Dwarves

The first thing sent to Su Ming's phone was a scanning and analysis report from the Rainbow Drone's high-altitude reconnaissance.

After the ambush, Su Ming immediately launched a drone, set up a predetermined flight path, and ordered it to conduct aerial reconnaissance over the area located on the side of Gray Ridge near Dragon Valley, commonly known as "East of the Ridge".

Despite the goblin army's extremely cautious surface camouflage measures, Su Ming could clearly see, under the powerful penetrating scans of synthetic aperture radar, that several strategic locations in East of the Ridge had seen unusually large-scale military buildup and the construction of numerous combat positions.

Beneath the ground cover, the goblins had laid out a dense array of circular vertical pits, whose shape and features were clearly those of the "Dragon-Breaking Cone" launch silos they had just seen. The total number of them exceeded four thousand.

And this is only the number detected in East of the Ridge!

This area is within 300 kilometers of the border of Dragon Valley. In addition to direct land transportation with the Dragon side, there is also the waterway of Green Thorn Port nearby. Due to the long-term receipt of abundant raw materials and resources from Dragon Valley, the industrial and urban development in the East of the Ridge area is quite intensive.

At the same time, this is also the most militarized area in the Gray Ridge Kingdom.

Su Ming didn't waste any time. He immediately requested to speak and projected the results of the drone's reconnaissance onto the air in the center of the venue.

"First, there are the launch craters of the Dragon-Breaking Cone- Slaying Cones," Su Ming pointed to the densely marked points on the image. "We've detected over four thousand so far, but that doesn't mean the total number is only four thousand! Considering the goblin's deep defensive line deployed outside the East of the Ridge region, and the reserves in the goblin warehouses, their total number must be far greater than that!"

Elder Mo Yuan appeared extremely puzzled, "How could the souls of these prisoners possibly lie?"

"What if they really weren't lying?" Elder Zhimeng quickly realized the reason, "What if the information these goblins we captured were given from the beginning was distorted?"

"Then the 'true' data they passed on to us, endorsed by the soul, is naturally wrong!" Elder Mo Yuan suddenly realized.

"You cunning goblins! Can't we just have a fair fight?" the hot-tempered Red Dragon elder roared in frustration.

He even angrily spewed a scorching dragon breath towards the sky. Throughout the long history, Dragon Race have always suffered losses due to such insidious schemes.

"Have you all considered this?" Su Ming continued, his voice flat and even, "If the quantity information for the Dragon-Breaking Cone is false, then what about its performance parameters? Its daily production capacity data? Could it be that all of that is fabricated?"

These words were like a boulder thrown into calm water, causing an uproar! Even the Dragon King Gelie's expression became unusually solemn.

"Now may I proceed with the other bad news?" Su Ming asked calmly, seemingly oblivious to the commotion in the room.

The dragons present looked at Su Ming with some surprise, but soon the entire venue fell silent. Even the Red Dragon elder who had just vented his anger restrained himself and obediently lay back down.

Su Ming displayed a chart of Green Thorn Port's shipping data for the past month, clearly showing a steep upward curve—from the beginning to the end of the month, the port's cargo throughput increased by an astonishing 150%!

Su Ming raised his hand, inviting Elder Blue Dragon to speak. This elder was in charge of the affairs of Dragon Gorge Port and was knowledgeable about port matters.

"This is highly unusual!" Elder Blue Dragon stared at the chart, his tone certain. "This indicates that the Goblin Kingdom has received unprecedented material support in the past half month!"

"Then, can you determine who provided the support?" Su Ming pressed.

Elder Blue Dragon hesitated this time and did not answer immediately.

"Let me rephrase my question," Su Ming persisted, "Which forces possess the capability to provide such massive support in such a short time?"

"The Star Empire, the Cold Mountain Kingdom, or the Temple of Light," Elder Blue Dragon listed. "Many countries can provide these supplies, but no other force can organize, mobilize, and transport them in such a short time."

