The Unfathomable Sea

At Hansen Port, workers are busy loading ships against the howling sea wind.

"The Governor has arrived!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the dock erupted in excitement. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction the newcomer was.

Having worked at the docks, he had seen all sorts of people from all over the country and could be considered quite knowledgeable.

Many people were witnessing the presence of the Governor in person for the first time.

The vast ocean is incredibly dangerous, always inspiring awe. Storms, sea monsters, pirates... all threaten the safety of sea voyages.

Making a living at sea is like living on the edge of a knife; one must be prepared to perish at any time.

Humans are always filled with fear of the unknown, and even the most aristocratic lords are no exception.

From the Southeast Province to the Royal Capital Canglan City, in addition to the land routes, one could also travel by sea along the mainland and then go upstream along the Lancang River.

This sea route has been open for hundreds of years, with countless ships and merchants passing through every day.

Despite the bustling commerce, the dangers of sea voyages remain undeniable. News of shipwrecks emerges almost every so often.

The dangers of the sea could not deter people's desire to make a fortune. The enormous profits of maritime trade attracted merchants and adventurers to join one after another.

Even some sons of fallen noble families devoted themselves to maritime trade. Compared to the conservative and traditional inland areas, Hansen Port was significantly more open-minded.

However, these participants do not include those from large and wealthy families.

For the feudal lords, unless absolutely necessary, they would rather run on land than choose to travel by sea.

On the one hand, there's a dislike for unknown risks; on the other hand, the experience of sailing at sea these days is simply not pleasant.

The biggest advantage of maritime transport is its low freight costs; passenger transport, however, is nonexistent. The speed at which noblemen galloped on horseback far exceeded the slow speed of sluggish ships.

The warhorse with the bloodline of magical beasts can be considered the greatest breakthrough in biotechnology on the Aslant Continent.

The dual improvement in endurance and explosive power freed riders from the troubles of riding two or three horses.

Knights could easily travel hundreds of miles a day, and urgent military reports from the front lines could even cover a thousand miles a day.

Of course, compared to sending messages by fast horses, everyone still prefers to have aerial units deliver intelligence.

However, aerial units were too scarce to be deployed on a large scale, so cavalry was still needed for communication most of the time.

Given the risk-averse and conservative nature of these noble gentlemen, given the choice, they would certainly prefer to travel by land.

Unfortunately, the monthly freight volume of tens of thousands of tons was simply too heavy. In order to reduce costs and improve efficiency, waterway transshipment became the only option.

As the first time since the outbreak of the war that the Southeast Province had sent supplies to the front lines, Governor Pierce brought a group of senior officials from the province to personally oversee the effort, in order to show his importance.

Looking at the mountain of supplies waiting to be loaded onto the ship, everyone couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

Looking at the supply list his subordinates had brought over, Count Pierce's expression suddenly changed. Pointing to a piece of data, he asked in confusion, "What's going on with this data?"

The military officer standing nearby glanced at the data and explained with a smile:

"These supplies were sent from Laite County, who were severely affected by the disaster and had not been able to collect enough food."

As required by the provincial government, they used weapons, armor, and high-quality raw iron to make up the numbers.

They originally wanted to take other iron products, but we declined due to transportation considerations.

We hadn't expected them to produce so many iron products, and the province couldn't immediately allocate the necessary resources.

After communicating with the Royal Capital's Logistics Department, they agreed to accept this batch of supplies, so..."

Once you're suddenly thrust into a nationwide mobilization system, no matter how experienced you are, you're bound to encounter all sorts of problems.

The ability to adapt flexibly is the key to solving problems.

When time is too tight and certain supplies cannot be procured, using other strategic supplies to make up for it is a last resort.

If you rigidly apply the rules without leaving any room for flexibility, the people below will be unable to get their work done.

Count Pierce was naturally aware of this matter. Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to the allocation of supplies within the province in the first place.

What he was concerned about now was not the variety of supplies, but the quantity of high-quality raw iron that Laite County had brought out, which far exceeded his expectations.

The original task of delivering grain was turned into a pile of iron lumps.

