Mr. Rat of the Steam World

Chapter 106 Man-eating Rats?! (6k8)

Clang.

Lu Ran received a letter from Inspector Edwin.

The intelligence report on Ashes submitted last time was only on paper, and since the government had already been forced to send troops to suppress it, Lu Ran's contribution was not significant. Therefore, his reward was only his base salary plus 50 pounds. However, it was still a bit of extra income.

He didn't care about the money. The Ash incident had given him extra relics. Unless he gave up the relics and handed them over as evidence, he might get a lot more in reward, but it was completely unnecessary.

I have enough money right now, and I can continue to inspire others once I get the new potion.

Due to new business, Bernard hired a new batch of workers at Lu Ran's instruction. After all, in addition to the existing orders from the Morse factory, there was also the large order from Earl Biden. Under these circumstances, having to divert manpower and equipment to Jacob's airship development even prompted Bernard to complain a few times.

It's no wonder he was dissatisfied. As the factory manager, his primary goal was to increase profits: fulfilling Earl Biden's order would have multiplied the factory's profits several times over. However, at this moment, he had to divert people to entertain the two teenagers' antics.

Although Lu Ran often comforted Bernard to have faith in Jacob, he himself never checked on the progress.

Lu Ran, who had packed his things and was about to go find Anthony, caught a glimpse of Bernard walking deeper into the workshop after he finished complaining, and a thought struck him.

"It seems like it's time to go and take a look."

Thinking of this, Lu Ran couldn't help but follow along.

Of course, this doesn't require using Sherlock's form. I can just sneak over in my normal rat form and check on how well my subordinates are getting along.

……

The research area is located in an open area deep inside the factory, in the northwest corner of the workshop. It is a huge space that was specially reserved because it is close to the back door, covering an area of ​​several thousand square meters. At this moment, it is partially covered by a magnificent wooden shed structure.

Figures moved about under the scaffolding; Jacob was directing the workers to move timber, metal strips, and canvas.

Several skilled workers were gathered around a huge blueprint spread out on a wooden crate, discussing something intensely, with Jacob's clear and urgent voice breaking in between them.

Ordinary workers don't care about age. In their eyes, young Jacob must have an extraordinary background. Since he is very satisfied with and cherishes his work at the Morse factory, he naturally won't act like a troublemaker who takes advantage of his seniority.

Bernard, dressed in a well-fitting waistcoat, the pocket watch chain on his chest shimmering slightly in the dim light, strode steadily into the somewhat cluttered research area. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and his gaze swept critically over the surroundings—

Scattered sawdust clung to the canvas, and pieces of wood of varying lengths and bent pipes were piled up haphazardly.

A barely perceptible sigh rolled in his throat, eventually turning into a soft cough.

"Ahem." This soft cough instantly silenced the noisy research area. The workers instinctively stopped what they were doing and looked at the factory manager somewhat awkwardly.

Jacob jerked his head up from the drawings and saw Bernard. A flicker of nervousness crossed Bernard's still-youthful face. He quickly brushed the dust off his hands and hurried over, his voice hoarse from the loud discussion.
“Mr. Bernard! You…you’ve arrived.”

Bernard nodded slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the makeshift shed and the messy surroundings, his tone flat and devoid of much emotion.

“Jacob… um, Engineer Jacob. I’ve come to check on the progress. After all…”

He paused, his gaze shifting to the materials piled in the corner. "The Earl Biden's order is the highest priority, and every resource needs to be carefully calculated. As for you, since Mr. Sherlock trusts you completely, these shouldn't be a problem."

He emphasized that his position was simply to carry out orders, "but we must also ensure that this trust is not betrayed and that resources are not misused."

His gaze finally settled on Jacob. "Could you tell me about the current progress? It seems we're still in the shed-building stage?"

Jacob keenly caught the skepticism in Bernard's words. His young cheeks flushed slightly, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He knew Bernard was a conscientious factory manager, and his suspicions were not malicious attempts to make things difficult, but rather based on the overall interests of the factory and the instinctive caution of a professional manager.

He took a deep breath and pointed to the wooden skeletal structure in the center of the arena, which was beginning to reveal the outline of a huge ellipsoid.

"Sir, this is not a construction shed; what you see is part of the main framework."

Jacob tried to make his voice sound calmer and more organized, "It will be the core structure of the Moss 1 airship, the skeleton of the main gasbag. We have made key progress on the main frame!"

