The booming sound of giant hammers striking metal, the hissing of steam, the rough and bold shouts of the dwarves... these sounds have become the background noise of Steel Sky B-3 and even the surrounding area, like the pulse of this steel behemoth regaining its vitality.
The cooperation agreement between Linde and the dwarf king Muradin Bronzebeard was finalized with the characteristic dwarven gusto (or perhaps fanaticism) after witnessing the grandeur of the Iron Sky and the astonishing nature of the teleportation technology.
The core of the agreement is exceptionally clear: Linde will provide the dwarves with technical blueprints, energy conduction principles, and material analysis data for non-core areas of the Iron Sky for their research; in return, the dwarven kingdom will spare no effort to continuously transport its top rune masters, mineral smelting masters, engineering giants, and massive amounts of strategic resources such as adamantite, mithril, orogen, and molten core crystal clusters to the interior of the Iron Sky via space-time beacons.
The effect was immediate.
The repair project, which was originally progressing slowly and like groping in the dark, was suddenly given wings under the dwarves' almost obsessive "perfectionism" and "practicality first" engineering philosophy.
Beside the massive crack, dwarven craftsmen, shirtless, wielded rune hammers with muscular arms, precisely embedding mithril alloy plates into the ship's hull as if pounding dough. Intricate arrays of runes, guided by rune masters, lit up along the crack's edge, like living metal veins, firmly welding the old and new structures together, achieving a strength that even surpassed the original armor.
The paralyzed energy channels were carefully stripped and replaced.
The "Earth's Core Stable Alloy" brought by the dwarves has amazing energy conduction efficiency and anti-interference capabilities. Combined with the energy flow optimization model provided by Linde, the energy loss rate of the repaired pipeline network drops sharply, and the risk of overload is greatly reduced.
Muradin even personally led several rune masters and engineering masters into the secondary engine array area of the Iron Sky.
They gazed at the Zedu energy conversion cores, so complex they were dizzying, their eyes burning with a fierce thirst for knowledge and a desire to transform them.
"Linde, kid! This thing is efficient, but it's fucking delicate! It'll stop working if there's even a little impurity in the energy or an unstable frequency! Let us add some 'spice' to it!"
Muradin's roar echoed in the engine bay.
A few days later, a "stabilizer" consisting of Molten Core crystal clusters and Adamantite rune rings appeared around the core of the secondary engine array.
The raging fire energy was restrained and purified by the runes, and then gently injected into the Zedo core.
The results were surprising: the engine's output stability improved by 17%, its start-up speed was faster, and its tolerance to low-quality energy was significantly enhanced.
The dwarves, in their own way of understanding the world, brutally and effectively "tamed" the creations of the stars.
The interior of the entire steel dome resembles a colossal construction site, yet it is filled with an inspiring sense of order and efficiency.
The dwarves' workshops were like mushroom colonies in a steel forest, scattered across huge warehouses and platforms, with the clanging and banging of hammers and the dwarves' rough laughter and curses rising and falling.
As the repair progress bar grew at an unprecedented rate, a hint of satisfaction flashed in the depths of Lin De's purple eyes.
Although according to the final estimate of the central core, even with the full assistance of the dwarves, it would still be a long process measured in "years" (at least five years) to completely restore this scarred steel star to its former glory, this has far exceeded his initial expectations.
Time was on his side.
In the core command center of the Iron Sky (converted from part of the original bridge), Nad Truk stood quietly in front of the huge observation window, watching the dwarven craftsmen on the platform below, who were as busy and efficient as ants, as well as the "Watchers" mechs working together under the command of the dwarves.
The cold metallic sheen reflected in her deep brown pupils, mirroring the turmoil within her heart.
She once thought that with her control of the Crystal Corpse Trading Company, she was the most powerful and farsighted person in the family besides her father.
She once thought she had seen through some of Lind's cards and held the leverage to make a deal with her brother.
But everything before her eyes—this colossal ship that traversed the stars, its technology that disregarded space, and the sheer power and resources to make the stubborn and proud dwarf king willingly bow down and offer his entire kingdom in aid—completely shattered her previous understanding.
