area51novel Page 122
Page 122
Volume 2: Fireworks at Lungmen: Chapter 240 (Main Story) Hoshiguma: Someone keeps interrupting my spellcasting—am I cursed?
"Yay! It's a deal then~" Yunyi squinted and rubbed his head against Hoshiguma's fingertip. "No backing out, okay?"
“No,” Hoshiguma patted Yunyi’s head affectionately, then withdrew her hand and said with a smile, “I’ve only ever heard of superiors going back on their word—Little Yunyi, have you forgotten your place? You are our future leader. I, Miss, and Old Chen will all have to listen to you.”
Yun Yi looked away guiltily, his words sounding defiant, but his voice unconsciously lowered, "Even if he's the boss, he still has to listen to your opinions, right? A one-man show shouldn't be good for development..."
"Hmm? Why would you think that?" Hoshiguma's eyes showed confusion.
She looked down and met Yun Yi's gaze as he looked over, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold shield of Prajna. "Listening to opinions is necessary for leaders; a purely one-man show will indeed cause problems."
Hoshiguma changed the subject, "But as long as the necessary restrictions and institutional guarantees are provided, then a clear framework of rights and responsibilities is most conducive to development—is there a different situation in your hometown in this regard?"
Having witnessed countless instances where leaders in different countries harbor ulterior motives, creating chaos and disorder in each nation, Hoshiguma genuinely believes that if a suitable and capable leader is found, the leader's instructions can be effectively communicated, resulting in more benefits than drawbacks and maximizing development.
Of course, this is on the premise that the leader who has grasped the direction of progress possesses the necessary qualities, connections, and foundation.
Hoshiguma's golden eyes swept over Yun Yi, whose face showed a thoughtful expression.
However, Xiao Yunyi rarely expresses her opinions without any basis. Since she is certain that a one-man show is not conducive to development, perhaps the other party has seen many cases where a one-man show is definitely more harmful than beneficial.
Rather, Terra had also experienced this, but Hoshiguma believed it was due to an unqualified leader, rather than a problem with a system that "has a clear framework of authority and responsibility, and emphasizes the combination of execution and collaboration."
Yun Yi blinked. Isn't this common sense? "Leaving aside other issues that can be temporarily avoided, such as a stifling atmosphere, weakened cohesion, and delayed decision-making, the fact that a single voice will inevitably lead to increasingly one-sided decisions over a long period is fatal, isn't it?"
As the saying goes, "A leader's word is enough to make his subordinates run themselves ragged."
If a one-man rule leads to long-term flawed decision-making and the efforts of subordinates are continuously wasted, from the perspective of a simple working-class person, Yun Yi believes that such an organization with a one-man rule will eventually perish.
—Although the magical reality had taught her that others had an extraordinary ability to prolong their lives, it was hard to say whether she would die of old age first or they would collapse first.
"As for the restrictions and safeguards you mentioned... how can it still be considered a one-man show with all these things added?" Yun Yi scratched his face in confusion. "The characteristic of a one-man show is that one person makes all the decisions. Since he can be restricted and supervised, how can we say that he makes all the decisions?"
Hoshiguma paused for a moment, then rested her chin on her hand and softly agreed, "...Indeed."
Thinking about it carefully, it seems that the "one-man show" that others talked about, whether it was led by others or by herself, in her hometown and after she came to Longmen, hardly fits the definition of "one person making all the decisions".
No, actually I've always known it doesn't fit, but the boundaries have been blurred by my past companions, environment, and current goals. I subconsciously associate a one-man show with efficient command transmission, ignoring the clear definition of a one-man show itself.
Hoshiguma nodded in sudden realization, further agreeing, "You're right, that's indeed the case, I—"
A loud "boom" cut off Hoshiguma's unfinished words like a sharp sword, followed by a long, lingering metallic clang.
Hoshiguma frowned and pursed her lips as she looked at the projection that had interrupted her, while Yunyi curiously looked up at it.
In the projection, the lights in the venue suddenly dimmed, and the atmosphere inexplicably became eerie.
All eyes in the stands were focused on the giant object hidden behind the curtain—which seemed to be the source of the strange noise.
After observing it once, Yun Yi ignored it. With a wave of his hand, Fydia slid the booth open from the middle, revealing a perfectly positioned passageway.
He walked briskly from the center to the front of the stage, and placed the enormous item—which couldn't fit on the display stand and had to be placed on the ground—through the curtain. "Distinguished guests!"
Phidia's emerald green vertical pupils gleamed with excitement, and a playful smile appeared on his lips. "Next up is today's grand finale! It comes from a mysterious ancient civilization, a legend that time cannot bury!"
