The winds and waves of Bohai Bay were not particularly strong. Seagulls cawed as they wheeled over the sea in search of food. General Wang stood on the shore with his hands behind his back, the sea breeze stirring his dark blue-green robe. His loosely tied topknot and ponytail whipped about in the wind, giving him a properly ethereal air, as though he stood apart from the world with the bearing of an immortal.
Not far away, the soldiers had stripped off their outer garments, exposing their dark, powerfully built upper bodies. Each man gripped a thick rope, gritting his teeth as he lowered his head and hauled a massive warship forward.
Yes, a warship. It was eighteen zhang long, three zhang high, and six zhang wide, with a displacement of three thousand tons. In this era, it could truly be called colossal. Its entire body was made of wood, covered in a thick layer of oil that even reflected the light from a distance.
This was the first seagoing vessel finally built after four years of work. Zhen Sheng had tirelessly sought out master shipbuilders, including descendants of craftsmen who had built ships for the First Emperor's quest for immortals four hundred years ago, along with numerous scholars researching all manner of things. After endless studies and tests, they had finally created what was practically the pinnacle of craftsmanship in this age.
From the internal keel structure to the exterior's anti-corrosion and waterproofing materials, from the masts and sails to the interior layout, propulsion methods, transmission mechanisms, and more, it had basically achieved the best standards currently possible.
The ship's source of power was naturally manpower. At the stern beneath the hull were turbines, driven by two hundred men exerting themselves inside the cabin. Of course, this was only