Chapter 540: The Curtain Rises
"Everyone, pay close attention. These are the products produced by our factory, and they must go through 64 distinct steps. Each step requires strict quality control."
"There are six production zones in total. Each zone has 12 workers, divided into two production teams."
"This is the task assigned to each production zone. The tasks aren't particularly difficult; it's mostly about operating various production machines…"
"You can take a closer look, but remember, don't touch anything before trAnnieng. Doing so could be very dangerous."
Lin Qi's clear voice echoed in everyone's ears, guiding them to follow along.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The steady rumble of machinery rolling captivated Youdala's attention.
Machines that appeared enormous to adults seemed even more colossal to her.
Seeing these massive machines, under the workers' control, churn out one tiny arrowhead after another gave her a strange feeling.
Youdala was deeply intrigued by the exposed mechanical structures, unable to stop glancing at them.
By contrast, Rika focused more on the seemingly slow yet actually very fast production of the arrowheads.
The edges of these arrowheads shimmered with a faint, chilling gleam as they calmly advanced along the conveyor belt.
Once these metal arrowheads reached the next stage, a large metallic press swiftly descended.
Paired with the pale gold processing components below, the press immediately embossed deep grooves into the metal arrowheads.
The next steps would make these metal arrowheads even sharper and more lethal!
The entire process didn't take long.
In fact, it was about as long as it took them to walk through the production line.
They witnessed the creation of an entire batch of metal arrowheads, neatly stacked in a box.
Everything before Youdala and Rika was so novel, completely overturning their perception of what a production factory should be.
They had always imagined factories as workshops with master craftsmen and their apprentices slowly hammering out each item.
A beautiful, almost artistic process.
Yet this was entirely different.
While the staff had their tasks, most of their time was spent controlling the machines rather than handling the products.
And the production speed was astonishing.
Over a hundred people on the production line could produce more than 100,000 arrowheads each day!
One hundred thousand!
Youdala couldn't imagine ever shooting that many arrows in her lifetime.
At the same time, she found herself at a loss about what work she would be doing. The machines seemed to handle everything.
What, then, would their role be?
"Your tasks are simple: monitor these machines to ensure they function properly."
"Inspect every batch of products at each production stage."
"The work might be a bit repetitive, but it usually doesn't last long."
"Every two months, you'll rotate to a different production line, learning to produce various types of products and understanding their principles."
"During your downtime, you can study mechanical knowledge."
"If you can propose better improvements after learning this knowledge, and those improvements are implemented, you'll receive factory rewards!"
"Currently, each production factory has had several improvement cases with rewards exceeding 10,000 gold coins!"
"So, as long as you work hard and keep learning, you'll have brighter opportunities and better paths ahead."
Hearing Lin Qi's words, most refugees were filled with excitement.
They now had a clear idea of the working conditions in the factory.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all provided.
Workers could apply to live in factory dormitories.
The schedule was five days of work and two days of rest.
Shifts were no longer than eight hours a day.
Workers had two hours of trAnnieng each day.
There were also two combat trAnnieng sessions per week.
In other words, by working here, their food, clothing, and housing would be entirely covered.
Not only would they have no burdens, but they could also continuously improve themselves.
The pay was satisfying as well.
For example, on the arrowhead production line:
Their daily quota was 100,000 arrowheads, with a base pay of two silver coins per day.
If they exceeded 100,000, 10% of the profits from the excess would be divided among the entire production line.
According to veteran workers, they typically produced an extra 30,000 arrowheads per day.
Each arrowhead could be sold for one silver coin, with a profit margin of around 60 copper coins. This meant 1,800 silver coins were distributed among the workers.
Each worker could receive at least 15 additional silver coins.
In a month, each worker could earn over four and a half gold coins in bonuses!
Even many entry-level adventurers didn't make as much as they did!
For most refugees, this level of income was beyond their wildest dreams.
What used to take a year of hard work could now be earned in just a month.
As a result, most refugees were extremely satisfied and couldn't wait to start working.
Lin Qi soon led them to the skills trAnnieng room, where prepared instructors taught them the necessary skills.
No mysterious or overly complex concepts—just straightforward, hands-on trAnnieng.
Youdala and Rika were no exceptions.
With guidance from their instructors, they gradually learned to control the production machinery, producing their own creations:
Sturdy, high-quality metal arrowheads.
The hands-on teaching approach, coupled with the straightforward machine operations, left the refugees in disbelief.
Although the production process appeared complex, their assigned tasks were remarkably simple.
As long as they understood the common language and completed some basic hands-on trAnnieng,
They felt as though they were already prepared to join the production line.
Yet, while the schedule was tight, the Bay Territory didn't rush them into the job.
They were taught the production processes for various products,
The general inspection methods for these products,
How to adjust production if issues arose,
And the principles behind the machinery.
The instructors tailored their lessons based on each individual's comprehension level.
Youdala and Rika, who learned quickly, soon mastered several production line procedures and began exploring the principles behind the machinery.
When they finally grasped the structures and mechanisms,
They were surprised to find that the machinery's design was unexpectedly simple.
