NOVEL WEB Chapter 11: Houses Built at the Beginning
Chapter 11: Houses Built at the Beginning
Next, as the anonymous boss, Lei Xiao exchanged 1,000 units of snake meat for a massive amount of basic resources to prepare for the upcoming upgrade of his mansion. This move immediately sparked a wave of envy and admiration in the chat channel, and the number of his followers skyrocketed. Many lords, who had been planning to rest as night fell, were inspired to pick up their tools and work even harder.
After completing the exchange, Lei Xiao took stock of his resources. He now had 1,200 units of beef and 280 units of snake meat. His resource storage had reached an astonishing 32,000 units of wood, 28,000 units of thatch, and 13,800 units of stone—far exceeding the amount required for the next mansion upgrade.
"Let's stop here for today. As for the rest, I'll send Knotweed out tomorrow to gather more meat," Lei Xiao decided, lifting his spirits as he walked out of the lord's mansion.
By now, the sky was painted with the hues of sunset, casting a crimson glow over the landscape. The larger sun had completely set, leaving only the smaller one, which still emitted the last rays of twilight. Around the mansion, the trees had been completely cleared, thanks to the joint efforts of the 40 first-tier subordinates and Knotweed. A large, flat open space now surrounded the mansion, with neatly stacked logs piled to the side.
Seeing the orderly scene of everyone cutting down trees and transporting timber, Lei Xiao nodded with satisfaction. With a thought, he stored nearly 2,000 units of wood in his storage space. Then, he took out the [Architectural Blueprint: Ordinary House] x5 and [Architectural Blueprint: Utility Room] x5 and began construction.
In a flash of colorful light, ten brand-new wooden buildings rose around the previously lonely mansion. The sight was spectacular, drawing exclamations from the subordinates working nearby. Many of them stared in awe.
The ordinary houses were slightly larger than the previous Tier 1 cabins, easily accommodating 10 people each, while the utility rooms were smaller. The total resources consumed were 5,000 units of wood, 2,000 units of thatch, and 1,000 units of stone—a modest amount. Lei Xiao had arranged the buildings in pairs, matching each ordinary house with a utility room.
"The four houses will be assigned to the four teams. As for the last one, I'll leave it to Knotweed. High-level subordinates deserve special treatment," Lei Xiao thought, waving everyone over.
"Alright, let's call it a day. Everyone has worked hard," Lei Xiao announced, explaining the housing arrangements. With a thought, he laid out 100 servings of snake meat and 100 servings of beef in front of everyone. The 200 pounds of meat were more than enough to feed the 42 people.
"Let's start preparing the barbecue for the evening," Lei Xiao declared, prompting cheers from the crowd. The 40 first-tier subordinates, visibly excited, quickly got to work under the direction of their captains. They divided tasks efficiently, starting fires, chopping wood, preparing spices, and skewering meat. Soon, several large bonfires and makeshift barbecue grills were set up.
As night fell, two bright moons—one large and one small—hung in the dark sky. Beneath the stars, the bonfires flickered with a warm, red glow. The cheerful and lively atmosphere in the territory made the scene resemble a grand bonfire party.
Before long, the sizzling sound of barbecue filled the air. Drops of hot oil slid down the plump, thick pieces of meat, releasing a mouth-watering aroma. If other lords had seen this scene, they would likely have been overwhelmed with envy. While they were still struggling to survive, Lei Xiao was enjoying a barbecue feast!
After a while, Gangsong and the others began feasting on the first skewers of grilled meat, respectfully offering some to Lei Xiao. As they ate, Lei Xiao noticed that many of his subordinates were secretly wiping away tears.
"Wow, this is delicious! It's been years since I've had meat. Is this what it's like to eat meat?" one exclaimed.
"My God, this is bluestone black python meat—something only nobles get to eat! I never thought I'd taste something so delicious. I'm so happy..." another said.
"It's all thanks to the lord. It seems we've really chosen the right person to follow..."
[Congratulations! Your subordinate, first-tier two-star hunter Gangsong, has deepened his admiration for you. Loyalty increased by 10 points, now at 80.]
[Congratulations! Your subordinate, first-tier two-star hunter Du Zhong, has deepened his admiration for you. Loyalty increased by 10 points, now at 80.]
[Congratulations! Your subordinate, first-tier two-star peasant Hopu, has deepened his admiration for you. Loyalty increased by 10 points, now at 80.]
[Congratulations! Your subordinate...]
Noticing that the loyalty of all 40 subordinates had increased by 10 points, Lei Xiao turned his attention to Knotweed. The fifth-tier warrior was sitting nearby, eating half-cooked barbecue on his own. His loyalty remained at 50 points, unchanged. It seemed that winning over someone of his caliber would not be easy.
Under the firelight, Lei Xiao studied Knotweed's angular, resolute face with curiosity. "This guy definitely has a story," he thought.
With that in mind, Lei Xiao waved Knotweed over. "What are your orders, my lord?" Knotweed asked, bowing respectfully.
"In informal situations, you don't have to be so formal. Just treat me as a brother," Lei Xiao said with a smile, motioning for Knotweed to relax. He then led him to the storage space.
"Knotweed, I have a weapon here for you to use," Lei Xiao said, summoning the fifth-tier Dragon Slaying Sword. The massive two-handed great sword appeared before them, its weight causing the tip to plunge into the ground. Under the moonlight, the blood-red blade gleamed with an intense, cold light, clearly indicating its extraordinary quality.
"This is... the Dragon Slaying Sword?!" Knotweed's calm expression broke for the first time, replaced by shock as he stared at the legendary weapon before him.