Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Foundations of the New Age
Kellar walked over to a stack of fallen logs and thick wooden beams left behind by the previous builders. He bent his knees, gripped a massive timber beam that weighed around one hundred kilograms, and lifted it. To his utter amazement, his muscles didn’t even strain; he tossed the heavy wood onto his shoulder as if it were a hollow branch.
Pulling out the Red Bear’s Fang, he tested the edge against the bark. The ceremonial blade cut through the thick wood, slicing clean through the grain as if it were soft warm butter. Kellar smiled satisfied.
[Host Status
Strength: 37 (25 + 10 + 5 - 3)
Stamina: 48 (20 + 20 - 2 + 10)
Intelligence: 45
Unused Tech Points: 1]
"So with thirty-seven Strength, I can carry a hundred kilos without breaking a sweat," said Kellar. "This is ridiculous."
"What should I begin clearing first?" said Mila.
"Help me clear the debris from the center area," said Kellar. "We need a clean, stable foundation before the ground freezes."
Utilizing his advanced knowledge as a reincarnated engineer, Kellar didn’t just pile logs together like the primitive tribal builders did. He understood structural mechanics and the vital importance of weight distribution. He ignored the soft, shifting sand near the riverbank, instead choosing a elevated, rocky perimeter to serve as the anchor.
"Are we not building on the flat ground?" said Mila, lifting a piece of rotting timber out of the way.
"No," said Kellar. "The moisture from the river will rot the floorboards within two seasons, and the shifting soil will warp the frame. We are going to drive deep, reinforced stakes into the bedrock to raise the entire structure."
Kellar used his immense physical strength to hammer thick, sharpened logs deep into the earth, creating an advanced raised pier foundation. While Mila worked by his side clearing the workspace and hauling smaller branches, Kellar measured angles and notched interlocking joints into the timber beams.
"How do you know how to shape the wood like this?" said Mila.
She stared in awe at the complex, interlocking joints Kellar was carving into the pillars. In the tribe, houses were built by binding logs together with raw leather ties, which always sagged and loosened over time. Kellar’s woodwork fit together like a puzzle, locking into place with precision.
"You will only get more surprised from here on out," said Kellar. "This is nothing compared to what is coming."
High above them, perched on a thick pine branch, the snow-white kitten rested its chin on its paws. Its bright eyes tracked the two humans with calm curiosity, watching as if it were observing a fascinating game.
"Hand me that three-meter log over there," said Kellar.
Mila grunted, using all her strength to drag the timber over to him. Kellar hoisted the log with one hand, aligning the notched end with the main vertical pillar. With a single strike from the blunt side of his ceremonial blade, the crossbeam slammed into place, creating a rigid frame that didn’t wiggle a millimeter.
By utilizing proper trusses and load-bearing columns, Kellar was assembling a framework that could withstand snow loads, far exceeding anything the primitive clan had ever.
Kellar wiped the sweat from his brow and paused for a brief moment, pulling up his technology interface to review the options available for his single unused point.
Two distinct prompts pulsed in front of his eyes:
> [Primitive Leather Tanning & Curing]: A chemical and physical methodology using animal brains, smoke, and basic scraping tools to turn stiff, rotting raw hides into soft, durable, and weather-resistant leather clothing.
> [Fire-Hardening & Wood Selection]: The technical understanding of cellular moisture in different wood types, allowing the host to bake green wood over a low fire to double its density and tensile strength for spears and clubs.
At first glance, the second option seemed designed for crafting primitive weapons like spears and clubs. But Kellar’s advanced engineering mind made a different connection. If I can manipulate the cellular moisture to double the density of a spear, why can’t I apply the exact same thermal principle to the structural pillars of this house?
Without hesitation, Kellar selected the second option.
A sudden, sharp influx of technical information flooded his mind. He understood the precise temperature thresholds, the exact color cues of the charcoal, and how to sweat out the internal sap of the timber without compromising its integrity.
"I see how this works now," said Kellar.
He moved with renewed energy finishing the entire main framework of the house, locking the massive load-bearing beams into their final positions. Once the skeleton of the fortress stood rigid against the grey sky, he turned to Mila.
"Let us gather more green timber, dry straw and brushwood," said Kellar.
"Are we going to build the roof now?" said Mila.
"No," said Kellar, a sharp, confident grin spreading across his face. "We are going to wrap this entire framework in kindling and build a Controlled furnace right over the structure to bake the house."
"Bake?" said Mila. "Do you mean we are going to burn it?"
She stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yes," said Kellar. "We are going to burn the entire thing."
Mila stood frozen, her jaw slack as she looked at the magnificent, sturdy framework they had just spent hours sweating and straining to build. To her tribal mind, the idea of throwing dry straw and green kindling over their hard work just to set it on fire was madness. She could watch him in shock, wondering why on earth they had done all that lifting just to turn their brand-new home into ashes.
Despite her intense doubts, Mila began hauling the dry brush and spreading the straw exactly where Kellar directed, completely trusting her man even if it looked like madness.
Soon, the entire wooden framework was engulfed in bright, roaring flames. Kellar dashed around the perimeter, his enhanced agility and strength allowing him to throw damp dirt and adjust the burning kindling, controlling the heat so the fire would bake the pillars to double their density rather than reducing them to ash.
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