Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 357 The Revolutionary Airship

Although Li Wei used the word "finally," the airship was actually built very quickly, only a few months from the beginning of the year until now, which is quite impressive considering the Empire's industrial production capacity.

The reason Li Wei felt the process was so long was that every time he encountered a case, he would mutter to himself that if his airship were ready, there wouldn't be so much trouble.

If you nag for too long, you'll end up like Xianglin's wife, feeling like every day is an eternity.

The airship was finally completed, and Levi immediately set off in high spirits, piloting his Phantom and taking Katie to the Royal Second Shipyard.

There, Levi met the designer Howard Dylan again.

"Ah, hello, Sir Levi."

Upon seeing Li Wei arrive, designer Howard warmly greeted him.

"Welcome. I assume you've come here for the Eye of the Sky, right?"

"That's right, I heard it's already built?"

"Yes, Sir Levi, we have already conducted two rounds of testing on her, and she is currently in excellent condition, perfectly meeting your needs. Moreover... I assure you, you will certainly fall in love with her."

As he spoke, Howard gestured to Levi.

"plz follow me."

Stepping into the manufacturing workshop of the Second Shipyard, Li Wei finally saw the airship he had been longing for.

Sky Eye!
It must be said that Levi was completely captivated by the unique shape of this airship the moment he saw it.

The Empire's current airships are mostly of a very ordinary design, consisting of an oval-shaped gasbag with a cabin suspended below.

However, the Sky Eye was different. Unlike other airships, it didn't have a complete gasbag; instead, it had only half—like an oval shape with the bottom half cut off, leaving only half of the gasbag. The lower half was a compartment completely connected to the gasbag.

On both sides and at the rear of the airship are pairs of side wings and a tail fin. Of course, they are not as long as airplane wings, but more like fish fins. From this perspective, the airship's shape is actually very similar to a dolphin or a shark, except that it lacks a dorsal fin.

However, there is an inverted triangle-shaped object, similar to a ventral fin, beneath this airship.

It must be said that compared to those ordinary airships, this white airship, which looked like it had a flat body like a shark, was very similar to the futuristic aircraft that Li Wei had seen in science fiction movies, and it immediately caught his eye.

The interior design was equally eye-opening. Li Wei wasn't unfamiliar with airships; in fact, he had frequently traveled around in reconnaissance airships recently. However, unlike those airships with a strong military feel, the interior decoration of this airship was quite refreshing.

For example, its floor was made of luxurious wood, and the entire bridge was covered with glass windows. In the captain's seat of the ship, a special observation scope was designed for high-altitude observation, which looked like a periscope on a submarine—only upside down.

According to designer Howard, the entire airship cabin has two levels, but only one level is on the outside, while the other level is located inside the airbag.

Incidentally, the airship's airbags are not a single unit, but rather utilize the Empire's latest distributed airbag architecture. Simply put, what would normally be a large airbag is divided into several smaller airbags. This way, even if some airbags are damaged, the others can still provide sufficient lift. Furthermore, precise control of each airbag allows for better control over ascent, descent, and balance.

Of course, to do this, if it were done entirely by hand, several soldiers would have to jump around like monkeys to open and close the valves, which would be time-consuming and would require even more manpower.

And that's when the difference engine came into play!
Indeed, inside this Sky Eye airship, there is also a state-of-the-art "Thinking-class" differential engine, which is specifically used to control various parts of the airship. It can not only control each gasbag through precise calculations, but also provide fire support and communication assistance. It can be said to be the super brain of this airship.

What Li Wei saw outside the ship, that thing that looked like a ventral fin, was actually a state-of-the-art radio transceiver used to transmit and receive radio signals from the ground.

In addition, this airship is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system that collects, filters, and stores rainwater. This water can be used not only to sustain the crew but also to add weight to facilitate landing. Traditional airships land by deflating their gasbags; in contrast, this rainwater harvesting system not only meets the needs of the crew but also allows for a faster response.

For example, if something is wrong during landing, a regular airship can only slowly inflate its airbags to regain altitude, while the Sky Eye can ascend immediately by emptying all the stored rainwater.

Of course, considering the air pressure at high altitudes, the entire cabin is completely sealed. After all, the altitude required by Levi is much higher than that of most airships nowadays, so there is no option to leisurely stroll on the deck.

As for firepower, 40mm anti-aircraft guns were installed at the front and rear of the airship—well, of course, these things can be used for air defense, for shooting people, and even for fighting monsters, they've got it all covered.