Yet simplicity didn't mean it could be easily replicated.
Most of the machinery's power sources relied on magical power-conversion devices.
They didn't have permission to observe or study these devices!
Still, they weren't too surprised by this restriction. It seemed entirely reasonable.
The straightforward tasks and relatively easy workload led them to a surprising realization.
Working in a production factory here wasn't as hard to accept as they'd imagined.
Nonetheless, after much contemplation, they reaffirmed their resolve:
To rise in rank as quickly as possible and become reserve soldiers.
After completing their trAnnieng courses,
They were allowed to explore Bay City.
Of course, they could only look around.
If they had money, they could also make purchases and trade.
This arrangement excited Youdala and Rika.
They explored the city together, wandering through the bustling streets.
They tasted Bay Territory's culinary delights.
Though in reality, they were analyzing the territory's food supply and quality.
They visited the Adventurer's Guild.
Collecting information about the Bay Territory from adventurers gave them insight into the region's situation.
They purchased clothes and household items,
To see if the promotional materials matched reality.
Even while strolling along the streets,
They observed daily life and the various communities.
They knew their actions were somewhat "conspicuous," but it was all part of a test.
The results they gathered gave them an almost unreal impression.
Hidden in the eastern province's corner, the Bay Territory exceeded their expectations in many ways.
The cost of living was startlingly low—at least 30% cheaper than surrounding regions.
And the food was delicious, the atmosphere delightful.
They never saw anyone arguing.
Well, perhaps that had something to do with the patrolling guards and the motionless Dragon Knight Model 1 constructs lining the streets.
Among the crowds, they also spotted countless adventurers.
They saw many adventurers there.
They also saw refugees who, just a few days ago, were as anxious and uneasy as they had been.
After just half a day of exploring, the two of them obediently returned to the dormitory area arranged by the factory.
They were surprised to find some facilities around the dormitory area.
There was even a library and a trAnnieng ground that greatly piqued their interest!
Just like that, they spent the mornings in trAnnieng, the afternoons in the trAnnieng ground, and the evenings together in the library.
A week quickly passed.
They entered the second week.
Their daily routine hadn't changed much.
Except that the morning trAnnieng sessions turned into hands-on work on the production line.
With their ability to learn quickly, after some simple adjustments and acclimation, they had already become competent factory workers.
While they were busy working,
the news about Bay Territory's food shortage had, through various efforts, quickly spread across the entire Netheril Empire.
Some lords, upon seeing Bay Territory's situation,
decided to hold off on sending more refugees there.
However, when they saw that other lords continued sending refugees as before, and that Bay Territory hadn't turned them away,
they stopped insisting as well.
After all, it was Bay Territory's own choice.
December 4.
Bay Territory.
Lord's Manor.
Glancing over some documents, Ralph the steward quickly contacted Angela and hesitantly asked Matthew:
"The number of dragon-blooded creatures in the surrounding territories is steadily increasing, and they seem to be moving closer to our territory."
"Could it be that someone is controlling these dragon-blooded creatures to target Bay Territory?"
Hearing this, Matthew reviewed Bay Territory's recent progress, confirmed that everything was on track, and delved into his memories.
In Matthew's memory, the "Rage of Dragons" triggered by the Dragon Lock was the first major expansion of the game world,
marking the beginning of decades of upheaval in the entire Material Plane.
Previously, players had seen it as a wonderful celebration—a chance to adventure and cause chaos to their hearts' content.
Of course, the unprecedented "Rage of Dragons" nearly turned the Material Plane upside down.
Almost every adventurer was killed—repeatedly—because of the disaster.
And not just once!
It was the harsh lessons of the "Rage of Dragons" that made the once-reckless players more cautious.
Afterward, players began to behave "more properly."
However, very few players were interested in finding out what started the "Rage of Dragons."
As players gained a deeper understanding of the game's background and history, they marveled at its intricate and consistent design, yet also felt a growing sense of curiosity.
Who caused the "Rage of Dragons"?
Who triggered this catastrophic disaster?
And why did they do it?
Many questions remained unanswered, especially as the ensuing chaos caused many historical records to be lost.
During these periods of turmoil, as players developed basic survival skills,
they eventually wanted to delve deeper into the world's history and background.
Only then did they realize that much of the historical evidence had already vanished into the same turmoil and disasters.
Now, Matthew had a clearer understanding of the "Rage of Dragons" and its implications.
"This thing is like a neutral monster controller, capable of directing monsters to attack one's enemies."
Tracing the evidence back from the present, subtle but unmistakable signs began to emerge.
Its origins undoubtedly had ties to the elves.
Matthew refused to believe that the elves had no control over the "Dragon Lock."
After all, even during subsequent "Rage of Dragons" events, the impact on the Golden Ridge area remained minimal—just like before.
Now, with so many dragon-blooded creatures approaching Bay Territory, it was hard to dismiss the possibility that the Cole Elf Kingdom was pulling the strings.
"As expected, even if I leave them alone, they'll jump at the chance to attack Bay Territory."
"Since that's the case, I'll give them a little surprise so they stop bothering me!"