Chapter 248: Magic Crystal Chariot!

【*Tianzai OL* System Announcement: Magic Crystal Chariot Testers Wanted!】

—Offer your souls to the Demon King! Hehehe! —

Respected *Tianzai OL* Warriors:

The Black Wind Castle Military Factory is now recruiting a group of fearless, death-defying, and uniquely gifted warriors to participate in the latest military equipment research and development test!

Test Project: Magic Crystal Chariot (Codename: "Hell's Flame!")

Test content includes but is not limited to:

Speed Test—See if it can outrun wild monsters (maybe you're the one running).

Firepower Test—Stand beside it or inside it, and personally feel the shocking power of the chariot's artillery! (Fire control system close-range observer)

Defense Test—You are undead, and the tank is a heavy-duty unit, let's see who is harder! (Front armor and bumper tester)

Extreme Driving Challenge—This chariot is powered by magic crystals and driven by steam power, capable of sharp turns, climbing, crushing, and disintegrating on the spot... Are you ready to become the soul of the tank?

Warriors participating in the test will receive:

Early access to the newly opened Black Wind Castle map!

"Skeleton Repair Service" provided by the Military Industry Department! (Accidental fractures are not counted as work-related injuries)

Free driving of the magic crystal chariot! Experience unprecedented battlefield mobility!

Exclusive title from the Ministry of War—"Hell Test Driver"! Make your tombstone more unique!

Important Note: Due to the high-risk operations involved in the test content, testers may experience small-probability events such as vehicle destruction, soul detachment, and being sent back to the resurrection point by artillery shells. This military factory is a small business, only reimbursing resurrection expenses, please evaluate the participation risk yourself!

Recruitment Target: Skeleton Players

Registration Method: Find NPC Ouke or Ouke's assistant at the Great Cemetery's Ouke Magic Workshop to register, and go to the teleportation array to wait in line patiently.

Open Quota: 50 people, first come, first served! (The actual death rate is relatively high, and replacement quotas will be notified separately!)

Let us jointly create a new era of Black Wind Castle warfare! The war mode of Hell will be rewritten by the Great Cemetery!

—Demon King Luo Yan

The *Tianzai OL* official website forum, once the new system announcement was released, immediately aroused widespread discussion among players.

Tianzai Iron Man: "Holy shit! Tank! It's finally here! Hell Industrial Revolution, brothers!"

Speed Ash: "Wait... why do I feel like we're cannon fodder?"

King of Rice: "When did you get the illusion that you weren't cannon fodder? (Funny)"

Hearse Drifting: "Don't hesitate! I haven't caught up with such good things a few times, I'm going to be the first to rush! Leave the driver's seat for me!"

Tianzai Old Driver: "Do the dog planners dare to make a PvP mode, let us tank vs tank? Try Hell armor collision? (Color) (Color)"

Gou Shi: "Demon King: No, the chariot is more expensive than you, build a bumper car yourself if you want to play. (Funny)"

Beast Senior: "Slip away, slip away, I'll continue to fiddle with my flowers and plants."

Dream of Osteoporosis: "I've only been on the battlefield for a few days, and I died so much my mom wouldn't recognize me... Damn it, sign up first."

Let me ask you: "Is this sentence you said in Chinese?"

"..."

【Current number of registrations: 1999】

Although the event itself was full of slots, the players of the Great Cemetery still signed up enthusiastically.

After all, it's a game, fun and playability are the most important things, and the bone-ash party is a minority after all.

The final result was exactly as Luo Yan expected, he didn't need to throw too much bait to catch enough fish.

Even because the number of registrations far exceeded expectations, the Black Wind Castle magic crystal cannon factory had to temporarily expand recruitment, so that "more skeleton players have the opportunity to experience brand new ways of dying."

At the same time, the players of the Great Cemetery were not all playing the role of testers, and a considerable number of excellent life-profession players also participated in this wave that was about to rewrite the war mode of the game world as designers.

For example, the "I Think Group" in Tieya City.

Receiving the "Hidden Exclusive Task," Brother Kou had long ago led a group of mole people younger brothers to enter the magic crystal cannon factory and exchange and learn with the local gnome engineers about a series of technologies including underworld scripts.

For the amazing technical power of the Great Cemetery and all kinds of whimsical brain holes, the gnome masters of the magic crystal cannon factory were shocked and shocked.

Especially the factory manager Kunbu of the magic crystal cannon factory, the word "unbelievable" almost never left his mouth.

Looking at the mole people who were holding blueprints and gesturing with their fingers, he finally couldn't help but ask.

