King of the North: My Lord's Diary Weekly Summary

The boat entered the water, rocked a bit, and then floated steadily to the surface.

The palm print that Wayne had been paying attention to remained calm at this moment.

The journal did not provide any warning signs.

It seems the boat is indeed fine; it's safe to cross the river for now to explore.

The wooden boats had limited capacity, so Wayne left Ronald and four cavalrymen on the shore to guard the boats and keep watch, while he himself crossed the river with only one person.

He selected a cavalryman named Io—who had grown up in the river and lake region of the south before enlisting and had good swimming skills and boating experience.

Under Io's direction, Wayne boarded the ship first, sitting at the front of the ship, which was positioned high up, his hands nervously gripping the cold gunwale.

Io then threw the wooden paddle, iron sword, and rope onto the board, and then stepped on it.

"Sir, hold on tight."

Io sat at the back of the small boat, whispering a reminder, and then exerted force with both arms, making the wooden oars like wings, cutting through the clear river water.

The small boat swayed gently away from the shore and headed towards the opposite bank.

The river was more powerful than it appeared, and the boat tilted and undulated slightly in the water.

A cold wind swept across the river, carrying damp moisture that felt icy on my face.

Wayne instinctively gripped the gunwale, his fingertips able to feel the wood grain and the subtle vibrations transmitted by the river water.

Although the original owner of this body could ride horses, he seemed unfamiliar with boating, and he had a vague feeling of discomfort churning in his stomach.

Wayne himself was also a little nervous; he felt his body was becoming more sensitive.

Io paddled very steadily, his arm muscles bulging, the paddle blades entering, moving, and exiting the water with a steady rhythm.

The wooden boat cleaved through the emerald green water, leaving behind a V-shaped ripple that gradually spread outwards.

The river, which is 100 meters wide, feels farther than it appears.

All around were the sounds of water, wind, and oars, and the increasingly clear desolate scene on the opposite bank.

About fifteen minutes later, the bow of the boat gently bumped into the soft mud and sand on the opposite bank.

Io took off his boots, jumped off the boat, and stepped into the wet mud.

After Wayne successfully reached the shore, he quickly tied the rope to a boulder protruding from the water and moved several large stones to weigh down the bow of the boat to ensure its stability.

"Sir, it's done."

Wayne then stepped onto this unfamiliar riverbank, his feet resting on muddy sand mixed with pebbles.

Further ahead, there were vast expanses of withered yellow reeds and unidentified wild grasses, stretching all the way to the gray-brown foothills in the distance.

The air was filled with the smell of river water and silt.

"You wait here and keep watch. I'll look around and then come back."

Wayne instructed Io.

"Yes, sir, please be careful."

Io also got ready and went ashore. He stood with his hand on his sword, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings.

Wayne turned and trudged deeper into the wasteland.

He walked for about five or six minutes, away from the riverbank, with only the rustling of the wind through the wild grass all around him.

it's time.

Wayne took out the Crimson Pulse from his pocket.

The moment the pickaxe was gripped in his hand, the ruby ​​at its tip seemed to be awakened from its slumber, suddenly emitting a soft yet clearly visible crimson light!

Wayne paused, his heart skipping a beat.

It's... lit up?

He hadn't even started exploring with any purpose yet; he was just holding the pickaxe in his hand!

He suppressed his astonishment, raised his pickaxe, and slowly turned his body.

When he faced southeast—towards the area where the weeds grew thicker and the terrain was slightly undulating—the ruby ​​shone even brighter!

Wayne took a deep breath, gripped his pickaxe, and strode quickly in that direction.

really!

The ruby's brilliance grew brighter as he approached!

After walking for more than ten minutes, we arrived at a barren, grassy slope that seemed no different from other places. The light had stabilized at a bright orange-red, even a bit dazzling.

right here!

Wien suppressed his excitement and, using this point as a center, looked around.

He quickly got a general idea of ​​the area: this "mining area" covered a radius of about three or four hundred meters, and although the intensity of the ruby's reaction fluctuated, it remained at a high level.

Especially in the southeast corner, when he pointed his pickaxe there, Wayne felt as if he were holding a torch!

There are no open-pit mines, no exposed ore, and even stones with unusual colors are rare on the surface.

This iron ore vein, with its considerable reserves, is buried deep beneath this desolate wasteland of weeds and soil.

Wayne tentatively dug into the soil with a pickaxe, but no visible metal came out.

"Hehe! It was hidden so well, no wonder no one found it."

Neither the previous lords, villagers, nor even Duke Quintu's surveyors would have paid much attention to such a barren riverside wasteland.

They mostly found outcrops, which were easy to mine.

These deep underground mineral veins are almost impossible to discover without special detection methods.

Make big!

Wayne's heart was pounding in his chest.

The village chief and wealthy households' overtures, the carpenter Maurice's unexpected compliance and potential, and the readily available, abundant iron ore vein before them...

Today went surprisingly smoothly!

Wayne stood on the barren hillside, gazing at the land beneath his feet that held a treasure trove of riches. He took a few deep breaths of the cold air and quickly regained his composure.

Discovering iron ore is only the first step. He can only relax a little when he turns the ore buried deep underground into usable iron and real power.

Currently, he lacks the labor and tools to help him dig, mine, and transport the soil.

"We can speed things up now."

……

As soon as Wayne returned to the village, he saw a group of villagers carrying bundles of bean stalks, walking along the path through the fields.

Leading the group was the village chief, Tiki, who stood with his hands behind his back, his brow furrowed, seemingly worried about the harvest or something else.

Upon seeing Wayne, Tiki was visibly startled for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply: "My lord! You're back."

"Yes, Chief Tiki, thank you for your hard work."

How is the autumn harvest progressing?

Wayne waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for such formalities, and glanced at the villagers behind him who were also bowing their heads respectfully.

Their complexions were slightly better than yesterday; at least their eyes showed less fear and more weariness and satisfaction at having completed their work.

"Thanks to your help, sir, the soybean field on the east side should be able to be harvested much faster than in previous years."

Tiki replied respectfully, a hint of gratitude in his voice: "It's just..."

Before he finished speaking, several more figures appeared on the path leading to the village, two of whom were leading a group.

The leader was headhunter Barton. He was still wearing that half-open leather coat, with his usual unpleasant smile on his face.

Beside him was a man Wayne had never seen before.

The man was half a head taller than Patton, with a large frame. He wore thick leather armor that was filthy and unrecognizable, and a sheathless machete hung at his waist, its blade bearing dark marks.

He had a scar running down his left cheek, which made his already rugged face look even more ferocious.

What is most striking is his gaze, like that of a lone wolf wandering the northern tundra: cold, fierce, and undisguised as he scrutinizes Wayne and the cavalry behind him, lingering longest on Ronald, who stands with his hand on his sword.