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85.36% The Red Lands / Chapter 35: An invention to shock the world.

Chapter 35: An invention to shock the world.

They were now well into the last month of winter.

"Brat you better have a good reason for having me waste time in this backwater village."

The burly man scowled as he spoke roughly to the little boy. It was ironic that not even a year ago he himself also lived in this 'backwater village'.

Instead of squirming or exhibiting fear from a man who could more than break him in half with a slap, the boy slowly sipped some hot tea from a mug. He was sitting very comfortably on the wide couch.

Because he monopolized the largest seating spot, the rest of the occupants had no choice but to stand. A large flat table was centered in the middle of the room with a thinly patched quilt covering something underneath.

This limited space and further having to stand only served to fuel Griz ire.

"And what the hell happened with your shoulder?"

Chu grimaced as he unconsciously touched his shoulder. He had gotten bitten during one of their cave training exercises. Not only him even Lucy had not come out of that place unscathed.

'An estimated ten or twenty bats my ass! The damn cave network seemed to spawn those bloodsuckers.'

Chu placed down his mug on the edge of the table. Now that Griz raised his blood pressure, he surely had to vent it out.

"What about you Mr Kim. Do you feel the same way as Mr Griz. Having to come all the way out here because of a little summons from me?"

"No, no. Heavens not at all."

Chu cleared his throat and finally stood up. He knew very well that both of them only came here because of money. Merchant Kim made the trip because it was now nearing the end of winter AND because John had informed him of a ready load of pelt and lumber.

Griz was here because John pleaded in his letter that the boy had shown him something that could make an endless stream of money.

'A veritable river of gold to be had.'

"Cut the talk kid. Let me see what can have John begging me to travel here in Winter."

Chu placed his hands behind his back and faced them. Two older men and one younger one were staring back at him. In the corner Ming, Simon and Thomas were carrying out their own little conversation.

"What I am about to show you will shake up the entire Empire as we know it. However, it will be up to us to capitalize on it. As Merchants, it will be up to you to seize the opportunity while it last. We must also be very careful not to be swallowed up by others as we begin."

Chu held out his hands. On his palms lay two small gears made of wood.

Griz was the first to break the awkward silence.

"What the heck is that?"

Merchant Kim was confused as well. Only John remained still but his face was bursting with excitement. He had helped the boy in setting up that covered table and also preparing the demonstration.

"Let's go outside. I believe that actions speak louder than words."

Chu cloaked up and headed outside. Flabbergasted Griz and the others could only follow. The group made their way to the well near the lodge entrance. Normally the well was covered to prevent the risk of water freezing during winter.

Today the well was surrounded by a wooden fence and draped around with a heavy quilt to prevent anyone from peeking inside.

John rushed to open the small gate for his seniors. They all walked into the little area surrounding the well. Sometime during the trip, a little girl followed them and stood at the side with Ming.

"Everyone knows that to draw water from a well requires a rope and bucket. It is also a known fact that the work is very strenuous and not suited for weaker individuals. The weaker the person the smaller the bucket.

Today all that will change. In any place that requires water to be drawn this invention will be a gift from the heavens. No matter how deep the well, the average person can draw water very easily. Sally if you may, please start."

The little girl shyly stepped out and made her way to the well. She held the large rope bucket in her hands and pushed it off the ledge into the well. With a splash, it landed at the bottom.

She then moved to the side where a handle was sticking out not too high from her reach. A small stool allowed her to stand comfortably.

It was then that Griz noticed the contraption. Three gears each one larger than the last, interlocked with each other from the handle to the horizontal log the rope was tied onto.

As Sally spun the handle the smaller gear moved the larger ones much slowly. Most importantly was the bucket that was slowly being lifted. When the bucket came up Sally stopped and released the handle. With a 'tock' sound, a small lever latched on the larger cog stopping it from reversing with the weight.

The young girl grabbed the bucket and brought it to the side before releasing the lever. Another thud and the water filled bucket landed on the side of the well.

The two experienced merchants looked on at the demonstration as surprise gradually led to shock. Both of them personally tried out the new contraption, but their minds had already foreseen countless uses.

"Holy Shit! Do you know what we can do with that thing?"

"Damn brat, this is going to be hard to swallow!"

***

They were now back in the warm room of the lodge.

"I want to say that I am the person with the most shares in this company."

