Chapter 208 Mechanical Genius Asbel
At this point, some might ask, is it really worth going to such lengths to build a stage for Asbel, a prince who is only fifteen years old and has a somewhat "let them eat cake" mentality, to showcase his talents?
Mu En's answer was definitely yes, it was very worthwhile.
If Yupa is the greatest swordsman among the nations of the Sea of Corruption, then Asbel is the greatest mechanical genius among Sea of Corruption.
In the Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind movie, Asbel repaired Nausicaä's sophisticated ancient flying wing using only a toolkit, which is an extremely impressive feat.
If Mu En knew the plot of the manga version of " Valley of the Wind," he would look at Asbel even more favorably. In that world, Asbel repaired the Valley of the Wind gunboat, which had been riddled with bullets by the Dorok, in just half a day using only the most basic tools.
God knows how he did it!
(In the manga, Asbel repaired the dilapidated gunboat to the point where it could still fly in just one afternoon.)
In short, Asbel certainly did not disappoint.
Once the equipment arrived, he immediately took the engineers he had recruited to the laboratory to experiment repeatedly with those complex formulas.
He requisitioned the oil refining equipment that was originally intended to be sold to Waji Valley and put it to work day and night to refine various chemical raw materials.
He successfully created the first electroactive fiber in just three stages.
It is a transparent fiber that is thinner than a human hair. It contracts when electricity is applied and relaxes when electricity is removed. The force of its contraction is enough to pull an object thousands of times its own weight. Countless such fibers are woven together to form artificial muscles that can simulate the contraction and relaxation of biological muscles.
Asbel; this was a technique he had never even heard of before, yet he had now recreated it with his own hands.
However, he also knew that these were just basic materials, and they were still far from being a real ornithopter.
Next, he has more problems to solve, such as redesigning the overall shape.
In the blueprints for the ornithopter provided by Dola, its round body, its huge compound eye sensors, and its wings spread out in a V-shape made it look like nothing more than a round-headed mechanical fly.
Asbel glanced at it once and tossed it aside.
"What is this thing?!"
He resolutely refused to create something that was aesthetically unappealing and decided to redesign it according to his own ideas.
This idea was also approved by Mu En, who also provided Asbel with some classic ornithopter designs as references.
What he needs is not a single-seater like Dola, but a larger and more powerful war machine.
Next, Asbel will not only incorporate the super material Ceramic Steel into it, but also reproduce the fuel-powered electric drive system that was ahead of its time, while redesigning the flight control system.
In addition, there are weapon systems, protection systems, and emergency response systems.
Asbel only sleeps three hours a day, spending the rest of his time in the laboratory.
When he was tired, he would drink strong tea to stay awake; when he was hungry, he would nibble on some dry food; when he was extremely sleepy, he would lie on the blueprints and take a nap. It was only because of the blessing that he had a physique far superior to that of ordinary people, otherwise this child would have worked himself to death.
But he didn't complain of being tired, and Mu En didn't stop him.
They all knew that time was of the essence, and now was the moment to race against time.
Once the prototype successfully completes its test flights, this combat ornithopter will soon be ready for mass production.
The standardized factory buildings under construction, the production lines being tested, and the workers being trained are all waiting for that day to arrive.
All of this must be accomplished before the war truly begins.
By then, the invaders will no longer be facing a weak and ragtag coalition of a few big cats and small cats, but a monster fleet composed of cutting-edge technology, extraordinary power, and groundbreaking ideas, capable of dominating the entire world!
Night falls.
Even at night, the lights in Pejite are never extinguished.
This city has been known for its industry since ancient times, and shift work in factories is the norm.
Post-war reconstruction had to be carried out in tandem with the construction of the new factory. Workers worked in three shifts to clear the rubble and then filled the foundations on the cleared land in preparation for the new buildings.
The whole city was like a giant construction site; you could hear and see construction noises everywhere.
Among them, the searchlights of the Chengbei Industrial Laboratory are particularly bright, illuminating the surrounding area as if it were daytime. That is the new heart of Pejite and the core location in the new urban area plan.
In contrast, the scattered lights on the surrounding construction sites and the temporary resettlement areas with tents set up further away appeared much dimmer.
Under the cover of night, things that were previously difficult to find and could not be detected began to reveal themselves and stir.
The industrial laboratory was heavily guarded, completely surrounded by barbed wire, with a watchtower equipped with searchlights and machine guns every few dozen meters, and armed guards patrolling back and forth.
To ensure confidentiality, anyone entering or leaving must have their ID card checked, and their entry and exit times must be recorded.
The workers changing shifts came out of the gate in twos and threes. Some were chatting and laughing with their arms around each other's shoulders, some were counting the silver snake coins they had just received, and some were stretching and yawning.
A night breeze swept through, carrying away the heat of the factory and invigorating everyone.
"See this? Today's bonus is much more than I earned as a repairman at the shipyard!" A young worker proudly waved the silver coins in his hand.
People nearby egged them on, saying, "Treat us! Treat us! Let's go to the shantytown for a couple of drinks!"
"Okay, okay, please." The young worker readily agreed, but carefully tucked the bonus into his pocket.
Another person remarked, "This new factory really offers great benefits; they provide meals and even give bonuses. The old bosses were never this generous."
"That's right! I heard that Lord Haideng himself set this rule, saying that workers must be well-fed and clothed before they can work properly. I say that's a wise man. Those bosses before only knew how to make us work hungry, and deduct money if we worked slowly. Bah!"
At this moment, an unremarkable young man suddenly spoke up, "Tell me, what exactly are we building?"
"Those parts look so different from the ones in previous spaceship orders."
His words piqued the interest of others.
"Yes, the Ceramic Steel in my workshop are completely unrecognizable as to their purpose."
"What we make in our workshop—well, I don't recognize what it is either, but it's related to oil."
"Over there—"
The workers began to speculate wildly, some saying it was a new type of gunboat, others saying it was mining machinery, but no one could guess Asbel's true purpose.
Because the manufacturing workshops for each component are separate, only a very small number of core engineers know the complete design blueprints.
An older worker nearby frowned. "Do you remember those clauses in the contract? It said there would be penalties for leaking secrets."
The crowd immediately fell silent. Of course, they still remembered the strict restrictions: they were not allowed to disclose their work to outsiders, take the blueprints out of the workshop, or discuss production details privately. Violators would not only have their wages confiscated but would also be placed in solitary confinement or even expelled from the industrial zone.
At the time, everyone only saw the generous benefits; now, thinking back on it, they feel a chill down their spine.
"Alright, alright, stop talking. Let's go drink. Stop with this nonsense."
The group quickened their pace and headed towards the temporary resettlement area, where there was a tavern run by the people of Valley of the Wind.
Not only can they enjoy delicious ale made with Blessed Grape Juice, but the kitchen staff are also better at cooking than those in the factory canteen, and the prices are cheaper. This has become the greatest source of comfort for the people of Pejite.
No one noticed that one person was missing from the group.
The young man had fallen behind at some point. He looked up at the brightly lit industrial laboratory in the distance, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Technology that shouldn't belong to this era—interesting."
The blonde figure disappeared into the darkness once more.