Chapter 135. There is nothing free in this world (3)
“Come on, this is a contract.”
arm and arm.
Lloyd waved his hand.
The contract in his hand fluttered as if showing off.
The eyes of the natural refugees turned to the contract.
his words continued.
“What contract is this? I won’t tell you anything around. I will be straightforward and clear. This is the ‘Application for Participation in the Eastern Mountain Range Terraced Farmland Reclamation Construction’.”
“….”
Participation in terraced farmland…what?
It was a long and complicated name.
Most of the refugees tilted their heads.
A bitter smile appeared on Lloyd’s lips.
“I will call it ‘application for participation in the land reclamation project’ for short.”
“….”
aha.
You said you were doing land clearing work.
So, they said they brought a lot of applications for participation.
But why?
Refugees looked at each other.
Meanwhile, Lloyd’s words continued.
“I brought it for you. because. You have to settle down. You won’t just stay in a crowded and cramped camp. Even after moving into an apartment. Shouldn’t the family get a piece of land, earn money, and live like a human again?”
“….”
“I don’t think you would ever want it to go on like this.”
Lloyd’s words threw small pebbles at everyone’s chest.
There was a ripple in the chest where the pebble fell.
All the refugees thought.
that’s right
That’s what I was thinking.
I’m getting tired of living like a beggar like this.
‘I…I’m not the type to live like this.’
It was an honest feeling that emerged in the hearts of the refugees.
Although, they lost their home and place and became refugees.
The horse was a refugee, but it was a miserable situation that was no different from a beggar.
A life that has become possible only by relying on the one-sided favor of the Prontera estate.
The future was just bleak.
So it was unfair.
It was because most of them were not originally people who lived this kind of life.
A man now a refugee and naked was once a landowner who owned a lot of land.
Someone was a farmer who worked in the field with his family. Others were woodcutters and others tended sheep.
Even if he was a tenant farmer, he was also a sincere head of the family who sweated hard and fed his family in return.
At least I wasn’t a beggar who had lost everything and was dependent on a refugee camp like I am now.
No, no one wanted to remain in this dependent situation in the future.
‘of course. Because that’s the human heart.’
Lloyd thought.
Even if you sweat and work, rather than in a group tent, in your own home.
With my family, not the faceless majority.
Just like that, Oh Sun-do-soon is to live as a human being.
Isn’t that a natural wish everyone has?
‘I did too.’
Suddenly, I remembered my time in Korea.
Among them, it reminded me of the time immediately after losing both my parents and home.
It was the most miserable time of his life.
‘I didn’t have the right place to go.’
At first, I stayed in my friends’ room.
I leaned on the name of friendship, but that wasn’t something I would do for long.
Friends said it was fine.
But he noticed.
I thought I couldn’t live like that forever.
So I left my friend’s room.
I stayed in the school club room.
But I soon regretted it.
‘Because I was more aware there.’
So I worked hard on my part-time job.
I raised some money.
With that money, I went to gosiwon.
Even though my body was a little tired, my mind was rather comfortable.
‘I needed my space where freedom is guaranteed. Perhaps these people feel the same way.’
You won’t have to look at it while living on top of it.
You won’t have to hurt your pride.
Perhaps everyone feels that way.
Lloyd devised a plan to use the refugees’ psychology as a driving force for development.
That plan was the reclaimed land development plan that is being announced right now.
“It is simple to explain. Participate in clearing land development projects. We will sell the reclaimed land to those who participate diligently. This means you can get land to farm and settle on. This is a document to leave it as a promise between me and you.”
Flutter!
I shook the contract again.
Before the buzz had subsided, the contract table was quickly set.
“Now, first come, first served! If I’m late, the job might be full and disappear?”
That one word was the beginning.
First-come, first-served basis.
A demonic word that exerts powerful effects against groups in any world.
Attracted by that word, the refugees sat down at the contract table one by one.
“Hey, if I sign this contract, will I be able to work?”
“of course.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I will participate in the construction of terraced farmland.”
“Speaking of construction….”
“spadework. pickaxe. Or by digging up the soil and moving it. Have you ever tried shoveling?”
“No, I am used to it. Even if I look like this, I’m a guy who has lived touching dirt all his life.”
“good. He is exactly the kind of person I was looking for.”
“Is that so?”
“of course. So sign here?”
“Ah yes.”
who did so
“Yeah…Can women work too?”
“of course. Nogada has no gender.”
“Then I will do it.”
“What about your husband?”
“I hurt my back.”
“okay. must have suffered a lot You can sign here.”
so two people.
“All my brothers will participate!”
“Oh, that’s difficult.”
“yes? Why?”
“Only one person per household can participate. As you can see, there will be an overflow of applicants.”
“that….”
“Did you expect that you would get more rice fields if all the brothers participated?”
“yes….”
“Keep those expectations aside. Instead, you can take turns working among the brothers, right? Then the work will be less difficult and the opportunity to acquire land with less effort than others, so for now, I am satisfied with that.”
“….”
“Do you hate it?”
“Oh no! I’ll do it.”
