The Statue

In the afternoon, Su Ming activated "Summoning of All Things" again, teleporting some materials and equipment that needed to be replenished during the installation process.

The power area in the lower deck had been completely transformed, no longer cluttered and disorganized. Under Beianqi's leadership, a group of trainees who had acquired basic mechanical engineering knowledge had completed the connection of the various pipelines.

The massive boiler system was successfully ignited and started up. With a deep rumble, steam was released in an orderly manner, driving the huge steam turbine to slowly rotate.

As expected, problems arose—hissing noises erupted from multiple pipe connections and valve locations, spewing out scalding white steam, instantly enveloping the entire lower deck in a thick white mist.

Fortunately, the personnel on site had all cast protective spells and shields, preventing them from being burned by the high-temperature steam.

If this kind of untested, unloaded operation were to occur in an engineering project on Earth, the person in charge would likely be fired immediately.

But in this other world, it's simply a way to increase efficiency.

Connecting high-pressure pipelines inherently requires multiple steps. But what happened next left Su Ming speechless.

These otherworldly mages each displayed their unique abilities. Some took out alchemical potions that shimmered with strange light and applied them to the leaking cracks; others cast shaping magic to try and harden the internal pressure, which was dozens of times the pressure of atmospheric pressure; still others used animating spells to deform and twist the metal pipes in certain areas.

Some people have even created "holy bone beetles" and thrown them into pipes, where they automatically crawl over and plug any leaks.

Su Ming was dazzled by the sights, and his eyes twitched involuntarily. But considering the time constraints, he could only grit his teeth and let these people use their "specialties."

The bottom deck was filled with pipes and valves, which looked rather strange, as if they were covered with various alchemical patches and magical seals, but at least they were indeed working properly.

"Now we can connect the generator." Beianqi wiped the oil from her forehead, looking at the partially operational steam turbine system, her tone tinged with relief yet also a hint of resentment. "These new devices are very well designed; once connected, they can start running immediately—I feel like I haven't really played a significant role."

"You guys are amazing," Su Ming said, surveying the massive power core. "Getting such a large unit running is already incredibly difficult." He paused, then pointed to the trainees who had participated in the installation, now covered in oil but with excited eyes. "The next step is to provide them with systematic training. The daily operation and maintenance of this power system will depend on them."

"Yes, there's still a lot of work to be done once it's running," Beianqi remarked. "For example, the magical auxiliary technologies used will need to be standardized, just like your technology side does." Suddenly, an idea struck her, and her eyes lit up with excitement. "If we can use magic arrays to reinforce the key parts of the equipment, its potential can be further unlocked!"

Su Ming recalled the scene during the "Zhiyuan's " maiden voyage, when the small steam engine, enhanced by a magic array, unleashed 150% power. He nodded in agreement, "You compile some magic enhancement plans, and I'll have the engineers back home conduct simulations and perform data verification."

"Yes!" Beianqi nodded vigorously, full of enthusiasm.

The condensate recovery system has also begun testing.

Su Ming also summoned the supporting greywater treatment equipment to its location. The condensate and collected wastewater were purified by the equipment and then reinjected into the circulation system.

As various equipment were gradually put in place, the framing team in the lower compartment also got busy. They began to close the temporary hatches and passages reserved for the installation of large equipment and rebuild the bulkheads.

In contrast to Su Ming's rough and simple style, these professional necromancers displayed meticulousness and craftsmanship.

They meticulously crafted smooth, curved transitions at every structural connection, greatly reducing stress concentration points. Many critical support components were carefully constructed with various ribs.

This significantly enhances the impact resistance of the new hull structure. Compared to the White Triangle, the Pansy represents a qualitative leap in structural strength.

****

After completing the main structure, these necromancers began enthusiastically carving patterns and hanging various decorations whose meanings Su Ming couldn't decipher.

Faced with the scene that had instantly transformed into an art workshop, Su Ming frowned. "It's just a ship's structure; as long as it's sturdy, that's enough. Why bother with all this complicated embellishment?"

"Lord Su, what's this!" A student who was intently carving vine patterns looked up and reported to the instructor, "Over in the living quarters, they're all carving narrative murals!"

"Murals?!" Su Ming immediately rushed to the living area. Sure enough, a series of relief sculptures being made came into view in the corridor of the living area.

The first series' theme is none other than "Su Ming and Zijin: The Legendary Battle Between the Legendary Radiant Chanter and the Fate Manipulator!" In the center of the image, a towering, imposing figure of Su Ming, eight feet tall, exudes power and majesty, majestically trampling the Radiant Chanter beneath his feet...

