Instead of practicing archery with targets on the training field, why not use the living creatures in the forest as targets?

Meanwhile, Luo De can gather some herbs in the forest.

Luna and the four herb apprentices Luna has taken on came along as well.

Autumn is a good time for herb gathering, as many plants bear fruit, mature during this season, and the roots and fruits are full of medicinal ingredients.

Echinacea, witch hazel, plantain, and goji berries, etc.

Luo De drew many herbs on paper, letting them follow the Hunting Team.

The Hunting Team cleared the beasts in the mountains ahead, while they trailed behind, gathering herbs.

I have to say, there are fewer carnivorous fierce beasts than imagined.

Luo De's Fierce Beast Hunter numbers only reached halfway, most of them being wolf packs and wild boars.

The king of the mountain has barely been seen, no traces of tigers, lions, or leopards.

Possibly because winter is approaching, even black bears haven't been seen for a long time.

Avril and Milly also came out, saying they were looking for herbs, but in the end, they joined the hunters in catching rabbits.

In this era, there's no delicate girl saying, "Rabbits are so cute, why eat rabbits."

No one would show mercy to rabbits, as long as they're naughty runners, they eventually end up on the dinner plate.

Avril was equally ruthless to the rabbits.

After staying in the wild for three days, she even learned skinning from Luna.

But no matter which Hunting Team it was, no matter how many traps everyone set, Frost and Thunder were still the most adept at catching rabbits.

After filling themselves up, they threw all the caught rabbits and wild chickens before Luo De, resulting in more than a dozen within half a day.

However, their teeth and claws carry venom, thus their catch couldn't be used for eating.

Luo De had to forbid Frost and Thunder from hunting, letting them find a good place to stay.

Since they came out with the Hunting Team, it's naturally impossible to eat dry food at noon.

Fresh ingredients only need simple cooking; the skinned and cleaned rabbits were placed on the grill, roasted golden, and sprinkled with a little salt to be delicious.

It's worth mentioning that the salt Luo De sells is coarse salt, while the one he consumes is refined sea salt through several complex procedures, unlike coarse salt with a slightly bitter taste.

Sitting by the fire, the noon sunshine was particularly bright.

The clear autumn weather made Luo De feel more cheerful.

Milly, having had her fun, ran up to Luo De with a piece of tree bark.

Her small hand pinched a black stone and handed it to Luo De: "I want to learn new words."

"Why are you suddenly hitting the books when we're out playing..."

Luo De's voice suddenly stopped as he took the black stone from Milly's hand, eyes in a daze.

"This is..."

Coal?

Luo De's heart pounded fiercely.

He steadied his mind and asked, "Where did you find this?"

Milly panicked a little, pointing to the distance in response: "That ditch."

Luo De stood up abruptly, picking up Milly, hurriedly rushing toward the ditch she indicated.

"This ditch?"

Luo De pointed at the ditch sandwiched between two slopes.

"Yes."

Milly nodded vigorously.

Luo De believed Milly wouldn't lie, but he saw no signs of a coal mine.

Logically speaking, if there was a coal mine nearby, Luo De's resource detection would certainly have marked it.

"Everyone!"

Luo De shouted to the resting Hunting Team and guards.

The crowd, unsure of what happened, hurried over.

Luo De held up the coal in his hand.

"Now all of you, pay attention, find me stones like these around here!"

Everyone quickly grabbed the coal to take a close look, then swiftly scattered in all directions.

"Sir, is this it?"

Soon, a guard ran over holding a small piece of coal.

Luo De glanced and directly asked, "Where did you find this?"

"In the ditch to the south!"

The guard immediately replied: "About three hundred meters."

Luo De was about to run south immediately.

"Sir, I've found another piece!"

Rein ran over from the other side.

The one Rein held was larger than the guard's.

"In the ditch ahead."

Rein quickly added, "Northwest."

"Hmm?"

Luo De turned his head toward the northwest.

That was upstream of the ditch.

Luo De suddenly realized it might have been washed down from somewhere.

Luo De followed the water ditch forward, his gaze reaching the distant mountains.

He immediately ordered the guards to lead the horses, speeding toward the far mountains, the crowd didn't understand what was happening but hurriedly followed.

Just as Luo De reached the foot of the mountain, he saw the mines marked in his view.

"Found it!"

Actually, even without the system marking direction, upon reaching close, Luo De already saw the naked dry river ditch below the mountain hollow had brown stones,

nearby faint traces of black coal.

Luo De estimated this coal mine was originally buried underground, exposed by mountain torrents or stream water.

Luo De hugged Milly, kissing her little cheek forcefully, grinning as he said:

"You're simply my strongest lucky charm!"

Little Milly was bewildered by the kiss, blinking her big eyes in a daze.

She had never seen this big brother so excited.

At this time, Rein and others followed up, panting.

Seeing Luo De's beaming look, they also couldn't help but smile.

"Sir, what did you discover?"

