Early morning, by the riverside brick kiln.
Vanus stared blankly at the square wooden box in his hands, his expression somewhat bewildered.
Unable to figure out how to use it, he carefully lowered his head, humbly seeking guidance from the foreman beside him.
"This... how do you use it?"
Yang Ergou was a down-to-earth man, he didn't look down on his subordinates' clumsiness and patiently explained to him.
"This is a mold for stacking bricks. You fill it with mud, press it down, then overturn it onto wooden strips. After it dries a bit, you pull out the mold. But lately, it's been so cold that the mud by the river and under our feet is as hard as stone; we need to warm up the mud in the cave first... You go throw the mold here, then go outside and pick some firewood."
Vanus nodded woodenly, put down the mold, and walked towards the nearby forest.
Gazing back at the camp, he had contemplated running away, but the thought had only flickered for an instant before he gave it up.
