026 Realization

Lin Yan first marked out the foundations for each courtyard and set the excavation crew to work. Everyone knew that deep foundations were essential for sturdy houses, so no one dared to be careless. Seeing the team’s enthusiasm, Lin Yan immediately sought out people to construct brick and tile kilns. Given the current difficult conditions, they chose six locations to build, converting existing caves into makeshift kilns. Lao Hei, experienced in firing, led the efforts alongside Mao Mu, who had learned much from him. Firing bricks and tiles was significantly easier than pottery, as the tribe had initially practiced their pottery skills by firing simple rectangular bricks. Watching their efficiency, Lin Yan felt grateful that Lao Hei and Mao Mu had already mastered kiln construction for their pottery; otherwise, the trial-and-error process would have been time-consuming and exhausting.

That day, the entire Sun Tribe hummed with activity. Everyone had a task, and no one was idle. Lin Yan was particularly busy, as anyone with a dilemma came to her for guidance. Shui Sheng and Cao Zhi became her right-hand assistants; being older and sharp-minded, they could quickly grasp her intentions and relay instructions effectively. Xiao Shi, Hua Hua, and Ye Ya were also part of the support team, organizing the children to help with manageable chores.

At dusk, the team leaders gathered to summarize the day’s progress. A Lan was the first to speak: "The loggers brought back sixty logs—forty thin ones and twenty thick ones." Lin Yan was startled; this efficiency far exceeded her expectations, as cutting wood with stone tools was notoriously difficult. "Is it really that many?" A Lan nodded, "I counted them myself. You should go see them tomorrow to see if they are suitable." Lin Yan couldn't wait, "I want to go see them now." She felt she had underestimated the tribespeople and wanted to witness how they managed it. Wood was abundant, but she had always assumed that without sharp blades, felling trees was too difficult, which was why she had delayed the construction plan. If it weren't for the beast herd destroying their caves, she would have waited until the end of the cold season to begin building.

A Lan replied, "All right, I’ll take you to see them in a moment. Today, the basket-weavers made twenty baskets, the fence-makers completed fifty sections, and a large pile of grass was gathered. The hunting party brought back one hundred and twenty-four pikas, including thirty-eight pups, which have all been penned up..." Listening to A Lan list the data point by point, Lin Yan realized she was a true talent; it was no wonder everyone agreed to let her manage logistics.

Huang Ye was in charge of personnel deployment and personally oversaw the foundation digging. It was a top priority, and she remained there, keeping a close watch. "Three foundations have been dug to your exact specifications: one and a half meters deep and half a meter wide," she reported. Lao Hei added, "Two brick kilns and two tile kilns were built today. They’ve been fired up to dry, and we can begin full production in three days. The first batch of brick and tile blanks has been made and is now air-drying."

Everyone agreed the progress was faster than anticipated. Lin Yan noted, "Many hands make light work. At this rate, we can finish ten courtyards in twenty days, and the materials for the others will be ready by then. Once the bricks and tiles are ready, we’ll move more people into construction." Huang Ye nodded in agreement.

After the meeting, Lin Yan and A Lan went to inspect the logs. There was indeed a massive pile. "A Lan, do you know how they cut these?" Lin Yan asked, puzzled by the uneven cross-sections. A Lan laughed, "I don't know, you'll have to ask Da Shi; he led the logging team."

Lin Yan immediately found Da Shi, and A Lan followed. Da Shi, confused by the fuss, scratched his head and said honestly, "We use hemp rope to pull the tree to one side, then cut with stone axes. Once we're halfway through, we pull hard, and the tree falls." Lin Yan examined the stone axe; it was sharper than she expected, but still not enough to explain such efficiency. She found a log and asked Da Shi for a demonstration. Da Shi complied without hesitation. He gripped the axe—sharp at the front and heavy at the back—and with a powerful swing, chopped clean through the log.

Lin Yan inspected the cut: a five-centimeter diameter log, severed completely, though the cut was jagged. She looked at Da Shi’s hands and suddenly realized the truth. The stone axes weren't exceptionally sharp, but she had overlooked the people. The strength of the tribe’s young adults was far greater than she had imagined.

In this world, not only had plants and animals been affected, growing much larger, but the people had changed too. Their bodies were becoming more robust, likely due to the recent shift from a sparse, raw diet to more frequent, cooked meals. The frequency of illness had dropped, and even the elderly appeared more energetic. The children were clearly thriving, no longer as frail as before.

That night, Lin Yan pondered deeply. She concluded the environment must be the cause. The atmosphere was likely oxygen-rich, fostering rapid growth and vigor in all life. While this was beneficial for plants and animals, she felt a surge of concern. She had seen pikas, bison, and birds grow several times their normal size, yet humans remained relatively small. In such an environment, humans lacked a natural advantage, making survival and conquest of nature much harder. However, there was a silver lining: the environment favored lush, large-scale plant growth, which meant if they could master farming, they could secure an abundance of food.