Michael didn't even feel the time pass by. It felt like only a few weeks had passed, and yet he was already 11 years old.
This meant that the one-year buffer had finally passed and his parents could finally visit him in the Parched Lands. He couldn't wait to show them everything that he had built in the desert, which most people called a desolate wasteland.
But now, he was able to make a paradise for more than 5000 demi-humans!
Although he kept them up to date with what he was doing, seeing it themselves was a different experience entirely. He wanted them to be immersed in the culture that had been cultivated in this place, as well as the camaraderie built between each and every one of its citizens.
He agreed with them that he would pick them up tomorrow morning using the automobile.
Thankfully, the 'highway' road that connected the Kings region to the Parched Lands was already finished. He could go to the Vanderbilt estate in less than three days, making the trip much easier than before.
He would go back to Kingsbridge City tomorrow, but for now, Michael wanted to look at the state of the nation.
"Boss! Kong is asking for you to visit the train station," Fudge reported, briefly stepping out of his shadow.
"Thanks, Fudge. Tell him I'll be right there in a few minutes," he replied.
Coincidentally, his birthday fell right on top of the Rail system finally starting its operation!
Using the blueprints from ChatJK3, Michael, Kong, and the other engineers in the nation pooled their efforts together to create a working train that used a steam engine.
They had finally finished the last safety checks for the train station just earlier today and were now just waiting for Michael to have the honor of officially turning it on for the first time.
Michael descended into his own shadow and reappeared in the train station they had built on the outskirts of the nation.
He landed on the platform, with the building made out of metal and the ground made out of concrete.
He had the new train on his right side and a crowd of excited spectators on the left. This unveiling of the train station was a very anticipated time for the whole nation, especially for the dwarves, since they could finally visit their homeland in just under a day of travel!
"Please pull the horn, boss! Everyone's excited to see the train up and running!" Kong said enthusiastically.
Everyone cheered and shouted. Michael, not wanting to disappoint them, immediately walked over to the conductor of the train and pulled the string on the roof.
CHOO! CHOO!
As soon as the horn blared, the engine started to rumble as it supplied power to the train. Soon enough, the wheels started turning, getting faster and faster as the seconds passed.
It wasn't long before the train picked up speed and began to race through the tracks, almost disappearing into the horizon.
"Woah!"
"That's faster than a bird!" a kid shouted.
"As expected of our boss! Only he can create such a miraculous machine!" they all cheered.
…
…
…
Now that the train was up and running, the trade and commerce between the Reborn Nation and the Dwarven Kingdom had reached greater heights.
The dwarves bought all the products from the Reborn company using precious metals and gems as compensation.
Their large shipment of raw materials fueled the production of the factories in the nation, leading to more products and more profits.
Because of this prosperous alliance between them, the Dwarven Kingdom has also progressed by leaps and bounds.
All their houses were equipped with both electrical and plumbing systems, making their lives a lot easier.
In fact, the shipment that was on the train leading to their kingdom was actually full of electrical appliances to be sold in the dwarven homes.
Just like the Reborn Nation, the Dwarven Kingdom also wanted to have air conditioners and refrigerators in their homes. The second one was especially important if they wanted their beer cold at all times.
But perhaps the most popular product being sold to the dwarves was the automobiles.
Michael, Kong, and the engineers had made great strides in improving the design of the cars.
They designed two different automobiles. The first one was the normal sedan car, with two seats in the front and three seats in the back. This was perfect for families and personal use. Most dwarves used cars to travel for vacation in the Reborn Nation.
The second design was designed for company use. It was a lot larger, with a lot of cargo space attached to the back. Michael took a lot of inspiration from the trucks in his previous life and used it to create this design.
Many dwarven companies bought these trucks for their businesses. It made transportation of their raw ores and metal products a lot easier, especially within their kingdom.
Of course, Michael had to construct a gas station in the Dwarven Kingdom for them to be able to refill their fuel without having to travel all the way to the Parched Lands for oil.
This led to more and more profits, which Michael used to improve the quality of life and living in the nation.
There were now school institutions for youthful demi-humans to learn about different jobs. There were also hospitals stationed around the territory for those in need. They had everything they needed to be called a proper society.
Of course, there were also stadiums, parks, plazas, and playgrounds for entertainment. It was important for Michael that his citizens played as hard as they worked. Because of this, the competition with the Baseball games in their Nation had become a lot more intense.
This was especially true after Baseball was spread to the Dwarven Kingdom. They nurtured their own team to try and beat the Reborn Nation, making a lot of athletes keep up their hard work or else they would be left behind.
…
Michael floated in the air above the Nation of Reborn and watched everything unfold. He could hardly believe that things had changed so much after only one year. Finally, they could sustain themselves without him.
Michael was finally free enough to explore outwards and try to search for the other GodForge pieces.