Chapter 296 - Arrangements for the Salt Mine Posthouse (second update)
Chapter 296: Arrangements for the Salt Mine Posthouse (second update)
“As expected.”
Kant nodded, deep in thought.
This well used to be the center of that low-level Jackalan tribe.
The Jackalan Shaman was in charge of distributing the freshwater resources. With this well alone, the entire tribe population of over 2,000 Jackalans could drink fresh water on a daily basis and ensure the reproduction of the entire tribe.
Based on the amount of water used by so many Jackalans, even the original Oasis Lookout wouldn’t be able to satisfy them.
After all, the water resources of the Oasis Lookout were at most a pond.
It wasn’t even a big pond!
If there were so many Jackalans, no, even if it was 1,000 Jackalans, they could completely dry up the original Oasis Lookout in less than seven days. After all, the amount of daily drinking water of over a thousand people was humongous.
Not to mention that it was a Jackalan tribe of over 2000 population!
If this well could not connect to the underground river or the underground lake, it would be impossible to have so much water.
At that time, Kant had guessed this.
And now.
Without a doubt, the mage apprentices had solved this doubt!
“Since this is the underground river.”
Kant muttered to himself.
His eyes flickered, and the system dialog box opened. Seeing the buildings inside, he was enlightened. “It really can be done.”
Well.
But it was just the system’s well.
As long as there was an underground water source, Kant could build the system well at any time.
Just like when he was at the central posthouse, the direction the system gave him was above the underground lake. That was why he was able to build the well and then build the central posthouse.
In the Nahrin Desert, water resources were the most precious wealth.
Occupying the water resources was equivalent to occupying the gold mine!
In fact, even if there was a gold mine in the depths of the desert, and there was no well or oasis around it. Then this gold mine was equivalent to useless waste. If it couldn’t even be mined, what else could it be?
The miners who were mining had to drink water!
“Since there is an underground river here.”, Kant turned his head to the north.
There had to be a vein in this underground river. If this underground river happened to be located not far from the salt mine, it could indeed solve a lot of problems. For example, the fresh water that had to be transported every week could be lifted. They could go and fetch water for themselves.
It would also take a day to go from the Oasis Lookout to the salt mine.
It was already dusk.
Kant intended to reach the salt mine posthouse before midnight.
There were already civilians working and living there. At the same time, there were 20 desert bandits responsible for protecting the safety of the place. They were to ensure that the hungry low-level Jackalans would not appear and attack the civilians who had worked hard all day.
“Let’s go!”
Kant turned around and got back on his horse.
This place had already been abandoned, and there was not much future for development.
Perhaps when Kant’s oasis became bigger in the future, this place would become a very good spreading area. After all, there was an underground river. As long as a few wells were built, the oasis could be irrigated.
However, this would take a very, very long time.
After all, it was not realistic for the Oasis Lookout to become an oasis group that spanned more than ten kilometers.
Only by completely opening up an above-ground river and using the river’s powerful irrigation ability to improve the environment on both sides of the river could a large-scale oasis to be established in the desert. Otherwise, it would still be like flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water; an illusion. It would be burned up by the scorching sun in the sky, it would turn into a dry sandbar and eventually disappear.
Just like on Earth, the desert oasis group that disappeared in various eras was caused by the disappearance of the underground river and the drying up of the above-ground river.
If one wanted to obtain an oasis like a fertile plain, one needed river.
Kant had a plan for this.
However, in the current situation, it was better to develop his oasis lookout more luxuriously.
The Oasis Lookout that carried the “Drondheim” Castle was Kant’s foundation!
Time passed.
Night covered the sky.
Kant and his troops moved forward and looked up at the top of the dune in front of them. As the starlight shone, there was a faint flame flickering. That was the salt mine posthouse, a place where he and his troops could temporarily rest.
At least, it was much better than setting up tents in the desert.
The moonlight was like a soft veil.
Soon, Kant and the others were also found at the salt mine posthouse.
Ten desert bandits directly galloped over on their horses, while another ten desert bandits spread out in the surroundings. They rode on their horses and stood on the dune to observe the situation here. Each of them was extremely cautious, afraid that they would run into unfamiliar cavalry troops. If they were defeated, they could still spread out and escape, and be the first to report to the direction of the castle.
However, their vigilance was quickly lifted. The leading desert bandits saluted Kant very respectfully. “My lord, I didn’t expect to see you so late. It’s really an honor!”
“Mm, I just arrived too.”
Kant nodded and instructed him, “Don’t be nervous. Send people back.”
“Yes!”, the desert bandit nodded.
As the rhythmic whistles sounded, the desert bandits who were waiting for the results on the surrounding dune immediately galloped over. They all looked at Kant, their eyes filled with honor and excitement.
To them, seeing Kant was no different from seeing their own king!
They crowded into the posthouse.
