Chapter 31: Upgrading the Fire Pit

Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Xia Hong understood just how precious metal tools were in this world.

Iron ore itself was an extremely rare resource. In a world where even chopping trees was astonishingly difficult, obtaining iron—a material far superior to wood—was even more challenging.

Why did only mid-sized camps possess metal tools?

Because without reaching the Digging Realm, even if you discovered iron deposits, you couldn't mine them. Moreover, iron and coal were inseparable—without coal, the heat generated from burning wood alone couldn't smelt iron.

Over the years, Great Xia Camp only had Xia Ding's half-iron hand axe, which was lost after his murder.

Xia Hong also knew that Xia Ding had traded large amounts of lumber with an acquaintance from Rogge Camp's hunting team to obtain that axe.

This showed how strictly controlled iron tools were by mid-to-large camps, never allowed to circulate freely.

Xia Hong wasn't sure how Boulder Camp obtained their greatswords.

But one thing was certain—these blades were extremely precious to them.

During their first encounter with Boulder Camp hunting Snow Mane beasts, the dying warrior had thrown his greatsword to their leader—proof of its value.

Yet Boulder Camp had simply abandoned such a treasure in the snow.

Initially, Xia Hong thought Wang Ming and his three companions had trespassed into Great Xia territory and met some horrific fate.

But he quickly realized this wasn't the case.

If that were true, Boulder Camp would have come searching—if not for Wang Ming, then certainly for the blade.

Yet judging by the snow accumulation covering Wang Ming's corpse, no one from Boulder Camp had come looking.

This suggested the entire lumberjack team had been present. Wang Ming's group might have been slower to flee, while the others escaped.

And they'd fled in such panic they abandoned their precious blade.

Boulder Camp's lumberjack team consisted of thirteen members, including two archers and Wang Ming's greatsword. For such a force to be routed so completely, combined with those strange red dots on the other three corpses' foreheads—Xia Hong concluded they must have encountered an Abomination.

The survivors either met their end later or were too terrified to return.

Either way, Xia Hong knew they couldn't stay.

Moreover, since the four died on Great Xia's side, did that mean the Abomination now lurked nearby?

This was why Xia Hong not only led everyone back to camp but also declared they'd suspend lumber and hunting operations.

Another encounter with that Abomination wouldn't just risk lives—it could wipe out all their hard-earned resources in moments.

Their urgent return was primarily for safety.

But the accidentally acquired greatsword played a secondary role.

Sitting by the campfire, Xia Hong examined the greatsword, eyes alight with excitement.

[Resources: Wood 670 Coal 0 Iron 60 Silver 0 Gold 0]

When he first touched the blade at Redwood Ridge, his excitement came from discovering it converted to 60 units of iron in his system.

"I was mistaken. If the trees here are different, then iron must be completely distinct too. This blade looks small but weighs six hundred jin, no wonder they call it the Digging Realm. Even if I found an iron deposit now, my current strength couldn't extract a single ounce."

Though lacking metallurgical knowledge, Xia Hong understood this world's iron, like its trees, bore no relation to Earth's materials.

Six hundred jin equaled sixty iron units—meaning ten jin converted to one system unit.

While obtaining iron so unexpectedly delighted him, what truly thrilled Xia Hong was finally being able to use his system's construction features.

It wasn't that the system hadn't helped—the Small Torch from the fire pit enabled hunting, indirectly helping train seven Lumberjack Realm members.

But two months without system progress frustrated him.

Wood wasn't an issue—with more Lumberjack Realm members, they had surplus. But iron? No idea where to get it.

Boulder Camp had some, Rogge Camp more—but neither would sell. And what could he trade even if they did?

Worse, he didn't even know Rogge Camp's location.

With a system but no resources for upgrades or new constructions, Xia Hong had been at his wits' end.

Only the camp's steady progress prevented him from risky iron-gathering schemes.

Now, after all that longing, obtaining iron so dramatically felt surreal.

But business came first.

Suppressing his excitement, he opened the system interface:

[Small Fire Pit (Level 1) Upgrade Requirements: 200 Wood 50 Iron]

[Wooden Dummy, Construction Requirements: 100 Wood 20 Iron]

Two choices: build the new Wooden Dummy or upgrade the fire pit.

Wooden Dummy?

Xia Hong frowned. He recognized it as martial arts training equipment, meaning its function was likely combat training.

Of course, system-produced dummies would be more sophisticated, but extrapolating from the fire pit's functions, this seemed accurate.

Shaking his head, Xia Hong dismissed building the dummy.

Lumberjack Realm breakthroughs depended more on Frost Beast meat than training. Plus, his own martial arts mastery sufficed for personal practice and instructing others.

The dummy could wait.

The fire pit was different. Beyond warmth, it suppressed Abominations—their greatest current threat. Its torches also aided hunting.

Crucially, the fire pit required wood—which they had in surplus.

Upgrading it was clearly the wisest choice functionally and resource-wise.

Decision made, Xia Hong focused on the campfire and selected the upgrade.

BOOM!

The central fire pit roared as if doused with oil, flames leaping from two meters to three, heat intensifying palpably.

"The fire grew without adding wood!"

"Feels warmer now."

"Even over here, it's much cozier."

...

Ignoring the exclamations, Xia Hong examined the upgraded fire pit's properties:

[Smelting Furnace (Level 2): Burns coal to dramatically raise temperature within 100-meter radius. Greatly enhanced suppression/damage against low-level Abominations, but also attracts Frost Beasts more strongly. Can consume coal to smelt iron.

Special Functions:

- Burns 10 wood units to produce 1 Small Torch (functions similarly to fire pit, portable)

- Burns 100 wood units to produce 1 Concentrated Fire Oil (harmless to humans but ignites upon contact with Abominations, dealing severe damage)

Upgrade Requirements: 2000 Wood 5000 Iron]

Xia Hong's excitement surged.