The Power of Civilization

Searching is a lengthy process.

Even with the Dragon Emperor providing a general location in private, finding the Dragon Clan delegation in the complex terrain spanning at least several thousand square kilometers was still a very difficult task.

After all, dragons fly and don't travel on main roads, making them impossible to track down.

The only way to determine a general search area is to identify their landing location, combine this information with that of the Dragon Emperor, and calculate the dragons' speed of movement, and then conduct a search and investigation.

This is where the difficulty lies.

Because this area is sparsely populated and undeveloped by Civilization, some parts are filled with dense forests, swamps, canyons and mountains, lack roads, making transportation inconvenient, and are teeming with wild beasts and poisonous insects.

This made the search and rescue operation extremely difficult.

In fact, even on Earth, it's a tricky job.

But Kang De saw wisdom from another world.

"We call it the Eye of Lucius..." a clear voice rang out from the side. It was Stella, Goth's second daughter, "His Majesty Lucius is the founder of the Thermodynamics School."

Kang De, Stella, and the A Xing were high in the sky.

Mountains, dense forests, rivers, plains, coastlines—everything is laid out before you.

Above the distant dense forests, above the towering mountains, and above the rushing rivers, float spheres of all sizes, like eyes looking down upon the earth.

The bulging sacs suspended baskets, from which one could vaguely see figures moving about. Magical light shone across a distance of tens of kilometers, seemingly conveying some kind of signal.

The Goth People called this the Eye of Lucius.

But Kang De had seen something similar on Earth—called a hot air balloon.

Buoyancy is generated by heating the air.

That was the first aircraft ever used by humankind.

The advanced technology of the Kirov airship.

Kang De turned to look at the center of the basket, where his hot air balloon was particularly enormous. It was located in the center of the search area, overseeing the entire operation. Three spellcasters were responsible for maintaining it, with clear division of labor.

One pilot, Thermodynamics School, was responsible for manipulating the output power of the Flame crystal to control the altitude of the hot air balloon, so as to take advantage of the airflow from different directions at high altitudes. The other navigator, who specialized in wind magic, was responsible for maintaining the wind control array on the surface of the hot air balloon to assist in piloting.

The final Atmospheric School spellcaster is responsible for maintaining the air pressure inside the pod to ensure the temperature, pressure, and air environment are suitable, allowing passengers to breathe comfortably and freely.

When they saw Kang De looking over, they all smiled politely and reservedly.

"It truly surprised me; it's an eye-opener."

He nodded to the driver.

The other party bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Kang De. In the exploration of the skies, we are merely your apprentices. The Eye of Lucius was of no use in the war against the elves; it was nothing more than a sitting duck for their air force. Your alchemical weapon, on the other hand, is the sharp blade that slaughters them."

Kang De shook his head. "Just as heavy cavalry is invincible on the plains but useless in the mountains, my alchemical weapon pursues ultimate speed, both in terms of mobility and killing speed. Therefore, it is necessary to sacrifice other aspects, such as weight, endurance, and defense... I cannot say for sure that this path is correct. As you have surprised me, perhaps this miraculous creation represents another path."

He carefully chose his words, speaking politely and humbly.

But a restless feeling stirred within me.

What to do, what...?

I really want them to build an airship!

Airships briefly appeared on the human military stage, even shining brightly in World War I. However, human technology took a different turn. High-speed, agile, and ferocious piston-engine aircraft utterly destroyed airships, while safer, more stable, and faster civilian aircraft gradually took over the aviation market. Soon, airships faded from the main stage and became a dispensable, niche component.

The reason is simple.

One of the characteristics of humanity's technology tree is that the spear is always stronger than the shield.

Those who stack armor are destined to be beaten badly.

So fucking max out evasion, speed, and critical hit rate!

But the other world is different.

There is magic in another world.

Materials science is also far more advanced than Earth.

This means they might be able to do things that Earth cannot.

For example, airships! Airships! Airships!

--Why develop airships?

Of course he's handsome!

A stratosphere fortress flying in the air, hidden in the clouds, a colossal behemoth, blotting out the sky, its front, back, left, right, top, and bottom filled with damn cannons. Don't ask, just fire it; ask, just open the ammunition magazine. What? Drop bombs? Drop your mother's bombs! Aren't bombs just dumped out?

Not only do we have to shoot them down, we also have to throw planes out! Throw them out in stacks.

Translate this for me: what does "fuck aircraft carrier" mean?

Why call a ship that can't fly an aircraft carrier?

Once this thought arises, it burns fiercely, uncontrollably and relentlessly.

He finally succumbed to the temptation and tentatively asked, "Would you gentlemen be interested in replacing this balloon with a larger, spindle-shaped one with higher buoyancy, and then..."

Kang De pointed to the large gondola beneath his feet. "How about replacing this thing with a fully armed warship?"

The driver was taken aback at first, then his eyes trembled violently, which startled the other two spellcasters as well. They showed expressions of shock and ecstasy, and their gazes toward Kang De immediately became more intimate!

