Chapter 143 On his journey home, Lin Yue meticulously recorded the trade routes…

Along the way, Lin Yue meticulously recorded information about the trade routes, drew maps, and marked key features. He planned to bring all of this back to discuss with Ryan and the others.

After a journey of more than ten days, they finally returned to the vicinity of the cursed land.

“Lin Yue,” Gray pointed into the distance, “Hope Town is just ahead.”

Lin Yue looked up and felt a long-lost warmth welling up in his heart.

Home, we've finally arrived.

However, when they approached Hope Town, the scene before them stunned everyone.

The open space outside the city gate was filled with wagons of all sizes. Flags of various caravans fluttered in the wind, and mercenaries gathered in small groups, some cleaning their weapons, some chatting, and some checking their goods.

"So many people?"

“There are more than double the number before we left,” Fei Ye said.

The temporary trading area outside the city gates has also expanded considerably, with rows of simple stalls neatly arranged, selling all kinds of goods—ores, furs, medicinal herbs, spices…you name it.

The most eye-catching feature was the originally simple temporary canteen outside the city.

It is no longer temporary.

The wooden house had been expanded into a decent-looking restaurant, with a sign that read "Hope Station" hanging at the entrance. The sounds of pots and pans clattering and the enticing aromas wafted from inside. Through the windows, one could see that the house was full of people.

“Let’s go in and take a look,” Lin Yue said.

They headed towards the cafeteria, but just as they reached the entrance...

"Hey! Line up! No cutting in line!"

A burly man who looked like a mercenary stopped them and pointed to the long queue next to them.

"Oh, sorry, sorry," Lin Yue quickly apologized and prepared to join the queue.

At that moment, the mercenary noticed Stone Fist.

"Dwarves?" He frowned, his tone turning unfriendly. "Dwarves are here too?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Shi Quan squinted, his hand unconsciously resting on the hammer at his waist.

But before he could speak, a businessman-looking man next to him immediately grabbed the mercenary.

"Brother, you're new here, aren't you?" the merchant said in a low voice. "You can't cause trouble in Hope Town."

"Why?" the mercenary protested. "I just can't stand dwarves..."

“Listen to me,” the merchant lowered his voice, “the rules of Hope Town apply equally to everyone. Whether you are human, dwarf, or elf, as long as you follow the rules, you can come and trade. But if you cause trouble…”

He paused, his tone turning serious: "Depending on the number and severity of the disturbances, you may no longer be allowed to trade with Hope Town."

"Can't trade?" The mercenary was stunned. "So what?"

"Are you really unaware or just pretending?" the merchant said helplessly. "Right now, in the entire Northern Territory, where is the most complete selection of goods? Where are the fairest prices? Where is the best food? It's all in Hope Town! Being banned from trading here is tantamount to being shut out of the largest market in the entire Northern Territory."

“Besides,” another merchant added, “I’ve heard that even the elves and dwarves have signed a peace treaty with Hope Town. You, a mercenary, dare to cause trouble here?”

The mercenary finally realized the seriousness of the situation and sheepishly released his fist: "I...I was just saying it casually..."

"Alright, alright, go line up," the businessman waved his hand. "We're all just trying to make a living, why make things difficult for each other?"

With the crisis resolved, Lin Yue breathed a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t realize the rules of Hope Town had spread so far,” he whispered to Gray.

“That’s a good thing,” Gray said. “It means the order we’ve established is being recognized.”

Just then, a waiter came out of the cafeteria to greet the next group of customers.

When he saw Lin Yue, he was stunned at first, and then he became excited.

"Township Mayor?!" he shouted.

"Shh, keep your voice down," Lin Yue quickly made a shushing gesture.

But it was too late.

This shout caught the attention of all the Hope Town employees in the canteen.

"It really is the town mayor!"

"The mayor is back!"

"Go quickly and inform the old village chief's wife!"

Suddenly, the side gate of the city gate opened, and a group of people poured out and walked quickly toward the canteen.

Leading the group was the old village chief's wife, followed by Elder Farad, Old Bad, Iron Bull, and a group of residents of Hope Town.

"Lin Yue!" The old village chief's wife stepped forward excitedly, "You're finally back!"

“Madam, we’re back,” Lin Yue said with a smile.

"Let me see, let me see," the old village chief's wife said, pulling Lin Yue up and down. "You've lost weight, you're so dark... You must have had a very hard journey."

"It's alright," Lin Yue said, "everything went smoothly."

