Chapter 279: Resuming Production

When Luo Ning first arrived in Shanlin Town, he had almost nothing.

At that time, his demands were modest—he merely hoped to have one high-ranking knight under his command, so he could negotiate with Baron Resen of Marsh Town.

Now, he had not only a sixth-tier magus but two Silver Knights as well, yet he still felt it wasn’t enough.

Especially after witnessing the tenacity and power of Amicus, he became increasingly certain that his domain needed a Star-Class Knight.

But due to the upper limits of his panel, Ridal and the other three could not advance prematurely; to grant Wu Bei Domain a Star-Class Knight, Luo Ning himself must first break through.

On Carlos’s back, Luo Ning spent 1,510 attribute points, significantly boosting his strength.

【Level】: 5—Silver Knight (1500/1500); 5—Chief Magus (1586/2000)

He still lacked 414 attribute points to reach Gold Rank, let alone Star Rank.

Apart from the routine check-ins, he could only hope the Achievement Panel would shorten the time needed for his breakthrough.

Of the five achievements—Fame Across the Land, King of Slaughter, Population Flourishing, Conquering Cities and Lands, Wealth Abundant—the “King of Slaughter” path was nearly impossible now.

Luo Ning had never seen a Silver Moon Knight or a Magister; where could he possibly slay eight-tier transcendents?

Besides, even if he encountered one, who would kill whom was uncertain.

So he focused his efforts on the other four fronts.

“Becoming a Count…”

A thought stirred in Luo Ning’s mind. Given the merits he had earned this time, wouldn’t it be easy to ask Rulans to grant him a marquisate as a Count?

Once he became a Count, his check-in rewards would triple.

Then, in just one month, he could gather those 414 attribute points.

After allocating his own points, Luo Ning prepared to expend the Energy Essences.

This time, he had accumulated a full 3,000 points—enough to significantly elevate the strength of Macken and the others.

First, Ridal: his progress stood at Silver Rank (1005/1500). Luo Ning directly invested 495 points, pushing him into Gold Rank (0/2500).

Thus, Wu Bei Domain now had two sixth-tier transcendents.

Next, Macken: Luo Ning invested 400 points, raising his progress to mid-Silver Rank (500/1500), securing his place among the Silver Knights.

The remaining 2,065 points were poured entirely into Elron, elevating his progress to Magus level (2067/3500).

Since Luo Ning still had ample time before breaking into Star Rank, there was no need to rush Elron’s progression—after all, the man could train himself.

Of the four subordinates eligible for enhancement, only Carlos remained untouched by any Energy Essence.

It wasn’t that Luo Ning doubted Carlos—he simply couldn’t muster the will to invest when faced with that endless progress bar: (17/12500).

Back in Chi Shan Town, Luo Ning turned his attention to what lay ahead.

The Chi Shan Iron Mine—Tuo Lu, Ma Wen, and the other nobles showed not the slightest interest; clearly, it now belonged to him.

As for the mine’s division…

During their talk at Wu Shan Castle, Viggins had demanded three-tenths of the mine’s yield, asking for six thousand gold coins annually without lifting a finger.

At the time, Luo Ning thought three-tenths excessive, but considering how he’d merely been sightseeing, gaining experience and presence during the war, he’d been willing to share.

But now, this war had been won because of him—and it was only because of him that Wu Shan Castle had escaped catastrophe.

Such merit entitled him to claim Chi Shan Town as a fief from Rulans outright; Viggins had no need to intercede or plead.

Thus, there was no reason left to negotiate the mine’s division with him.

Having already claimed Chi Shan Town as his own, restoring the mine’s output became vital.

War often drove subjects to flee their domains.

Yet thanks to Macken’s timely blockade, few residents of Kai Xi Town or Chi Shan Town had escaped.

Once Luo Ning dispatched men to proclaim his identity and benevolent policies, and began distributing black bread throughout the town, morale stabilized—and those who had considered fleeing stayed.

After all, who would abandon their home unless survival was truly impossible?

With morale secured, Luo Ning set about recruiting miners.

Adhering to the principle of “utilizing existing talent,” he selected those with mining experience, offering three copper coins daily and providing meals—soon assembling a workforce of 150, matching the previous scale.

Additionally, he hired 130 laborers for hauling and processing, also fed and clothed, though their daily wage was only two copper coins.

Though it seemed harsh, compared to Corien and Amicus—who paid little or nothing and still starved their workers—Luo Ning’s arrangement drew not a single complaint; instead, applicants flooded in.

Kai Xi and Chi Shan had little arable land; many families depended entirely on the Chi Shan Mine. As long as the lord provided food enough to feed their households, they were willing to endure hardship.

To motivate his workers, Luo Ning revived his old system from Wu Bei Domain:

Monthly output was tallied; the top three received monetary and grain rewards; those who ranked last for three consecutive months were dismissed.

He was certain that once someone tasted the benefits, enthusiasm would soar.

Beyond restoring the mine, several other matters demanded his attention.

First, the spoils of war: the Polant Bandits had been annihilated, leaving behind weapons, armor, warhorses—all spoils now being inventoried by the allied nobles’ logistics officers, requiring Luo Ning’s distribution.

Second, he ordered Macken to recruit artisans across Gu Shi Domain, Chi Shan Town, Kai Xi Town, and even further afield—to Flowing Sands Town and Shore City.

Whether blacksmiths, carpenters, or masons—anyone with skill, he would take.

Those willing to follow him to Wu Bei Domain would receive generous pay and benefit from its policies attracting outsiders.

Though Chi Shan Town was now a fief, Wu Bei Domain remained his true rear base.

Only when his rear was secure could he fight without fear ahead.

As for Chi Shan Town, he would treat it temporarily as a production hub.

When time permitted, he planned to relocate Calles and others from Wu Bei Domain here, erecting blast furnaces to forge weapons and tools—satisfying his own needs while selling the surplus.

Selling raw iron ore was low-profit; processing it into finished goods yielded far greater returns.

In the future, an ironworks would rise here.

“Lord, a craftsman named Feng Si wishes to meet you,” David reported. “He seeks to serve you, but requests a favor.”

A craftsman?

Luo Ning’s eyes lit up. “What is his trade?”

“A blacksmith,” David replied. “He claims he can forge knightly swords and armor of exceptional quality.”

An invaluable talent.

Luo Ning smiled. “Bring him to me at once!” (End of Chapter)