He quickly led Bernard closer to the behemoth, his speech unconsciously quickening, filled with the enthusiasm unique to young people: "Look at the mortise and tenon structure here, it's a design improved by the factory's veteran technicians."

He pointed to the key connection points, saying, "The strength is at least 30% higher than traditional methods, and the weight is significantly reduced! And these too,"

He picked up several uniquely shaped lightweight canvas samples from the ground. "These are samples of the inner air bladder skin made of specially treated flax and rubber composite materials. We are testing its airtightness and strength, and we must ensure that it can withstand high airflow and pressure changes..."

Bernard was not entirely infected by Jacob's excitement. His gaze swept over the thick keel and the intricate mesh structure with a scrutinizing look, then fell on the oddly shaped canvas pieces and the unfinished steam boiler model next to them, his brow still furrowed.

"What about the material wastage rate? I noticed that the fifty rolls of lightweight canvas that arrived yesterday are not quite the same specifications as your initial application? There must be a lot of cutting waste, right? Also, has the layout diagram of the steam unit been finalized?"

He raised a series of very practical, key questions concerning cost and structural safety.

This is what he cares about most—efficiency, cost, and feasibility.

These questions hit Jacob like a bucket of cold water. He was still a teenager, lacking the experience to handle the pressure of a mature manager flawlessly.

His hands unconsciously clenched the hem of his shirt, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He glanced quickly at the blueprint area, his tone tinged with urgency that he was trying hard to control:

“Uh… the specification adjustment is because of the supplier… to find a better balance between airtightness and strength! Losses… losses are within the expected improvement costs!” Jacob explained quickly, walking briskly to the drawing box and frantically rummaging through a thick stack of complexly marked drawings.

"As for the layout diagram of the steam unit, Mr. Bernard, please look here!"

"..."

Lu Ran observed secretly. Although Bernard was strict, it was still within reasonable limits, and he wasn't maliciously making things difficult. Having a professional oversee things was actually a good thing for the inexperienced teenager.

Relieved, Lu Ran wasn't interested in the remaining details of the airship's construction.

All he cares about is the result, as long as it makes money for the Morse factory.

So Lu Ran quietly left the Morse factory and took the bottle of magic potion to the Norton Furniture Store on Copper Wire Street.

However, because he was not confident in his own abilities, he still called on Sang Biao to come along, making it two against one. Even if Anthony had any bad intentions, at least he could protect himself.

……

"Meow~ Are we going to find that scary human?"

Sangbiao Cat still had some psychological trauma from remembering that hideous man-eating flower.

Lu Ran stood up and patted his chest: "Don't worry, boss! Although Anthony is mysterious, he seems to be quite trustworthy so far. Didn't he give me the mimic's stomach first? If he dares to try anything funny..."

Lu Ran made a scratching motion with his little paw: "Brothers united, their strength can break metal!"

Upon hearing the words "brothers united," Sang Biao seemed to recall the tacit cooperation they had shown in their last battle. His listless spirits lifted slightly, and he puffed out his chest: "...That's right, meow! It's just a broken flower! Let's do it again, and I'll scratch it all over!"

Lu Ran chuckled: "Right, right! That's the spirit! Boss is awesome! But let's have a good chat first. We're going to work together on potions, so fighting and killing each other will only hurt our relationship. When we get to Norton Furniture Store, you keep watch outside, and I'll go in and talk to him."

Lu Ran and Sang Biao Cat are both very fast. Even without using transportation, they can move freely through the various corners and rooftops of the industrial area.

Although the workers in the industrial zone were still in a bad state, it was much better than the desolate atmosphere after the previous military crackdown.

"How much longer until we get there, meow!"

"It's coming soon..."

The air on Copper Wire Street was narrow and damp, thick with the smells of cheap tobacco, undried paint, and the stench of life on the margins. Lu Ran responded with a word of agreement as he jumped over a wall.

But just as their feet touched the damp brick wall, a shrill, distorted scream filled with extreme panic ripped through the stifling air of Copper Wire Street!
"Man-eating rats!!!"

"Monster! Help!!"

The sound suddenly pierced Lu Ran's ears, making the hairs on his body stand on end! He looked up sharply and saw a woman scrambling out of the alley, her panicked figure carrying the trembling of someone who had just survived a disaster.

