Chapter 244: A Night of Construction

Chapter 244: A Night of Construction

Ashlock was neither delusional nor naive. He understood that Ashfallen City would be a glorified refugee camp of mud huts, likely riddled with crime and misery. The time crunch to build a city within a day was also not helping matters.

"Sadly, there is not much I can do about the time limit." Ashlock had flown over the White Stone Pavilion's square with {Eye of the Tree God} and seen the state of matters there. Even with the Redclaws bathing the area in fire Qi to warm the air and the mortals of this world being more resilient than those on Earth, it was still early winter, and they were thousands of meters up on a mountain.

It wasn't a place for mortals to camp out in the open, so getting a place built down on land within a day was so Douglas could have his full time in the Mystic Realm and hopefully avoid any deaths among the mortals due to the environment they were subjected to.

Ashlock had made a portal in the citadel moments earlier, and Mudcloaks were still streaming through the rift and sprawling out into the flat plot of land near the old Ravenborne mine to the north.

"Okay, Douglas, until sunrise tomorrow, I need you and the Mudcloaks to make the most basic stone houses you can for a hundred thousand mortals," Ashlock spoke into the man's mind as he surveyed the dreary and empty space, "Do you think that is possible?"

"Mhm, how basic are we talking?" Douglas asked, "And do you want them above or below ground?"

"A stone box with four walls and space for a door should be good enough, and what do you mean above or below ground? Does it make a difference for you?"

Douglas nodded, "Aye, it does. The stone has to come from somewhere. So if I make a building above ground, I have to pull stone from below, but I can't leave a dead area underground, so I have to fill the hole with even more stone."

"I see," Ashlock pondered for a moment, "What about a single story above ground and then a basement? That way, each house has two rooms with a more secure basement away from the cold? Also, that way, you don't have to waste as much Qi on filling up the area below?"

"Yeah, that could work," Douglas drummed his fingers on the top of his walking stick as he continued to look around, "Best we hammer out a few more details before we start. Since there will be a city of a hundred thousand people here, the main road leading through here that connects Darklight City to the villages to the east will need to be widened greatly."

"That I can agree with. Anything else?"

"How will plumbing and sewage be handled? Mortals are rather primitive beings that have to eat and shit all the time, unlike cultivators that have no need for those things."

"Leave all of that to me." Ashlock had some ideas on making a living in this glorified refugee camp as comfortable as possible with his trees. They could handle the plumbing without any Qi input on his part, as pumping water through their roots and absorbing human waste was something they did naturally.

"Right," Douglas nodded, "I suppose all that's left for me to ask is if you want any of these houses to be in the old mine? That would save a lot of time as building into the rock is easier as you just have to hollow out the space."

"Oh, good idea," Ashlock agreed. He wasn't sure the humans would be too thrilled to live underground, but at least he could lighten the place with glowing mushrooms.

Douglas sighed as he took out his smoking pipe from his inner beige suit pocket and placed it between his lips. He then shoved a high-grade spirit stone into the end and lit it by raising his finger to its pipe's base and summoning a small light brown flame.

With the pipe still in his mouth, he muttered while counting his fingers, "Let's see... for a hundred thousand mortals, the majority will be large families of between five and ten people at least, so a single larger room would suffice for them. That means instead of making 100,000 homes, I can get away with more like 20,000. Perhaps even less." Douglas took a long puff and paused for a moment, "With twenty-four hours until sunrise tomorrow. That means the thousand Mudcloaks I have here would need to make, on average, a house an hour... Going to be a long fucking day, but doable. I can't believe I'm even saying that, but having a thousand earth cultivators does speed things up."

Douglas tapped his walking stick on the ground, and it began to tremble as a stone pillar rose under his feet. Soon, he was ten meters up in the air. Clapping his hands once, he drew the attention of a thousand Mudcloaks, who looked up at him in awe with their glowing blue eyes obscured under their tattered black cloaks.

"Listen up! The boss has ordered us to create a city"

"Boss! Boss! Boss!" They began chanting all at once.

