Chapter 663: Technology Research Lab

The next morning.

It was the weightlifting competition.

The same procedure, with athletes entering the arena one by one.

Overnight.

The blind man Zhang Sheng and the girl Li Qingqing had become heroes of the entire Longyan; wherever they went, one could hear people shouting and cheering for them at the top of their lungs.

What is a hero?

This is a hero!

At a time when Longyan's majesty was slowly fading and being challenged by others, they were the ones who stood up and reclaimed the glory that belonged to them. If this isn't a hero, what is? At this moment, does it even matter if a hero is male or female? It seemed that overnight, people's prejudices against women had also vanished completely.

Gender no longer mattered.

They were heroes!

Today was weightlifting.

For this event, the Grassland Royal Court was determined to win. After all, they were naturally built for it.

Boundless strength.

This was the most direct impression the Grassland barbarians gave people. Those tall and burly men were enough to make one feel intimidated.

But it didn't matter...

Longyan already had five Gold Medals.

If they lost at weightlifting, so what?

Isn't it just one medal?

We are magnanimous; we'll let them have it!

Participation is what counts!

Love and peace!

Friendship first, competition second!

The slogans of the Longyan spectators had changed again.

After all...

This Longyan man of ours, if compared to other Longyan people, might be a bit sturdier. But compared to those Grassland barbarians, he appeared somewhat "frail." Strongmen had always come from the Grassland.

Some had even started to question it.

Who in the world didn't know that the Prefect Liu had a bodyguard with innate divine strength by his side?

Why didn't he let Pei Qianyun compete?

If he competed, Longyan would surely win!

"Hahahaha, is there no one left in your Longyan? You sent such a little shrimp?"

Batu was a famous strongman from the Grassland, standing a full two point two meters tall and weighing two hundred and fifty jin! What was even more shocking was that he seemed to have no excess fat on his body; it was all muscle! That was the truly terrifying part! Standing there, he looked like a small mountain. Compared to him, the athletes from other delegations looked like mere children.

A little shrimp?

The Longyan man frowned slightly.

He also felt the intimidation coming from Batu.

Very strong, very sturdy.

The man was named Wang Deming, a standard farmhand.

He spent every day struggling for a living. After finishing his farm work, he would go to the Shichang to earn money. Before this, he thought that his life would just be like this forever. If he could eat his fill, what more could he ask for?

But.

After seeing Zhang Sheng and Li Qingqing become Longyan heroes within a single day yesterday, his mind began to stir.

So, having great strength was also an advantage?

So, people still had such opportunities to get ahead?

Today, he was holding his breath.

The pressure was immense.

But he was fearless.

Having nothing to begin with, what was there to fear losing?

"The competition begins!"

The referee gave the order.

Today, the one competing for the Li Dynasty was still Li Zheng.

"General Li!"

"Go for it!"

"Stand up!"

Li Zheng looked full of confidence. Good heavens, he must have had an upset stomach yesterday! But today was different; the doctor had prescribed him some medicine yesterday, and he was better!

Although he didn't have the overwhelming power of the Grassland strongmen.

He was at least better than those short Wa people, right?

"Princess, rest assured, Li Zheng will at least bring you back a Silver Medal!"

The Li Dynasty had been completely wiped out yesterday.

Today, Li Zheng was full of confidence.

For the weightlifting event, according to Liu Zheng's design, they tried to restore the barbells of his past life as much as possible. At this moment, over a dozen barbells were placed in front of the athletes. There were some over a hundred jin, some two hundred jin, some over two hundred jin, some three hundred jin...

With so many barbells, anyone could choose.

Li Zheng laughed heartily and walked straight up to a barbell weighing over two hundred jin.

Just this?

A small matter!

A confident smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He stretched his muscles and bones.

"Go for it!"

"Do it!"

"Young man, do it!"

The entire audience also offered their well-wishes.

Li Xuanya clenched her fists, watching nervously.

He bent over and grabbed the bar with both hands.

"Hahahaha!"

Liu Zheng first weighed it, feeling the difficulty was not very high and it should be quite easy.

"Up!"

He let out an angry shout, wanting to amaze everyone with a single feat.

However.

"Pfft..."

The noisy crowd fell silent instantly.

Li Zheng's movements came to a sudden halt.

Then... his complexion slowly turned black.

At this time.

Liangshan, Wangbei Academy.

A technology research and development workshop that left people baffled had already been erected.

This uniquely styled building attracted the attention of quite a few students at the Academy.

It was not a wooden structure.

It was built purely of stone.

There was no other reason.

After Mo Chen and Hu Xi'er were blown up several times... they studied over and over again how thick a wall needed to be to reach a certain level of explosion resistance... yes, they were experimenting with their lives!

Finally.

Under Liu Zheng's suggestion, steel bars were added to the Concrete.

This research building was thus constructed.

The talents brought by Rhodes were not recognized by Wangbei Academy at first. However, as they exchanged ideas, Mo Chen began to get excited. These people were all treasures! The knowledge they brought from the West regarding mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry made him feel as if a new world had been opened to him.

These days, they had already discussed and come up with a trial plan for gunpowder, ballistics, and ignition methods.

Additionally...

They had already begun to explore the aspect of source power.

Mo Chen had a premonition.

When all of this became mature.

They would usher in a new era.

His shackles had been broken.

All along, he had been thinking about how to more cleverly utilize those powers, rather than looking for a source power.

Now.

The direction had changed.

Today.

He received a message via carrier pigeon from Jinghua.

Only two words were written on it.

Coal.

Coal can be used to burn for heat; this has existed since ancient times.

But can coal... become a source power?

Mo Chen felt that the Young Master would not aimlessly shoot an arrow. This was a subject, a very big subject, a subject that could overturn the era.

He decided to launch research and exploration into this subject.

"Coal?"

Beside the Longyun Games arena.

Prince Yong was stunned upon hearing Liu Zheng's question.

At this moment.

A burst of laughter erupted in the arena.

That Li Zheng had failed again...

The whole crowd was laughing.

Is he going to keep failing from start to finish?

Fortunately...

Li Zheng, who had been bearing the burden of humiliation, this time risked the foul stench all over his body to lift this barbell up.

He wept.

The people of the Li Dynasty also wept, shouting and crying.

It is too difficult!

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Yes, coal. We need a massive amount of coal!"

The Prince of Yong nodded: "There are a few mine merchants in Jinghua..."

"Not enough, far from enough!"

Unexpectedly, Liu Zheng shook his head.

"What?"

The Prince of Yong was startled; was the coal supply of the entire Longyan not enough?

What was this Liu Zheng trying to pull again?

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Are you familiar with the Prince of Jin's side?"

If you are going to play.

Then play big.

He knew that for the next few hundred years, coal would be the most important resource, without even one exception!

"The Prince of Jin?"

The Prince of Yong's expression sank.

Liu Zheng nodded and smiled: "This matter is very important; it concerns the grand strategy for Liaodong and whether it will succeed or not."

The Prince of Yong looked grave: "Then leave this matter to Mandarin!"

"Good!"

Liu Zheng was overjoyed.

As for this Prince of Yong, as long as he made a promise, he could generally get it done.

At this moment.

Cheers erupted in the arena once again, and the two of them looked over in unison.