An iceberg? No, what she saw before was probably just a crystal of ice floating on the sea surface after the iceberg melted.
She took a deep breath of the air, which smelled of metal and engine oil, and turned to look at Lind, who was standing in front of the main control panel, reviewing repair data for various parts of the ship through the dark blue screen.
The figure appeared so profound and unfathomable against the backdrop of the enormous light screen.
"Brother."
Nad's voice broke the silence of the command room, carrying an unprecedented solemnity, even... awe.
Linde didn't turn around, but simply slid his finger across the screen and gave a faint "hmm".
I underestimated you.
Nade spoke frankly, walked to Linde's side, and her gaze also fell on the complex data streams on the screen.
“I thought the Crystal Remains was your biggest bargaining chip, but now it seems it’s just the most insignificant piece on your chessboard.”
Linde finally turned his head, his purple eyes calmly looking at her:
“It’s not too late to understand now. You are still an important collaborator of mine, Nad. The channels of the Earl’s territory and your skills are very valuable to me.”
His words affirmed Nad's abilities, but also clearly defined her position—she was a collaborator, not a leader.
Nad's eyes flickered; she understood the implication. Suppressing her complex emotions, she decided to demonstrate her value as a "collaborator."
"There's some news I think you should know."
Nad's voice lowered, carrying the solemnity characteristic of an intelligence officer, "The Sass Empire... and the Kree Empire, have gone to war. All-out war."
Linde's finger paused on the screen for a moment, but his expression showed little surprise:
"Have the gentlemen in the capital finally lost their patience, or have the Sassians found a new reliance?"
“Both,” Nad said quickly. “The Sass Empire has mobilized almost its entire force this time, with unprecedented military strength and logistical support stretching for hundreds of miles. More importantly, the Principality of Oak… has taken the initiative to intervene this time.”
"The Principality of Oak?" Lind's eyes narrowed slightly.
This human nation, renowned for its steam machinery and sophisticated alchemy, boasts the most advanced technology among all human nations on the continent of Til. Previously, their efforts were merely minor, but their strength should not be underestimated.
“Yes,” Nad nodded. “The Principality of Oak has dispatched their ‘Steamheart’ Legion, a considerable force equipped with their most advanced steam-powered armor, rotary muskets, and siege mortars. Intelligence indicates they have reached some kind of deep alliance with the Sass Empire. And one of the main strategic objectives of this allied force is…”
Nad paused for a moment, then looked directly at Lind:
"It is very likely your Blackrock Territory."
A cold smile curled at the corner of Linde's lips:
"Because I stole their toy (the Crystal Replica Cannon) last time, destroyed Shadow Abyss's hideout, and... I can produce Crystal Replicas?"
"That's exactly right."
Nad affirmed, "The destruction of the Shadow Abyss Church's stronghold has caused heavy losses to the Sass Empire, and your name is already on their kill list."
As for the Crystal Remains... the Principality of Oak has never stopped researching Crystal Remains, but they have never been able to break through the bottleneck of artificial Crystal Remains.
The technology you possess is, to them, the 'Holy Grail' capable of altering the continent's landscape and even enabling a technological leap for themselves. They are determined to seize Blackrock Territory and capture the source of their technology.
"As expected."
Linde's voice was completely flat, as if he were talking about someone else's business.
"Blackrock Territory's terrain is a natural barrier. Surrounded by mountains and narrow passages, it's easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even with Oak's iron lumps to help them take down this tough nut, they'll still have to break a few teeth."
He strolled to the observation window, looking down at the bustling scene below, a calculating glint in his purple eyes.
"They want technology?"
Linde chuckled, his tone utterly sarcastic. "Then let them come. Perfect timing. I need a grand enough 'stage' to show the entire continent of Til that Blackrock Territory's 'strength' is far more than just a few glowing stones."
His plan became clear.
Passive defense has never been his style.
He wanted to use this war, which was triggered by greed, to imprint the Blackrock Territory's reputation as if a steel sky had descended upon it, deeply imprinting it into the soul of every observer!
He wanted the iron cavalry of the Sass Empire and the steam legion of the Principality of Oak to be the first salute he fired to announce the arrival of a new era!
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