"The Cold Mountain Kingdom can be ruled out," Su Ming said. "We currently have a cooperative relationship with them, and we have intelligence networks in their main ports, so these unusually large increases in ship numbers don't originate from there. As for the remaining two suspects, I think the Temple of Light is a foregone conclusion." He paused, "But we can't rule out the possibility that both were involved simultaneously!"

Although the Star Empire had acted rather "harmlessly" during this period, Su Ming was well aware of the treacherous nature of power struggles between nations and dared not let his guard down.

Even the dragons trembled slightly upon hearing this. Were they being Clock Hand by the Star Empire and the Temple of Light?

"You mean, everything that happened today was a premeditated trap?" Gelie's deep voice boomed like thunder.

"Yes," Su Ming nodded in confirmation, "The goblins are on high alert, having laid a huge trap for us. But even so, they are merely pawns pushed to the forefront. In the shadows, there are even more insidious forces preparing to reap the benefits—"

"I understand what you mean!" Gelie interrupted loudly, his voice booming like a bronze bell echoing through the hall. "But the dragon race must never yield! This is the pride flowing in our blood, and our inviolable dignity!" His golden vertical pupils stared directly at Su Ming. "Now, tell us, how should we attack?"

Within three days, I will gather the power of the entire dragon race and crush any enemy who dares to offend the majesty of the Dragon Race!

****

Su Ming and Zijin exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a sense of helplessness.

Throughout the meeting, Su Ming kept Zijin silent. Even Su Ming himself dared not utter the words "suspend the operation" directly, because Gelie, or rather, this group of dragons, would not agree.

But Su Ming still wanted to try his best to guide them. If a conflict arose with the dragons, he would have to rely on Zijin to mediate.

The fact that Dragon King Gelie expressed his stance so clearly meant that the matter was essentially unchangeable.

Su Ming was extremely troubled. Since things had come to this point, he could only try to minimize the cost.

Unexpectedly, as Su Ming and Zijin fell silent, a massive figure covered in emerald scales stood firmly beside them.

"Your Gelie Ge Lie!" Elder Zhimeng said in a tone she had never used before, almost rebuking, "True majesty should be forged from the blood of the enemy!"

She even slightly puffed out her wings; this posture was less of a defense and more of a clear declaration of her stance.

Immediately afterwards, a black figure rose from the ground.

"Our Black Dragon Clan isn't particularly adept at head-on combat," Elder Mo Yuan said calmly. "I prefer patience and the deadly ambush that comes after thorough observation of the enemy. The total number of powerful enemies killed by all the dragon elders present probably doesn't match mine." He stepped to Su Ming and Zijin's side. "Although I don't yet know President Su's specific strategic thinking, I lean towards winning through wisdom!"

Surprisingly, the third person to speak up was none other than the Red Dragon Elder who had been the most agitated earlier.

"I think," the Red Dragon Elder said in a deep voice, spreading his battered dragon wings to reveal the crisscrossing old scars, "Listening to their opinions might make me more willing to 'beat those goblins'! I myself—have suffered too much from being too straightforward."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to freeze. Even the decisive Gelie hesitated for once, his golden vertical pupils flashing.

Zijin slowly stood up.

"Wisdom is an indispensable part of power." Her firm voice echoed in the silent valley. "Gelie Majesty, this is precisely the fundamental reason why you invited me to become the Dragon Race's ruler. It is also the reason why the elders accepted a member like me, who is almost human, to join the Dragon Clan's power center."

Zijin raised her head, her gaze meeting Gelie's directly. "Our enemies fear the immense power of the dragons, fear the passion and fearlessness that flow in the veins of our race. Because of this, they dare not confront us directly, and instead choose insidious tricks!"

