Chapter 537: The Light of the Earl
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Hearing Hobert's question, Portland immediately said, "Many people have had such ideas, but no one has put them into action, because..."
At this moment, the light bulb on the other side of the generator suddenly flickered and went out.
The president of the Technical University spread his hands and smiled, "It seems this light bulb did not receive the blessing of the God of Steam and Machinery."
This is a joke in the tech world about electricity, because how long a light bulb lasts depends entirely on luck. If you're lucky, it can last for dozens of hours, but if you're unlucky, it breaks in a few minutes.
So, professors joke that those short-lived light bulbs did not receive the blessing of the gods.
At this time, light bulbs are basically used as test pens, observing whether the bulb lights up to determine the state of the current during experiments.
As for the lighting function of light bulbs, it is not yet well known. The only commercial orders for lighting purposes are for military flashlights.
Hobert had also bought one, but only used it once when exploring the ruins with Mr. Azik. Later, it broke after being left there for a while.
It wasn't that the light bulb couldn't be used, but that the flashlight was broken.
Portland continued what he hadn't finished saying, "Because electricity doesn't have many uses. The telegraph machine should be the biggest use, but it doesn't use much electricity either."
"I have a great idea that can bring electricity to every household," Hobert asked, "Would that require a huge amount of electricity?"
Portland was slightly stunned, "Used for what?"
"Lighting."
Portland immediately thought, "Have you found a way to extend the life of light bulbs?"
"Sort of, but a series of experiments are still needed."
"How long can it be extended?"
"800 hours shouldn't be a problem."
Portland was slightly surprised, "According to our calculations, electricity generates more than 2000 degrees of high temperature when it emits light!"
Hobert smiled, "Of course I know!"
Portland considered for a moment before saying, "As a friend, I must remind you that the electricity market is not large."
"Because light bulbs and batteries are very expensive, and ordinary people cannot afford them."
Audrey nodded slightly. She had heard of batteries, which could be used in wireless telegraph machines. Batteries were not very expensive for her. But ordinary people would not spend money on this, and even nobles might not be willing to spend the money.
Hobert was not surprised that the president did not have the concept of laying wires. "That's why I'm going to see a professor in materials science later."
He added, "I now need a large generator, but I only understand the principle and can't apply it in a short time, so I need someone who can build a large generator!"
This is the reason why he generously donated those 5,000 pounds. The speed of information dissemination in this era is not as fast as in the Common Era. It may take one or two years to recruit the talent you need.
The best way is to use pounds as a guide to let professionals recommend professional talents.
Portland certainly knew that this was the reason why the Earl was willing to donate those 5,000 pounds. He thought for a while and then said, "I have a student who is proficient in electrical and mechanical engineering. He just resigned last year for personal reasons and only started looking for a job again last month."
Hobert asked, "Is it convenient to say why he resigned?"
"He was seriously ill."
Hobert once again felt the characteristics of this era: if you don't experience the treatment of extraordinary powers, some diseases require one or two years of treatment and recuperation.
For example, tuberculosis. Although Roselle invented so many things, he did not "discover" antibiotics.
Therefore, many diseases can torture a person for several years. People who can recover have truly overcome the disease! But most patients did not withstand the torment of the disease.
In this era, there are many special therapies for treating tuberculosis, such as "high-altitude therapy," which involves establishing tuberculosis hospitals on mountains with moderate altitudes, using the cooler climate on the mountains to cool down patients who have fevers all day long.
Of course, in the Feynapotter Kingdom, there is basically no such trouble. You only need to pray to the Earth Mother Church frequently, or donate a sum of money to the church, and the symptoms will "magically improve."
Portland agreed to write a letter to that student this afternoon, asking him to go to the lord's mansion for an interview.
After chatting for a few more words about electricity, Hobert and Audrey got up to say goodbye.
Then they came to the teaching building. When Hobert was on the front page headlines the previous two times, the newspapers included his portrait, so many students recognized Hobert and greeted the Earl one after another.
Hobert also responded to their greetings enthusiastically, without any airs.
