Chapter 62: The Second Fortress and the Worm
The Second Fortress (name undecided) is currently in the midst of its foundational construction.
To support the main structure above ground, columnar structures are being embedded deep underground. The depth reaches up to 50 meters. Due to the relatively brittle composition of the lava rock covering the surface, it was necessary to create supports down to the bedrock layer located 40 to 50 meters underground. At present, excavation is underway, and high-strength concrete is being poured.
Since the required depth exceeded initial expectations, the cement stored at The Tree was only sufficient for the foundational work. However, as a result of boring surveys, limestone was discovered in the surrounding underground. This means that cement for construction can be procured locally through mining. Consequently, mining equipment is being constructed in parallel with the foundational work.
Typically, when creating a concrete foundation, rebar is used; however, due to a shortage of steel, carbon nanotube fibers are being utilized instead. Normally, the cost difference between rebar and carbon nanotubes is astronomical, but given the current lack of iron, there were no other options. Nevertheless, the reinforcement effect provided by the carbon nanotubes has allowed for a reduction in the amount of concrete used, which is a silver lining in this unfortunate situation.
“To use carbon nanotubes as aggregate, we needed to develop specialized equipment, but it will not go to waste since we can utilize it in the future,” Ringo stated.
According to Ringo, if rebar were used, the general-purpose manufacturing system could be repurposed, but there was no way to accommodate carbon nanotubes, necessitating the production of a dedicated concrete foundation pouring device. This device is currently busy erecting foundation piles while consuming the supplied materials at the bottom of the excavated vertical shaft.
By the way, since short carbon nanotube fibers are mixed into the concrete, its color has turned quite dark. Just a side note.
In parallel with the foundational work, boring is being conducted for geological surveys of the surrounding area. Having confirmed the distribution of limestone, they are now digging to see if there are any other resources available.
As a result, a large-scale lava deposit was discovered a few kilometers inland. Unfortunately, the iron content is not particularly high, but it seems that metal resources such as nickel, copper, chromium, and platinum can be secured, according to the survey results. It is believed that a depression formed by lava accumulation allowed these metal resources to settle at the bottom. Additionally, the surrounding lava rock composition contains iron components like iron oxide, suggesting a high likelihood of an iron ore deposit existing somewhere nearby. Since iron is relatively light compared to other metal elements, it is presumed to have migrated to another location after precipitating in the upper layers due to tectonic pressure. Investigations around the discovered deposit are ongoing.
There are also plans to introduce an Element Accumulation Device to conduct large-scale excavation of the lava rock, removing the primary component, silica (silicon dioxide), to collect other elements. Considering the processing volume, a significantly large facility will need to be constructed, but by tossing in the surrounding stones, useful elements such as aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium, and titanium can be extracted. Simultaneously, a large amount of silica will also be produced, but if it is solidified and returned to its original location, there should be no waste disposal issues. The problem lies in the fact that processing requires a massive amount of energy, necessitating the expansion of the fusion reactor.
“I definitely want to introduce this Element Accumulation Device, but it will consume a large amount of construction materials, and we need to expand the large facility and energy reactor… The required resources exceed those of the Second Fortress,” Eve said.
“Yes, Commander. However, this is the minimum processing capacity, so I recommend at least five times the scale. That would be equivalent to seven units of the Second Fortress,” Ringo replied.
“That’s quite overwhelming.”
After careful consideration, it was deemed premature. Instead, they wanted to redirect resources towards constructing an underwater platform. At the very least, iron oxide deposits have already been discovered on the seabed, albeit at depths below 1,000 meters.
To mine the discovered vein, a large excavation device is currently being constructed. Since the deposit was found at a relatively shallow depth, they plan to proceed with open-pit mining. The plan is to blast the vein and then rapidly excavate using a massive rotating bucket. Nearby, refining facilities will also be constructed to process various metals into ingots. The produced ingots will either be consumed by the manufacturing system within the Second Fortress or transported to The Tree for use. Once this series of facilities begins operation, the resource balance of The Tree is expected to improve dramatically.
“Commander, once this gets underway, there will be so many things I want to create…” Olive, the Fifth Daughter, said.
“Oh really? Hehe, then shall we write a list of things you want to make?” Eve replied.
Amidst this situation, Olive successfully managed to sweet-talk her older sister, Eve. With her passion for crafting, Olive rarely made selfish demands, so when she took this approach, Eve was easily swayed. By the way, this was Ringo’s suggestion.
The cement used for the Second Fortress will be extracted from the limestone vein. Since it is completely buried underground, a tunnel will need to be constructed. A small shield machine is currently making its way toward the vein. Once they reach the vein, a conveyor belt will be laid out, allowing for continuous ore extraction.
After production, the cement will be mixed with aggregates and property adjusters, then transported to the construction site as fresh concrete. Essentially, a large quantity will be needed at once, so large transport vehicles equipped with mixing devices are being prepared simultaneously. There was no particular advantage to making these construction machines multi-legged, so they opted for wheels for mobility, which was met with disapproval from Commander Eve. Ringo chose to remain silent on the matter.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the current situation of the monster, the Worm.
“Um, I’ve gotten a bit bigger, Commander,” Utsugi, the Third Daughter, said.
“It’s starting to poke its head out just by getting closer, Commander,” Erika, the Fourth Daughter, added.
They were successfully feeding it. Utsugi and Erika took turns caring for it during their free time, and it seemed to be growing well on the fish they provided. According to Ringo’s observations, it appeared that the Worm was not consuming anything other than fish. The fact that it can grow on fish alone suggests that a lack of food variety is not an issue. Whether this is due to a simple body structure, an efficient digestive system, or some other reason remains unclear, but it seems that it can grow by consuming the remains of other creatures. However, it had previously survived underground without food, indicating that the processes of sustaining life and growth might be separate. It is also possible that it was living off stored nutrients, so a definitive conclusion cannot be drawn.
“We have managed to secure some body tissues that are believed to have shed during its growth process, and they are currently under analysis,” Ringo reported.
“What about its genes?” Eve asked.
“They have been detected. In the preliminary analysis, there were no similar patterns found, so it cannot be matched with known organisms,” Ringo replied.
The discovery of genes suggests that it possesses a biological structure that is known. The fact that it is not a life form that does not require genes is already a significant finding. Since it is confirmed to be a monster, if they can identify something that cannot be analyzed in comparison to known organisms, it could be inferred that it is composed of some magical mechanism.
“If possible, I would like to capture other individuals for dissection,” Utsugi said.
“We’re looking, but we can’t seem to find any,” Erika added.
“It seems we need to venture further inland to find them,” Utsugi concluded.
If they could use the Albatross for exploration, it would be quicker, but currently, it is fully engaged in ore detection and topographical mapping, making it unavailable for the lower-priority task of locating the Worm.
“How about deploying electric-powered drones? If they have a range of a few hundred kilometers, we could operate them even if they are rechargeable,” Erika suggested.
“Yes, Commander. That’s correct. While equipping them with detection equipment will consume power, they should be usable within a range of about 100 to 200 kilometers. Until the Microwave Power Transmission System is operational, let’s conduct surveys with small drones,” Ringo confirmed.
“Commander, I want to make a drone,” Olive chimed in.
“Oh, really…?” Eve responded.
Thus, instead of repurposing existing drones, it was decided that Utsugi, Erika, and Olive would develop a specialized drone for Worm exploration. Since these three had never teamed up before, it could provide a refreshing challenge. The amount of materials available would be monitored by Commander Eve and Ringo, allowing the three sisters to freely (and whimsically) begin their designs.