The best territory designer of all time - Episode 21
21fury. Second random draw (1)
Kaang! cancan!
The steel shovel moved..
Every time I moved, it reflected the warm spring sunlight..
They hit the head of the sign, scattering iron dust and making noise..
kacang!
Finally, the sign was inserted deep into the ground..
Lloyd finally stopped shoveling and wiped the sweat from his forehead..
“Phew.”
A gentle breeze gently steals sweat drops.
Sunlight makes you feel good just by basking in it.
There's even a sign erected right in front of you..
A happy smile appeared on Lloyd's lips..
“Hey, how are you??”
his head turned.
I looked towards the silver-haired knight standing behind me..
The silver-haired knight, Haviel, who received his question, asked back with a sour look..
“What do you mean?.”
“Well, whatever. This is it.”
Lloyd's hand pointed to the sign..
Javiel's eyes turned to the sign..
The sign had this phrase written in large letters:.
“You need to plug this in in advance. Otherwise, things will get complicated later..”
“How does it get complicated?.”
“I often plant peppers and cabbages..”
A wry smile appeared on Lloyd's lips..
“The old ladies and ladies in the neighborhood. If you have some empty land that you think is okay, you plant lettuce, peppers, cabbage, and even chives with great care. But if you have to start construction on that land,?”
In fact, there were many such incidents in Korea..
Usually, in such cases, things like vegetable gardens are just pushed away with a chopper..
In some cases, fines are imposed on grandmothers or older women who tend the fields..
It was truly a pity..
Of course, Lloyd had no intention of handling things like that here..
“What if the garden was pushed out for construction? It's just nice to hear criticism for trampling on a farmer's precious farmland. It's just nice to hear the tyrant's voice. What about my image, which I thought had improved a bit recently? Flying to Good Morning Hellgate while dancing the lamprey ascension dance, very.”
“……In short, this means you will face criticism..”
“huh. That's it.”
Lloyd grinned..
It was only recently that I began to gain the trust of the people of the territory..
But I didn't want to lose it over a petty dispute..
“Anyway, construction will start soon. Dig this road, build a tunnel, and mine bituminous coal..”
“By bituminous coal, do you mean coal??”
“huh. I know it well?”
“yes, a little bit.”
Javiel nodded..
“I understand that it is a black stone that comes out of the ground. Although it crumbles easily, it is said to be a much better firewood than firewood..”
“huh. that's right. I'm going to dig it up here.”
“Are you saying there is bituminous coal buried here??”
“uh.”
Lloyd chuckled..
“Looking up the records, I found out that during the reign of the former lord, there were two attempts to build a mine near here, but they failed. The tunnel collapsed because the ground was weak..”
This was a fact mentioned in the novel Iron Blood Knight..
Suddenly, something from the novel came to mind..
Lloyd's father, Baron Arcos Frontera..
In the novel, he eventually commits suicide after being harassed by debt demands..
Just before he hangs himself, he complains like a sigh..
He said that if his ancestral lord, Matthias Frontera, had succeeded in developing the mine, there would not have been a tragedy like today..
Of course, Lloyd clearly remembered the mention in the novel..
That's why.
It was from the beginning when the decision was made to develop the territory..
I have engraved the development of this mountain's mineral veins into my schedule as an essential course..
Of course, I did not forget to check in the meantime..
The surveying skill that was recently raised to intermediate level was helpful in identifying the mineral veins..
When the surveying skill was activated, the entire space from the ground to 5 meters underground could be identified..
It was possible to determine the composition of bedrock and groundwater, as well as the presence or absence of mineral veins..
‘It would be nice if it could scan deeper.’
Based on my research so far, this is the best place..
So they laid a paved road..
This was to smoothly transport the coal mined from the mine..
“That coal will feed our territory for the time being. In addition, it will be the most efficient means of preventing the firewood shortage that will begin this winter..”
“There's a firewood crisis.?”
“There will be a huge shortage of firewood. Because of the ondol room I am building these days. This is not a prophecy, but an inevitability and certainty..”
Lloyd shrugged..
his words continued.
“Gudeul-style heating is a bit weird to begin with. Although it's hot, it uses a lot of firewood. This is because it not only heats the kitchen like a fireplace, but also the entire floor of the house. Thanks to this, forest resources are not being consumed. To put it simply, in just a few years this area will become a bare mountain..”
“Are you cutting down too many trees for firewood??”
“huh.”
“then…….”
“Did you expect that harm? of course.”
Lloyd's smile became slightly evil..
“Who am I? He is the person who designed Ondol heating. Of course, I expected this much. Once this winter is halfway through, everyone will start to feel it. The fact that the firewood prepared since the fall season will not be enough..”
“So you fooled everyone??”
“I?”
“That's right.”
Javiel's voice became cold..
“These are Yeongji residents who believed in Lloyd and demolished the fireplace in their house and installed an ondol (floor heating system). However, if you run out of firewood, you will spend the remaining half of the winter shivering in the cold..”
“That's right.”
“So Lloyd, did you scam them?.”
“Well, that's not it.”
