The preparation of nitroglycerin was carried out in a temporary laboratory.
Wu Liang had all non-essential personnel evacuate to a distance.
Inside the laboratory, the air was filled with a pungent, acidic smell.
In the core area of the laboratory, Wu Liang wore a thick set of linen protective clothing.
He wore glass goggles on his face, his expression focused like never before.
Before him sat a glass beaker placed within a groove in a massive block of ice.
Concentrated sulfuric acid was being slowly injected, drop by drop, into a mixture of glycerin and concentrated nitric acid through a long, thin glass dropper.
With every drop, the liquid inside the beaker would boil slightly, a tiny bubble would rise, and a pale yellow smoke would be emitted.
Standing beside Wu Liang was Suina, who was also fully geared up.
This woman, who usually exuded bold confidence in the forging workshop and didn't even blink when facing molten steel at a thousand degrees, was currently so nervous that her palms were drenched in sweat.
She stared intently at the beaker as if it contained not chemical reagents, but an ancient beast that could wake up and devour someone at any moment.
"Wu Liang, is... is this stuff really as powerful as you say?"
Suina's voice was somewhat dry, and she couldn't help but ask in a low whisper.
"Of course!"
Wu Liang's eyes were locked on the reaction inside the beaker, his voice sounding somewhat muffled through the linen mask.
"Suina, what we're making right now is enough to blow this house down."
"Its power is enough to turn all of us into a ball of fire in an instant, leaving nothing behind."
Hearing the words "nothing behind," Suina swallowed hard, not daring to disturb him with another sound.
She simply worked harder at directing the tribesmen to replenish the area around the beaker with freshly carved ice blocks, ensuring the thermometer reading always hovered in the safe zone.
The process was extremely slow and excruciatingly tense.
For an entire afternoon, Wu Liang was like a statue.
He stood there motionless, personally controlling the entry of every single drop of sulfuric acid.
His concentration was at its peak, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.
Preparing nitroglycerin without precise temperature control equipment was truly like dancing on the edge of a blade.
Any tiny mistake would be catastrophic.
Fortunately, Wu Liang's perception was extremely strong, and he was very sensitive to changes in temperature.
When the last drop of concentrated sulfuric acid fell into the beaker and the liquid no longer showed a visible reaction, Wu Liang finally let out a slow sigh of relief.
He carefully removed the beaker from the ice; it contained about half a liter of an oily, pale yellow transparent liquid.
This was nitroglycerin, the foundation of high explosives.
"Alright, the first step is complete."
Wu Liang breathed a sigh of relief.
Even with his physical strength, he felt exhausted.
He directed two assistants to use long tongs to slowly transfer the beaker into a large wooden bucket filled with ice water for final cooling and stabilization.
"Is it done?"
Suina looked at the half-cup of oily liquid that appeared completely ordinary.
"Not yet!"
Wu Liang shook his head and gave serious instructions:
"Now, carefully pour it into the prepared diatomaceous earth and let them mix thoroughly!"
nitroglycerin itself is extremely unstable; even a slight vibration could set it off.
It must be adsorbed by an inert absorbent like diatomaceous earth to be made into a stable explosive.
When the pale yellow nitroglycerin was completely absorbed by the diatomaceous earth...
...and turned into a clay-like substance that looked like wet soil, Wu Liang finally let out a long breath.
The first batch of explosives was a success.
"Now, let's see what it can do."
Wu Liang had someone take a small piece of the explosive, about the size of a fist.
They went to the outdoor testing grounds, attached a detonator with a black powder fuse, and placed it under a granite boulder the size of half a room.
Everyone retreated behind a safe bunker.
"Light it!"
The fuse was lit, and with a sizzling spark, it rapidly shortened.
Everyone held their breath, their hearts pounding wildly.
The moment the spark entered the detonator—
BOOM!!!
An earth-shattering roar suddenly erupted!
A shockwave mixed with dust and debris violently expanded in all directions!
The people behind the bunker had their ears ringing from the shock.
When the dust cleared, that granite boulder had been turned into a pile of rubble.
"Haha... Hahahaha!"
Looking at the perfect explosive effect, Wu Liang finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
His laughter was filled with ecstasy and pride.
The success of high explosives gave Wu Liang another trump card in his hand.
In the future, whether it was for mountain quarrying or use on the battlefield, it would be extremely useful.
Moreover, this world was rich in diatomaceous earth resources; Wu Liang had already discovered several deposits during previous explorations.
With stable high explosives, the Tribe's industrial development would accelerate once again.
The efficiency of coal and iron mining would increase dozens of times over, and by loading this explosive into shells to create artillery...
...the military strength of the Black Rock Tribe would directly lead this world by several hundred years.
"My god! With this kind of thing, even an ordinary person who can't use magic could easily kill an unsuspecting mage."
Suina said from the bottom of her heart.
"Wu Liang, with this stuff, what reason do we have to fear the Roland Empire?"
"Just toss this into their castles, and what 'invincible' walls? They'll all be like wet paper!"
"It's not that simple."
Wu Liang shook his head and smiled.
"This is just the most basic sample. To make it effective in practice, it still needs optimization and improvement."
"The development of detonators and fuses also needs to be upgraded and optimized."
"Otherwise, we'll blow ourselves up before we blow up the enemy."
Seeing that everyone was still immersed in the massive shock, Wu Liang smiled and announced:
"Alright, today's work ends here!"
"Everyone has worked hard these past few months. Whether it's the steam engines from the Military Workshop or the results from the chemistry lab, they are all outstanding."
"To reward your hard work, I've decided to give everyone a vacation."
"Starting tomorrow, the heads of all core departments in the Tribe will take a few days off."
"I'll take you to a great place to relax."
"A vacation? Where to?"
Suina asked curiously.
Wu Liang gave a mysterious smile:
"I know of a very beautiful lake. We'll go there to camp, barbecue, and swim."
"Everyone has been wound too tight these past six months; it's time to enjoy life a bit."
He paused, his gaze becoming somewhat meaningful as it swept over Suina's fiery figure.
"And while we're at it... I'll give you heroes a proper reward."
Suina's face instantly flushed red, and she let out a mock spit of annoyance.
The news quickly spread throughout the Tribe's upper management.
Hearing that they were going on a camping trip, the women were all excited.
Over the past half-year, everyone had been like gears on a tightly wound spring, spinning frantically and enduring immense pressure.
Now that they finally had a chance to relax, everyone was naturally jumping for joy.
That night, Wu Liang's room became lively.
Wei Xian held their son, Wu Qi, who was already starting to babble, while helping Wu Liang pack his bags.
Eliza, with her very noticeable pregnancy bump, stood by offering suggestions and reminding him to bring insect-repelling herbs.
Akomann and Ignis, those two rivals, were arguing incessantly over whose bow was better and whose hunting skills were superior.
Florgloria and Lolia were busy in the kitchen, preparing various types of jerky, cheese, and pickled foods.
Alesha carefully prepared a medical kit filled with various herbs and newly produced alcohol cotton balls.
Sa Lan ran in and out, reporting that the scouts had already identified the safest route to the lake.
Annia brought along several mana crystals, planning to continue her magic research in the wild.
Looking at this room full of stunning women, each with her own unique charm, Wu Liang felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
"Alright, stop being so busy."
Wu Liang clapped his hands.
"This trip is for you to relax; don't make it more tiring than work."
"Tomorrow, everyone put on your most beautiful clothes and head out with a light heart!"