It doesn't matter what the lord is.

58. The first explosive in Yuxi City exploded successfully

Yuxi City·Suburbs

"My Lord Prime Minister, my Lord General, please step back a little... Yes, step back beyond that red line."

Han Mo, who had been transferred from the Demon Breeding Farm to the Northern Industrial Base, called on He Yue and Fang Shisan to retreat to a safe area. After the two of them were almost out of sight, Han Mo made a gesture to the soldiers in the distance. The soldiers lay on the ground, lit a long fuse, and then jumped into the trench that had been dug in advance.

Hanmo also jumped into the trench, covered his ears tightly with his hands, and silently counted the time for the fuse to burn out.

5,4,3,2,1--

An explosion that resounded through the heavens and earth came from the wilderness. A black cloud rose into the sky and then turned into billowing black smoke that drifted away in the cold wind.

The ground was shaking continuously. The aftermath of the explosion stirred up a large amount of broken soil, sand, gravel, and dead branches and leaves, sweeping them around. Even Hanmo, who was in the trench, was not immune. He was drenched in all kinds of dust, but he climbed out of the trench as soon as the explosion ended, shouting to the people around him with a dusty face:

"It worked! Everyone - come and see!"

Many people stuck their heads out of the trenches, not only soldiers in iron armor, but also some gentle-looking young men in white research suits. The area in the middle of the explosion was still full of dust, but they didn't care, just covered their mouths and noses with clothes, and rushed over impatiently.

The center of the explosion had now become a scorched earth, with a huge deep pit on the ground, surrounded by brown soil. Some people went down into the pit to check the details, while others stamped their feet and rubbed their ears, only to feel that the explosion just now had caused pain in their eardrums.

"The explosion range is wider than expected, and the destructive power is higher than expected."

"It's not stable enough, and there's no way to mass produce it yet!"

"Tell the R&D personnel of the artillery group to give them some of the new gunpowder that was just tested..."

"Manpower! We need to allocate some manpower to them. We need to explain the formula, purpose and power of gunpowder to them... I greet the Prime Minister and the General."

The researchers were gathered around the pit discussing the results of the explosion and the next steps, when they suddenly saw He Yue coming over. They stood at attention, bowed to He Yue in a flustered manner, and then saluted Fang Shisan. The gunpowder group and the artillery group were both under the jurisdiction of the Firearms Department of the Northern Industrial Base. The setting of this department was very interesting, as it was under the jurisdiction of both the internal affairs and the military, so the researchers had different etiquette when meeting He Yue and Fang Shisan.

He Yue and Fang Shisan didn't really care about etiquette, which was just a constraint on hierarchy. The etiquette of Yuxi City was the simplest among all the territories. Things like three kowtows and nine bows were basically abolished. Holding fists, bowing and saluting were the most common etiquette.

Fang Shisan's first reaction was to ask:

"What was the result of the explosion? Was anyone injured? I have read the development report and effect prediction of black powder before. Did it meet your expectations?"

Hanmo walked out from the researchers, wiped the dust off his face, and said:

"The explosion went better than expected. The brothers are all fine. They will probably be fine after one night."

Fang Shisan nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. Like He Yue, she had arrived here before dawn and had been nervous all along. Now she could finally rest assured:

"I hope everything goes well. The people from the Shenji Camp will go to the gunpowder group to meet you soon. However, I heard from you before that some of the raw materials are not easy to obtain, and they should not be able to be produced in large quantities at this stage. Don't worry, the people from the Shenji Camp will not ask you for them immediately, but will train with you for a while. I ask you to take good care of them."

Fang Shisan said this and nodded slightly towards the front.

The people present only felt a warm current passing through their chests, raised their heads and straightened their chests, and answered loudly:

"Yes!"

He Yue stood aside with his arms folded, and said with a smile:

"Don't worry about the research funding. Since we have achieved results this time, the Ministry of the Interior will also allocate additional funds to you as rewards. According to the standards of the city lord, each person will receive at least ten gold coins this time, and those who have made outstanding contributions will receive more. The end of the year is approaching, and the sales of wine have greatly increased. The Ministry of the Interior's wallet has been bulging during this period. It depends on whether you have the ability to empty it."

The researchers cheered.

