Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 731 - 629: Vaccines and New Weapons
"Three, two, one, detonate!"
BOOM——!
Under the control of the blasting engineers, who had gradually mastered the amount of explosive, a small hill was blown away, clearing a path for the advance of the iron Giant Dragon.
The chief engineer from the "Coastal Railway Company" waved his hand:
"Continue construction!"
Hundreds of engineering personnel rushed forward with various tools in hand.
This section, the first to start construction, lies in the wilderness between Fort Lauderdale City and Key West City in the Far Sails Territory. Although it mainly consists of plains, the route includes various terrains such as river valleys, slopes, forests, grasslands...
It is also meant for the railway workers to familiarize themselves with the laying process, serving as a large-scale training exercise.
At this time, the Coastal Railway Company's recruited construction team consisted of equal parts Anuma slaves and carefully selected freemen from the territory, and even some soldiers from the territory's army recruited into the engineering team.
Once the "Fort Lauderdale-Key West" section is completed, there won't be many obstacles left on the vast coastal land.
Additionally, a formal Wizard and three Wizard Apprentices from the "Mechanical Immortality School" take turns supervising to address any problems promptly.
Moreover, the "Georgia Corridor" is designed as a single-line railway, with only one main track in the transport interval, far less complex than double-track or multiple-track railways.
A single line is not limited to one-way travel; it can operate in both directions. However, only one train is allowed to run in the same section or block at any time, and meetings with opposing trains or overtaking in the same direction must occur at stations or sidings.
In these early days of the steam industry in this territory, a single-line railway is sufficient to meet the territory's transport capacity needs.
The entire 368-kilometer Georgia Corridor is expected to have a construction period of one year, and once the infrastructure team is trained, the speed of linking through the entire Phaletis Colony will only be faster.
Moreover, the Abayachi Mountains, which run north to south, are rich in coal, and each station along the railway can provide ample fuel, making logistics virtually stress-free.
Standing on a nearby hill, with his gemstone staff in hand, Aiven nodded silently:
"My path of infrastructure madness officially starts from here."
He had already received word that the first batch of Ilya refugees who arrived with the fleet had landed in Saint Aiven City. Based on the information they brought, it is expected that more penniless new immigrants from Ilya will follow.
Many even come here as contract slaves, urgently needing a new job to support their families.
These people should be enough to ensure the smooth execution of this large-scale railway project.
During this process, Aiven will also use the first-mover advantage to establish standards, starting from determining the track gauge at 1435mm, ensuring consistent steam locomotive standards, thus seizing the technological high ground in railway transportation.
Starting from here, any region using the "Coastal Railway Company's" technology in the future will have to adhere to their standards, helping Aiven achieve absolute authority, even a monopoly, in this industry.
"Is this the track for steam locomotives? Can these creations really carry more than merchant ships and run faster than galloping horses?"
Beside Aiven, Anthony and Delis watched the bustling construction site below with eyes sparkling.
"Of course, come and see for yourselves once it's completed. In fact, this is one of the projects I intend to share with the Kingdom. The larger the basic plan, the better the effect of boosting the economy. I consider it a milestone of the steam industrial revolution!"
Aiven unabashedly praised himself.
In reality.
Since he entered the core of the Kingdom's power last year, and Georgia appeared on the Kingdom's arms supplier list, all procedures have been exceedingly rushed and rudimentary in preparation for the rebellion suppression war.
Now, the Kingdom is set to integrate "Vulcan Metals Company" into the military and industrial production system led by the "Violet Eye." The outcome of the research will determine Vulcan's position in the Kingdom's industrial chain.
In this framework, functions such as setting prices and process standards, quickly handling international patents, initiating investments, mediating internal conflicts, acting as an import-export agent, and coordinating relationships with governments... are all included.
Aiven always thinks long-term.
For industrialization, he can guide the direction, but for the industry to truly take shape, it requires countless follow-up researchers and industrial workers working harmoniously together.
Those who always want to gain all advantages won't have great prospects for development. The Tulip has always been at the forefront of steam industry development. Given this favorable situation, it would be foolish not to take advantage.
The developed technical team over the decades, gradually mature industrial workers, matching upstream and downstream industrial chains... including a vast consumer market, are all immense wealth.
At least in the New Continent, apart from the Hilus People who can dig gold directly from the ground, the consumption ability in other regions is quite touching. At least for decades or centuries to come, the position of the Old Continent as the world's center won't be shaken.
As he once commented to "Lady Crow," culture, institutions, and technology are like genetics; blind closure and xenophobia are akin to inbreeding, leading to deformities and premature deaths.
The Sea Monster Compass, Alchemy Bomb, Philosopher's Stone, Sniper Firearm, and Giant Beast Breath Potion of the Alchemy School... even the essence of the "Alchemy School's" many technologies—the [Legendary Battleship: Steam Fortress]—should not be underestimated.
Aiven naturally wouldn't make such a low-level mistake.
Today, Anthony and Delis are acting as preliminary liaisons representing the "Violet Eye" and "Light of Alchemy," and thanks to their good personal relationship with Aiven, they got this enviable public-funded trip.
