Miss Bone Dragon's Comfortable Life?

Ruby Base, test track.

On the tall suspension bracket, a turbofan engine is emitting a powerful roar.

Cursed Flame Turbo Fan.

This is the power core built for the "Yinglong" mech.

In principle, it is not much different from Earth's turbofan engine, except that it has undergone magical modifications in many key areas.

A long trail of flame stretched out from behind the nozzle, crimson tinged with a deep blue, like a raging fire dragon confined within steel. The heat flow lapped against the force feedback barrier surrounding the test track, causing the light patterns to ripple endlessly.

"Activate afterburner!" the Hechun commanded.

The next moment, the variable cross-section nozzles inside the Cursed Flame Turbine suddenly tightened.

The tail flame suddenly turned white and its length increased dramatically.

At the nozzle tip, a series of regular, ring-shaped shock waves appeared, forming Mach rings.

One lap, two laps, three laps----

The high-temperature airflow, carrying a large number of dissipated Magic Power light spots, poured down, leaving a piercing contrail in mid-air. The roar of the entire engine also rose, climbing from a low rumble to a shrill shriek that tore at the eardrums, and even the ground of the observation platform trembled slightly.

The researchers at the control panel instinctively tensed their backs.

One of the support brackets even emitted a creaking metallic groan, as if it would be twisted off by the force at any moment.

"Second Constraint Ring Demon Pressure Rising!"

One of the researchers' voices grew tense.

"Still within the threshold!"

The Quail shouted loudly.

"Increase convection."

"Hold on, don't cut it off!"

The sounds at the test track began to rise higher and higher, and various maneuvers became more frequent.

Su Ming stood on the observation platform, but his eyes lit up instead.

That makes sense.

This kind of thing shouldn't be as docile as a household appliance.

"It's really beautiful," he remarked instead.

Beianqi, standing beside him, stared at the bright white trail of flame, her breathing becoming slightly labored.

"That's fierce enough!"

"Once this thrust is applied to the 'Yinglong,' it's not just about improving maneuverability."

"As long as the structure can hold up, the aerial maneuvers and pursuit windows that were originally only possible for top-tier experts can also be performed by our Yingying."

"Why not Longlong?" Su Ming complained.

"Yingying sounds so nice," Beianqi snorted, her gaze almost fixed on the engine.

"When it's finished, our enemies will have to face it," she said, her eyes shining with anticipation.

"It's an all-around high-speed combat platform!"

****

When the test was over, the Quail raised its paw, signaling to reduce the power.

The afterburner test of the Cursed Flame Turbofan has been passed.

The roar of the engine began to subside layer by layer, as if some enormous creature was slowly retracting its fangs.

After the shriek subsided, only a low, aftershock-like thud remained in the arena, echoing back and forth between the supports and the ground.

The wind pressure also decreased, but the air near the nozzle was still distorted by the heat, and waves of heat rolled outwards in waves.

Only then did everyone take off their headphones.

The Quail jumped off the control panel and landed on its four claws.

"After conducting another long-term stability test, we can then assemble it with the 'Yinglong' mech."

He said to Su Ming.

"Then it will be handed over to Ms. Beianqi and Ms. Miao Xin for the final testing phase."

Beianqi walked to the base of the support and looked up at the still-hot engine.

The massive metal shell glowed a dark red, and the runes engraved on its surface still retained a lingering luster, like veins embedded in the steel flesh.

The heat hit me, carrying the pungent smells of burning metal, engine oil, and burning Magic Power.

She raised her hand to shield herself from the heat, but her face was full of undisguised satisfaction.

"That sound is just so catchy."

"It's much more temperamental than the previous testing machine."

"Where's Miao Xin?" She suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "If she misses the whole machine test, she'll nag me to death."

"We just finished a fierce and tough battle back in our hometown," Su Ming said. "Let her rest for a while."

The ghost girl had been feeling down these past few days, so Su Ming gave her her first day off since becoming a ghost.

Beianqi raised an eyebrow.

"You actually had a change of heart?"

She said that, but didn't press the matter further.

****

A scholar walked over quickly.

He wasn't very old, but he was thin, with a head of dark brown hair that was somewhat messy. His fingernails were embedded with indelible charcoal black, a mark left from years of contact with alchemical materials. He walked quickly, not even bothering to greet the other staff members as he passed by.

"Senior Quail, the data is out."

He handed over the list, speaking very quickly.

