Volume 2: Empire Chapter 142 Prototype
Luke admired Darikova in the hot spring. Her hair was spread in the water, covering her important parts. Her blue eyes made her look like a Persian cat.
"Today is not an ordinary gathering of steam engineers," said Luke.
Darikova used magic to create a thin layer of mist on the water surface, then she floated up slightly, resting her hands on the edge of the bathtub, and the water in her shoulder sockets was dazzling.
“The Steam Engineers’ Gathering organized by Editor-in-Chief Morsong is definitely not an ordinary gathering. I also saw many disguised Ice Cave agents here, and General Vaughn and Advisor Donahue came to visit unexpectedly.
You must have discussed some state-secret technology.”
Luke saw a plate of grapes next to the hot spring, so he picked some and ate them: "We are discussing a highly confidential weapon, and I have been assigned a key job in it.
The job I'm going to give you is related to war machinery. How is your war machinery driving skill?"
Darikova said confidently: "As a former ace field operative of the Ice Cave, mastering the operation of all mainstream weapons is the most basic skill. War machines are like playing with children's toys to me."
"How's your magical coordination?"
“This is another one of my specialties!”
"Very good, you passed the interview. The weapons I will be responsible for developing in the next stage will require a war machinery tester. You should prepare and report to my laboratory tomorrow."
Darikova didn't expect Luke to hire her after just asking two questions. She asked hurriedly, "What kind of weapons are you testing? Usually, when developing new weapons like this, there will be full-time weapons testers."
Luke threw a grape into his mouth. "I think it's better for me to select the weapon tester myself. I need to collect data on the new weapon again and then compare it with the previous data."
Darikova asked again: "Why choose me?"
Luke smiled and said, “Among the people I know, you are the only one who is proficient in driving war machines and coordinating magic, and your combat experience will be of great help to the practicality of new weapons.
I will still pay you an hourly wage of 1,000 ALT coins per hour. When you don't have any testing tasks, you have free time.
Is that okay?
"No problem." Darikova agreed .
Then Luke said, "Due to job changes, my laboratory and my personal safety require the involvement of Bingku . Please help me make an appointment with Chief Hulkkin. I need to talk to him."
Hearing about Helkkin, Darikova's expression was obviously unhappy: "Why did you ask me to make an appointment? You can go find him yourself."
"I don't like places like the Ice Cave, and it's not appropriate for me to go there so often. Just do me a favor. After all, I'm your boss now."
"Okay..." Darikova had no choice but to agree, and then said to Luke in a charming way: "Would you like to come in and take a hot spring bath together? Editor-in-Chief Morson's hot spring manor is very famous throughout the Art County Federation. If you can take a hot spring bath here, you can brag about it for the rest of your life."
Luke stood up, looked down at Darikova, and said with a smile: "Being able to take a hot spring bath with me will be enough for you to brag about for the rest of your life, but such a good thing will not be easily obtained by you.
This place belongs to you.
Editor-in-Chief Morsong has collected several books that I would like to read. I will wait for you in the library."
Seeing Luke walk out without hesitation, Darikova couldn't believe it. She couldn't help but doubt her own charm: "Could it be that I am not as good as a cyborg security guard?"
Darikova lay back in the water, but she was feeling a little uneasy and had no intention of enjoying the hot spring anymore. She reached out and took the clothes from the hanger.
Luke returned to the library and walked around the bookshelves. He asked the manor servant to take out a few steam-related books for him, and then found a secluded place to read them attentively.
Not long after, Darikova also came to the library. She did not disturb Luke who was reading, but just sat quietly beside him, her eyes looking fascinated.
In her eyes, Luke, who was wearing glasses and concentrating on reading, had an indescribable charm.
His temperament is very different from those impetuous dignitaries. He is like an old-fashioned gentleman, which is very rare.
Vartasky came over with tea and sat down, saying to Darikova, "It can be seen that you like Engineer Luke very much."
