Chapter Forty-Nine, Ironclad Warship

Jiang Chuan looked at the Siren before him and said, "I'll give you the blueprints for the Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun. Those twelve reserved slots are for these twelve machine guns."

Noah asked curiously, "Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun?"

Jiang Chuan smiled, "That's right. The effective range of the Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun is within two thousand meters. Ships within two thousand meters can be targeted by the Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun. As the largest ship in Bilgewater currently, it would be a waste not to arm the Siren to the teeth. Powerful firepower combined with extreme speed, that's what a warship should be!"

Noah frowned, "The research on Mortars is still in its early stages. Rushing into the research of Anti-Aircraft Machine Guns will put too much strain on the Armory."

Jiang Chuan stroked his chin and thought for a moment, "Are there any problems with the Mortar development?"

Noah said with a troubled expression, "According to the blueprints you provided, the barrels and mounts can indeed launch the shells, but we have no idea how to trigger the Fuse to make the shell explode."

Mortars are very important weapons on the battlefield. In modern warfare, their capabilities are incredibly powerful. In mountainous or urban areas, mortars can effectively target enemies behind cover. Jiang Chuan only had a vague understanding of the explosion principle of mortar shells and couldn't manufacture them precisely, which gave him a lot of headaches.

Jiang Chuan thought for a moment and said, "Stop the Mortar research and switch to manufacturing Firearms. How is the steel production on the island?"

Noah shook his head, "It's not optimistic. The steel from the Steel Mill can only meet the Armory's consumption. We need to build another Steel Mill."

Jiang Chuan said, "Alright, it will be built soon. What projects are currently underway?"

Noah organized his thoughts and said, "The current projects are all at the Armory: manufacturing Grenades, Machine Guns, Steam Engines, and Bullets."

Jiang Chuan sighed, "Increase manpower and rush out a set of Steel Mill equipment."

Jiang Chuan felt that his Industrial Revolution was incomplete. If he could implement a Shift System, allowing work day and night, efficiency would more than double.

However, this would make Electric Motors a problem. The current Steel Mill and Armory use Steam Engines as power. To manufacture Electric Motors, you at least need Magnets and other key elements, but Jiang Chuan had none of them. Electric Motors could only be shelved indefinitely.

Noah nodded, "That's not a problem. We are currently severely short of manpower. Whether it's for construction, the Steel Mill, or the Armory, we are all facing a manpower shortage. It would be best if this problem could be solved."

Jiang Chuan patted Noah's shoulder, "The Siren will be as it is. Leave those twelve reserved slots. We can add things later. I will solve the manpower issue."

Jiang Chuan returned to his Office and said to Sarah, "The Siren's modification is complete. We will also start manufacturing a set of steel refining equipment at the Steel Mill. Also, have the Steam Engines for Demacia been shipped out?"

Sarah looked at her notebook and said, "We've been shipping five Steam Engines to Demacia every month for the past few months."

Jiang Chuan slumped into his chair and sighed, "Not enough manpower. The manpower the Red Hats can provide is just a drop in the bucket. Those people in the Slums have become maggots of society; very few come to the island to work."

Sarah frowned, "Why don't we capture a group of people and force them to work?"

Jiang Chuan said resolutely, "That method is absolutely out of the question. If we want to build Bilgewater into a well-developed territory, we cannot give the people of the territory a brutal impression. A brutal ruler will always be overthrown by his subjects."

Sarah pondered, "Then what do you plan to do?"

Jiang Chuan rubbed his forehead, "Implement a Welfare System. Everyone in Bilgewater can enter the factories to earn money. Start by giving Workers high welfare and wages to incentivize people to come to the factories. Word of mouth will spread throughout Bilgewater."

Sarah was confused, "Giving every Worker high wages means the money earned won't be enough to cover the wages. This is a huge loss."

Jiang Chuan shook his head, "Not necessarily. After we unify Bilgewater, we will impose taxes. All land and commerce will be in our hands. As the Workers' wages increase, Prices and Housing Prices will also rise. We will build Residential Housing on the island, with Hot Water in every room. However, only those certified by the Dark Sea Throne can enjoy these benefits. They can also enjoy many novel products. If they want to use good things and live in good houses, they must work in the factories."

Sarah smiled, "Your way of thinking is terrifying. You've calculated everyone, and you could hold the entire Bilgewater in your hand."

Jiang Chuan smiled, "This is the crystallization of the wisdom of my predecessors. I'm just borrowing it."

Sarah smiled, "Your hometown sounds truly desirable."

Jiang Chuan shrugged, "I desire it greatly myself."

Jiang Chuan also desperately wanted to return to Earth, but without knowing how, he could only start by exploring the entire Runeterra from Bilgewater. However, Runeterra was vast. Annie was his only clue to finding his way home, but this clue was too ethereal, full of unknowns. Perhaps Aurelion Sol knew the way home for Jiang Chuan, but would the Dragon King tell a mere insect the way home?

As the old saying goes, "Accept what fate brings." Since he was already in this world, experiencing its local customs wouldn't be a bad thing.

Sarah put down her documents and stood up, saying, "These matters are all settled. Have Laurie come take over. I need to go check on my ship."

Sarah walked out of the office, stretched towards the sun, and headed for the docks.

Jiang Chuan also got up and went to Laurie's office, saying, "For the next period, the island's affairs will depend on you. Sarah needs to manage the matters concerning Red Hat. Please work hard and supervise the island's workers. As for the children's studies, Old Jack and Edmund can manage for a while longer. Don't stop recruiting manpower; continue the process. If a worker makes a significant contribution in the factory, they can be arranged to move into residential housing."

Laurie said seriously, "Yes, President."

Jiang Chuan nodded, "I trust you with the island. I'll be leaving now."

Jiang Chuan arrived at the docks. Sarah looked at the Siren with satisfaction, nodding. The current Siren was larger and better than the Abyss. Its four steam engines provided power, making its speed leagues ahead of the Abyss. Not to mention, the Siren was entirely built of steel, making its hardness countless times greater than other ships.

Seeing Jiang Chuan approach, Sarah said, "Can I take her for a spin?"

Jiang Chuan shook his head, "Not yet. We can't let Gangplank's people know about the Siren's existence. After you launch your plan, the Siren must be used as a capital ship to catch Gangplank by surprise."

Sarah looked at the Siren regretfully and sighed, "What a shame."

Jiang Chuan shrugged, "We should go. The handover with Pero is quite troublesome."

Reluctantly, Sarah and Jiang Chuan got into a small boat and headed for Bilgewater's main city.

Pero and Jiang Chuan had already dealt with those who disagreed with the merger. Now, Red Hat's members all agreed to merge with Dark Sea Throne. Jiang Chuan brought Sarah to Red Hat's headquarters. Pero had prepared the materials and was waiting for them.