European Financial Emperor

074 Embers of War (1)

The opening ceremony of the North-South railway was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The railway is owned by the Dutch government, and East Stellar has the highest stake.

East Stellar has all the operating rights, and Lee Hwan contributed a significant portion of the railroad profits to the Netherlands to run the business.

Officials and nobles from various countries, as well as King Willem I and Richard Ben-Herren, were present at today’s event.

Lee Hwan climbed on a podium at the Amsterdam train station in the Netherlands.

“Then we will begin the opening ceremony of the Dutch North-South Railway.”

Today’s train station was just a ticket office, chairs, and a few shops selling food.

Although it was this simple, the operating manpower was systematically equipped, and guards with live ammunition were deployed.

Perhaps in the next few years, the government will be able to build a new history to show off its wealth and attract more guests.

Lee Hwan introduced East Stellar’s first train, ‘Central Stellar No. 1’.

“This is Central Stellar No. 1, the ambitious work of our East Stellar Company. In the future, Central Stellar will serve as a key route in Europe, going back and forth between the Netherlands and North Korea.”

He had already said that he would make and operate a train in England, but it was not very efficient because the line was very short and consisted of a steam engine.

In terms of fuel efficiency, it was well ten times behind, and the speed was also the highest at 25 km/h.

Now, the British have lost the technology of Eaststellar to the point of being unable to catch up even after waking up.

People couldn’t help but cheer enthusiastically when they saw a heavy diesel powered train, not a crude British train powered by coal.

“You mean trains that run on liquid fuel? That’s great! Such a monstrous vehicle would be created!”

“Everyone get on the train.”

The true value of trains lies in their running.

When the nobles gathered at the event finished boarding, Lee Hwan started driving the train himself.

The railroad surprised those who had only ridden wagons all their lives.

The eyes of the people riding the train traveling at 75 km/h could not help but widen.

There were even people around me vomiting in the prepared paper bags because the train was so fast.

That’s why the speed of 75 km/h was a technology that could be called a wonder at the moment.

Hwan Lee, who left his seat with the engineer and came out to the room, explained how the current technology would be used in front of nobles and merchants.

“In the future, we will be running with loads on locomotives. If the engine was more efficient, it could run faster than it is now. It’s still an early model, so it can run 7-8 km with 1 kg of fuel, but I think it will be able to run with much less fuel in the future.”

“Um, is it that great?”

Jumping over the steam locomotive and running with a locomotive equipped with an internal combustion engine from the very beginning, people did not realize how much progress this was.

Hwan Lee explained very simply.

“Think of a steam engine ship running on coal. It’s not efficient enough to have to run while shoveling coal. On the other hand, Central Stellar just fills the fuel tank with oil and it’s done. With 50 kg of oil, you can travel 350 km. Do you know how much difference they make with the same weight?”

“… … Huh! Then I saw that They say that if you put about 1kg in, it moves about 1km, so isn’t this almost a miracle efficiency?”

The efficiency of converting fuel into energy is around 10%, so even if you have a lot of fuel, it is absurd to use it properly.

However, the diesel engine is easy to fuel and the fuel efficiency is also quite high, so even if it is a super model like now, it cannot compete with a steam engine at all.

Now, based on this, Lee Hwan was planning to receive an order for the railroad.

“Business is enough, as you have already seen. We have won orders for road construction in each country, and construction for them is in progress. If you want to build a railroad track, we can do it for you.”

“What is the price?”

“It costs more than road construction. There is a lot of iron and there is more equipment to operate.”

“Uh… … .”

“But, as you can see, I am proud that the railroad is much better in terms of the efficiency of running with loads or carrying people. I can dare say that the efficiency of investment is higher with railroads.”

Aristocrats and wealthy people often look for things that can enhance their wealth and honor even more than they are now.

The railroad will bring them great wealth and honor in the future.

The audience has already started robbing their pockets, possessed by a magician named Lee Hwan.

“We will do our best to use East Stellar’s railroad in the UK in the future!”

“Can you build some for us in France too!”

There was a lot of fuss about signing a contract here and there.

The expressions of King Willem I and Richard Ben-Herren as they looked at it were full of satisfaction.

But it didn’t end there.

Hwan Lee has not yet explained all the merits of the train.

After arriving at the next station, Utrecht, he said to the guests, pointing to the telephone poles that he saw through the window.

“These utility poles provide electricity to each station. It also enables communication at the same time.”

“communication?”

“Maybe those of you who came to the telegram business briefing last time will remember. It means that telegraphy is based on electricity.”

“okay. They said that as long as there is a wire, communication is possible anywhere.”

“That’s what these fronts are today. Wires run along the rails connecting the train station and the train station, and that wire is responsible for transmitting the telegram.”

“iced coffee… … !”

“Now, with the opening of the railway, the telegraph business will begin in earnest. If you need a hypothesis, please contact us.”

Even if you do not have deep knowledge, you will be able to know just how much innovation the telegram will bring in the future.

In Europe these days, a single silk can make you a nobleman, and even the rookies who gained fame like that felt that the future value of the telegram was so great that it was not necessary to explain it.

“Okay, then, we’ll get the contract after we go back to Amsterdam.”

Eaststellar, who agreed to sign a railroad and telegraph contract along with the railroad opening ceremony, had 50 receptionists, but could not even leave the place because of investors all day long.

The number of railway and telegraph business applicants counted so far are Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.

Lee Hwan’s strategy was that the construction cost suggested to them was four times the level of road construction, and a slight discount was possible if the entire telegraph was installed.

