System: Build My Own Territory Chapter 4: Nine Great Skills

That quick shadow Lynn glimpsed earlier by the forest's edge was truly a wild wolf.

A pack of eight or nine wild wolves rushed out from the forest edge, coming to a halt roughly twenty meters away from Lynn.

They stayed outside the light cast by the fire's flames.

Thankfully, the fire had just been ignited, or Lynn would already be wolf food.

The wild wolves prowled around Lynn, now and then emitting low growls.

Yet they hesitated to come closer.

Not just wolves—all wild animals instinctively dread fire.

After half an hour, the wild wolves abandoned their pursuit of Lynn and slowly departed.

Lynn let out a small sigh of relief; these wolves didn't appear starved.

Had they been famished, no fire could stop them from a reckless attack...

Gurgle~

A hungry rumble echoed from under Lynn's rough wool robe.

He hadn't eaten a thing since morning.

Lynn's gaze inevitably fell on the viper's body beside the fire.

Pulling out the flint knife, Lynn started skinning the viper.

Snakes naturally repulsed him on instinct.

But to satisfy his hunger and restore energy, he had no option.

Lynn's hands fumbled clumsily at first, peeling the snake skin slowly.

[Collection Experience +1]

...

Soon, his movements grew smoother and more adept.

Clutching the viper's cut end in his left hand and pinching skin with his right, he yanked sharply, removing the whole skin in one go.

The motion was sleek and precise, without any disorder.

The stone knife danced in Lynn's right hand as he sliced open the viper, extracting organs and poison sacs.

[Collection Experience +1]

After cleaning it out, Lynn sliced the viper into chunks and dropped them into the pottery pot.

Propping stones underneath, he set the pot over the fire and began simmering the viper in fresh water.

[Cooking Experience +1]

Lacking a cover, the water in the pottery pot needed ages to heat up and fully cook the snake meat.

While toasting by the flames, Lynn pondered his next steps.

This world mirrored early medieval times yet dwarfed it in land and people.

Legends of all kinds thrived here too.

Demons hid in the Abyssal Land...

Ghosts lingered past the Desperate Great Wall...

...

Yet with 'Heavenly Artifacts' at his disposal, Lynn's possibilities were endless!

Construction, planting, collection, breeding, hunting, cooking, medicine, production, forging—the nine core life skills spanned nearly every trade.

Erecting homes, laying paths, building bridges, and embellishing could boost his Construction level.

Cultivating and reaping fields would raise his Planting proficiency.

Uprooting weeds, felling trees, digging ore, and quarrying would lift his Collection skill.

...

Simply put, persistent effort would grant him mastery in countless crafts!

Not forgetting Empire Ascension and Imperial Myth modes...

First, though, survival was key!

The wolf pack posed the urgent danger.

Once they grew used to the fire, they'd creep nearer.

He needed to erect a sturdy wooden shelter against beasts swiftly.

Wolves, grown boars, brown bears, poisonous snakes, or bugs—all spelled doom for Lynn...

At last, the water in the pottery pot bubbled fiercely, sending a subtle meat scent wafting to Lynn's nose.

Starved for a full day, Lynn swallowed hard.

After simmering half an hour more, Lynn lifted the pot from the fire.

[Clear Snake Broth]: Harmless, restores vitality.

Once cooled slightly, he snatched a chunk of snake meat and devoured it.

Tough texture, mild flavor, faint wild tang typical of snakes.

Taste didn't matter now; hunger overrode all.

Devouring most of the meat and slurping half the broth, Lynn's belly filled, vigor seeping back.

Firelight flickered over Lynn's features.

Unceasing, he grabbed straw from the weed heap and kept braiding rope.

For a wooden house, Lynn required a proper logging tool.

Stone Axe!

In moments, six or seven straw strands twisted into one under his deft fingers.

[Production Experience +1]

...

Under ten minutes later, a solid straw rope lay in his grasp.

Lynn pressed on, crafting more ropes.

He paused only after four ropes sat ready.

Spotting two sizable black flints with minimal flaws, Lynn began rough shaping.

A hefty stone served as anvil, the chosen flint atop it.

A compact hard stone became his hammer; Lynn hammered the flint repeatedly.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Stone-on-stone clangs rang over the barren land.

Hidden bugs and creatures in the grass scattered in fright.

Dozens of strikes later, a basic flint axe formed; polishing came next.

Lynn rubbed granite against the blade's edge...

Scrape, scrape.

Time blurred by.

Rope secured, he lashed the head to a stick handle—a flint axe now in Lynn's hand.

[Simple Flint Axe]: Fits for chopping wood, hunting, defense, etc., sharpness moderate.

[Production Experience +1]

Handle spanned fifty centimeters, total weight around five pounds.

Swinging experimentally, it felt hefty yet ideal for felling trees.

One done, Lynn geared up for another.

Unlike metal axes, flint ones notch quickly.

Production experience mounting, Lynn's flint axe insights deepened.

Select flint, hammer shape, rough form, polish fine, assemble bind.

Faint white light crept over the eastern horizon.

Dawn neared.

Two flint axes rested by Lynn's feet.

Despite no sleep all night, mere fatigue tugged at him.

Proof of his robust body.

Finishing the pot's remaining snake bit, Lynn seized an axe and headed for nearby tall trees.

Spring lagged, morning chill bit deep.

Lynn chafed his right arm with his left for heat.

Nearing trunks, faint snaps sounded.

Glancing down, needle-like leaves blanketed the earth.

Axe back swept them aside, exposing dark soil below.

Humus!

Years of leaf cover and decay, microbes turning it to rich humus.

Nature's own manure!

Ideal for crop soil.

Dozens of pines here yielded scant humus, but a forest loomed hundreds of meters off!

[Pine Wood]: Lightweight, sturdy enough, workable, great for basic homes, furnishings, etc.

Gazing up, pines towered twenty meters, trunks fifty centimeters thick.

Planted solidly, Lynn gripped axe two-handed, inhaled deep, swung with full power at the pine.

Bang!

Axe met bark with a thunderous smack; yellowed needles showered, hands buzzed numb.

A notch scarred the pine.

Good thing pine was soft; axe blade held unscathed.

[Collection Experience +1]

Logging tips flooded Lynn's thoughts.

Axe rose, fell again on the pine.

...

Crack! Crash!

The twenty-meter pine toppled roaring into nearby clearing.