The rain continued, yet the clouds were pierced by a shaft of sunlight.

The sunlight poured down, making the water on the beach's surface glimmer like a splendid road.

The half-dismantled wooden and stone wall was set aside, while the natives paired up, holding wide planks to shield the plastic boxes.

Chen Zhou removed his obstructive straw hat, hanging it around his neck, slightly bent over, overseeing the natives as they transported the precious energy storage batteries, occasionally instructing them to stop and wiping off droplets from the plastic boxes with his jacket.

Regarding these four energy storage batteries, Chen Zhou felt that no amount of caution was too much. Even though the batteries had been waterproofed and the chance of water damage was just one in ten thousand, he dared not take the risk.

Photovoltaic panels, energy storage batteries—these two elements were incredibly important.

With a stable electrical source, not only could past electrical devices function, but even future deliveries of rewards would be functional, rather than discarded as junk in a storeroom.

Once CNC machines, or 3D printers, or power drills were delivered, he could cut those Damascus Steel Billets into useful metal parts.

Even with monitors, computer hosts, game consoles, or mobile phones, they could be utilized.

In the aspects of taming the natives and establishing authority, the role of electricity far exceeded that of machinery.

After all, machinery is visible to the naked eye, and although the natives might not understand it, Europeans in the 17th century and people from civilized regions could study and comprehend it.

Especially the United Kingdom.

If Chen Zhou remembered correctly, this was when the United Kingdom was undergoing its bourgeois revolution. In another twenty years, the new aristocratic class would overthrow feudal rule and establish a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.

The change in systems would significantly liberate productive forces, rapidly advancing handicrafts, technical sciences, and mathematics.

The waterwheel he built and the improved first version of the firearms, if given to the craftsmen of that era for dismantling, would soon be replicated exactly.

17th-century clockmakers were already able to create extremely complex large mechanical clocks and flintlock guns. There was nothing in the mechanical structure of Chen Zhou's improved flintlock gun that they couldn't understand, and the materials of that time were up to standard as well.

As for the Chen Family's 1662 rifle, it was beyond the capability of 17th-century clockmakers to replicate.

Modern military-grade rifled seamless steel tubes, whether in materials or cold-forging technology, were beyond the technological capabilities of the 17th century.

And electric power and electronic equipment.

Being too advanced, to the natives and craftsmen of this era, they were akin to "divine artifacts."

A craftsman could understand how a fancy lantern emitted light, but they couldn't fathom how a strong flashlight could emit light as dazzling as the sun.

If they dismantled the electronic equipment, seeing the tiny components barely visible without a magnifying glass, and the circuits and chips with nano-precision beyond visible comprehension, even if told these things made the electronics work, they would still think of them as otherworldly.

The Chen Family's 1662 rifle might not be enough to command respect from the proud Europeans of the 17th century.

But electronic devices were very likely to have that effect—

When someone's slightly ahead, it invokes envy, jealousy, or hatred.

If someone is far ahead, with a gap as vast as between the sky and the abyss, it no longer elicits jealousy or hatred, only admiration.

...

The four energy storage batteries were slowly and carefully placed onto the cart.

Some natives pushed the cart, others continued to hold up the wide planks, and followed Chen Zhou's pace at a crawl.

Regularly checking for water ingress in the plastic boxes, Chen Zhou thought to himself he should build another cart, one with a canopy specifically for transporting rewards sensitive to water and moisture. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

...

The team shielding from the rain moved slowly already, and slowed further after entering the forest.

Lai Fu led the way at the front of the team.

Its originally impatient nature had calmed considerably, not running as swiftly as it had two years prior, yet still much quicker than the procession.

From running to trotting, and from trotting to a slow walk, even so, Lai Fu unwittingly drew nearly ten meters ahead of the team transporting the energy storage batteries.

This snail-like pace made Lai Fu thoroughly impatient, having to stop when it got too far from the team to wait a moment for Chen Zhou, or sometimes just turning back to retrace its steps.

...

Moving at such a slow pace was irritating not only to Lai Fu but even to Chen Zhou, who was personally escorting the convoy.

Thinking they would have to inch back to the kiln at this pace, fortunately, the heavens smiled upon them, and what had seemed a perpetually drizzling rain finally ceased.

Sunlight pierced straight down from above, passing through droplets hanging in spider webs and dripping from leaf tips, creating a cascade of dazzling beads that illuminated the faces of the natives and Chen Zhou.

As the world brightened, so did the people's moods.

Urging the natives to hasten their steps, people carrying the wide planks now followed closely with the group to stand ready, everyone seized the rare sunshine and rushed up the mountain, half-running, half-walking.

...

The sunny interval lasted unusually long, until all four energy storage batteries were placed within the kiln without further rain.

Instructing the natives to continue assembling and piling the wooden and stone wall on the beach, Chen Zhou, with an eager heart, opened the four plastic boxes.

Just as he had speculated, each box contained identical energy storage batteries.