Too Inhumane—The Drawbacks of Widespread Adoption

"Lynn, it looks so dangerous." Lilim still couldn't help grabbing Lynn. "We should stay farther away."

"Steelmaking itself is dangerous. I'm observing to see if there are any safety hazards." Lynn took out his wand and activated the Defense Array. "It's best for us mages to do the observing. If ordinary people run into danger, they could really die."

Once the Defense Array was activated, everyone saw the blast furnace and blood pool wrapped layer upon layer, three deep inside and three deep outside. Only then did they dare approach with ease.

Smith walked over and said, "Grand Commander, you've now worked out how to melt Molten Iron and make steel, haven't you?"

Lynn nodded. "The hardest step in steelmaking is melting iron into Molten Iron. As for oxygen blowing technology, that can be done with a blower. The converter can also be powered by Magic Beasts running in circles nonstop, or by a waterwheel."

"However, a primitive Steam Engine is fairly simple too. We can make one, though its efficiency is low. Later, I'll draw the rough design I still remember for you. You can try it out slowly."

"Though I considered using magic power as the driving force, the technology for Slimes to store magic power is too difficult. I still can't develop a Magic Battery."

"We can only use blood with better magic-conducting materials."

"Magic Beasts and Demonic Beasts will both work. Humans could work too, but I believe no one wants to see that. We can just regularly draw blood from Demonic Beasts and Magic Beasts."

"I considered using Slimes entirely, but then we'd need to build an especially large tower. Slimes are low-level Demonic Beasts and can store very little magic power—at least less than Goblins."

There was, in fact, technology for storing magic power, but it couldn't be miniaturized. It could only be made on a large scale, and since this used blood, it was only suitable for steelmaking.

Moreover, although blood could be recycled, the more it was used, the worse its efficiency became. It was better to use Slimes.

It was just that he did not have enough materials yet. Ideally, he would use blood on top of blood, and only use Slime liquid when there was no blood.

Fresh Slime liquid and blood could be added regularly.

Blood could be drawn from prisoners once a month. Magic Beasts could be drawn from once a month as well. He could keep improving it.

Lilim tugged at Lynn's sleeve. "Lynn, is there no other way to store magic power?"

"Using blood is just too frightening."

Lynn took out a notebook. "Theoretically, no."

"There's nothing that can store something like magic power. Even the magic cores of Demonic Beasts are essentially organs made of flesh and blood."

Lynn began carefully considering the pros and cons.

His method of drawing blood used syringes. If it were expanded into the government purchasing blood, all sorts of problems would arise.

For instance, if someone bought blood, people would sell blood for a living. And if they sold too much, it would affect their health. Once this method spread, those people who fancied themselves saints would definitely ban it.

Syringes could very likely be reused, and inspections would also be a huge headache.

It seemed that drawing the people's blood was absolutely out of the question. This method had a high technical barrier, especially the engraving of Magic Runes and the technology of processing blood into something capable of storing magic power. At present, only he knew it. It could completely form a technological blockade.

Arc steelmaking could produce specialty steel. He could use it to make cannons and guns.

It seemed that the ordinary Blast Furnace and Converter Steelmaking Method had to proceed as well.

Lilim really was kindhearted sometimes, but she had also reminded him that he needed to retain some humanity. This was not a game.

If it were a game, he would have immediately demanded that everyone give blood—directly drawing four hundred liters—then made guns and cannons to wage war, catching people to generate bioelectricity.

But this was reality. People would suffer problems from blood loss. If blood were needed in large quantities, it would spread disease. There would definitely be people reusing those syringes repeatedly to save money.

He ate Orcs because Orcs ate people too, and because it did not have much of an impact. Laughable—when there was no food, exchanging children to eat was simply etched into humanity's genes.

Not only Orcs—Cat demi-humans were like cats too. When they gave birth, if they could not raise their young, or lacked nutrition themselves, they would eat their own cubs.

It was fine for him to be a Capitalist and exploit people; the consequences would not be too severe. Thanks to this era, his exploitation was reasonable and justified—he was even being kindhearted.

"We don't have that technology right now, and we need a massive amount of steel."

"But Lynn, wouldn't that mean you need a massive amount of blood? We're not going to start killing people everywhere, are we?" Lilim began describing the dangers. "Whose blood filled such a huge pool of yours?"

Lynn pointed at the several hundred Demonic Beasts: purchased Goblins, caught Yetis, and Slimes raised by his household. "Those."

"The blood issue is indeed very harmful, so we can switch entirely to Slimes storing magic power. It would only mean turning the large blood pool into a storage tower. It would have to be very large."