A clamorous sound echoed within the conference room.
Amidst the various conversations, Yang Zicang gradually learned about Wager’s deeds and stared at him in shock and disbelief.
Wager, who was also surrounded by two middle-aged men in military uniforms nearby, grinned at Yang Zicang and raised the teacup in his hand.
This guy had been watching for his reaction all along.
Without needing to guess, just from that expression, Yang Zicang knew how many leaders of small rebel forces this guy had co-opted by using the World Ark’s offer of an apocalypse sanctuary, giving them the hope of survival. Once that happened, these originally restless forces were instantly subdued.
He must have already conceived that…
For a moment, Yang Zicang couldn’t help but wonder if this was truly because of his guess… that the inn would continuously showcase stories in plays, or whether it was the era’s manipulation in repelling fate?
Just as everyone was passionately discussing in the meeting room, a few among the refugees who had noticed the anomaly here exchanged a few low words and took out something resembling a newspaper. Not long after, another person rushed over, carrying a memorandum, and with a solemn expression, handed it to a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy worker wearing denim overalls.
He flipped through the memorandum; it was the travel diary of a certain branch member of the Hellfire Sect from about two hundred years ago.
“Through the circuit’s inspection, this is originally something he should have received last month, except that person has already been altered. “
“Take it. Fate will surely bring you closer to Chairman Yang. “
Both hands heavily patted his shoulders.
“Oswald, the name you have used over these years will certainly lead you to success. “
“I have been waiting for a certain target. ” The sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy worker pulled off his gray-blue worker’s cap, “But I didn’t expect it to be him. “
The boy, holding a box of ethnic pastries, took the ‘newspaper’ and memorandum. Under the farewell-like gaze of the others, he nodded with the gifts in hand, turned around, and walked towards the inner wall of the World Ark.
……
A carriage stopped by the wide iron gate in front of a retro brick-and-wood courtyard villa.
The iron gate slowly opened; its front and rear wheels turned together, tracing an elegant arc and driving into the courtyard.
“Miss Nika, you’ve returned. ” A middle-aged man with graying hair, who had opened the courtyard gate, greeted the maiden gazing ahead from the half-open car window.
“I haven’t seen you visit the master in quite a few days. Should I go inform him? “
The fair-skinned maiden rolled down the window a little. “I’ll go see him myself. Oh, and don’t go spreading everywhere that I’m back. “
The man immediately nodded with a knowing smile.
Veronika Augustus clicked her little leather boots as she stepped up the stone steps, soon arriving at a living room where soft music was playing.
Across from the gramophone attended by a maid sat another, louder radio. It stood as tall as a grown man’s arm span, its exterior covered in a layer of perforated metal sheeting over a metal frame, embodying a design where the hardness of metal and the warmth of peach wood blended together.
“Oh, if it isn’t little Nika. What brings you here today? ” The elderly man, wearing reading glasses, put down his newspaper with a genial chuckle.
The maid quietly stepped aside to fetch tea.
The maiden, dressed in a fine green coat with straight black hair flowing down her back, suddenly perked up. She walked over and plopped down onto the sofa beside the old man, linking arms with him, her voice ringing like silver bells:
“Grandfather, I just missed you, that’s all. “
“Hmph. If only you really missed me that much, is that so? Little girl, no way you’d put on this sugary-sweet act for nothing. “
Veronica snorted softly, pressing her face against the shoulder of the older man’s coat, where a faint scent of tea lingered.
“So, what’s the matter? Spit it out, ” the older man said, crossing his legs.
The maiden glanced back at the maid; the older man nodded to her, and the woman gently set down her work, turned, and left the room, closing the door behind her.
He turned his gaze back to the maiden, his tone growing more serious.
“What is it? If it’s about the situation with the World Ark, your cousin Hymans would call me anytime to keep me posted. “
“But you, all flustered like this—heh. Lately, I can’t imagine where else you’d find something worth sitting down and discussing with me seriously, other than being at the World Ark. “
Veronica stuck out her tongue and murmured, “I’ve found something else. I think it’s an opportunity for us. “
“Oh? ” The older man’s eyes lit up.
“Could it possibly rival the contribution you brought to the family last time? “
“Hehe, I just suddenly thought of something. “
The older man was slightly surprised and looked at his great-granddaughter with a knowing smile.
Truth be told, this descendant of the family, with her delicate yet aristocratic bearing, had previously only been treated by Nygus·Red·Augustus as an ordinary younger family member.
Aside from the slight resemblance in her facial features to their ancestor Woods·Red·Augustus, he had always just loved her as an ordinary granddaughter, never imagining such a girl could bring much contribution to the family.
But it wasn’t until last month that the older man realized he was wrong. Sometimes, these sensitive and perceptive girls could actually discover and quickly make certain non-rational decisions.