"Huh?" Yun Yi's eyes widened. "What the hell? Didn't they only bid on one blood coral? And this is the grand finale? This auction is only selling three items?"
Is this right? Making such a big fuss just to sell three things? Huh?
“Perhaps their focus this time is on the upcoming fighting tournament.” Hoshiguma wasn’t too surprised; she’d seen auctions where only one item was sold. “Besides, if the three items are valuable enough, they can easily support such a spectacle.”
"Is it worth it..." Yun Yi calmed down after hearing this. She thought about it for a moment and then realized, "Speaking of which, that flesh and blood ornament did seem to be sold for a pretty high price."
“Then it must be the latter. Judging from the beginning of the introduction, this final item is likely an ancient relic,” Hoshiguma analyzed, rubbing his chin. “The value of genuine relics is never low.”
The doubts and discussions between the two people inside the Nirvana had no effect on the meeting hall outside.
As Phidia's stirring words fell, several burly men of the Fonti tribe forcefully ripped off the curtain, revealing a massive metal object inside.
Its body exudes a cold, metallic luster, and it is covered with strange patterns from top to bottom. It is simple and solemn, and its shape is like a bird with its wings spread, ready to take flight.
"Look at this thing!" The burly man with the thick hooves quickly retreated, leaving Phildia alone on the platform. He reached out and patted the metal bird hard, making a dull "bang" sound. "The documents clearly state that it was a 'star wing' used by an ancient civilization to soar through the sky! Don't be fooled by its quiet presence here now; it is said that in ancient times, it could cut through the sky at a speed faster than lightning!"
“Just think about it, everyone. Owning it is like mastering the technological code of an ancient civilization! If you put it in your family castle or the exhibition hall for entertaining guests, wouldn’t that dazzle everyone?” Phildia blinked his left eye at the stage and the private room.
He then launched into a long, enthusiastic speech, gesturing wildly as he tried his best to convey the extraordinary nature of the item, "...and who knows, maybe one day we'll figure it out and even drive it out to explore..."
The long, suggestive, and enticing introduction was delivered quickly and clearly by Fydia, gradually lifting the somber atmosphere in the stands.
Seeing the guests sit up straight again, most of them showing interest, the experienced Phildia said no more. He simply concluded, "This is not just an auction item; it's a ticket to the extraordinary!"
Then, Phildia decisively ended his introduction, turned around, spread his arms wide, and shouted, "Now, the auction begins! Starting price: 800,000 Lungmen Dollars!"
Instantly, an uproar erupted in the stands.
After everyone pressed the bid option, the screens in front of them began broadcasting the bids, and the second round of fierce competition began.
Volume Two: Fireworks at Dragon Gate: Chapter 241 Yun Yi: Handsome, she's really beautiful~
Ignoring the commotion at the auction, Yun Yi gazed at the exquisitely patterned metal bird on display, her curiosity growing stronger. "Is this an ancient relic? Although it looks very advanced, it feels... more like a pure ornament. Is it fake?"
"It's hard to say." This was also the first time Hoshiguma had seen an unactivated relic in person and from a distance. She raised an eyebrow and lowered her eyes to observe it carefully. "There is no special magnetic field on that metal bird. It is difficult for non-professionals to judge its authenticity from a distance."
"If I can touch it, there's a certain probability I can tell if it's real or fake." Hoshiguma raised her slender fingers, a faint, eerie green light flashing between them.
She then lowered her hand, glanced at Fydia, who was grinning from ear to ear, appearing both sincere and mercenary, and said in a flat tone, "Judging from the description, even if this relic is genuine, I'm afraid it cannot be used and will not be of much use."
"But I vaguely remember that Swire said the research on the relics was updated every year?" Yun Yi asked, then looked thoughtful. "Hmm, she must have said that, right? I can't quite remember."
“I don’t know if the young lady told you or not, but the research on relics has indeed never stopped since the modern era,” Hoshiguma raised her chin and looked up at the white, boundless dome of the cockpit. “Unfortunately, the fact that the research has never stopped does not mean that the results have never stopped. Many useful results are often buried or hidden.”
“These kinds of relics that look like military or mysterious items are more complicated.” Hoshiguma shifted her gaze back to the cold-colored metal bird, adding to Yunyi’s knowledge, “They usually not only require you to study the principles to use them, but also require the user to show the key, otherwise there is a chance that they will self-destruct or self-destruct after an indiscriminate attack.”
She turned to look at Yun Yi and shrugged. "The keys are incredibly varied. They could be ordinary passwords, ancient bloodlines that have lasted for millions of years, or even require the user to have certain beliefs or virtues. In short, they're difficult to deal with."
