After dealing with Count Harroway and the other prisoners, news of Luke's iron-fisted pragmatism spread quickly.
He set sky-high ransom prices: ten thousand gold dragons as the starting point for nobles, and one hundred gold dragons for ordinary soldiers.
For these minor and mid-tier lords whose lands generated only limited inco, this was nothing short of bleeding them dry.
Everyone's eyes went wide. "Wait… this doesn't seem right. Normally a noble is worth a few hundred to a few thousand gold dragons at most—how dare you ask a hundred for a common soldier?"
Harroway and the others, desperate to live, could only grit their teeth and agree. They sent n racing back to their territories to scrape together the paynt.
For the lesser lords and knights who could not or would not pay the full ransom, Luke offered an "alternative solution": they could settle the debt with stockpiled grain, iron, tools, horses, or other goods… or with population and land!
"Population counts—whether farrs, craftsn, literate freen, or even the extra 'mouths' in your domains—can all be counted as compensation units," Luke's envoys announced to the defeated commanders.
"Furthermore, from now on you are forbidden to block any of your smallfolk who wish to co to Draco to make a living. Any attempt to do so will be regarded as renewed hostility."
"No quarter!"
This move simultaneously weakened the productive and military capacity of potential enemies while injecting much-needed manpower into Draco.
For a ti, a peculiar "population flow" appeared across the southern Riverlands, the western edge of the Crownlands, and even the fringes of the Vale.
So were sent as "debt repaynt" by their lords; others ca of their own accord after hearing of Draco's generous treatnt and the lord's overwhelming strength.
Thanks to the resounding fa of the "White Ridge Victory" and the legendary reputation of the "magic rchant" who could turn stone into gold and always kept his word, the trade routes that had been blockaded by the coalition reopened—and beca even busier than before.
Luke also secretly hired "water troops" (agents and rumor-spreaders) to vigorously publicize the battle, focusing on the image of "Luke the Invincible, a man whose word is law."
rchants no longer hesitated. They brought even more grain and raw materials in exchange for the insanely profitable "magical goods."
At the sa ti, Luke ramped up recruitnt propaganda.
All kinds of unheard-of, jaw-dropping promises spread through rchant caravans and word-of-mouth among the refugees, reaching farther corners:
"In Draco, as long as you're willing to work, you can eat white bread and at soup every day!"
"Lord Jaqenion pays wages in gold and silver dragons! Never late!"
"Join the guard? Full-ti soldiers—no farming required, food, lodging, and equipnt provided. Starting salary twenty silver moons per month, heavy bonuses for kills, and your family gets a house and land if you die!"
"If you die in Lord's service, he will unconditionally raise your children until they reach adulthood!"
"Lord Jaqenion has also passed laws protecting military marriages…"
"I heard the baron is going to build schools to teach children to read and learn 'magical' crafts!"
Heavy gold incentives, combined with the promise of survival and dignity, proved fatally attractive to the starving, freezing lower classes.
Tens of thousands of refugees, bankrupt farrs, and bankrupt artisans poured toward the southern shore of the God's Eye like pilgrims seeking the promised land.
The construction sites of Draco and the temporary camps around White Stone Town swelled visibly by the day. Though managent and supply pressure were enormous, the surging vitality and noisy energy foreshadowed limitless future potential.
Yet just as Luke's power expanded like wildfire, the eyes of the entire Seven Kingdoms quickly turned away from this "remote corner."
A matter that shook all of Westeros had occurred:
The King's Hand, Lord of the East, and Warden of the East—Jon Arryn—had "died of illness" in King's Landing!
The news swept across the Seven Kingdoms like the icy winds of winter, bringing far deeper chill and turmoil than a small skirmish beside the God's Eye.
The center of power had stolen everyone's attention!
On a specially cleared flat area outside Draco, the roar of an engine shattered the lakeside quiet.
Luke had rolled up his sleeves and was personally teaching a few carefully selected "veterans" from the guard and the craftsn—n who were quick-witted and well-coordinated—how to drive a second-hand Blue Star pickup truck: a Ford Raptor.
This four-wheeled, ox-less, horse-less "steel box" that could move under its own power left Marcus and the others dumbfounded.
