Steam Engine

After Alexei left, Theus thought for a moment and called for Connor.

"How is the blueprint I gave you earlier coming along?"

"Are you referring to the one for the 'steam engine'?"

"Yes."

"I consulted the blacksmith on the island, and he said that while it might be possible elsewhere, the 'cylinder' part is definitely impossible to make."

"Tell me in detail."

"Right..." Connor recalled his experience at the blacksmith shop...

"Preposterous, absolutely preposterous!" the old blacksmith said angrily. "This iron barrel requires an extremely smooth interior, and it cannot have any seams that leak air. This is impossible to achieve!"

"Are you suggesting that some special tools are needed?"

"No tool can create something like this. You won't be able to get this made anywhere. You would need a massive furnace to melt steel for casting. You might have a chance in Rhine; they have enough craftsmen there, and if they worked together, they might be able to pull it off. On this island, there is only me and my apprentice, unless..."

"Unless you find a solid block of iron and dig a hole through the middle; that might be close enough."

"If that were the case..."

"Impossible, at least not here. Not to mention what could even dig a hole through a block of iron like that, even if it were possible, I wouldn't be able to finish it in half a year, even if I worked on such a massive chunk."

"Moreover, the other things on your blueprint are also absurd. For example, this pipe—I could bend an iron plate into a shape, but to connect it tightly, well, in your words—to make it airtight."

"That requires an extremely high level of skill, and you would need a lot of luck. You would have to fail countless times before making a single finished product."

"In short, what you need is half the blacksmiths in Rhine, and here there is only an old man like me. There is no way to make these things."

Connor explained slowly to Theus.

Theus couldn't help but sigh. Trying to hand-craft a steam engine was indeed too difficult, and he hadn't held out much hope anyway.

But this meant the progress of industrialization was stuck. No matter how efficient his factory was, it remained at the level of manual manufacturing, at best just a larger workshop.

If a steam engine couldn't be built, let alone an internal combustion engine, the difficulty of a generator wasn't as high, but without a steam engine to drive it, what was he supposed to do—crank it by hand?

Most human energy utilization involved boiling water, and he was stuck even at the stage of boiling water; no matter how much he planned for the future, it was all just empty talk.

The industrial foundation was too weak; no matter how many blueprints he had in his mind, it was useless.

He thought carefully about whether there was a good solution...

Images flashed through his mind one by one. The Church and the factories in Rhine might have primitive steam engines, but buying them would be fraught with difficulties. Not to mention the logistics of transport, could he even afford the cost?

Moreover, relying on buying steam engines for industrial development was not a sustainable solution.

He had built a blast furnace on the estate, but he hadn't even started testing it yet. Even if it were a complete success, he had no idea how long it would take before he could reach the level of lathes and boring machines.

The hardest part of industrial development is going from zero to one, and he was stuck right there.

That path was also a dead end.

What if he went through the royal family? The royal family had established the Gear Academy. Although he didn't know much about it, judging by the name, it should contain the things he wanted.

But that brought him back to the start. He might be able to get help from the royal family, but he would inevitably be coerced by their power.

Well, he would keep it as a backup option; being coerced by the royal family was still better than being stuck here.

Were there any other ways besides that?

The Empire... the royal family... Gem Bay...

Wait, he didn't necessarily have to look for those factions that already had factories.

What he needed to solve was the problem of being unable to manufacture a steam engine... then...

Why not ask for the help of magical wonders?

Previously in the sea, he had seen a Banshee use magic to attack the Fishmen. Could those magical wonders be used to help him craft a steam engine?

Although expecting the Banshees in the deep sea to master welding technology was a bit absurd, it was currently the most achievable path in his hands.

"Connor, you can go back first. Let me stay here by myself for a while."

Theus didn't tell Connor about the Banshee. Mainly, only Ash could come to the island right now; the other Banshees still lived in the Abyssal Trench.

Sigh, even though they were technically his subjects, they were actually very far away from him.

Just as Theus was preparing to communicate with Ash through the Mind Link, he suddenly frowned.

The Symbiotic Pact is draining my life force? Ash is injured!?

Something must have happened in the deep sea. Theus stood up with some concern, instructed the butler Connor not to let anyone disturb him, locked the study door, and skillfully opened the secret passage to head down.

Not long after entering the secret passage, Theus narrowed his eyes. Through his ability to sense the water domain, he discovered that there seemed to be more than just Ash down there.

Fortunately, the auras were familiar; they should all be Banshees.

Judging by the number, it seemed their entire clan had come over. What on earth had happened in the deep sea?

Theus frowned and quickened his pace as he went down.

After turning a few corners, the secret passage widened into a massive cavern. In the center was a large expanse of seawater, and many Banshees were gathered together in the water, forming a circle, whispering to each other with worried expressions.

Ash was the first to feel the feedback from the contract; he turned to look at Theus and signaled to the Banshees behind him, causing the hollow to fall silent.

"What happened?"

"My Lord, the corruption beneath the Abyssal Trench has erupted suddenly. We have lost our home once again, and..." Ash swam to the shore with a heavy expression, and the Banshees gathered around parted to make an opening.

Theus looked toward the center of the Banshees. Although the environment was dim, he possessed darkvision granted by the Symbiotic Pact and easily spotted the familiar figure in their midst.

"...Monica!? Is she hurt?" Theus strode over and, without a moment's hesitation, jumped into the sea.

The other Banshees, unlike Ash, had not signed a Symbiotic Pact; once they left the seawater, the pressure would increase many times over, so they could only float just beneath the surface.

As Theus approached, two Banshees moved closer: "Lord, please do not come any further. Monica, she..."

"She didn't have time to dodge and was severely wounded, and... she has been corrupted." Ash spoke in a low voice.

Theus looked at Monica; her once-lustrous scales had lost their sheen and were no longer a vibrant emerald green.

Several hideous wounds snaked from her back all the way to her neck, nearly tearing her body in two.

Strange black substances coiled over those wounds like black leeches, preventing them from healing no matter what.

The surrounding Banshees reached out to brush over the wounds, and the flesh would begin to close, showing signs of recovery.

However, as soon as the closing flesh touched that black substance, it immediately began to rupture, causing the wounds to widen once more.

Is this what they call corruption?