Chapter 298: Improving the defence

Rykio sat atop his horse, gazing down at the village that had once been the scene of his triumph against the pirates. The charred remnants of the old skirmish were mostly gone, replaced by the beginnings of new wooden structures.

The village hummed with the sound of labor as men and women worked in unison, their faces etched with determination. Villagers hauled logs, their shoulders straining under the weight as they carried them toward the village center. A group of workers, armed with axes, set about cutting off the ends of the logs, their rhythmic chopping filling the air. The freshly sharpened points gleamed in the sunlight, a rudimentary yet necessary effort to prepare the timber for its defensive purpose.

Nearby, others wielded shovels and hoes, digging furiously into the earth to create deep, narrow trenches. Sweat dripped from their brows , as they worked in order to ensure the logs could be driven securely into the ground.