Frontline (3)

Quintina placed the array foundations Ang had prepared in advance at their designated positions. Silver light shimmered at her fingertips as she etched winding, lively patterns into the ground. "Where are you planning to build this Ore Vein Town?"

Ang wielded a magic guiding rod made of crystal, and the magic array beneath his feet was nearly complete. He paused, his brow slightly furrowed. "I want to build the town on the flat ground in front of the gorge."

Quintina tilted her head and glanced at him. "Why there?"

"For the future extension of the rail line," Ang said seriously. "The basin is safe, but it would be almost impossible to bore through the gorge walls to build railways. That would leave us relying on the Magic Teleportation Array or manual labor to transport Mithril Ore, and the efficiency would be far too low."

"But if the town is built in front of the gorge, the terrain is open. We can lay tracks directly into the main route and transport materials on a large scale."

"That does make sense." Quintina nodded. "Then why do the others want to build it in the basin?"

"Safety." Ang sighed. "Mountains surround it on all sides, making it easy to defend. If magical beasts attack, we only need to hold the mountain passes, and there's a good chance everyone can retreat safely."

Quintina's hands did not stop moving, but her tone was gentle and probing. "Then which do you think matters more, convenience or safety?"

Ang smiled, though there was a trace of bitterness in it. "Both matter. I can't give up an opportunity for development, but I can't gamble with everyone's safety either."

He paused, his voice lowering further. "The Dampier Highlands may only have five months of summer, but its resources are