Above the mage

Chapter 385 Photo Stone

Sunefa is reliable, and of course, Gaode itself is not bad either.

He put away the bottle of second-tier ice magic, then opened the drawer, took out a very large piece of parchment that he had prepared beforehand, and spread it out on the table.

"These are the urban planning sketches for Phoenix that I've drawn over the past few days. Take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be modified or added. If you and I both think they're okay, then let Elsa take a look."

She is a princess of the Duchy of Xidian; she must know many of the pitfalls encountered during the construction of Xidian cities, and should be able to discover many things we haven't noticed.

Upon hearing this, a ripple flickered in Sunafa's deep blue eyes, like shimmering waves on a lake.

She walked to the table with great interest, leaned down slightly, and carefully examined the design sketches drawn by Gao De.

The sketch wasn't particularly elaborate, but the lines were straight and even, as if it had been drawn with precise rulers and compasses.

—This is a basic professional quality of a rune constructor.

While Gaode is not a professional in urban planning and design, it has the urban planning and design ideas of many megacities with populations of tens of millions or more from its previous life as a reference.

For its overall layout, Gaode adopted the simplest yet most replicable grid-shaped city layout, constructing a grid road network with east-west and north-south roads as the main trunks.

This layout divides the streets most efficiently, much like cutting a huge cake into neat squares, each piece perfectly square with clear boundaries.

This will make land use extremely convenient, and building layout can be carried out in an orderly manner.

More importantly, it reserves ample space for the further expansion of the city in the future.

Based on the grid layout, Gaode Maps incorporated the concept of "functional zoning" by referencing modern urban planning principles.

This means clearly defining residential areas, commercial areas, and industrial areas to avoid interference caused by mixed functions and improve the efficiency of urban operations.

The rulers of many countries are aware of this, but they have not done so in a refined or standardized manner.

It's common for "industrial" shops to be mixed with regular shops. The noisy sounds of hammering and refining machines disrupt normal business operations, and the vehicles transporting raw materials cause congestion on the already narrow streets.

There are actually many examples like this.

The specific zoning plan that Gaode Maps set for Phoenix is ​​actually not complicated.

Given the conditions in the North, it's naturally best to keep things as simple as possible, provided it's reasonable.

First, there is the living area, which is divided into different zones based on the residents' status.

The development of a high-end residential area within the limited area affected by Bingyu Wutong is essentially the residence of Gaode and Sunaifa.

Centered on the Ice Jade Wutong tree, the first outer area extending outwards is the living quarters for high-ranking Ice-born mages or city civil servants.

Ordinary residents are concentrated near the Arctic Lake.

Although it is relatively far from the city center, it is conveniently located near water sources, and the natural scenery of Arctic Lake can also create a relatively comfortable living environment.

Then, within the residential area, corresponding community squares are planned and constructed as places for residents to communicate and engage in activities.

Space has also been reserved for supporting facilities such as small grocery stores, pubs, and community shops.

Of course, Phoenix does not yet have a commercial system, so this type of store does not exist.

So it's just a reservation.

The same applies to the commercial area. According to Gaode's plan, several narrow but bustling commercial streets will be built radiating outwards from the Ice Jade Wutong tree as the center.

But right now, it can only be said that space has been reserved, and the commercial area cannot actually be built.

The administrative district was centered around the original city hall, concentrated in that area, and a municipal square was set up in the administrative district for holding ceremonies or activities, and even issuing government orders.

The industrial zone was planned on the edge of the city, with a compact layout on the side closest to the volcano.

It is located far from residential areas to avoid industrial production affecting residents' lives, and also far from Jinhui Farm to prevent industrial activities from interfering with agricultural production.

The education zone is built around the several large schools that have already been established.

Naturally, reserving a few squares for the education area is also necessary.

Phoenix is ​​indeed struggling to provide even basic education; the schools are already sufficient.

However, in the future, the increase in population will lead to a further increase in the number of school-age children, and higher education will certainly need to be developed.

At that time, we will need to build more middle schools and higher education institutions, both of which require a lot of space.

The roads were designed to the standards of the capital city, with the two main roads running east-west and north-south each set at 25 meters wide.

This width allows four carriages to travel side by side in both directions, and the middle of the road has reserved space for a green belt to separate the two lanes.

The sidewalks on both sides are three meters wide.

Other roads are half the width of the main roads, which is the so-called "two-lane" standard.

