Chapter 316 "Construction Captain" Hamelton
The air in the tent was slightly solemn.
General Hamelton did not answer immediately. Instead, he stared into Luo Yan's eyes. After pondering for a moment, he slowly spoke as if he had made some determination.
"Since His Highness is so frank, I have nothing to hide... In fact, our St. Ilburg - and even the entire eastern coast of the New World are facing a supply shortage dilemma."
The moment he heard this, Teach, who was drinking, almost spit out a mouthful and coughed several times before stopping.
General Hamelton has previously proposed to purchase grain through Deadwood Port, including the deep-water trading port under construction, which is prepared for this.
But he never expected that there was such a heavy secret behind the phrase "the more the merrier", nor did he expect that the general would confess this top-secret information to His Majesty the Demon King.
Of course——
This Demon King is now called Prince Colin.
Not just Tiqi, Luo Yan also had a hint of imperceptible surprise in his eyes, but he quickly hid it behind his tightened brows and pondered for a moment before speaking.
"This is indeed a difficult problem...but the general does not know that the food reserves in Deadwood Port are not abundant now. We ourselves are not yet completely self-sufficient. I am afraid that it will be difficult to provide you with much substantial help on this issue."
General Hamelton heard this, but instead of being discouraged, he sat up straight, stared at him with bright eyes and said.
"Your Highness the Prince has misunderstood, I know the situation in Deadwood Port very well! Considering the disaster situation on the northern coast, you really can't help, but the same cannot be said for your neighbors!"
After a pause, he explained the purpose of his trip and the He told the truth and said in a serious tone: "I would like to ask you to act as a lobbyist and help us purchase food from the United Kingdom of Gutav!"
Luo Yan was stunned when he heard this, and the surprised expression appeared on his face, and then he turned to a look of interest.
"The United Kingdom of Gutav? We are indeed exchanging supplies with them, but the little food we import is only enough to meet the cost of Deadwood Port, and I think you may need more than just food for a few hundred people... With so much food, are you sure they will be willing to export it to the empire?"
Hammerton was silent for a moment, looked at Luo Yan seriously and said.
"This is the reason why I implore you to take action!"
Speaking of this, Hamelton did not wait for Luo Yan to speak, and non-stop told the intelligence he had and the speculations he made based on the intelligence.
"According to what I have collected, the Gutav United Kingdom has widely used steam engines in farming, and they are completely ahead of us in this regard. In addition, the climate of the Janna continent is hot and humid, with abundant rainfall, which is most suitable for growing crops such as corn and rice."
After a pause, he suppressed the excitement in his tone and continued.
"And corn and rice are one of the staple foods we purchase from various ports in the New World all year round! If we can purchase food from the closer continent of Janna, our supply pressure can naturally be alleviated, and the saved transportation capacity can be allocated to places where it is needed more!"
"The Deadwood Port is in an excellent location. I think it has the potential to serve as a supply port for the eastern coastal areas of the empire. It seems that our enemies have noticed this and sent the devil's minions here to cause trouble at this juncture." Luo Yan listened to General Hamelton's lucid analysis, with a look of admiration on his face at the right time, but a faint smile in his heart.
This reasoning was summed up by Hamelton himself, but it may not be that he deliberately guided his thoughts in the direction he expected through a series of chess pieces such as Lumil, Teach, and Kedson.
This is a compulsory course at Demon King Academy——
The devil never actively promises to give believers anything, but guides believers to have a heartfelt desire for the bait that they have not yet thrown out.
After thinking seriously for a long time, Luo Yan looked up at General Hamelton, who had eager eyes, and spoke slowly.
"What your Excellency the General said reminded me that in fact I do have some connections with the royal family of the United Kingdom of Gutav. If it's just a matchmaking, I'm willing to give it a try!"
General Hamelton was overjoyed when he heard this and vowed.
"Whether this matter can be accomplished or not, the empire will always be grateful for your help!"
Luo Yan smiled faintly.
"The general's words are serious. I am also a member of the empire, so I am naturally obliged to contribute to the cause of the empire. It's just..."
Hearing Luo Yan's change of topic, General Hamelton suddenly became anxious and asked nervously.
"Just?"
Luo Yan: "With the existing transportation capacity of Kumu Port, I'm afraid it can't handle such a large-scale food transportation task-"
Before he finished speaking, Hamelton laughed and said immediately.
"Please rest assured, Your Highness the Prince! We can solve the problem of insufficient transportation capacity! As long as you are willing to help us contact the United Kingdom of Gutav, the expansion of the port will be left to the Imperial Navy! We will send the best engineers to ensure that the port is large enough to accommodate large cargo ships!"
His decisive tone surprised Luo Yan, but he immediately showed an embarrassed look and continued with a slight frown.
