It had been two months since the military infiltration mission was established, and the individuals selected were put through specialized training for urban environments according to what Damon remembered from his time in the army.
They were also taught the English language as a way of coding their messages or files until there was a way of getting long range communication devices .
Soon after their training, they were sent over to their attaches with the following orders , to gather all information about activities going on in this cities, map out areas and if they were found out to escape all means necessary.
It has been seven months since Damon arrived in this world, and aside from training the only progress he had made was the development of his feif Merula. He wasn't even that knowledgeable in scientific issues. For example, he had received reports about the revolver, it was prone to corrosion and misfire because of the black powder and he didn't even know the formula for smokeless gunpowder.
He knew blueprints for some automatic firearms but producing them without smokeless gunpowder was a waste of time.
Right now the only upside of the black powder was that they could be used in the 24 and 40 pound cannons. So he had instructed that production should be focused on the cannons and shotguns. The production of revolvers was then scaled down.
Another issue he had was transportation, back on earth it was noted that the United States had the best military was because of logistics. No matter how well equipped and army is , if they cannot get the materials they need in time, their size becomes a burden.
He tried drawing up a blueprint for a steam engine but the only steam engine he knew was an obsolete Nikolai steam engine that couldn't handle any work. He also had different blueprints of internal combustion engines as he was also a car guy back on earth and had built different cars engines during that time. The only problem was fuel to power the engines. The ideas were there only the way of actualization was left.
The only thing he could do at this moment was to find an alchemist that could help with his gunpowder problems.
He then wrote multiple letters to his operatives in the different cities with a new directive to find alchemists who were willing to work for him.
Three weeks later Damon received word that there was a group of alchemists at the buffer zone of the city walls.
The buffer zone was a space inside the 100m thick walls between the first and second gates. Even though the gate were made thick of steel and could only be opened by a Nikolai steam engine, it was a precaution that was to be taken for the safety of the city.
Within an hour Damon made his way to the city walls to see the alchemists as no one was allowed access into the city without proper clearance.
The alchemists that Damon met turned out to be either alchemists who were ostracized by their peers or those who were suppressed by the big shots in their respective cities. According to the society of this period , they were losers and rejects who could never amount to anything .
A normal person would be disappointed by the outcome but not Damon, he knew that this people were desperate and unconventional by this worlds standard and it was because of their desperation and unconventional nature that he believed would yield great rewards.
"Welcome, learned minds and seekers of hidden truths! I, Lord Damon Merula, welcome you to the hallowed walls of [City Name]!
Let the smoke of your furnaces rise like prayers, and the glow of your retorts illuminate the very spirit of our city! For too long, the mundane has held sway, the common crafts have dictated our fortunes. But I, in my wisdom, recognize that true power lies not in the clang of steel or the heft of stone, but in the subtle dance of elements, the whispered secrets of transmutation!
You, the alchemists, are the architects of a new age! You are the wielders of forces unseen, the masters of change, the weavers of possibility! Within these walls, you shall find not only shelter but also patronage. You shall have the resources to pursue your grand experiments, to unlock the mysteries that lie dormant in the very heart of creation.
Let the doubters scoff and the ignorant tremble! They cling to their crude tools and their limited understanding, blind to the potential that lies before them. But we, together, shall forge a path to a brighter future, a future where the impossible becomes commonplace, where the very fabric of reality bends to our will!
Imagine, alchemists, the possibilities! Imagine elixirs that mend the frailties of the body, potions that sharpen the mind, substances that fortify our defenses against any foe. Imagine the very essence of wealth, distilled into a tangible form, fueling our city's prosperity beyond measure!
Let your laboratories hum with activity, let your cauldrons bubble with potent concoctions, let your treatises fill our libraries with newfound knowledge! For in your hands lies the power to transform not only base metals but also the very destiny of this world!
I pledge to you my unwavering support. I shall provide you with the finest materials, the most secure laboratories, and the most attentive apprentices. In return, I ask only for your dedication, your brilliance, and your unwavering pursuit of the alchemical arts.
Let the whispers of doubt fade into the background, and let the fires of your ambition burn bright! Together, we shall usher in an era of unprecedented progress, an era where the secrets of the universe are laid bare before us!
Welcome, alchemists! Welcome to your new home! May your endeavors be fruitful, and may your discoveries bring glory to Merula!
You shall rest for the moment, tomorrow we will discuss your duties."
The alchemists were then boarded up in one of the finished buildings in the city and were provided with drink and food .
As the day went by , they prayed that this endeavor was going to be a turning point in all their lives .