A thought flashed through Lu Ran's mind like lightning: "Goodness, I was looking for you, but you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep."

Lu Ran's anger was instantly ignited by the guy who ruined his reputation and even bumped into him.

Without even greeting the stun cat, he slammed his hind legs against the damp wall!

Amidst the flying debris, his gray rat-like figure transformed into a blurry afterimage, shooting towards the depths of the dark alley with a sharp whooshing sound, as fast as an arrow released from a bow! At the same time, he cursed loudly.

"Man-eating rat, huh?! How dare you run wild on my turf?! Which blind scum rat are you?! Come out here and face your death... Huh?!"

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Lu Ran froze on the spot when he saw the target's figure clearly.

He had imagined that man-eating rats were the kind of slimy, ferocious-looking giant rats, but the one in front of him was actually about the same size as the gray rats that commonly carried grain in his territory.

Before he could even think, the mouse in front of him trembled violently, its tiny limbs twitching rapidly as if being pierced by an invisible electric current, its joints bending at abnormal angles.

Its eyes rolled back, leaving almost only the whites of its eyes visible. Thick, blood-tinged foam constantly seeped from its mouth and nose. With each spasm, its body twisted and bounced up like a spring, slamming against the brick wall with a dull thud, yet it seemed oblivious to the pain.

Immediately following, the little creature was driven by some kind of instinct and pounced on him in a completely out-of-control manner. The movement was like a wild beast pouncing on its prey or an epileptic seizure, with muscles throbbing and undulating strangely beneath its disheveled fur.

“Squeak…ho…ho…”

Lu Ran decisively raised his hand to suppress it, but was immediately startled by the frenzied pulse coming from under his claws upon contact, and his brows furrowed at the same time.

"This power... wait! You're not one of the rats in my territory, are you?"

The controlled mouse's spasms suddenly intensified, its twitching limbs kicking the air haphazardly.

"Don't move!" Lu Ran shouted. "Take a good look at who I am!"

The next moment, the somewhat frantic mouse struggled to lift its dizzy little head, and Lu Ran's figure was reflected in its beady little eyes.

"Squeak..." It let out a weak but unusually clear screech, "Lord...Lord...my lord?!"

Lu Ran narrowed his eyes and frowned even more.

"How did you become like this? Why did you hurt people for no reason?"

He never imagined that the so-called man-eating rats were actually the rats in his territory.

Lu Ran was about to step forward, grab the strange little mouse, and demand an explanation—

"Crack! Bang! Thump thump thump—!"

A series of abrupt and violent sounds approached from afar! It was the noise of broken glass being stomped on and old wooden crates being kicked over, interspersed with the deep, urgent shouts of several men and the heavy footsteps of running!

"Quick! It's over there!"

"Damn it, man-eating rats? I'd like to see what kind of thing they are!"

"Block the alley entrance! Don't let it escape!"

The sounds grew closer, along with heavy breathing and the scraping of sticks dragging on the ground.

"Damn it!" Lu Ran heard someone rushing over and immediately swung his hand at Sang Biao, who was squatting on the wall. Then, he grabbed the little mouse with one paw and threw it onto the wall.

"Keep an eye on this guy for me, don't let him go crazy any further."

"Damn, does that mean I don't need to go find Anthony?" The stun cat's eyes lit up, and it opened its mouth to catch the mouse, gently biting it and holding it in its mouth.

"Squeak—!" The little mouse, seeing itself being bitten by a cat, convulsed even more violently, its struggle putting even the shrewish cat to the test. "How come your mouse is so strong?"

After all, the rat that ate the level 4 enhancement was exceptionally powerful.

Lu Ran quickly climbed up the wall and said, "Don't move. This cat won't eat you. Just stay still and come back with me."

The mouse was clearly not in a normal state, but now that I think about it, it seems that only my own mouse had enough physical strength to attack humans.

It's just that the mice I've been working with so far have been too well-behaved, so I haven't even considered this direction.

Lu Ran breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the mouse gradually calm down after hearing his voice.

If it gets any more restless, he'll definitely kick the rat out of the lord unit, and the little guy will immediately lose his power and become an ordinary rat.

But that would lower his IQ, making questioning much more difficult. Lu Ran still needed to figure out what had happened.

"Let's go."

"Meow!" Without pausing, Sang Biao pushed off the ground with his powerful hind legs, and with a few leaps using the stacked junk boxes, he cleanly and neatly vaulted over the low wall at the other end of the alley.