"The expansion of the port can certainly solve part of the problem, but there are still difficulties. The United Kingdom of Gutav is located on the south side of the Sun Steps Mountains, and the Deadwood Port is on the northern coast. There is no road network connecting the two places, not to mention the steep mountains between us. Even if food can be transported to the port, I am afraid that road transportation will be a big challenge——"
"Please do this too. Your Highness, don't worry!" After hearing this, General Hamelton patted his chest without hesitation and said confidently, "The engineering skills of the Imperial Engineers have no rivals in the New World or the Ossian Continent! Just negotiate with those lizardmen and leave the work of building bridges and paving roads to us!"
When Luo Yan heard this, his frown finally relaxed, and a happy smile appeared on his face.
"In that case... I think it shouldn't be a big problem."
Ti Qi, who was sitting aside, was stunned. For a moment, he forgot to hide the surprise on his face and opened his mouth into an O shape.
A chill quietly rose from his back, and at the same time, his admiration for Luo Yan in his heart involuntarily deepened.
As expected of the Demon King——
He hasn’t even looked at the corn in St. Ilburg, but the deep-water port and road network of Deadwood Port have been obtained for free from the hands of the empire...
The imperial general personally built the road for the Demon King.
I'm afraid even the demons in the Magic City won't believe it, right?
…
The morning of the next morning, the rising sun slowly rose from the sea, just like the infinitely bright future of Kumu Port.
The imperial soldiers on the dock had already gotten up early, even earlier than the sailors who were forced to work. Patrols were patrolling, drills were being drilled, and bricks were being moved... It looked very lively.
The whole port is full of unprecedented vitality, which is unimaginable. It was a wasteland until a month ago.
At the gate of the fortress, Luo Yan changed out of his dusty robes and put on clean clothes. He took the reins from the servant and reappeared in everyone's sight, leading the horse that had also rested for the night.
That handsome face and vivid purple moon badge were like heroes in the epic in the eyes of the soldiers, making them involuntarily look at him with reverence.
Of course——
What they admired was not the vivid purple moon, but the rum given to them by His Highness the Prince last night.
They haven't had such a good time drinking for a long time.
Luo Yan nodded slightly to the soldiers who paid attention, showing his people-friendly side.
It is a pity that after the system update of "Calamity OL", he can no longer observe the "small" changes, otherwise the power of his faith will definitely increase at this moment.
Getting on his horse, Luo Yan pulled the reins to change direction, looked back at General Hamelton behind him, and said loudly.
"Your Excellency, General, my guards are still on their way back to the northern coast. I need to rush to the Sun Staircase Mountains to join them first. After that, we will go directly back to Assam City to meet the King of the United Kingdom of Gutav... I'll trouble you here!"
Hamelton nodded solemnly and solemnly gave him a standard imperial military salute.
"Don't worry, Your Highness! Baron Kosia and I are here, and you will not be disappointed! I believe that when you come back next time, you will see a completely new harbor!"
"Haha, I'll just look forward to it! Farewell!"
Luo Yan smiled slightly, nodded deeply, then rode away, heading towards the Sun Staircase Mountains.
I heard from Youyou that the Chiefs Association of the Gutav United Kingdom had already elected their king.
As their master, it is indeed time for him to see his ministers.
Hamilton watched Luo Yan's back as he rode away. It was not until the figure gradually disappeared into the jungle and mist in the distance that he reluctantly withdrew his gaze.
What a good person...
After learning about the problem of St. Ilburg, His Royal Highness the Prince only rested for one night and returned non-stop in the direction of Assam City.
Thinking of Hamelton here, I suddenly felt a little sorry for him. I must thank him properly when we meet next time!
Teach, who was standing nearby, coughed slightly, looked at General Hamelton, and said with a smile on his face.
"Your Majesty General, look at what we are going to do next——"
Hamilton suppressed the admiration and sigh on his face, and quickly returned to his usual dignity and determination.
「还用说吗？当然是马上召集施工队，立刻开始着手准备——」
话音未落，他又看向了自己的副官，立刻下令道。
"Give me the order to have a construction team from the port area go with me to the suburbs. I'll go there and wait for them first!"
"Yes!" The adjutant beside Hamelton responded quickly, turned around quickly and trotted to greet his men.
Hamilton got on his horse, said goodbye to Teach, and walked towards the camp on the outskirts of Deadwood Port.
Looking at the general leaving in high spirits, Tiqi breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
The Demon King is here——
This old man finally found a new job, and he could finally rest for a few days without having to accompany him to talk about the carriage.
…
At the same time, on the other side, on the crowded dock, a group of imperial soldiers were quickly summoned.
Several officers directed the people to sort out construction tools and materials, while a group of imperial engineers quickly assembled and rushed towards the land on the outskirts of Deadwood Port.
Hamilton followed several engineers to the high ground near the port.
He took out his pocket watch and glanced at the time, then gave decisive orders.
"Today we will conduct surveying and mapping to clarify the direction of the road and the location of the infrastructure. The goal is to build a main road that can accommodate at least four carriages in parallel as soon as possible to ensure smooth flow from Deadwood Port to the southern plains of the Sun Step Mountains!"