With such a discount, not only each country, but also individual entrepreneurs and local maintenance workers were clamoring to do business.

Thanks to this construction, Lee Hwan earned twice as much as the road construction only in advance payment.

The reason Lee Hwan confidently won the order for road and railroad construction was because his heavy equipment had developed to that extent.

Lee Hwan, which already possesses bulldozers, rollers, and excavators for ground clearance and leveling, was well developed about 20 times compared to the UK’s road construction technology.

Even if the construction was done during the same period, it would take 20 years in the UK, but Lee Hwan said that it could be completed in one year.

In a word, it meant that the British under the world could not even reach Lee Hwan’s toes.

Lee Hwan decided to immediately dispatch heavy equipment to the country where he wants to build.

“Let’s dispatch the construction equipment and start construction right away.”

“How do I get the money for the construction?”

“Receive the full amount in advance.”

“all right. Then we will dispatch the equipment and at the same time recover the funds.”

The future is where the money will go.

It would make sense to start with enough money and plan for the next one.

Lee Hwan defended the lack of liquidity in the first place and proceeded with the work.

***

In November, the Blackmaul mercenaries shipped 40,000 ES-1s aboard the Weststellar.

Together with him, the facilities of the arsenal and arsenal were loaded onto the ship as part of the division of the East Stellar Company.

Lee Hwan received a report before departure.

“Recent naval engagements have been significantly reduced. However, it seems that they are struggling to develop trade routes around the settlement.”

“Doesn’t the gang of thieves appear more often?”

“Criminals from Europe and outlaws from Mexico are churning through the West. In addition, clashes with Indians are quite severe. Fortunately, there are fur traders, so it’s better if you only follow a set path.”

Fur traders in North America are active in rescuing people in crisis as they live a life cut off from the outside world.

One problem was that, since they lived a very isolated life, the probability that Eaststellar’s journey would be saved by them was extremely small.

“Then it wouldn’t be easy to pave the road and drill a track, would it?”

“Yes, it is. The operation is being conducted in such a way that one company is defending one tool at a construction site, but recently the swarm of thieves has grown in size, often creating holes in the defenses.”

Lee Hwan did not understand at all.

The mercenary corps is an elite force, and the bandits are just a group of wanderers who are just messy.

It was certain that they would be annihilated if they attacked anyway, and if they were lucky, the bandits would be disbanded, and they would be handed over to the nearby government with only their lives.

Why do you keep doing such dangerous things?

“How much damage are we doing?”

“When bandits attack, they focus on women first. As you know, in the new continent, there is a brutal business that sells women as prostitutes, isn’t it? That is why, when a raid occurs, one or two people are always abducted. Of course, our mercenary corps stalks the bandits right before they die to find out where they are going, but sometimes they can’t find it.”

“… … They are f*cking bastards.”

“That is why these days, among the Black Hammer mercenaries, there are a lot of proposals to create a specialized unit to search for abducted women.”

Lee Hwan was in the process of forming a search party for exploration.

It was to find more gold mines by steadily organizing the latter group of gold mining expeditions that had recently left for North America.

Now, I thought that I should increase the size a little and form a task force to find people.

He directed New Ritterkirk to organize a police force.

“Organize a police force dedicated to security, and scout out and scout some of the most talented fur traders in North America. It is to nurture professional manpower who live on a salary as a member of the East Stellar Police Corps. They said they would pay compensation if they visit someone.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Sometimes, humans do not hesitate to oppress and extort their own people for their own self-interest.

North America is certainly a land of abundance, but behind it lies the filthy greed of man.

Although it is important to recruit professional manpower, Lee Hwan thought that securing the safety of trade routes was the most urgent.

“Let’s include a division-level subjugation unit in the main unit departing from Ritterkirk in February next year. Let’s dry out the seeds of the bandits altogether.”

“So, what do the Indians do? Do they subdue them too?”

“In principle, we will establish diplomatic ties with indigenous peoples. They won’t come out aggressively unless they’re hurting their homeland.”

“Well, at the time the Spanish army was stationed, there were many Indians who were friendly with them. Even now, there are quite a few tribes who want to trade with Western countries.”

“We are not a religious group, so it would be a lot better for building intimacy with the Indians.”

The reason that the United States and Western countries have been in constant conflict with the Indians of North America is because of greed.

In Europe, they indiscriminately oppressed and slaughtered Indians in order to monopolize furs, cigarettes, sugar, and rubber sold at high prices, so there was no good relationship.

Of course, the recent atmosphere was creating an atmosphere that made diplomatic and commerce with Indians a principle and respected their human rights.

However, in the unexplored lands of North America, battles often take place between self-proclaimed civilized people and indigenous peoples.

Lee Hwan came from North America for industry anyway, not to monopolize fur or crops.

“Are there Indians around our settlement?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Get someone who can speak and create a market for barter. Once you get to know the Indians, it will be a lot easier to keep them safe.”

Indians are not deceived by gold.

From their point of view, it’s because gold doesn’t help them to live in the backcountry.

Lee Hwan decided to make a lot of necessities necessary for life and put them out in barter.

“Let’s increase the production department of East Stellar’s daily necessities to make and sell items that are of great help to the lives of Indians.”

“What sector should be improved representatively?”

“If you give me cotton or cotton products, I think they will like it. It would be nice to give some iron tools or tableware.”

“Um, I guess it is. Then, let’s come up with ideas that will be helpful for life in North America.”

After completing the report, the firearms supply advance team departed for the United States.