Lu Ran glanced at the noisy voices and the swaying shadows of sticks at the alley entrance, and followed closely behind.

The faint sounds of men cursing and swearing could still be heard behind them.

"Where's the stuff? There's no man-eating rat here. You didn't just get kicked by a rat and start spouting nonsense, did you?"

"Bullshit! I experienced it myself. That thing darted out like a lump of iron and almost knocked me unconscious! My stomach is still cramping. If it were just an ordinary gray rat, would I have needed to call you guys?"

"Stop it! You've shouted all you want but haven't seen a single mouse hair! It's probably some stray cat carrying a dead mouse that scared you..."

"A cat?! How could I not recognize a cat? That's a rat! A huge rat with bloodshot eyes and an eerie aura!"

"Alright, get out of here! Who knows which bastard got drunk and made up this story? You're just wasting our time. The foreman still has a ton of work to do, and he'll dock our pay again..."

"You all...you all left?! Good heavens...how am I supposed to survive all alone...that thing might still be nearby..."

"Alright, alright! Stop wailing! Come home with me! This wretched Copper Wire Street is infested with rats all the time, but I've never heard of them actually killing anyone!"

……

the other side.

Soon, after much wandering and circling, Lu Ran finally arrived at the familiar Norton Furniture Store.

The sight before him startled him slightly. Since his last visit, the shop had completely changed its appearance.

The old, peeling wooden signboard of Norton Furniture is gone, replaced by a brand new, polished, dark brown oak signboard.
The words "Natural Life" are carved on it in a simple bas-relief style. The shop window has been completely renovated. Behind the clear glass are no longer those old tables, chairs, benches, and broken cabinets covered with scratches.

Instead, several uniquely designed pieces of log furniture were placed—a low table that looked as if it had been split directly from a huge tree stump, several ruggedly shaped armchairs with bark still attached, and a huge, hollowed-out piece of rotten wood that was cleverly turned into a bookshelf.

The atmosphere of the entire shop has transformed from its former disguised ordinariness to a quiet, rustic, and somewhat mysterious and wild forest studio style.

Without further hesitation, Lu Ran signaled Sang Biao, who was carrying the convulsing mouse, to stay in the shadow of a low roof across the street to keep watch. He then nimbly slid down the drainpipe and landed silently in front of the iron gate, gently tapping the bottom edge of the door with his tiny paws.

Anthony, who was inside the door, looked up upon hearing the sound, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes, and then quickly stepped forward.

The guy who used to be so gentle and leisurely now had a more impatient look in his eyes.

With a creak, the latch on the inside of the iron gate was pulled open, and warm light and a natural scent mixed with wood and earth shone through the crack in the door.

Lu Ran slipped inside.

The warm air inside the store enveloped him. Anthony had changed out of his faded old wool sweater and into a thicker, more well-tailored light brown linen shirt, the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, revealing his lean and strong forearms.

The only thing that didn't fit the store's style was Anthony's face; the four hideous scars had only become lighter, but they hadn't fully healed.

"Can't this scar be removed? I thought you could cure it." Lu Ran said casually as he looked around familiarly.

Anthony smiled and said, "I don't care about that. Compared to this trivial matter, what's wrong with you? What happened? Perez actually died. It seems to have caused quite a stir."

As Anthony spoke, he began tidying up a few potted ferns that were emitting a faint glow in the corner of his workbench. When he saw Lu Ran looking over, he casually offered an explanation.

"These plants are very popular lately. Industrial pollution is too serious, and wealthy people are starting to pay attention to their quality of life. They like to buy some plants, and wooden furniture freshens the air. Business is pretty good."

Only after he carefully moved the leaf back to its original position did he look up again at Lu Ran by the door.

Lu Ran tilted her head back, shrugged, and explained.

"I'm... alright. I did encounter a bit of an unexpected situation. As for the outcome... it depends on yours."

Anthony was taken aback by what he heard, but then immediately realized what he meant and didn't pay any attention. He casually pulled out a darker, blackish-purple glass bottle containing a potion from under the table.

"Although it was a bit troublesome, at least we got it."

Lu Ran's eyes lit up, and he jumped several times, landing on the table.

"Is it convenient to inspect the goods?"

"random."

Anthony even took a few steps back to give Lu Ran a safe distance.