“if…….”
“I'm going to sell coal.”
“To the people of the territory??”
“huh. Coal is the best firewood if you can dig it up. I can't resist without buying it.”
That was Lloyd's plan..
Providing Ondol heating to estates.
As the supply rate increases, firewood becomes scarce..
The inherent disadvantage of Ondol, which requires extreme firewood consumption, will be highlighted..
The coal stored at that time is sold to the residents of the territory..
First profit through ondol construction.
This means making secondary profit by selling coal..
‘What if ondol construction is expanded to neighboring estates? All you have to do is export the coal to another territory..’
Ondol and coal.
The double whammy of profits will be a great help in resolving the estate's debt..
At that thought, Lloyd's smile became even happier and more sinister..
On the other hand, Javiel's expression when looking at Lloyd became more determined..
“Lloyd, did you really take this all into consideration in advance?.”
“huh.”
“Since when have you been like that?.”
“From the beginning. From the time I went to the bar owner with you, apologized, and signed my first Ondol room contract..”
“…….”
“If you have something to say, say it. Don't curse with your eyes.”
“Can I do it??”
“huh.”
Lloyd nodded..
Javiel said as if he had been waiting.
“you are a wicked person.”
“It's better than being naive.”
“So I don't like it.”
“I?”
“yes.”
“But what should I do?.”
“What do you mean?.”
“That person you hate is giving you a good night’s sleep every night..”
“…….”
“So lullaby service, I hate it?”
“…….”
“boy. To worry. Look at the rolling eyes.”
“…….”
“Mr. Ajo, if you fixate your gaze after listening to me, it’s too obvious..”
“…….”
“Open your eyes, man. I won't make fun of you.”
“…….”
“Rest assured. It's cute.”
“I am…….”
“it's okay. I won't stop the lullaby service, so don't whine like a puppy that wants to poop..”
……i am not a dog!
Javiel almost shouted without even realizing it..
But Lloyd's words that came out first interrupted his cry..
“Well, I roughly understand why you’re leaving school now. They probably think I'm cleverly deceiving and taking advantage of everyone. I guess my attitude feels mean. I know everything. I won’t necessarily deny it. But what should I do? Our territory, we have to save it first..”
Lloyd's evil smile became a little bitter..
“You know what? To be honest, when I was young, I thought money wasn't everything in the world? But as I got older, I realized it was a mistake. There is nothing more important than money. Money is a much better thing than the vague thoughts I had when I was young..”
“Lloyd, but…….”
“that's right. No matter what, you can't buy happiness with money. Still, you can be happier if you have money. So, for now, let’s make some money even if it’s a bit mean and mean. Let’s start by repaying the debt accumulated on the territory. huh?”
“…….”
Javiel closed his mouth..
The moment I realized Lloyd's plan, my intense disgust suddenly subsided..
Lloyd Frontera laughing and laughing at himself.
Because those eyes seemed to say this.
‘I take the blame. criticism? Pointing fingers? I'll take it.’
So just close your eyes and follow me.
It seemed like he was saying that.
“…….”
This person in front of me.
I'm a person who I thought was just a fool with no answers..
From some point on, I often start to embarrass people..
It's still like that now.
But I didn't just hate it..
‘Although the method is obnoxious and unpleasant,.’
In hindsight, there were many cases where what that person did was ultimately right..
Helped me complete the shabby way of thinking..
Lord Neumann's betrayal was revealed..
So for now?
Perhaps he was laying the foundation for a great leap forward for Youngji..
“All right.”
Javiel chuckled without realizing it..
I spoke frankly to Lloyd..
“Let me admit it..”
Lloyd, his escort.
I looked at him with honest eyes..
Lloyd also looked straight at us..
I tilted my head.
“You admit it? Maybe my plan?”
“Yes, of course.”
“What are you misunderstanding now??”
“yes?”
“I never specifically asked for your approval or permission.?”
“…….”
“That's right. I am the lord's son. Why do I need your approval to dig up a mine?.”
“…….”
“So, please put aside your illusions. Can you please just get out of the way? Let's do some measuring..”
Javiel's elegant face was crumpled..
Lloyd laughed mischievously..
As expected, Haviel is a guy who is a lot of fun to make fun of..
♣
It was from that day.
Lloyd was glued to the mine construction site all day long..
Measured the surroundings and analyzed the environment..
There were two attempts at mining construction in the past..
Two failures that occurred in succession.
A construction plan was created according to that case..
‘There is no answer using traditional rock drilling methods. It takes a long time, and above all, it's too dangerous..’
Coincidentally, there was a record of past construction failures in the mansion's library..
Upon inspection, it was recorded that traditional rock drilling methods were used on both occasions..
‘They advanced by splitting rocks by heating them and then cooling them..’
That was the traditional rock crushing method.
When you dig the ground and find a large rock,?
Workers light a fire in the rocks.
heat the rock very hot.
In that state, pour cold water into it..
Then, a sudden temperature change is applied to the heated rock..
The rock splits along the grain..
It becomes easy to break.
