Chapter 601
The Desire of the Twilight Province
Chapter 601 The Desire of the Twilight Province
"Thump—!"
The mournful whistle of the steam train, like a knight's lance, tore through the thin morning mist that shrouded the city at dusk.
Most of the people of the "River Spirits" were not used to the novelty of trains. Whenever a train pulled into the station, they would subconsciously look up at the ridiculously large steel behemoth.
Old Hans couldn't help but wonder how many kilograms of iron that thing would require, and then he started thinking about how much a rail could sell for.
However, he only thought about it in his mind; those mounted police officers on tall horses were no joke.
I heard that someone tried to steal railway tracks to sell for money a while ago, but was caught red-handed and is now digging sand by the river.
As he was thinking this, the coworker standing in front of him had already put a bag of cement on his shoulder, making his shoulder sink down.
"Steady up, buddy." Seeing his absent-minded look, the cement deliveryman gave him a shout.
"okay."
Upon hearing the foreman's instructions, Old Hans' face broke into a smile, and he nimbly ran towards the construction site without stopping for a moment.
His enthusiasm stemmed not from the foreman's instructions, but from the fact that he could earn a copper pound for carrying a load of cement!
Saint Sis, he had never seen such a generous gentleman!
He had been unloading cargo at the dock on the riverbank for over thirty years, and that guy with a belly bigger than the lord had never paid him by the piece!
It wasn't until he later heard that his boss was from Thunder City that he felt relieved—since he was from Campbell, there was nothing strange about it.
Ever since old Hans discovered that copper pounds could buy far more than the copper coins the nobles were randomly issuing, he immediately accepted the flimsy piece of paper and became a staunch supporter of the Holy Light Council and a spiritual Campbell.
Even though he had never left the outskirts of Twilight City.
It's not surprising that he thinks that way, since civilization is something that needs to be highlighted through comparison.
For old Hans, his yesterday was that of a lord and a court of judges. Even a short trip would result in repeated questioning and even imprisonment for interrogation. This naturally made Thunder City seem more like a holy city, while the real holy city seemed more like hell.
Incidentally, the person who paid him was not actually from Campbell, but a refugee who had fled to Thunder City a few years ago to escape the bandits of the Green Forest Army.
Otherwise, the wages he received would never have been so modest. Just enough to make him grateful, without making him numb to the kindness he received.
One copper pound was paid for each trip of cement, meaning it would take five trips to earn a loaf of bread. Even in Granston Castle, the closest point in the Duchy of Campbell to the Middle Ages, no one would pay that price.
If it weren't for concerns about the nobles of Twilight Province changing their minds frequently and the resurgence of banditry like the Green Forest Army, Councilor Horace of Thunder City would definitely have opened his textile factory here, so that the "country bumpkins" here would fall in love with his spinning machines, which were increasingly being disliked by the "lazybones."
In fact, Horace was genuinely interested when Bill Six was first introduced, but he was later frightened by the people here and gave up the idea.
Saint Sis, how could anyone choose to go hungry themselves rather than not eat at their neighbor's kitchen? Does that mean everyone will have enough to eat?
This was Horace's simplest thought, and also the source of confusion for the vast majority of citizens of Thunder City.
The joys and sorrows of people are destined to be unshared.
At this moment, Punk stood on the gravel-paved train station platform, deeply moved by the words that Prince Colin had once said to him.
【Dusk at Chengnan Station】
If it weren't for the crooked metal sign nailed to the wooden post on the platform, he would have almost thought he got off at the wrong stop.
This place is less like a train station and more like a makeshift shed erected on a piece of wasteland.
Although the Glastonbury train station was initially quite rudimentary, Twilight City was, after all, the capital of a country with 500,000 square kilometers of land.
not only that.
The situation outside the train station was also embarrassing.
He squinted and looked into the distance. At the end of the platform, he could indeed see the outlines of some factories, with wisps of white smoke rising from their chimneys. There were also several factory buildings under construction, with wooden scaffolding leaning precariously, and workers crawling around on it like ants. Below, the construction site was bustling with activity.
It was less of a factory and more of a large workshop, completely lacking any planning or direction.
