Preparations for War

Su Ming was the first to complete the task node.

Thanks to the foundation laid by his previous in-depth research on the White Bone Mark, Su Ming quickly organized the requirements framework for the new energy harvesting network. He handed these over to the support team, who used the neural network system and powerful computing power to deduce and optimize them.

That's all he can do at this stage. More detailed integration work can only proceed after Zijin completes the new core architecture.

With his hands free, Su Ming began to improve the metal beneficiation process at the Ruby Base.

Today, the supply of conventional metals is no longer a problem; the bottleneck remains in rare earth elements, platinum group metals, and rare dispersed metals. These elements are almost non-existent in natural deposits, and their content is extremely low, often yielding only a pitiful few grams per ton of ore.

The technological side's reliance on these "trace" elements is simply outrageous; even slightly advanced equipment adds more than a dozen, like seasonings.

The only way to obtain these elements with extremely low abundance is to process massive amounts of ore on a large scale, following the path of high-power flotation. After successively introducing ultrasonic vibration, various flotation and leaching processes, the base's metallurgical-related production capacity finally began to climb up with difficulty.

****

Red Ridge Mine, next to the main shaft opening.

Currently, deep ore mining uses the backfilling mining method. This method not only requires continuously extracting ore, but also simultaneously backfilling the mined-out areas with materials to relieve underground pressure and prevent rock deformation and collapse.

Therefore, the vertical transportation capacity of mines has long been a bottleneck restricting capacity expansion.

With a flash of light that seemed to Summoning of All Things, a low-speed, high-torque motor using neodymium magnets was replaced on the lifting system.

With the thick cables connected and power supplied, the motor began to emit a deep and powerful hum. The enormous bucket, fully loaded with ore, was forcefully pulled up from the bottomless mine shaft at an unprecedented speed.

Shizhen was timing the boost cycle with a stopwatch, his face filled with excitement.

"It's done!" He jumped up and waved his hand, "This speed is more than ten times faster!"

"Pay close attention to the operating temperature of the monitoring equipment." Su Ming handed the engineer in charge of equipment maintenance a thick stack of manuals specially written for technicians from another world. "It absolutely cannot exceed 150 degrees Celsius, otherwise the performance of the neodymium iron boron magnets will degrade. Constantly monitor the winding parameters, regularly check the pressure of the internal insulating heat-conducting oil, and ensure that the external circulating cooling water supply is uninterrupted. Also, summer is coming soon, so the water temperature of the evaporative cooling tower's pool must be monitored as well."

Su Ming explained everything one by one. This is how it is with the equipment on the technology side; often, a leap in performance is accompanied by an increase in the complexity of operation and maintenance.

On Earth, there are professional engineers and technicians to handle these tedious matters. But in this other world, he has to take care of everything, big or small.

Fortunately, despite the bumpy road ahead, the mages of the Final Bone Mad Machines have been working hard to adapt to and learn this brand-new system. Su Ming also opened various technical training classes at night, allowing experienced members to pass on their knowledge to others.

Various technical operation manuals have been made available to all relevant personnel and can be consulted at any time.

After completing the deployment and operation handover of the motors, Su Ming began updating the ventilation system and other equipment in the mining area.

Miao Xin, in her Skeleton Pig form, had already explored the entire shallow mine tunnel, and was therefore somewhat bored.

"Only those dwarf miners have a bit of an otherworldly feel," she complained. "The equipment and layout here are becoming more and more like Earth. It's boring!"

"[----Then what traditional techniques do you think could be used to extract such a rare thing as ruthenium ore from 2,500 meters underground?]" Su Ming couldn't help but complain while checking the blueprints for the ventilation system.

[Won't magic work?] Miao Xin waved her white hooves, ["Wave a hand, chant a spell, and whoosh whoosh whoosh! The ore flies out by itself—how cool would that be!"]

[Based on a 50% energy efficiency ratio, the energy required to raise the height of this 20-ton bucket of ore by 2,500 meters is approximately one billion joules.] Su Ming sighed. [If we let mages do this job, even a whole team of mages wouldn't be enough; using a magic array to drive it would consume so many magic crystals that we'd go bankrupt within days.]

"What a waste!" Miao Xin said.

"If a mage possesses both infinite transformations and immense power," Su Ming said, "Then we'd be considered useless."