‘That's how it went at first. But I couldn't advance even 30 meters. The mine shaft collapsed. both times.’
Of course, all the unfortunate workers were buried..
Because of this, Lloyd's grandfather, Baron Matthias Frontera, gave up building the mine..
‘The reason is simple. It's because the ground is soft.’
If the properties of soft ground are not properly understood, accidents are bound to occur..
From his understanding, the ground of this mountain was a kind of soft ground, a mixture of some rocks and loose soil..
Therefore, it was essential to mobilize a construction method tailored to the environment..
“So, I would like to try the shield method..”
“Shield method?”
It was during dinner..
Lloyd held out a piece of paper towards the Baron across the table..
“I guess it's something I've been thinking about. Here, this is a simple conceptual diagram of the shield construction method..”
“Concept map.”
The Baron's eyes turned to the concept map..
Lloyd's explanation continued..
“To put it briefly, a cylindrical frame made of steel is called a shield. The worker enters the shield. Dig up dirt and rocks. In the meantime, the shield itself withstands the pressure of the tunnel and prevents collapse..”
“Hmm, is it a kind of shield and support??”
“That's right. Have you ever heard of pear moth clams??”
“My stomach... … bug clam?”
“yes.”
“Please explain.”
“Roughly speaking, it is an animal that is a distant relative of squid or snails. It's also a vicious guy that gnaws at the bottom of a wooden boat and makes holes in it..”
“But what does such an animal have to do with this construction?.”
“He's the guy who provided the idea for the shield method..”
Lloyd smiled..
it was true.
In fact, in the mid-1800s, the construction of the Thames Tunnel on the Thames River in London, England was done in this way..
At the time, an engineer named Mark Brunel, who designed the Thames Tunnel, got an idea and developed a new construction method after seeing the ecology of pear moth clams..
That was the shield method..
“The pear silverfish uses its shield-like shell to bore holes in the wood underneath the boat. However, wood swells when it drinks water. Then, the hole they dug becomes narrow, and the pear silverfish gets stuck in the tree hole it made and dies. To prevent this, the silverfish digs a hole and at the same time applies secretions to the inner surface of the tunnel. It prevents the secretion from hardening and narrowing the hole. The shielding method is also the same..”
Lloyd pointed to the concept map..
“The shield acts like the shield of a pear silverfish. Protects workers. It serves as a spearhead for digging holes. In this way, workers form groups within the shield. Some dig holes, while others install equipment in real time to prevent the tunnel from collapsing..”
“Is it as if the bug spreads its secretions on the inside of the hole to prevent it from getting damaged??”
“yes.”
“So this means that you move forward little by little while simultaneously carrying out the process of digging and reinforcing holes..”
“That's an almost accurate summary..”
Lloyd explained the construction plans in a little more detail..
The Baron listened to Lloyd's words..
Meanwhile, the Baron was very interested..
Coal is an excellent firewood resource.
If you can dig it up, you can make money..
The Baron, burdened by a large amount of debt, could not help but be tempted..
In addition, the new method proposed by Lloyd also seemed plausible..
Finally, the Baron gave permission for construction..
“Feel so good. But there is one condition.”
“What is?”
“I don't want you to go into the tunnel while construction is going on..”
“I'm afraid it's dangerous?”
“of course.”
The Baron's answer became decisive..
“Even if there is a new method, it can't be completely safe, right?.”
“But that's difficult..”
“why?”
“If I don't go in, who will believe in the safety of the new method and want to work?.”
“…….”
“In addition, you must monitor changes in the field situation or environment at any moment. That way you can prevent accidents.”
“but…….”
“I promise. It will be safe..”
“haha.”
After that, the rumors continued..
But it was Lloyd who was more stubborn..
In the end, the Baron threw up his hands in the face of that stubbornness..
So the mine construction project was decided..
But Lloyd did not start construction right away..
This was because there were preparations ahead of this construction..
I waited for the night to come.
I put Javiel to sleep soundly..
I went out to the backyard training ground in the middle of the night..
brought up the system window.
‘Opened the 'Fantastic Species Random Draw' menu..
‘Podongi cannot be used for this construction. It's too big to dig a tunnel, so it's actually dangerous. However, it would take a long time to dig the mine with human effort alone..’
The longer the construction period, the more money it costs..
The shield method only makes construction safer..
There was nothing I could do to speed up construction..
Therefore, competent labor was needed to shorten the construction period and save construction costs..
‘If possible, it would be better if he had the ability to dig tunnels..’
Lloyd thought so and launched the ‘Random Draw’ menu..
Coincidentally, I had quite a bit of RP left after using it last time..
[Random draw cost (2nd round) = 70 RP]
[RP you currently own : 119]
[Would you like to run a random draw??]
[YES/NO]
‘I chose ‘YES’.
[We run a random drawing of phantom species..]
Paaaat……!
Pale light colored the space.
A complex magic circle was engraved and the space shook..
An unfamiliar silhouette began to emerge in the turbulent space..
A new phantom species finally revealed..
Lloyd's eyes widened as he faced that sight..
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