"Therefore! As proud dragons!" Zijin's voice suddenly rose, carrying a surge of passionate power, "We should deliver the most severe and thorough blow to such enemies! Whether in pure strength or in profound wisdom, we must achieve complete crushing! We must adopt the most rigorous and powerful war stance, ensuring that these enemies who dare to challenge the majesty of the Dragon Race will never be able to rise again!"

Gelie instinctively gripped the enormous Dragon Claw.

Wisdom and strength go hand in hand— Zijin is asking him to abandon the strategy of immediate counterattack.

His gaze swept across the hall, and he noticed that even the most staunchly pro-war elders were beginning to waver and ponder.

Suddenly, Gelie Lie recalled the scene of visiting Misaila and Hongyao at the medical center—a dignified dragon elder had been injured to the point of having a claw broken. The formidable Misaila had been disemboweled and nearly lost her life.

The Dragon Race's honorary elder, Zijin, still had her right hand wrapped in thick bandages.

Gelie suddenly let out a heavy sigh, as if bearing the weight of a thousand years, and his tightly clenched Dragon Claw loosened.

"President Su, Zijin Governor—" His voice carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness, but he had finally made his decision, "Please tell me, what is your plan?"

This change surprised Su Ming and Zijin. It meant that they could formulate more detailed war preparations and offensive plans, and even, with further efforts, they could persuade the dragons to adopt various strategic deception methods that they had previously disdained.

Imagine the Dragon Race starting to use tactical kiting—that would absolutely make the opposing goblins' jaws drop to the ground before their corpses!

[Zijin, when did you become so eloquent?] Su Ming was in a very good mood after establishing a connection through Mind Synchronization.

[How do you think I got the title of "Saintess"?] Zijin's reply carried a hint of smugness. [Preaching and evangelizing are also important requirements for a Saintess, and I'm quite eloquent!]

"Heh," Su Ming questioned, "Then how did you manage to farm half the map's red reputation?"

He couldn't help but feel resentful when he recalled his hellish start when he first arrived in this other world. So much so that now, facing a potentially dire situation of one against three, he felt incredibly confident.

[It's not really appropriate for me to speak next.] Su Ming changed the subject, [You present the battle plan.]

Okay!

Zijin used Levitation Spell, her body surrounded by a faint light, and floated to the center of the arena.

"Gentlemen," her voice was soft, yet clearly reached the ears of every dragon, "I hope to spend a month completing full-scale preparations for the war against the Gray Ridge Kingdom." She gracefully waved her left hand, and a detailed plan, rich in items, was projected before all the dragons.

Gelie narrowed his vertical pupils, scanning the dense text and charts—most of the arrangements on them, such as the construction of intelligence networks, the reorganization of the logistics system, targeted tactical training, and even the deployment of psychological warfare, were completely beyond his previous understanding.

In fact, a large portion of them are designs that have never appeared in this other world.

"There's a lot to do." Zijin looked around at the dragon elders present. "I welcome everyone to discuss and deliberate together!"

****

The meeting involved extremely trivial and complicated matters. At the initial end, Su Ming was still fine, but Zijin, who was already injured, showed obvious fatigue, and her eyes were somewhat unfocused.

Seeing this, Jielusi wanted to go forward to check on her condition, but Ruixiuli gently grabbed her arm.

Su Ming scooped up Zijin in his arms, unfurled his magical wings made of pure shadow energy, and soared into the air, flying towards the Ruby Base.

A night breeze blew by, Zijin rested her head wearily on Su Ming's shoulder, closing her eyes.

"I'm so hungry, I want to eat something," she suddenly said, her tone tinged with a hazy, sticky quality.

"I got an air fryer," Su Ming replied. "I'll see if I can grab something on the way back to bake."

Upon hearing this, Zijin perked up slightly. "[We've planted a patch of artichokes at Zhimeng's place. We can go pick some," she suggested.

"How about we go secretly?" Su Ming suggested. "Last time I went and picked a few for a treat, but she kept staring at me, and that look gave me the creeps."

