A biting wind swept across the newly cleared hilly area in the western border of Blackrock Territory, whipping ice crystals against the exposed rocks and makeshift sheds, creating a sharp whistling sound.
After two weeks of full-scale operation, Blackrock Territory's war machine, under the sacred call of "Guardian Icon," unleashed astonishing efficiency.
In a secluded valley far from the castle and close to the mountain barrier, Linde's planned "distribution center" is already taking shape.
Here, a widened and reinforced mountain road connects the mines, workshops, and warehouses in the heart of Blackrock Territory. A massive log fence encloses the core area, inside which are huge warehouses neatly arranged and covered with thick snowproof tarpaulins.
The air was filled with the smell of freshly cut timber, the dust of ore, and the faint smell of smoke emanating from the furnace area.
Heavy carts, pulled by rock-armored rhinoceroses tamed by Weeks, continuously transported ores, crude metal ingots, timber, and special parts that had been preliminarily processed according to the lists of Master Della and Alice from the workshop area, amidst the deafening shouts of the people and the rough yells of the overseers.
The unloading area was bustling with activity, as strong laborers worked shirtless, their sweat rising in the cold wind as they sorted and stacked the heavy supplies.
Deep within the distribution center, in a sturdy stone fortress reinforced by natural caves in the mountain and equipped with multiple security arrays, lies the core of the Linde Project—the Leap Transfer Station.
The interior space of the stone fortress was hollowed out and expanded, and the ground was paved with cold alloy plates.
Thick energy conduits were embedded in the wall, through which a dark blue liquid magic flowed slowly, emitting a low hum.
These conduits eventually converge at the center of the stone fortress—where a scaled-down, yet equally sophisticated, jump gate device is operating stably.
A deep blue energy vortex slowly rotated, emitting a chilling spatial fluctuation.
Dozens of relic mechs operated silently and efficiently all around, like tireless worker ants.
They used materials delivered from the distribution center to build simple transport tracks and sorting platforms next to the base of the equipment.
Another group of mechs continuously transported the sorted materials onto the conveyor belt and precisely threw them into the rotating deep blue vortex.
Linde stood on the control platform on the second floor of the stone fortress, looking down at everything below.
He was draped in a heavy lord's cloak, and his face appeared cold and focused in the dim blue light.
The small Watcher mech (data terminal) beside me projected a holographic image, displaying the repair progress report transmitted back by the Iron Sky.
> **Navigation Core: Repair progress 78%...**
> **Location Array: Calibration in progress... Energy stability improvement...**
> **Attitude Engines 7-9: Operating normally, low-power standby...**
> **Material receiving: Stable, efficiency as expected...**
"Based on the current material delivery speed and Sky's own repair capabilities," Linde said, tracing the progress bar with his finger, "the navigation and positioning system should be repaired by the end of the month without any problem."
At that time, the steel sky will no longer be an isolated island floating in unknown waters.
It will have the ability to accurately locate itself and Black Rock Pond in the Thiel world coordinate system.
The next step is to bring it "home".
Linde's gaze shifted to the huge sheepskin map hanging on the stone fortress wall, his finger precisely pointing to the remote cliffside area on the west coast of the continent of Til, marked with scarlet ink.
"The Western Cliffs...the territory of the 'Throat of Oblivion'..."
Lind whispered the name that was repeatedly mentioned in ancient nautical logs and adventurer legends, a name that inspired fear.
A legendary magical beast, it has lingered on that sheer cliffside coastline shrouded in storms, fog, and eerie force fields for centuries, devouring countless ships and creatures that attempted to explore its territory.
Its specific form and abilities are subject to much debate, but its terror is the only certainty.
“Legendary level…” Lin De’s lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes showing no fear, only an indifference that looked down on ants, “In the shadow of ‘Iron Sky,’ it is nothing more than dust in the way.”