As for Audrey, the students, while amazed, only dared to secretly look at her out of the corner of their eyes, not daring to look directly at her.
In a small conference room in the teaching building, Hobert met Professor Isaac, who had a high academic status in materials science.
This professor was not very tall, wore glasses, and looked very stern: "Earl Hobert, hello. I heard that you want to invest in my research project?"
Different from Portland's state of being half politician and half scientist, this professor was a more pure scholar, so he spoke more directly.
"That's right, I plan to invest 3,000 pounds," Hobert didn't even ask what project the other party was researching.
Professor Isaac adjusted his glasses and took a serious look at this generous nobleman.
When ordinary nobles and wealthy people invested, he needed to explain for a long time. He was ready to explain how his research could make a profit, but before he could speak, the other party directly invested 3,000 pounds.
He praised, "You are an Earl who understands the true value of science."
Hobert smiled, "Can we sit down and talk?"
"Please sit down, please sit down!"
After the assistant brought coffee, Hobert got straight to the point, "In addition to investing in your research project, I also transformed a laboratory in my manor and plan to study the uses of tungsten."
"Ah, that's a lovely element," Isaac said with a look of affection, like talking about his own child, "Its melting point is as high as 3400 degrees, and it is very malleable."
Speaking of this, he frowned and said, "But the use of tungsten is very limited. I have also considered using it to make alloy materials, but it can only be used in some places that require high-temperature resistance, such as steel."
Many people have a misunderstanding, always thinking that people in the past were very stupid. Obviously, all the technical requirements for an invention have been met, but that invention has not been launched for a long time.
In fact, this is a "futurist effect." Often, the stage from scratch to something is the most difficult, because people in the future are already accustomed to the existence of that invention and can no longer feel the difficulty of going from scratch.
When Hobert was in the Common Era, he also discussed this issue with friends. It is possible that people only a few hundred years later will find people in the 21st century incomprehensible. Why use thermal power plants and hydropower plants when the controllable nuclear fusion system is right there?
"I thought of a good use, but I don't know if it will be successful, so I need some experiments," Hobert smiled: Yes, I "thought" of it, you can use tungsten wire to make the filament of an electric light.
He added, "I hope to have an expert in materials science to help me complete this experiment, preferably someone who understands electricity."
"I do have many students who are looking for jobs," Isaac said, "I can write letters to two or three of them and ask them to go to the Earl's Mansion for an interview."
Relatively speaking, the demand for talents in materials science is relatively small at this time. Many of Isaac's students can only switch to other research fields after graduation.
Hobert nodded and said without hesitation, "I also hope to study more uses of natural rubber. Do you have any students who are proficient in this research?"
Hobert unconsciously recalled the military flashlight he bought. After the flashlight broke, he opened it and took a look and understood where it was broken: it was this world that made the flashlight not good.
First of all, the shell of the flashlight is wooden. Although it has been waterproofed, the waterproof effect is very limited in the humid environment of Backlund.
Secondly, Hobert found that the shell of the battery's electrolyte was actually oilcloth! Some leakage and corrosion had already occurred.
The reason why these structures look so strange is entirely because this world has no oil!
In the Common Era in which Hobert lived, the shell of flashlights and electrolytes could be made of plastic.
The relationship between oil and plastic is like wheat and flour.
The reason why the Northern Continent has completed the initial process of industrialization, but has not yet entered the Second Industrial Revolution, is fundamentally because chemical materials have not kept up with the development of the times.
In fact, in the early days of the Second Industrial Revolution, oil did not play a big role as fuel.
If there is an internal combustion engine structure, most transportation vehicles can be driven by electricity, and oil is not necessarily needed.
The huge role that oil plays is actually in the chemical field.
Because the chemical field involves all walks of life, such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, etc., which are widely used in the textile industry, more than 90% of the ingredients come from oil.
They don't need to wait for the growth and maturity of flax and cotton, and they can continue to start production.
For Hobert, who came from the Common Era, these are all common sense things.
