Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

192 Gunpowder

Gun.

Weapons that use the pressure of gunpowder combustion to eject bullets.

It was a weapon of mass destruction.

It completely changed the pattern of the war and made killing more efficient. It ended the battle between the spear and shield that had lasted for thousands of years, causing humans to completely transcend the food chain and stand above all creatures, except cats.

Be it ancient, modern, extinct, or still present, the so-called ferocious predators were only a pile of rotten meat under a large-caliber rifle. Even if the Tyrant Dragon came, it was useless. This was the sorrow of carbon-based creatures. Protein was extremely fragile to begin with.

Although it was very powerful, the principle was very simple. Even children knew.

The basic principles of truly powerful things were often very simple, just like how modern humans only had two sources of strength—to cause explosions and boil water.

The nature of a gun was nothing more than a sealed tube. The gunpowder burned tightly in it, and the gas produced pushed the pellets in front of it. This was a gun. From the moment the first gun appeared, the work done by humans had only made this iron tube lighter, more powerful, faster, and more accurate. That was all.

It was only a sealed pipe.

Just like… the one the green-skinned creature in front of Kang De was holding.

It sat on the ground with a blank expression. It should have been shocked by the recoil and loud sound. The thing in its hand was a metal pipe. With the processing ability of the green-skinned, it should not be able to make such a thing. The people of the other world did not have the need to forge this thing. It was most likely made by its iron son.

This green-skinned creature still did not know what it had just done.

Just like the first Chinese person on Earth to discover that sealed pipes and fireworks could be used to kill… he did not know what he had done.

Hong San said in confusion, “Master, this sounds… a little similar to the sound of your weapon.”

Guns were terrifying weapons. When he fired, there would be an extremely violent explosion and terrifying flames, so much so that any animal or even human who saw this thing for the first time would be shocked. Hong San had been frightened previously, but after fighting on the city wall with Kang De a few times, he became familiar with it.

He naturally thought that this was a powerful unique weapon that Kang De had. He did not expect to be able to create it on a large scale. Otherwise, he would probably have been excited earlier.

Kang De said nothing.

He only turned to look at Hong San.

Hong San shut his mouth and revealed a horrified expression. He hurriedly lowered his head.

The green-skinned were also shocked by this voice, but they immediately reacted to what had happened. They surrounded their companion and shouted excitedly, even clapping their hands, meaning, “One more, one more.”

The Autobot transformed into a human and half-knelt to look at the tube in the green-skinned person’s hand with a serious expression.

Kang De quickly walked over with a serious gaze. He glanced at the Autobot and asked in Chinese, “Did you make the tube for it?”

The Autobot replied, “Yes, this is the exhaust pipe of the locomotive. It probably likes that mount too much, so before it abandoned it, it forcefully pulled off this exhaust pipe and carried it with it.”

Kang De was silent for a moment before asking, “You gave it the gunpowder too?”

The Autobot shook his head in silence.

Kang De took a deep breath.

He turned around and walked toward the group of green-skinned people. When the orcs saw him, they immediately smiled foolishly and made way. Heaven Slash grabbed that orc as if they were presenting a treasure and praised, “Great Tyrant! Look at bang bang!”

The orc holding the tube also smiled foolishly, like a child looking forward to his elder’s praise.

Kang De’s expression was even more complicated. He looked at the primitive musket in the orc’s arms. When he got closer, he discovered that this thing was even simpler than he had imagined, but it was already taking shape. One end of the pipe was blocked by rocks, rags, soil, and so on. Then, a small hole appeared. It was probably used to ignite the gunpowder. There was still black dust on its green face.

He stretched out his hand and said calmly, “Can you show me?”

Not far away, Hong San quietly looked up. The gaze just now had already explained some problems. After Kang De heard the violent sound, he became wary. However, he did not understand why.

Just like the Chinese person who combined the pipe, fireworks, and iron sand and gravel, he would not know how many people this combination had killed in the next nearly a thousand years.

The atmosphere became very strange. Only the green-skinned were still laughing and heartless.

The green-skinned creature had no objections when it heard this. It even displayed meticulousness that an orc should not have. It even wiped its hand on the pipe before handing it to Kang De.

Kang De took it calmly.

However, the moment he took it, this messy primitive firearm suddenly made a strange sound. Then, it cracked and scattered on the ground. Even junk like soil, rocks, and rags that were used to block one end was shattered… It was just like after the failed enchantment.

The green-skinned exclaimed at the same time. They were very disappointed and shocked, especially the gun inventor. He pounded his chest and stomped his feet as he shouted, “My bang bang!”

