He let out a warm breath, feeling his heart settle.
Now that he had the Happiness Points, it was about time to call it a day.
At this thought, he stood up and walked over to the new smoking kiln he'd dug next to the cave entrance to check on it.
He peered through the cracks in the opening—sealed with branches and bamboo strips—and saw the charcoal fire in the pit below still burning steadily. Wisps of smoke drifted up the flue and into the smoking chamber diagonally above it.
He had also sealed the smoking chamber with bamboo strips and branches, leaving only a small opening to serve as a vent.
The smoking chamber was already shrouded in white smoke, making it impossible to see inside.
He stuck his finger through the vent to check the temperature. It was warm but not scalding, probably only a few degrees above body temperature—holding steady at around forty-some degrees.
To be safe, he added a few more pieces of charcoal and covered them with a handful of twigs and leaves.