[The two of them.] Zhimeng's gentle spiritual power intervened in their connection without warning. [Although eavesdropping on others' conversations is indeed very interesting, but—] she paused, her tone clearly troubled, [The mental realm is my domain. If I'm this close, I'll passively receive the information. Eavesdropping is not my intention.]

Zijin burst out laughing, her body trembling violently.

[And, President Su Ming.] Zhimeng's voice carried a hint of helplessness, [Your picking skills are really terrible; you only pick the tender buds of the artichokes that haven't even bloomed yet.] She sighed, [This is really giving me a serious case of OCD.]

Su Ming was so embarrassed he was digging his toes into the ground. If there were ground in the air for him to dig into, he wouldn't know how to respond at all. Zijin in his arms was clutching her stomach, laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face, and all sleepiness had vanished.

[Zhimeng.] Zijin laughed as she explained to Su Ming, clarifying the issue, "[Humans' requirements for eating artichokes are completely different from those of Dragon Race. For us, only the fully grown but unopened buds are edible.]"

[Oh, I see?]

****

"What's making you so happy?" The Dragon King Gelie's massive figure landed beside Zhimeng, looking at the smile that hadn't faded from her face, and asked with some curiosity.

Zhimeng slightly suppressed her smile. "I was just using my mental powers to send a message."

Gelie took a deep breath. "Zhimeng, I've never seen you like this before."

Her Zhimeng abilities are inherently unsuitable for direct combat. Historically, she has also been the most gentle and reserved of the elders.

For a long time, she had been quietly coordinating and "mending" various government affairs. This was the first time in Gelie's memory that she had expressed her opinion so clearly, and even stood firmly on the opposite side of herself and most of the dragon elders.

"I just think they can do it." The Zhimeng's light projected onto the night sky, onto the four Xiaohei flying towards her artichoke field. "What an enviable team."

She turned back to look at the Dragon King, "Your Gelie Ge Lie, you are completely different from before."

"I choose to retaliate immediately," Gelie said solemnly, "Out of a resolute consideration of tit-for-tat and upholding the dignity of the Dragon Race. I don't think this in itself is wrong; after all, it's our Dragon Race's sharpest weapon and the foundation upon which we stand."

Then, his words began to carry a hint of reflection, "But for a dignified dragon race to allow goblins to infiltrate its territory and carry out assassinations—this means that my governance methods over the past few hundred years have been seriously inadequate."

Zhimeng remained silent, listening attentively, and began to understand the reason for Gelie's change of heart.

"However, Zhimeng," Gelie's voice softened, tinged with approval, "You did very well today. I look forward to you expressing your opinions more proactively, whether to me or Zijin."

"OK."

Gelie lowered his massive dragon head slightly. "Zijin told me she wouldn't stay here forever. So, from now on, you need to take on more responsibilities and step in when necessary."

Upon hearing this, Zhimeng hesitated, "But I am a dragon that cannot defeat others."

"Some of the Dragon Race's traditions shouldn't remain unchanged," Gelie replied. "Besides, Lanmo will definitely help you."

****

The next day, Su Ming woke up a little late. He yawned and flew to the woodland where the attack had occurred the day before.

The forest, which had been ravaged by fierce fighting, had been largely restored to its original state overnight.

The large trees that had been blown down by the dragon's breath were straightened, the broken trees were moved away, and the intact trees from afar were moved in their entirety and planted in the remaining open space. Large tracts of turf were dug up to cover the exposed soil.

With the help of magic, the vegetation cover in this area is being rapidly restored.

Upon closer inspection, the tree canopies were thinner and the forest was still sparse compared to the surrounding area. Su Ming also saw the Forest Dragon for the first time. They were smaller than the other giant dragons, with grayish-brown scales covering their bodies and green moss. They moved slowly and acted unhurriedly.

But in terms of efficiency, it's not low. In such a large forest, only four were dispatched to participate in the work.