"Are you really mole people in the labyrinth?! I mean... were you born in the labyrinth?"

Several mole people looked at each other and shouted.

"You are the one born in the labyrinth!"

"That's right! You are the thing in the labyrinth!"

Looking at the little guys who were really angry, Kunbu waved his hands and explained.

"I, I don't look down on the labyrinth, I just... am very surprised what you did before."

One of the mole people jumped out, puffed out his chest, and his raised thumb pointed at his nose.

"I used to work for hell dwarfs!"

"..."

Kunbu looked at him blankly, and it took a long time to squeeze out a sentence.

"I have also been to the territory of hell dwarfs, why didn't I see them have these amazing things?"

Dwarfs do have something called a magic stone gun, but that thing's power is no different from a musket, the magic crystal cannon of the Great Cemetery is not like that at all.

The former releases magic power, while the latter repeatedly pressurizes magic power in a limited space and then shoots it out several kilometers away to detonate... whether it is power or range, they are not in the same breath!

And the more basic level of technology goes without saying, those underworld scripts are like heavenly books to him, while these little mice use them freely.

Looking at the confused gnome, those mole people engineers from Tieya City said proudly.

"Those dwarfs certainly don't have them!"

"Are those drunkard thieves worthy of comparing with us?!"

"That's right! Those dwarfs can't compare to a leg hair of our Demon King's claws!"

The hell dwarf craftsmen next to them heard and glared at them fiercely, hating their teeth but not daring to say anything.

Not to mention that the real technology is in their hands, these guys are servants brought by the Demon King himself, which is different from the goblin laborers in Black Wind Castle!

Kunbu looked at the skeletons on the side blankly, and looked at their legs.

There was a little moss, but not a single hair was seen...

Days passed, and after the unremitting efforts of the players and countless explosion experiments by hell dwarf craftsmen and gnome engineers, the first magic crystal chariot of Black Wind Castle finally came out two months after the hearing was held.

This chariot was covered with black and shiny steel armor, and the wide tracks crushed the workshop floor, making a heart-shaking "click."

This guy is like a hell behemoth that has slept for a hundred years, and the trembling steam engine makes a hoarse low roar! And on that majestic and strict steel armor, a huge magic crystal cannon stands tall, and the muzzle faintly exudes a cold light, just like a beast ready to go!

Luo Yan was quite satisfied with this thing.

In fact, with the technical power of Tieya City, this thing could be made more perfect, such as the power system also using underworld scripts, eliminating the heavy steam engine.

After all, war weapons don't need to consider economic factors, practicality is the first priority, and using magic crystals instead of coal is completely acceptable.

However, Luo Yan didn't need to take out all the good things at once, toothpaste can be squeezed slowly.

Looking at the steel monster parked in the warehouse, a group of free testers discussed excitedly.

"Holy shit... Brother Kou really built this thing?!"

"This is too criminal!"

"Criminal my ass! Isn't this thing a piece of junk? The armor is still made by riveting, it's a joke to really go to the battlefield!"

"You compare with modern tanks?!"

"It's okay, brother, not blowing or blacking, I think it's better than the Mark I!"

"Nonsense! You put a magic energy cannon on the Mark I, undead crew members, I think it can touch modern tanks!"

"You are right, but the Leman Russ tank is a main battle tank independently developed and equipped by the Terra Empire, and it played an important role in the Great Crusade..."

"Holy shit, what are you talking about?! This is just a game! Is it so tiring to live?"

The chattering discussion soon ran off the topic, but the players' excited mood was not fake.

In order to cooperate with the Demon King's factory to produce this thing, they resurrected twice on average!

On every piece of wreckage piled up in the factory, a past of blood and rain remained.

Players watched excitedly at the workshop door, everyone rubbed their hands, eager to try, ready to compete for the honor of the first driver.

However, Luo Yan, standing in front of the chariot, just swept them lightly, and then patted the gnome factory manager Kunbu on the shoulder lightly.

"The selection of test drivers is arranged by you."

"Ah? Okay, okay..."

Gnome factory manager Kunbu wiped the sweat on his forehead, nodded repeatedly, and then gathered several most capable gnome engineers, holding the determination to die, and drilled into the narrow and closed vehicle body.

No

This thing had left too deep an impression on them.

Even if the last few experiments hadn't gone wrong, no one could guarantee the next one would be just as lucky.

Although the goblin engineers were trembling with fear, Luo Yan had no intention of changing his mind.

It was precisely because the "Hellfire" had so many problems that he couldn't let the players try it.

