Volume 3: Artifacts Chapter 83
A thunderstorm descended upon Nutao City.
The clouds in the sky were very low, making the city seem to have entered darkness. The heavy rain washed the tall buildings and the streets turned into turbulent rivers.
Amid lightning and thunder, a convoy broke through the waves on the road and arrived at the steam airship construction plant next to the central port.
The convoy stopped at the entrance of a large rectangular workshop. All the doors of the vehicles opened, and the imperial spies in waterproof windbreakers came out. Their leather boots stepped into the puddles, and the spies spread out to take protective positions, letting the rain hit the brims of their hats.
Then an umbrella was opened at the door of the Governor's car, and Luke and Dai'er walked down from both sides of the car.
The chief engineer of the construction institute came over to greet them and invited Luke and Dale into the workshop.
As Dai'er walked into the gate, she was immediately shocked by the huge creature in front of her and stopped there.
"This...is this an airship?"
In this semi-buried factory building that is 400 meters long, an airship that is already full of steam almost fills the entire factory space. On the layered engineering racks surrounding it, thousands of workers and engineers are doing the final inspection of the airship.
The accompanying chief engineer proudly introduced to Princess Dale: "This is the latest 'Kirov' class steam airship developed by our central city steam airship construction bureau. It is equipped with an element fusion reactor specially manufactured for the 'Kirov' class steam airship in the magic laboratory. It can not only provide sufficient magic energy for the protection and attack of the airship, but also provide additional heat energy for the onboard steam engine to meet the power requirements of such a large airship.
Now the Kirov steam airship has completed all preparations for takeoff. Please ask your highness and the Prime Minister to board the airship. The living area of more than 400 square meters will allow your highness and the Prime Minister to spend a comfortable journey. "
The chief engineer was ahead, walking down the steps.
The airship cabin was like a building, with the accompanying mages and guards from all sides queuing up to be checked and boarded. In the rear cabin of the airship, vehicles were coming in and out with supplies. There was also a surrounding elevator that took people to the cabins around the airship and on the top floor, and the crane hoist hung the cabin with the gargoyle logo on a specific slot.
When Dale arrived at the exclusive boarding ladder, the airship shook slightly, and a magic ring unfolded around the pod.
"The element fusion reactor has started... and the energy pressure is at level one. It is expected to reach level two in three minutes. Please board the ship as soon as possible. The steam-powered airship 'Kirov' will take off in ten minutes."
The magic ring began to vibrate with a frequency.
Dai'er knew that this was because of the boundary effect of the magic field caused by the energy pressure generated by the powerful magic energy. When she released powerful magic, the magic wand in her hand would also produce such a magic ring.
But this magic ring is too big!
If it gets out of control, it should be enough to flatten the entire central port.
“It feels like a dream.”
Luke also looked up at the mountain of airships: "This is the first ship of the 'Kirov' class steam airship. There are two other airships of the same class being built elsewhere. The progress should be able to catch up with the Imperial Parade.
Aboard, Your Highness... We must reach the Emerald Court as quickly as possible."
"Oh!" Dai'er, who was a little stunned by the airship, immediately ran up the stairs.
The exclusive living area was on the top floor of the pod, and the semi-surrounded glass windows provided a very wide view. Kaileena, who had arrived earlier, had already arranged the place with the servants. Luke sat down on the sofa facing the bow of the boat, crossed his legs and waited for the airship to take off.
The roof of the airship building opened to both sides, and the cables that secured the hull were unlocked. The Kirov airship slowly rose, and the hull was surrounded by steam that was sprayed to adjust the balance.
The hull with a maximum length of 358 meters emerged from the top floor of the factory. Out of a sense of fun, Luke requested that the Kirov airship be painted yellow and a shark head pattern be painted on the head of the hull, but the flag pattern on the side was still the Empire's two-headed lion flag.
Soon, the lower edge of the airship pod left the factory building, and the magic ring around the pod expanded from an ellipse to a perfect circle. The energy pressure of the element fusion reactor was increased to level three, the magic ring oscillated at a high frequency, and the air was pressed from top to bottom. The pressure difference between the upper and lower parts pushed the airship to speed up its ascent.