"Uncle Stone Fist!"

Several men from the blacksmith shop squeezed to the front and, upon seeing Shi Quan return safely, burst into tears.

"You brats," Shi Quan scolded, but his eyes were also red. "What are you crying for? I'm perfectly fine!"

"Uncle, you're finally back," a young blacksmith said, wiping away tears. "You have no idea how worried we were..."

“What are you worried about?” Stonefist patted him on the shoulder. “I’m a dwarf warrior, I’m not so easy to get into trouble with.”

The crowd surrounded Lin Yue and his companions, asking them all sorts of questions.

Lin Yue answered them one by one, telling them about his experiences on the road, the signing of the peace treaty, the underground city of the dwarf kingdom...

As they were talking, the old village chief's wife suddenly noticed the little black dog on Gray's shoulder.

"Huh?" She looked at Xiao Hei in confusion, then looked around. "Where's Xiao Fen? I don't see her."

Then everyone realized, "Oh yeah, where's Xiao Fen?"

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

“Well…” Lin Yue organized his thoughts, “Actually… Xiao Fen and Xiao Hei went out to look for me together and met its people on the way.”

"Clan members?"

“Yes, an orc,” Lin Yue said. “Xiao Fen’s parents found it and took it back to their tribe.”

"What?!" Everyone was shocked.

The old village chief's wife was even more anxious: "I was just about to tell you about this. Xiao Fen and Xiao Hei got lost together. We sent patrols to search the surrounding forests, but we couldn't find them. The transport team went to Blackstone City but couldn't find them either. But you went south for negotiations, and we didn't dare disturb you... We've been searching in the places they usually go..."

“Madam, don’t worry,” Lin Yue comforted her, “Xiao Fen is fine, she has found her family.”

He recounted Xiao Fen's story in detail—from Xiao Hei coming to find them, to encountering the person with golden eyes in the forest, to Xiao Fen's parents finally coming to pick her up…

After listening, everyone fell silent.

Some people's eyes reddened, and some people sighed.

“That child…has finally found his home,” the old village chief’s wife wiped away her tears. “This is good news, good news…”

“Yes,” Old Bud said, “it’s always good to find your biological parents.”

“But we can’t bear to part with it,” Tie Niu’s voice choked with emotion. “Xiao Fen is such a good girl…”

“I’m reluctant to leave it too,” Lin Yue said softly, “but it will be better there. Besides, it promised to come back to see us.”

“Yes, he will come back,” the old village chief’s wife wiped away her tears. “That child has a good memory; he will definitely remember the way back.”

The atmosphere eased a little.

"Alright, alright," Elder Farador clapped his hands. "The mayor and the others must be tired from their long journey. Let's all disperse and let them rest. We can talk about it tomorrow."

“Yes, yes, yes,” said the old village chief’s wife. “Lin Yue, you should go back and rest first. I’ll have the logistics team prepare some food for you.”

“Thank you, Madam,” Lin Yue said gratefully.

The group then reluctantly dispersed.

Lin Yue, Gray, and Shi Quan walked through the city gate and onto the familiar streets.

Then, they were stunned by what they saw.

The entire Hope Town... has changed again.

It has become more vibrant.

The plants lining both sides of the street are lush and green, no longer the sickly plants they were when they were first planted. The trees are tall and straight, with abundant branches and leaves, and the flower beds are full of flowers of various colors.

What's even more surprising is that almost every household has cleared a small patch of land in front of their doors, planting snowball cabbage and frost-heart radishes. The cabbages look like giant jade balls, and the purple skin of the radishes glistens in the sunlight. Although the space is small, it is very well-maintained.

On the windowsill, various spices are grown in earthenware pots. Wild garlic and leeks, fragrant pine needles, and sesame grass... A gentle breeze blows, bringing with it a unique aroma that blends pine resin and spiciness.

On the other side of the doorway, laundry was hanging out to dry. The colorful fabrics fluttered in the sunlight like colorful flags.

In the corner, there are also transplanted sour thorn fruit trees and sweet berry shrubs found in the forest. After careful pruning, some of them have already borne small, unripe fruits, foreshadowing the sweet and sour taste to come.

"So beautiful..."

It's noon now, and smoke is billowing from the chimneys of every household, the aromas of various dishes mingling together, making one's mouth water.

People who had just finished work were walking on the street, chatting and laughing in twos and threes.

What surprised Lin Yue the most were those silent people.