He Yue waited until they were happy, then said with a stern face:

“But having said that, I’d like to trouble you to keep the formula safe. Fang Shisan and I have full trust in you, but the Anbu of Yuxi City will not listen to us.”

This is also the meaning of the question, and the researchers also understand it very well. In their imagination, normally, once the results are achieved, they should be discarded, and the fewer people who know the formula, the better. But Yuxicheng is not like that. In Heyue's words, all researchers are Yuxicheng's precious talents. As long as they are a little more reliable, Yuxicheng will guarantee the wealth of their families for generations. In addition, the Anbu has a complete supervision mechanism, so no one will make a fool of themselves in this matter.

The other researchers and soldiers went back to the city to have breakfast first, while Han Mo stayed to discuss specific matters with He Yue and Fang Shisan.

Hanmo exhaled, stretched his shoulders, and said:

"Master Prime Minister, I have been in charge of various matters of the Gunpowder Group during this period, and I feel a little emotional. Judging from the lethality alone, gunpowder is actually limited. The large-scale explosion just now could have been caused by Master Alaya or Master Heji with just one sword, and Master Fileta's magic could have done it even better. But gunpowder has an unparalleled advantage, because it is a dead object, and does not require a lot of manpower, material resources, time and energy like training masters. It only needs simple manufacturing to be used. I think for a territory like ours that does not have the foundation to train many masters, gunpowder is a very convenient thing."

He Yue nodded and said:

"I have discussed this matter with the Lord Mayor. Your idea is correct. The biggest problem now is actually production difficulties and lack of manpower. Even you were urgently transferred from the Magic Research Department next to the Firearms Department. After the test explosion is successful, we have to return you... Last month, the school was officially separated from the Northern Industrial Base and established a complete set of primary, secondary and higher education systems in the eastern part of Yuxi City, collectively known as Yuxi Academy. But talent training is not achieved overnight. It will take at least three to five years for the first batch of suitable talents to emerge."

Hanmo asked:

"The school has been divided? I remember that the school was later divided into science, military, political and economic, and literary schools. What do you think now? Are all students going to the same class?"

He Yue smiled and replied:

"You basically have to learn elementary education, and then you can learn what you are interested in after secondary and higher education. Hanmo, you also have to go there to give lectures every week, don't forget this. There is a shortage of teachers at the moment, so we hired some from outside with high salaries. Some of them are quite effective, while others are just average. Fang Shisan and I are both part-time lecturers, so let's just get through this most difficult period first."

Han Mo nodded, and suddenly seemed to remember something, his face became a little excited:

"Speaking of which, I forgot to tell the Prime Minister and the General that the Black Blood Group - the research team responsible for studying the 'Devil's Blood' bought by the City Lord - has made new progress. Now they can separate some substances from the Devil's Blood. Some of these substances are very useful as fuel and also have miraculous effects as weapons! The people in the Black Blood Group are still continuing their research. I have a feeling that this kind of thing will become an endless treasure trove in the near future. I really don't know how the City Lord predicted this and purchased such a large amount in advance. This is definitely an extremely cost-effective deal!"

Speaking of weapons, Fang Shisan also became interested. After listening to Han Mo's brief account of the Devil's Blood, it was said that a very good fuel was extracted from it, which could be used to make incendiary bombs with excellent performance. And because Lid bought a large amount of Devil's Blood at once, the number of incendiary bombs would be very considerable, and it was likely that they would be deployed on the battlefield earlier than gunpowder.

Almost in an instant, Fang Shisan came up with many combat plans in his mind to cooperate with this fierce fire to create a fire attack.

And from what Hanmo said, the devil's blood is far more than just refining combustible substances.

"It's a pity that I have to go back to the Demon Research Department, otherwise I would definitely go there to study it right away. But it's okay this way. In fact, what I like most is dealing with demons, studying their characteristics, and analyzing their weaknesses. If demons invade again next time, they will be prevented from returning."

After Han Mo finished speaking, he bowed deeply to He Yue and Fang Shisan, then said goodbye and returned to the northern industrial base.

