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Chapter 472: The Unavoidable Attention on the Heavenly Fortress
Chapter 472: The Unavoidable Attention on the Heavenly Fortress
The Heavenly Fortress!
Today, it is no longer the same as it once was.
Although they never publicized it due to Dong Ping's 'low-key' approach, they had recently swept through the Daimyo's allied forces and crushed the Mist Ninja army, making it impossible to remain inconspicuous.
Upon closer inspection, the major ninja villages were startled by their findings.
They were too powerful!
Not to mention other aspects, their registered population alone had reached a staggering three hundred thousand.
Note that this is the number on the 'registered' records. If you include the merchant groups and temporary population, the number is around five hundred thousand, almost on par with the Leaf Village, and it is rapidly catching up with the capital of the Fire Country, the most prosperous city in the Shinobi World.
The population in the cities of the Shinobi World doesn't increase easily because the more people there are, the more challenging it becomes in terms of food, planning, order, and other aspects.
Take the simplest example of food!
For a population of several hundred thousand, they would need to consume hundreds to thousands of tons daily. How long would it take to transport this amount by horse-drawn carriages?
But the Heavenly Fortress is a port city, which means they can import food from the sea, a much more convenient method than using carriages.
Additionally, they produce their own food, solving half of the burden, which is why they can support such an exaggerated population.
After the last war, they acquired a region with a radius of about a hundred li, directly expanding their territory by more than tenfold.
Well, this was a secret agreement. The Heavenly Fortress got the substance, and the Daimyo got the face-saving.
At the very least, from a publicity standpoint, this was a 'draw.'
Anyway, only the Great Ninja Village knew the truth. Smaller ninja villages might even think that the Daimyo was influenced by the Leaf Village and decided to let the Heavenly Fortress off the hook.
In response, the Heavenly Fortress did not provide an explanation, which was equivalent to 'accepting' it.
The Daimyo had given them too much.
If they hadn't restrained the Water Phantom, various fields, orchards, and pastures would have increased by more than tenfold.
It didn't matter before, but now they genuinely couldn't bring the Water Phantom back.
The Heavenly Fortress is currently under close observation by various powers. If those terracotta soldiers appeared, they would be discovered in no time.
The current Heavenly Fortress is no longer as inconspicuous as it was initially.
Even if they casually release a piece of news, there are no fewer than two dozen spies paying attention, so if they don't want to expose the Water Phantom, they genuinely can't let it return to the Heavenly Fortress.
However, in the closed-off Water Country, with the protection of the Mist Ninjas, there won't be any issues.
So, every day at the Heavenly Fortress, countless people carry farming tools, clearing plants, removing debris, crushing the soil, and mixing it with bird droppings or compost.
When the Water Phantom commanded the terracotta soldiers to cultivate the wilderness, they didn't feel the difference, but when it's done manually, they can truly appreciate the exaggerated gap.
Each terracotta soldier is three meters tall, with unlimited stamina and astonishing strength, comparable to a small excavator.
But what about human labor?
It would require dozens or even hundreds of people to match the efficiency of a single terracotta soldier.
If they could achieve the efficiency of the terracotta soldiers by simply increasing manpower, the Heavenly Fortress would not be stingy with their resources.
However, manpower is not something that can be easily increased.
It's like a construction project; doubling the workforce doesn't necessarily double the efficiency.
It also involves management, logistics, planning, and other aspects.
Even though they have mobilized tens of thousands of people for cultivation, the results are meager.
But it's not a problem; the Heavenly Fortress has plenty of money and resources to invest in cultivation.
In reality, this is the standard consumption for cultivation.
Previously, they were 'cheating' and didn't experience any consumption, not because cultivation doesn't require it. If they were to cultivate like others, they would truly understand how arduous and troublesome it is.
Anyway, Uchiha Yai's people were depressed.
Facing such administrative tasks, they couldn't directly charge in, so they had to leave it to Uchiha Hachida, who was already overwhelmed with work.
Dong Ping and his group returned to the Heavenly Fortress in this atmosphere.
There was no one to welcome them.
They had returned discreetly.
The Radiant Sun had no intention of revealing itself, so at a distance from the Heavenly Fortress, they directly jumped off the ship and boarded another merchant vessel to enter the port.
The Heavenguard Tower, now a bustling port, boasts an impressive daily throughput of over a hundred ships. This transformation is a testament to the commercial success brought about by the Heavenguard Tower.
The primary reason for this success is its 'clean' environment, not in terms of hygiene, but rather the absence of bureaucrats and nobles. In other ports, businesses often have to allocate a significant portion of their profits to grease the palms of officials. The already risky nature of maritime trade, coupled with these additional expenses, dampens the enthusiasm of merchants.
However, the Heavenguard Tower has gradually changed this scenario. The introduction of ironclad ships has significantly reduced maritime dangers. While pirates can be dealt with by hiring ninjas for escort, natural disasters and rough seas are beyond their control. The advent of ironclad ships has brought about a revolutionary change in maritime trade.
Even if the major merchant guilds cannot immediately access the ironclad ships, the emergence of the Heavenguard Tower port has allowed them to experience a highly efficient and clean business environment. Efficiency is remarkably high, and the absence of bribery and corruption is a given once taxes are paid.
It's no wonder that these merchant guilds flock to this port. The profits from buying and selling goods here far exceed those in other places, and merchants can avoid the hassle of dealing with officials and nobles, making it an obvious choice.
Upon reaching the shore, Dong Ping and his group, clad in cloaks, headed towards the distant Tea Mountain City.
"Fresh seafood from the sea, don't miss out!"
"Medicinal herbs from the Mountain Country, guaranteed value for your money!"
"Dried sandworms from the Wind Country, on sale now!"
"Wagyu beef from the Lightning Country, a rare delicacy, last ten tons available!"
Various hawkers shouted their wares.
Commercial Street! This is where the major merchant guilds gather.
Initially, there were none, but as the Heavenguard Tower developed, the guilds began to congregate here.
The rent alone is astonishing, but it's not an issue for these guilds due to the substantial profits from trade.
"No wonder the commercial revenue keeps increasing!"
Hyuga Cangyue marveled at the bustling street filled with merchants.
The thriving business environment has made tax collection a lucrative endeavor.
"The amount of tax collected is solely due to the scale of the operation!"
Dong Ping casually explained.
In reality, the Leaf Village collects far less tax than the Heavenguard Tower, and it's not a matter of systemic corruption or greed. Ninjas, unlike bureaucrats, are not prone to such issues.
The key factor is scale!
The Leaf Village's inland location means that all trading caravans rely on horse-drawn carriages. Even the heavy-duty carriages of the Shinobi World can only carry a few tons each, and a large caravan may consist of just a few dozen carriages, capable of transporting a hundred tons of goods at most.
This is already considered a large caravan! In contrast, a single cargo ship at the Heavenguard Tower can transport at least a hundred tons, and large cargo ships can handle several hundred to a thousand tons.
The more goods transported, the more tax revenue collected.
Therefore, the economic development of port cities far surpasses that of inland cities.
Of course, port cities also face greater security challenges compared to inland cities, so it's a trade-off.
The group arrived at the original Tea Mountain City. After the incident with the joint envoy, the original Heavenguard Tower was destroyed, and a new building has been constructed.
The design remains a replica of the Hokage Tower, but the symbol has been changed to the Blazing Sun.
Dong Ping has begun to let loose.
The Hokage Tower represents the authority of the Kage.
Today, he dares to use the Hokage Tower, and tomorrow, who knows what else he might do.
Inside the tower, Uchiha Yai faced a dilemma.
(End of Chapter)
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