Chapter 1469: Let's Make History (Part 4)

Hwang Jongui's soul completely left him. Anyone in their right mind would probably be astonished by such a sight.

Kuuuuung!

Dozens of new tree trunks were stacked on top of a small mountain of wood.

"Is it going to collapse like this?"

"It's too high! Stack some more on the side!"

"Oh, we've already stacked it."

Some individuals jumped up the wooden mountain like monkeys. They then began carrying one thick wooden pillar each on their shoulders, moving them to the side.

"Sigh. This one is too crooked."

"What? Who brought this thing here? We told them to bring only straight wood here!"

"Oh, this one is no good either?"

"Complaining while working!"

"Quickly redistribute them! If the Chief comes, someone's back will be broken again!"

The gathered people began sorting the wood again, muttering and complaining among themselves. Dozens of tall trees were flying left and right like falling leaves. Hwang Jongui, watching this unbelievable scene, turned his gaze away weakly.

"Hyung-nim, I'm really at my limit now. I can't go on... "

"Don't talk nonsense and quickly infuse your internal energy! If we don't finish this, we won't even get food!"

"No... this isn't the internal energy I trained for..."

"Who knew this would happen when you trained? Hurry up!"

"Ugh..."

Those holding onto large trees collectively infused their internal energy into the wood. The internal energy, filled with yang energy, instantly dried the wood thicker than a person.

Splat!

"Ahh! Damn it, it cracked!"

"Which bastard isn't controlling themselves properly? I said do it delicately! Don't just force your internal energy in!"

"This... can't we still use it a bit? It's only slightly cracked."

"Don't talk nonsense, bring a new one! If the Palace Lord finds out, we'll be in pieces, not the wood."

"Oh dear..."

Wildly clinging themselves to the quickly fetched wood, the skilled disciples of the Beast Palace were now ready to act.

Normally, it would take at least a month for the wood to dry enough to be usable. However, in just a few breaths of time, the trees that needed considerable time to dry became excellent timber.

"...Alright. Move to the side."

"Ugh... I'm really going to die. Here!"

As soon as the well-dried timber was placed on the large workbench prepared on the side, the blades of the swordsmen flashed over the wood.

Sheeek! Sheeek!

The disciples carrying the wood looked on with envy.

"I wish I could use a sword. It looks the most comfortable."

"If only I had practiced using a sword too."

Swordsmen of the Namgung Family, cutting wood with their swords, garnered envy just because they could use their skills for work. Of course, it wasn't that easy for them.

Clang!

"No, you guys! Cut straight! Maintain the spacing! This is too thick!"

At Namgung Myung's shout, the swordsmen flinched, and the swords stopped. Namgung Myung, dissatisfied, threw the piece of wood he was holding onto the ground.

"You just ruined a perfectly good piece of wood! Haven't you heard that we have to pay for the waste? At this rate, the Namgung Family will go bankrupt. Namgung Family! Damn it! If the Namgung Family goes bankrupt because Namgung can't cut properly, does that even make sense?"

"Elder... We're really doing our best..."

"Don't work hard, work well. You incompetent fools!"

Tears welled up in the eyes of the swordsmen.

'We learned swordsmanship for this...'

'When we do it quickly, they say to do it precisely. When we do it precisely, they say to do it quickly.'

In the first place, Namgung's swordsmanship was a vigorous style that didn't dwell on trivial matters. Those who had learned to crush any deviation in strength and speed were now struggling to unfold their swords with hair-thin precision, making them taste death.

'I'm dying.'

'I really want to throw up.'

They could train for three days and nights if it was martial arts practice. But cutting wood tirelessly without a break and fighting with a sword was completely different. The powerful internal energy and explosive sword energy of the Namgung Family's swordsmen made their faces as rough as dried wood.

But this hellish place didn't give them a moment to rest. Just as they swung their swords with all their might, a large cart approached, stirring up a cloud of dust.

"No, we're short on materials! Why is the work so slow?"

"Uh, please wait a moment."

"Excuses again. Is it because the Chief isn't here? You're only swinging swords, what's so difficult about it!"

"What's so difficult about it? Try it yourself!"

As the Namgung swordsmen got agitated, the Tang Family members who had brought the cart retorted indifferently.

"Then, would you like to build a house yourselves?"

"..."

"We don't mind, would you like to switch?"

"...We'll hurry up. Please wait a bit..."

"Cut while there's time to talk! Cut while there's time!"

The Namgung Family's swordsmen swung their swords weakly. The cut timber piled up neatly on the cart. As soon as enough wood was stacked that it couldn't carry any more, the cart rushed forward without delay.

"Hurry, hurry! Gaju-nim will be angry!"

Hwang Jongui's gaze blankly followed the cart, which was constantly shuttling back and forth. Now, unusual buildings with a peculiar style were lined up in Hwaeum, unlike before.

"The timber has arrived!"

"Why is this so slow! Anyway, just unload it!"

The martial artists of the Tang Family swiftly unloaded the timber without responding.

"Ugh."

Generally, the Tang Family's martial artists were of higher status than artisans. However, in this situation, the roles were completely reversed.

"Where should we put this?"

"...Put it over there."

"And these large timbers?"

"...Just put them behind."

It was a golden opportunity to command the Tang Family's martial artists, who usually behaved arrogantly towards artisans, with just one finger. It was a situation that would naturally boost anyone's confidence.

However, the carpenters who were actually giving orders to the workers did not have a confident look. No, they looked rather desperate.

"Uh..."

One of the artisans, watching the construction rising steadily, couldn't endure it any longer and had a fit.