I heard that after the court left, some Ryan people returned here with great enthusiasm, ready to make a name for themselves on this ancient land.
In retrospect, the commotion created by these industrialists who learned from Leiming City's experience was indeed quite significant, but in reality, it seemed more like a desperate attempt to find a cure.
But then again, who is born knowing everything?
At least, their spirits are still there.
Punk took a deep breath, intending to compose himself, but was choked by the smell of sawdust that filled the air.
The envoy standing beside him quickly handed over a handkerchief, his respectful and ingratiating smile containing a hint of smugness.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Punk, the citizens of Twilight City are very enthusiastic about changing their current lives, so it may look a bit messy here.”
"Thank you... I must say this is no ordinary mess."
After taking the handkerchief and coughing a few times, Punk politely returned it to the messenger and followed him out of the train station.
At the same moment he stepped out of the train station, a panting voice and hurried footsteps rushed from the side of the road.
"Mr. Punk! Over here!"
The newcomer was a middle-aged man in his early forties. His hair was neatly combed, and he was wearing the governor's uniform with the buttons on his collar fastened meticulously. However, the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his recent sleep condition.
The governor's exhaustion was almost written all over his face, but his steps remained steady, and he gripped Punk's hand firmly.
“Welcome to Twilight City! Mr. Punk, I hope the journey has not been boring.” Governor Ellarick forced a bright smile and shook Punk’s hand firmly.
Punk gripped his hand back, shook it vigorously, and gave him a polite smile, speaking in a kind tone.
"I was deeply impressed by the scenery at Jiliu Pass. Thanks to the Royal Railways train, I have never seen such magnificent scenery, nor have I ever been to such a northern place."
"Haha! Please allow me to proudly say that while Twilight Province may lack much else, it certainly doesn't lack magnificent scenery. Once the snow melts in a few days, we can go together to Griffin Cliff in the northwest. I believe the scenery there will amaze you even more... This way, please."
Ellarrick naturally invited Punk into a two-horse-drawn open carriage, while the two accompanying civil servants and envoys followed in another carriage.
The group passed through the city gate, and Punk chatted politely with Governor Ellaric while observing the street scenes along the way.
The scenery along the way further confirmed Punk's judgment.
The buildings on both sides of the street are of varying quality, and you can occasionally see some vendors' stalls on the roadside, selling the most basic daily necessities. There are hardly any decent shops.
But its popularity is indeed recovering.
Children were chasing and playing on the street, while several elderly women sat at their doorways, picking vegetables and chatting. A long queue had formed in front of a newly opened bakery, and the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air—a luxury that would have been almost unimaginable in Twilight Province a year ago.
The shadows of chaos and the tribunal are fading, but the scars left behind are still clearly visible and may take some time to heal.
The carriage entered the governor's quarter, and Ellarick invited Punk into the governor's mansion's reception room. As soon as tea was served, the governor eagerly began to speak.
“Mr. Punk, I’ve already discussed some ideas with His Highness Colin. He said my ideas were very interesting and recommended that I discuss them with you in detail. So I had my subordinates summarize my ideas, which I believe can reduce the cost of communication—”
He picked up a stack of documents from the table, densely covered with data and draft plans. Punk glanced at them briefly; the format seemed to follow the usual style of Thunder City.
Clearly, upon hearing that the court officials had left, many of the refugees who had originally moved to Thunder City returned to the land that had given them life.
"The reconstruction of Twilight Province requires a large amount of funds, and investment is what we lack most right now. If we can bring in capital and technology from Thunder City to build a number of modern factories in Twilight City and expand production, I believe that in just a few years, this place can become a second Thunder City..."
Ellarick spoke earnestly, his eyes even holding a hint of anticipation.
Punk listened quietly, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.
The tea wasn't great, but it was brewed with care.
“Governor, I understand your urgency, but if I may be frank…” He put down his teacup, his voice sincere, “Twilight City is not currently capable of replicating the Thunder City model.”
Ellarik's expression froze for a moment, but he remained calm and asked sincerely.
"I want to know the reason."
Punk replied calmly.