"It will take them two days to fully close the canopy of the forest," Elder Mo Yuan explained as he flew to Su Ming's side.

Su Ming nodded. This was part of the plan—to erase all traces of the battle and restore everything to its original state. On the surface, both the dragon race and the Final Bone Mad Machines would maintain the status quo, making no mention of yesterday's ambush and acting as if it had never happened.

The goblins will naturally become suspicious, but let them be paranoid and figure it out themselves.

"Let's go!" Su Ming landed on Mo Yuan's broad back. Ruixiuli followed closely behind and leaped onto the dragon's back, accompanied by his secretary, Ainuobia.

Jielusi didn't come along this time because she needed to stay with Zijin to take care of her.

The three people and the dragon quickly took off and flew swiftly westward.

"How are the arrangements at Sapphire Port going?" Su Ming asked Ainuobia beside him during the flight.

"There are a lot of cargo ships and sailors coming and going frequently over there now, and the news that we deliberately released about multiple anonymous missions visiting has been confirmed to have been leaked," Ainuobia reported.

There are many nations and forces in this other world, including not only the major powers but also numerous small and medium-sized countries and forces. Ever since Su Ming settled down in Dragon Valley, they have been eager to send people to make contact, clearly showing their strong interest in the technology Su Ming possesses.

The envoys from these countries had to remain anonymous simply because Su Ming was an enemy of the Temple of Light and was still a world-class wanted criminal.

Su Ming himself was not interested in negotiating or maneuvering with these countries, but he chose to deliberately leak this information.

****

After flying for about two hours, the group arrived at the border with the Dwarf Kingdom.

From afar, you can see the Dandelion -shaped communication base stations floating above. Below, on the ground, a brand-new complex of buildings has taken shape; these are the newly established customs facilities of the two countries.

With the advancement of the Celestite Hydropower Station project, the White River has been connected across its two banks. The two countries have agreed to establish a customs office there and are accelerating the construction and upgrading of the road network connecting the two countries.

The opening of this passage means that the Dwarf Kingdom's abundant output will have an additional land transportation route. At the same time, the surplus chemical by-products from the Ruby Base can also be sold to the Dwarf Kingdom through this route.

However, this route traverses numerous mountainous areas, making travel conditions less than ideal and transportation costs high. While this could be improved by constructing tunnels and bridges, Su Ming currently lacks the extra production capacity to invest in this part of the infrastructure.

When Su Ming and Mo Yuan arrived at the customs area, they found that the dwarfs' negotiating representatives had already arrived and were waiting on the ground.

"It's Speaker Pan Shi leading the team personally." Mo Yuan's sharp dragon eyes recognized the newcomers from afar, his voice tinged with surprise, "Wasn't the person you arranged to meet the Foreign Minister of the Dwarf Kingdom?"

"Looks like it's been upgraded." Su Ming's lips curled into a playful smile. "Is there something they feel the need to suddenly raise the level of the meeting, trying to catch me off guard?"

"They want way too much," Ruixiuli chuckled. "They'd probably want even the smallest cog in the Ruby Base."

Su Ming felt somewhat helpless. Before completely eliminating the Divine Covenant Faction and consolidating its foundation, cutting-edge equipment and core technologies absolutely could not be leaked.

Even from a long-term perspective on Earth, this won't work either. Su Ming can obtain and use many things through summoning, but he cannot leave behind the manufacturing technology.

Mo Yuan landed smoothly in no time. The two sides met and exchanged the usual pleasantries.

The dwarven foreign affairs minister, who was originally scheduled to attend, was also present and solemnly introduced the identities of his side. In addition to the high-ranking and powerful Speaker Rock, there was also a senior elder from the dwarven council, which was quite a high-level reception.

Inside the newly built customs building's conference room, the two sides took their seats on either side of a long table.

Sure enough, as soon as the negotiations began, the dwarves eagerly put forward their core demand: to purchase generators and large electric winches for deep-well mining.

