Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 187 Bicycles and Public Transportation

Harvey sat in the chair in the study and carefully read the work report submitted by Reiner.

In this regard, he had to admit that as an alchemical life form that could enter an absolutely rational mode at any time, he was indeed the most suitable for statistical analysis work.

The statistical tables drawn by Reiner alone looked exactly like the spreadsheets made with the office software that Harvey hated the most in his previous life. The collection, organization and analysis of data were well-organized and the results were clear.

The current population of the pioneer territory has reached 10,000 people. After the spring and summer, the frequency of migration of refugees has decreased, and the population growth of the territory has temporarily stagnated, which also allowed Harvey to breathe a sigh of relief.

Apart from the 3,500 standing troops of the territory, most of the refugees were originally complete proletarians. They either relied on the evil orcs or huddled in small human settlements, barely surviving by the most primitive hunting and gathering.

Most of the craftsmen and artisans with production skills were escaped slaves from the South and bankrupt tenants, and this group of people accounted for a very small proportion in the territory.

"We need to open more production technology training classes, such as the kind with quick nighttime courses, so that these civilians with absolutely no work experience can quickly adapt to working in the factories of the territory."

Reiner immediately asked, "Do they still need to be forced to attend the original night literacy school?"

"Of course. Basic literacy and some simple work skills are essential. We should integrate these two courses and encourage them to actively participate." He thought for a moment and added, "For those willing to participate in both courses, the school can provide them with free evening meals. This will help them be more willing to exercise their initiative."

Reiner silently took out his small notebook and quickly wrote down the uncommon word "exerting subjective initiative" that Harvey had uttered. Although he only had a vague understanding of it, this "high-end vocabulary" that he had never heard of before allowed him to perfectly achieve the pretentious effect that is essential for managers at work, and make other middle and lower-level officials under him have unconditional admiration and trust in him.

Harvey, completely oblivious to Reiner's small gesture, continued, "Those responsible for management and technical guidance in the various factories, as well as teachers in public schools and night training programs, must all be allocated independent housing, regardless of whether they arrive in the territory alone or with families."

Reiner nodded and replied, "Sir, are these houses going to be given to them for free?"

"We'll still calculate it based on the previous rental situation. We can't discriminate too much. Aside from the dozens of indigenous people who joined us initially, everyone else will have to save up and buy their own homes through mortgages."

Reiner dutifully wrote it down and bowed, saying, "I'll return to the City Hall and carry out your instructions..."

"This isn't an urgent task. Do you have anything else to do?"

Reiner scratched his head and said subconsciously: "There is nothing else important..."

Harvey smiled and said, "You're so busy with the tedious administrative work of the territory now that you don't have much time to conduct research experiments with me. You used to love those shiny alchemical instruments and experimental materials the most."

Seeing Harvey's relaxed expression, Reiner finally broke free from his absolutely rational soul mode and said with a chuckle, "Sir, I might be born to worry. I always feel that if the things you ordered were handed over to those people below, they would be a mess..."

Harvey stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and said soothingly, "Then come with me to see a new invention and relax a little!"

The two chatted all the way to the castle's enclosed backyard garden. Asdalen and the newly joined alchemist Chris were waiting there early and were discussing something intensely.

In the open space in the middle of the garden was a row of wooden frames covered with a large waterproof tarpaulin.

"The area currently surrounded by the Pioneer Territory's walls is already quite large. The core area, centered around the Lord's Castle, is divided into three sections: the Castle District, the Administrative District, and the Market District. The residential areas along the river have been gradually expanded to accommodate most of the territory's permanent population. The military camp near the northern section of the city wall is also quite large, not to mention the surrounding agricultural and industrial areas..." Chris bowed upon seeing Harvey approaching before continuing his analysis. "The farthest work area from the territory is the mining area in the southwest. My God, when I went to screen the ore a few days ago, it took me over an hour's walk to get there. No wonder the miners usually live in the mine dormitories and only return to the residential area once a week."

Asdalen nodded in agreement. "That's right. Even if we ride a war beast, it will take at least half a day to get from the territory to the valley outpost fortress. If we rely solely on walking, haha, we'll probably have to spend the night in the wild halfway, spending a whole day and night on the road..."

Harvey stepped forward and peeled back the tarpaulin. "That's why I asked Mr. Chris to build this vehicle. Horses aren't produced in the Northern Wastes, and raising them is expensive. We don't have the resources to teach every citizen how to ride."

Reiner took a closer look and was immediately captivated by the novel alchemical device before him. "What...what kind of device is this? It even has two wheels? Can it be pushed around?"

Asdalen shook his head and said doubtfully, "Before you came, I was arguing with Mr. Chris. These wheels are one in front and one behind, so there's no way they can maintain balance like a cart. I don't see how they can replace a person's feet and achieve fast movement."

Chris kept his mouth tightly shut with a smug look on his face, glancing at Harvey constantly, waiting for him to explain.

Harvey saw the other party's eagerness to show off, and smiled and nodded slightly at him.

Chris immediately became excited, "This thing was named a bicycle by the lord. It took me some time to learn how to control it. Let me show you..." As he said that, he pushed a bicycle over, raised his legs and sat on it, put his feet on the pedals, assumed a standard posture, gently pushed the pedals with his feet, and immediately steered the bicycle around in the garden.

Harvey watched him awkwardly and nervously twisting the handlebars, his comical appearance of swerving and nearly falling while turning, and couldn't help but silently complain in his heart, "What a poor rider! Such cycling skills..."

After solving the technical problem of rubber wheels, the territory's iron casting factory was able to hand-make a simple bicycle according to Harvey's drawings. The appearance was just a little lacking, but the transportation function was fully achievable.

Moreover, the tires made from the pectin of rubber fruits have a hardness and elasticity that fully meet the standards, and there is no need to make separate inner and outer tires for inflation. The frame is made of lightweight hollow iron pipes, and braking is done by feet. Anyway, there are no areas with high slopes in the territory, so there is no opportunity for drivers to drive at high speeds.

The only complicated process was the chain, but after repeated experiments by Chris, he successfully cast it using a casting mold, and then connected them in series and installed them on the wheels to achieve pedal linkage.

After Chris rode a few wobbly circles, he stopped by pushing off the ground. Reiner immediately rushed over, shouting, "Let me try! Let me try!"

The young alchemist quickly grabbed hold of the cart, his face filled with fear as he said, "No, no! Mr. Reiner! Your alchemical body is too heavy for this lightweight frame. You'll fall apart if you get on!"

Seeing this, Harvey quickly spoke to comfort him, "Bicycles are for ordinary people to use as a means of transportation. I plan to open a bicycle factory in the industrial zone to mass-produce these vehicles. Then, I'll promote and sell them throughout the territory at low prices. Hmm... the people of the territory will only need to spend half a month's or a month's salary to own such a magical alchemical mount."

"As for Reiner and Asdalen, I have another transportation invention specially designed for you... and the soldiers in the army. You don't have to worry about the weight, and it can travel several times faster than a bicycle!"

Harvey had already drawn up the design sketch, and he could start research and development as soon as Chris finished the current stage of work.

Harvey was too lazy to come up with any new and trendy name for it, so he just slightly modified the original name.

It’s called the off-road “magic” motorcycle.

(End of this chapter)