If it weren’t for her hearing the commotion at the time, going to check out the abandoned factory where abnormal personnel appeared, and making an immediate decision, his family might have missed out on this glory.
He affectionately stroked the girl’s silky black hair.
Then he turned his head to look at a huge oil painting inside the room, bought from a famous oil painter in Wubang, titled “Octavian’s Magnificent Expedition. “
“Say whatever you want to say. Let me see if our little Nika can one day truly become a qualified family manager. “
“Let’s leave that kind of troublesome business to the cousins. I was just thinking that Chairman Yang Buchen hasn’t taken us into consideration at all these days. Is he busy with something important in Steffin? “
“Absolutely. My guess is, it ought to be regarding those scientific remnants. “
“Mm-hmm. So I’m planning to assemble a squad of science fighters to develop some tech Chairman Yang might find interesting. “
Hearing that, the older man chuckled and shook his head, continuing to unfold the newspaper in his hand:
“A lot of people are already doing that kind of thing. All we need to do is wait for a suitable new technology to emerge after the apocalypse, then fund or acquire it, and put its value to use. “
“But Grandfather, I mean… aren’t we, these native-born families, fundamentally unable to find those strange oceans the Fogfolk speak of out on the sea, or sail to the continent beyond their fabled seas? “
“This… ” Niggas Augustus felt a sudden tingling sensation in his heart.
He seemed to realize something.
Yet, puzzled, he turned to look at his granddaughter.
“You… what exactly do you want? “
“If our technology could be like the Visualizer from Mortav’s team, allowing Chairman Yang to bring many of us to the next continent, couldn’t I then witness the scenery beyond the seas? And maybe even buy a massive plot of land there, bigger than all our family’s territories combined. “
The aged Niggas Augustus abruptly sat up straight.
He stared blankly for several seconds, thinking until his breath quickened.
“Too slow, far too slow. “
“What’s too slow, Grandfather? ” The Maiden’s bright eyes held a hint of playful cunning.
“It’s too slow relying on us to develop it ourselves. “
The white-haired Niggas stood up a bit excitedly, paced a step or two, and turned to the Maiden, saying:
“Nica, you’re truly remarkable, you’re simply brilliant, but we… the goal needs to be readjusted. “
“Chairman Yang will definitely need a lot of technical solutions, ” the Maiden said.
“The Fogfolk have their eye on that most these days. You haven’t been there in person, but many Fogfolk working on our World Ark have been slipping away over these past days on various excuses to join Chairman Yang’s side. And before they left, almost all of them scoured and stockpiled technical and scientific archives. “
“I’m not referring to that. “
Old Negus jerked his head up, his mustache trembling on his lip.
“Don’t say it, Veronica. “
He took two steps closer. “The opportunity our ancestors awaited! This matter is top secret! Don’t say it, don’t tell anyone. From now on, leave this to me. I’m sorry, but you will no longer be a manager of our family—not even the most junior one. “
“Huh? “
“You are to become the lord of the next continent, the head of the Augustus family! You must have a vast territory, you! “
He lowered his gray head and whispered close to the maiden’s ear:
“You must, in the presence of those people—the kings, princes, and nobles from various nations who are qualified to head to the next continent after the apocalypse—snatch a piece of land for our family, like a lynx with sharpened fangs. “
His hand landed heavily on her shoulder.
“This is our moment of fair opportunity! “
Veronica’s eyes flickered with surprise. Although journeying to the next continent had been a dream born in her of late… her grandfather’s words were far too heavy.
“Don’t be surprised. I believe you can do it. Protect your eyes, and guard your sense of smell. ” The older man picked up a coat, his energy as lively as a young man’s.
“Come with me. R&D progress is too slow. I’ll take you somewhere—a place where our family’s ancestors once attempted to develop something, using the resources of a land from a past era. “
“What is it? “
“The steam-electric power control system—something never before revealed to the public. “
……
Evil Blade stood frozen in place, staring at the blackened screen of the large skyborne display.
This broadcast contraption on the airship had broken down again; the crowd below was all grumbling and complaining, griping about how it always malfunctions at the most critical moments of the broadcast.
“It must be because the broadcast crew is way too inexperienced. “
“I heard our kingdom’s officials formally protested, insisting we must have our own broadcasters… “
“If only we had a machine like that at home. “
“I definitely couldn’t afford it, nor would I have a house big enough to put it in. “
Amidst the jingling of a bell, a rather peculiar public bus wrapped in oilcloth came along.
Evil Blade Liuyun snorted, turned around, and looked at the old bus that clearly bore traces of some hometown route board on its top. He bought a long-distance ticket with a transfer option from the conductor at the door, picked up his luggage case, and stepped aboard.
After sitting down in a seat reserved for long-distance passengers, Liuyun glanced at his ticket, folded it, put it in his coat pocket, felt around, and pulled out a cast-iron coin with a square hole in the center, stamped on one side with the words “Objects of Heavenly Treasure “.
