Chapter 533
A Genius Craftsman!
Chapter 533 A Genius Craftsman!
"Okay, let's go together tomorrow."
"That's great!" Lin Feng said happily. "Then we'll pick you up tomorrow morning!"
After the two left, Rowan sat in the courtyard, watching the sky gradually darken.
He was thinking about Lu Fang.
He wasn't sure if the sketch would pique Lu Fang's interest. But he believed that a craftsman who truly loved mechanics couldn't possibly be indifferent to new technologies and ideas.
“If he doesn’t come to me, I’ll go to him again,” Rowan thought to himself. “There’s always a way to get him to talk.”
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, followed by a loud knocking.
"Open the door! Open the door!" an old but excited voice shouted. "Rowan, right? Open the door now!"
Luo Wen paused for a moment, then quickly walked over and opened the courtyard gate.
Standing outside the door was an elderly man with gray hair, a thin build, and a withered face, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, like two burning embers. He wore coarse cloth clothes stained with oil, and held in his hand the sketch that Rowan had given him.
"You're Rowan?" The old man looked him up and down. "Did you draw this picture?"
“Yes,” Rowan nodded, “you are Master Lu?”
"Nonsense!" the old man said impatiently. "What is depicted in this picture? Explain it to me clearly!"
Luo Wen smiled slightly and stepped aside.
"Master Lu, please come in."
Lu Fang walked into the courtyard without any ceremony, looked around for a while, and then sat down on the stone bench under the old locust tree.
"Tell me, what is this?" He slammed the sketch on the stone table. "I've studied it all afternoon, and all I can figure out is that it's a kind of transportation, but I can't understand its specific principles and structure."
Rowan sat down opposite him and poured him a cup of tea.
“This is a new type of transportation that I’ve envisioned,” he said. “It doesn’t have a name yet; you can call it a ‘bicycle’ or a ‘motorized vehicle,’ whatever you like.”
"A bicycle? A motor vehicle?" Lu Fang frowned. "The name is quite fitting. What drives this thing? Internal energy?"
“Yes,” Rowan nodded, “its core is an internal force conversion device that can convert input internal force into mechanical power. This power, through a series of gears and transmission devices, ultimately acts on the wheels, propelling the entire vehicle forward.”
Lu Fang's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
“Internal force conversion device… gears… transmission device…” he muttered to himself, “The machines I made before all used internal force to drive the mechanisms directly, which was very inefficient and required a constant input of internal force to keep them running. But if there were a conversion device to store internal force and then release it slowly…”
He suddenly raised his head and stared at Rowan.
How did you come up with these ideas?
Rowan pondered for a moment, then said, "I once saw a similar description in an ancient book that recorded some ancient technologies. Based on the description in the book, and with my own understanding, I drew this sketch."
This was obviously made up, but he couldn't very well claim to be a martial artist from outer space who had seen what a real car looked like.
Lu Fang looked at him with a mixture of belief and doubt.
"Ancient technology? What ancient texts? Where did you find it?"
“That ancient book has been lost,” Rowan said. “I only read it once and remembered the general contents.”
Lu Fang snorted, clearly not believing it. But he didn't press further, instead lowering his head to continue studying the sketch.
“The design of this wheel is very interesting,” he said, pointing to a spot on the drawing. “You drew four wheels, not two. Why?”
“Four wheels are more stable,” Rowan explained. “While two wheels can move, they are prone to losing balance and are not suitable for long-distance transport. With four wheels, even on bumpy roads, it can remain stable.”
Lu Fang nodded.
“That makes sense,” he said, “but steering with four wheels would be more complicated. Have you thought about how to solve that?”
“We can use a steering mechanism,” Rowan said. “We connect the two front wheels to an axle, and change direction by turning the axle. The driver simply holds a round handle and turns it left and right to control the vehicle’s direction.”
"A round handle?" Lu Fang was taken aback. "Like a ship's rudder?"
"Pretty much," Rowan nodded, "but more maneuverable than a ship's rudder."
