Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 393 Technological Transformation

In fact, the mage had already decided to continue improving and developing this initial model as the standard configuration for future ships belonging to the territory.

A thousand sails? Hmph, let's see if they can withstand a squadron of battlecruisers.

Zhang Yuan's thoughts were stretched to the horizon, and he was already daydreaming about powerful weapons like battle cruisers, even before he had managed to get a single sampan on the water.

"It's alright. Although the cabin space is a bit cramped, it's not a problem to maintain the normal operation of the power equipment."

Old Clockwork's words brought the mage back to reality. He nodded and then put the device back into his storage bag.

Lars and the others standing nearby were somewhat confused. Weren't they supposed to be modifying and installing it? Why did they leave again?
"Didn't you intend to upgrade your Auerbach to a magic ship? As you can see, our preliminary work is already complete, this..."

In response to Lars's tactful inquiry, Zhang Yuan didn't keep him hanging: "You did a good job, but the initial phase of the project involves more than just this. Did you forget that the plan also included areas where master craftsmen were needed?"

This revelation jolted the other party out of their anticipation and anxiety. They realized that what they had done was merely a minor task; the real main event was the keel conversion and hull reinforcement, as well as the sealing of the engine room after the propellers were installed.

Given the capabilities of Bode Shipyard, Zhang Yuan was really not comfortable entrusting them with a task that required a high level of technical expertise.

Putting aside everything else, relying on wooden mortise and tenon joints to reinforce the hull structure over a large area without welding or electroplating is no joke; it would take forever.

Moreover, some problems cannot be overcome by mere grinding. For example, the keel is the foundation of a ship; without it, no other structure can be built. However, this also makes it the most difficult component to process and strengthen.

After all, you can't just pull out the keel and replace it with a new one, can you? That would be no different from rebuilding a new ship.

Fortunately, there is a spell that can easily solve this problem—Ironwood Conversion.

As the name suggests, this four-ring transformation technique significantly increases the strength of the main beam that serves as the keel; it's simple, direct, and effective.

However, so many things cannot be completed in a day. Moreover, according to Bard and Kegan's report, the labor dispatch team promised by the Sweet Wine Clan has just set off and is estimated to arrive in at least ten days, so there is still plenty of time.

That's why the monk was reluctant to leave his precious propulsion device here so early. Not to mention theft or robbery, even minor bumps and damage would make him want to cry.

As dusk approached, Old Clockwork and the repairman gave the hull one last thorough inspection, marked the areas to be worked on, checked all the necessary parameters, and then called it a day.

As the days went by, Mr. Zhang, who shuttled between the dock and the riverside village, was extremely busy. However, thanks to his hard work in overall planning and coordination, the progress of matters such as boat modification and preparations for the relocation of villagers was busy but not chaotic, and proceeded in an orderly manner.

The chill of winter faded as the depths of winter departed, and in this time of fluctuating temperatures and lingering cold, before the dawn of spring, the Auerbach, after a month of maintenance and renovation, was finally launched and returned to the sea.

Old Tinker, the mechanic, took over the responsibility of steering the ship, since not everyone could handle this new gadget.

The entire bridge had been completely renovated. The rudimentary lever-type rudder control rod had been replaced with an electric winch system. The rudder wheel and control panel were integrated, displaying more than a dozen indicator lights, giving it a high-tech look and a far cry from its previous primitive appearance. Tinker steered the rudder with ease, occasionally fiddling with the control levers and buttons. With the coordinated operation of the navigation and propulsion systems, the massive Auerbach, seemingly disproportionate to its size, steered out of the dock with incredible speed. The ship's steering and the rotation of the propellers created waves on the sea, tracing a beautiful silver arc that splashed golden light against the sun. It quickly reached maximum cruising speed.

Eighteen knots—a speed that would have been unremarkable for modern ships in the past—was an incredible speed in Faerûn. Lars considered himself well-informed, but he never imagined that the ship's speed could increase so dramatically.

In his limited understanding, this was a miracle that only a mysterious sorcerer could create.

"This is fantastic! No wonder it's the mage's treasure. This feeling is just wonderful."

"Isn't this just flying!"

Compared to the captain, who had a fairly broad perspective, Lars's crew couldn't contain their surprise. Their flattery almost made the mage's forehead turn black.

After completing its modifications, the Auerbach cruised and tested its waters near the port for quite some time before returning to its berth. The mage, quite satisfied with the ship's performance, set up alarms and protective magic arrays in the engine room and then went up to the deck.

Logically, the ship's modifications were progressing quite smoothly and efficiently, but the four circular platforms on the deck, positioned forward, backward, left, and right, remained empty, leaving everyone puzzled as to why they were there.

The monk didn't explain this very clearly, only saying that it was a firepower delivery platform and that one shouldn't touch it carelessly.

This was certainly not because Mr. Zhang had forgotten about the matter or was suffering from severe procrastination, and had to wait until today to begin making arrangements. It was simply because the matter was too important, and he had to proceed with caution.

It wasn't until the boats were launched, preparations for the relocation of the riverside villagers, the preparation and smelting of the iron ore, and other matters were all completed, and it was just before setting sail north, that this thing was taken out and made its appearance.

"What is this? Some kind of magical device?"

Amidst the curious yet awe-inspiring gazes of the onlookers, two machines resembling long, thick tubes embedded in a giant, curved shield, and two other machines with densely packed circular holes on their top sections, resembling a cluster of long tubes joined together, came into view.

The latter is naturally the rocket launcher that took center stage in Meteor Disaster and struck fear into the hearts of the Bloodsail Gang, while the former is the 105mm caliber curved and horizontal-firing multi-purpose cannon created by Old Clockwork.

The rocket magazine is relatively straightforward, requiring little technical expertise; the key lies in the rocket itself. However, casting the cannon is by no means an easy task.

Under the instructions of his superiors, Tritorip drew up an improved blueprint based on existing weapon drawings, but major problems arose during manufacturing.

Unlike rocket magazines, artillery barrels must withstand extremely high chamber pressures, and finished products manufactured using methods such as welding, casting, or even forging simply cannot meet these requirements.

The master craftsmen weren't incapable of producing integrated seamless steel pipes; rather, they were like a skilled cook without ingredients, and in the end, they had to resort to magic to create a few prototypes.

Thank you to Brother A-Yi for your monthly tickets and donations, and also thank you to Wanliu Tongyuan, Xinghai Zhiyi, and Jakiro_J for your monthly ticket support. Thank you all!

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(End of this chapter)