48: Card Mall

Walking into the cards mall, the hall was like an exhibition hall.

Various cards products were displayed in the center, and next to each product stood a sales associate, ready to explain the products to customers.

However, what was most eye-catching was the steam locomotive, with long tracks laid around the entire hall.

Through the sales associate's explanation, Xu Bai learned that this cards was a nine-star cards, synthesized from thirty-nine thousand five hundred forty-six one-star cardss over a period of three years.

However, this one was a scaled-down version, with limited weight capacity, but its price was also quite expensive, not something an average person could buy; it was placed in the mall simply to allow more ordinary people to learn about it.

Xu Bai gasped, thirty-nine thousand five hundred forty-six cardss, so many; if he were to draw them all by himself, how long would it take?

But then he thought, this was produced by so many people from the Luo Lan Empire's national scientific research institution, so it made sense.

In fact, the principle of the steam locomotive sounded quite simple: it heats water in a boiler by burning coal, generating high-pressure steam.

Then the steam enters the cylinder through pipes, pushing the piston to reciprocate, and then through connecting rods and cranks, the linear motion is converted into the circular motion of the wheels, allowing it to move forward.

Originally, the Luo Lan Empire could have relied on this exclusive technology to widen the gap in national strength with other countries.

Fortunately, at this time, the Tianlong Republic created the new Coal Card, using energy replacement technology, allowing it to develop alongside the Luo Lan Empire.

And because of this, Xu Bai was able to see it in this mall.

Yesterday's newspaper also stated that the country had already set up steam locomotive routes in major provinces, with all cities expected to be equipped within five years.

Before, travel relied on carriages, which took a long time and required rest.

Compared to traditional carriages, steam locomotives could transport people or goods stably and quickly to another province, and they were not affected by most weather conditions, changing the transportation dilemma of "relying on the whims of nature."

Well, this aspect currently had little to do with Xu Bai.

"Do any children want to experience the steam locomotive?"

"Me!" "Me!" "I want to experience it!" ... A circle of children surrounded a sales associate, eagerly wanting to experience the feeling of riding a steam locomotive.

"Alright, everyone, line up and get on one by one, okay?" The sales associate helped the children get on one by one, counting them.

"Does this little friend want to ride?" As if sensing Xu Bai and Xu Le's gaze, the sales associate asked.

"Yes, yes!" Xu Le seemed to know the sales associate was asking him; he happily replied, "Brother, yes!"

Xu Bai understood Xu Le's meaning and hesitated a bit; only children were getting on, and he, an adult, wasn't sure if he could.

The sales associate noticed Xu Bai's concerns and said, "You can; you can bring your little brother to experience it together."

"Alright."

Xu Bai carried Xu Le and walked with a group of little kids into the steam locomotive, finding seats.

The children:

"Wow, how amazing, is this a moving house?"

"Will everyone have one at home later?"

"I heard this can run continuously; I've ridden a bigger one before. It used to take 10 days to reach H Province, but with this, it only takes 2 days!"

"Wow wow wow, I also want to go to H Province; the travel time is so short. I'll beg my family, Mom should agree."

"I'm going during my national holiday too."

"If only my family had one, I could go wherever I want."