This tank had to participate in the hearing's inspection in a while, and he didn't want it to fail at a critical moment.

Seeing their chance to show off fly away, the players waiting around immediately grew anxious.

Such a key plot point was actually being handed to an NPC?

Does the damn developer even know how to make a game!

"Lord Demon King, I put my life into developing this! If it's going to the Demon Capital to show off, you have to let me go!"

"This isn't fair! I gloriously sacrificed myself 27 times! I even invented the 'Battlefield Repairman' class in the game!"

"Lord Demon King, please let me burn for you once more!"

"Big Daddy!!! Please carry me!"

Luo Yan looked at the resentful players, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. His calm voice was gentle yet brooked no argument, just like an NPC who couldn't understand human speech.

"You have all done very well."

He gently raised his hand, a ripple of magic power flickered in the air, and the crystal ball held in his hand lit up.

"As a reward, you may witness this revolutionary military equipment test firsthand in your soul state."

As his voice fell, he gave Hearing You You, who was nearby, a look—he knew that guy must be watching the show from the sidelines.

Sure enough.

In just one second, the players around him saw darkness, and in the blink of an eye, their souls had left their bodies, becoming ghosts floating inside the crystal ball.

"Damn! He can even arrange this?"

"I'm a ball now? How come I don't even have a chat channel anymore?!"

"Wait, you had a chat channel before? Are we playing the same game?"

"He's lying to you, idiot."

"@#%$!"

"Calm down! At least this time we weren't blown into balls, but were invited in!"

The noisy voices were gathered into Luo Yan's embrace, and the skeletons stood frozen in place, just like sculptures.

Luo Yan looked at Kunbu beside him and gave an order.

"Settle my servants' bodies."

"Yes, yes!" Kunbu nodded repeatedly, fearing he would end up like those goblin engineers—stuffed into the belly of that man-eating iron beast.

Luo Yan nodded, then picked up a communication stone capable of short-range transmission. "Set off!"

The tank's engine roared, and the short, thick chimney spewed steam.

Accompanied by a tremor that shook the earth, the load-bearing wheels wrapped in tracks slowly turned, pushing the steel behemoth toward the wilderness outside Black Wind Fort, heading toward the testing ground ten kilometers away...

At the same time, on the other side, at the testing ground in the suburbs of the Demon Capital, the gray dome was as gloomy as if covered by a layer of dark clouds.

Officers from the Ministry of War and bureaucrats from the Ministry of Logistics had long been waiting at the testing ground. They stood on the circular observation deck, overlooking the tactical drill area paved with obsidian in the center.

In the distance, a team of demon soldiers was adjusting magic observation mirrors, while the scribes responsible for recording test data were flipping through documents, waiting for today's protagonist to appear.

As the supervisor designated by the Council, Councilor Atlan Hefis stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the distance, faint firelight burning in his deep pupils.

Suddenly, a spark jumped on his brow, and a hint of interest rose in his eyes.

Although the magic crystal tank about to be inspected had not yet arrived, as a Diamond-tier Flame Demon, he had already faintly sensed a massive power approaching.

And not far behind Councilor Atlan, Staff Officer Salman of the Ministry of War was also filled with irrepressible excitement. His hands were crossed over his chest, and his eyes scanned the surroundings from time to time.

!

Unlike the two who were full of anticipation, the expression of Hakes, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Logistics, was much stiffer.

His eyes flickered, and his fingers rubbed against each other inside his cuffs, as if he were nervously plotting something.

Just then, the low roar finally came from afar, carrying rolling dust as it sped from the horizon.

Upon seeing the dust rolling on the distant horizon, Salman widened his eyes in an instant, quickly raised the monocular telescope in his hand, and then called out in surprise.

"It's here!"

Just as his voice fell, the steel behemoth driving from the direction of Black Wind Fort finally came into everyone's view.

That was the magic crystal tank newly developed by Black Wind Fort!

Its towering body was like a fortress cast in steel, its thick tracks crushing the rocks along the way, carrying an oppressive sense of power, trampling the shattered soil with feet cast in steel.

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, this massive tank finally drove slowly into the testing ground, showing the bureaucrats of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Logistics the crystallization of Necropolis runic technology and steam power technology!

"... He actually managed to build it." Staff Officer Salman, standing next to Councilor Atlan, muttered to himself, the excitement on his face growing more intense.

Especially when he saw that massive muzzle!

A huge magic crystal cannon was embedded in the top of that steel fortress, pointing far into the distance!

Everything was just as Luo Yan had claimed—he had given the magic crystal cannon mobility and defense that did not lose to Abyss War Beasts!