“okay. Please sign here.”
so three people.
five people again.
More than ten people, a hundred people.
To count a thousand beyond a hundred.
A list of numerous applicants filled the contract tightly.
The more he did, the more a happy smile bloomed on Lloyd’s lips.
‘good. reaction is good The contract is also smooth.’
They are refugees who took over anyway.
These are the people who will eventually settle down as residents.
Such people could naturally and legally be mobilized for reclaimed land development under mutually beneficial conditions.
“Could it be that you were visiting the camp for the contract from the beginning?”
“Oh, of course not.”
It was on the way back from the refugee camp.
Xaviel followed with the box containing the contract.
Lloyd shrugged at his question.
“Isn’t there nothing free in this world anyway?”
“….”
“what. why. what. Do you really think I’m being shy?”
“It is not. Just-”
“Just?”
“Suddenly, I thought it was fortunate that Lloyd-nim was born in such a rural area.”
“ok? what is that again?”
Lloyd turned to Xaviel.
Xaviel had an inexplicable smile.
“If I had been born in the royal capital, I think I would have become a great swindler and politician.”
“….”
“Or a flattery treachery.”
“….”
“If it wasn’t for that, I might have become a rare swindler who takes control of back alleys with a single tongue.”
“Did I look like that guy?”
“yes.”
“From usual?”
“yes.”
“omg. Look at how he answers without worrying for even a second.”
“Because it feels honest.”
Having said that, Xaviel just smiled.
And Lloyd added something he hadn’t thought of before.
“I’m glad you put such modest hair in a good place. I am also grateful.”
“….”
“Why are you making that face?”
“I was trying to judge whether it was a curse or a compliment.”
“Of course it’s an insult.”
“Somehow it seemed so.”
“Are you not angry?”
“uh. I think I missed the timing. It’s ugly if you back up.”
“Actually, it was a compliment.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Is that true?”
“Then, should I pluck out tears of emotion later?”
“I beg you, please bear with me. It sounds creepy.”
“right? Even if I think so.”
Lloyd stopped laughing.
As such, the two walked side by side.
And I thought.
A family that was once burdened with a lot of debt.
A shabby country estate with nothing to offer.
The place that was like that was so big before I knew it.
How different have we become?
Have I become a better person than before?
Lloyd and Xaviel thought that they couldn’t figure it out.
♣
The next day was bright.
Lloyd started preparing for the construction of the clearing in earnest.
The first step, as always, was surveying.
‘Phew. The slope is quite steeper than it looks.’
From early in the morning, I passed the coal mine and climbed the foot of the Eastern Mountain Range.
Land to be transformed into rice fields through reclaimed land construction.
The slope and soil water loss were closely examined.
‘The construction may be a bit tricky, but no matter how much I think about it, this is the best place.’
Some people ask why we clear the foot of the mountain all the time.
Are there any other lands in the territory?
Isn’t there a lot of flat, empty land?
You might ask questions as if it were natural.
However, there was not much space left in the Prontera estate to build a large-scale rice field.
‘The south completed development by making Marez clearing land. what about the west? It’s not our territory. No matter how promoted to county, you can’t touch the land outside the territory. Because that’s the king’s sister’s land.’
What if you carelessly clear it?
Seriously, it becomes treason.
Of course, I wouldn’t be accused of treason, but at least there was a good chance that I would be reprimanded or gossip.
‘There is no need to bear such a political burden. Then the north is left, but there’s not enough land to make it into farmland.’
In fact, at first, I wanted to clear the land north of the territory.
However, when the construction of the apartment began, I gave up on that idea.
It was because the soil was hotter than expected.
‘It wasn’t too suitable for farmland. It was a land where only weeds could grow.’
In the end, the only place left was the foot of the Eastern Mountains, east of the territory.
once fertile
Fallen leaves and humus have been piled up for a long time.
What if you just clean up the vegetation and level it?
It was land that could be sufficiently productive.
In addition, although it was outside the territory of the territory, it was not the territory of the kingdom.
Because it was not the land of the king, there was no burden on development.
No, if the development was successful, it would be perfect for a small feat of increasing the kingdom’s territory.
‘So this place is perfect. The remnant land inside the territory should be left empty for later.’
Between existing villages and villages.
A piece of land that has not yet been used.
It is the land that will be occupied by the residential area that will later be expanded.
Or, it is a space where a commercial district should enter.
For the sake of Youngji’s further growth in the future, you shouldn’t touch it carelessly now.
Lloyd continued his surveying work with such a planned blueprint for a new city in Korea.
After the survey was completed, it was time to decide on the construction method.
Lloyd locked himself in his bedroom for days.
Looking at the results of the survey, I was troubled.
‘The retaining wall. That’s the core of the land reclamation project.’
It is the foot of a mountain with a steep slope.
It is to cut the land and make farmland.
Naturally, the terraced rice field, which is common in Southeast Asia, was used as a model.
Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about terraced rice fields.
It was difficult to follow.
‘In that case, let’s go my way. Think of it as a large-scale continuous retaining wall.’
retaining wall.
It was a structure that anyone could see in everyday life.
whether it be a mountain or a hill.
