Castle of Black Iron

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“What’s the efficiency of maize straw?”

“On average, 4 tons of maize straws could be made into 1 ton high-power alcohol, over 2 tons of special plant fiber pulp and over 900 kg organic fertilizer.”

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“Is this high-power alcohol drinkable or not?”

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“Which effect is better, this organic fertilizer or ordinary fertilizers?”

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“What’s the purpose of this special plant fiber pulp? Could it only be made into coal balls?”

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Donder’s eyes were always gleaming as if numerous gold coins were flickering in front of him after finding that all the products here were made of maize straws which were usually burned as wastes.

Among all the people at present, Donder had the most questions, which included almost all the questions of the others. With Zhang Tie’s consent, Li Tao replied them generously.

“This alcohol is different than ordinary alcohol which is brewed by grains; it’s not drinkable. Even though being mixed with water, it still tastes especially spicy and numb. You could easily identify it…”

After hearing Li Tao’s words, they all tried to taste the alcohol which had been mixed with 80% of water on the production line.

Its taste was similar to liquor; however, it was more stimulative than liquor. After being mixed with water, it was pale gold instead of being colorless. The moment they tasted it, their tongue would become numb. With such a terrifying taste, it could easily be identified.

“Pitiful!” Donder said in a disappointed way after having a sip.

“Nothing pitiful!” Zhang Tie replied with a smile, “It’s already very fortunate for us to make high-power alcohol using maize straw. This alcohol has a very high fuel value. As a payment, we will lose its drinking value. This alcohol is many times more poisonous than ordinary alcohol to the human liver. With one cup of it, you might suffer from hepatotoxicity. It’s the balance way of nature. We cannot make one thing that could be used by machine and eaten by humans. That’s not the balance way of nature!”

All the others nodded as they all felt that Zhang Tie’s words were reasonable.

“As for the effect of this organic fertilizer, it’s not too special. After one month’s commissioning and trial run, it was already December when the first batch of high-power alcohol was produced. However, we basically couldn’t plant crops in winter; we just distributed this organic fertilizer to those farmers who sent us their maize straws. The effect of the fertilizer couldn’t be seen until a few months later when they plant crops!”

At this moment, Li Tao threw another glance at Zhang Tie’s expression before saying meticulously, “As for the purpose of this special plant fiber pulp, as of now, according to the request of master, we mix this plant fiber pulp with coal cinders and use them as fuel. This fuel is combustible; it’s available to keep ourselves warm and cook dinner at home; it could even be used for heating up the boiler and driving various steam equipment. It could produce 10% higher heat quantity than ordinary coal. Additionally, it would produce much fewer soot than ordinary coal and honeycomb briquet. It’s especially clean and convenient at home; additionally, after over 1 month’s trial production, we discovered another interesting thing!”

“What’s that?”

“Follow me, you will know it.” Li Tao led them into another production workshop on the other side.

This workshop was also used to produce something using those fiber pulp and coal cinders. However, being different than those coal balls and cool bars, the machines and production line in this workshop were different than that in the neighboring workshop. There were two sets of locomotive grinders on a production line which could produce bricks.

Those coarse coal cinders in the neighboring workshop would be further shattered into finer coal cinders and sands. After being mixed with the fiber pulp, these coal cinders and sands would be transmitted onto that production line and be compressed into dark grey square bricks.

A lot of square bricks had been piled up tidily in this workshop.

“We found that this plant fiber pulp would carry a strong plasticity after being mixed with finer coal cinders and sands. Therefore, we slightly changed the technology and made those coal cinders finer and lowered its proportion in the mixture. In the beginning, I made it into square bricks only for the sake of stock; later on, I discovered that these square bricks could even work as building materials if there’s not a high request in fire-resistance…”

Fire-resistance was relative. These things being produced in alcohol production base could burn for sure as long as they were thrown into the boiler or the hearth; however, unless someone purposefully burned them, they would not burn up spontaneously just like a pile of coal.

“These coal bricks would have a great purpose in troops, not to mention the alcohol!” Bai Zhengnan put it straight. As the royal highness of Lord Guangnan’s Mansion, he picked up a dried brick and sensed its weight and hardness by weighing it in hand even though his hand was made dirty. He then said, “My airship troops, armored troops and transport fleets are all driven by steam engines. Therefore, the logistics departments have to carry a large quantity of coal in each action; especially when they’re somewhere where coal couldn’t be supplied, they would carry more coals. Otherwise, those armored vehicles, transport vehicles and airships might flameout at any time. Common coals are incompact and couldn’t be easily transported. Given convenience, ordinary coal indeed couldn’t match this kind of compressed fiber-coal brick. If the fuel of troops is all turned into this kind of bricks, the logistics troops would feel much more relaxed!”

“Additionally, these things could also be used to build temporary fortifications in the wild in emergencies; it would be much better than digging soil and setting sandbags…” Feng Cangwu also picked up one coal brick which felt like ordinary brick and timber and started to observe it while narrowing his eyes, “Now that this thing has a very strong plasticity and could match coal as a fuel, if it’s supplied for troops, we can make it a bit special; change the molds on the production line and press them into standard tenon-and-mortise pieces for the sake of assembly. Soldiers could rapidly build fortifications or small battle fortresses with these pieces…”

Donder widely opened his eyes as he said, “Does that work?”