"Uh—doesn't that mean that unless we get the exact key by sheer luck, this thing is completely useless!" Yun Yi's collector's desire was instantly defeated by his practicality.
She couldn't help but complain, "Indeed, it's so useless."
Yun Yi's gaze shifted from onlookers to bewildered ones as he looked at the bidding on the projection. "So, are they... just wasting money?"
“Well, that might be true for people who want to use relics to uncover technology and information,” Hoshiguma’s gaze swept over the boxes above the stands, “but for people who just want a tool to ‘show off,’ the relics are authentic enough.”
She withdrew her gaze, her golden eyes revealing an indifferent detachment. "They are likely to be able to use their own circles to convert the intangible aesthetic value of useless relics into real gold and silver or other rare resources that far exceed the price of the relics themselves."
"How do we convert this?" Yun Yi asked curiously, as he hadn't paid much attention to this aspect.
Hoshiguma, however, did not intend to continue answering her, or rather, for the time being.
She raised her hand and patted Yun Yi on the shoulder. "If we really had to explain this, we would have wasted all our time. Alright, that's enough with the explanation. Let's get started on our official mission."
As she spoke, Hoshiguma picked up the doll she had casually placed on Hannya's hand. "But before that, could you tell me where I would like to put the doll?"
There might be a fight soon, so it wouldn't be appropriate to continue placing it on the Prajna. The same applies to most other places.
The only thing Hoshiguma found acceptable was the few small pockets on her clothes, but such an important item shouldn't be placed in such a cramped place...
Although we know the doll won't get lost, it seems a bit too hasty, and it might also affect her combat ability.
Well, she thought she should first see what Yun Yi, who knew more about dolls, thought.
"Hmm? You can just put the doll on yourself anywhere, it will automatically stick to where you put it," Yun Yi pointed to the doll, which looked just like him but had a chubbyer face, and couldn't help but smile easily.
Seeing Hoshiguma still pondering where to place the doll, Yunyi thought for a moment and offered his suggestion, "I'll give you a reference: Swire carries it on her shoulder."
After saying that, she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "What a pity, I actually hoped she would put it on her head."
Swire refused her with his actions, placing the doll on his shoulder, the one furthest from her head.
Yunyi, who had chosen to selectively ignore the fact that he had made a scene first and caused Swire to break down, ruthlessly accused Swire in his heart.
As expected, Hoshiguma overheard Yunyi's mutterings once again.
Hoshiguma hesitated for a moment, then, between following Yun Yi's hint and inheriting the young lady's method, she neatly untied the ribbon around her right arm, then tied it back up in a different knot, and placed the doll on the more prominent knot of the ribbon.
The doll emitted an invisible energy field that automatically adhered to the straps. Hoshiguma tried to shake her arm, but failed to shake the seemingly shaky doll off.
She smiled with satisfaction. "Very good."
In this way, the puppet that others cannot see or touch will neither affect her battle nor appear careless.
The fluttering ribbons symbolize her rationality and restraint to some extent, which seems fitting for the doll that will carry a certain degree of Yun Yi's consciousness.
Hoshiguma was satisfied, but Yunyi was somewhat disappointed.
She glanced at Hoshiguma's alluring horns on her forehead and sighed, realizing she had missed another chance to touch the animal ears and horns with the help of the doll.
With her keen senses, Hoshiguma, ignoring the obvious disappointment in Yun Yi's eyes, transformed into a ruthless process-cutting machine, saying, "Everything is ready, little Yun Yi. Please help me up to the crossbeam."
Clearly, Hoshiguma's attitude is that the placement of the doll is now settled and cannot be changed.
Cheapskate!
Yun Yi pouted regretfully, then waved his hand to send Hoshiguma away as if to avoid seeing her.
In an instant, Hoshiguma, who had just appeared on the beam, quickly suppressed his aura, squatted down on one knee, and skillfully switched his breathing to a shallow and traceless state.
Her gaze was cold and calm as she looked down, her golden eyes, as clear and deep as a still lake, flashing with a faint, sharp light.
Those chilling eyes pierced effortlessly through the radiant dome of the venue, landing lightly yet with an immense weight on all beings on an equal footing.
In the bustling hall below, no one noticed that a "powerful ghost," too unbearable for such dark people as themselves, had silently appeared on the exposed beam above their heads that had been bearing their weight and concealing their sins.
The only person in the know besides themselves was happy to help them reincarnate as soon as possible, without any intention of giving them a heads-up.
Yun Yi admired Hoshiguma's amazing and cool performance for a moment, then watched the event again on the projector to confirm that Hoshiguma had successfully infiltrated the venue. Only then did he reluctantly glance at Hoshiguma's face as he started the Nirvana and headed backstage.
