System: Build My Own Territory Chapter 975 - 288: Swearing Allegiance (10,000 Words) (6)

The apprentices' eyes widened at the announcement, their excitement palpable. Working regular hours without overtime, and on top of that, receiving double military merits for their efforts? They were naturally eager to continue their labor. Even Foreman Erelo seemed somewhat surprised, as Master Lynn hadn't briefed him on these arrangements beforehand. Observing the apprentices' enthusiastic expressions, Lynn continued, "Furthermore, rest assured, everyone. I will personally lead you in the construction of the Double-chamber Reflector Furnace!" These words deepened the respect and admiration the blacksmith apprentices felt for Lynn. With his instructions delivered, Lynn wasted no further time. He began allocating tasks to the thousand apprentices for the dismantling of the six existing iron-smelting blast furnaces. The initial contingent of four hundred was assigned the responsibility of dismantling the furnaces' external structures. These blacksmith apprentices, divided into groups of sixty-seven, were directed to each of the six blast furnaces to take down external auxiliary facilities like stairs, platforms, and chimneys. The second group, also comprising four hundred blacksmith apprentices, was tasked with dismantling the furnace bodies. Divided similarly into groups of sixty-seven, they utilized cross pickaxes and iron hammers to break down the refractory bricks and other heavy materials within the blast furnaces. For any excessively large bricks or heavy components, the town's available pulley systems could be employed for lifting and transportation, thereby minimizing the apprentices' physical exertion in preparation for the upcoming construction. The final group of two hundred apprentices formed the transport team. Their duty was to move the dismantled furnace parts and waste materials to designated areas for sorting and storage. While carrying out their transport duties, they also ensured the immediate cleanup of the dismantling site to maintain cleanliness and facilitate movement. Once Lynn had finished assigning tasks to all thousand individuals, he gave the signal. The teams of blacksmith apprentices, tools gripped firmly, proceeded towards the six blast furnaces. Almost instantly, the dismantling work commenced, fueled by the combined efforts of a thousand townsfolk. Standing beside Lynn, Erelo watched as bricks and components were systematically taken down, feeling a sense of awe and emotion. These six blast furnaces were personally built by Master Lynn, who had guided them through the process hands-on. Thanks to these very furnaces, the territory had been able to produce a vast array of iron products, from the initial simple tools like cross pickaxes and iron hoes to more advanced items such as wheel plows, various armors, and weapons. A questioning voice suddenly broke into Erelo's thoughts. "What? Reluctant to part with them?" Recognizing the familiar tone, Erelo was jolted back to the present. He quickly turned his head to find Lynn observing him. A hint of embarrassment flickered across Erelo's face as he replied apologetically, "I'm sorry, Master Lynn, for making you laugh. It's not truly reluctance, but rather that I've grown quite fond of them over time. After all, I've been learning ironwork and forging from my elders since I was young..." Lynn offered a slight nod. "Rest assured, once the Double-chamber Reflector Furnace is operational and high-quality steel is produced, you will fully understand the necessity of dismantling the current blast furnaces..." Erelo inclined his head in acknowledgment. Without needing further instructions from Lynn, he stepped forward to join the dismantling team. Lynn then shifted his attention, observing the fervent and dusty scene of dismantling unfolding before him, his mind deeply engrossed in thought. The dismantling of the blast furnaces had officially begun! Judging by the efficiency of the thousand blacksmith apprentices, it would take at least seven days to completely dismantle all six blast furnaces and clear the site. Within these seven days, Lynn intended to personally lead the blacksmith apprentices and oversee the construction of the Double-chamber Reflector Furnace. Lynn considered the possibility of detailing the construction of the Double-chamber Reflector Furnace on paper and having Erelo and Clive, who were skilled in construction design, study the blueprints for its assembly. However, he ultimately dismissed this idea. The construction of the Double-chamber Reflector Furnace, he realized, was considerably more complex and intricate than that of ordinary blast furnaces. The process involved everything from preparing the foundation on the ground and building the support structures, to constructing the furnace body's combustion chamber, heating chamber, and partition walls. It extended to erecting the furnace roof, installing the fuel supply system, and creating the cooling system equipment, culminating in the crucial stages of debugging and final refinement.It might have been considered insurmountable without the assistance of "Heavenly Artifacts." That is, unless the artisans possessed extensive experience and specialized expertise in constructing Double-chamber Reflector Furnaces. Otherwise, a furnace that was both efficient and stable, capable of smelting steel with minimal carbon content, would have been exceptionally difficult to create! Giving Erelo a directive to persist in overseeing the blacksmith apprentices with the dismantling effort, Lynn withdrew from the Blacksmith Workshop, his path leading towards the Textile Workshop situated in the distance. With the blast furnaces currently being taken apart, forging activities within the Blacksmith Workshop had ceased. This was an unavoidable consequence. Fortunately, he had previously instructed the Blacksmith Workshop to finalize the production of one thousand sets of composite armor plate components. Apart from the armor and weaponry required by the Pan Rock Iron Guard, his immediate needs for iron products were not substantial. Considering his current workforce, he could indeed establish a new Blacksmith Workshop behind the Handicraft Workshop District. However, the expenditure of manpower and resources would far exceed his capacity. Most critically, the significant loss of time! The additional thousand personnel could be fully engaged in the ongoing summer planting efforts. It's important to remember that beyond the town's boundaries, over one hundred thousand acres of land awaited cultivation and planting by Wilbur and the farmers. He had to continually ensure the optimal allocation of labor, so that the territory's development would not be severely hampered by a scarcity of workers. This truly presented a considerable challenge for any lord. Fortunately, Lynn possessed the "Heavenly Artifacts" interface! The dismantling of the blast furnaces had, as expected, captured the attention of many in the Handicraft Workshop District. Outside the Textile Workshop, Rachel, positioned at the entrance, spotted Lynn's approach and promptly hurried back inside. After a brief interval, she reappeared at the doorway, accompanied by Yimini. As Lynn drew nearer, Yimini and Rachel jointly offered their greetings. "Master Lynn." Lynn regarded the two as they performed their bows and addressed them directly. "Foreman Erelo conveyed to me that all the armor plate components for the thousand sets of composite armor have been delivered to the Textile Workshop?" Yimini, serving as the workshop's foreman, swiftly confirmed. "Yes, sir, they have all been delivered." Lynn acknowledged with a nod, his inquiry continuing, "How much time does the Textile Workshop require to complete the sewing and production?"