At the same time, the two large wind vortex engines at the tail of the airship started, and the high-pressure steam engine drove the turbofan to rotate. The inhaled air was compressed and poured into the storm engine. The magic energy activated the air element, and then the lightning element was used to stimulate the air element again. The air that had been pressurized three times was ejected backwards from the engine nozzle, and the lightning splashed everywhere, pushing the huge airship to accelerate and fly diagonally upward.
After reaching an altitude of 6,000 meters, the Storm engine was shut down and the Kirov airship entered a constant speed cruise mode.
"Master Prime Minister!" Kailina walked to Luke's side and handed over a document: "This is the navigation plan drawn up by Major General Zuo Lan, the captain of the Kirov airship. Before arriving at the Emerald King's Court, the Kirov steam airship needs to conduct 145 tests, three dockings and four aerial supply trainings during the period. It is expected to arrive at the Emerald King's Court in seven days."
Luke held the sailing plan and looked at it.
The ground tests and low-altitude tests of the Kirov steam airship have been completed, and what remains is the long-distance flight test.
This time, when going to the Emerald Court, Luke wanted to show off by driving the Kirov steam airship, and the rest of the tests could only be carried out on the road.
Luke asked Kaileena, "How long does it normally take to get to the Emerald Court?"
"At normal cruising speed, it will take two days to reach the Emerald Palace. If we use the Storm Engine to boost power, we can reach it in one day."
After Luke finished reading the plan, he took a pen and signed it, then handed it to Kaileena: "Tell Major General Zuo Lan to test the Kirov class according to his plan. I don't want this airship representing the Empire's air power to have any problems when it arrives at the Emerald King's Court."
"Yes, Prime Minister! I will tell Major General Zuo Lan what you said."
Kaileena went down a side staircase to the bridge of the airship.
After changing into clean clothes in the room, Dale came to Luke's side. She had a lot to say to Luke, but she didn't know how to say it.
It was as if there was an invisible wall between the two of them.
"Okay, long time no see!" Dai'er sat down on the sofa beside her and said softly.
"Yeah, more than a year has passed in the blink of an eye." Luke also sighed. Too many things have happened during this period of time: "Actually, you don't have to go to the Emerald King's Court with me. Agatha misses you very much, and the Empire is about to hold a grand ceremony."
"I have already met with my sister and informed Her Majesty the Queen that I will not be attending her coronation ceremony."
"Why?" Luke explained, "I nominated the Queen to be crowned Emperor of the Empire, not to steal the Empire. I..."
“I know…” Dale didn’t let Luke continue: “I understand you. What we see is the land, but what is in your heart is the sky.
You should also understand me. Since I have escaped from my previous identity, I don't want to be associated with it again. I like my current name, Jasmine... When I am Jasmine, I am the happiest. "
The "scent of jasmine" reminded Luke of the lower city of Saint Lun and the winter capital.
"I respect your choice. Agatha and I welcome you back anytime."
A smile appeared on Dale's face: "When you and sister get married, I will definitely come back. I want to be sister's bridesmaid and record her happiest moment."
Luke looked at Dai'er and smiled: "Be kind and you will definitely find your happiness."
Dai Er raised her eyebrows playfully: "Of course... I will definitely chase after my own happiness!"
Dale turned her head and looked out the window. The airship was sailing south, and outside the starboard side was the continuous imperial coastline.
“I definitely will!”
…
In the Emerald Lake Palace of the Emerald King, Lady Michelle sat in the lounge waiting to be summoned by King Sanye.
An orangutan poured her a cup of fruit tea and said politely, "Madam Michel, His Majesty King Sanye is discussing with his generals how to resist the attack of the headhunters. Then His Majesty will discuss with the elders how to resettle the new refugees. Now there are more and more forest elves rescued from the sea, which has brought many problems.
You need to wait a little longer."
Mrs. Michelle picked up the fruit tea and drank it, carefully observing the ape in front of her.
From the outside, it can be seen that he is not a real gorilla, but an alchemical creature, the master of forest elves' alchemical technology. Alchemical creatures have wisdom, thoughts, and emotions. They come from the awakening of alchemical puppets, but to this day the forest elves have not fully understood how alchemical creatures awaken .
We can only roughly judge that the awakening of alchemical creatures is related to the abundant natural energy in the Emerald Forest.
As a technocrat, Mrs. Michelle was very interested in the alchemical creature in front of her. She intended to talk more with the ape to determine the level of his intelligence.