By merely rubbing it slightly with his fingers, he could already tell which side bore the detestable inscription—that side would certainly never see light in his eyes again.
After putting it back in his pocket, suddenly two more people squeezed on at the door. They looked left and right, and when the man spotted “Evil, ” he immediately beamed and hurried over.
“You’re that guy, Evil Blade, you’re definitely going to the border to find your friend in Heiwen Zike, aren’t you? “
“You didn’t even give us a heads-up that it was today—good thing I sensed something was off and took a look at your room. ” The girl who’d bought the tickets also walked over with a huff.
Evil Blade Liuyun helplessly said to Jiang Tao, “I told you, he’s my enemy, not my friend. “
“As if! That so-called enemy gave you ten thousand years of temporal flow funding a new Track of Fate! “
Sha’er also hugged her hands enviously, “With that kind of enemy, I’d wish they’d ‘revenge’ me every day. You know how hard it used to be for us to scrape together any bit of temporal flow, right?“
“You definitely intended to sneak off and live it up on your own, you sly devil—you don’t even take us along with such a golden opportunity, you’re going to pay for this. “
Sha’er squeezed into the seat right next to him, Jiang Tao slipped behind him as well, fixating on him grumpily.
……
“In every history line the Fog People tell of us who worked toward that goal, these efforts form a gathered core or home. That core in my name belongs to you wherever strangers mistakenly replace it. “
The guy in the gray-blue cap spotted the iron gate barely three feet away with two guards standing left and right of it. He regained his shaky breath.
“And you, you’re a Fog Person too. “
The few of them had already studied this carefully: among the civilians who could approach the inner courtyard, only those villagers who once had friendly ties with Yang Buchen along with those cobbled shorelines could walk right in without granting formal entrance.
So over the past two-plus weeks, the people who blended into this refuge have been using what the refugees were most desperately in need of—selling fine and delicious pastries and helping carry daily necessities—to build what they called friendships with those people.
The purpose was to earn recognition and wait for the chance to enter this door.
As the White Violet Hero preparing to return, these people would surely come to see their Chairman Yang Buchen.
Right now, all he needed to do was wait.
There were many people coming and going around; a large number of vehicles were approaching the barracks area deeper inside from another route.
So quite a several people gathered near the small iron door guarded by two soldiers to watch an open area on the other side separated by yet another tall wall, where famous persons from the important families—often only heard of in conversation—arrived one after another.
Amid the buzzing discussions, some sounds of people saying “Excuse me ” suddenly became audible.
Here it comes!
Oswald’s breath grew short.
Amid the crowd, a few chatting figures came along beside the base of the wall.
A beautiful girl with hair braided in two plaits and sea-blue eyes was followed by a boy of seventeen or eighteen, tall like a bamboo pole, and two more young people in caps—all members of a small rescue group called the “Green Hero Commune. “
He seized the chance to walk straight over.
“Miss Milena, and Brother Miros, are you going to meet the Hero? “
The several people looked at the boy holding a box delicately painted with fine lacquered patterns containing small cakes.
“Why, if it isn’t little Wald… “
“You know each other? ” a young man nearby asked.
“Of course, ” Milena said cheerfully, introducing him, “Thanks to them recently, we’ve been able to grab more water buckets. Otherwise, if I went to fetch water myself, I might not even bring back a few buckets in an entire afternoon. “
“And Little Wald’s pastry skills are especially amazing—they make those ethnic cuisines from the southern mountains that you never get to eat in our Grand Duchy. “
They turned to the boy holding the pastry box and said, “This is Long Mingjie. Back then, our schoolmate Yang came to our village by riding in his carriage. “
Oswald raised his hand, “With you around, that’s just wonderful. “
Upon hearing this, Long Mingjie’s expression immediately lit up as he raised his hand and shook it with his.
“Heh heh, it was nothing special. Without me, Mr. Buchen could still have made it to that small seaside village. But I’m afraid that way, we might never have gotten to meet each other. “
The young worker glanced at the others again, lowered his head, opened the pastry box, revealing the delicate pastries inside, and said:
“Can I take these in and give them to the heroes who helped me? “
Seeing their hesitation, the young man was about to speak when suddenly a medium-sized little black dog ran out from between their feet, wagging its tail, and looked up at him with bright, shiny eyes, focusing on him and the pastry box in his hand.
“Wow, Anda came along too. I guess he’s attracted by your food. “
Milena picked him up, rubbed him, and said, “Looks like you won over the nose of our best little friend already. ” She set the little dog back down.
“Impossible. It must have snuck out after us from home.” A boy with dry, parched skin interjected, folding his arms.
Oswald chuckled and crouched down, taking out a small piece of pastry from the edge and placing it before the little black dog, Anda.
“Hello there, friend.“
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