This means that the Mountain Territory, which could only produce inferior weapons, now has the foundation for large-scale production of weapons and equipment.

He walked up to a wagon transporting weapons, casually pulled out a warhammer from it, which was clearly engraved with the words "Made in the Mountain Territory".

The inferior iron was transformed into superior iron, and Count Pierce wished he could send those guys who gathered intelligence back to be melted down and remade.

Military production capacity is crucial for any major power. It's worth noting that even the Dalton Family is currently unable to mass-produce weapons and equipment due to coal shortages.

Ironically, this core strategic material had been right under his nose all along, yet it remained undiscovered for a long time.

War has broken out, and unity is the theme of the Alpha Kingdom. Any act that stirs up conflict or undermines the overall unity will be severely punished by the Kingdom.

Moreover, the Mountain Territory is no pushover now. Hudson, who has consolidated the military forces of Laite County, is considered a powerful force in the Southeast Province.

Even if the Dalton Family were to propose exchanging fiefdoms, they would hardly gain any advantage.

"Ha ha..."

A hearty laugh masked the awkwardness on his face, and Count Pierce said with feigned emotion:

"I never imagined that my Southeast Province would also have the capacity to produce high-quality iron on a large scale."

The front lines have a huge demand for weapons and equipment, especially disposable weapons, the shortage of which is a terrifying number.

The Logistics Department's forging capabilities are limited, and putting all the processing pressure on them simply cannot meet the needs of the front lines.

Viscount Daolunard, please speak with the Royal Capital Logistics Department and explain the predicament we are facing.

See if we can adjust the supply of materials in the Southeast Province and replace some of the materials with weapons.

"Hudson, you have no problem processing this iron into weapons, do you?"

As a politician, Governor Pierce was undoubtedly competent, seeing the crux of the problem at a glance.

Even if he didn't bring it up, Hudson would still push for it.

Despite the Alpha Kingdom's early preparations, weaponry became a consumable commodity from the moment the war began.

Ordinary weapons and equipment don't wear out very quickly. Even if they are damaged, they can be repaired and used as is.

Disposable weapon supplies, such as Arrow Feathers, javelins, and throwing spears, are basically all gone for good.

For the soldiers defending the city, these weapons, which were consumables, were never enough.

Even ordinary lances and spears could be considered disposable weapons. Usually, after a major battle, most of them would be destroyed.

The massive daily consumption at the front lines simply cannot be met by relying solely on existing stockpiles. From the very beginning of the war, the military production capacity of the Alpha Kingdom has been pushed to its limit.

However, compared to the enormous consumption, the production speed clearly cannot keep up. Under these circumstances, the Logistics Department cannot refuse to add a new weapons production site.

As the disadvantaged party, they have to go all out and can't afford to be willful.

Rather than waiting for Hudson to push it, it would be better for the Governor to bring it up first. This would both do him a favor and create an image of him being considerate of the bigger picture.

As for the issue of envy, that can wait until the war is over. If Hudson were to die on the battlefield, the Mountain Territory would be rightfully the Dalton Family's.

Conversely, if the Dalton Family suffers heavy losses and is weakened on the battlefield, this favor can also come in handy.

In the chaos of battles involving hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of troops on the front lines, anything can happen. A wise person will not easily make enemies at such times unless absolutely necessary.

"Governor Excellency, it is Hudson's honor to share the kingdom's burdens."

However, the Mountain Territory lacks enough blacksmiths to forge weapons on a large scale.

"Why don't the Mountain Territory provide the iron, and we can all share the responsibility of forging weapons?"

Hudson then made the suggestion.

Those capable of forging weapons for the kingdom are all established and powerful forces. A sudden entry into the fray would inevitably infringe upon their interests.

Hudson had never had any faith in the integrity of arms dealers.

Bringing together a group of allies to share the burden becomes essential.

With profits diluted, the Mountain Territory became less conspicuous. Even if trouble arose later, the various factions that had benefited couldn't just sit idly by.

Incidentally, it can also be seen as the Coslo Family's pledge to join the upper echelons of the Southeast Province.