His order was concise and clear. However, several engineers looked at each other in confusion upon hearing this, with expressions of embarrassment on their faces involuntarily.
One of the older engineers hesitated for a moment, looked up at the rolling hills and endless mountains in the distance, and warned cautiously.
"Your Majesty General, are you sure you want to build such a wide road? This will probably cost a lot of manpower and material resources..."
This is not a project that can be completed in a short time. They may have to be prepared for long-term construction, and they may have to mobilize more people from other ports.
After all, Deadwood Port cannot afford so many people, and those sailors are exhausted just building their own houses.
Hamilton glanced at him and said seriously.
"Transporting food is not a trivial matter. How can a narrow road be enough? What's more, we are not only transporting food. In the future, ore, wood and even other materials may be continuously sent to St. Ilburg! Not to mention a little manpower and material resources, no matter how high the cost, you have to build this road for me!"
"Yes! Your Majesty the General is wise!" The engineer was startled, and he quickly lowered his head and wrote this down.
Hamilton nodded with satisfaction and continued.
"In addition, after the road is completed, stations and warehouses will be set up every ten kilometers or so along the way to facilitate the transportation of supplies and for soldiers to rest. The entire road project must be constructed in strict accordance with the standards of the imperial military supply line. Do you understand?"
No one has any objections.
Everyone responded in unison.
"Yes, General!"
Looking at the energetic soldiers and engineers in front of him, Hamelton's heart also cheered up, and he waved his hand to signal them to start working.
With a sound of orders and hurried footsteps, the empire's construction team began to be busy on the outskirts of Deadwood Port.
They took surveying tools and shuttled back and forth on the land on the outskirts of Deadwood Port, and quickly outlined a broad and straight road planning line, extending all the way from the port to the majestic and steep Sun Step Mountains in the distance.
· Standing at a high place, Hamelton looked down at the orderly and busy scene in front of him with satisfaction. Although the land in front of him was still barren, he had already painted a magnificent blueprint in his mind.
A broad imperial road with stable stations and warehouses along the way. Horse-drawn carriages loaded with supplies and food drove continuously along it, finally resolving the supply crisis on the eastern coast...
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but raise a confident smile at the corner of his mouth, with a fiery light shining in his eyes.
However, unlike General Hamelton, the quartermaster next to him had an expression of ecstasy.
Just repairing the port.
Now we have to build a road over mountains and ridges!
This general seems to have no general idea of the cost.
Even if it is an urgent matter, it is too much to obey the authority, isn't it? !
He had no doubt that after going through so much trouble, it would be better to cooperate with the merchants of the empire.
At least when you cooperate with those merchants, the prices are clearly marked, unlike here, although there is no discussion about money from beginning to end, it looks like a bottomless pit that cannot be filled.
Finally, someone couldn't help but say something.
A young adjutant came forward, looked at the ambitious General Hamelton, and whispered something.
"General... Even if Mr. Colin is the prince of the empire, do we really need to do this?"
He always felt that they paid too much.
But so far, apart from getting some seemingly bright and infinite pie, they have not seen any practical benefits.
That gentleman did not even guarantee that the negotiation would be successful.
Faced with the doubts of his subordinates, Hamelton actually realized that he was going too far.
But he has already spent a lot of money. If he regrets it at this time, wouldn't it be equivalent to admitting that his decision was wrong?
In this case, how to calculate the costs previously invested? Who bears the responsibility for poor decision-making?
It is precisely for this reason that Hamelton will never admit that his promise was a bit hasty.
And he was not wrong -
Whether it was from the standpoint of the empire or from the standpoint of a general, it was absolutely necessary to win over the prince.
This is not just about solving the supply problem.
It is for long-term interests!
They must establish a foothold on this land faster than hell, and try to gain the friendship of the lizard people as much as possible.
At least we can’t let them fall to hell!
If these lizardmen who master advanced steam engine technology defect to hell, not only the supply lines along the eastern coast will be exposed to the threat of hell, but the entire vast ocean's territory of power will be affected.
And hell will no longer be without a navy.
Those demons no longer even need to rely on the teleportation array. They can directly reach out to the whirlpool sea and even threaten the safety of the Holy City!
That's right.
This is for long-term considerations.
Looking at the young adjutant, Hamelton said in a majestic voice.
"...Cromir, you don't understand, I am planning from a long-term perspective."
The adjutant named Cromir said with a wry smile.
"The long-term plan...aren't we trying to solve the immediate problem?"
Hamilton grinned.
"Yes, but not all... you will understand sooner or later. The more sweat we shed here, the younger boys in the future will shed less blood, even if it is for ourselves, let's work hard!"
Seeing that the general had made up his mind, Cromir quietly retreated and said no more.
Hamilton did not want to waste time arguing about this matter that had already been decided, so he handed over the supervision work to the officer on the side, then walked to his horse, turned over and sat on the horse.
After staying in Deadwood Port for so long, he finally achieved certain results.
It’s time for him to return to the ship and take some time to write a report and report the good news here to the rear...