Hayoon then gathered a large group of people and enthusiastically got to work building spinning machines.
With the experience they had gained the previous day, not only was Hayoon faster, but Minho and the others made rapid progress as well.
The work of crafting the individual parts was handed over to Minho and the other main workers, while Hayoon focused on assembly and adjustments.
Before long, one spinning machine after another was completed and lined up neatly in front of Hayoon.
If not for the limited number of cutting tools, she felt she could have made even more.
By noon, she stood up, counted them, and found there were eighteen in total.
That number would be difficult to divide fairly.
"Hayoon, aren't you going to keep assembling more?" Chorong asked when he saw her deep in thought.
"I am," Hayoon replied while looking at him. "These eighteen, plus the one from yesterday, I plan to leave for your tribe. The spinning machines we finish this afternoon, I'll take back to the Ur-Shet Tribe. As for these, do you want to exchange for them as individuals, or in the name of the tribe? We should calculate the supplies first."
Ever since they had arrived, people had constantly been gathering outside Chorong's cave.
Today was even more extreme.
Most of the tribe had skipped hunting and gathering entirely just to watch Hayoon build spinning machines.
The moment she finished speaking, someone shouted anxiously, "Chief, no matter how many supplies it costs, I must get one spinning machine! My mate and cub already said that if I can't trade for one, they won't let me go home!"
Amid the burst of laughter, the others also started shouting.
"I want one too! My father and mother has been cut down a huge pile of hemp grass. We're just waiting to spin thread!"
"Food, beast hides, timber, stones... Hayoon, just say what you want!"
"What are those supplies compared to this? I have pearls! And gemstones! Please trade with me!"
The voices all mixed together until Hayoon's ears started hurting from the noise.
Chorong suddenly released the pressure of a chief and shouted coldly, "Enough! Quiet down!"
The authority in his voice made everyone flinch and fall silent.
Then Chorong turned back to Hayoon with a slightly embarrassed smile.
"They really like the spinning machines. Don't mind them. As for supplies, tell us first what you want."
Hayoon said, "I heard someone mention pearls and gemstones just now. Do any of you have blacksilver?"
Chorong froze for a moment.
"Other than my small knife, the rest belongs to the tribe."
"Mm, then let's not consider that," Hayoon said.
She had asked about it before and Chorong's small knife alone had cost a full hundred pottery pieces in trade.
She definitely could not afford that.
"I don't need cloth, and heavy items are difficult to carry," Hayoon said. "I'd like seeds, honey blocks, and seasonings. Pearls and gemstones are fine too."
Chorong immediately understood.
"You want seeds that the Ur-Shet Tribe doesn't already have?"
"Exactly. And I definitely want the seeds from those tomato."
Chorong nodded.
"Understood. Let's go talk over there."
"Alright."
Hayoon brought Minho with her and the three of them moved to a quieter area.
They sat on the lush green grass in a triangle and Chorong began explaining his proposal in an organized manner.
"For the nineteen spinning machines you're leaving behind, I'll trade on behalf of the tribe. I'll offer twenty beast hides and two baskets of tomato fruits."
Hayoon frowned.
"That's too much."
Chorong raised a hand, signaling for her to let him finish.
"Based on our current pace, let's assume we'll complete another twenty spinning machines this afternoon. Even though we provided the materials and tools, you're the one who came up with the idea. If you want to take those spinning machines back with you, you'll only need to pay us ten beast hides and one basket of tomato fruits."
"After offsetting everything, the tribe will owe you ten beast hides and one basket of tomato."
Hayoon quickly did the math in her head.
"With that arrangement, your tribe is the one taking a loss."
Chorong shook his head.
"I don't think so. Truly. What you've left behind in our tribe isn't just the weaving method. You've also helped improve our kiln and taught us how to make spinning machines. To us, those are the most valuable things of all."
"But once we bring the spinning machines back, we'll be able to trade them to other tribes and receive another batch of supplies."
Chorong smiled dismissively.
"That's your business. As for what I said, if you don't believe me, you can ask anyone from the Voz-Karr Tribe whether they think I'm losing out by offering these supplies. They'll probably say I'm being stingy and giving you far too little."
Chorong's words made Hayoon laugh.
The smile brightened her delicate features immediately.
Whenever she could not make up her mind, she instinctively looked toward Minho.
Minho spoke at the right moment.
"This trade is acceptable."
Hayoon nodded.
"Alright. We'll do it that way."
When doing business with tribes other than the Ur-Shet Tribe, making a profit was perfectly reasonable.
"Good. That's the first matter settled," Chorong continued. "The second thing concerns the chili peppers you mentioned before. I asked some of the older sub-werebeast in the tribe, and they confirmed they've seen them within Voz-Karr territory."
"Really?!" That interested Hayoon far more than any trade discussion. She immediately leaned forward and asked eagerly, "Do they remember where they saw them?"
Chorong smiled.
"Whe vaguely remembers. I've already arranged it with her. This afternoon, she'll take us there to look for them."
Hayoon sprang to her feet at once, but then remembered her schedule for the afternoon and immediately deflated.
"But I still need to assemble the spinning machines. I won't have time."
Although Ahri and the others had been learning for two days, the final adjustment step still required Hayoon personally.