Embers of Embers

Chapter 140 Industrial Zone
The early morning light had just fallen, and the surging steam was frozen by the low temperature, clinging to the buildings on the street. Everything was tinged with frost and swallowed by the cold wind.
The dark carriage stopped at the door of 121A Cork Street. Joey and Kestrel sat on the carriage and waited for Lorenzo. Merlin moved quickly. Lorenzo had just promised yesterday to send someone to pick him up today. Lorenzo Renzo put on his clothes as quickly as possible and brought his sword and gun.
"I said don't be so vigilant."
Kestrel looked at Lorenzo's unabashed Winchester, and unknowingly thought that Lorenzo was going to kill someone.
"It just adds a little bit of security."
Lorenzo answered and sat on the other side.
The dark carriage accelerated slowly, and then the horse galloped wildly on the streets of Old Dunling, breathing white air.
Looking out the car window, there were obviously many more police patrols on the streets than usual, and they were fully equipped with weapons. From time to time, iron whistles would sound to convey news.
Although they didn't say it explicitly, many people clearly felt the change in the atmosphere of Old Dunling. The cold wind carried the smell of gunpowder, as if it was the eve of war.
"Is it so serious already? There are patrol officers everywhere."
Lorenzo withdrew his gaze. He originally thought that it was just the inner city that had been strengthened for protection, but now the ordinary outer city was also filled with patrol police.
"After all, God's birthday is coming, and there will be missions from various countries participating in the celebration. If demons break out at that time... the consequences will be unimaginable."
Joey replied seriously.
As a grand annual festival, God’s Birthday has been given many other meanings over the years. Old Dunling will hold a celebration of God’s Birthday. Huge airships fly across the sky, carrying endless petals and As the lights fell, people poured into the streets to bless each other and celebrate.
It was a moment to demonstrate national strength, and it was also a shopping festival for missions from various countries. According to Lorenzo’s understanding, on the day of the festival, for those missions, the real celebration was late at night, one after another of new styles that could be sold. Steam engines, that’s the highlight of the festival.
"Yeah, that's true."
Lorenzo replied calmly, Yin Erweg replaced the Holy Gospel Papal State and became the new giant. At this time of year, countless flags will enter the Platinum Palace.
"In order to ensure order, Shrike has prepared to launch a secret purge in Xiacheng District. Those with crooked ideas will be eliminated one by one to ensure that there will be no accidents that day."
Joey continued.
Lorenzo nodded, such serious times do need to be taken seriously.
"Where are we going?"
When his eyes fell outside the window again, Lorenzo realized that the scenery around him had become unfamiliar.
The carriage was driving to an unknown place, the sky was still gloomy, and the thick black smoke was like stone pillars supporting the sky and the earth. They stood upright one after another in the field of vision.
Under the stone pillar was a gray silhouette, a steel giant tens of meters high moving slowly, making a huge noise with every twist. It wasn't until a giant was overtaken by a carriage that Lorenzo could see its appearance clearly.
It was an abandoned giant crane, lying between the rubble and the mine like the dead remains of a giant. The once shiny metal was already covered with rust, and the workers were as small as ants on it as they were dismantling it. This dead body looked very much like the carrion-eating vulture.
"Welcome to the Victoria Industrial Zone. This is the first industrial zone developed by Queen Victoria during the War of Glory. The Mechanical Academy was established in it. All these minerals and metals serve it. Historically The first steam engine was conceived here.”
Lorenzo looked at the steel cemetery in astonishment. He had never thought that there was such a place in the old Dunling. It was as if there was an invisible wall that separated the ordinary world from it.
Abandoned giant machines and still-running steel structures, large particles of dust filled the gray ruins, blowing in the wind, cutting cheeks like tiny sharp knives, all of which constituted this twisted and growing metal jungle. .
"Okay, Mr. Holmes, we need to get off the car. The carriage cannot go in the next place."
Kestrel continued to explain, and it seemed that he was also very excited. After all, no one can refuse this kind of steel creation. This thing is simply a man's romance.
"The north of Old Dunling is an uninhabited and cold no-man's land, but in recent years, sufficient minerals have been discovered there, so the center of gravity of the industrial area has been moved there. Most of the areas here have been abandoned, with only a few machines. Still running.”
"Actually, our current location is already considered a suburb of Old Dunling, but you may not realize that this industrial area is a bit too large."
Lorenzo got off the carriage, and a train was parked on the platform not far away. It was gray and most of the carriages were covered with mud and dust. This was obviously a train transporting minerals, but today it ushered in Lorenzo was the guest.
