After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World - Chapter 289

Chapter 289: Working with Iron
The announcements of the territory further deepened the aborigines’ sense of place and lit up fires in several hearts.

Brenda and Crutch, in particular, were in an unbelievable mood. They were ecstatic, but at the same time, it sounded too good to be true.

They happened to be next to each other in the workshop—another factory building—working on something with Eugene when the announcement resounded across the territory.

At first, they really couldn’t believe it, especially Clutch. At first, they mused the lord and the others thought that Iron—locally known as black metal—was something else.

They hadn’t even seen goblins before, how could they find the materials?

However, a part of him still hoped for a miracle. The territory truly needed all the improvements it could gather to protect itself well.

Further, the threshold for Level D Weaponmakers and Armorers to Level C was working with iron. Just thinking of getting a hold of the material—

Brenda, who was there when the quest for iron was sent, was a lot less cynical. From what she had seen, the lord and the others seemed to be familiar with the material.

But she did understand how Clutch thought. First off, not everyone could capture and enslave goblins, the only race who could efficiently find such resources.

Second, even if they did manage to somehow get their hands on the goblins and the black metal the effective method of processing wasn’t common knowledge, either.

For many territories, the effort and cost of handling iron was much higher than simply purchasing them from the established channels.

This had always been a secret of big families, something that had historically caused a lot of lives to maintain the secret.

“If it is really black metal, then what if the lord expects us to be able to handle it?”

Brenda’s comforting smile disappeared.

Oh no… Clutch was right. What would they do if they disappointed the lord?

The thought of the woman frowning at them, disappointed, made her want to cry.

It was at this time a notice visible only to the NPCs appeared in their heads not long after that.

[Notice: All NPCs shall meet at the third-floor meeting hall.

Target: Finalized action plans for the Iron]

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Troy, who had seen their daze, waved his hand in front of both their faces. “Did you get so excited about the iron as well??”

Clutch and Brenda looked at each other awkwardly. “We were called for a meeting,” she said. “We’ll have to go early today.”

“Ah, yes! Gogoggooo!”

“A-ah…, yes.”

When the other workers cheered them up, very excited about the next steps in handling iron, they could only nod awkwardly and hope for the best.

When they arrived the Lord and the young master Ansel were already there. The others also arrived right after them and they went inside, wondering how the meeting would go later on.

Althea, Ansel, and the NPCs sat around the table. Althea sat at the head, looking at everyone with a serious expression.

“We only have a few days left before the opening of the barrier and an even shorter time for the next beast tide. I hope to expedite the processing of this, the target is to equip all guards with at least one iron weapon.”

Both Brenda and Clutch looked at each other and bowed their heads in shame.

“We don’t know how to handle this material… I apologize, my Lord.” Clutch said, followed by Brenda.

“It is the same with me.” She said so with a shaky voice and a bit of a push and she’d definitely cry.

Althea smiled at them in reassurance, “Don’t worry, I have a few people in mind.”

The two whipped their heads up and stared at her, their expression complicated. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

“But you will be joining this person in creating equipment. Hopefully, you can learn from him as well.”

The two’s eyes looked at her in disbelief and worship, but they knew her well enough not to question her anymore.

Even if the material they claimed could be wrong, their hearts still felt full.

Althea only smiled at their tearing eyes, and she turned to Oslo and Clout, “Please assist Eugene in creating a smithing factory as soon as possible.”

“Yes, milord.”

And finally, she turned to Rowan, “Please organize the protection of the people who will gather the bog iron.”

“Yes, milord.” The redhead uttered, saluting. Although he was silent and he didn’t have much expression on his face, his heart was hot. He could imagine the new items that would soon be available to them, how Altera’s strength would be taken to yet another level.

“Meeting adjourned.”

And everyone soon left, one by one, feeling each of their steps becoming particularly meaningful.

…

After the meeting ended, Althea opened the territory panel for the essential next step.

In the Lord panel, she looked at the list of citizens, narrowing on a name and his so-called expertise.

With a smile, she raised her hand to the powdery screen, pressing a few buttons.

A moment later, a very special invitation was sent, one that was set to change a person’s life.

.

.

.

At this time, Hardy was picking up stones and loose twigs and branches when a ding sounded in his head.

[The territory has discovered Iron. You have been detected to be able to handle the material. You are invited to become a territory-hired blacksmith.]

[Wage: 200 copper/day, 1% sales commission for all products innovated]

Whatever was in Hardy’s hands fell on the ground.

2 silver a day!!! Plus commissions!?!

He just arrived earlier from Bright territory. He didn’t think he’d get a chance so soon!!!

…

Everything was expedited. The near-finished factory reserved for Baron was temporarily delayed and expropriated. In exchange, he would get a 20% discount on rent for the 6 months.

Within that day, Eugene and Oslo had set up a working station in accordance with Hardy’s specifications.

Oslo was pale afterward, but he knew the importance of this to the territory, and he was willing to take the extra mile.

Far away, Rowan and many guards and civilians were already fighting in the swamps and clearing it up from all monsters.

Brenda and Clutch, on the other hand, started to create their equipment. It was a learning curve at first, but Old Hardy was a great teacher.

Not to mention, it was really the material that they thought!

And the lord and the others really knew how to process it!

Althea watched the process closely, watching them handle the metal, their hammers hitting it to shape.

To Althea, each hit made her feel a bit more stable.

War was coming, and they must be prepared.