Crossing the wilderness to survive, starting with a broken kitchen knife.

Zhang Shi's eyes lit up, and he took the fat man to a quiet room and pulled out a chair for him to sit down.

"I still don't know your name?"

The fat man acted flattered, then replied timidly.

"Reporting to Boss Zhang Shi, my name is Mao Tai. My family in the real world runs a winery. My grandfather and father are both traditional craftsmen, proficient in the craft of winemaking. I learned from them as a child, and I have already mastered the manufacturing process by heart."

Zhang Shiqiang suppressed the urge to laugh out loud and acted dignified.

"I'm sure you're aware that a seaport is being built on the island, and the bar construction is in great demand. I don't care what your past is, but as long as you do your job of brewing wine well and thoroughly, I won't treat you unfairly."

Upon hearing this, Mao Tai knelt on one knee, imitating the soldiers and shouting, "I am willing to die for the Lord."

Zhang Shi didn't understand what he was doing. Maybe it was because he had been with the soldiers for a long time and learned this set of rhetoric from what he saw and heard. But he didn't say much, but pulled him up.

"Okay, without further ado, let's get started now."

After that, Zhang Shi took him to Lao Bai and ordered some raw materials according to Mao Tai's needs. The materials were varied, including corn, wheat, rice, and various berries. Zhang Shi was curious about the variety of materials Mao Tai had selected and asked, "What are you going to do? As far as I know, white wine doesn't require so many raw materials, right?"

Mao Tai bowed respectfully to Zhang Shi, then replied calmly.

"My Lord, in order to meet the needs of the bar, I plan to brew liquor, beer, and fruit wine at the same time. After all, a wider variety of drinks will attract more customers, right?"

Zhang Shi nodded and decided to follow along. Firstly, he wanted to learn the entire winemaking process from Mao Tai so he could try making wine himself in the future and avoid being stuck. Secondly, Mao Tai was an outsider, and with the Dragon Tiger Alliance involved, he worried he might tamper with the wine.

Mao Tai began preparing his brew. He first selected the ingredients for the liquor—peas, corn, and wheat. He carefully cleaned the three grains, placed them in a large steamer, added an appropriate amount of water, and brought it to a boil over high heat. As the steam rose, the entire room was filled with the aroma of the grains.

Zhang Shi watched with great interest, occasionally raising questions, which Mao Tai patiently answered. He explained that the purpose of steaming is to soften the grains and release their starch, preparing them for subsequent fermentation.

After steaming, Mao Tai removes the grains and lets them cool to a comfortable temperature. He then begins preparing koji (drinking yeast), a fermentation agent rich in microorganisms that crucially influences the flavor of baijiu. Mao Tai grinds the three grains in varying proportions on a grinding wheel, then adds water, stirs the mixture, and places it in a box, pounding it repeatedly before placing it in a steamer to incubate.

Thanks to the Farmer Module's speed boost, the cultivation process, which normally takes several days, is now completed in just an hour or so. Mao Tai evenly spreads the cultivated yeast on the grains and gently stirs them to mix thoroughly.

"Next, it's time for fermentation," Mao Tai said, pointing to a large wooden barrel nearby. "We need to put the mixture into the barrel, seal it, and allow the microorganisms to ferment inside. This process normally takes nearly a month, but here, I estimate we'll have the first batch of finished products by tomorrow morning at the latest."

Zhang Shi nodded, indicating understanding. He noticed that Maotai paid great attention to detail throughout the entire process, from cleaning and steaming the grains to adding the yeast. This gave him a deeper trust in Maotai's professionalism.

Meanwhile, Mao Tai began preparing the ingredients for brewing beer. He mixed rice and malt and steamed them. However, unlike baijiu, beer also required the addition of hops to enhance its flavor and aroma. Zhang Shi paid a high price for these hops at the market, ultimately entrusting them to a foreign dealer.

While Maotai was busy, Zhang Shi was also busy. He carefully observed every step and tried to memorize the entire process. He knew that this was a rare learning opportunity for him.

As time went by, the liquor and beer in the barrels began to emit an enticing aroma. Mao Tai opened the barrels from time to time to check the fermentation progress and adjust the temperature and humidity.

Finally, Mao Tai began brewing fruit wine. He first deseeded a bunch of grapes, heated them, and air-dried them. He then placed the simple raisins in a bottle with purified water and sealed it. He opened the bottle periodically to release the air. This process also took over an hour, and he finally successfully obtained a yeast.

Next, he selected various berries, mashed them, added an appropriate amount of sugar and yeast, and placed them in another wooden barrel for fermentation. Fruit wine ferments in a similar manner to white wine, requiring only one night to ferment. Beer, on the other hand, takes longer, ranging from one and a half to three months in real life. On the island, it could be brewed as early as tomorrow afternoon.

By this point, the brewing of the three kinds of wine had been successfully completed. It was already late at night. Zhang Shi called the soldiers on duty and told them to keep a close watch on the winery. No one except him was allowed to approach without permission.

After arranging the soldiers to guard the bar, Zhang Shi did not leave the brewery immediately. Instead, he turned to Mao Tai and said, "Thank you for your hard work today, Mao Tai. I am impressed by your professional skills. I believe that with you joining the bar, business will surely flourish."

Mao Tai smiled modestly and said, "My Lord, thank you for your praise. It is my honor to serve you. As long as it can help the bar's business improve, I am willing to do anything."

Zhang Shi patted Mao Tai on the shoulder and said, "I've asked Lao Bai to arrange a new place for you. Have a good night's rest. Tomorrow we will test the quality of the drinks. If there is no problem, we will start mass production. Once everything is on track, I plan to hand over the bar to you.

Mao Tai was stunned for a moment, then a glint flashed in his eyes. He obviously hadn't expected Zhang Shi to trust and respect him so much. He immediately said excitedly, "Please rest assured, Lord. I will never let you down. I will continue to work hard to produce higher quality wine and contribute to the development of our island."

Zhang Shi smiled calmly, and the whole winery was filled with a lively atmosphere. It was hard to tell who was making promises to whom or who was fooling whom. In short, both of them were very satisfied.