Chapter 10: The Beginning of a New Home
When the wall construction was halfway completed, Lin Chen began to turn his attention to the internal construction of the tribe. The existing caves and thatched houses could no longer meet the needs of the growing population, especially after the integration of the members of the Liuhe tribe.
"We need to build real houses, not just temporary shelters," Lin Chen suggested at the construction committee. "Houses that are strong, warm, and can withstand the cold weather."
Hong Yan agreed: "The Liuhe tribe once tried to build houses with earthen structures, but they lacked effective methods and technology."
Canglan thought thoughtfully: "The cold season is coming, and we must complete the construction of sufficient housing before then."
Berry raised a practical issue: "Building a house requires a lot of materials and manpower, and it cannot affect the construction of the wall and food reserves."
Lin Chen had already made preparations. He unfolded a new blueprint and said, "I suggest adopting a phased construction approach. We'll build a few model houses first so everyone can see the actual results and train a group of skilled workers at the same time."
The design drawing shows a semi-underground earth-and-wood structure house: the underground part is about half a person's height deep, the above-ground part is built with a mixture of earth and wood, and the roof is sloping and covered with thatch and clay.
"This design has several advantages," Lin Chen explained. "The semi-underground structure provides better insulation, keeping you warm in cold seasons and cool in warm seasons. The sloping roof also facilitates drainage, preventing rainwater from accumulating."
Elder Shi Yan carefully examined the blueprints and nodded in approval. "Let's build three buildings first as a pilot. Canglan, Hongyan, each of you will lead a team, and Lin Chen will be in charge of technical guidance."
Before construction began, Lin Chen organized a technical training session. He created detailed models and explained each construction step: how to dig the foundation, how to ram the earth to build the walls, and how to erect the roof structure.
"The soil needs to be mixed with chopped hay and water to achieve the right viscosity." Lin Chen demonstrated the technique of mixing the soil. "Apply force evenly when tamping, and check the flatness after each layer."
Sisters Yunshan and Chenlu studied very hard. Their slender fingers were surprisingly dexterous and they quickly mastered the technique of tamping earth.
"I didn't expect building a house to be so fun!" Yunshan said excitedly, not caring about the mud on his face.
The orc team led by Canglan was responsible for the heavy labor: digging the foundation, carrying wood and stones. Hong Yan led the members of the Liuhe tribe to tamp the walls. They had previous similar experience and learned quickly.
The construction of the first house encountered many difficulties. Cracks appeared in the wall during the compaction process, and the roof support was not stable enough. But every time there was a problem, Lin Chen was able to come up with a solution.
"The cracks are because the soil is too dry. We need to adjust the mix." Lin Chen instructed everyone, "We need to add diagonal braces to the roof support to improve stability."
After seven days of hard work, the first semi-underground house was finally completed. It looked plain and simple, but it was much more solid and comfortable than caves and thatched houses.
Elder Shi Yan walked into the new house with his cane, carefully examining every detail. "It's spacious, the ground is dry, and the ventilation is good... Very good, it's definitely more comfortable than a cave."
Berry was more concerned with practical issues: "Can you safely start a fire in here?"
Lin Chen pointed to the smoke exhaust vent designed in the center of the roof: "We can set up a fire pit here, and the smoke will escape through the exhaust vent. I also designed a ceramic chimney pipe to better guide the smoke."
That night, the first lucky residents moved into the new house - an elderly half-orc couple whose original cave had been severely damaged during the rainy season.
The elderly couple touched the smooth walls excitedly and said, "I never thought I could live in a house like this... We no longer have to worry about the cold in winter."
After the successful construction of the first house, the construction speed increased significantly. More and more people learned the construction technology and began to work in groups to build multiple houses at the same time.
Lin Chen continued to improve the design based on the feedback: adding storage compartments, improving the door and window structures, and even designing a rain shelter connecting the houses.
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