Webnovel Author In The Apocalypse World

During the previous ice storm, the Igloo had frozen into a solid sphere. Now that the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree had softened the interior ice, Kim Haru planned to excavate it instead.

Although the Ginseng Spirit no longer needed to live in the Igloo, the promised greenhouse was still not built. Kim Haru wanted to plant watermelons early, but he couldn't possibly grow them all in the cattle barn.

What's more, the most challenging part of producing glass was already half-solved thanks to the Starlight Armored Bugs. Now, all that was left was to find suitable sand.

Over the past few days, Kim Haru had moved the Starlight Armored Bugs to the swamp. Riding a sled pulled by Cryo Wolf, he traversed through the forest and reached the swamp without much effort. Aside from pulling the sled, the Cryo Wolf also helped significantly with digging through the snow.

With a pickaxe and shovel in hand, Kim Haru worked alongside Cryo Wolf to dig a hole about half a man deep for the Starlight Armored Bugs.

He opened the box and poured both the bugs and the iron ingots into the hole. Kim Haru also threw in some of the scrap metal he had stored in his system backpack before the storm hit. This heap of material would be enough to sustain the Starlight Armored Bugs for a long while.

The rest was no longer his concern. The Starlight Armored Bugs would burrow deeper into the ground until they found a suitable depth to settle. Given the extensive root systems of the mutated plants in the surrounding area, they wouldn't stray too far. Kim Haru only needed to wait for a while before starting mining operations.

Of course, Kim Haru didn't plan to leave the Starlight Armored Bugs idle. Once he found sand and the safe zone recovered from the storm, freeing up enough manpower, he intended to establish a basic building material processing facility in the area.

This idea was still in its infancy in Kim Haru's mind. He wasn't yet sure how to implement it, especially since he had no idea where to find the sand. That step would have to wait.

Meanwhile, Go Okrim finally finished bribing Snowball No. 1 with four apples. Kim Haru, holding a pickaxe, began looking for a spot on the frozen pond where he could make a hole.

"Hyung, Hyung, what do I do?" Go Okrim excitedly approached.

"Get a basin ready. If a fish jumps out, cover it immediately."

"Will fish really jump out on their own?"

"I can't guarantee it," Kim Haru replied, shaking his head. "In theory, fish under the ice during winter lack fresh air. Once a hole is made, they should swarm here for the oxygen, and some might even jump out of the hole."

But this was the apocalypse.

Kim Haru couldn't be sure if the knowledge he had before the apocalypse still applied. He couldn't even confirm if there were fish in the pond, let alone enough to jump out on their own.

Beyond whether there were fish, Kim Haru had another concern.

He couldn't guarantee that whatever jumped out for air would be the normal, edible fish he was hoping for. What if it was a dangerous aquatic creature?

A mutated fish, perhaps—one that attacked humans, even fed on human flesh.

As the ice grew thinner, Kim Haru told Go Okrim to step back.

He also checked to ensure his protective shield was activated. Once confident in his safety, he struck the ice with his pickaxe one last time.

The ice broke, and a chunk fell into the water with a splash.

"Are there any fish? Are there any fish?" Go Okrim asked eagerly.

Having never caught fish this way before, Go Okrim was beyond excited.

Kim Haru didn't see anything rushing out to attack, so he sighed in relief.

"Hand me the stick," he instructed.

Go Okrim promptly handed him a one-meter-long stick.

Kim Haru stirred the ice hole with the stick. Still, no aggressive creatures emerged.

Finally, Kim Haru relaxed. "Alright, Gojo, do you want to use a bucket or a fishing rod?"

While stirring, Kim Haru had felt something bump against his stick. There was definitely some kind of creature in the pond. Whatever it was, he wanted to catch it and take a look.

Go Okrim wasn't interested in patiently fishing with a rod and immediately chose the bucket.

"I'll use the bucket. Hyung, lend me the pickaxe. I'll go make another hole on the other side."

Using a bucket in the ice hole would undoubtedly create a lot of noise, so Go Okrim decided to work farther away to avoid affecting Kim Haru's fishing.

Additionally, digging holes too close together could weaken the ice, posing a risk of collapse.

Kim Haru tossed the bucket tied with a rope and the pickaxe to Go Okrim, letting him do as he pleased. Meanwhile, Kim Haru dragged a chair covered in thick fur to the edge of the ice hole, sat down, and casually began fishing with a rod.

The fishing rod was handmade by Kim Haru. It featured a sturdy bamboo stick, thanks to the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree, and a line made from mutated silkworm thread. He had also crafted a simple hook by bending a thin metal wire salvaged from scrap metal. The hook was baited and ready to go.

For the line, he tied a lightweight leaf as a makeshift float.

However, the hook didn't have barbs, so catching and reeling in fish would be a real test of skill.

Although he lacked earthworms, he improvised with bait. Cooked rice, corn kernels, or even small strips of pork worked just fine.

With the hook cast into the water, Kim Haru huddled in his chair, waiting for something to bite. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

Over by the igloo, Snowball No. 1 had burrowed so deeply inside that only the sight of snow being kicked out could be seen.

It seemed like Snowball No. 1 was fully immersed in the thrill of tearing apart the igloo.