After he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered that dimension where a super dragon could be casually thrown down. Su Ming sighed, hoping it wasn't just his bad luck.

Looking at the roaring giant mining motor and the arms-thick cables, Miao Xin asked, her tone abandoning its joking manner, "[With production going so hard now—will our next battle be very difficult?]"

[If my and Katharine's plans go smoothly, it won't be too difficult.] Su Ming put down the blueprints and looked towards the deep mine shaft. [But after all, this is a large-scale operation; the consumption of resources is calculated in tens of thousands of tons.]

On the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield, this is the scale of supplies consumed in a single day. The upcoming battle in this other world is not small in scale. Although the rate of consumption is far slower, the weapons and other supplies consumed in a single battle would still amount to at least tens of thousands of tons.

[It seems like most of the time in this war is spent dealing with these logistical problems.] Miao Xin tapped the ground with her hoof, making a clicking sound. [What a hassle.]

[Ten seconds of team fight, half an hour of farming.] Su Ming said, [It's not like this is the first time you've seen something like this.]

[----Tsk, completely unassailable.]

Su Ming didn't really understand how other transmigrators dealt with this situation. Even though he had an entity known as the Industrial Cthulhu behind him, possessing the ability to Summoning of All Things, and was also gradually building an increasingly complete industrial chain in the other world.

But even with this level of workload, he still felt immense pressure.

****

The head of the dwarven diplomatic office in the mines found Jielusi, who was inspecting the mining area.

"We have conducted more rigorous background checks on all dispatched workers," he reported, stroking his thick beard with his rough fingers. "We are now also involved in identity verification at all major entrances and exits. Relying on disguise methods such as Polymorph, it is no longer possible for them to impersonate others and infiltrate the mining area."

"Thank you for your great assistance!" Jielusi nodded.

Currently, all dwarven miners are wearing electronic bracelets as identification devices. This management system will also be extended to the entire Ruby Base, with even stricter controls applied to newly joined members.

Jielusi carefully examined the operation records of the newly added metal detectors, identity verification points, and patrol posts, and a satisfied expression appeared on her face.

Subsequently, the head of the Dwarf Office approached Su Ming, "President Su, regarding your meeting with His Star Pickaxe of our country, have any specific arrangements been made?"

Su Ming suddenly slapped his forehead. He had almost forgotten about this because he had been so preoccupied with war-related matters lately. "Please be sure to convey my sincere greetings to Star Pickaxe. I can coordinate the timing soon, as for the specific details—" He looked at his secretary beside him.

Ainuobia immediately stepped forward, flashing a polite smile, "Please contact me directly to discuss the specific time and location arrangements!"

The two then went to the other side to discuss the details of the meeting between their leaders.

Su Ming's gaze swept over a nearby abandoned main mine shaft. The shaft was deep and stretched vertically downwards for about seven hundred meters. He used the laser rangefinder in his hand to confirm that the shaft walls were perfectly vertical.

For the main shaft used to lift materials, verticality is essential.

"Wide this well opening by two meters," he instructed the Shizhen, "And then dig down another two hundred meters."

Shizhen looked puzzled, scratching his heavy engineering helmet. "President Su, we haven't detected any valuable mineral veins down here, nor is there any usable terrain. Excavation will be quite difficult."

"It's alright, just dig. I have another important purpose for it," Su Ming said simply, without elaborating further.

****

After finishing his business at the Red Ridge Mine, Su Ming, carrying Miao Xin in her Skeleton Pig form, headed to the Celestite Hydropower Station, accompanied by Ruixiuli and Jielusi.

The damp winds signal the approaching rainy season. As a safety safeguard, the spillway of the reservoir has been completed. In the event of a large-scale flood, the Celestite Hydropower Station itself can safely weather the storm.

According to the construction plan, during the dry season in winter, the engineering team will also excavate a flood discharge channel at the bottom of the reservoir to enhance the water level regulation capability.

Su Ming looked at the construction site where the azure stone dragons were coming and going, somewhat surprised. "Recently, because of the mating season, there's been a shortage of dragon workers everywhere—how come there are so many dragons working here?"

