Chapter 515: Chapter 488: Let Steam Power Spread Across the Continent and the Oceans

Those involved in the construction of the Wubei Territory were, for the most part, able-bodied individuals.

Omar’s next major task was to select suitable people from this group to form a railway construction team.

After seeing Omar off, Ronin checked his achievement panel.

The next tier of the Siege and Conquest achievement required five major cities with populations exceeding one hundred thousand, rewarding fifteen thousand Attribute Points and thirty thousand Energy Essence.

Other than Wubei City, Moonlight City, and Purple Thunder City, none of the cities Ronin currently held had the potential to surpass a population of one hundred thousand within a year or two.

However, if Bruno were to grant Ronin Watchtower Castle as part of the reward, then this border city of over eighty thousand people would become the next major city in his domain.

That would make four.

Ronin looked at Mist City on the map. ’It would be even better if I could get my hands on this city, too.’

Count Ural’s Mist City was a major city. Including its surrounding towns, its population far exceeded one hundred thousand.

If Ronin were to become the lord of Mist City, he would only need to move twenty thousand of its people to Watchtower Castle to quickly complete the achievement.

By then, his Purple Thunder Attribute Points would exceed the amount needed for a breakthrough, allowing him to become Legendary.

’After Blanche conveys my thoughts to His Majesty the King, he’s sure to want to negotiate further. Perhaps I can bring up Mist City then.’

After finishing his administrative duties, Ronin went to Wubei Port.

The port, which had been under construction for nearly two years, was now almost finished.

Wooden docks stretched out into the sea, surrounded by moored ships of unknown origin, ranging from single-masted sloops to large sailing vessels.

Ronin made some inquiries and learned that some of these ocean-faring ships had come from the Gistana Duchy, while others were from the even more distant Ferrensburg Duchy. Most were on their way to the Villa Duchy for trade.

They had heard rumors that the Wubei Territory was building a port and had stopped by to take a look while passing through.

This confirmed what Ronin and Viscount Vitorino had believed all along: once Wubei Port was completed, there would be no shortage of business.

North of the docks, the Wubei Territory had built a steam locomotive factory and a shipyard for Simon.

Though a bit crude, it was convenient for Simon and Carlos to work in.

"Haha, Ronin, you’re here!"

Autumn had arrived and the seaside air was cool, but Simon was shirtless, working away while drinking spirits, in an excellent mood.

"I heard you were back in Wubei Territory and knew you’d come by. Come on, take a look at my masterpiece!"

He led Ronin north to a huge, leveled area where four to five hundred meters of iron track had been laid. There was even a curved section to allow the train to turn.

Seeing the familiar tracks, Ronin felt a sense of daze, subconsciously thinking he had returned to his original world.

"Excellent work, Simon! You’re the most brilliant engineer I’ve ever met!"

Simon lit the coal in the firebox to boil the water. "This is all thanks to you and Sophia," he said with a laugh. "I was just in charge of modifying it."

Although he said that, his eyes were filled with satisfaction as he looked at the behemoth before him, a product of his own hands.

"The power this thing has once it gets going is astounding, but the drawback is also obvious—it takes a while to start up."

Simon said, "I mentioned this to Sophia. She’s planning to add a Flame Pillar Magic Array Map to the firebox. That should significantly shorten the startup time."

Ronin nodded.

"That’s fine, but let’s treat it as a technical trial for now. We don’t need to rush to upgrade the steam engine technology until after the railway is more widespread."

’I’ve even thought about an internal combustion engine,’ Ronin mused, ’but that’s far too complex and precise. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.’

’Maybe I can just propose the concept and leave it to future generations.’

For now, simply getting steam locomotives widely adopted would be enough.

The two chatted as they waited for the steam engine to start up.

About ten minutes later, Simon decided it was ready and released the brake.

With a sharp HISS, steam erupted from the boiler and swirled around the front of the engine. Billowing black smoke poured from the smokestack, mingling with the steam to create a magnificent, industrial-era spectacle.

The steam train started up smoothly!

A sense of accomplishment swelled in Ronin’s chest, a feeling no less potent than winning a war.

"What a beautiful sound!"

Simon couldn’t help but exclaim, "The first time I heard the sound of a steam train starting up, and this is no exaggeration, I thought my head was going to explode!"

The steam train accelerated, but Simon was clearly experienced. Well before the halfway point of the track, he applied the brake, quickly closing the steam valve and releasing pressure to slow the engine down.

It came to a steady stop just after the short, curved section of track.

"Well?" Simon asked with a grin, dusting off his hands.

Ronin gave him a thumbs-up. "It’s getting very close to what I had in mind!"

Simon proudly patted the scalding-hot chassis. "This engine’s a bit on the small side. When I get a chance, I’ll build a bigger one—with more power!"

Ronin nodded. "You’re in charge of all that. If you need supplies or money, just write up a list for Chahar and he’ll arrange it for you. But there’s one thing you need to be careful about."

He stressed, "No matter how powerful the engine, the wheels, tracks, and everything else must adhere to the same standard. We can’t have a situation where you build a new engine that can’t run on the tracks we’ve already laid."

’Controlling the standards means that any future railway, no matter where it’s built, will have to follow our specifications. In a way, that’s another form of controlling territory.’

Simon laughed. "Don’t worry, I’m not stupid enough to build an engine that forces you to relay hundreds of miles of track."

He clearly hadn’t yet grasped the full importance of standardization.

"Yes, I had Omar start gathering a suitable crew a couple of days ago. Construction on our first railway line, from Swamp Town to Wubei Port, should begin soon. We’ll need you, our chief mechanical engineer, to oversee the work."

Simon had no objections to the job. Perhaps it was the excitement of the moment, or perhaps the spirits he was drinking, but he declared proudly:

"My eyes are my ruler! If any part of the track doesn’t meet the specifications, I’ll spot it in a single glance."

Coming from an ordinary person, such a claim would certainly sound like bragging.

But this was a Silver Moon Knight speaking. His powers of observation were incredibly sharp, and his Spiritual Power was far greater than that of an ordinary person. He really could tell just by sight whether the level, grade, and other aspects met the requirements.

"I believe you have that ability, but I still need you to train more apprentices."

Ronin smiled and made a grand, sweeping gesture. "Our railways are going to cover the entire Orland Continent, and even the Crescent Continent. You can’t expect to handle a project that vast all by yourself, can you?"

HISS!

Simon sucked in a sharp breath. The image of railways stretching to every corner of the world popped into his mind, and the sheer scale of it made his head spin.

"No wonder Sophia said you were ambitious. I can see it now, just from this railway plan alone!"

He couldn’t resist taking another swig of spirits. "I can see it now. In the future, you’re going to be the master of this land, and you’re going to bring a massive revolution to this world!"

Ronin teased, "They say builders aren’t usually smooth talkers, but you seem to be an exception."

"I’m not much for flattery, but I know how to speak the truth when I see it."

Simon led Ronin toward the next area.

"Come, my future lord and master! Let me show you the steam-powered ship. I believe its wake will one day crisscross the entire ocean, just like your railways will cover the land!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.