Steel and Mana

Chapter 224 – Earthbreaker (End of Volume III)

As we slowly approached summer, everyone had their missions cut out for them, and I wasn't different either. While I spent my time in my office, Mirian worked hard to change the laws of the Empire, turning the core of a nation and its people on her side while alienating some of its nobles.

The old power, led by that soggy raisin under their palace, was probably preparing his own people, weapons, and allies to control the situation when shit finally hit the fan. As for our neighbors, I received a letter from Mirian detailing massive military movements in the south regarding the two empires and her 'partner,' the Kingdom of Roblesia. Everyone could tell that tensions were rising, and while Ishillia didn't threaten anybody, only fools would ignore the signs that war was brewing.

Well, she predicted it would happen, so I guess she knows what she is doing. As for the Silver and Black regions, with the Kustov and Tobrok families allying with us, the flow of steel and coal was steady, filling our warehouses before we could exhaust our reserves.

Much closer to us, Elliot was improving his region daily, beginning to build his own tractor factory, which would also be an attacking point for our agents. It would be an opportunity for us to try to infiltrate the Winefield family and the remaining spies.

As for my city, there was a lot to do. Besides building another mech, the first to be given to our newest knight at the end of their summer camp, we were also looking at the mountain range and locating a spot where we could drill into it. One criterion was that it had to be far from the city, the mines, or anything else frequented by people. It was Elena who, in the end, found a pleasant enough spot where the mountain walls had a steady slope, eroded in a way that could be flattened for machinery to roll up and start digging.

When I say machinery, it was the thing I was working on at the moment. I never designed a boring machine, but that didn't mean I could start from scratch. I had vague ideas, after all.

I began with the rough outline of the machine, a large cylindrical body resembling our cannons. It was mounted on a sturdy iron chassis with reinforced tracks, similar to what we used on our tractors but made sturdier. The boring machine must be able to carve through rock and earth with ease, so the soul of this beast lies in its drill. At first, I sketched a massive drill bit at the front of the machine, similar to how they were in my old world, taking inspiration from tunneling machines. The difference was that the drill heads weren't made out of diamond or something similar… but CC. I already had the hardest material that only itself can destroy. Soooo… Time to use it like a blunt force object!

The rest of the drill was to be made of reinforced steel, with segments that can be replaced as they wear down. It will rotate on a central axis, driven by the steam engine mounted at the rear of the device. I drew the axis, a thick rod of tempered iron running through the length of the machine's body, connecting the drill to the engine's power source. It's best to keep it simple and easily reparable if something breaks in the dark depths of the mountain.

When the drill part was finished, I turned my attention to the steam engine, the actual hearth of the boring machine. It ended up being a bulky contraption consisting of a large cylindrical boiler made of riveted iron plates capable of withstanding the pressure and balancing out the drill head because of the CC we are mounting on it.

Then came the firebox, which I ensured was large enough to hold a substantial amount of coal. It had grates that could be adjusted to control the airflow and, thus, the intensity of the fire. I sketched out the steam pipes from the boiler, thick tubes that would carry the pressurized steam from the boiler to the piston, moving the whole machine. It didn't need to be fast; just be strong enough to move so we could drill into the mountain.

To be sure, I decided that the pistons would be massive, with broad cylinders capable of driving the drill with maximum force. I knew that the whole mountain range was 'man-made,' so to speak, so I didn't know yet how powerful the resistance of the stone would be as we got deeper and deeper. God-like power made it, after all. There had to be something to it because it was hard to believe that monsters never tried coming through it! As I was making it, each piston was to be connected to a crankshaft, which in turn is connected to the drill's axis. As the steam fills the cylinders, it pushes the pistons, turning the crankshaft and setting the drill into motion. Easy.

Next, I had to consider how the machine would be controlled. My final decision was to mount a series of levers and valves on a control panel within reach of the operator, who will stand at the side of the machine. I drew out the panel and all the necessary knickknacks, prominently placing the main throttle lever. This will control the flow of steam into the pistons, regulating the speed of the drill. Hopefully, my workers won't blow it up.

Other levers would control the machine's direction and the drill head's angle. Of course, I included multiple pressure gauges and multiple failsafes to allow the operator to monitor the steam pressure in the boiler and ensure it stays within safe limits. A whistle was also added—a safety feature that will sound if the pressure becomes too high, alerting the operator to release steam through the emergency valve. I don't want to deal with underground incidents that would set us back by months if the machine decided to explode.

Finally, I turned my focus on the drill's mobility. Given the rough and often unstable terrain it will operate on, I opted for a set of wide, steel tracks instead of wheels, similar to those found on our howitzers. Only this one would have more heavy-duty springs and shock absorbers that will help keep the machine stable as it moves forward.

I even added additional supports—adjustable outriggers that can be extended from the sides of the machine to brace it against the ground when it is in operation, preventing it from tipping over as the drill bites into the earth.