Thirty peasants in linen clothes were also standing respectfully at the entrance of the posthouse to welcome Kant.
They were salt miners.
Their daily work was to pack coarse salt, which could be seen everywhere on the alkali soil outside the posthouse, into sacks and wait for the camel caravan to arrive, to carry it on the camel’s back, so that the camels could quickly return and bring back the raw materials for making salt.
This work could be said to be hard work, which was why Kant had taken in more than 300 captives.
There were many slave miners needed in the salt and alkali soil beach.
Especially when the salt workshop expanded the scale of production, the production of coarse salt here had to be increased.
However, having so many slave miners could obviously relieve a lot of pressure. At least for the slaves who were captured, Kant didn’t need to care too much about human rights. Even if he had to let them starve every day, they were all consumables anyway.
Since they had become slaves, they could not be treated as friends!
When the next camel caravan that delivered supplies arrived, these captive slaves would also be transported over.
Kant had made perfect arrangements.
At the same time, he looked at the 20 desert bandits and 30 Swadian peasants in front of him. There was a hint of shock in his eyes. He could not help but ask, “How many wars have you experienced?”
“Wars? No, not yet.”
These people were also puzzled and shook their heads in denial. “We have not experienced wars.”
Kant frowned and said, “Looking at you, you seem to have experienced battles?”
“Uh, when we came here, we once killed some low-level Jackalans. There were about 200 of them scattered here and there. They were extremely hungry and came to attack us, but they were very weak.”
The desert bandits and peasants finally remembered.
After all, when they first arrived at the salt posthouse, Jackalans were still scattered around.
They were all struggling survivors in the Nahrin Desert. When Kant defeated the entire camp of Jackalan, there were quite a number of them scattered outside, even though most of them were dead. However, there were still many Jackalan who relied on a little water and food to survive, becoming walking corpses that wandered in the desert.
That’s right, it didn’t matter if they were walking dead, because these Jackalans didn’t have a fixed source of food, nor did they have enough water. They relied on their innate endurance to survive, and when they couldn’t, they would die.
Or they would be killed by the desert bandits and the peasants.
To them, these Jackalan who came to attack them were pitiful like beggars.
Even if they were peasants, they could defeat a few with the tools in their hands. The starving Jackalans were no threat to them.
Not to mention the 20 desert bandits that were specially stationed here.
After two weeks of defense, they had killed quite a few Jackalans, almost turning the surrounding Jackalans into corpses. This gave them enough experience points and allowed them to level up.
Kant didn’t hesitate and directly chose the level up option.
30 Swadian militiamen.
20 elite desert bandits.
After level up, although they were still low-level soldiers, it was easier to guard this area.
Moreover, there were more than 300 captives coming over as slave miners. With these 50 guards, they could handle it. Even if they couldn’t handle it, they could starve these slaves for a few days and treat them like dogs.
How could the weak slaves resist?
They slept late at night.
Tomorrow morning, Kant continued to lead the team.
There was still a long way to go to the depths of the Nahrin Desert.
According to the route reported by the captives of the Kingdom of Gray Mane, it would take three days just to get pass this alkaline soil beach, and after another five days, they would be able to see the Devil’s Land.
However, the Devil’s Land was extremely hot, and no one could pass through it.
The expedition army of the Kingdom of Gray Mane chose to use ten days to bypass the Devil’s Land.
However, Kant went in there directly.
His mission was to enter the Devil’s Land to investigate, and the so-called saintess of the Sun God sect might be in the Devil’s Land. After all, the Sun also associated with high temperature, and the Devil’s Land was extremely hot, both things might have a great connection!
He replenished his food and water at the posthouse and continued his journey.
Along the way, he went deeper and deeper into the Nahrin Desert, and the vast sea of sand occupied his field of vision.
The next day was filled with deserts.
The deeper he went, the smoother the desert terrain became.
More and more sand appeared in front of them, and the higher the temperature, the more Kant and the others were drenched in sweat.
Even knights with extraordinary powers and mage apprentices with elemental powers were beginning to feel a little powerless against the Nahrin Desert. All of them had fatigued expressions on their faces, and they were all enduring with difficulty.
Kant was also enduring.
“Is this the depths of the Nahrin Desert?”
He gulped.
His dry lips were no longer moistened by saliva. Even the saliva that he had managed to gulp down with great difficulty was like a knife cutting through his dry throat.
The cruelty of the Nahrin Desert became more and more obvious as they went deeper.
The forbidden zone of civilization.
The desert of the race.
At this moment, it was obvious!
With his hands under the awning, Kant looked ahead. It was still an endless sea of sand.
He could not help but take out a water sack from his pocket. He opened the stopper and took a small sip, allowing his mouth and throat to be slightly moistened. However, when the thirst in his throat became more and more intense, Kant closed the lid again.
Now was not the time to gulp down fresh water. He had to make sure he had enough water.