They were once taciturn and had dull eyes, but now they look no different from ordinary people. They chat with their companions, and when they are happy, they gesture with their hands and their eyebrows move with great enthusiasm.

A silent person is discussing something with a neighbor, a bright smile on their face.

Another silent person was carrying a basket of vegetables and haggling with the vegetable vendor. Although they were still a bit rusty, they were already able to communicate normally.

“This…this change is too great…” Stone Fist murmured.

Lin Yue looked at all of this and felt a sense of relief.

The sense of loss I felt because of Xiaofen's departure gradually dissipated.

Gray's previously stern expression softened, and a slight smile even appeared on his lips.

“We…did a good job,” he said.

“Yes,” Lin Yue smiled, “Well done.”

As they walked back to Lin's Restaurant, people kept greeting them.

"Mayor! Welcome back!"

"Captain Gray!"

"Master Stone Fist!"

"Was the journey smooth?"

"I heard you went to the Dwarf Kingdom? What's it like there?"

Has a peace agreement really been signed?

Lin Yue answered each question one by one, a smile always on his face.

Gray was also reporting the situation to Elder Farador in a low voice, talking about what he had seen and heard on the way and the details of the negotiations.

Shi Quan was surrounded by people from the blacksmith shop. Several young blacksmiths excitedly said, "Master, while you were away, we successfully forged three fine steel swords according to your methods."

"Really?" Stone Fist's eyes lit up. "Well done! Let me see later."

Several people in blue vests were also talking with other patrol members, sharing their experiences in the south.

"You have no idea, the dwarves' underground cities are absolutely magnificent..."

"The forest of fairies is unbelievably beautiful..."

"And that orc, his strength is terrifying..."

Upon arriving at the entrance of Lin's Restaurant, Elder Farador raised his hand: "Alright, everyone, disperse for now. Let the mayor and the others get some rest. We can discuss anything else tomorrow."

“Yes, yes, yes,” the old village chief’s wife also said, “Go back, everyone, stop crowding around.”

The group reluctantly dispersed, but before leaving, they kept looking back.

Lin Yue, Gray, and Shi Quan walked into the courtyard.

The courtyard... is still the same as before.

The old tree, the well, the stone benches... nothing has changed.

The only change was that the room was now more comfortable. The bed was new, the tables and chairs were refurbished, the curtains were new, and the floor was spotless.

But the traces of their life together with Xiaofen are still there.

Xiao Fen's favorite corner to lie in still has the straw mat on the ground.

The wooden toy that Xiaofen had chewed on is still on the shelf.

Xiao Fen's food bowl was wiped clean and placed in a corner of the room.

The three looked at each other in silence, all feeling the same emotion.

“It will come back,” Stone Fist said after a long silence.

“Yes,” Lin Yue nodded, “I will come back.”

“Let’s go eat first,” Gray said.

The table was already laden with a sumptuous lunch. Braised pork, steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, tofu soup... all of these were dishes that Lin Yue and his friends loved to eat.

"The logistics team is so thoughtful," Lin Yue said with a smile.

The three of them sat down and began to eat.

There wasn't much conversation; they just ate quietly.

But this quietness brings a sense of peace.

After finishing their meal, the three of them returned to their respective rooms.

Lin Yue lay on the long-unused bed and closed his eyes.

The evening sun shone through the curtains, warm and gentle.

In the distance came the laughter of children and the clanging of metalworkers striking iron.

Everything was so beautiful.

Lin Yue fell into a deep sleep, sleeping soundly until the next morning. When Lin Yue woke up, Gray and Stone Fist had already left.

After washing up, he slowly walked towards Store No. 1.

The morning scene on the street was also beautiful. Vendors were setting up their stalls, children were chasing and playing, and the elderly were sitting in their doorways basking in the sun.

Good morning, Mayor.

"Lin Yue, have you had breakfast?"

"Mayor, welcome back."

Lin Yue responded to each question, in a pleasant mood.

When he walked into Yihaodian, he found that it had changed.

The menu on the wall has been updated with many new dishes and items.

[Fire Crystal Snow Rabbit Noodles] [Sour Soup River Seafood Slices] [Pine Needle Roasted Chicken] [Fish-Flavored Smoked Pork Shreds]...

There are also some other products:

Refined honey, calming herbal tea, starlight flower cake, maltose cubes...

"What are all these?" Lin Yue looked at the menu, somewhat losing track of time.

He couldn't even guess what some of the dishes were.

