I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Chapter 121 Adjusting the Focus

"It's okay. Let's take a look at the results first. As long as the results are good, it's fine." Alpha just looked at the blast furnace, which was a bit like his own drawings, very sloppy and completely abstract, and did not blame.

"It's out, the titanium metal is out." The old blacksmith checked the results immediately, but he was the only one who was not afraid of the high temperature, while the others watched from a distance.

"Phyllis, industrial construction is urgent now, but safety work cannot be abandoned. Build these blast furnace refineries and cement plants in separate areas to ensure the safety of everyone. By the way, you also need to provide workers with occupational disease prevention and treatment, distribute masks and goggles, and protect their physical and mental health." Looking at the dust on Phyllis and Lim, Alpha knew that the pollution here was too serious. A few people only came here occasionally, but those workers did this every day.

"Lord Alpha, what are masks and goggles?" Phyllis asked in confusion, picked up the notebook and started taking notes.

"It's a mask made of cotton cloth and glass glasses, which can block wind and dust." Alpha explained with his hands and feet. Alpha knew that the glass technology of this era was very advanced, so he didn't show his half-baked technology.

"Okay, I'll arrange this. When it's done, I'll show it to you." The relationship between the two has made a breakthrough. Phyllis is no longer worried about being abandoned and can now devote herself to construction.

Alpha built a blast furnace in the Titanium Mine City and looked for suitable fuel. After summarizing the coal knowledge he had collected before, he discovered a technology to convert coal into coking coal with higher calorific value, successfully solving the fuel problem. After many attempts and improvements, the old blacksmith finally succeeded in extracting titanium metal with a blast furnace. Although the technology was not perfect, it successfully solved the problem of titanium metal refining and provided important support for the development of the Titanium Mine City.

"Lord Alpha, the level of titanium refining has almost reached the same level as my furnace. It can be used completely." The old blacksmith's reminder finally put everyone's mind at ease.

"That's good. We can transform the blast furnace and prepare for large-scale production. The refined slag can be used as raw material for Betas' cement plant." Alpha said with a smile.

"Lord Alpha, should we make equipment or forge weapons first?" The old blacksmith asked about the next work focus, whether to develop offense or consolidate defense.

"Titanium metal is good for making equipment lighter and stronger. If it is used to make weapons, what are the advantages of its sharpness?" Alpha didn't care. After all, the properties of titanium metal in this era are not exactly the same as the titanium metal Alpha was familiar with before, and he couldn't judge it arbitrarily based on past experience. At least the density of this titanium metal is much smaller than that of the titanium metal in the world he used to live in.

"The equipment has many advantages. In addition to being light and strong, weapons made of titanium alloy are stronger, more wear-resistant, and extremely sharp." The old blacksmith briefly explained this. Alpha didn't understand many professional terms.

"What about the production efficiency? In other words, how long does it take to make a set of armor, a long sword or a long knife, and a spear?" Alpha certainly hopes to do both well.

"It takes about fifty hours to make a suit of armor, ten hours to make a long sword or a long knife, and one hour to make a long spear. These are calculated based on titanium alloy equipment. If it is pure titanium metal equipment, the production time may double." The old blacksmith made an estimate based on his experience.

"I understand. Then make titanium alloy equipment and weapons and produce them at a 1:1 ratio. Make me sets of high-strength light armor first." Alpha wanted to build four high-strength Wind Knights for himself. These were his precious treasures.

"Lord Alpha, creating titanium alloy equipment requires a large amount of fine iron. I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to achieve this." The old blacksmith expressed his inability.

Alpha knew that it would be difficult to solve this problem with mineral resources alone, but he still planned to smelt old equipment to make a batch. If refined iron was still not enough, he planned to use titanium metal to directly make breastplates, and ordinary equipment for the limbs. He needed to put these 400 light armored cavalry to use immediately.

The solution to the problem was to capture the Menis Iron Mine, but the time was not right yet. Alpha ordered the old blacksmith to complete the task with all his strength. The old blacksmith now led ten apprentices and the original blacksmith, a total of more than 30 people in the team. Alpha then proposed to use assembly line operations to improve efficiency.

