Chapter 58: Overseas Islands
2015-02-11
Author: Floating Tower
Overseas Islands.
This region has a somewhat unique geographical environment, as it was originally a part of a continent. Later, large-scale land subsidence and sinkage occurred, leading to the present geographic layout. From the map, it resembles the area near Singapore where the Spratly Islands are located, but there are more scattered islands than that continental plate. The largest is the territory of the Amazons, followed by the indigenous people’s stronghold, and many large and small islands scattered across the sea.
As they entered the area of the Overseas Islands, Soren’s expression became serious.
The environment here is somewhat reminiscent of a tropical rainforest, filled with many unknown dangers. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly inconspicuous small islands; in fact, the challenge difficulty of these islands is above level 9. This means that even a team of adventurers with around third-tier strength could suffer total annihilation on some of these small islands. There are many unknown terrifying creatures here, some of which are even quite small, but their danger is greater than that of lesser dragon species.
Additionally, there are quite difficult prehistoric giant pythons, with some challenge levels reaching above 15!
Basically, it is similar to dragon-type creatures.
Soren had no intention of exploring these small islands; some places are not even approached lightly by the indigenous people, so he naturally did not plan on recklessly exploring those dangerous locations. His destination is a larger island further ahead. If memory serves him right, there is an island with a diameter of over 500 square kilometers, along with several adjoining islands. This was Soren’s first stop, and if suitable, he would establish a camp here.
Because he specifically chose locations with natural harbors!
Two more days passed.
When Soren saw a towering peak and steep cliffs rising along the coastline, he finally realized he had reached his destination. Many seagulls appeared before him, and in the distance, dense woods were visible. The ground was thick with bird droppings, as this area of islands served as a stopover for migratory birds over the ages, leading to a massive accumulation of bird droppings over the millennia. Don’t underestimate these droppings; they are quite a valuable resource!
Simply put, these accumulations have covered the land over time, and with a slight refinement, they become the best fertilizer!
Soren chose this place as his base, not only because of its geographical advantages.
“Stop here.”
Soren glanced at the others, then set his sights on a position on the cliff, where there was a metal cross, seemingly with bones visible on it. The bones belonged to a famous Pirate King who was captured by enemies and cruelly nailed there. His ghost appears there, but it must be encountered at a specific time. He presents a difficult challenge to others, and if completed, one could obtain his treasure.
The soul of this Pirate King resides in the spirit world, and encountering his spirit seems to require special conditions!
Soren wasn’t interested in taking on such a task for now; even though it was of borderline legendary difficulty, he glanced at the others and said, “You stay here! …Adele Isabella! …Humpback Whale—Hulk! …You few come with me to explore the island!”
A small fast boat was lowered.
Soren quickly took a few people to the island. Possibly because outsiders rarely visit, as soon as they stepped onto the island, flocks of birds took to the sky, and in the distance, some noises could be heard. But it quieted down soon enough. This area could potentially establish a town, but it’s relatively safe. Soren would not be naive enough to believe that there were no enemies here. He did not venture deeply into the jungle but headed to a flat area south of the cliff, which was a natural flat land—the very spot where others had found it and established a town.
Inside the woods, there were some white stones that looked fragile and crumbled at a touch.
Soren picked one up, smelled it, and couldn’t help but smile, while the others curiously picked one up to smell, only to immediately throw it away in disgust due to a foul odor. These pirates could not see the value in these stones, but for Soren, they were the most important riches, even more valuable than a gold mine. This was essentially an inexhaustible gold mine; the indigenous people just didn’t know how to utilize them.
—“Guano stone, a type of ore, also known as bird and animal dung accumulation. Accumulated droppings and bodies of birds, bats, and seals, which is a high-quality fertilizer.” [Geographical Knowledge]
Soren recalled the knowledge he had learned back then.
This part of the island, near the woods, was a collection point for guano stones. Due to its location along migratory bird paths, it’s hard to estimate how much guano has accumulated here over the millennia; digging just three feet down yields high-quality fertilizer raw materials.
However!
There is more than just valuable resources here.
Soren cautiously looked around, then placed both hands on the hilt of his blade and signaled to his followers behind him, saying in a low voice, “Be careful! There may be monsters nearby!”
