Chapter 14: 40 Days After the Transfer – Ringo’s Diary
Day 40 After the Transfer – A Record of Ringo
The Tree Fortress
The fortress known as The Tree has been operating its second nuclear reactor smoothly, providing ample energy for all facilities. While a backup power reactor would be desirable, there are currently no prospects for one. It has been decided that construction of a fusion reactor will take place once a sufficient amount of resources has been secured.
Three large general-purpose printers are currently operational, alongside several small and medium-sized printers. The raw material cartridges used by the printers are being mass-produced at the replenishment facility, but production is lagging behind demand. This is not due to equipment issues, but rather the difficulty in acquiring raw materials.
Five general-purpose assembly machines, known as Workers, are fully operational, primarily focused on constructing ship docks.
The freshwater generation system is also functioning well. Freshwater is vital for various functions, including those of the Commander, so resources are being extracted to construct a second unit. Additionally, we are incorporating a function to recover rare metals.
Underwater drones are deployed for coastal exploration, with five units in shallow waters and two in deep-sea exploration, currently mapping the ocean floor. Some resources have been discovered, but we are in the process of selecting the most cost-effective locations for extraction.
In the skies, six solar-powered reconnaissance aircraft, known as Swift, are monitoring the area. Four are rotating in a designated airspace while two are surveying the surroundings. One is currently scouting the Northern Islands and the Northern Continent, while the other is being sent sequentially to the east, west, and south to expand our field of vision. So far, nothing of note has been discovered in any direction.
Higher-altitude reconnaissance has been postponed for now due to a lack of resources for manufacturing rockets and the absence of control facilities. This will be reconsidered once we are able to construct offshore facilities.
Construction of naval forces has finally begun. Initially, we are designing high-speed boats to be equipped with missiles, starting the building process. Several parts will be manufactured using the large printer and assembled in the docks. The armory within The Tree holds a significant number of missiles, originally intended for fighter jets and attack aircraft, but since we have nearly dismantled all operational aircraft, we are repurposing them for naval launch. Modifications to the launch mechanisms and reprogramming have been successfully completed.
Machine guns are also being recovered from the fighter jets and attack aircraft to be mounted on the high-speed boats. Furthermore, a 150mm smoothbore cannon was standard equipment on The Tree, and dedicated manufacturing facilities were already in place. We are currently designing a turret to use this as the main cannon, which is expected to penetrate wooden ships or ironclad vessels from a distance of 30 kilometers. While we have yet to confirm any aerial threats, based on the technology level of battleships, it is likely that they only possess biplanes at most. We anticipate being able to directly target and shoot them down with both machine guns and the main cannon.
The Commander
After repeated edible tests, we have acquired a satisfactory variety of meals for daily consumption.
Additionally, detailed research into the characteristics of the fox beastmen revealed a high capacity for calorie intake from fats and proteins. This confirms that we can obtain sufficient energy without the need for staple foods like grains.
Currently, we are exploring safe methods to increase nutrient intake through raw seafood. The leading candidate for safe consumption is radiation sterilization before cooking. While the risks of radiation exposure have been considered, cancerous cells can be immediately excised using the Medical Pod, so as long as daily check-ups are conducted, we have deemed it manageable.
The individual has been muttering, “So this is what it means to be wild…” while consuming raw food, but wild foxes do not eat ocean fish, and a completely sterilized meal is the antithesis of wild living. Incidentally, the reason for considering it “wild” was due to the salty flavor. In the wild, one would not expect a salty taste.
Currently, we are incorporating sautéed, steamed, sashimi, seaweed salad, and seaweed soup into the menu. It seems that the flavors vary greatly depending on the type of fish, and poor combinations can lead to terrible tastes. To avoid repeating the same mistakes, we will continue to analyze the components. We must urgently improve the olfactory and taste sensors.
To prevent flavor fatigue, we also need to consider creating seasonings from fermented foods. Food is a significant aspect of human desire, and neglecting it can lead to stress, so we must focus on its development. For now, we plan to brew fish sauce, as it is easy to source ingredients for.
Northern Islands
The Northern Continent’s military has taken control of more than half of the Northern Islands. Essentially, we can consider the existing local governments to be obliterated. No combat vessels remain, and only sporadic guerrilla warfare is occurring. The towns have been completely razed, and it seems they are also conducting hunts in the mountains. The intentions of the continental forces are unclear; at the very least, they do not appear to be attempting colonization. If that were the case, there would be no need for the massacre of the inhabitants.
Survivors among the indigenous population have fled to nearby small islands. Considering the abundance of seafood, it is unlikely they will starve. The climate is also quite rainy, so access to drinking water should not be an issue. All we can do now is hope that the Northern Continent’s military does not begin a sweep of the surrounding areas.
The Commander was shocked by the devastation of the Northern Islands. Although I intentionally lowered the resolution to obscure detailed images, it still seemed to have a strong impact. We must be cautious.
Northern Continent
The chaos of war continues unabated. The nations sending troops to the Northern Islands appear to be in a state of temporary calm. Within the observable range of surrounding nations, we have confirmed two significant battles have already occurred. Due to the considerable distance, the outcomes remain unknown.
In terms of technology, they seem to be at the level of moving cannons with livestock. While some form of railway has been observed, it does not appear to be widely adopted yet. No motorized vehicles have been confirmed outside of railways, suggesting that miniaturization of power sources has not been achieved. The primary nation of observation occupies about 70% of its territory with a peninsula and is presumed to be a maritime nation. Their navy appears to be quite robust, likely possessing equipment at least one generation ahead of surrounding nations.
Their main vessels feature rotating turrets and navigate using some form of power rather than sails. They seem to have a range sufficient to reach the Northern Islands without resupply. Considering that surrounding nations still rely on sailing ships, they likely hold a significant advantage in naval warfare. The proximity of all their territories to the coast is also a contributing factor to their sustained power.
However, they seem to struggle with food procurement due to a lack of extensive farmland. As they are in conflict with neighboring nations, they appear to be trading with more distant countries to import grains. Given these circumstances, their navy and transport vessels are developing rapidly.
At this point, they are the primary candidate for trade with The Tree Fortress. However, we estimate the likelihood of friendly contact to be only about 20%. We place our hopes on gunboat diplomacy.