Chapter 147: Preparing to Set Out Again

Early the next morning, Sun Licheng rubbed his overworked lower back and went to find his father-in-law.

Arriving outside Barit’s great tent, he found the man practicing with a spiked club. Although he was over forty, Barit remained incredibly formidable, swinging the heavy, iron-studded weapon with such force that it whistled through the air.

"How did I end up with an ogre for a wife? And a teenage girl at that. Sigh, I’ve basically turned into Sun Qiangdong," Sun Licheng thought, sighing as he watched his monster-like father-in-law.

Once Barit finished his morning routine, Sun Licheng walked over briskly.

"Ah, Sun Licheng. Why not sleep a bit longer? You and Caroline were certainly rowdy last night. You’re young, but you still need to take care of yourselves," Barit said earnestly as he placed his club on the weapon rack.

Sun Licheng offered a bitter smile, thinking to himself, "Your daughter is a reincarnated deity; you have no idea how hard that is."

They entered the tent, and after taking their seats, Sun Licheng began to recount his mission and his conversation with the God of Food and Pleasure, though he kept Caroline’s true nature as a reincarnated deity to himself.

After hearing him out, Barit closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time. Sun Licheng did not interrupt, simply sitting in quiet anticipation.

"I knew you were destined for greatness. I just didn't expect you to leave so soon. Very well. Take Caroline with you to explore the world and broaden her horizons," Barit said, finally opening his eyes with a look of helpless resignation.

"Rest assured, Father-in-law, I will make sure everything in the tribe is settled before I leave, and I will teach everyone everything I can," Sun Licheng said softly, knowing that more words were useless at this point.

"Hmm," Barit nodded. After a moment of thought, he added, "Have Chapman go with you. He’s been a merchant for years; he’s traveled widely and is knowledgeable, so he can teach you plenty. Besides, Stonebridge Fort is a major city, and it’s a good opportunity for him to see if he can establish trade routes there."

With Barit’s final word, Sun Licheng’s departure was officially set. Even if some of the ogres grumbled about him leaving, they dared not trouble a Chosen of the Gods. In this world, the gods were not the deceptive charlatans of Earth, but beings of unimaginably terrifying power.

"So much left to do," Sun Licheng sighed helplessly after finishing his work plan.

The construction projects of the Red Flame Tribe were in full swing, but most were still in the experimental stages. If Sun Licheng wanted to leave, he had to ensure these tasks were seen through to completion.

After delegating everything he could, Sun Licheng was left with the blacksmith shop, the brewery, and the cassava mill.

The cassava plantation was already established, and the slaves they had purchased were now laborers, working with great enthusiasm under the promise that they could return home after three years. Cassava grew rapidly, and dealing with the impending massive harvest was an urgent problem. After much thought, Sun Licheng decided to use the river beside the tribe to build a water-powered mill to grind the cassava into flour.

Despite the heavy workload, Sun Licheng pressed on. Before long, the water mill was complete.

On the day the upstream dam was opened for a test run, the entire Red Flame Tribe gathered around the mill, eager to see how this giant stone wheel that didn't require manual labor actually worked.

"Water's coming!"

Following Henry’s shout, the rushing river surged like a great serpent down the dry canal.

Soon, the force of the water turned the blades, transmitting torque through gears and axles to power three large stone grinding wheels. As pale yellow cassava flour began to pour from the mills, the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Sun Licheng, this mill of yours is excellent. No more need to waste men on grinding. I know there are special machines that can replace manual labor, but they are too expensive and nearly impossible to buy—those alchemists are far too arrogant. Your mill doesn't need magic crystals, just water. It’s perfect for us. With this, we’ll have enough food to recruit warriors and expand the tribe," Barit said, slapping Sun Licheng on the shoulder in high spirits.

"It’s everyone’s achievement. The key to this mill is regular inspection and maintenance. Fortunately, the blacksmith shop is up and running, and Henry’s skills are up to the task; I don't think there will be any issues with its long-term use."

Once the mill was sorted, Sun Licheng turned his attention to preparing the caravan’s goods for Chapman. Finally, after a month, all the loose ends were tied up.

"Sun Licheng, will we encounter any really powerful foes?" Caroline asked while polishing her armor. Since they were leaving tomorrow, the young couple had enjoyed a rare night of relaxation, which left the Red Flame Tribe feeling quite disoriented. It was said that many ogres couldn't fall asleep without the familiar sounds of the couple's "warfare."

"We certainly will," Sun Licheng replied, his mind drifting to the battles on the Snowy Ridge Highlands.

"That’s why you must keep your gear in good condition, especially this breastplate. If the magic array is damaged, let me know immediately so I can repair it," he added.

Although Caroline was a reincarnated deity, she was not immortal like Sun Licheng, and the journey ahead promised to be perilous. Sun Licheng did everything in his power to protect his beloved wife.

In addition to a piece of fitted leather armor Chapman had traded for, Sun Licheng had crafted a set of bronze half-plate armor specifically for Caroline. Though his craftsmanship was limited, resulting in a chain-and-plate design, the protection was excellent. To further enhance it, Sun Licheng had painstakingly etched a simple defensive magic array onto the armor using the power of flame and elemental guidance.

The process had been inefficient, reminding him of Mr. Handy.

"Sigh, I wonder how Mr. Handy and the others are doing," he mused.

Regardless of the difficulty, for his wife's safety, Sun Licheng had equipped himself with a full set of heavy infantry armor. Its appearance caused a sensation in the Red Flame Tribe; for these ogres, fine weaponry held a fatal attraction.

Since Sun Licheng was leaving, the tribe’s only request was that he finish training Henry.

Naturally, as his father-in-law, Barit also received a set of bronze chain-and-plate armor crafted by Sun Licheng’s own hands.

"I understand," Caroline said, her voice unusually gentle as she acknowledged his care.

The next morning, the area in front of the Red Flame Tribe’s gates was a hubbub of noise as Barit led a group to see them off.

"Don't worry, Father-in-law. I will protect Caroline with my life," Sun Licheng promised once more.

Barit nodded, patted his shoulder, and said solemnly, "Go with confidence. If you run into something you can't handle, come back immediately. Remember, the Red Flame Tribe will always be your strongest backing."

Sun Licheng nodded, showing he had taken the words to heart.

Just then, Chapman’s shout rang out: "Moving out!"

The caravan slowly began its journey.