Chapter 318

Chapter 318: Zhuba Town

In March, the dry season in South Sudan brought scorching heat to Zhuba Town, which was once the capital of South Sudan (Juba). Zhuba Town is a small village situated on the west bank of the White Nile, and it is considered the most "prosperous" area in South Sudan. Historically, it served as a stronghold for the Ottoman Empire for missionary work and slave hunting before being abandoned. Over time, local inhabitants settled in the region, but their relatively good life was short-lived as the East Africans arrived.

Amid the oppressive heat, Andre, the mayor of Zhuba Town, sought refuge in the shade of a tree, fervently fanning himself to stay cool. He lamented to Levins, the military chief of Zhuba Town, "I didn't expect it to be so hot here, and people might die!"

Levins reassured him, "Don't worry, the rainy season will arrive in a little over a month, bringing cooler weather."

Although Levins offered words of comfort, he knew that even during the rainy season, South Sudan's temperatures wouldn't improve significantly. In comparison to its neighbor, North Sudan, South Sudan's climate was challenging. Despite being next to the Sahara Desert, over 95% of South Sudan's land fell within humid and semi-humid regions. However, due to its higher altitude, South Sudan experienced temperatures hotter than the East African plateau area and even surpassed the coastal regions of East Africa. On the hottest days, temperatures could easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius, creating a sweltering environment, quite unlike the dry heat of the Sahara Desert.

Levins continued, "For now, we're stationed here, and our daily duties mostly involve supervising black slaves at work. What more can you ask for? This is much better than being an ordinary villager in North Great Lakes Province before you joined us."

Andre countered, "I became the mayor of this town through my own efforts. Besides, there's probably no mayor in East Africa who's worse off than me. If our town loses its No. 100 leader, it might not even have the population of a village in the East."

Levins chuckled, "Hehe, don't be too dissatisfied. I heard an immigrant group passed by here a few days ago. There were only about 40 people in their group, even fewer than ours. Unless something unexpected happens, I might end up accepting your leadership after all!"

The immigrants Levins mentioned were headed about 40 kilometers west of Zhuba Town. Unlike Zhuba Town, which had historical significance from the Ottoman Empire, this destination was a simple indigenous village, making it likely that a village would be established there.

Andre remarked, "It's about 40 or 50 kilometers away, so it will take at least two or three days to send a message there. They might need all the luck they can get."

While the two men conversed, black natives, under the watchful eyes of East African soldiers, continued to clear vegetation from the land using primitive stone tools, cutting down trees and weeds.

Progress in the development of Zhuba Town had been slow due to the inefficiency of this work model. It was still in the stage of land consolidation, relying on over 2,000 slaves captured from the local area. These slaves toiled tirelessly, gradually clearing the land of vegetation and stones.

Through their labor, the arable land in Zhuba Town had expanded more than sixfold since East Africa first took control of the land. Several groups of local inhabitants had been replaced in the process.

The slaves piled stones aside, while the trees and weeds they cleared were stacked together. After a few days of sun exposure, East Africans set fire to the pile. Once the smoke cleared, it left behind plant ashes that were then scattered onto the fields.

In addition to land clearance, this practice helped drive away animals, particularly snakes, creating a safer environment for future East African immigrants and agricultural production in South Sudan.

The land reclamation process in South Sudan bore a strong primitive character, characterized as "slash-and-burn farming." Due to a lack of iron tools, the development of South Sudan heavily relied on slaves, a resource that seemed virtually unlimited. Periodically, the East African Army would venture out to capture new slaves along the Nile River to replenish their numbers.

Only East African immigrants possessed the necessary iron tools for cultivation. Currently, the supply of these tools was ensured from Zambia and Zimbabwe in the south of East Africa. As a result, South Sudan had to make do with what they had.

Andre noted, "We need to clear an additional 700 acres of land before the rainy season arrives in order to avoid complications when it starts raining. We'll need to work extra hard in the coming month to complete this task."

As Andre planned the town's upcoming tasks, a black laborer, who had worked for five hours under the scorching sun of over 30 degrees Celsius, suddenly lost consciousness in the field.

East African soldiers rushed to check on him. While he was still breathing, he appeared to be suffering from heatstroke. They promptly moved him to a nearby puddle to cool him down, a situation that the soldiers were all too familiar with.

The abundant rainfall and water sources from the Great Lakes, such as Lake Victoria, had created extensive swamps and forests in the upper reaches of the White Nile. This climate and environment made South Sudan particularly suitable for rice cultivation, meeting all the necessary conditions.

However, the initial challenge lay in land development, and it remained the most arduous task. Had South Sudan been situated in East Asia, it might have been developed much earlier. But this was Africa, where for millennia, local indigenous populations had not developed agricultural civilizations. Instead, neighboring regions like Sudan, Egypt, and Abyssinia had historically provided guidance on farming techniques.

Despite South Sudan's ideal agricultural conditions, the local population, traditionally nomadic, had not harnessed the land's potential. The area wasted water, heat, and land resources. Even in the 21st century, South Sudan was importing fruits and vegetables, which was considered a disgrace for an African nation. Currently, South Sudan was teeming with various wild fruits, yet these items were still being imported.

The low-efficiency agricultural development model hindered South Sudan's progress in its previous life. Much of its wealth from oil resources ended up being squandered due to ongoing conflicts and the need to purchase food, weapons, and luxury goods. This prevented significant improvements in South Sudan's infrastructure, hydropower, and roads. Despite being an oil-producing nation, South Sudan was one of the poorest countries in Africa. It was rich not only in oil but also other valuable resources.

To put it simply, South Sudan had frequently blamed the oppression of northern Arabs for its underdevelopment before gaining independence from Sudan. However, post-independence, internal conflicts and chaos ensued. It appeared that South Sudan's standard of living had not improved for the average citizen. Comparatively, the situation resembled that of Somalia, where warlords had dominated. East Africa had now intervened, seemingly bringing an end to the chaos.

(Note: The chapter ends here.)