Chapter 147 A New City Takes Shape, Old Dreams Redrawn Outside Blackrock City...

Hope New District, on the outskirts of Blackrock City.

Lin Yue stood on the highest observation platform in the new district, looking down at everything before him. The morning sun shone on the rows of neat red brick buildings, gilding this brand-new land with a golden glow.

Wide cement roads crisscross the area, dividing the new district into neat blocks. The roadsides are lined with trees transplanted from Hope Town, which, though still young, have already sprouted vibrant green buds.

Rows of two- and three-story red brick buildings stand side by side, each with its own small courtyard and vegetable garden.

In the distance, a huge water storage tower stands in the center of the new district, with ceramic pipes extending from its base to every household. Just turn on the tap, and clear tap water will gush out.

What Lin Yue is most proud of is the fire-wall heating system that is installed in every building. Using underground hot water pipes, the waste heat generated by firing cement kilns is introduced into the hollow layer of the walls of each household, so that even on the coldest winter nights, the houses can remain warm as spring.

"Mayor."

Li Ge's loud voice came from behind. He was wearing a dusty work uniform, but his face was beaming with barely suppressed excitement.

"The finishing touches on the last building are complete, and the new district... is officially finished!"

Lin Yue turned around, looked at the man who had followed him all the way from Hope Town, and patted his strong shoulder.

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Li."

"Hehe, what's the hard work?" Brother Li scratched his head and grinned. "Being able to build so many beautiful houses with my own hands and see the villagers move in makes it all worthwhile."

He paused, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "Mayor, I...can I ask you something?"

"ask."

"In this new district, have houses been reserved for our construction team brothers as well?"

Lin Yue smiled: "What do you think?"

"Really...really?" Li Ge's eyes lit up immediately.

"Of course there are." Lin Yue pointed to a row of buildings on the east side of the new district. "See that over there? That whole row is for construction teams. You're building houses, you can't let yourselves be homeless, can you?"

Li Ge was so excited that he trembled all over and couldn't speak for a long time. He nodded heavily, his eyes reddening.

...

Three days later, a grand housewarming ceremony was held in Blackrock City.

The city lord's notice had been posted all over the city half a month ago: all ordinary people living in the slums and dilapidated houses in the old city can participate in the resettlement in the new district.

The specific allocation plan was formulated after repeated discussions by the civil affairs group led by Lin Yue and Aunt Tana.

First and foremost, wounded veterans and key personnel recognized as meritorious craftsmen in various industries, along with their immediate family members, will have priority in housing allocation and will be provided with housing according to the highest standards. This is a promise of the meritorious service resettlement plan, and it must be fulfilled first.

Secondly, the family population is verified based on the household registration. Personnel are dispatched to conduct on-site inspections of the existing housing's area, condition, and location. Finally, these factors are considered to determine the appropriate housing grade for each household.

Large families with many members can be allocated a two-story house with a yard; small families with few members are allocated a single-story house with a yard; of course, even if the family is small, if the house itself is large, they may be allocated more houses; while elderly people living alone and people with disabilities will be given priority to be located near medical stations and public canteens.

The evaluation results will be posted publicly for three days. Those with objections may appeal to the Civil Affairs Department for verification. After the public notice period, if there are no objections, housing selection license plates will be issued in batches according to the evaluation level.

Once residents receive a number, they can choose their preferred location from the available units within the corresponding category. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis, until all units are filled.

"This method is fair!"

"you do not say."

"I can even choose my own spot! I want one facing south, so it gets good natural light!"

On the day of the relocation, before dawn, the slums of the old city were already packed with people. They carried their tattered belongings, carried young children on their backs, and helped the elderly, forming long queues according to their number plates.

Staff from the Civil Affairs Division used loudspeakers to maintain order, while guards in blue vests patrolled the crowd to ensure that no stampedes occurred.

"Residents of Unit 3, go to the left! Residents of Unit 2, go to the right! Residents of Unit 1, follow me!"

The crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion, each heading towards their new home.

When the first batch of residents actually stepped into the Hope New District, all their apprehension turned into shock.

A spacious and bright room, white walls, a smooth cement floor, sunlight streaming through the glass windows…

An elderly woman with gray hair walked shakily into the house assigned to her family, and stretched out her wrinkled hand to gently stroke the wall.

"It's warm..." she murmured, tears welling up in her eyes, "The walls are warm..."

Her son went to the kitchen and tentatively turned on the tap. Clear tap water gushed out, splashing onto his hands, feeling cool and refreshing.

"Mom, there really is water! There really is water!"

The old woman could no longer hold back, so she clasped her hands together and bowed deeply towards the window.

Similar scenes are playing out in every building in the new district.

