Chapter 478: The Steam Cult

Next, Henwell visits the Mechanical Department to check out the steam engines that have undergone several generations of improvements.

Now, the Mechanical Department has already applied steam engines to some practical work.

The Mechanical, Materials, and Weapons Departments have formed a joint team.

They’ve created many astonishing devices. When Henwell sees the thunderous steam-powered crossbow, he’s momentarily stunned.

The crossbow bolts are over three meters long, as thick as an arm, equipped with spinning tail fins. Fired by steam propulsion, they shoot over a kilometer.

When the bolt pierces a mountainside, the incendiary explosive in the tip detonates, blasting a sizable hole.

Looking through a telescope at the dense pockmarks on the cliff face, it’s clear this device has been tested many times.

While the joint research team cheers excitedly, Henwell’s mouth twitches in disbelief.

What kind of steam cult is this?

He’s been hoping for heavy machine guns, cannons, heavy howitzers...

Leibach, the head of the joint research department, is in his early thirties and considered a bit of a prodigy at the Technical Research Institute.

Henwell had expected him to come up with some brilliant, groundbreaking weapon, but this is what they produce? Something so bizarre.

Noticing Henwell’s silence, Leibach approaches. “Sir, why the long face?”

Henwell doesn’t know how to respond.

Leibach points to the steam-powered crossbow cannon occupying over thirty square meters. “Sir, is this thing powerful?”

“Definitely.”

“Does it have enough range?”

“...Yes.”

“Can it be mass-produced and sustain combat?”

“...Yes.”

Leibach looks puzzled. “Then why aren’t you happy?”

Henwell rubs his face. “I’m not unhappy, just... it feels strange. This thing has no mobility!”

Revoco looks at Henwell in surprise. “Sir, what mobility does it need? This is for static defense! We’ve calculated that deploying one at each fortress in Peace Haven will expand the fortress’s absolute lockdown range several times over. The enemy can’t possibly invade without first taking down our fortresses.”

“As for the mobility you mentioned, it doesn’t apply here! No matter how compact or mobile this thing is, no one would want to carry it around. If you want mobile strikes, have the knights go in groups of twenty, carrying parts of the Small Iron Fist Crossbow. Once on site, they assemble it, fire several wild thunder bolts at the target, then dismantle the core parts and ride off!”

The Small Iron Fist Crossbow is a simplified version of the Giant Crossbow, designed as a heavy weapon that can be carried by a battalion for mobile operations.

The wild thunder bolts are the explosive crossbow bolts mentioned earlier.

Hearing this, Henwell actually thinks it makes some sense.

With the knights’ physical fitness, carrying these parts turns them into mobile firepower units.

But Henwell can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. “Don’t cannons have any advantages at all?”

The joint research team uses steam engines to power drill presses, outfitted with ultra-durable alloy drill bits, to bore out some cannon barrels.

Henwell has even experimented with a gunpowder formula that could serve as a propellant.

Hearing Henwell’s question, Leibach scoffs. “Sir, you better stop dreaming about your cannons. Those things are dead heavy, even less mobile, and the costs are terrifying, we don’t dare make too many. “

”The main problem is their damage output is nowhere near the steam crossbow cannon’s. The explosives are unstable, and the shells we make can’t safely be fired from the barrels. We can only shoot iron balls, which are far less lethal than the wild thunder bolts.”

“Also, even firing iron balls, their rate of fire is nowhere close to the steam crossbow cannon. As for accuracy… what did you say? Oh right! Cannons’ accuracy is pretty embarrassing! The steam crossbow cannon is much better. You can adjust the pressure based on range requirements, that’s perfect!”

Henwell is left speechless, unsure how to argue back.

Watching the cannon firing demonstration, both range and power fall far short of the steam crossbow cannon.

Henwell is completely baffled.

Dizzy and confused, he leaves but then returns after a while.

He almost gets led astray!

Henwell insists that the cannon team must continue their research. The explosive formulas can be tweaked, and the propellant optimized. They can’t just give up.

Sure, the steam crossbow cannon is powerful, but rifled cannons still hold promise.

There are many researchers working on bows and crossbows, so there are plenty of ideas but also some fixed ways of thinking.

But only one person is researching explosives, so naturally, there are many shortcomings.

As more people join, Henwell believes more stable explosives and propellants will emerge.

Cannons are the future!

Steam cult nonsense is unacceptable!

Just imagining the full-scale war ahead, with steam hissing everywhere, Henwell doesn’t find it very appealing.

Henwell spends a full five days at the Technical Research Institute before finally returning to Blood Hill Manor.

Henwell has barely been home for two days when new trouble arrives.

One day, Cumberland from the Military Intelligence Office shows up with a man covered in blood.

The man is barely conscious, struggling to extend a hand to Henwell, offering him something.

Henwell sees clearly, it’s an item the man tore from his own abdominal wound.

Looking at the blood-soaked, delicate pocket watch, Henwell falls silent for a moment. He wipes away the blood to reveal an intricate rose pattern.

Originally platinum-colored, the rose now stains a deep crimson.

Henwell frowns and orders Cumberland to take the unconscious messenger to the hospital for emergency treatment.

The next evening, the man wakes and recounts what happened to Henwell.

At the same time, Henwell verifies the intelligence through his own channels.

Billie’s Catherine is in trouble. A week ago, Billie’s old king finally lost patience.

Falkon, the Marquis and openly the Iron Knight leader of the Sunflower Knights in Billie, personally went to take Catherine away.

He went alone to Catherine’s territory and brought her out.

That day, Catherine and her men witnessed the Iron Knight’s overwhelming power.

Falkon charged through all attacks like a runaway locomotive, one man barreling straight to Catherine’s side.

Seeing escape was impossible, Catherine spared her men from invalid protection and surrendered.

During this, Catherine handed her token to her subordinates, instructing them to seek Henwell’s aid.

More than ten days have passed since Catherine was taken. By travel time, she should be nearing Divine Revelation City.

Henwell spends the night thinking and finally grits his teeth to seek out Melissa.

The next day, Henwell leads a Paladin squad and half a company of Lord Iron Guards, one hundred knights, roaring out of Peace Haven.

At the manor gate, Melissa’s maid Mildred fumes, “Miss, why did you let him go rescue that woman? He’s just making excuses. He doesn’t want that woman to die!”

Melissa gazes after Henwell’s retreating figure and smiles softly. “Heh… I know that, of course. But Mildred, if you truly desire someone, you have to set them free. If they come back, it means fate has bound them to you.”

Mildred asks, “And if he doesn’t return?”

Melissa smiles gently, “If he doesn’t come back, it means I never truly had him.”