Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 993

993. The Madman with Clear Eyes (18)

Although the scent wasn’t exactly the same as the petroleum fuels Xiang was familiar with in his past life, they still managed to create petroleum fuels with decent firepower and convenience.

“Well, considering that the fuels I know have been continuously improved for over 100 years, it’s a natural result.”

Concluding this, Xiang registered ‘Petroleum Refining’ in the Challenge Log. The result given by the judging committee, which included Xiang, was ‘Relentless Effort, Tier 3’.

* * *

With the problem of ‘fuel that has more firepower but is more efficient than coal’ solved, Da Vinci’s new aircraft production gained momentum.

“It is complete!”

“Really? Let’s take a look.”

Having received the report and rushed to the Han River, Xiang nodded after seeing the prototype.

“It looks decent. Good work.”

“Your Majesty is too kind!”

After praising Da Vinci, Gong Yejang, and the artisans for their hard work, he began to examine the prototype’s structure in more detail. Above the large oil tank was a heating device that applied the structure of a brazier. The firepower was adjusted using the wick of the heating device, controlling the output of the engine.

Above the engine was a skeleton that served as the fuselage’s spine, and a drive shaft extended along that skeleton. Two boxes were connected to the drive shaft. One contained gears that transmitted power to the windmills responsible for vertical ascent and descent, and the other contained gears that transmitted power to the windmill responsible for propulsion. The boxes, filled with large and small gears, were filled with lubricant derived from petroleum refining.

“Hmm… so far, so good.”

Nodding in satisfaction, Xiang examined the cockpit and smiled wryly.

“As expected…”

The cockpit was filled with various control sticks and pedals. First, there was a control stick responsible for the aircraft’s vertical ascent and descent. And this, of course, was responsible for controlling the output of the power engine. Next, there was a control stick responsible for moving the aircraft’s nose up and down and tilting the fuselage left and right.

And below that, there was a pair of pedals responsible for turning the nose left and right. To the left and right of that pair of pedals were cutoff pedals – clutches – that cut off power to the windmills.

‘I’m reminded of a line from an animation I saw in the 21st century. A line complaining about how there are dozens of pedals and levers; how am I supposed to handle all this?’

“Hoo~.”

After examining the cockpit, Xiang sighed and turned to look at Da Vinci and Gong Yejang.

“It seems like you’d need at least four or five limbs to control it properly.”

“That part will have to be compensated for with training. So today, we will only confirm whether it rises properly.”

“Really? Do as you wish.”

“Yes! Everyone!”

“Yes!”

In the following test, the aircraft rose vertically. However, even with the engine’s output maximized, it could not rise more than three *jangs* [approximately 10 meters, an old Korean unit of measurement] and had to come down again. After the experiment, Da Vinci, Gong Yejang, and the artisans bowed their heads to Xiang.

“Our skills are insufficient, and we have shown you such unsatisfactory results. We are deeply sorry. Please forgive us.”

As Da Vinci, Gong Yejang, and the artisans asked for forgiveness, Xiang smiled and replied.

“It’s alright. You can’t expect to be full on the first bite, can you? And didn’t it rise properly and land safely? I think that alone is a great achievement. You’ve worked hard. I can’t help but admire your efforts.”

Moved by Xiang’s praise, Da Vinci, Gong Yejang, and the artisans all prostrated themselves on the sandy beach and shouted.

“Your Majesty is too kind!”

* * *

Xiang’s assessment was not an overestimation. The successes in various experiments related to flight had mostly been related to airships. The only success related to aircraft was the human-powered aircraft that Xiang had attempted on the Han River. And every time this was mentioned, Xiang would smile wryly and mutter.

“It was strange that it succeeded in the first place…”

They had selected the smallest soldier to handle the controls and chosen the soldier with the strongest leg strength and endurance to step on the pedals that turned the windmills. On top of that, they had put a person on a machine that was made with almost no regard for durability and safety.

Therefore, this experiment was enough to be considered a monumental success. Having regained courage from Xiang’s praise, Da Vinci, Gong Yejang, and the artisans began to analyze what the problems were again.

“The power engine is the problem after all.”

“It’s lighter than a steam engine, but its output is also weaker.”

Considering that the performance of the power engine was insufficient, Gong Yejang and the artisans devoted themselves to improving this part. They were not the only ones. Many of the scholars who were studying thermodynamics at the research institute also participated in this work.

“I feel like I can gain a lot of knowledge about thermodynamics by working with them!”

“They are people with different perspectives from us. They can fill in what we have missed!”

With this concentration of manpower, the Stirling engine steadily began to improve in performance. However, the level of performance that Da Vinci and the others desired still seemed distant. And the complex control method, another headache, did not easily yield an answer. In the end, Xiang also registered this problem in the Challenge Log.

“The power engine’s grade is Relentless Effort, Tier 2.”

And when this was posted on the bulletin board, many people’s eyes began to shine.

