Steel steam and flame

The machinery standing quietly in the room has been started, and there is still remaining energy here, which is the power storage tube that has not been used up, another high-tech technology spread from Avalon. It was invented around 436 in the Holy Calendar of the Empire, but by the time it was truly popularized throughout the empire and then used in various industries and regions, it was already around 580 in the Holy Calendar.

Although there was a gap of more than a hundred years, and the technology for the tubes was already complete. But as the final representative work of the emerging energy source of electricity, what the Empire lacks is not the technology, but the resources needed to make it - a mineral whose scientific name is limestone.

It may not be possible to determine how old the limestone was discovered. In short, as early as the period of the Mano Kingdom, there were detailed records about it:

In 1690 AD, mineralogists discovered a new ore during an investigation into an extremely deep underground tunnel. Its structural composition is very special and completely different from all the mineral structures discovered at that time. They are self-contained and soft in texture, much like the fossilized flesh of a certain creature. However, after various subsequent tests and experiments, it was found that this gray-white ore is just a very special ore, not a biological fossil.

Long after limestone was discovered, no one knew its functions and properties. Mineralogy and geologists at that time only made a record of it as a simple mineral and said nothing more about it.

Then time entered the period when the Mano Kingdom transformed into the Saint Dolag Empire. Scientists of that era discovered the astonishing power hidden in the limestone. When it came into contact with a large amount of water, it produced a discharge phenomenon that surprised everyone at the time. According to preliminary estimates, a standard unit of limestone, after a violent reaction with water, could generate enough electricity to be used by everyone in a city for one or two years without restriction. The newly established Avalon Institute at that time had already begun to study this emerging energy source.

By the year 206 of the Holy Calendar, the empire had already ended the "War of the Ancients" and was slowly cultivating itself and strengthening its own strength. The first generation of research to fully put limestone into use was also completed during that period, which was the prototype of the current "Fun Tube", an unusually large power generation device. During the same period, industrially developed areas throughout the empire began to gradually use this energy source. However, the mining of limestone was extremely difficult, no less than resisting extreme weather conditions, and it took a long time for it to become popular.

And even in this era, the development in the vast territory of the empire is completely polarized. While the Manoma region has completely said goodbye to energy related to black coal, the small border town where Cassia came from still uses coal mines as its main energy source. Most of the lamps there are still gas lamps, and the use of electricity will always be They only have a supporting role, and most of them are labeled as nobles.

When Cassia looked at the deserted lights around her, shook her head and sighed, her footsteps had already reached the edge of another machine in the room, where all the energy came from. Through the thick protective glass embedded in the machine, you can see five glass tubes evenly spaced inside.

This is the phosphorus tube, and it is also the last model commonly used in industry - green light. Its positioning is the same as the zero-type differential engine. However, after the zero-type differential engine, there was an analytical engine with more powerful computing power, but there was no introduction in any book about what came after the green light type diodes.

"It's another thing that is under the supervision of the empire." Cassia looked carefully at the phosphorus tubes in front of her that had slowly faded to gray-white. They were only as thick as an adult's thumb and only ten centimeters in height. However, as the last visible tube model, the power stored in it is dozens of times that of the first-generation "Fun tube". When fully powered, they are fluorescent green, then as the power inside drains away, the color begins to fade and turn white. Finally, when the power is completely exhausted, it will turn black like coal, as if it has returned to its original source.

Although the color of the phosphorus tube in front of me is close to gray, the power stored in it must be enough. This is a limestone mining area, and the treasure in the "urban legend" is these limestone mines.

Following his memory, he turned on all the familiar lights one by one. When the data on the combined machine that monitored the steam furnace began to change, Cassia left.

When they returned to the main hall, Carla and the others had already searched many rooms with the light turned on by Cassia. They found many maps in the security room, the seventh pillar was the most detailed introduction, and there was also a general introduction to the spider building lying upside down in the sky.

"Mr. Cassia, these lights are of great help." Gustin looked at Cassia walking over, nodded, shook the map in his hand, and gave Cassia a copy.

"We are very lucky. There is still enough energy left here to start the steam furnace to provide us with the basic power of the elevator." Cassia took the map and said, "The power of the pillars and the mining spider are separate, although here The differential engine is also subordinate to the differential engine array in the spider body and can be controlled by it. But we don’t need to worry too much. Nolida definitely does not have a combination password card, and it is completely impossible to fully activate the differential engine array there. At best, he can only crack a small part of it, like the seventh pillar, and can barely use the lighting system and transmission mechanism inside, which won’t have a big impact on us.”

"That's good news." Crichens said, "Mr. Cassia, can you answer my question?"

"Okay." Cassia knew what he wanted to ask.

"Are you still a programmer?"

"Of course not. The difference engine that can activate the management pillar relies on the experience learned in the steam factory. If there are no programmers to crack it, starting the difference engine requires corresponding password cards, some of which involve secrets or important information. Wherever there are, there will be combination password cards, that’s for sure.”

Several people nodded, and they were also very interested in how Cassia turned on the difference engine. For people who are not programmers, the combination of gears and shafts in the differential engine is something from another world.

"In a steam factory, the differential engine manages the power transmission and output of all machinery. Once an accident occurs, the power of the differential engine is needed to help eliminate it. But sometimes, the differential engine is locked by a password card. If you want to use it, You must have a password card. But what should you do when a dangerous accident occurs and you don’t have a password card?”

"Correspondingly, there will definitely be a specific plan to deal with this situation." Li said aside, "So Mr. Cassia used this emergency plan and started the difference engine."

Lee's intuition and insights have always been accurate.

"Yes, it probably means what Mr. Hill means, and it can be understood that way." Cassia nodded. "In the steam factory, the difference engines purchased will be cracked by professional programmers in advance. People in the factory will actively ask the difference engine company to install backdoors for them as an emergency plan to prevent the situation mentioned above. And this backdoor acts as a password card to forcefully activate the difference engine."

Kara and the others nodded, with a look of understanding on their faces, and then they didn't ask any more questions.

At this time, the sound of rapid airflow also sounded from the ceiling above. This is the sound of hot steam filling the hollow copper pipe, and everything is in place at this time. The other pillars also lit up their lights one after another in the following time. The eight pillars are like fluorescent sticks in the dark, leading all the way to the steel spider building in the sky.

Cassia and the others deliberately leaked this information about the difference machine, and also told them that there might be relevant maps in the security room. Now everyone is still an ally. Cassia and the others only have Nolida as their goal. As long as other people don't hinder them, everyone can become friends.

At the same time, when all the lights in the eight pillars were on, inside the spider building body, which was the room on the edge of the central steam drill, the sign in the upper left corner stated that this was the main control room, which is the differential room. The room where the machine array is located.

Floss held a glass of red wine in his hand and sipped it gently on his lips. He looked outside through the glass window on the side of the spacious room. His eyes and the tall glass filled with half a glass of red wine reflected the scenery outside the window. The shining shadow of a pillar. There was a sad expression on his face.

"Mr. Floss, don't worry, their actions are still completely within our plan." Someone spoke behind Floss, and his voice sounded rough, "Although this plan is a few days ahead of schedule."