Chapter 307: The Soul of Steel is Burning

Master Staudinger’s vexed shout was exceptionally loud in the noisy workshop.

The Magitech Technician Chief’s face was written with complex emotions interwoven with regret and excitement. He paced back and forth around the composite armor sample, muttering something constantly.

Morin looked at him like this and breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

This way of communication was just right.

After all, he wasn’t a materials science expert and could only propose a vague direction based on knowledge beyond the times.

Specific technical details and process realization still had to rely on professionals like Staudinger to explore.

“Master Staudinger, the fiberglass backplate is just an idea.” Morin added appropriately, “It is mainly to solve the problems of the ceramic layer being brittle and needing constraint. But to truly improve protection, the key still lies in the ceramic in the middle.”

“Although the hardness of aluminum oxide ceramic is good, if we can find a material with higher hardness and better toughness, the effect will be worlds apart.”

Morin paused and threw out another keyword: “For example, silicon carbide…”

In fact, after the HEAT weapon was obtained by the Britannians, when Morin first proposed the idea of “Composite Armor” to General Mackensen and Leonia, relevant items were unlocked in the [Technology] tab.

However, unlike other technologies, since Morin really didn’t understand much about materials science, the progress basically didn’t increase.

But some derived [Information] entries mentioned materials like aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and boron carbide.

These entries also let Morin know that “Moissanite,” a natural silicon carbide, actually existed in this world.

And the discoverer was also the Gallic scientist Henri Moissan, who found this substance in a meteorite crater in North America.

After this, the Britannian Acheson accidentally manufactured silicon carbide artificially in the laboratory—

“Silicon carbide?”

Staudinger stopped pacing, his voice somewhat unsteady, obviously instantly realizing the characteristics of this material.

“I remember! The Britannians did successfully synthesize this substance artificially before! They mainly valued its high hardness and high-temperature resistance at the time… How could I forget this!”

The old man got more excited as he spoke. He suddenly grabbed Morin’s arm and shook it excitedly.

“That’s right! The hardness of silicon carbide far exceeds aluminum oxide, and its chemical properties are more stable! Using it to make bulletproof ceramics, theoretically, the effect will be several levels better!”

“Lieutenant Colonel Morin, you are simply a genius! You should go to the Royal Magitech Research Institute!”

Morin hurriedly waved his hand: “No no no, I’m not suitable for that place…”

[Unlock Progress Increased: Composite Armor (10%)]

The system notification sound ringing in his mind made Morin happy. It seemed that the harvest of this exchange was not small.

Although compared to those “lit up” technologies like HEAT warheads and magic crystal siege cannons, this progress was still pitiful.

But for Morin, this was also an unexpected joy.

After all, if “Composite Armor” was really developed, it wouldn’t just be used on Armored Knights—

Leonia had been standing quietly by the side, listening to their conversation.

Although she didn’t understand those complex materials science terms, she could understand the ecstasy on Master Staudinger’s face and could also understand the huge value brought by Morin’s few words.

“Lieutenant Colonel Morin, you always bring surprises.”

Leonia’s voice carried a bit of admiration: “I’m starting to doubt whether you are a pure soldier. You seem to know a bit too much.”

“Your Excellency Grand Master overpraises me.” Morin immediately put on a humble look, “My motives are purely impure.”

“Oh?” Leonia raised an eyebrow.

“In the past, to mooch a few more drinks at parties, I had to have something to talk about, right?”

Morin spread his hands, looking matter-of-fact: “When I got tired of talking about what I knew, I could only talk about something else… So listening more and seeing more, I naturally knew a little bit~ But it can only bluff laymen. In front of experts like you and the Master, it’s actually showing off before an expert.”

This half-true, half-false explanation made Leonia couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“You are quite interesting! Much better than those rigid guys!”

On the other side, Master Staudinger was in no mood to joke; he couldn’t wait any longer.

“No, I have to go to the laboratory immediately! Fiberglass! Silicon carbide! My inspiration is gushing out!”

This Magitech Technician Chief shouted like a child, grabbed the drawings and notes on the workbench, and rushed out.

“Lieutenant Colonel Morin! When I make a new sample, I will definitely invite you to visit! I will also find a chance to introduce you to those people at the Royal Magitech Research Institute!!”

“Uh… let’s talk about this later, later.” Morin hurriedly laughed it off.

Communicating with one technology maniac was already brain-consuming enough. Another group, he was afraid his half-baked stock wouldn’t be enough.

