The World Online

Chapter 148: Turnaround

When the suggestion from the Military Affairs Department was declined, the meeting entered a dilemma.

Ouyang Shuo wanted to break the stalemate and said, "Since the military is limited, we can only work with other avenues. No matter what, we are defending the city and have the home advantage. What's most important now is to increase the preparation of city defense resources like alchemical fire oil, rolling wood, and giant stones."

Ouyang Shuo turned and looked at Tian Wenjing and said, "The Material Reserves Department needs to contact the quarry and the logging camp to ask them to put down all the work at hand and focus on batches of rolling wood and giant stones, moving them above the city walls."

Tian Wenjing nodded in acknowledgment. In truth, when Shanhai Town's city wall was completed, the Material Reserves Department had already built a warehouse beside the wall to store rolling wood and giant stones.

When General Shi heard Ouyang Shuo mention the alchemical fire oil, he asked, "Sire, do we have to set up the alchemical fire oil formation?"

3 months ago during the siege of beasts, they used the alchemical fire oil formation which hammered in their victory. Hence, it left a lasting impression on General Shi.

Ouyang Shuo shook his head. "The alchemical fire oil formation is too old school. It can be used on dumb beasts, but on raiders, we won't even have a chance to use it. The moment we use it, they will just retreat until the alchemical fire oil has been completely used before restarting the attack. They aren't as stupid as the beasts were."

"Then what is sire's meaning?" General Shi asked in confusion.

Ouyang Shuo didn't want to keep them guessing and smiled. "If we want to use alchemical fire oil, apart from using the alchemical fire oil formation, there are more flexible methods. Among those is the alchemical fire oil cabinet."

"Alchemical fire oil cabinet?"

"That's right." Ouyang Shuo explained to everyone the theory and function of the alchemical fire oil cabinet.

The alchemical fire oil cabinet was one of the earliest flamethrower instruments in Chinese history. It used alchemical fire oil as fuel, and copper as the cabinet. It had 4 legs and 4 brass tubes. The tubes were connected to a pump that was perpendicular to them. All 4 tubes were connected to the oil cabinet where 1500 grams of oil would be injected. The front part of the pump would be a huolo which had gunpowder.

When firing, the huolo, which had fire embers, would ignite the gunpowder. Pulling and pushing the pump would compress the air in the cabinet and push out the oil through the huolo, igniting it into flames and burning everything in front of it.

Apart from that, there was another small sized variant flamethrower that could be used to defend cities and during water warfare, using a copper gourd to replace the oil cabinet for increased portability.

Fan Zhongyan, who was born during the Song Dynasty, had a deep understanding of the alchemical fire oil cabinet, saying worryingly, "Sire's idea is good, but we might not have enough time and enough gunpowder. This might not work."

Ouyang Shuo nodded and said, You're right. I don't wish to make many of them. After this meeting I'll buy an alchemical fire oil cabinet making manual from the market, and make the weapon workshop rush it. They should be able to make two of them before the raiders arrive. As for the problem with gunpowder, I think Zhu Daozhang or Magnus will have an idea on how to solve it. We only need a little gunpowder to ignite it, and they should have some stored up."

"Sire has thought this through. I respect sire."

Solving the issue with the city protection resources, Ouyang Shuo started to discuss the problem with logistical support.