Lords of the Heavens

Chapter 35 Rules
Supplement to the settings of the previous chapter
[A professional craftswoman discovered a small iron mine deep in the mountains, twelve miles from her home. She has completed preliminary exploration and established a safe route between the mine and her family's camp. She has decided to donate the mine to her family. Because iron is a special three-star mineral resource in this world, she has gained one hundred family contribution points!]

However, she must guarantee to provide her family with no less than 50 units of iron ore over the next six months; otherwise, her contribution will be reclaimed unless there are unavoidable circumstances.

[Friendly reminder: The iron ore mined during this process will not affect experience gained or contribution points earned from main quests.]

[Friendly reminder: These resources can only be discovered by their respective professions. For example, iron ore, copper ore, and stone ore can only be explored by blacksmiths, craftsmen, and miners; high-quality wild vegetables and herbs can only be found by mountain dwellers, cooks, herbalists, or hunters; precious trees can only be found by lumberjacks, carpenters, or some craftsmen; precious wild animals can only be found by hunters and mountain dwellers; high-quality fish can only be caught by fishermen; and high-quality seeds produced in farmland can only be planted by farmers.]

Similarly, only a chef can cook exquisite food, only a tailor can make fine clothing, and only a skilled butcher can butcher high-quality prey, and so on.

[Warning: Those not in the corresponding profession are not necessarily unable to handle the corresponding resources, but they will suffer a severe drop in quality. If the resources belong to a family and are marked as valuable, they will be subject to equivalent penalties if they are forcibly used.]

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Fila remained silent. Next month, she wouldn't be alone; she would have a little son, Leon. She could ask Leon to go out gathering with her, or she could let Leon go mining with Penny.

This is a very delicate matter; one is the biological mother, and the other is the head of the household's older sister, and both make sense in the plot.

Unlike Li Wei's fiancée, Missy, who can only work alongside Li Wei in the storyline.

“Mom, autumn is a harvest season. The mountains and forests are a treasure trove. You’re the best at this. I remember there’s a chestnut grove to the east…” Penny started to make things more difficult for Fila.

"It's too early to collect samples now, let's do it next month."

Fila interrupted Penny, saying that while she was a master at gathering resources, her primary profession was cooking.

"This month, I can gather more wild fruits, and if possible, I can also gather some honey. In addition, I want to go fishing, that's the important thing. I can't guarantee anything else, but this winter, Mom won't let you go hungry. That mushroom and meat soup can even be guaranteed for one meal a day."

Under Penny's relentless pressure, Fila finally made a statement and unleashed her trump card.

The recipe she donated earlier wasn't something that ended there; it meant the family had complete control over the entire process, from ingredients to preparation—a recipe the mother in the story had mastered.

If a mother knows there are delicious dishes available, why wouldn't she cook them for her child? This doesn't make sense.

Therefore, as a chef responsible for the family's three meals a day, Fila is naturally required by the rules to eat at least twenty meals a month, which is the minimum standard to accumulate one free attribute point every six months.

This past month, Fila had also strictly adhered to the minimum requirement, which was to make two meals every three days, totaling exactly twenty meals of mushroom soup a month.

If she misses even one meal, according to the rules, it doesn't count as her completing the task, and Li Wei and Penny don't need to supervise her.

“One meal a day? Mom, wouldn’t that be too much work for you?” Penny asked with some concern, but the satisfaction in her eyes betrayed her.

Mushroom and meat soup—this isn't a simple recipe; it's a one-star dish with attributes that only a two-star professional chef can make. She had tried to replicate it before, including the ingredients, process, and order. She wouldn't say it was exactly the same, but it was completely useless.

Perhaps she couldn't collect higher-quality one-star mushrooms, just like only she had the opportunity to discover that three-star quality iron ore.

If Fila is willing to make a mushroom soup every day, it's practically equivalent to gaining a free attribute point in less than five months. Well, of course, the premise is that the head of the household can require Fila to do so every month. In addition, since the money has already been donated to the family, she doesn't have to pay for the meals.

It's a great deal.

“It will be a little tiring, but I can get Leon to help me,” Fira said with a kind smile, as she bargained.

But Penny was not easily swayed, and immediately sought further confirmation.
"But you said you would ensure food for five people through the winter..."

“No problem, I guarantee the food for winter.” Fila was going all out to win over the new player, Leon. Of course, she had her own motives, not just maternal love.

At this point, Penny nodded in satisfaction, no longer needing to specify a particular quantity, since Fira had promised to provide food for five people through the winter, and once the main quest was released, there would be a corresponding amount.

Under the rules, no one can cheat.

