Exploring Technology in a Wizard World
Chapter 425 - 424 Jack’s Test

Chapter 425: Chapter 424 Jack’s Test

"The technology of ’Composite Armor’ and ’Barricade Armor’ is not that difficult, at least not as difficult as ’Magic Salt.’

Simply put, composite armor is the opposite of homogeneous armor.

Homogeneous armor is made from a single material, such as steel armor, aluminum alloy armor, etc., with respectable defensive power. However, to substantially increase the defense, the only solution is to continuously increase the thickness of the armor.

Composite armor, on the other hand, is made from two or more layers of protective materials with different properties. Due to the differing properties of the protective materials, their physical performance also varies. During the process of an external attack attempting penetration, the different physical properties significantly alter the course of the attack.

When a shell strikes composite armor, it appears to penetrate vertically through the first layer of armor, but upon reaching the second layer, the different hardness may change the penetration angle of the shell, or it might even get stuck between the layers.

Composite armor utilizes this technology to significantly increase its defensive power without increasing the thickness of the armor.

Barricade armor is even simpler; in one sentence, it’s about preemptive defense and detonation.

Barricade armor, typically mounted on tanks, resembles a metal birdcage encasing the outer shell of the tank. This setup cannot defend against powerful attacks—a small hammer could flatten the metal bars. However, it can cause some powerful attacks to detonate prematurely, thus avoiding destruction.

For example, when a rocket is fired at a tank, it must first penetrate the barricade armor before it can strike the tank’s actual armor. Though the barricade armor has extremely weak defense and could indeed be flattened with a small hammer, it must be flattened first to pass through.

Would a rocket be equipped with a hammer to flatten barricade armor?

Obviously not, so to penetrate the barricade armor, the rocket must detonate prematurely.

As a result, the barricade armor may be shattered into pieces, but at least half of the rocket’s destructive power would be wasted into the air, impacting the real armor behind it, which utilizes ’Reaction’ and ’Composite’ technologies, making it virtually impossible to penetrate.

So, how can magic be used to achieve these effects?

According to Richard’s hypothesis, it’s not difficult to achieve.

Composite armor could be made using different non-Newtonian fluids, then flexibly decide the number of armor layers depending on the battle conditions.

Barricade armor could be simulated using Wind Magic, creating an air barrier in front of the reaction shield.

However, being ’not difficult’ doesn’t mean it can be easily accomplished. Whether trying to produce new, qualified non-Newtonian fluids or testing the optimal defensive data for the air barrier, extensive simulation experiments are necessary—without a significant amount of time, there will be no results.

This requires deep research.

Besides, the sixth plan is the improvement and upgrade of the Eden Energy System, which is also the last piece of research Richard wants to pursue so far.

Currently in Eden, the lighting system consists of electric lights, oil lamps, and candles concurrently, mainly due to insufficient electricity. After all, electrical energy currently relies on lead-acid batteries, which Pandora charges using a hand-cranked generator.

Therefore, the source of energy is mechanical, or more specifically, biological energy (energy from Pandora’s body).

Unless Pandora is entirely designed to be a generator, there won’t be significant progress, failing to meet the growing demands in Eden.

In Richard’s view, if possible, creating a steam engine or an internal combustion engine would save some trouble.

However, both steam and internal combustion engines rely on fossil fuels—steam engines burn coal, and internal combustion engines burn petroleum. These resources have not been broadly utilized in the current world, at least not on the East Coast, and they are difficult to locate unless he plans to become a geologist and mine owner himself, spending years prospecting personally for a massive supply.

How should this problem be solved?

Or should the plan to improve and upgrade the Eden Energy System be postponed for now?

Richard felt that this issue required thorough consideration.

...

Richard was busy, constantly busy, thinking and conducting a variety of researches.

Thus, when he emerged from Eden again, a day had already passed.

...

As a new dawn broke, Richard left Eden, stepped out of the temporary cabin, and walked onto the deck.

There, he saw the diminutive sailor Jack, kneeling on the deck surrounded by a large group of sailors, while Captain Morgan stood in front of Jack, vigorously whipping him, lashing his skin open.

"Snap, snap, snap!"

Jack wailed miserably, continuously pleading, "Captain, spare me, I was wrong, I truly know my mistake."

"Know your mistake?" Captain Morgan snorted coldly and whipped even harder. As he lashed, he said, "If you knew your mistake, why didn’t you do well? Yesterday, I sent you to help in the kitchen with the other cooks. The first lunch was incredibly bad, but why was the second even worse, making everyone sick with diarrhea! Were you trying to poison and kill everyone?"

"No, I just accidentally undercooked the food, so..." Jack tried to explain.

"Excuses, all excuses!" Captain Morgan was furious, the whip continuously striking down again and again on Jack’s body. "Can’t you even cook? Don’t you know the difference between raw and cooked? Before bringing the food to the table, couldn’t you have tasted it yourself? Do you realize that because of the dinner you made, several sailors are still lying in their hammocks! Can you take over their duties? Huh?!"

"I...ah, ah!" Jack tried to say more, but after only a word, Captain Morgan struck him down with the whip, causing him to roll on the ground in agony.

"Snap, snap, snap!"

Captain Morgan whipped for a long time until he felt tired and finally stopped.

Jack lay prostrate on the deck, his clothes tattered and body covered in wounds. Slowly lifting his head, he looked fearfully at Captain Morgan and said, "Captain, you..."

"Hmph, I’ll give you one more chance." Captain Morgan pointed at Jack and said, "Right now, go straight to the kitchen and prepare a breakfast for one. If it satisfies me, I’ll consider your mistake forgiven, and you can continue working in the kitchen. If it’s still not good, then prepare to hang from the mast all day today!"

"This!" Jack shuddered at the words.

Captain Morgan narrowed his eyes slightly. "What, are you unwilling?"

"No, no, I’m going now, I’m going right away." Jack struggled to stand up, wiped the blood from his face, and staggered towards the kitchen.

Many sailors, the first officer, the second officer, the third officer, the boatswain, and Captain Morgan waited on the deck.

In a corner of the deck, Richard stood watching. Beside him were other passengers enjoying the spectacle. Some were from the lower decks, others from the upper decks, wearing relatively lavish clothes and looking fairly well, quietly discussing and occasionally laughing aloud.

"I bet that poor short sailor will be doomed."

"I won’t bet with you, because I already know it will be. Look at that runt, does he seem fit for cooking?"

"Exactly, skinny and small, I doubt he can even eat properly, let alone cook."

"Not necessarily. His slight build might be due to his childhood. So? He might be able to eat, but drink milk, heh, probably not!"

"Hahaha, you joker..."

Laughter burst out, and Captain Morgan heard it from afar. He frowned slightly, but seeing that it was just the passengers, he didn’t react much. He always had a frosty demeanor towards the passengers, never treating them as roughly as he did the crew, nor engaging much. He glanced briefly, then turned his gaze back towards the kitchen, waiting patiently for Jack to bring him something.