This scene in Yang Zicunq’s ward quickly became the headline inHeven Crutch‘s newspaper.
The delegation from the Free Federation of Carinth paid a visit to Mr. Yang Bucheng, who was recovering from illness. This news quickly became widely known among the people of many southern nations.
In the open-doored tavern called “Ale Night Tea & Wine House ” on the street corner.
People, whose mood was tense yet still amicable, dressed in their long-sleeved May attire, sipped their drinks, read the newspapers, and chatted about the latest current affairs.
“So an apocalypse really could have been real. Tch. If everyone from all over the world immigrated here… I’m afraid our home won’t see much peace. “
“At least it’s still better here compared to other places. We were born in a good land. “
A man with a briefcase tucked under his arm sat down and interjected:
“The entirety of the South is doing alright. “
“Aside from Fairham, ” said another man, “Their entire peninsula is nearly submerged. Only the northern mountainous regions are still barely habitable. Really unlucky. “
Beside this table, a black, stubbly, middle-aged man with slightly brown-streaked hair turned his head and listened to the conversations around him.
He then lowered his head and sighed. A lady beside him tightened her grip on his hand and whispered softly,
“It’s okay, Landys. Our homeland will get better in the future. “
But the man paid no attention.
If the preparatory meetings of one’s own nation could not even commence, then no one would ever care about a small nation like theirs, one passed down solely through a sense of ethnic identity; its traces would inevitably fade into nothingness in the future.
Yet, what scientific or technological achievements could a country as backward as his possibly preserve?
Even the royal family showed no response to this at all.
……
The two rose and walked to the tavern counter at the entrance. Landys paid the owner four iron coins. But the owner laughed and said,
“Sorry, sir. The price for each cup of fruit water is now five iron coins. So you’ll need to pay me six more. “
“You! ” The woman in the black dress flared up beside him, “Didn’t you say earlier that… “
“Earlier was earlier. Earlier I hadn’t started my shift yet. “
“Forget it, Luoyisha. ” The man fumbled in the outer pocket of his jacket sleeve, pulled out a few more coins, placed them on the counter, and then pulled her toward the door.
“Watch out for those extra folks outside, ” the owner stretched his head out and offered good-naturedly, “Some of them are dirty pickpockets. “
Xue Qi was passing by and saw the man who had walked out turn his head back in anger, while the owner behind the counter in the doorway smirked and withdrew his face.
She gently shook her head and sighed.
In less than a week, these refugee folks, so clearly identified as outsiders, were already starting to be viewed through tinted glasses by the locals.
“Forget it, that’s just how it is when you’re away from home. They’re lucky, though, to have been chosen as the execution site for the seawater backflow plan. “
The voices of the two speakers drifted into Xue Qi’s ears.
“If it were in the north, maybe our hometown would have been chosen too. It’s just… “
The man looked around at the crowds, who indeed had an unusually high number of people wearing expressions of despair.
“Come on, let’s try to find ourselves a cheaper inn. “
……
That night in Yang Zicang’s hospital room, Dereiano, the young boy who was the distributor, Hua Mi, Xue Qi, and Hailikoni, who had just arrived, were all sitting in a circle in front of Yang Zicang’s room.
“This document has so many abandoned technologies on it. It’s truly a pity. “
Dereiano handed the technical catalogue that had been passed around to the lady beside him.
“Bu Chen, do you know if there’s any we should preserve among those? “
Yang Zicang shook his head. “I don’t understand those. But I suspect his reasons for coming aren’t just for this. He must be here to invest as well. “
Each term on the technology heritage catalog was both alien yet hinted at familiarity. They represented witnesses to the struggles of scientists who had devoted their lives—witnesses to an era of building from nothing, growing from raw inexperience to mature expertise.
And now, they were being discarded like so much trash.
When that sheet of paper, recording this list of technologies in just a few brief words, itself had also been left to tumble into some unknown corner or another, then in the future, everything about these technologies would dissipate like the memory of a half-remembered dream, fading away with nothing left behind.
Xue Qi couldn’t make sense of it, so she passed the document to Hailikoni.
Hailikoni’s gaze swept over, her brow heavy with worry.
“Our family has also been busy with this matter recently, Mr. Buchen, um… although the Vice General and my elders have indeed hinted that they wish to ask for your help in forming a preparatory committee for the scientific legacy. But I’m not here representing them at the moment. I want to ask you… are you willing…“
Yang Zicang knew what Hailikoni was trying to say.
“Actually, regarding those of us who possess…” The word lingered in Yang Zicang’s mouth, then he found a different way to put it and said:
“Those of us who have something to invest in the committee to make its preparations possibly go smoother–we’re not exactly a huge crowd among all the Mist State citizens either.“
Hailikoni looked at him with the pure, eager gaze of a student waiting for an explanation on this matter.
“So that investment of ours—it can’t just be thrown away carelessly.“
Xue Qi added from the side, “To be honest, in my own view, I don’t think we really need to step in and protect the preparatory committees of the world’s countries. I’m actually having a bit of difficulty… accepting this scattered approach to the committees.“
“This time, it was some other reasons that kept the Parliament from setting up a general council directly,” Dereiano said from where he stood.
