novelraw 1. The Mechanic from the Far East [2-in-1]
1. The Mechanic from the Far East [2-in-1]
Sweet Wine Town is located on a floating island at the intersection of several aerial adventure routes in Mevin County. It hangs high above the sea of clouds and is perpetually filled with steam, the sound of steam whistles, and the intoxicating aroma of wine.
In the morning, airships, ornithopters, bird-wing flying armor, and propeller-driven steam aircraft arrived at the port one after another in an endless stream.
Before setting sail, airship hunters from the surrounding area would come here to gather intelligence, repair machinery, and replenish fuel.
Steamer Oven Tavern is a hunter's tavern that combines all three elements.
The open-air tavern adjacent to the island cliffs was packed, with people clinking glasses and making a great commotion.
The amber-colored sweet wine in the glass is beer mixed with fire spirit juice rich in phlogiston. It tastes sweet and refreshing, but burns the heart and lungs. Keeping a few barrels on the airship means that in an emergency, it can even be poured directly into the firebox as fuel.
The steamed meat on the plate is the most common sunfish meat in the foggy sea. It has a dry and bland taste, but its phytoestrogen content is seven times that of ordinary beef.
In a corner of the tavern, a greasy mechanical record player creaked and hissed, the steam pushing the stylus to play a muffled yet melodious female vocalization:
"Oh, Holy Spirit above, we have lost the earth, but gained the sky! Wherever the steam roars, that is the territory of the empire..."
The young hunters listened with rapt attention.
The veterans, however, kept a close eye on the giant workbench next to the tavern, surrounded by steam, looking for suitable mechanics to invite to join them.
A handsome young man with an Asian face, holding a micrometer and a universal wrench, was tinkering with a silver steam-powered mech that could not take off.
He was so busy he was overwhelmed and covered in grease.
To avoid being targeted by airship hunters, Roya deliberately slowed down his repair work.
Pretending to work hard, but actually slacking off.
Although he always managed to slack off, he was able to solve any problem properly, relying on a slow and meticulous approach.
Luo Ya wanted to prove that he was not up to the job of a ship's mechanic who could perform rapid repairs.
As a transmigrator from China, Luo Ya possesses both a conservative peasant mentality and a steadily developing industrial mindset, and is not keen on taking risks.
Despite this being an era full of opportunities and challenges!
The gray fog engulfed the earth.
Humans retreated to the floating islands.
Airships cruise in the clouds.
The giant beast was hidden in the fog...
Phosphorus made all miracles possible.
Phosphorus is a supernatural substance extracted from minerals or plants and animals. It can be burned to drive steam engines and can also be absorbed by the human body, transformed into blood and qi, until one awakens supernatural abilities and becomes a supreme superhuman!
A five-year-old Imperial superhuman could feed his entire family by cleaning up giant steam chimneys located on the surface of the earth.
Airship hunters are the group of people who are closest to superhumans.
They primarily use steam-powered airships to hunt burning spirits deep in the clouds, on the surface, or in the abyss.
Burning Spirits are fantastical creatures whose bodies are rich in pheromones.
In addition to providing flesh and blood and pheromones, the skeleton and branches of the Burning Spirit can be used as lightweight, fire-resistant, and high-strength mechanical materials.
The swim bladder of a giant burning whale can even support a floating island!
However, while humans hunted the Burning Spirits, the Burning Spirits were also hunting humans.
Burning spirits typically possess enormous, mutated or spliced forms, and their strength and intelligence far surpass those of ordinary beings. They are extremely aggressive towards humans and feed on humans or other burning spirits.
Therefore, airship hunter is a profession with high risk, high freedom, and high reward.
Considering that hunters' main battlefield is in the high sky, having a professional mechanic on board is especially important!
Luo Ya is a highly professional mechanic.
But he didn't want to risk his life...
Just then!
A beautiful lady in a blue lace belted dress walked briskly towards us.
With concern in her eyes, she gently wiped away the oil and sweat from Roya's forehead with a warm towel, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze:
"Hurry up! This huntress has paid a hefty price and we have to set sail in ten minutes... Roya, you can do it!"
Her tone was extremely gentle, yet full of encouragement.
It was Cynthia, the tavern owner's unmarried daughter.
Having lived two lives, Luo Ya was overly focused on mathematics and mechanics, resulting in him having a handsome face but no romantic experience whatsoever.
