Volume 1, Chapter 10: Working in Unison, the Principle of the Lever!

As the Great Yu Empire’s Great General of Northern Defense, he had experienced hundreds of battles, large and small, but he had never seen such a strange yet formidable piece of equipment.

"The Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow," Qin Feng said nonchalantly.

Stepping forward to examine it closely, he saw that the crossbow’s frame was forged from a single piece of tempered black iron, presenting a deep, mysterious hue. The limbs were as thick as a grown man’s thighs, with a slight upward arc resembling a giant bow drawn to its limit, brimming with coiled tension. The bowstring was crafted from multiple strands of incredibly tough celestial silk braided with steel wire; each fine filament shimmered with a cold light as it remained tightly stretched between the limbs.

At this moment, Qin Feng turned his gaze toward the supply wagons at the rear and exclaimed in surprise, "Good heavens! What a massive pillar of heaven!"

The bolts for the Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow lay silently on the wagon bed. The shafts were made of straight, rigid ironwood, over ten feet long, their surfaces smooth and flat, scorched hot by the blazing sun. The tips, forged from refined steel, were shaped like tri-faceted pyramids; each edge was razor-sharp, flashing with a lethal, icy glint under the direct sunlight. The nocks were adorned with ornate feathers. As a light breeze brushed past, these feathers trembled—seemingly delicate, yet they contained the crucial force required to stabilize the flight trajectory when the bolt was fired.

Meng Jun walked around the supply wagon, examining it carefully, his eyes filled with shock. "Your Highness, this Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow is certainly not a product of the Great Yu. Where did you obtain it?"

It was not just this crossbow; the catapults and composite bows from the day before also appeared to be foreign to the Great Yu Empire. Both in terms of power and material quality, they far exceeded ordinary standards. Had he not been busy reinforcing the city walls and deploying anti-cavalry spikes outside the city, he would have long since come to ask about his mounting suspicions.

With his hands behind his back, Qin Feng replied with calm composure, "Before coming to the Northern Frontier, I befriended a traveling merchant. Behind him stands a vast trading guild; they possess everything from weapons to provisions."

"Whether it is the catapults, the Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow, or the previous supplies of grain and horses, they were all purchased through him."

Meng Jun’s rugged face betrayed both shock and worry. He had never heard of such a powerful and resourceful guild within the Great Yu Empire. Dealing in grain and horses was one thing, but the ability to supply massive quantities of terrifying siege equipment, weapons, and armor was undoubtedly a grave hidden danger. If this party harbored ulterior motives and plotted rebellion, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Your Highness, what is this merchant called? Is he reliable?" Meng Jun asked vigilantly.

"Rest assured," Qin Feng waved his hand, understanding Meng Jun’s concerns. He said firmly, "I usually call him 'Tong-zi' (the System), and he would never plot a rebellion!"

***

Although Qin Feng spoke with certainty, Meng Jun remained deeply troubled.

Qin Feng patted Meng Jun on the shoulder and said, "Do not overthink it; I have matters under control. Take some men and transport the Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow into the city."

Meng Jun set his thoughts aside and nodded, "Understood!"

Several supply wagons transported the incredibly heavy crossbow to the foot of the city walls. However, how to lift it onto the towering ramparts presented a challenge for Meng Jun. Unlike the catapults, the Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow was a single, non-detachable unit; if the structure or the connections to the limbs were compromised, it would lose its effectiveness entirely. Thus, it had to be transported to the top of the wall in one piece.

Qin Feng stood beneath the wall, staring at the heavy crossbow, his brow furrowed. Beside him, Meng Jun wore a grave expression and whispered, "Your Highness, this crossbow weighs over a thousand catties. Lifting it onto the wall is no easy task; a slight mishap could ruin the weapon."

Qin Feng nodded slightly. After a moment of contemplation, his eyes gleamed. He turned to Meng Jun and said, "Pass the order: summon the skilled craftsmen of the army along with a hundred sturdy soldiers. Also, find three century-old ironwood logs, each over two feet thick and six feet long, along with enough rope, pulleys, and wedges!"

Though Meng Jun was puzzled, seeing Qin Feng’s determined demeanor, he did not ask further and departed to carry out the orders.

Before long, the requested items and personnel were assembled. Qin Feng directed the craftsmen to dig four large, five-foot-deep pits inside the city wall, about a yard from the base. They were arranged in a square, with spacing perfectly matching the length of the three ironwood logs. Then, they laid two of the logs across adjacent pits to serve as fulcrums and supports.

As a transmigrator, how could he not know the principle of leverage? In an age without heavy-duty cranes, utilizing the principle of the lever was the most suitable way to hoist heavy siege equipment onto high walls.

Following this, several strong soldiers skillfully wrapped the crossbow with wrist-thick ropes, securing the other ends firmly to the raised ends of the ironwood logs. As they bound it, they constantly adjusted the position and tension of the ropes. Under Qin Feng’s coordination, after several repeated adjustments, the center of gravity of the Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow was finally balanced steadily atop the two logs.

At this point, Qin Feng ordered the hundred sturdy soldiers to split into two groups, each standing at the other ends of the ironwood logs. They leaned forward slightly, clutching the logs tightly, their muscles tensed and ready.

***

Qin Feng took a deep breath and ordered aloud, "Begin!"

In an instant, the soldiers shouted in unison. Their voices, like a peal of thunder, shook the heavens as they exerted all their strength, pressing down hard on the ironwood logs. The Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow, heavy as a mountain, finally began to lift, inching upward with great difficulty.

Meng Jun’s tiger-like eyes flashed with astonishment. Looking at Qin Feng with newfound admiration, he decisively stripped off his armor, baring his chest, and joined the soldiers in their effort.

As the crossbow ascended, the pressure on the levers increased. The ironwood logs began to tremble slightly, emitting a nerve-wracking creaking sound. Seeing this, Qin Feng shouted, "Hold steady, everyone! Maintain the rhythm, do not panic!"

At the same time, several quick-witted craftsmen, following Qin Feng’s orders, seized the moment to drive wedges beneath the ironwood logs, using the support of the wedges to enhance stability and dampen the tremors.

Through the tireless efforts of everyone, the Cloud-Piercing God Crossbow was finally raised several yards. Relying solely on the existing leverage was no longer sufficient. Qin Feng had anticipated this. He ordered the soldiers below to pause, then climbed the wall and skillfully installed a set of pulley systems.

The craftsmen threaded a thick, sturdy rope through the pulleys and tied it securely to the crossbow, ensuring every knot was tight. The soldiers on the wall gripped the other end of the rope, leaning back, their feet braced against the ground to assist the efforts below.

Both sides exerted force together, using the pulleys to change the direction of the force and mechanical advantage to pull the crossbow closer to the top of the wall.

However, because the crossbow was so heavy, and combined with the scorching sun, the friction between the ropes and the pulleys generated immense heat. Wisps of blue smoke even began to rise, and a pungent smell of burning permeated the air. Seeing this, Qin Feng’s expression shifted, "Oh no!"