"Then, I will be in charge of the house expansion. There are five of us, so we need at least three, no, four rooms. In addition, I will be in charge of the fireplace for heating in winter. The rest of the time, I will go to mine iron ore and transport it back. I will be in charge of supplying the tools and weapons needed for the house."

"Just do it."

Penny made the final decision, and the main quest was also released. Overall, things were quite harmonious this time, which basically meant that the three players had moved away from the low-level, disorderly competition.

Or rather, they already have enough influence within their families and in their own areas of expertise.

Even if someone else becomes the head of the household, it's difficult to force a change. Just like Fira's gathering and cooking, who can replace her? After all, everyone needs to eat.

Who can replace Li Wei's profession as a farmer and hunter?
And who can replace Penny in her work as a craftswoman and blacksmith?

This marks a new stage in the orderly development of families.

However, their competition will extend to new family members.

In the future, factions will emerge within families. If a family cannot break through its own limitations and lacks irreplaceable family members, it will be forced to rely on experienced players.

Speaking of which, how can he win over his fiancée?

This isn't a problem that can be solved by sleeping it off.

Previously, Penny had forced herself on Yu Ji and thrown herself into his arms, and her fiancé Sam was not infinitely loyal to her. After realizing the rules of the game, he decisively made the choice that he thought was most beneficial to himself.

So, let it be. This fiancée is definitely not someone I can win over. I don't know why Fila thinks she can handle her adopted son, Leon.

After dinner, Fila and Penny went back to sleep and rest. Li Wei stayed behind as usual. He first blocked the entrance to the camp with obstacles, then lit a campfire. He took a wooden spear and inspected the area before changing the bowstring on his hunting bow, taking out ten feathered arrows and ten featherless wooden arrows, and began his daily training.

During this period of time, unless it rained, he would practice archery every night. The amount of training was not large, but he persisted and the results were remarkable.

Now he can skillfully shoot with both hands, hitting a fixed target 100% of the time within 30 meters, and hitting a moving target, such as a pheasant, nine out of ten times.

The hunting bow was a bit weak; he didn't even dare to draw it fully, for fear of damaging it.

The next morning, Li Wei woke up and heard Fila crying tears of joy. Her youngest son, Leon, had arrived.

I quickly stepped out of the room and saw a somewhat bewildered young man standing outside the camp. He looked very young, like a college student, or maybe not even a junior.

Fila and Penny were working together to move the barrier around the camp gate. As Fila moved it, she asked questions in a fast but easy voice. This was important so that the new player would understand his identity and not say anything inappropriate like Sam did before.

Fortunately, Leon reacted quickly. Although he was still shocked, he immediately stepped forward to help move the obstacle. Then, when Fira hugged him with tears in her eyes, he responded naturally.

“My poor child, you have suffered so much. It’s so good that you found this place and are still alive. Your father died of illness three months ago. Now only your sister Penny and your brother George are left here. Although it is hard here, at least it is a home. Are you hungry? Mom has made some meat and vegetable porridge!”

Lyon nodded repeatedly, but dared not speak, or perhaps he was afraid of giving himself away.

At this moment, Penny stepped forward and slapped Leon on the back. "Good lad, we were so worried when you fell behind. Mom cried for days. I didn't expect you to catch up. That's great."

Li Wei stepped forward and hugged Leon after Penny. "Missie fell behind too. Did you run into her on the way?"

Leon shook his head frantically, then stammered, "No, no."

He spoke Chinese, just like Li Wei, so there was a fleeting look of surprise in his eyes.

My fellow villager, what a pity, it's of no use.

When he figures out the rules of the game and discovers that everyone else is a player, haha!

Li Wei was still quite looking forward to it, wondering which of them, Lyon or Sam, was more awesome.
After exchanging pleasantries and having breakfast, he picked up his axe and went to chop down trees. Logging was the main task for him this month, and he had to work against the clock, otherwise he would have to put aside all his other work once the wheat ripened.

As for his yet-to-arrive fiancée, Missy, he held no hope and did not intend to have much contact with her, because Penny's current contribution to the family was far ahead, Fila was second, and he could only be third. It would become increasingly difficult to compete for the position of head of the family, so he had to protect his base.

He only cut down small trees, about 10 to 15 centimeters in diameter, and planned to cut down 50 trees to meet the requirements for expanding the house.

In addition, expanding the fence will require more logs.

While pondering these thoughts, Li Weiyi hacked away furiously. He was no longer the same as before; he had enough strength and stamina, and his body had adapted. In less than two hours, he easily felled five trees. Wiping away his sweat, he was about to return to the camp to replenish his water supply when he suddenly looked up and saw a woman standing outside the forest.

Brown hair, freckles all over her face, slightly overweight, with a decent figure, but overall she looks a bit ugly...

(End of this chapter)