of the road still awaited construction.

 

Completion before the rainy season’s arrival was certainly achievable, given that the first half had taken merely ten days or so.

 

The remaining half would likely require approximately ten days as well, but these workers needed to finish laying this cement road quickly to move on to other tasks.

 

Projects like the Flame Dragon Tribe’s city wall construction and internal housing development all required workers. Once these workers completed this road, their labour would continue. They would merely be reassigned to other posts.

 

“Yes Sir.” The workers chorused in unison.

 

Rather than complaining daily, they felt genuinely fortunate to have such employment. Without this work, they would likely still be starving, unable to consume anything at all.

 

“You are not allowed to go beyond the boundaries I’ve designated. Otherwise, your safety will be your own responsibility.” Xi Guo reminded them once more.

 

They had now penetrated deep into the forest, which was decidedly different from the Tribe’s periphery.

 

The forest contained numerous dangers, with beasts or Ferocious Beasts occasionally emerging without warning.

 

The position Xi Guo had demarcated for them remained within the Warriors’ visual range, precisely as a precautionary measure.

 

“Understood!” The workers responded, absolutely obedient to the Warriors’ commands.

 

Within the Tribe, a Warrior’s status naturally held greater nobility than an ordinary person’s.

 

The Flame Dragon Tribe handled this rather well, but in other Tribes, this class distinction was particularly severe.

 

Ordinary people who encountered Warriors were obligated to respectfully perform bows. Should one forget or fail to salute, severe punishment would follow.

 

The severity of such punishment depended entirely on the individual’s mood. In short, the Warrior’s mood.

 

They possessed complete authority to deal with the ordinary person, even execution, and none would dare protest.

 

After all, in their eyes, Warriors risked their lives protecting the entire Tribe, rendering their status supremely honourable.

 

“Work a bit longer, and lunch will be ready soon,” Xi Guo encouraged.

 

He understood these workers’ sole motivation lay in those delicious lunches. For such food, these workers demonstrated considerable dedication.

 

“Right!” The workers’ enthusiasm was indeed ignited.

 

The tools in their hands worked even more vigorously at chiselling the ground and felling trees, as though this road and these trees bore some personal grudge against them.

 

These ground-chiselling tools, along with the hammers for pounding the earth, the saws and axes for tree-felling—all had been manufactured by craftsmen following design diagrams Su Bai had provided.

 

Truth be told, with these innovative tools, work efficiency had indeed accelerated a ton.

 

For no other reason than this: previously, the Tribe had lacked such tools. Their implements had consisted of little more than sticks with sharp stones bound to one end. They had no robust fastening materials, relying solely on plant vines.

 

Such tools lacked durability. Once excessive force was applied, or when working with harder materials, these items would if not immediately, shatter soon enough.

 

Alternatively, they used Beast Bone, but such tools were also not as durable as their current tools.

 

Furthermore, they had previously lacked any concept of saws, rendering ordinary people incapable of felling trees.

 

Only Warriors could, but such tasks would typically be seen to be inefficient for them to do.

 

Whenever the Warriors were unavailable, the Tribe had no one capable of felling trees for wooden house construction or wooden tool manufacture.

 

“Sir, look quickly! What is this?” A worker shouted loudly.

 

His eyes fixed directly upon a tree, from which some liquid continuously flowed, leaving all the workers dumbstruck.

 

They spent every day confined to the Tribe. How would they have any opportunity to observe such phenomena? Thus, the worker’s startled reaction was particularly pronounced.

 

“What is this?” Even Xi Guo found himself somewhat stunned.

 

Even Warriors who frequently ventured beyond the Tribe had no idea what tree this might be.

 

They only knew the liquid flowing from this tree appeared extraordinarily peculiar, evoking an indescribable sensation.

 

This liquid was entirely dark-coloured, appearing exceedingly viscous, making people somewhat reluctant to carelessly approach it.

 

However, this tree’s growth position lay directly on the road’s necessary route. Everyone had no choice but to address this tree.

 

They had to fell it. Otherwise, a solitary tree would protrude from the constructed road.

 

Yet it was only after a worker had struck this tree once that it began secreting this dark-coloured liquid.

 

All the workers immediately froze. Ordinarily, each appeared quite bold.

 

But at this moment, not a single person dared approach that tree. Everyone maintained a somewhat excessive distance.

 

Everyone pushed at one another, each hoping someone else would first investigate exactly what this tree might be.

 

However, these workers had frequently heard their Elders warn them within the Tribe: never enter the forest casually, and even if accidentally entering, absolutely never touch anything inside.

 

The workers took these warnings extremely seriously. Given the current situation, they dared not act rashly.

 

“Let me examine it,” Xi Guo said, frowning as he prepared to approach.