After a minor incident, the atmosphere became much warmer. Count Pierce was eyeing the iron in the Mountain Territory, while Hudson was equally coveting the Dalton Family's port.

In the eyes of traditional nobles, fertile inland lands were the best fiefdoms; but Hudson saw coastal territories like Watson with excellent harbors as the best treasures.

He may be envious, but the lands that the Dalton Family had cultivated for many years were not something he could covet.

Looking at the bustling port, Hudson's thoughts began to wander. Perhaps the swamp development plan could be changed.

Before the entire area is converted into farmland, it would be more valuable for the development of the Mountain Territory to build a road through it to the sea.

"Hudson, were you overwhelmed by the vastness of the ocean for the first time?"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Hudson realized that his father-in-law had misunderstood his earlier contemplation.

There is no explanation. As an aristocrat raised in the inland region, this was the first time Hudson had ever seen the sea.

It's normal to be shocked and lose your composure. If there's no reaction at all, that's when there's a problem.

Indeed! The vastness of the ocean is beyond imagination.

However, I am more curious about the mysterious and unpredictable ocean than these waves.

The endless legends of sea monsters and the mythical sea creatures are all fascinating beings!

These are all the truths; he is genuinely interested in these legends.

If you want to strike it rich at sea, you can't do it without figuring out these issues. Hudson didn't believe that you could just build a few ships and start a maritime trade business.

"What sea monster legends? They're nothing more than some magical beasts that live in the sea. They're exaggerated to a great extent, but in reality, they're just so-so."

If it were as powerful as the legends say, sea routes would have disappeared long ago.

As for the legendary Sea Tribe, they are indeed recorded in historical books. Although they seem mysterious, they are not fundamentally different from the alien tribes on the mainland.

Point Guard Here

They are nothing more than a group of intelligent creatures living in the sea.

Since the medieval wars, these marine creatures have abandoned the coastal areas and migrated to the deep sea to settle, and they have basically no contact with us humans.

However, the sea is indeed rich in many resources. Some resourceful individuals have established trade routes with the Sea Tribe and made a fortune.

This kind of business is something you can only envy; it's all about luck.

In order to facilitate trade with the Sea Tribe, many factions have organized fleets to search for the Sea Tribe creatures.

The person was indeed found, but the ending was somewhat unexpected. The trade route was not reopened, and instead, conflicts occurred frequently.

If you stay in the port, you might one day encounter fishermen bringing their catch of the Sea Tribe life to the market to sell.

The legendary, mysterious, powerful, and omnipotent Sea Tribe simply do not exist. Most Sea Tribe are pitifully weak.

Viscount Oran said dismissively.

There are already few intelligent creatures in the sea, and in the special environment of the ocean, the probability of creatures developing intelligence is far lower than on land.

Even if intelligence were to emerge, the complex environment of the sea would present numerous challenges in developing a civilization.

Being part of the food chain, the Sea Tribe are severely divided, with each tribe and clan essentially going their own way.

A disorganized Sea Tribe naturally cannot exert any pressure on the human race, and it is inevitable that it will not be valued.

But if the Sea Tribe were to unite, they would become the largest ethnic group in the world. After all, the reproduction rate of sea creatures is practically superhuman.

If it weren't for the checks and balances of the food chain, there would have been an overabundance of life long ago.

With a slight smile, Hudson did not continue the conversation.

Ignorance is not terrible, but it goes too far to go and discuss or argue with others when you are ignorant.

Hudson's understanding of the Sea Tribe was limited to some folk legends. The records of the Coslo Family were all from hundreds of years ago, and were incomplete and fragmented.

Even if time is worthless to a race, a few hundred years can still influence the development of a civilization.

Of course, long-lived races are an exception. For races like Giant Dragon, who can sleep for hundreds of years, a few hundred years really doesn't change anything.

Loading continues.

People just came to take a look, to show the importance the provincial leadership attaches to this matter, and there was no intention to give a swearing-in speech to boost morale.

A group of laborers are not worth the attention of noble lords.

This gesture was mainly intended to warn the bureaucrats responsible for implementation to behave themselves.

Hudson watched as ships laden with cargo departed the port...