Rein asked curiously, scratching his head.

Luo De placed Milly down, then walked to the river ditch taking the stone, picking up the coal, weighing it in his hand.

"You might not quite understand, but with this thing, winter won't be cold anymore!"

Luo De's mouth curled into a smile.

The significance of coal isn't just for warming.

There's also the smelting!

Blast furnaces can also start to be set up.

With coal as fuel, the temperature is high enough, and smelting efficiency can be greatly improved.

The forging level at the Blacksmith Shop can also be taken up another notch.

Rein and the others definitely couldn't understand what was so magical about this thing.

Unfortunately, he hasn't yet mastered the knowledge of glass making.

But Luo De himself has some impression of it.

Just couldn't recall the exact procedure, something like sand mixed with plant ash and lime and heated, but the proportions are unclear.

If Luo De had time, he could also make glass!

Luo De licked his lips, muttering to himself.

If glass could be made, then it would truly be a road to fortune.

He shook his head, shaking off the fantasy.

Forget it, steps can't be taken too big; first extract it, build the blast furnace, and establish the foundation of his steel legion before anything else.

"Let's go, let's head back first."

This discovery completely erased Luo De's interest in hunting, and Luo De had to go back to inform Lawrence to prepare for coal mining.

"Roar!"

Just as the group was getting ready to leave, a roar suddenly exploded in the mountain hollow!

This roar instantly shook everyone's hearts, like a bolt from the blue, scaring Milly into covering her head.

Rein immediately became alert, raising the Longbow toward the source of the sound.

A giant bear with black and red all over appeared within the mountain hollow!

"A black bear?" Luo De immediately asked.

"No!"

Rein answered without hesitation.

The nearly three-meter-tall bear had eyes flashing with ferocious bloodthirsty red light, looking completely different from anything they had seen before!

"Hunting Team, get ready!"

"Ao!"

Just as Rein's voice fell, a sharp howl sounded from behind them!

Luo De turned around, discovering Frost and Thunder flapping their wings into the air, heading straight for Luo De!

Luo De was stunned for a moment, then immediately gave the order without hesitation,

"Don't engage yet, retreat!"

Those two just now were sleeping, with the mountain hollow being about eight hundred meters from where they slept.

This roar woke the little ones up, coupled with this bear's appearance, it clearly wasn't easy to handle.

The facts proved Luo De's judgment right.

After Frost and Thunder flew over, they didn't rush to engage.

They crouched on the stones of the hillsides on both sides, their vertical pupils vigilantly watching the giant bear below.

Usually, these two little ones would directly pounce and bite prey whether it was wild boar or bear.

But today, they hesitated.

The Magical Beast's intuition is more sensitive than humans', evidently this giant bear isn't simple.

The giant bear in the mountain hollow noticed the Two-legged Flying Dragons, directly shifting its gaze, warily watching the little creatures.

Luo De understood the giant bear felt threatened as well.

Unfortunately, these two little ones are not even a year old; if they were adults, they might be able to directly crush the bear.

Luo De sighed inwardly, shouting commands,

"Try it, if uncertain then retreat!"

He certainly didn't want to lose the two Two-legged Flying Dragons to this bear.

Frost and Thunder responded to the command, flapping their wings into the sky, then began to circle in the air above the mountain hollow.

They then repositioned themselves, landing on the opposing side of the hollow.

Both sides remained in a standoff, neither seemingly finding a weakness in the other, the air felt like it had solidified.

"Need to give them a hand."

Luo De muttered, turning to the group: "Take Milly away, Hunting Team stays, all others retreat."

"Yes, sir."

The group didn't hesitate, understanding anyone would be a liability facing such a colossal beast.

Luo De also retreated, then said to Rein, "Try and see if you can help the little ones distract the bear's attention."

"Understood."

Rein nodded, issuing a command,

"Hunting Team, switch to Armor-Piercing Arrows!"

The Hunting Team's eight members swiftly moved, drawing their marked Armor-Piercing Arrows, then slowly approached following Rein.

The giant bear gave them a glance, hardly cared, its eyes never leaving the Two-legged Flying Dragons.

"Ready!"

Rein gripping the arrow, gritted his teeth,

"Attack!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Eight arrows were simultaneously shot toward the giant bear!

But the giant bear didn't care at all, casually extending an arm to block.

And reality taught it a lesson directly!

"Puff!"

The eight arrows instantly turned the bear's arm into a porcupine, with blood blossoming!

"Roar!"

The bear roared in pain, instantly bellowing all over the heavens!

It swiftly turned around, eyes crimson, charging straight at the Hunting Team!

"Scatter and run!"

With Rein's command, the Hunting Team dispersed and fled!

"Frost! Thunder!"

At the same time, Luo De yelled a command, and the Two-legged Flying Dragons dove like lightning.

The whistling wind blew loudly, Frost and Thunder dived down like missiles from the sky, going straight for the bear!

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