Chapter 765: Surges on the Maritime Frontier

Inside the main hall of the Investigation of Things Institute, the lights blazed as bright as day.

More than ten chief clerks and master craftsmen gathered around the long table, the surface covered with freshly drawn blueprints.

Everyone's gaze fixed on the charcoal stick in Zhu Yuanzhang's hand.

The tip darted swiftly across a sheet of plain silk.

The lines were so precise they seemed not drawn by human hand.

It was the structure of a spear.

Every mortise and tenon, every line of the energy circuit, even the notes on material ratios.

Zhu Yuanzhang's forehead was covered in fine sweat.

He was reconstructing the complete blueprint of the "Energy Resonance Armor-Piercing Spear" from the lingering fragments of information in his mind.

The tip suddenly paused.

A crucial energy node's pattern was blurred.

"Here..."

Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes, brows furrowed.

The image in his mind churned violently; that portion of information had been lost in transmission.

"Your Majesty?"

Liu Ji called softly.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not open his eyes.

His fingers unconsciously tapped the table, the frequency growing faster.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes.

"Bring the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art."

"And the batch of crystal lenses presented as tribute from Fujian last year."

Though they did not understand, they immediately complied.

When the Nine Chapters was spread out and the lenses set up, Zhu Yuanzhang began flipping through it rapidly.

His gaze shifted between the light spots refracted by the crystal and the geometric figures on the Nine Chapters.

His fingers traced in the air.

"Not right..."

"Not this function..."

"Wait——"

His eyes suddenly lit up.

"It's a sine superposition! The frequency modulation must overlay a sine wave onto a triangle wave!"

The charcoal stick fell again.

The missing segment was swiftly filled in, even smoother and more natural than the surrounding lines.

Liu Ji sucked in a breath of cold air.

He could not grasp the specific meaning of those lines.

But he understood the emperor's state at that moment—a near‑intuitive deductive ability surpassing ordinary comprehension.

It was as if that knowledge had always lain hidden in his mind, merely needing a key.

Two hours later.

The final auxiliary line was drawn.

Zhu Yuanzhang flung aside the charcoal stick; his fingertips trembled slightly from overexertion.

"Take it."

His voice was exhausted, yet carried an unquestionable resolve.

"Follow this and first produce ten prototypes."

"Within fifteen days, I want to see the finished product."

The chief clerks treasured the blueprints as if they were priceless jewels, carefully lifting them and withdrawing with bowed bodies.

Only Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Ji remained in the hall.

"Your Majesty..."

Liu Ji wanted to speak but hesitated.

"I know what you want to ask."

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"That knowledge indeed came from the light screen over there."

"But in my mind they are like… like seeds buried there long ago, only now sprouting."

He opened his eyes and looked toward Liu Ji.

"Bo Wen, do you believe in the Mandate of Heaven?"

Liu Ji pondered for a moment.

"I trust in human affairs and also in the currents of time. What Your Majesty has obtained may be a sliver of vitality granted by heaven and earth now that the times have come."

"A sliver of vitality..."

Zhu Yuanzhang repeated it softly.

He rose and walked to the huge sea map at the side of the hall.

On it, the coastline of the Great Ming wound long and sinuous.

Further east and south lay vast blanks and rough annotations.

The land route has been blocked by the Qing.

But the sea route remains.

His finger pointed to a spot on the map.

"Quanzhou."

"In three days, I will personally inspect Quanzhou Port."

Liu Ji was startled.

"Your Majesty! The sea winds and waves are perilous, and lately there have been repeated reports of strange events along the Fujian-Zhejiang coast; fishermen claim to have seen huge shadows in the sea, and ships sink without cause——"

"That's precisely why we must go."

Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted him.

"If the Yuneng Pollution spreads to the sea, the Great Ming will truly become a turtle in a jar."

His finger pressed heavily on the sea chart.

"If the land route is blocked, we take the sea route."

"Go find resources. Find rare iron ore. Find…… allies who can still fight side by side."

"Issue the decree: appoint Tang He as Governor of Fujian Navy, to gather all ships capable of long voyages—Fujian and Guangdong vessels—within three days."

"Issue another decree to the Ministry of Works: dismantle the steam engine on Longquan Mountain and install it on my imperial vessel."

Liu Ji's pupils contracted sharply.

"Your Majesty! That is the sole prototype machine of the Investigation of Things Institute; if something happens at sea——"

"There is no 'if'."

Zhu Yuanzhang turned, candlelight flickering in his eyes.

"Either we bring the new machinery to forge a path of survival."

"Or we cling to the machinery and starve to death on this land."

"Which do you choose?"

Seven days later, Quanzhou Port.

The sea wind brought a salty fishy smell that hit the face.

In the harbor, over thirty warships of various sizes had already gathered.

