A week passed quickly. Ethan was in his office at the Stella Central Administration Headquarters, reviewing the latest reports.
Since the last meeting, where it had been agreed to start manufacturing weapons with common steel, he had sent a message to Omega Zero.
Originally, he had considered sending the ingots directly to Omega Zero, but that could attract unwanted attention to the area. Instead, he chose the nameless village, located near the tributary that, according to locals, originated from the Thunder Cloud River.
That place was the origin point of steel in this world. It was still active and accounted for more than half of the steel processed and sent to Omega Zero, although it still lacked an official name. Most of the inhabitants were furnace operators; before Ethan's intervention, the place was almost abandoned.
Ethan sent an order to Omega Zero to mobilize a group of technicians with the objective of installing machinery at the tributary. The systems would be similar to those used in the underground river.
This new plant would be equipped with trip hammers, presses, furnaces, polishers, and mechanical forging machines. Its exclusive purpose would be the production of bladed weapons. For now, they would start only with swords.
Ethan also named the place Ferrum City. It could become the base of an industrial city in the future, but for now, its only function would be steel production.
He ordered the transfer of a group of technicians to install all the necessary equipment and train the local operators in its use. Zhao Ren was already recruiting workers in towns near Ferrum, aiming to increase the workforce.
There were already two Vesper squads securing the perimeter. Since the steel production method did not exist in this world, Ethan had always sought to keep it as confidential as possible. Once the regular army training was complete, he planned to send reinforcements to replace one of the Vesper squads, maintaining only one in the area as an additional deterrent force.
Steel manufacturing in Stella was also strictly controlled to prevent leaks. Most furnace operators worked under contract, which, although it did not guarantee total security, at least offered a barrier to delay the spread of knowledge.
By contract, any worker who leaked information could be tried and condemned. In the cultivation world, most dominant forces could pass sentence without proof, as long as their power was superior. However, Ethan did not want to establish that kind of system for his people.
He preferred to build a structure based on rules, responsibility, and control, instead of fear and brute force. Although he understood that in some extreme cases he would have to act harshly, his goal was for Stella and Ferrum to operate under a more stable and predictable model, even if the outside world operated under the law of the strongest.
Still, he had a strategic advantage. Even if others managed to replicate the method, handmade sword production took several days or even weeks per piece, whereas industrial machinery could produce dozens per day. The difference was vast.
With those advantages, Ethan knew he could maintain dominance both in price and production volume, and that over time he would come to dominate the bladed weapons market. If anyone saw a sword more perfect, uniform, and cheaper than anywhere else, they would not hesitate to buy it.
All manufactured swords would bear the Astralis logo, engraved on the blade and handle, as a seal of authenticity and quality.
For now, those were the changes he had ordered for Ferrum City. The report he was reviewing at that moment confirmed that the technicians had completed the equipment installation and that the production line could start at any time.
Ethan called the telegraph operator in Stella City and gave him an order.
"Tell them to start production. Divide into three shifts. They should be able to manufacture dozens of swords per day. Enough to begin. Keep all production stored in Ferrum until further instructions," he ordered.
The operator nodded without questions and immediately went out to transmit the message.
With that done, Ethan didn't have to worry about selling the weapons. Zhao Ren would handle everything. During this time, he had established a solid network of contacts and was more than capable of managing the commercial negotiations.
For the moment, instead of opening their own stores, Astralis would act as a wholesale supplier, selling directly to selected merchants. These merchants would be responsible for distribution and resale. No merchant would pass up such a profitable business, especially with superior quality products and excellent profit margins.
Once in circulation, the swords were expected to gradually reach the general population, and over time, influential families, officials, and rulers, who would undoubtedly want to acquire weapons marked with the Astralis seal.
After giving those instructions, Ethan turned toward the door of his office and called the Hu brothers.
"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked, observing them closely.
"I feel great, master," replied Hu Zhan while energetically moving his arms.
"Hmm… Have you eaten yet? Same situation?" Ethan asked, analyzing their post-procedure condition.
"Yes, master. We ate… quite a lot," responded Hu Jian, crossing his arms.
Ethan nodded. He had noticed the difference in the Sequences. Their bodies showed an abnormally high energy demand, requiring large amounts of calories to maintain physiological stability.
Previously, he had not perceived this need because the test subjects received limited rations. However, upon observing the change, he ordered an increase in their rations within the prisons, adjusting them only to what was strictly necessary to maintain balance without excess.
Another relevant observation was the growth of their strength. Ethan noticed that the more energy-rich food they consumed, the better their performance.
Previously, although demon beast meat unfit for experimentation was cooked, the Vespers could barely consume small amounts. Generally, ordinary humans could not digest large portions of demon meat; one or two small bites were enough to feel completely satiated.
However, the Sequences were different. Not only did they seem to digest it without difficulty, but they also took advantage of its energy content. They even showed signs of physical improvement after consumption.
The strength of the Hu brothers, for example, had increased slightly. Although they had not yet reached the 4.2x index, their performance continued to improve steadily.
The brothers themselves had reported a peculiar sensation:
as if their bodies were asking them to eat more, a vague but persistent need… and at the same time, an intuitive certainty that the more they consumed, the stronger they would become.
Ethan nodded silently, thoughtful, while observing the Hu brothers. Unlike human cultivators who refined spiritual energy through practice, most demon beasts gained their strength by devouring each other. Some even protected territories rich in spiritual resources, such as fruits, rare herbs, or springs, suggesting that they understood, at least instinctively, the benefit of spiritual resources in their environment.
Based on data collected during dissections, Ethan had identified consistent biological patterns in the anatomy of demon beasts. Their physiology was clearly adapted to process and utilize large amounts of energy: hypertrophied digestive organs, specialized enzymes to break down complex compounds, and muscle tissues with a structural density much greater than humans. Their entire bodily system seemed designed not only to withstand excessive energy consumption but to store, transform, and reuse it extremely efficiently.
He could not yet confirm whether demon beasts had techniques similar to cultivators, such as spiritual channeling or refinement exercises, but he did not rule out the possibility.
However, everything indicated that their main method to strengthen their bodies was brutal, primitive, and direct: feeding on external energy, whether from other beings or the environment, and absorbing it unfiltered.
Ethan suspected that the Sequences, carrying Compound D, were inheriting that same quality—a physiology capable of absorbing and converting energy, similar to that of demon beasts.
"What will be the limit...?" Ethan murmured, his gaze fixed on the Hu brothers, as if searching for an answer.