Chief Armaments Master of the Ming Dynasty

The mining of sulfur ore brought a touch of sickly vitality to the lifeless Huanglong Mountain camp.

The clanging sound echoed through the valley as baskets of ochre-red stones and yellowish-white sulfur crystals were transported to the edge of the camp and piled up into a small hill.

Lin Fan commanded dozens of soldiers who had been assigned to him, including both grateful men from the lower classes and spies planted by Liu Sanba and Hu Laowai.

He started with flint.

They selected flint with uniform texture and suitable hardness, and instructed Han Jinhu and others to use stone hammers and whetstones to process it into flint pieces of appropriate size and sharp edges. Then, they used leather strips with good toughness to tightly bind it to a small piece of wrought iron (removed from a damaged weapon), making a new type of fire striker that was much more reliable than the ordinary stone used before.

This seemingly minor improvement was of great significance in the cold and damp mountain forest, making it easier to start a fire, and further increasing the ordinary soldiers' trust in "Master Lin".

Lin Fan's handling of sulfur was even more discreet and cautious.

He publicly claimed that sulfur is also a medicinal material that "removes toxins and promotes tissue regeneration," but it needs to be "refined" using a special method before it can be used.

He selected several people he could absolutely trust and who kept their mouths shut (mainly Han Jinhu and two wounded soldiers he had pulled back from the brink of death), and found a sheltered rocky hollow in a deep ravine far from the main camp and close to where the mineral vein was discovered. There, he built an extremely simple, enclosed kiln using stones and clay.

The "refining" process is very simple; it involves crushing the sulfur ore, putting it into a ceramic pot, and heating it at a low temperature in a small kiln.

Sulfur has a low melting point. When heated, it melts and separates from some impurities. After condensation, it yields sulfur blocks with slightly higher purity.

This process produces pungent sulfur dioxide gas. Lin Fan instructed the operators to cover their mouths and noses with a damp cloth and to choose a day with suitable wind direction to carry it out.

He claimed that he would use part of the sulfur blocks he obtained to make "wound medicine" (he did try to mix a small amount of sulfur with lime and wood ash to make a strong alkaline ointment, which was used to clean the festering wounds of Wang Ziyong and other seriously wounded soldiers. The effect was strong and painful, but it inhibited the deterioration to a certain extent, so Wang Ziyong relied on him more). He secretly stored the other part.

But Lin Fan's real target was gunpowder.

We have sulfur, and we can make charcoal, but what we lack most is saltpeter.

He privately explored the deep ditch and the surrounding area repeatedly, but found no obvious signs of nitrate soil (nitrate minerals).

Without saltpeter, gunpowder is impossible.

The turning point came on a rainy afternoon.

A young soldier who had been sent to search for food in a more distant mountain stream returned soaked to the bone. He found Lin Fan mysteriously and pulled out several grayish-white clods of soil with fuzzy crystals on their surface from his pocket.

"Master Lin, look at this... I found it over there near a mud puddle where a wild boar rolled around. It smells a bit strange, and when I licked it... it's cold and a little salty and bitter. Is it the thing you mentioned before... that can be lit?"

This soldier, named Tian Ergou, was clever but timid. He almost died from diarrhea last time, but Lin Fan saved him with boiling water and herbs. He had great faith in Lin Fan.

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat.

He took the clod of earth, examined it carefully, and then cautiously dabbed a little powder on the tip of his tongue.

It really is nitrate! It's soil containing nitrate!

Although it is of low grade and contains many impurities, it is undoubtedly an important source of saltpeter – saltpeter soil.

"Where were they found? How many were there?" Lin Fan asked in a low voice.

"It's on the shady slope further north from 'Eagle's Beak Ravine,' near the muddy pools where wild animals roll around, all white. Not many, just patches of them," Tian Ergou replied softly.

"Alright! Er Gou, don't tell anyone about this." Lin Fan's expression was serious. "Tomorrow, take me to see him. Just say... we're going to find herbs to treat injuries."

Tian Ergou nodded vigorously.

