Chapter 143

Although Keqing was full of questions, she still agreed.

She even said:

"Fine! I'll go and talk to Baiwen."

Since Takumi said so, she decided to speak with Baiwen, though she wasn't sure if others would agree.

After settling this, Takumi turned to Shenhe.

"Shenhe, how's the recent research on Zhenjun's side? Has most of the automatic production equipment been completed?"

Takumi had not allowed Cloud Retainer to be idle; he had given her plenty of tasks, such as developing various production lines. She, along with a team, had been working on these projects.

Hearing Takumi's question, Shenhe nodded.

"A lot of things are already done. The radio was completed a while ago, and the production line for mobile phones has recently been finalized. Otherwise, production wouldn't be so quick."

Takumi nodded in approval. In the past, both radios and mobile phones had been made by hand, which significantly slowed down production. But with an automated production line, things would move much faster.

Once Liyue's demand was met, they could start considering exports.

After reporting this, Shenhe continued:

"Also, the shipyard has been built. It was fully renovated today. Would you like to take a look?"

Shenhe's words made Takumi raise an eyebrow. Had it really been completed?

He hadn't been paying much attention to the shipyard's progress.

"Alright! I'll go take a look later. After making arrangements for the shipyard, I need to head to Mondstadt."

With that, Takumi got up and left, while Keqing and Shenhe proceeded with their own tasks.

Keqing first went to inform Baiwen about what Takumi had instructed.

After hearing Keqing's words, Baiwen's mouth twitched slightly.

"Is this really a good idea?"

Lumine'er?

Of course, she knew who that was. That woman was outspoken, and her words were always thought-provoking—though she was serious in nature. Was it really a good idea to let her host a late-night talk show?

Keqing nodded. "That's what Takumi said anyway. If you have any questions, go ask him. I'm leaving now; I still have a lot to arrange for the sales."

With that, Keqing left, leaving Baiwen to handle the matter on her own.

Feeling somewhat helpless, Baiwen thought it over before deciding to ask Lumine'er if she was interested.

Better to call her over first and then discuss the details.

Besides, Takumi's reasoning seemed sound. If people had nothing to do at night, a late-night radio show might be a good way to engage them. It might even help boost Liyue's population.

As Ningguang's secretary, Baiwen was well aware of Liyue's population statistics. While the land was vast, frequent monster attacks had caused casualties, leading to stagnated population growth. Even though monsters had been largely eliminated in recent years, population growth remained slow.

That wasn't ideal.

A larger population would allow more progress in various areas.

With this in mind, Baiwen sat down and made her decision. She immediately got up, left, and drove towards Liyue Harbor to meet Lumine'er.

Meanwhile, Takumi rode his bike to the shipyard.

The roads were becoming busier, with more people returning to their original homes. Occasionally, cars could be seen driving along the streets.

Nearby commercial streets were also becoming livelier, with more people shopping. Even teahouses had started to open, some featuring storytellers who entertained guests with their tales.

Business was booming.

At lunchtime, construction workers would often come to eat or take breaks at these establishments.

As Takumi rode his motorcycle, many people looked at him with curiosity. He paid them no mind and headed straight to the shipyard.

On the way, he passed by the school. Several houses had been built in the area, and some were already being renovated. Other locations were still having their foundations laid.

It wouldn't be long before this place was fully developed.

Perhaps, it would be ready in time for the Rite of Parting ceremony.

Upon arriving at the shipyard, Takumi noticed how much it had changed. A long wall surrounded the entire facility, enclosing a vast square with factories. Near the wall stood a massive warehouse, designated for Beidou's fleet. Inside lay the shipyard itself.

Beyond the central square, a pier extended into the water, designed for docking newly built ships, as well as Beidou's own fleet.

A significant amount of human and material resources had been invested here—several times more than in other places. Ningguang placed great importance on this shipyard, which explained the large-scale investment.

Upon seeing Takumi arrive, the Qianyan Army guards stationed at the entrance quickly stepped aside.

After nodding at them, Takumi drove straight inside.

Outside, a Qianyan soldier immediately pulled out his radio to notify the person in charge.

As Takumi advanced, he observed the surrounding environment.

It was well-constructed. Materials for shipbuilding were already being transported in.

Before long, someone emerged from the buildings to greet him.

Seeing this, Takumi rode over.

"Greetings, Lord Takumi."

"Hello, Mr. Takumi. I am Jiang Ji, Director of the Maritime Safety Administration and the current head of the shipyard."

Jiang Ji was a serious-looking middle-aged man. Takumi nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hello. I'd like to take a tour of the site to see how it's progressing."

Jiang Ji nodded and replied, "Lord Takumi, please follow me. The facility is essentially complete. We're just waiting to begin operations."

With that, he led Takumi on a tour of the shipyard.

The place was massive. Workers were already preparing the area, most of them shipbuilders from Liyue Harbor. Many small and large shipyards had been acquired by Ningguang and merged into this grand project.

They were now awaiting Takumi's designs before starting construction on the battleships.

However, the upcoming ships were to be made of steel, something the shipbuilders were not used to. This made them uneasy, as they had never worked with steel before.

Nonetheless, it wasn't a major problem—some training would resolve the issue.

Alongside the shipbuilders, experts from the steel industry had also been brought in.

Everything was in place, ready for the next phase of development.