In the evening, Mo Lan asked Pang Fu to break the dried coal briquettes into small pieces to use as firewood.

Watching the coal sizzle and burn with blue flames under the power of the bellows, without producing thick smoke, it was so much better than burning firewood.

Once the coal is ignited, the fire remains strong without the need for a bellows, saving both time and effort.

These dark things excited Fatty Fu and the other cooks, who stayed around the stove, reluctant to leave.

"Boss, what is this? How can it replace firewood?"

“This is coal. I found it in the forest. With this, we won’t have to chop firewood anymore.” Mo Lan looked at the cluster of blue flames and smiled.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and bring some back now. It'll save us a lot of trouble when it comes to cooking." Fatty Fu wiped his hands, called to the kitchen assistants, and prepared to set off.

“You don’t need to run. Weighted cross-country is part of the training. Quickly clear out a cave for later use. Also, prepare some cloth bags or baskets. Every morning, the team members will bring back a bag of coal.”

"Great, boss, don't worry, we'll get ready right away." Fatty Fu clapped his hands. He didn't have to lift a finger, and there was coal to use. He wouldn't hesitate to give up his sleeping place, let alone clear out a cave.

So, when Song Jian brought the team back, they heard Mo Lan assigning new tasks. However, since they had seen what coal was, they didn't object.

Since entering the forest camp, they've been doing weight training with sandbags strapped to their legs and arms, so carrying coal is no different for them.

The next day, led by Mo Lan, they jogged all the way to the ravine and found the pit they had dug last time.

"Here, start installing." Mo Lan handed the shovel to Xiong Da, gesturing for him to begin.

"Boss, is all this coal down there?" Xiong Da asked, holding a shovel and filling a bag with coal.

"It should be, but I'm not sure how thick it is." Exploring coal seams is a huge project, and we have to take it slowly.

Watching her teammates carry and lift things away, Qianlu couldn't help but chuckle. Pangfu and the others had done their best throughout the day, rummaging through every available basket, crate, and bag, making use of anything that could hold something.

Half an hour later, the pit, which was originally more than a meter deep, had deepened to more than a person's height, and the bottom was still a black coal seam.

"You can build a shed here later to prevent water from seeping in when it rains. As the pit gets deeper, people going down into it will have to be tied with ropes to avoid accidents."

With today's mission completed, Mo Lan stared at the large pit before her and solemnly gave instructions to Da Peng.

"Don't worry, boss. I'll get ready to fence off this pit and build a few houses. It definitely won't flood." Da Peng nodded, planning the construction in his mind.

“That would be best. I asked my father the other day, and he said that there are people in our Qinglong Village who know how to build houses and are good at carpentry. Go back today and bring them here. We can use the materials we have here.” Mo Lan thought for a moment and decided that it was better to do this sooner rather than later.

"Okay, boss."

After discussing the plan, the group returned to the camp. Mo Lan then told Pang Fu the ratio of red clay to raw coal, and asked him to lead a few cooks to spread out coal briquettes to dry.

The weather is good now, so it can be dried in a day, which will make it convenient to use later.

After arranging the tasks assigned to her, Mo Lan returned to the mountain stronghold with Da Peng. She also planned to make another trip to Ye County soon to have Tie Niu build a few coal stoves and a few hand-made coal briquette machines.

Used to make honeycomb briquettes.