Volume Two: Fireworks at Longmen: Chapter 242 (Pure Post, No Physical Contact) (Voice-Controlled Bonus) The Messenger of All Resonance
In the dimly lit backstage area, a thin mist floated on the invisible Nirvana, which moved straight ahead like a ghost, penetrating all obstacles.
Yun Yi looked left and right through the projection formed by the mecha's perspective, trying to find some important clues.
At her request, the AI of the Nirvana also diverted a considerable amount of computing power to analyze the building and the faction before them.
Decoupled from the two external brains, Yun Yi was inexplicably excited to work alone and was observing with great enthusiasm when he suddenly caught a glimpse of the analysis records generated and displayed by the AI in real time.
The detailed, well-reasoned, and comprehensive analysis was like a bucket of cold water poured over Yun Yi's head, instantly sobering her feverish mind.
"What am I doing?" Yun Yi closed his eyes, feeling like he couldn't bear to look at himself—there was an AI with unparalleled power right here, and he was wasting his time doing intelligence gathering, something he wasn't good at at all. "Am I just bored?"
After mercilessly criticizing herself, she opened her eyes, and the task that truly belonged to her surfaced in her cooled mind: experimental dolls.
Yun Yi immediately handed over the inspection work to AI, while he himself enthusiastically extended his right index finger.
She stared at her own finger, which was perfectly segmented, white as snow, and flawless, for a moment, then tilted her head and flicked out her middle finger. She nodded in satisfaction, "OK, one for each of us, that's fair and just."
As he spoke, Yun Yi slightly spread two fingers, silently reciting in his mind, 'Shi Huaiya, Little Star Bear.'
Two beams of light silently appeared from Yun Yi's wrist, shooting out from her index and middle fingers respectively, gradually becoming different in thickness and color.
Just as Yun Yi looked up at the end of the light band that seemed to pierce through the void and was broken off, in the blink of an eye, Shi Huaiya's bright and clear voice and Hoshiguma's steady and deep voice rang in her mind at the same time, intertwining into a strangely brilliant tone, "Yun Yi? / Little Yun Yi."
The pleasant sound was like a bomb with emotions and imagery in her ears, making Yun Yi imagine the two of them getting close to each other and their breaths mingling. It made her blood flow faster and her ear tips feel slightly numb, itchy and hot.
She subconsciously raised her hand and pinched her earlobe, but for a moment she couldn't tell whether her numb ear was hotter or her slightly red fingertips were hotter, making her dizzy.
Pinch his earlobes to let the temperature drop a bit, and Yun Yi heard his own groggy thoughts echoing in his ears, '...Am I really a voice enthusiast?'
Before she could fully wake up, after waiting a short while without hearing a response, the two once again demonstrated their tacit understanding as comrades, and the words that flooded into Yun Yi's mind and ears rang out one after the other.
"Xiao Yunyi? Contact me every now and then... but the communication failed? It's okay, the doll's function is already so excellent that it's unique, don't be sad."
"...Why aren't you saying anything after I contacted you—hang in there, I'm coming right now—are you kidding me? You're perfectly fine, both physically and mentally, why aren't you saying anything? Yun Yi?"
Hoshiguma's voice flowed into my ears, sounding like a deep, still stream rising from the depths of a mountain ravine. The surface seemed calm and still, but beneath the surface, it surged continuously and deeply, solid, steady, powerful, and unhurried.
Although Yunyi wasn't sad, she still felt Hoshiguma's voice. When Hoshiguma's words steadily entered her heart, she felt a sense of security and peace of mind, as if some emotion had been soothed by them.
The voice of Swire, which followed, was completely different. The sound that reached the ear was like the short, clear sound of a stream flowing down a series of pebbles, with its "ding-dong" and "splashing" sounds.
Every word and phrase carries a crisp, clear emotion, without any hesitation or embellishment, directly showcasing the owner's fluctuating emotions, making listeners feel joyful.
—Or maybe I just have a weird sense of humor?
Yun Yi stroked his chin, a silly smile spreading across his face. Although Swire seemed very angry, Swire's voice and words inexplicably made him happy!
However, this time Yun Yi was not overwhelmed by the auditory feast. On the contrary, perhaps due to the influence of the two people's worries, her mind was clear at this moment, and the earlobes that still had some warmth on their fingertips gradually returned to normal temperature.
Yun Yi breathed a sigh of relief and sent a reply before her two worried companions could speak again, "No, little Xingxiong, the communication was successful, Swire, I wasn't kidding you."
The two of them, puzzled, repeated, "It worked? / Hoshiguma?"