Gao Family Village.
Early in the morning, the diligent villagers of Gao Family Village were already up and about.
Farmers headed out to their fields, workers entered their factories, and even the Village Chief sat by his own doorstep, weaving bamboo strips into delicate little birds and grasshoppers. These trinkets would later be sold at the market for a single copper coin each, perfect for amusing children.
It was a peaceful, harmonious morning—no different from any other.
However, an unusually discordant scene was unfolding at the entrance of Gao Family Village's Thirty-Two Middle School.
Song Yingxing, Wang Zheng, along with a large group of graduate students, senior technical engineers, and blacksmiths, were all gathered around a massive iron vehicle.
It was a car.
A car built by Young Master Bai.
The vehicle's main body was almost entirely constructed from steel, solid and heavy, with only its four wheels wrapped in the black rubber bestowed by Dao Xuan Tianzhun. At the front sat a prominent boiler, unmistakable at a glance, with a long chimney protruding upward like a small smokestack.
Standing proudly beside it, Young Master Bai announced with excitement and confidence:
"Automobile, Unit Two—officially begins its test run today!"
Yet, the surrounding crowd showed little enthusiasm.
After all, everyone still remembered Young Master Bai's first attempt at building a car—and remembered it far too clearly.
When the first unit had been completed, the steam engine's power had been far too weak to move a heavy chassis. As a result, the body had been made from wood. Worse still, Young Master Bai had forgotten to install brakes altogether. The vehicle had gone out of control twice, crashing straight into the fields, and the fragile wooden frame had shattered on the spot both times.
Every subsequent test had ended in failure.
Because of this, most people in Gao Family Village had developed serious doubts about the feasibility of something called an "automobile."
So when Young Master Bai rolled out his second unit today, it was only natural that no one greeted it with cheers or applause.
"Little Bai," Song Yingxing couldn't help but ask, "did you remember to install brakes this time?"
Young Master Bai laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! I learned my lesson. The very first thing I designed this time was the braking system."
The crowd immediately shot back,
"Don't sound so proud about something that basic! Being able to brake is the bare minimum for a vehicle. What kind of car can't even stop properly?"
"All right," Young Master Bai said confidently, waving his hand. "Now let me show you the power of Automobile Unit Two."
He lifted his right foot and gently eased off the brake.
At once, the power that had been held back was released.
The heavy iron vehicle trembled slightly… then slowly began to move forward.
The crowd stared.
"…Wow," someone muttered. "It actually moves."
"With all that weight, and it's still moving."
Song Yingxing and Wang Zheng exchanged glances, both seeing excitement flicker in the other's eyes.
"Little Bai's modified steam engine is truly powerful," Song Yingxing said. "Despite its compact size, it can push an all-iron vehicle like this."
Wang Zheng nodded.
"Gao Family Village's transportation capabilities are about to enter an entirely new era."
Young Master Bai held the steering wheel with his left hand while opening a small lid beside his seat with his right. Inside was a box filled with perfectly round, neat, and oddly adorable coal briquettes.
He casually picked one up and tossed it into the boiler.
Then, with a smooth turn of the steering wheel, the car passed through the three-way intersection in front of the school gate and headed north.
The infrastructure inside Gao Family Village was already extremely well developed. Cement roads extended in every direction, and road signs stood clearly at every intersection.
Soon, the car reached a large crossroads.
The sign indicated:
Left—west to Chengcheng County.
Right—east to Heyang County.
Straight ahead—north to Huanglong Mountain.
Young Master Bai laughed heartily and turned the wheel, steering the car straight onto the highway leading toward Huanglong Mountain.
A large group of graduate students immediately chased after him, eager to watch the spectacle. But to their astonishment, Automobile Unit Two steadily accelerated, its speed quickly surpassing thirty kilometers per hour.
Relying on nothing but their own legs, the onlookers were left far behind.
Wang Zheng reacted quickly.
"Quick! Get a public solar car! We can catch up with one of those!"
Everyone immediately understood and rushed toward the main fortress gate, where the Gao Family Village Main Vehicle Hub was located. Several idle public solar vehicles were parked there.
Seeing that important figures from the academy needed transport, the station administrator didn't dare refuse. He promptly approved the deployment of Route 86—the bus that had just returned for inspection, had been freshly repaired, and was ready to resume service.
The driver was the same one who had once transported the messenger Li Yuan through Huanglong Mountain.
The vehicle was the same.
And his driving style was just as wild.
"Everyone, hold on tight!" the driver shouted.
The familiar, adrenaline-pumping roar of the engine filled the air as he spun the steering wheel and shot off toward Huanglong Mountain. The bus was packed full of scientists and graduate students, all of them wide-eyed and staring straight ahead.
Route 86 lived up to its reputation.
Before long, it caught up with Young Master Bai's automobile.
They watched as Automobile Unit Two rolled steadily along the highway, occasionally letting out a loud whoosh as thick plumes of smoke burst from its chimney.
Every so often, Young Master Bai would grab another coal briquette and toss it into the boiler.
However, sitting so close to the boiler made the heat unavoidable. Sweat soon formed on his face. After throwing in a briquette, he casually wiped his face with his hand.
As a result, his usually refined, jade-like appearance became smudged with soot, making him look even more like a laborer than the actual laborers.
The Route 86 bus pulled alongside the automobile and slowed down until the two vehicles were driving side by side.
Song Yingxing leaned out the window and shouted,
"Hey, Little Bai! Where are you planning to drive this thing?"
Young Master Bai grinned.
"Back to Bai Family Fortress, of course!"
Song Yingxing was inwardly startled.
"Forty li? Can your car really handle that distance?"
Young Master Bai replied confidently,
"I've already calculated the coal weight and mileage. Forty li there and back won't be a problem. Besides, I can replenish coal at Bai Family Fortress. If we set up coal supply stations in every city in the future, this car could go anywhere."
Song Yingxing was deeply impressed.
"Your invention is truly remarkable."
Wang Zheng added from the side,
"Even Dao Xuan Tianzhun himself would surely be pleased with this creation."
Young Master Bai laughed loudly.
"From now on, wherever our cement roads reach, these vehicles can go as well. Transporting materials will no longer be a bottleneck."
Song Yingxing nodded, then spoke thoughtfully,
"But the real issue lies in the cost of this vehicle, doesn't it?"
Young Master Bai paused.
For a moment, he was completely speechless.