The giant ship need not consider the terrain or fear the storm. With its absolute height and overwhelming power, it will ignore the so-called "legends" below, cross the cliff directly, fly inland, and finally arrive at the dock to carry out the most crucial "docking" and in-depth repairs.
Now, everything is ready, just waiting for the materials to be delivered continuously, and for the "coordinate lock" signal from the distant sky at the end of the month.
…………
Inside Blackrock Fortress, it was warm as springtime.
The fireplace roared, dispelling the last chill of winter.
The focus of life in the castle also subtly shifted towards the two increasingly pregnant mistresses.
Nazra and Leonis's bellies were already quite noticeably protruding, and their movements naturally revealed maternal gentleness and tranquility.
Under Linde's almost forceful arrangement, they were completely withdrawn from territorial affairs and entered a state of focusing on pregnancy.
It took Lind a great deal of effort to persuade Leonis to leave the church, which she considered her sanctuary, and move into the castle.
Ultimately, under multiple reasons, including "so that the child can receive the most comprehensive care and blessings," "the lord's bloodline needs to be nurtured in the safest place," and Lind's promise to prepare a small meditation room for her in the castle, this loyal but stubborn Holy Punishment Knight blushed and moved into the spacious suite prepared for her in the castle, which was next to Lind's master bedroom, with a hint of barely perceptible attachment.
Linde provided the two of them with the most meticulous care.
As head maids, the sisters Jell and Jell personally selected a group of the most meticulous, composed, and rigorously vetted maids from among the castle's maids to form an exclusive prenatal care team.
These maids were well-trained, well-mannered, and knowledgeable in aristocratic etiquette and pregnancy care. They took meticulous care of the two mistresses' daily lives, including their food, clothing, and emotional well-being.
Nazra's room was filled with the wild charm and languid atmosphere of the fox clan.
Thick animal skin rugs, exotic tapestries hanging in the air, and her favorite large chaise lounge with thick cushions.
She reclined on the chaise lounge, her silver hair cascading down her back, and her loose velvet robe couldn't conceal her voluptuous curves.
A maid was carefully massaging her slightly swollen calves with warm essential oil infused with calming herbs.
Nazra half-closed her purple eyes, enjoying the maid's service, occasionally swaying her fluffy fox tail lazily, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of silver hair.
Leonis, on the other hand, chose the best-lit and quietest suite in the castle.
The room is simply and elegantly decorated, mainly in white and light gold, with a faint fragrance in the air.
The most distinctive feature is the small meditation room she insisted on decorating—a separate space converted from a terrace, containing a statue of Lucias, the Lord of the Light Veins, and an ever-burning crystal chandelier.
She spends long periods of time here every day praying and meditating.
At this moment, she was kneeling on the cushion in the meditation room, her hands folded over her lower abdomen, her eyes closed as she silently recited a prayer.
Sunlight streamed through the clean glass window, bathing her in its glow. Her silver hair shone, her face was serene and peaceful, and her protruding belly seemed to be enveloped in a soft halo of light.
The maids waited quietly outside the prayer room, making their footsteps as soft as possible.
When Lind appeared at the door, Leonis opened her eyes as if sensing something. Her azure eyes looked at him with a serene radiance blessed by both faith and love. She nodded slightly, a faint yet incredibly gentle smile playing on her lips.
Alice remains a permanent resident of the Workshop Tower.
Although Linde also asked her to take a break, the genius mage clearly couldn't completely stop her research.
Her overalls were altered to be looser, and her belly was slightly protruding, but this did not stop her from lying on the huge workbench, "fighting" with the Zedo basic rune data, Orc blueprints, and core design drawings of the magic armor sent by Master Della.
Her grey-blue eyes gleamed with a fanatical light, her blonde hair was casually tied up with a charcoal pencil, and there was even a bit of engine oil on her face.
Although Alice was not pregnant, Lind still arranged for two strong maids to help her manage and take care of her daily life.
Alice readily accepted, which allowed her to devote herself entirely to research and development.
Life in Blackrock Territory seemed to have settled into a peaceful routine.
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