"Mayor," Aunt Lian greeted, "you're back! Would you like to try some of the new dishes?"

“Okay,” Lin Yue said, “Give me a serving of… spicy ground beetle cubes? What’s that?”

"It's stir-fried with ground worm meat. Ground worms are those big, long worms that stick out their tongues and hiss on the ground," Aunt Lian explained. "It tastes especially good with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns!"

"Then one serving, please," Lin Yue said, "and a bowl of porridge as well."

"Okay!"

Lin Yue found a corner to sit down and quietly ate his breakfast.

The surrounding area was filled with people eating, including local residents and businesspeople from out of town. Everyone was enjoying their food, occasionally letting out satisfied exclamations.

"This taste is absolutely amazing..."

"The culinary skills in Hope Town are getting better and better..."

"I've decided, from now on I'll eat here every time I pass by..."

Lin Yue felt a surge of pride as he listened to these words.

After finishing breakfast, he walked towards the office behind the No. 1 store.

Push open the door—

"Oh My God…"

The table was piled high with parchment scrolls, almost touching the ceiling.

"What...what are these?" Lin Yue stepped forward and picked up a scroll to examine it.

[Application for Hope Town Household Registration] Name: Tom Brown Age: 35 Occupation: Blacksmith Family Members: Wife, two children Reason: To settle down in Hope Town and provide a better life for my children…

Lin Yue picked up another scroll.

[Application for Registration in Hope Town] Name: Mary Green Age: 28 Occupation: Tailor Family Members: Single Reason: Hope Town has a good living environment, and I want to open a tailor shop here…

Volume after volume, all were applications to join Hope Town.

“Mayor,” a member of the logistics team walked in, “you’re back. These are the citizenship applications we’ve received recently.”

"So many?" Lin Yue was shocked.

“Yes,” the man said, “since the news of the peace agreement spread, more and more people want to join Hope Town. There are merchants, craftsmen, farmers… people from all walks of life.”

"Then why not deal with it?"

“We’ve processed most of them,” the person explained. “Those who met the criteria were approved according to procedure. But some applicants have rather special circumstances…”

"special?"

“Yes,” the man said, taking out several rolls of parchment. “Look, this is a minor nobleman from Lincheng, this is a retired knight commander, this is the son of the guild president… These people have sensitive identities, and we dare not make decisions on our own, so we have been waiting for you to come back.”

Lin Yue flipped through the applications and indeed, these people were all from extraordinary backgrounds.

“Let me take a good look,” he said. “Give me a few days.”

"Yes, Mayor."

Lin Yue sat down and began to carefully read each application.

Some people genuinely want to live in Hope Town, some may have ulterior motives, and some are simply looking to invest…

He must carefully distinguish between them.

And so, Lin Yue spent the whole day in the office, reviewing applications one by one and making decisions one by one.

Over the next few days, Lin Yue dealt with the backlog of tasks.

Citizenship applications, business disputes, construction planning, personnel relocation...

Although he was very busy, he felt very fulfilled.

Moreover, he found that the people in charge of Hope Town were becoming more and more experienced.

Although old Bud always said, "I'm an old man, I can't learn these complicated things," he actually handled agricultural affairs in an orderly manner and rarely made mistakes.

Tie Niu is in charge of the patrol team. Although he has a carefree personality, he is meticulous about safety issues.

Aunt Lian was in charge of the logistics, kitchen, and trade departments, and she kept the accounts very clear.

And the young people studying at Hope Polytechnic are progressing even faster. They learn mathematics, literacy, management... and soon they are able to stand on their own.

“It seems I can let them do their jobs now,” Lin Yue said to Gray.

“Yes,” Gray nodded, “they’ve all grown a lot.”

That afternoon, after finishing his work, Lin Yue decided to go to the blacksmith's shop to check out Shi Quan.

Before he even reached the blacksmith's shop, he heard a strange sound.

"Waaaaah—!"

A deep, resonant sound, as if coming from the earth.

Lin Yue's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately quickened his pace.

Rushing into the blacksmith's courtyard, they found it packed with people, completely blocking one of the rooms.

"Make way, make way!" Lin Yue squeezed into the crowd.

When the crowd saw that it was the town mayor, they immediately made way for him.

Lin Yue walked to the center of the room, and then he saw a scene that shocked him.

A small locomotive is slowly moving along a small section of railway track.

