By the end of Dragon Calendar 5586, the fall of the Molten Fire Grand Duchy had made humanity realize just how grave the crisis was.
Thunder Stations and Demon Seeking Towers had swiftly been established across the ten human nations of the Ancient Thorn Continent, and continued spreading to human nations on other continents.
Messages of thunder crossed the boundless snowfields, linking humanity together through communication.
Demon Seeking Towers closely monitored the movements of the Frost Snow Trolls—Frost Trolls and Snow Trolls were collectively known by humanity as Frost Snow Trolls.
Furthermore.
Dragons in nearby nations cooperated with one another, establishing Scale Towers in each other's countries to provide support at any time. Unfortunately, this could only ease the pressure brought by the Frost Snow Trolls; it could not fundamentally change the situation on the snowfields.
Humanity was still being beaten back by the Frost Snow Trolls.
Just as they had been oppressed by Snow Demons in the Dark Age and by Snow Giants in the Warm Era, they were now facing the stronger and more cunning Frost Snow Trolls.
Whooo!
A train whistle sounded across the Volcanic Oasis. The first railway had been completed, running directly from Furious Wind City to Ze City, the capital of Mist Marsh Province. It was not particularly fast, traveling at only forty kilometers per hour, and it had to stop at several stations along the way.
But the train's appearance had rapidly expanded trade between the two places and made travel far more frequent.
Most importantly, railway transport gave industrialization better room to develop.
Russell personally took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for this railway and rode the black-painted Steam Train himself.
It was so slow that he had nearly jumped out the window and flown away halfway through.
Yet the commoners riding