Berserk: The Prophet

"It's getting late. Once we've dealt with everything, let's move the camp to Blackrock Prison. See which watchtower is the most sturdy, and you guys can take turns keeping watch."

The soldiers nodded in agreement and sped up the process of disposing of the brown bear carcass. Soon, the bear was properly processed, the meat was stored safely, the bear hide was cleaned up, and the group tidied up the camp before heading towards Blackrock Prison.

Upon arriving at Blackrock Prison, the soldiers quickly located relatively sturdy watchtowers and arranged for guards to take turns on guard duty. Green, meanwhile, explored the prison, considering how to further utilize its resources and facilities.

Meanwhile, Sumel and Elibert, along with others, returned to Blackrock Prison with the green substance they had obtained from the bottom of the hot spring, as well as some crucibles and charcoal found near the mine. Without taking a break, Sumel immediately began preparing to refine the ore.

Following the instructions in his notes, he crushed the ore and placed it in a crucible, then added an appropriate amount of charcoal and the green substance he had obtained from the bottom of the hot spring. He then lit a fire beneath the crucible. As the fire grew stronger, the ore inside the crucible began to slowly melt, emitting a pungent odor.

...It takes a little trial and error to figure out the best approach.

However, Green doesn't have much time tonight, so it seems that Sumer will have to work overtime. He'll have to see the results tonight.

Green put the bearskin into his spatial storage. Anyway, no one paid much attention to it, and if it wasn't dried, wouldn't it freeze solid overnight?

Green also stored the four plump bear paws in his space. This good stuff needs to be cooked by a good chef. He has never tasted such delicacies before.

In short, today was a very busy day. I even cleaned the bear intestines and made bear blood sausage. As for bear heart, liver, gallbladder, and kidneys, oh my, those are good things. I'll put them all in my storage space and treat myself to them when I'm in a good mood.

...I never expected to have such a good appetite in this strange world.

However, after cleaning up, everyone was covered in blood. Grimm and the black-armored archers went to the small pool to wash their gloves and blood-stained armor and clothing, lit a campfire to dry their clothes, and then went to soak in the hot spring.

Green and the black-armored archers arrived at the hot spring. The steaming water looked especially inviting in the cold weather. They took off their clothes and slowly stepped into the hot spring. The warm water enveloped their bodies, and the fatigue of the day seemed to slowly dissipate with the rising steam.

As Green enjoyed the comfort of the hot springs, he pondered the current situation. Ore refining was crucial; if successful, it would give them the capital to expand their power.

Meanwhile, the soldiers remaining at Blackrock Prison were roasting bear legs, filling the entire fortress with a delicious aroma. It seemed that they could start eating as soon as Green and the others returned.

Green chatted with the black-armored archers for a while, and when he felt he had soaked long enough, he took out a few clean linen cloths from his space, which he just needed to use to dry his body.

Ugh... Coming out of the hot spring all wet after soaking in it is so cold and uncomfortable.

Green quickly dried himself off and put on his clothes. The used linen could be reused by the soldiers, or they could take a new piece of cloth; there was plenty of fabric.

When Green and the others returned to Blackrock Prison, Sumel was continuing to study his notes, trying to figure out the specific operating procedures.

In between taking care of Bren, Elibert would also come over to help Sumer with his tools, and the two would occasionally exchange a few words in hushed tones, their expressions focused.

“...The temperature isn’t high enough.” Sumer grabbed a red-hot iron skewer and poked it into the campfire. Sparks flew onto the stains on his sleeve, threatening to ignite, but he quickly shook them off, leaving only a few charred marks.

Elibert immediately brought over a bundle of pine resin, and flames roared up three feet high, causing a layer of dark gray impurities to float on the surface of the molten metal inside the crucible.

Green was also drawn to the scene and came closer to watch.

"Quick! Get the lead block!" Sumer pointed to the faded diagram in his notebook. "The gray blowing process requires lead to absorb silver..." Before he could finish speaking, the crucible suddenly made a piercing cracking sound—a line of golden molten liquid seeped out from the bottom!

With lightning speed, Green grabbed his shield and placed it under the crucible. The molten metal droplets condensed on the shield into tiny silver beads the size of rice grains, mixed with a few extremely fine strands of gold.

Looking at the silver beads and gold threads on the shield, Green was overjoyed. Although the crucible had still encountered problems, these initial results had proven that the refining method was feasible.

“Sumel, Elibert, you guys did a fantastic job! This is a huge step forward,” Green said excitedly. Although it was only a small step, it was a giant leap for Green.