Main roads and secondary roads are interconnected, forming a close-knit transportation network that ensures unimpeded traffic flow between different areas of the city.

In fact, Gaode Maps has even reserved a certain width of strip area in its road planning as a corridor for future pipeline laying, to avoid the inability to lay pipelines due to the dense buildings on both sides of the road.

Based on the future pipeline layout, the location of the maintenance wells will be determined in advance and marked accordingly.

Phoenix currently lacks the capacity to build its own pipeline infrastructure, but Gaode (the map service provider) views it as a fundamental part of the city that will need to be added in the future, so planning ahead is essential.

After reviewing Gaode's design sketches, Sunafa raised her eyes and pointed to some strange lines on the sketches. "What do these lines mean?"

These lines are much more detailed than the other lines on the sketch, yet they are found in every area of ​​the city, everywhere.

"These are some immature ideas of mine, but they are just ideas for now, and I haven't found a way to make them a reality yet," Gao De said frankly. As for what the ideas were, he didn't go into any further detail.

"I'm already looking forward to what Phoenix will look like after the expansion is complete," Sunefa said seriously, no longer looking at the design drawings.

She had no objection to Gaode's design approach.

"Then take the design drawings to Elsa later and discuss whether there are any areas that need improvement."

Gao De paused for a moment, then continued, "I'll be leaving in a few days. The expansion of Phoenix will still be under your supervision. If any problems arise during the construction process, you'll need to make flexible adjustments."

"Don't worry," Sunafa replied briefly and firmly, then changed the subject: "Minister of Construction, do you have a suitable candidate in mind?"

Upon hearing this question, Gao De frowned slightly.

After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head. "It seems there are no talented people in Phoenix in this area. If all else fails, we can only find someone who is relatively stable, cautious, and detail-oriented to fill the gap, and gradually cultivate their abilities and accumulate experience in the actual urban construction process."

Phoenix is ​​the only city in the entire North, and it's a city with almost no design.

In this situation, it is unrealistic to find a local talent whose abilities match those of the Ministry of Construction.

"That's all we can do," Sunefa replied.

"Education, oh education!" Gao De sighed. In the process of rapid development, the importance of education has become increasingly prominent.

Only by expanding education to all citizens can the North escape this talent shortage in the future.

Otherwise, the shortage of people will only increase.

However, precisely because universal education has not yet been widely implemented, there is simply not enough teachers available.

Without a sufficient number of teachers, it is impossible to popularize education for all.

Okay, that's a closed loop.

Gao De couldn't help but rub his temples with his fingertips, feeling a bit of a headache.

Just then, he and Sunefa both heard a series of hurried footsteps.

"War Mother, Your Majesty, a stranger has arrived outside. He says he wishes to pay his respects and is currently waiting outside the City Hall." A guard ran in from outside the City Hall, stood at attention, saluted, and reported.

"Stranger?" Gao De and Sunafa were both slightly taken aback, having no clue what was going on.

The main issue is that in the North, given their reputations, very few people would specifically request to see them by name.

"The man said his name was Quentin," the guard quickly added.

It turned out to be the former chief guardian of the Snowfield Guardians. Because he had been wandering on the Snowfield for many years, protecting it, he had not returned to headquarters for many years.

Therefore, they did not encounter Quentin when they destroyed the Snowfield Guardians.

After so long, he actually came knocking on my door at this time.

"Please let him in," Gao De said slowly, exchanging a glance with Sunafa.

A few minutes later, a burly man, looking travel-worn and unusually strong, walked in.

He wore clothes made of rough animal hides, the hides still bearing traces of mane that hadn't been completely shaved, which trembled slightly with his movements. A thick beard covered his dark face, and overall he appeared somewhat unkempt.

His appearance and attire, coupled with his thick, bulging arms, made him look like an orc ready to raise a big stick and shout "For the Horde!" He didn't look like a mage at all.

But as the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. This rough-looking man is actually a noble fourth-ring mage, and the top combat power of a duchy is no more than that.

If Sunaf hadn't been there, even with the other fourth-ring mages from the Zhenbing tribe accompanying him, Gaode wouldn't have been able to meet with the other party.

Too dangerous.

However, with Sunefa around, things are different. She provides a great sense of security and can easily keep the situation under control on her own.