"Silence!" Douglas shouted, and the excitement slowly died down. He then explained to them how the houses were to look and how many needed to be built. The explanation was long and detailed, and he had to repeat himself a few times as a few Mudcloaks raised their hands when he asked if anyone was confused.

"A group of you will handle the construction on either side of this road. The rest of you will make as many rooms as possible inside the mountain. There are a thousand of you, so we will finish in time as long as you make at least a house an hour." Douglas took a moment to look at the sun that was still barely cresting over the distant mountain range and took a long puff from his pipe. "The day is still young, and we have much to do. I will handle widening the road and assist where I can. Any problems, you come to me. Understood?"

There was a wave of cheer.

"You are all dismissed." Douglas announced with gusto, and the thousand Mudcloacks scurried off while chanting, "Work! Work! Work!"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Dante feigned ignorance as he met his Father's gaze. "What use would I have for so many spirit stones?"

"Whatever the reason, you can run but can't hide from me, Dante." His Father said coldly, "The walls have eyes, and the people inform their Master." His lips then curled into a cruel sneer, "Well, all except this one. Bastard feigned ignorance of your stealing to the bitter end, so he will join you."

"Join me?" Dante slowly began to back up, "Where?"

"You don't have to concern yourself with such things."

His Father blurred toward him, and Dante felt a sudden force on his throat that made his vision blur and fade out.

"I just need you to sit tight till your inevitable death and stop causing me problems..."

***

Ugh my head.

Dante blinked away the grogginess. He tried to reach up and nurse the pain around his neck but found his limbs were restrained. Snapping his eyes open, all that greeted him was an endless void.

"You're awake." A voice Dante recognized all too well came from the left.

Tilting his head, he saw Jasper restrained to a silver chair floating in the void with clasps around his ankles, wrists, and neck.

"Jasper, what are you doing here?" Dante asked in confusion. Actually, a better question would be, where is here? His memory was foggy and slowly coming back to him.

"Same reason as you and my old man," Jasper sighed as he looked back at the void sky, "Your Father apparently didn't appreciate being stolen from, so he has locked us up in a void chamber."

"Your old man?" Dante looked to the right, and sure enough, the Elder who had given him the most spirit stones and promised to keep his mouth shut was restrained in a similar contraption. The Elder looked roughed up, with his robes being partially torn and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Is he going to be okay?" Dante asked with concern as he turned back to look at Jasper. He felt terrible for dragging the old man into this mess, but what was he supposed to do? Nox needed spirit stones to complete her ascension, and the Elder was the only one who promised to keep his mouth shut. So Dante returned multiple times to get as many stones as possible.

"Okay? Ha, no." Jasper's tone was dull and lifeless, "My old man and I are only still breathing so the Grand Elder can torture us for information before slitting our throats," Jasper tilted his head against the neck restraint and had a look of despair in his gaze as he looked at Dante, "I don't want to die Dante. I really don't. But no matter what happens, don't tell him the truth about her. She is our only hope for revenge."

Judging by Jasper's being vague about Nox, someone was likely listening to their conversation.

"I promise," Dante nodded despite the cold silver restraint digging into his neck, "But why go so far? I was the one who dragged you into this mess."

Jasper laughed. It was a mixture of madness and despair, "Why indeed! That is the question I am asking myself at this very moment, but now, much like yourself, my death is sealed. Mine just happens to be more imminent and with the promise of pain to send me off to the afterlife."

"Don't be so sure," Dante replied, trying to keep it vague, "So long as she prevails, our deaths may not be assured."

"Tsk," Japser clicked his tongue, "You and I both know that's a long shot."

Assuming the storm concludes tonight. That means Nox will have reached Nascent Soul Realm. After that, she would need a few days to consolidate her cultivation base enough to fight.

Dante gritted his teeth. He refused to die such a miserable death.

There's still a chance we can escape, and I can begin my new life in the Tainted Cloud Sect. Come on, Nox, don't let me down now.