The entire refining area, whether it was for transportation and unloading or for feeding and collecting, used steam power as much as possible to replace manpower. The degree of mechanization was one of the highest in Neverwinter City.

Because it needed to consume a large amount of coal and crude oil, the factory area looked like a huge rectangular square from the air, with the north end facing the Chishui River. It was both a dedicated dock and a coal storage yard. Several conveyor belts linked to steam engines transported coal to the boiler room continuously, and the parallel and orderly black lines formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding gray cement-hardened ground.

The other end of the square was used to store seaborne oil from the shoals. The tracks and the incoming and outgoing trailers constituted the landscape of this half. When coal was scarce, the boiler room could also directly use the unrefined oil as a combustible material.

The oil storage warehouse located to the west of the fractionation tower was now half built, with fortress-like concrete warehouses lined up in a row. Its rugged shape was out of harmony with the residential buildings across the river, but it had an unspeakable beauty. At the same time, Roland knew that its technical content was not low at all: pressure relief valves, inspection windows, conveying pipes, anti-static equipment... From the construction details to the rules of use, without the accumulation of the previous chemical plant, it would have been impossible to proceed so smoothly.

To his delight, he only did the final review and approval of the overall plan, and the intermediate design process was completed jointly by the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Chemical Industry. Obviously, the mining area, kiln area and other projects had allowed them to accumulate a lot of experience and boldly apply it to new projects. Since there were no unified industry standards in this era, each machine, from elevators to traction winches, needed to have its parameters determined on site before being handed over to the factory for processing and assembly. Without basic engineering literacy and literacy, it would be difficult for the two sides to communicate and connect.

After two years of mandatory promotion, universal education has gradually shown results.

As the temperature of the boiler continued to rise, the oil heated to a steam state poured into the fractionation tower—this could be seen from the snow on the tower melting into wisps of water vapor. At this moment, the north wind had basically subsided, leaving only the falling snow slowly falling, but the visiting people were not moved at all. They stared at the beautiful metal tower, and the exhaled breath and the steam spewed by various machines in the square echoed each other, forming a kind of warmth that did not lose out in this sunless winter.

...

"So beautiful," Ediths muttered, standing on the Iron Bridge.

It was several miles away from the refining area, so there were fewer people. Occasionally, passers-by in a hurry were basically wanting to go to the tower, not only to witness the birth of another new thing, but also to be able to see His Majesty the King. However, when passing by the Pearl of the North, most people would unconsciously take a look at her and the person beside her - undoubtedly, in their eyes, these two women standing in the snow had a beauty that was moving.

Isn't this a chimney? Where is the beauty? Kol thought in his heart, but he didn't dare to say it, "If you want to see it, why don't you go with the City Hall? Lord Barov clearly arranged a better position, and His Majesty also..."

Although the terrain here was high and the view was wide, it was not very clear because of the distance. More importantly, this was a good opportunity for colleagues to connect and build relationships - what to see didn't really matter, the meaning of all the City Hall officials gathering together was not in watching. In the words of the aristocratic era, it was a banquet, and the focus was definitely not on the food, but on the people you talked to and the new partners you met.

For his sister, who was extremely good at socializing, she couldn't possibly not know these truths. She clearly said that she would let him work hard in the City Hall, but she deliberately missed such an opportunity. Sometimes he really didn't understand what was going on in her head.

However, Ediths's slight glance made Kol shut up.

"Of course it's for you, my dear brother," she teased softly, "Do you really want to appear in front of other officials in your current state?"

Wait, isn't this because of your request!

It was okay to wear those clothes at home, but I didn't expect to be forced to wear them out. If I was seen by acquaintances, I'm afraid I could only jump off the bridge.

Ah! It's all because I was bored and swiping through my sister's clothes,

I was caught by my older sister who suddenly came back, which led to the handle falling into her hands, otherwise how could he have compromised so easily.

Kol was about to express his kàngyi slightly when a frivolous whistle suddenly came from behind him.

He immediately felt a fiery heat on his face and subconsciously pulled his collar, wanting to bury his head.

"Well, that's not the right way to deal with it."

A hand held his chin, forcing him to raise his eyes again.

Then Kol saw the Pearl of the North turned around and glanced at the passer-by contemptuously - the coldness in her eyes that rejected people thousands of miles away made him shudder. He saw the other party take two steps back and dare not say another word, quickly leaving her sight.

"Understand?" Ediths shrugged, "This is also a test for you."

"...If I was dressed normally, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened at all," Kol muttered softly.

"But if you want to participate in politics, you will definitely encounter such irresistible things. The only thing you can do is accept it and try to control it." She paused, "Did you think that when Tiffyco entered the Northern Lands, I was smiling and welcoming him willingly? Everything in the world has different sides, the key is which angle you look at it from. Besides, when you couldn't help but try on my clothes, you were actually looking forward to this moment, right?"

Kol couldn't help but suffocate. His sister could always make some unreasonable actions sound reasonable. At this time, choosing to argue would only end in utter defeat. The correct approach was to remain silent and wait.

As for the last sentence, he would never admit it!

However, was the beauty she said earlier also because of the different angle?

Changing the subject, after asking the doubts in his heart, Kol clearly captured a blush on the other's cheeks.

"Do you remember what winter in Evernight City was like?"

"Uh..." He was slightly stunned, and a series of pictures immediately appeared in his mind, but there were very few images of the city. Most of the images stayed in the warm fireplace, ale, and dinner party. All he could think of were basically indoor scenes. After a while, he said uncertainly, "It looks relatively... peaceful?"

"It's dead silence, as if the entire earth is frozen." Ediths looked in the direction of the high tower, "I always thought that was the norm in winter, but now it seems that this is not the case." She exhaled a breath of white air, "What do you see now? The earth is breathing, and these vapors are the best proof that it is still active."

"I don't quite... understand."

"This proves that nature can be changed by people," the Pearl of the North said word by word, "People don't need to live by the sky, and they don't need to follow the rules between heaven and earth. Being suppressed by it is only because of their own weakness, and when they are strong enough, we can even transform the world - isn't such power beautiful enough?"

However, Kol saw something more beautiful.

The woman who said these words seemed to emit an indescribable light. Her cyan hair rose and fell in the flying snow, surpassing any natural scenery. That blush reduced some of the usual sharpness, making her fair profile more vivid.

A strong impulse suddenly rose in his heart - he wanted to know, what was the world in Ediths Kant's eyes like?

...

"Oil, oil is coming out!"

With the cheers near Tower No. 1, the crowd gradually became restless.

"What's coming out?"

"I heard it seems to be oil!"

"Used to fry pancakes?"

"How can that be, the yard is piled with coal, not fatty meat."

"No matter what comes out, since it's what His Majesty wants, it must be of extraordinary significance."

"So we can celebrate?"

"Yes, long live His Majesty!"

"Long live His Majesty!"

Soon more people joined the cheering crowd, even if they were completely unaware of the significance of this fractionation tower, it did not prevent them from sharing this joy at this moment.

The noise spread like a tide. Within a few minutes, the entire refining area was boiling. Under such momentum, even the terrifying Demon Month seemed to have lost its former color.

Looking at the black and white smoke columns rising on the river bank, and the silver tower looming in the smoke and snow, Roland's heart was filled with an unspeakable sense of accomplishment.

If the thick smoke entrenched on the North Slope Mountain represented the achievements of the coal and iron complex and the First Industrial Revolution, then the smoke column rising here meant that a new era was about to arrive.