"The temperature distribution of the cursed flame core deviates from the model by less than 3%, but I suggest performing a full-phase analysis on the third-stage turbine blades."

"I suspect the directional rune is off by one mil."

The Quail glanced at it and nodded.

"You arrange it."

"Good."

The man turned to leave.

Su Ming suddenly spoke up, "How can you be sure it's level three?"

"Isn't the data issue at level four?"

The other person stopped and then turned to look at Su Ming.

He gave a slight bow, as a gesture of courtesy.

"I am Isel."

He explained, "The pressure gradient in the fourth stage exhaust section is indeed abnormal, but the deviation curve doesn't start diverging at that point; it's brought out by the intake."

"The third level is the first to become unstable."

After saying that, he seemed worried that Su Ming wouldn't understand, and wanted to explain a few more words.

But Su Ming had already nodded, indicating that he should continue with his work.

Beianqi watched the departing figure and clicked her tongue.

"This guy's a bit arrogant."

"The newly joined one," said the Hechun, "A necromancer, and also a scholar."

That's a bit impolite.

"But he's quick-witted."

During this period, the Final Bone Mad Machines attracted a large number of Taya scholars to join.

Su Ming delegated the relevant review and admission work to Bay Owl and Rupert.

****

Su Ming gazed in the direction Isele had left, his eyes lingering for a moment.

Someone who can get into this technical field so quickly is truly valuable.

So a little awkwardness is perfectly acceptable.

Not long after, Isel returned with the results.

"Confirmed, one of the runes on the third-level blade is abnormal," he reported to the leader. "It's not a problem with the engraving technique; it's due to unevenness in the material itself."

"Let the rune group handle it," said the Hechun.

Rupert, who had appeared out of nowhere, grinned and asked, "Hey buddy, where did you learn this?"

Isele looked up at him, his expression somewhat strange.

"Didn't you already ask me once when I came in?"

He repeated himself, his tone clearly showing impatience.

"I am an apprentice of Master Galio, under the name of the Traveling Crow."

Su Ming's eyes flickered slightly.

"Do you know how your teacher died?" he asked.

"I know," Isele said calmly. "It was you and the Scholar Bay Owl who did it."

We don't care about that.

He said it so smoothly that even Beianqi glanced at him sideways.

Isele, as if knowing what others would think, scoffed.

"It's not an act."

"I've followed him for twenty years, carrying materials, copying formulas, repairing workshops, feeding experimental subjects—I've done all the dirty work."

"And what happened? Because of a single mispronunciation in the mixing ratio, he almost used me to fill in the gaps in the magic array."

"Later, before everyone moved to Cui'an Sea Cliff, he chased me away like I was trash."

Isaiah gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"I should thank him, though. If he hadn't kicked me out, I would have died there like the other apprentices."

"Oh?" Su Ming became interested.

He did a quick mental calculation and realized that he had become Galio's apprentice before the White Bone Fortress teleported him to the Northern Lands.

"So, you were involved in that large-scale interdimensional teleportation?"

"Of course!" Isele's eyes lit up when he mentioned it.

"The scene was ridiculously large."

"To teleport the White Bone Fortress from the Plain of Despair to the Hard Rock Canyon in the Northern Lands, the entire magic array was laid out for nearly a kilometer."

"The alchemical materials were being burned like water; it took me three days just to move them around."

His memories were stirred, and he unconsciously spoke a few steps faster.

"The stability matrix was problematic at the time."

"Professor Galio couldn't figure it out himself, and only after much persuasion did the Scholar Bay Owl condescend to help him calculate the correct stable formula."

Su Ming's expression immediately froze.

"This isn't right, is it?"

"Wasn't the Bay Owl being controlled by Galio back then?"

Iseltie seemed to have heard the most absurd joke.

How could that be?

"My teacher was completely dominated by her, like a grandson."

"We dare not let her leave, nor do we dare let her contact the outside world."

"As for other matters, none dared to disobey."

Su Ming stared at him.

Are you sure?

"Why would I lie to you?" Isele was even more displeased. "Let me tell you, the Scholar Bay Owl makes us clean her room, clear out her mountain of bookshelves, and transcribe documents for her all the time."

"And she's a bone dragon—do you know how big her room is?"

"She occupied an entire floor, and it was the sunniest room at the top of the tower!"

"The most outrageous thing is that she wouldn't allow us to use necromancy to slack off; she insisted on cleaning by hand. Each cleaning session was so exhausting it felt like our bones were about to fall apart."

