Chapter 54 : Iron Ore Mine

ONE MONTH LATER

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It has been a month since the top ten winners of the farming competition met with the military. In this past month, significant changes have taken place in the Kingdom. Five out of the ten towns have completed their constructions, while the remaining towns are nearing completion. Additionally, the other villages in the Kingdom have begun construction, with Nexus ordering that they be built anew rather than renovated. These new villages are strategically located for easy access to roads leading to various destinations.

In addition to the construction of towns and buildings, large brick roads have been built. Four main roads extend from the Capital City, with smaller interconnected roads leading to towns and villages. Tall wooden railings have been erected along the roadsides to ensure the safety of travelers. Bridges have also been constructed over rivers and lakes, greatly improving the transportation system in the Kingdom. Travelers, merchants, and businessmen alike can now easily move between villages, towns, and the Capital City without the need to navigate through forests and bushes.

The completion of these roads and bridges has not only improved transportation but has also made travel more convenient for all. Carriages pulled by horses can be seen heading in various directions, carrying both people and goods. Lone travelers also frequent these roads. As a result, the standard of living in the Kingdom is steadily improving, with businesses, particularly in farming, flourishing. Farming has emerged as one of the major industries in the Kingdom, attracting numerous individuals to the profession.

The flourishing agricultural industry in the Kingdom can be attributed to the recent farming competition. The generous rewards bestowed upon the top ten winners have inspired other farmers to strive for success and claim victory in the competition next year. Additionally, farming has evolved into a lucrative business opportunity, further fueling the motivation of farmers to excel.

While the introduction of the farming competition initially addressed the food shortage in the Kingdom, the demand for food has since skyrocketed. Thousands of tons of farm products are now consumed daily, indicating a significant increase in food consumption. This surge in demand may be attributed to the prolonged hunger experienced by the populace under the rule of the Nobles,among other factors.

As a result of the heightened demand for food, farmers have reaped substantial financial rewards. Some farmers have amassed net worth ranging from ten to thirty gold coins, a feat previously unimaginable to them. This newfound wealth has attracted many people to engage in farming, further contributing to the industry's growth.

The Agricultural Team's offices in every town and village are consistently bustling with activity as individuals flock to register their names and information. Upon receiving the necessary documentation to farm, these individuals are eager to join the ranks of successful farmers. The members of the Agricultural Team find themselves inundated with tasks during this period, reflecting the widespread interest and participation in farming activities.

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Mysthaven Kingdom : Capital City : Royal Palace.

Inside the Royal Palace, within the expansive study room, Nexus was engrossed in reviewing a large stack of reports detailing the various situations within the Kingdom. Each day, hundreds of reports were sent to his study for his perusal. Despite holding the reports in his hands, Nexus's mind was elsewhere, evident by the furrowed brows that indicated deep contemplation.

The current state of the Kingdom had stabilized, with food shortages no longer a concern. The people is diligently working to earn money to support themselves and their families, while the soldiers had grown stronger, advancing into the Essence Meridian Realm. Each team was fulfilling their duties, leading to a slight improvement in the strength,social and economic conditions of the Kingdom.

However, as the Kingdom prospered, the treasury faced a dilemma. Expenses were mounting, with Nexus having allocated significant funds to the various teams. With only 3 million gold coins remaining from the initial 8 million, Nexus knew that the current funds would not last long.

While imposing taxes was an option, Nexus hesitated, recognizing that the people had just begun to recover and imposing taxes prematurely could hinder their progress. He plan to start imposing taxes one to two years from now.

" Looks like I have to find other ways to earn money" Nexus thought with narrowed eyes.

Despite possessing treasure maps from the Origin Tower, Nexus lacked the necessary strength and manpower to embark on treasure hunts.

He had previously wanted to try looking for treasures with the treasure maps and maybe if the goddess of luck wink in his way he might chance upon a mountain of gold coins

But Jade said warning him that, his Cultivation base must reach True Origin Realm before he can attempt to look for treasures.

" Damm, it's truly hard to run a Kingdom" Nexus said while leaning on the back of chair, rubbing his temples.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Suddenly a gentle but hurried knock was heard outside the door.

Nexus snapped out his thought, sat up and lightly said, " Come in ".

The door swung open as Thorgrim rushed in, wearing ragged and dirty clothes. His face was beet red, his long flaming hair blowing in the wind, but his beady eyes were filled with excitement. Nexus was surprised to see Thorgrim in such a state.

"Thorgrim, why do you look like this? Did you get robbed or something?" Nexus asked.

Thorgrim was taken aback for a moment as he looked at himself, but then he quickly bowed and apologized. "Sorry, Your Majesty, for meeting you like this. I just returned from the iron mine search and was in a hurry to tell you the results, so I didn't have time to clean up."

"Don't worry about it," Nexus waved his hand dismissively. "So, what did you find at the iron mine?"

Thorgrim broke into a wide grin. "Yes, Your Majesty, I found a large iron mine."

"Really? You found an iron mine?" Nexus asked excitedly, standing up with joy.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Thorgrim confirmed with a joyful expression.

"How large is this iron mine?" Nexus asked, slightly calming down.

"Well, Your Majesty, I can't exactly determine the size, but it's extremely huge. We can mine for a long time," Thorgrim reported.

Nexus nodded. "What about the purity?"

"The purity of the iron ore is high, extremely high quality," Thorgrim assured.

"If we can forge weapons and armor with this iron, along with the forging techniques you gave me, the quality will be no less than 1 Star Weapons," Thorgrim said.

Nexus nodded, extremely excited that the army could finally be equipped with proper weapons and armor. "Thorgrim, start mining the iron mine, begin forging, hire more people, and increase the number of workers in the smithy. I want all the soldiers to be well-equipped with weapons and armor in two months," Nexus ordered enthusiastically.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Thorgrim immediately bowed and accepted Nexus's order before making his way out of the study.

As Thorgrim left, Nexus grinned wildly, almost laughing out loud. His eyes were beaming with excitement. With this iron mine, they could now be without any proper defenses. Previously, he had little hope of finding any mine in the Kingdom. He thought the previous Nobles had depleted every mineral resource to sell and fill their pockets. Now, knowing that there was a huge iron mine in the Kingdom, how could he not be excited?

After a few moments, Nexus calmed down and sat back in his chair. With a wicked smirk and an evil glint in his eyes, he said, "Now I can completely go with my previous plans."