Chapter 133: Travelers and Visitors

The construction materials for this type of shop are all the same: composite wood planks, composite stone slabs, and marble tiles.

Composite wood planks are synthesized from regular wood planks—5 wood planks make 1 composite wood plank, which means 60 units of wood are needed for 1 composite wood plank.

Similarly, composite stone slabs are made from regular stone slabs—3 stone slabs make 1 composite stone slab, or in other words, 48 units of stone for 1 composite stone slab.

Whether it’s a tool shop, weapon shop, or armor shop, all of these shops originally start as a “blacksmith shop.”

Once upgraded, the blacksmith shop can be converted into a tool shop, weapon shop, armor shop, or other types of stores. Before upgrading, the blacksmith shop can sell all items produced by the blacksmith.

The purpose of upgrading is to categorize these products. When items are sold in the shop that matches their category, they fetch a higher price, customers are more satisfied, and the shop gains its own reputation, which helps attract more people to the territory.

For example, a stone axe might sell for 25 copper coins at the blacksmith shop, but if sold at the tool shop, it could go for 35 copper coins.

The same goes for other items—selling them in the corresponding shop increases their price.

Other buildings similar to the blacksmith shop include the craftsman’s workshop and the tailor shop. Both can be upgraded to specialize in selling a certain type of product.

But since it’s still early days, there’s no need to split things up so finely, and Su You doesn’t have enough materials to build and upgrade so many buildings anyway. For now, she plans to build just one blacksmith shop, one craftsman’s workshop, and one tailor shop.

With these three shops, plus a tavern and a waystation, the territory’s basic commercial facilities will be complete.

[Consume 5 composite wood planks, 5 composite stone slabs, and 5 marble tiles to build a blacksmith shop?]

[Construction in progress: Blacksmith Shop. Estimated time: 300 minutes.]

...

[Consume 5 composite wood planks, 5 composite stone slabs, and 5 marble tiles to build a craftsman’s workshop?]

[Construction in progress: Craftsman’s Workshop. Estimated time: 300 minutes.]

The blacksmith shop, craftsman’s workshop, and tailor shop are all being built in the same row. The craftsman’s workshop is next to the tailor shop, and the blacksmith shop is right beside it.

After picking the locations, the construction countdowns began. Su You also took the opportunity to organize the remaining materials and tally up the quantities.

Thanks to the lumber mill, Lyle no longer has to haul logs back and forth. The lumber mill not only transports wood but also serves as a sheltered rest spot, so Lyle’s wood-gathering efficiency has increased by a full 50%.

Whereas before, chopping seven or eight hundred units of wood a day was exhausting, now gathering eleven or twelve hundred a day is easy.

Currently, the warehouse in the territory holds over 2,000 units of wood, though there’s less stone—just over 700 units.

Besides wood and stone, there are also plenty of other materials, like rope. Since fiber takes up too much space, Su You has turned it all into rope, so there are only about 300 ropes left in storage.

There used to be more rope, but Dory, who was in charge of collecting it, has now been assigned to the tailor shop, so no one is gathering fiber anymore. As a result, the rope supply is only going down, not up.

Even so, after several days of use, there are still over 300 ropes left, which shows just how hard Dory worked before.

But now that the territory is growing cotton—three whole fields of it—cotton can be used as a substitute for fiber, so whether or not anyone collects fiber isn’t that important anymore.

...

*Knock, knock, knock—*

Just as Su You was about to finish inventorying the warehouse, there was a sudden knock at the workshop door. Before she could open it, she heard Dory’s voice outside—

“Miss Lord, that little girl you and Doya brought back before—she’s come back again...” As Dory spoke, the door in front of her was already opening.

“Is it Buguo?”

Dory nodded. “Yes, she said her name is Buguo... Oh! And besides her, there are a few travelers and a wanderer outside the territory. They’d like to stay here for a while.”

“A wanderer?” Su You was a bit surprised. She hadn’t expected a wanderer to show up at this time.

But then again, the territory is short on people, and with a timed quest hanging over her, Su You was more than happy to welcome wanderers—in fact, she wished more would come.

“Yes, just one wanderer, and about three or four travelers. I didn’t get a good look. Right now, Lake is greeting them.” As Dory spoke, she led Su You to the tavern.

Lake had spent the whole morning mining stone and was exhausted, so instead of heading back out after turning in his quest, he decided to rest in the territory.

Coincidentally, the training ground had just been completed, so after lunch, he wanted to check it out and maybe get some practice in.

But on his way there, he saw a few people lingering at the territory’s gate. Out of curiosity—and for the territory’s safety—Lake went over to ask about their situation.

That’s how he learned they wanted to stay for a few days. Just then, Dory happened to pass by, so Lake called her over to inform Su You, while he took the newcomers to the tavern.

...

“This is a new territory, isn’t it?” Traveler A said, taking a big bite of roast meat and sighing with satisfaction. “I never expected such a small place to have such amazing food. This roast is incredible—better than anything I’ve had at the big city taverns.”

The best part was, not only was it delicious, it was cheap too.

He remembered paying over twenty copper coins for a piece of roast meat before, but here it was only ten!

Supposedly, the chef here has Intermediate Cooking Skills, which is why the price is so high... but honestly, this chef is way better.

Half the price, better flavor, and a generous portion—Traveler A, a true foodie, was instantly won over by this meal.

Lake just smiled and said nothing. He didn’t need to say anything—Meike, the chef, had already started chatting with Traveler A as soon as he was praised, leaving Lake with no chance to get a word in.

As for Traveler B, Traveler C, and the wanderer, those three were much quieter. After paying, they simply ate their food in silence.

(End of chapter)"