Only He Yue, Fang Shisan, the maid Tira behind Fang Shisan, and the guards responsible for security in the distance were left in the wilderness. He Yue took Fang Shisan's wheelchair from Tira and pushed her slowly on the cement road, saying as she walked:

"It's good news that the firearms issue is going well... Speaking of which, Yunye's letter arrived yesterday, saying that the Huaiwang territory had not reached an agreement, but Prince Qiming Norun agreed to reconcile with Yuxi City. The prerequisite is that if one day we don't want Yunye anymore, Yunye will go to work for him."

Fang Shisan smiled and said:

"Then he will have to wait a very long time."

He Yue nodded and said in agreement:

"Yeah, I think it's highly likely that I won't be able to wait forever. But if Qiming doesn't put pressure on him, Prince Kaiya of Huai probably won't start a fight alone. Before he finds his next ally, Prince Yunyang probably won't get much support and will be quiet."

Fang Shisan asked:

"Is your Ministry of the Interior's treasury really enough? Shao Yu Battalion's armaments have just been replaced, and I heard that the expenses of the Firearms Department are also very high..."

He Yue said affirmatively:

"It's enough. Don't forget that the demons will send us a batch of food this year. We have already paid off the money we owe to Bai Huang, and there is still a lot of surplus. After the artillery group has produced results, it should be no problem to get you 20 or 30 guns, and the Shenji Battalion will have a foundation. Didn't you say before that you want to set up an iron cavalry battalion? The money is enough, but war horses can't be bought with money, so we can only wait."

Fang Shisan put his hands on his legs. After a long while, he suddenly smiled and said:

"He Yue, do you think you'll be surprised when Li De comes back?"

He Yue was stunned for a moment, looked towards the north, and said softly:

"Maybe. I hope that when he comes back, Yuxi City will be his solid backing and be able to do more for him."

Thinking that Reed is now in the territory of the giants, He Yue's eyes couldn't help but flash with a hint of worry, but soon a smile appeared again.

Traveling north is a very dangerous thing, but their city lord is not an ordinary person.

Although Reed usually wishes he could sleep twenty hours a day, but at critical moments... he never fails to perform.

59. Faith from the Sea

"Miss Zhan Mei, can I ask a question?"

Reed asked expressionlessly.

"Of course, what's the problem?"

Zhan Mei answered with a smile on her face.

"…Why are you sitting on my horse?"

At this moment, Lid held the reins with both hands, and Zhan Mei sat in front of him, leaning back against him with her elastic body, and the distance between the two was very close. Zhan Mei turned her head, looked at him puzzledly, and said as a matter of course:

"Because I'm dead."

"Gone??"

"Public and private matters must be clearly distinguished. Public and private matters must be clearly distinguished."

Zhan Mei raised his index finger and explained seriously:

"I'm on vacation now. Mr. Reed, do you know what vacation means? It means I don't have to charge into battle like before, so I will give the warhorse I'm riding to someone who needs it more. Of course I can't walk on the ground, so I can only squeeze in here with Mr. Reed. If Mr. Reed doesn't welcome it, I can also... change my posture?"

Before Lid could react, Zhan Mei suddenly fell to the side, her two smooth legs hooked around the horse's neck, and she hung upside down on the horse. She waved at Lid and shouted:

"Look! You can't see me now, right?"

Lid stared at the bare legs crossed in front of him for a while, then reached out and pulled her back, saying:

"You better sit here."

"That's great! I knew Mr. Reed was a good man!"

Reed exhaled a breath of hot air, rubbed his eyes that were sore from the cold wind, looked at the flying snow in the sky, and suddenly remembered that since Zhan Mei was with him, it meant that he could finally ask about something he had asked before in a fair and open manner.

Lid slowed down the horse's pace a little and asked Zhan Mei:

"When I entered your Lingwu, I always felt that the security at the border was a bit too strict. Senior military officials also appeared there. Did something happen?"

Zhan Mei was silent for a while, then replied:

"Since Mr. Lid is now our companion, we will not hide anything. There are actually quite complicated reasons behind this... Has Mr. Lid heard of the [Church of the Abyss]?"

Reed tried to recall it, but had no impression in his mind, so he simply shook his head.

Zhan Mei combed the horse's mane and explained to Lid:

"To put it simply, because of some origins thousands of years ago, most humans believe in the Old Gods. The Old Gods are worshipped in temples everywhere, and various festivals are basically related to the Old Gods. There is even some information showing that the National Defense Formation may also be a gift from the Old Gods to humans... But in fact, the Upper Three Clans have more than one Old God. There are also two other races, the [Void] and [Kungu]. Since they are called the Upper Three Clans together with the Old Gods, it means that they are of the same level, and naturally there are corresponding believers on the human side."

