Suina listened blankly to Wu Liang's explanation, feeling as if a door to a new world was opening.
She looked at the Converter on the blueprint, which wasn't overly complex in structure, and the more she looked, the more exquisite she found it.
The tiltable design, the tuyeres at the bottom, the refractory materials on the furnace walls... every detail was full of wisdom.
"Genius! Liang, you're simply a genius!"
Suina excitedly hugged Wu Liang, nibbling and biting his face.
The Artisans of the Military Workshop had long since become accustomed to this, and they merely chuckled.
"Alright, alright, now is not the time to be excited."
Wu Liang patted her perky buttocks and said seriously.
"I've given you the blueprints. I need you to build this Converter for me as quickly as possible!"
"Regarding materials, I've already had the Ceramic Workshop rush the production of the refractory bricks."
"All you need to do is handle the furnace body and the blowing equipment!"
"Leave it to me!"
Suina patted her majestic chest, promising with heroic spirit.
"I guarantee that the first Converter will be erected in the shortest possible time!"
With that, she took the blueprints and rushed to gather her most capable Artisans.
Watching her energetic departure, Wu Liang smiled with satisfaction.
Under Wu Liang's personal guidance and Suina's supervision, the Converter's body was constructed.
The Steam Engine Workshop worked overtime to manufacture a more powerful Blower.
A month later, the first Coke Converter rose in the core area of the Military Workshop.
It stood there quietly, like a steel behemoth.
Everyone gathered around it, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Are you ready?"
Wu Liang looked at Suina.
"Everything is ready!"
Suina responded loudly.
"Good! Then let's begin!"
Wu Liang gave the order.
The prepared Artisans immediately sprang into action.
A pot of molten iron, glowing with a golden-red light and drawn from the Blast Furnace, was carefully poured into the Converter through a runner.
"Start the Blower!"
Suina swung her hand down sharply.
"Rumble—"
Several steam engines exerted force simultaneously, and a powerful airflow was blown through the pipes and into the tuyeres at the bottom of the Converter!
"Whoosh—"
In the next second, a dazzlingly brilliant flame erupted from the mouth of the Converter!
The flame reached several meters high, carrying countless flying sparks and lighting up the entire night sky as bright as day!
"Ohhhhh!"
Everyone was startled by this magnificent and violent sight, backing away and letting out cries of awe.
Violent combustion took place inside the furnace, and the entire Converter trembled slightly, letting out a dull roar.
The air was filled with a pungent smell of sulfur mixed with metal.
As time passed minute by minute, the color of the flame at the mouth of the furnace also changed continuously, from the initial dazzling golden-yellow to a dark red.
"That's enough!"
Wu Liang, who had been staring intently at the flame, suddenly shouted.
Suina immediately ordered the blowing to stop.
The flame vanished instantly, and the Converter fell silent.
Under everyone's tense gaze, two Artisans worked together to turn the winch, and the massive Converter began to tilt slowly.
A stream of liquid, brighter and more viscous than the previous molten iron and appearing incandescent, flowed slowly from the mouth of the furnace into the molds below.
That was Molten Steel!
When the Molten Steel cooled and solidified, and the mold was removed, a Steel Ingot with a bluish-white metallic luster appeared before everyone.
"It's a success... we succeeded!"
Suina tremblingly reached out to touch the Steel Ingot, but retracted her hand, startled by its scorching temperature.
"Take it for testing!"
Wu Liang commanded.
The Artisans immediately picked up a sample with iron tongs and placed it in water for quenching.
"Sizzle—"
Accompanied by a puff of white smoke, the sample cooled down.
An Artisan picked up one of the Tribe's best Wrought Iron Sabers and slashed at the unremarkable steel sample with all his might!
"Clang!"
A crisp sound!
Before everyone's disbelieving eyes, the saber, which could cut iron like clay, had its edge curled.
While on that steel sample, only a shallow white mark remained.
The entire Military Workshop instantly fell into a dead silence.
Then, a thunderous cheer erupted!
"Steel! It's steel! We've made steel!"
"Heavens! It's so tough! Chief Wu Liang is so tough!"
Everyone was shouting frantically, celebrating the great success.
Suina was so excited that she jumped directly onto Wu Liang, hugging him tightly like an octopus, laughing and shouting.
Holding the excited woman in his arms, Wu Liang looked at the Steel Ingot shimmering with a cold luster under the firelight, his eyes equally bright.
While the Military Workshop achieved success, the Magic Workshop on the other side presented a completely different scene.
It was quiet and solemn here, with a faint fluctuation of elemental energy permeating the air.
Aniya Merlin wore a simple linen robe, her blonde hair tied back simply, revealing a smooth forehead.
After these few months of tempering, she had shed her arrogance and gained more composure and focus.
On the stone table in front of her, dozens of fist-sized crystals were neatly arranged.
Under the light of the magic lamps, these crystals emitted a soft glow.
These were the Basic Magic Crystals she had produced during this time, which would serve as the first threshold for screening Magic apprentices.
Today was the day for the official enrollment of the Magic School.
According to the plan Annia had previously submitted, all Tribe members had to participate in this screening.
Early in the morning, hundreds of Tribe members lined up in neat rows and came to the square outside the Magic Workshop.
Each of them had curiosity and nervousness written on their faces.
To most people, magic was something foreign.
And now, they would have the chance to touch this mysterious world with their own hands.
"Line up properly, and no noise!"
Several Female Warriors responsible for maintaining order shouted loudly.
Annia took a deep breath and walked out of the classroom.
The moment she appeared, all eyes in the square focused on her.
"Today is the day the Black Rock Tribe Magic School recruits its first batch of apprentices."
Annia's voice was crisp and loud, transmitted clearly to everyone's ears through a simple Amplification Magic Circle.
"Magic is a gift from the gods and a sacred branch of knowledge."
"It requires talent, and even more so, effort and sweat."
Her gaze swept over the faces below.
"Of course, not everyone possesses the talent to learn magic."
"The following test will determine whether you are qualified to step through this door."
"Now, the test begins! First item: Element Affinity Test!"
At her command, people stepped forward in groups of ten.
The first test was very simple.
They only needed to place their hands on the magic crystals Annia had made and then attempt to feel the energy inside the crystals.
"Close your eyes, clear your mind, and feel it with your heart... feel that flowing power..."
Annia guided them softly from the side.
Most people looked bewildered; they placed their hands on the cold crystals and felt nothing but coldness.
"Next!"
"No reaction, next!"
Annia recorded the results expressionlessly.
After dozens of people had passed, not a single one could make the crystal produce even the slightest reaction.
The atmosphere in the square began to feel a bit oppressive.
Disappointed expressions appeared on some people's faces.
Could it be that there isn't a single Tribe member with magic talent in our Tribe?
Annia's heart also sank bit by bit.
She knew that magic talent was one in ten thousand, but this result was too disheartening.
Was the establishment of the Magic School failing at the very first step?