You could say it's a honeymoon trip.
"I didn't expect that after a few years, Anthony has successfully advanced to an official wizard, and in the end, you two ended up together. Childhood sweethearts make everyone else green with envy."
Aiven sighed with emotion.
He still remembered that Delis had once said she wanted to enhance her own value to resist the family-arranged political marriages based merely on interests, and the boring life of being a wife and mother.
But now that she's reached marriageable age, she still ended up in the matrimonial hall with a member of a noble family, as if by predetermined destiny.
Yet, this childhood sweethearts' relationship was naturally formed, although there was an element of arranged marriage, it was also filled with enduring emotions. At least their married life seemed harmonious and there's nothing wrong with it.
The newlyweds exchanged a glance and smiled sweetly, after which Anthony solemnly bowed:
"Aiven, I also want to thank you for assigning a portion of the 'Siren's Song' research to me. Coupled with the knowledge we've accumulated on sound, it allowed me to achieve the groundbreaking results needed for promotion."
In the "Alchemy School," completing one's groundbreaking achievement is required to become an official wizard. Although the requirement is far less demanding than that for the Upper-Rank Wizard of the "Vitalist School," it is not something the average person can easily accomplish independently.
Even the simplest achievement is not something that can be as casually acquired as a utility model patent in Aiven's past life for two thousand bucks.
Delis, whose spiritual power had long met the criteria, was evidently stuck at this step.
The most direct consequence is that Anthony, as an official wizard, already possesses a long lifespan, whereas Delis, as an apprentice, is still similar to an ordinary person. They don't need a hundred years; just after a few decades, they will be worlds apart.
"It's nothing. When we invented the 'Siren's Song,' we completed it together, and the 'Sonar' was just a flash of insight away. Perhaps even without my help, you would have figured it out sooner or later.
By the way, when you got married last year, I was at the battlefield and couldn't attend to other affairs. Now is a good time to make up that gift for you two."
In the Alchemy School, Delis, the young lady of the "Light of Alchemy" guild, is from the "Magic Potion" branch, while Anthony, the eldest son of the Kramer Clan from the Noble Congress, belongs to the "Alchemy Tools and Enchantment Project" branch. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
The Kramer Clan was an ancient family rooted in "New Inn Port" back when it was still a noble fief. Essentially, it leads the Noble Congress. Though not achieving the status of one of the fifty-nine Upper Council members, it's just slightly below.
Unlike the Aimoer family, which has long detached from the Kingdom's power core, the Kramer Clan continues to cultivate its deep connections within the Kingdom Mainland with a few official wizards from the "Violet Eye," holding immense potential power.
With the thriving steam industry, the Alchemist (Mechanical Engineer) guild "Light of Alchemy" is the only wizard-affiliated force that can openly appear in the public eye and under the scrutiny of the Church.
It inherently signifies the great momentum and trend.
In the revolutionary shift in productivity, the "Alchemy School" operates solely as a research department. To truly enter every household, the conversion from technology to product is indispensable, and this critical step is precisely the work of "Light of Alchemy."
Although Delis' family manages only the "Light of Alchemy" within the Phaletis Kingdom, due to the Kingdom's leading position, its influence is already noteworthy, maintaining close connections and collaborations with guilds of other nations.
The two are considered a match made in heaven, and their relationship has always been good, maintaining contact over the years.
Even with Aiven's current status and power, this relationship is worth his efforts to continue cultivating and maintaining. In his view, sentiments and interests are not at odds; reciprocation only strengthens them.
"Delis, take a look at this first."
Aiven took out a bottle of "biological enzyme preparation" obtained by analyzing the [Secondary Elixir of Immortality] and handed it to the curious Delis.
"It comes from tiny substances metabolized by some extraordinary creatures, even smaller than cells known to humans.
It can significantly enhance cell activity, delaying aging. As long as it's consistently consumed from the age of 35 when bodily functions start to degenerate, it can certainly extend natural lifespan by 30%!"
"This..."
Delis trembled slightly, feeling as if a new world's gate was slowly opening before her.
Previously, the main raw materials for magic potion concoction were all derived from plants or biological materials in nature. This exploration of the microcosm and the human body's mysteries deeply captivated Delis, a wizard apprentice from the "Magic Potion" branch.
"While the current main research direction of 'Magic Potion' revolves around 'enhancements,' the fundamental purpose remains 'healing.' Besides such life-extending potions, I can also provide you with a research direction belonging to the bio-pharmaceutical field, which is — Vaccine!"
Vaccines are autonomic immune preparations made by artificially attenuating or inactivating pathogenic microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) and their metabolites for the prevention of infectious diseases.
If it could be developed, it would certainly be a milestone achievement in modern medicine.
The two of them were intrigued yet confused by the unfamiliar new term:
"Vaccine?"
Aiven gave them a mysterious smile:
"Alright, we'll discuss this in detail another day. Now, let's get to business. You've come all the way to the New Continent, so let me show you the new weapon developed by the 'Vulcan Metals Company' and let you personally experience what it means to disregard martial virtue!"