Zhan Mei paused and continued:

"The Abyss Church mentioned just now believes in Kungu. However, their beliefs are more or less evil, and there have been more than one or two cases of human sacrifice in the past. Those people are just like extremely crazy alchemists. They don't regard human life as anything valuable at all, and they are willing to do anything for their beliefs. We feel that we must not allow such people to come to Lingwu, otherwise it may lead to big mistakes."

Lid asked:

"Is there any explanation here?"

Zhan Mei said:

"Because strictly speaking, our Lingwu does not completely belong to human territory. We snatched this land from the giants. Compared with other places, the effect of the national defense formation here is obviously discounted. And you should know that the giants themselves are creatures created by Kungu. This land is absolutely fertile soil in the eyes of the Abyss Church. We must always be vigilant against them taking root here."

This time, without Lid asking, Zhan Mei had already started to explain:

"And Mr. Lid asked why we were suddenly on guard at this time. In fact, Lingwu began to guard against this church a long time ago. Since it is a church, it will definitely promote its doctrines and absorb new believers. We took the opportunity to send 34 undercover agents to the Abyss Church, but all 34 of them lost contact at the same time last month."

"The Northward Journey is an unshakable event in Lingwu every year. We are worried that the Abyss Church will take advantage of our absence to cause trouble. Their methods have always been very strange. In addition to knowing that they will use people as living sacrifices, the specific process of the living sacrifice and for what purpose, I am afraid only the victims know. From past experience, the victims will generally lose all their blood and energy, and their eyes will be terrified, as if they had spied something extremely terrifying before they died. Although we have learned a lot of their movements from the undercover, they have always kept the core secrets like living sacrifices strictly and left no loopholes."

"So for us in Lingwu, they are an unknown danger. In order to deal with this danger, we can only take what we think is the most correct action, which is to heavily guard. General Riwei and Prime Minister Yuzuo are both staying in Lingwu to deal with any possible chaos."

Lid thought for a moment and said:

"So you are fighting on two fronts this time? It's not easy indeed."

Zhan Mei scratched his head embarrassedly and said:

"It's fine... ah, the Weeping Night Plain should be ahead! Let's put aside the matter of the Abyss Church for now, and this time, I'll trouble Mr. Lid to protect me!"

As he spoke, Zhan Mei wrapped his cloak tightly and put on his hood, and his slightly hot body naturally leaned against Lid.

……

A deserted wilderness in Lingwu.

The ordinary-looking young man half-knelt on the ground, using his dagger to pierce a complex pattern on the solid frozen soil. If the high-ranking Lingwu officers in charge of heading north this time came back, they would be able to tell at a glance that the pattern that looked like a red spider lily and a giant octopus was the same thing as the pattern on the giant's heart crystal.

"Let's draw blood."

The young man whispered. The girl with scales on her body raised her wrist. There were many long scars on her thin arm. She drew out the dagger and slashed at her wrist without hesitation, without even frowning, as if she didn't feel any pain.

Blood dripped onto the curse pattern, quickly filling the grooves of the engraving as if it had a spirit, and then quickly solidified, adding a bloody outline to the curse pattern. The entire pattern seemed to come alive, and dozens of tentacles visibly flipped, and then returned to silence again.

The girl didn't try to stop the bleeding, so she dropped her hands and let the blood continue to flow.

The curse was officially completed, and the young man buried this place with the surrounding snow. Soon the snowfield returned to its normal state. No one would suddenly get bored and dig a hole in the snowfield while walking, so this place was very safe.

The young man smiled, stretched out his hand to the girl, and said:

"Well done. Come on, let's go to the next place."

The girl nodded, raised her hand that was not bleeding, and placed it in his palm, and her sleeve naturally slid down to her shoulder. Except for the part with scales, her arm, which should have been beautiful, was covered with scars, and looked twisted and ugly, which was very different from her peers.

She injured this arm until it was almost rotten before she replaced it with another one. No one knew how many times she cut herself with a knife during this period and how many such spells she completed.

60. The big guy under the ground wakes up