"Hey, hey old man. Get your story straight. Your shares are the same as John and Kim split three ways. 'I' am the main shareholder here in writing."

Chu smacked his hands on the table as he stopped Griz in his tracks.

"Amm, how come I have to split shares with Griz. John should be more than happy to give his superior half of his own."

"YOU DAMN boldface old man! You were also blubbering about our business with Master Griz. Don't try to worm your way out now!"

Chu knocked on the table as John berated Kim on the side.

"Now, now. No matter what, I am the chief shareholder and the chairman of this company. Merchant Kim will handle transportation issues, Griz will handle our marketing and ownership issues while John will take care of any logistics and research needs."

"Wait a minute, you left out something important. Who will handle our finances?"

Griz questioned.

"All transactions will be recorded on paper and sent to me. I have a competent team that will keep an account of our business. As for the physical gold it can be held with Griz until the end of the year. The profits can be shared out at that time."

Unless all three of them decided to team up and 'cook their books' Chu was confident he was able to find any discrepancies that might indicate they were robbing him.

He was not part of the accounting department but as a salesman, he had witnessed countless schemes designed to rip off profits from a company. As for these guys, he was sure they would not bother to take advantage of their golden goose.

Griz and Kim were silent for some time before they both glanced at each other before Griz spoke.

"Kid, this thing will be hard for us to swallow alone. Just one of the 'models' on the table can keep our smiths busy for years. The problem lays in the fact that they can all be copied freely."

Griz glanced at the now uncovered table. On it lay several basic models highlighting the use of using the mechanical gears. The use in a drawbridge was very eye-catching.

The basic design was already in use, with the modification of the gear design it would become even more efficient. The main concern was how to get their product out before someone else came up with this invention.

If a small kid like this brat in a backwater village could dream up this kind of thing, no telling when those scholars in the guilds would have the same idea.

Merchant Kim suddenly spoke up.

"We have no choice as I see it. First, we are going to need the Artisan Guild involved. That's the only way to hold back others from copying our invention.

Next, we have to get the Merchant Guild to help us make contact with the biggest customer, the Empire itself. With those three we have our production, delivery, and buyer linked together. Only with that, we end up with a major problem."

"The inventors end up with nothing."

Chu replied making a stiff smile.

With no protection of intellectual property, they would eventually lose out to the biggest and quickest supplier. It all came down to whoever could strike the iron the fastest.

Being given recognition and praise for an invention was a far cry from the merchants and blacksmiths who made the gold off his head. The majority of profits should undoubtedly fall in his hands.

Chu suddenly received a revelation. He smacked his head for his stupidity.

'Why the hell did he keep thinking about making money today?'

"Damn, I have it."

He stood up and faced the others.

"The main problem is setting up a meeting with the representative from the Empire. All we have to do in the meantime is gather enough stock to release in bulk. By the time others decide to copy us, we will have long sold out and moved onto another design.

After that, we will sell our supplies to the Trading Post at a reduced price to keep the money flowing. All we have to do is package our products along with the related instructions. The water 'well handle' model is generic, so by using hammer and nails, it can be installed on any well.

Besides we forgot one important thing, my fellow merchants."

Griz tilted his head slightly as he pondered the new idea. He was in agreement with the kid but something still kept him back. The next few words continuing out of the kid's mouth broke that indecision completely.

"You old misers are forgetting that manufacturing these cogs are virtually free!"

Chu followed up casually.

It was John who nearly screamed out in excitement after Chu made that statement.

"Crap the kid is right! Except for the thin piece of iron bands and rivets holding the cogs, they are all made of wood. The kid has virtually free labor and also endless material to work with. We're RICH!"

What was the key to any manufacturing company?

Location, location, location.

Chu had free labor and furthermore an endless source of free materials to work with. Wooden cogs were good for most of his future planned inventions since he was literally living inside the Great Forest. As for the iron bands and rivets needed, he was also not too far from the source in the north.

Only when the sounds of John fainting from euphoria did Chu finally awaken out of his thoughts.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
ForestRage ForestRage

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Chapter 36: Production and discovery.

The next day a tired and visibly fatigued Griz and Kim both left the village. Under heavy guard, the caravan headed to Karst and eventually to its stop in Haven.

After waking and discussing all night they had agreed on a suitable plan. The wooden cogs and complete well water package were to be made by Chu in the village. These would be quality tested at the farm and stored in a large shed.

