Chapter 8: Lin's Restaurant Opens! Bonus: Prehistoric Tool Upgrade Pack...

What's it like to be the dad of a puppy (maybe a wolf?!) whose name sounds like it could destroy the world but who can only whine and cry?

Lin Yue has recently come to a profound understanding of this.

Since he and Gray retrieved the cub from the bushes, they have successfully gained the third member of their temporary survival point, who is also the cutest and most troublesome person.

During the day, Lin Yue and Gray were like two hardworking oxen, sweating and struggling with mud and stones for the first phase of their luxury villa project.

When he returned home in the evening, Lin Yue had to switch to "dad mode" to feed this little darling with its domineering name, change its medicine, and handle its bodily waste—a task that put his sense of smell to a great test. He even had to act as a human comfort pillow when it whimpered.

Lifestyle? Forget about it. It's 24/7 now, even more of a blessing than 996 (9am-9pm, 6 days a week).

Fortunately, Xiao Fen's will to survive seems as tenacious as its name, and it recovered quite well.

With Lin Yue's fairly scientific care, the little guy became more and more energetic every day, and his fractured hind leg also began to heal. He was already able to stumble around the camp and explore his own little corner of the world.

At the same time, the earthen and stone mixed structure shelter that Lin Yue had placed high hopes on finally ushered in the historic moment of main structure completion thanks to the joint efforts of the two (hard-working) people and the wolf cub!

Looking at the building in front of him... well, it was crooked and uneven, with pitted walls and a thatched roof that looked like it had been chewed by a dog, but at least it could shelter him from the wind and rain and had a separate stone stove. Although the chimney was a bit drafty, Lin Yue was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes.

"Grey, Fen, we did it! We have a house!" Lin Yue opened his arms, wanting to embrace the result of their countless sweat and hard work.

Gray remained expressionless, but there seemed to be a hint of...satisfaction in his eyes. He patted the solid adobe wall and nodded.

Xiao Fen excitedly limped around the new house, occasionally rubbing her little head against the corner of the wall and making cheerful "woof" sounds.

Just then, the familiar system notification with its electronically synthesized sound effect rang in Lin Yue's mind again:

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the main quest: The First Step to a Secure Life!]

[Task Assessment: The shelter's main structure is stable, barely meeting the standard. The basic cooking area is fully functional, stove fire-starting efficiency +5%, chimney smoke extraction efficiency -10%. Further improvements are recommended. Overall Rating: Pass (60 points, just passing!)]

[Task rewards are being distributed...]

[Received: 1 bag of Mysterious Crop Seeds (already stored in inventory)]

[Obtained: 1 set of Improved Stone/Bone Tool Crafting Blueprints (Unlocked, viewable in the Build Blueprints - Tools tab)]

[Received: 100 System Points]

Lin Yue quickly opened the system interface to check.

Inside the backpack was a simple-looking cloth bag with a round, bright yellow picture on it—a potato!

What surprised him even more was the [Improved Stone/Bone Tool Crafting Blueprint]!

He eagerly clicked on the "Tools" tab in the "Building Blueprints" menu, where several brand-new drawings with detailed annotations and instructions appeared:

[Effort-Saving Lever Stone Axe]: The drawings showcase a novel stone axe design. The axe head's polishing method appears to be more mechanics-oriented, allowing for more efficient concentration of force. Most importantly, the axe handle's installation method is no longer a simple binding; instead, it utilizes a clever wedge structure and lever principle, making the connection between the axe head and handle more secure and requiring less effort when swinging. Material Requirements: High-quality flint/obsidian, tough hardwood handle, flexible plant fiber/animal sinew.

[Reinforced Bone Spear Binding]: This blueprint focuses on improving the connection between the spearhead and shaft. It demonstrates a complex, crisscrossing binding method and suggests applying a certain natural resin (the system indicates possible nearby tree species) to the binding area for reinforcement, which can greatly improve the durability and piercing stability of the bone spear. Material requirements: Sharp animal bone/hardwood spearhead, straight and tough wooden shaft, plant fiber/animal sinew, specific resin.

