Waking up to the morning sun was a profound luxury, a stark contrast to the grueling, paranoid nights of his office worker life. The Bed was the best piece of furniture he had ever owned.
With the security of having a spawn point and the ability to skip the night's dangers, Steve felt a fundamental shift in his priorities.
Survival was now less about immediate defense and more about long-term sustainability.
He had food now, but his supply was finite, requiring dangerous hunting trips. He needed a farm.
He equipped his Stone Axe and stepped out, determined to create a renewable food source and secure wood supply.
His first task was finding seeds. He knew from his gaming knowledge that seeds came from tall grass. He spent the morning near his base, using his Axe to systematically clear the messy patches of tall grass and weeds that covered the forest floor.
The process yielded dozens of Sticks, and eventually, the prize: small, pale Wheat Seeds (14).
He also had a collection of Oak Saplings he had gathered while clearing the perimeter. He decided to create a small, organized tree farm nearby, planting the saplings in a neat grid to ensure a steady supply of wood without having to venture far into the forest.
Next, he needed a garden plot. He selected a flat, sun-exposed area just outside the east wall of his base.
He retrieved his Crafting Table and set to work making the necessary farming tool: the Hoe.
Using two sticks and two Oak Planks, he quickly fashioned a Wooden Hoe (1).
He approached the dirt plot and held the Hoe. Focusing his intent, he applied the tool to the rough dirt. The ground didn't break; instead, the surface instantly became neat, dark, and ready for planting—Farmland.
He hoed nine perfect rows, then knelt down and systematically planted his fourteen Wheat Seeds into the freshly tilled earth.
"Now, the hard part,"
He muttered.
"Waiting."
The seeds needed water. He couldn't rely on the distant stream, and hauling buckets of water—if he could even craft a bucket—was inefficient.
He realized the next step in sustainability required better tools. He needed to dig a permanent water source, which meant he needed a shovel.
Back at the Crafting Table, he arranged one Cobblestone block and two sticks to craft a Stone Shovel (1).
He carried the Shovel back to his garden plot and began digging a trench, a single block wide, designed to run alongside his planted field.
The Stone Shovel tore through the dirt and gravel with alarming speed, depositing huge quantities of Dirt and Gravel into his inventory.
As he dug, he hit a patch of thick, dry clay. When he broke it, it yielded a rough brown block that quickly fragmented into four balls: Clay (4).
He pocketed them—he suspected he'd need them for brickwork later.
Finally, he hit the water table.
The moment he broke into a water-logged block, a pool of water surged up, instantly filling the entire trench he had dug.
The water flowed perfectly, filling every block-space he had cleared, creating a seamless, square-edged canal.
The planted farmland next to the canal immediately darkened, visually soaking up the moisture.
The wheat was now set to grow.
With his basic farm established, Steve returned to his growing stockpile of Gravel. He knew Gravel was critical.
He tossed a stack of Gravel into the 2 x 2 crafting grid. The four blocks combined and instantly compacted into a single, gray, heavy mass: Cobblestone (4).
"Wait, no,"
He thought, correcting himself. He needed the other component of gravel. He separated the blocks and began to rapidly shake the Gravel in his hand—mentally, physically, focusing on the tiny differences in density.
Grind. Separate. Refine.
He tossed a single block of Gravel onto the Crafting Table. After a moment of concentration, the output box offered a single, shiny gray fragment: Flint (1).
Flint! This was essential. He had the fuel, the wood, and the stone. Now he had the component for fire.
Using one Flint and one piece of Iron (if he ever found it), he could make a permanent ignition source.
But more immediately, the Flint could be used for simple, short-term survival.
He needed to be able to cook when he was out in the field.
Steve realized that his time in the woods was no longer just about survival; it was about efficiency and technological progression. The wooden tools were wearing out. He needed metal.
He looked at his inventory. He had dirt, wood, stone, and now a tiny amount of Flint and Clay.
"Time for the next step up,"
Steve decided, locking his secure wooden door. He needed to find the one resource that would allow him to make the leap from primitive survival to comfortable security.