Chapter 235: Chapter 229: Mine No. 13
Making money was the top priority.
Temporarily setting aside weaponization R&D, Allen focused all his energy on the mine’s construction.
A faint cyan halo lit up along the grooves, connecting end to end.
"The Neutralizing Force Fields have all been modified." Allen rubbed his throbbing temples.
Including the five newly produced ones, a total of ten Mining Golems were now equipped with the new Force Field designed to counter the crystallization effect.
Two hundred meters underground.
A wide subterranean tunnel had been fully excavated. A large Force Field Generator was embedded every 200 meters, leading directly to the core ore vein beneath the Crystalized Forest.
Allen stood at the tunnel’s entrance, watching the ten Golems head toward the deadly mining area.
"The mining station’s Neutralizing Force Field is operating stably. The mine can officially begin extraction," Jarvis’s voice announced.
Allen took a sip of a homemade iced drink. "In that case, let’s name it Mine 13."
"Should we reassign a Golem unit to form a mine garrison?"
"No need." Allen shook his head. "The Crystallization Field in that area is the perfect wall. Stationing a legion there would be a complete waste of resources."
Even an Official Wizard wouldn’t last long there without specific protective measures.
With the mine up and running, there was one unavoidable procedure he had to follow.
Reporting it.
According to the twenty-year apprenticeship agreement, his master, Mercer, was to take a twenty-percent cut of all output from Zone 18.
This was the rule, and the price of being under his protection. Allen had no intention of playing any tricks at this stage.
"Connect to Forged Fire Fortress. Requesting communication with my master."
The projection of Mercer Iron Star quickly appeared.
Silver hair, blue crystal eyes, and a dark gray robe—as cold and imposing as ever.
"What is it?" Mercer got straight to the point.
"Master, I’ve solved the extraction problem for the medium-sized Crystallization Seed vein discovered in Zone 18. The mine is about to go into production."
A flicker of movement passed through Mercer’s crystal eyes.
It was surprise.
Allen raised his hand, sending a three-dimensional map of the ore vein and a live recording of a Golem mining colorful Crystal Stones to Master Mercer.
"This is the Crystallization Seed vein beneath the Crystalized Forest. Its reserves are estimated to be medium-sized."
In the communication feed, Mercer’s movements paused for a moment, and the background noise behind him seemed to fade.
Allen continued, "I’ve developed a specialized protective Force Field that can effectively resist the corrosive effects of crystallization."
Mercer fell silent for a few seconds after hearing Allen’s words.
’There’s no public data to reference for the extraction and use of Crystallization Seeds. To think he solved it in less than a month.’
"What’s the principle behind your protective Force Field?" Mercer asked.
’Here it comes.’
Allen had his explanation ready. "I analyzed the wave frequency of the Crystallization Field and redesigned a corresponding Rune technology array to cancel it out. The principle is a reverse filtering process for specific Magic Power fluctuations. I call it the ’Neutralizing Force Field.’"
He concealed the existence of the AT Field, only revealing the final, improved result.
Mercer stared at Allen, as if he wanted to dissect this young Wizard who had only recently graduated.
"A Reverse Filtering Array for specific Magic Power fluctuations..."
Mercer muttered to himself, then looked at Allen and nodded slowly. "I thought it would take you at least twenty years to distinguish yourself. You’ve given me a big surprise, Allen. Your talent for alchemy is exceptional. Delving deep into technology is the true path for all Alchemy Wizards."
Unprecedented praise.
Hearing such words from a Morning Star Wizard who was pragmatic to the extreme carried more weight than any medal.
"Thank you for the praise, Master." Allen smoothly transitioned to the main topic. "Regarding the distribution of the output..."
"Crystallization Seeds are a high-grade material, always in demand but with no stable market in the Wizarding World." Mercer reverted to his cold, merchant-like persona, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "The standard purchase price for rare ore is four thousand Low-Level Magic Stones per standard unit. I’ll give you forty-two hundred. What’s the output?"
"Current daily extraction is around three hundred standard units."
Mercer quickly calculated a number in his head.
"Very good." Mercer made a decision. "This resource will be very useful to certain Advanced Wizards."
"The crystallization radiation is highly penetrative, making conventional transport impossible," Allen reminded him.
Mercer said, "Carve the Runes for your ’Neutralizing Force Field’ onto alchemy chests. Once they’re full, ship them directly through the workshop’s Teleportation Array."
"Understood."
"Mm." Mercer seemed very satisfied with this arrangement. "Additionally, I need a complete technical file on your protective Force Field technology."
Allen’s heart tightened.
But he quickly realized.
’This is a transaction, not a demand.’
"Master, this technology is my core competitive advantage," Allen said calmly. "If I am to transfer it, I’ll need reasonable compensation."
A hint of approval flashed in Mercer’s crystal eyes.
"You’re very clear-headed," he said. "I won’t take your things for free. For the technical file, I’ll offer one hundred thousand Magic Stones. I also guarantee I’ll be the only one to use it and won’t sell it to others. I just need this technology for transporting the ore."
"I agree. I will send you the technical file later."
Master Mercer nodded, and the communication ended.
Allen stood where he was.
"Jarvis, run the numbers."
"Based on the purchase price given by our Master, after deducting the twenty-percent tuition fee and subtracting costs like Golem depreciation, tunnel maintenance, and array energy consumption..."
Jarvis quickly displayed a chart. "Calculated over the ore vein’s thirty-year extraction cycle, your net profit from this mine during your remaining fifteen years of apprenticeship will be—"
"Twenty-one million, two hundred thousand Low-Level Magic Stones."
"Excellent. The funding bottleneck is completely resolved."
For the next fifteen years, every day would bring a massive harvest.
Twenty-one million, two hundred thousand Magic Stones would pile up in his treasury, piece by piece.
But for now, he had unfinished business.
Allen turned and walked toward his laboratory.
Making money was the foundation of survival. But truth... truth lies within the range of a cannon.
"Jarvis, bring up the Rune Array model for the ’Neutralizing Force Field.’"
"If it can neutralize the crystallization effect..." Allen stared at the model, a dangerous glint in his eyes, "...then conversely, can it be amplified?"
’What if I reverse the Neutralizing Force Field’s Rune Array? Instead of canceling the crystallization radiation, it could resonate and amplify it...’
’What would happen then?’
A shell loaded with Crystallization Seeds hits an enemy Golem.
The warhead explodes, and a Crystallization Field instantly spreads.
The amplifying Rune activates, and the Force Field’s intensity explodes by ten, even a hundred times.
The enemy’s armor transforms into brittle crystal in a second, then shatters into dust in the shockwave.
The mere thought of that image was exhilarating.
"Jarvis, new weapons project." Allen’s voice was deep and calm. "Codename: Crystallization Weapon."
"Objective: Weaponize the Crystallization Seed and develop a new type of bomb capable of instantly disintegrating enemy defenses."