Some knelt on the ground and wept bitterly, some laughed loudly, and some hugged their families tightly and sobbed uncontrollably...

For the first time, people who thought they would live in dark, damp, and drafty shantytowns for the rest of their lives had a clean and tidy home of their own.

...

Three days after the housewarming ceremony, Lin Yue convened everyone to discuss the renovation of the old city area.

"Gentlemen," Lin Yue said, standing in front of the map with a wooden stick in his hand, "the relocation work in the new district is basically complete. Next, we should turn our attention to the old district."

He pointed to an area on the map with a stick: "This used to be a slum. Now everyone has moved away, leaving only dilapidated shacks and dangerous houses."

“And here,” he pointed to another area, “which used to be the Red Scorpion Army’s barracks and Karl’s mansion. Now it’s all empty.”

“These two areas together account for nearly a third of the old town’s area. My idea is to demolish and rebuild all of these areas.”

"All of it?" Brother Li's eyes widened. "Mayor, that's a huge area..."

“It is precisely because it is so big that it needs to be planned even better,” Lin Yue said. “What is the biggest problem in the old town? It’s crowded, dirty, and poorly planned. The streets are so narrow that two carriages can’t even pass each other, the houses are packed so tightly that there is no ventilation, sewage flows everywhere, and the stench is unbearable.”

"These problems cannot be solved by patching things up. Only by starting from scratch can we fundamentally change them."

He looked at Kaylan: "Kaylan, I want to entrust this matter to you."

Kailan paused for a moment, then nodded: "I understand. You want me to do the overall planning and design."

“Yes.” Lin Yue walked up to Kailan. “Your understanding of beauty and your grasp of space are the best here. I hope you can serve as the chief designer for the old town renovation.”

Kailan pondered for a moment: "Mayor, I am not proficient in building houses, and I will have to rely on Li Ge and the others in this regard. But if it is just planning and design... I am willing to give it a try."

"Leave the technical stuff to Li Ge. You just need to tell us what this city should look like."

"Okay. Actually, I've been thinking about a question lately."

"What's the problem?"

"Human architecture emphasizes sturdiness and practicality. Dwarf architecture pursues stability and weight. But we Silent Ones have an ancient belief that architecture should not be opposed to nature, and houses should appear to grow out of the earth."

“I want to incorporate this concept into the design of the old town.”

"For example, each residential building can have a small garden. It's not a private yard enclosed by a wall, but an open public green space. The buildings are connected by green plants and vines, forming green corridors."

"Flowers and plants can also be grown on the rooftops. When viewed from above, the whole city looks like a giant garden."

He turned around and looked at Lin Yue: "What do you think?"

Lin Yue's eyes were filled with surprise.

Garden City was an advanced design concept he had seen in modern times, and he never expected that Kailan would come up with it spontaneously.

“Great.” He patted Kaylan on the shoulder forcefully. “Do it your way. Draw out all the images in your mind. I want to see a real garden city.”

Kailan smiled slightly and nodded in agreement.

“Furthermore,” Lin Yue looked at Norm and old Herman, “the renovation of the old town is not just about building houses. Sanitation and healthcare are equally important.”

“Nom, Mr. Herman, the medical team you have assembled has achieved remarkable results during this period, and the people of the city are praising it highly.”

Old Herman smiled with relief, but a hint of worry quickly appeared on his face: "You flatter me, Lord. However... as the number of people we treat increases, the problems we face become increasingly difficult. We are now scattered in several temporary huts that have been requisitioned. The space is cramped, and we cannot effectively isolate the seriously injured and the sick. The medicinal herbs are piled up haphazardly, and the apprentices do not have a fixed place to study systematically. Whenever I think of this, I feel powerless and truly fail to live up to your trust."

“What Mr. Herman said is exactly the important matter I want to discuss with you next. Treating the symptoms rather than the root cause is not a long-term solution. A medical team that can put out fires everywhere is good, but a solid foundation that can eradicate diseases is also essential.”

"Therefore, I plan to take advantage of this old town renovation to build a real comprehensive medical center for our Blackstone City. Not the kind of small pharmacy with only a few rooms, but a real large medical center that can accommodate hundreds of people. It will have dedicated consultation rooms, wards, pharmacies, and a school for training new doctors."

Old Herman stood up excitedly: "Lord City Lord, this is something I've been dreaming of doing!"

“I know,” Lin Yue said with a smile. “So this clinic will be built by you and Norm together. You will be in charge of diagnosis and teaching, and Norm will be in charge of research and epidemic prevention.”

Norm nodded: "Mayor, I've been compiling information on pathogenic microorganisms lately. I've categorized and recorded everything you taught us. If we had a dedicated laboratory, I believe we could find even more ways to prevent diseases."