Kang De frowned and squatted down. He picked up an iron fragment and observed it for a moment before saying, “This was not shattered by the explosion just now… It’s normal to explode, but it won’t explode afterward, nor will it explode so fragmented.”

What was going on?

Heaven Slash thought for a moment and said, “I thought that this bang bang might feel that it’s too lousy and weak, just like a little chick, but it was held by the Great Tyrant, so it felt very embarrassed and simply dirtied the Great Tyrant’s hand. It might as well kill itself.”

—Ah?

In other words, this green-skinned guy felt that it was not worthy?

This was too much of a bootlicker! It was clearly only a primitive firearm!

This statement was simply too ridiculous. As an Earthling with normal thoughts and who believed in science, Kang De did not believe it at all. In this situation, he was more inclined to be related to his special ability. After all, this explosion decomposition was very similar to the appearance of a failed enchantment.

However, the green-skinned people believed him. They nodded one after another with unquestionable expressions. Even the sad gunner squatted down and touched the remains of the bang bang. He did not even look sad anymore and praised, “Bang bang, you have guts. It’s a good bang, very cool! Waaaaagh!”

Kang De observed the fragment in his hand. His mood was complicated and chaotic.

When the bridge between the two worlds was built and he returned to Earth from Glory Sand, Kang De completely separated the concept of the otherworldly people from Earth. That was his hometown, and this was a foreign land. The humans here did not have any DNA origin relationship with him. It could even be said that they were two different species from Earthlings.

Coupled with his experience in Glory Sand Town, he could treat the lives of the other world with a transcendent mentality and treat them equally. It could even be said that he was an egalitarian. The so-called equality was that regardless of whether it was humans or foreign races, as long as they were stupid, they had to be killed. As long as they were kind, they deserved a better life. The others were from a good and evil standpoint and distinguished between close and distant.

Therefore, those who blindly shouted about human supremacy on such a problem were all stupid and pretentious. It was fine if one said that Earthlings were supreme, but there were also idiots among Earthlings, let alone the people of the other world. Another example was the green-skinned people who obeyed him unconditionally and followed him. On the other hand, there were those bastards in Glory Sand Town. If one of them had to die, should these humans live just because they were humans?

Kang De had always done this and treated every life in the other world as equals.

Therefore, he rejected the mayor’s suggestion and request. Even if he was closer to the humans of the other world physically and psychologically, this did not mean that the view that “as long as we can save more Goethe people, it’s worth it no matter how many green-skinned orcs die” was right, because the orcs had not done anything to the Goethe people.

If the green-skinned were replaced by the elves’ invasion army, he would agree because they had done it.

This was what he thought.

However, sometimes, the world was complicated. Fate played tricks on people, and he was only a young man.

When he discovered that a green-skinned person had figured out the mechanism of the firearm and even made gunpowder himself, Kang De suddenly felt wary and vigilant. He even subconsciously felt killing intent.

This race with magical abilities and inexplicably powerful handicraft skills had created gunpowder. What did this mean? No one could guess. Even if these green-skinned people in front of them were sincere and loyal, would all the green-skinned people be like this? Would all the green-skinned people believe this prophecy and be close to him and be willing to listen to him from the beginning? What if any disobedient orcs obtained this technology and used it to plunder and cause wars?

All kinds of thoughts almost flashed through his mind.

However, the killing intent that subconsciously appeared did not spread. Instead, it was immediately extinguished by Kang De.

This was because from the beginning to the end, these green-skinned people had not done anything wrong.

He was only an ordinary person and did not have the awareness to become such a person… at least for now.

Killing could not be used on innocent people.

He raised his head and saw the worried Autobot. He was clearly a Transformer, but the metal face could still show such a rich change in expression.

Kang De smiled, indicating that it was fine. Don’t worry.

Glory Sand Town was a sad place and had taught him many things.

However, if it was the most important lesson, it was to follow his heart’s kindness. Due to a thought, he did not cut open Hannah’s stomach and place a bomb, so Lost was not seriously injured by the explosion. Therefore, the other party turned the tables with the curse divine artifact. However, the divine power on the dagger ultimately connected the bridge between the other world and Earth and teleported the dying Kang De back to his hometown, obtaining the ultimate salvation.

One could not fathom fate.

Just like before, this time, I still chose the path I thought was right.

He said to his iron son, who was slightly relieved, “Make a few more of those iron pipes.”

After discovering the problem and some dangerous signs, he had to find a way to resolve and control it… He hoped that as he thought, this risk was controllable.