Seemingly with absolute confidence in his own abilities, he wasn't worried about Lu Ran running away.

Lu Ran nodded, quickly approached the potion, and then used the system's enlightenment function.

Inspiration: Magic

Submission: Tier 2 potion

(Whether to use this material as a research reference requires Collective Intelligence level 4, and a total cost of 0 gold pounds. The enlightenment process will automatically stop if the wealth is insufficient.)

Lu Ran raised an eyebrow.

The consumption was reduced to 0, so it seems the deduction was a bit excessive.

Lu Ran continued making revisions.

Enlightenment: Advanced Magic

Submission: Tier 2 potion

(Whether to use this material as a research reference requires Collective Intelligence level 4, and a total cost of 788 gold pounds. The enlightenment process will automatically stop if the wealth is insufficient.)

Lu Ran smiled with satisfaction.

This is his verification method.

It doesn't matter whether it's real or fake; if it can offset the cost of enlightenment, then it's real.

“Not bad.” Lu Ran nodded.

Anthony was somewhat surprised: "You... seem to have a rather unique way of verifying things."

He had never seen a potion be verified as genuine without even opening the bottle cap.

The next second he shut his mouth.

He saw a bright green potion being taken out and slowly placed on the table.

"Transaction complete. Do you need to verify it?"

Anthony stared intently at the awe-inspiring power emanating from the mysterious liquid shimmering within the potion, and shook his head in a daze.

It seems that it is indeed possible to determine the authenticity of a potion without opening the bottle cap.

Anthony's gaze was fixed on the emerald green potion bottle on the table. The viscous liquid inside seemed to contain the deepest secrets of the forest and a boundless life force.

Lu Ran clearly saw that when Anthony stretched out his finger and touched the cold, smooth crystal bottle wall extremely slowly and carefully, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

That expression was not simply one of fanatical greed, but rather a kind of piety akin to that of a believer receiving a divine oracle.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he let out a low, long breath.

"call……"

Without a word, this silent worship spoke volumes. He slowly withdrew his hand and then turned his gaze to Lu Ran.

"good."

Lu Ran looked at Anthony's reaction with some astonishment, thinking to himself that this guy's performance was a bit too exaggerated, as if this thing was more important to him than he had imagined.

Just as Lu Ran thought the deal was done and was about to leave, Anthony suddenly spoke up:
"Hold on."

Lu Ran paused, then raised her head: "Is there anything else?"

Anthony's gaze seemed to pierce through the thick layers of underground soil, revealing the undercurrents surging in the outside world: "Have you heard about the man-eating rats that have been spreading in a small area around the neighborhood recently?"

Lu Ran felt a slight chill, recalling the out-of-control mouse in the alley earlier. He casually squeaked, "I heard the workers mention it a few times. Why?"

"Does this have anything to do with you... or your group of rats?" Anthony seemed to be paying attention to Lu Ran's expression, but before Lu Ran could answer, he asked.

"Regardless of whether there is a direct connection, I suggest you resolve it completely as soon as possible."

He leaned forward, lowering his voice and adding a hint of warning: "As a human, you might be fine, but as a gray rat, you've made too much of a fuss, Sherlock. And what about your large factory, the livelihoods of hundreds of people... This can be a big deal or a small one. I hope you'll avoid anything that might lead back to you."

After saying that, Anthony said meaningfully.

"Just as you're worried that I'll expose you, I'm worried that you'll expose me, understand?"

Lu Ran was taken aback upon hearing this, but did not offer any further explanation, only saying softly.

"I will look into it."

"That's good." Anthony nodded; his reminder had been given, and the deal was complete. He said no more, only gesturing towards the door with his eyes.

Lu Ran didn't linger. He gave Anthony a squeak as a farewell, and with a few nimble leaps, he quickly disappeared into the shadowy corner outside the door, following the route he had come from.

The zombie, still carrying the twitching mouse and keeping watch on the roof, meowed and followed Lu Ran as soon as it saw him come out.

"Meow? Are you done talking?" Sangbiao asked, sensing that the atmosphere was a bit heavy after Lu Ran came out.

"It's nothing."

Lu Ran leaped and darted between the eaves without looking back, glancing at the little mouse pinned under Sang Biao's claws, and let out a soft breath: "Next, I need to go back and investigate what disease my little mouse brother has."

Seeing his adorable little mouse turn into this state, Lu Ran was also very annoyed.

(End of this chapter)