Satisfied with the basic design, it was time to have some fun and add some final details. A coal hopper, mounted above the firebox, will allow the operator to shovel coal directly into the furnace without needing to leave their post. I also added a smokestack, extending it above the machine to vent the smoke and steam away from the operator's station. Of course, with our magic formation added, it would be water vapor, not something that would damage their lungs. Still, it will be searing hot, so they need to be protected and remain alert while operating it.

As a last touch, I also included a few aesthetic flourishes—a brass nameplate on the side of the machine etched with the name 'The Earthbreaker' and decorative stripes running along it—just for fun.

With a good job done, leaning back in my chair, I couldn't help but smile, already imagining it working and beginning to carve out a hidden base and factory for my budding Empire. As for lighting it up, that will happen after we erect a coal plant and begin producing electricity.

While there was still relative peace inside the Empire, I told our merchant guild to focus on acquiring as much copper as possible. I was ready to splurge and to have it in my possession rather than miss it when really needed. With the influx of new, capable workers, thanks to Clara delivering them to my doorstep, I had enough experienced hands to delegate them to begin the groundwork of our coal plant. For that, I pulled out Sasha's very own first complex project, as she designed it from start to finish. The location had already been selected, close to one of our new 'rivers.' It will supply the necessary water, and the coal can be transported via a newly planned railway spur, which I quickly added to our main map, leading from the mine of the Black Regions directly to the plant.

The foundation must be strong enough to support the immense weight of the boilers, turbines, and other heavy machinery. Sasha didn't miss that part as she drew a massive, reinforced stone and brick foundation designed to distribute the weight evenly and withstand the vibrations of the running equipment.

The plant's main structure would be a vast, rectangular building with high, arched ceilings supported by iron beams. She drew the building's skeleton, imagining the frame being erected from sturdy iron, riveted together piece by piece. The walls would be built from thick bricks, designed to contain any potential explosions or fires—a constant risk in a plant of this nature.

Inside the building, she created the heart of the coal plant: the boiler house. This is where coal will be burned to heat water, producing the steam that drives the entire operation. She envisioned rows of massive boilers, each a towering cylinder made of riveted iron plates. The boilers on her plans were connected to an elaborate system of pipes, which would carry steam to the turbines.

She sketched the layout of the boiler house in a way that ensured ample space between each boiler for maintenance and safety. Above each of them, she drew a coal hopper, which would feed the furnace with a constant supply of coal. A network of conveyor belts and chutes, driven by steam-powered engines, would transport coal from the storage silos to these hoppers, eliminating the fact that people would need to endure the heat.

She drew the turbine hall adjacent to the boiler house, where the real power would be generated. The steam from the boilers will be piped into massive steam turbines, which she described in great detail in another paper. Each turbine consisted of a series of rotating blades connected to a central shaft. Steam passing through these blades would cause the shaft to spin, converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, a concept that she very quickly understood when I explained it to her.

Following that, she drew out the turbines' placement in the hall, each connected to a separate generator. These generators will convert the mechanical energy into electrical power, which can then be distributed along my territory, wherever it is needed. We may even export electricity to my dear uncle, depending on how well her designs work.

Of course, she wasn't done because the whole system had to be cooled, hence its chosen location. Aware of the immense heat the boilers and turbines generated, she added a series of cooling towers, tall brick-and-mortar structures positioned just outside the main building.

Water from the river will be pumped into these towers, where it will be sprayed over a lattice of wooden slats. As the water trickles down, it will cool in the open air before being recirculated back to the boilers. Without me having to tell her, she also included additional pipes and pumps, ensuring that the system could handle the massive volumes of water required to keep the plant operational.

One of the final aspects to consider was the disposal of smoke and ash from the burning coal. Our magic formations were always included in the several sketches of tall smokestacks rising high above the plant, cleaning the smoke and turning it into harmless water vapor.

We didn't solve the ash disposal with magic: below the furnaces, she designed a network of chutes and hoppers, stealing the idea from my boring machine and implementing it. There, ash would be collected and then carted away to a designated disposal site. I could even recycle it and use it to build roads or make cement.

What remained for my wife to think about last was the safety of our future workers. She put multiple pressure relief valves on each boiler, which would vent excess steam in case of overpressure, preventing explosions. She also designed a fire suppression system, with water lines running throughout the plant, ready to douse any flames that might break out, pulling water directly from the river.

She also created a control room, positioned centrally within the plant, where operators can monitor gauges, pressure levels, and the overall operation of the plant. From here, they will be able to control the flow of coal, the speed of the turbines, and the electricity output.

I can't help but beam with proud happiness as I watch her plans because the plant is a marvel of industrial design—doing it all after nothing but my explanation and looking at my own blueprints whenever I finish one. It will be a massive undertaking, for sure, requiring hundreds of workers, tons of materials, and months of labor. However, once completed, it will stand as a symbol of progress and innovation for my city.

There was a lot to do… And we were just getting started!

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