Magnus Valorion couldn't help but exclaim, "Goodness! Upgrading the warehouse costs so much silver."
All the silver he had amounted to just seventeen taels, and those were with Galen Veritas. "Once the city walls are secure, I'll need to find a way to make some money to upgrade the warehouse."
Feeling both exhausted and relieved, Magnus got up from the lounge chair and called two teams over. He led them to a suitable spot and instructed, "You all dig a well here. It'll be convenient for everyone to access water."
An experienced well-digger, John Carter, spoke up, "My lord, with my years of well-digging experience, this place doesn't seem like it will yield water. Judging by the soil, we'll hit hard rock before digging ten feet deep, making it impossible to continue."
"No matter. Just dig. I'm confident we'll find water here," Magnus said with unwavering confidence.
Magnus was the mayor and the great benefactor of the people of Green River Town. Who dared disobey him? If the lord commanded a well to be dug there, they had no choice but to comply.
"Perhaps only when we hit impenetrable rock will the lord relent," thought John Carter to himself.
As predicted, after digging a bit over six feet, they encountered a hard, iron-like rock. John Carter hurried to report this to Magnus.
"My lord, we dug as you instructed and hit a rock hard as iron just below six feet. We can't dig any deeper. Shall we try another spot?"
Galen Veritas, ever the loyal aide, couldn't bear to hear this peasant questioning Magnus and angrily rebuked, "You impudent fool! What status do you hold to question the lord? Magnus Valorion has..."
Magnus waved off Galen's tirade, stopping him from saying something foolish. Realizing his near-mistake, Galen corrected himself, "He has read ten thousand books and traveled ten thousand miles!"
Magnus had chosen this spot for its proximity to the construction site, making it convenient for everyone. Now that they faced the rock obstacle, he needed to see it for himself.
"Take me there," he commanded.
John Carter, head bowed from Galen's scolding, led the way. Magnus followed and soon found himself at the partially dug well, about six feet deep and just as wide.
Without hesitation, Magnus leaped into the well, surprising the workers still inside, who quickly moved to steady him.
Magnus took a shovel and tapped the hard stone beneath. The resulting clanging confirmed its solidity.
Unable to jump down due to his age, John Carter descended slowly on a rope, with Galen following behind.
The well was only about sixteen square feet. With Magnus and two workers already inside, it felt cramped when Galen and John Carter joined.
"Galen, go back up. It's too crowded here," Magnus ordered. Reluctantly, Galen ascended, leaving room for John Carter to approach Magnus with his professional advice.
To John Carter, Magnus was far more approachable and understanding than his aide, Galen.
"My lord, this rock beneath us is incredibly hard. From my experience, it's at least the size of half a house. I suggest we move the well to another location," John Carter advised.
Magnus understood the situation. The rock was indeed a massive granite boulder. It was almost impossible to break through with just shovels and picks. But Magnus had no intention of moving the well.
Not only did he have the system's infinite water source, but moving the well would imply his leadership decisions were flawed, undermining his authority. To avoid this, Magnus decided to spin a tale.
"Have you ever heard of the Spring Stone?" Magnus asked, seeing the confused faces of his workers, including John Carter.
"No, my lord," they replied, puzzled.
"Legend has it that in ancient times..."
In a village by the sea lived a loving couple. The husband, a fisherman, went out to sea daily to make a living. His wife, deeply in love, waited on the shore for his return every day.
One day, a sudden storm hit, and the husband never returned. Day after day, the wife stood by the sea, looking out, hoping for her husband's return. Despite the harsh weather, she never wavered, hoping for a miracle.
As time passed, her body weakened, but her spirit remained unshaken. Eventually, she turned into a stone, forever gazing out to sea, expressing her longing and loyalty. This stone was later called "Wife's Rock."
Moved by her story, the villagers decided to honor her memory by moving the stone to a holy mountain...