I started on a deserted island and encountered Ying Zheng, who insisted I was an immortal.

"saw."

Ying Zheng pointed to the main mast of his flagship "Zulong," which was as thick as a person could hug, and spoke in a calm tone as if he were sawing a chopstick.

Meng Tian held up the giant double saw that had just been ground, his hands trembling like someone with Parkinson's disease.

"Your Majesty, this is... dragon bone."

In the tradition of the Qin Dynasty navy, the mast is the soul of the ship.

Sawing off the mast is like breaking the spine.

Can this ship still move?

"Enough with the nonsense."

Ying Zheng toyed with the flintlock pistol in his hand, the muzzle intentionally or unintentionally grazing Meng Tian's buttocks.

"The gentleman said this is called... aerodynamic optimization."

"Wearing this tattered cloth for a drive."

"What I want is to break through the wind."

Meng Tian swallowed.

He didn't want to get a spanking.

"Let's do it!"

Meng Tian roared angrily, venting all his anger on the mast.

Dozens of burly Qin soldiers shouted commands as they pulled the hacksaw.

Wood chips flew everywhere.

"Crack—Boom!"

The giant mast that had stood for ten years collapsed with a roar, crashing onto the deck and kicking up a cloud of dust.

The surrounding naval soldiers all knelt down, wailing as if their own fathers had died.

Zhang Ying squatted by the ship's side, holding a piece of chalk in her hand, drawing lines on the deck.

"Stop howling."

Zhang Ying didn't even look up, but pointed to both sides of the boat.

"Take this plank off."

"Here, and here, make it open."

"Pass the main shaft through."

Li Si, holding the blueprints, leaned closer, his face showing signs of constipation.

"Sir, this boat has its hull hollowed out... Won't it sink?"

"It won't sink."

Zhang Ying flicked her cigarette butt into the sea.

"We're carrying paddle wheels, not bombs."

The so-called paddlewheel is actually based on a principle similar to that of a waterwheel.

The only difference is that the waterwheel is turned by the water.

A paddlewheel propels a boat by pushing water.

Although less efficient than a propeller, it was the only feasible propulsion solution on this deserted island with zero industrial base.

Three days.

Three whole days.

The sound of blacksmithing never stopped on the deserted island.

In order to forge the massive crankshaft that could power a thousand-ton warship, Zhang Ying pushed the blast furnace to its limit.

Three crucibles were scrapped.

The mold exploded once.

It almost drove that one-eyed pirate insane.

at last.

An ugly, crude, but industrially violent aesthetic transmission device was forcibly stuffed into the belly of the "Zulong".

Two huge wooden wheels were mounted on either side of the boat.

The wheel was covered with blades.

They look like two giant wheels of fire.

"That's... all you need?"

Ying Zheng circled around the enormous boiler that occupied half of the ship's cabin.

This thing is twenty times bigger than the previous prototype.

That cylinder alone is as thick as an adult.

"Give it a try."

Zhang Ying turned on the valve.

Add water.

Buckets of fresh water were poured into the boiler.

"ignition."

Tons of high-quality charcoal, originally intended for grilling, were shoveled into the furnace.

Flames rose.

The pointer of the barometer (which is actually just a spring-loaded pin with graduations) began to tremble.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

The sound of steam leaking was sharp and piercing.

The sealing is still not quite right; air is leaking everywhere.

The entire cabin instantly transformed into a sauna.

"It moved! It moved!"

Li Si pointed at the connecting rod that had begun to move slowly and screamed.

"Clang!"

The huge flywheel completed its first revolution.

The paddle wheels on both sides slammed violently against the water.

"Splash—"

The seawater was stirred up, and white foam appeared.

The once lifeless giant ship suddenly lurched forward.

Meng Tian, ​​who was standing at the bow of the ship, lost his footing and fell face-first onto the deck.

"Hold on!"

Ying Zheng grabbed the railing, his body swaying with the vibrations of the ship.

This vibration is different from the turbulence of ocean waves.

This is a continuous, rhythmic movement.

That's the sound of a heart beating.

It is the roar of a steel beast awakening.

"Faster! Faster!"

Ying Zheng roared.

The boiler operators (a few unfortunate pirates) frantically shoveled coal into the furnace.

Thick black smoke billowed out.

Go straight into the sky.

There is no sail.

There are no oars.

