Castle of Black Iron

This Is My World

Ever since the first time he saw the “Spirit Energy” attribute, Zhang Tie is very curious about what it is and cannot wait to investigate further. Like how he opened the panel of the other attributes, he pressed on the protruding words and a log pops up in front of him.

Compared to the information within “Merit” and “Basic Energy” previously, the information provided by “Spirit Energy” increased Zhang Tie’s understanding of this world.

Like the previous two attributes, the theory within the log shocked Zhang Tie greatly, he repeatedly read the log for more than ten times, finally obtaining some enlightenment in his mind.

Now he understands why many people like green, it is because green is the color of plants, and the presence of plants means there is spirit energy, there is food, there is water, everything required to survive. The greener a place is, the more plants there is in that place, which means more creatures can live and thrive in that area.

As he thinks about it, a desolate and empty desert when compared to a hill covered in a green forest, which place is more suited for humans to survive and reproduce? It is naturally the latter because it represents more survival resources, more spirit energy, or in another way of saying, it has more potential energy.

A small seed planted on a ground will transform into a towering tree after a few years. After thinking about it, isn’t this a very mystical thing. Without soil, the seed is still a little seed but with soil, the state of the seed will undergo an earth-shaking transformation, it is all from the potential energy released after combining the two.

Plants converts the material and energy, namely fresh air and the invisible spirit energy, into food that could be absorbed by humans and animals, nouris.h.i.+ng all life.

The Law of Universe and Natural Balance, from Zhang Tie’s perspective, is the process of harmonious interaction between the material world, plants and all creatures. The plants will unceasingly provide spirit energy to the creatures, while the creatures will protect and ensure that the plants ability to create spirit energy is not hindered or create a suitable environment for the plants.

It was mentioned by a teacher in school before, that the reason why the human world before the Cataclysm deteriorated and eventually collapsed, is essentially the result of humans constantly destroying the law of nature and the universe.

The humans of that time are arrogant and answered to none, treating everything in the natural world and the universe as resources and objects, instead of treating these things as family or partners that they depend on for survival, they plunder and destroy at will. The constant taking without giving resulted into a long chain of serious problems.

This is also the main reason why several extremist religious groups treated the Cataclysm and the Star of G.o.d as a new beginning for humans while the school system refers to the Cataclysm and the Star of G.o.d as a human disaster. This is because the former views the Cataclysm and Star of G.o.d as objects that ended the wrong methods of humans and provided humans a chance to have a fresh start.

After reading the first entry and reflecting on the information, Zhang Tie s.h.i.+fted his gaze to the second entry.

After reading the second entry, Zhang Tie felt that he has unlocked another secret of this mysterious s.p.a.ce and became very happy about it. A few sprouting potatoes can produce 0.3 units of spirit energy for the Castle in just one night. Does that mean that for other plants, such as the candlenut trees* outside his house.
(Cuppa: Candlenut trees, as its name suggest, produces seeds with high oil content that can be used to make candles, here’s the link for more details:  he did not have much knowledge about the different plants and varieties but Zhang Tie feels that regardless of his knowledge, a tree should be able to produce more spirit energy than some potato sprouts, this is just plain simple logic.

Of course, regarding the difference between tree varieties and which is better than the other, Zhang Tie is unable to find the answer. However, as he swept a glance at the empty s.p.a.ce in front of him Zhang Tie decided to toss this issue to one side first, this matter is not important yet. All that matters now is that there are plants growing.

As Zhang Tie is making plans in his head, a lot of weird and strange ideas began to form but he decided to temporary hold them off as there are still many secrets hiding in this Castle that needs discovering and understanding first.

After closing the “Basic Attributes” window, Zhang Tie thought he should check a previously locked function, “Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation”.

Last time when he clicked on the function, the system displayed “The Three Major Reserves within Castle of Black Iron is currently at 0. Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation function disabled.”

Since his three major reserves are now no longer empty, Zhang Tie wonder what surprise will this function give him.

Indeed, as he pressed on the “Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation” b.u.t.ton. Three submenus was displayed:

The “Underground Layer” and “Underwater Layer” b.u.t.tons are grey, from his experience, Zhang Tie reckons that they are still locked and unable to be used. Therefore, he looked at the “Earth Surface Layer” b.u.t.ton instead and pressed on it.

A three-dimensional square about 30 centimeters in dimension appeared in front of Zhang Tie, on closer examination, this is a miniaturized map of the s.p.a.ce within the Castle. The information displayed is also very detailed even the sc.r.a.p metal he planted on the ground could be seen.

Feeling that the map in front of him can be turned for a more comfortable view, Zhang Tie tried using his hand to give it a spin and as he guessed, the display started turning towards the direction he pushed. Zhang Tie got very excited and kept turning the display, looking at his Castle from every direction, all 360 degrees of it.