After all, a considerable amount of gold and silver can be extracted in just a short time. If one could refine it every day, wouldn't one become incredibly wealthy?

Sumer frowned, looking at the broken crucible with some frustration: "Sir, it's still a failure. The crucible couldn't last until the refining was complete."

"However, it has now been confirmed that the ash blowing method can separate gold and silver, but better crucibles and more precise operation are still needed. It is also possible that the crucibles are not suitable for refining such a large amount of ore. Perhaps I should study how to use the furnace over there to refine these ores."

Green patted Sumel on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't be discouraged. This is only the first attempt. The result has already exceeded expectations."

Elibert nodded in agreement. "Sumel, the master is right. If we keep trying, we can definitely do it."

"Let's eat first today. The bear leg has to be roasted well, or we won't get another chance to try it." Green had been eagerly anticipating this delicacy for a long time, and he rubbed his hands together as he sat down by the campfire.

The bear leg was roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Honey was spread on the surface, and then salt, spices, and cumin were sprinkled on top. The group then used small knives to cut off pieces and eat them one by one.

Green took a bite of the roasted bear leg, and the sweetness of honey, the saltiness of salt, and the unique flavor of cumin intertwined, creating a wonderful taste on his taste buds, enough to make up for the fatigue of the day.

"It smells so good! Thank you for nature's gift." Green couldn't help but tilt his head back and let out a satisfied sigh.

Although bear meat still has some of its own gamey smell, this does not affect the appetite of a growing child. The bloody smell of bear meat is largely masked by the seasonings, and the taste is similar to that of beef.

"This bear blood sausage tastes pretty good too."

"Yes, this is the first time I've ever tasted bear meat and bear blood!"

"Haha, cheers!!"

The group enjoyed the food and chatted casually. Although there was no wine, there was meat soup to accompany them.

After finishing their day's work and arranging for the guards, everyone went to find a few clean rooms to rest.

Although the city walls are made of thick wood, they are inlaid with stones of various kinds that I can't identify. They don't seem to be very hard, but they do a good job of shock absorption.

To cope with the harsh winter temperatures on the mountaintop, these houses are also two-story structures. The first floor is built against a bedrock, with the outer layer resembling a layer of volcanic ash mortar, providing good insulation and heat resistance.

The second floor is a wooden house, a place suitable for living, with a fireplace and bed.

Fortunately, the old, blackened mattress had no odor, allowing for a good night's sleep. After all, there's not much to choose from in the wild; the only options are the ground or crooked trees, which are uncomfortable and don't allow for changing positions.

Green lay on the soft bed, hoping to get a good night's sleep, but his mind was filled with thoughts of ore refining, and he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Hmm... the food problem is very serious. Without a stable food source, it's difficult to start large-scale mining here. It seems we'll have to rely entirely on Village Chief Jarvan's efforts.

However, let's summon a group of soldiers to occupy this stronghold first. Once the mountain roads are easier to travel in the spring, we can make it to Chief Jarvan's place for the autumn harvest and then we'll have a peaceful year.

By then, Sumer's ore refining technology should have been mature. Early investments always carry risks, but for the sake of future wealth, Green was willing to take the gamble.

Open the system panel, check the card slots, scroll up and down, and you should leave some ranged units for hunting.

Placing the Black Armor Archer and Silver Mist Ranger here is a waste of their talents. Although the garrison only requires half the salary, the monthly expenses are enough to kill Green, which is a third of his monthly income.

Sigh, looking at the card slot balance of 19/50, Green decided to go all in again.

Two flashes of purple light appeared – fifty Pendor Knights and fifty Griffin Knights. I was lucky; I drew a few units I wanted.

【Card Slots - 29/50】

White Card - 10 Militia Members, 20 Bread, 10 Dried Meat, 10 Militia Members, 40 Wheat

Green Card - 40 Bread, 30 Pendor Militiamen, 20 Ale, 20 Flax Bundles, 20 Pig Iron, 20 Oil, 20 Tools, 20 Pendor Light Archers

Blue Card - 60*Pander Old Farmer, Bread*100, Salt*40, Spices*20, Velvet*20, Fur*40, Bread*100, Bread*100, Black Armored Archer*20

Purple Cards: 50*Pander Black Armor Archer, 50*Pander Foot Knight, 50*Silver Mist Ranger, 40 Spices, 50*Pander Knight, 50*Griffin Knight.

Orange Card - Dragon Tear*1 (Guaranteed item, can be exchanged for 1000 Soul Points)

Red Card - None

Current balance:

Number of draws: 60