He gradually advanced along the flat land, as the terrain began to rise into a slope.
Then a red soil area came into view.
Nearby, some wild animals were moving about, but upon seeing Soren and his group, they immediately fled; the beasts sensed the danger and even a leopard was frightened into the jungle. Soren cut into the soil with his curved blade, picked up the red earth, squeezed it in his hands, and then smiled broadly as he threw it back to the ground.
Indeed, it was clay!
He remembered that the town built here was constructed from red bricks. He didn’t know what techniques were used, but within three months, they managed to build a series of brick houses and cut out an extensive wall. Bricks had been around since the time of ancient Rome; humans had experimented with using clay to make other things since they started firing pottery. Soren had a rudimentary understanding of the craft of porcelain making, and the requirements for firing red bricks were not overly complicated for him.
However.
The key point is how to increase production. The construction techniques of this world are quite advanced, but bulk production is not widely practiced. Most high-end products are created by spellcasters, and Soren still didn’t know how that group managed to fire so many bricks in such a short time. But that didn’t matter. Those people began to explore overseas after the Saint’s Cataclysm, and now he was two years ahead; even if he lacked some technical advantages, he could still develop a larger scale first.
“My lord, what are you doing?”
A big-headed, somewhat doll-like but fierce-looking figure stood behind him, murmuring, “Is this about examining stones and soil? Are you considering if this place is suitable for farming? The overseas lands are wastelands; even if we wanted to cultivate, it would take several years to become arable land.”
“Don’t look at me like that! …Before I became a pirate, I also farmed for several years! …”
Pirates usually look quite strange, and it really has nothing to do with being handsome; he noticed the odd expressions on the other people’s faces and couldn’t help but chuckle, “Don’t think I’m quick at beheading; I’m pretty quick at farming too.”
Soren ignored the comments from behind.
He walked all the way up to the slope, surveying the flat ground in the distance, and began calculating the size and distance in his mind. Perhaps due to his powerful calculating ability or the data-driven simulation, he surprisingly constructed a rough town model in his mind. This area could accommodate the development of a medium-sized city. Don’t underestimate the guilds from previous lives that ventured overseas; they included many professional-level talents. The places they picked naturally had many comprehensive advantages.
………………
On the other side.
The Half-Elf First Mate stood at the bow of the ship, suddenly sensing something. He looked down at the water beneath, and the person next to him asked suspiciously, “What’s wrong?”
He stared at the seabed for a while, then shook his head gently, “Nothing. I just thought I saw something just now.”
Time passed minute by minute.
About two hours later, Soren finally finished surveying the nearby area and returned with the others.
He had already made a decision in his heart!
Although he had two backup locations yet to explore, Soren was very satisfied with this place. The other two sites were a bit off. Each was still one or two days’ journey away. To develop overseas, he must leverage the resources of the continent, so it was better if the shipping line was closer, making it easier to transport other supplies. This location, in terms of natural harbor, geographical advantage, land resources, etc., could be called one of the prime areas in the Overseas Islands.
Moreover, it had the added advantage of being somewhat distant from the activities of the Amazons and not close to the indigenous people’s stronghold.
Due to the relatively small size of this island, not many indigenous people had migrated here.
In the Overseas Islands, generally, the larger the island, the greater the competition, as it implies vast territories. Conversely, smaller islands often lack sufficient development space and sometimes even have no indigenous people living there.
This island in front of him is just the right size, providing room for development without being too conspicuous!
“Disembark!”
A smile finally appeared on Soren’s face as he said, “Get all the supplies down, and arrange for people to set up camp on the flat land ahead.”
He was prepared to stake a claim here.
………………
———————–
(Giving up smoking is truly not easy; it’s the sixth day… Recently my mental state has been quite tough, and the storyline is being written slowly, so updates might be less frequent. Developing overseas isn’t just about casually claiming land; that would be a death trap. This part of the plot involves many setups, and many things must be made clear. Lastly, in a couple of days, I’ll announce an uplifting event. Mwah! Once I get through this period, I’ll unleash a big wave of updates.) (To be continued ~^~)
