(TL/N: Sorry for not uploading yesterday, my wifi just cut off and had to wait a whole day to get it back 😭. There will be another chapter today later.)
Chapter 270: The Safety Hazards of the Sea Train, and Eula's Resentment
What could Su Han say? As long as Ningguang was happy, that was enough.
It just so happened that this trip would allow him to spread the mirrors to Mondstadt as well.
If anything happened in the future,
they could arrive instantly.
Mona had only just rested for a while before Su Han called her along and headed for Mondstadt.
Along the way,
they landed in the new city of Guili.
"Wait a moment. I need to hand the sea train knowledge over to Sucrose."
The sooner it was put into use, the more prosperous each nation's economy would become.
There was no doubt about that.
Upon hearing the news about the sea train, Ningguang's eyes lit up. She asked in surprise:
"You obtained that knowledge?"
"Yes. That means our international trade can officially begin!"
Mona looked somewhat puzzled as a question came to mind.
"Su Han, sea trains are certainly useful. But what if someone causes trouble in the ocean? What should we do then?"
It was a sharp question.
And one that was unavoidable.
There was no need to mention trash like the Treasure Hoarders.
They would definitely cause trouble.
If they dismantled the tracks midway through a route, the consequences would be obvious.
They couldn't possibly watch over them every second.
And the two most dangerous factions were the real concern.
The Fatui and the Abyss Order.
Both had deep grudges against Su Han.
If they decided to interfere,
then the safety risks of the sea train would have to be taken seriously. After all, no one could guard it every moment of every day.
Ningguang stopped walking, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.
"This issue is indeed important. Su Han, do you have a solution?"
A solution?
Su Han thought for a moment. It really seemed impossible to avoid completely.
But what if they approached it from another angle?
"What do you think about using sea trains for shorter routes and underground trains for everything else?"
"Underground? You mean tunnels? But for a project of that scale, how many years would humans need to build it?"
Mona didn't understand engineering, but anyone with a bit of common sense knew that such a project could never be completed in just a few months.
Still, in terms of results,
traveling from Liyue to Inazuma through the seabed would undoubtedly be the safest option.
Within Inazuma itself, using sea trains to connect the islands was clearly the best choice.
Ningguang roughly calculated the labor and expenses involved.
But she quickly realized that this wasn't merely a massive construction project. Lighting alone, along with countless other details, would cost a fortune.
Compared to simply opening train routes, it was far less economical than using ships.
Su Han felt a headache coming on.
But was there really no solution to the tunnel excavation problem?
Liyue's territory was enormous.
If humans couldn't do it, what about the Adepti?
If he asked Cloud Retainer, could she create some kind of giant machine?
Rather than just thinking about it, he decided to act.
Su Han took out a Den Den Mushi and contacted the Adeptus directly.
After hearing about the matter, even she felt it would be difficult.
"Creating a machine capable of digging tunnels is not a problem for me. The issue is making the tunnels flat and stable. That will require research time."
"However, I can offer you an idea."
"I once heard that there is a Khaenri'ahn machine within The Chasm."
"Although it has been corrupted, if you can cleanse the filth from it, I may be able to modify it."
The Chasm.
The mechanical serpent.
That thing, right?
Su Han instantly understood what she was referring to.
He remembered fighting it countless times in the game.
When it came to digging tunnels, large machinery was obviously the way to go.
Once things settled down,
he could make a trip there.
"Alright, I understand. I'll head there in the next few days. Once I've captured it, I'll contact you again."
"Very well."
The call ended.
Su Han found Sucrose and handed over all the sea train data along with its operational specifications.
Looking at the enormous stack of blueprints,
the bespectacled girl was utterly shocked.
"My goodness, a sea train! Something like this actually exists in the world. Let me see..."
"So this is how the rails float above the sea?"
"What incredible alchemical theory. The materials required are surprisingly simple too. This is unbelievable."
"Su Han, being able to conduct research with you is wonderful."
"This will definitely change the world!"
Just imagine it.
Many ordinary people couldn't even afford a ship ticket.
Even if they were interested in the customs and culture of foreign nations, they had no way of traveling there.
But once the sea train was established,
that barrier would be shattered.
And it wouldn't just benefit Liyue and Inazuma.
The nation that would gain the most was probably Fontaine.
Looking at the excited alchemist, Su Han smiled and said:
"I'm only providing the information. The actual research will depend largely on you. For now, focus on the route between Liyue and Mondstadt. There are still some technical issues to work through."
Sucrose immediately agreed and even promised that track construction would begin within half a month.
At that moment, Ningguang suddenly added:
"I think we should expand even further! Since we can work underground, couldn't we build underground railways? Directly from Liyue to Sumeru!"
"I think that's entirely possible."
Su Han gave his assurance.
Earth had countless examples of this.
They were commonly known as subways.
As long as proper safety measures were maintained,
the next era would be one of accelerated technological development.
The moment Ningguang heard it was feasible, she immediately took out her Den Den Mushi and issued orders to the procurement department.
"Purchase steel in massive quantities. No storage limit!"
"At the same time, establish six steel mills!"
"The coming era belongs to Liyue."
The person on the other end didn't understand her final statement.
However, having received similar orders before, they immediately carried them out.
A multinational project could never be funded solely by Liyue.
The other nations would also have to contribute vast amounts of Mora.
Watching the researchers become busy,
Su Han exchanged glances with Ningguang and the others before quietly leaving.
Back in the sky,
the group resumed their journey.
Mona was still thinking about the convenience of underground railways.
The more she thought about it, the more astonishing it became.
Transportation alone would eventually make horse-drawn carriages obsolete.
Even ordinary mercenary transport work would disappear.
That was a good thing.
Because the times were advancing.
