Summons and Experiment

Lang Pu arrived at the palace gate, and an expression of unease appeared on his ugly face. He said in a low voice, "Master, I have arrived."

"Come in."

The palace gates slowly opened.

The Ogre Mage slowly walked in, his massive body hunched over as he nervously awaited orders, large drops of sweat streaming down his forehead.

Those mages who worked under Lang Pu and suffered endless ridicule and insults could never have imagined that their leader would have such a humiliating moment; it was simply unimaginable to them.

"Lang Pu, you must have noticed that I've been acting strangely lately."

"Master, this..."

Lang Pu secretly looked up and, seeing that there was no destructive glint in Keosius's eyes, breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow.

But soon, he realized something else important.

The Ogre immediately knelt before the Red Dragon, looking like a moving mountain of flesh.

"Master, you... you're finally back."

"As your loyal servant, I failed to remind you in time, which is a grave oversight and a grave sin! Please punish me—"

His voice was choked with sobs, almost a choked cry, and his ugly face was contorted in pain, making it impossible for Red Dragon to bear to look at him.

Keosius was both amused and exasperated by this cunning Ogre Mage.

"Enough. I summoned you here not so you could cry and whine."

Keosius interrupted, somewhat helplessly.

Lang Pu immediately dropped his awkward expression, took out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears, put on his gold-rimmed glasses, and quietly stood by—like any rational and capable high-ranking mage.

However, Keosius still trusted this close confidant and relative.

The Red Dragon commanded, "I believe you have also witnessed that frenzied, destructive state, just like the 'Dragon Madness' described in the records. In fact, I have been influenced by a certain Devil Lord, and I need you to mobilize the entire nation's resources to find ways to maintain sanity and isolate ourselves from the Abyss Will, at all costs."

"Yes, Master."

Lang Pi lowered his head and answered solemnly.

Keosius continued, "Oh, right, there's one more thing."

"I need you to create a sturdy and durable Magic Equipment that can detect when I enter a berserk state similar to 'Dragon Frenzy' and alert me in time so that I can escape from the berserk state in time."

"As for the testing criteria, let's judge it based on the chaotic parameters of the surrounding Weave."

Langpi had already taken out a small, transparent notebook and started taking notes one by one.

The Ogre Mage adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said respectfully, "Master, technically speaking, it's not difficult to forge equipment capable of detecting Weave."

He paused slightly.

"But the key is how to make it difficult to destroy during your battles and send out a signal that is enough to wake you up."

"However, I will do my best and will certainly not let you down."

Keosius nodded slightly.

At the Red Dragon's signal, Lang Pu turned and left.

Although he didn't receive many tasks this time, they were all quite difficult. The Magic Department of the Embers of the Burned Kingdom was going to be very busy. Those human mages with dark circles under their eyes and thinning hair would have to start working overtime every day for better spells, more Gold Coin, and higher status.

North Wind Fortress, on the outskirts of the city.

Hundreds of people were drawn by the grand spectacle and gathered together to watch, discussing among themselves.

What is this?

"Is it a cow made of steel?"

"These people from the Mechanical Department really waste materials. They actually laid out the best steel on the ground. Tsk tsk, that's enough to forge so many good swords."

"What a joke, what use could this thing possibly be?"

Surrounded by the Tiefling Guard, a man with a bulbous nose and dragon scales on his face strode in triumphantly.

The onlookers wisely moved away, afraid of offending this Dragon Blood Noble.

"Where did this important person come from? Look at the dragon scales on his face, it's truly enviable."

"This is Ji Ermo."

"That noble craftsman?"

"What a lucky adult."

Whispers arose from the crowd.

This nobleman was none other than the so-called "representative of craftsmen," Gilmore Sparrow. He was originally just an ordinary blacksmith in the Blacksmith Shop in the east of the city, but because he discovered the defects in the rifle production line and improved them, he rose to become Dragon Blood Noble.

His story was widely publicized as a classic "Embers of the Burned Kingdom Dream," making many people in North Wind Fortress envious and hoping that one day they could also become nobles through their own efforts.

Upon seeing the viscount arrive, the busy people immediately gathered around.

"Your Excellency, this section of track has been laid."

"Everyone blocking the road has been driven away."

"The Steam Engine Car is fully equipped with coal and water, and we are just waiting for your order to start the experiment immediately."

The project manager pushed through the crowd, walked up to the man, and said in a rather obsequious tone.

Ji Ermo was immediately elated. He took a sip of the liquor in his hand and rubbed his hands together, his face flushed.

"Everyone has worked hard for so many days, it's time to see some results."

"Let's begin."

"Yes, sir!"

The manager immediately stood at attention and even bowed.

With the whistle blowing and the workers busily getting to work, this massive "steel bull" finally began to operate.

Inside that magical steam boiler, scorching flames are released by a complex magic array. The combustion process boils the water into steam, which is then transported to the cylinder through pipes.

During the time it takes for the steam to reach the cylinder under the control of the magic field valve, the steam enters the slide valve chamber through the main steam valve and the throttle valve. Under the control of the slide valve, it alternately enters the left or right side of the cylinder, driving the movement of the magic piston.

"Clang, clang, clang."

The pistons moved violently, driving the steel "Limbs," and the wheels underneath gradually turned, eventually actually making this heavy "iron ox" move.

The crowd erupted in commotion, but some dissenting voices also emerged.

"It's moving!"

"It actually started moving!"

"This 'Iron Ox' can really run!"

"But at this slow speed, it's not as good as riding a horse."

"Yes, even John's donkey cart next door is faster than this."

The Steam Engine Car continued to run, and the cooled steam was introduced into the condenser through pipes, and then condensed back into water through a cooling array. This process was repeated continuously as the steam engine was in motion.

"Waaah—"

Accompanied by a long whistle, the exhaust gas from the burning coal was discharged from the pipes at the top, and thick gray-black smoke filled the air, like the heavy breathing of this huge machine.

"Great! It's a success!"

"We've finally met the targets!"

"It really reached the finish line!"

When the Steam Engine Car reached its destination, all the workers and managers present, including Viscount Ji Ermo, cheered.

Ji Ermo glanced at the murmuring crowd and thought with some disdain, "How could these fools possibly understand His Majesty's Great Blueprint?"

"Originally, moving something of this weight would have required at least a high-level spell of the third ring or higher, but now it only requires a few basic, simple spell arrays, as well as some coal and water. Moreover, this is far from its limit."

"Once the railway is completed in the future, His Majesty's army can be dispatched to any part of the kingdom in just one day, as can the grain and goods."