History of the Greatest Territory Design - Episode 351
351fury. switchback system (1)
“It's already been 19 years since Gwain has been the complete ruler of this kingdom, leading hundreds and thousands of elites. How could something like this have happened? … Hehehe.”
Southwest of the Kingdom of Magentano.
Across the ridiculously high and rugged Pantara Mountains.
In the heart of the royal castle, the capital of the Kingdom of Veneto, King Venetogna was sighing deeply..
It had to be that way..
This was because the greatest national crisis had come here since the Kingdom of Veneto was founded 300 years ago..
“Okay, after we tear down the peaks of the Pantara Mountains? Are there any changes in Bone Dragon’s trends??”
“I apologize. I haven't figured it out yet, Your Highness..”
“Hmm… … then…….”
“However, the wardens dare to predict that there is a high possibility that Magentano's army will come through the peak that was destroyed by the Bone Dragon..”
“okay. Maybe so.”
King Venetogna nodded with a somber expression..
In fact, it was an easy and obvious prediction..
“Since our founding, the Pantara Mountains have served as a natural shield protecting our kingdom. Because of its unique rugged terrain. but… … Judging by the fact that the peak of the Pantara Mountains has collapsed today, it seems that the greedy girl Alicia of Magentano is determined to reveal her ferocity..”
“However, Your Majesty, our army is not easy. I will sacrifice my life to stop their advance..”
“Does Kyung think that is possible??”
“Of course, your highness.!”
The commander-in-chief of the kingdom's defense forces responded with determined eyes..
his words continued.
“300The land that has been protected for years is coming. An elite army has been prepared for invasion by powerful countries for 300 years. Although Magentano's army was incomparably powerful, it would inevitably become greatly exhausted as it marched across the Pantara Mountains..”
“So, are you planning to attack them at that time??”
“That's right, Your Majesty. I am confident that no matter how powerful an army may be, it will not be able to properly respond to a surprise attack while exhausted while crossing the rugged mountain range..”
“yes. Let's hope so, for us.”
King Venetogna shook his head..
The Commander-in-Chief was right..
If the Kingdom of Magentano really invades this place entirely,?
Objectively, there would be almost no way to stop them..
If there is any glimmer of hope, isn't it the moment when Magentano's main force crosses the mountain range and becomes exhausted and vulnerable?.
“If we do that, we'll have to bet our country's luck on that one surprise attack..”
“Please trust the director, Your Majesty..”
“Okay, I'll just trust you. So, please lead the fastest elite and go on a quick expedition..”
“I am devastated, Your Majesty.!”
Is it unfortunate or fortunate?.
The capital of the Kingdom of Veneto was located less than 50 kilometers away in the Pantara Mountains..
This was because it was believed that the area closest to the mountain range was the safest rear area..
But now?
It became the opposite.
As soon as Magentano's elite crosses the mountain range.
The kingdom's capital area is at risk of immediate invasion..
Of course, because the distance to the mountain range is close, a quick response from the elite troops deployed from the capital is possible..
That could be said to be the only consolation in this situation..
“please… … Good kings. Give us the strength to overcome the national crisis..”
Commander-in-chief stepping down from the throne.
looking at his back.
King Venetogna held on to a glimmer of hope and prayed earnestly..
And looked forward to it.
I hope the commander-in-chief's strategy is successful..
So may the peace of this kingdom be preserved..
In fact, it is the Kingdom of Magentano that has no intention of attacking..
In reality, it's just a civil engineering student's construction of a mountain range railway in progress..
King Venetogna, who did not know the truth(?), was in a desperate and desperate mood..
And the next moment.
Before he knew it, Wangseong froze..
It happened so quickly.
……Tsuzuzu, damn it!
The walls, floor, and ceiling of the royal castle were frozen..
King Venetogna, who was sighing, the Commander-in-Chief who was stepping down, and the palace staff who were busy coming and going all froze..
That wasn't all.
The curtain hanging on the terrace of the royal castle and blowing in the wind froze..
The clouds floating in the sky beyond the curtain froze..
The people of the capital who walked up and down the streets under the clouds, the flowing water, the leaves flying in the wind, all the places around the capital, and the entire world beyond..
Even the passing time of all things.
It was frozen equally without exception..
Across the Pantara Mountains, 50 kilometers from here.
It was an effect brought about by the 'time freeze' option activated at the construction site there..
♣
[Skill-only option ⑤: Time freeze is activated.]
