Chapter 579: Stoker
"It wasn't always like this, actually. I'm from Blood Harbor. I was born in the slums of downtown and was hungry when I was a kid."
Gwen looked up and saw that it was the stoker who had spoken.
"There are always wars and famines in Tis, and people die one after another. In fact, people go to Castel not only now, but also in the past when they were too hungry to bear it. Although they might be thrown into the sea by pirates to feed the fish, at least they would not starve to death - there are many sweet fruits on the island over there, which feed many people."
"But if you can just make a living, who would want to leave their homeland?"
Gwen couldn't help but nodded. She thought of the village where she grew up. So much time had passed that her memory was a little fuzzy. She only remembered that it was a peaceful place.
It’s a pity that there’s no going back.
"We have changed many lords, but most of them are no different. Some lords are better at first, but soon become bad again. In the end, everyone still can't eat enough."
"It's only been a few years since things got better, Prince. I mean, His Royal Highness William seemed like a different person after he came back from the Rhine. He killed all the nobles, and everyone's life got much better all of a sudden."
"Later, Blood Harbor was in chaos. The Mother Goddess Church launched a rebellion, and many people died. Many of them just wanted to bring more food home, but they all died. Even their bodies could not be found."
"Did you join the expeditionary force at that time?" Gwen asked curiously.
"Haha, how could that be? The expeditionary force was established later. After the rebellion of the Mother Goddess Church, Blood Harbor was left with only ruins. The remaining people looked at their homes with despair in their hearts."
"To be honest, I felt completely empty at that time. I didn't feel anything. Even if you cut my neck with a knife, I wouldn't have reacted."
Gwen just felt depressed. The suffering in Blood Harbor was no different from that in the North. The wars came and went, and there was no hope for the future.
The only difference might be the prince. He chopped the knife on the heads of those high-ranking nobles, making them also taste the despair.
Gwen raised his head and looked at the fireman, only to find that his face did not show much numbness caused by suffering. Instead, his brows were relaxed and there was a hint of excitement in his expression.
He said in a trembling voice:
"At this time, Castel came."
"I don't know why they have changed. They were just digging for food in the soil like us a few years ago. Even going to the sea to catch a few horse-faced fish has to depend on the pirates' wishes."
"But this time, they came here in a huge iron ship!"
"The ship was so tall and huge. The first time I stood next to it, I looked up and fell. I didn't feel anything. I just stared at it blankly."
"At that time, I thought that the empress's car would be just like this!"
"Of course, these have nothing to do with us. There are many palaces and mansions in the upper city. We can only watch from afar."
"But, hey, but!"
He slammed the shovel in his hand down on the ground, and the steel collided with each other, making a dull knocking sound.
"Castle built a school, a factory, and a railroad in Blood Harbor."
"Those schools were free to enroll in. To be honest, I've never seen such a place. They even provided meals. Many people who were about to starve to death survived. When they went home at night, their stomachs and heads were bloated."
"I learned to read and my health improved. They asked me if I wanted to work in the factory. Not only could I have enough food to eat, but I could also get Leona. I've never seen such a good thing!"
"After I became a worker, they told me that workers could take advanced classes for free and earn more money after graduation. I read more books and learned how to burn a boiler."
"After that, something happened in the North, and the Lord said he was going to start recruiting an expeditionary force. Hey, this time they didn't need to send anyone to tell me, I signed up myself!"
The stoker straightened his back and a proud smile appeared on his coal-dust face.
"Although I have only been a worker for a short time, I am an expert at firing boilers. I don't know much about the affairs of the North, and I am not very good at fighting wars, but I have no problem firing boilers. Since the lord needs me, I am here."
Gwen looked at the worker in front of her who was standing with his back straight, and suddenly felt a little dazed.
Many familiar faces of Wood, Rick, and Hela flashed through her mind. They were her companions in the expedition. They had always followed her but had never shown such an expression.
Some of them have gone to Castel, and some have fallen forever in the perpetual snow and wind in the north. If they were still there, would there be another worker on the train who would be proud to introduce himself to outsiders in a few years?
Gwen was lost in thought as she looked at the light in the stoker's eyes.
She hadn't arrived at Blood Harbor yet, but she could already feel the vitality and hope of this city.
“That’s great.”
It would be even better if my former friends could see it too.
The train roared forward like a never-ending river. The setting sun lengthened the shadows under people's feet. Smiles mixed with the sunlight falling on their bodies, imprinting this scene in Gwen's heart.
This was her first impression of Blood Harbor.
Nora, who was in Gwen's arms, looked up at Gwen, then looked away and stared at the stoker, seeming to be hesitant to speak.
After a while, she couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you go to light the boiler? Is it okay to stay here?"
The stoker's smile froze on his face.
"The steam engine drove me out"
"ah?"
Gwen's face twitched, and she suddenly felt that her impression of Blood Harbor was not comprehensive enough.
After the train entered the city, its speed slowed down. Blood Harbor did not have a city wall in the strict sense, or rather, it had one but was later destroyed.
After passing the refugee camp, or the shantytowns on the outskirts, the city's appearance suddenly changed.
The dilapidated brick and stone houses suddenly disappeared, and were replaced by neat rows of concrete houses.
Although Blood Harbor is developing rapidly, the reconstruction time is still short, and these houses are still not painted.
So what Gwen saw were rows of lead-gray, angular houses, which stretched as far as the eye could see, covering the entire city. The unpainted walls and sharp edges gave off a sense of silent power, like solid stone that had not moved for thousands of years.
Calm, orderly, clean and solid.
"This house is so beautiful. It must be great to live in it. Are all the houses in Blood Harbor like this?" Gwen looked down at Nora in her arms with some anticipation.
Nora glanced at her but didn't answer. Gwen soon understood what Nora meant - the train had entered the core area of Blood Harbor.
(End of this chapter)
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