The initial awkward politeness had completely transformed into warmth.

--They're on our side!

Your Highness!

The pilot temporarily handed over the work to his co-pilot, quickly approached Kang De, and bowed, saying, "I come from the Danfeng Lucerne Clausius Academy, the stronghold of the Goth's Thermodynamics School. We collaborate with alchemists to create magical flying machines that operate using atmospheric and fire magic, and we train pilots for Goth. Creating warships capable of soaring through the skies using this concept has always been our aspiration..."

At this point, the spellcaster glanced at the second princess standing beside him.

Tina couldn't come along this time, but Stella did.

This princess, who works at the Saint Covelo University, possesses considerable personal strength and is highly respected in Goth's legal circles. As the daughter of the Grand Duke, she is responsible for mediating during this trip, acting as a link to assist Kang De in commanding the military and political forces of the Azure Waves Province and the spellcaster troops from Danfeng Lucerne.

Now, the hot air balloon pilot said with some resentment, "Unfortunately, our funds are limited. We've lobbied for investment several times and written to the Goth's office requesting funding, but nothing has come of it..."

Stella frowned slightly, then said to Kang De, "I recall Father also approved the proposal, saying the price was too high. The initial investment would be enough to improve the lives of at least hundreds of thousands of farmers. We've also evaluated this project. Given Goth's national strength, even if they managed to complete this plan successfully, it would only pave the way for the Empire and Twilight Moon. Moreover, the subsequent maintenance and supporting security forces would be astronomical. In short, given Goth's defense needs and financial resources, undertaking such a project is unrealistic."

The princess's idea cannot be said to be wrong.

Each situation needs to be analyzed individually.

But...

"Perhaps now is the time... My arrival has changed Goth's defense situation."

With the assistance of a sophisticated air defense system from Earth, or even advanced fifth-generation fighter jets, the situation would resemble the Battle of Danfeng Lucerne, where Kang De gained absolute air superiority. In such a scenario, the role that a heavily armed Sky Fortress could play would be immense.

Putting everything else aside, wouldn't it be better to just put howitzers and rocket launchers on there?

Stella said, "I don't object, but specifically, you need to convince my father."

Kang De turned to the excited monk and asked, "What is your current difficulty?"

"Trial and error, data, Your Excellency," the mage replied, though agitated, "Is the source of our enormous funding gap... The elves' shipbuilding technology is the best in the world because they went through countless trials, failures, and wastes in the shipbuilding process to determine the optimal specifications."

"We feel the same way. You mentioned that the balloon should be spindle-shaped, which is completely consistent with the results we obtained from countless preliminary experiments and inferences. We..."

"Okay, calm down. I think I can help with this."

Although airships have withdrawn from military and commercial use, they have not completely disappeared, as has hot air balloons. In certain special circumstances, many enthusiasts are still promoting their progress and development. With the support of modern scientific concepts and technology, and based on the conclusions of electronic computers and various simulation experiments, the airship data that spellcasters from other worlds dream of should be complete.

Even if it's not complete...

One hundred million US dollars.

"I want to build an awesome steampunk warship that's suspended by an airship and loaded with cannons. I'm demanding that you draw up blueprints for me, the kind that can actually be built. If one hundred million isn't enough, then one billion. Get it done now!"

Like that.

If some incredibly wealthy China were to shower students and faculty at top universities worldwide with money and a chance to both complete their studies and realize their steampunk dreams... it would definitely work!

Kang De said, "Could you please arrange a meeting with your mentor, or rather, the wise man who can oversee this grand plan, after I return to Danfeng Lucerne?"

"My teacher is none other than His Highness Kang De, the Dean of the Clausius Academy. He wasn't with us, but that was only before today. I will write to him immediately, and believe me, he will come right away."

"--But before that," Stella interrupted him, "Master Ge Feier, please focus on your current task. You know what we need most right now."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The exciting conversation came to an end, and Kang De gazed at the distant mountains, his heart filled with emotion.

He is still exploring and contemplating how to leverage the strengths of both the other world and Earth to achieve mutual benefit and integration. But one thing is certain: the fog of doomsday is approaching, and perhaps in the not-too-distant future, a terrible catastrophe will occur anywhere... He needs more power.

"That's amazing."

Stella returned to his side. "If you can actually pull off that outlandish plan, then Clausius Academy will from now on take a clear stand... on your side."

Kang De smiled. "That's not what you should be concerned about. If this outlandish plan succeeds, the history of warfare in this world will be rewritten, and Goth will possess a terrifying ultimate air power."

The second princess sighed and said softly, "Only if you're here."

Kang De paused for a moment, then understood Stella's meaning.

I also understood why she had always been uninterested in it.

With Kang De around, there are Forbidden Spell, absolute air superiority, and destructive power. Whether or not we have air battleships makes no difference—if Kang De is no longer on Goth's side, what good are ten air battleships? They're just prey for the elves and the Empire.

