Chapter 539.5: Big Appetite, Easy to Digest
Soon, the eighth day arrived.
Waves of refugees exited the resettlement area.
Udala and Rika kept a record of most refugees' job choices, trying to discern Bay Territory's developmental direction.
They quickly noticed that a significant portion of the people chose to become pioneers.
Only a small number with specialized production skills joined Bay Territory's factories.
It seemed that Bay Territory still placed great importance on agricultural production.
However, they also noticed a few people attempting to become reserve soldiers.
Yet, to their surprise, Bay Territory didn't have a direct "become a reserve soldier" option.
When they expressed confusion, the well-prepared guards provided an answer:
"Everyone will undergo two weeks of job training. After that, they can apply for the reserve soldier exam."
"Once they pass, they'll become reserve soldiers."
"Those who don't pass will need to continue training and try to meet the conditions later."
This was something they hadn't expected!
They exchanged glances and quickly decided on another job—working in the factory.
"According to Bay Territory, factory work is very important. Everything Bay Territory needs is produced in the factories," Udala recalled, observing the refugees being redirected and noting their destinations.
That wasn't the teleportation array location!
Didn't Bay Territory use teleportation arrays to move refugees?
Standing nearby, Rika watched as the elderly and children were taken to the residential area, and she felt a small sense of relief.
At least for now, apart from those who were selected on their second day in the resettlement area, Bay Territory didn't appear to treat other refugees differently.
This alone made Rika reevaluate Bay Territory.
However, she couldn't shake the feeling that Bay Territory's actions hinted at a deeper purpose.
As she uncovered those intentions, her lingering questions might finally be answered.
Step, step, step…
The orderly marching of soldiers made everyone behave with absolute obedience.
From their armor…
To their unyielding aura of determination…
To the imposing dragon cavalry golems stationed at each end of the formation.
All of it was enough to quash any inappropriate thoughts.
Rika and Udala exchanged glances, adjusting their assessments of Bay Territory's formidable military power.
What astonished them even more was that such a powerful force was used to transport refugees.
The level of attention given to refugees made them feel somewhat at ease.
Overthinking was unnecessary.
The two began taking a closer look at Bay City.
Clean, tidy, spacious streets.
Lush greenery and flower beds.
People and adventurers bustling back and forth.
Small dragon-shaped golems stationed at the street corners.
They keenly noticed that the golems weren't mere decorations; they could still answer questions from nearby people.
However, not many asked them questions frequently.
This made them feel fortunate.
At the same time, they were amazed by Bay Territory's widespread construction and use of golems.
The buildings along the streets left them in awe.
There weren't any overly tall buildings, at most three or four stories high.
The architectural style was fascinating.
Pavilions, pagodas, and tiled roofs.
The structures blended the spires of Western castles with the charm of Eastern architecture, each distinct yet harmonious—just like the diverse races peacefully coexisting in the streets.
Udala spotted several halflings in armor, animatedly chatting with their adventuring companions.
She resisted the urge to wave and say hello, instead observing their expressions closely.
There was no sign of resentment from being looked down upon, nor any bitterness from exploitation. They seemed to have a friendly rapport with their human companions.
Small details can speak volumes.
The atmosphere in Bay Territory seemed positive!
Rika was even more amazed.
Before arriving in Bay Territory…
She never would have believed that a fierce ogre warrior could clumsily count coins at a vendor's stall.
Not only did he refrain from stealing, but he could also do basic math.
Next to him, a troll was equally surprising.
He was free of any mud or grime, and even his usual stench was almost nonexistent.
The troll cheerfully gnawed on a pig's trotter, while carefully catching the scraps with his other hand, as if worried about dropping his food.
The small merchant at his waist height not only showed no fear, but handed him a paper bag with a hearty laugh, saying:
"Use this bag so it doesn't fall on the ground. If it does, you'll have to pay a fine and clean it up."
A dwarf beside the troll burst into hearty laughter, happily sipping his ale.
He pointed to another troll cleaning the street and reminded everyone to care for the environment.
The scene was so "delightful" that Rika almost didn't know how to react.
"That's not a dwarf; it should be a gray dwarf from the Underdark…"
The well-traveled Udala averted her gaze from the ash-covered figure and forced herself to stop staring at those adventurers who gave her a strong sense of danger.
Their group indeed piqued curiosity.
But that was only the beginning.
Because Rika soon saw several long-eared elves seated on a few slowly approaching wagons.
Judging by their unperturbed demeanor, Rika could tell these elves had been to Bay Territory before.
What exactly was it about Bay Territory that made it so magnetic?
"Look there—are those fiends?"
Udala's curious voice rang in Rika's ears.
She instinctively turned to see a group of towering fiends with horns on their heads and jet-black flame tattoos covering their bodies, casually strolling down the street.
They wore matching red garments, making them especially conspicuous.
Yet the passersby seemed completely accustomed to them. Some even smiled and greeted them, and the fiends cheerfully raised their hands in return.
This dizzying sight truly opened Rika's eyes.
Beside her, Udala rubbed her chin, clearly thrilled as she continued:
"From the looks of it, Bay Territory really seems as they claim—so long as you follow the rules, there's no prejudice."
For halflings, finding a suitable place to gather was indeed cause for celebration.
Halflings didn't have their own dedicated cities or districts like humans or other races.
More often, they lived alongside other races, forming small villages or tight-knit communities within cities.
