I watched the turtles train quite diligently over the next hour. There were only a few blue exclamation points that popped up to deal with, but the time still passed surprisingly fast.

As I suspected, Madam Shellton quickly informed the 6 disciples, while I listened in, that all resources will be allocated based on merit and performance in the training tasks. There were three main tasks that she laid out. Holding ones breath underwater, treading water near the waterfall impact area, and carrying rocks towards the edge of the waterfall pool.

It seemed that Madam Shellton was determined to have a residence for herself constructed.

As I watched the training activities play out, the bias was apparent. Although it seemed like the general mass of each load was fair, in the carrying task, the stones that Snapper was required to carry were always oblong, and awkwardly shaped. I inwardly suspected that they would be useless in the pursuit of constructing a house, but Madam Shellton would find a way to work them in, solely out of spite.

In the water based training, every disciple had a set spot where they would train at their two activities. I was slightly surprised at the specificity Madam Shellton gave, going so far as to paint a stone red and drop it on the pool floor at the correct location. In similarly meticulous fashion, all of the spots were an equal distance away from the waterfall.

Of course, Snapper’s spot was directly in the line between the area where the waterfall fell and the river flowed out from the pool, so the current passed through his spot.

The waves were strongest there, making treading water a struggle. Additionally, the underwater currents were the most fierce there, making the breath holding exercise 2x as difficult. While others could sit and focus their attention inward, the buffeting currents required Snapper to constantly remain vigilant, lest he be pushed away from the rock.

Which would be punished with a full lap around the valley of the Red-Eyed Turtles, which Snapper learned personally on his first day of training.

It must be said that although time did flow differently in the game than real life, by the time the next income wave came in, the turtles were halfway through their second day of training. They basically went back to the village and slept for 10 mins of real time before returning to train more.

When the income came, I once more received 12 wood, 6 herbs, and 4 population. That put the current population at 39. Of the 6 herbs from last time, there were 2 E Lvl 3, 1 E Lvl 2, and 3 E Lvl 1 herbs found. Of those, Snapper obtained nothing, while Young Master Peebles obtained the E Lvl 2 and one of the E Lvl 3. Not one to miss an apt pupil, Madam Shellton gave Tortua the other E Lvl 3 herb. The 3 E Lvl 1 herbs went one each to the remainder of the disciples.

12 more wood, plus the original 2, put the wooden palisade at 14/15 on contraction. You could see it now, slowly being erected in the area around my little settlement of turtles. I suppose the palisade didn’t count as a production building? Then what else could I build…?

The 6 herbs were currently being categorized by the herb gatherers.

The training was already paying off.

I looked at Young Master Peebles and Snappers combat statistics.

Young Master Peebles: Cultivation: E 1. Body: E 4. Techniques: 1. CR: ???

Snapper: Cultivation: E 1. Body: E 3. Techniques: 1. Shoulder Throw E 2. CR: 4+ ???.

Young Master Peebles was rising more quickly in body, but I supposed that wasn’t surprising, due to his access to the herbs. It was good to see that Snapper was at least improving, and the level of his Shoulder Throw technique was even going up.

What was strange was another turtle, A. Yawnin hadn’t improved at all over the course of this… Well, I guess it was only 1 round of training…

*Boop, Boop, Boop*

Three black exclamation points popped up, all at once.

“Well,” I said aloud with a smile. “The peace was nice while it lasted.”