226: Disaster Rescue

Chapter 222: Disaster Relief

After he left, Godwin said, "If you want to succeed, you still have a long way to go."

"I understand." Paul nodded.

Godwin had always admired the young man's vitality and drive, as well as his talent and intelligence.

He could see that Paul wanted to make a name for himself in Mist Town.

This was also why he hadn't interfered much just now.

Newt considered himself one of the first to follow the Lord.

This identity was an honor for them, but it also made them difficult to manage.

So, if Paul wanted to make a big impact, he had to gain the approval of these people.

"He's under a lot of pressure," Paul said. "I can tell that the Lord has entrusted him with such an important task, and he doesn't want to mess it up."

Godwin nodded: "No one wants to mess it up.

"The Lord chose Newt to be the Captain for his own reasons.

"Give him some time; he will accept you."

Paul, however, said, "Respect is always earned, and I know that.

"I appreciate your help, sir."

Godwin waved his hand, reminding him, "Don't forget what I told you."

"I remember, everything for Lord Arthur."

"Exactly, everything for Lord Arthur."

"How are things?" Arthur asked Aida Shortfinger.

As one of the few experienced stonemasons in town, the Shortfinger family was Iron Shovel's most capable assistant.

Due to the extremely heavy work of clearing the drainage ditches, the Shortfinger family was dispatched to various construction sites.

Aida Shortfinger and her son, Torin Shortfinger, were primarily responsible for clearing the drainage ditches in the residential area.

"About eighty percent complete, my Lord," the female dwarf replied. "Thanks to the soldiers under Lord Jessica's command for their help."

To speed up progress, Arthur had Jessica deploy most of her soldiers to clear the drainage ditches.

"The barracks have been cleared, and several important residences are almost finished. The remaining parts probably won't be completed in time."

"Is there a risk of collapse?" Arthur asked again.

Most of the houses in Mist Town were old, and once flooded, they were likely to collapse.

"My man is inspecting those houses," the female dwarf replied. "As you ordered, the Townsfolk will be evacuated from the risky areas."

Arthur nodded and instructed Charlotte, his maid, "Go and check on Vanka's evacuation and resettlement efforts.

"Make sure to move all relevant personnel to the townhouses before the rain gets heavier."

Charlotte nodded and quickly departed.

"My Lord, it's already raining. You should go inside and take shelter," Aida said. "We'll keep an eye on things here; you don't need to worry."

"I'm fine." Arthur wiped the rain from his face.

Since after lunch, the rain had been falling sporadically, and its intensity was growing.

Dark clouds completely obscured the sunlight, forcing people to light torches in many places to see clearly.

Everyone was beginning to realize that this would be a terrible downpour.

"Try to clear as much as you can," Arthur said, "but always ensure your own safety."

"Don't worry, my Lord," Aida responded.

All of this made Arthur feel as if he was engaged in disaster relief.

However, he was quite skilled in this area.

The mountainous region where he once worked and lived required precautions against flash floods during every rainy season and typhoon.

During those times, he would visit various places for inspection and work overnight shifts.

"Arthur!" a clear voice called out.

In Mist Town, only one person would address him that way.

Arthur turned his head and saw Airo riding towards him.

As her horse approached, Airo reported, "The last batch of goods for today has been transported back from the Plantation.

"The rain is getting heavier, and I'm afraid of dangers on the road, so I don't plan to go back. What do you think?"

Arthur nodded in agreement.

These past few days, Airo and the Lovich siblings had been leading laborers to transport usable items from the Plantation.

The most important of these were the tools and materials needed for the blacksmith's shop.

"In that case, give us some new tasks," Airo said.

She showed no intention of dismounting, merely awaiting Arthur's new instructions.

Arthur had originally intended for Airo and her group to rest at the inn.

After all, they had just returned from the Plantation, already weary from their journey.

But seeing her demeanor, Arthur understood her thoughts.

He said, "Go to the warehouse, the one that's been converted into a hospital.

"They should still be short-handed there, and your people can fill in nicely."

Airo didn't waste words; after nodding to Arthur, she spurred her horse and galloped away.

No sooner had she left than Nora hurried over, trotting.

"My Lord," the young maid first bowed respectfully, "all floors of the townhouses have been cleared and are ready for people to move in at any time.

"Additionally, Lord Louis asked me to report to you on the supply situation."

Arthur motioned for the girl to move under the eaves of a house to shelter from the increasingly heavy rain.

"Our supplies can last for three days.

"Lord Louis says that given the weather, the next resupply is likely to be delayed.

"So he suggested reducing supply rations."

Arthur told Nora to inform Louis that there was no need to reduce rations; supplies would be distributed as usual, and dining standards would remain unchanged.

Additionally, everyone working would receive extra wine.

"If he has any questions about this order, tell him that I will find a way to solve the food problem."

Arthur had this confidence because today's intelligence indicated that after the heavy rain, the Paw Claw River would yield a good catch of fish.

He had Flora gather the relevant personnel, waiting only for the rain to stop before going fishing in the river.

Besides the fish catch, Xiao Lingdang had also found an uncontaminated hunting ground from the ancient trees in the forest.

That area was deep in the forest and rarely visited due to its remoteness.

Following the route provided by the ancient trees, Xiao Lingdang had already ventured to explore it.

This matter displeased Arthur quite a bit.

He warned the Pixie that in such situations in the future, she should report first and not venture alone.

But the Baron could also tell that the Pixie probably hadn't taken much of his advice to heart.

According to Xiao Lingdang's observations, there were quite a few animals in that hunting ground.

Deer were the most common, followed by wild boars, rabbits, and voles.

These were all extremely important food sources, especially rabbits and wild boars.

Arthur was considering raising some livestock once agriculture recovered.

The two new beast tamers suggested starting with chickens, then gradually trying rabbits, pigs, and sheep.

There was no need to worry about the source of livestock, as the Calimshan people and the Bull Family both had excellent pastures that could provide a large number of animals.

However, Arthur leaned more towards white.

He hoped to domesticate wild rabbits and wild boars, which would save a considerable amount of expense.

He put away these fanciful thoughts and refocused his attention on the matter at hand.

After the heavy rain, he would lead his soldiers into the basement of the townhouses to retrieve the supplies stored there.

This would be another considerable harvest.