BXBX NOVEL Chapter 38 - The Changed Town, the Caravan Came
Initially, Richard hadn’t anticipated that Cinderella would awaken her witch abilities at this point.
His original plan was to layer the road with compacted earth using a heavy hammer, akin to how Qin Shi Huang constructed the Straight Road, though with enhanced durability.
Unlike Qin Shi Huang’s use of earth, Richard had added gravel to the mixture, using the same compaction method.
Even though Qin Shi Huang’s compacted earth road had weathered over 2,000 years with little more than some grass and occasional shrubs, no large trees had taken root.
The power of seeds was well-known for being able to break through stone, but even with seeds falling on the Straight Road, the earthwork had prevented trees from growing.
Richard aimed to exceed that standard by incorporating gravel, given that this was a fantasy world. Who knew when a battle might break out, or when a giant beast might trample over the road?
The unexpected bonus was that Cinderella had awakened her witch’s ability to change the material composition of objects. With this newfound power, road-building became much simpler.
The stone material she created would last for millennia without deterioration, preventing even weeds and shrubs from growing through.
After two days, the road leading to the forest was completed. During this time, the people realized that the witch had not harmed them in any way; rather, she had lessened their workload and was quite approachable.
Gradually, their fear subsided. Although most people were still too nervous to talk freely with her, a few had lowered their guard and were working harmoniously with the witch, requesting her assistance in solidifying sections of the road as they were prepared.
After the project’s completion, Richard mounted his horse and galloped along the road, thoroughly satisfied. He called out for Ali, the foreman.
“Ali!”
“At your command, my lord!” Ali, holding pen and paper, promptly responded.
“Split these fools into teams. Send 500 of them to cut down trees, and have the rest dig foundations, drainage channels, and sewers.”
“Yes, my lord!” Ali immediately began issuing orders.
Before long, the people were divided into teams.
The lumber team, under the guidance of several captains, drove dozens of ox carts toward the forest. Meanwhile, 100 soldiers were selected daily to stand guard near the end of the road, prepared to fend off any wild beast attacks.
The lumberjacks had no combat training, and if they were attacked by beasts, they would undoubtedly suffer heavy casualties. If they encountered magical creatures, escape would be a luxury.
In addition to standing guard, the militia was also tasked with daily hunting to maintain the meat supply for the Long Eagle Territory.
Richard personally oversaw the remaining workers, having them dig foundations for the buildings.
The old town, even after being cleaned up, was still a chaotic mess, with hidden filth impossible to fully remove. Richard was determined to rebuild the Long Eagle Territory anew, from scratch. Rebuilding in place was far more cumbersome than starting fresh in a new location.
The old town’s terrain was too low, and there was a large slope nearby. Richard couldn’t understand why people had originally chosen to build their homes there.
According to records, the slope had caused several landslides during heavy rains, burying people alive. Yet, despite these disasters, the people had not moved. They claimed it was divine punishment for those who had committed evil deeds.
Richard found it laughable. In his eyes, whether they died or not, calling anyone in the Long Eagle Territory “evil” wasn’t far from the truth.
There were no good people here—only parasites, trash, and scum. Now that Richard was in charge, he intended to change everything.
Not out of compassion, but because these people were his assets. As his assets, they needed to be properly managed.
This time, Richard chose a sturdy high ground for construction.
The location had good visibility, was easy to defend, and would allow them to detect and repel any beast attacks. It also provided protection against natural disasters.
Once construction was complete, Richard planned to have the witch reinforce key points on the high ground, leaving spaces for future greening projects.
“This here is the drainage channel. It must connect to all the rooms! Yes, even inside the rooms, so that the water can be drained directly!”
“Reserve that spot. Dig out a square foundation, 800 by 800. I’ll build a water tower there!”
“The sewage channel isn’t deep enough. It must be lower than the drainage channel! Ali, assign a team to dig the sewage line out to the outskirts and build a biogas tank outside the town. I’ll need it later.”
Under Richard’s instructions, Ali’s supervision, the team leaders’ coordination, and the citizens’ hard work—along with Cinderella’s assistance—the foundations were gradually dug out. Meanwhile, the piles of wood along the roadside grew larger.
Once the foundation was completed, the workers, following Richard’s plans, began constructing houses using soil and trees.
The wood came from centuries-old trees, which were perfect for beams. The walls, made of rammed earth, became extremely solid after Cinderella’s magical stone transformation.
The buildings were airtight, sturdy, and perfect.
Without the witch, the project would still be feasible, but the progress and quality would be nowhere near the current level.
Watching Cinderella’s busy figure, Richard grew fonder of her, marveling at the fact that witches were indeed the world’s greatest source of productivity.
This was one of the correct ways to utilize a witch. As for the other way, that would be better discussed in his office or bedroom.
As construction continued, more and more houses were completed.
Compared to the original town, the difference was like night and day—a paradise compared to hell. This was finally a place fit for human habitation.
As Richard inspected the area, he noticed that the wheat seeds planted earlier had already begun to sprout. This land was indeed fertile.
Even the newly tilled soil, which hadn’t been fertilized with manure, showed no weaker growth compared to the fertilized plots.
While the Long Eagle Territory was bustling with activity, a merchant caravan slowly approached from the distance.