The Autobot turned back into a Hummer. The interior rumbled, and sparks and lightning flashed along the way. The green-skinned people still did not know that they had walked to the gates of hell. Seeing this, they were very excited and surrounded to watch the commotion.

They jumped up and down and clapped their hands, “It’s starting! It’s starting! The Little Tyrant is going to perform again! Eat and poop steel! You’re much stronger than us. We only know how to poop feces!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Autobot stood up in a daze. He held an iron pipe in one hand and smashed these green-skinned people to the ground with two bangs. He said angrily, “It! Is! Not! Poop!”

Then, he cut off these tubes and threw them at these idiots.

Kang De said to the gunner, “Can you make another one?”

The boy got up and replied, “I’ll think about it!”

Kang De pointed at a corner. “Go over there and think. Do it over there.”

The green-skinned did not ask the reason at all and immediately agreed. It hugged an iron pipe and ran over. After thinking for a long time, it thought for a moment and dug out something from the ground before running to the corner to dig for something.

The other orcs were very curious. They turned around and wanted to look, but Kang De said, “Don’t look at him.”

The green-skinned were itching, but they still obediently turned around and sat on the ground, looking up at Kang De.

After a while, the gunner ran back with a pipe. “It’s done!”

It was completely the same formula and taste. There was a hollow tube with many messy things stuffed at one end. It was firmly blocked and a small hole was made.

Kang De walked forward and took the tube. In the next moment, with a crack, this rod suicided again. Metal fragments fell to the ground.

Moreover, this rod had never been fired, so its structure was not impacted.

Kang De thought for a moment, then said, “Make another shot.”

The gunner picked up a pipe and ran back obediently. After thinking for a while, he carried it back. Kang De gestured for Heaven Slash to bring it over.

Heaven Slash was caught in his hand. He looked around and swung it a few times under Kang De’s instructions. There was no problem at all. It was the same for a few orcs. Even in the hands of the Autobot and Hong San, they were completely fine. In the end, they were handed to Kang De and shattered.

“Interesting.”

Kang De asked the gunner again, “Can they learn this method?”

The green-skinned replied, “Yes, I’ll be fine after thinking about it.”

Kang De sighed in his heart, but on second thought, it made sense. They could even manually operate heavy machines.

However, firearms, gunpowder, and heavy locomotives were two different things…

He instructed, “Choose four green-skinned people and teach them to do it. One for each person, and two for you.”

The green-skinned fought internally at an extremely fast speed. They chose the four most powerful ones and ran to make bangs. Fortunately, they were proud in front of the Great Tyrant.

This time, it took a longer time until the five green-skinned returned with their own bangs.

Kang De asked the gunner, “Can you fire now? Fire.”

The other party naturally agreed. He took out a handful of powder from a bag at his waist and poured it into the pipe. He pinched a few small rocks and threw them in, then looked at the fire.

At this moment, Kang De said, “Wait.”

He took a steel protective device that had just been made from the Autobot’s hand. It could protect the head, face, neck, and even chest. Kang De wiped the lens of the iron-faced eye, and the firm enchantment was etched. He handed the protective device to the gunner. “Put this on before coming.”

The green-skinned were extremely surprised and proudly put on this rushed protective gear. The other green-skinned were extremely envious. The gunner directly grabbed a piece of charcoal from the fire and placed it in the small hole drilled by the pipe. In the next moment, there was a loud bang and a small air-piercing sound rushed into the sky.

Hong San had good eyesight and could see clearly. The structure of this primitive firearm was extremely simple. He looked at it a few times at the side and completely understood the principle of this thing and… its huge value.

He muttered, “Master, this thing is impressive…”

Kang De pulled out his pistol and waved it in front of Hong San’s eyes.

The other party instantly calmed down… However, in the next moment, his expression became even more horrified.

Kang De shook his head, then pouted and said, “Hong San, bring your protective gear and do it too.”

Hong San approached with curiosity and surprise. Kang De asked the gunner to give the second rod to Hong San to prevent it from exploding. The green-skinned creature was clearly a little unwilling, but it still obeyed. It took out a handful of powder and prepared to load it, but it was stopped by Hong San. The Cathayan smiled obsequiously and finally obtained permission to personally load the gunpowder and pellets. As he thought, he filled it and even twisted a little powder to smell it.

It seemed that Hong San also understood that iron pipes were not important. The most important thing was the ignition powder.

Kang De was suddenly curious. He had been thinking about this and that and had forgotten the most important question.

He asked, “How… did you make this gunpowder?”

Then, Kang De revealed an extremely shocked expression.

This was because he saw the gunner very excited and touched his butt.