Chapter 28: Steam-Powered Armor-The Invincible Chariot of Great Qin(An Yi)

The army, scheduled to depart for training at dawn, lingered unwillingly in the camp, and even General Haron did not reprimand them. Instead, he and several commanders took the lead in gathering around the four monstrous machines beside the carriage. The tallest among them was a five-meter-high steam-powered humanoid mech, while the other three spider mechs stood over two meters tall and four meters long.

Haron himself was a giant, well over two meters, but beside the humanoid mech, he seemed no more than an infant. Jingni was the first to step out of the carriage, and even she was startled by the sight.

“General Haron, what is the meaning of this?” she demanded.

The Moon Goddess began to channel her magic, suspecting a possible betrayal. Had Haron turned traitor?

Haron was taken aback, quickly dismounted his horse, clasped his fists, and bowed his head, “Commander, the warriors merely wish to glimpse these great machines. For this, I admit my fault. Please punish me as you see fit.”

“My subordinates admit their fault!” The other commanders and captains knelt in unison.

Just then, Lin Shu emerged from behind the High Priestess, and the surrounding warriors assumed the officers were paying homage.

“Greetings, Your Majesty—”

The army remained respectful, and Jingni laughed at herself; she had been overly suspicious. To rebel against the king would be nothing short of courting death.

“Rise, warriors. Haron, since you’re all here, accompany me to the training grounds,” commanded Lin Shu, who needed to test the machines anyway.

The king’s leniency pleased Haron, who nodded enthusiastically, “As you command, Your Majesty.”

Following Haron’s gaze, Jingni noticed several black monstrosities parked beside the carriage.

“Mojia mechanical beasts!” The Moon Goddess’s eyes sparkled. Could it be that the king was connected to the Mojia clan?

Upon seeing the trio of large spider machines, Jingni pressed her lips together, “Husband, these little spiders are meant as our mounts, aren’t they?”

The three massive spider machines, each with four legs and four blade-like arms, looked impressive but decidedly ugly.

“Heh, dearest, try out the beast-type mechs first. If you wish, I’ll craft a beautiful humanoid mech for you later,” Lin Shu promised.

Jingni smiled and nodded, “That would be best. These spiders are truly hideous!”

The quiet Shaoshao also nodded in agreement; they were so beautiful, yet their mounts were so hideous.

Suddenly, the four monsters let out a deafening roar, jets of steam puffing from their tails.

As the steam poured out, the morning air warmed immediately. The warriors, already familiar with the devilish carriage’s heat, were unfazed by the machines’ activation.

[Commander, releasing steam is simply to vent excess heat. Otherwise, the cockpit would be uncomfortable. When replenishing fuel, just add a little water. It’s a minor matter.] Shadow of the Heart, eager to prove the ship’s technology, hurried to explain.

There was none of the expected black smoke; if not for the faint smell, Lin Shu might have believed there were no emissions at all.

“Shadow of the Heart, your technology is truly remarkable!” Lin Shu praised.

Though their ship belonged to the zenith of the mechanical era, their superalloys—heat-resistant, insulated, sealed, and pressure-proof—were second to none. Many superalloys used in the ship’s construction remained beyond Earth’s reach in later ages.

It was thanks to these superalloys that steam power achieved such extraordinary output, rivaling even Earth’s heavy oil engines. However, the need for vast quantities of superalloy and semi-oil liquid carbon fuel meant the mechs could not be mass-produced.

Much like the Mojia mechanical beasts, they were formidable but few in number, with their own limitations.

As the invisible force fields activated, Shaoshao found herself floating uncontrollably, relieved to see her sisters likewise affected—otherwise, she might have cried out for help.

“As expected, I am powerless!” The Moon Goddess tried to exert force, but remained immobile.

The cockpit of the humanoid mech was situated in its chest, with a peculiar black hole in the forehead. The beast-type mechs had their cockpits beneath the spider heads, in the chest.

Once inside the leather-seated cockpits, Jingni curiously examined the multitude of levers and switches before her.

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in their minds. The Moon Goddess sensed no hint of humanity in it, as if it were thunder itself—startling yet natural.

[The central lever controls forward, backward, left, and right. The four pedals beneath, from left to right, are for: explosive jump, movement power, weapon pressure, and emergency halt.]

[The left switch beside the steering lever activates, aims, and fires the pneumatic machine gun; the right controls the pneumatic cannon. The handgrips on either side of the seat operate the spider’s bladed arms for close combat. There are other auxiliary mechanisms, but they are less important…]

The explanation was succinct. Jingni, the Moon Goddess, and Shaoshao memorized it at once. Lin Shu, however, had Shadow of the Heart repeat the instructions several times; the controls for the humanoid mech were more complex, especially for getting it to crawl if it fell.

Forward, backward, left, and right—the three spider mechs soon moved with ease. Lin Shu hurried to get his mech moving, unwilling to be outdone by his sisters.

The spiders, relatively light, featured special shock-absorbing limbs, exerting little pressure on the ground.

Yet every movement of the mech caused a thunderous rumble.

Boom, boom, boom—

As the mechs advanced, nearby warhorses retreated, and Haron and his men withdrew to a safe distance.

Within minutes, the mechs were jogging, and the spider mechs practiced leaping.

“Haron, assemble the army. We’re heading to the riverside,” Lin Shu ordered, knowing the warriors had no mood for training today; he would treat them to a display instead.

After the king’s command was amplified, it echoed like thunder.

“Yes, sire.” Haron received the order, and the warriors began to leave the main road and form ranks.

The mechs thundered ahead, the spiders following close behind.

“Shaoshao, don’t get too close to that big one! Be careful if it falls!” Jingni called out in concern; the leading mech wobbled with each step, like a drunken giant.

Hearing her sister’s warning, the High Priestess glanced up and quickly eased off the power pedal. Should the towering mech topple, it might crush the big spider beneath.

Now, the three women no longer minded the spiders’ ugliness, their faces alight with joy.

Lin Shu glanced back through the rear window. The three spiders advanced side by side, sometimes speeding up, sometimes slowing, with the rightmost spider occasionally leaping.

Each spider, over two meters tall and quite heavy, could leap four meters high. If the steam catapult were fully unleashed, they could jump ten meters, though landing from such heights would likely require repairs.

The translucent cockpit obscured its occupant, but the faint outline of a purple lolita dress betrayed Shaoshao’s presence.

“Heh, our Shaoshao is so adorable, bouncing along!” Lin Shu blurted out, forgetting to turn off the loudspeaker.

Though his voice was soft, the amplification carried it to Jingni and her sisters.

“Hehe! Brother-in-law, what did you just say?” the Moon Goddess called out, secretly pulling out her mirror to admire her beauty.

Ah! Little Moon was quite lovely too. She felt a twinge of envy towards Shaoshao.

“This husband really dotes on Shaoshao, though she’s still so young!” Jingni wasn’t upset; she had no desire to monopolize the king’s affection, and she too adored the silly girl.

Glancing at her sister’s cockpit glass, Shaoshao dared not leap again, though her large eyes kept darting toward the towering mech ahead.