NOVEL WEB Chapter 112: Building the mud hut
Even if one were to argue that I lack the necessary experience to even attempt building even a small and simple kind of hut, I think I watched more than enough of tutorial-like videos to get this over with. In essence, those projects were made by normal humans not using almost any tools at all, so if a cultivator like me were to fail such an easy task I would have to live the rest of my days in shame.
After an unsuccessful search for a plot of rather flat land, I decided that in this situation when nature wasn't willing to help us, we will just do with what we have. Picking one of the young trees brought to the vicinity by Eve, I use it to measure a longer side of the future hut. Marking the line on the ground with just the tip of my sword, I try to ignore the guilt of wasting my precious blade on such a mundane task.
But the worst part still has yet to come!
When the overall shape of the hut is decided, I'm forced to use my sword to start digging the earth out! Not only do I have to do my absolute beast to rein its power back, every time a bit of earth is moved away I think like the dirt desecrating my blade was a parasite under my own skin! I guess this is the kind of bond that appears when one uses the weapon he crafter himself!
But between windslord and Eve… there is no way that I will let her sleep in discomfort!
Doing my best to focus at work, I follow her example and take down my outer robes. No matter how strong and tenacious I am, working hard for prolonged periods of time still takes a toll on my body, forcing beads of perspiration all over it. Thank God, despite the sun hiding behind the trees already, the temperature is still rather comfortable.
After a short rest, I make use of the last bits of light to flatten the hole that I just made. After making sure that the ditch is about half a meter deep, I take four long poles and push them into the earth at four corners of our future hut to make a foundation for the walls over the ground.
"Why do you even bother with that? It's not like sleeping on the ground would be problematic…"
Sitting on the edge of the ditch, Eve watch me working with a complicated expression on her face. Well, it's not like I don't understand her delicate ridicule. I guess if not for my interest in such primitive building, I wouldn't waste my precious time to do something as meaningless. But how I'm supposed to say that I have ulterior motives behind this build?
"We will spend a few days in the area, and camping anywhere else would put us at risk of getting raided by the reinforcements brought by this one guy that managed to escape. If I can make it more comfortable to get through all the nights that we will spend here, why the heck no?"
There is no point in sleeping outside if I can bother just a bit to make it better in the long term. The fact that I was always keen to try building such a thing myself is whole other point!
"Okay then, how can I help?"
Seeing that I wasn't going to stop this silly attempt of mine, Eve sighed and resigned herself to fate. I guess she understood that the faster we will get this over with, the sooner this topic will be abandoned.
"You could ask Pengu to guide you to the closest water source. When you bring some of it, mix it with the mud and cover the sides so that the straw will stick to it. This way the wind won't be a problem."
Plastering the straws with mud is the only way that I can think of to make it stick to the vertical walls. While it won't be either durable or nice looking, the whole point of this hut it to make us last for a few days at most.
"I will be right back!"
Noticing my enthusiasm, Eve can't help but smile. Just like a parents won't understand what is so funny about playing the games, I guess she is clueless about what is so interesting in building, but she is at least trying to keep my mood from deteriorating.
Seeing her go to find Pengu, I go back to work. After making sure that the four main poles are firmly lodged in their places, I start placing the cut tress horizontal between the main supporting ones while binding them with a flexible straw. While this task quickly turns boring, seeing how my small hut is slowly taking shape, I can't help but work even harder!
As soon as one of the sides is done, I take my windslord and cut the part of the poles that extend by the supporting poles, leaving only the minimal amount of them to make the straw keep them in place. Just after completing the short sides of the hut, Eve finally comes back with the water.
I guess the source is quite far away! Even while taking her potential speed into the account, fetching it back with a self-made container forces her to walk slowly as to not spill it. After splashing the water on one of the piles of earth that I dug out of the ground, she mixes it diligently with her bare hands before throwing it at the bare wood and spreading it equally on the entire wall. Sadly, one gourd of water is far from enough to cover even a short side of the hut!
"I guess it will take at least four rounds. You don't have any other containers that I could use by any chance?"
As she turns to me, I can't help but stare at her lovely figure. With nothing but her undergarments covering her private parts, the dirt splattered on her naked waist and arms is only making her even sexier than usually! I don't know why, but there is something special in a cute girl covered in mud while smiling happily!
"Sadly, I don't have any. I guess it's my fault for not starting this hut somewhere near the water, sorry for that. We will wash each other when we are done here, how about it?"
Trying to hide my mischevious smile, I can't help but adore her sexiness. I will never admit it to anyone, but just working with her like that makes me conscious of all the beautiful curves that she's exposing to me with her every move!
"I guess we won't have any choice. I don't think it would be nice to go at it while covered in dirt!"