The problem of 200,000 skilled workers could not be solved in a short time, and Alex and 32 did not dwell on it.
After discussing the general issues, the two of them took an Arvus Lighter together to the factory under construction on the planet's surface.
This is a common, loyal, and reliable light transport vehicle in the Imperium, used continuously from the Great Crusade Era to the 42nd Millennium.
Although it is just one of many void-faring shuttles in the Imperium, many factions, including the Imperial Navy and various Rogue Traders, are loyal users of this small spacecraft.
The reason is simple: in addition to its excellent performance, high cost-effectiveness, and compact flexibility, one of its greatest advantages is its wide range of applications.
Whether serving as a ferry between void ships, an orbital shuttle between space orbit and the ground, or for transporting goods and personnel in dangerous areas on a planetary surface, this light and flexible small spacecraft can safely and quickly deliver its cargo or personnel to their destination.
More importantly, the structure of this type of lighter is very simple, and the cost of production, manufacturing, and modification is very low, which is why it has been widely used within the Imperium's territory.
Of course, due to its overly simple structure, things like energy shields are out of the question.
This shuttle lighter isn't even equipped with any weapons for self-defense or combat.
The Arvus Lighter only possesses the most basic navigation equipment, external sensors, and proximity alarms, relying on two rocket propulsion engines to carry heavy loads and depart a planetary surface from its atmosphere.
If one had to describe it, it's a brute-force space pack mule.
But precisely because of its simple structure, it can be designed to be more robust and durable, and a cabin capable of carrying 12 Astra Militarum personnel is sufficient to accommodate the required personnel and goods, making it the primary choice for various Imperial factions and departments in terms of rapid deployment.
As for the travel of high-ranking officials, the more suitable choice is the Aquila Lander, which embodies the luxury and comfort of Imperial transportation.
The difference between the two is roughly equivalent to the gap between a Jinbei van and a Toyota Coaster.
After landing on the planet's surface in the Arvus, Alex had already changed into his void suit.
Although Rostov III has an atmosphere, it is not suitable for human survival, so a void suit with life support and protective functions is required for outdoor activities.
At this time, the planet's surface was still undergoing structural reinforcement of the continental shelf, which is commonly known as foundation piling.
Giant steel components, thousands of meters high, are produced from the forge ship in space, then transported to the construction site on the planetary surface, where engineering machinery larger than a Titan installs them in place, and finally, Low-ranking Priests perform the blessing ceremony.
The entire process is filled with the rugged, violent industrial aesthetic; the powerful technology of humanity in the 40k era, and the barbarism and religious superstition brought about by the loss of civilization and technology during the Age of Strife, are most vividly demonstrated at this moment.
"Speaking of construction here, do we need to drive living piles?" Alex suddenly had this strange thought for some reason.
The so-called 'living piles' are one of the various bizarre urban legends from the 3k era; although proper civil engineers know that this is completely unreliable, burying a person would require the entire project to be torn down and rebuilt, but the folk tales are very convincing.
And in the 40k era… if it really worked, neither the Ecclesiarchy nor the Adeptus Mechanicus would mind burying something in the ground when laying foundations to ensure the smooth progress of the project and its protection from Chaos corruption.
"Uh, theoretically, no." After thinking about it, 32 still answered truthfully: "Although those four bad things in the Warp are highly corrosive, their erosion of buildings is generally very low.
However, if it were truly necessary, burying the ashes of an unnamed saint, for instance, could indeed effectively prevent Chaos corruption."
Hearing 32's answer, Alex's eyes darted around, and he quietly asked, "Then should we get some?"
"I think we should just stick with this; there's no need for these…" 32 thought about it and still rejected this suggestion, which was actually quite legitimate in the 40k era, explaining: "The Adeptus Mechanicus is quite resistant to this; if you do that, they will consider you to have defiled the omnissiah and the sanctity of machinery."
Hearing this answer, Alex smacked his lips.
Although he felt a bit regretful, he didn't insist.
After all, even though he knew it would certainly be useful, some things aren't simply done just because they're useful or because he wants to do them.
The scale of the intercontinental factory was simply too vast; after Alex and 32 inspected one construction site, moving to the next location even required them to continue riding the Arvus Lighter.
And once this factory becomes operational, workers commuting from their residential areas to the factory floor will be equivalent to someone living in Xinjiang, taking a train to Nanjing every month for work, and then, after getting off the train in Nanjing, needing to transfer to other transportation to reach Shanghai for their workstation.
Such a massive factory's production capacity naturally justifies its astonishing scale and consumption.
However, while Alex and 32 were inspecting the factory, 32 suddenly asked Alex a question: "Have you considered expanding this factory into a Hive City in the future?"
This question was a bit abrupt and seemed to come out of nowhere; at first glance, how could an intercontinental factory be connected to a Hive City?
But for the Imperium in the 40k era, this is actually quite normal.
Because such a massive factory requires a huge population, and the corresponding service facilities will inevitably occupy a large amount of space and land on the planet.
One of the residential areas designated by 32 for this intercontinental factory already has an area equivalent to the entire administrative division of Chongqing in the 3k era.
If the factory continues to develop and expand in the future, the residential areas will naturally need to expand accordingly to accommodate more people.
If one does not wish to completely urbanize the entire planetary surface, or hopes to build more compact cities and pursue a more promising development, then developing residential areas and factories towards the direction of a Hive City is a very normal and reasonable thing to do.
But Alex had some reservations about this.
"Planning a Hive City is certainly necessary and beneficial for the development of the Sub-Sector, but…" Alex paused after saying 'but', then changed his tone and said helplessly: "You understand the situation of the Rostov Sub-Sector; out of the thirteen star systems, not even one has been fully developed yet, making it impossible to support the operation of a Hive City."
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