Lina's lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.
Like a soulless puppet, she walked out of the dungeon with stiff steps.
Wu Liang's bedroom was on the top floor of the Main Keep, luxurious and spacious.
When Lina pushed open the door, a blonde woman was standing in front of the desk, reporting something to Wu Liang.
"Liang, the first batch of apprentices for the Magic Academy has been screened, thirty-seven in total. Among them, five have very high elemental affinity, and I believe we can..."
Annia stopped mid-sentence.
She was stunned when she saw the silver-haired elf at the door dressed in strange attire.
Wasn't this the elven legion commander captured by Wu Liang a few days ago?
Why would she... appear here dressed like this?
Their eyes met.
Lina wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into and never come out.
As if oblivious to the strange atmosphere between the two, Wu Liang walked to the corner, picked up a broom and dustpan, and tossed them at Lina's feet.
"What are you standing there for? Start cleaning."
Lina's body trembled as she silently picked up the broom and began clumsily sweeping the floor. She had never done such manual labor before, and her movements were laughably stiff.
Watching this, Annia forgot what she was about to say for a moment.
"Where were we?"
Wu Liang walked over to Annia and naturally put his arm around her waist.
Annia's body stiffened, then relaxed as she said softly:
"I was saying, we can focus on training those five highly talented apprentices."
"Mhm, you have full authority over this matter."
Wu Liang nodded, but his gaze fell outside the window.
Outside the castle, tens of thousands of Imperial prisoners, under the watch of Black Rock soldiers armed with rifles, were working feverishly on a massive project.
They were digging foundations and laying sleepers; a steel dragon was extending bit by bit across this ancient land.
Amidst the crowd, a ragged, mud-covered figure was laboriously swinging a hammer, smashing huge stones into gravel.
He was the former Young Lord of Tiee Fortress, Taiwen Merlin.
At this moment, the arrogance of the past had long since vanished from his eyes, replaced only by numbness and despair.
Just then, the fit and fiery-figured Suina walked in hurriedly.
"Wu Liang, there's a problem!"
Her brow was furrowed, and she held a blueprint in her hand.
"The steam boiler we built doesn't meet the sealing requirements! It leaks as soon as the pressure builds up. With our current smelting technology, we simply can't create an alloy that can withstand such high pressure!"
Wu Liang wasn't surprised to hear this news.
Technological development never happens overnight.
He calmly commanded the system in his mind:
"System, search for high-strength alloy smelting technology and blueprints for a large hydraulic press."
[Ding! Search complete.]
The relevant technologies are as follows:
[High-Strength Pressure-Resistant Alloy Formula (Chrome-Molybdenum Steel)]
[Full Set of Design Blueprints for a 10,000-ton Hydraulic Press]
"Exchange."
[Ding! Exchange successful!]
A massive amount of knowledge and blueprints instantly flooded Wu Liang's mind. He digested them for a moment, then said to Suina:
"It's not a big problem. I have a new alloy formula and blueprints for forging equipment here. Organize your team immediately and follow this."
As he spoke, he picked up a pen and paper and quickly sketched out the key formula and blueprint structure.
Suina took the blueprints, and after just one look, her eyes lit up:
"Genius! This approach is pure genius! I'll get right on it!"
With that, she dashed out again like a burning flame.
By the time all matters were handled, night had fallen.
Wu Liang locked Lina, who was still clumsily scrubbing the floor, back into the dungeon, then turned and walked into Annia's room.
Tonight, this blonde babe needed to be properly comforted.
Only a dim oil lamp was lit in the room. Annia had changed into a thin nightgown and was sitting by the bed, seemingly waiting for him.
Her expression was complicated when she saw Wu Liang enter.
"About what happened these past few days... do you blame me? You know I had to conquer this city."
Wu Liang sat beside her and pulled her into his arms.
"N-no, I understand, I..."
Annia shook her head, but her tense body betrayed her.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything to my father-in-law or your brother."