"Phyllis, take note. Assembly line operation is applicable to all walks of life. Its meaning is very simple, which is to simplify and streamline complex processes. When making equipment, there are many steps, such as forging raw iron. This step is time-consuming but does not require high technical skills. It can be handed over to apprentices or other people to complete. Those jobs with high technical content are handled by dedicated people." Alpha gave a simple explanation.

"Lord Alpha means to divide a process into several simple steps. Those that do not require technical skills can be handed over to other people, and those that require technical skills can be handed over to experienced craftsmen. This will reduce the workload of the experienced craftsmen and improve production efficiency." The first person to understand Alpha's intention was Lim.

"Very good, this task will be given to Lim. What you need to do is to separate these processes, simplify them, and make it clear what kind of work can be done by anyone and what kind of work can only be done by a master chef." Alpha will not do everything himself.

"Yes, Lord Alpha, I will do my best to complete the task." Lim assured in a firm tone.

"The construction of the city has been handed over to everyone. My work focus will shift back to the military. After all, ensuring everyone's safety is the top priority." Alpha plans to return to the military.

"Lord Alpha, don't worry, we will never let you down." Phyllis said. Now she seldom bothers Alpha with work matters, and such things will happen less and less in the future.

……

"My lord, the time is almost right. Should we tell Flena the truth? The longer we delay, the more worried I am that Flena will become more and more passive." Ten days later, Rowling asked worriedly.

"Okay, you tell Flena about the problem and give her the evidence you have collected. She can choose for herself." In Balor City, Alpha still has some illusions about Captain Talos, and thinks that the others are selfish vampires. However, Alpha is not sure whether these evidences can make Talos turn back. After all, too many knights have fallen into the nobles they originally hated, and lost their original intentions after gaining power.

"What if something happens to Flena?" Rowling was afraid that the nobles would retaliate against Flena after learning the news.

"Flinna knows how to protect herself better than you do, so you don't have to worry. Besides, the nobles won't deal with her easily before her hands and feet are cut off, that is, before I am defeated." Alpha knew that the nobles were afraid of death. They didn't dare to do anything to Flena until they were defeated and Flena still had the strength to resist.

"Sir, sir, it's me, it's us." Suddenly, Alpha, who was patrolling, saw a familiar face, the disheveled Javier.

"Ah, Javier, how did you become like this? Didn't I say that I would take special care of you?" Alpha was very surprised. He didn't expect that these nobles would be assigned to the hardest and most tiring positions, and each of them became like a native.

"Sir, they all scolded you, that's why the monkey was arranged to work in a place like this." Rowling was afraid that Alpha would be angry, so she hurried to explain for the "monkey".

"Forget it, at least they're alive. If they're dead, they're dead." Alpha had already forgotten about these people.

"Deal with them and bring them to me." Now that he has fallen out with the nobles, Alpha is ready to maximize his own interests, and these people are ready to pay the ransom.

"Okay, Lord Alpha." Seeing that Alpha had no intention of blaming her, Rowling felt relieved.

"Lord Alpha, I am willing to cooperate with you." Javier was the first to run to Alpha and couldn't wait to express his opinion.

"Is it you, or your family?" Alpha asked curiously. After all, there is a difference between the two.

"It's me, and I'm from the Montgomery family in Balor City. I'm the head of the Montgomery family in Balor City." Of course, Balor is just a small city, and the Montgomery family is an insignificant branch of it.

"Why?" Alpha didn't think that his domineering aura could convince them. After all, the others were full of resentment, but they didn't dare to scold Alpha directly. After all, the high-intensity work these days had overwhelmed the nobles, and even if they didn't die, they had lost a layer of skin.

"Originally, I just saw that you captured the slave transit station. Many of the resources there are what our family needs, so I just wanted to cooperate with you to exchange materials. But these days, I saw that you were building a city here. This is definitely a miracle, so I want to cooperate with you to develop. We are willing to do our best to provide you with the resources you need. We only ask that you can provide us with materials for building the city, the kind of cement that can bond stones." Javier has been dealing with cement these days and of course knows its value.

