Start Making Tools

He obtained another new source of fresh water, gaining another potential point!

He left it to Lin Qianqian to figure out on her own, as he picked up the lid of the iron can.

Once this iron can lid was taken off, it could never be put back on. Holding it would also easily injure one's hand.

However, using it to make a small knife was a rather good idea!

There would be potential points to gain if it succeeded!

"Class monitor, here, let me give you a good task!"

Ning Shu looked at Lu Zhe very warily, worried that he would arrange some improper task for her again: "What is it!"

Lu Zhe handed the iron can lid to Ning Shu: "You can make a knife!"

"A knife?"

"Very simple. This lid is just a circular iron sheet. Grind one side to make a blade and it can be used as a knife!"

Ning Shu took it and looked it over: "It's so small. Can it chop firewood?"

Lu Zhe helplessly said: "Even made well, this iron sheet would only be like a paper cutter. It can slice fish and peel shrimp, but hoping it can chop firewood is wishful thinking. A randomly picked up stone would be more useful!"

As he spoke, he picked up a stone and shook it: "Like this one!"

Ding! Congratulations host, you’ve discovered natural volcanic granite. Potential points +1!"

"Damn!"

He was shocked!

He had just randomly picked up a stone to use as an example. He didn’t expect the system to actually give him usable tips!

Looking closely at the stone, it was oval shaped with one end rounder and one end flatter.

With some polishing, it really would make good axe material!

Ning Shu looked at the stone, a bit puzzled: "Can this thing be made into a stone axe?"

Lu Zhe nodded: "I was just randomly giving an example. I didn't expect this thing to actually be quite suitable!"

"Should we make the stone axe or small knife first?"

"Hmm, let's do this. You make the small knife, I'll make the stone axe. We can work on them together!"

Ning Shu happily patted Lu Zhe's shoulder: "It really is a proper task! Okay, shall we start now?"

Just then, Jiang Yao said from her side: "Don't rush yet, breakfast is ready. Everyone come eat!"

Their stomachs were indeed hungry. Working hard on an empty stomach would double calorie expenditure!

Better pay respects first to the five organs temple.

And this so-called breakfast was just a few baked clams, two spicy sticks, and a sea snail or crab for each person.

These were the fruits of their labor scavenging that morning.

Although it wasn't enough to fill their bellies, it could still provide the protein and carbohydrates that their bodies needed!

After carelessly eating breakfast, it was time to start making tools!

Ning Shu looked at the round iron lid: "How do I start?"

"First, find a relatively flat stone to use as a grindstone!"

There were many such stones on the beach, so Lu Zhe quickly found a suitable one!

It was just a bit big and still under the sun!

But if they polished here, after a short while they would be dehydrated from the heat. The best way was to move this stone into the shade!

He tried lifting it, barely getting it off the ground before putting it back down!

Damn, this thing was too f***ing heavy!

He estimated this stone weighed at least 250 kg. A 200 kg person could possibly hug something that heavy, but it wasn’t so easy to hug a 250 kg stone!

No problem!

He directly spent 5 potential points to add Strength, raising it to 20 points. Instantly, his muscles seemed to be tempered, his whole body filled with strength!

With another effort, he easily picked up the huge stone!

The four girls gaped, astonished. Who could have imagined such a gentle, scholarly boy could pick up such a huge rock: "Wow, Lu Zhe what do you eat to grow so strong?"

"That's..."

Lu Zhe smiled smugly, carrying the big stone into the shade!

Lin Qianqian looked it over: "Oh, using it as a dining table?"

Lu Zhe was about to retort Lin Qianqian's eccentric train of thought, but after putting it down and looking again, it really f***ing looked a bit like a dining table!

"It's not bad as a dining table, but I want to use it as a grindstone now!"

"A grindstone? To make what?"

"A small knife and a stone axe!"

Ning Shu proudly shook the small round piece: "Haven't heard of it? This is a major project. Want to join?"

"Sounds really fun!"

"Count me in too!"

Lu Zhe poured some seawater onto the stone surface, then pressed the oval stone down and started grinding. The rock shards turned into stone slurry flowing down!

On the other side, Ning Shu ground the edge of the iron sheet against another stone, making crisp metal scraping sounds!

It was tiring work, as arduous as drilling wood for fire.

But to be able to obtain their first wilderness survival tool, it was worth it no matter what!

As the few chatted while busily working, they also diligently observed the sky and distant sea for any passing rescue helicopters and boats!

Ning Shu, Jiang Yao and Tang Xiaoguo took turns grinding for over two hours before the small round piece finally developed an edge!

Trying it on an old bottle, it easily sliced it open. The sharpness really was comparable to a paper cutter!

Tang Xiaoguo shook the knife proudly: “Look, we can still be very useful!”

Ning Shu said: “I’m exhausted, but thinking I was able to make a tool out in the wilderness, I feel very accomplished!”

Jiang Yao added: “Me too!”

Lu Zhe took it and looked at the sharp edge, nodding: “I can hardly stop myself from praising all of you.”

Although it sounded somewhat perfunctory, the few girls readily ate it up.

They smiled contentedly: “Little Zhe, how’s it going over there?”

Lu Zhe held out the stone: “See for yourselves!”

One side of the stone was very thick, while both sides of the other end had been ground down to form a sharp 40 degree angle!

Additionally, he had also polished an elongated stone with one end flat and one end sharpened, looking like some kind of chisel!

Ning Shu asked doubtfully: “What’s that chisel for?”

“To fully complete the stone axe, a chisel works best!”

"What’s next?”

“Handles for the small knife and stone axe!”

Saying so, Lu Zhe found a tree branch, used the circular knife to cut two lines in it, then tore off a strip of bark!

He then chopped off a 20cm long, thumb-thick tree branch with the stone axe and used the round knife to peel the surface smooth!

Next, he split it halfway down the middle, wedged the round knife blade in, then wrapped and pulled tight some tree rope above and below it. An oddly shaped small knife with a handle was finished!

For them now, eccentric tool shapes didn’t matter. Functioning well was key.

The axe handle would be much harder to make, requiring a thicker sapling.

Fortunately, uniform, small trees of adequate thickness were common nearby!

Lu Zhe selected a tree about as thick around as a boy’s forearm, then sat below the tree. Finding a good place to apply force, he grasped the stone axe in both hands and started swinging away at the tree!

This was also no easy job. There were still 8 potential points in the system. He added them all to Strength.

28 Strength. That was about 2.8 times his original strength. Efficiency would naturally greatly improve.

Seeing Lu Zhe’s hardship, Tang Xiaoguo sat next to him fanning him and wiping his sweat!

Having a girl at your side motivating you makes things go faster!

In less than half an hour, the four meter tall tree had been chopped down! Then it took another half hour for him to chop off a 40 centimeter long section of log!