Chapter 116: Little Chicken Chicks
Saying that measuring temperature was a difficult problem wasn't entirely true. Since they could now produce glass, making a thermometer was feasible. However, due to technical issues, the temperature measured by this thermometer might not be very accurate. However, if it was only used to measure the approximate temperature of the hatchery, it would suffice.
Zhuang Yu thought for a moment, continuing to have people build the hatchery while he went to tinker with the thermometer. Their hatchery was built inside the city because temperature needed constant monitoring, and it would be more convenient if it was built inside.
Apart from temperature, the hatchery also required dim light. Therefore, besides glass windows, everything else was made of bricks. Even the glass windows were covered with black animal hide curtains, which could be drawn to block out all light.
Zhuang Yu spent most of his time attending classes and researching thermometers. Whenever he had time, he would check on the progress of the hatchery. However, recently, the students seemed to be acting a bit strangely after class. As soon as Zhuang Yu dismissed the class, a group of students would make earth-shattering calls.
"Grab Hong! Don't let him go on another mission; he's been teaching for several days in a row!"
"Ahh, Hong, don't run away; let us have some fun too!"
"Hong, you can't teach at all; why do you keep snatching missions? Ahhh!"
Zhuang Yu was confused. Did this mean that Hong, the little teacher who had been teaching the youths outside recently, was the one they were referring to? These days, Zhuang Yu had been busy setting up the hatchery and hadn't paid attention to how the new mission was going. But seeing how excitedly Hong was running around, was he really enjoying it?
But could Hong's image really teach well? Zhuang Yu shook his head and let them fuss about it.
After a few days passed like this, Zhuang Yu's hatchery was finally completed with overtime work, and he also made a thermometer. It looked similar to the ones on Earth, but the effect, well, it was usable, albeit not very accurate.
Zhuang Yu tested it out, setting one of the marks at forty degrees. Generally, incubation required a temperature between 35 to 40 degrees. However, here, during the day, the temperature often exceeded forty degrees, while at night, it dropped below thirty-five degrees. So, they had to use ice and a stove to regulate the temperature.
Zhuang Yu hung the thermometer in the hatchery and then had people collect some eggs, picking those that had been incubated by hens in nests for some time. Then he instructed them to inform the "carrot heads" who were hatching eggs at home to bring their eggs to the hatchery.
Indeed, these "carrot heads" had been returning home to hatch eggs whenever they had free time. They even slept with the eggs at night, showing remarkable dedication.
Before long, a group of excited "carrot heads" arrived, their faces flushed red. This was because Zhuang Yu had told them that the newly established hatchery might help them hatch their eggs.
Leading the group was a "carrot head" who wasn't carrying eggs; behind him was a bouncy little dinosaur. It was the "carrot head" who had accidentally hatched the little dinosaur. He was now leading the way for the others, who couldn't see the path due to carrying eggs.
Zhuang Yu looked at the little dinosaur's condition. It seemed very obedient already. In that case, this "carrot head" could be given a name.
"Oh, oh!" The group of "carrot heads" ran over, carrying eggs.
Zhuang Yu instructed them to put the eggs into the prepared boxes in the hatchery, each lined with straw. "In the future, pay attention to your eggs. Make sure that when they hatch, the first thing they see when they open their eyes is you."
When the eggs hatched, their eyes would still be closed and would take some time to open. This time could serve as a buffer, allowing the "carrot heads" to notify each other. There shouldn't be any problems.
The "carrot heads" nodded eagerly, understanding that the first person the hatched chicks saw would be considered the closest person to them, increasing the success rate of their contracts.
Zhuang Yu also taught these "carrot heads" how to control the temperature and how to read the thermometer. Of course, adults would mainly be responsible, but since these "carrot heads" probably wouldn't want to leave the hatchery anytime soon, Zhuang Yu decided to teach them as well.
The "carrot heads" studied very seriously because this was related to whether they could become beast warriors, which was the dream of everyone on the continent.
Now it was daytime, and the ice basins were brought into the hatchery, covered with animal hides to prevent moisture. Actually, with the current weather, making it humid wasn't that easy.
A row of ice basins was placed at a distance, and the opaque animal hide curtains on the glass windows were pulled down. Soon, the markings on the thermometer hanging on the wall began to drop.
When they dropped too quickly, a few ice basins were brought in to keep the temperature within a certain range.
Zhuang Yu asked, "Have you learned?"
Actually, it's not difficult at all. It's just about controlling the thermometer's scale with ice basins. With a thermometer, you can clearly see the temperature changes, making it much easier to control.
