Securing the Perimeter      

Throughout the night, Rain hadn't rested because he was worried about the hobgoblins' ambush attacks while they were resting.

He definitely needed to make an alarm trap to signal any nearby threats as soon as possible. Without it, he wouldn't be able to rest at night.

At the break of dawn, Rain was already up, marking the area of the traps. It was crucial to mark them clearly to avoid accidentally triggering them themselves.

He meticulously checked that heavy objects, such as boulders and deadfall spikes, were secure and wouldn't prematurely fall due to environmental factors like wind or minor disturbances.

It would be tragic if they were the ones ensnared by their own traps.

There was still a lot of work to do. More traps needed to be made and installed, and Rain estimated that they needed at least a week to get everything ready, or at least close to what he had planned.

After ensuring that every traps were secured, Rain studied the map that Chi had drawn yesterday, which detailed the northern part of their shelter.

Rain made sure to instruct her to update the area on the way to the hobgoblins' lair and gather all the materials she could put in the inventory. Though there was nothing out there but boulders, dead trees, and . . . thorny bushes.

Rain's eyes narrowed at the sight of the thorny bushes.

No plants could ever survive in these barren wastelands except these thorny bushes. They weren't edible, but they could be used as materials for bedding and traps.

Though, their leaves were somewhat itchy, with pointed centers and jagged edges that poked the skin.

Most of the time, Rain used the branches of these thorny bushes as materials for traps. These thorny bushes were scattered around the barren wasteland, and it seemed like they were the only plant that managed to survive in such harsh conditions.

"Maybe I can . . ." Rain thought for a moment . . .

His line of thoughts, however, was interrupted by Chi's sudden appearance.

"Oh, you're awake, Chi?"

Chi beamed, her face lighting up with a warm smile that seemed to make the bleak surroundings a bit more bearable.

~Chi!~

"Good to see that you're energetic. We have a lot to do today," Rain remarked, though the amount of work seemed to pile up the more he thought about it.

~chi!~

"I don't think the hobgoblins will attack today, so I want you to map out the area to our south this time."

Chi nodded enthusiastically and tapped her chest with her arm. 'Leave it to me, my Lord!'

"Remember, don't engage any beasts that you know you couldn't defeat. If you see any useful materials, forage them. We need anything that's useful to us at this point. And before the sun disappears, I want you to return here."

Chi understood her mission and quickly set off south, moving with a determined stride.

Rain wished her good luck and bid her to be careful.

As Rain watched Chi's figure gradually disappear into the distance, he couldn't help but feel a pang of worry for her. He wanted to map the area with her just to make sure that she would be alright, but he was needed in his territory right now.

Besides, it wasn't like he was as skilled in a fight as Chi. He felt that he would only slow her down if he went with her.

Additionally, it was faster if he left it to her to map the place. She was swift and could easily outrun any opponent. Her combat abilities were top-notch as well, making her well-suited for the task.

Rain sighed, pushing his worries aside. The best he could do right now was to make sure that the defenses of his territory could withstand the attacks of the hobgoblins.

He had to make do with his limited troops and even more limited time and resources. He couldn't afford to give in to his emotions, or he would get nothing done.

Rain headed over to check the salt in the two big tubs they had set up in the Salty Marsh. He noticed some salt forming at the bottom and knew he could strain it later and dry it under the sun.

The process was slow, but they needed every bit of salt they could get for preserving food, rain, and other uses.

The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on Rain's shoulders, but he knew that every small task brought them one step closer to constructing their village!

With Chi scouting the southern area and the traps being set, Rain allowed himself a moment of hope. They were working hard, and with a bit of luck, they might just make it through if ever the Hobgoblins came.

Rain went ahead and instructed his troops on their tasks for the day when something suddenly happened.

[Your consciousness is being summoned back to Earth]

[STAY]

[RETURN]