Chapter 446: Chapter 431: Hundred Forms of Living Beings_2
Escape was not a choice they had, but if given other options, they would not have chosen this path.
Therefore, when the salesman and owner of Sigug Shipyard came to promote the Flying Survival Airship, these nobles were tempted.
Even if it cost more, even if they had to wait in line, for these nobles, being able to head to the Northern Territory in a relatively dignified manner and transport some valuable items unsuitable for sale using the Flying Airship was very enticing to them.
After all, even if they bought a ship ticket, the luggage they could bring on board was limited, and they certainly couldn’t take all of their noble assets and cherished possessions.
Rather than struggling to buy a ship ticket and squeezing onto a steamship, it was better to travel on their own Flying Airship, carrying enough wealth and assets, and thus elegantly arrive at the Northern Territory.
Especially for some nobles whose lives had become dependent on servants and who couldn’t live without their service, the Flying Airship was undoubtedly more capable of carrying more servants along with them to the Northern Territory, and this was more important to them than bringing more valuable items.
As a result, the business at Sigug Shipyard did not suffer from the news of the impending apocalypse; instead, it became even more bustling.
The owner of the shipyard was not a stingy person. He offered his workers triple their wages, demanding they work overtime to rush the production, aiming to complete both the existing and new orders before the apocalypse.
This was a bittersweet situation for the workers at the shipyard.
The pain was undoubtedly due to the exhaustion from overtime work. Before the apocalypse, they worked hard, and after the apocalypse, they worked even harder. It felt like the apocalypse was more of a relief.
Some workers undoubtedly could not withstand such intense labor, quitting their jobs and causing disturbances in various ways.
However, the owner of Sigug Shipyard was not indulgent with these people. Through the connections of those nobles waiting for their ships, a team of City Guards and police was stationed outside the Sigug Shipyard specifically to maintain the shipyard’s safety.
For those nobles, this shipyard was their hope of reaching the Northern Territory alive, so how could they allow it to be destroyed?
Even just affecting the timeline was unacceptable!
In addition, the owner of Sigug Shipyard also understood that if you want the horse to run, you must feed it well. So the workers’ wages rose to five times, with extra overtime bonuses.
Not only that, but the owner also managed to secure extra rations for the workers through the nobles’ connections. As long as they diligently completed their daily tasks, each shipyard worker could receive enough grain to feed a family of three for a day.
This was like a shot in the arm for the shipyard workers!
In this critical time before the apocalypse, money was not important. The Empire’s economy had already fallen into a severe collapse, and even in Langton, it was becoming difficult to buy things with money.
But food was tangible; even those low-quality old grains were still food! They were the things that could keep one alive and fill the stomach!
As an engineer at Sigug Shipyard, Pittsburgh had a deep understanding of this.
As an engineer at the shipyard, building luxury items like yachts, Pittsburgh’s income had always been quite substantial.
At that time, he could even call himself middle class because he did have some assets. Not only did he buy a small villa in Langton, but he also had some savings, his wife’s brother was managing a small shop for him, and his wife and children at home all loved him, making Pittsburgh feel very happy with his life.
In fact, Pittsburgh’s life at that time could indeed be considered happy.
However, after the news of the apocalypse was announced, there was no more laughter in Pittsburgh’s home.
First, it was his wife’s brother, who was managing the small shop when he was murdered by robbers. His body was torn to shreds, and the robbers even cruelly ate his thighs and arms. When the police found him, there was only a half-cooked head and incomplete body parts, along with unrecognizable bones mixed with others.
This huge blow undoubtedly plunged Pittsburgh’s wife into immense pain, shattering the once beautiful and delicate woman.
If it weren’t for the children needing care at home, she might have collapsed already.
Yet even so, it was difficult for Pittsburgh to take good care of his family. He was just an engineer, not strong enough to scramble for food at the grain store, nor could he bring himself to collect relief food.
Although Pittsburgh’s family still had some savings, money couldn’t buy things anymore, or rather, Pittsburgh lacked the ability to use money to buy things.
Watching his wife and two children grow thinner and his young son cry until he was too weak to cry anymore, Pittsburgh felt a deep sense of despair.
He contemplated ending his life several times but ultimately couldn’t bear to leave his wife and children, failing to go through with it.
He also attempted to find a way to get a spot to go to the Northern Territory, but this was Langton, the core capital of the Victor Empire. Talents were in abundance, so how could he possibly compete for a spot?
During this time, people approached him, trying to persuade him to join certain organizations or coaxing him into joining some clearly dubious cults.
Fortunately, before he fell into the abyss, his boss came up with the idea of the Flying Survival Airship, reviving Sigug Shipyard, and allowing Pittsburgh to get his life back on track.
Despite being exhausted and dead-tired from his daily work, when he brought home the daily rations and looked at his wife, who, while still without the previous laughter, had become strong again, and at his daughter, who had become more well-behaved and sensible than before, and at his son, who could laugh out loud again, he felt it was all worth it.
Therefore, when someone came again to persuade him to join some organization that planned to attack the shelters built by the church, he flatly refused.
Not only that, but the next day he reported this matter to the police at the entrance of the factory on his way to work.
This information quickly rose through the ranks, directly alerting Perfikot and Eldest Princess Annie.
Under the attention of these two big figures, the intelligence department quickly figured out the cause and effect of the matter and located the organization’s lair.
Already overwhelmed by the various complicated paperwork, Perfikot personally led the operation to eradicate this organization. Not only that, but for the first time, she also wore a set of Steam Knight armor and personally entered the battlefield, smashing the heads of several thugs who attempted to attack her.
"Whew~!" When the battle ended, Perfikot removed her helmet, feeling relieved and letting out a long breath.
The complex paperwork had given her significant work pressure, and although the battle didn’t entirely vent her frustrations, she felt much more refreshed and ready to return to work.
However, there was always something to ruin her hard-won good mood. An intelligence department staff suddenly approached her, reporting, "Count, we have found something for your attention."
As he spoke, he handed a letter to Perfikot.
Taking the letter with her blood and brain matter-stained iron gloves, Perfikot only glanced at it before feeling her anger boil.
The letter’s content was simple: some nobles believed the apocalypse crisis was merely the Empire’s alarmist talk or thought it was a good opportunity, attempting to stir up a riot in Langton, inciting people to attack the Empire’s government, and overthrow the existing order and so on.
Under normal circumstances, Perfikot would not have paid any mind to this. Since the apocalypse news was announced, such incidents had occurred in Langton more than once.
But this letter mentioned poisoning the grain at relief points to create large-scale unrest, inciting the public’s dissatisfaction with the Empire’s government. This undoubtedly hit her right where it hurt.
"Find this person, and I want him flayed alive!" Perfikot was consumed by rage, and even the Steam Knight armor she wore was transformed into a terrifying shape by her anger, demonstrating her fury at that moment.