Chapter 42

Under Zhao Mai's "suggestion," the dwarf Sock prepared to make three muskets at once, each with a double-barreled structure and the same barrel diameter. Green hoped his weapon could be smaller, preferably not exceeding the size of a dagger, and absolutely not larger than a short sword; Zhao Mai hoped it could be slightly larger, with a bayonet added for use as a short spear.

The idea of adding a blade inspired Sock again. The dwarf suddenly slapped his head and decided to install a hammerhead on his large musket, using it as a warhammer after firing.

"Wouldn't that affect the balance? With such a heavy front end, wouldn't it be very tiring to hold up?" Zhao Mai asked, puzzled.

"Huh?" Sock didn't hear clearly. He was checking the tools in the rented blacksmith shop, lifting a few hundred pounds of anvil with both hands, moving it easily and steadily.

Zhao Mai wiped the sweat that suddenly appeared, yes, it must be because the furnace next to him was too hot. "Never mind, I'm just asking if the tools here are enough?"

"More or less, human blacksmith shops are about this level. I'll go check the quality of the pig iron, you sit here for a while. Oh, don't touch anything, I've arranged everything according to my habits."

Zhao Mai shook his head, indicating he wouldn't touch anything. Looking at the blacksmith shop, he couldn't help but admire Green's efficiency. By the time Sock finished a hearty meal—four chickens, two lamb legs, a whole barrel of beer, and a bowl of potatoes—Green had sold the salt and rented the blacksmith shop. Now he was holding the list Zhao Mai had given him, trying to get everything in one go before the few alchemy shops (black markets) closed.

It wasn't originally that urgent, but when he heard Zhao Mai would be attending druid training in five days, his enthusiasm rose. As Green put it, "It's no trouble to help you at this time."

"Ah, the furnace here might not be hot enough. In Yangdehof, I used a magma furnace, only there can I forge steel strong enough."

"Yangdehof, is that your hometown?"

The dwarf took a deep breath through his nose and slowly exhaled, a look of happiness on his face. "That's my favorite place, even if everyone doesn't support me in making muskets. Yangdehof is nestled under the continuous Thought Mountains. From here, go east, cross a large lake, climb over a mountain range, and then cross a plain to get there. I will definitely return, with new ideas and your blessings, to prove to my family that my ideas are right."

"I'll definitely visit your place if I get the chance. I've never seen a dwarf city before!" Zhao Mai decided to do his best to help Sock. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'll try to increase the furnace temperature, there should be a way."

Although he wasn't sure how much physics and chemistry from Earth would apply here, Zhao Mai believed that grinding the coal into a fine powder could promote combustion and increase the temperature. It was a labor-intensive task, but not one that required the strength of a dwarf like Sock. With nothing else to do, Zhao Mai took on the job.

Green returned soon, having hired a small cart to push two bags of materials. "There's some money left, but I suggest we keep it for emergencies."

"That's a good idea, let's do it. Come and help, get the materials and tools ready. Sock is conserving his energy and will pray. We two can do as much as possible first, no problem, right?"

Green thought it was no problem, just smashing large pieces of coal and grinding them as fine as possible. The neighboring shops were closed, so even if they made noise, it wouldn't disturb anyone's sleep. Seeing how Zhao Mai valued the dwarf's musket, his interest was also piqued.

After proving that powdered coal could reach higher temperatures, everyone's enthusiasm grew. Different metals could be obtained at different temperatures, and although Zhao Mai didn't understand the principles, he knew that higher temperatures were better. The bellows were not a particularly advanced device, the key being a one-way opening flap. The saying "To do a job well, one must first sharpen one's tools" couldn't be translated into Common, but everyone understood the principle.

The first day's work was mainly about setting up the work environment, drawing process diagrams, and assigning tasks. The dwarf was puzzled; he usually worked when he was inspired and drank beer when he was tired. However, Zhao Mai insisted that the dwarf develop good work habits. Only by passing down the design drawings could more dwarves understand the principles and truly turn this into a business.

In reality, the design drawings were more about giving Zhao Mai a chance to add his own "private goods." He had seen many gun structures online and could offer many suggestions by following the examples. Since this was still a type of hunting gun, it didn't require complex designs like repeating, automatic loading, or ejecting shells, so the focus was on how to ignite and load faster.

"Good steel should be used on the blade, and loading, igniting, and sealing are the blade of the musket." Zhao Mai spoke theoretically, and Sock and Green could only nod and listen. "We can use paper cartridges, leaving a sharp spike at the end of the barrel. When the paper cartridge is inserted, it will be punctured, exposing the gunpowder inside. The problem is how to accurately ignite the powder."

Green shrugged; this was clearly not his strong suit. He decided to be a good listener and servant, not worrying about anything else. The dwarf seemed to have an idea, drawing on the table with his finger. After a while, he looked up and said, "I have a good idea, let me tell you and you can give me your thoughts."

The dwarf's idea was to use rune magic to accurately transmit the spark from the flint and steel to the bottom of the barrel, the tip of the firing pin. This would increase costs, mainly for materials like ruby powder. However, the dwarf also agreed with the saying "Good steel should be used on the blade." "This way, we won't have to worry about rain wetting the fuse."

"If you could go further and use metal cartridges, that would be even better, making them completely waterproof," Zhao Mai said. "Make cylindrical cartridges with a small hole at the bottom, fill them with powder, and seal them with a thin layer of wax. When loading, the wax can be punctured, and the powder can still be ignited, right?"

"Master! Let's do it your way!" The dwarf jumped up and down happily. "Metal cartridges, metal cartridges! This is our dwarves' specialty!"

Zhao Mai wiped the sweat, successfully adding his "private goods." If this continued, maybe bolt-action rifles would soon appear... This world had its own knowledge. Even if Zhao Mai didn't know how to mix mercury fulminate or explosives, a complete technology tree (or magic tree) would always have other solutions.

The key now was the level of the dwarf's craftsmanship. Zhao Mai looked at the tools in the blacksmith shop, unsure how to forge a qualified barrel...