Chapter 704 ·This Concept Was Still Far Too Ahead of Its Time

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Internal Combustion Engine, the pearl of industrial history, was an existence that had completely changed the course of human history.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍terms of efficiency, it utterly crushed the machinery of the old generation. The thermal efficiency of a Steam Engine was generally only 5%–8%, yet an Internal Combustion Engine could reach over 20%.

From ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that point on, the Steam Engine gradually withdrew from factories, surviving only in museums, novels, films, and the memories of the people.

Historically, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Steam Engine was usually taken as the dividing line of the First Industrial Revolution, while Electrification marked the Second Industrial Revolution. The Internal Combustion Engine was also one of the most important milestones of the Second Industrial Revolution.

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had dreamed of bringing this thing into existence. Drawing the schematic diagram of an Internal Combustion Engine was not difficult—the difficult part was finding a suitable fuel for it.

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had tried to build a prototype. The somewhat bulky machine ran on coal gas; it was a reciprocating single-cylinder Internal Combustion Engine. Its thermal efficiency was noticeably higher than that of a Steam Engine—already a tremendous leap forward.

At the time, Hughes had been filled with joy, believing that automobiles were already waving at him. Next, he only needed to find petroleum.

But that search dragged on for a very long time.

Whether in Gem Bay, the Principality of Tis, or even the Northlands, there was no trace of petroleum.

Hughes had gone numb. Without petroleum, relying solely on coal gas as fuel, the Internal Combustion Engine would be utterly crushed by the Steam Engine.

There was no helping it—petroleum, used as fuel, had terrifyingly high energy density. Compared to it, coal gas was simply too inefficient.

And petroleum, this substance, seemed to have no recorded existence in this world’s history. Or rather, the records pointed toward something else.

“Black, liquid, combustible, and after processing can be used as fertilizer to stimulate crop growth—Isn’t that just Pollution?”

When Tata answered Hughes like that, he had felt a faint sense of foreboding.

Although coal and petroleum were both formed from the remains of plants and animals compressed into geological layers, there was actually a difference.

Coal mainly came from plants, while petroleum was primarily derived from animals.

This world had fairly decent coal reserves; there were multiple mines nearby. But petroleum had not been seen at all. And Castel already controlled a considerable amount of territory. This was simply not normal.

In the past world, could there have been only plants and no animals? Where had the animals gone?

After discovering that petroleum could not be found, Hughes had been truly disappointed. The chemical industry system he had designed might need to be completely overturned and rebuilt. Compared to that, the Internal Combustion Engine was almost insignificant.

Thus, the Internal Combustion Engine project had been casually tossed to Richard.

At the time, Richard had been busy with the Storm Generator and had no time for it, so he outsourced the project. The researchers were not enthusiastic about it at all—no matter how one looked at it, the Steam Engine seemed more advanced than the Internal Combustion Engine. Why not just use the Steam Engine?

After all, the Internal Combustion Engine did not curse at people.

After being passed around several times, the project was finally taken up by Monica. She pondered it for a while and concluded that the problem lay with the coal gas—this fuel would not do.

They needed something more powerful.

And when it came to something powerful, Castel’s specialty immediately came to mind—Nitroglycerin.

Because of this, Monica had applied to Gaia for quite a bit of Nitroglycerin. Just before Gaia grew suspicious and reported to Hughes, Monica had successfully built the Monica Type I Nitroglycerin Engine—also known as the Shock-Blast Engine.

The primary advantages of this model of Internal Combustion Engine were twofold: tremendous power and explosive output.

And it was truly explosive—if one was not careful, it would explode completely.

Moreover, installing this thing onto a carriage—well, sitting atop a pile of explosives that were constantly detonating required rather strong mental fortitude.

Naturally, no one dared to take on the follow-up implementation of this project.

Originally, the Shock-Blast Engine should have died in its cradle. But at that moment, another researcher became interested in it—Tata.

Using Nitroglycerin’s explosion to drive the piston—this was far too powerful. Tata simply could not resist the appeal.

When the final product was placed before Hughes, he remained silent for a full ten minutes.

How should one put it? This vehicle was explosive in every possible sense.

“Come on, hurry up and get in! I’ll explain this car to you!”

Monica trotted over excitedly, pulled open the door, and sat inside, skillfully inserting her tail into the hollow in the seat.

Beatrice Joanne hesitated for a moment, examining the “carriage.”

It somewhat resembled a scaled-down Steam Locomotive, except it had fewer wheels—only four—and its shape was more rounded.

The vehicle had four doors. In front of Monica’s seat was a control lever, presumably the position of the “coachman.” After thinking for a moment, Beatrice sat beside her.

After all, she was quite interested in this “carriage.”

“What is Nitroglycerin?”

“What do you think it is?”

“Mm… some kind of engine oil?” Beatrice guessed curiously. The Mechanical Sanctum had many types of Sacred Oil, used for maintenance in different circumstances.

“More or less. It’s a heart disease medicine. And it has some other uses.” Monica’s six hands moved rapidly as she operated something on the vehicle.

A trace of confusion appeared in Beatrice’s eyes. How were engine oil and heart disease medicine “more or less” the same?

As for the “other uses,” she did not pay attention. It was probably just side effects of the medicine—perhaps somewhat dangerous, capable of causing death.

“Wait!” Beatrice suddenly reacted. “Our car runs on heart disease medicine?”

“Yes. So, don’t you feel much more reassured now?”

Reassured about burning heart disease medicine? Beatrice found it utterly baffling. Turning her head, she saw Zoe secretly giving a thumbs-up, whispering to Monica, “Yes, say it like that. Don’t mention the dangerous parts and scare her!”

Beatrice’s eyelid twitched. Although the two had lowered their voices, she was a Transcendent—how could she possibly fail to hear?

Without exposing their “loud conspiracy,” Beatrice’s attention was drawn to Gaia in the back seat.

She was using rope to tie herself to the seat.

Beatrice: “???”

Hughes knew very well the form of modern three-point Safety Belts. But after understanding Monica’s car, he had not even mentioned it. Instead, he had taught them to drill holes in the seats, install four-point Safety Belts, and add a roll cage—equipment generally used only in Formula racing.

“You’d better tie yourself down too. I’ll help you.”

Sensing Beatrice’s gaze, Gaia reached over, grabbed the straps, and began threading them around her.

“W-Wait, why do we have to tie ourselves up?!” Beatrice looked alarmed.

“This car’s got power. Once it starts running, if you get thrown out, you’ll end up black and blue.”

Gaia looked at the Internal Combustion Engine vehicle before her with a complicated expression, her face remarkably animated.

“Don’t listen to her nonsense. This car is perfectly safe. It just accelerates a little fast.”

“How fast?” Beatrice asked instinctively.

“Want to try it?”

RelatedRelatedRelated