Qin Mo's harsh criticism made Ximan and the others feel ashamed, but when Qin Mo said that this was a "groundbreaking" ship, everyone straightened their chests, feeling extremely proud and honored.
"Your Highness, please give this ship a name!"
"Oh! Let's call it Steel One!"
“…”
Ximan deeply regretted letting Qin Mo name the new ship. He had long ago made a conjecture: while Qin Mo gained a powerful industrial legacy, he also lost the artistic cultivation of an elven race.
The boiler of Steel No. 1 had been ignited and pressurized long ago. After Qin Mo gave his consent, Ximan and the others couldn't wait to sail it out of the port. In the past, in order to keep it a secret, they would only go out for a stroll at night. It was really unpleasant to go out in the dark.
"Sieman, I will set aside a separate workshop from the steel institute to specialize in producing special marine steel, making the hull more streamlined, and at least three knots faster!"
"Understood, Your Highness. I will redesign it as soon as I get back!"
Steel One reached a top speed of nine knots at sea, but Qin Mo was not satisfied and put forward a lot of suggestions for improvement, which Ximan and others carefully noted down.
The number of steam-powered sailing ships in Taiwan was already quite large. A large portion of the pilot ships responsible for piloting the waterway in Tamsui Port had been replaced with steam-powered sailing ships. Many foreign merchant ships had become accustomed to these sailing ships that could sail against the wind.
These people have come to believe that Dayuan is a magical place, and that it is normal for anything that defies common sense to occur there.
However, when the Steel One, reflecting a metallic sheen, appeared in the bay, it still attracted onlookers and caused a small-scale disturbance.
The first to surround them was the Scouta, a patrol ship responsible for guarding the bay. These agile and fast two-masted schooners are tasked with checking for suspicious vessels.
"Your Highness, the reconnaissance ship is using flag signals to inquire... Is this ship made of iron?"
"Are they blind? Can't they tell the difference between steel and wood?"
"Understood, sir," the captain turned and arrogantly shouted to the signalmen on the mast, "Ask them if their eyesight is bad, if they can't even tell the difference between steel and wood?"
Qin Mo: "..."
Not only Skuna saw the flag signals on the Steel One, but many high-ranking officers' civilian ships also understood them. After a brief silence, a huge cheer resounded across the entire sea.
"Simman, do you feel lonely?...Do you feel isolated?"
"...Your Highness...are you going to arrange for Aiya to marry me? Thank you, Your Highness. I'm very lonely and isolated at night...Your Highness is a good person!"
"Damn it, I meant the loneliness of having no rivals!" Qin Mo poured cold water on Ximan, whose eyes were full of emotion.
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