In the aftermath of a nearby war, the weapons development department receives a wealth of feedback. Various damaged weapons and armor, along with numerous corpses—both ally and enemy—are sent to the department for analysis.

  By examining the wounds and the wear on the equipment, the team aims to further optimize their weaponry. After encouraging and acknowledging their efforts, Henwell distributes New Year's bonuses to everyone.

  On his return to Blood Hill, Henwell stops by a small vilge to inspect a seemingly inconspicuous project. The project leader briefs him on the types of fireworks and the progress of gunpowder development.

  The traditional formu of sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal isn't yielding explosives here, much to Henwell's confusion. However, since fireworks exist in this world, it implies the potential to develop explosives.

  Military and noble signal fres contain some explosive elements, but outwardly, Henwell never shows much interest in them.

  Privately, though, he's been experimenting with makeshift bombs in his secret workshop at the manor. After losing his eyebrows twice and his hair once, Henwell is confident he can develop explosives. He promptly uploads his data to a secure chat group and destroys all experimental records. There's no way in hell he wants anyone else to find out!

  Henwell understands that if he can figure it out, others will too. Then, he won't be facing just primitive warriors with cold weapons. Battle Knights, Grand Knights, Iron Knights—they're all just a matter of explosive yield. With enough firepower, everyone can be blown away!

  Henwell has had several nightmares about being pinned down by a group of farmers who shove dynamite into his mouth. It's terrifying as hell! Right now, as a Grand Knight, if he wants to leave, there aren't many who can stop him.

  At worst, he could escape and live a life in hiding. But if gunpowder development progresses? Run? Imagine a high-explosive grenade being shoved into your arms—let's see if you can still run!

  So, until he establishes a stable regime, Henwell has no intention of unleashing this deadly weapon.

  Developing firearms and building an army centered around guns and cannons to conquer the world?

  Henwell isn't that arrogant. This world has extraordinary beings like Iron Knights, and possibly even more powerful entities. His popution, territory, resources, and technology are all cking. Thinking he can conquer the world with just superior weaponry is naive.

  Perhaps under the right circumstances, he could take down the Duchy of Vorry, but there are many other nations on the continent.

  If he reveals such weaponry, powerful extraordinary beings would quickly come to steal the technology. He can't guard the factory forever! Once others start replicating it, even poorly, as long as it kills, it counts. The intensity of global warfare would instantly escate.

  Slowly simmering like a frog in warm water suits Henwell just fine. Being one step ahead makes others think you're not working hard enough. Ten steps ahead, and they see you as a genius.

  But a hundred steps ahead, and they'll think you're a madman who must be stopped! A firearms army against cold weapon forces sounds exhirating, but what happens afterward? What consequences will follow?

  Henwell only has one life, and he can't afford to throw it away recklessly.

  However, Henwell definitely isn't giving up on this technology. Establishing this unassuming fireworks workshop is all about accumuting technical expertise.

  Here, they continuously refine gunpowder formutions while ensuring the development of a complete production chain. As they gather knowledge, they also perfect the standards for explosive manufacturing and train more skilled workers.

  Henwell pns to host a grand fireworks dispy in the spring to commercialize gunpowder, all while staying under the radar.

  He'll bide his time until he can smelt high-strength steel suitable for firearms and cannons, until he can develop steam engines for stable power output, and until he can produce various machine tools for processing steel. Only then will Henwell tackle the more advanced technological weapon projects.

  At the end of the day, what Henwell cks most is people. He's short on everyone—farmers, soldiers, workers, technicians, managers, administrators, researchers... Henwell knows that building an industrial system isn't a one-man job. It requires a vast workforce and a rge pool of knowledge.

  It's not just Henwell; his companions in the chat group often ment the same thing. Why can't they get a few helpers? They say that with just a thousand college students, they'd have the confidence to turn the world upside down. Henwell jokes that he'd be grateful for even a hundred college students!

  Where are those idle, aimless college students? Isn't there a single one who could travel to another world like him? Even just a few would be great! He'd make them dukes, standing shoulder to shoulder with him!

  Despite his compints, Henwell has to face reality. His current secretariat is nothing more than a group of adolescents!

  Henwell is investing heavily in education! Every vilge has a school, and children must attend for at least two years before turning sixteen. Those under ten must study for three years.

  To ensure the pn goes smoothly, the vilge guards don't hesitate to deal with uncooperative parents. Henwell's goal is clear: raise the knowledge level of his territory's residents. Even basic literacy and arithmetic are crucial for the development of Henwell's domain.

  Damn it! Although he can't produce college graduates, he can at least churn out thousands of elementary students. Now, sixteen-year-olds who've had two years of schooling are entering workshops, much to the delight of the foremen.

  The vilge guards now have to prevent these foremen from sneaking into vilges to recruit students who haven't finished their education.

  Henwell has chosen just two subjects for the curriculum: nguage and math. He personally compiles the math textbook, borrowing heavily from a chat group member named Fang Yuan. This guy hails from an Eastern world, the son of a frontier general in The Xiaan Empire, and he's now a young general himself. Soon, he'll be the second in the group to earn the title of "Thousand Syer."

  Fang Yuan was a university lecturer in his past life, cultured and composed, and he compiled many educational resources, earning thanks from many struggling companions in the group.

  Henwell thinks these educational resources just okay and could use some improvement. Then, he dusts off his knees and shamelessly copies an entire set of elementary math materials, including the middle school ones!

  Although he doesn't understand everything, like many others, he insists he once understood it but forgot due to limited brain capacity.

  The nguage textbook is a patchwork of descriptions of various countries' customs, the history of the Duchy of Vorry, and, most importantly, the history of Peace Haven. The script they learn is the continent's common nguage. It's not particurly difficult, especially for kids.

  No one realizes that Henwell is subtly undermining Vorry's foundation in Peace Haven—its nguage and script!

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  Note：Throughout world history, there have been many famous wars, such as the Trojan War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Battle of Verdun… Likewise, these wars have produced many commendable strategies, like the Trojan Horse, Blitzkrieg…

  However, I've always believed that the most sophisticated form of warfare is subtly influencing the livelihood, culture, history, and economy of an opponent nation. Imagine if children learn history that glorifies the enemy, students study the enemy's nguage, most daily-used products are produced by the enemy country, and even the currency used daily is the enemy's currency. Isn't that a truly frightening scenario?