Viscount Helson looked curious: "Oh? What kind of magical liquid?"
Balin paused deliberately, building up the anticipation, before slowly saying, "That liquid is refined by us dwarves from special minerals. It's pale yellow in color, has a somewhat pungent smell, and looks unremarkable, but it's incredibly useful. It can corrode rust on metal surfaces. Whether it's iron or bronze, as long as a little bit gets on it, those stubborn rust spots will be quickly removed, much less effort than sanding with sandpaper."
As he spoke, he observed Helson's reaction. Seeing that Helson was listening attentively, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and continued, "It's not just for removing rust. This liquid can also be used to purify ores. Some ores contain a lot of impurities. After soaking them in it, the impurities will be dissolved, and the purity of the remaining metal will be greatly improved. It can even be used to etch patterns on metal. Just apply a layer of protective paste to the metal surface, and then apply the liquid to the area you want to etch. Clear patterns will be formed quickly, much more precise than a blacksmith's hand carving."
Balin deliberately concealed the true name of the liquid, emphasizing only its uses, in order to let humans know that dwarves were not without their strengths. Even though they were not as large-scale as humans in iron smelting, they still had their own advantages in the "skill" of metal processing.
After he finished speaking, he smiled casually and said, "Speaking of which, this liquid is widely used in our clan. If your side has a need for it, perhaps we can consider it as one of the trade commodities in future trade." He was calculating in his heart: if humans were interested in this liquid, the dwarves would have more leverage in subsequent trade negotiations and could also slightly regain some of the momentum they had lost at the ironworks, so that the humans wouldn't think that the dwarves were inferior to them in every way.
Viscount Helson, who wasn't very knowledgeable about chemistry, calmly said, "It sounds like a very useful liquid. If it's really as useful as you say, it could certainly be a good topic of discussion when we trade in the future. But for now, let's continue our tour. There's a refining workshop ahead where you can see the process of turning pig iron into wrought iron. You might find that interesting."
Seeing that Helson didn't seem eager, Balin felt a little disappointed, but he knew he couldn't rush things. He suppressed his emotions and nodded, "Okay, let's continue the tour." However, his steps were more deliberate and composed than before, as if the magical liquid he had just mentioned had really given him some confidence.
After a quick lunch at the canteen near the ironworks, Viscount Helson took Balin to the chemical industrial area.
Compared to the heat and noise of the ironworks, the atmosphere around the chemical plant was much calmer, except that there was a slightly sour smell in the air, which was different from the morning, causing Balin to frown unconsciously.
"Let's go take a look at Alda's chemical industry. Some of the products they produce are useful in daily production and life, and they might help you understand Alda's economy." Viscount Helson casually introduced as they walked, his tone as indifferent as if he were just showing him an ordinary workshop.
Balin was still preoccupied with the magical liquid he'd mentioned that morning, pondering how to secure more benefits in subsequent trade negotiations should humans prove interested. He responded casually, not harboring much anticipation for the chemical plant he was about to visit. In his view, the chemical industry was nothing more than refining ores and producing dyes, at best not comparable to the exquisite craftsmanship of the dwarves.
But when the entire chemical plant came into view, Balin was still stunned for a moment. Several huge cylindrical lead containers were neatly arranged in the plant area, connected by thick pipes. The pipes were covered with insulating burlap. On the control panel next to the containers, several workers were focused on recording the values on the instruments. The steam device next to them was running with a "gurgling" sound, continuously supplying gas into the lead containers.
"This is our sulfuric acid production workshop, using the 'lead chamber acid production method'." The chemical plant manager who received them was a bespectacled, well-mannered middle-aged man. Pointing to the lead containers, he patiently explained, "We first burn sulfur and saltpeter in a roasting furnace to produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Then, we pass these gases into a lead reaction chamber to mix with water vapor. Under the catalytic action of the nitrogen oxides, the sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen and water to produce sulfuric acid, which is finally collected in lead storage tanks through pipes at the bottom."
As the factory manager spoke, he led them to the observation port near the reaction chamber. Balin looked through the observation port and saw a faint white mist filling the lead chamber. Liquid slowly flowed down the chamber wall, eventually converging at the bottom outlet and flowing into the storage tank through pipes.
The liquid was the same pale yellow color he'd been so proud of that morning for his "miracle liquid"! "This...this is producing sulfuric acid?" Balin's voice instantly changed, his composure vanishing completely, replaced by incredulous shock. He stared intently at the lead containers, his mind blank.
At Iron Hammer Clan, preparing sulfuric acid requires first finding ore containing sulfur, crushing the ore and mixing it with saltpeter, then slowly heating it in a ceramic pot. It takes several days to extract a small amount of sulfuric acid with low purity. The process is tedious and the yield is extremely low. Each preparation requires a lot of manpower and resources, making it a truly "meticulous" process.
But the way humans produced things before him completely overturned his understanding: huge lead chambers replaced small earthenware pots, gas was piped through pipes instead of being manually stirred, steam generators provided stable power, and a few workers could monitor the entire production process. Although Balin couldn't figure out the specific principles behind it, he could tell at a glance that this factory alone was far superior to the entire dwarf race.
The factory manager added, "This sulfuric acid workshop is of medium size. Currently, it can stably produce eight to ten tons of sulfuric acid per day, with a purity of over 70%. Some of this sulfuric acid is supplied to local iron smelters for rust removal and ore purification, some is sent to textile factories as dyeing auxiliaries, and the rest will be stored in drums for future expansion."
"Eight to ten tons?" Upon hearing this number, Balin felt a chill run from his feet to the top of his head. He had tried to regain face that morning with that "miracle liquid," believing that dwarves had an unparalleled advantage over humans in this area. But now it seemed that humans' methods of producing sulfuric acid were undoubtedly far more advanced.
From heating primitive earthenware pots to large-scale lead chamber acid production, from producing a few kilograms every few days to nearly ten tons a day, the difference between the two is like an insurmountable chasm.