Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 394 Chemistry and Alchemy

As for the large-scale deployment of artillery, that will probably have to wait until the Industrial Plan 1.0 is realized.

These precious pieces of equipment were originally intended to be used as field artillery equipment for future artillery corps units, but at present there is really no other choice.

This voyage carries a significant mission, far beyond simply transporting cargo. Aside from the mineral resources being prepared, there are over a hundred villagers and dwarves who will be embarking on the journey to the North. These are valuable human resources, the initial capital for Lord Zhang's territory's development.

Without the injection of this new blood, Gaoya's dilapidated territory would not be its base, but rather a burden.

To be fair, the Auerbach, as an armed sailing ship, was not without weapons, and since a considerable number of its sailors were professionals, it did possess a certain level of defensive capability.

But that's about it. The firepower from just two ballistae and a few crossbows is hardly a long-range strike force. It's difficult to drive away and suppress pirate ships that are equipped with incendiary bombs and catapults from a distance. If the situation develops to close-range firefights, boarding operations, or even the ship catching fire, that's even more problematic.

Regardless of the outcome, it represents a risk and a loss for Zhang Yuan, the cargo owner. Therefore, equipping the Auerbach with sufficient long-range firepower is imperative.

With the mage Zhang Yuan in charge, they could practically roam the world freely, let alone dominate the trade routes along the Sword Bay coast.

Under the watchful eyes of the crew, two temporarily converted naval guns were installed on the bow deck and the stern deck, with rocket compartments also arranged on the port and starboard sides.

Thus, the original semi-armored merchant ship was transformed into a fully armed (yes, the engine room at the stern was specially reinforced, making it the toughest part of the entire ship), a formidable force in the Sword Bay.

"Tsk, as expected of a mage's work, this thing is obviously extraordinary."

Lars patted the thick cannon barrel located at the bow of the ship, his tone and expression full of surprise and curiosity. The other sailors, needless to say, gathered around the various gun platforms, observing cautiously, not daring to touch them. Occasionally, a few of the bolder ones would touch them with their fingertips.

"Your Excellency Mage, may we witness the power of your magical armor?"

Suddenly, an excited, almost shrill voice rang out. Lars turned around abruptly, only to see his second mate, Dagmar.

This somewhat young man was one of the few who had mustered the courage to touch the cannon. His still somewhat immature face flushed with excitement, and his eyes were fixed on the cannon in front of him.

"What nonsense are you spouting, brat? This is a precious creation of His Excellency the Mage, do you think it's child's play?"

After reprimanding his second mate, the captain turned to the mage in front of him:

"Sorry, Dagmar is usually a great guy, he's just a little too curious sometimes."

"I understand," the mage said magnanimously, waving his hand.

"After all, steel and fire are a man's romance."

Upon hearing this, Dagmar's eyes lit up. He, who had been somewhat flustered after being reprimanded, immediately became energetic and eagerly asked:
"Master, do you agree to my request?"

"Alas, what a pity. Alchemy items are quite expensive and cause quite a commotion, so let's skip the experiment. If we encounter pirates along the way, we might as well give it a shot."

The shrewd and calculating Mr. Zhang naturally declined the request, for no other reason than money. Thanks to his formidable memory-recalling ability granted by his intelligence, Zhang Yuan wasn't incapable of recalling the formulas for certain potent reactants, such as nitroglycerin…

But what does it matter if you know?

The basic material composition and rules of existence of the two worlds do indeed have a great deal of commonality and compatibility. Otherwise, his body from his previous life as a human on Earth could not have been transferred to the world of Faerûn. Furthermore, the structure of the Toril multiverse and the arrival of all kinds of transmigrators also prove the inclusiveness of this crystal wall system.

However, it is still not enough. How could the universe, which is based on atoms formed by the Big Bang, and the main material plane, which is forged by the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, be completely identical in their underlying rules?

Having already conducted numerous alchemical (chemical) experiments, Zhang Yuan was naturally aware of the subtle differences involved. When he was doing private work in the alchemical laboratory at Gaolibao, he unsurprisingly discovered that the original world's stoichiometric equations were not applicable to most reaction changes, especially those involving complex molecular reactions.

Repeated deviations and failures made Zhang Yuan realize why the alchemy school replaced chemistry in Faerûn in a form that was closest to scientific research.

Apart from the initial success with black powder, all other formulations ended in failure.

These various reasons for failure may be that the reaction equations themselves cannot function, as if the chemical bonds between atoms have changed in nature.

Or perhaps they simply can't even produce the raw materials.

For example: nitric acid.

The fact that even the three acids and two bases of basic chemical industry cannot be prepared has already given the future of pure chemistry a death sentence. With limited energy, Zhang Yuan had no choice but to temporarily abandon his ideas and focus on the path of arcane arts.

This delay lasted for more than a year. It wasn't until he advanced to the ninth level of mage, summoned the original consciousness of the master craftsmen, and set the industrial foundation for future development that he turned his attention back to the chemical industry.

Things weren't going smoothly. The Keen craftsmen, who were focused on crystal energy and used to the glow of energy and the clanging of gears, were really scratching their heads with these jars and pots.

There are professionals, and the alchemist Lazel of the Black Brew family is an expert in this field. When purification studies are not feasible, using alchemy as a roundabout way to achieve the goal is the only option.

Unfortunately, even a 4-cost chess piece can't be summoned without an 8th-level spell.

Now, Master Zhang had no choice but to bite the bullet and do it himself. Fortunately, having entered the Five Rings Magic Network, he had made great progress in transformation and spell magic. After many attempts, he finally managed to create a substance with properties very similar to nitric acid, possessing strong acidity and fuming properties, through the acid-based magic of the "spell magic prodigy" Ma Youfu.

Sulfuric acid is not lacking; the combination of sulfur and strong acid is a common occurrence in alchemy.

Subsequent experiments went smoothly. Using nitroglycerin as a raw material, nitrocellulose was then produced. In the end, both the propellant and the charge were ready. The primer was made from a detonator made of fire agate powder.

The overall cost is actually not high. The most expensive component, the primer ring, is not much more expensive because the required quantity is extremely small.

But there are two big problems!
The first reason is safety. There is a reason why nitroglycerin has not been widely used as a shell propellant. Its sensitivity and instability are directly proportional to its power, so much so that a special slow-release agent has to be applied to the inside of the propellant chamber of the projectile to prevent the shell from exploding before it is fired and sending its own people into the air.

Thus, the mage did not dare to equip all the cannonballs with glycerin. Most of the projectiles were still explosive shells made of a mixture of nitrocellulose and incandescent glue, which were suitable for use at sea. As for the dangerous projectiles, they were kept in the storage bag as high explosive shells.

Thank you to Li Pu, Fu Wang Tao, lvzhengjun, Wen Qing Shi Jian, Wan Liu Tong Yuan, Yan Mie Gui Chen, and Xing Hai Zhi Yi for your monthly ticket support!
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(End of this chapter)