[High-Efficiency Stone Scraping Knife]: This is more than just a knife; it's a tool kit. The diagrams demonstrate different stone flake shapes and cutting edges, suitable for various applications such as cutting, scraping, and drilling. A simple wooden handle mounting solution is provided for easy grip and application of force. Material Requirements: Flake flint/obsidian, small pieces of hardwood, plant fiber/resin.

Lin Yue stared, his eyes wide with amazement.

"Holy crap! This is practically an industrial revolution from prehistoric times!" He rubbed his hands excitedly. "With these blueprints, wouldn't our tool technology jump straight from the Stone Age to... uh, the Late Neolithic Age?"

Although they are still stone and bone tools, the design concept and scientific approach are a game-changer compared to the primitive tools they use now, which rely on random hammering and brute force.

These 100 points were... oh no, I mean the task reward was too good to pass up.

In addition to the rewards, the system interface has also been upgraded.

In the [Diner Management] module, Gray and Xiaofen's status information is now more detailed. In addition to the previous health and satiety, mood values ​​have been added (Gray is consistently 'calm' or 'slightly dissatisfied', while Xiaofen fluctuates between 'happy' and 'resentful'), fatigue, and potential health risks (such as Gray's 'mild mineral imbalance' and Xiaofen's 'needs calcium supplementation for bone development').

The Building Blueprints section also includes new, highly practical building blueprints such as the Simple Wooden Fence (used to demarcate camp areas and defend against small wild animals) and the Small Underground Storage Cellar (used to store food, preventing moisture and decay).

Finally, the system popped up an epic-sounding notification:

[System Notification: The community is taking shape, and basic survival needs have been met. The flame of civilization has been ignited here. Host, please continue your efforts and lead your companions to create a new future in this cursed land!]

Looking at the prompt and then at the simple yet loving home they had built, Lin Yue felt an indescribable sense of pride and accomplishment.

"We must give our new home a resounding name," Lin Yue declared with a wave of his hand, full of pride, "How about... Lin's Heavy Industries Interdimensional Branch Living Base?"

Gray gave him a look that said, "What are you talking about?"

Xiao Fen responded with a "woof" sound, indicating that she didn't understand but was impressed.

"Uh... okay, that seems a bit too long." Lin Yue scratched his head. "Then... let's keep it simple, and as a tribute to our great culinary endeavors... let's call it 'Lin's Bistro'!"

He found a relatively flat wooden board and used the leftover charcoal to write the four characters "Lin's Restaurant" in a flamboyant style. At this point, Lin Yue really didn't consider whether the people from the other world could understand it.

Then it was solemnly hung above the door frame of the shelter, even though there was no door yet.

"All done! From today onwards, our Lin's Restaurant is officially open for business!" Lin Yue clapped his hands and announced, "Although we currently only have two internal employees and a mascot, and we're not open to the public yet, this is just the beginning! In the future, we will build it into the most famous chain... uh, chain shelter in the entire continent!"

Gray: "...", silently turned around to check the mud bricks that had just been dried.

Xiao Fen: "Awoo?", tilting her head, indicating that she didn't understand but thought it was very impressive.

Lin Yue looked at his two clueless companions and shrugged helplessly.

"Forget it, those primitive people who don't understand romance," he muttered, then turned his attention to the brand-new tool blueprints.

"The most urgent task is to build these prehistoric artifacts! If you want to do something well, you must first have the right tools!"

He carefully studied the material requirements on the blueprints and began to plan where to find suitable stones, wood, and... animal sinews tomorrow?

The thought of using sharper and more effortless tools in the future filled Lin Yue with a sense of power.

Building a house? No problem!

Clearing land for farming? No problem!

Hunting monsters? ...Let Gray handle that.

In short, a wonderful new life is already beckoning to him.

A note from the author:

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