Lu Fang was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up.
“Come with me.”
"Where to?"
“Come to my workshop,” Rufang said. “I want to show you what I make. Since you can come up with such ingenious designs, perhaps you can give me some inspiration.”
Luo Wen did not refuse, stood up, and followed Lu Fang out of the courtyard.
The two walked through the streets in the night and arrived at Blacksmith Street.
It was late at night, and all the shops on the street were closed, with only a few lights shining from the windows. Lu Fang's workshop was also pitch black, but he skillfully pushed open the door, took an oil lamp from the wall, and lit it.
The dim yellow light illuminated the scene inside the room.
Rowan looked around and found that the workshop was much larger than he had imagined.
The room was filled with all sorts of mechanical parts and tools—gears, springs, levers, and other things he couldn't name. The walls were covered with blueprints, densely packed with lines and symbols. In a corner lay piles of completed mechanical products—some humanoid, some animal-shaped, and others with strange shapes whose purpose he couldn't discern.
"You did all of this?" Rowan exclaimed in amazement.
"Nonsense, if I didn't do it, who else could it be?" Lu Fang said irritably.
He walked to the corner, moved out a mechanical doll about two feet tall, and placed it on the table.
“This is my latest work,” he said. “It took me three years to complete. Take a good look.”
He placed his hand on the puppet's back and slowly channeled his inner energy into it.
The next moment, the puppet came to life.
Its eyes lit up, its mouth moved, and its limbs began to move. First, it stretched, then took a few steps on the table. Next, it made all sorts of movements—waving, turning, bending over, jumping—each movement was lifelike, just like a real little person.
"This is amazing!" Rowan exclaimed sincerely. "Amazing what?" Lu Fang frowned. "This thing looks good but is useless. The little bit of internal energy I input only keeps it running for a few minutes. If I want it to work continuously, I have to keep inputting internal energy, which is exhausting."
"So you need an internal energy storage device?" Rowan asked.
“That’s right,” Lu Fang nodded, “I’ve been researching how to store internal energy, but I haven’t found a suitable method yet. I’ve tried all those ores and crystals, but either the reserves are too small or they’re unstable, so they’re simply not practical.”
Rowan pondered for a moment.
"Have you tried using formations?" he asked.
"A formation?" Lu Fang was taken aback. "You mean the talismans drawn by those Taoist priests?"
"Pretty much," Rowan said. "Arrays can guide and constrain the flow of energy. If specific arrays could be inscribed inside the machinery, they might be able to store internal energy."
Lu Fang's eyes lit up.
“An array…” he murmured, “How could I not have thought of that?”
He strode to the wall, took down a sheet of paper, and began to draw quickly on it.
"If we carve a gathering energy array here... then add a guiding energy array here... and then connect them with a sealing array..."
He became more and more excited as he drew, muttering to himself incessantly, completely forgetting Rowan's presence.
Rowan watched quietly from the side, without disturbing him.
About half an hour later, Lu Fang finally put down his pen and let out a long sigh of relief.
"It's done!" He held up the blueprints, examining them under the light. "This design should be feasible! As long as I can find the right materials, I can make a real internal energy storage device!"
He turned around, looked at Rowan, his eyes filled with gratitude.
"Young man, you've done me a huge favor!" he said. "I've been studying this problem for over a decade without any clue. Today, your guidance has given me a complete understanding!"
"Master Lu, you're too kind," Luo Wen said with a smile. "I was just saying it casually; whether it succeeds or not depends on you."
“Don’t be modest,” Lu Fang waved his hand. “The people I admire most in my life are those with real talent. Since you could come up with such an ingenious design, you’re no ordinary person. So, tell me, what do you want from me?”
Luo Wen pondered for a moment, then said, "I would like to ask Master Lu for help in manufacturing a means of transportation."
"Is it the one you drew?"
“Yes,” Rowan nodded, “I call it a ‘motor vehicle.’ This vehicle can be driven by internal force, is much faster than a horse-drawn carriage, and doesn’t require horses, making it much more convenient. If it could be manufactured, it would greatly benefit the development of Earth.”