"Stop! Stop right now!" Su Ming shouted urgently. "We don't need this stuff! Keep the walls clean and smooth! That's an order!"

"But, sir," one of the students said.

"Nothing, but!" Su Ming's tone was firm. "The uneven wall will affect passage and maritime safety!"

"My lord," the academy student continued, "What I really wanted to say was—the Shipwreck Team is currently sculpting a full-body statue of you."

Su Ming was speechless for a moment, then immediately turned around, climbed onto the deck in three quick steps, and rushed towards the ship's resting place.

The sight before him startled him: a large number of shattered stone statue fragments were scattered on the deck. Judging from the size of the remains, the statue was obviously quite large, and it seemed to be a double statue.

On a nearby communications mast, five or six sculptors were hanging upside down, their faces full of grievance and their bodies twisting and turning. Zijin stood to the side with her hands behind her back, staring at them with an unfriendly expression.

Su Ming stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the ground. A fragment seemed to be carved into two hands, one large and one small, clasping together in an extremely gentle manner.

Before he could see the details clearly, with a "thud," Zijin stretched out her foot and crushed the fragment to pieces.

Su Ming looked up and saw the girl's expressionless face. She subtly shuffled her toes.

"What did they carve that made you so angry?" Su Ming asked curiously.

Zijin glanced at Su Ming quickly, a barely perceptible blush crossing her cheeks. She coughed a few times and uttered, "The carving is... too ugly."

Su Ming couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Then he definitely deserves to be punished!"

The head sculptor, hanging upside down, clearly refused to accept this false accusation. He struggled desperately to speak in his defense, "Injustice! Those exquisite statues of the Sea of Divine Grace were all made by us! They were clearly—"

Before she could finish speaking, Zijin had already grabbed a bone club from the deck and struck the chief sculptor on the back of the head with a "thud." The man didn't even utter a sound before passing out.

"That's enough, that's enough!" Su Ming quickly interjected, "A small punishment is enough to show the message. Don't really break their heads; they still have work to do."

Zijin snorted, her sharp gaze sweeping over the other sculptors hanging upside down as if it were a physical object. The sculptors instantly trembled, ceasing all wriggling and hanging obediently.

"Do we have too much manpower?" Su Ming sighed as he looked at the scene.

"The power area in the lower deck can only accommodate so many people working at the same time." Zijin tossed aside her bone club and clapped her hands. "That's why the construction team is overcrowded right now."

Su Ming thought for a moment, then called Rupert over, "Get a damage control team out here right now, and stuff all those troublemakers into it."

"Yes, boss!" Rupert replied immediately, but then asked somewhat blankly, "But—what exactly is the work of this damage control team?"

"Damage control is the team that rushes to the scene to handle damage when it occurs on the ship," Su Ming explained. "Emergency response speed is crucial, and they must also be familiar with the ship's structure. So—" he smirked, "Have them practice running laps all over the ship!"

"..."

****

On the somewhat gloomy sea of the North Sea, the cargo ship "Pious Widow" sails through the gray waves.

Suddenly, several figures dressed in the pure white robes of priests from the Temple of Light descended from the sky and landed on the rocking deck. A tense atmosphere instantly enveloped the cargo ship.

"The devout widow?" The leading priest captain glanced at the ship's name on the hull and let out a disdainful snort.

The dark-skinned ship owner immediately put on a smile, rubbing his hands together as he hurried forward. "Your Excellency! Please forgive us! We poor souls who make a living at sea give ourselves humble names just so that evil spirits will stay away and we can live in peace!"

The priest captain did not press the matter. Choosing a ship name with religious connotations and an ominous connotation was said to be taboo for pirates, and was quite common at sea.

"This is not the main flight path," the priest captain said coldly. "What is your purpose in appearing here?"

The captain quickly explained, speaking rapidly, "Reporting to you, sir! I've taken on a mission to transport a batch of purple-veined ironwood to the fiefdom of a lord in the Northern Lands! Look, this is the shipping contract, and this is the port record—everything is complete!"

He respectfully handed over several parchment scrolls to be stamped.

The captain of the priests took the document expressionlessly, checked it, and found no problems. He waved his hand, and several priests accompanying him immediately entered the cabin.

A moment later, the priest who had inspected the cabin returned and nodded to the captain—the cargo in the cabin matched the contract perfectly, and there were no abnormalities.

The ship owner skillfully slipped a few gold coins into the priest captain's hand.

The priest captain's icy expression softened slightly, but his tone remained resolute, "Alright. Turn around and leave immediately! This sea area will be sealed off for the next five days; no ships are allowed to pass!"