Su Ming immediately and decisively refused, "This type of equipment is extremely delicate, and with your country's current conditions, it's simply impossible to use and maintain it effectively." He paused briefly, then offered an alternative, "However, we can provide steam-powered equipment."

Upon hearing this, Speaker Iwashi's face revealed undisguised disappointment and lack of interest, and his beard twitched slightly.

"I know you're already researching steam engines," Su Ming said calmly, unsurprised. "But I want to remind you that things are far more complicated than you imagine!"

Because of the Snowpiercer's journey through the Northern Lands, the existence of steam locomotives was no longer a secret. Anyone who was willing to analyze the characteristics of Su Ming's group's itinerary could deduce their core power principle: using fuel to boil water to generate steam for propulsion.

Currently, all the major powers in this other world are undoubtedly investing in research in this area, and given the dwarves' enthusiasm for technology, they are no exception.

However, Su Ming wasn't worried about that. He changed the subject, pointing out another, more sensitive issue, "Your side has recently been frequently sending people to gather technical information about the Ruby Base, and even contacting Beianqi. Doesn't that constitute overstepping espionage?"

His tone was cold and unfriendly, "I am indeed giving Beianqi important responsibilities, overseeing the core production work at the Ruby Base. But do you think I have no control over her whatsoever?"

Su Ming suddenly snapped his fingers, and the four staff members accompanying the dwarf delegation, who had been engrossed in taking notes, froze instantly. Like puppets with broken strings, they expressionlessly dropped their notebooks and documents, and stood behind Su Ming in unison.

Speaker Rock's expression changed drastically! This Master Rank- level combatant hadn't sensed any Magic Power fluctuations whatsoever!

"Do you all show a lack of respect for a Saint Rank necromancer," Su Ming's voice was filled with oppressive force, "And for the power of her partner?"

Speaker Pan Shi, the Foreign Minister, and the elder who came with him all changed their expressions drastically. They had never expected Su Ming to so forcefully overturn the table right from the start!

This clearly indicates that their recent attempts to infiltrate the Ruby Base and steal technical data have severely angered Ainz Bone King!

****

"Please calm down!" Another dwarf pushed open the door and came in, trying to smooth things over.

Judging from his luxurious attire and demeanor, this person was clearly of extraordinary status. Although Su Ming had consulted some information about dwarves, he found it difficult to discern their faces.

Su Ming actually suffers from severe "face blindness" when it comes to faces of other races, similar to how humans on Earth perceive monkey groups as similar without in-depth contact.

This is where Secretary Ainuobia's role came in. She immediately leaned close to Su Ming's ear and quickly reminded him, "It's Prince Mountain Rock, the younger brother of the current dwarven king, Mountain Core."

Su Ming nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then raised his hand to release the mental control over the four dwarf staff members.

The four of them jolted violently, instantly regaining their self-awareness. Their faces were a mixture of shock and lingering fear. Just now, they had been fully conscious, yet they were like puppets on strings, completely unable to control their bodies!

The dwarves opposite, including Prince Xishan Rock, were all inwardly shocked. Whether Su Ming used his control abilities or released them, they couldn't detect even a trace of Magic Power fluctuations!

"We were too naive. We only knew that Bone King Pi was the supreme prophet of the Technician Realm, but we never imagined that your attainments in the Mage Realm were equally unparalleled." Prince Mountain Rock stepped forward and solemnly performed a dwarven royal salute to Su Ming. "Please allow me, on behalf of the Dwarf Kingdom, to express our sincerest apologies to your esteemed side for the impetuous behavior of some of our members."

Su Ming kept his eyes closed and did not respond immediately. The "Dawn and Dusk Bracelet" that had just been revealed beneath his sleeve was quietly dissipating.

Of course, no one on the other side could detect a trace of it; this was Abigail's "Thread Puppet Prison." Even within the Saint Rank realm, it was an extremely difficult-to-detect stealth technique.