Newman rubbed his bony claws smugly. "I've invited a dance troupe made up of young dragons." He pointed to a cleared area in the distance, where a simple stage had been set up. "They perform here every night and organize dances, which greatly facilitates the young dragons' socializing and courtship. Now, quite a few young dragons are voluntarily coming to work for me, just to wait for the evening's activities."

"That's malicious competition!" Beianqi, standing to the side, pointed angrily at him with her hands on her hips.

"Hehe!" Newman grinned, "This is boundless wisdom and power!"

"Why haven't I seen you apply for any extra budget for these activities?" Ainuobia, the secretary accompanying the group, asked curiously.

"Oh, the ball charges an entrance fee," Newman explained. "After deducting the performance fee paid to the dragon dance troupe, the remaining money was used to buy food as a reward for the participating dragons."

"It's a direct break-even point," Ainuobia said.

"Of course, we don't make money from that," Newman replied.

****

The group soon arrived at their main destination for the day – a test base for a super-large electromagnetic railgun, located three kilometers away from a hydroelectric power station.

The supporting substation has been completed, with thick cables resembling a coiled python, occupying a small portion of the hillside along with various facilities. This steel jungle-like facility can output a powerful 400,000 kilowatts of electricity.

The main system of the planned electromagnetic railgun has not yet been installed, but various metal materials are being continuously transported to the site. However, this electromagnetic railgun is experimental in nature, and the location was chosen only because it is close to the Celestite Hydropower Station.

"I've found the location for its formal deployment," Su Ming said, his gaze fixed on the Red Ridge Mountains. "It's in an abandoned main mine shaft over there." He briefly explained the situation, "The shaft doesn't leak much water. We can excavate a large enough chamber deep underground to house the electromagnetic equipment, and then build a 100-meter-high vertical support tower on the surface—that way we can obtain a full kilometer-long vertical acceleration track."

"We need to install magic arrays in sections on the shaft walls to disperse air resistance," Newman said, glancing at the plans.

"We also need to run a 400,000-kilowatt high-voltage transmission line from here," Beianqi estimated the distance. "We have no shortage of copper and aluminum, and we can produce the cables ourselves, but deploying them across mountains and valleys will take some time."

The three of them reviewed the blueprints and plans and discovered that the project involved a massive scale of civil engineering and materials. Originally, they had hoped to complete it before the war with the Divine Covenant Faction, but now it seemed impossible.

If the resources of the Final Bone Mad Machines are excessively allocated to this project, it will inevitably severely squeeze the investment in the war effort.

"Let's proceed step by step according to the established pace," Su Ming sighed helplessly.

A project of launching satellites in batches is difficult even for a small country to afford, let alone the still-developing Final Bone Mad Machines.

"However, the core technology verification for the electromagnetic railgun needs to continue," he added. "We need to get past the feasibility hurdle first."

Beianqi and Newman nodded.

[Hey boss, can I ask you something?] Miao Xin was equally bored here. Cables were everywhere on the ground, and the State Grid logo was prominently displayed on the casings of the equipment. She was supposed to be on a fantastical journey to another world, but instead, she kept seeing things from her hometown.

"Why isn't the electromagnetic railgun being implemented directly this time? Why are we doing tests instead?" she asked. "Can't Jisu and the others test it first before we do the teleportation?"

[Because this giant Electricity-Swallowing Beast requires technology that cannot be implemented on Earth, it can only be assembled and tested here.] Su Ming explained in his mind.

[What kind of technology can only be solved here?] Miao Xin's Skeleton Pig head tilted.

[Vacuum array, ablation-resistant shield.] Su Ming explained, [and also a superconducting energy storage ring and a pulsed magnetic field generating unit—are you sure you want to hear the details?]

[----Never mind.] Miao Xin immediately pulled her head back and stopped moving her hooves obediently.

****

On Earth, Miao Xin, controlling the Little Spiky Head's body, sat up in the experimental chamber. She lazily stretched, her joints making a slight clicking sound.

The laboratory where she works is made of transparent, high-strength glass, and several researchers in white lab coats stand outside, observing and recording through the glass.

"Hey hey!" Miao Xin, controlling the Little Spiky Head, waved her bone claws at one of them. "Long time no see, Fengshou!"

The hatch slid open, Fengshou walked in. "Miss Qiu, the modification course should begin."

3

Modification, or type conversion training, is a common term in the aviation field.