Mr. Oliver, the pub owner, supports his daughter Cynthia's ambiguous relationship with him.
Oliver only has one daughter.
It's said that mechanics don't need women, but Eastern mechanics who are determined to develop their skills in a sneaky way desperately need them.
For Roya, it was better to stay at home, enjoying the comforts of a beautiful woman and living off her husband than to fight to the death in the air.
He needs a stable and affluent family relationship so that he can quietly accumulate capital and power while staying away from the covetous eyes of the airship hunters.
Unfortunately, Cynthia always claimed to be slow to warm up.
The two remained in a state of ambiguous attraction, never making any real progress...
Fortunately, Roya was even slower to warm up than her.
He was convinced that Cynthia, who claimed to like the smell of engine oil, would definitely fall for his micrometer and all-purpose wrench!
I will try my best.
Luo Ya put down the micrometer and picked up the oil can.
The container is cleverly designed so that half of it is filled with engine oil and the other half with coffee.
He took a sip of coffee from the bucket, and his gaze instantly became calm.
Switching to serious mode, he bent down with focused attention and reached out to press the left wing return valve of the steam-powered flying armor.
In an instant, the thought seeped from the valve into the copper pipes of the flying armor, the old-fashioned pressure gauge, the small furnace, the boiler cylinder, the piston, the connecting rod and crankshaft, the flywheel, the steam distribution mechanism, the condenser, the governor, the pressure relief valve, the machine gun, the machine gun, the steam sword coupling, etc...
Instant coverage, revealing every detail.
If he were willing to expend the effort, he could even improve the precision of his mental probing to the molecular level.
"The ninth crankshaft has cracked..."
The material itself is not the problem.
"After all, it's an expensive steam-powered flying armor. If a small differential engine had been installed to automatically control the linkage's operating rhythm, this kind of stress damage wouldn't have occurred."
Luo Ya sighed softly and shook his head inwardly.
The difference engine was a primitive gear-based computer.
Luo Ya never imagined that someone other than himself could manually control a steam-powered flying armor without the aid of a difference engine or mechanical assistance.
His cheat ability is called "Mechanical Connection," which allows him to instantly connect to, perceive, and control mechanical objects that come into physical contact with his body!
Of course, control is limited to the machine's own allowed commands such as switching, running, and changing; it cannot change the machine's structure, deform materials, or cause cross-sections to heal, etc., which are non-programmed actions.
Therefore, Luo Ya also needs to master skills such as disassembly, welding, and forging in order to become a professional mechanic.
Having traveled through three years, he can now handcraft an ornithopter or a small steam-powered armor.
His handcrafted Blue Dragonfly ornithopter, made from various secondhand parts and materials, now lies quietly in the tavern's warehouse.
That was his pride, the culmination of three years of hard work!
In front of the steam-filled workbench, Luo Ya, holding a multi-purpose wrench, began to disassemble the boiler shell.
Replace the cracked crankshaft component.
Install the boiler casing.
Reignite the furnace.
Five minutes later, with a deep rumble, scorching steam gushed out once more.
The wings of the flying armor slowly unfolded.
A strong airflow swept over us, instantly dispersing the lingering steam in front of the workbench.
This attracted the attention of the hunters.
It works perfectly!
Luo Ya finished his work.
It seemed unremarkable, like simply fixing a minor mechanical malfunction.
He pretended to wipe his sweat, casually picked up the oil can, and was about to tilt his head back to drink his coffee—
He was greeted by a tall, plump, and athletic silver-haired woman who handed him a large glass of beer.
"Your skills are good... What's your name?"
The powerful, cold voice of the mature woman, like a howling north wind carrying snowflakes, pierced straight into the eardrums, instantly sending chills down one's spine.
Luo Ya put down the oil drum and took the beer glass.
The instant his right hand gripped the handle, Roja's thoughts enveloped every beer molecule in the glass.
In Roja's view, all inanimate matter can be considered mechanical objects, including air.
However, these objects lack obvious mechanical structures, so he can only observe the details but has difficulty controlling them.
Luo Ya's eyes flickered slightly.
The beer was found to contain Blood Essence, a test for extraordinary talent!
It seems that the woman in front of them is the owner of the steam-powered flying armor and is looking for a ship mechanic to accompany the ship.