Even with the help of the "Dawn and Dusk Bracelet," the price to pay for activating Saint Rank Warrior Domain beyond one's level is still considerable. Su Ming was silent with a sour face at the moment, actually trying his best to calm down the shock caused by the overload of his mental energy.

Ruixiuli noticed something amiss, and with a gentle smile, he said, "I'm sorry, His Bone King sometimes—his temper is a bit hard to control, he even beats me."

The elder of the Dwarven Council looked angry and stood up as if he wanted to say something, but Prince Rock stepped forward and pressed his hand on his shoulder.

"In this matter," Prince Yamashiro said decisively, "We were indeed in the wrong first. Please, Your Bone King, calm your anger; we are willing to offer compensation."

"No need." Su Ming opened his eyes, interrupting him. "Considering you are all fellow explorers of technology, I forgive your offense this time." He looked directly at the prince. "Since Prince Shanyan has personally intervened, let this matter rest and not be pursued further."

Su Ming stood up. "Trade cooperation can continue, but let's end the negotiations here today. For any follow-up matters, please contact the secretary in the office directly."

Ruixiuli asked his secretary, Ainuobia, to stand Su Ming immediately, and Ruixiuli nodded slightly to the dwarves.

Prince Shanyan's expression changed slightly. Logically speaking, given Su Ming's attitude, continuing to push for negotiations at this point would inevitably put them at a disadvantage.

However, reliable sources indicate that secret envoys from various national opera troupes are queuing up at Sapphire Port, and their purpose is self-evident!

Under no circumstances should the Dwarf Kingdom relinquish the opportunity to acquire the technology, given their advantageous position!

"Your Bone King, please stay and sweep!" Prince Mountain Rock spoke up. "Regarding your previous request for the magic crystal trade," he took a deep breath, as if making a tremendous decision, "We agree! The amount is one million gold coins!"

This sincerity was quite substantial, and Su Ming paused involuntarily as he walked away. When he had previously proposed this trade, the dwarves had rejected it outright, citing the lack of strategic resources flowing out of the country.

"I need more than that." Su Ming dropped the pretense and directly stated his other core demand, "I want to utilize your intelligence network within the Gray Ridge Goblin Kingdom." He turned around, his gaze sharp, "If you agree, I can sell you mature steam engine equipment."

"Your Bone King," Prince Shan Yan carefully organized his thoughts before responding cautiously, "Both of your requests are strategic resources. Forgive my bluntness, but we've already made some progress with steam engines. If we're merely exchanging equipment of this level for something—" Are you sure you can really make progress?"Su Ming strolled back to the long table, sat down again, a mocking smile playing on his lips, "How about we make a bet? I'll give you three months to fully commit to research and development. If you can produce—"Su Ming paused, considering a reasonable standard, "A steam locomotive that can reach speeds of over three kilometers per hour without relying on any Magic Power, then this bet is on me."

Three kilometers per hour? That speed is probably faster than even hopping on one leg!

"So what if we win? So what if we sit on the chair?" Prince Shanyan said with piercing eyes.

The technicians have already fully implemented the coal combustion process to generate steam that drives the machinery; all that's left is to continue making improvements.

Su Ming's overconfidence presents them with an excellent opportunity!

"If I win," Su Ming leaned forward slightly, exuding confidence, "I will provide you with a mature steam engine capable of consistently achieving speeds of ten kilometers per hour." He spread his hands, "If I lose, I will do as you wish and sell you generators and electric motors."

Prince Shanyan's eyes instantly lit up with wild joy. "Really?"

"Really!" Su Ming laughed.

The realization of the steam engine was not as simple as it seems. The first widely used steam engine in history was built by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. Its efficiency was extremely low, and it could only be used for pumping water in mines. It was not until 53 years later, in 1765, that James Watt successfully improved the steam engine, making it the core driving force of the construction revolution.

