Chapter 297 Newspapers, Steel Ships and Homes
The launching ceremony of the new ship attracted a lot of people.
Hughes originally thought that not many people would come to watch, but he found that almost all the residents on the island who could come came.
The entire dock was packed with people, and the temporary skirmishers and banshees were there to maintain order and prevent trampling.
There was a lonely boat floating on the dock. The remaining few boats had not yet been renovated, but only this one was completed in a hurry.
This kind of foreign ship was not new. The islanders of Castres had seen similar structures before, but they were not powered by steam engines and the temporary modifications were very crude. Hughes's requirement for the designer was that it should be able to sail stably between Castres and the mainland.
This ship is only a temporary transition, the shipyard in the southern port is the highlight.
Even so, the islanders of Castres still came to see them off enthusiastically.
After all, Castel’s contact with the outside world has been cut off for so long, and this is the first time that a ship has been sent out.
Xius was also a little surprised by the enthusiasm of the islanders. He suddenly felt something in his heart, weighed the pros and cons, and walked out.
He walked directly to the bow and waved to the people around him. The crowd cheered at first, and then gradually quieted down.
"Everyone, what do you think of this ship?"
The crowd was silent for a moment, and then a voice hesitantly said, "It's a very good ship." "Yes, it's quite good!"
“It’s still pretty big.”
"Not as good as the Black Pearl!" a child shouted, and then was hit hard on the butt by his mother.
Hughes grinned and said, "He's right. This ship was originally just an ordinary sailboat. After the transformation, it even lost its sails. It's unremarkable. To be honest, I think it's not as good as the Black Pearl."
“But it’s steam-powered.”
The crowd suddenly became quiet.
The islanders of Castell had long seen the power of steam engines. These noisy steel behemoths could unleash unimaginable power as long as they swallowed the black fuel.
With these big guys, the products in the factory can be piled up like flowing water.
"Of course, this form is only a very superficial and inefficient application now, but our shipyard in the south is already under construction. I believe you all know what will happen next: the new steamship will be iterated and produced at a very fast speed!"
The crowd cheered again, this time with much more enthusiasm. What Hughes was talking about was not an unattainable pie in the sky, but an industrial miracle that they had witnessed countless times with their own eyes.
"The new ship will be made of steel. The whole ship will be made of steel. It will be huge, much bigger than any ship you have ever seen. It will be like an island floating on the sea, powered by steam, fueled by pollution, and built of steel!"
People's breathing gradually became heavier, and the island seemed to have appeared in front of them.
Suddenly, the Sky Curtain Behemoth in the distance sounded its whistle.
People subconsciously looked up and found that it was moving slowly, and its huge body blocked the sun.
Steel ships float on the sea and huge airships sail in the sky.
The islanders swallowed their saliva, and an inexplicable enthusiasm gradually surged in their hearts.
Unknowingly, this remote island of Castel had become so powerful.
"Everyone, we are living well now. We have won the war, and we don't have to worry about food and clothing. Everyone has a job and can go to school."
"But I just got the news that the Territory of Tis, which is separated from us by a sea and is now the Principality of Tis, has fallen into chaos and war!"
There was a commotion in the crowd. Most of the people in Castel were immigrants from Tis. Although it was a thing of the previous generation, the word "Tis" still had different meanings to people.
"Castel has been closed for too long, and people may not know what is happening outside."
Hughes looked around and raised his voice a little.
"The Queen was assassinated, the Church took the opportunity to usurp the empire, Tis and several northern territories became independent, the sea dried up, cultists were rampant, and the entire continent was in chaos!"
People were shocked by this series of news and stood there in disbelief. Some were arguing in low voices, some were cursing loudly, and some were crying quietly.
Hughes said nothing, waiting quietly for people to digest the news.
After a long time, he spoke again: "Everyone, although Castel is fine now, there are still so many people suffering. I am heartbroken."
"And we have a team that went to explore, and they haven't returned yet."
"Connor, Anderson, Frank, Duke."
"They took an airship to Blood Harbor, which is now the Principality of Tis, but there has been no news since then."
"The team we organized today is to go find them."
"They stood up for Castel in his most critical moment. How could we betray them?"
There was a commotion among the crowd. These Crusaders who followed the airship out to explore all had families, and many of them were even at the scene at this moment.
They were already moved when they heard the names of their loved ones, and now when they heard Hughes' words, many of them couldn't help but shed tears.
There are always sacrifices in war. They had been silently mourning their loved ones, but now they suddenly realized that there might still be hope.
They were not forgotten, the lord still remembered them, Castel still remembered them.
People who have lost something know how to cherish it the most.
Hearing the crying sounds coming from the crowd, Xiusi's expression gradually became serious.
"Everyone, there will be banshees accompanying this operation. They will pass on information to me regularly, and I will also announce the progress of the investigation and search every day."
"Newspapers will be published on the island soon, and the progress of this investigation will be on the front page every day."
"In addition, I promise you that Castel will open several external routes as soon as possible, including those to the west leading to Tis and to the north leading to the four northern territories."
"All islanders who live here, or those who have worked for Castel and plan to settle here, can bring their relatives to the island, and I will pay for their travel expenses!"
Kyle, standing on the boat, was stunned and looked at his lord in disbelief. Just then, Zeus tilted his head and winked at him.
He had no reaction when he heard about the islanders living here, after all, he was a Rhinelander.
But when Xus talked about working and settling here, Kyle suddenly understood.
Looking at Xius' smiling face, Kyle stood there in a daze.
This big man came to Rhineland with his parents when he was five years old and stayed there for more than ten years.
From the slums to the downtown area, he worked very hard but couldn't find a place to gain a foothold. Finally, he had to join a factory. Although the workers here could hardly live past thirty, at least they gave him food to eat.
And Castel, this remote island, had already opened its doors to him half a year after he came here.
This feels more like home than the Rhine.
(End of this chapter)
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