Chapter 299 - 292: Awaiting Reconstruction
Chapter 299: Chapter 292: Awaiting Reconstruction
Allen disconnected the call.
His master’s words were a calming balm, allowing him to begin repairing the war damage in Zone 18, even as cannons continued to roar elsewhere.
As for reinforcing the other zones... forget it.
Everything was in shambles, waiting to be rebuilt. He quickly sorted through his thoughts and identified the three most urgent tasks.
First, repair the workshop’s power equipment and production lines. They were the cornerstone of the zone; without the production lines, nothing else was possible.
Second, restart the mining operations. The war had brought the entire zone’s economy to a grinding halt.
To consolidate his defensive line, he had previously abandoned the outer mines and dismantled most of their core equipment. He had to redeploy it all as soon as possible.
It was worth noting that Master Mercer was still using Magic Stones to purchase massive quantities of ore from all the zones. The fortress’s acquisition price hadn’t even fluctuated much throughout the Beast Tide.
What did this mean? It meant the logistical system of Forged Fire Fortress was still solid as a rock. It meant Master Mercer still had a high degree of control over the war’s macro-level trajectory, and the high-level situation was stable.
As long as the overall situation didn’t collapse, he, Allen, could keep mining and making money.
Third, repair and replenish the lost Golems. The main Beast Tide had receded, but sporadic Magical Beasts would still cross the border. Plus, a large number of Magical Beasts were now roaming the zone, some even having made homes in the mining areas.
Without a complete Golem Legion on guard, he wouldn’t even be able to close his eyes to Meditate.
With his thoughts organized, Allen headed toward the production and assembly area inside the workshop.
"Jarvis, give me a full summary of our remaining assets."
[Compiling asset data for the entire zone.]
A detailed list of data appeared in Allen’s mind.
[Combat Golem Overview]
[First to Fifth Golem Legions: Completely destroyed. Seventh Defense Legion: Completely destroyed.]
[Sixth Legion: 60% of forces remaining. Three mining outpost garrisons remain at full combat strength.]
[Total number of active, undamaged combat-series Golems: 155 units.]
[Specific Models: Freedom Gundam x3, Flame Demon x2, PX-1B Type x34, Purgatory Launch Platform x11, PX-1 & PX-1A Type x6 total, Spider Killer Type II x82, Magic Eye Type II Aerial Fortress x10, Magic Eye Type III Reconnaissance & Command Node x5, Magic Eye Type IV x2.]
[Storm Falcon: 0 units. Jumping Spider Self-Destructive Golem: 0 units.]
[Ammunition Reserves: Crystal Armor-Piercing Bullet x50, Micro-Dust Bomb x6, standard Crystal Bomb x0, "Big Boy" x3, Red Lotus Type-1 Magic Missile x320, various aerial and bunker-buster bombs x127.]
[Available Liquid Capital: 12.16 million Low-Level Magic Stones.]
[Ore and Raw Material Reserves: 36% of pre-war levels.]
Allen stared at the "0" on the light screen.
Silence.
Pain.
The logistics-series Golems had been withdrawn deep underground early on, so their losses were minimal.
But the seven Golem Legions formed during the war had been practically wiped out, leaving their command structures empty.
This was especially true for the Seventh Legion, which had been formed by drawing from eight standard garrisons. It suffered continuous attrition, and most of the mining garrisons that retreated later were used to reinforce it. Even so, it was completely destroyed.
As for the high-tier combat power from the Guard Series, he had lost eight units—five Freedom Gundams and three Flame Demons were gone. The entire aerial force was annihilated.
Allen rapidly did the math in his head.
The lost Golems and ammunition, calculated at cost, were worth over 17 million Magic Stones.
The liquid capital, materials, and ammunition consumed during the war amounted to a staggering 13.49 million Magic Stones.
He had also blown up the entire volcanic cluster, destroying nine high-power volcanic Magic Furnaces and a rich mining field in the process.
And what about his spoils?
