"Underground Transport Infrastructure Project."
Looking at the short stretch of road just beyond his territory, Garrett conceived an ambitious plan.
Since structures built by the citizens could also count as territorial expansion, there was no need for him to handle everything personally.
Take mining, for example, he was long tired of doing it himself.
The iron ore deposit outside could easily be handed over to the townspeople for extraction, with transport and storage managed using minecarts, powered rails, and hopper systems.
Although redstone-powered mechanisms weren't available in this world, there was an alternative, dwarven gear-driven devices. These gears could be installed on tracks to provide propulsion, allowing minecarts to move on their own, much like redstone circuits.
Such devices were quite common in Erebor. Their lifts and mineral transport networks often featured automated mechanisms.
However, one thing to note was that the gears consumed a significant amount of materials. If he were to install gear systems on every section of railway, even his current stockpile would feel the strain. It would also be time-intensive, as crafting them required "Khazad Steel," which had to be smelted in underground forges using dwarven furnaces.
But there was no need to pursue maximum efficiency. Placing a gear mechanism periodically as a power source would still be fast enough.
"That settles it."
That day, the townspeople discovered their lord had initiated a new undertaking: The Mining Railway Construction Project.
Using the direction of the iron deposit outside the stronghold as guidance, they would construct a broad underground transport tunnel, swift, secure, and when necessary, usable as a concealed passage.
At the same time the project's was launched, Garrett also set up some for participants. These included, but weren't limited to, faster contribution rewards and special commemorative items personally crafted by him for the most diligent workers.
He had clearly underestimated his own influence.
On the very first day he issued the order, nearly all other resource production halted. Everyone claimed tools and formed queues to excavate earth and break stone for the mining tunnel, their pace nearly matched what Garrett could accomplish alone.
In truth, they hadn't been feeling entirely comfortable lately.
Life here felt too much like a dream: spacious and beautiful homes to live in, warm clothing to wear, and no shortage of food. Beef, mutton, chicken, pork, fish, vegetables, they could take whatever they wanted, as long as they didn't waste anything.
There was also no need to worry about safety. With the towering iron golems and their lord himself present, no one committed any crimes, and no enemy tried to assault the stronghold. It could easily be considered the safest place in all Middle-earth.
Indeed, when one considered it, not even royalty or nobles in some kingdoms lived this well.
And the cost of all this? Just doing a bit of necessary work each day. Not even for extended hours. Once their tasks were complete, they had plenty of free time to pursue their own interests.
Many couldn't help but recall their previous lives: struggling just to survive each day, working endlessly without even guaranteed food, constantly fearing orcs and wargs, dreading the day their village might disappear overnight.
It had truly been a life of hardship.
With that contrast in mind, and thanks to reminders and encouragement from Wade, everyone felt they should contribute something meaningful for their lord. But their lord lacked nothing and rarely issued new orders, leaving them with no way to express their gratitude. So they voluntarily extended their work hours daily, it was the only way they could find peace of mind.
What's free is the most expensive, in most situations.
Their lord might not be concerned, but the people certainly were.
Fortunately, this group of settlers was relatively pure-hearted. They hadn't been corrupted by dark influences or subjected to excessive schemes and manipulations.
Their current life and daily labor were their entire world.
"Actually, we could leave some people to handle other tasks," Garrett remarked as he looked at the crowd gathered before the excavation site.
As soon as he spoke, several citizens who were less efficient at digging or construction were selected from the building team and redirected to other tasks, much to their disappointment.
Watching the smoothly progressing project, he opened his map and began examining the nearby terrain.
Wayfort wasn't particularly close to that iron deposit, at first glance, the straight-line distance exceeded twenty kilometers. Back when he used to mine personally, it took him quite a while to make the round trip, and he always returned with a full inventory.
The distance to the iron vein was long, but it wasn't really a problem.
In most other locations, constructing a twenty-plus kilometer underground tunnel would be a massive undertaking. They'd need to consider wages, structural stability, and various logistical challenges. It would span multiple years. But at the stronghold, that distance was merely a measurement, simply a construction objective. The difficulty was negligible. The only requirement was time.
Given the townspeople's current productivity and their enthusiastic willingness to work additional hours, Garrett estimated the entire project might be completed within just a few months. And that was only because the population remained small. With more people, it might not even take that long.
At that thought, he remembered the were-worms in Khazad-dûm.
Those creatures could dig even faster than him.
"Maybe I should find time to check on Dale…"
Speaking of excavation, he thought of his other territory.
Currently, the people in Dale didn't yet realize they had access to special tools for their labor. They were still rebuilding the ruins using the methods they were used to.
They worked with their own tools and planted only normal seeds.
The only notable advantages they possessed, compared to other settlements, were the pumpkin field and the infinite water source he had established. Those guaranteed they would never lack food or clean water.
Under Bard's leadership and with assistance from the dwarves, Dale's ruins were steadily being restored and developed, and at a pretty good pace too.
Though naturally, it still couldn't compare to Wayfort.
Garrett, however, didn't really have the capacity to manage two territories simultaneously, especially with Dale being so populous. In fact, if it weren't for the need to maintain iron golem production, he wouldn't have wanted that territory in the first place.
That's also why, from the very first day he became Lord of Dale, he had implemented a "delegated lordship system."
Ask where the lord is? He's not present.
"I'll just take a look later when I have time."
Better to focus on managing home first. Once everything was functioning smoothly, then he could consider expanding further.
Now that the new objective for the territory was confirmed and proceeding without complications, he took a large stash of gold ingots and once again stepped through the Nether portal.
In an instant, he transitioned from a frigid environment to a sweltering one.
The temperature didn't affect him in the slightest, whether it was a snowy blizzard or the scorching heat of the Nether, he treated it as if it didn't exist. He could perceive cold and heat, but wouldn't actually experience discomfort.
Unless the temperature reached extremes that could cause direct harm like flames, or the bone-numbing cold of absolute frost.
Of course, he hadn't come to the Nether to test temperature tolerance.
"I've only got three things to do here today."
"Trade, trade... and more trade!"
Clack.
He placed down a large chest, then randomly selected a few piglins who happened to be wandering nearby, trapped them within a fence, and tossed several stacks of gold ingots at them, then patiently waited for them to offer their bartered goods in return.