Chapter 731: Volume 21: The Dark Road, - 13: Pivot
The first dock on Xifnos Island had begun to take shape, its breakwaters solidly built along the rugged cape effectively defending against the fierce winds and massive waves coming from the eastern Cang Mang Ocean. Behind the breakwater, the layouts for three additional docks were emerging. Although they would require more time due to their larger scale, Hayreddin thought it necessary to plan for the long term. Aside from the three docks for foreign merchant ships, another dock would eventually become the dedicated docking site for the armed vessels or even the fleet he would establish in the future.
The flattening of the land around the sea cliffs was proceeding in an orderly manner. The hefty expenses brought on by the recruited laborers caused Hayreddin immense heartache; the exorbitant labor costs made him long for the cheap and diligent Barbarians and Half-Beastmen of Caucasus and Leon. These Mortals from the South were indeed much more expensive in comparison, but one had to admit that in terms of labor efficiency, they were far superior to the Barbarians and Half-Beastmen, especially in certain skilled tasks where the somewhat clumsy Barbarians and Half-Beastmen could not match up.
It was said that Lord Hayreddin was considering recruiting Dwarf Craftsmen proficient in construction techniques from those Dwarf Settlement Areas in the South. If this issue could be resolved, many important construction projects on Xifnos Island could be significantly accelerated. Hayreddin even fantasized about attracting a large number of Dwarf Craftsmen to settle on Xifnos Island. As the future traffic chokepoint between the Southern Mediterranean and the Continent, Hayreddin felt that Xifnos Island was entitled to its own dedicated artisans.
The lighthouse had already begun construction of its third layer. According to Hayreddin’s vision, the lighthouse should be at least seven layers high, with the top encased in high-quality glass and the light powered by the most exquisite of Magic lamps. Although this would consume Fire Magic Ore, the light’s range would at least double, allowing ships within a dozen maritime leagues to navigate their way into harbor even on nights with sudden storms.
Hayreddin had initially opposed Komer’s decision to use Xifnos Island as the springboard to the sea heading southward from Caucasus. Even with the covert support from the Carter Fleet under the Red-haired Witch, he could never trust the bloodthirsty witch who killed without blinking. For her own interest, the Carter Fleet could destroy the base he was painstakingly building without a second’s hesitation.
Regardless of whether Katrina harbored ambitions to march into the Storm Ocean in the south, just the mere fact that Xifnos Island was pinned under her watchful eye was intolerable to Hayreddin, even from Katrina’s perspective. Unless Komer had never truly planned to establish a real naval fleet, in which case he did not pose a threat to the Red-haired Witch’s status. Otherwise, how could Komer expect to deal with those greedy Demisheme Pirates without a powerful maritime force?
To Hayreddin’s surprise, it seemed that the Carter Fleet was actually prepared to honor the Lord’s promise of defending the security of Xifnos Island as previously said. The banner of the Bloody Rose, representing the Carter Fleet’s powerful martial presence, deterred even the arrogant Demisheme Pirates from provoking them lightly. Numerous naval clashes had proven the Red-haired Witch’s unchallenged status in this region.
But for the Carter Fleet to reach this point was simply unimaginable to Hayreddin. With the Red-haired Witch’s arrogance, he could not fathom what terms Komer could offer to sway her. Commercial interests? To the Red-haired Witch, those had little significance -- the Carter Fleet were pirates, not traders; logistical support? The Carter Fleet had long established a comprehensive support system in the Southern Mediterranean, with numerous City-states securing their fleet’s safety in exchange for logistics; financial assistance? Also unrealistic, Katrina’s funds were likely not much less than those of Caucasus now, and it was probably more realistic for Katrina to offer financial support to Komer, now an exile in the Southern Mediterranean.
The only possibility must be the weapon issue that Lord hinted at in vague terms. Yet, what weapon could so captivate the Red-haired Witch’s heart that she would concede control of Xifnos Island within the Carter Fleet’s sphere, and even bear a significant duration of security duties?
This question troubled Hayreddin for a long time, but he knew Komer’s habits well -- things he didn’t want to share with others are best left unasked. Perhaps when the time was ripe, he would naturally tell him, and for now, he only needed to grasp the current situation. The priority was to complete the infrastructure on Xifnos Island as quickly as possible and rapidly assemble an armed fleet for operational activities.
The ancient street stretched straight toward the distant city district, and the patchy buildings on either side revealed the city’s historical heritage. Spires, wooden houses, and stone buildings intermingled prominently. Prostitutes languished against the door frames on the streets beside the dock, their indifferent gazes cast toward the depths of the sea, waiting for the returning sailors and fishermen.