"My lord… how… how does this thing even move?"
An old craftsman circled the truck in disbelief, stroking the cold tal shell. "No horses, no oxen, no one pushing… Is this truly driven by magic?"
"You could say that—a kind of magic that uses 'fuel' and an 'internal combustion engine.'"
Luke gave a simplified explanation while demonstrating shifting gears, releasing the clutch, and gently pressing the accelerator. The truck lurched forward then stopped smoothly, drawing gasps from the group.
"Amazing! Stronger than the best warhorse!"
"If we used this to haul cargo, how many wagons would it replace?"
"If we had these on the battlefield…"
"We wouldn't even need cavalry charges—just drive these things straight into them. Gods!"
Luke listened to their exclamations while his mind raced further ahead.
Yes—on the battlefield you could simply drive over them. Far more efficient than any cavalry charge by several tis!
"Infantry-tank coordination" against natives… tsk tsk tsk…
One pickup was only the beginning.
He was already considering how to "reasonably" bring in engineering trucks, even bulldozers and excavators from Blue Star.
If a few large machines were put to work on Draco's construction, the speed of building walls, foundations, and roads would increase tenfold or more!
There were also large tillers for land clearing, combine harvesters for reaping… Modern agriculture and infrastructure blueprints took shape rapidly in his mind.
Just as he was lost in "chanization" fantasies, Arthur hurried over with a grave expression.
"My lord, confird news from King's Landing. Lord Jon Arryn… has died of illness. His Grace the King is grief-stricken and has decided to set out for Winterfell shortly to personally invite Lord Eddard Stark to co south and assu the office of Hand."
Arthur finished and carefully watched Luke's reaction.
Such a major shift in the political landscape would have far-reaching consequences.
Luke rely raised an eyebrow, showing little surprise. His tone was calm. "Understood."
Arthur blinked, slightly startled by the composure.
But he quickly realized—this was exactly the "window" his lord had ntioned earlier.
"While everyone's attention is drawn north and to King's Landing," Luke patted the truck door, sending up a cloud of dust, "what we must do is keep our heads down, work hard, and develop at full speed. Trade routes, recruitnt, construction—none of it can stop. Also, secretly accelerate the stockpiling of grain, iron, and fuel."
"Yes, my lord!" Arthur understood instantly and withdrew with a bow.
Chaos was coming. Accumulating strength was the only way.
Luke then sought out Bronn, who was "having fun" on another cleared patch of ground.
The man had sohow acquired a leather helt—probably won from so unlucky rcenary—and was now racing a dirt bike back and forth across the bumpy grass, throttle wide open, face lit with childlike glee.
Vroom—!
The motorcycle fishtailed to a stop in front of Luke, kicking up dust.
Bronn pulled off the helt, hair wildly tousled by the wind, and grinned. "My lord! This 'motorcycle' is a bloody miracle! Faster and tireless compared to the best horse! I've calculated—if the road is smooth and we have enough fuel, I reckon I could reach King's Landing in a single day! Not much slower than a raven!"
Luke reached over and killed the engine, pocketing the key. "Use it sparingly. Fuel is precious."
Seeing Bronn's reluctant expression, he changed the subject.
"Stop playing around. I have a real job for you."
Bronn's eyes lit up and he rubbed his hands together. "What's the mission? My lord, just say the word—I'll go to heaven or hell!"
Luke gave a mysterious smile and lowered his voice. "This ti you don't need to go to heaven or hell. I need you to go… to the North."
"The North?" Bronn blinked, confused. "Sothing to do with the King?"
"Not directly… but you'll pass by Winterfell on the way."
Luke shook his head and continued, "Mainly, I need you to go to the Wall…"
Though Bronn was puzzled by the order to head to the Wall, he slapped his chest. "Leave it to ! The North, eh? Perfect chance to see those legendary direwolves and snow maidens!"
After sending Bronn off, night had fully fallen.
Luke returned to the relatively comfortable bedroom in White Stone Town that had been temporarily converted for him.
Emma and Annie had already prepared hot water and clean clothes.
The accumulated pressure of the past days—planning, constant vigilance, and thoughts of the coming upheaval—had left Luke ntally and physically exhausted.
