Chapter 114 Yearning Under the Scorching Sun (Author's Note: A Short Scene Included) "...
"Madam, please take care on your journey."
Lin Yue, Aunt Liya, and Mia and Amu, who had stayed behind, stood at the entrance of Store No. 1, waving vigorously at the departing convoy.
"I know, I know." Inside the carriage, the old village chief's wife leaned out, her wrinkled face filled with kindness and reluctance. "You too, take good care of yourselves in Blackrock City, work hard, but don't overwork yourselves. We'll take care of things at home."
The simple words of advice warmed my heart.
"Awoo...woowoo..."
Xiao Fen, however, acted like a rogue, biting Lin Yue's trouser leg tightly and refusing to let go. Her huge wolf head was full of grievance, and she made whimpering sounds in her throat, as if protesting: "Boss, don't even think about leaving me alone again!"
Lin Yue chuckled and rubbed its head, "Alright, alright, stop whining. I'll let you stay a few more days this time. You can go back with the transport team next time they come. But it's settled then, no causing trouble in the city, understand?"
Xiao Fen finally let go of his mouth, satisfied, and rubbed her big head affectionately against his leg.
As the massive wheels rolled once more over the bumpy dirt roads of Blackrock City and slowly drove into the distance, this brief but heartwarming reunion came to an end.
The convoy gradually drove away until it disappeared on the horizon. Life in Blackrock City returned to its usual hustle and bustle.
As summer deepened, the weather grew increasingly scorching, and the entire city felt as if it were encased in a giant steamer. The blazing sun baked the ground until it was scalding hot, and even the air seemed to distort slightly from the heatwave.
People's demand for water is increasing day by day. On the construction site in the new district, every step, from mixing cement and firing bricks to cooling workers, requires a huge amount of water.
Gradually, people realized that something was wrong.
The water output of the old wells inside and outside the city has decreased significantly. In the past, it only took a few dips to fill a bucket, but now it takes a lot of effort to shake out only half a bucket of murky muddy water from the bottom of the well.
The water level of the small river outside the city, which was not very wide to begin with, has been dropping day by day. The once clear river water has now become shallow and murky, and in some sections, the dried-up and cracked riverbed has been exposed.
A sudden drought, like a silent noose, has quietly tightened around the necks of every resident of Blackrock City.
"There's no water...the old well on West Street has completely dried up."
"The river to the east has dried up, and even the silt has cracked from the sun."
The lines to exchange water for purified water outside the Hope Merchants' store were longer than ever before. Almost overnight, water replaced food and salt, becoming the city's most precious and scarce commodity.
The production of cement and red bricks at the new construction site has been forced to slow down due to water shortages. The progress of the construction project has also come to a near standstill.
"No water! No water again!"
"Let us through! We've been queuing all morning!"
"Why can you get water? We need water too!"
That noon, a brawl erupted at the last remaining public well in the city that could barely produce water, revealing the panic and despair in people's hearts.
A dozen or so men, their eyes red with thirst, fought over the little bit of murky well water, brandishing their carrying poles and wooden sticks, pushing and cursing each other, and even coming to blows.
An elderly woman who came to fetch water was pushed to the ground in the chaos due to exhaustion, and the old earthenware pot she was carrying was crushed on the spot. Looking at the puddle of water that was quickly swallowed by the soil, she could no longer hold on, her vision went black, and she fainted in despair.
Old Hermann's medical station was overflowing with patients suffering from vomiting and diarrhea due to desperation from drinking sewage. The cries of children and the painful groans of adults shrouded the entire city in despair.
Vicious language began to quietly proliferate in the dark corners of the city.
"Have you heard? This severe drought was brought by those outsiders!"
"Yes, as soon as they arrived, our well dried up!"
"I think the problem lies with the food from Hope Town. They brought bad luck to our Blackrock City by using things from the Cursed Lands. That must be it, you have to believe me."
Karl, the venomous snake lurking in the shadows, seized the opportunity once again, sending his thugs and spies to spread rumors among the crowd, attempting to direct everyone's anger and despair toward the rapidly rising Hope Trading Company and toward Lin Yue.
However, this time, his plot failed.
"Bullshit!" A construction worker who was queuing for water heard someone spreading rumors next to him. He immediately threw down his water bucket, pointed at the person's nose, and cursed, "Are you blind? In the entire Blackrock City, besides the City Lord's Mansion and the Hope Merchant Guild, who else is willing to give us water for free?!"
“That’s right,” another woman stepped forward, pointing to the child in her arms drinking purified water, her eyes red-rimmed. “If it weren’t for Lord Lin’s kindness in providing us with a fixed amount of clean water every day, my child would probably be bedridden like those other kids in the neighborhood. You heartless bunch, not only are you ungrateful, but you also dare to speak ill of us behind our backs!”
With the solid foundation of public support laid by the Hope Canteen and the sanitation revolution, and with the Hope Trading Company and Ryan's City Lord's Mansion indeed using their reserves to do their utmost to provide all citizens with limited but life-saving clean drinking water during this period.
Although the people were panicked, they were all very clear-headed. They could tell clearly who was genuinely helping them and who was stabbing them in the back.
