The Kingdom of Stars, this miraculous land created by Lin Feng, has entered its third year since its establishment.
Three years is but a fleeting moment in the long history of humankind, yet these three years are enough to bring about earth-shattering changes to the entire kingdom.
The most significant change has been in the population.
At the beginning of the kingdom's establishment, it numbered only a few tens of thousands.
Now, the latest official population data has officially surpassed the 38 million mark.
Every Wednesday morning is the day when the "Hope" train arrives at Seocheonjidu Central Station.
This special train is covered entirely in reinforced alloy armor, and is equipped with a huge obstacle-breaking shovel at the front, capable of crushing any obstacles along the way.
Its sole mission is to penetrate the numerous survivor settlements, large and small, still struggling in the wasteland, and safely bring back those who wish to seek refuge with the kingdom.
Today is no exception.
Accompanied by a long and heavy whistle, the "Hope" slowly entered the station.
On the platform, the kingdom's reception officials, medical staff, and logistics support team, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately sprang into action.
The car door opened, and faces filled with weariness, confusion, vigilance, and deep anticipation appeared before the crowd.
In the crowd, a man around fifty years old, with gray hair but exceptionally sharp eyes and calloused hands, was tightly protecting a wooden box in his arms.
His name is Wei Chengye. In the old days, he was one of the top structural engineers in China, and he presided over several cross-sea bridge and skyscraper projects.
After the great relocation, he and a group of apprentices and their descendants relied on their superb skills to barely maintain the settlement by repairing and mending things.
"Old Wei, have we... really arrived?" A younger man beside him stammered, looking at the magnificent, clean, and orderly station in front of him.
The station's dome is a huge glass structure, allowing sunlight to stream in unobstructed, illuminating the ground in a warm and bright light.
The ground was so shiny it reflected your image, and the staff in neat uniforms were busy at their posts; everything seemed so unreal.
"It can't be wrong."
Wei Chengye took a deep breath. There was no dust or stench he was familiar with in the air, only a faint, fresh scent similar to grass.
“Look at the joints of those steel beams. They use the highest standard of riveting and welding techniques. The dome has such a large span, yet the supporting structure is so simple and powerful. This is not something that small, makeshift settlements could achieve. This is… true civilization.”
His voice trembled slightly, not from fear, but from excitement.
As a top-notch engineer, he could see the industrial strength and organizational capabilities behind these buildings from their details better than anyone else.
"All newcomers, please come this way!"
A reception officer with a gentle but strong voice called out through a handheld megaphone: "Please do not panic. The kingdom welcomes every member of our family. Next, we will conduct temporary identity registration and basic physical examinations for everyone. After that, we will arrange for you to rest at the 'Welcome Camp,' where hot water, clean clothes, and hot meals await you."
The crowd began to move slowly, and Wei Chengye and his apprentices followed the flow of people.
They observed medical staff conducting initial diagnoses on individuals who appeared weak. One child, who had fainted due to prolonged malnutrition, was immediately lifted onto a stretcher and transported to the emergency lane. The entire process was efficient and orderly, without the slightest chaos.
"Name?" The person in charge of registration was a young girl, and there was an ordinary-looking laptop on the table in front of her.
"Wei Chengye".
"Profession?"
"Architectural engineer." Wei Chengye hesitated for a moment before revealing his identity from the old era.
Upon hearing this word, the girl's eyes immediately lit up.
She looked up and carefully examined Wei Chengye, then quickly typed a few words on the computer, seemingly searching for something. After a moment, her attitude became increasingly respectful.
"Hello, Mr. Wei! Welcome to the Kingdom of Stars! We have already obtained your information through the data you submitted in your previous settlement."
According to the Kingdom's talent recruitment policy, senior technical experts like yourself will skip the 'Orientation Camp' period and be directly connected with by a specialist from the 'Ministry of Construction'. Please wait a moment, I will contact them for you immediately.
The girl spoke quickly, but her pronunciation was clear.
Wei Chengye was stunned. He hadn't expected that he, an engineer, would receive such attention here.
In the wooden box he carried were all the design drawings and structural mechanics manuscripts that he had risked his life to preserve. He thought these things might never be of any use again and could only serve as a memento.
A few minutes later, a middle-aged man wearing blue overalls, who looked efficient but had a warm smile on his face, walked over quickly.
"Is this Engineer Wei? Oh, we've been waiting for you!"
The man extended both hands and grasped Wei Chengye's hands tightly: "My name is Li Yuanchao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Construction of the Kingdom. Our minister has heard about your deeds and has been talking about it for a long time. He said that if we could invite a great figure like you to come, our 'Chengtian New Port' project, which we are planning, would have a backbone!"
"Chengtian New Port?" Wei Chengye asked, somewhat bewildered.
"Yes! Our kingdom is developing too fast now, with a growing population and an ever-increasing volume of goods. His Majesty, with his foresight, has decided to build a deep-water port in the 'Dragon's Mouth Bay' in the east, capable of accommodating ships of up to 100,000 tons!"
"We've drawn up several versions of the blueprints, but we still feel unsure about some key structural supports and breakwater designs. Your arrival is like a godsend!" Li Yuanchao's excitement was palpable; he showed no bureaucratic airs whatsoever, more like a technician meeting his idol.
He pulled Wei Chengye along, talking incessantly about the various large-scale projects currently underway in the kingdom, from the city's internal three-dimensional transportation network to the surrounding agricultural irrigation system, and the planned inter-regional expressway.
Wei Chengye was deeply moved. He felt as if he had not arrived in a post-apocalyptic kingdom, but had returned to a golden age full of passion and creativity. The wooden box in his arms seemed to have become scorching hot.
He knew he had come to the right place. Here, all his life's learning would no longer be worthless paper, but a treasure that could truly shine.
Elites like Wei Chengye can be found on almost every "Hope" train.
There are agricultural scientists with advanced breeding techniques, experienced mechanical technicians, surgeons capable of turning the tide, and even artists and musicians who persist in creating...
They may come from different places and have different experiences, but they are all attracted by the same name—Lin Feng.
It was Lin Feng who created this order in a chaotic world.
It was Lin Feng who promised every citizen a future where they "have food to eat, clothes to wear, a place to live, and dignity."
It was Lin Feng who made "knowledge" and "labor" the most respectable things again.
The crucible of hope is forging talents from all corners of the world into solid steel that propels the kingdom forward.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com