Darikova immediately withdrew her gaze from Luke, secretly feeling that she had changed so much since leaving the ice cave.
How could I have those thoughts!
Darikova politely took the tea from Vartaski and said, "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Editor. I have no resistance to men who concentrate on their studies. That kind of intellectual beauty far exceeds appearance and clothing."
Waltaski smiled and said: "Engineer Luke became famous too early. I thought he would be dragged down by fame and become impatient. Now it seems that I was too worried.
Engineer Luke's success is due to his talent, but also to his diligence and insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Ms. Darikova, how many snowmen are there in the Snowman Colony in Polar Daylight City? "
Hearing Vartaski's question, Darikova couldn't help but laugh: "There is no Yeti settlement in Polar Daylight City. Mr. Deputy Editor, are you testing me?"
Having been discovered, Vartaski awkwardly took a sip of the tea in his hand, and then said: "Engineer Luke does not understand the complexity of Winter City. His research is likely to upset the balance of all parties. Harut Heavy Industries is not the only consortium in At County Union.
Editor-in-Chief Morsong considers Luke his apprentice, so he is my junior apprentice, and I need to provide him with protection."
Darikova knew that Vartarsky was warning her and the "consortium" behind her.
"Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vartasky, you may have misunderstood. My hometown is indeed Polar Daylight City, but I am not a member of any consortium. In a sense... Luke is my boss, and I was hired by him to play his female companion at the party.
Hourly wage 1000 Atecoins."
Vartaski opened his mouth wide: "This... It seems that I am really meddling in other people's business! I sincerely welcome you again, and please forgive my offense.
You are so beautiful, many young ladies from big families don’t have such charm as you.”
"You don't need to apologize, and thank you for your appreciation."
Embarrassed, Vartasky was anxious to leave: "I won't bother you anymore. I wish you a good day."
An hour later, Editor-in-Chief Morson returned to the library, the steam engineers gathered again, and the technical discussion continued.
Luke enjoys such gatherings, where there is no intrigue and everyone can talk freely in common areas. If he could change, he would not want to be a politician. Adventure and exploration are his favorite life.
Darikova never took her eyes off Luke the entire time.
The steam engineers' gathering lasted until the afternoon.
After Luke settled Darikova's wages, he sent her home. In the evening, he was notified that the Titan 1 prototype test machine had been delivered to his private laboratory.
When Luke arrived at the laboratory, the people in charge of escort had already completed the unloading and setting up.
In the large temporary workshop, the two-story-high Titan I prototype was fixed in the built support bridge. More than a dozen magicians cast spells together to assist the workers in fine-tuning and fixing the position of the prototype.
Another army is responsible for protecting the Titan I prototype.
Seeing Luke coming, an officer came over with a file book, saluted first and then said respectfully: "Hello, Engineer Luke. I am Major Elro, the escort commander of the Titan I prototype. Here are the acceptance documents for the Titan I prototype. Please sign after you have completed the acceptance."
Luke took the file, which contained a list of all the equipment delivered this time.
"I'll sign it once I've verified it."
Luke walked to the bottom of the Titan I prototype with the file book. It was taller than what he saw in the magic projection.
The appearance is based on the design of war machinery, and the style is very rough, with crisscrossing steam pipes everywhere. Compared with the magic Titan that Luke knew, the steam Titan is more full of violent aesthetics.
In an instant, Luke made up his mind to complete this work. The Magic Titan is powerful, but the cost determines that it cannot be mass-produced.
If you want to be cheap, you can't use a water molecule two-phase steam engine. The implosion-type dual-drive steam engine is the best solution. Thickening the lower limbs frees up space for installing a dual-drive steam engine and also allows the center of gravity to move downward.
The implosion-type double-drive steam engine will be the mainstream steam engine used in future war machinery. According to the steam technology of Raging Waves City, it is not difficult to manufacture this kind of steam engine.
The most critical technology of Titan lies in its magic design. The alchemical neurons and the driver are perfectly matched. It is a magic alchemy technology unique to the Winter Capital Magic Steam Academy.