Karl's rumors, instead of inciting public anger, fueled even deeper resentment and contempt for the Anchor Merchant Guild.
However, this doesn't solve the fundamental problem. The water levels in the wells of the City Lord's Mansion and the Hope Trading Company are also steadily declining. A new, more stable, and larger underground water source must be found.
Lin Yue immediately found Ryan: "Young Master Ryan, the situation is urgent, I need your help. Finding water is something a few outsiders like us can't do alone; we need to ask a local expert with experience. I hope you can send someone to Hope Town as quickly as possible to bring over an elderly man from there named Old Beaver who has extensive experience in water conservancy. At the same time, post notices in town, offering a large reward for any local talent experienced in exploring water sources and digging wells."
Ryan immediately dispatched his personal guards to Hope Town at top speed.
A few days later, the old beaver and several other Blackrock City water-finding masters, who had also been hired by Ryan at great expense, gathered together. Under the scorching sun, they traversed every inch of the city's outskirts.
With his keen sense of the elements, Kailan closed his eyes and carefully felt the faint flow of water vapor beneath the earth.
Meanwhile, the old beaver and the local veterans used their decades of experience to observe the distribution of vegetation on the ground and the color and moisture of the soil.
“Mayor, look here.” The old beaver pointed to a low-lying area where several clumps of unusual plants with exceptionally strong vitality and thick leaves grew. “We call this grass water hyacinth. Its roots go very deep, and it can only survive in places where the groundwater level is relatively shallow. I bet there’s water down here.”
Kaylan nodded in agreement: "...Here...I can feel...a very...humid atmosphere..."
Ultimately, they combined everyone's judgments and selected three locations next to the newly planned veterans' camp on the outskirts of the city that were most likely to contain underground water veins.
However, the geology around Blackrock City is mainly hard igneous rock. Digging a well in such a place by manpower alone would be asking too much of a challenge.
Li Ge and his men spent most of the day hammering away at the rocks with pickaxes and chisels, but they only managed to create a few shallow white spots on the surface.
Everyone was at a loss.
"Make way, let the professionals handle this."
Lin Yue had a long cordon set up around the selected drilling site. Then, he took out several enhanced versions of the mountain-opening weapon—directional explosive charges—from a heavily guarded wooden box.
These explosive charges were no longer made in the rough earthenware jars of the past, but were instead wrapped in multiple layers of thick animal hide soaked in waterproof resin, containing granulated explosive charges that were more stable in power. The fuses were also replaced with specially made hemp ropes that provided a more even and controllable burning rate.
Lin Yue personally took charge and carefully stuffed several explosive charges into the cracks in the rock, then sealed the cracks with wet mud, leaving only the long fuses exposed.
"Everyone! Back off! Back off to a hundred meters away!" he shouted.
After everyone had evacuated to a safe area, Lin Yue took a deep breath, lit the fuse, and turned around to sprint towards the back of the bunker at top speed.
"BOOM—!!!"
"Crack!"
A deafening explosion, even more penetrating than before, accompanied the sound of the ground cracking open, sending a massive mushroom cloud, filled with dust and smoke, soaring into the sky.
As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, people cautiously approached to take a look, only to find a huge black hole with a diameter of more than three meters on the originally hard rocky ground.
The edge of the black hole is rock that has been blasted into pieces like tofu dregs.
What surprised them most was that from the dark bottom of the cave, streams of murky but vibrant underground water were gushing out joyfully.
Water! It's water!
"Water...water is coming out! Good heavens! Water is really coming out!"
Overwhelmed with emotion, a craftsman knelt down and wept loudly over the gushing water from the deep pit.
This scene was nothing short of a miracle to all the Blackrock City residents who witnessed it firsthand.
They looked at the young man standing beside the deep pit, his face covered in soot but his expression calm, their eyes filled with almost fanatical worship.
They may not understand what science or engineering blasting is. But they know that this man, in their most desperate moment, brought them the source of life in a way they couldn't comprehend.
They had previously thought this young man was simply intelligent, capable, and kind-hearted.
But now I truly realize that this chief development consultant possesses a completely incomprehensible divine power that can split mountains and change the world.
People may fear those stronger than themselves, or envy those who are better off than themselves. But when the power of the strong is so great that it can crush all perceptions and bring real hope for survival, envy and fear will transform into the purest, most fervent admiration.
Karl couldn't understand. He couldn't comprehend why, despite using every trick in the book and spreading so many vicious rumors, he still couldn't shake the outsider's position in the hearts of the people. Why couldn't his father, even with the most brutal methods, completely subdue these people?
He didn't realize that when a person's power is strong enough to change the world and create miracles, all conspiracies become pale and powerless. He also will never understand that hope is always more powerful than fear.
The well's water greatly alleviated Blackrock City's imminent water shortage.
Lin Yue did not claim the new well for himself, but publicly announced that it would serve as a public well for Blackrock City, jointly managed by Hope Trading Company and Ryan's city guard. He also built a sturdy fence around the wellhead with red bricks and cement, along with a dozen public water platforms for easy access to water, ensuring that all residents could use this hard-won source of life fairly and orderly.