By the time this was happening, Kim would be getting a few apprentices familiar with new trading routes. Griz would also be busy at this time having his smiths make the iron cogs for another invention; a demonstration model of the drawbridge and raised gate.

To protect their invention, the final assembly would be done at the farm. They had unanimously agreed to help fund a smithy for Chu. Hopefully by summer Dareck would have his own smithy far from prying eyes.

Griz used his rank as the Trading Post master to commission the village smithy until summer. After that, all work would be moved to the farm.

Spring started with the residents of the farm moving out in full force.

Thomas fetched the men from the village house to aid in harvesting lumber from the forest. The wood they stockpiled for use in making cogs and building a smithy with an attached workshop.

Although the weather was still cold, Jim showed his skills in setting snares and traps around the lumber field. The traps worked on smaller predators but larger ones like a wolf could eventually break free given time.

It explained why trappers had a hard time in the forest catching animals.

With guards like Miki and Lucy around however, the traps were more than adequate. Once the animals were trapped, it became an easy task to pick them off using their crossbow skills.

Doug and his group had been tasked to help Clod in building the framework for the workshop. The walls were finally finished during winter. Even though the ground was still hard from the cold, Clod pushed this work first.

Once the land was ready he would have no choice but to concentrate the majority of labor to the fields. With the influx of new help, work progressed smoothly.

Chu was expecting the new workers from the village to complain, but instead, they gritted their teeth to prove their worth. Being provided piping hot meals daily, along with hot water waiting in the evening for a bath and furthermore a warm bed at night was more than enough incentive.

Also knowing that very soon the boss would construct lodging for their own personal use drove them to finish their task. For older couples like Jim this was a boon from heaven. Out on the farm, they could safely live and relax in comfort in return for a few hours work.

"Clod, meet Dareck. He will assist you in designing and building the smithy. Get Doug and the others to help you move the stones and make the bricks for the furnace. Most of the large equipment and tools will be transported as soon as the roads are ready from Karst."

Chu brought Dareck to the farm and had him help Clod line up the construction for the smithy. He then sent him back to the village with a load of raw materials to continue manufacturing.

As soon as the new sleeping quarters and the workshop were ready, Chu was going to settle everyone on the farm. He would alternate the ones staying in the village home between the two old couples.

One thing disturbed him during this time. Ming had restarted his pellet making hobby using heaven knows what from the Trading Post. John all too easily provided him with ingredients whose effects were unknown. Since it kept him out of everyone's hair, Chu allowed him free rein. Of course, it was a given that no one should sample his products.

***

Miki inched forward along the passageway. Sometimes it was high and smooth enough to walk upright, other times she had to pick her way and crawl along some jagged outcropping. It was the latter that gave her problems as she held her crossbow in a ready state in front of her.

She wore her scarf wrapped around her neck with her black hair tied into a ponytail. Her appearance was near identical to a young Asian teenager. Life in the farm had turned the once skinny and ribbed body into that of a shapely young girl.

Her days of hunger might have ended but the hard work continued. Of course, never did she nor anyone else have an ounce of complaint. In fact, she actually relished her current job at the moment.

Mr Thomas moved not too far behind her holding the torch and scribbling markings on the walls ever so often. Behind him, Rose walked with a torch in one hand and a wooden cup in the other.

Rose was now a tall and fit teen. She sported her shoulder length brown hair loose but covered under her scarf. Under constant training by Mr Thomas her body did not have an ounce of fat, except in the right places where girls wanted it.

Both her and Miki received training equally from Mr Thomas, one in close range combat the other in long-range attacks. These girls might pass easily as nobility if given the right clothes,

unfortunately, even that might not be able to mask their callused hands or the little scars from toiling the land.

Nobody would expect to find these three individuals exploring deep in a cave in the desolate grasslands.

Soon the passageway made its way into a small cavern. Miki gave a hand signal to the others at the back and surveyed the area in front of her using the torch. They cautiously made their way into the cave while keeping guard.

"Safe, I see two more passageways but the one on the left is blocked by a cave-in."

Miki grabbed the torch and scrutinized all around. They had learned from their mistakes twice before during theses cave explorations. One time Miki was bitten by a black scorpion and only survived because they happen to walk with an antidote potion.

Another time Rose was bitten by a vampire bat after they disturbed a small nest. No one faulted her at that time though because she heroically stopped to defend the idiot who 'heaven knows how' stumbled and fell on the smoothest passageway.

