Kingdom of Corrosion
Chapter 674 - 320: Cloud Dream Tribe

Chapter 674: Chapter 320: Cloud Dream Tribe

Little Fire: "The first rule of the tribe is the gun ban. Anyone who wants to join must forsake their firearms."

Maya picked up on a detail: "Aren’t you afraid of outsiders robbing you?"

Little Fire replied: "Apart from food, we don’t have any other property. Moreover, Cloud Dream tribe is located in a remote area, and we need to cross a river to get there, which makes the profit of robbing quite low. Besides, everyone is a player and not afraid of dying, so the gap in weaponry doesn’t necessarily determine the outcome."

There was also a market in Cloud Dream tribe, which served as a place for food exchange among hunters, fishermen, and farmers, the three major factions of the tribe. Over half of the population were farmers, 35% were fishermen, and only 10% were hunters. The main reason there were so few hunters was the gun ban, forcing them to set traps instead. Little Fire and his four companions belonged to the hunters. Although the food they obtained wasn’t much, being few in number allowed them to exchange for a relatively large amount of agricultural products.

Listening to Little Fire’s introduction, Maya was very curious. For such a large collective, there must be a leader or a governing body, but Cloud Dream tribe had nothing but a court. The court was composed of the people, and the bonfire meetings every ten days served as court sessions where everyone would come together to resolve disputes among the populace.

Mounting her horse, with the dog in tow, Lin Ma followed Little Fire’s bicycle toward Cloud Dream tribe. Approaching Cloud Dream, they first saw a farm filled with crops like corn, wheat, and pumpkins. These crops grew rapidly, and after being harvested and picked, the system would automatically assist in processing them.

Maya communicated with Lin Wu through a headset: "Agriculture is the main industry." The large-scale cultivation of food was enough to sustain several 58-member communities, which made the farmers more generous when exchanging goods. Crop farming was simple, essentially a lifeline given to players in ’Hardcore Mode’ by Dawn.

After passing the wheat fields, there was a wide dirt road with all kinds of odd-shaped houses scattered along both sides. There were conical houses made of wood, rain capes, moss, and mud. Stone houses were also there, patched with wood, as well as purely wooden houses. The characteristics of these houses were that they were rather small, the larger ones no more than 15 square meters and the smallest only 4 to 5 square meters.

By the river, some were washing clothes; by the roadside, others were playing cards; and a couple wandered aimlessly, their hands nearly touching, which was enough to make onlookers anxious.

At the intersection, the trio dismounted and Little Fire led them on a tour, greeting people on the side of the road, introducing them, and explaining to Lin Wu and Maya: "We’ll kill off the ordinary zombies that spawn, and if we encounter a Titan, naturally someone will lure it away. The chance of zombie spawns in the wild is low, basically only two to three zombies appear per month."

"They are harvesting wheat over there." Little Fire pointed to the roadside where a girl rolled up her pant legs to enter the farm, holding a sickle and not bending over, following the system’s prompts to harvest the wheat. The wheat she harvested was processed directly into flour and entered her backpack. Little Fire explained: "However, turning flour into food depends on each person’s skill. Oh, and you can’t treat others to a meal here or share your food with others."

"Why?"

Little Fire replied: "To avoid everyone flocking to one place to eat. If someone needs help, we give them raw ingredients, not prepared food. Shui!"

A girl carrying wood came down from a hillside, and judging by the weight of the firewood she carried, her strength and physique attributes must have been relatively high. Little Fire made a special introduction for Lin Wu and Maya, as well as for the girl named Shui, evidently having a special interest in her.

Upon inquiry, they learned that Shui and Little Fire were not ordinary players either. Little Fire had a falcon, making him an extraordinary player, while Shui possessed three attributes, including main strength and subordinate physique, and was also a rare bow-wielding player. Additionally, Shui was one of the hunters, who also dabbled in being a Woodman from time to time, occasionally exchanging firewood for food with farmers and fishermen.

This kind of life couldn’t be said to be bad, but it seemed to be entirely detached from the realm of the game. Naturally, attributes, skills, and system mechanics still provided plenty of conveniences. To be precise, the lifestyle of the people here had little to do with the game; they were essentially self-sufficient. Even the natural villages of ancient times in the real world had markets and itinerant merchants, at least.

Among those who had a good relationship with Little Fire and Shui were a couple of hunters. The girl, named Xiao Bing, was originally a farmer but was enticed into becoming a hunter by love. The boy, named Yan, didn’t have hunting skills, nor did his attributes help with hunting, but he was a tailor. He hoarded a stash of fabric before ’Hardcore Mode’ began and could get by comfortably selling clothes until the end of the game.

The people of Cloud Dream village lived in a relaxed state, spending more time resting, playing cards, and drinking. The alcohol was distilled from plant roots and tubers by themselves. According to Little Fire, they only worked two days a week.

If Lin Ma wanted to join the Cloud Dream base, she first had to recite the 12 articles of the tribe’s covenant and then dispose of all firearms. To welcome newcomers, everyone would provide Lin Ma with some supplies to help her get through the initial difficulties. In Little Fire’s view, having her own horse, Lin Ma would be a good choice as a Woodman.

Everyone needed firewood, so if someone specialized in cutting wood for trading, everyone would be willing to trade with them. Shui was just a part-time Woodman, and most of the firewood she cut was for the use of the four young people, seldom traded externally.

Maya immediately clarified to Little Fire that they weren’t planning to stay, and that they would leave as soon as possible. Little Fire was a bit disappointed, but he sincerely asked them to rest for one night, and to leave the next morning. He also made a small request, asking them not to open up their tents, to save him the trouble of having to explain to the villagers. He personally didn’t like wasting time dealing with village interactions.