A concrete wall built on the site where the slope was cut.
Think of it as a retaining wall.
the town of the city.
Or along highways or national highways.
Looking back, retaining walls were common and commonplace everywhere.
But the reality was never out of the ordinary.
‘It looks common, so it seems complacent. I guess I’ll just have to put up a wall. But it’s different. never complacent What if the design goes wrong? Or if there is a defect in the construction? At some point, without a chance to use your hands, it collapses.’
So the road is lost.
Or the house is buried.
A landslide occurs.
As such, the retaining wall was a structure that required thorough calculations and precise construction.
‘I can still do it. I’m using my design skills.’
Large terraced farmland.
A vertical retaining wall to support each of those numerous floors.
Lloyd decided to build the structure as a ‘gabion retaining wall’.
‘This is perfect here.’
Sometimes when I drive on national roads or highways, there is such a place.
where the mountain was cut.
Where the cut surface has become a block of stone.
Everyone must have seen it covered with wire mesh at least once.
A thrifty ‘falling rock caution’ sign is also attached as a decoration.
It was a kind of gabion retaining wall.
‘It’s relatively simple to build. Just make a frame by weaving wire mesh in advance and pour coarse gravel and crushed stone into it.’
In fact, at first I wanted to build a regular concrete retaining wall.
But for two reasons, I couldn’t choose that method.
‘It’s midwinter construction. Too cold. It’s a 100% freeze-thaw angle. The cement won’t cure properly. Besides, Bell needs some rest. Didn’t you keep using your volcanic eruption skill while building an apartment these days?’
The bell was in a state of overuse.
But what if you do it again?
What if I keep using the Volcanic Explosion skill?
‘no. Better take a break for a while. Otherwise, he’ll kick his ass.’
It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the middle of a long time, but it’s a law that I have to live with a moderate fart.
So Lloyd was engulfed in a new dilemma.
‘however…I’m trying to build a gabion retaining wall, but there’s another problem.’
The problem was the material from which the wire mesh was made.
‘wire? no. Because even the drops need to rest. just rebar? There’s nothing left. I can’t even use the money I’ve saved to build an apartment. then the rope? It’s a bit sad too. It’s too weak and will become brittle and weak from prolonged exposure to the sun.’
Lloyd’s brow furrowed.
The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t come up with an answer.
‘Besides, if you pull out or find a wire to use as a wire mesh, another problem remains. It has to be galvanized. Otherwise, the wire mesh will rust. What if it rusts? Cracks and breaks, wire mesh bursts, retaining walls become unstable, families shake, societies collapse…no. I can’t do that.’
In fact, you can just galvanize it.
But it costs too much money.
It was a pocket worthwhile.
It was not a comfortable situation even with the amount of support from the kingdom.
‘So let’s leave galvanizing as a last resort. It’s best to find another method or material that costs less.’
It was from then.
He fell into deep, dark troubles like espresso.
Wire mesh for gabion retaining walls.
No expensive galvanized wire.
A material that is inexpensive, yet tough, durable, and will not corrode or change.
‘Think of it. Ugh, think of it.’
A day full of worries passed and two days passed.
The third day passed, and the fourth day came.
But even then, I couldn’t come up with an appropriate method or material.
Thanks to that, Lloyd could even eat his meal.
I spent the whole day with wrinkles between my brows.
Thanks to this, the phantasmagoric species that hang out with him also increased their worries.
Maybe that was it.
“Podo-dong? Podong?”
In the end, Podongi, who was worse off, took up the gun and stepped out.
He gave advice to Lloyd, who was in trouble.
“Ppodong! Podo-dong? Boo-dong!”
“…what? How would you like to find a new friend at this time?”
“Ppodong!”
Podongi nodded his round head.
Lloyd, who was propped on his chin on his desk, turned his head toward Pudong.
“Are you asking me to do a random drawing of fantasy species?”
“Ppodong!”
“For example, expecting a friend to come out to solve my troubles right now? Can you make a material for the sturdy wire mesh?”
“Podo-dong!”
“Hmm, I don’t know if that will work.”
“Ppodong?”
“It is literally random. No one knows what fantasy species will emerge.”
“Podo-dong?”
“But will the guy I want come out exactly right? I feel a bit skeptical.”
Actually it was.
Fantasy type random drawing.
It’s literally random.
“So that is it. You’ve been lucky so far, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll do the same this time.”
Lloyd put a smile on his lips.
It’s true.
Even when there are bumps or drops.
Even when I pulled out the hamang-I.
Everyone was just incredibly lucky, he thought.
But that was then.
The bell that had been watching the conversation between the two came out.
“Bell! Drop by drop!”
“…what? isn’t that it?”
“Bell!”
The bell nodded.
Then, each of the three phantasmagoric species added a word.
“Hamaman? Damn, damn!”
“Ppodong! Podo-dong!”
“Bell!”
Three phantasmagoric species standing side by side and giving advice in this direction.
Hearing that advice, Lloyd’s eyes widened.
“…What? Is there a special way to affect the outcome of the random?”