Nowhere else had ever given Udala the impression of true equality like Bay Territory did.
Beyond the diverse passersby, a dazzling array of food and goods caught their eyes.
It wasn't that they were tempted to buy anything.
Rather, they judged Bay Territory's wealth and abundance by the variety of goods available.
When people in a territory were starving, there would be no money or energy for such extravagances.
From what they saw, Bay Territory excelled far beyond the outside rumors.
Despite their reluctance, they eventually left the expansive Bay City.
What met their eyes next were massive, imposing construction golems.
These construction golems stood at least several meters tall, with the largest towering over ten meters, busily working on newly built city walls.
Rika glanced at the dense construction crews and the freely moving golems, a flicker of disbelief in her eyes.
Even other spellcasters who possessed so many golems wouldn't casually "waste" them this way!
Yes, "waste" was the word.
Precious magical and golem resources were being used on tasks that humans could easily accomplish.
How was this not wasteful?
Other spellcasters would have been careful to put their golems into rest mode.
They wouldn't risk overworking them to the point of requiring repairs.
For any additional work, they'd simply call in more farmers.
What astounded the pair even more…
The individuals operating these massive golems…
Were not the spellcasters they had imagined.
Instead, they were a group of thirteen- and fourteen-year-old children.
Some sat on the golems' shoulders, while others rode inside their torsos.
Under their guidance, the construction golems moved with impressive agility.
Moving on from the bustling construction site, the procession entered a vast expanse of farmland.
However, the ground was still covered in frost, leaving behind neat furrows.
Udala stared intently at the fields on either side, curiously examining the large imprints.
They seemed to have been made by those construction golems!
But that didn't make sense!
It wasn't as though the golems could clumsily wield scythes to harvest wheat or rice.
Her confusion didn't last long. She soon spotted a farmstead under construction.
As a druid, Rika carefully observed the one-meter-tall green saplings and couldn't help but admire them.
"I wonder what method Bay Territory used to keep these saplings thriving in winter."
"But these saplings seem to carry magical energy. Could they be some kind of magical plants?"
No, that couldn't be!
As Rika saw thousands of saplings being planted, feeling the surge of their magical energy, she fell into deep thought.
Meanwhile, Udala repeatedly watched the smaller construction golems.
She observed how they leveled the land, compacting and smoothing it.
The variety of construction golems truly amazed Udala.
At the same time, she felt deeply grateful.
Thankfully, she harbored no reckless ideas. Otherwise, encountering such golems in Bay Territory would have made escape impossible!
Leaving the farmstead construction site, the onlookers couldn't help but envy what they saw.
Some of them noticed the newly assigned farmers, assisted by the construction golems, already at work.
The smiles on the farmers' faces stirred mixed feelings in their hearts.
Bay Territory was so peculiar, with golems present at every turn.
While the two were lost in thought, the procession entered an industrial area.
Towering over ten meters high and spanning tens of acres, the factories lined up neatly along the Silvermoon River.
Workers bustled about, and magical trains shuttled endlessly between the factories.
Nearby, a massive military force numbering in the thousands drilled meticulously.
Several impressive Dragon Cavalry Golems gleamed brightly under the sun.
The two were excited, realizing such an important location must harbor Bay Territory's crucial "secrets."
At the very least, they could investigate the factories.
If things looked promising, they would take it into consideration.
If not, they'd switch tactics early on.
With their confidence high, they passed through the soldiers' defenses into the vast factory complex.
They were led to a completed housing area. At the front, a soldier called out loudly:
"Everyone's rooms are ready. Enter according to your room numbers."
"Be sure not to play any tricks, or you'll lose credibility in Bay Territory. That wouldn't be worth it."
So they could move into a house right away?
Udala quickly realized this and curiously examined the obviously new houses.
They had clearly been prepared well in advance!
Udala exchanged glances with Rika.
Then they each headed to their assigned rooms.
They happened to be housed in the same dormitory building, with rooms across from each other.
Seeing they had about ten minutes to rest…
They immediately got together to discuss their strategy.
"Should we really work in the factories? It might be dangerous!"
"It shouldn't be dangerous. Otherwise, they wouldn't treat us so well."
"True, these days human lives are pretty cheap…"
"Let's just stay cautious, and we should be fine."
"You're right. I see men and women in the factories. Bay Territory truly is something else."
"…"
As they talked, in Bay Territory's Lord's Mansion, Matthew reviewed the report from Steward Ralph.
"Sixty percent of the construction crews have returned to Bay City and are working overtime."
"In about three months, they'll have built enough housing to accommodate another two million people."
"By then, Bay Territory will officially become a large city with a population exceeding a million."
Matthew wasn't too concerned about that. He was more interested in the refugee situation.
The facts showed that Matthew's insistence on pushing housing construction and land development was both necessary and highly effective.
The steadily growing administrative staff and workers would gain experience through their busy schedules.
They would then fill roles in an increasing number of farmsteads, camps, and fortresses.
Thanks to the assistance of other Netheril Empire lords…
In just over a week…
Bay Territory had taken in nearly 80,000 refugees.
The territory's total population had officially surpassed two million and was growing at a rate of ten thousand per day.
Putting down the report, Matthew spoke to the expectant Steward Ralph:
"Increase the 'purchase' of food, and send out some signals."
"Let them know we have a big appetite and aren't afraid of overindulging."
"We're just a little malnourished…"
"A bit of flattery…"
"Everyone loves that!"