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"Only five hand grenades?"
Dai Weisi looked at the five hand grenades laid out before him, his expression one of contemplation. That seemed rather few, didn't it?
"Apologies, Your Highness," Lou Gao explained. "When we first started making the grenades, we didn't know the exact amount of black powder needed. So, we conducted many experiments and wasted quite a bit of black powder. After determining the right amount, we only had enough left to make these five grenades."
"I see."
Dai Weisi nodded slightly, not suspecting anything. The black powder's dosage had to be just right; too little and the grenades wouldn't work as intended, too much and they might explode prematurely, injuring their own people. It made sense to conduct experiments to ensure the right balance.
"So, these five grenades are the final products, huh?" Dai Weisi asked, picking up one of the heavy iron grenades. It felt as heavy as a stone, with sharp iron shrapnel packed inside. The amount of black powder inside seemed minimal.
At the bottom of the grenade, a fuse hung, ready to ignite. Just pull the fuse, and after a few seconds, the grenade would explode!
Lou Gao smiled slightly. "Well, Your Highness, seeing is believing. Please follow me, and we'll demonstrate it for you."
"Sounds good. Let's go."
With that, the group headed outside the city to a desolate area. The dense trees and towering ancient wood provided the perfect setting for testing a weapon of such destructive power, and the area was sparsely populated, ensuring safety during the test.
"Your Highness, please watch closely!" Lou Gao said, handing a grenade to Si Long. "Throw this grenade far away, and remember to aim it well!"
"Yes, Master!" Si Long responded, pulling the fuse. As soon as the fuse was pulled, white smoke began to pour out, and he swiftly threw the grenade at a rock some fifteen meters away.
Boom!
The grenade exploded in an earth-shattering roar, and the rock behind them shattered instantly. Countless shards of iron were hurled in all directions, piercing through the surrounding trees.
The flying shrapnel could easily penetrate the trunks of trees thick enough for three people to hug. The trees around them swayed violently, and a shower of leaves filled the air, creating a beautiful yet deadly scene.
Li Hu, witnessing all of this, was both shocked and thrilled. "I can't believe such a small hand grenade has this kind of power!"
"Uncle Li, what do you think? Do you believe this grenade has enough power to kill a Soul Emperor?" Dai Weisi asked, clearly impressed.
He didn't expect the grenade to be powerful enough to kill a Soul Saint. As long as it could kill a Soul Emperor, that would be more than enough.
Li Hu nodded eagerly, his excitement palpable. "Your Highness, in my opinion, this grenade definitely has the power to kill a Soul Emperor! It could even injure a Soul Saint who isn't focused on defense. For example, if this grenade exploded near me, even with my martial soul activated and defensive preparations in place, I'd still be at risk of getting hurt."
Li Hu paused for a moment, thinking deeply, then added, "If there were more grenades, Your Highness, I might even be killed by them myself!"
He couldn't help but reflect on how, after decades of hard training, he had reached the level of Soul Saint, only to realize that such a small hand grenade was more dangerous than his own strength.
With weapons capable of killing Soul Emperors now in existence, how far off could weapons that could kill Soul Saints or even Titled Douluos be?
The world had truly changed.
Satisfied with the confirmation, Dai Weisi turned to Lou Gao. "Master Lou Gao, how much black powder is required to make one of these grenades, and have you measured the kill radius?"
Lou Gao replied directly, "Your Highness, it takes five ounces of black powder to make one grenade. The kill radius is between five to eight meters. Beyond eight meters, the iron shards lose momentum due to air resistance and the damage decreases."
"Perhaps it could kill an ordinary person, but it definitely won't harm a Soul Master," Lou Gao added. "Also, once the fuse is pulled, you must immediately throw the grenade, or else it will explode after seven seconds!"
"The maximum kill range is only eight meters..." Dai Weisi felt a slight sense of disappointment. However, after considering the power and cost of the grenade, he quickly accepted the limitations.
The cost to make a single grenade was no more than five Gold Soul Coins, which was nothing compared to the cost of a Zhuge Divine Crossbow, which cost two hundred Gold Soul Coins each. It was clear that the grenade was a far better deal.
Dai Weisi was planning to arm the Star Luo Empire's military with grenades. Imagine thousands of soldiers throwing grenades at once.
Even if each grenade had a kill radius of only eight meters, it would still leave a massive crater on the ground. If there were any flying Soul Masters, they could even conduct airstrikes.
With this thought, Dai Weisi couldn't help but smile. "Congratulations, Master Lou Gao. You've created a weapon that will change the landscape of Douluo Continent. In the future, you will be remembered throughout history and honored for generations!"
"Heh, thank you for the praise, Your Highness," Lou Gao replied, smiling broadly. "To be honest, without the black powder and blueprints you provided, it would have been impossible for me to create such a powerful weapon."
Lou Gao was truly excited. If one grenade could kill a Soul Emperor, imagine the effects of ten, a hundred, or even a thousand grenades. And all of them could be made for just five Gold Soul Coins each!
Now, who would dare to look down on blacksmiths? Who would dare to say blacksmiths couldn't change the world?
"Heh, Master Lou Gao, you don't need to be modest. Without your exceptional forging skills, I would never have been able to create the grenades alone."
Dai Weisi paused before adding, "I also want to invite you and the Blacksmith Association to join the Star Luo Empire. Together, we can produce more powerful weapons for the Empire!"
At this moment, Dai Weisi revealed the real purpose of his visit to Gengxin City. He had two goals: to create the hand grenades and to bring the Blacksmith Association under the Star Luo Empire's wing, turning it into the Empire's weapons research department.
"Ah…" Lou Gao hesitated. To be honest, he was very tempted to join Dai Weisi's faction. If he could develop weapons capable of killing Titled Douluos, it would guarantee his place in history!
But as the president of the Blacksmith Association, he had to consider the interests of all the blacksmiths.
Seeing Lou Gao hesitate, Dai Weisi thought he might be unwilling and quickly added, "Master, please don't rush to reject my offer. I know you're eager to elevate the status and treatment of blacksmiths."
"If you're willing to join the Star Luo Empire, the entire continent will recognize your contributions to developing these weapons. More people will want to become blacksmiths, and the profession's status will rise. I will personally petition my father to improve the treatment of blacksmiths. With the royal family behind us, no one will ever look down on blacksmiths again. What do you think?"
"Alright!" Lou Gao's hesitation vanished. "Since His Highness has said it like that, I will devote my life to following you!"
Without further hesitation, Lou Gao agreed, knowing that this would free him to fully dedicate himself to researching firearms without worrying about other concerns.
(End of Chapter)