Chapter 3, Do Not Be a Useless Person

"Rest assured." Swiftly stuffing three five-cash coins into his pouch, Liu Yi picked up a small hammer and searched for a few pieces of scattered wood. With a clatter of hammering, he noted that the plow had minor issues; its biggest flaw was likely its age. There were no major problems, but small issues persisted. He had the intention to suggest making a new one, yet he found himself unable to voice it.

In line with the principle that even the smallest mosquito is still meat, and considering the experience to be gained, Liu Yi has never turned down these small businesses. After all, in this remote and impoverished area, such small enterprises are the primary source of income.

"Go into the mountains to cut some timber, while there is nothing much to do at the moment, and tidy up my courtyard again." Liu Yi smiled and nodded in response as he left the village and ran towards the back mountain

What a humble farmer in Nanyang, I trust your deceit, are you not a proper local landlord

Oh, good! The first reaction to a business opportunity is not to welcome it, but rather to feel somewhat dazed, taking a while to come to terms with it

Although there is no ambition to dominate, one must find a way to live in this world. The three hundred wuzhu coins given by Zhuge Liang may not even buy a stone of millet in these times. I do not know how to farm, and there is no land to cultivate. If I continue to do nothing during times of inactivity, I will eventually become useless; no system can save a lazy person.

This cannot continue! After dawdling for a moment, Liu Yi suddenly sat up and slapped himself.

It's better to not seek help; after all, it is the busy farming season, and everyone is quite occupied. Moreover, it will inevitably cost money. My current possessions are limited, and the money given by Zhuge Liang is sufficient to get by for a while, but it won't last long. At this time, spending money recklessly would be nothing short of foolishness.

Liu Yi later learned that at least half of the land in Wolong Ridge belonged to the Zhuge family, which means that half of the local populace were tenants of the Zhuge family

If there is nothing to do, one can find something to do on their own. The system does not require one to engage in business in order to practice woodworking. The experience required to advance from level 4 to level 5 in woodworking is a staggering 100,000 points, and the numbers beyond level 5 are even more daunting. If one relies solely on the fragmented experiences provided by the common folk of Wolonggang, not only is it unrealistic to aspire to become a master craftsman, but even if one were to travel to the bustling metropolises of Xuchang or Ye City, their current skills would likely be deemed inadequate.

Based on his observations of the common people in Wolonggang during this period, even the so-called wealthy families would likely be reluctant to spend 250 baht to make a new plow, and given Zhao Gong's character, which is akin to that of a mythical creature known for its greed, it is even less likely that he would do so

Liu Yi felt a surge of determination to strive for improvement. He stood up and surveyed his small courtyard, which consisted of two relatively simple thatched houses that he had built when he first arrived. In hindsight, they appeared quite unsightly. He considered dismantling the beams and rebuilding the two houses, but this time he could not afford to be hasty as he had been before. Although he lacked the funds to buy bricks for a stone structure, there was no cement available in this era, and the adhesive used in stone construction was more expensive than bricks. It also required a large quantity of egg whites. Currently, he was struggling to make ends meet, so naturally, he could not indulge in the luxury of constructing a stone house.

This hope may seem somewhat dim, but it is still hope, is it not

At least there is a historical figure here, perhaps we can uncover a task from Pig Brother.

It is imperative to enhance one's professional capabilities as soon as possible

Bending down to closely examine the long straight plow in front of him, he said: "It's just that there's a minor issue with the plow bed, it's not a big problem, just a bit of a hassle, three or five cash."

Opening up is merely a waste of emotions, so I have become reluctant to do so. In this era, the average citizen's consumption mindset is relatively conservative; as long as something can still be used, they are absolutely unwilling to replace it with something new

Although the odds are quite slim, given the nature of this system, it seems that ever since I acquired the system after my traversal, I have never received even a single task, except for gaining experience and talents from doing things related to craftsmanship.

"Liu Jialang, where are you headed?" Along the way, there were occasionally some warm-hearted villagers greeting him. It has been a month since he arrived at Wolong Hill, and he has become somewhat familiar with these villagers.

Thinking of it, Liu Yi did not lock the door and ran towards the woods on the back mountain with a bundle of ropes and tools. He planned to make a cart, initially processing the materials on the other side of the back mountain before bringing them back, which would save a lot of effort.

"Dalong, my plow is broken, could you please help me take a look?" As Aunt Wang from next door left, the residents of Wolonggang began to come out to work the fields one after another in the morning. However, Liu Yi had no land, so he could only sit at the door with Wangcai, idly watching the people busy in the fields in the distance

It is not that I have not considered going to the city to make a living, but the city is not like this hillside where you can build a house at will. The cost of settling down is a significant issue. Given my current level, apart from occasionally being able to produce a high-quality item with attributes, I am not much better than other craftsmen, and in terms of carving skills, I am even inferior to them. Once in the city, ordinary people are just as frugal as those here, and the wealthy families look down on me. It is better to stay in the novice village.

Although I received an order worth 350 baht yesterday, and my wallet began to swell, such business opportunities are actually rare and cannot be relied upon, just as one cannot expect the furniture in Zhuge Liang's home to be changed every day

It would suffice to build a roughly similar loft out of wood, as my current carpentry skills should be adequate. The most important thing is that the materials are easy to find; there are trees everywhere around Wolonggang. If I put in a bit of effort, I can temporarily act as a woodcutter. In this day and age, no one cares whether logging will affect the ecological balance.

After a few rhythmic knocks and replacing some decayed parts, Liu Yi watched Zhao Gong leave and returned to his state of boredom, dawdling at the door with Wang Cai in his arms. The population of Wolonggang is quite small, and most of them are ordinary folks; where would all the business come from on ordinary days? With nothing to do, Liu Yi had developed a bit of a reclusive nature, and he appeared somewhat dispirited.

Of course, we must also consider the design aspect. This is not urgent; we can think about it while logging. I already have a rough framework in mind, but it is merely a framework.

Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. If one merely lingers here, waiting for death while consuming resources, one might very well become the first protagonist with a system who dies of starvation.

"Alright, please hurry up." Zhao Gong was clearly in a hurry and did not haggle with Liu Yi, readily giving him three coins of five zhu each. As one of the few individuals in Wolong Ridge who owned land, and being one of the three elders, he was usually more frugal with his spending than others. Today, being so willing to part with money made Liu Yi somewhat regretful for having set the price too low.