Chapter 115: Ramping Up Production
Karl exited the foundry, a confident stride in his step, with Leo following closely behind. "Let’s take a look at the new structures," Karl said, as he walked towards the opposite side of the civilian industry, where the burgeoning military industrial complex was located.
On their way, Karl brought up a pressing question. "Leo, is our current supply of iron ores enough for the vehicle manufacturing?"
"It is more than enough, my lord," Leo replied with a nod. "We have raised the buying prices for iron ores from 10 bronze to 15 bronze per kilo. The Lupens, on the other hand, only buy iron ores from villages for 7 bronze per kilogram."
"That’s quite small," Karl mused, mentally calculating the figures. "If we assume that a horse-pulled wagon can carry up to one tonne of ore and they fully load it, per trip they would earn 70 silvers. And that’s not even taking into account that they need to hire mercenaries to guard their precious ores from bandits."
"Indeed, my lord," Leo agreed. "The Lupens are quite arrogant towards other species they consider inferior, so they stay dominant by lowering the ore prices. For villagers, they only buy the necessities, so 70 silver might be enough for one trip. But now since our demand is high, it is only right to raise it. If they went directly to us, they could earn 1 gold and 50 silvers. If you take away 30 silvers for hiring mercenaries, they still have a net profit of 1 gold and 20 silvers. Now that the word of mouth has spread that we buy ores for nearly double the price as lupens, from last week, we have acquired 3 tonnes of iron. Not to mention the Rogina Merchant Company’s caravans will arrive tommorrow with the resources they outsourced."
"Good, that way. we have a steady supply of minerals. In the future, that might not even be enough. But the question is how much income are we at per week?" Karl asked, his mind already moving to the bigger picture.
"We are currently at an average of 10 gold per week, not including the pre-orders for furniture, swords, and mini-figures," Leo said with a slight chuckle. "Last week, including the pre-orders, we earned a net income of 100 gold. The demand for our goods is soaring."
"It’s alright," Karl said, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he envisioned the future. "It would only soar higher with the opening of the luxury clothing line—dresses, suit and ties, coats, jackets, t-shirts, pants and luxury leather bags, shoes, wallets, pouches, and belts." "And that’s not including the soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, as well as luxury perfumes. Hence why we need a dedicated engineering manufacturing factory and a small assembly factory for vehicles. Bringing the modern era at its finest. And after that, we’re going to sell vehicles. We’re going to introduce manga and comics. I assume Stan Lee and Oda wouldn’t mind if I copy their works." Karl’s eyes shone with a manic gleam as his laughter echoed across the open field. "Then we’re gonna swim in gold coins, KYAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
Karl’s laughter filled the air as he imagined his future empire of commerce and industry, a world where the power of modern innovation and elemental magic intertwined seamlessly to create unparalleled wealth.Karl and Leo arrived at the gunworks arsenal, the air immediately thick with the scent of burnt gunpowder and machined steel. The workshop was a cavernous space, filled with the sharp, metallic screeches of lathes and the occasional thunderous boom of a test fire. Karl spotted four skeleton workers in simple jumpsuits, each a blur of motion, their glowing eye sockets fixed on their tasks. Above their heads, floating in an ethereal glow, was a simple label: [ Level 4 Gunsmith ].
One skeleton meticulously assembled the intricate inner workings of a flintlock, his bony fingers moving with a surprising dexterity that belied his nature. Another operated a primitive lathe machine, his scythe-like hands expertly boring a smooth bore barrel, the metal shavings spiraling away into a neat pile. A third was hunched over a workbench, filing and shaping the intricate, small parts of the flintlock mechanism with a jeweler’s precision. On a small, integrated shooting range, the fourth skeleton tested a freshly made weapon. Boom! The sound echoed through the workshop, a sharp, concussive report that made Leo flinch slightly. The skeleton nodded in satisfaction as smoke curled from the barrel.
A skeleton, likely their foreman, noticed Karl and Leo. He straightened up immediately, his posture rigid. "Atten-hut!" he shouted, and the other three skeletons snapped to attention, saluting with perfect, unified motion.
Karl chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "At ease. Nice humor you got there."
"Thank you, mi’lord," the foreman replied, his voice a dry, rattling sound. "What makes you visit this humble workshop?"
"Nothing, I was just checking on you all. How are you doing?" Karl’s voice was relaxed, but his eye sockets scanned every detail of their work.