Unfortunately, Luke couldn't get a complete set of Titan I prototype design drawings. Even if he applied to review them, he probably wouldn't be able to see the magic design part.
Is it possible to just take this Titan-1 prototype away and return to Raging Waves City for reverse engineering research?
Reverse engineering is not an easy task.
"Engineer Luke, please verify the equipment." Major Elro reminded Luke who was a little dazed.
"Oh..." Luke came back to his senses and exclaimed: "This thing is taller and bigger than I thought. If it appears on the battlefield, our enemies will turn around and run away when they see it."
Major Elro looked at the Titan I prototype with longing in his eyes: "It is a war weapon that transcends time and can give ordinary soldiers the same combat power as extraordinary warriors. Now it only lacks a heart, so it was sent here.
Engineer Luke, Admiral Vorn has high hopes for you, and I hope you can deliver it to the front line of the war against the Golden Shield Empire as soon as possible."
"It looks like we have to hurry up."
Luke did not rest for the whole night. He took his laboratory staff to carefully check the equipment.
In the morning, Luke, who had just slept for less than an hour, was awakened by a knock on the door.
Luke, in his pajamas, rubbed his red eyes and opened the door.
Outside is Darikova.
She was wearing a proper lady's dress, with many snowflakes stuck to her shawl and hat.
The cold air that blew in sobered Luke up a little. He said to Darikova, "Come in and close the door. Do you want something to drink? Mina is not here. I don't even know if there is any hot water at home."
Darikova brushed off the snow on her body and came in. After closing the door, she asked, "You look so depressed. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Luke sat on the sofa and said, "Not only did I not sleep well, I didn't sleep all night. I didn't expect General Vaughn to deliver the things so quickly. It took a whole night to check the equipment. Many magic components still require mana and mental power to check.
It was like going through the torture of your ice cave all over again."
"The torture in the ice cave won't allow you to stand up and open the door the next day. I have an appointment with Helkkin, and he is waiting for you in a nearby cafe.
If you need a break, I can schedule another time with him."
Luke said, "Since I made the appointment with him, it would be rude to change the time at will. There is strong tea in the kitchen, please make me a cup.
I'm going back to my room to change my clothes."
After saying that, Luke staggered towards the bedroom. After checking all the magic components in one night, even with his mental strength reserves, he could hardly bear it.
When Luke came out after changing his clothes, Darikova not only made him some strong tea, but also tidied up the room which was a bit messy.
Darikova placed the strong tea in Luke's hands, used magic to smooth out the wrinkles on his clothes, and then fixed his hair: "You really need a servant here."
Luke drank his tea and said, "Ever since Mina's accident, I don't dare to hire servants anymore. Rebecca will come to help me clean the room when she has time, and for me, this is just a place to come back and rest at night."
Darikova retorted: "Your current status is different from before, and you need to show your status in details. Rebecca is not a woman who knows how to take care of others... I don't mean to belittle her, but you do need a life consultant now to guide you to adapt to the upper class society in Dongdu."
Luke smiled and said, "It sounds like you are recommending yourself?"
"As long as you pay, I can do it. I have received professional training in high society in the ice cave."
It's a pity that Luke's current image is intentional. In terms of upper-class social experience, he is much more experienced than Darikova.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you. For me, high society is just a burden. My value lies in my brain. In the current Dongdu, no one dares to look down on me because of my image.
Editor-in-Chief Morson once told me that all the respect that steam engineers get comes from the laboratory.
Darikova was indeed a little disappointed that she didn’t get the job she wanted: “It’s a profound warning! It’s also the resume of Editor-in-Chief Morsson’s life.”
"Editor-in-Chief Morsong is a great man worthy of respect. He maintains a delicate balance between magic and steam."
"What does this mean?" Darikova didn't understand Luke's evaluation of Editor-in-Chief Morson.
Luke smiled and drank the tea in the cup in one gulp: "Nothing... Let's go and see Helkkin!"
