CHAPTER 346: CHAPTER 184: SOUL INVASION (10,000 WORDS)

Now that the logging speed has increased, Lynn can change the construction method of the wooden track mine cart!

From the initially envisioned single track, it is transformed into a double track that can rotate back and forth for transportation.

While the mine carts filled with coal are transported to the town, the empty mine carts travel back to the coal mining site.

This way, the efficiency of coal transportation can be maximized.

Listening to Lynn’s instructions, Garcia did not hesitate, "Yes, Master, I will relay your orders right away!"

Lynn nodded, watching Garcia stride away.

Shortly after,

Lynn began to inspect the Wood Workshop again.

The efficiency of the Wood Workshop was also slowly improving.

Despite having simple mechanical devices for auxiliary processing, using pulley blocks and levers for handling and transportation,

and a division of labor method where each person is responsible for one processing step for cooperative processing,

the processing tools were too rudimentary and could only use the Iron Saw and Iron Planer, resulting in noticeably low efficiency.

However,

with the cooperative processing of six hundred townsmen, they still managed to produce six hundred railway sleepers each day.

A single track requires ten thousand sleepers, while a double track requires at least twenty thousand!

As construction inevitably involves some wastage.

Calculating this way, producing the wooden double track required for twenty miles would take more than a month!

This doesn’t even account for the time needed for construction afterward.

Estimating briefly, Lynn couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

The required time was too long, and the manpower and resources needed were too great.

But Lynn could only grit his teeth and press on.

To smelt more iron blocks, the scale of the iron-smelting furnace must be expanded, which would require consuming more anthracite.

If the transportation problem isn’t resolved and the consumption of anthracite can’t keep up, everything would just be unrealistic imagination.

The double-track mine cart must be constructed!

The only solution now is for Grayson or other merchants to transport more slaves to his territory.

Utilizing a large labor force to make up for the deficiency in labor efficiency.

After inspecting the workshop, Lynn strode away.

Upon returning to the open square in front of the town,

the rich smell of roasted meat wafted into Lynn’s nostrils.

Lynn’s gaze searched and finally settled on the bonfire burning fiercely outside the canteen.

Numerous large pigs, fully stretched open with iron rods, were being roasted under the bonfire, continuously releasing bubbles.

The surface of the marinated pig skin turned golden with oil flowing down in streams.

The rich aroma emanated from these ten roasted pigs.

Despite having many matters to arrange personnel for,

Lynn knew that some things couldn’t be rushed, regardless of urgency.

They could only be implemented step-by-step according to the plan.

Thinking of this, Lynn stepped into the kitchen.

He took the Bone-Cutting Knife from a chef and began chopping the pork bones on the cutting board.

Perhaps it’s the [One-Handed Weapon Mastery], or because he added points to [Power] and [Constitution].

With each swing, Lynn could effortlessly chop through them.

The cuts were neat and smooth, with no gaps whatsoever.

After all, in a certain sense, a Bone-Cutting Knife is also a one-handed weapon!

[Cooking Experience +1]

[Cooking Experience +1]

[Cooking Experience +1]

...

As time slowly passed,

while Lynn was continuously gaining [Cooking] skill experience, the sky gradually darkened.

Apprentices from the brewing workshop carried barrels of beer into the canteen.

The chefs began placing the completed dinner onto the tables in the canteen.

Golden roasted whole pigs, pan-fried river fish, bread made of mixed barley and wheat, soup stewed with peas and pork, butter-fried peas...

Plates of food filled every table of ten or so people.

Some townsmen, who were working closer to their positions, were the first to return to the town.

Arriving at the canteen, seeing the dazzling array of food before them, their eyes were full of light.

Although they were informed of tonight’s feast by Steward Kuisi and some guards,

seeing the food again, they couldn’t suppress their delight on their faces.

Especially the six hundred townsmen recently transported by Grayson from the Trans Empire.

They never dreamed they would get to enjoy such food after being sold as slaves.

They were free people, yet their daily wages were only just enough to keep their families fed.

At most, saving a few pence would allow them to purchase some necessary items.

A feast this abundant was something they had never partaken in, even as free people.

More and more townsmen returned to the town from all parts of the territory.

From the open-pit coal mines dozens of miles away, and the open-pit iron mines forty miles away.

Because of the different distances, Lynn instructed Kuisi to let them finish work early and return to town.

It can be said,

that except for the soldiers stationed at the encampments, all the townsmen had returned to the town.

Until nightfall fully descended and all the townsmen who should return had gathered in the canteen.

Despite the tables being filled with food, no one dared to start eating early.