CHAPTER 253: CHAPTER 198: WEAPON UPGRADE

He raised three fingers while talking: "Demon Marrow, Red Platinum Magic Crystal, and Fire Scale Ointment."

"The first two are fine, we’ve stocked up quite a bit before—especially Demon Marrow, with stable mining, the supply is adequate."

"But Fire Scale Ointment..." he sighed, "The Fire-Scaled Viper was just caught, even the barely refined amount is only enough for small-scale explosive bullets."

Hillco scoffed lightly at the words, but also understood the limits of reality.

"That’s what makes it a piece of art. Anything that can be mass-produced is doomed to have no soul." He shrugged, "So, what do you want to do?"

Louis glanced at him: "High potency version, we can make ten, specifically for core targets.

The rest are medium potency lower tier versions, reduce the proportion of Fire Scale Ointment, weaken the temperature and blast radius, prioritize quantity.

For instance, shrink the radius to within five meters, lower the fire wave height, but retain the shock wave."

What Louis had in mind was that the high potency ones could be used to destroy nests, and the low potency ones could be thrown in large quantities for clearing nests and repelling pests, fulfilling their purpose.

Hillco nodded after hearing: "Okay, I’ll go back and adjust the formula and make it into three-tier versions.

But if one day the Fire-Scaled Viper can be farmed, I would still want to make a non-diminished ultimate version. I can even make it bloom into a fiery lotus, burning a sky pit into the entire mountain."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice carried near-frenzied intoxication, as if he could already see the scene of fire devouring the world.

Louis, however, smiled helplessly, long used to this madman’s sudden "artistic mania."

After all, he too was a bomb fanatic and could understand the feeling of creating such a level of bomb.

Then Louis turned around and looked at Mike with a smile: "Old Mike, you didn’t get scared, did you?"

"Oh, this thing... The power is pretty scary. But well, it’s just that."

Mike smacked his lips, with a forced smile hanging on the corner of his mouth, though his eyes couldn’t help but glance at the mound of earth that was charred and flipped up by the Magic Explosion Bullet just now.

Apparently he was shaken and almost fell off the stone, but now managed to straighten his back.

"Just that?" Louis raised his eyebrows and looked at him with a smile.

Mike touched his beard, which was curled by the sparks, and coughed, "Cough, well, it’s indeed fierce. But to say if I’ve ever seen such an explosion... Back when I was young, repairing petroleum tanks in the military camp..."

"Mike." Louis interrupted him, getting straight to the point, "I need you to make a launcher. More distant, accurate, and stable than the short cannons you made before."

He casually unfolded a paper folded into quarters, which was a sketch he drew earlier:

A short thick metal launch tube, rear structure for ignition launch;

Equipped with adjustable elevation device for throwing at different distances;

A folding tripod beneath for terrain adaptation and stable shooting.

On the corner of the paper were a few scribbled words: "Modular design," "Rain and snow applicable," "Quick assembly and dismantling for portability."

"None of these conditions can be lacking." Louis looked at Mike, "You have so many talented people under you now, don’t say it’s impossible."

Mike looked at the drawing, his eyes lit up: "This idea... Tsk, you really dare to dream."

He straightened up, rubbed his chin, and the slight surprise in his eyes had turned into excitement, "If this could really be made, it could cross mountains and blow apart formations. Not just the Snow Swearers, even the Frost Giant could have its brains blown out...

But honestly, if someone else were saying this I’d treat it as a joke, you say it and I believe."

He said this and his tone suddenly carried a bit of imperceptible sentiment: "My lord, you’re the most able Lord I’ve seen over the years who can use both brain and guts.

Not the type of lord who only dreams, nor the one who only tries desperately. Had you arrived in the Northern Territory ten years earlier, this place might not have so many abominations now."

Louis softly said, "You exaggerate."

Mike then seemed to realize he had said too much, coughed dryly and changed the topic: "Hey, I’ll take the job. Need to pick some capable, steady-handed and quick-minded artisans to do it... I’ll list the material inventory, will still have to trouble you for allocation."

"Okay." Louis nodded, his eyes lightly sweeping over the few artisans present, "You take charge of the main design and manufacturing, I’ll think of ways to allocate materials."

"It’s up to me." Mike grinned.

Just as Mike and Louis were eagerly discussing the structural details of the launcher, the venue was cleared on the other side.

Hillco made a confident and proud entrance again.

"Lord, since the Magic Explosion Bullet impressed you, allow me to continue displaying the true allure of Fire Scale Ointment." Hillco spoke, waving to have an assistant bring out a Cold Iron Barrel.

The assistants moved quickly, setting the barrel firmly in place, and then opened the lid, revealing the black-red intermixed liquid inside, bubbling slowly like lava.

"This is no ordinary petroleum." Hillco raised his eyebrows exaggeratedly, "Catalyzed by Fire Scale Ointment and added with a tiny amount of Refined Demon Marrow, once ignited..."

He snapped his fingers, and an assistant immediately lit a sample from afar.

Boom!

The flames seemed to leap from the ground, a three-meter-high fire wave shot straight into the air.

Heat waves came crashing, and the air was suffused with the hot breath of burning and mixed sulfur.

Mike clicked his tongue and muttered quietly: "Oh, dump a bucket of this on someone and there’s not even bones left..."

Yet Hillco wasn’t finished: "Moreover, it won’t extinguish in rain, snow, or humidity, and it remains stable burning for several minutes even on mud and puddles."