But for a world that has never seen plastic, the first thing inventors can think of for the flashlight shell is a waterproofed wooden structure. The container they can think of for holding electrolyte is also a special acid-resistant and corrosion-resistant oilcloth.
Hobert had already realized this, so his solution was to use natural rubber to replace petroleum rubber and some plastic uses.
More than 100 years ago, Roselle laid the first telegraph line in the North and South continents, which was a metal wire wrapped in natural rubber.
Even the top scholars in science and technology in the modern Northern Continent have not considered laying electric wires all over the streets and alleys, because the cost of materials is too high.
It is acceptable as a telegraph line, but as electric wires stretched across the streets and alleys, no one can afford such a preliminary investment.
The key is that there is only so much natural rubber production. Even if you can pay this huge cost, it is limited by the production of rubber, and it will take a long time to reach a scale.
Hobert didn't know if Roselle had ever thought of using extraordinary powers to increase the production of natural rubber, but considering that the Intis Republic and the Feynapotter Kingdom were in a long-term state of war and could not get help from the Earth Mother Church, I believe that even if he had such an idea, it would be difficult to implement.
For a time, Hobert's thoughts drifted far away.
"I also think that natural rubber should have a wider range of uses," Isaac smiled.
Isaac's words brought Hobert back to his senses: "You are a scientific worker with a long-term vision."
After chatting for a few more words, Isaac promised to write letters to several students who studied rubber, and Hobert and Audrey said goodbye.
In the carriage on the way back, Audrey smiled and said, "Hobert, the career you are going to undertake has not officially started, and you have already spent so much money. Is the return of this career so rich?"
"Not as rich as you think," Hobert smiled, "The reason why I invested so much money is because I have other more important purposes."
He had already thought about it, the light bulbs produced by the factory would be called "Earl's Light"!
Hobert also wanted to print a simple drawing with the portrait of Earl Hobert on the packaging paper of each light bulb, the purpose is to make everyone have relevant associations.
Let people think of Earl Hobert when they think of light bulbs, just as Hobert thinks of Edison when he thinks of light bulbs.
Audrey was slightly stunned, and then smiled: "If your funds are short, I can persuade my father to invest in you."
Originally, she planned to invest in Hobert herself, but she found today that the investment in Hobert's career seems to be very huge, and the 20,000 to 30,000 pounds she can use may not play a big role.
If you use more than 30,000 pounds of funds, you need to be authorized by her father.
Hobert smiled, "It's not needed yet, but sooner or later other nobles will be invited to invest together, but not now."
His current financial situation is still good, and he is unlikely to be short of money in the future.
Inviting other nobles to invest is to tie part of the political power of Backlund with a part of the profit, so as to avoid troubles caused by some people because of jealousy.
But you have to wait, wait until you first build up the brand effect, then he can always maintain the dominance of the company when there are other shareholders.
On the way back, Audrey fell into contemplation again. She could feel that Hobert's current career might bring some changes to the future, but so far, she still doesn't understand what Hobert wants to do.
Audrey looked out of the car window, the evening mist covered the streets and alleys again, and she understood another truth: Although I can judge the truth of Hobert's words and deeds, I still can't complete the real "mind reading". Everyone's mind island is like a barrier. Without the other party's knowledge, I can't judge the other party's intentions at all.
Suddenly, she felt that her potion had digested a lot.
...
Back at the Earl's Mansion, Hobert received a letter from Elliot. The Balk family had decided on the steam engine they wanted to buy.
The letter included a list. They planned to buy 21 various steam engines in one go. Hobert directly called Todd, who stayed for dinner, and asked him to give a low price. These machines were worth about 18,000 pounds in total.
Each steam engine was priced at a base rate that Upton would find hard to match. Hobert added 200 to each and sent the quote to Elliot.
With Hobert's current savings, whether he made the 4200 or not was irrelevant, but the Bulk family's method of payment was sure to be in gold. Hobert would still have to convert it, which would incur some fees.
If the Tudor family or the Sanguine wanted this batch of steam engines, Hobert would charge them at least 30,000!