"Ugh! I can't take it anymore! This is an insult to artisans!"

"Stop it!"

"No! Stop!"

"Let go of this!"

With manic eyes, he ran towards a certain place with all his might.

"Chief!"

"Huh?"

Chung Myung, who was monitoring everywhere, turned his head at the approaching commotion.

"What is it?"

"I can't take it anymore!"

"What?"

The defiant eyes of Chung Myung and the bloodshot eyes of the artisan collided in the air. In the tense moment, one artisan couldn't resist and had a seizure. And he grabbed the hem of Chung Myung's pants and hung on.

"Chief!"

"Oh, what's going on? Let go of my pants!"

"Please! Please let me handle just the eaves! I-I'll try my best to bake the tiles somehow! P-please! Even if I have to stay up all night, I'll do it! Please!"

It was almost a crying voice. The artisan's gaze, however, was something else. It was so earnest and desperate that even the sworn enemy of injustice would momentarily soften.

Unfortunately, the one he was hanging on desperately was Chung Myung.

"Can't you understand words?"

"P-please, I beg you! I-I feel like my stomach is going to burst just by looking at those straight eaves! I-I'll just not sleep and work, so please let me carve decorations. Please!"

"Talking about decorations..."

"Let go!"

"Capture him!"

Other artisans who rushed in belatedly grabbed Chung Myung's pants and forcibly dragged the hanging man away.

"Chief! It's the Chief!"

"Stop it!"

"My heart is aching. I understand your heart completely. But you should plead to someone who can listen."

The eyes of the artisans pulling the tearful man quickly became moist.

Throughout their lives, they had repeated the process of melting hundreds of finished products to create a single masterpiece. Such people were now making mass-produced buildings that even the local carpenters wouldn't make. It was despairing.

However, in the world, there were also those who couldn't empathize with them at all.

"Talking about decorations when we're busy enough to die! Instead of carving that, build one more at least!"

...This place was the tomb of artisans.

Identical, square-shaped buildings (if they could be called buildings) were continuously filling the flattened land, so standardized that even residents couldn't tell where their own homes were.

There was neither the unique artisan spirit of the Tang Family, nor the distinctive architectural style of Sichuan, nor the scent of Taoism that always lingered in Hwaeum. None of that was included. Instead, only one thing was left - terrifying speed.

"Wouldn't living in a place like this drive you insane?"

"People are stronger than you think."

"Well, it seems like you won't be able to find your own home here."

"Isn't that what nameplates are for? Everything can be found."

Facing the living iron wall, the artisans could only despair.

"Instead of complaining, work! You have to raise another hundred houses by today! Move quickly!"

"Ugh..."

Witnessing the despairing artisans being dragged along as if their spirits had left, Hwang Jongui took another look around the new town.

What on earth should this be called?

Mountains were the source of everything.

Digging into the mountain produced soil to fill puddles, and the wood from there was used to make the lumber for the buildings. Although the quality of the wood was not excellent, if properly constructed, it could withstand about ten years without any issues.

Rock? Stone? The rocks obtained from digging the mountain were neatly cut by the hands of the Mount Hua swordsmen and reborn as stone pavement on the roads.

Soil, wood, and rocks. And most importantly...

"Move it! Quickly!"

"If we can't finish laying this road today, they won't give us food!"

"Threatening people with something they have to eat is ridiculous."

From Hwang Jongui's mouth, a tired voice flowed as he watched those carrying boulders.

"... Labor."

A large number of laborers, each performing the role of at least thirty normal people, were being ruthlessly exploited.

Martial artist laborers were versatile.

Breaking, moving, cutting, clearing, throwing—nothing was beyond their capabilities. After cruelly ordering them like a slave driver, thousands of laborers were miraculously completing tasks that would normally take a month in just one day and night.

If this wasn't a miracle, what else could it be?

Hwang Jongui realized how meaningless all his worries were.

If only people were given to him, even a desert could be transformed into a lush forest.

'Is he really human?'

It was shocking that someone could depict such a scene with a human mind. That person was undoubtedly a being sent by the gods.

Tang Gunak approached the person whom the gods had sent.

"More than half seems to be done."

"It's safe to say we've exceeded the seventy percent mark. The workload has increased a bit more than planned, so it might take a little longer, but well, if we work hard for another three or four days, it should be mostly finished."

"Even if we put aside the small tasks for now."

That alone was an extraordinary speed. The progress was more than twice... no, even more than that, faster than what Tang Gunak had anticipated.

Bold sacrifices and an emphasis on efficiency resulted in this rapid achievement. Perhaps such a judgment could not have been made without Chung Myung.

"Yes, that's right. It's definitely faster than expected... Ah!"

At that moment, Chung Myung screamed and tore at his hair.

"Oh, shoot! I made a mistake! We were supposed to divert the waterway this way!"

"Hmm? Didn't we decide to dig a well?"

"The scale got bigger than I thought, so it won't work with just a well. Ugh, seriously."

Nodding as if Chung Myung's words made sense, Tang Gunak said.

"You didn't calculate the expansion. So what now? Do we extend the well a bit more?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? We need a waterway."

"Didn't we already built the buildings over there?"

"Demolishing it would be enough."

"..."

"Call some people and have them demolish everything built in a straight line over there. Don't waste the materials, neatly demolish it and build it again next to it."

"That's right. It's a good solution."

Hearing their conversation, Hwang Jongui smiled warmly.

'A true genius...'

A hell where Satan was sitting seemed to unfold on the land of Hwaeum.