After those mishaps, Ming was banned from cave exploration and the task handed over to Miki and Rose. Mr Thomas did not have much experience in this kind of activity but still choose to lend moral support.

He acted as the caddy for them, carrying dry rations, water, torches, ropes, and antidotes. Chu supplied them with whatever they needed for this venture.

"Give me a moment. I need to finish this before I forget."

Rose stuck her torch to the side and fished out a parchment from her leather pouch. She took her time in the dim lighting to draw a line and scribble some numbers on the side. Satisfied with her work she soon indicated she was ready.

Miki resumed the lead with the others behind her. This time however she did not have to venture very far along the passageway to meet up another cave. In just a few steps she entered a huge cavern that made her think she somehow exited the caves into the grasslands.

Mr Thomas brought up the torch behind her but the light nearly lost its effectiveness in the expansive darkness. It was enough though, for her to see a sight that produced a corresponding reaction.

'Blearggh!'

She emptied out her stomach.

***

Chu did not treat the cave exploration as a side matter. It was very important for their development in many ways.

Firstly, all members who regarded themselves as fighters had to participate. It was to give them a chance for first-hand experience in this type of environment. He chose Miki and Rose to groom as specialists in this area. The others joined them whenever they had the time.

Secondly, the caves offered them the chance to fight other types of creatures. This broke the trend of having to keep fighting the same foes and becoming complacent. He had personally faced scorpions, bats, and a large snake long as an anaconda.

Things that would have made him scream and run, or stand rooted to the ground in shock ceased to affect him. He surmised that it had the same effect on the rest of his companions.

Thirdly, he might be lucky in finding something of use during these explorations. If they found nothing the caves could serve as a solid foundation for a second defensive base. Presently at the moment all they collected was an assortment of bites, stings and scares to last a lifetime.

He was busy drafting out some plans for the company when the explorers returned.

"Chu you will not believe what we found. Ah, so disgusting!"

Miki sat down near the table and began talking.

The girls had changed out from their equipment and had a hot shower and meal courtesy of the kitchen staff. They were now dressed in some light but thick indoor clothes to help ward off the cold.

Rose grabbed a large parchment and rolled it open on the side of the desk. She then started copying and drawing from the paper she had in the cave. She had a makeshift ruler and the small cup she previously carried in the cave.

Chu graduated the ruler in 'feet' while the cup contained a floating compass he constructed. The ends of the cup he marked out in the respective sixteen cardinal points. Using this crude equipment the cave layout sprung to life.

Rose job was simple but very crucial, she recorded the footsteps and the direction she walked in the caves. The map on the desk was the result of her hard work.

"I think the cave exploration is done, this last cave is the end."

Rose said while looking at the map.

The caves and passageways meandered around in a circular fashion ending with the cavern in the center. They had discovered one more entrance similar to the one they used.

Since the caves did not have a stale smell, Chu figured they had a good form of aeration. They never had problems with the smoke from the torches during their explorations.

"Hey Chu, you listening to me? Guess what we found?"

Miki gave him a quick shake on the side.

"Another nest of bats?"

"Nope even worse, we found a nest of barrel worms."

"Eh?"

Mr Thomas happened to come up at the same time. Knowing the boy he began an explanation before being asked.

"Barrel Worms are frequently found in those wet caves like this one in the grasslands. I have never encountered them before this but they live up to their name. They feed on the rocks and are just like maggots, pale white. The only difference lies in their name. They are as round and long as a barrel."

They had already taken care of the majority of pest and dangers in the cave labyrinth. Only these worms remained an obstacle to securing a hidden refuge.

"Are they easy to kill?"

"They are not hard to get rid of. We did not fight them today, but from the tavern talks, they don't have any means of fighting back. I remember that the only thing they have as a defense is a layer of slime making it hard to land a penetrating blow."

Mr Thomas replied.

Chu thought for a second and moved over to browse over Rose's map.

"Tomorrow most of the work will be in the forest. Clod wants to finish up the work to begin planting next week. I think I will go with you guys, I have never seen nor fought something like this."

Chu talked as he traced the map, he estimated the cave system to be about a mile long if he included the dead-end passages. Once they cleared out these foes, he would have an entire hidden realm of his own.

By turning the cave network into an underground fortress, he could always have a place of retreat.

The overall discovery made him boil in anticipation.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
ForestRage ForestRage

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