Chapter 486: The Falling Sky Ship

This chapter is a bonus chapter for the "Slight Smile" reward.

With the Thorn Bug as his reward, Liszt looked at the new task.

Almost immediately after reading it, he exclaimed in surprise because the task's reward was truly unexpected.

"Task: The construction of the territory is booming, but there is a lack of transportation, and moving materials consumes manpower and resources. As a visionary and knowledgeable lord, why not find a way to solve it by inventing a new type of cart to save transportation costs. Reward: The Fallen Sky Ship."

The task seemed quite mundane, and the so-called transportation tool to save manpower and resources seemed to him not at all difficult.

Cars and trains were out of the question, but bicycles and tricycles could still be made. However, he had an even more convenient solution in mind—the wheelbarrow.

This was a transportation tool he had long wanted to invent.

Liszt had long harbored many inventions he never acted on, always fearing that delving too much into modern technology, others might learn it, and it would not be worth the loss. As a minor noble, he couldn't safeguard his own ventures and creations.

But now, as a Sky Knight with the support of an earl.

Within the Sapphire Duchy, he was a formidable presence, able to protect his accomplishments. Therefore, he planned to gradually develop those inventions—wheelbarrows, curved plows, white paper, and perfumes... and even aimed to introduce entertainment like poker, mahjong, football, and drama.

As long as it could make money, anything could be done.

Naturally, these inventions required a gradual approach, not rushed, as the territory was still in its early stages and had no spare capacity to develop new industries.

He shook his head.

His focus shifted to the surprising reward of the smoke task.

"The Fallen Sky Ship, what does this mean? Does it imply that a sky ship was flying and then crashed onto my land? Or was it a sky ship that had already crashed, found by me somewhere in the territory?" He grasped the key point of the reward, "Then, what is a sky ship?"

Memories quickly surfaced in his mind.

It was from the opening poem in "Philip, Descendant of the Sun's Diary."

The author, Philip, wrote a passage on the first page of the diary that was like an article and also like a poem.

...

On my grandfather's back, there was such a tattoo.

He said, his father also had the same tattoo on his back.

I asked him, why doesn't my father have it on his back, and why don't I have it on my back?

He said, our ancestors have abandoned us, and we can no longer bear the pattern of the sun.

I didn't understand what it meant.

Grandfather said, we were exiled from our homeland to the land of sin, and it would take five hundred years to return.

After five hundred years, a great ship sailing in the sky, under the sunlight, would come to take us back.

Five hundred years have passed, and the sky ship has not come.

...

The meaning of this poem is not difficult to understand. Philip's ancestors came from a continent beyond the Devil's Sea, a race that called themselves the descendants of the sun, likely possessing a profound utilization of magic power. This can be seen from their ability to produce such exquisite magical equipment as the message in a bottle.

They were exiled to Dodo Island, with the agreement that after five hundred years, their sins would be washed away, and someone would come in a sky ship to take them away.

However, nothing happened.

"So, is the sky ship some kind of transportation created by the Sons of the Sun? Do they travel by flying in sky ships?"

"And am I about to acquire a crashed sky ship?"

"Or is the sky ship coming to pick up the descendants of the sun heading towards me, and then it will accidentally crash?"

He instantly imagined various possibilities, but with too few clues, he couldn't be certain.

He could only complete the task as quickly as possible and prepare for defense. Who knows what the sky ship really is, whether the Sons of the Sun truly exist, and whether they pose a threat to the territory.

He quickly issued orders, sending a message to Marcus on Black Horse Island, instructing him not to slack off in training the knight squad. He also instructed Parris to form a patrol knight regiment as soon as possible and start patrolling Black Horse Island to ensure the safety of the territory and monitor everything at all times.

He went to the carpentry workshop himself to complete the task first. The sooner the wheelbarrow was invented, the sooner the territory's construction could be finished.

The carpentry workshop remained busy.

Carpenters, apprentices, and carvers were continuously cutting wood, smoothing edges, and carving patterns. Upon seeing Lord Liszt arrive, they all put down their work and bowed to him in respect. The workshop manager, like a sycophant, flattered Liszt with a smile.

"Lord, the quality of our carpentry workshop's products has been steadily improving. The carpenters among the new serfs you brought have provided us with many tools from the mainland. Now we are assimilating these new tools, striving to create new products and increase revenue."

The term "revenue" was coined by Liszt.

He once told these managers that generating income is the primary goal of every workshop.

Signaling the carpenters to continue their work, Liszt had the manager summon the most skilled master carpenters and began sketching his design: "Gentlemen carpenters, you all know how to make carriages, correct?"

"Yes, Lord."

"Good, today I present a new vehicle design, a sketch. Look carefully, it's called a wheelbarrow, which can be pushed with just one wheel, similar to a two-wheeled cart, but more convenient, suitable for traversing rugged terrain."

The master carpenters surrounded the sketch and exclaimed, "A beautiful wheelbarrow, can it really stand with just one wheel?"

"With two poles for support, it shouldn't tip over."

"Yes, it looks as stable as a cart, and even more compact, a single wheel can even traverse ridges."

"Truly a marvelous design!"

After the carpenters finished marveling, Liszt continued, "The design of the wheelbarrow can vary. Look at this sketch, the wheelbarrow has a bucket that can hold grain, gravel, sand, etc., and if properly sealed, it can even transport water. Look at this one, the boards on both sides can stack bags, as many as desired."

He brought many sketches.

After introducing one, he moved to another: "Look at this one, the wheelbarrow is basically just a few wooden sticks plus a wheel, it can be this simple... Of course, it doesn't have to be a single wheel, a two-wheeled handcart is also possible, like this one with a bucket, you can flip the bucket over by holding the handles."

Various wheelbarrows and handcarts.

All were in Liszt's drawings.

The master carpenters greedily stared at each sketch, knowing that every carpentry tool is a skill worth inheriting, and the more techniques they master, the more benefits they can gain.

"Your next task is to quickly master the production of wheelbarrows and handcarts, produce them as soon as possible, and deliver them for use in the territory."

"Lord, rest assured, we will complete the wheelbarrows and handcarts as soon as possible," the manager vowed confidently. He was also a carpenter and knew that making such vehicles was not difficult.

"Remember to keep it confidential. I don't want to hear any news about the wheelbarrows or handcarts being leaked."

Permanent confidentiality is impossible, Liszt just hoped to keep it secret for as long as possible, so when the workshop's production increases, they can take the opportunity to sell externally and make a profit.

Those who don't manage a household don't know the cost of rice and firewood.

Earning one more gold coin is also very good.