Chapter 99

Chapter 99: How to Use Power of Steam Engine.

Boom! Rumble!

Clang!

The factory was busy with the Hot Anvil process.

Smoke from many steam engines rose up to the sky, and loud metallic sounds echoed from the metal cutting process using strong power.

The workers repeated their assigned tasks at their designated places.

Sharp Fang observed all these processes and personally inspected the final finished parts.

Thanks to his careful screening of the defective products, the finished products were very uniform.

And there were many of them.

It was a sight that could never be imagined without the Hot Anvil process.

“This is a really amazing process. I think I understand how you were able to mass-produce steam engines so quickly.”

Sharp Fang gave a thumbs up to Hot Anvil.

His face lit up with a bright smile.

It didn’t matter who Sharp Fang was.

In the past, he had trusted the words of His Majesty and spent a long time researching power using heat, and finally completed the steam engine.

As time passed, the usefulness of the steam engine was being proven, and his reputation soared along with it.

It was an honor for such a great person to compliment his work.

“There are still many things to fix and improve. And it’s a long way to go before we can popularize better machines in the empire.”

Sharp Fang felt his burning passion from his words.

‘He’s still looking ahead even after achieving such a huge success.’

He heard that he was still immersed in research and work, sparing his sleeping time…

He thought it was amazing.

“I wish you all the best. Thank you very much for today.”

“It was my honor.”

After exchanging courtesies, Sharp Fang left the factory.

And he returned to his home base at the university, where he resumed his work.

He was recognized for his contribution in making the steam engine and became the head of the mechanical engineering department, so his day was quite busy.

“Hmm…”

But Sharp Fang couldn’t concentrate on the paperwork that was piled up.

“I think I need to take a break.”

He then asked his assistant to brew some tea for him.

Sharp Fang drank tea and sorted out his tangled thoughts.

‘Is this really right?’

The great success of the steam engine made Sharp Fang run on the path of success.

He rose to the position of department head at a relatively young age, and he would soon have a chance to rise to a high-ranking position in the industrial department.

If time went on like this, he might even become the industrial minister.

How glorious it would be to see His Majesty, whom he admired so much, frequently.

‘But…’

Sharp Fang looked down at the paperwork blankly.

And contrasted it with the Hot Anvil process he had just seen with his own eyes.

And also Hot Anvil’s inexhaustible curiosity.

He was different for sure.

Even though he had achieved such a huge success like him, his inventiveness did not fade away.

He tried to complete a better process than now, and he was putting it into action.

When he saw it with his own eyes, a deep doubt rose in Sharp Fang’s chest.

‘I used to live immersed in research, cutting down on sleep.’

Of course, those were hard days, but he remembered the sense of accomplishment he felt every time he achieved something.

He wanted to feel that thrilling moment again.

‘Praise is embarrassing at times.’

The truth was, he felt quite ashamed to claim the invention of the steam engine as his own achievement.

It was because Kim Ki-woo had helped him immensely by almost redesigning the blueprint when there was no progress in the development of the steam engine.

Of course, this was also remarkable, but considering this, there was some vanity in his fame.

A part of his sharp teeth’s chest felt unsatisfied with this.

Snort.

One corner of his mouth curled up as he organized his thoughts.

He suddenly felt that all these worries were pointless.

‘Yes. Let’s do what I want to do, even if I regret it later.’

What’s the point of chasing after the shadow of the industrial minister in front of him?

He didn’t think he would be proud when he left for the embrace of the great spirits in the distant future.

He could surely rise to the industrial minister someday if he achieved more success.

He only tried to take the safe path because he was afraid of failure.

He couldn’t do anything if he feared failure, and it didn’t suit him who had experienced success through reckless challenges.

***

From that day on, Sharp Teeth resigned from his position as department head without hesitation.

“No, why do you suddenly want to step down from your position as department head?”

The university president tried to dissuade him, but

“I am a researcher. So I want to do more research.”

“But…”

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”

“Hmm…”

The president couldn’t hold him back any longer with his firm words.

The president nodded and muttered.

“You’re not thinking of leaving the university, are you?”

“Of course not. How can I leave the university?”

“I see. Then I’ll assign you a new laboratory that suits you. I hope your research will be successful this time as well.”

“Thank you, Mr. President.”

A few days passed after meeting with the president.

And Sharp Teeth checked his assigned laboratory.

It was too big to be called a laboratory.

Also, many scholars and craftsmen joined Sharp Teeth’s new research.

“It’s an honor to work with you.”

“We’ll do our best!”

Their loud cheers echoed in the spacious space.

And there were also very familiar people in this place.

“Why are you guys here…”

“Ha ha. This is disappointing. Did you try to do a new research without us?”

“Of course we have to come when you’re doing a new research.”

“…”

They were his colleagues who made the steam engine with him until the end.

They must have taken their own places or gone to do their own experiments, but they all gathered again without Sharp Teeth calling them.

Thanks to them, a deep emotion surged into Sharp Teeth’s chest.

And he vowed.

‘I will succeed in this research no matter what.’

His eyes began to burn with hot passion again.

His appearance was quite similar to that of a hot anvil.

