Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 213 Magic Microscope

The last tail of midsummer comes to an end with the gradually sparse chirping of cicadas, and the harvest season is approaching.

This is the second harvest season for the Frontier Territory. According to Reiner's preliminary estimate, the yield of this batch of grain crops, which have been improved by Egno's magic, will increase several times compared with last year. It will not only meet the needs of the territory's more than 10,000 people throughout the winter, but will also fully cover the food consumption for the first half of next year.

But Harvey had no idea of exporting food. Due to the time traveler's natural instinct to farm and store food, he was reluctant to give these yellow barley, wheat and bean crops to the greedy nobles in the southern border who were sucking the blood of the civilians, even if they were piled up in the dozens of warehouses he built and grew mold.

However, the only export commodity currently generating revenue in the territory seems to be the magic steam engine that he personally modified and designed. Although it is sold at a low price, it has the advantage of technological monopoly and can basically cover the amount of gold pounds he pays for imported goods all year round.

The territory had started planting cotton crops last winter, and since then, there was no longer a need to import large quantities of cotton and linen fabrics to supply the garment workshops. Food was entirely produced and sold by the territory itself, and both staple foods and meat could meet demand.

Even the soap production that was previously entrusted to the Dragon Stone Chamber of Commerce, Harvey rebuilt a workshop in the territory to produce small batches, and it was very popular in the market area.

The only things that still need to be purchased through the Dragonstone Chamber of Commerce are actually some sugar, salt, spices, and luxury goods that the territory cannot produce on its own, such as some black tea that Harvey usually drinks. The only drawback of the pioneer territory is probably that it cannot grow tea trees that can only grow in the warm coastal areas of the southern border.

……

"Sir, the finished bicycle has been on the market for nearly half a month. We have even opened a spacious shop in the market area and arranged for a sales representative from the City Hall to work hard to promote it..."

Reiner's tone of voice was somewhat awkward as he reported, "But...but sales aren't promising. It's not that there's something wrong with our products, but...it's that the people in the territory simply can't learn to ride a bicycle. It's simply too difficult for them."

Harvey first distributed the first batch of bicycles produced to the City Hall and the Police Department, and ordered all employees of these two departments to learn how to ride them as soon as possible. This would not only facilitate their daily work, but also serve as a living advertisement.

But a week later, less than 30% of the employees had managed to learn how to ride a bicycle. When Harvey went to inspect, he found that most of them had bruised cheeks and were limping, which showed that they had fallen countless times while learning to ride.

"We're all human, so why was it that I could pedal my bike on a dirt road in the countryside at the age of five, while these adults have trouble even starting? Whether or not one can learn to ride a bike can't be influenced by race or genes, right?" Harvey covered his face and complained silently in his heart.

In the end, we can only blame the people of this era. They have too little experience, and their physical disharmony may be caused by low cognition.

"But I heard that the soldiers in the army learn very quickly. Is it because most of them are young?"

Reiner nodded and said politely, "Indeed, they ride fast and steadily, but... they don't seem very interested in bicycles. After the holiday, a large number of soldiers and officers like to hang around outside the Modulo R&D factory, peeking in and asking all kinds of questions. The factory guards can't drive them away even with guns..."

After experiencing the feeling of flying close to the ground at lightning speed on a magic motorcycle, who would still be interested in a squeaky bicycle...

Harvey sighed and said helplessly, "The first batch of trial-model Motocars should be rolling off the production line by the end of this month. Pierce has secretly hinted to me several times, looking ridiculously impatient."

But the real reason for the Modcar's delay was Harvey's own fault. Chris, having undergone prosthetic limb surgery, had returned to work after less than a week's rest. But Harvey suddenly assigned him an additional research project, completely captivating him and preventing him from focusing on the normal production of the Modcar factory.

"Sir, the lenses made from glass fired according to the method you gave are indeed clearer than the crystal pieces we usually use!" Chris shouted excitedly while waving his new mechanical prosthesis.

Some time ago, Harvey handed the manuscript he drew in his spare time to Chris, asking him to design and complete the structure according to the sketch, and then make a simple version of the microscope.

However, this level of magnification obviously cannot meet the observation needs of alchemical potions and biology, so Harvey also attached a "living source code" substance extracted from beetle ore and demon spirits to the microscope instrument, solidifying the amplification effect of pure magic energy into two energy runes: "amplification" and "detection".

Since Chris got this magic microscope, he has been fiddling with it all the time except when eating and sleeping. The microscopic world presented under the lens makes him feel like he has discovered a new world, which completely stimulates his research interest.

Harvey sat on the couch in the lab, smiling at Chris and Egno as they scrambled for the right to use the microscope. He asked, "How's it going? Isn't the observation result pretty good?"

"It's a sight I've never seen before... I used it to observe the magical plants in the plantation, the magical minerals... and even the flesh and fur of magical creatures. Through this instrument's lens, they appear exactly the same as when observed directly with my own eyes!"

Chris's voice trembled with excitement as he asked, "Sir, what you said before...that beneath the four basic elements, there are even smaller elements. Are those unknown elements...observed through this magical instrument?"

Harvey smiled and nodded, allowing Chris to ask questions repeatedly without further explanation. It would be easier for them to accept this new knowledge that completely broke the current magic theory by themselves.

Egno took the opportunity to seize the observation position of the microscope and carefully dropped a few drops of liquid extracted from the magical plants onto the glass slide. "I have never heard of living things swimming in these plant extracts before. Although they are tiny, there are so many of them. It is difficult for me to count their number with just a drop of liquid..."

Chris took the dropper and dissolved another plant extract into the drop of liquid that Egno was observing. In the circular aperture of the microscope, he saw two living substances of completely different shapes swimming freely. After coming into contact with each other, they quickly devoured each other and tried to assimilate each other.

"They look really bizarre, but most of them are transparent, so you can clearly see inside their bodies. However, they don't have internal organs or skeletons, nor do they have shells or limbs like insects..."

Chris grabbed the lab manual and began writing rapidly. "Living matter can only be observed in the flesh and blood of plants and animals. While these tiny particles also appear in minerals, they don't seem to be alive. Although they appear neatly arranged and organized under the camera, they don't move at all..."

"Very good, your observations and conclusions are very accurate." Harvey clapped his hands gently, then slowly added, "The so-called microscopic matter beneath the basic elements is what you see. I prefer to call them microorganisms... They are almost everywhere, not just in objects rich in magic. Even if you draw a drop of water from the river, you will see the same phenomenon..."

"Ordinary microorganisms are mostly responsible for food spoilage, wound infections, and various illnesses... but they cannot withstand high temperatures and are easily killed. This is why I require boiled water to be consumed within the territory and why I do not approve of the people eating raw meat..."

Egno scratched his head and thought for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Sir, was the entire hygiene and epidemic prevention manual you compiled for the hospital also inspired by this? The surgical instruments, the gauze dressings used to stop bleeding... even the doctors' work clothes need to be boiled daily before use."

Harvey nodded. "Of course, this can only treat common illnesses and injuries. If we encounter more serious epidemics or some stubborn chronic diseases, high-temperature disinfection alone will not be of any help."

(End of this chapter)