383: Chapter 383 The Contempt from Imperial Warriors

Xu Fu led Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo as they slowly approached the massive steam ironship.

The sea breeze howled, causing their clothes to flap loudly.

Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo gazed at the steam ironship from a distance.

No matter how many times they saw it, their hearts were filled with incomparable shock.

They still found it hard to imagine that a ship made of metal could float on water.

As they drew closer, the Imperial soldiers standing upon the steam ironship came into view.

The soldiers stood tall and straight, clad in majestic battle robes, with revolvers held in their hands.

High and mighty, they looked down with contemptuous eyes at Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo, making the two feel a tremendous sense of oppression.

The powerful self-confidence exuded by these Imperial soldiers did not come from themselves, but from the Great Qin behind them.

It was the Great Qin they took such pride in.

Being born in such a powerful Great Qin gave them the right to despise these uncivilized Wa people.

Seeing this Imperial soldier, Matsushita Yuko saw a Great Qin that their Wa people simply did not dare to offend!

He felt his breathing grow ragged, as if an invisible giant hand were tightly clutching his throat.

Matsushita Yuko's legs trembled slightly as he tried to suppress the fear in his heart, yet he still could not stop the chill from spreading from the soles of his feet to his entire body.

Inoue Saburo's face also turned exceptionally pale.

That sense of oppression filled his heart with unease and dread.

It was as if he were not facing the gaze of this Imperial soldier, but the gaze of Great Qin itself.

That pressure, heavy as a mountain, made him feel as though he could be crushed at any moment.

With hearts full of trepidation, Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo slowly stepped onto the side of the steam ironship.

They climbed step by step along the side toward the deck.

They climbed stairs as high as three stories before finally setting foot on the deck.

As soon as they boarded, they couldn't wait to reach out and gently touch the cold hull. The moment their fingertips made contact, a chill shot up their arms and straight to their hearts—the unique coolness of metal.

Their palms slowly stroked it, feeling the texture of the hull's surface; it was hard and smooth, every inch revealing the ultimate craftsmanship.

"This..."

"This is simply incredible!"

Matsushita Yuko couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Although Xu Fu had told them long ago, only by touching it personally and feeling that bone-chilling cold and solidity did they truly become convinced that this entire ship was indeed forged from metal.

Inoue Saburo was also full of astonishment, his hand moving slowly along the hull as if he couldn't believe everything he was touching.

They looked around, and everywhere their eyes landed, there was the luster of metal.

The ship's railings, the deck, and even those complex mechanical devices were all masterpieces of metal.

This sight, which surpassed their imagination, made them deeply realize that what they were facing was an unprecedentedly powerful force and advanced technology.

This caused them to be full of admiration in their hearts and humble in their expressions when they looked at the soldiers on the ship.

The Great Qin soldiers on the steam ironship couldn't help but lift their chins and puff out their chests.

"Toot..."

With a sudden, deafening blast of the steam whistle, the steam ironship began to move.

Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo, who were still immersed in their wonder at the ship's construction, were startled by the sudden noise.

At the same time, a large amount of black smoke surged out from the towering funnels, rolling and dispersing in the sky.

They also caught a whiff of the smell of coal smoke.

Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo widened their eyes in disbelief. In their past understanding, ships moved either by relying on sails to catch the wind or by human rowing.

But this giant steel ship before them had neither raised sails nor anyone rowing hard, yet it could move slowly on its own, and its speed was getting faster and faster.

"How on earth is this done!"

Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo asked Xu Fu in unison, "Without sails or people rowing, the ship can actually move on its own."

"This is inseparable from the Steam Engine invented by our genius, His Majesty the Head of State."

Xu Fu smiled slightly, a trace of pride in his eyes.

"Come with me."

With that, he led Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo toward the boiler room.

Before they even entered the boiler room, a wave of heat hit them, making Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo instantly feel the high temperature here.

Entering the boiler room, they saw fire light soaring; a large number of stokers were busy stoking the fires, and the roaring flames reflected a bright red throughout the space.

The stokers skillfully used shovels to add coal to the boilers, with bean-sized beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads, yet it didn't affect their focused expressions in the slightest.

They were working hard to provide enough steam pressure for the Steam Engine.

To one side, technical personnel maintaining the boilers were focused, observing the boiler pressure from time to time. Their eyes were glued to the pressure gauges, not daring to be even slightly negligent.

Because once the boiler pressure became too high and was not relieved in time, it was very likely to cause a boiler explosion, the consequences of which would be unimaginable.

Xu Fu pointed to that huge and complex Steam Engine and said to Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo, "The power for the steam ironship is provided by this Steam Engine."

"What an extraordinary invention!"

Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo couldn't help but say, "Only a genius could truly invent something like this!"

"Indeed!"

The technical personnel maintaining the boilers nearby said with full pride, "Only a divine man like His Majesty the Head of State could invent the Steam Engine!"

"Yes!"

"That's right!"

The stokers who heard this all nodded in agreement.

Deep admiration involuntarily flowed from their eyes.

In their hearts, His Majesty the Head of State was like a god, possessing extraordinary and peerless wisdom.

Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo glanced at each other, then asked Xu Fu, "Can we meet such a divine person?"

Their tone carried a hint of caution, yet was filled with longing.

"This..."

Xu Fu frowned slightly, a troubled look appearing on his face as he slowly said, "That depends on whether His Majesty the Head of State will agree."

"After all, His Majesty the Head of State is occupied with a myriad of state affairs, managing everything in the entire Empire; he is a great figure who stands above all living beings!"

"How many people spend their entire lives without ever having the chance to see him!"

"If His Majesty the Head of State is willing to grant someone an audience, for that person, it would be the greatest honor of their life, something they could brag about for a lifetime!"

Hearing Xu Fu's words, Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment.

But they also understood that a figure like His Majesty the Head of State was naturally high and mighty, and not easily seen.

However, the curiosity in their hearts toward His Majesty the Head of State grew even more intense, and they couldn't help but begin to imagine what kind of appearance this genius Paramount Leader had, and what kind of wisdom and grace he possessed.

With faces full of earnestness and an almost pleading expression, Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo said to Xu Fu, "Leader, is there really not even a single chance for us to see His Majesty the Head of State?"

"You see, we have truly admired His Majesty the Head of State for a long time; you must introduce us!"

As the two spoke, they pressed their hands together, their eyes filled with a glimmer of expectation.

"I will do my best to try."

Seeing their urgent manner, Xu Fu had his own calculations; if he helped introduce them, wouldn't they be even more grateful to him?

This would only benefit the maintenance of his rule, with no downsides!

"That's wonderful!"

Upon hearing that Xu Fu was willing to introduce them, smiles immediately surfaced on their faces.

"But let me put the ugly words first..."

Xu Fu looked at the two and said, "Whether His Majesty the Head of State is willing to see you is not something I can decide."

"Of course, of course!"

Hearing Xu Fu's words, a flash of worry appeared in Matsushita Yuko and Inoue Saburo's eyes, but it was quickly filled with hope again.

They knew well that Xu Fu was not lying; for such a great figure as His Majesty the Head of State, meeting him was indeed as difficult as ascending to heaven.

However, as long as there was a sliver of a chance, they were unwilling to give up.

"Thank you, Leader! Your great kindness is something we will never forget."

Matsushita Yuko said excitedly, his face full of gratitude.

"Yes, if not for your willingness to help, Leader, we probably wouldn't even have this sliver of hope."

Inoue Saburo also quickly chimed in, his face beaming with a joyful smile.