"How does it feel? Our industrial base is very strong, and now the most prosperous location is in the north, but our sightseeing today doesn't include it, so let's go again next time we have a chance."
The kestrel looks extremely proud. In a sense, mechanics is magic that belongs to mortals. As long as there is fuel, steam can rise, and then drive the steel beasts one after another.
People hundreds of years ago would never have thought of such a scene, and I'm afraid they would be regarded as heretics just for talking about it.
Ignorance was shattered and torn to pieces.
"Compared to these, I hope you pick me up in a cleaner train."
Lorenzo replied before stepping onto the train.
This industrial area is really huge. It may be related to the mechanical institute. Lorenzo has never seen this place on the map. As the train roars forward, he can see new rails appearing in his sight, like they are scattered in all directions. The branches eventually return to the trunk of the tree.
At the end of the trunk, the steel city slowly appeared in Lorenzo's eyes.
Lorenzo never had a general understanding of the Mechanical Institute. The only thing he knew clearly was that they had opened a university, and only students with superior IQs could enter it and receive gifts from machinery.
But obviously, the city in front of him has nothing to do with the college. Although it is far away, Lorenzo can clearly see the garrison on the edge of the city. Judging from the bright smoothbore cannons, this place Rather, it is a military restricted area.
"This is the Machinery Institute factory. Because it involves core technologies and production processes, it is closed. It has worker dormitories, canteens, and entertainment facilities. Because of the huge area, many people will get married and have children here. They The children have never even seen the outside world and have been living in this factory since they were born.”
"You built another small town next to the old Dunling?"
Lorenzo felt that it was only today that he officially saw the entirety of Old Dunling.
Fireworks were rising in the city. The scorching heat made the air slightly distorted. Rhythmic percussion sounds came from a distance. The Kestrel did not give Lorenzo time to visit. After the train stopped at the city platform, it Take him to a huge lift.
The heavy chain stirred slightly, and then began to sink.
The elevator was not completely sealed, and Lorenzo could see what was behind it through the iron bars. As they descended, there were rivers of gold flowing slowly in the darkness, which were molten iron, flowing along the channels. Pouring into molds one after another, he could see heavy hammers falling, and mechanical monsters being assembled within the constraints of the frame.
"This is industrialization, Mr. Holmes."
Kestrel said appropriately.
Lorenzo was silent, just continued to watch, he was very clear that what he could see was Arthur's determination, they were allies now, and what the allies had to do was like showing their strength to another ally.
But thinking that he only had one person and some knowledge of demons, Lorenzo suddenly felt a little ridiculously panicked.
Suddenly the sound of clear water reached Lorenzo's ears, but his field of vision was completely dark. Only the pale yellow light illuminated the surrounding iron walls, but then the sound of water became louder and louder, as if it was tens of meters away. High waterfalls were falling, coming from all directions, surrounding them.
"what is that?"
Lorenzo asked, and there was a clear echo in the darkness, like a grand movement.
The voice sounded, and Kestrel's response came from behind.
"We're going through the main trunk of the Forge Pillar, which powers the whole Mechanical Yard and old Dunling, but it requires a lot of water, so a bunch of lunatics dug out the Thames and branched off it decades ago. There is a canal leading here, and the water from the Thames River supplies every boiler room here. There are several filter dams on the way. If the fish is caught, everyone will be given extra meals, and the corpses will be thrown on the conveyor belt and sent to the combustion chamber."
The pillars of the furnace, the mechanical yard, the Victoria Industrial Zone, the underground drainage, and the snake in the atrium are all linked together, relying on each other to build this mechanical ecosystem and completely perfect the industrial production line.
The darkness finally came to an end, and the elevator finally stopped after an unknown amount of time. When it stopped, countless dust splashed down, clearly visible in the bright light.
Lorenzo closed his eyes slightly. The long period of darkness made him a little uncomfortable with the bright light, but soon the door of the elevator opened, and the light completely poured in, and a scholar wearing a white robe came directly to greet him.
The man recognized Lorenzo immediately and extended his hand as a gesture of friendship.
"Welcome to the Pump of Perpetual Motion, everyone."
Lorenzo held his hand. Although he didn't know what the Perpetual Pump was specifically, from this position, it was far more important than the Mechanical Institute on the surface. His eyes caught a glimpse of his nameplate, and the man seemed to have noticed it. Lorenzo's behavior, then said.
"Hello, I am Nikola Tesla, the director of this project."
Some sickly faces smiled as much as possible to reassure the experimental subject who had finally been deceived.
　No one can refuse to drive Gundam
　
(End of this chapter)