He really did it!

Standing behind Salman, several technical bureaucrats from the Ministry of War whispered to each other, exchanging the astonishment in their eyes.

What surprised them wasn't entirely the caliber of the magic crystal cannon or its towering steel body; what they found most incredible was actually its method of movement!

Those "rolling iron plates and wheels" seemed to have no magic array assistance, and there was no magic beast pulling the massive vehicle body in front!

This thing seemed to be pushing forward entirely by its own driving force!

Some demons who understood human society quickly recognized the steam spewing from that chimney... this thing was the steam engine common in surface human society.

However, the puzzling part lay exactly there.

In their impression, this thing had always been used on ships!

This was the first time they had seen a "chimney" running on the ground!

The "Hellfire" magic crystal tank stopped steadily on the open space of the training ground.

Luo Yan jumped down from the armor and walked leisurely to the side of the observation deck.

Looking at the officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Logistics gathered here, he said with a smile.

"I was delayed on the road for a while, I hope I haven't kept you all waiting."

Unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, Salman couldn't help but leave the observation deck, stepped forward quickly, and stared fixedly at the tracks under the tank, asking.

"What is the principle behind this?! Why can a few pieces of steel... move such heavy armor?!"

"This is the war equipment I described to you." Luo Yan smiled slightly, his gaze calm. "Its power is provided by coal, and its maximum speed can reach 10 kilometers per hour. Although it cannot compare to a fine horse, it already possesses autonomous mobility and can move forward on muddy, rugged ground, just as I demonstrated earlier."

Generally speaking, he didn't recommend driving a tank across the wilderness; the correct way to use this thing was to tow it to the scene before deploying it.

But since it was an inspection for a hearing, he naturally said what sounded good and ignored the drawbacks.

Councilor Atlan pondered for a moment, nodded gently, and commented with interest.

"Making the magic crystal cannon move on the battlefield is indeed a pioneering improvement."

According to tests in previous battles, even a Gold-tier powerhouse might not be able to withstand the bombardment of a magic crystal cannon. And that thick steel armor already possessed the ability to defend against a full-force strike from a Gold-tier powerhouse.

This thing still had room for improvement.

For example, putting another layer of magic shield on that steel armor; in this way, it could not only defend against close-range assaults by human knights but also resist the most troublesome joint spellcasting, advancing under the baptism of fireballs from human mages!

Thinking of this, the interest on Councilor Atlan's face grew even stronger, as if he were contemplating how to report this matter to Prince Kelin.

And unlike Councilor Atlan, the face of Hakes, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Logistics, turned ugly.

His fingers trembled slightly, then he tried hard to control his expression, sneering as if nothing had happened.

"Hmph, the mobility and defense seem to be solved, but we still have to see its true firepower..."

"This is exactly what I am about to demonstrate."

Luo Yan turned around with a smile and waved at the magic crystal tank parked in the center of the testing ground.

The goblin engineer in the cockpit saw Luo Yan's instruction through the observation window, quickly restarted the tank, and drove it toward the target range.

Everything was ready, and Luo Yan picked up the communication stone and gave the order cleanly and decisively.

"Fire."

Following his order, the magic crystal tank immediately adjusted the angle of its muzzle, aiming at the array of monster dummies displayed on the target range.

These dummies were made of reinforced magic stones and metal materials, with defense several times higher than ordinary imperial soldiers, specifically used to test the lethality of heavy weapons.

After a short charge, a deep red light brewed in the barrel of the magic crystal cannon, and then it was released with a deafening explosion—

"BOOM!!!"

The magic crystal cannon roared, sharp magic light tore through the air, carrying destructive magic energy as it rushed toward the target!

The air seemed to be torn apart in an instant, the light of the explosion rose on the battlefield, the monster dummy array was instantly shattered into countless fragments, the shockwave shattered the surrounding ground, dust flew, and rolling heat waves rushed toward them... the scene of destruction was just like the Heaven of Saint Xisi.

The officials on the observation deck were silent.

It wasn't that they hadn't seen the power of a magic crystal cannon, but this was the first time they had seen that thick, long barrel fire a precise and fatal shot at such close range!

If this tank appeared on the battlefield, there was no doubt its firepower would be more flexible and fatal than a traditional magic crystal cannon!

It no longer needed a dense formation for protection!

It could even follow the frontline demon infantry, acting as their cover, just like an Abyss War Beast following them as they charged forward!

Salman couldn't help but clench his fists, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement: "If we add a few firing ports to the tank and let the Hell Dwarf musketeers shoot from inside... Demon God above, I can even imagine what kind of terrified expressions our enemies will have!"