“Wasn’t the petroleum refining last time also registered because of Da Vinci’s aircraft?”

“Da Vinci’s aircraft was a gold mine!”

“Petroleum and power engine are Relentless Effort, and the control method is a Struggle… sounds promising?”

“If it’s just a Struggle… should I give it a try?”

“If it’s a Struggle, the competition will be fierce. Relentless Effort is better. Then it would be good to research the petroleum side.”

Many people began to engage in fierce strategic maneuvering.

* * *

Among the officials of the research institute and Area 51, there were many who had a desire for fame, or rather, a desire for success. And among them, the grade of the Challenge Log became another criterion. In the case of Struggle, which can be said to be the lowest grade, one can achieve their goal if they work hard alone.

However, the competition is fierce. In the case of Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountain, the highest grade, one can leave their name just by grasping the concept. However, even grasping that concept is difficult. Therefore, the most manageable thing in reality was the Relentless Effort grade.

Even though it is said to be manageable, it was by no means an easy grade, as the additional explanation that ‘you have to stick to it for at least three generations’ says. However, if you work hard like you are clinging to Struggle, there was a high possibility that you could grasp the concept. If that happens, you would proudly leave your name in the Response Log.

“Shouldn’t we leave our name proudly in this world?”

At the research institute, Area 51, Area 52, and various other academies, those full of ambition, regardless of gender, said this and devoted themselves to research. No, it wasn’t just them. There were more than a few who challenged the Challenge Log from outside.

After Xiang’s decision, after several revisions, the Relentless Effort, Tier 3 grade was known to some extent even from the outside. Of course, as the words ‘to some extent’ mean, it was not completely open.

Parts that were deeply related to the military field were prohibited from being opened as much as possible. Nevertheless, the reason why there were many who challenged the Challenge Log was because of what they could gain when they succeeded.

Just leaving your name in the Response Log was something you could boast about for generations. In addition, if you create a technology or device that can be used usefully, you can gain wealth that three generations can live off of. Thanks to this atmosphere, many people throughout the empire devoted themselves to discovery, invention, and research. Even in Shinji, there were cases where natives who came into contact with the empire’s culture and technology immediately devoted themselves to research as soon as they learned the correct pronunciation, the imperial language, and basic studies.

The reason why this was possible was because of the empire’s social atmosphere. While ensuring ‘intellectual property rights’ firmly, even if you register a small invention or discovery as intellectual property, you can be guaranteed rights. If the discovery and invention are even slightly useful, you can gain economic benefits through intellectual property rights.

Therefore, even if they were not affiliated with the research institute, academy, Area 51, or Area 52, there were still people who devoted themselves to research and invention. It was because they were treated not as ‘guys who eat expensive meals and waste their time doing useless things’ but as ‘humans who at least earn their own living’. Because of this, later historians’ evaluations of the empire during this period were largely divided into two.

One was ‘the era of great leaps’, and the other was ‘the era of madness’.

This was because, based on later standards, there were more than a few challenges that were evaluated as ‘this is crazy!’, such as the exploration of the Arctic route.

* * *

Da Vinci’s new aircraft and new power engine continued to show shortcomings, leaving some regrets, but there were those who welcomed this. The most representative place was the Imperial Army, especially the unit that operated self-propelled airships.

“Not having to worry about water or coal is a big deal!”

“Just by not carrying water, we can greatly reduce the weight!”

The biggest problem when operating self-propelled airships was managing water and coal. A power engine that does not require water and petroleum, which has better firepower than coal and requires only a small amount to be carried, and guarantees a longer range of activity if carried with a similar weight, was the best choice for self-propelled airships. Thanks to this, the Imperial Army and the Ministry of National Defense immediately ran to Hyun.

“Please buy us a new power engine! We’re getting dizzy!”

Hyun also thought it was reasonable, so he immediately approved it, and Da Vinci and Gong Yejang’s gang began developing a new power engine to meet the performance required by the Imperial Army. This was not a bad thing for Da Vinci and Gong Yejang’s gang either. They were able to continue researching the new power engine.

“Even though the Supreme Emperor was watching over us, the burden was great, but this is a good opportunity!”

In this way, a self-propelled airship equipped with a new power engine appeared. The self-propelled airship equipped with the new power engine showed even better performance than the existing one.

It was able to go higher and move faster. In particular, not having to carry a large amount of water was a great advantage. As much as the increased space, more soldiers could be carried, which meant that reconnaissance could be done better.

“Wait, wait…”

When the situation becomes like this, there are always those who think of new tricks.

“What if we put fire bombs in the space where we carry water instead of water?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“Wait…”

The Imperial Army officers who came into contact with the new idea carefully considered it and then shone their eyes.

“This might be good?”

The birth of ‘aerial bombing’. And later, when Xiang received a report on this, he unknowingly looked up at the sky and muttered.

“This is not my doing!”