He was about to say something when he suddenly saw Stella turn her head and glance at him.

"Kang De..." She bit her lip, her tone revealing a weakness and pleading she herself might not have realized, "You won't be... by the Phoenix King, will you?"

I see.

Although she was unwilling—unwilling to accept that the stability of the country depended on one person, unwilling to accept that Goth's survival and the safety of her family stemmed from her sister's feelings—for Stella, more important than pride and resentment was ensuring her family's safety and that the people were spared the ravages of war.

That's why I'm afraid.

After the Phoenix King showed unexpected interest and goodwill towards Kant.

After hearing numerous seemingly plausible rumors...

I guess you're still worried, aren't you?

Kang De paused for a moment, placed his hand on the edge of the gondola, looked outside, and calmly said, "Two things. The first is something I've thought about for a long time: how to give dignity and strength to the people of this land and this country. Hong San and I plan to try it out in Valentan first. Just like in my speech, I hope that the people of this country can reclaim their former dignity and honor through their own efforts and sweat."

"The second thing..." He turned to look at the second princess, "Tina and I have a stable relationship. I really enjoy my life and how I feel right now. By the way, Dairila and I are just friends, and nothing has happened between us in the last two days—you can rest assured about that."

Stella looked into Kang De's eyes, then suddenly laughed, and seemed quite relieved.

"Then I'm relieved." She patted her chest and looked outside alongside Kang De. "I was startled; I thought I'd have to go too."

... Um?

What's the meaning?

Kang De felt that Stella's words were quite meaningful, especially the quick glance she gave him—something seemed a little off. Just as he was about to think about it further, he heard the second princess shout, "Everyone's in position!"

As they talked, the hot air balloons covering the search area had already taken off.

The magical light used for remote communication shone continuously, conveying the message.

Stella immediately turned back and went to the observation platform of the pod. She said to the communications mage on duty, "Send the signal, the observation team is activated, the reconnaissance force can depart!"

The observation teams, positioned at high vantage points, used their Eagle Eye to monitor the balloons in their respective areas.

High on the mountain peaks, amidst hot air balloons, figures stretched their bodies.

Kang De, observing through his telescope, suddenly exclaimed, "This is..."

"It's our aerial reconnaissance unit."

Stella explained, "The terrain here is complex, and searching on land is slow and inefficient, so we need to conduct an initial aerial search. After all, multiple dragons were attacked, and whether it was a battle or a crash, there's no way they could have left no trace... An aerial reconnaissance is the easiest way to find clues."

"Therefore, we dispatched an aerial reconnaissance unit."

As she explained, Kang De saw spellcasters stepping out of the pods.

The alchemical machinery behind them slowly unfolded, like the wings of a bird.

"..." he said, "Hang glider..."

"Yes," the princess said, "The sky is not the domain of humans. We have no wings, and even if we rely on the magical power of magic to soar through the air, maintaining flight requires an enormous amount of Magic Power. Even high-level mages find it difficult to fly long distances... But what makes intelligent beings intelligent is that we can use objects to compensate for our shortcomings and amplify our strengths."

The glider slowly unfurled with its exquisite mechanical structure, and the magical runes on its skin lit up one after another.

Then the spellcasters leaped down, their gliders creating visible white trails that danced in the wind, carrying them gracefully through the air.

It streaked across the sky at high speed.

They observed the earth with Eagle Eye.

"Enchanted and alchemically treated gliders can utilize the ubiquitous wind and airflow to provide longer flight time. The user's Magic Power only needs to be used for adjusting direction and emergency landing. With gliders, mages no longer need to use their Magic Power to sustain long-term flight... only for vertical ascent."

Seeing Kang De's surprised expression, Stella revealed a smug smile.

"Don't underestimate us, Kang De. The essence of a nation lies in this: we are accustomed to solving problems with more people, wisdom, and strength."

Kang De smiled slightly.

That's absolutely true.

He had assumed that this time De Horus would be conducting a manual search in a helicopter or something similar.

Unexpectedly, Goth's team handled the initial investigation work with a high degree of organization and action.

They are faster, more efficient, and have better methods than him.

Hot air balloons can be used for high-altitude reconnaissance, as can glider mages. These two powers did not appear in the Goth-Moon War because the elves had an overwhelming advantage in all aspects. Whether it was gliders or hot air balloons, they could only passively take hits... and had no use at all.

But these things still have value.

Just like now, it can play its role.

Perhaps Goth had more to offer him than he had shown.

Human Empire, the Dusk Moon Dynasty, and many other nations must have also nurtured the crystallization of wisdom accumulated over countless years. Some may have disappeared into the long river of history, just like the regret of Earth's Civilization long gone, while others have been preserved to this day and should not be underestimated or despised.

This is probably... the power of Civilization.

"Now, we just need to wait for the results."

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PS1: It feels really weird to write the word "gliding" now... It's all your fault.