The only concern was the safety of the routes.
One mustn't forget,
Teyvat's ley lines had always been problematic.
But with magical reinforcement, those issues wouldn't be impossible to solve.
Half an hour later,
Su Han brought Ningguang to Mondstadt.
When everyone heard they could travel abroad and return the next morning,
Jean and the others were overjoyed.
Sitting in her usual office chair, Ningguang smiled and said:
"Go gather Eula, Klee, and the others. Let's treat today as a half-day holiday."
"No problem. Just give me a moment."
Jean picked up a Den Den Mushi and began making calls.
Fortunately,
almost no one had gone far today.
Even Amber, who was out on patrol, was only near the city gates.
In less than half an hour,
the office was filled with a group of beautiful women.
The somewhat timid Barbara shyly walked up to Su Han and greeted him.
"Brother-in-law."
Though it was only a single phrase,
her face instantly turned bright red.
In the end, she even hid behind her sister.
If it were only the three of them, she would have been perfectly fine and even quite lively.
But every woman in the room was stunningly beautiful.
Naturally, Barbara didn't dare act too boldly.
Seeing Su Han return, Eula enthusiastically stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.
"I heard you fought a god a few days ago. How did it feel?"
Su Han smiled bitterly.
"You heard about that too?"
"Listen to yourself."
Eula shot him a disdainful look and complained:
"Ever since you returned to Liyue, you haven't called me even once in half a month. We agreed we were friends. So now that you have wives, you're ignoring me?"
"I..."
"Don't tell me you've been busy."
Eula immediately cut him off.
This time, Su Han was completely speechless.
The truth was that he didn't know how to answer.
Back in the beginning,
after obtaining the system,
perhaps due to youthful ambition, Su Han had indeed entertained thoughts of building a harem.
But as more and more women entered his life, that desire gradually faded.
There was a reason for that.
He wasn't a god.
He couldn't split himself into multiple bodies to accompany every person he loved.
Moreover, Su Han understood that love required companionship.
Eula herself was exceptional, and her figure was stunning.
It could be said that there wasn't a man alive who wouldn't find someone like her attractive.
Cold and sharp on the outside, yet like a fine wine, the more one experienced her, the more captivating she became.
Once he realized that,
Su Han had slowly begun creating distance.
He already had Jean.
He had Ningguang.
He had Shenhe.
He had Kitsune Saiguu.
Frankly speaking,
these women were already extraordinary.
As for the Director,
Su Han felt their relationship resembled companionship more than romance.
But with Hu Tao's personality, who could say for sure?
As for the little chef,
Su Han liked her very much as well.
He could also feel her affection.
Though subtle,
their relationship had always been excellent.
Under such circumstances,
should he really draw Eula into this as well?
All of these thoughts
had led to the current situation.
Seeing that Su Han didn't answer her question, Eula's expression immediately turned cold.
With a self-mocking smile, she said:
"So I've just been flattering myself. Excessive expectations probably always end like this."
"I..."
When Su Han saw Eula turn to leave, he immediately wanted to stop her.
But before he could,
Ningguang took Eula's hand.
"My dear sister, what kind of talk is that? Just because he doesn't welcome you doesn't mean I don't. Have you forgotten our agreement?"
"But..."
Eula hesitated.
If she left now,
she might never have another meaningful conversation with Su Han again.
Naturally, she was unwilling to walk away after all this time.
But if Su Han didn't feel that way,
what was the point of staying?
The more she thought about it,
the more wronged she felt.
Back then, he had come to visit her even while injured.
He had approached her first, yet now he was ignoring her.
What exactly did he want?
She was the descendant of a noble family, after all.
Couldn't he at least give her some dignity?
Seeing the knight on the verge of tears, Ningguang shot Su Han a reproachful glance before comforting her.
"My dear sister, stop hesitating. Stay and spend time with me, alright? You know how busy everyone usually is. Let's just relax for a day."
"I..."
Eula remained hesitant.
She truly didn't know what to do.
At that moment, Jean caught Ningguang's look and quickly stepped forward to help persuade her.
"Eula, didn't we already agree? You're not abandoning me and leaving, are you? That won't do."
So many agreements?
Su Han felt as though he'd missed out on a great deal.
How much had they been discussing behind his back?
Seeing Jean join in the persuasion,
Eula finally agreed.
While everyone continued chatting,
Mona had already sensed an enormous amount of gossip in the air.
"The boss's private life is pretty exciting."
"A busty knight, an Acting Grand Master..."
"Even that little sister-in-law keeps secretly glancing at him. Tsk, tsk..."
"No wonder the boss keeps eating grilled kidneys. He really does need the supplements."
After enjoying a round of juicy gossip,
the group finally set out.
Because of the teleportation limitations, they first had to travel to Liyue.
Only afterward could they head to Inazuma.
However, just as Su Han and the others arrived in Liyue,
the old gentleman and Venti came knocking.
"Oh? I knew you'd be back. But with so many people gathered, don't tell me there's some special event going on?"
"We're planning to spend half a day sightseeing in Inazuma. Do you two want to come along?"
Su Han had been hoping someone would help ease the awkward atmosphere.
Seeing visitors arrive of their own accord naturally delighted him.
Zhongli raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Inazuma? How exactly do you intend to get there?"
"Well, I gave Mona a Devil Fruit."
Su Han briefly explained everything that had happened.
The moment Venti heard that they could freely travel between nations,
his eyes immediately lit up.
"Please, you absolutely must take me along. I've been craving Inazuman sake for years..." (TL/N: He was talking about the alcohol ''Sake'' incase anyone got confused.)
After considering it for a moment, Zhongli felt there was no harm in joining them and agreed.
And so,
the group expanded once more.
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