“It could definitely not be used to defend powerhouses; neither could these bricks be used to build long-term fortifications and battle fortresses; however, they could be used to defend demons below LV 9 in emergencies!” Zhang Su said as he also picked up a brick, “Fieldworks and civil engineering are the most powerful means that humans adapted to deal with demons. This thing could definitely be used as fuel of troops and material to build fortifications rapidly!”

Bai Zhengnan, Feng Cangwu and Zhang Su had rich experience on battlefields. Therefore, their words all hit the nail right on the head. As this thing had a great portability, a good combustion effect and an extremely high plasticity, it’s indeed very useful in corps. Some timbers could realize the same effect after being processed. However, no corps across Taixia Country could be that luxurious to use timbers as fuel; otherwise, a corps would go bankrupt after only one battle.

It was a surprise for Zhang Tie. Before coming here, he had known that these things were combustible; however, it was out of his imagination that the remains of alcohol brewage could have such a great purpose.

“I feel that those fiber pulp might be used to make paper!” Lu Zhongming opened his mouth too, “I’ve been to some paper mills in Guzhou Province. I feel that this fiber pulp was very similar to those pulp in paper mills; additionally, this fiber pulp was finer and smoother. I suggest you to have a try. Papermaking process is not that complex…”

Of course, this fiber pulp could be used to make paper! Zhang Tie had long known that. However, as it was his first time to visit this alcohol production base, in front of so many knights, Zhang Tie didn’t need to act like a prophet. Now that someone had mentioned it, Zhang Tie just praised him.

“Elder brother Lu is right!” Zhang Tie nodded as he told Li Tao, “After a few days, find some professionals here to test the quality of paper made of this fiber pulp. If it’s feasible, we can use some fiber pulp to make paper in the future.” After saying that, Zhang Tie pointed at Donder and added, “He’s Donder, my general steward. Later on, you two will be responsible for the management and financial affairs of this alcohol production base. Donder’s words are also mine!”

“Yes, Master!” Li Tao nodded. Closely after that, he deeply bowed towards Donder and said politely, “General Steward Donder, I will learn from you!”

“Haha, we will learn from each other!” Donder had long been excited. With sparkling eyes, Donder chested out as he ticked off with fingers, “High-power alcohol means money; organic fertilizers mean money; coal bricks and coal balls mean money; paper means money; however, maize straws are wastes. Erm…this base is absolutely a coins-making plant. One base is too few, the more the better…”

“Elder Brother Bai and Elder Brother Lu, how do you feel about this business? Do you like that?” Zhang Tie asked Bai Zhengnan and Lu Zhongming.

“Is this the business that you’re going to introduce to us?” Bai Zhengnan asked Zhang Tie seriously. Lu Zhongming and Lin Huanxi also exchanged a glance with each other.

“Of course, if you like it, you could be responsible for this business in the south border and Northeast Military Region. We will share the profits!”

“If this business expands in the south border, do you know how much will it make a year? Do you know what a great influence it would pose? How could you be so generous?”

“We can make money together. I feel bored by making so much money alone!” Zhang Tie revealed a casual smile while his generosity moved them, “Heavens Fortune Sect has also boarded my ship. The elder of Guan Clan would come here after a few days too. Two elders, don’t be that courteous to me…”

“Which Guan Clan?”

“Guan Clan of Mingwu Palace!”

“Are the airplanes also produced here?”

“Airplanes and engines manufacturing plants are in Xuantian City!”

“Well, let’s take a look in Xuantian City. I want to say how many more good things do you hide!”

“Sure, let’s take a look in Xuantian City then!” After saying that, Zhang Tie told Li Tao, “You come with us. You’d better know the purpose of this alcohol in Xuantian City…”

“The name of high-power alcohol is too long; additionally, it’s not imposing and intuitive. The word alcohol would easily arise misunderstanding too. People would think that it’s eatable and cheap; therefore, it would hurt people easily. It’s inconvenient for us to raise its price in the future. If we want to sell it, we’d better give it an effective name which could be easily remembered. ” Donder had a very sensitive commercial gift. Only after frowning and thinking about it for a short while, he had proposed a useful suggestion.

“There were gasoline, kerosene and diesel before the Catastrophe, whose names were all easily remembered. Now that high-power alcohol is produced in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, how about calling it Fiery Oil?” Zhang Tie instantly thought up a new name for high-power alcohol.

“Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, Fiery Oil. It sounds good and is catchy!” Donder spoke highly of it at once. After muttering this name for a few times, all the others nodded one after another.

“I also feel that Fiery Oil sounds more elegant than alcohol!” Li Tao nodded as he added, “We can name this alcohol production base as Fiery Oil Refinery!”

…

The airboat then left the Fiery Oil Refinery for Xuantian City.

After Zhang Tie showed those people around this Fiery Oil Refinery, they gained a wholly new name for high-power alcohol——Fiery Oil!

It only took the airboat about 1 hour to arrive at Xuantian City from the border between Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory and Yanzhou Province. They saw the plant which could produce 100,000 dual-drive engines annually and the first airplane manufacturing plant in Taixia Country in Xuantian City…