Beside the well, cheering crowds lined up, filling various containers with water. Children, barefoot, jumped and played in the puddles, the splashes sparkling in the sunlight; adults carefully protected the earthenware jars filled with water, wiping away tears, the joy of rain after a long drought written on everyone's faces.
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Author's Note: The plot I envisioned yesterday wasn't like this, so I had to make a last-minute change. I almost missed today's update. The reason for the change was that the original plot seemed to worsen an already unpleasant storyline. Garlic Bird, Garlic Bird, let's give everyone the best possible ending. After thinking about it, I've decided to put the replaced parts here, consider it a different storyline in a parallel universe.
[A Mother's Last Words]
As the massive wheels rolled once more over the bumpy dirt roads of Blackrock City and slowly drove into the distance, this brief but heartwarming reunion came to an end.
Inside the train carriage, the old village chief's wife took one last, deep look back at the vibrant city and the young man waving vigorously at her from the city gate. Her face bore a trace of weariness, but more so a serene smile of relief.
“Lia…” She gently patted her daughter’s hand as she suddenly ran up and hugged her. “Let’s go back. Don’t keep the mayor waiting.”
"I understand, Mother."
No one could have imagined that this farewell would be forever.
In the stillness of the night, a grease lamp burned all night long.
"...Elder, I know my old bones very well." The old village chief's wife's voice was calm and composed, without any fear of death. "This time when I went to Blackrock City, I saw Leah, I saw the children, and I saw how well the mayor had managed everything. Now, I can finally put down my last lingering thought."
She picked up a cup of warm barley tea and took a small sip.
“My life has been worthwhile. When I was young, I stayed in the village with my husband. We were poor, but it was peaceful. Later, disaster struck, and I watched my fellow villagers fall one by one. I thought the sky was falling. But I never expected that in my old age, I would meet a benefactor like the town mayor, and be able to work with everyone to build such a wonderful place. I have seen hope, and that is enough.”
Elder Farador listened silently, a hint of sadness and respect flashing in his eyes, which had witnessed too many deaths and deaths.
“After I’m gone,” the old lady continued, as if she were entrusting a very ordinary family matter, “bury me on that sunny hillside behind the town. From there you can see the whole town and the crops in the fields, and you can see the children running and playing in the park. This is the place that gave me a second life, and it is my blessing to die here.”
“Lia is a stubborn child, but kind-hearted. I’ll have to trouble you, Elder, and the Mayor to take good care of her from now on. Also, tell the villagers who came from our village to remember the Mayor’s initial life-saving grace. No matter what happens in the future, they must listen to the Mayor and live well with him. They don’t need to come back for my sake.”
"As for the mayor..." She paused, a hint of apology and affection flashing in her eyes, "Don't tell him. That child already has enough on his shoulders. Don't let me distract him with this little thing. Let him go about his business."
Everything happened so suddenly, yet so peacefully that it caught everyone off guard. The next morning, when the sunlight streamed into her room, people discovered that the old woman had fallen asleep forever.
A few days later, when another batch of Hope No. 1 heavy trucks loaded with supplies arrived in Blackstone City from Hope Town, the person who came to hand over the goods was no longer the always cheerful Ah Hu, but another young man with a solemn expression.
The young man solemnly handed Lin Yue a letter wrapped tightly in animal hide.
Lin Yue's heart skipped a beat, and an extremely ominous premonition surged up.
The letter was written by Gray, and the handwriting was still somewhat clumsy, but the contents of the letter struck him hard.
The old village chief's wife passed away peacefully in her sleep one morning five days ago.
Lin Yue's mind went blank with a "buzz".
He seemed to see again the resilient old woman who, despite her despair, still led hundreds of villagers on a difficult trek to the entrance of Lin's Restaurant, where she bowed deeply to him.
He recalled how, not long ago, she had sat beside him like a true elder, caring about his daily life and even worrying about his marriage.
In his memory, her eyes, always full of love and wisdom, seemed to still be right before his eyes.
But now... just like that, it's gone?
"Mayor...Mayor, what's wrong?"
Aunt Leah saw Lin Yue's face turn deathly pale and his body tremble slightly, so she quickly stepped forward to support him.
When she took the letter from Lin Yue and read its contents, she collapsed as if all her strength had been drained away, letting out a heart-wrenching wail.
"mother--!!!"
That night, Aunt Leah locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone.
Lin Yue stood at her door, listening to the intermittent, suppressed sobs coming from inside, his heart breaking.
At this moment, any words of comfort seem so pale and powerless.
He asked Mia to prepare a bowl of steaming calming wheat porridge for her and place it at her door.
"Let her... have some peace and quiet."
The next morning, just when Lin Yue thought Aunt Leah would be devastated, she unexpectedly appeared at the entrance of the textile factory.
Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face was unusually haggard, but the determination in her eyes was stronger than ever. She didn't speak, but silently picked up the scissors and fabric, and began her workday as usual.
The rapidly moving needle and thread and the occasional silent tears sliding down her cheeks told everyone that she was following her mother's last wish in this way—to live well.
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