"The reason is simple: Thunder City's industrialization is not the result of a day or two, but the fruit of seeds sown by generations. I only ask you two questions: Do you have enough literate workers to operate the sophisticated machinery? Can your roads withstand the constant rolling of steam-powered trucks loaded with goods day and night?"
Ellaric fell silent.
After a moment, he sighed and said.
"That is indeed a problem."
Seeing that the governor had readily admitted the problem, Punk smiled slightly, though he quickly suppressed the smile and returned to his solemn expression.
"The problem is very serious."
“I don’t want to discourage you, but the problems facing Twilight Province right now go far beyond the two I’ve mentioned. In my humble opinion, what you should be doing now is not trying to catch up with a train that has already gone far ahead, but rather leading the people of Twilight Province to fix the road beneath their feet.”
"As for emulating Thunder City and carrying out comprehensive industrialization, that can be a long-term goal."
The reception room fell silent.
Punk didn't rush to speak, but waited quietly for Ellarick's reply.
His previous words came from the bottom of his heart.
What he didn't say was that the continuous turmoil had nearly depleted the wealth of the people of Twilight Province, and the "laissez-faire economy" lacking unified planning would only continue to drain the locals' wallets. Ultimately, it would produce a pile of junk that Thunder City wouldn't want and that the locals themselves couldn't afford, thus crippling Twilight Province's already fragile finances.
Although there are ready-made formulas to copy, it is obviously not feasible to copy formulas without reading the problem.
That would become performance art.
Ellarik remained silent for a long time, staring intently at the documents on the table, as if trying to convince himself to accept this regrettable reality.
Actually, it's not that difficult.
Deep down, he agreed with Punk's statement, after all, he had been to Thunder City and still remembered the shock he felt when he first saw the Clock Tower.
With his fingers interlaced on the document, Ellarick's face gradually showed a serious expression as he looked at Mr. Punk sitting opposite him.
"Then what do you think we should do?"
Punk answered succinctly.
"Leverage your strengths."
As he spoke, he took a document from his pocket and gently placed it on the table. It was something he had compiled on the train, which had taken him about a whole day.
"The Twilight Province has no shortage of forest resources. The Twilight Forest stretches for thousands of miles east of the Rushing River, and its timber reserves are second to none in the entire continent of Os. This is both a treasure bestowed upon you by Saint Sith and your greatest asset."
"Instead of aiming too high and imitating the Thunder City model, why not start with forestry resources? Logging, processing, and selling. Use resources to earn your first pot of gold, and then use that money to build roads, schools, and train your workers... Once the infrastructure is in place and the people under your rule are well-fed, then it's not too late to talk about the next step."
After listening to Mr. Punk's words, Ellarick fell silent again.
He certainly understands the reasoning.
The problem is that even taking this more pragmatic path requires a large amount of start-up capital. The war has already emptied the city's coffers, and it's barely enough to keep the city running. Where would it find the extra money for forestry development?
Letting the economy run its course was a last resort; at least the Ryan people who returned from Thunder City were quite wealthy, and he was looking forward to seeing what they could come up with.
“But Mr. Punk,” he gave a wry smile, “even on this path, we—”
“You need money too, right?” Punk finished the sentence for him.
Ellarick nodded.
Punk smiled slightly, turned the document on the table to the second page, and gestured for Governor Ellarick, who was sitting opposite him, to take a look.
“This is…” Ellarick looked at the contents of the document and saw the Colin Group logo printed on it.
The contents written inside stunned him for a moment, and then his tired face gradually revealed surprise and ecstasy.
"His Highness Colin has approved this investment plan. We intend to establish two industrial bases in Twilight City. The first will be a timber processing base, primarily processing logs from the Twilight Province into building materials, furniture boards, and railway sleepers. The second—"
At this point, Punk paused deliberately, as if sprinkling salt on a freshly baked steak.
“It’s a shipbuilding factory that specializes in producing wooden fittings and hull frames for airships for the Alberto shipyard.” Ellarick suddenly looked up.
airship!
That was one of the most amazing creations of the Duchy of Campbell, and also the most dazzling calling card in His Highness Colin's hands.
And now, the name of Twilight City will be printed on one corner of this business card!
His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something.