This strange ship, now without its mast, roared like a mad bull, defying the strong sea winds and managing to pick up speed.

The scenery on both sides rushed past.

What used to take half an hour to get around the cape is now left behind in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

"miracle……"

Meng Tian got up, not even bothering to wipe the blood from his nose.

As he watched the splashing waves on both sides, all the military strategies about "favorable winds" and "adverse winds" in his mind shattered into dust at that moment.

Sailing against the wind?

This would have been a pipe dream in the past.

But now.

As long as there is fire and water.

Wind direction is nobody's business!

"teacher!"

Ying Zheng turned around and grabbed Zhang Ying by the collar.

His face was covered in coal dust, but he was laughing like a 300-pound child.

"This is what a ship should be!"

"Those were all coffins before!"

"With this, where can't my Great Qin Navy go?"

"Penglai? Yingzhou? Even if it's at the ends of the earth, I can go there!"

Zhang Ying felt dizzy from being shaken.

He pried Ying Zheng's hand away and pointed to the boiler that was frantically consuming charcoal.

Don't be too happy yet.

"Check your fuel."

Ying Zheng lowered his head.

The charcoal that was just piled up in the hold has now been reduced by half.

"So fast?"

Ying Zheng was stunned.

"This thing is a grease guzzler... no, a charcoal guzzler."

Zhang Ying kicked the empty charcoal basket.

"Charcoal has a low calorific value, burns quickly, and has little power."

"If you want to travel far, you have to conquer the world."

"Even if you cut down all the trees in the Qin Dynasty, it still wouldn't be enough."

Ying Zheng's smile froze.

Having just experienced such exhilarating speed, would it be absurd to ask him to go back to riding a slow sailboat?

It's impossible!

From frugality to luxury is easy, from luxury to frugality.

"Then what should we burn?"

Ying Zheng grew anxious. "Bring oil? I'll bring all the lamp oil from the palace!"

"What can you do with that little bit of oil? It's not even enough for stir-frying."

Zhang Ying pulled a dark stone out of her pocket.

He found this by the campfire on that pirate island.

I didn't pay attention at the time.

Now that I think about it, since those savages could smelt iron, they must have used more than just wood.

"This is called coal."

Zhang Ying threw the stone to Ying Zheng.

"Black gold."

"One of these things is equivalent to ten pounds of charcoal."

"And the fire is fiercer and more powerful."

Ying Zheng caught the unremarkable black stone.

My hands were instantly stained black.

But he didn't care at all; instead, he held it as if it were the Imperial Seal of the State.

Where can I find it?

This moment.

Ying Zheng had no concept of environmental protection or carbon emissions.

Only two words:

energy.

"Ask your mentor."

Zhang Ying gestured with her chin, pointing to the one-eyed pirate who was squatting in the corner vomiting.

This thing clearly wasn't used to the rocking of a steamship.

Ying Zheng strode over.

He grabbed the one-eyed man and shoved the black rock into his face.

"This thing."

Where can I find it?

The one-eyed man was so startled that he forgot to vomit.

He looked at the black stone, then at Ying Zheng, whose face was filled with murderous intent.

He raised his hand tremblingly.

It points to the west.

A word popped out of his mouth:

"Black...Rock...Island..."

Zhang Ying raised an eyebrow.

Blackstone Island?

The name itself sounds like a good place.

It's definitely all mines.

"Meng Tian!"

Ying Zheng tossed the one-eyed dragon aside and turned to look at the general who had become the "Stainless Steel God of War".

"Pass on the order!"

"All troops, prepare for battle!"

"Bring all the entrenching tools!"

"Take all the sacks!"

Ying Zheng stood beneath a chimney billowing black smoke, his back to the setting sun.

His shadow was stretched long, almost covering the entire deck.

He drew the Qin King's sword from its sheath, pointing it straight west.

"Target: Blackrock Island."

"I don't care what's up there."

"Arrest anyone who's there."

"If there is a god, then kill him."

"I only want that black stone!"

"Give it to me..."

"Drain it!"

Amidst the roar, the refitted "Zulong" turned its bow around.

The massive paddlewheel cut through the waves, leaving a straight wake.

The setting sun dyed the sea blood red.

That strange ship, spewing black smoke and without sails, was like a steel tyrannosaurus that had barged into a flock of sheep, launching the first industrial-age charge into the unknown seas.