So he drank it down without hesitation!
Luo Ya has visited several companies that test for extraordinary talent.
After repeated testing, it was confirmed that he was not an extraordinary person and his talent was only average.
The ability to "mechanically connect" is his advantage as a transmigrator, not a supernatural ability.
This is a good thing for him.
After all, he was born and raised on Earth in a phlogiston-free environment. He had only been in the steam world for three years. His extraordinary talent could not be described as mediocre; it could only be said that he entered the field late and his development was delayed. However, his potential remained, and he had a bright future ahead of him.
Given time, if he can awaken to become an extraordinary being, he will gain a second ability.
His extraordinary abilities not only enhance his strength but also conceal the existence of his cheat-like abilities.
Sure enough, after finishing the beer, there wasn't a trace of flush on Roya's face, meaning his extraordinary talent was quite poor.
This is how I answered the woman's question:
"Roya".
"Full name?"
"His surname is Luo, his given name is Ya, and he is from the East."
"An Asian? That's rare."
Compared to the average mixed-race face in the world, Luo Ya's handsome Eastern features are quite eye-catching.
But the woman opposite was more eye-catching.
Even Luo Ya, who doesn't usually pay much attention to women's appearance, subconsciously took a few more glances.
The woman was extremely tall, almost the same height as him, who was over 1.8 meters tall.
Her long, silver hair cascaded down her shoulder armor like a waterfall, resembling strands of platinum that had lost their fiery hue from a high-temperature furnace, gleaming with a cool, matte finish.
He wore a greatsword, a steam-powered short gun, and a wine sack at his waist. His shoulders, hands, and feet were covered in segmented silver armor, faintly stained with rust and dried blood.
A beige corset paired with a brown belted vest accentuates a tall and slender upper body.
Dark brown leather shorts paired with black stockings accentuated her straight, supple long legs.
Her posture perfectly embodies the beauty of a woman's curves, yet it is also as firm and upright as polished steel, without an ounce of excess fat, combining suppleness and strength.
In comparison, Roya, who is the same height, appears as frail as a woman.
Her face was exquisite and aloof, her bone structure was clear and sharp, and she exuded an untamed and heroic spirit.
There was a burn mark under each of his eyes, and his pupils looked like gold churning in a furnace.
She's prettier than Cynthia, but unfortunately she's a hunter, and an extremely dangerous one at that...
This is how Luo Ya perceives the woman before him.
The woman stared at Luo Ya, her cold gaze sweeping across her slightly upturned eyes. There was no trace of tenderness, only the indifference and precision of someone who had been through countless battles, as if she had already locked onto her prey.
"I've heard that in the far east there once existed a land of true dragons, an ancient civilization that brought industry to its peak, known as the Industrial Cthulhu. I've been searching for dragons; have you ever heard of them?"
Luo Ya was startled.
How come I still have rumors about my hometown even after time-traveling?
Could it be that this isn't a steam-powered world, but rather an Earth where civilization has regressed to the steam age?
He, a true descendant of the dragon and the heir to the Dragon Kingdom, suddenly felt a pang of homesickness…
Unfortunately, the ability didn't allow it.
Luo Ya was shocked, but his face remained expressionless.
"Sorry, I've never heard of it."
The woman casually waved her right hand, covered in silver armor, backward, and a beer glass, seemingly guided by an invisible hand, landed steadily in her palm.
A pair of deep golden eyes, like shimmering lake water reflecting the sunset, slowly outlined the image of a handsome Eastern youth.
As she drank, she said casually:
"Listen up, Roya, the woman you're interested in was on a date with the second son of the Koch Bank owner just before she wiped your sweat."
"?"
"The news that you are a mechanical genius has been betrayed by the tavern owner Oliver to the autonomous region's conscription office. The conscription ship will arrive at the tavern within half an hour and will forcibly take you to the front line."
"?"
"And you, Mr. Roya, deliberately dragged out a boiler crankshaft malfunction that could have been resolved in five minutes for an hour."
"?"
There's too much information; Luo Ya needs to catch his breath.
He glanced at the beer mug that had appeared out of nowhere in the woman's hand.
Telekinesis must be some kind of supernatural ability...
Luo Ya realized that he had encountered a formidable opponent!
Reason told him that now was not the time to dwell on Cynthia, the conscription office, and being caught slacking off.
