Chapter 248: Chapter 197: Armor

While the mages of various paths searched separately for traces of other nests, Louis was far from idle.

He experienced the first true contact with the Nest and its insect swarm.

Louis realized that the most terrifying thing about these monsters was not just their fearless charge or formidable combat power, but that one move—

The “parasitic regeneration” after self-detonation.

When an Insect Warrior self-destructs, what it sprays out is not ordinary bodily fluids, but a large number of microscopic larvae on the verge of hatching.

They can burrow into the target’s body in an extremely short time, reproducing, controlling, eroding willpower…

It’s an ability that could lead to almost instant downfall.

In the last battle, he barely thought of a countermeasure: that is to fully arm all participating knights, filling the inside and outside of armor with sealed padding, blocking all gaps.

But although this solution was effective in the short term, it severely restricted the warriors’ mobility and endurance, with their physical exertion multiplying.

This was not a long-term solution at all, requiring a better suit of armor as a replacement.

Louis organized his ideas into several clear requirements:

High defensive and high sealing properties to withstand explosive impact and prevent insect entry.

Good ventilation and sweat-wicking system, so long-term wear won’t cause heat stroke or infections due to humidity and heat.

Comfort, ensuring soldiers can operate for extended periods without decreasing combat power due to pressure or discomfort.

Modular design, allowing fast replacement of damaged parts, reducing the burden of wholesale scrapping and repairs.

With ideas in place, it was more important to have someone realize them, so he went to the War Workshop to find Mike for design and manufacturing.

Today’s War Workshop was as bustling as ever, with furnaces roaring and the sound of hammers ringing continuously.

The air was filled with the scorching breath of metal and magic power entwined.

A year ago, it was just a crude iron workshop with only a dozen artisans; now, it is worlds apart.

With the rapid development of the Red Tide Territory, especially before the wedding when the Calvin Clan continuously sent over a large number of highly skilled craftsmen and designers.

Mike’s team had expanded into a large-scale workshop system integrating forging, alchemy, materials, construction, and precision manufacturing.

In Louis’s view, aside from the War Workshop under Duke Edmund’s territory, there was no other in the Northern Territory that could match it.

Mike was personally inspecting the reinforcement process of a batch of spears when he suddenly heard footsteps. Looking up, he saw that familiar figure walking slowly towards him.

“Lord Louis? What brings you here,” Mike hurriedly took off his leather gloves and briskly walked up to greet him.

“There’s a new suit of armor which requires your workshop’s expertise,” Louis spoke with an unhurried tone, yet carrying an undeniable authority.

As he spoke, he casually took out a few slightly ash-stained draft papers from under his cloak and handed them to Mike.

On them were the basic configuration of the armor, stitching methods, and several section diagrams he had drawn by hand.

Seeing this, Mike raised his eyebrows.

He squatted down, spreading the papers on the workbench, his fingers lightly brushing along the lines of annotations.

“High sealing, explosion resistance, replaceable components… This doesn’t seem like something for a regular battlefield.” Mike muttered to himself, then looked up at Louis.

“This armor’s construction is rather peculiar? What kind of enemy?” He didn’t directly ask more, just probed.

“You don’t need to know,” Louis calmly replied, “you just need to remember, this is prepared for extremely dangerous enemies. It must be seamless; all these conditions must be met. Beyond this, don’t ask more questions.”

Startled, Mike then lowered his head: “Understood, sir.”

After a moment, he looked up, his face now bearing a seriousness that was nearly solemn.

“This set of armor isn’t simple, but it’s not unachievable. Breathability and sealing have always been rivals, but…

We can use layered inner linings, at least it won’t suffocate someone, while still ensuring sealing.”

“As for the replacement issue…” He furrowed his brows, glancing again at the arm armor design on the paper, “We can design the outer armor with riveted joints, allowing for easy replacement of elbow and knee guards without moving the main part. However, someone must assist during replacement.”

“Okay,” Louis nodded, “choose your most trusted team to make a prototype. You’re fully in charge of this task, use your best methods to complete it.”

Mike took a deep breath, his eyes filled with passionate flames: “Honestly, my lord… every suggestion you bring forth makes us artisans feel like we’re dreaming.

I often tell the people in the workshop, our Lord could become an extraordinary Artifact Maker, even if not a noble; he could easily rank among the Three Workshops of the North.”

Louis chuckled lightly: “Enough flattery, I can’t make these, just help you make them better.”

“You’re too modest,” Mike bowed slightly, then turned and shouted, “Ed, Talia, Frey! Bring that long armor skeleton inside! We have a new task to do, directly ordered by the Lord!”

The workshop instantly erupted into activity.

Thus, over the past few days, the Red Tide Workshop was nearly ceaseless day and night.

Mike spread Louis’s designs on the main table, where he and over a dozen seasoned craftsmen discussed by the hearth late into the night, scrutinizing every detail from joint angles to valve structures.

Some were responsible for testing the explosive resistance of new alloys, while others repeatedly tried on the inner lining, aiming to find the most suitable sweat-wicking fabric.

The forge fires burned through the night, and in the humid air, the craftsmen debated, hammered, dismantled, and reassembled amidst sweat and soot.

Upon learning the prototype armor was complete, Louis came immediately. The main hall of the workshop still brimmed with the rust and smoke from the previous night, and though the fires had been banked, they still emanated a lingering warmth, casting a heated glow on the rivets and pipes along the walls.

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