[3,000 RP is consumed.]
[RP you currently own : 7,071]
Tsutsutsutsutsu……!
[Time freeze is complete.]
[The range of the unfrozen area cannot be changed until the option is cancelled..]
[If you leave the unfrozen area, the time freeze option will be canceled immediately..]
[For the next one year, all living things in the unfrozen area, including you, will not experience the phenomenon of aging..]
A message suddenly appears before my eyes.
A strange feeling of a large amount of cold air generated from Manahat and the Heart of Winter escaping..
At the end of that stormy sensation, Lloyd gasped..
“……Whoa.”
The time freeze option was successfully activated..
So now?
‘Gotta work, work!’
Work had not started for several days already due to blizzards and storms..
Lloyd deployed the work team he had organized earlier..
Thus began the construction of the Pantara Mountains Gorge Railway..
Fortunately, Yongyong had mostly cut, ground, and compacted the ground where the railroad tracks would be laid..
Thanks to this, we were able to start roadbed construction right away..
“Proud Orc warriors, there was something I emphasized before starting construction. what was that?”
“If water accumulates on the track and drainage is not possible, the soil from the ground will drain out.!”
“I said it was the same as any other situation.?”
“muscle loss, gain!”
“So what should we do??”
“drain! Track gutter construction, Kkuik!”
Lloyd believed that the most important aspect of this railroad construction was drainage..
It was natural.
‘Because this is a steep place. Moreover, it is a place where snow frequently falls and piles up, then melts and freezes repeatedly..’
The melted water seeps into the ground..
As the water seeps out, the soil is lost from the inside..
Then the ground itself sinks.
As potholes and sinkholes appear.
A catastrophe occurs when roadbeds and railroad tracks collapse and sink..
Or another type of disaster could occur..
This was a case where the water was frozen inside..
In that case, the ground itself expands..
It bulges upwards..
The railroad tracks placed on top of it are also bound to suffer significant damage..
‘Then you're ruined. Drainage is definitely the top priority. Every time it snows on the railroad, the maintenance crews will work hard to clear it, but no matter what, they won't be able to clear the snow 100% of the time..’
Some remaining snow and ice.
When it melts, it has to flow out right away..
That's why drainage is important.
To prevent water from damaging the roadbed, which is the foundation of the track, a path must be provided to allow water to drain smoothly along an accurately calculated path and direction..
In this way, Lloyd carefully supervised the construction of the track ditch while constructing the roadbed..
I didn't forget to make a drainage hole where the upper slope meets the lower track..
As such, the commands of the orc work crew rang out loudly along the mountainside all day long..
“Digging, squeaking!”
“Cut, squeak!”
“Chop it, knead it!”
“Dating, kkuik!”
“……There's a traitor here, kuik.!”
Meanwhile, elven archers took on the task of stabilizing the slope..
“So, all you have to do is spray the water in the bucket onto the slope before it freezes.?”
“yes. That's enough.”
Lloyd grinned at Chief Myira, the representative of the elf archers..
“The slope is quite steep, but it is made entirely of rock..”
what he said was true.
Originally, the slope here was the result of Yongyong's exciting destruction and carving..
Thanks to this, the entire bedrock was fully exposed..
The investigation found that there was little risk of collapse..
However, it was necessary to prevent rock weathering..
“Over time, little by little, stone chips, stones, or larger pieces of rock will fall off. Then it will roll down. It may cause damage to the railroad tracks. If you are unlucky, you may cause damage to a running train. Or, it could be placed on a railroad track and cause a derailment. That's why.”
Lloyd continued..
“All you have to do is sprinkle water evenly on the slope and freeze it. As soon as you spray it, it will freeze and coat the rock wall..”
Water is better than cement here.
Rather than using cement clumsily and getting hit with a freeze-thaw critical hit, the reinforced surface freezes, cracks, and suffers a lot of bruising.?
It's much easier and cleaner to just spray water and freeze it..
‘Of course, the water may not completely melt, but due to the nature of the climate here, the amount of snow that falls on top of it and accumulates and freezes will be greater than that of melting..’
Rather, the ice on the slopes will need to be cut periodically to prevent it from becoming too thick..
But that's for later.
This is the area of post-construction management..
Lloyd said, keeping that management method in mind..
“So please be kind to me. Be sure to wear a safety line because the slope is steep and slippery..”
“Don't worry about that. This is like flat ground for us..”
Myira softly smiles.
