Chapter 48: Foundations of Power Engineering
After returning from the ominous ruins, the focus within the temporary cave shifted back to the urgent task at hand: acquiring the strength and knowledge required to activate the Genesis Vault. Tian Heng was completely absorbed in studying the data extracted from the Builders' tablet, while Ilara and Lyra—now bound by shadow and eerily obedient—stood silently, awaiting commands with dim eyes. Faila and Lilith remained close by as his ever-present shadows.
The objective became clear after analyzing the purification module and regulation node requirements: to construct enhanced, efficient Aether Condensers capable of gathering the necessary energy.
"We'll build new condensers," Tian Heng announced, distributing tasks among the now smaller team. "This time, we'll follow the Builders' full schematics."
He focused on the most delicate part: crafting the harmonic resonance circuits using conductive silver wiring and quartz shards Lyra had previously gathered. His increasing mastery as an "Aether Collector – Apex" allowed him to perform refinements beyond what tools alone could manage.
Ilara, with her Elven patience and precision (which appeared unaffected by the dark binding, though her will had clearly been crushed), was tasked with assembling the outer casings and containment units, following exact instructions. She worked in silence, her movements precise but robotic.
Lyra was dispatched on safer, more focused scouting and resource-gathering missions—searching for more pure quartz, specific types of mineral-rich clay in nearby caves, and replenishing water and fungus supplies. She executed orders instantly and returned swiftly, always avoiding direct eye contact with Tian Heng.
Faila was given a task that suited her nature and expertise.
"Faila, I want you to study these Builder symbols related to alloys and metals with me. Your knowledge of ancient power runes and dark mythologies might help decipher them faster."Faila agreed coolly and sat across from him, beginning a complex decoding process. Her motives, as always, remained elusive and suspicious.
Lilith, as usual, remained Tian Heng's ever-vigilant bodyguard, watching everyone, ensuring there were no surprises. Her dark aura was a silent deterrent.
In parallel with supervising the construction of the condensers, Tian Heng continued his intensive training in the "Frozen Star Forging Style," slowly but steadily nearing the bottleneck to reach the level of a "Core Forger." He also kept studying the records on restoring the regulation node, confirming the need for a fabrication unit to produce the replacement alloy and the precise calibration tools.
After several days of focused work—and thanks to the complete schematics and organized efforts—the first enhanced Aether Condenser (Model 2.0) was successfully completed. It looked far more refined and robust than the previous models. Upon activation, it operated quietly and far more efficiently, producing a steady stream of condensed aether at a rate of nearly 4 standard units per hour—five times faster than the earlier versions!
[Core, evaluate the performance of Condenser Model 2.0.][Performance Analysis: Condensation process active with an estimated efficiency of 7.8% relative to the theoretical maximum of the components used. Operational stability within safe limits. Condensed Aether Output Rate: 4.1 standard units per hour.]
This was a tangible, major success. Tian Heng immediately ordered the construction of more enhanced condensers. With several units operating efficiently, the goal of gathering enough aether to power the purification module (and later the fabrication unit) became achievable within days or a few weeks instead of months.
The chapter ended with the five-member team now functioning like a strange, dark machine within the cave. The new condensers were being built more efficiently, ancient knowledge was slowly being deciphered, and Tian Heng was growing stronger—tightening his absolute control over his broken, unwilling followers. The outer threat from the ruins still loomed in the background, but for now, the focus was entirely on building the vault's internal capability. The first real step toward reviving this ancient place and establishing Tian Heng's power was finally taking shape—drop by drop of condensed aether.