Hobert also hoped to use the Bulk family's wealth to develop a light industry in the Southern Continent, so he still wanted them to have some cash flow for new investments.
Late at night, Hobert looked at the empty bedroom and still couldn't quite get used to it.
He thought that since he was planning to go to the Jeffery territory tomorrow anyway, he might as well go tonight, and he could get intimate with Fors, and perhaps he could fall asleep quickly after being intimate.
So Hobert used the 'Traveler's Gate,' which had already been set up in the Earl's mansion in Backlund, to come to the bedroom of the lord's mansion in Jeffery City.
Fors was sleeping soundly at this time. Hobert burrowed into the quilt and started kissing and caressing her, and she woke up with red cheeks.
Just as the two of them were about to get down to business, Hobert's spirituality suddenly sensed danger!
He was slightly stunned, wrapped Fors in the quilt, and used the 'Traveler's Gate' to stuff her into the Backlund side.
Fors stood in front of the door on the Earl's mansion side for a full seven or eight seconds before suddenly coming back to her senses. She realized there was danger on the Jeffery territory side.
"Madam!"
Fors was about to reach out to grab the doorknob when the voice of the butler, Dophis, sounded.
The bedroom door opened without any wind, and Dophis stood at the door holding a candle: "You'd better not go back yet."
Fors immediately understood that her return would also be a burden to Hobert. She said anxiously, "Then, then what should I do?"
"If the danger there is something the Earl can't handle, he will come over with you," Dophis analyzed calmly. "I will have a maid bring some tea and snacks. Please wait patiently."
Fors still wanted to say something, but in the end, she found that she seemed to be able to do nothing but wait.
...
Naked, Hobert looked at the corner: "Who are you?"
At this time, the monster in the oil painting hanging on the wall stepped out, but before it could utter a curse, it was completely swallowed by a tide of shadows.
There was no light in the room. Hobert felt that the corner over there was like a dark bottomless cave, as if it were darker than darkness, as if it could swallow all the light.
A gloomy male voice in the shadows smiled and said, "What a disappointment. I originally wanted to see the lord and lady's good show in bed."
Then he said: "I didn't expect there to be such a powerful sealed artifact in your bedroom. Although the monster just now was very weak, I can feel that its abilities are more than that."
Hobert didn't immediately grab his clothes, but moved to the bedside, picked up the gloves from the bedside table, and smiled as he put them on: "It seems you know Jeffery territory quite well!"
"Well, after all, we've been neighbors for a while."
Hobert's movements of putting on his gloves were very slow, as if he was afraid of alarming an enemy who wasn't sleeping very soundly: "Are you from the Aurora Order on the other side?"
"Yes."
"Are you here to retrieve the Aurora Order member we caught?" Hobert pretended to joke easily: "You're late. I ordered him executed a few days ago!"
"I know, just a 'Secret Supplicant'." The gloomy voice said: "I'm here for something else."
"What is it?" Hobert began to put on the other glove.
"Kill Hobert and Fors and completely control the entire South Colson area." The other party said without any emotion: "Originally, my plan was to taste your wife in front of you first, and then slowly kill you.
"I didn't expect you to already be a 'Earl of the Fallen'."
Hobert frowned: A bunch of lunatics! They should all be exterminated.
Before Hobert could continue to stall for time, the other party said again: "Are you wondering why I suddenly came to kill you? There are two reasons. The first is that sooner or later you will kill to the other side of the river after you are ready, so we might as well take the initiative and catch you off guard.
"The second is because we received a message that you have become the true master of this land. As long as you kill you, we can completely rule the South Colson area."
Hobert put on both gloves: "Wishful thinking!"
"That's not necessarily true." The other party seemed to sneer: "I know that your gloves must be magical items, but don't you want to know why I haven't interrupted your process of putting on your gloves?"
As soon as the other party finished speaking, Hobert saw his knife suddenly pulled out of his cane and slashed at him.
Hobert dodged the attack from the black knife and vaguely saw a black figure tightly holding the knife.