He needed release!
That night he was especially unrestrained, pouring out every ounce of built-up tension.
Emma and Annie, the gentle and charming sisters…
Emma warm and accommodating…
Annie passionate and tender…
For a ti they drove away the gloom and heaviness in his heart.
After the clouds and rain subsided, the two sisters fell asleep in each other's arms, breathing evenly.
Luke, however, could not sleep.
He rose quietly, put on a robe, and sat at the desk. He opened his laptop.
The cool blue glow of the screen illuminated his thoughtful face.
He created a new docunt and began writing and sketching, organizing his thoughts and planning the future:
Currently operational / under construction:
Brickworks (daily output steadily increasing; needs expansion) Cent plant (improve formula, increase output and strength) Saltworks (use local salt mines for refined salt—self-sufficiency export) Ceramics workshop (daily-use pottery and construction tiles; craftsmanship needs upgrading) Iron mine discovered (average grade, reserves unknown), copper mine (maybe just import a few tons of pure copper from Blue Star for coinage—copper isn't expensive anyway) Coal shortage! Energy is the bottleneck. Blast furnaces, expanded brick and cent kilns all require massive fuel.
Solutions / new directions:
Fuel: Timber (sustainable but low efficiency). Wildfire?! Dangerous, but said to burn anything—could it ignite stone and tal? Perhaps establish a highly isolated, strictly controlled "controlled wildfire" workshop using leaves, branches, and plant waste as raw material to supply high-temperature fuel for kilns and furnaces? Requires Qyburn and trusted craftsn for deep research—safety first! Energy upgrade: Solar photovoltaic panels (already in limited use; expand orders from Dragon Kingdom). Hydropower—survey flow and drop on Blackwater tributary; future hydroelectric stations possible. Wireless communication base stations—once territory expands, command and coordination need efficiency. Start with short-range walkie-talkies, gradually build a network covering all of Draco and the God's Eye… Transportation & machinery: Pickup truck performing well. Next: diesel generators, small engineering vehicles (dump trucks, tractors, road rollers). Road construction must keep pace. Agriculture: Continued land clearing. Introduce or cultivate high-yield, drought-resistant crop seeds (Blue Star hybrids must be adapted carefully—will they affect this world's species genetics?). Plan irrigation systems. Next spring planting is critical. Military: Guard expansion to one thousand proceeding steadily. Intensify training, especially squad tactics and discipline. Consider forming specialized engineering and reconnaissance units. Talent & education: Screen refugees for craftsn and literate individuals. Plan primary technical schools and literacy classes. Core technologies must be held by people we train ourselves—loyal people. (Eh, leaks are fine. In the future the whole world will be ours anyway. There are plenty of "heaven-tier techniques" online. The world is still controlled by Celestial Dragons and the Jews…) External environnt: Jon Arryn dead, Robert heading north, Stark coming south… the fuse of the War of the Five Kings has been lit. Seize this "vacuum period" to develop like mad. Expand trade, dump Blue Star goods aggressively. Could we sell long underwear and military coats in the North? But the North seems full of poor people— the entire Stark family probably couldn't scrape together one gold dragon, bunch of cheapskates…
Ideas flowed like a spring. The docunt quickly filled with dense entries and arrows.
Only when the sky outside the window began to lighten did Luke feel a wave of exhaustion. He saved the file, closed the laptop, and rubbed his aching temples.
"Coal, oil… energy… still need to find ways from Blue Star. Generators, engineering machinery… need more covert, larger-scale procurent and transport channels… Maybe I should just go back to Dragon Kingdom, build a factory myself or buy an existing one… It could boost the economy, create jobs, and maybe even earn titles like Outstanding Youth or Outstanding Entrepreneur for so bragging rights…"
He murmured to himself. The last thread of consciousness slipped into darkness while he was still thinking about linking the resources of the two worlds.
Outside the window, the God's Eye was shrouded in the thin mist before dawn—quiet and profound.
Yet on the increasingly noisy land, the new construction bugle call was about to rise with the morning sun.
--------------------------
Support us on P@tre0n and gain access to 100 chapters in advance!
[email protected]/inkshield
User Comments
0 comments from readers