"Why can paper be made ..."
"What color would this kind of paper burn..."
"Young Master Lin Ke, if those grasses are boiled with sheepskin, what kind of paper would it become?..."
From the paper mill to the glass factory, which is just a few dozen meters away, Granny Hisai buzzed around Lin Ke’s ear like a wrinkled 104-year-old fly.
However, as they neared the glass factory, Granny Hisai gradually couldn’t speak anymore.
As they approached the glass factory, waves of heat came rushing at them.
It’s already the Month of Blazing Fires, and Lin Ke’s birthday is precisely July 27th.
Although the Month of Blazing Fires here covers July, August, and September, it doesn’t stop the weather from heating up already.
Of course, the heat of the glass factory is unrelated to the weather; it has to do with the fire inside.
Lin Ke glanced at the team leader and then signaled to Granny Hisai, "You come with me."
The team leader knew that the level 20 super professional disliked large crowds, so he wisely stopped several meters away from the glass factory.
However, he couldn’t help but glance at Granny Hisai a few more times, curious about what exactly this crazy old woman had that Young Master Lin Ke favored?
Could it be because of those inexplicable little gadgets?
"Not impossible, maybe I should try making some too? Hmm..." The team leader fell into thought.
Lin Ke brought Granny Hisai to the glass factory entrance, shouting inside, "Teacher, I’ve brought an interesting person!"
He needed to inform Ove first that he had brought someone, otherwise, suddenly seeing Granny Hisai could scare the socially anxious Ove.
Ove’s aged voice replied, accompanied by a slightly smaller voice, "...I thought it was just you..."
A true old single man.
Lin Ke smiled and shook his head, then took Granny Hisai inside.
The interior of the glass factory was similar to the paper mill, except without the water channels.
The making of glass is quite complex; it’s not just about melting silicon dioxide.
However, Lin Ke didn’t plan to produce the final industrial glass right away; he didn’t have the time to research it, plus the industrial foundation here wasn’t that strong.
This was the same for papermaking.
Lin Ke only needed to start, then build a strong research ambiance with several substantial awards, and naturally, geniuses would continue on from Lin Ke’s ideas.
Often it’s not the arduous process that’s feared, but the lack of goals and direction.
Upon entering, Lin Ke saw stacked layers of glass and piles of river sand, and Ove controlling the raging flames in the center.
This magic is so cool, got to learn it... Lin Ke watched Ove, covered in flames that even emanated from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, yet his hair and clothes remained unharmed.
He looked like a deity of fire.
"Little Lin Ke, very successful."
Ove smiled at Lin Ke, but stiffened a bit upon seeing Granny Hisai, appearing a little embarrassed.
Social anxiety, not fond of engaging with strangers.
Lin Ke pretended not to notice and said to Ove, "Teacher, the paper mill is progressing smoothly; if the glass factory can go into production too, that would be great. But first, let’s make some other tools."
Ove had no objections to Lin Ke’s arrangements; he cherished his pupil who loved to study and do research.
Unlike Garoce, the reckless type, nor those foolish idealist fishmen.
Good, very good, very good.
"Additionally, this is Granny Hisai, a talent I’ve discovered." Having finished discussing the glass, Lin Ke pointed to Granny Hisai.
At this moment, Granny Hisai suddenly knelt to the ground, her hunchback making her look like an angry wrinkled cat.
She groaned, chanting as she prayed:
"Supreme Flame God, thank you for responding to my prayers... Although I prayed to the Goddess of Wealth, it’s no matter... Yes, my wish is for three silver coins to drop from the sky every day..."
Saying this, the prostrate Granny Hisai bit her lip, seemingly determined to be a bit more greedy: "...zero, five! Three silver coins plus five copper coins would do!"
What kind of move is this?
Why do I feel a strange, heartfelt pain?
"Huh?" Over there, Ove was also seeing such a person for the first time, although he hadn’t met many people in the first place.
"Um... Granny Hisai, you can get up. This is my teacher, Ove, not the Flame God."
Lin Ke suddenly felt that Granny Hisai’s sincere prayers... would make even a Capitalist feel moved to tears by guilt.
Perhaps I should give her two more copper coins?
"Huh?" Granny Hisai raised her head, looking blankly at Lin Ke: "Young Master Lin Ke’s teacher is a deity?!"
In her eyes, Ove, surrounded by firelight and holding a magic staff, looking like he was standing in a world of flames, was utterly terrifying.
"My teacher is far more powerful than a deity."
Lin Ke chuckled and shook his head, then said, "Quickly, take out your powder, or what you call ’Bursting Fire,’ and show it to my teacher."
"That’s Bursting Fire." Granny Hisai stood up immediately to correct him, and once she mentioned her items, her eyes brightened instantly.
Granny Hisai pulled out a bag of powder from her bosom and opened it: "Fire God Ove, this is it."
Ove’s attention was immediately attracted, and he didn’t bother correcting Granny Hisai’s form of address.
A bag of black powder.
Lin Ke gave Granny Hisai a meaningful look immediately.
Upon receiving Lin Ke’s signal, Granny Hisai nodded solemnly and, with lightning speed, hurled the powder bag towards Ove.
"Damn??! What are you doing?!" Lin Ke’s eyes widened; he couldn’t help but burst out, but it was already too late to stop her.
"Huh?" Granny Hisai was about to say that Lin Ke had signaled her to throw it over, right?
That bag of powder was small, but its contents weren’t scant, and the proportions seemed just right, at least it made a big noise.
A gust of air blew through.
Luckily, the powder bag was all noise and no serious damage.
Seconds later, Lin Ke moved his hands away from his ears, climbing up from the ground.
Earlier, he had feared the powder’s power was too strong and ducked down, but upon rising, he saw that there was a magic shield before him, blocking most of the powder’s blast.
And looking sideways...
At this moment, Granny Hisai was floating in mid-air, surrounded by arcs of thick electricity, locking her like chains.
It’s Ove! Ove had restrained Granny Hisai.
Granny Hisai was unable to move, with electric currents seemingly about to pierce through her the next instant.
"Teacher, she didn’t mean it." Lin Ke quickly spoke up.
He knew Granny Hisai didn’t mean any harm; after all, if she were an assassin, she would have had many opportunities to kill him already.
Plus, as a rural minor noble... offspring, there were countless ways to kill him, no need to act in front of a level 20 powerhouse.
Earlier, it was completely due to Granny Hisai misunderstanding Lin Ke’s signal.
"Little Lin Ke, this is..." Ove’s killing intent faded, replaced by confusion.
He had said he would bring someone to meet, but who would have thought they’d use such powerful "magic" upon meeting.
He wasn’t afraid; after all, the "magic" was only powerful to ordinary people.
He merely feared his student might get hurt.
After all, Lin Ke hadn’t yet mastered any defensive techniques.
"Granny Hisai, in the future..."
Lin Ke originally planned to instruct Granny Hisai to act accordingly but recalled that it was indeed his signal that Granny Hisai misunderstood.
Lin Ke, seeing Granny Hisai was unharmed, looked toward Ove and straightforwardly said, "Teacher, I’ve discovered a new research direction."