“What reasons?” Yang Zicang, Xue Qi, and others all turned to look at him.
At the farthest end of the small circle gathered by the sickbed, Teta Monte, sitting on a low stool, wriggled one leg, both hands propped on his knees, and twisted his head to look as well.
“It’s simple: Mutek’s fate has only been rewritten halfway.“
The room fell silent, their breaths stilled.
In the moonlight, Hua Mi nodded her head slightly from the side. “Indeed. In a month, the central and northern parts of the continent will still see world-ending steel vines like those in the records. Ah… it breaks my heart to think of all life having their blood drained by them. “
Hailikoni, the only native here, gave a slight shudder.
Xue Qi steadied her slender shoulder and said to Dereiano:
“Isn’t it because it’s easier for each country to screen their own world quests scattered scientific legacies on their own, rather than everyone doing it together? “
“Yes, but that’s not quite right. ” Dereiano swept his gaze across the group and said,
“It’s because the turning point in destiny we need to change hasn’t come yet. If we were to hold this general assembly a month from now, we wouldn’t have to fear so much interference from misfortune and failure. “
Yang Zicang thought for a moment and said, “But if we wait to screen the legacies now, in the remaining two-thirds of the unfinished world’s fate, the nations that originally existed and their talents will be lost forever. Right now… every country is busy vetting their own reserve of technological talents. “
Suddenly, the rumbling sound of a car engine came from beyond the garden wall.
Dereiano stood up and went over to look. “It’s that car from the Carinthian convoy earlier today, ” he turned back. “Has the envoy come to pick up this document? “
Yang Zicang hesitated briefly, then said, “They did mention they’d come later to hear the suggestions we people of the Mist World have. “
No one in the room had expected the embassy staff to return so soon.
In the yard, two tall, straight figures crossed the porch, and soon they knocked on the door of the ward here. Tada Minqi walked over and opened it.
They were the two accompanying staff members who served Ang Jins.
Their spirit was radiant, brimming with the vigorous vitality and gleam of athletes who’d trained long-term.
“You got here so quickly. But I’m sorry—I don’t really have much experience to share regarding these technologies. “
“It’s fine, Mr. Buchen. “
After exchanging a few courtesies, they looked at the others nearby and, with an apologetic tone, said:
“Gentlemen, would you mind stepping out for just two minutes? We have an important matter to discuss specifically with Mr. Yang Buchen. “
The group exchanged glances. Just as Yang Zicang was about to respond, Tada Minqi stepped in and said:
“Let Uncle Dereiano stay here. The rest of us can step out for a bit. “
Dereiano nodded, walking over to the window to lean against the sill, his gaze fixed on the scene.
Seeing that Yang Zicang lay silent on the sickbed, the diplomat—dressed in a jacket of thick, dark, slanted cotton-linen weave—said: “Since this man is someone you trust, then I’ll speak plainly. “
He lowered his voice, but without losing presence—on the contrary, with intense gravity—he addressed the patient who had no clue about their purpose:
“Honorable Mistborn People citizen, Mr. Yang Buchen. On behalf of the futureWoods WaveInstitute of the Kyuu–Pulsu Arhat Boundary in theWaysien Numenand Aura within ‘KalinicianSelf-federated Region, we are building theCharbonePre-Commission of West-Temporal Academic Links—and earnestly invite you to visit our land for a friendly commune between kindred world-allied hives****. “’
“Ahem. ” Dereiano, leaning against the wall by the window, turned aside with a cough, gasping for breath a couple of times.
Yang Zicang was stunned for a couple of breaths.
A people-to-people friendly visit…?
He was momentarily puzzled, struggling to grasp its meaning. After a few deep, contemplative moments, a sudden epiphany struck him:
“What do you mean? You want me… to visit Carinthia? Uh, and the entire western region under Steffen control? “
As the embassy official spoke, the image of a world map materialized in the young man’s mind from his hospital bed.
……
Across the western region of the entire Mutao continent, aside from a few peripheral and central nations encircled by white contour lines like “potholes, ” the vast majority was territory actually controlled by the Steffen Lion Empire. Nine out of ten had even had their names changed, with their national suffixes altered to “district ” and “state. “
“Ahem. Gentlemen, I am Mr. Yang Bucheng’s partner and fellow countryman. “
Dereiano walked over and braced his hands on the iron railing at the foot of the bed.
“A people-to-people visit is still a visit. If it’s just a visit to the Free State of Carinthia, though rare, it’s not impossible. But… “
He looked at Yang Zicang, deeply afraid that a single reply might lead him into a trap, and continued:
“…You mentioned the entire western continent. As everyone knows, that’s the territory controlled by the lion-like Steffen people. Our friend is probably not in a position to go to the west right now. And if word of this gets out… “
“It cannot be spoken of, ” another diplomat said immediately, then added with an “mmhm, ” “Until our positions within the preparatory committee are confirmed, I think it’s best to keep the news of this visit under wraps for now. “
The few people nodded, all of them understanding the two layers of meaning behind those words.