Modern people, standing on the shoulders of giants, may find everything logical and straightforward by reading the few familiar words in textbooks. But if asked how Watt actually improved the steam engine, most people would probably struggle to answer.

Moreover, that was only one generation; continuous improvements to the steam engine never ceased for a moment.

The technology Su Ming used in the other world was modern high-pressure, high-temperature boilers and high-efficiency steam turbines from the era of electrification. Its complex operating principle was completely different from that of traditional steam engines.

Even if dwarves came into contact with this massive fault line, they would be unable to learn anything meaningful from it.

The dwarves thought they could easily master the basics by glimpsing the rudimentary principles, but that was only because they knew nothing of the profound depth of technology!

****

When Su Ming returned to the Ruby Base, Beianqi was already waiting for him in his office.

Su Ming had always had mixed feelings about this young mechanic.

On the one hand, Beianqi is an absolute genius in the field of mechanics. She has a burning passion for her work, and her diligent and studious attitude often makes Su Ming feel ashamed.

Su Ming's various production operations at the Ruby Base largely depend on her efforts.

On the other hand, despite the strong binding force of the contract, Beianqi's sensitive dwarven background made Su Ming Mingbuwangbubaocheng cautious.

He allowed Beianqi access to various advanced electrical equipment, but prevented her from touching the steam engine technology, which had a relatively fundamental principle and a higher risk of diffusion.

The High Rank electrical technologies of the First Industrial Revolution would not have spread so easily to alien soil without a series of supporting foundational systems.

"Secretary Ainuobia has already told me about the negotiations with the dwarves," Beianqi said sincerely to Su Ming. "Thank you!"

"I hope I didn't make things difficult for you," Su Ming replied.

Beianqi shook her head. "On the contrary, she helped me out of a predicament."

Her Ling tribe migrated to the continent of the Dwarf Kingdom decades ago. Beianqi herself was born and raised here, and received her dwarf cult education.

However, within the Dwarfs' Guild, humans were ultimately a minority, and she begged that her own Ling tribe would always carry the label of "outsiders."

Caught in the middle, Beianqi faced an extremely difficult situation, no matter how she handled the dwarves' secret contact with her, as it could potentially implicate the Ling tribe. Su Ming's sudden and forceful attack on the dwarves was essentially a way of taking the pressure and suspicion off her and protecting her.

"Dealing with these things is really tiring," Su Ming sighed, changing the subject, "By the way, how's the progress of the gold implant in your body lately?"

Beianqi's teacher, the Titled Scholar Howard, implanted a complex alchemical device called "Spinal Hub" into her body. The intention was to allow Beianqi to directly pilot powerful alchemical mechs in battle.

Before the modification was completed, Howard tragically died in an accident more than a year ago, leaving the girl with serious hidden dangers. A few months ago, in a fierce battle with Yexiya at sea, Beianqi suffered repeated severe injuries, causing her Spinal Hub to be on the verge of going out of control.

"Fortunately, of the three musketeers of human alchemy, you left one alive," Beianqi said playfully. "With the help of the Fate Manipulator, progress has been quite good lately. I can now effectively control the function of a small portion of the implanted ' Spinal Hub '."

The three musketeers of human alchemy, besides the deceased Master Howard, are the Grand Puppeteer Bulenleifu, who was killed by the unicorn Qiluo in the Northern Lands. The last one is "The Fate Manipulator" Aideluzi, who served as the chief of the Temple of Light's secret project "Project Nirvana" for many years. He was captured and frozen by Su Ming in the battle of the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison.

"Aideluzi, what's his attitude towards cooperation? Is he being dishonest?" Su Ming asked, after all, this was an enemy.

"He's being very cooperative so far," Beianqi said. "If this continues, I believe I'll soon be able to completely repair the ' Spinal Hub ' and unleash the full combat form of a Spirit Mechanic."

Su Ming nodded, "Keep it up!"