He immediately realized that it was his shadow!
And the enemy in the shadows was a 'Black Knight'! A demigod of the 'Secret Supplicant' pathway!
If Hobert hadn't advanced, then tonight would have been really dangerous.
Suddenly, figures flickered in the surrounding darkness, and Hobert seemed to be in a dark crowd.
At the same time, Hobert could feel an extremely evil force controlling this group of dark figures, and they all cast hostile gazes at him.
Two figures closer to him wrapped around Hobert's legs like tentacles, and more shadows wrapped around Hobert like pythons, trying to strangle Hobert to death, or trying to hold Hobert down so that the shadow could kill Hobert with a knife!
"Connection!" Hobert finally took action, strengthening the connection between himself and his shadow.
The shadow holding the knife suddenly stopped there, as if suddenly plunged into confusion, not knowing whether it was Hobert's shadow or, like those shadows, belonged to the darkness.
"Weaken!" Hobert's attack was very cautious, because he still couldn't clearly feel the opponent's position.
This was the advancement of 'Shadow Transformation'. Before the 'Black Knight's' main body took action, it was difficult for opponents of the same level to detect the opponent's position.
Although it was in the darkness, those shadows seemed to suddenly fade, and the power of the entanglement around Hobert also weakened.
"Distort!" Hobert suddenly distorted the distance between himself and the bed, and the shadows wrapping around his legs were torn in half, turning into ordinary darkness.
Hobert grabbed his clothes with one hand and took out a 'Disorder Stone' from his pocket!
After becoming a demigod, Hobert could allow the 'Disorder Stone' to function within a range of tens of meters, and he could also choose the target of attack, so he would no longer harm his own people.
The enemy seemed to feel the danger of the 'Disorder Stone', and another shadow appeared in the corner. This was the 'Black Knight's' shadow.
A layer of viscous black substance immediately appeared in the entire room. These liquids seemed to be formed by extreme depravity, and even the tables and chairs that had long lost their lives had patches of black.
But these viscous liquids did not appear on Hobert's body. Obviously, the 'Black Knight' was a little impatient and seemed to have forgotten that the 'Earl of the Fallen' also represented 'Depravity'.
When Hobert took the potion, the black viscous liquid representing 'Depravity' had already entered his body. This type of depraved attack could not harm him at all.
"Disorder!" Hobert threw out the 'Disorder Stone'. The 'Black Knight's' shadow flew up and tightly wrapped the 'Disorder Stone' before the 'Disorder Stone' burst out with the power to cause Beyonder characteristics to lose control.
Hobert was slightly stunned. This was the first time he had seen this kind of operation!
But that shadow suddenly trembled violently. Its body rapidly expanded, and some strange objects grew on its body, including tentacles, goat hooves, and bull heads.
Eventually, it turned into a monster with black flames flashing in its eyes!
It raised its head and howled silently, destroying all the furnishings in the bedroom at will.
This shadow had lost control!
...
At this time, in Jeffery City, Special Operations Division.
Figures flickered in the courtyard, but no one could be seen.
In the darkness, it seemed that some force had pushed the door open, and evil forces invaded the room.
Suddenly, the lights in the room came on, and there were actually more than a dozen groups of shadows on the ground under the lights.
As Angus announced loudly: "It is forbidden to transform into shadows here!"
Those shadows obviously paused, as if they had encountered some resistance.
And Angus's power was rapidly increasing.
The shadows simply returned to normal human form and fought with the surrounding Beyonder members.
According to Captain Dunn's training, the Special Operations Division had someone on duty every night, and one of the people on duty every day was an 'Astrologer'.
The 'Astrologer' on duty tonight noticed the danger, and after performing a divination to confirm it, woke up the other members.
Angus first thought of going to protect the lord, but Dunn disagreed: "Even if you go to support him, you won't be able to help much, but if Jeffery City doesn't have any Beyonder power, many people will be killed!
"If that happens, you will truly fail Hobert's expectations of you."