The next day, Lin Fan, along with Tian Ergou and Han Jinhu (under the guise of gathering herbs), evaded detection and arrived at the depths of Eagle Beak Gorge.

The terrain here is lower and more shady, damp, and the woods are deep and secluded, and there are indeed many traces of animal activity.

In some areas where rotten plants accumulate, where animal excrement is concentrated, and especially on the soil surface, a layer of distinct grayish-white or pale yellow crystals has formed, which become somewhat damp in the humid air.

It is undoubtedly nitrate soil.

Nitrifying bacteria in nature convert nitrogenous organic matter into nitrates under suitable conditions, which then accumulate in the soil surface.

Although collecting it is time-consuming and laborious, and purification is even more troublesome, it means that a stable source of saltpeter is now possible!

Lin Fan suppressed his excitement, carefully examined several nitrate-rich areas, and silently noted their locations.

He didn't immediately organize a large-scale collection; that would have been too conspicuous.

He simply asked Tian Ergou and Han Jinhu to help him disguise the traces with tree branches and withered grass.

Back at the camp, Lin Fan's heart could no longer find peace.

Sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter... the three essential elements of gunpowder were somehow gathered together in this remote, secluded mountain in the most primitive and rudimentary way.

Although the quantity was small, the quality was poor, and the process was almost primitive, it meant that he could produce real, controllable black powder.

This is no longer the kind of "fireworks" that were temporarily put together and exploded by luck, but a weapon that can exist as a strategic force.

However, the risks also increase exponentially.

Once you start experimenting with gunpowder, the smells, sounds, or even accidental explosions could expose you.

Liu Sanba and Hu Laowai were just worried about not being able to find any dirt on him.

Although Wang Ziyong relied on him, what would his attitude be if he knew that Wang Ziyong was secretly developing more powerful firearms?

Is it seen as an aid, or as a threat?

More importantly, the scales in Lin Fan's heart had already tipped.

Wang Ziyong's troops were trapped in a desperate situation, and internal strife was incessant; their defeat and demise were only a matter of time.

Although Li Zicheng's forces were weak, they were on the rise and their area of ​​operation was closer to the border towns, making it more likely for them to obtain resources (including qualified iron materials, craftsmen, and even trained soldiers).

The knowledge in his mind needs a more dynamic and visionary (or at least not so quickly extinguished) platform to be put to use.

He needs to leave.

Moreover, he needs to take his "capital" with him when he leaves.

In the days that followed, Lin Fan became even busier and more silent.

During the day, he continued to direct people to mine sulfur and flint, improve tools, treat the wounded, and deal with Wang Ziyong's occasional inquiries and Liu and Hu's increasingly blatant surveillance.

At night, under the guise of "studying medical techniques" and "testing new drugs," he would take his absolutely trusted Han Jinhu and Tian Ergou to a secluded cave near the nitrate-covered area to conduct secret experiments.

They collected saltpeter in earthenware jars, dissolved it in water, filtered it through multiple layers of coarse cloth, and slowly evaporated the filtrate on a stone slab to obtain preliminarily purified saltpeter crystals. Although it still contained many impurities (mainly sodium chloride and soil), the potassium nitrate content had been significantly increased.

The sulfur is purified using traditional methods, and the charcoal is made from carefully selected hardwood through burning and grinding.

After repeated small-dose experiments to adjust the proportions, a black powder that burns rapidly and produces a crisp popping sound was finally obtained.

Lin Fan used thick bamboo tubes and clay to create a smaller, more airtight experimental device to test its power.

Success brings not joy, but a deeper sense of urgency.

He knew he had to act quickly.

Just then, external pressure suddenly increased.

The scouts sent out brought back bad news: Du Wenhuan's government troops had not withdrawn far, but instead mobilized more troops and joined forces with local militia from nearby prefectures and counties to begin a sweeping crackdown on Huanglong Mountain.

Several small groups of rebel forces operating on the outskirts have been defeated.

Within three to five days at most, the main force of the government troops will advance to the core mountainous area where they are currently located.