Volume 2 – Chapter 18 (1/2)
Characters in this chapter:
Cohen Kheda: The uard Manta, Dihters of the alien race leaders, rescued by Cohen from hunters at their youth Moya, Jack, Marfa, Wilder: Homeless boys, Cohen’s childhood friends till then
The once vast plain on this flat land was now divided into sections by several expanded avenues, with tents of various clan styles, big or small Lambers, stones were carried frohly like hills
”A hundred thousand people, no less” Maiza gazed upon the heads and said, ”Where are they from?”
I shook head to say no, ”Let’s get down there and check them out”
We rode off and headed towards a giant red tent not far away, recognized nearly ten different clans on the way
”Identity! Off your horse!” A dwarf guard stopped us in front of the tent
”It’s Viceroy Cohen Kheda!” Maiza shouted on horseback, ”Take us to your leader”
”Your Highness!” He looked ata ”
I took off and went in regardless of my dusty cloak
Beyond my expectation, there were only people in the tent, ere having aaround a table
”Who is it? Where’sback, asked He considered rules higher than anything in the world
”Boss!” Steven saw me and approached with his hippie face, ”You are back!”
”Boss!” Manta shouted, ”What took you so long! We’ve been waiting!”
”The crowd out there” I grabbed the glass and drunk, ”Where are they from, those people”
‘Magnificent, isn’t it? Boss, somen, 12,000 dwarfs, 25,000 sandmen, plus a thousand elves and dozens of vampires”
”Don’t forget the humans and crafts, ”Total is around 40,000”
”Other races?”
”Positive, they are refugees in Darko”
I nodded and asked, ”Only three of you, how about the others?”
”They are all here, Moya, Winslet went to inspect the construction with your paper”
”Good” I said, ”How’s the preparation? Your people all agreed to come?”
”No doubt, your city is our city” Steven grinned, ”My father was beyond exciteathered our best people, they are all yours to command”
”Lambers and stones are ok for now Winslet did a calculation that the transportation is entirely up as planned” Manta said, ”The only problen, ere a little thrilled by it”
”Now I’ive you specific assign”
The night was dark while bright in the tent Not only me and my friends, but a vampire foreman also joined us as well
”According to your paper, streets and sewage system should be a priority,” Winslet said softly, her face redden by the light
”The reason,” I said, ”Sewage systeround, streets are the foundation of the whole system; thus these two are top priorities”
”However, isn’t your city a bit oversized, Viceroy?” A vah the wall rounded a bit ses”
”Listen to me,” I nodded and showed my appreciation to his opinions, then pointed at the map, ”Take a look, there are no other cities within a diameter of hundreds of miles, if we build only one city then it’s an isolated one I’ towns and villages around it in the same time Once the wall and necessary facilities are done then ill start building peripheral installations immediately”
”Why?” Wilder asked
”We’ve got three years and 500,000 in cash only, this is far froh” I looked at everyone, ”And noe have nearly 100,000 people to e, that is more than sufficient Apart fro those people Thus it’s athem and send the rest to towns around the city Their job is to develop coreat support to the Dark City in the near future”
”Are you saying, we are building towns around to support us with money and food?” Marfa widened his eyes
”Yep!” I answered, ”We don’t yet to have basic food and e city In this case, it is necessary to slon the project I need a healthy developiant city”
”Then we could build it small!” Moya said, ”Isn’t it better this way?”
”This is what’s troubling me” I made a bitter smile, ”So far as to the Peace continent, our land is relatively huge, and the consistency of races is by far No1 on this land Before ement has led to its underdevelopment However, once we step in, then the abundant natural resource on this fertile land will attract people, businessmen, or even commoners from other nations By then, do you think a city as small will hold them?”