Angus and Helen almost simultaneously thought of Hobert's usual words and deeds and felt that Captain Dunn was right, so they stayed.
After this delay, before they had time to prepare seriously, the enemy's attack had already begun, and the enemies were either Sequence 6 or Sequence 7, and their strength was very strong.
Fortunately, after establishing a complete 'Sealed Item Application Rules', Lord Hobert left 3 Grade 2 sealed artifacts in the Special Operations Division.
Angus and Helen each took one, and the other was given to a Sequence 6. Under their leadership, they quickly stabilized the situation.
He even forced a 'Rose Bishop' to tear apart one of his 'Shadow Ascetic' companions and use the explosion of his companion's flesh and blood to cover himself.
At this time, three figures walked out of the shadows at the entrance of the courtyard. The leader was wearing a hooded bishop's robe with a cross and an upside-down man pattern embroidered on it.
Angus and Helen looked at each other. These three people were definitely all Sequence 5!
...
Outside Jeffery City's military camp, the military camp, which now had a scale of 500 people, ended a day of training, and snores echoed throughout the camp. Only the guards were still patrolling carefully.
The shadow under the brazier suddenly lengthened and rushed towards a barracks.
Just as the shadow was about to enter the door, a blue lava giant sword fell from the sky and stuck in front of the shadow.
Archibald and his 'adjutants' came over unhurriedly: "It seems I can have another 'Secret Supplicant' pathway adjutant."
He smiled: "Okay, come out, your positions have already been exposed!"
"Shadow Transformation" cannot hide the lines of spirituality.
The 'Shepherd' leading the team was slightly stunned. According to the information they had gathered, shouldn't there only be some 'low sequence' Beyonders in the military camp? Why did it seem that these staff officers were not weak.
While the 'Shepherd' was wondering, one of the 'staff officers' showed a dawn-like light around his body, and then a dawn giant sword appeared in his hand and slashed towards the 'Shepherd'.
The 'Shepherd' was about to dodge, but his movements suddenly became stiff.
...
In the lord's mansion, Hobert's hide-and-seek with the 'Black Knight' continued.
The 'Black Knight's' words sounded very crazy before, but when fighting, he seemed very cautious and had been observing Hobert in secret.
In fact, if Hobert also had this ability, he would carefully observe his opponent first, and then make a targeted attack plan.
Hobert had already seen through the opponent's thoughts, so he did not use his most core abilities, and he did not even release the seals of the two sealed items.
If he could force the opponent out without using his full strength, then Hobert would win in this game.
If Hobert's reality was seen through by the 'Black Knight' in the following response, then the 'Black Knight' would win.
It's just that the 'Black Knight' didn't know that his hope of victory was very slim, because the 'Earl of the Fallen' in front of him was also a 'Creator'. If he saw this, he would definitely be completely desperate!
Hobert dodged the attack of the 'Black Knight's' shadow. The shadow absorbed the power of the surrounding darkness, and its body was getting bigger and bigger. Hobert could even feel the overflowing madness!
Its most powerful attack was 'Depravity', but unfortunately it was useless to Hobert.
"Connection!" Hobert saw that the shadow's state of loss of control was almost there, and timely strengthened the connection between the shadow and the 'Black Knight' to see if he could transmit its loss of control and madness to the main body.
Crash~
There was a sound from the roof. It turned out that the other party was not in the room at all.
The 'Black Knight' had just cut off the connection with his shadow, but now the faint madness and sense of loss of control transmitted from the shadow made him expose his whereabouts if he was not careful.
"Magnify!" Hobert, who had been accumulating for a long time, finally took action. He jumped up and 'magnified' a slap he slapped out, blowing half of the roof off.
Then, Hobert 'distorted' gravity and hovered in mid-air, roughly determining the location of the 'Black Knight': "Arrogance!"
The current 'Arrogance' is already a range ability. In the darkness, a group of shadows suddenly surged, forming a figure that seemed to be wearing black armor. His two arms suddenly turned into long blades and slashed towards Hobert.
"You lost!" Hobert smiled, "Disorder!"
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