Caelen stared at the small pouch in his storage shelf. It had been weeks since he opened it. Inside were two tiny, wrinkled seeds.
"…Corn seeds?" He blinked. "When did I even—ah, whatever."
He stepped outside with Zira, the sky still bright but with a strange wind in the air. Not a good sign.
He cleared a patch of soil next to the hut using his copper shovel. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.
[Google Search: How to plant corn]
[Searches Remaining: 10/30]
"Okay. Dig. Place. Cover. Water. Easy." He planted the two seeds carefully.
"Corn?" Zira asked, watching from the doorway.
"Yeah. Takes a few days to grow. At least it's better than berries every day."
She made a face. "Don't talk about berries. I still have blue stains on my tongue."
They both laughed.
But then thunder cracked in the distance. Caelen looked up.
"Oh, come on."
Within minutes, the sky darkened. Rain poured hard, soaking everything.
"Guess nature's doing the watering," Caelen muttered as he ran inside, Zira close behind.
He looked out at the muddy field. "Well... can't farm."
He turned to grab his pickaxe. "Might as well go mining while we're stuck—"
Squish.
The moment his boot hit the mud near the tunnel entrance, he sank halfway in.
"Nope."
He stumbled back to the hut, dripping and grumpy. "Can't even mine. Ground's soaked."
"What now?" Zira asked, stretching out on her bedroll.
Caelen stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, eyes scanning the wood interior.
He was bored.
And that was dangerous.
A few seconds later:
"I'm making a bucket."
"What?"
"A bucket." He grabbed leftover planks and bark strips. "For water. Or corn. Or... vibes."
[Google Search: How to carve wooden bucket]
[Searches Remaining: 9/30]
He started carving and assembling. It took effort, especially with makeshift tools, but after a while...
[System: Wooden Bucket Crafted Successfully]
[+1 Search Bonus]
"Nice."
"Let me guess," Zira said, peeking at the clunky but charming bucket. "Your noodle plans?"
He grinned. "Future-plan."
Still not satisfied, Caelen looked at the clutter near the wall. Tools, sticks, berries, and random rocks were all over the floor. It was getting ridiculous.
He glanced at a thick log he hadn't used yet.
"Next up: cabinet."
"Cabinet?"
"For storage. It's time I stopped living like a raccoon."
[Google Search: How to make simple cabinet with wood]
[Searches Remaining: 8/30]
Using nails made from leftover copper, he started fitting the planks together. It took hours and a few splinters, but finally…
[System: Wooden Cabinet Crafted Successfully]
[+1 Search Bonus]
He opened the creaky door with pride and started putting items inside.
Zira clapped. "Finally, the floor won't attack my toes."
The rain outside didn't let up. The farm was off-limits, the mine was flooded, and monsters wouldn't dare come close in this weather. They had a rare moment of peace.
As the wind howled outside, Caelen sat near the fire with Zira, bucket beside him, cabinet proudly standing by the wall, and the corn patch buried in mud outside.
"I want noodles," he said out of nowhere.
Zira groaned. "Still with the noodles?"
He chuckled.
[Google Search: How to build manual grinder]
[Searches Remaining: 7/30]
It took time, but with stones and wooden wheels, he managed to craft something that rotated when cranked.
[System: Stone Grinder Crafted Successfully]
[+1 Search Bonus]
He wiped his forehead, satisfied. "Now when the corn grows, I'll grind it up. Make some flour. Maybe even… pasta."
Zira stared at him. "You're gonna make pasta in a survival forest?"
"One step at a time."
She shook her head, smiling. "You're weird."
"And you're stuck with me now."
They both laughed.