"I just got the news. After the Queen of the Empire received the letter from His Majesty King Sanye, she ordered the Prime Minister of the Empire, Lord Meteor, to immediately send support to the Emerald Royal Court. Now the first batch of rescuers from Mosser Port will soon arrive at Emerald Port. What do you think the Emerald Royal Court needs ?"
The Alchemist replied: "I am just a servant. Questions like this are not something I can answer."
Madam Michelle said, "I am waiting here. You are waiting here too. Let's just chat. You must know more about the current situation of the Emerald King's Court than I do."
This time, the Alchemy Orangutan did not refuse: "What the Emerald King's Court needs most now is, of course, food. The King's Court has been besieged by the headhunters and cannot get food from the forest. I heard that the number of forest elves in the King's Court has doubled compared to before, and many forest elves are already starving."
Mrs. Michelle nodded and continued to ask: "Food is a necessity. There is food in the Imperial support fleet. Are there any other important necessities?"
"There are also coal and fire crystals." The alchemical gorilla's thinking and expression ability are very clear: "The war against the headhunters requires weapons, and the manufacture of weapons requires energy. In order to reduce the losses of patrol soldiers, King Sanye ordered the lifting of the pollution restriction order. Factories in the port area are manufacturing muskets and casting cannons in large quantities. The main alchemical factories in the city have increased the production of alchemical arrows and alchemical weapons, and the production capacity of alchemical puppets is also increasing.
This is a huge consumption of energy.
The alchemy industry needs fire crystals to drive it. The magic towers built on the edge of the city and the magic sentry towers built in the city need fire crystals to provide magic energy. The alchemy puppets also need fire crystals to provide energy. However, fire crystals are not a mineral in the Emerald Forest, and all of them need to be imported from the outside world. As the war progresses, the Royal Court’s fire crystal reserves should not be able to sustain it for too long. "
"Let me ask you one last question." Mrs. Michelle observed the alchemical ape: "Do you think there is a soul in your alchemical brain?"
This is a difficult question to answer for alchemical life.
The Alchemy Orangutan also thought for a long time before answering: "The Emerald Magic Academy has conducted many experiments related to alchemical creatures, and academically defines that alchemical creatures do not have souls, and demons never regard alchemical creatures as delicacies.
However, some scholars did not conclude that alchemical creatures have no souls because of these experiments. They believed that the souls of alchemical creatures are special and cannot be defined by the definition of the souls of living creatures.
I don't know whose view is correct, but I would like to believe the latter. My body is mechanical, which is different from your flesh and blood body, and my soul should be different too."
Madam Michelle couldn't help but applaud. "I don't know if other alchemical creatures think the same way as you, but your performance really shocked me. If possible, I would like to recommend you to study at the Oulu College in Raging Waves City and join the City Alchemist Association."
"Is this okay?" The alchemical gorilla was surprised by the invitation. "I am just an ordinary palace attendant, and no alchemical creature has ever become a scholar. Although we have intelligence, we don't have wisdom."
"No, no, no!" Mrs. Michel denied repeatedly: "Intelligence and wisdom cannot be separated. In my opinion, intelligence is equal to wisdom, but different people have different abilities to accept knowledge and apply knowledge.
During the few days in the Emerald King's Court, my biggest feeling is that most forest elves are very old-fashioned. While accepting human civilization, they also added many restrictions that bound their hands and feet. The long lifespan makes it difficult for forest elves to actively innovate and accept new things.
I also discovered that although the forest elves do not discriminate against alchemical creatures, they prefer to assign you physical tasks. They believe that alchemical creatures have intelligence but no wisdom, and you have taken this as the truth.
The Alchemist Orangutan's eyes widened: "This is the first time I've heard such a statement."
"That's because you didn't meet me earlier." Mrs. Michelle was very satisfied with her eloquence: "You just look like a simple-minded gorilla. Alchemical puppets were not created for thinking, but it doesn't mean that they are still low-intelligence after awakening as alchemical creatures.
My suggestion is that you should consider it...it might not be a bad thing to try some new roads that you have never been on before."
"I..." The Alchemy Orangutan was still a little hesitant: "I'll think about it."
"Okay, now go tell His Majesty King Sanye. Resettling refugees is important, but receiving food and energy aid from the Golden Shield Empire is equally important."
"Yes, Mrs. Michel."
