Drow Who Likes to Play Show Hand

After spending three more Drow silver coins to extract more intelligence about the Steam Bomb and this newly emerged Hogg Mining from the dwarf, Dishana became intensely interested in the Gnoll behind Hogg Mining, who had created such a grand situation in just a few days.

One had to know that those Duergar had been entrenched here for nearly forty years, and had even created such a significant situation that the Drow Matriarchs of Gershon City had to choose temporary compromise in exchange for more generous benefits.

And this Gnoll named Hogg, as an outsider, only brought two hundred tribesmen, yet managed to make the Duergar lower their stubborn heads without shedding a drop of blood, and even allied with them. This was something that truly warranted deep thought.

Was this still the Gnoll from their ingrained perception, born from the wilderness and no different from beasts, whose value could only be slightly utilized as cannon fodder?

Therefore, Dishana decided to meet the Gnoll leader who had surprised and interested her, to have an in-depth exchange in person. If she could win him over and persuade him, then with the support of all of Zelandia, it wouldn't be impossible to contend with her mother.

West Mining Area Steam Powered Mining Snail 'Research and Development Center'.

The already completed prototype Type I Steam Powered Mining Snail had three units neatly arranged in a nearby cave used as a storeroom.

Currently, the Chief Blueprint Designer Li Wei, the Chief Technician and Level 5 Technician, Fitter, and Milling Machine Operator Tiger, two Technical Supervisors and Welders Fischer and Igg, and the best batch of Blacksmiths under Tiger were all gathered here.

Even so, in an era without the development of machine tools, relying purely on manual labor to build these large machines, they could only manage to produce one per day at best.

However, the results of the second trial were clearly much more pleasing. Compared to Li Wei's stone box directly hammered out from melted iron ore, the cylinder forged after smelting was much safer and more controllable. After continuously heating and whistling for a whole day without any major faults, the two bosses of the Black Mine immediately decided to push out ten more of them.

It was just a pity that due to not knowing when that Drow Investigation Team would arrive, these few ready-made units had not yet been deployed to the site to contribute.

And it was worth mentioning that at Tiger's suggestion, they used Li Wei's old method to recreate a 'Pressure Cooker' without smelting, the 'Steam Bomb' that ruined the old dwarf's reputation. In the old dwarf's own words:

"Since those chosen Drow are coming to the Lower City for nothing more than to find a reason to appease them, why don't we proactively give them a reason?"

As this 'Steam Bomb' proposal went through Li Wei's mind, he couldn't help but look at the old dwarf, whose heart was blacker than his face, with newfound respect.

In this world, there were never any secrets that could withstand investigation and scrutiny. Instead of hiding them, why not give the other party a ninety percent true, ten percent false answer before everything was exposed? It was simply a brilliant plan that killed two birds with one stone.

The unstable Steam Bomb and the genuine Steam Powered Machine looked almost identical on the outside, but the effects they produced were worlds apart.

Moreover, the Steam Bomb, which only required a pressure valve, was not difficult to manufacture. The power of a steam explosion was considerable for ordinary creatures without extraordinary abilities, although the heating method was somewhat lacking.

If those Drow were to bring such a thing onto the battlefield, they could either engrave enchantments on the cylinder's outer shell and embed expensive magic crystals for continuous heating, as suggested, which would naturally produce the magical fluctuations they desired upon explosion.

Or, a group of elves squatting on the battlefield, burning boilers with firewood and coal – the scene was enough to make one cringe.

However, even the most perfect plan could not keep up with changes, especially when encountering an opponent with an equally unconventional thought process.

A group of people finally welcomed the Drow investigation team with great anticipation.

Not long after Dishana and her group of Drow approached, Li Wei and the old dwarf Tiger received news from the dwarves.

Bang!

Li Wei slammed a deep imprint onto the stone shell of the Steam Bomb, saying somewhat irritably, "These Drow really don't play by the rules. Coming here to visit? Visit her mother's hammer!"

Tiger, however, was surprisingly calm. After thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, "This is also normal. It's probably some family's eldest daughter who has run out of options and is desperate, coming to Zelandia to gamble it all. She's quite lucky. If she had come forty years earlier, she would have already been invited to the Goblins' nest for a porridge feast."

Li Wei agreed wholeheartedly. After being in Zelandia for so long, Li Wei had gained some understanding of the peculiar race known as the Drow.

Perhaps it was thanks to their deity, the Spider Queen Lolth, who was inherently deranged, that the entire Drow society was filled with all sorts of chaos and evil, schemes and infighting.

This was because such behavior was determined by the divine portfolio and alignment of the goddess Lolth herself.

Assassins!

Darkness!

Chaos!

Evil!

Lolth would always support any Drow in scheming against or killing their own kin.

She claimed this was to eliminate the weak among the Drow, thereby making the entire race stronger. But in reality, this cruel and capricious tyrant took pleasure in watching others suffer.

She also carefully prevented open or widespread conflict within Drow society. She would never forgive large-scale battles fought by great numbers of Drow, as that would be a drain and depletion of the race's strength.

However, she did approve of large-scale attacks that were perfectly planned, executed cleanly, and achieved overwhelming advantage instantaneously.

Lolth expected her followers to be cunning, good at scheming, and aware of the surrounding dangers and their own advantages.

Because she was kicked into the Underdark by her husband, the Elven Main God Corellon, she believed emotions, weakness, and love were completely useless. Only by relying on oneself could one be invincible. This belief directly led to the distorted male-female relationships in Drow society. Female Drow almost never believed in love, only using males as tools for pleasure and procreation.

She expected her followers to rule the entire Underdark, eliminating all weak enemies within their reach of conquest.

She also expected them to eventually invade and conquer the surface world, not only to rule but to kill all of Corellon Larissan and all surface elves!

This was the dark rule of the Spider Queen over the Drow.

It was also called by the intelligent beings on the surface, Lolth's

Reign of Chaos!

"Master, should we do it then?" Huozi, whose mind was still preoccupied with violence, raised his hand and gestured to his neck.

"Let's go take a look first. If you want to play poker, you have to see what chips she has first, right? If she wants to play the trick of getting something for nothing, hmph, I don't mind teaching her how to be an elf."

Li Wei grinned, revealing his fangs. His fluffy wolf ears twitched excitedly with his changing mood.

Thanks to [Three Kingdoms Poisonous Advisor Jia Xu 2] for the hundred-coin reward.