***

The truth was, Sharp Teeth’s decision to resign from his department head position was a bit impulsive, but it wasn’t something he did without any plan.

What Sharp Teeth wanted to do was to create ways to use the steam engine.

‘The potential of the steam engine is endless.’

Sharp Teeth had been thinking about this, long before the steam engine was completed.

The steam engine was different from the water wheel, as it could operate anywhere.

‘Even in the middle of the sea or in the sky.’

Some might think it was a delusion, but Sharp Teeth was not bound by common sense.

If he was, he would not have thought of creating a powerful force with steam.

And that force was incomparable to the water wheel.

How could such a steam engine be useless?

And now, his idea was being proven to some extent.

The steam engine was changing not only the factories, but the society itself.

Railroads were born, the scale of steel mills grew, and the steel production increased explosively. 

Thanks to the Hot Anvil process, precise steel products were mass-produced.

This led to more production of steam engines, which were used in other industries.

‘Especially when it comes to textiles.’

Sharp Teeth recalled the first time he saw a water-powered loom.

But now, beyond the water-powered loom, weaving and spinning machines using steam engines were being researched and commercialized.

Sharp Teeth knew this well, as he was the head of the mechanical engineering department at Imperial College when these achievements were made by the scholars.

If these technologies were commercialized, the empire’s textile industry would make a great progress.

‘But the current steam engines are too fixed.’

Sharp Teeth wondered.

Did the steam engine have to be fixed in one place like a water wheel?

‘No.’

The steam engine was fundamentally different from the water wheel.

The water wheel converted flowing water into power, so it could not move from a fixed place.

But as he said, the steam engine was not limited by location.

Then, could he use the power of the steam engine to move?

‘Like a llama cart.’

A llama cart rolled round wheels with the force of a llama pulling it.

Thanks to this, many goods could be transported by land in the empire.

But what if he replaced the force that rolled the wheels with a steam engine?

‘He could make a cart that moved automatically with a steam engine.’

Sharp Teeth told his idea to many researchers who gathered for this study with confidence.

“Hmm… That’s a very interesting idea. Well, it’s different from using a water wheel, so it makes sense.”

“Um… But even if you put a large steam engine on a cart, would it be efficient? I think you won’t be able to load much cargo because of the volume and weight of the steam engine.”

“I agree with that, but I think it’s worth trying.”

The researchers questioned the usefulness of the idea of moving a cart with a steam engine.

But this was Imperial College.

It might be different in a laboratory, but at Imperial College, such attempts were encouraged.

Sometimes these outrageous experiments yielded great success or were useful in other ways.

As they were about to reach a conclusion,

The youngest researcher who joined them, Delicate Glass suddenly raised his hand.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Yes.”

Delicate Glass nodded his head and uttered his thoughts.

“I agree with your idea. But does it have to be a cart?”

“Huh?”

“Ultimately, your idea is to put a steam engine on an object and make it move.”

“Right.”

Sharp Teeth nodded his head in response.

Gaining confidence from him, Delicate Glass continued his words.

“Then what if you put a steam engine on a boat?”

“A boat?”

“Yes, the ship is very large. It doesn’t even flinch when it has only one steam engine installed.”

“So?”

“We use the power of the steam engine to row the oars. If we use them like the sails of the ship, wouldn’t the speed of the ship increase?”

“Wow!”

“That makes sense.”

“This is different from putting a steam engine on a carriage. It seems to have some practicality.”

Sharp Teeth, the inventor of the steam engine, also agreed with the opinions of the researchers.

‘I’m behind too. I thought of putting a steam engine on a ship, but I didn’t think of this.’

He could have seen this young researcher as a threat to his authority, but Sharp Teeth didn’t care much.

He was just pleased with the brilliant idea.

“That’s a very good idea. You’re young, so your mind works well, huh? Haha!”

“Th, thank you!”

Delicate Glass smiled brightly as he received praise from Sharp Teeth, the great scholar who created the steam engine.

“But I think it’s also important to use the steam engine on land. And your idea is hard to apply in this laboratory. This is land, isn’t it?”

“…Yes.”

However, his face quickly turned gloomy as he heard the negative words that followed.

Sharp Teeth smiled mischievously as he saw his expression.

“Haha. No need to be disappointed. If you can’t do it here, why don’t you go out and set up your own laboratory?”

“…?”

His face filled with doubt changed to shock as he heard Sharp Teeth’s words.

“I’ll personally form a team for you, so why don’t you try to realize your idea.”

“Gasp! I’ve only been in college for a short time, how can I…”

“So, you don’t want to do it?”

Sharp Teeth wiped away the smile on his face and asked seriously.

Seeing his look, Delicate Glass swallowed his saliva and looked around nervously.

All eyes were focused on him.

It felt like a dream, but Delicate Glass quickly came to his senses and thought.

‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!’

He had a dream too, so he passed the entrance exam of the Imperial College, which was as small as a needle hole.

And after entering college, his first opportunity came.

And it was an offer from the great scholar who made the steam engine.

If he missed this, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

“I’ll do it! Please let me do it!”

That’s how he finished preparing for the historic experiment that would conquer both land and sea in the Imperial College.