Soon, Staudinger’s figure disappeared at the other end of the workshop.

“Lieutenant Colonel.” Leonia’s voice pulled Morin’s thoughts back.

“Next, there is another gentleman who wants to talk to you.”

Following her voice, a middle-aged man who had been waiting quietly not far away walked over.

He was wearing a similarly capable technician’s work uniform, but his temperament was more like a shrewd manager.

A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, his eyes sharp and prudent.

“This is Director Sims.”

Leonia introduced the two: “He is the head of our Teutonic Knights Armored Knight R&D and Manufacturing Department… The report on ‘dual-pilot control’ submitted by Ludwig before was evaluated and followed up by him.”

Director Sims extended his hand to Morin: “Lieutenant Colonel Morin, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Director Sims, hello.” Morin shook hands with him.

“Before discussing the next topic,” Leonia looked at Morin, “Do you need a rest? A cup of coffee or something else?”

“Not at all, Your Excellency Grand Master.”

Morin straightened his back, a certain light flashing in his eyes.

“As long as the topic is discussing Armored Knights, I’m always energetic!”

Of course, his inner monologue was actually: Are you kidding! My soul of steel is burning! Bring out all your big guys for me to see!

Seeing Morin like this, Leonia and Sims smiled at each other.

“Alright, then let’s continue.”

Sims pushed his glasses and guided Morin to a huge drawing board on the other side of the workshop.

“Regarding dual-pilot control, we are very interested, but we have also encountered some tricky problems.”

On the drawing board, a simple structural diagram of an Armored Knight was outlined with some lines, next to several cross-sectional views from different angles and design drafts.

“Ludwig’s report was very detailed, especially regarding the combination of pilot and weapons officer, which gave us great inspiration.”

Director Sims pointed to one of the sketches, which depicted a torso structure obviously “plumper” than the “Siegfried Type 1.”

“But when we put this idea into practice, we encountered two unavoidable problems.”

He held up a finger.

“First, space… The cockpit of an Armored Knight is already cramped. This design is to make it look like a human as much as possible.”

“Because knights drive Armored Knights through ‘Synchro Operation,’ the more human-like the Armored Knight’s shape, the better the human-machine integration control can be achieved.”

“But now forcing a second person in, even if adopting the tandem layout as Lieutenant Colonel Morin said, the entire torso inevitably has to expand a large circle.”

He circled the enlarged part on the drawing board with red chalk.

“This isn’t as simple as getting fat. It will cause the machine’s center of gravity, balance, and power ratio to be redesigned, almost equivalent to developing a new machine from scratch.”

Hearing this, Morin also asked an extra question: “And is it the same worry as Major Ludwig… feeling that dual-pilot driving does not fit the knight’s style?”

Sims and Leonia both nodded, and the latter also spoke: “Many senior knights believe that the Armored Knight is an extension of the knight’s will, a unique partner, and should not be touched by a second person.”

“Victory is the only pursuit on the battlefield.”

Morin’s answer was simple and direct.

“If defeated, even the noblest will is just a joke in history books.”

This sentence made Leonia nod in deep agreement.

“So I have suppressed those voices of opposition…” She said in a deep voice, “Now we only discuss technical issues.”

“Yes, so this leads to the second problem.”

Sims raised a second finger.

“We don’t know what kind of long-range weapon to install on it… Lieutenant Colonel, you should have also seen the assault cannon used by our Armored Knights. Its power can only be used to consume the shields of Britannian Armored Knights, and it cannot penetrate their armor.”

“And just installing conventional rifles or machine guns… that’s no different from scratching an itch for other Armored Knights. Why should we spend so much effort to modify it?”

“If we further increase the caliber and weight of the artillery, it will make the Armored Knight’s movement even more inconvenient, which will instead lose the original melee capability, the loss outweighs the gain…”

From the perspective of Sims and others, the positioning of Armored Knights, evolved from ancient knights, determined that they must possess strong assault and melee capabilities.

But if they wanted to balance long-range firepower, they seemed unable to find suitable weapons to use…

So over the years, battles between knights still evolved into close-quarters melee combat after breaking each other’s shields.

Hearing this, Morin finally understood the other party’s thinking.

“Director Sims, it seems your thinking has entered a misunderstanding… The artillery prepared for Armored Knights doesn’t have to be the larger the caliber, the better~”

“Hmm? Lieutenant Colonel, you mean…”

“And who said all Armored Knights must be the same?”

“Ah?”