CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 266: NIGHT-BLOOMING JASMINE OF BLACK STONE SLOPE

Upon arriving at Black Stone Slope, the group disembarked from the train.

This was Li Banfeng’s first time at Black Stone Slope. Not long after getting off, he sensed the distinct aura of the city.

The air of Black Stone Slope was different from other places. Having the Hundred Flavors Delicate Skill, Li Banfeng could profoundly perceive this difference.

Pants Belt Pit had a slick sweetness, Hai Chi Ridge carried the fragrance of food, Iron Gate Fort had a unique tranquil atmosphere, and Greenwater City wafted with a heady scent of luxury.

The smells at Black Stone Slope were even stronger and could be summarized into three main types: the smell of smoke, the smell of ash, and the odor of machine oil.

The sky here was noticeably gloomier than elsewhere. Exiting the station, a glance around revealed chimneys everywhere, tall and short.

In an age when electricity could not be widely used, steam was utilized to its fullest potential, and coal was the most important "ration" for Steam Engines.

Black Stone Slope boasted three main products: iron, stone, and coal.

A portion of these products was transported to various locations in Puluo State, while another part was processed locally into goods.

This determined Black Stone Slope’s unique nature; it was a very pure industrial city.

Xiao Chuanzi had arrived a step ahead and already found lodgings for everyone. While Li Banfeng was still looking for a vehicle, Xiao Chuanzi had the transportation ready.

It wasn’t a horse-drawn carriage, nor a rickshaw, but a steam car.

The steam engine pulled two carriages, traversing narrow tracks as it wound through the streets and alleys.

Isn’t this just a train?

The only difference from a regular train was that this one was smaller, so small it could drive into alleys.

Black Stone Slope was such a city. Unlike the extensive, well-connected roads of Greenwater City, here all roads had become railways. Although it was noisier and the air quality poorer, one could always catch a train right outside their door.

This reminded Li Banfeng of the light rail in Yuezhou City. However, the light rail was electrically powered, which somehow felt less impressive than a steam train.

Xiao Chuanzi said, "I’ve been told by the workers here that Greenwater City also wanted to build railways in the city, but those rich folks objected. They found it too noisy and too dirty. I don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s just a bit of coal dust. That’s all floating particles; how dirty can it get?"

Xiao Chuanzi was a Craftsman Cultivation, and to him, Black Stone City was practically a sacred land for cultivation. He grew incredibly excited as he introduced each location, even though, from the outside, these buildings looked nearly identical: dense, simple, and with rough lines.

The Little Train traveled for over forty minutes before stopping at a station. Everyone disembarked one after another and reached the residence Xiao Chuanzi had just purchased.

For the time being, let’s call it a residence...

The place was large.

Once through the main gate was a yard, and within the yard stood a massive object over twenty meters tall.

This huge object was, overall, a grayish-white cube. Various pipes of differing thicknesses were distributed across its surface, and next to it stood a chimney even taller than the object itself.

To the layman, it might look like a building, but those in the know would recognize it as one of the core devices of the steam age, formally known as a steam generator, commonly called a boiler.

Beyond the boiler and further inside, Li Banfeng saw scattered parts and semi-finished machine tools on the ground.

The parts and machine tools were covered in rust. Li Banfeng turned to Xiao Chuanzi. "Is this the residence?"

It was clearly an abandoned factory.

Scratching his head, Xiao Chuanzi said, "Seventh Master, finding the kind of residence you wanted in Black Stone Slope wasn’t easy. You mentioned it needed to accommodate over thirty people, be sufficiently discreet, and not draw too much attention. Only a place like this would be suitable."

Li Banfeng frowned and asked, "Live where? In the factory building?"

"Not exactly. There are living quarters behind the factory building."

The factory’s backyard had a three-story building. The First Layer contained a dining hall, a bathroom, and toilets, while the Second Layer and Third Layer each had over a dozen rooms.

In Black Stone Slope, there were many such factories, and the residents were mostly workers.

The workers spent their days laboring in the factories and their nights sleeping there. After starting families, they would bring their families to live in the factories too, rarely leaving them.

Did they not have their own recreational lives apart from work?

They did.

Go to a cinema for a movie.

Have a drink at a small tavern.

Buy a newspaper and take a short break.

When they had money, they’d visit special places for special services.

When they didn’t, they’d buy a magazine for some personal time.

The workers’ time was precious. Ballrooms, theaters, salons, banquets—these things weren’t suited for them.

Entertainment suitable for workers had to be time-saving and economical. This was also a major reason why the book and newspaper industries were particularly developed in Black Stone Slope, as these items were inexpensive, convenient, and effective.

Li Banfeng said to the writers Bai Qiusheng and Yu Wenqi, "Both of you have stayed in Black Stone Slope and are familiar with the local rules. Go take care of the formalities tomorrow. Start a newspaper office first, then a magazine publisher."

"Formalities?" Bai Qiusheng shook his head. "That’s not necessary. In Black Stone Slope, having a printing press is enough to start a newspaper office."

Yu Wenqi said, "Starting a magazine publisher is a bit more complicated. You need a camera."

Li Banfeng expressed surprise. "A single printing press is enough to start a newspaper office?"

Bai Qiusheng replied, "Yes! We’ll write the articles tonight and do the layout tomorrow. If you arrange for someone to buy the printing press, we can probably make tomorrow’s evening edition."

Li Banfeng stood dumbfounded for a moment. "The newspaper office isn’t even open yet, and you’re talking about tomorrow’s evening edition? Are you joking? What will you write about? Do you have any news?"

"News is easy," Yu Wenqi replied. "We’ll just copy a couple of articles from the major newspapers. Our paper will mainly sell commentary and stories. People can read news anywhere, right? The key is that our content must be compelling!"

"’Fabricate things?’" Li Banfeng still didn’t understand. "Who’s going to buy a newspaper filled with made-up stories?"

The two writers weren’t sure how to explain, so Xiao Chuanzi said, "Seventh Master, let me take you to see the newspaper carts, and you’ll understand."