Chapter 19 The Dwarf Master's Class! A Crash Course in Metallurgy (Theory Section...)
To Lin Yue, Uncle Shi Quan's words, "Let me give you a little pointers," were like heavenly music! He was so excited that he almost performed a sliding kneel of gratitude on the spot to thank this hot-tempered old man!
It wasn't easy! He served tea and water, inquired about their well-being, offered empty promises, warned of the future menu, and humbly sought their advice. After enduring countless "idiot" pronouncements, he finally warmed up... no, he convinced this rock in the latrine!
"That's wonderful! Uncle Shi Quan! You are truly great! You are the guiding light of our 'Lin's Restaurant'! You are a pioneer of the Iron Age! You are..." Lin Yue was so excited that he showered Shi Quan with compliments, almost to the point of building a shrine for him on the spot.
"Shut up! It's so noisy!" Shi Quan blushed at his praise and interrupted him irritably. "I just can't stand you guys using those junk! It's shameful! If my former colleagues saw this, they'd laugh their heads off!"
Are all dwarves really arrogant? Lin Yue thought to himself, but still wore a fawning smile: "Yes, yes, yes! You're right! Our tools are really too shabby! We're all relying on your guidance!"
"Hmph!" Stone Fist snorted arrogantly, then cleared his throat, striking a pose as if a dwarf lord was about to begin a lesson, and all mortals should kneel and listen attentively. "Want to smelt iron? Not so easy! First, you need good ore!"
He pointed to the hematite samples Lin Yue had found earlier and curled his lip: "These kinds have too many impurities and the color is wrong. At best, they're just... slag reserves! Real good iron ore should have a deep color, feel heavy in your hand, and when you crack it open, the cross-section should have a metallic luster! You also have to look at what kind of stones it's associated with; some stones can affect the quality of the iron..."
Shi Quan began to explain the knowledge of mineral identification in a very fast-paced manner. He spoke very quickly, and Lin Yue couldn't understand many of the technical terms at all. The system translator was also completely confused and could only give a general idea.
But Lin Yue still put in his best effort, pricking up his ears, widening his eyes, and desperately trying to memorize it, while quickly sketching it out on the stone slab with charcoal.
[System Notification: Received knowledge transmission for [Basic Ore Identification (Dwarf Experience Version)]... The amount of information is enormous, and some terms cannot be parsed. Attempting to compare, correct, and supplement with the system knowledge base... Knowledge base [Mineralogy] module experience points +50.]
"Good ore alone isn't enough!" Shi Quan took a sip of warm salt water and continued his lecture, "You also need a good furnace! Your old earthen stove can only boil water and roast potatoes at best! Want to smelt iron? Dream on!"
He drew a simple diagram on the ground with his cane: "A real smelting furnace needs to be made of refractory materials! Like this kind of 'volcanic rock'—he pointed to the direction of the distant mountains—or it can be made by firing a special clay mixed with quartz sand!"
The furnace needs to be high enough to ensure sufficient contact between the ore and fuel! There also needs to be a tuyeres! Without strong airflow, the fire won't burn well, the temperature won't rise enough, and the molten iron simply won't come out!
He then began to explain the key points of building a traditional smelting furnace, from material selection and structure to how to reserve the taphole and slag outlet, speaking in great detail.
Lin Yue listened with rapt attention, feeling as if he had opened the door to a new world! Although many of the methods Shi Quan described still seemed primitive to him, the experience and wisdom they contained were things that could not be learned from books!
He quickly wrote down these key points one by one, and from time to time asked questions based on the "Basic Metallurgical Principles" provided by the system, trying to understand them more thoroughly.
For example, when Shi Quan mentioned the air vent, Lin Yue asked, "Then... is a stronger wind always better? What's the most efficient way to blow air?"
Shi Quan glanced at him, seemingly surprised by his question: "Of course, the stronger the wind, the better! As for the bellows... use a bellows made of animal hide! The bigger the better! It will take two people taking turns to operate it!"
[System Notification: Received information regarding "Manual Blower Technology (Animal Hide Bellows Version)". Linked to the system knowledge base modules "Fluid Mechanics" and "Mechanical Principles"... Knowledge base experience points +30. Suggestion: Try optimizing the bellows structure, or utilizing water/wind power to drive the blower to improve efficiency and sustainability.]
