As the night deepened, the wicked man put down his pen and ink and immediately felt a slight soreness.

He gently rubbed his temples and stared intently at the several scrolls of sketches and records on the table, all of which contained various ideas for modifying gunpowder.

Since developing "fireworks and firecrackers," his goal has been to test the waters first, and then expand the power of gunpowder on this basis to create more lethal "homemade bombs" in order to achieve unexpected victories on the battlefield.

The idea has now taken shape in my mind, and what I need is a group of skilled craftsmen with scientific and technological talents to help me verify it.

He called out softly, "Erhe!"

Zhang Erhe, who was waiting outside the door, immediately stepped forward to respond.

The wicked man ordered, "Go quickly to the Mo family workshop and invite Zizhen and Xianglihe here. Tell them I have important matters to discuss with them."

Upon receiving the order, Zhang Erhe hurriedly left the room.

Zizhen and Xianglihe were both highly valued craftsmen by the wicked man. Zizhen was skilled in military weaponry, while Xianglihe was knowledgeable in metallurgy and casting. With their previous experience in developing fireworks and firecrackers, they could certainly help the wicked man complete this "homemade bomb."

The wicked man spread out several volumes of research manuscripts, examining the results of his previous "firecracker tube" experiments while making calculations in his mind.

It was necessary to determine the gunpowder ratio, explore the sealing material, and consider whether to fill the projectile with scrap iron, nails, gravel, etc., to increase its lethality...

Shortly after, footsteps could be heard outside the door.

Accompanied by a gust of cold wind, Zizhen and Xianglihe entered together, still carrying the lingering smell of iron filings from the workshop.

Upon seeing the wicked husband, the two first bowed and asked, "Grand Commandant, you summoned me late at night. Is there a new law you wish to test?"

The wicked man closed the door and gestured for them to sit down at the table: "We've already seen some success with our trial production of firecracker tubes, but I want to take it a step further and turn it into a 'homemade bomb' that can kill the enemy on the battlefield. I'd like to hear your thoughts tonight."

Zizhen and Xianglihe exchanged a glance, both showing curiosity. Zizhen asked first, "Improvised bomb? Could you explain it in more detail?"

The wicked man nodded and pointed to the simple diagram on the table: "The idea is to use a rough pottery jar or a sturdy iron shell as the outer shell, fill it with gunpowder, iron nails, and gravel, and then seal it with clay. After the fuse is lit, it will explode in a few breaths."

"Throwing or burying them can deter or even kill enemy soldiers or camps."

Xianglihe nodded repeatedly, but then stroked his chin: "It is indeed feasible, but we must be careful not to explode it too early or too late, as it will be difficult to control the timing precisely. Also, the thickness of the pottery jar or the iron shell is important; if it is not done properly, it will either damage itself or have no power at all."

Zizhen took out a section of bamboo tube from his pocket, compared it with the sketch on the table, and suggested, "Previous firecrackers were all sealed with a layer of clay. Could we use this as a basis to increase the amount of gunpowder and improve the power?"

"As for the detonation time, that's easy to say. We can test it several times and choose the right time to explode. It can't be as fast as a firecracker."

The wicked man nodded approvingly: "That's right. If you understand one method, you understand all methods. Just think of it as an enhanced version of firecrackers, except that you need to add iron filings and other materials to increase the damage from the fragments."

Xiang Lihe flipped through the records and saw the values ​​such as the amount of gunpowder used and the ratio of saltpeter to sulfur. He couldn't help but say, "With such a large amount of gunpowder, the earthenware pot may not be able to withstand the impact. It may crack before it is even thrown. The iron shell is more stable, but the casting cost is high. In addition, we also need to worry that the power is not enough to break the iron shell."

The wicked man slapped his forehead, realizing he had indeed overlooked this matter. "I think bamboo tubes with paper would be a good match. We can use this as a test first and then slowly find a suitable container, so as not to waste a lot of materials right away."

After discussing for a while, Xiang Lihe and his companion decided to go to the workshop that very night to give it a try.

The wicked man nodded and instructed, "In that case, first try making ten 'small clay bombs'. Seal the openings with clay and use earthenware jars and bamboo shells. Mix the gunpowder in three proportions: one ounce, two ounces, and three ounces, plus iron filings."

"Zizhen, you'll be in charge of the details of the lead wire and sealing, while Xianglihe will oversee the material forging. I'll have the Black Ice Platform provide a safe space to record the test data."

The two men accepted their orders with excitement on their faces. This was an attempt that went a step further than the "firecracker tube," and if successful, it would be enough to make them shine in the army in the future.

The wicked man further warned, "Although this thing is quite powerful, it is extremely dangerous. If it is mishandled, it will go off. Therefore, the research process must be carried out with extreme caution, and no unauthorized personnel should be allowed to gather around."

"Furthermore, the surrounding area must be very open to avoid accidents that could cause fires or other problems."

Zizhen and Xianglihe solemnly expressed their understanding, and then took their leave together. The wicked husband personally saw them off to the door, watching their backs disappear into the night, a sense of anticipation welling up in his heart.

If this "homemade bomb" can truly be developed, the Qin army's strength will undoubtedly be greatly enhanced, and conquering cities in the future will not be as difficult as it is now. Moreover, with this beginning, given the Mohist school's capabilities, they will quickly be able to apply this knowledge to other situations...

By then, not only cannons, but even more sophisticated firearms will likely be developed!

The following day, Zhang Erhe accompanied the wicked husband to the workshop.

They arrived at a detached courtyard, which was originally a firecracker research site, but was converted into a homemade bomb research site overnight by Xiang Lihe and his companion.

The guards of the Black Ice Guard stood watch at the entrance, their expressions full of vigilance as they observed their surroundings.

As soon as the wicked man entered the inner courtyard, he saw the Mohist disciples that Zizhen had selected preparing gunpowder. They were all very careful, afraid that the slightest mistake would cause a spark.

Upon seeing the arrival of the wicked man, Xiang Lihe and Zizhen immediately stepped forward: "Grand Commandant, we have selected several batches of pottery materials, bamboo tubes, etc., each with different hardness. We need to make blanks and fire them first, and then test whether they can be stabilized for explosion."

The wicked man surveyed the scene, signaling everyone to get back to work: "I'm just checking on the progress; you're all more familiar with the specifics. This is a do-or-die situation, so be extremely careful."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a soft exclamation came from the end of the corridor. It turned out that a disciple had accidentally knocked over a small gunpowder canister, and a pungent smell of gunpowder instantly filled the air. Fortunately, it was far from the source of the fire and did not explode.

Zizhen hurriedly reprimanded the disciple: "You must be careful, this is not child's play, if a fire breaks out, it will cause a great disaster!"

Seeing this situation, the wicked man could only repeatedly remind them that, if necessary, more surveillance cameras should be deployed to supervise the work, and any violations should be stopped immediately.

Busy until the afternoon, the pottery jar blanks were fired. While they were still warm, the craftsmen worked on the surface cracks and then sealed them with clay and hemp paste.

Zizhen led the team to prepare gunpowder in different proportions. They had accumulated experience with fireworks and firecrackers before, but now that they were using more gunpowder, they had to recalculate to avoid using too much at once and causing the can to explode on the spot.

Before long, ten test specimens were finally placed on the table: some were fist-sized ceramic jars, others were palm-length bamboo tubes, each with a small hole at the top through which a very thin wire was inserted. They appeared simple, yet contained terrifying power.

The wicked man looked at these various "homemade bombs" and was secretly pleased, thinking that this was the first step he had taken.