"Your Excellency, Queen of the Iceborne War Mother and King of the Iceborne, I am Quentin, the former chief guardian of the Snowfield, and I pay my respects to you both." As soon as he entered the room, the burly man bowed deeply to a sixty-degree angle without hesitation and spoke in a deep and rough voice.

"Quentin, what is your purpose in coming to Phoenix? Is it to seek justice for the Snowfield Guardians or to turn yourself in?" Sunefa's deep blue eyes revealed no emotion as she spoke calmly.

"No, neither. On my way to Phoenix, I already heard the whole story of the sect's destruction. After arriving in Phoenix, I also went to see the necromancer ice sculpture myself." Quentin straightened up and looked directly at the two of them.

The Necromantic Ice Sculpture is the ice sculpture formed by Ryan and the fifth-tier zombie behemoth he summoned.

"Our doctrine as guardians of the snowfields is to protect the snowfields. Ryan practiced forbidden necromancy and harmed the people of the North. He deserves his fate. I have no grievances to speak of."

"As for turning oneself in," Quentin, the former chief of the Snowfield Guardians, said solemnly, "the hunters and guardians within the Snowfield Guardians are two distinct factions, each doing their own thing."

He added earnestly, "I have spent most of my time wandering the snowfields these past few years, working tirelessly to protect them. I haven't been back to the sect's headquarters for a long time. I know absolutely nothing about what Ryan did, let alone participated in it. I only recently heard about the sect's destruction."

"Just because we belong to the same religious sect doesn't mean I have to share his sins."

Sunafa pondered for a moment before nodding slightly. "Then what brings you to see us?"

"I heard that the Zhenbing tribe has announced that it is willing to recruit northern tribes to join them."

"I've wandered the snowfields for so many years, and I've seen and helped many tribes, large and small. They live in extremely difficult circumstances, and if a large tribe were willing to take them in, they would certainly be very happy to accept." Quentin straightened his expression, spread his hands, and continued:

"But they are all small tribes, scattered across the vast snowfields. It's actually very difficult for the message you spread to reach their ears. Even if they do manage to receive the message, it's very difficult for them to migrate to Phoenix on their own."

"That's why I came to you."

"I know the exact location of their tribe. If you are willing to take them in, I can guide you."

"In addition, there are many of our guardians on the snowfield. They must also know many similar small tribes. If you agree, I can gather them to do this together."

"You should know that Ryan has become a fifth-ring mage, right?" Gao De suddenly asked.

"I know, it's all thanks to you, Ice and Snow, otherwise who in the entire North could have dealt with him?" Quentin looked at Sunefa and said, half flattering and half sighing.

Looking at his thick eyebrows and big eyes, and not bad at talking, Gao De glanced at Quentin with a strange look, and said, "Then you still dare to come to our door about something that has nothing to do with you? Aren't you afraid we'll consider you a remnant of the gang and arrest you?"

"I'm scared," Quentin said, shrugging. "But my doctrine is to protect the snowfields. It's what I should do. Besides, I believe the King of the North, who is prophesied to bring revival to the North, must be a man of great wisdom and magnanimity. He wouldn't do such a thing."

"The Snowfield Guardians have been destroyed," Sunefa warned.

"The sect is gone, but the doctrine will not disappear; it remains in my heart," Quentin said earnestly.

"You just said you were summoning the other Guardians?" Goddard noticed a detail in Quentin's words: "You Guardians all operate alone, scattered throughout the snowfields. How will you contact them?"

He was both puzzled and inquisitive.

On this vast, harsh snowfield, it was almost impossible to make contact with people scattered in different places.

"It can't really be called contact, it's more like leaving a message," Quentin said honestly after thinking for a moment.

"message?"

Quentin took a stone from his pocket.

The stone is about the size of a palm and is rounded oval in shape. Upon closer inspection, it appears that there are wisps of silver texture flowing inside the stone. These textures intertwine to form a unique and complex pattern.

"What is this?"

"A little gadget, we call it a photo-recording stone, which contains iridescent crystals inside."

After injecting magic into the recording stone, the illusory crystal will be activated. It will record the light, shadow, and sound of the surrounding environment. Then, by simply inputting magic in reverse, the recorded images and sounds can be displayed.

"We placed it in those tribes as a message for the future guardians."

It really was just a little gadget, it looked interesting, but its function was too limited and it had many limitations, so Quentin didn't take it too seriously.

To his surprise, Gao De's eyes lit up immediately after he finished introducing the photo stone!

(End of this chapter)