C14 Chapter 13 – The Workbench
Morning arrived with clear skies.
Aiden walked straight to his small wheat field.
He crouched beside the young sprouts and smiled.
Tiny green shoots had broken through the soil overnight.
"They're growing already."
A blue notification appeared.
Ding!
Wheat Growth Progress
Current Stage: Sprout
Health: Excellent
Water: Sufficient
Estimated Time Until Harvest: 6 Days
Aiden nodded.
"So crops don't grow instantly."
The System still followed natural rules.
---
After watering the field, he looked around his camp.
The resources were becoming difficult to manage.
Logs were stacked beside the hut.
Stones lay in small piles.
Bones, fur, seeds, and crystals were wrapped in large leaves.
"If I keep collecting resources like this..."
"I won't be able to find anything."
He needed better organization.
As he thought about it, the System reacted.
Ding!
Hidden Requirement Met
Because you own a hut, basic tools, and more than ten resource types...
New Blueprint Unlocked!
Basic Workbench
A smile spread across Aiden's face.
"So blueprints can unlock automatically."
He immediately checked the requirements.
---
Basic Workbench
Rank: F
Requirements:
- Wood ×20
- Stone ×10
- Plant Fiber ×8
Function:
- Craft advanced basic items.
- Repair basic equipment.
- Unlock new recipes through use.
---
"This is exactly what I need."
He already had enough materials.
Without wasting time, Aiden selected Build.
A blue outline appeared beside his hut.
Unlike the shelter, the workbench was smaller but much more detailed.
It had shelves, a flat working surface, and several tool slots.
"It won't build itself."
Aiden rolled up his sleeves.
"Let's get to work."
---
The next two hours passed quickly.
He cut wooden planks.
Smoothed rough surfaces with stone.
Tied support beams together with fiber rope.
The hardest part was keeping the workbench level.
Twice, he had to dismantle one side and rebuild it.
"If it's uneven..."
"It won't last long."
Finally...
He placed the last wooden peg into position.
Thump.
The workbench stood firmly on the ground.
Ding!
Construction Complete!
Basic Workbench
Quality: Normal
Durability: 120/120
Functions Unlocked:
- Craft
- Repair
- Upgrade (Locked)
Rewards:
- Survival Points +25
- Builder EXP +30
Builder Progress:
2/5 Structures
Aiden gently ran his hand across the wooden surface.
"This feels... real."
It wasn't just a table.
It was the beginning of true craftsmanship.
---
As soon as he touched the workbench, another screen appeared.
Available Recipes
- Wooden Spear
- Wooden Hammer
- Wooden Bowl
- Stone Knife
- Simple Rope
- Camp Stool
"Interesting..."
"So the workbench reveals recipes."
Aiden didn't want to craft everything immediately.
Resources were still precious.
After thinking for a moment, he chose the Wooden Hammer.
"If I'm going to keep building..."
"This should help."
The required materials were simple.
Within fifteen minutes, the hammer was complete.
Ding!
Item Crafted
Wooden Hammer
Rank: F
Durability: 80/80
Construction Speed: +10%
Builder EXP +10
Aiden swung it a few times.
It felt much lighter than expected.
"Good."
"This will make future building easier."
---
Just then...
A loud chirping sound came from outside.
"Chi! Chi! Chi!"
Aiden stepped out of the hut.
The Forest Hopper was standing near the wheat field.
It looked nervous.
Instead of approaching him, it repeatedly looked toward the forest.
"What is it?"
The little creature hopped a few steps away.
Then it stopped and looked back.
Almost as if...
It wanted Aiden to follow.
He hesitated.
"It has never acted like this before."
After grabbing his Stone Axe and Wooden Hammer, he followed at a safe distance.
The Forest Hopper led him deeper into the eastern forest.
After nearly ten minutes...
It stopped beside a fallen tree.
Aiden looked around.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Then he noticed it.
Growing beneath the rotten log were several bright green mushrooms.
The System appeared.
Ding!
New Resource Discovered
Green Vitality Mushroom
Rank: Common
Effects:
- Can be cooked into basic recovery food.
- Raw consumption may cause stomach pain.
Collection Book Updated.
Aiden carefully harvested only half of the mushrooms.
He left the rest untouched.
When he finished, the Forest Hopper let out a happy chirp.
"Chi!"
It accepted another Sweet Berry from Aiden before disappearing into the bushes.
Ding!
Forest Hopper Trust
3/100
Aiden smiled.
"So helping each other increases trust."
Maybe one day...
The small creature would become more than just a visitor.
---
As the sun began to set, Aiden returned to camp.
He placed the mushrooms on the workbench and looked around proudly.
In just over a week...
His camp had changed completely.
- A Wooden Hut.
- A Campfire.
- A Wheat Field.
- A Workbench.
- A Stone Axe.
- A Wooden Hammer.
It still wasn't a village.
But it was no longer a temporary campsite.
Before sleeping, Aiden opened his Survival Journal.
Survival Journal – Day 9
- A workbench is the foundation of crafting.
- Better tools save time and effort.
- Trust must be earned, whether with people or creatures.
- Never harvest everything from nature.
- Every day should leave the island better than yesterday.
He closed the journal.
Outside, the campfire burned steadily.
Far away, beyond the endless ocean, another bolt of golden light shot into the sky.
Somewhere...
Another player had unlocked their second profession.
The race to build humanity's future continued.
But Aiden wasn't chasing others anymore.
He was building something that would last.
