A black carriage, reinforced with metal plates, moved smoothly along the road toward Stella City. Inside, Ethan observed the landscape through the window.
On both sides of the road, the trees were beginning to change color. Some still displayed the deep green of active growth, but others had already adopted more muted tones, signaling a transition between seasons.
He had left the development of electrical generation in the hands of the technical team at the underground workshop. Before departing, he made sure everyone understood the operating principle and the manufacturing method. They didn't need to master the full theory; it was enough for them to apply it correctly.
He didn't expect engineers overnight. If someone showed talent in specific areas later on, he would then train them more deeply.
For now, his destination was Stella City.
The journey proceeded without incident until the carriage reached the outskirts. It had been some time since he had returned, and the changes were visible.
Outside the city, fields stretched in all directions. The color was uniform and healthy, although still at an intermediate stage. Young crops, well organized, showed no signs of pests or poor management.
The old wooden wall that surrounded the city had been dismantled. In its place, a new perimeter was being marked, covering an area of approximately 10 km².
That would be the initial expansion limit. In his original planning, Ethan considered building a perimeter wall, like in most cities in the cultivator world. In his time, such structures were no longer necessary, but here, the constant threat of beast hordes made them a logical investment.
However, the project was not yet feasible. A quick calculation showed that nearly 500,000 sacks of cement would be needed just for the basic structure. Considering that each sack contained about 50 kg, it was too heavy a load for current production. Moreover, there were more urgent priorities, housing, industrial facilities, basic infrastructure.
For now, the limit was marked with checkpoints and watchtowers placed at regular intervals. Concrete and steel fortifications were built at key points, including checkpoints on the entrance and exit routes. The perimeter was reinforced with barbed wire sections, arranged to deter any unauthorized intrusion.
Every individual passing through the main road was detected in advance. Those who tried to enter through unofficial routes, via the nearby forests or mountains, were intercepted by Astralis patrols and brought to the checkpoints.
The main reason was weapons control. Ethan could not directly ban the use of swords, spears, or other melee weapons. In this world, for most people, carrying a sword was a form of personal security, a minimal guarantee in case of encountering beasts or bandits. More than offensive, it was a survival tool. A measure of peace of mind.
However, that did not exempt the city from taking precautions.
Every individual entering armed was recorded in the entry and exit control log and warned of the internal rules. Within the limits of Stella City, drawing any weapon was prohibited. Weapons had to remain sheathed and covered with visible cloth. Displays or provocations were not tolerated.
Violation of these rules resulted in immediate expulsion by Astralis soldiers. In more serious cases—attempted murder, confrontations, public disturbances, or resistance to authority—the offender would be detained and sent to the dungeon under charges of disturbing public order.
Thanks to these measures, order had been reestablished in Stella City. Unlike other cities where it was common for mercenaries to get into drunken fights in streets and taverns, and where guards usually arrived late or simply did not intervene, here the rules were clear and the authority was visible.
When Ethan crossed the city, the change was evident.
On the outskirts, tents and provisional structures were still visible, but permanent buildings were already beginning to take shape. On the main street, on both sides, two-story buildings rose, intended for businesses. Taverns, tea houses, clothing shops, bakeries, and household goods stores.
Ethan moved through the southern entrance of Stella, the current commercial zone. The street was designed mainly for pedestrian and transport circulation. In the future, this axis would be consolidated as the city's main economic corridor.
Beyond the commercial area, toward the southwest, began the area defined as the temporary industrial zone. According to the plan projected by AION, basic workshops, smelting furnaces, and initial processing warehouses would be located there.
Ethan had ordered the smelting and refining of iron, common steel, copper, and other base metals. The resulting ingots would be sent to Omega Zero, the only place with the technical capacity to manufacture more complex components at the moment, screws, threaded rods, nails, precision parts, weapons, and machinery.
This industrial zone, however, was provisional.
Ethan did not plan to keep it near Stella for long. He knew well that development would bring inevitable byproducts: smoke, waste, odors. He had no intention of allowing his main city to end up polluted like the industrial metropolises of his previous world.
In the future, he would build another city dedicated exclusively to large-scale production. An isolated manufacturing zone, with its own energy infrastructure and independent transport routes.
For now, this was sufficient.
The northeastern, northwestern, and southeastern zones of Stella were currently designated as residential areas. Most buildings were one or two-story homes, organized in regular areas. Some basic shops were scattered along the main streets, covering immediate needs such as food, clothing and daily use items.
Ethan had defined that the two main avenues, north and south, would function as commercial corridors. These roads would cross the entire city, allowing efficient distribution of goods and controlled movement of people. If adjustments were required over time, they would be made.
Upon reaching the city center, the carriage stopped in front of a wide open area. This was the central zone of Stella, restricted exclusively to Astralis personnel. Here would be located the future government building, strategic facilities, and eventually, Ethan's official residence in the city.
The designated area covered approximately 1.5 km², about 15% of the total surface defined in Stella's first development phase. In the long term, the city would continue to expand, but this core would remain as a control zone.
A perimeter fence of iron marked the space, with four access points at the cardinal directions. Each entrance was guarded by Vesper soldiers. Regular patrols secured the perimeter. Civilian entry was not allowed.
Ethan stepped down from the carriage and surveyed the area.
For now, the main construction would be postponed.
Instead, a structure had been built in the southeastern sector of the compound, a five-story building, wide and elongated in design, with horizontal proportions reminiscent of a modern administrative complex. It was made of reinforced concrete and steel, and its exterior facade was a clean white, slightly textured, reflecting the light and giving it a sober yet distinguished appearance.
The building showed a careful design, the lines were straight, the edges angular, and the elongated windows, symmetrically distributed, provided visual balance. The entrances were outlined with dark metallic frames, contrasting with the light color of the structure.
The surrounding area was covered with trimmed grass. Only a straight, medium-width concrete path connected the main entrance to the rest of the sector.
The interior was designed for administrative operations: offices on the lower levels, meeting and planning rooms in the middle floors, and on the top floor, a residence for Ethan.
That would be his operations center for the time being.