It was about one meter long and half a meter high, made entirely of steel, with a boiler at the front and a carriage at the back. Coal was burning in the boiler, emitting billowing white smoke.

"Waaaaah—!"

The train emitted a loud whistle and ran merrily along the tracks.

Although it was just a model, and the track was only a dozen meters long, it... actually moved!

Steam engine!

It was a success!

Shi Quan stood to the side, his face full of pride and excitement. When he saw Lin Yue enter, he grinned.

The two men looked at each other, then simultaneously raised their fists and clashed them together heavily.

"Did it succeed?" Lin Yue asked, though the answer was already obvious.

"Success!" Stone Fist laughed.

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd.

"It's a success!"

"It's really moving!"

"My God, this is amazing!"

Lin Yue squatted down to examine the small train engine closely.

The water in the boiler is heated, producing steam. The steam pushes a piston, which in turn drives a gear, which in turn rotates a wheel…

The entire process was smooth and stable.

"This...this really is..." Lin Yue was so excited he couldn't speak.

"How is it?" Stonefist said proudly. "Our dwarven technology combined with your design is perfect!"

“It’s not just perfect,” Lin Yue stood up, “this is a historic moment. Uncle Stone Fist, do you know what this means?”

What does it mean?

“It means we can build real trains,” Lin Yue said. “It means we can lay railways to connect the cities in the North. It means… a transportation revolution.”

Shi Quan paused for a moment, then his eyes brightened: "You mean... build a real, large train that can carry people and goods?"

"Yes," Lin Yue said excitedly, "a train that's ten times faster than a horse-drawn carriage and has a hundred times greater carrying capacity!"

"How long will that take?"

"If we go all out to manufacture it... six months? a year?" Lin Yue estimated. "The main problem is that laying the rails is quite troublesome, but with this model, the locomotive itself should be able to be manufactured on a large scale very quickly."

"Let's do it!" Stone Fist slapped his thigh. "We dwarves excel at forging and building!"

The two became more and more excited as they talked, and began to discuss specific manufacturing plans.

Those around them were confused, but they were also infected by the enthusiasm of the two and applauded and cheered.

It was already evening when I came out of the blacksmith shop.

Lin Yue walked down the street in a cheerful mood, his mind filled with images of trains speeding along the tracks.

“Lin Yue,” Gray walked over, “you look very happy.”

"Of course I'm happy," Lin Yue said with a smile. "The steam engine has succeeded, which means our industrial revolution is about to begin."

"Industrial Revolution?" Gray didn't quite understand the term.

"It's about... replacing human labor with machines," Lin Yue explained, "making production more efficient, transportation more convenient, and life better."

“Sounds good,” Gray said, “but there’s something I need to tell you.”

"What's up?"

"Lord Ryan has sent a messenger," Gray said, "hoping that you go to Blackrock City as soon as possible to discuss the construction of the trading post."

“Oh, right,” Lin Yue remembered, “we do need to discuss the locations we’re investigating with Ryan and the others.”

When do we depart?

“Tomorrow,” Lin Yue said. “We’ve been in Hope Town for a few days now, it’s time to go to Blackrock City.”

"Okay, I'll go prepare."

The next morning, Lin Yue packed his bags and prepared to set off.

Shi Quan came to see them off.

"Aren't you coming to Blackrock City with me?" Lin Yue asked.

“I’m not going,” Stone Fist waved his hand. “I don’t want to go to human cities. Besides, I want to continue my research on steam engines and strive to build a real locomotive as soon as possible.”

“Alright,” Lin Yue said. “By the way, the Dwarf Kingdom said they’re sending peace envoys. If they arrive…”

“I know,” Stone Fist said. “Just have them come to Hope Town with Ah Hu’s transport team to find me.”

“Okay,” Lin Yue nodded, “Then I’m leaving.”

“Be careful on the road,” Stone Fist said. “Go early and come back early.”

The two embraced goodbye.

Lin Yue brought Gray along, along with several other young Silent Ones who wanted to see the world in human towns. They were all there voluntarily, wanting to go out into the world like Kaylan and Norm.

"Are you ready?" Lin Yue asked.

"Ready!" several young men exclaimed excitedly.

"Then let's go!"

The group followed Ah Hu's transport convoy, leaving Hope Town in a grand procession and heading towards Blackrock City.

Lin Yue glanced back at Hope Town.

High city walls, fluttering flags, wisps of smoke rising from chimneys…

And there were the people seeing them off at the city gate.

He smiled.