The city which is supposed to be a thriving agricultural hub, had its fate dramatically altered by an unexpected discovery.
A vast deposit of mana crystals nestled beneath its fertile soil.
The startling discovery of vast mana crystal deposits had an immediate and profound impact on Phenovia's city plans.
The first major hurdle that the city planners faced was the inherent danger of building atop a cavern filled with such valuable resources.
Realizing the potential risks, the people in charge took a cautious approach.
Construction of buildings above the cavern was temporarily halted to avoid any potential mishaps. An extensive exploration was organized to identify the full extent of the cavern below.
The same team of experts who reported to the king in Bideford were swiftly dispatched once again to delve into the underground depths beneath Phenovia.
Their mission was to chart the underground cavern's size. It was the same order they received from the king earlier.
The skilled and dedicated team wasted no time, and their expertise allowed them to rapidly cover a substantial portion of the underground cavern.
The maps they generated were meticulous, detailing every nook and cranny, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the subterranean landscape.
....
Presently, construction in Phenovia had resumed without any trouble, in stark contrast to the initial challenges posed by the underground cavern.
The project proceeded smoothly with few changes were made to the plan.
Nevertheless, the city gradually taking shape as it meant to be. Even some sections of the city have finished its construction.
At the same time, as the construction is ongoing, mining activities also have been in full swing for the last two months.
The only pioneer in this endeavour was none other than Riz's own company, Gatharix Mining.
Their presence in Phenovia was marked by a relentless pursuit of mana crystals as if there were no tomorrow.
This fervent drive stemmed largely from the demands of the researchers at the Bideford Research Centre, who were eager to experiment with this newly discovered material.
As for the other existing mining companies in the kingdom, Riz had managed to keep the details under wraps, preventing any widespread knowledge of the true nature of the crystals.
To the general public, these crystals were considered nothing more than precious gems, akin to many others gems found.
The secrecy surrounding the mana crystals allowed Riz to carefully control the narrative, ensuring that only those who needed to know the truth were informed.
This discreet approach was instrumental in maintaining stability and security in Phenovia.
The last thing Riz wanted was for the mana crystal mine to become a target for various external forces, including formidable entities like the Sigdean Empire and neighbouring Turtevekesia.
Clink—
Clink—
Clink—
Beneath the ground, a vast subterranean world unfolded, illuminated only by the warm, steady glow of lanterns and the occasional shimmering of mana crystals.
Hundreds of workers toiled tirelessly in this underground realm on behalf of Gatharix Mining.
The scene was one of organized chaos. Miners, their faces smeared with sweat and grime, swung their pickaxes and chisels rhythmically, creating a melodious clinking sounds as metal met crystal.
The air was thick with the scent of earth and the faint, sweet undertone of mana.
Crystals of various sizes and hues jutted from the walls every time miners swung their pickaxes.
Teams of workers operated pulley systems to extract the larger crystal clusters, while others carefully chiselled away at the surrounding rock to unearth the precious gems.
Jason Patterson watched with a discerning eye as the workers laboured tirelessly in the underground chamber.
He had been responsible for Gatharix Mining's operations for years, overseeing countless mining endeavours.
But, the Phenovia project held a unique significance.
Due to the explicit importance placed on this venture by the king himself, Jason had personally journeyed from the capital to evaluate the situation here.
The potential of Phenovia's mana crystals was immense and the demands from the Bideford Research Centre were equally substantial.
Turning to the supervisor beside him, Jason inquired, "How many crystals can we extract in a day with the current operation?"
The supervisor replied, "We are extracting on average several hundred kilograms of mana crystal."
"That's a lot," Jason remarked.
The supervisor explained, "Not really, sir. You see, each of the crystals is pretty heavy, so several hundred kilograms isn't as much as you might think."
Jason nodded, understanding the context. "We'll need to increase our production then."
The supervisor explained, "That would be a hard thing to do. Although these crystals have a wide range of hardness, most of them are quite hard and cause the pickaxes to wear out quickly. We'd need to hire more workers, and the pickaxes will need to be replaced more often, which would increase the operating cost."
Jason made a decisive gesture. "Just do it. I'll talk to the king about this."
"Understood, sir," the supervisor acknowledged, knowing that this matter was of utmost importance to the kingdom's interests.
The supervisor led Jason up to the ground level and into a processing facility.
There, he explained the process involving the mined crystals. They were first cleaned and then sorted by size before being carefully packed into crates for shipment to the capital.
Back at the mine, just after Jason and the supervisor departed, one miner inconspicuously slowed his pace.
In the dimly lit corner of the cavern, the miner cast furtive glances in every direction, ensuring no prying eyes bore witness to his covert actions.
With dexterity, he retrieved a small-sized mana crystal from the pile he just mined. Its iridescent surface gleamed like a shard of captured starlight.
His calloused fingers, accustomed to the delicate touch required in mining, deftly cradled the precious gem.
He knelt down, his body blocking any potential line of sight from curious onlookers.
In the shadows, his heart raced with both exhilaration and trepidation.
Time seemed to slow as he meticulously slid the crystal into a concealed compartment hidden within the sole of his worn-out mining boots.
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