〔Improved tal Slting〕
Brainpower requirent: 20000
Allows the extraction of most tals from raw ore.
Improves effectiveness of ore refinent.
Allows unlocking more advanced tal slting technologies.
〔〕〔〕〔〕
Instead of appearing cool and reserved, today Researchina was almost shaking with excitent.
"This is it, Father," she told , showing the inside of one of the forges. "The 'blast furnace', as you described to us."
The furnace was almost as tall as I was and had a cylindrical shape. The entire forge of bees was busy operating it: four girls fiercely worked two sets of large bellows, three more were pouring iron fragnts and coal on top of the furnace, and three gathered iron that poured from the bottom of the furnace into ingot-shaped clay forms.
"During the experints, as a side-discovery, we also found minerals that can work as 'flux', improving ore refinent—just like you described. This iron is already pure, but it helps with gold ore. We don't have a big supply of flux minerals at the mont, but I made scouts point flux deposits on the map," Researchina continued, rolling back and forth on the balls of her feet.
Fluxes had many forms and functions. I suspected Researchina found one of the earliest known fluxes—li. But maybe it was sothing else, like borax.
"You look very excited about this," I noted. "Is this because you didn't want to disappoint ? You wouldn't have, anyway."
"No. I'm proud to serve the Empire, but it's the discoveries, Father! We find that tals in liquid form can be mixed with other things, just like water can be mixed with pollen flour to make dough!"
Researchina spun to , and I saw a manic glint in her eyes.
"Father, I request to keep the forges that were temporarily given to us. tal research needs further experints. The potential of mixing things—not only tals, *all* things—is too high."
I narrowed my eyes at Researchina.
"You have half of our forges already."
"Yes."
"And we need to smith the rails."
"Just build more forges, Father."
I sighed.
My girl discovered chemistry and was way too enthusiastic about it for the peace of my mind.
On one hand, if we could refine iron into steel, that would be incredible. We had all the components: iron and carbon (as coal), even if iron was limited.
On another hand, we needed rails.
On the third hand, I had an idea.
I scratched my chin with the fourth hand as it solidified.
"Well, with the amount of iron we must slt and forge, it will be much easier to do it near Camp Rich, anyway. So we *do* need to build more forges… Alright, Researchina. You can keep these."
She flashed a grin.
"I *knew* you will be reasonable, Father."
"I hope *you* will be reasonable, too… And focus on improving iron!"
***
Building furnaces in Camp Rich had its own problems.
All discovered and used deposits of clay were closer to the heart of the Bee Empire—Hive Supremo. Bees had to carry materials for forges over a large distance.
It was still easier than carrying all the iron and coal. And with the amount of Builders and Craftsn doing the job, the building itself took almost no ti at all.
Even better, I got reports that all materials from the giants' corpses were dismantled, leaving only bones behind. The work on those was a low-priority task.
I could tell that there were no free als anymore in Camp Rich, because Scourge, Disaster and Woe resud begging for food near Hive Supremo again.
At least they brought more dragon scales in exchange, and let so Beemarines hitch rides on their back with almost no resistance.
I also got reports about Explanatory's progress in dragon language. She made a small vocabulary of their growls and claid that it was 95% precise.
I had a good feeling that in a few more weeks, we could use dragons to scout the human settlent. It was unnerving to not know whether humans were preparing for another visit.
We would be ready if they did. Bloodhero had learned from what I told her about humans and their capabilities and was teaching the Warrior Bees tactics of swift response—stinging the eyes, swiftly cutting out the stings afterward.
The Empire's scouts were spread farther out now, too.
For now, they didn't report any major threats, and the railway construction continued.
As soon as the first new forges were built in Camp Rich, they were taken by smiths that used new technologies to cast ter-long rail segnts.
Reviews
All reviews (0)