Su Ming didn't ask any more questions.

This is completely different from what Zijin had said before.

Su Ming remained silent for a few moments before saying calmly, "I see."

Isele nodded and turned to leave.

Rupert watched him walk away, then moved closer to Su Ming.

"Should we keep Isel?"

"Keep them," Su Ming said. "Talent is rare."

"But keep a close eye on it and use it cautiously."

Rupert grinned and said, "I know this stuff well, you can rest assured!"

Su Ming nodded and said nothing more.

****

When the plane carrying Zijin arrived at the Ruby Base Airport, Su Ming personally went to pick her up.

The hatch opened, and she jumped out with light steps.

"What are you staring at?" Zijin walked up to him and waved her hand in front of his eyes.

"It's nothing," Su Ming said. "Let's go."

The two did not linger at the airport, and jumped straight onto the back of Zhimeng was waiting nearby.

The emerald-green giant flapping wings took off and headed straight for Sapphire Port.

High in the sky, the wind howled.

Zhimeng very steadily, like a huge turquoise airship.

Zijin gazed down at the golden waves of rice spreading out below, her long hair billowing in the wind, her profile appearing exceptionally beautiful in the sunlight.

"I've heard there are some beautiful ice ridge formations to see in the Arctic," Zhimeng suddenly asked. "Will you be able to see them this time you go?"

"It's best not to," Su Ming said.

"We need to take advantage of this window of opportunity when the ice is relatively stable."

"If a large-scale ridge-like formation of congestion were to occur, both the waterway and the operational area would become problematic."

"Yes," Zijin continued, "The bulge on the surface is fine, the trouble is that gnarled bone underwater."

"Their depth is nine times that of the surface, which can easily cause problems for underwater navigation routes."

After listening, Zhimeng sighed regretfully.

"What a pity, I was hoping you guys could bring me back some photos to enjoy."

7

She paused, then brought up another important matter.

"In the Dwarf Kingdom, after Star Pickaxe abdicated, a new king has yet to be appointed."

"The major clans have been arguing for a long time, and the Council of Elders is currently managing state affairs on their behalf."

"In the end, it'll most likely be his younger brother, Xingchan, who gets the job, right?" Su Ming asked.

"It should be," Zhimeng.

Zhimeng turned her head and glanced at Su Ming.

"Now that things have calmed down, do you want to kill Star Pickaxe?"

"If he behaves himself, then no." Su Ming replied quickly.

"That's more like it." Zhimeng smiled, but her voice carried the coldness unique to her race.

"If he engages in any more underhanded tactics that could disrupt diplomatic relations between the two countries, Giant Dragon Valley will take direct action!"

"You guys are capable of doing something like murder by drinking alcohol?" Su Ming, somewhat surprised.

"You underestimate us!" Zhimeng, dissatisfied.

"Their method is: clearing out all witnesses is the most successful infiltration," Zijin said helplessly.

"----But you can still tell at a glance that this place has been here before," Su Ming said.

"We know, but we have no proof," Zhimeng said. "Anyway, we won't admit it!"

Zijin nudged Su Ming gently, her voice very low.

You were acting strange just now.

Are you thinking about something?

What else could he be thinking? When he saw the Zijin, Isel's words came to mind.

"There is something," Su Ming admitted.

When he first arrived in Taya, he nearly died at the hands of Galio.

Only by joining forces with Zijin could they turn the tide of that game.

But what if Isel wasn't lying?

His interpretation of this process is quite intriguing.

Su Ming narrowed his eyes.

I'll talk to you later.

He made up his mind that he needed to choose a suitable time to settle accounts with Zijin properly.

****

Sapphire Port.

Zhimeng brought the two of them down to the dock area.

Beianqi was already waiting.

"The Pansy's modifications are complete," she reported to the leader. "Ready for departure."

Su Ming and Zijin followed her toward Shiwu.

The Pansy rested quietly in the water.

It no longer has its original towering above-water structures; most of its hull is now submerged below the waterline. The overall hull has been elongated, with a rounded and streamlined shape, resembling a pale white behemoth crouching at the entrance to the deep sea.

"Wow, it's completely different!" Zijin was quite surprised.

She approached and placed her hand on the cold, bony hull.

"What did you change it to?"

Su Ming looked at the ship in front of him, and the corners of his lips slowly turned up.

Nuclear-powered submarines.

"A ship that can climb out from the ends of the earth."