Seeing that Yang Zicang hadn’t completely rejected the possibility of investment, the diplomat from Carinthia turned to the patient on the bed, “And what is your opinion? “
Yang Zicang said, “I’m not really worried about my current reputation. Actually, I’m currently still a target of a Stern soldier’s pursuit. “
The two diplomats looked at each other with a hint of shock in their eyes.
“Our apologies, sir, we were not aware of this matter. But if it’s about the soldiers, we can get in touch with the special department of the Ministry of Science and Technology; they should be able to clear up the misunderstanding. “
Yang Zicang’s voice turned cold. “This, too, can be mediated? Forgive me, but I find that impossible to believe. So, let’s just drop the matter of the visit. “
“Exactly. On our end, we’ve already confirmed receiving five invitations from the preparatory committee for the position titles. Not to mention the invites for which the handover hasn’t yet been confirmed. ” The Deigiano beside them added,
“We truly don’t understand how there could be a need to go to Carinthia at such a time. Forgive me for saying this, but you’re also here for that thingon my friend’s personthat has already been confirmed eligible for investment protection, am I right? “
“We… ” The diplomat lowered his head, thought for a moment, and said,
“Then allow me to be direct about what we can offer. Vice-vault Dust**over there, so long as you’re willing to come to our preparatory committee appearance has merit Several departments have already instructed teams conduct Solvent the I was opening My earlier explanation here. “
“You want to use this matter as a bargaining chip? It doesn’t seem like I stand to gain anything. “
“When it comes to security, I won’t allow my friend to compromise. ” Dereiano reiterated this point.
The atmosphere in the hospital room grew more heated.
“If the Ministry of Technology is unwilling to come up with a response plan, we can contact other departments to provide close protection for this trip. “
The diplomat’s tone was earnest:
“As for the campaign advocating the reform of the labor system… Sir, our preparatory committee is the largest on the entire continent. I trust you will understand this. “
“Additionally, we can give you a gift. You won’t regret it. ” The man beside him said.
As for gifts, Yang Zicang and Dereiano remained silent for the time being. The diplomat was right; as the largest territory on the continent, Styffen’s preparatory committee for scientific heritage was also the largest in scale.
If one were forced to choose among all preparatory committees for a ‘Flash-level’ investment protection, then this indeed would be the most valuable investment.
“Let’s think it over. ” Yang Zicang said with some difficulty.
……
The next day at noon.
Xue Qi and Hua Mi met up. In one hand, the girl carried a bag of her own new clothes, and in the other, a bag for the main task this time: replacement clothes for Yang Zicang, purchased to prepare to take off his bandages.
“That stinking guy, already gets to be up and bouncing around again. ” Xue Qi glanced at the more formal clothes inside and grumbled with feigned annoyance.
Many shops and taverns along the streets had set up corners for selling second-hand items. Half of these goods were discarded by local residents, but a considerable portion came from the personal belongings of refugees fleeing into Heiwen Zhike, forced to sell them to make a living.
Among them, the higher the technological content, the cheaper they were sold. Two silver coins could buy a bed and bedding, but a dozen iron coins could fetch a radio that only the wealthy could once afford.
So, two such originally expensive items were now in Xue Qi’s hands.
“These people are scared out of their wits, even afraid of radios and hammers. “
Hua Mi held back, but eventually couldn’t help saying:
“I just saw a guy walking naked on the street, calling on everyone to return to the pure age of humanity with him, to resist the Science Demon. “
“Where? Let me go castrate him myself. “
Suddenly, they heard a shout coming from a broken-down shop nearby that had been emptied of people.
“Next up for auction are ancient books collected from renowned masters of various villages. Maybe some contain precious manuscripts from world-famous artists. “
The two women carrying clothes walked over and saw a disheveled man, one hand in his pocket scratching his rear, shouting at the crowd watching him hold a book:
“This is a precious manuscript from the Otteming period, by a renowned master. Originally worth at least a hundred silver coins, now just one silver coin. Any takers? “
A few more people gathered around.
“Does anyone here know a good book? Fifty iron coins. “
Xue Qi’s gaze swept over, noticing the two foreigners who had been discriminated against yesterday also approaching. They seemed to have been lingering around this block for the past couple of days. The crowd murmured among themselves, but not a single person made a bid.
“Five iron coins, anyone? “
Half the onlookers dispersed instantly.
“How about three iron coins? Anyone? “
The book vendor grabbed two newspapers laid beside him and waved them in the air: “Hey! Two iron coins! Two iron coins, anyone? I really paid a fortune for these! I’m not here to make money today—I’m looking for someone! “
Not far from Xue Qi and her companion, the woman in the black dress noticed Landys’s intrigued expression. Suppressing her worry about spending money, she said,
“Go take a look if you want to. We have enough cash for small things like this. “
The man nodded upon hearing this and walked over.
None of them noticed, however, that two or three loiterers nearby, having overheard the woman’s words, couldn’t help but shoot them a few extra glances.
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