Wu Liang's hands began to wander, gently stroking her smooth back.
"Liang, since I've chosen you, I've already made up my mind."
Annia's body trembled.
In this man's arms, she seemed to have found a new reliance and her place in this chaotic world.
As the night deepened, the storm gradually subsided.
But in the cold dungeon, Lina tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She curled up on the cold straw, the maid outfit making her feel uneasy all over.
In her mind, the fear and humiliation of being dominated by Wu Liang during the day replayed constantly.
That man's gaze, his words, the feeling when he touched her... everything was so vivid.
She should have hated him to the bone, but for some reason, as she stayed alone in this dark dungeon, a strange fear rose in her heart.
What she feared wasn't the darkness or the loneliness.
Instead, she feared that the man would never return, that she would be completely forgotten and abandoned here until she rotted away.
With the support of the new alloy formula and large hydraulic press blueprints provided by Wu Liang, the entire Black Rock Tribe's Military Workshop fell into a state of near-manic excitement.
Suina was like a Valkyrie on adrenaline, staying in the sweltering forging workshop day and night with her top Artisans.
Failure, adjustment, another failure, another adjustment.
After countless attempts, a steel behemoth finally took shape.
It was an all-black locomotive, filled with a primitive and rugged industrial aesthetic.
The massive boiler, complex piping, and menacing connecting rods and pistons all showcased the explosive power contained within.
Wu Liang personally named it The black rock.
The trial run ceremony was scheduled on an open plain outside Tiee Fortress.
For this, Wu Liang specifically ordered a five-kilometer stretch of experimental track to be laid.
On this day, all the high-ranking members of the Black Rock Tribe, including Wu Liang's women like Wei Xian, Eliza, and Florgloria, were present.
Tens of thousands of Imperial prisoners were also driven to both sides of the tracks to witness the birth of this miracle.
Wu Liang also specifically had Lina brought out from the dungeon.
She was still wearing that black and white maid outfit, with an exquisite metal collar around her neck, standing silently behind Wu Liang like a tamed pet.
When The black rock was dragged onto the tracks by the combined effort of a dozen Barbarian Bulls, a commotion broke out among the crowd.
"What on earth is that? A giant lump of iron?"
"Can something so heavy actually move? Will they have to keep pulling it with bulls?"
The prisoners discussed amongst themselves, their faces filled with confusion and bewilderment.
In their understanding, nothing besides magic and magical beasts could drive such a massive creation.
Lina's eyes were also full of doubt.
She couldn't feel even a hint of magical fluctuation from this pitch-black iron thing.
What was that man up to now?
Wu Liang didn't explain; he simply nodded to Suina.
Suina's face was flushed with excitement as she climbed onto the locomotive and directed the workers to shovel coal into the boiler.
Soon, billowing black smoke rose from the chimney.
The needle on the boiler's pressure gauge began to climb slowly.
When the needle pointed to the red zone, Wu Liang shouted to everyone:
"Everyone, cover your ears!"
No sooner had he spoken than he slammed down a lever in the cab.
"Woooooo!!!"
A sharp, high-pitched whistle instantly pierced the sky!
The sound was like the roar of an ancient dragon, filled with unmatched penetrating power, making everyone's eardrums ring.
The nearby prisoners were scared out of their wits, thinking some terrifying magical beast had descended. A large number of them knelt on the spot, kowtowing and begging for mercy from the steel monster.
Even some of the Black Rock Tribe's own soldiers, hearing this sound for the first time, turned pale and gripped their weapons tightly.
Lina was even more startled by the sudden loud noise, instinctively shrinking behind Wu Liang.
"Hahaha! Interesting!"
Wu Liang laughed loudly, pulling Suina—whose face was covered in coal dust but remained undeniably sexy—onto the locomotive with him.
"Are you ready?" Wu Liang asked with a smile, looking at the woman beside him whose body was trembling with excitement.
"Ready anytime!" Suina nodded vigorously, a fanatical light flashing in her eyes.
"Then, let's go!"