Luo Yan smiled upon hearing this and nodded happily.

"Of course, no problem. We can add four firing ports on the sides and install a rotating turret on the roof."

He certainly knew this was gilding the lily, but here, practicality was the least important thing.

Gaining the favor of the Ministry of War was the most important thing.

These demons felt that being strong was enough!

Salman slapped his thigh hard and laughed excitedly.

"Haha! That's great!"

Just then, Hakes finally couldn't hold back. He took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm and rational: "This is indeed a... powerful weapon."

He paused, the corners of his mouth barely curling into a smile, his eyes dodging as he said, "But, with so much steel, the cost must be astronomical, right? The manufacturing cost must be much higher than a magic crystal cannon, right?"

Luo Yan turned to look at him, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, a hint of an elusive smile flashing in his eyes.

"You are right, the manufacturing cost of this magic crystal tank is ten times that of a magic crystal cannon, about ten million Kaira."

A hint of triumph flashed in Hakes's eyes upon hearing this, and he was just about to continue mocking, but Luo Yan added unhurriedly.

"However, all new things go through this process. With the improvement of the production line, the cost will drop significantly."

His voice remained calm, as if stating an indisputable fact.

Facing the bureaucrats of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Logistics present, he continued in a clear voice.

"Gentlemen, what we are facing at this moment is an epoch-making invention! Imagine what kind of expressions human cavalry will have when facing this guy. What we are changing is not just a piece of equipment or a battle—but the entire mode of warfare!"

"Of course, whether to embrace it or not, the choice is in your hands!"

The bureaucrats present exchanged glances and discussed in whispers for a while.

Councilor Atlan pondered for a while, and a smile suddenly bloomed on his face.

"I think you have a point... Prince Kelin should like this thing."

The Prince Kelin he referred to was naturally Caesar Kelin, the master of the Kelin Principality, one of the six-member cabinet, and the Minister of Military Affairs for the Demon God.

The moment Councilor Atlan's voice fell, Salman waved his hand without hesitation and announced in a high-profile manner.

"I have a proposal. I think... the Ministry of War can first purchase sixty tanks and send them to the front line for testing! If there are no problems, we will continue to expand the purchase order!"

As he said this, he looked at Luo Yan, his eyes burning as he continued.

"Afterward, I will propose to the Minister to discuss this at the departmental meeting. I hope you can guarantee a production capacity of at least 10 units per month."

"No problem," Luo Yan nodded happily and said with a smile, "This is not a difficult task for Black Wind Fort."

A long time ago, Mr. Festin had made it clear to him that the cabinet was the true holder of core power in Hell.

As long as Prince Kelin nodded, the internal meeting of the Ministry of War was just a formality.

This Staff Officer Salman was very smart, just as smart as his slippery senior.

Up to now, the Delagon family's attempts had basically suffered a major defeat.

The disastrous defeat at Sardo Port and the inquiry hearing they had painstakingly concocted had not become a stumbling block for Luo Yan, but had instead become a stepping stone for the latter to climb to a higher level.

The Demon King of Lei Ming County had not only beautifully solved the mobility problem of the magic crystal cannon but had also taken this opportunity to win a large order for Black Wind Fort and gained the support of the Minister of Military Affairs.

Although Prince Kelin had not yet expressed his stance, the attitude of Councilor Atlan, who was very close to this vampire prince, already explained a lot.

It wasn't too late to pick a side now, and adding flowers to the brocade was better than nothing...

However, not all demons could turn as quickly as Staff Officer Salman.

For example, Hakes, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Logistics, was currently stiff-faced and couldn't say a word.

He was too deeply tied to the Delagon family; even if he wanted to turn around, it was too late now.

Of course—

There was also a hint of wishful thinking in this.

After all, a lean camel is bigger than a horse; even if the Delagon family lost this round, they could still play another move.

However, this was ultimately just his fantasy.

The officials of the Ministry of War were all talking excitedly, starting to plan the tactical application of the tank, while Hakes stood on the side, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, his eyes gloomy.

Looking at Luo Yan standing next to the observation deck, Councilor Atlan nodded slowly, his gaze filled with obvious appreciation.

"You have once again made the Demon Capital realize that you ruling Black Wind Fort is the most correct choice."

Luo Yan nodded slightly and said in a gentle tone.

"Everything is for His Majesty the Demon God."

At this moment—

In his embrace, the players inside the crystal ball were whispering.

"Damn, as expected of Lord Demon King!"

"This is too shameless!"

(End of chapter)