Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 416 Floating Airship
Duncan and Harvey stood side by side at the test site of the South Slope Base. They looked up at the large, strange, spindle-shaped device before them and sighed softly, "Lord City Lord, this... is the new flying vehicle you were talking about?"

"Yes, it can allow ordinary people and low- to mid-level spellcasters to fly into the sky without relying on magic or flying spells."

Having already experienced a hot air balloon launch, Eye of Illusion enthusiastically circled the new vehicle, wondering, "It's not the same inflatable sphere from before? I thought you were going to make a bigger, rounder one that could carry more people, uh... a hot air balloon."

In fact, Harvey only provided the design drawings and principles. The ones who were actually responsible for the manufacturing were Chris and Benoit from the alchemy laboratory. The two alchemists who were completing the final adjustment and inspection of the components also crawled out from the manned cabin at the bottom of the flying vehicle and introduced the details of the new vehicle to everyone.

The flying vehicle named by Harvey as the airship looks like a huge spindle on the surface, with a sharp front end and an oval tail. However, the interior of the spindle is composed of six groups of airbags. This can ensure that during a long flight, even if one or two of the airbags are accidentally damaged, there will be no crash. At most, it will only cause the flight speed to slow down.

A semi-sealed manned pod is suspended under the spindle air cabin by iron cables and steel bars. A glass window for observation is set at the front of the pod, and a propulsion device with a steering rudder is installed at the tail like an ironclad ship, providing power for the airship's takeoff, landing and hovering in the air.

The power source of this part naturally relies entirely on the magic power core in the pod. As long as the supply of liquid magic energy is sufficient, the power core can continuously fill the air cabin with hot air and drive the rotation of the propulsion device, allowing the airship to fly steadily in the sky.

Black, White, and Michelle, who had volunteered to join the Northern Expedition Exploration Team, also came over and asked, "If there's enough magic power, how fast can this airship fly in the sky? Can it be as fast as a high-level battle mage?"

Harvey laughed and shook his head. If he wanted to match the flying speed of a high-level battle mage, he would probably have to wait until he could make a fighter jet himself. Even if the airship was enhanced with magical power, it was only much more flexible in the air than an ordinary hot air balloon. There was not much increase in movement speed. Its main advantage was endurance.

Chris said confidently, "If the power core is running at full speed, the airship can reach half the speed of an ordinary horse in the air. However, the magic energy will be consumed very quickly, and the energy will be exhausted in half an hour at most... It's best not to try it unless it's absolutely necessary."

In order to reduce the floating load of the airship, except for the pod base and the connection and fixation using steel bars and iron cables, the rest are wrapped with rattan and iron sheets, and covered with rubber fruit coating on the outside to ensure windproof and airtightness.

This is also why Duncan insisted on Harvey to select combat spellcasters to participate in this northern exploration mission - the weak research spellcasters cannot ride in the iron pod for a long time. The colder the temperature is as they go north, the sooner they will be frozen into human-shaped popsicles in mid-air.

And the battle mages...especially the battle mages of the undead spellcasting faction, most of them are well versed in flesh magic and body transformation, and more or less possess strong and extraordinary physiques. Only by cooperating with the shapeshifting mages who are also famous for body transformation can they successfully complete this dangerous exploration.

……

"What? This is just a half-finished experimental unit?" Chris showed an expression of disbelief and stammered, "According to your theory, we have tried and tested it many times... Using the magic power core to inject the added air into the airbag, it can indeed make the airship float into the sky..."

Harvey smiled and shook his head, explaining softly, "So you still think... it was magic that made it fly into the sky? Is that right?"

Benoit was stunned and said, "Besides magic, what else can make inanimate objects fly into the sky? It can't be the magic of the church, right?"

Harvey opened his mouth and wanted to subconsciously say the word "science", but he found that in this strange world full of extraordinary and magical powers, this purely new combination of words that he had to create... part of the word actually also described the power of magic.

Indeed, without the constant heating of the magic core, the airship's airbags couldn't maintain aloft for long. However, if a gaseous fuel like hydrogen could be extracted and compressed into a tank to inflate the airship, the actual effect would be far greater than a magic power core that had to be constantly activated to continuously heat the airbags. Harvey considered himself a complete pragmatist—when magic was more practical than science, he would naturally choose magic without hesitation... but when science was superior to magic, he decisively switched to science.

The technology of producing hydrogen by electrolyzing water is considered an introductory course in junior high school chemistry experiments. Even a useless liberal arts student like Harvey can explain the principles and practical operations clearly. If it were "chosen talents" like Chris and Benoit, it would naturally be a piece of cake.

I just don't know if they are interested in this weird new title of [Chemist] besides the Chief Alchemist...

……

A week later, the flight test field at the Nanpo base was ready with a new airship filled with gas.

The adjusted airship cabin is still spindle-shaped, with a maximum diameter of about eight meters. Light steel bars are used as supports inside, connecting six independent airbags. The only difference is that the skin attached to the outside is coated with the dye juice of the "Fantasy Fruit", which has a natural "optical camouflage" effect. After taking off, it will quickly blend with the color of the sky and clouds, minimizing the possibility of being discovered by dangerous creatures and hostile targets.

"The appearance looks similar to the last test flight..." Duncan carefully looked at the airship that had been modified again.

"This is the final product... a flying vehicle that can be used without the aid of a magic power core." Harvey cleared his throat and began to explain to the people responsible for the northward exploration mission. "The airbag no longer requires the power core to continuously infuse it with hot air. Instead, it is filled with a brand new alchemical gas all at once... As long as the airbag is not damaged or leaking, this gas can keep you flying for a long time."

"After the alchemical gas is exhausted, you just need to use the spare gas tank you carry to refill it with gas, and then you can take off and fly again..." Chris also interrupted at the right time to add explanation for Harvey.

The Eye of Illusion and the three necromancers exclaimed in amazement, "This alchemical gas must be extremely rare and expensive, right? It can actually replace a magic core. The city lord must have spent a lot of money on our exploration."

Benoit and Chris exchanged a glance, coughed awkwardly, and muttered, "Uh... electromagnetic magic acting on water... acid and metal displacing hydrogen..."

Chris, who was standing nearby, heard his whispers and shuddered. He then subconsciously glanced at Harvey, silently thinking, "Elements be upon you... The City Lord has actually obtained extraordinary knowledge from ancient memory fragments, even more ancient and secret than the alchemy school, and is willing to selflessly share it with me and Benoit, two independent alchemists... This, this is truly..."

Looking down at Benoit's pale fingers clutching his sleeves, Chris couldn't help but sigh and feel relieved again...

Following the instructions and advice of his two mentors and coming to the Northern Wastes to follow Master Harvey was truly the wisest choice and decision he had ever made in his life. Perhaps in the near future, he would have the opportunity to reach the ultimate truth of alchemy faster and earlier than his two mentors...

Of course, the one who joined Lord Harvey later was Benoit, who was also an independent alchemist... and now naturally became his only partner and biggest competitor.

(End of this chapter)