"Ah, thank you for your concern, mi’lord," the skeleton said, a subtle pride in his tone. "We’ve been working diligently."
"Anyway, how many did you produce this week?" Karl asked, his gaze drifting to a small crate filled with gleaming flintlocks.
"We, uhh... we made four this week, my lord." The skeletons visibly tensed, their movements becoming stiff. They were accustomed to his high standards and the fear of failure, however irrational, was a deep-seated instinct.
Karl picked up one of the flintlocks. He turned it over in his hand, his thumb tracing the smooth bore and the polished grain of the stock. He inspected the fit and finish, the quality of the engraving, and the tension in the hammer spring. The silence in the workshop stretched, building an almost unbearable tension. The skeletons’ auras flickered nervously. "This is overall..." he paused, letting the moment hang in the air. "...good. Actually, it’s very good." He finished with a grin and a low chuckle.
The skeletons instantly relaxed, a collective sigh of relief rattling from their rib cages. "Thank you for your high praise, my lord," the foreman said, his posture now radiating pride.
"Nah," Karl said, his amusement clear. "I was just messing with you. It’s excellent." He then opened his system interface, his glowing hands passing through the holographic screen. He looked at his current NP total, [ NP: 2,873 ], before scrolling through the worker packs. His gaze settled on the cheapest option, a small investment for a significant return.
[ Limit 1/1 ] [ Cooldown: 7 Days ][ Promising Worker Pack (x5 units) – 30 NP ][ Adds 5 Level 1 specialized workers to your labor pool. ][ Traits: Promising ][ +25% Learning Speed ]
[Purchase] [ Cancel ]
He pressed [Purchase]. In a flash of shimmering green light, five bare skeletons materialized before them, their eye sockets blinking into existence. "All of you will be assigned here," Karl said, gesturing to the gunsmiths. "Report to Ossario for your uniforms." He suppressed a chuckle, imagining the tailor’s annoyed reaction to the sudden increase in his workload. "He’s going to be pissed," he murmured under his breath.
The foreman was overjoyed. "Thank you for these, my lord. More hands will help us increase our production tenfold."
Karl waved a dismissive hand. "Not a problem. I was bound to add more workers anyway. Carry on, I’ll visit the next building."
He did the same for the powder mill
, a large stone structure where fine, black dust coated everything. The air was filled with a constant, low rumble as large grindstones crushed charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter into a fine powder. He added more workers, then moved on to the cartridge works, a smaller, more delicate operation where he watched as new skeletons carefully packed paper cartridges for the flintlocks. Here, they were also preparing case shot cannonballs, along with experimental fused high-explosive rounds and solid cannonballs, the latter of which were being cast in the metalworks foundry. He assessed their works, added more workers, and felt a quiet satisfaction. This next phase was crucial. After this, he would only focus on building connections and securing supply deals with the living, making leo, handle the building of more structures when needed and ramping up production.He then ascended to the center top of the ziggurat, a silent, imposing figure against the artificial sunlight. He oversaw the entire 7th floor, his gaze sweeping across the bustling civilian and military industries below. The sheer speed of their progress was dizzying.
He turned to Leo, who had remained a step behind him the entire time. "Don’t you think everything’s happening too fast, Leo? It’s not even two months since we started building this place."
"Are you scared of efficiency, my lord?" Leo asked, his voice a low, dry rasp.
Karl scoffed. "Like hell I am."
"We do not need rest, nor do we need to eat, my lord. Our workers are after all fast learners. We do not get distracted by the usual pitfalls of mortal civilization."
Karl’s lips curled into a smile. "I guess that’s the reason. We have an advantage that no other civilization has. The ability to work tirelessly, unburdened by human needs."
He then summoned his interface, a glowing window appearing before him, and reviewed a newly created custom structure.
[Blueprint: Engineering Works]Upkeep: 65 Mana/dayFunctions:
A mechanized manufacturing hall that converts refined ingots into precision machine and vehicle components. Hybrid elemental machines fabricate gears, axles, pistons, and drive housings, while integrated rigs shape frames and engine blocks. This facility is the backbone of mechanized production, enabling vehicle assembly and the construction of further industrial machinery.
Tools Required (Shop):
Elemental Lathe Assembly – 550 NP
Hybrid Milling Machine – 600 NP
Mana Honing Rig – 450 NP
Forging & Press Line – 500 NP
Modular Frame Jig – 300 NP
[ BUILD ] │ [ CANCEL ]