The largest treasure ship, "Zhenhai," was undergoing final refitting.

Half of the original rudder house at the stern had been torn away, revealing a huge compartment not yet fully sealed.

Inside, the "Hongwu Model Steam Engine" transported from Longquan Mountain was being carefully secured by artisans.

The bronze boiler gleamed with a dim luster in the sunlight.

"Your Majesty, really use this thing at sea?"

Tang He looked worried.

He pointed to the complex pipes and valves.

"This thing often leaks and bursts on land; at sea, the waves will toss it——"

"That's why we need the navy's finest artisans to come along."

Zhu Yuanzhang boarded the gangway, reaching out to touch the still-warm boiler casing.

"Land-based machinery is for land warfare."

"Sea-based machinery is for the sea route."

"They are the same."

He gazed toward the distant horizon.

The sky was deep blue, cloudless.

But for some reason, he felt that beneath that blue lay another kind of shadow.

"When will it be finished?"

"At the latest, tomorrow noon."

"Good."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

"Departure set for tomorrow at 1:30 PM sharp."

He paused.

"Has the route been decided?"

"Per His Majesty's order, first head east to seek the Liuqiu Islands, then turn south, pass Luzon, and explore the Java area."

Tang He unfolded the sea chart.

"According to past years' maritime merchants' records, this should have been a peaceful sea route, but in the past three months, seven merchant ships have failed to return on schedule."

His finger pointed to several locations.

"All are where contact was lost in these sea areas."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at those points.

They connected into a vague, winding line.

It seemed as if something was swimming along the route.

"Issue orders to all ships."

He withdrew his gaze.

"All sailors and soldiers receive double rations and drinking water."

"Gunpowder, arrows, and fire oil are to be increased by thirty percent according to wartime standards."

And also…

He recalled those fragmented warning messages in his mind.

……Weak point……cycle……possibly penetrating……

The weak point at sea?

He dared not be certain.

But we must prepare.

Let the Investigation of Things Institute load all ten prototype 'Armor-Piercing Spears' onto the Calm Sea.

Also assign twenty veterans from the 'Pure Dust Battalion' to accompany the ship.

Tang He solemnly obeyed the command.

I obey your command!

The next day at noon.

The Calm Sea's boiler roared.

Black smoke billowed from the newly erected funnel, mingling with the sea breeze.

Steam drove the massive paddlewheels on both sides, beginning to turn slowly.

The treasure ship cut through the calm sea and sailed out of the harbor.

The remaining battle sails were raised one after another, following closely behind.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood at the bow, the sea wind billowing his robes.

He looked back at the receding coastline, at the land he had conquered with his own hands, now facing dire straits.

Then he turned, facing the endless blue.

The fleet's wake stretched behind it as a white line.

As if a blade trying to pierce the unknown.

The first day and night passed uneventfully.

It was even overly calm.

The sea surface was smooth as a mirror, even the usual flying fish were scarce.

The second day at dusk.

The lookout on the watchtower suddenly sounded a sharp alarm.

Port! Three o'clock! Something's there!

Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed the spyglass.

In the eyepiece, on the distant sea surface, a strange, eerily glowing blue foam appeared.

That glow was spreading.

As if something beneath the water… was breathing.

Slow down.

He lowered the spyglass.

All guns, ready!

Pure Dust Battalion, to the deck!

The orders had just been passed down.

The seawater in that glowing area suddenly surged violently.

A huge black back covered in lump-like protrusions broke the surface.

The waves it whipped up caused the entire Calm Sea to shake violently.

It showed its back only briefly before sinking again.

But everyone saw it clearly——

That was certainly no whale.

Its back was covered in overlapping bone plates that looked as if forged together.

Between the plates, a bluish light pulsed like a heartbeat.

It's a monster!

A sailor cried out in shock.

Tang He's face turned pale.

Your Majesty, the size of this thing……

Before his words could finish.

On the fleet's right flank, a smaller scout ship suddenly emitted a tremendous cracking of timber.

A massive tentacle covered in suckers, ending in bone blades, burst from the water and coiled around the entire ship.

The tentacle tightened.

The hull groaned under the strain.

Then it was forcibly dragged underwater.

Not even a distress call could be sent out.

On the sea surface only rolling foam remained, along with rapidly spreading oil and debris.

Silence.

All sailors on the ships froze in place.

Zhu Yuanzhang's hand rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

He looked at the ten armor-piercing spears bound to the base of the mast.

He again looked at the huge, faintly visible dark-blue shadow beneath the sea surface.

「Give the order——」

His voice rang out clearly in the sea wind.

「Maintain course。」

「Continue eastward。」

「They dare to surface……」

He drew his sword, the blade pointing straight at the deep sea.

「We'll just use the new spears to punch a hole in them。」