A group of "carrot heads" nodded in agreement. So this was the hatchery, huh? Although they couldn't understand it, it seemed particularly mysterious.
Zhuang Yu looked at the "carrot head" who was accompanied by a little dinosaur. The dinosaur seemed to have become timid from being scared before and liked to hide behind the "carrot head" when there were many people around.
Zhuang Yu said, "Now you also have a beast. According to the customs of the continent, it's time to give you a name. How about it?"
The "carrot head" grinned from ear to ear, his face all smiles. He was now a beast warrior.
He lifted the little dinosaur, which seemed a bit timid, and it nestled into the "carrot head's" arms.
"Yu Brother, give me a name," the "carrot head" said with narrowed eyes, smiling.
In theory, it should be the parents who give their children their names, but these children from the collective cave had no parents. They were now following Zhuang Yu, so it was reasonable for Zhuang Yu to give them names.
Zhuang Yu thought for a moment. "From now on, you'll be called Kongchu. 'Kong' from dinosaur, and 'chu' as in the beginning, because your little dinosaur was the first to hatch. 'Chu' means beginning, and this 'chu' is quite suitable."
The "carrot head" smiled broadly, his eyebrows forming crescents. He... had a name now. He was a beast warrior, no longer a pitiful target for bullying. Beast warriors were very remarkable. In their Golden Centipede Tribe, every beast warrior was like a hero.
The other "carrot heads" were extremely envious and then looked at their own beast eggs. They must hatch them.
Zhuang Yu took Kongchu's student ID from his chest and changed the code on it to "Kongchu," then hung it back on the "carrot head's" chest.
With one hand holding his little dinosaur and the other covering the student ID with his name, the "carrot head" said, "Thank you, Yu Brother."
The other "carrot heads" had already crowded around. "Kongchu, let us see how your name is written."
They were ecstatic.
Zhuang Yu amusedly let the group of "carrot heads" enjoy themselves for a while before he walked out of the hatchery.
Other students who had received the news also came running.
The hatchery needed to be quiet, so Zhuang Yu didn't let those students who didn't need to hatch eggs inside.
They lay outside the hatchery window, looking in.
"So this is the hatchery? The one where eggs are hatched?"
"It looks so mysterious."
Because the light inside was dim, they couldn't see very clearly.
Kongchu even held up his student ID at the window for the people outside to see. "See? I have a name now. I'm called Kongchu, 'kong' from dinosaur and 'chu' as in the beginning."
They were overjoyed.
Foreign students also crowded towards the window. If this place could hatch eggs, what was inside like?
They also knew that personally hatching eggs and contracting with beasts would greatly increase the success rate, but it was still extremely rare to have one egg hatch out of ten.
To everyone, the hatchery had become mysterious.
The "carrot heads" in the hatchery refused to leave. They wanted to wait for their eggs to hatch and be the first thing their beasts saw.
Actually, there was no need for this. They could just be notified to come when the eggs hatched and hadn't opened their eyes yet.
Zhuang Yu came again at night because even though he had taught them how to control the temperature at night, it was still the first time, so he needed to check.
Others seeing him come also gave them some confidence.
Actually, they didn't directly use a stove at night because the gas produced by the stove was toxic. At night, ventilation was relatively scarce for insulation, so for safety, they actually used the principle of a fire bed.
They burned fires underground, and there were chimneys; the smoke couldn't enter the hatchery.
It was equivalent to installing underfloor heating in the hatchery.
Zhuang Yu observed the changes in the thermometer. The temperature was controlled at around 37 degrees, which was sufficient.
Zhuang Yu glanced at the "carrot heads" still in the hatchery. "Why aren't you going home to sleep? You still have classes tomorrow."
The group of "carrot heads" shook their heads vigorously, like a tambourine. "We want to sleep here, with the eggs."
Zhuang Yu: "..."
Although it couldn't compare to their housing, it was cleaned very thoroughly, with specially dried straw laid out. Coupled with underfloor heating, it was much better than the caves they used to live in.
Zhuang Yu checked a few ventilation holes and ignored these slightly spoiled "carrot heads." If they wanted to stay here, then let them stay.
If it were him, thinking that there was a possibility of successfully contracting with a beast, he would probably behave the same way.
Zhuang Yu said, "Remember to go home and take a bath tomorrow morning, then go to school on time."
Then he let the adults on duty watch them a bit before leaving.
A group of "carrot heads" focused on hatching eggs, not even going home.
The students also kept an eye on the hatchery's situation, asking several times a day about the "carrot heads" inside the hatchery.