"I see!" Lin Yue suddenly realized, quickly wrote down the animal hide bellows, and marked it with the words "upgradeable and modifiable" next to it.
"We have good ore, we have a good furnace, but most importantly, we have fire!" Stone Fist's tone became even more serious.
"The fire used for iron smelting is nothing like the kind of small-scale fires you use for cooking! You need to use the best fuel! Charcoal made from hardwood is the first choice! You also need to learn how to control the fire! When to add fuel, when to blow air, when to tap the iron, when to remove the slag... these are all skills! Without three to five years of experience, you simply can't figure it out!"
He began to teach flame control techniques, how to judge temperature by observing the color of the flame, and how to adjust fuel and airflow according to the conditions inside the furnace…
These are all based on experience, and the system cannot fully quantify and analyze them. Lin Yue can only rely on rote memorization, while silently praying that he won't burn the furnace to pieces.
Once Shi Quan started talking, it was like he had opened a floodgate. Perhaps it was because he hadn't shared his proud skills with anyone in a long time, or perhaps it was because Lin Yue's "eagerness for knowledge" made him feel a sense of purpose. He became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, spitting as he spoke, and even gesturing excitedly with his cane.
Gray and Little Finn, who were standing nearby, were also drawn in. Although Gray didn't quite understand the technical terms, he listened with great interest, nodding occasionally.
Xiao Fen, on the other hand, used Shi Quan's cane as a cat toy, running around him and trying to pounce and bite him.
As Lin Yue frantically scribbled on the stone slab with charcoal, he mentally screamed, "My god! Has this dwarf master pulled out all the knowledge he's ever had? This amount of information is overwhelming! I feel like my brain's about to overheat! System! Give me some more power! Quickly analyze and organize this information for me!"
[System Notification: High-speed recording, analysis, and organization of [Dwarven Traditional Smelting Technology (Stone Fist Oral Version)]... Experience points in the knowledge base [Metallurgy], [Materials Science], and [Thermodynamics] modules are increasing rapidly... Multiple key technical points have been identified and highlighted. Several areas for optimization have been identified, and preliminary improvement suggestions have been generated.]
When Shi Quan finally stopped talking, his throat dry and still feeling unsatisfied, Lin Yue felt as if he had just finished a full day of calculus, linear algebra, probability theory, and quantum physics lectures. His mind was buzzing, and the stone slab was covered with all sorts of symbols, drawings, and scribbles.
"...That's about it." Stone Fist took a sip of water and said, panting, "This is just the most basic stuff! The real dwarven forging techniques are a hundred times more complex than this! They involve all sorts of alloy ratios, quenching techniques, enchanting... Hmph, you wouldn't understand even if I told you!" He regained his arrogant demeanor.
"I understand! We'll learn slowly!" Lin Yue quickly nodded and bowed, handing over water. "Uncle Shi Quan, you've worked so hard! You explained it so well! It was like a sudden enlightenment! I mean, a sudden enlightenment."
Although he was exhausted, Lin Yue was filled with unprecedented excitement and anticipation.
Although the knowledge that Shi Quan imparted might seem crude to him, and even unscientific in some aspects, it was a devastating blow to the Lin family's small restaurant, which was currently in the Stone Age.
This is not just about the technology of iron smelting, but also a way of thinking about utilizing and transforming nature! It is a kind of wisdom and inheritance belonging to craftsmen.
With this theoretical foundation, coupled with systematic analysis and improvement suggestions, Lin Yue believed that they were one step closer to creating the first real iron tool!
Of course, theoretical learning is only the first step; the next challenge is even more severe—practice.
Finding refractory materials, building smelting furnaces, collecting high-quality fuel, and attempting the first smelting... every step was fraught with unknowns and difficulties.
But Lin Yue is now full of confidence.
He glanced at Gray, who was curiously studying his slate notes beside him, then at Finn, who was chasing his tail in the distance, and finally at Stonefist, who had a haughty look on his face but a hint of expectation hidden deep in his eyes.
"We can do it," he told himself.
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