Not only is the display able to turn, it can also expand and contract itself. By spreading his hands like opening a curtain when touching it, the map will expand in size. If he does the opposite, the map will contract instead.

In addition, he can also change the point of view displayed by using his hand to drag the display at any direction, allowing Zhang Tie to view the map from different angles and check every single detail on it

This is so much fun! Zhang Tie is currently feeling the joy of playing with a magical new toy, his hands cut the air as it went all over the place, controlling the three-dimensional map as he expands it one moment and contracts it the next, fiddling with it with every possible method he can think of.

Only after more than ten minutes has pa.s.sed did he finally stop and thought about the “Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation” function, it is absolutely impossible that this function is just a simple eye candy.

After thoroughly searching the three-dimensional map and not finding any b.u.t.tons on it. Zhang Tie began to ponder, when suddenly, a row of words displayed in front of him as he thought of the word “Creation” in his mind.

Huh, that is easy. Zhang Tie decided to try immediately, he s.h.i.+fted the map to view in from a 90-degrees angle from the top and stared at an area on the left corner of the map, visualizing a pond slightly bigger than ten square meters.

Slowly, a pale blue shadow began to appear on the area being stared by Zhang Tie. The shadow is still blurry but the look and shape is the same as what Zhang Tie has created in his mind.

Visualizing is an activity that consumes a lot of his spirit and with Zhang Tie’s current abilities, he is still unable to project the details of the pond perfectly, resulting in the current pale blue and blurry appearance of the pond.

As Zhang Tie “squeezes more juice” from his mind and finds himself still unable to perfectly create the pond, a message displayed in front of his eyes.

What more can he say, Zhang Tie pressed Yes. The pale blue virtual pond finally stabilized, it looks the same as what he visualized but is even more natural looking than the one he ‘imaged’, even more vivid looking too.

Looking at the pond, Zhang Tie released a long sigh, although his pride is slightly hurt but he got to admit, the system did a much better job than him.

He has been visualizing the abacus while practicing > and Zhang Tie knows with his current abilities, visualizing an abacus is already barely pa.s.sable, to visualize a pond…… he should forget about it.

After confirming the newly created landscape, the so-called manual configuring, is much simpler. By using the same method as controlling the map, Zhang Tie can adjust the size, width and length of the pond, it is even possible to change the direction but for other finer details, it is not possible in this mode.

Even though there are limitations, the Castle’s “Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation” function has already displayed its interesting and convenient capabilities, totally beating Zhang Tie’s expectations.

This function in Zhang Tie’s eyes has converted the Castle of Black Iron into a super fascinating big toy, it is too d.a.m.n interesting.

Zhang Tie felt happy beyond belief, nearly to the point of hopping on the spot. As his smile is about to reach his ears, a row of words appeared above the pond that brought him down to earth.

Proceed with creation?Yes / No

Create my a.s.s! Looking at the pitiful digits in his Castle attributes, Zhang Tie nearly went into tears. With his current progress, even if he finishes every single house ch.o.r.e, cooks all the meals, washes all the laundry, he will only gain 3 Merits per day. Won’t he need at least two years to acc.u.mulate 912 Merits*?
(Cuppa: For those who are curious like me, I did a math a.s.suming he earn all the possible Merits over each weekend and 1 Merit on the weekdays he is not working part-time. ((3 Merits x 2 weekend) + (1 Merits x 3 weekday)) x 52 weeks x 2 years = 936 Merits…… and no, I am not whatever you are thinking right now)

The Spirit Energy is still achievable, that few sprouts breaking from the ground has created some hope in Zhang Tie. He can bring in more stuff in the future, as long as there are plants, the spirit energy will steadily increase and acc.u.mulating it will not be a problem.

The deal breaker is the Basic Energy that requires a staggering 56879 units, that two pieces of yellow iron ore he threw weighs about 500 grams in total and provided 0.2 units of energy. To reach 56879 units of Basic Energy, won’t he need to find at least 140,000 kilograms or 140 tonnes of that stuff and bring them to the Lake of Chaos to reach the required energy.

The cold “truth” reminded Zhang Tie that this big toy called the “Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation” is not something he can afford to play on a whim.

The Castle’s system seems to be abiding to some sort of strict Laws of “Equivalent Exchange”, if Zhang Tie is unable to provide enough resources, the system will not be bothered about what he wants.

To obtain anything in here, you will not only need to use various things but also expend a huge amount of effort to be able to exchange for it. There is no free lunch in this world, even if you are “The Handsome and Stalwart Castle Lord”.

This big toy is not as simple as it seems!

Since this is the current situation, then forget about it. Zhang Tie decide to focus on the functions that he is within his limitations for the moment.

After closing the “Dimension s.p.a.ce and Terrain Creation” function, Zhang Tie pressed on “Lifeforms and Species Management”……