80: Chapter 74 Bamboo Raft 80: Chapter 74 Bamboo Raft February 15th, heavy rain.

“Rumble…”

“Splash…”

The sky was filled with dense dark clouds, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and the rain poured down continuously.

“Quack quack quack quack…”

In the reeds beside Feiyu River, some Five-Colored Ducks were pecking at the insects that crawled out of the ground due to the rain, as well as the shrimps and crabs that came ashore.

When they were happy with their feast, they flapped their wings and called out a few times.

Their thick feathers effectively isolated the rainwater, and with the reeds covering them from above, they were not afraid of getting wet.

The Vine Tribe also raised a few Five-Colored Ducks, but they were kept in the caves, only able to gaze at the rain wistfully.

“Croak…

Croak…

Croak…”

In the Vine Tribe’s pond, frog calls occasionally sounded; these were frogs coming out of hibernation, starting to forage and mate.

Of course, along with the warm spring came the annoying mosquitoes.

“Slap!”

Jiang Xuan sat in the bamboo house and accurately swatted dead a mosquito that was just about to perch on his leg and suck blood.

Jiang Xuan helplessly said, “Mosquitoes are out, we’ll need to burn some Stinky Grass to repel them.”

Chi Shao said, “I’ll go find some Stinky Grass after the rain stops and bring it back to dry out and burn.”

After a while, Chi Shao noticed Jiang Xuan roasting some bamboo over the fire and curiously asked, “Xuan, are you making a new bamboo bed?”

“No, I’m going to make a bamboo raft.”

“A bamboo raft?

What’s it for?”

Chi Shao hadn’t heard of this term before, but she was already accustomed to it, for Jiang Xuan often came up with new things.

Jiang Xuan bound the bamboo while responding, “Bamboo can float on the water.

By tying them together into a bamboo raft, the buoyancy becomes stronger, and it can carry us into the water to fish.”

Jiang Xuan’s words attracted the attention of everyone in the bamboo house.

Nan Xing put down the half-ground spearhead in his hand and came over to Jiang Xuan’s side, asking, “Chief, can this bamboo raft take us into the river?”

“Of course, if it’s made well, we can even take the raft to the other side of the river.

Don’t you want to see what’s on the other side?”

Nearby, Gou Teng stared at the bamboo in Jiang Xuan’s hands for a long time and asked, “Chief, what if it floats away like wood in the water?”

“That’s a good question.”

Jiang Xuan picked up a relatively small bamboo pole and said, “This bamboo pole is called a punt pole; it can be used to control the direction of the bamboo raft in the water.”

Gou Teng found it incredible and became very interested in the bamboo raft.

“Chief, when it’s done, can I try it?”

Nan Xing shouted, “I want to try too.”

Shi Qiu was more stable but, after all, had the temperament of a young boy, clearly eager to try in his eyes.

Jiang Xuan smiled and said, “Sure, once I finish, everyone can have a try.”

“Chief, let me help you.” Nan Xing offered herself.

Gou Teng and Shi Qiu also came over to help, only Chi Shao remained calm, still pounding medicine.

As the tribe’s witch, Chi Shao needed to prepare various medicines for the tribe’s warriors in advance so they could carry them while hunting and apply them promptly if injured.

Having acquired Witch Power and studied witch doctoring under the Old Witch, Chi Shao’s temperament became increasingly steady as she diligently worked to become a good witch.

Jiang Xuan continued making the bamboo raft with the help of the three youths.

He chose sixteen old bamboos as thick as a bowl, burned them with fire to similar lengths, and then securely tied them together with sturdy tree bark rope.

The reason for choosing old bamboo was that it was more solid and resilient, making the raft less likely to crack and take on water.

Eventually, Jiang Xuan produced a bamboo raft about five meters long and one and a half meters wide.

For safety, he used two layers of bamboo, increasing buoyancy so that people standing on it wouldn’t get their feet wet easily.

Because the bamboo raft was large, all work except burning the bamboo was conducted outside after the rain stopped.

After finishing the bamboo raft, Jiang Xuan and Gou Teng carried the brand-new raft to a wider section of a creek to test it.

Chi Shao, Shi Qiu, Nan Xing, and some tribal people from the Vine Tribe also came over to see and be amazed by it.

“Into the water!”

After Jiang Xuan brought the bamboo raft to the water’s edge, he put the front end into the water and Gou Teng pushed the back end, moving the whole raft into the water.

“Alright, come on up!”

Jiang Xuan followed by stepping onto the back of the raft, using the punt pole to keep it from floating away on the creek.

“Here I come!”

Gou Teng excitedly rubbed his hands together, then got onto the raft with Jiang Xuan.

However, once he stood up, the uneven force caused the raft to sway in the water, scaring Gou Teng into crouching hurriedly.

“Chief…

chief, are we going to topple into the water?”

Jiang Xuan said irritably, “What are you afraid of with me here?

Besides, this isn’t the river, you won’t drown.”

“Then…

chief, please hold steady.”

Gou Teng moved closer to Jiang Xuan, still nervous but also somewhat expectant.

Shi Qiu shouted on the side, “Gou Teng, if you’re scared, come down.

I’ll go up.”

Provoked by these words, Gou Teng stood up recklessly and discontentedly said, “Who’s scared?

I’m just getting used to it.”

Jiang Xuan laughed, “Okay, stand firm, we’re going!”

Jiang Xuan lightly pushed against the bank with the punt pole, and the tilted raft immediately straightened and began to drift slowly along the creek.

Though knowing the creek wasn’t deep, no members of the tribe had ever been in the water or aboard a boat.

The raft wobbled, and Gou Teng’s resolve to stand ended with him sitting down, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

While supporting the raft, Jiang Xuan comforted him, “Everything needs an adaptation process; there’s nothing shameful about it.

Once you get used to the raft’s movement, you won’t be afraid anymore.”

Gou Teng nodded and gratefully looked at Jiang Xuan.

When the raft drifted near Feiyu River, Jiang Xuan quickly propelled it to the bank, preventing it from continuing forward.

Because the creek water wasn’t deep and the plants on the bank were cleared away, there was no danger.

However, the river was different, hiding many dangers along with terrifying large fish and Water Beasts.

A small raft venturing therein was indeed too perilous.

“Alright, let’s carry the raft back, let others try it too.”

Jiang Xuan and Gou Teng together pulled the raft ashore and carried it back to where Chi Shao and others were.

“Who’s next?”

The raft re-entered the water, with Jiang Xuan again supporting it with the punt pole.

“Me, me, me…

I’ll go first!”

Nan Xing couldn’t wait and got onto the raft, brimming with excitement.

“Alright, we’re going!”

Jiang Xuan lightly tapped the bank with the punt pole, and the raft set off once more.

Nan Xing found it fun while on land, but truly sitting on the raft and moving forward, she felt fear like Gou Teng.

“Chief…

chief, keep steady.”

Jiang Xuan chuckled, “Don’t worry, it’s fine, you’re safe with me, we won’t flip.”

The raft rode the current once again, stopping as before near Feiyu River, returning to shore for the next person to experience it.

Ultimately, most people from the Vine Tribe had a chance to try the bamboo raft.

Jiang Xuan then tossed the raft into the largest pond, letting everyone first get accustomed to being on the water.

Once they were comfortable, they moved to the creek to learn how to use the punt pole.

This was a gradual adaptation process.

When they could truly control the raft, they could experiment with fishing in Feiyu River’s shallow area, yielding far more catches than fishing from land.