On the left and right sides, 105mm howitzers were installed.

Of course, for an airship, the lighter the better, but with so many components crammed in, relying solely on the airbags would be like a small horse pulling a heavy cart. So, Howard the designer boldly added the Hercules engine system—the fin-like structures on the left, right, and rear sides of the airship that Levi saw.

This thing was originally intended to provide auxiliary power to the air fortress—the huge airship that Levi saw when he came out of the city council in Melisia, and its powerful thrust is self-evident.

In other words, the Eye of the Sky possesses two different power systems: an airship gasbag and an aerial warship engine. In Li Wei's view, this is somewhat like a hybrid electric vehicle...

Howard, the designer, explained that the reason why the Sky Eye took so long to develop was to test the airship's condition. After all, the main consideration was to rely on the airship's airbags, with the engine as an auxiliary component. However, if either the airbags or the engine malfunctioned, the other component could still ensure the airship's safe landing.

This requires repeated calculations and numerous experiments to determine redundancy and balance. If Levi's Sky Eye performs well, all airships in the empire may eventually be upgraded to this standard.

In other words, Li Wei's Sky Eye can be considered the prototype of the airship innovation and modification project.

Well, Unit-01... as long as it doesn't go berserk, it's fine.

Of course, no matter what kind of machine it is, it needs to be operated by a person. So when Li Wei walked into the hatch of the Eye of the Sky, he soon saw a person walking towards him.

"Hello, Commander."

Upon seeing Li Wei appear, a man hurriedly approached and respectfully saluted him. He was probably in his forties, with slightly graying hair, a robust build, and a few stubbles on his chin.

"First Mate, Williams Horn reporting for duty."

"Lieutenant Horn has served as first mate on several airships and has extensive experience."

At this moment, designer Howard also spoke up.

"His ship, the 'Helios,' had been decommissioned, and we happened to need a first officer, so we transferred him over."

"Hello, Lieutenant Horn."

Li Wei also saluted the first mate. After learning that he had an airship, he had done some research on the personnel of the airship. Simply put, the personnel of the airship and the navy were similar. The first mate was the captain's deputy, but generally they were professional soldiers.

In fact, commanding a warship is similar to commanding a unit. The head of the unit is in charge of the overall direction, while the deputy is in charge of the specific tasks.

Inspector Lestrade has now been appointed as deputy chief. Although he is a deputy chief, he is in charge of maintaining order in the city and has real power.

The same applies to airships. For example, Levi can decide on a destination, but how to get there and which route is the most time-efficient is the first mate's responsibility.

Therefore, the first mate could be said to be second only to the emperor... Well, this airship doesn't even have 10,000 people, not even 100.

However, the first mate is still very important, since Li Wei relies on his second-in-command for assistance the most.

"Welcome to the Eye of the Sky. I have assembled the officers, who are ready to report to you at any time."

Li Wei also saw that behind Lieutenant Horn, a group of soldiers were already lined up, waiting for his arrival.

“Very good, thank you, Horn, let’s do it now.”

"Yes."

Li Wei walked forward, carefully observing the group of soldiers, some old, some young, some men, some women. Upon seeing Li Wei, each of them became tense and serious. Clearly, they knew of Li Wei's reputation.

"Attention, everyone!" Horn walked to the side and shouted.

"The captain has arrived!"

At the same time, the officers quickly stood at attention facing Li Wei.

"Take a break."

Li Wei nodded, then looked at the crowd.

"Alright, everyone, there's no need to be so tense. I'm not from a military background. Um... Now, please report your situation to me. You start, young lady."

"Yes, my lord."

Upon hearing Li Wei's order, a petite woman in military uniform, standing on the far right, stepped forward and saluted Li Wei.

"Communications Officer Lieutenant Mariana Guedes reporting for duty. I am responsible for receiving, processing, and transmitting all your communications with the outside world. I am your eyes and your voice, Captain."

Lieutenant Marianna was a pretty woman; while not exceptionally beautiful, she had a lovely voice and spoke clearly. Perhaps that's why she was appointed as a communications officer.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant."

Li Wei nodded to her, and she quickly returned to her place in line. Then, another man standing next to her stepped forward.

"Helmsman Sergeant James Gladley reporting for duty, Captain. Wherever you wish to go, I assure you I will deliver you safely to your destination."

