Chapter 173: Is Magic the First Productive Force?
In just 10 days.
The construction of the vocational academy and the recruitment of teachers became hot topics.
These casual conversations soon spread the news far and wide.
Many focused on the teaching positions, while others, thinking ahead, silently debated.
How can one get into the vocational academy?
Unable to reach Ralph the steward, many soldiers were pushed forward to subtly question Old John.
The latter smiled slyly and casually answered:
"Any eligible child permanently residing in the Bay Territory can attend the academy..."
A seemingly ordinary statement, yet it excited everyone.
However, some were more curious:
"So many children—can the academy handle teaching them all?"
"Just how big is this academy going to be?"
With permission to reveal some inside information, Old John colorfully responded:
"How big? The entire undeveloped northern town area is part of the academy grounds!"
"So don't fret. Start studying hard now—you might even become a teacher one day!"
Most people ignored Old John's last comment, focusing instead on the mysterious academy under construction.
However, their curiosity was mostly blocked by a towering 4-meter wooden fence, and few could glimpse inside.
Currently, the work was being carried out by thousands of kobolds.
Driven by whips and hearty meals, most new kobolds became exceedingly docile and worked diligently.
Silver-Fang, now smarter, studied the building blueprints in deep thought.
From time to time, he turned to ask the chief architect questions.
Initially, the team of architects was terrified of the kobolds, worried they might go berserk at any moment.
But as time went on, the architects became increasingly adept at directing them.
They soon realized these creatures had many excellent qualities.
As long as they were well-fed, the kobolds showed remarkable enthusiasm and stamina.
Though they couldn't comprehend complex orders.
Simple tasks, however, were completed with impressive efficiency.
Especially digging—the kobolds handled it as naturally as eating or drinking.
In just a few days.
The foundations, including the sewers, were almost entirely dug out.
Although there was still much work to be done, like laying bricks, flooring, reinforcing tunnels, and securing supports...
The team was quite satisfied with the work efficiency.
"The better the quality, the faster the work, the greater the reward."
To better harness the kobolds' labor.
The building crew split into two shifts. A small team managed daytime work, while the majority oversaw the night.
The kobolds didn't work in shifts; instead, they rested during the day when they tired more easily, working from dusk till dawn.
This way, they worked during their peak performance hours, recovering quickly and maintaining long work periods.
What about the daytime downtime?
Naturally, the human construction crew was called in to handle more technically demanding tasks.
As for the heavy lifting, that was handled by several massive stone golems.
"These modified stone golems can restore some energy through ground contact, allowing them to work 6 hours a day and spend the rest of the time resting and recovering."
Those were Matthew's words to Ralph the steward.
Matthew thought using these low-energy-recovery golems for this purpose was an efficient allocation.
When Ralph handed over control of the stone and clay golems to the construction crew...
The team was initially skeptical.
But as the golems carried out orders perfectly, saving time and ensuring safety...
The crew quickly decided—the more golems, the better!
Besides this assistance, Matthew also had Ralph distribute a "Basic Construction Manual" compiled by the players to the crew.
A simple glance through these valuable insights convinced the crew to sign a contract immediately.
After a few days of learning and applying the principles, they met Matthew's requirements for basic design work.
Compared to the old labor-intensive methods, their construction speed had increased by more than tenfold!
All this was made possible through more golem resources, manpower, and efficient supply lines.
Matthew watched their progress closely. Though they were still far from becoming the "super construction crew" he remembered, they were finally on the right track.
Cultivating professional talent had to be done one step at a time.
Matthew hesitated, ultimately deciding not to introduce cement as a game-changer.
After all, his strength wasn't enough yet. His soldiers weren't numerous enough, and his wealth hadn't accumulated sufficiently.
Consider this: just to secure one ruin...
The Carlisle family had mustered over 3,000 soldiers!
Otherwise, how would the Carlisle family dare to covet the ruins of the Merman Castle?
It was because they controlled a powerful private army and had strong professionals under their command.
Though Matthew's apparent weakness played a part, so too did his lack of resources and confidence.
Even though the Pfizer Caravan was a more subtle and dangerous threat...
The Carlisle family, with its overt strength, was likely just a "vanguard" sent to test the newly risen Bay Territory.
Originally, Matthew hadn't wanted to get involved in this mess.
But considering the Carlisle family's aggressive stance, he realized he couldn't afford to be too soft.
Otherwise, not only would he lose the Merman Castle, but he might also forfeit the "potion" profits he had fought so hard to secure.
"Why is it so hard to just farm peacefully and grow stronger?"
However, by the end of today, Matthew hoped to escape his current predicament.
"Ding, your hired adventurer has slain a Level 3 gnoll warrior, gaining 30 points of Fate Energy."
"Total Fate Energy: 11,674."
After nearly 10 days of accumulating Fate Energy, combined with his experience modifying golems, Matthew was finally ready to start work on Mountain.
Matthew planned to modify Mountain, both as a reward and as a solution to the Bay Territory's energy problem.
With more and more golems needing rapid recharging after use, he couldn't let them become mere ornaments.
Matthew's plans for automated production facilities required a massive and stable energy supply as their foundation.
Electrical power was out of the question for now.
The necessary infrastructure, talent, and resources weren't something a Level 6 Arcanist like Matthew could simply "magic" into existence.
What Matthew could create at this stage was something known as the "elemental energy pool," the energy core of a wizard's tower.
The key to constructing the elemental energy pool lay within the ruins of the Merman Castle!
The modified Mountain would be Matthew's ace in the hole!