"...After these two factories go into operation, they are expected to directly create more than two thousand jobs and drive upstream and downstream industries such as logging, transportation, and catering, indirectly affecting tens of thousands of jobs. With the example of these two industrial bases, we believe that industrialists in Twilight City will be able to find their place in Thunder City's supply chain more quickly and save on the cost of trial and error."
Punk smiled and added, "Of course, the factory's location, land use, and tax policies still need to be coordinated by the Governor's Office, and we'll have to ask you for help with that!"
Ellarick stood up.
He walked around the table, grabbed Punk's hand, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement.
“Mr. Punk, on behalf of everyone in Twilight Province, I thank you for everything you've done for us today! We are deeply grateful—”
"You flatter me."
Punk patted his hand gently, his tone mild and humble, just like the adult standing behind him.
"A thousand years ago, the Campbells set out from this forest, passed through the Rapids Pass, and headed south, where they established Thunder City on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea."
"In the end, we are all in the same boat, and it is only natural to help each other in this dangerous era."
……
While Governor Ellarick and Punk were having a pleasant conversation, the atmosphere in a side hall of the same governor's mansion was quite different, warm and inviting.
The warm early winter sun shone through the window onto the oak table, and the fire in the fireplace burned quietly, exuding a cozy warmth that made one feel drowsy.
Luo Yan was sitting behind his desk, flipping through the documents in his hands.
Just then, the study door suddenly opened, and a purple whirlwind swept in from outside.
"Brother!"
Vivian practically skipped in, her cascading purple hair whipping around in a joyful arc behind her.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and her ruby-colored eyes shone as if she had just found a treasure and couldn't wait to show it to her closest person.
Luo Yan raised his head, his gentle gaze falling on Vivian, though a hint of helplessness lingered behind that gentle look.
"What's wrong now?"
"Heh heh, guess!"
Vivian stood with her hands behind her back and her chin slightly raised, looking just like a cat that had brought back a dead mouse to show off its accomplishment.
Luo Yan didn't speak, but simply put down the report in his hand, hooked the handle of the teacup beside him with his index finger, and leaned back in his chair.
Will you guess or not?
After about three seconds of silence, Vivian, unable to contain herself any longer, launched into a rapid-fire report.
First and foremost, her most outstanding achievement was helping to maintain order in the refugee resettlement area in the south of the city today.
Although she described it as a thrilling contest, considering the guy's strength, Luo Yan estimated that the most thrilling part was probably only the control of the power of the last punch.
That's enough power to pull five train carriages.
To control it to the point of being half a horse requires some skill and control over strength.
"...Kukuku, you didn't see their expressions, they were absolutely priceless!"
Seemingly feeling that mere description wasn't exciting enough, Vivian pinched her own neck, rolled her eyes, and imitated the expressions of those unfortunate guys before quickly regaining her smug elegance.
It's not that I didn't see it.
Luo Yan wouldn't tell the little one that he would check on her every now and then through the Myriad Manifestations Butterfly to see what she was doing, in case she caused trouble that she couldn't handle.
Fortunately, she handled things quite well and hasn't caused any trouble that required his personal intervention.
Thanks to the little guy's activity, there has been a significant increase in the number of believers in the New Testament in Twilight City.
After all, Vivian's modified, fashionable nun's habit didn't look like a traditional nun's habit from the "St. Clementine" sect at all.
"...And another thing! Those little devils in the slums even say I'm an angel! Kukuku, how hilarious! Angels are depicted in the murals of the Twilight City Cathedral, how blasphemous are the followers of Saint Sith!"
Vivian continued, mentioning how she gave candy to the children and how she helped an old lady fix a broken door latch.
Of course, the last thing is a bit complicated.
The door had probably been broken for a long time, and she insisted on fixing it for someone. As a result, she didn't control her strength well and pulled the whole door off the hinges.
The old woman was so frightened that she sat down on the ground.
“…Ah, of course, I had it reinstalled later!” To avoid her brother misunderstanding, Vivian quickly added, “It’s even sturdier than the original! Really!”
This is true.
Luo Yan saw that this guy not only had the vampires from the Hospital Knights replace the door, but also repaired the half-collapsed wall and window.
