Rebuilding Carnford (2)

Three days later, with everyone working to their fullest, Carnford's inner city had already taken on a completely different vitality.

The first batch of over ten semi-subterranean houses had been built, appearing on the open ground behind the outer walls like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Rough but sturdy log frames were dug deep into the ground, covered with thick earth and dense thatched roofs. Though simple, they could effectively resist the harsh winds of the Northern Border.

Between every few houses, centralized bonfire pits were dug, used for communal cooking as well as providing valuable warmth and light.

Wisps of cooking smoke rose, mixing with the aroma of food and the sounds of conversation, finally injecting a vibrant sense of life into the desolate ruins.

The barracks and training grounds were prioritized for clearing and rebuilding.

The soldiers no longer had to cram into dilapidated barracks; they now had spacious and tidy accommodations.

The training grounds were also leveled, with new archery targets and training equipment erected.

Under Karl's command, daily training quickly resumed. The sounds of morning drills, the commands for formations, and the clash of weapons rang out once more, becoming Carnford's new rhythm.

Discipline and combat effectiveness were the foundations for survival on this land.

The crucial functional areas were also restored.

The granary was reinforced and cleaned, filled with barley, wheat, and soybeans transported from Fran City. The sight of the heavy grain piles brought a sense of peace.

The stables were repaired. The dozen or so packhorses and warhorses that had rendered great service no longer had to sleep in the open, exposed to the elements. They now had sheltered stables to protect them from wind and rain, and ample fodder. Their importance at times even surpassed that of ordinary soldiers.

The blacksmith's forge was relit. Although there was a lack of iron ore, the work of repairing tools and crafting simple equipment could now begin. The ding-ding sound of the blacksmith's hammer symbolized revitalized energy.

The most critical issue of water supply was completely resolved.

Karl personally led a team upstream along the stream, eventually finding its source: a spring deliberately blocked by large rocks and debris.

This was clearly sabotage carried out by the Sauron during the siege years ago.

The group worked together to clear the obstruction, and clear, cold spring water immediately gushed out joyfully, flowing down the stream bed.

Soon, the dry moat was re-moistened by the flowing water, and the water level began to steadily rise. This not only solved the drinking water problem but also provided a foundation for future defenses.

For the severely damaged outer city walls, a complete repair was beyond their current capabilities.

Craftsmen could only initially reinforce several huge collapsed gaps, filling them with earth dug from the semi-subterranean houses mixed with sandbags to prevent further collapse.

More detailed repairs would require a large amount of stone, timber, and skilled craftsmen, and could only be left for the future.

The drawbridge of the outer gate was properly repaired.

The broken iron chains were replaced with thick ropes made from repeatedly twisted and oil-soaked tough bark and vines. Though not as reliable as iron chains, they allowed for normal raising and lowering, sufficient for daily use and emergencies.

However, the immensely heavy Iron Shutter of the inner wall left Old Morrell and the other craftsmen helpless.

After careful inspection, they reported back helplessly: "My Lord, this Iron Shutter was designed for ultimate defense from the outset. Once lowered, the massive iron bolt at the bottom locks into a stone groove in the ground. It's essentially a one-time mechanism. Coupled with years of rust, it's impossible to lift it by human strength. To open the city gate, we would either need explosives to destroy the gate or carve through the city wall from the side."

Karl had to abandon the idea of repairing the city gate passage and instead focused his attention on the section of the city wall that had been breached.

Soldiers and slaves cleared all the rubble from the breach, widening and shaping it into a proper entrance.

Craftsmen buried huge logs deep into the ground on both sides of the breach, constructing a sturdy door frame. Finally, they installed a thick, rough, but sufficiently solid double wooden door, secured from the inside by a massive wooden crossbar.

This area temporarily became Carnford's new, and only official, passage into the inner city.

Despite the continuous improvement in living conditions within the inner city, Karl himself still resided in the barracks, eating and living with the soldiers.

His room was merely a small area partitioned off with leather in a corner of the barracks. It contained only a simple camp bed, a wooden chest for clothes and maps, and a small table for night work.

This lack of aristocratic airs further earned him the heartfelt admiration of all the soldiers and civilians.