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[Genshin Impact] Chapter 341: Time Flies
🕑 Added 2024-11-25 07:30:06 +0000 UTC“Captain Beidou, don’t praise this guy too much. On the surface, he acts humble, but inside, who knows how proud he’s feeling!” Lumine and Paimon stood with their hands on their hips, giving Nolan a disapproving look.
“Ahem, we should probably leave this area quickly, so the scent of blood doesn’t attract more monsters,” Nolan said, awkwardly rubbing his nose to change the subject.
“Haha, you’re right.” Beidou chuckled lightly and then turned to the brawny sailor at the helm. “Sea Drake, tell the crew to stay up a bit longer and speed us out of this area.”
The Alcor had a row of massive oars on both sides and two propeller-like wooden wheels at the stern.
Thanks to these, the ship could move even in windless conditions when the sails were ineffective, ensuring smooth travel. When the wind was present, using the sails and propellers simultaneously could give the ship an extra burst of speed. In dangerous situations, their usefulness was immense.
The only downside was that both the propellers and the large rows of oars extending from the sides were human-powered.
Each oar required several sailors to operate, so if they wanted the Alcor to speed up, everyone had to stay awake and keep working.
Watching as Sea Drake headed below deck to wake the others, Nolan suddenly turned to Lumine and said:
“Do you think we could possibly create a steam engine?”
If the Alcor were equipped with a steam engine, it would not only save manpower but also significantly improve its performance!
He hadn’t seen anything like that in Mondstadt or Liyue, though maybe the relatively advanced Fontaine or Snezhnaya might have it.
Regardless of their situation, since steam engines hadn’t made their way to Mondstadt or Liyue, it implied that at least these two nations had a market gap for such a technology. If they could develop a steam engine, there would be a fortune to be made!
As society progresses, the appearance of steam power is inevitable. Rather than letting someone else profit, why not seize the opportunity themselves?
Plus, a steam engine essentially just boils water, and this could potentially be powered by fire-element ores instead of coal, ensuring clean energy without the environmental damage typically caused by coal-based steam engines.
As for concerns about the rarity and cost of fire-element ores, Nolan already had solutions.
While fire-element ores weren’t abundant, fire slimes were fairly common! Capturing them and using them as a heat source to boil water was entirely feasible—after all, hilichurls already practiced this. They had proven it worked through their own methods.
These slimes, as elemental life forms, could absorb fire elements from their environment, making them low-maintenance. At worst, tossing a piece of fire-element ore into their enclosure could sustain a group of fire slimes for quite a while, based on Nolan’s experience.
This method was far more economical than solely using fire-element ores or coal, requiring minimal upkeep and being very convenient.
Nolan could already envision the popularity of the “fire slime steam engine” when it hit the market, given the enormous impact such an engine would have—even spurring industrial growth in Mondstadt and Liyue!
“You say it so easily, but do you even know how to design one?” Lumine glanced at him with her amber eyes, shaking her head.
“Knowing the principles and having an idea is enough. For the actual process, we can just have Ningguang gather some relevant scholars and set up a lab for research,” Nolan said, wrapping an arm around Lumine’s shoulder and affectionately brushing his cheek against hers, offering a lazy but feasible solution with a smile.
A great inventor only needs a bit of inspiration and a clear plan; solving the specific issues can be left to others.
“You really are something... it might just work,” Lumine said, stumbling slightly as she stepped closer to Nolan to steady herself. She rested her chin thoughtfully and realized that the idea did seem plausible.
“Ugh, they’re talking about something incomprehensible again,” Paimon said, spreading her hands helplessly.
“Haha, we can’t understand it either,” Beidou laughed, looking at the sky before turning to the wandering samurai from Inazuma. “Kazuha, there’s not much wind right now; could you lend a hand?”
“Alright,” Kazuha nodded and easily summoned the wind elements around him, guiding them to fill the sails and propel the Alcor forward.
Seeing this, Nolan and Lumine paused their discussion and joined in, channeling a bit of wind element to help fill the sails and share Kazuha’s burden.
Under the vast night sky, the Alcor swiftly left the area.
Before they fully departed, Nolan summoned the “Sword God,” leaving “her” behind to guard the area. If the giant beast’s corpse and blood indeed attracted other sea monsters, it would be a perfect opportunity to farm Adventure EXP!
After leaving that sea region, the days turned into a monotonous life at sea.
Of course, Nolan didn’t stay on the ship all the time.
He made trips to Mondstadt to visit Fischl, Sucrose, and the other girls, as well as to Liyue to chat with Shenhe, Hu Tao, and Yun Jin whenever they had free time.
These interactions were necessary for building rapport.
Mona frequently visited to study the mysterious starry sky in the “wonderland,” often researching to the point of exhaustion. Nolan had to bring her meals; he couldn’t let her go hungry.
When the girls were busy, Nolan spent time at sea hunting monsters to gain Adventure EXP.
Until he explored the ocean, he hadn’t realized how densely populated it was with sea monsters. There were creatures like black-eyed fish with two rows of saw-like teeth and razor-sharp sharks that could harness Electro elements.
In just a few days, Nolan encountered more varieties of monsters than he had seen on land over several months.
The ocean truly was a vast and unknown world!
Aside from nurturing his relationships with the girls, he also paid close attention to the progress of the “Sweet Flower Merchant Association.”
He frequently consulted with Ningguang to check on the development of bicycles and board games as part of their recreational product line. The former was still in the factory and production line setup phase.
The latter, however, progressed quickly, with all production preparations completed in just a week, ready for mass production.
In less than half a month, the “Sweet Flower Merchant Association” would open its stores to sell the first product!
Nolan was looking forward to this, as it meant that the profits and financial success he and Lumine had dreamed of were just around the corner!
Nolan also discussed the steam engine project in detail with Ningguang. She took it seriously and had already begun assembling a research lab for its development.
After all, a steam engine that could trigger industrial reform, greatly enhance productivity, diversify work opportunities, and promote social progress and national strength was irresistible to a businesswoman and Tianquan Star like Ningguang. Even if it meant spending vast amounts of Mora at a potential loss, she was determined to make it happen!
Busy and fulfilling days blurred the sense of time.
In the blink of an eye, a month had passed, during which significant changes occurred to Nolan himself, as well as to those and the world around him.
(End of Chapter)