The helmsman was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, in the prime of his life. He tensed his body, and the muscles on his arms bulged high, making him look like a bodybuilder.

For some reason, looking at the helmsman's appearance, Li Wei felt that he should be smoking a pipe and eating spinach... cough cough, it should just be his imagination.

At least he seems incredibly strong even without eating spinach.

"Then it all depends on you, Sergeant Glad."

And so, Levi got to know the crew members of the Eye of the Sky one by one, mostly officers, those he was closely connected with. These included First Officer Lieutenant Horn, Communications Officer Ensign Mariana, Chief Helmsman Sergeant James, Chief Engineer Thomas Kate, Navigation Officer Sergeant George Kate, and Ordnance Officer Sergeant Taylor Bieber.

However, there were some familiar faces among them, such as Henry, who finally arrived with his Marines. They would now serve as the Sky Eye's exclusive guard, under the command of Levi. Levi felt somewhat relieved about this, as he was unfamiliar with these officers, while Henry was a familiar face. With him in charge of the Sky Eye's security, Levi felt much more at ease.

It's better than hiring a complete stranger; that would be a real hassle.

And so, the entire crew of the Eye of the Sky was complete. Including Levi, there were a total of thirty people on the Eye of the Sky. Fifteen of them were Henry and his steam engine crew, and the rest were the sailors and officers responsible for operating the Eye of the Sky.

"Everyone."

After getting to know everyone, Li Wei looked at them and spoke.

"From now on, we will be comrades-in-arms who share life and death, but I think you may not be very clear about your mission. Our duty is to defend the Empire and eliminate the enemies that threaten the Empire's peace. However, the enemies we will face are not just those caused by human destruction... but also those that are beyond human imagination."

At this point, Li Wei paused, looking at the crowd. Clearly, the soldiers, including First Officer Horn, all wore expressions of confusion at his words. This was understandable; everything in MI7 was classified, and even after being drafted, they didn't know what kind of enemy they would be facing.

But they will find out soon.

"Seeing is believing. Perfect timing. We're about to take action, and you can take this opportunity to learn more about your enemy."

Upon hearing Li Wei's words, everyone's spirits immediately lifted. Although they didn't know exactly what Li Wei was talking about, his meaning was very clear: the Sky Eye was about to begin its first mission!

"Are you leaving now?"

Howard, the designer, was taken aback by what Levi said and asked in surprise, while Levi turned to look at him.

"What? No?"

"No, it's not that it's impossible, it's just..."

Looking at Levi and then at Katie behind him, Howard the designer was momentarily speechless. In his experience, most nobles would hold a grand ceremony to celebrate their airship's launch. There would even be extensive media coverage. Levi's impulsive and action-packed approach was something he had never seen before.

If Li Wei knew what Howard the architect was thinking, he would be speechless. First of all, the Sky Eye was nominally under his own Knights Order, but it was also under MI7. The latter was a secret entity; how could they possibly hold a large meeting and invite a group of reporters to expose them?
Besides, Li Wei wasn't interested in these rituals, or rather, he had better ways of celebrating!

"That's all right then, let's go!"

At Li Wei's command, he turned and boarded the Sky Eye, while Howard, the designer, shook his head helplessly at the sight.

"I really don't know what young people are thinking these days, but it's fine this way, at least we won't have to go through all that trouble..."

He didn't really want to get involved in all that nonsense. Since Li Wei himself didn't care, then he cared even less.

Thinking of this, Howard the designer also gathered his thoughts and looked at his subordinates.

"Go, prepare to open the hatch!"

"Beep—beep—beep—!"

A sharp alarm sounded, and as it blared, the massive roof above the factory workshop slowly opened to both sides. Levi stood on the bridge, looking out the window at the scenery and listening to the distant alarm, feeling a profound sense of familiarity.

At this moment, Li Wei even felt a voice he had never heard before, yet was extremely familiar, appear in his ears.

【Unit ready】

【Kirov reporing】

【Helium Mix Optimal】

"………………………"

The engine began to vibrate, the propeller spun violently, and the Eye of the Sky slowly and gracefully broke free from its restraints, leaving the factory and gently rising into the sky.

"System is functioning normally, everything is ready."

"Captain, please indicate the target location."

"Ah."

Upon hearing First Mate Horn's words, Levi nodded.

"Target: Bisbaru region, Death Forest."

At this moment, Li Wei wanted nothing more than to shout out loud.

Solomon, I'm back!

(End of this chapter)