Chapter 2: Making Fire by Drilling Wood
Lin Chen woke up as the first rays of morning light filtered through the cave entrance. He had slept restlessly all night, the cold and unfamiliar surroundings waking him up multiple times. His greatest wish was for a warm fire.
Canglan arrived at the cave early, holding a few wild fruits and a piece of fresh meat in his hand: "Lin Chen, here's breakfast for you. I'm going out with the hunting team today and won't be back until the evening."
Lin Chen took the wild fruit, but still found it hard to swallow the raw meat: "Thank you, I won't need the meat. You... never eat cooked food?"
"Cooked food?" Canglan frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"It's food that has been roasted or cooked over fire." Lin Chen explained.
Canglan shook his head. "Fire is a terrifying thing that only appears when lightning strikes the forest. It can burn people and destroy homes. Large tribes have fire guardians, but our small tribe doesn't. Raw meat can give us strength."
Lin Chen then understood that the people here were not ignorant of fire, but were afraid of it and lacked the method to make fire.
After Canglan left, Lin Chen began preparing for his fire experiment. He remembered the principle of making fire by drilling wood: by quickly rotating the stick to generate heat, igniting flammable materials.
He searched around the tribe for suitable materials. A young orc followed him curiously. "What are you looking for? Do you need help?"
Lin Chen turned around and saw a boy about sixteen or seventeen years old, with light brown hair and a freckled face.
"My name is Lin Chen, I came here yesterday," he introduced himself in a friendly manner. "I know the whole tribe is talking about you," the boy said with a smile. "My name is Yunshan. What are you looking for?"
Lin Chen explained: "I'm looking for a dry, soft wood, and a hardwood stick."
Although Yunshan didn't understand Lin Chen's intention, he still enthusiastically led him to find some suitable wood. Lin Chen chose a piece of dry pine wood as a fire board and found a piece of hardwood for the drill rod.
Back in front of the cave, Lin Chen began to work. He used a sharp stone to carve a small groove in the fire board, then carved a groove around it for the kindling. Then he placed the drill rod in the groove and rubbed it rapidly with his hands together.
Several passing tribesmen watched curiously, whispering to each other about the stranger's strange behavior.
Lin Chen rubbed it for a long time, his hands were rubbed red, but only a little smoke was produced, no open flame. He stopped to rest, feeling a little frustrated.
"What are you doing?" Yunshan couldn't help asking.
"I want to make a fire." Lin Chen explained, "Fire can keep me warm, cook food, and drive away wild animals."
The crowd murmured in surprise. An elderly demi-orc woman shook her head and said, "Fire is dangerous and will bring disaster."
Lin Chen didn't give up. He adjusted the materials, adding more dry velvet grass as ignition. He rubbed the drill rod quickly with both hands again, this time persisting longer, even though his arms were sore.
Finally, a thin wisp of smoke rose from the contact point, then turned into a noticeable cloud of smoke. Lin Chen increased his speed, carefully blowing air to help the combustion. Suddenly, a small flame leaped up!
"It's out! The fire is out!" Yunshan screamed.
The onlookers took a few steps back in fear and curiosity, and only Yunshan had the courage to come closer to observe.
Lin Chen carefully added small dry branches, and the flame gradually grew into a stable flame. The warm light was particularly attractive in the coolness of the early morning.
At this time, Elder Shi Yan heard the news and rushed over. When he saw the fire, his face changed drastically: "Put it out quickly! It will cause a forest fire!"
Several strong orcs immediately stepped forward and prepared to cover the fire with earth.
"Please wait!" Lin Chen hurriedly stood in front of the fire. "I can control it. Look, it's safe in the stone circle and won't spread."
He demonstrated how to add the right amount of wood to keep the fire neither too big nor too small. People were still hesitant, but curiosity overcame fear and they gradually gathered around.
"The fire... is very warm." Yunshan carefully stretched out his hand, feeling the heat from a safe distance, with an expression of surprise on his face.
Lin Chen took the opportunity to pick up the piece of raw meat that Canglan had given him yesterday, skewered it with twigs, and roasted it over the fire. The aroma of the meat spread with the sizzling sound, causing a burst of exclamations.
When the meat was cooked, Lin Chen handed it to Elder Shi Yan and said, "Please try it."
The elder hesitated for a moment, then took the roast meat and carefully took a bite. His eyes widened, and he chewed quickly. "This... this is softer than raw meat, and the flavor is richer!"
Seeing this, others asked to try it. Lin Chen grilled a few more pieces of meat and shared them with everyone. Everyone praised the taste of the cooked food.
"Fire can also boil water, making drinking water safer; it can illuminate the night and drive away wild animals; and it can provide warmth in the cold." Lin Chen explained the various uses of fire to everyone.
Elder Shi Yan pondered for a long time, and finally said solemnly to Lin Chen: "You bring not danger, but a gift. Please teach us how to create and control this 'fire'."
Throughout the morning, Lin Chen taught the tribe members how to make fire by drilling wood, how to choose materials, and how to build a safe fire pit. Many people failed in their attempts, but Yunshan was particularly talented and quickly mastered the skills and successfully started his first fire.
When Canglan and the hunting team returned in the evening, they were surprised to find a big fire in the center of the tribe. Many people sat around it, roasting meat and laughing.
"What's going on?" Canglan asked in disbelief, "Where did the fire come from?"
Elder Shi Yan came forward with a smile on his face. "It's Lin Chen! He taught us how to make fire. Look how delicious the food becomes after being roasted over the fire!"
Yunshan ran over excitedly and handed Canglan a skewer of grilled meat: "Try it, Captain Canglan! Lin Chen is amazing!"
Canglan took a bite of the roasted meat, and his eyes lit up. He walked over to Lin Chen, who was sitting by the fire, and said solemnly, "You have brought us an incredible gift. The Silver Moon Tribe will never forget this kindness."
Lin Chen smiled and replied, "This is just the beginning. I still know many ways to improve my life."
In the firelight, Canglan looked at Lin Chen's face, softened by the warm glow, and a feeling he had never felt before welled up in his heart. This stranger had not only changed the tribe's way of life, but had also, unknowingly, changed his long-lost heart.
Night fell, but for the first time, the Silvermoon Tribe was no longer completely shrouded in darkness. The light from the campfire illuminated everyone's smiling faces, illuminating the dawn of a new civilization.
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