Linde, in the command room of Steel Sky, watched the chaotic scenes of the Orc Civil War on the screen, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Victor Horn's precious "Crimson Fortress-7" did not disappoint him. Not only did it survive, but it also conceived a revolutionary mutation within the vast "petri dish" of the Principality of Oak.
He was now very curious about where this "evolution" storm would ultimately lead the Principality of Oak. Would it become a mechanical nation made of steel and cold consciousness, or would it be driven to utter destruction by fierce internal strife?
Regardless of the outcome, the data is extremely valuable to Lind.
He even considered whether it was necessary to add a small variable to this "experiment" at the appropriate time to see if it could produce a more "perfect" result.
The alchemical fire of the Principality of Ork is burning in a frenzied and unpredictable way, and Lind, who rules the stars, is happy to witness what this flame will ultimately forge, or... burn everything to ashes.
…………
During these two turbulent years, Linde's homeland—Blackrock Territory—also underwent a tremendous transformation.
The once desolate and barren borderland has completely shed its old appearance, and a magnificent city has risen from the ground, towering among the mountains, exuding a cold metallic luster and the power of immortal rocks. Its name is: Blackrock City.
This city did not grow naturally; rather, it is more like a direct extension of Linde, a miracle forged by precise calculation and absolute power.
Centered around the renovated and expanded Blackrock Fortress (now the core fortress of the inner city), it resembles a huge, spreading steel honeycomb, or a mechanical behemoth crouching on the ground, ready to bare its fangs at any moment.
The foundation of rock, the veins of steel: The keynote and framework of Blackrock City are rock and steel.
The first thing that catches the eye is the massive city wall.
It is not a traditional single wall, but a giant composite armored barrier consisting of three layers, with an average height of over thirty meters.
The outer layer is made of the hardest black basalt quarried from the local mountains, which has been forged with runes by dwarven masters and soaked in alchemical potions, making it as hard as adamantite. The middle layer is a special alloy plate several meters thick, jointly produced by the dwarven workshops and the Zedo automated factory, providing unparalleled impact resistance. The inner layer is a honeycomb-shaped reinforced structure, which hides complex passages, weapon platforms and energy pipelines inside.
Every hundred meters along the city wall stands an alloy tower that points to the sky like a sharp sword. Instead of traditional beacon fires, the top of the towers features rotating arrays of multi-spectral sensors and energy projection focal points that emit a ghostly blue light.
The city's architecture is highly uniform, exuding a utilitarian, austere, and robust character.
The vast majority of buildings use huge rock blocks as the main body, while key load-bearing structures and exposed frames are made of dark gray alloy.
The streets are wide and straight, large enough to allow large vehicles to pass side by side. The ground is not paved with stone slabs, but with a reinforced concrete foundation cast in one piece. Beneath it is a maze-like integrated utility tunnel system that is tens of meters deep, transporting energy, clean water, information flow, and deploying rapid response tracks.
The city layout combines radial and ring-shaped patterns, with clear zoning.
The inner ring, adjacent to Blackrock Fortress, houses the administration, core research facilities, and residences for high-ranking personnel; the middle ring comprises the main commercial areas, artisan workshops, and ordinary residential areas; and the outer ring contains large warehouses, barracks, basic training grounds, and foreign trade markets. Each area is connected by internal gates and rapid-lift platforms, and can be independently sealed off when necessary, forming independent defense units.
The technology of the Zedu civilization did not appear in a flamboyant or abrupt way, but rather silently permeated every corner of the city like blood, demonstrating a foundation that transcended its time.
The heart of the city is a Zeido fusion reactor (much smaller than the main reactor of Steel Dome) buried deep underground and repaired and enhanced by Linde.
It provides the entire city with a near-limitless supply of clean energy.
The streetlights on both sides of the street are not flames or ordinary electric lights, but suspended, automatically adjusting luminous spheres; the heating, lighting and power inside the buildings are all wireless, silently supplied by an energy network covering the entire city.
Besides ground roads, small, streamlined unmanned cargo airships can occasionally be seen gliding along invisible magnetic routes over the city, efficiently allocating resources.
Deeper underground, there are even rumors that a vacuum magnetic levitation pipeline system connecting the city's major nodes and external strategic locations is under construction.
The ubiquitous, pale blue light nodes are like the nerve endings of the city. They are not only part of the magic network, but also connected to Zedu's monitoring system, forming a perception network without blind spots.
Under certain lighting conditions, extremely fine geometric patterns will appear on the alloy surfaces of the city walls and key buildings; these are the passive defense energy matrices in standby mode.
The city’s four main gates are not simple hinged doors, but composite armored gates several meters thick that can deflect in space. They are driven by a complex hydraulic and energy system and open like a prehistoric behemoth slowly awakening.
Even in the daily lives of ordinary citizens, one can glimpse the influence of Zedu Technology: the central water purification system outputs water of unparalleled purity; garbage is instantly sucked into the processing center through underground air pressure pipes, where it is decomposed and recombined into basic materials; and public information kiosks provide touch-screen, real-time updated city information and service guides.
Despite its cold and hard tone, the city is not lifeless.
The influx of people brought noise and vitality.
The streets were teeming with people of all ethnicities, and the cries of vendors, the hammering of craftsmen, and the sounds of vehicles blended together to create a unique urban symphony.
The taverns, markets, and squares were full of life.
However, this vitality is always shrouded in an invisible and awe-inspiring sense of order and authority.
The patrolling soldiers were well-equipped and solemn; the towering towers silently overlooked all living beings; the occasional reconnaissance aircraft painted with the Black Rock insignia flying overhead reminded everyone of the power wielded by the city's rulers.
A faint hum of energy seemed to permeate the air, a testament to the city's "life," a whisper from Zedo Technology and Linde.
Blackrock City is not like the ancient capital, which is full of artistic and historical carvings, nor is it like the Principality of Orc, which is filled with the pungent smell of alchemy and the roar of steam.
It is the embodiment of power, the manifestation of order, and the most solid and magnificent anchor and declaration on Earth for Lind Truk's "Iron Stars".
It stands quietly on the border of the Kree Empire, like a silent steel giant, coldly observing the changing fortunes of the continent, while it itself continues to evolve and grow stronger.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com