Chapter 27: The Old Demon's Glass Factory

T/N:

Heikou (Black Dragon Mouth)

Heicheng (Black Dragon City)

...

Gousheng took Wang Hu around the city, and Wang Hu acted like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, marveling at everything.

The residents of Black Dragon City could tell at a glance that Wang Hu wasn't a local. Some even recognized him from previous encounters. The four major demon clans could be distinguished by their appearances alone.

For example, the demons of Black Dragon City carried a damp, chilly aura. When excited, their pupils would narrow vertically, setting them apart from the other three clans. Just by standing in front of them, one could easily tell the difference.

"The Black Tortoise Clan carries the scent of the sea, the Azure Phoenix Clan has a bird-like aura, and the Winged Tiger Clan exudes the presence of mammals," Fengxiu explained the distinctions between the clans.

Yin Jixue rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. "What about someone like me who can't detect these scents?"

Fengxiu pondered for a moment. "There's another, less reliable method. The Black Tortoise Clan loves anything shiny, and their clothing is predominantly gold. The Azure Phoenix Clan adorns their clothes with feathers—the more vibrant the feathers, the higher their status. The Winged Tiger Clan's attire is mostly made of beast pelts, as they excel in farming and hunting."

Hmm, this method might not be foolproof, but it was straightforward. Identifying people by their clothing was better than relying on scent.

Besides, how was she supposed to know what a bird-like scent even smelled like?

"Only one from the Winged Tiger Clan has woken up so far?"

Fengxiu nodded. "The Winged Tiger Clan is tough-skinned and doesn't need to hibernate as much. The Black Tortoise and Azure Phoenix Clans are the most vulnerable to the cold, so it might take some time for them to wake up."

Yin Jixue had a plan in mind. "Keep an eye on his movements, but don't surveil him too obviously. Let him see everything openly, but you know what not to disclose."

Not long after Fengxiu left, Tengshe brought her a pleasant surprise.

Not only did they produce soda ash, but they also brought a piece of finished glass.

"Who... who made this?" Yin Jixue was astonished. It had only been a day, and they had already produced glass!

"It was an old demon in the city. He doesn't want to reveal his name, but he's willing to let the queen designate someone to learn the glass-making process."

Geniuses often had their quirks. Though curious, Yin Jixue didn't press for details.

"Leave this to you. Select people to start making glass based on the formula. Whoever achieves the highest quality will be in charge of glass production. Those with talent can stay. What I need is a glass manufacturing factory."

Yin Jixue couldn't put down the piece of glass. Its faint blue transparency brought her one step closer to industrialization.

She decided to replace the windows in her study and bedroom with glass first!

As Tengshe left, she hummed a tune while drafting plans. With glass now available, she wouldn't have to endure the cold wind every day.

Strangely, though, her immunity seemed to have improved significantly. Despite catching a chill every night, she only suffered from a sore throat and never developed a cold or fever. In ancient times, a cold could easily cost someone half their life.

The glass factory's workforce was quickly assembled, and the old demon was once again summoned by Tengshe.

"Ah, do you not respect your elders? My old bones can't handle this kind of tossing," the old demon complained, holding his back as he walked out. Tengshe, this brat, had no sense of propriety.

"The glass factory can't operate without you. You need to oversee it personally. Once it's running smoothly, you can return."

The old demon was Tengshe's master, older even than the Demon King. No one knew how he had lived so long.

Unaware of this little drama, Yin Jixue was simply amazed at the glass factory's efficiency. On the third day, all the glass she had requested was delivered.

With materials limited, Yin Jixue secretly waited for the system to provide her with more.

If it weren't for her previous interactions with the system, she might have suspected it was some kind of cheat code someone had given her.

Though she couldn't communicate with the system directly, every time she needed materials, the system would provide them through tasks. Truly, her best partner.

[Task: Gain faith points from the Winged Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Azure Phoenix Clans.]

[Reward: For every faith point gained, you will receive 500 units of glass-making materials.]

[Item Description: Materials include but are not limited to high-temperature furnaces, solid molds, bottle-blowing tools, etc.]

Yes!

Yin Jixue eagerly awaited the awakening of the foreign demons in the inn to meet them.

Wang Hu had only been shown around the city by Gousheng on the first day, and he was shocked to discover that Black Dragon City now had food.

Although it was still a rationing system, every citizen could receive a share, which was already remarkable.

When he had visited last year, the locals of Black Dragon City looked listless and lethargic, clearly only eating once every few days.

Now, however, both adults and children looked healthy and vibrant.

Perhaps a large part of it was due to the cold wind reddening their cheeks, but their energy and spirit were undeniable.

A person's mental state can be seen from their appearance. Even though the demons in the city wore patched and worn-out clothes, their spirits were high.

He didn't pry for information but quietly noted everything he saw, planning to discuss it with his companions once they woke up.

The next day, his triplet brothers, Wang Dahu and Wang Xiaohu, woke up.

They also puzzled over the question of "why does the bed generate heat?" but didn't make the same mistake as Wang Hu.

The three brothers gathered in one room to whisper among themselves.

Wang Dahu: "Second brother, you woke up first. Did you notice anything strange?"

Wang Hu: "The entire Black Dragon City is strange. Where did their food come from? Who built these houses? These are massive projects. How could we not have heard about them?"

Large-scale food purchases would have attracted attention, yet they had no clue. Either someone was helping Black Dragon City, or they had found a new source of food.

Wang Xiaohu: "Black Dragon City has so many mountains. Did they dig up some kind of food?"

Wang Hu: "Unlikely. I've walked around the city. Although they now have food and houses, they still lack tools. They can't even hunt in the mountains."

"That's strange. Black Dragon City suddenly developed. Where did their king go?" Wang Dahu pondered, stroking his chin.

Soon, someone brought them their daily meal. They weren't staying for free—once awake, they had to pay for their lodging and a rescue fee.

However, since they had helped Black Dragon City in the past, the rescue fee was waived, and they only had to pay for the food.

Wang Hu skilfully took out a few pearls and handed them to the landlady, with the extra serving as a tip.

Wang Dahu and Wang Xiaohu had never eaten sweet taro before and hesitated to try it.

Wang Hu didn't hesitate. He picked up his portion and started eating. Seeing him eat so confidently, his brothers followed suit.

"What is this food? It's not something we grow in the Winged Tiger Clan!" Wang Dahu exclaimed in shock.

"It's delicious. Can we buy some to take back?" Wang Xiaohu blinked his eyes. Compared to his burly, bear-faced brothers, he looked young and delicate.

Wang Hu scratched his head. "I don't know. The locals say it's a specialty of Black Dragon City. They probably won't sell it to us." The Black Dragon Clan likely didn't have enough to eat themselves, so why would they sell to outsiders?

Yin Jixue, of course, had no plans to sell sweet taro unless Black Dragon City achieved full prosperity.

The three brothers finished their meal and exchanged glances. In the end, they decided to return to their warm beds, at least for the comfort.

By the tenth day, their companions from the Black Tortoise and Azure Phoenix Clans had woken up.

They also had their moments of confusion, thinking they had arrived in some mysterious city. When Wang Hu and his brothers brought the landlady in, they realized their excitement had been misplaced.