As if to prove that smile.
She and the elves showed off moves reminiscent of a circus..
Sigh! Wow!
I climbed the steep and slippery slope so easily..
As if the top honors student in the entire school solved the 1+1 arithmetic problem..
Just like basketball emperor Michael Jordan shows off basic dribbling.
Or like nuclear fist Tyson bursting bubble wrap with a punch.
He easily stepped on the precarious slope, sprinted, jumped, launched his body, sprayed water, landed, drew water again, and launched himself naturally..
In addition, Kkomin carefully spread two layers of spider webs..
Like that, slope protection construction is also okay..
Next was the construction of railroad tracks..
“Bell! Drop drops!”
Chu Chemical!
Bubble used dragons every day.
We produced(?) a steel gruntcha gruntcha gruntcha..
Then, craftsman Corgidus and the dwarven blacksmiths hammered the steel and smelted it..
Exactly to the specifications ordered by Lloyd.
The railway was produced quickly..
The produced railway was moved to the site..
In the sweat of the engineers, bone cavalry, and white lance cavalry,.
It was laid on the bed and assembled in narrow gauge size..
So we advanced step by step, 10, 20, and 30 meters every day..
The process of creating a drainage ditch, laying gravel, laying sleepers, installing a railroad track, and then the elves freezing the slope and reinforcing it all worked together like gears..
There was no waste in any process..
It was a moment when Lloyd's experience and track record, having already carried out numerous large-scale construction projects, shined..
‘of course. Because waste is a sin!’
The same applies to time, materials, and funds..
Eliminating inefficient processes while prioritizing safety.
A workplace where everyone on site, including workers, is happy(?).
That was the ideal scene Lloyd was pursuing..
One day, two days, ten days, one month, three months passed like that..
As time ticked by like a gear wheel, the rough outline of the uphill railway that ascends the Pantara Mountains finally began to emerge..
“So, is that the loop-type track and switchback system you mentioned just before?.”
“Uh, that's it.”
Lloyd grinned..
I looked back at Javiel..
“why. It's my first time seeing something like that?”
“…….”
What an obvious statement.
Javiel grumbled inwardly and lowered his gaze..
Below the peak where you stand now.
The results of everyone's hard work over the past three months were spread out along the canyon slope..
The first thing that caught my eye was the loop-shaped orbit..
‘It looks like a snake coiled up.’
This was the thought that came to mind as soon as I saw the loop-shaped orbit..
It did not extend in a straight line like a typical train track..
Instead, round and round.
The tracks were laid to allow the train to move in a series of large circular paths..
Thanks to this, the railway, which would have had to climb a steep slope if it had moved in a straight line, became relatively gentle thanks to its long, circular structure..
It was a fairly easy principle to understand..
This was true even though Javiel had no particular connection to the talent of a ballplayer(?)..
‘But that thing called a switchback... … Is it possible for a train to move in a place like that?.’
Javiel frowned as he looked at one side of the canyon..
It was the steepest part of the canyon where the ascending line was laid..
Railroad tracks zigzagged along the slope..
However, it was not connected like a loop-shaped track..
If you move forward along the gorge to the left, the railroad track is broken there..
Instead, I was able to backtrack again through a strange-looking intersection and go up to the right..
So that is…….
‘The train moves forward and backward repeatedly. Following a path that splits the slope horizontally countless times. That's how you zigzag and go up the slope very little by little..’
Javiel has a little understanding of the principle of switchback..
A deep wrinkle appeared between the silver-haired knight's eyebrows..
I understand the principle..
But is that really safe?.
Is it possible for a train to move accurately without error while zigzagging up such a narrow slope?.
If there is even the slightest mistake, wouldn't the train fall down the slope?.
‘But Lloyd, you probably have your own thoughts..’
Probably so..
There must be a solution.
Because it's Lloyd and no one else.
Thinking like that, Javiel reassured himself..
But that was then..
“If this is your first time seeing it, great. Well, from now on, watch me ride that thing..”
“……yes?”
I can't believe you're riding that, Lloyd!?
That thing that hasn’t even gone through proper safety verification? now?
Javiel looked back at Lloyd with a hint of ominousness..
“no way. Lloyd?”
“uh. that's right. It's a test run.”
“But why did Lloyd.”
“Because it's dangerous.”
So it seems like I have to do it myself..
It seems like it's such a natural thing.
Lloyd smiled brightly and without any wrinkles..
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