Lu Fang looked at him, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes.
"Why are you making this kind of thing?" he asked. "Are you a businessman? Trying to make money from it?"
“No,” Rowan shook his head, “I just feel that Earth’s technology is too backward. If we had more advanced means of transportation, people’s lives would be much more convenient.”
"Blue Star?" Lu Fang was taken aback. "You call this place Blue Star?"
Rowan realized he had let something slip, but he didn't try to cover it up.
“Yes,” he said, “this planet looks like a blue gem from the outside, so I call it Blue Star.”
Lu Fang looked at him with a strange expression.
"From the outside?" he said slowly. "Who exactly are you?"
Rowan paused for a moment, then said, "Please don't pursue this question further, Master Lu. I can assure you that I have no ill intentions towards Blue Star. I simply want to help the people here and enable them to live better lives."
Lu Fang stared at him for a while, then suddenly laughed.
“Interesting, very interesting,” he said. “I’ve lived for over sixty years, and this is the first time I’ve met such an oddball. Regardless of your background, I, Lu Fang, consider you a friend!”
"About the motor vehicle..."
"Let's do it! Of course we'll do it!" Lu Fang slammed his hand on the table. "Since you can come up with such an ingenious design, how can I not give it a try? But let me make this clear first, I've never done anything like this before, so I can't guarantee it will succeed."
“That’s alright,” Rowan said. “We can take it slow. Let’s start with a simple prototype to test the feasibility of each component, and then gradually improve it.”
"Great! It's settled then!" Lu Fang said excitedly. "Come back tomorrow, and we'll discuss the design in detail. Oh, by the way, can you draw?"
"I know some."
"That's perfect! You help me with the drawings, and I'll handle the manufacturing. If we work together, we're sure to make this... vehicle!"
Luo Wen nodded, arranged a time to meet Lu Fang the next day, and then took his leave.
Although Ru Fang had an eccentric temperament, he was indeed a genius craftsman. His understanding and passion for mechanics left a deep impression on Rowan. If they could collaborate with him, perhaps they could truly create something meaningful.
“Motor vehicles are just the first step,” Rowan thought to himself. “If it succeeds, we can try many more things. Steam engines, generators, communication equipment… these technologies are primitive in the eyes of the Virtual Universe Company, but for Earth, they are epoch-making advancements.”
The next morning, the sky was exceptionally clear.
Sunlight pierced through the thin clouds, casting dappled golden light on the bluestone pavement of Tianqi City. A faint floral fragrance filled the air, emanating from the spring blossoms blooming in the courtyards throughout the city.
Luo Wen got up early, washed up, ate a bowl of hot wontons on the street, and then headed towards Blacksmith Street.
The streets were already bustling with activity, with vendors calling out their wares incessantly, and pedestrians coming and going, including farmers carrying loads on their shoulders, merchants riding donkeys, and women traveling in twos and threes.
Rowan walked through the bustling crowd and arrived at the West District.
The scene in Xicheng District is completely different from that in Dongcheng District. The streets here are narrow and winding, and most of the houses on both sides are low and dilapidated, with most of the white plaster on the walls peeling off to reveal the gray-black bricks underneath. The air is filled with all sorts of smells—rust, soot, sweat, and the aroma of food wafting from somewhere.
The blacksmith street is already bustling with activity.
The clanging and banging of hammers echoed from each shop, rising and falling in a cacophony of sounds. The flames in the furnaces roared, illuminating the blacksmiths' faces. They wielded heavy hammers, striking the red-hot iron blocks again and again, sending up bursts of dazzling sparks.
Luo Wen walked along the street to its end and arrived at the door of Lu Fang's workshop.
The old elm tree still stood there quietly, its branches and leaves swaying gently in the breeze. Through the gaps in the leaves, sunlight cast dappled shadows on the ground, constantly changing shape with the wind.
Rowan stepped forward, but before he could knock, the door opened from the inside.
(End of this chapter)