I am a Primitive Man-Chapter 669: A Wall Unlike Any Other

Han Cheng had already made his choice regarding the location of the furnace at the Copper Mountain residence area.

A relatively flat piece of land existed between Copper Mountain and the tin ore deposits, and this would be the site for the furnace.

When building an industrial area that requires large amounts of raw materials, factories are usually set up near the resource-producing areas. Some might also choose locations with convenient transportation.

The Green Sparrow Tribe chose to develop this residential area because of its proximity to the raw materials.

The furnace would be built at the foot of Copper Mountain, close to the copper deposits but somewhat farther from the tin ore. Copper had a higher consumption rate during the bronze smelting process.

Building the furnace here would allow people to roll the mined copper ore down the slope, making the process more convenient.

While planning the furnace, Hei Wa had made a suggestion. He believed that a small wall should be built around the entrance of the Flying Snake Tribe’s cave, as the tribe would be living there for a long time.

The Green Sparrow Tribe already deeply understood walls, so whenever they settled outside, they instinctively wanted to build a wall or some protective barrier. Without these, they never felt secure.

Hei Wa’s suggestion was similar to what the Green Sparrow Tribe did when they first started—building a wall outside the cave to enclose the area, then slowly constructing houses inside the wall, allowing people to move in and live there.

This method had worked well in the past, but it was unsuitable for the Copper Mountain residential area.

The most crucial resources in Copper Mountain were the copper and tin ores—this was indisputable. Therefore, the construction would need to center around these two things or the furnace itself.

The cave of the former Flying Snake Tribe was about four miles from the site Han Cheng had chosen for the furnace.

While this distance was manageable for now, it wouldn’t be suitable for long-term habitation.

One reason was that once the furnace ran, it would operate 24/7, day and night. It would require constant supervision, and living far away from the furnace would be inconvenient.

Another issue was the safety of the furnace and the workers.

Given that the smelting process ran day and night, a two—or three-shift system would be necessary, meaning the workers wouldn’t be able to work together at the same time.

If the living area and the smelting site were too far apart, it would spread out the workforce, which wouldn’t be ideal. If enemies attacked, the tribe would be at a disadvantage.

Lastly, the furnace area would also need to be enclosed by a wall to ensure safety, meaning two walls would need to be built, which was very labor-intensive.

Therefore, Han Cheng’s idea was to combine the industrial and residential areas within the same large courtyard—one side for living and the other for smelting copper.

The industrial area would be built in the downwind area to minimize the impact of pollution on people.

The “industrial area” the Green Sparrow Tribe planned to build was incredibly rudimentary and small in scale compared to the modern world, and as such, the pollution it produced would be minimal.

Even with the proximity of the living area, the impact on the people would not be significant.

After Han Cheng shared his plan, Hei Wa and the others thought about it for a while, nodding in admiration. The Divine Child (Han Cheng) had honestly thought things through—what seemed like a perfect plan now appeared to have unique advantages.

By the third day at Copper Mountain, the Green Sparrow Tribe began to work according to Han Cheng’s arrangement.

Hei Wa and two others were busy planning the furnace, while the remaining people followed Han Cheng’s blueprint to start constructing the wall.

Ten others came with Han Cheng, and the twenty citizens led by Third Senior Brother, and fifteen slaves.

Han Cheng was there to oversee the overall situation, Hei Wa was working on the furnace, and the rest were tasked with ensuring Han Cheng’s safety.

The eight bodyguards were crucial since Han Cheng and Hei Wa would eventually return to the tribe after things were set in motion.

It wouldn’t be acceptable for them to travel back alone. Even though Han Cheng had such great confidence, the others in the tribe wouldn’t agree.

In addition to providing safety for Han Cheng, these eight individuals could contribute to the early development of Copper Mountain during their stay.

With that, 42 people, strong adults, were working on building the wall. The progress was swift.

Of course, the wall at Copper Mountain was being built faster than the massive wall being constructed at the Green Sparrow Tribe, not only because more people were involved but also because of the difference in materials used.

Copper Mountain had abundant small stones, making it a natural building material.

With this readily available resource, Han Cheng decided against digging and compacting dirt for the wall.

Using stone for the wall was much faster, at least twice as fast as compacting dirt. Stones could be stacked without the need to be compacted like earth walls, which required a lot of effort to make them solid.

Moreover, stone walls were more durable and could withstand the elements.

Many ancient civilizations built with stone, especially in foreign lands, because of its sturdiness and long-lasting nature. In contrast, in Han Cheng’s homeland, many beautiful and majestic buildings, though impressive, were largely made of wooden structures that succumbed to the elements.

Stone walls also had the advantage of being less susceptible to break-ins, much like the stone houses of the future, which thieves would avoid for fear of the stones falling on them.

As time passed, the sun began to set, casting an orange glow, and a cool evening breeze swept through, bringing a refreshing sensation to those working hard to build their new home.

“Let’s push a little harder!” The Third Senior Brother, wearing leather gloves, lifted a stone weighing over 100 pounds and placed it onto the wall, using smaller stones for support. He looked at the others and shouted.

Early mornings and this time of day were the most comfortable for work, so it was best to take advantage of the coolness and work as much as possible.