Such a great act of kindness would be considered angelic anywhere.
Having finally finished her rambling monologue, Vivian stopped talking and stared longingly at the Demon King sitting behind the desk.
That overflowing longing was almost written in those ruby-like eyes—
Praise me!
Luo Yan didn't hold back his praise, especially since Vivian had indeed done a good job, so he nodded approvingly.
"Well done."
The few syllables that drifted into Vivian's ears made her feel as if she were bathed in holy light, as if she were glowing from head to toe.
"Really!"
Looking into those eyes that seemed to sparkle with stars, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile and nod.
"Of course, your good deed has greatly enhanced the image of the Knights Hospitaller of St. Corinth in the eyes of the locals, and has also promoted our New Testament, which we have put forward to usurp the authority of the Holy Light. As I have always warned you, do not do evil because it is insignificant, nor do good because it is insignificant—"
"That!"
Before her brother could finish nagging, Vivian took a step forward, her joyful expression suddenly turning somewhat awkward.
“Brother, Vivian actually has a small wish, could you... grant it to me…”
These words alerted Luo Yan, and his gentle smile faded, replaced by a composed expression as he looked at her.
"What is your wish?"
Vivian's cheeks flushed, her slender index finger nervously poking at her chest, her usually confident crimson eyes now darting around nervously, unable to meet the Demon King's gaze.
"Hehe... it's... that..." She swallowed hard, letting out a very faint sound of longing, before finally revealing her true intentions, "Let me take a bite."
"I regret to decline."
Without a second thought, Luo Yan swiftly and decisively interrupted the little vampire's delusions, his tone completely unwavering.
"Why!?"
Vivian, who was shy and bashful just a second ago, suddenly became anxious and braced herself on the oak table with both hands. "Why is it that even Padridge's vixen is allowed!"
Luo Yan, who was blowing on the foam while holding up his teacup, almost dropped it.
"She told you?"
"Do I even need to tell you! I saw you the day you left; you had red marks on your neck!"
"...?"
Luo Yan felt a sudden rush of sweat on his back as he carefully searched his memory from a month ago.
Is that true?
Or... is this guy just bluffing?
Maintaining his composure, Luo Yan answered calmly.
“Vivian… I don’t remember, but I think it’s probably not what you think, and… Miss Padridge doesn’t drink blood.”
"What is that?!"
"..."
"Tch, she's stopped talking when she encounters a difficult question." Vivian gritted her teeth, and seeing that being forceful didn't work, she switched to her gentle persuasion mode.
She stubbornly clung to the edge of the table, her mouth slightly open, revealing two barely visible, sharp canine teeth.
Those ruby eyes seemed about to overflow with tears—
"Just one bite! Really just a tiny bite! I promise it won't hurt at all, I'm very skilled, it'll be over quickly! Please!"
The technique is quite good, not bad.
Luo Yan almost believed it.
It's been so long since these vampires from Shanghai have bitten someone's neck. It would be strange if they were any good at it; they might just bite their neck off in one bite.
Ok.
Actually, being bitten once isn't a big deal, but he's worried that this guy will take advantage of the situation and make even more unreasonable demands next time.
"This has nothing to do with whether it hurts or not. I advise you to give up this idea."
"What does that have to do with?!"
Luo Yan thought for a moment and then answered.
"Of course, it has to do with whether I want to or not."
Upon hearing this, Vivian's cheeks gradually puffed up like steamed buns as she glared angrily at the elegant and composed demon king before her, a sight that made her teeth itch with rage.
Finally, she deflated like a punctured balloon, sullenly squeezing out a muttered word from between her lips.
"Stingy!"
Luo Yan smiled faintly.
Just as he was about to say something, the "Butterfly of All Things" deployed on the outer wall of the Governor's Mansion suddenly fluttered its wings slightly.
Luo Yan's eyes flickered slightly as a low-key, unassuming carriage came into view and stopped at the entrance of the Governor's Mansion.
The guards at the gate stepped forward, and the driver took off his hood, revealing a cool and indifferent face and a pair of lively cat ears.
Luo Yan's smile deepened.
Sarah is back.
(End of this chapter)