"What resources can you provide me?" There is nothing that is impossible to cooperate with, it just depends on whether the other party has value.

"Food, weapons, equipment, whatever you need, I can provide you with it." On behalf of the family, Javier promised Alpha his full support.

"Then why don't you join them in attacking me? In this way, everything will belong to you." Alpha asked suddenly.

"Ah! Lord Alpha, do you think that they have bad intentions and are trying to retaliate against you?" Javier wanted to tell Alpha this as a condition for his refusal to cooperate, but he didn't expect that Alpha already knew it.

"I know they will attack me, but not in the name of their own nobility, but in the name of the grassland bandit group. If several major bandit groups join forces to attack, I am afraid that even if they have overwhelming strength, I will find it difficult to compete." Alpha understood that the next battle would be extremely brutal.

"I originally thought so, but when I saw Captain Alpha defeat the larger force with a smaller one and capture the Titanium Mine City and the Trade Fort, I understood your military talent. Later, you built a city here. Now they have no siege equipment and cannot capture the Titanium Mine City at all. In addition, Alpha has sufficient supplies, and they cannot let you run out of ammunition and food, so I believe you can definitely defeat those hypocritical nobles." Seeing the rise of this emerging city, Javier admired Alpha's abilities even more.

"We can cooperate, but before the titanium mining city is built, I don't plan to sell cement to others. You must also do your best to supply the materials needed during this period." This is the condition proposed by Alpha.

"Then could you please give me some titanium metal? This way, I can give an explanation to the family." Although Javier is the head of the family, he cannot go too far against the family's wishes.

"Okay, I will supply you one kilogram of titanium metal every month, but you must provide me one ton of refined iron." Alpha made the request.

"Okay, deal." Although refined iron is also a strategic material, it is not precious and can be bought as long as you have money. However, titanium metal may not be available even if you have money, so Javier did not lose money in this deal.

"Deal, I'll arrange for someone to go back to Balor later, do you want to go back with me?" Seeing Javier agree, Alpha felt that he was too generous and a bit of a loss. But it didn't matter, the completion of the blast furnace greatly increased the output of titanium metal, and the monthly output of a blast furnace was at least 100 kilograms.

"Thank you very much. I will clean it up now. But Lord Alpha, how will you deal with those noble agents?" Javier seemed to care about this very much.

If Alpha demands a ransom, then according to the rules of the nobility, even if the action fails, the other party must follow the rules and pay the ransom or take away all the belongings of the defeated, but not take anyone's life.

If Alpha neither wanted money nor released the person, and insisted on killing him, then that would be a violation of the rules, and those nobles would show no mercy and fight to the death. This has always been the case among European nobles. Being defeated and captured is not a big deal, as long as the family pays the ransom, they will be free.

"I plan to let the family behind them pay a ransom and then take the people away. Please help me convey this message. One ton of refined iron or saltpeter and sulfur per person." Although the gunpowder production process failed, gunpowder is still very useful. Alpha needs a large amount of reserves to make smoke bombs and incendiary bombs. These are siege weapons. Once thrown into the city by catapults, they will be difficult to extinguish.

"Okay, leave this to me. Lord Alpha, do you have any other instructions?"

"Don't take the initiative to contact those nobles for now. Keep it a secret for a while. This way, my Titanium Mine City will have one more day to prepare." The walls of the Titanium Mine City have been built, but a lot of time is needed to prepare the various supporting facilities.

"Don't worry about that. I will try my best to cooperate with Lady Florina. Just let me know if you need me." Since Alpha wanted a ransom, Javier's worries were gone. Even if the operation failed, it would be an internal matter of the nobility. At most, he would lose his position as the head of the family, but no one would die.

"Okay, I'll let you know when we leave."

"Lord Alpha, do you believe in Javier?" Rowling asked curiously while lying on Alpha's back.

"What do you think?"

"I think this guy is trustworthy." Rowling was not entirely sure.

"Let Flora judge this. After all, that guy is best at studying people's hearts." Alpha didn't want to think too much about it. After all, whether Javier was sincere in cooperating or not didn't have much impact on Alpha.

"Yes, Master Alpha is still very insightful."