The colorless Death God is nothing more than an avalanche-like cold current. However, this avalanche occurs high in the sky at an altitude of thousands of meters, and when this cold current falls from the sky and sweeps across the earth, freezing everything within its range, it dissipates in no more than a day.
Therefore, if living beings reside in houses or caves, the insulation provided by those structures would protect them from the short-lived cold current, especially since the location where the Dragon Nest Beastmen reside, the remnant site of the Blood Claw Tribe, is not the center of the cold current’s impact.
As expected, Austin quickly found the Dragon Nest Beastmen remaining at the base, totaling more than two hundred people, among which were captured mercenaries brought here for mining.
Due to the unforeseen arrival of the cold winter, over two hundred Dragon Nest Beastmen were trapped here. Fortunately, after the destruction of the Blood Claw Tribe Branch, there remained plenty of building materials on the site, so there was no major concern about materials for building houses. Additionally, since a large amount of food was stored in the Blood Claw Tribe Branch at the time, which the Dragon Nest Tribe temporarily did not value or want to transport over twenty miles to the Dragon Nest Base, the entire tribe base was stocked with food sufficient for the Dragon Nest Beastmen’s consumption.
Although the cold winter arrived suddenly, cutting off contact with the Dragon Nest Tribe, under the surveillance of the Dragon Nest Beastmen, coupled with the terrifying dangers hidden in the snowy and icy exterior, and considering that these mercenary captives were exhausted after several days of intensive mining work, with their strength less than thirty percent of its original capacity, and were guarded by several Extraordinary Beastmen, no trouble was made by them.
In fact, if these mercenary captives resisted, not to mention their poor chances of success, even if they did escape, it would be impossible to find enough food on the snow-covered land, combined with the extremely cold weather, basically leading to certain death. Staying behind offered at least a chance of survival.
The two hundred Beastmen remaining at the base were integrated with the hundred Beastmen brought by Austin, forming a small team of three hundred Dragon Nest Beastmen.
In this copper refining work, these three hundred Dragon Nest Beastmen were the main labor force.
The preliminary preparation for copper refining was nearly complete. A large amount of charcoal, copper ore, and the blast furnace were ready. In fact, if not for the sudden arrival of the cold winter that day, the copper refining could have started the next day.
"This weather... I wonder if we can even refine the copper."
In the sky above, thick clouds gathered, and large flakes of snow fell, covering the ground. Fortunately, after an entire day, the cold current within the base valley began to dissipate. However, clearing the ice layer extending over the blast furnace and charcoal ore piles was quite laborious.
"Let’s build a canopy to shield against the heavy snow first."
Watching the Beastmen mumbling as they cleared the ice and snow around them in the heavy snow, Austin furrowed his brow. In such heavy snow, not to mention starting a fire, even if the blast furnace were lit, the snowflakes falling from the sky might negatively impact the copper refining process.
Moreover, working in such heavy snow was indeed challenging for the Beastmen.
Therefore, some of the Beastmen were quickly assigned to go to the remnants of the Blood Claw Tribe to collect remaining building materials, bring them back to the valley, and then set up simple canopies to shield the blast furnaces from the heavy snow.
In this cold winter, the ground was nearly frozen as hard as stone, making it difficult to dig holes for wooden stakes. Fortunately, there were several Extraordinary individuals among the three hundred Beastmen. With their strength, using stones to break the frozen ground was barely manageable.
Before long, the Dragon Nest Beastmen had erected a simple frame for a canopy, then laid a large amount of thatch over the wooden frame’s top, and covered three sides to form a simple shelter against the snow.
Other Beastmen had cleared the ice layer covering the charcoal and ore piles, moving the materials inside the canopy.
Seeing the preparations complete, Austin did not hesitate and ordered the furnace to be lit. Thɪs chapter is updated by NovᴇlFir(e).nᴇt
Originally, after the materials were prepared that day, the copper refining could have started. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, with the sudden arrival of the cold winter and the descending cold current, causing many problems that required further attention.
However, regardless of these troubles, the copper refining must begin. The Dragon Nest Beastmen were not short on strength, but the pioneering work had been delayed due to a lack of suitable tools. Entering the metal age would offer great benefits in terms of both strength and productivity for the Dragon Nest Tribe.
Under Austin’s command, the Beastmen put the charcoal into the earthen blast furnace through the top opening. Once the charcoal filled one-fifth of the furnace, they added several pieces of copper ore, then covered it with more charcoal, repeating the process—layering charcoal and copper ore—before finally covering the top opening with charcoal as well.
Simultaneously, the Fox-faced Man Quik stepped out from the group. In this snowy, icy environment, lighting a fire with flint or wood was virtually impossible. Fortunately, Quik had a scepter capable of initiating the Flame Burst Technique, used here as an ignition source.
Indeed, Quik had the potential of a Warlock. With continuous cultivation after obtaining these magical artifacts, he could now simply control their power.
Quik raised his scepter, a faint red glow flickered within, and visible ripples of air undulated around the Red Crystal, as Fire Attribute Magic Power in the air began to concentrate.
A scorching line of fire shot out from the Red Crystal, entering through the bottom vent and striking the charcoal at the base of the earthen blast furnace. Instantly, a visible flame blazed fiercely.
The line of fire persisted for a while, stopping only when the charcoal at the furnace’s base glowed red.
"Good, start the bellows!"
Immediately, a robust Beastman stepped forward, placed a makeshift bellows over the vent, and began vigorously operating it. As the air flowed in, the entire earthen blast furnace quickly roared into a blaze, with dazzling light shining through its cracks into everyone’s eyes.
When that robust Beastman tired, another took his place, continuing the cycle. After about an hour, the charcoal inside the earthen blast furnace was mostly burned up.