He remained calm and composed, asking with curiosity:
How can one person know everything?
His golden eyes narrowed slightly, as if the wind had stopped.
All the answers are buried in the wind.
My name is North Wendell, an airship hunter. In you, I hear a long-lost sound...
The sound of the wind.
As she spoke, the woman extended her right hand, covered in iron armor, and grasped at Roya's chest.
Luo Ya thought to himself, "You just want to hire a mechanic, why are you writing poetry?"
He had never seen such a refined hunter!
Even female hunters usually use foul language and flirt with him in every way.
Roya did not reach out.
If you actually shake hands, it's equivalent to accepting the woman's invitation; you can't escape it now.
So I replied politely:
"I'm sorry, Miss Wendell, your flight suit has been repaired and my work is finished. Please wait a moment, and someone will come to inspect and settle the bill for you."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Before he could take two steps, a cold, iron hand landed on his thin shoulder.
The cold female voice in my ear was like a howling wind.
"A mechanic who cannot fly will always remain just a mechanic. If this mechanic possesses some irreplaceable ability, then he will forever lose his freedom."
Luo Ya instantly felt a heavy burden on his shoulders.
He understands the principles, but he doesn't adhere to rigid notions of freedom; he cares more about people's lives and property safety.
"Thanks for the beer. Instead of intimidating a lowly trainee mechanic like me, go ahead and intimidate my boss."
Wendell smiled and loosened the iron armor on his right hand.
"See you in the clouds."
……
Having regained his freedom, Luo Ya quietly put down his beer glass, pretended to be calm, and took the opportunity to leave his workstation.
After bypassing the back room, Luo Ya's legs instantly accelerated.
"We're being watched; we have to run!"
With a quick turn, he slipped into the tavern's storeroom, searching for the small ornithopter he had been hand-crafting—
Blue Dragonfly.
Since being transported to this world by the spatial rift opened by the Great Luck three years ago, Sweet Wine Town is his third stop.
As soon as his special mechanical abilities are discovered, he will drive the Blue Dragonfly away without hesitation.
Roya searched the tavern's storeroom.
Blue Dragonfly was not found!
He then remembered the series of things the woman had said...
"Damn it, looks like that woman wasn't lying to me. Oliver sold me out, and the recruiting office is after me!"
He turned and left.
A tall, stout middle-aged man with a mustache blocked his way at the door.
Red bow tie, white shirt, black vest, the buttons on his abdomen almost popped open.
It was Oliver, the owner of the Steamer Tavern.
Despite his greasy face and overweight physique, Oliver was a highly skilled mechanic in his youth.
At this moment, on the eastern cliff of the Distillery Tavern, the five-meter-tall flagship armor "Death Barrel," assembled by Oliver himself, stands majestically, intimidating the bustling port.
Behind Oliver followed a tall, strong servant armed with a bayonet and musket, creating a very intimidating presence.
"Roya, what are you looking for?"
Because of the replacement of his lungs with steam-powered mechanical lungs, Oliver's breath had a pungent smell of phlogiston mixed with engine oil.
Luo Ya made up a reason on the spot:
"I'm missing a tortoise shell crankshaft piece, and luckily, there are some crocodile bone pieces of similar hardness in the Blue Dragonfly's storage compartment... Mr. Oliver, have you seen my ornithopter? I can't find it!"
Oliver frowned, waved his hand, glanced at his pocket watch, and urged:
"Forget about work for now, go change your clothes. You have some important guests to see in fifteen minutes."
Royal thus concluded that Oliver's lack of opposition to his ambiguous relationship with Cynthia was merely a capitalist incentive.
"Okay, I'll go change right away!"
Luo Ya quickly returned to his room.
Pack your valuables.
Pack your bags.
Then, they quietly left the tavern through the back door.
In the blink of an eye, the steam armored figure lying in ambush by the door reached out and grabbed his shoulders, lifting his entire body into the air!
Luo Ya's feet left the ground, and he was unable to move.
The instant his shoulders were gripped by the armored iron hand, his thoughts spread throughout the entire armor.
It was Cynthia's bodyguard armor, assembled by Roya himself a year ago—
A strong gentleman.
A familiar yet indifferent female voice came from inside the cockpit.
"Roya, are you really going to leave me so cruelly?"