“The lab will have it,” Lin Yue said. “I also plan to transfer a batch of equipment from Hope Town, including more sophisticated observation microscopes. Then you can do more in-depth research.”

Norm's eyes lit up immediately.

Lin Yue looked around at everyone: "Alright, the division of labor is settled. Kailan will be in charge of the overall design, Li Ge will be in charge of the construction, and Norm and Mr. Herman will be in charge of the clinic's setup. Everyone, please do your job and come to me anytime if you have any questions."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“By the way,” Aunt Leah suddenly spoke up, “Mayor, should we inform Lord Ryan about the redevelopment of the old town? After all, the renovation of the old town is quite a big undertaking.”

“I’ve already written to him,” Lin Yue said. “He’s in Qing Shi City right now, busy cleaning up the mess there. He also needs to inspect Bai Shui City. He’s entrusted me with handling things in Hei Shi City. Once he’s finished with those matters, the renovation of the old city should be nearing completion.”

"That's good." Aunt Leah was relieved.

...

After the meeting, everyone dispersed to attend to their own business.

Kaylan returned to his workshop, spread out a huge sheet of parchment, and began to sketch the image in his mind.

He drew buildings with arched roofs covered in green vegetation. Skywalks connected the buildings, their sides draped with vines and flowers. The street trees lining the streets had canopies that intertwined in the air, forming natural sunshades.

He also painted a fountain in the center of a public square, surrounded by flower beds and benches for people to rest.

The charcoal pencil scratched across the parchment, and a dream city gradually took shape.

Meanwhile, the cleanup of the old town has begun.

Li Ge led his construction team to check the abandoned houses one by one. After confirming that no one was left behind, they began the demolition work.

"Go easy, go easy," Brother Li directed the group. "Keep all the usable bricks; they might come in handy later."

Just then, a worker ran out of a half-collapsed house, his face showing astonishment.

"Brother Li, Brother Li, come quick!"

"What's wrong?" Li Ge strode over.

"There's a cellar beneath this house..."

“A cellar?” Brother Li frowned. “What’s so strange about that? Many houses in the old city have cellars underneath.”

“It’s different,” the worker said in a low voice, “This cellar… is full of books.”

"Book?"

"Yes, lots and lots of books, and some strange blueprints that I can't understand, but they seem... impressive."

Li Ge had an idea and quickly followed the worker into the cellar.

The cellar was pitch black, with only a sliver of light filtering in from the entrance. Li Ge lit a torch, illuminating the surroundings.

Dozens of wooden crates were neatly stacked against the cellar wall, covered in dust, clearly untouched for a long time.

Li Ge walked over and lifted the lid of a box.

Inside were indeed full of books: thick parchment scrolls, yellowed hardcover papers, and some drawings made with charcoal pencils.

He picked up a blueprint at random and examined it carefully by the light of the fire.

The drawing depicted a strange machine with a boiler, pipes, and some parts he couldn't understand. Next to it were neatly labeled data and instructions.

Although Li Ge doesn't know many words, he has seen some blueprints since he stayed in Hope Town for so long.

He had never seen anything like what was drawn on this blueprint before, but the intricate and complex design gave him a vague feeling that... this thing was not simple.

“Go,” he said to the worker, stuffing the blueprints back into the box, “and quickly fetch Norm. Tell him we’ve found something important.”

"Okay," the worker replied, and took off running.

Li Ge squatted in the cellar, looking at the boxes of books and blueprints in front of him, and a strange excitement welled up in his heart.

He didn't know what these things meant, but he had a gut feeling that this discovery could change a lot of things.

...

"Bang bang bang!"

A series of urgent knocks on the door interrupted Norm's thoughts.

"Nom, Nom, are you there?"

It was old Hermann's voice, and it sounded very urgent.

Norm quickly got up and opened the door, only to see old Herman standing outside, covered in sweat and with anxiety written all over his face.

"What happened?"

“Over in the old town,” old Herman gasped, “we’ve discovered… a cellar…”

“A cellar?” Norm asked, puzzled. “What’s so… strange about that?”

“It’s different,” old Herman shook his head, his expression grave. “In that cellar… a lot of… books were found.”

"Book?"

“Yes, books.” Old Herman lowered his voice. “Many, many books. It is said… that they were hidden away by the nobles of the past… Some say that there are… ancient documents about steam engines… and many anatomical cases on parchment scrolls…”

Norm's pupils suddenly contracted.

Steam machines...

That's something the mayor has been talking about wanting to study... and human anatomy...

"Come on." He grabbed his coat. "Take me to see."

The two hurriedly disappeared into the morning light.