168: Industrious monkey

Lu Fan stood in the open space, gazing at the mountain-like pile of unfired bricks, joy surging in his heart like a tide.

He quickly did a rough estimation in his mind; in just one morning, they had actually produced nearly two thousand bricks.

This achievement was simply jaw-dropping, far exceeding all his previous imaginings.

At this moment, the barrage comments in the livestream room were scrolling frantically like snowflakes.

"Whoa, this speed is unnatural; it can practically rival a factory assembly line!"

"The Monkey Engineering Team has officially made its debut; from now on, please call them the little brick-laying experts!"

"Don't you guys think this fellow Lu Fan is a bit black-hearted? With just a few pieces of roasted meat, he's got the Monkey troop willingly working their lives away for him."

"Hehe, I like Great God Lu Fan being black-hearted; the darker the better!"

"To the person above, what aspect of 'black' are you talking about?"

Lu Fan's gaze was locked tightly onto the formed bricks, his heart so excited he could hardly contain himself.

"Everything is going so smoothly today, it's perfect!" he said to An Lan with a face full of smiles and excitement.

"Yeah, it's all thanks to the Monkey King and its little companions, as well as Big Horn, Lightning, and Da Hei; everyone is a great contributor."

An Lan's eyes curved as she responded with a smile, the light of gratitude flickering in her eyes just like the gorgeous sunset on the horizon, gentle and brilliant.

The Monkey King seemed infected by the cheerful atmosphere as well, hopping and skipping quickly to Lu Fan's side.

It reached out with its small paw, gently tugging at Lu Fan's pant leg, while constantly making "squeak-squeak" sounds.

That look was half claiming credit and half acting cute to Lu Fan.

The corners of Lu Fan's mouth curled up as he doted on it by rubbing its head, then handed over a piece of fragrant roasted meat.

"Hard work, little one. If it weren't for your help today, this job wouldn't have been finished so easily."

Lu Fan looked around at this group of adorable companions, and a warm current surged into his heart without warning.

He knew clearly that in this unfamiliar forest full of unknowns and challenges, they were no longer solitary individuals.

These animals had long since become more than just helpers for building his house; they were close friends who accompanied and supported each other along the way, his most precious wealth on this land.

"An Lan, when the house is finished, we must have a lively celebration to properly thank everyone for their hard work."

Lu Fan turned to look at An Lan, his eyes full of anticipation for the future, as if he could already see the bustling scene of the celebration.

"Sure, I can't wait to see our cozy new home."

An Lan nodded vigorously with a smile, her eyes full of longing, as if the new house had already risen from the ground and every cozy corner was clearly visible.

As time passed quietly, the sky gradually darkened.

The night curtain, like a huge and soft black silk, drifted down slowly, gently covering the entire world.

Lu Fan raised his hand to rub his aching shoulders, deciding to end today's fulfilling and busy work.

He first let the monkeys take the remaining delicious food and happily return to their nests.

Then, together with An Lan, he carefully organized the unfired bricks that embodied everyone's hard work.

They found thick leaves and tough vines, covering the bricks tightly as if tucking in a baby with a quilt.

This was to prevent them from being dampened by the cold night dew or ruined by a potential sudden downpour.

"Thank you so much today, everyone. Let's keep working hard tomorrow!"

Lu Fan shouted loudly toward the departing Monkey troop and the animals that had been busy all day, his ringing voice echoing continuously in the quiet night sky.

Hearing the shout, the monkeys turned back one after another, squeaking a few times as if responding to Lu Fan's thanks and encouragement, before reluctantly disappearing into the dense woods.

Only the cheerful cries were left floating in the air, as if happily recounting today's joy and harvest.

After working for a whole day, Lu Fan felt every cell in his body screaming with exhaustion, but his heart was packed full of a sense of achievement.

Standing where he was, he took a huge stretch, his bones making light cracking sounds, and turned to look at An Lan with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Everyone was so amazing today, we really need to nourish ourselves."

With that, he nimbly began preparing ingredients, intending to stew a pot of fresh seafood soup.

Various fresh and plump mushrooms, lively fat fish, as well as mussels and clams carefully selected from the seaside.

He dumped all these ingredients into the pot at once.

In a short while, a rich and enticing aroma drifted out, like an invisible hand hooking one's appetite, floating gently throughout the Shelter.

"This smell alone makes one's mouth water," An Lan took a deep breath, her face overflowing with a happy smile as she praised sincerely.

"Of course, this soup today will definitely leave everyone satisfied and appease their cravings."

Lu Fan responded confidently while holding a soup spoon and stirring gently in the pot, his self-assured manner making him look like the most formidable chef in the world.

Night had completely fallen, and the moonlight was like water, spilling into the Shelter.

Lu Fan and An Lan sat side by side by the warm campfire, slowly savoring the fresh seafood soup while chatting about every little detail of the day.

Da Hei lay to the side, his belly eaten round like an inflated ball, occasionally letting out a loud burp.

That endearingly silly appearance was very comical, making Lu Fan and An Lan unable to help laughing.

"It's all thanks to everyone today, especially the Monkey troop; they were a huge help," An Lan said emotionally as she gently set down the soup bowl in her hand.

"Yeah, they'll definitely come to help tomorrow too. I reckon in one more day, we'll be able to make enough bricks."

Excitement sparkled in Lu Fan's eyes like stars in the night sky. "When tomorrow's work is finished, we must reward the Monkey troop well."

"Mm, they really were a big help this time." An Lan nodded vigorously in agreement, her mind already starting to imagine the cheerful scene of the Monkey troop eating meat.

Early the next morning, before the sunlight had time to completely fill the forest, the Monkey troop arrived at the Shelter in a grand manner.

The Monkey King took the lead like a little charging soldier, jumping to Lu Fan's side in a few bounds, excitedly squeaking without stop.

That urgent look was as if it were urging Lu Fan: "Start work, start work, we can't wait!"

"Haha, you guys are so proactive; it seems today will be another highly efficient day."

Lu Fan smiled and rubbed the Monkey King's head, then turned to everyone and said loudly, "Then let's start work!"

With the concerted efforts of the Monkey troop, Big Horn, Lightning, and Da Hei, the work of making bricks was like a machine that had been oiled, progressing exceptionally smoothly.

Looking at everyone's busy yet harmonious figures, Lu Fan's heart was filled with emotion.

He stood to the side, quietly watching all this, his eyes full of excitement and gratification.

He knew that at this speed, they would definitely be able to successfully complete the brick-making today.

Therefore, he decided to prepare in advance for the reward tonight.