Lin Feng's inspection was not yet over.
The third stop on the patrol was the hilly area located north of the shelter.
This is the domain of the "Black Giant Sheep".
Even before the convoy got close, you could see that the hillsides were covered with flocks of black sheep, like clouds.
They are a size larger than the goats on Earth, and their bodies are covered with thick, glossy black curly hair.
They leisurely grazed on a purple grass, occasionally bleating.
The ranch manager, known as "Brother Shan," is a man with a full beard and a forthright personality.
He rode a tall, iron-hoofed horse with a long whip hanging from his waist. Upon seeing Lin Feng's convoy, he immediately dismounted and greeted them with a loud laugh.
"Leader! Look! Our flock of sheep!" He waved his hand, pointing to the boundless flock of sheep, his voice booming, "Three months ago, we only had a little over five thousand sheep. Now, not counting the newborn lambs, the number has exceeded twelve thousand!"
"These little guys eat 'purple alfalfa' and drink clean water piped from West Lake. They're growing up to be incredibly plump and strong!"
He pulled over a half-grown lamb from the side; the lamb's fur was shiny black, and its limbs were thick and strong.
"Feel this wool, it's so thick and soft! The girls at the textile factory all say that clothes made from our 'black gold wool' are extremely warm! And this mutton is tender and juicy, with absolutely no gamey smell!"
"Minister Pang said that once the quantity doubles, it will be available to all citizens!"
Looking at this vibrant scene, Lin Feng felt increasingly relaxed and happy.
Of the four basic necessities of life—clothing, food, shelter, and transportation—clothing is fundamental. With this endless supply of wool, his people will be able to bid farewell to the cold forever.
Immediately afterwards, the convoy did not stop and drove directly into the mountainous area of Chiyan Mountain.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the idyllic pastoral scene I had encountered before. The air was filled with the smell of minerals and dust.
The convoy stopped in a heavily guarded valley. This was one of the shelter's most important strategic resources—the Fairy Salt Mine.
The entrance to the mine was fortified like a military fortress.
Inside the mine, the scene was even more extraordinary. The rock walls were not made of ordinary rock, but of a crystal that shimmered with a magnificent red light.
Countless miners' lamps shone on these red salt crystals, refracting a dreamlike light and turning the entire mine into a red crystal palace.
The mine manager, nicknamed "Stone," a taciturn but physically robust middle-aged man, reported his work to Lin Feng.
"Leader, the mining of the divine salt has been going very smoothly. This salt not only tastes better than lake salt, but the research by Minister Pang Dahai has also found that it contains a special trace element that can slow down the spoilage of meat. Now, all our preserved foods use this salt. Moreover, the textile factories have also discovered that using it as a dye can produce the most vibrant red."
Lin Feng nodded, reached out, broke off a small piece of red salt crystal from the rock wall, and put it in his mouth.
A mild and unique salty-savory flavor instantly spreads across the taste buds, accompanied by a subtle sweetness.
What about the reserves?
"Rest assured, Leader!" Stone pointed to the bottomless mine shaft: "We've discovered that this entire mountain is full of this miraculous salt! Even if there were ten times more people in our shelter, we still wouldn't be able to finish it all in a few hundred years!"
An endless supply of salt, fish, wool, and grain...
Lin Feng felt a surge of pride. A truly self-sufficient, even luxuriously abundant, empire was beginning to take shape.
The last stop of the inspection was unexpected, yet perfectly logical.
The convoy passed through the industrial area and arrived at a black swamp that was strictly sealed off and emitted a pungent smell.
This is the oil extraction point for the shelter.
Unlike the previous scenes of abundance, this place appears somewhat desolate and primitive.
Several rudimentary "nodding donkeys" made from existing materials are tirelessly swinging up and down, slowly pumping up the black, viscous liquid from deep underground.
The air was filled with a strong, unpleasant smell of petroleum.
The person in charge here is a young man who wears glasses and looks somewhat nerdy.
“Leader…” The young man seemed very nervous: “Currently, our daily crude oil production has reached three tons. After preliminary distillation, we can separate about one ton of diesel fuel, which can be used in the ‘Black Dragon’ series vehicles, as well as some heavy oil and asphalt.”
"Although...although currently this 'oil' isn't of much use except for fueling your and several ministers' vehicles and paving roads...we...we firmly believe that this is the future of the empire!" the young man said excitedly.
"The future?" Lin Feng looked at the black liquid, his eyes flashing with a profound light.
“Yes!” The young man nodded vigorously. “Oil is the lifeblood of industry! It can be turned into plastics, fertilizers, and all sorts of amazing things! As long as… as long as we can master more advanced 'pyrolysis' technology! Leader, we… we implore you to support our research!”
"Of course I will support you." A meaningful smile appeared on Lin Feng's lips. "Not only will I support you, but I will also tell you that your direction is absolutely correct."
He turned around, looked at the ministers behind him, and spoke in a low but firm voice.
"What you see today are fishing grounds, farms, ranches, salt mines..."
"They allow us to survive, and to live well."
"But here."
He pointed to the land flowing with black oil beneath his feet: "This is the 'heart' of our empire's future! When one day we can make every machine roar, make thousands of factories rise from the ground, and let the torrent of steel sweep across every corner of this planet, you will understand the significance of standing here today."
Everyone was deeply shocked by the magnificent vision of the future that Lin Feng had described.
As the sun set, it burned the clouds on the horizon into a magnificent red, as beautiful as the salt mine.
Lin Feng's convoy slowly returned to the increasingly magnificent palace amidst the attention of the crowd.
He leaned back in the soft seat of the "Black Dragon One" and closed his eyes. The day's inspection had given him an unprecedented, clear, and profound understanding of his empire.
He was very satisfied.
This satisfaction does not come from luxurious enjoyment, but from the creator-like sense of accomplishment of personally transforming a barren land into a prosperous country.
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