In the underground cold storage, the corpses of the slain high-tier modified Magical Beasts were piled up. Jarvis’s estimated value for the biological materials was 14.65 million Magic Stones, but they couldn’t be sold right now.
Expenses started at thirty million, while income was less than fifteen million.
A devastating loss.
Allen felt a pang in his chest.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.
"So many Magic Stones... It’s like my heart has been plowed over, again and again," Allen muttered to himself. His voice was emotionless, yet it seemed to be suppressing something.
He had advanced to a Second-level Wizard and killed a Second-level Black Wizard who was above his level. It was a huge success, but the cost was equally immense.
Post-war Zone 18 was a picture of devastation. The volcanic cluster, spanning a two-hundred-kilometer radius, had been blasted into a massive crater. The workshop’s production lines were idle, the mines were shut down, and the energy center was blown to smithereens.
"Getting back to our previous peak... it’ll be impossible to do it in less than two years."
Allen’s heart ached to the extreme.
Right now, all he wanted was to farm and manage his territory in peace, to be a Peacekeeper—in the most literal sense of the word.
"Jarvis, cut power to all non-essential areas. Prioritize restoring production lines one and two in the main workshop. Clear the underground tunnels to mining areas three and five."
[Command received. There is currently no energy shortage. Manual repairs are required for some equipment and production lines.]
"I know."
Allen entered the production area. It had been shut down for days, and the emptiness felt unsettling to him.
’I’ll have to pause my Meditation for a while. Getting the production lines running comes first.’
"Jarvis, pull up the structural schematic of the workshop’s core area. Highlight all damaged sections and blocked passages."
[Loading...]
Master Mercer was right. ’Surviving and proving my worth is the greatest victory.’
’Now, it’s time to channel that victory into the drive for reconstruction.’
"Alright, you Merits, help me repair production line one first," Allen said, encouraging the newly rebooted workshop servants.
"Jarvis, once it’s fixed, begin production at full speed. The goal is to replenish the strength of two standard Golem Legions."
[Estimated time to restore two standard legions: 6 months]
Allen frowned. Six months was too long, but for now, he could only restore production capacity one step at a time.
"During this period, clear out the remaining Magical Beasts in the zone and, at the same time, reopen the six mines closest to the workshop to ensure a basic economic cycle."
[Command confirmed.]
Allen closed his eyes, feeling the surging Magic Power in his Sea of Spirit. The power of a Second-level Wizard gave him greater computational ability and more precise control.
He activated all seven of his mind’s sub-threads.
Threads one, two, and three: Control the Craftsman’s Hand to clear the debris in the core workshop, move damaged equipment, and prioritize emergency repairs on the power system.
Threads four and five: Handle data analysis, re-plan the production line layout, optimize resource allocation, and calculate the shortest repair path.
Thread six: Remotely control the remaining Golems to mop up the scattered Magical Beasts within the zone, while also surveying the condition of the damaged mines.
Thread seven: Coordinate the work of all other threads and handle unexpected situations.
"Let’s get to work."
Allen took a deep breath. [Craftsman’s Hand] activated. Six giant, invisible hands made of force began to dismantle and sort the broken pipes, cables, and mangled equipment wreckage for recycling.
’One man is an entire heavy machinery crew, a professional mechanical repair team, an engineer, and a complete assembly line.’ This was the best way to describe his current state.
His gaze was sharp, Spiritual Power pouring out of him like a tide, meticulously scanning every inch of the damaged structures. His mind’s sub-threads ran at high speed, simulating repair plans, calculating material consumption, and planning every single step.
"Suffer a bit more now, and the good times will follow," Allen said, finding a rare moment of humor amidst his hardship.
He knew this would be another long and arduous battle.
But this time, he wasn’t fighting for survival. He was fighting to rebuild, to bring life back to this scorched earth.
The setting sun cast a blood-red light over the workshop.
Allen’s figure moved through the ruins like a tireless machine, slowly but surely re-establishing order from chaos.
He needed Magic Stones.
He needed materials.
He needed time.
And all of it, he—Allen Wesren—would have to continue creating with his own two hands.