Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 268 Old Elm Unsealed, Lu Tao's Inverted Design
"This is your new home. Come in and have a look."

In the Maofang residential area, Tang Xiaokui stood at the entrance, her small, delicate feet hesitant to take a step.

She glanced back at her new family members, seemingly to confirm that she was allowed to join them.

Zhai Da smiled and placed his hand on Tang Xiao Kui's back, not to push her, but to support her.

For some reason, Tang Xiaokui jumped up and hopped into the rabbit-like enclosure.

The double ponytails that the photo studio had hastily styled her swayed as she looked at the camera; the hairstyle actually suited her quite well.

Yu Xiaoli laughed and said, "So lively! Let me see your room."

Inside the storage room, Yu Xiaoli introduced the thoughtful arrangements one by one, explaining, "I've already found a new house. I'm sorry to trouble you to stay in the small room for now; your brother is next door."

Tang Xiao Kui shook her head: "Thank you, Aunt Yu, it's very nice here."

It's much better than the orphanage; even the air there lacks an important component: the feeling of home.

Afterwards, Yu Xiaoli and Lu Wei went into the kitchen. Today, Ms. Yu was determined to use all her culinary skills to celebrate the important event in the family. For a moment, only Zhai Da and Tang Xiao Kui were left outside.

Tang Xiaokui was new to the place, so she sat stiffly on the sofa. She wanted to go back to her "own room" to feel safe, but then she remembered what Dean Li Huifen had said and was afraid that she would seem aloof.

So the little bottom moved closer to Zhai Da.

She had a very high level of affection for this magical brother; he was one of only two people besides Yu Xiaoli who could give her a sense of security.

While scrolling through his phone and waiting for dinner, Zhai Da asked Wu Yue when she planned to return home. He turned around and saw Tang Xiao Kui sitting upright like a primary school student in class.

"relax."

"Okay, brother, no problem, brother!"

The term "brother" is quite novel.

Zhai Da thought for a moment and said, "From now on, just call me 'brother' directly, don't call me 'older brother'."

Tang Xiaokui asked in confusion, "Why?"

"My brother has a kind of 'green tea' vibe."

Tang Xiao Kui: ???
Isn't green tea a good thing? It's astringent and a little sweet.
Tang Xiao Kui wasn't the cute type of child; she was more of a "pretty" type. Her face wasn't chubby, and her limbs were tall and slender for her age. Zhai Da wasn't sure if Yu Xiaoli's "appeal" to him was partly due to her style and the fact that she resembled a smaller, more lively version of Lu Wei.

"Do you still have the copies of the previous photos?"

Tang Xiao Kui became excited and nodded, saying, "Of course I have! I've always kept it safe."

As she spoke, she took it out of her small bag and held it up to show Zhai Da. It was a copy that Zhai Da had made the day after the magic was cast, so it would never fade. The only drawback was that the clarity was average.

Zhai Da picked up a picture, the one Tang Xiaokui had imagined, the one where her parents celebrated her birthday together.

Even on the second time I saw it, I couldn't help but marvel. Generally speaking, the image in my mind wouldn't be so clear, let alone that of a six-year-old child, but the man and woman in it were so lifelike.

Zhai Da suddenly had an idea. He took the photo and went into the kitchen, but came out a minute later and said to Tang Xiao Kui, "Do you want to put this photo up in the new house?"

Tang Xiao Kui looked up, not understanding what Zhai Da meant.

Zhai Da pointed to a row of photos in the corner of the wall: "Put them there so your parents can rest assured."

The little girl's eyes widened little by little, filled with both trepidation and anticipation: "Is it okay? Really?"

Zhai Da simply handed her a roll of tape: "Go ahead?"

Tang Xiao Kui was skeptical, turning back every few steps to confirm it was real. Finally, she arrived at the wall, which was covered with many photos, both black and white and color.
Take a deep breath and stand on your tiptoes.
Then they realized they couldn't reach it.

Just as she was about to use this as an excuse to back down, Tang Xiaokui felt a pair of large hands lift her up from behind.

Tang Xiaokui's face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, saying softly, "Thank you, brother."

Then, I carefully pasted the photo in a small corner.

It's right across from her room.

After being put down, the little girl hugged Zhai Da's leg and repeated, "Thank you, brother."

The absence of one word made the gesture much more intimate. Zhai Da rubbed his head and remained silent.

Hopefully, this photo will give him a greater sense of home.

Since we're already here, it's better to integrate than to feel awkward.

The dinner afterwards was very enjoyable, a memory Tang Xiao Kui had never had before. Even when Tang Feng Yi was still alive, there were few opportunities like this. After all, one cannot ask more of a father.

After dinner, the family watched TV on the sofa. This project was actually prepared specifically for Tang Xiao Kui. Usually, Zhai Da and Lu Wei are busy with their own things, but today the main focus was on spending time together.

Zhai Da was forced to watch three episodes of "Country Love Story".

"Xiao Da, do you think your book will be adapted into a TV series in the future?"

Zhai Da thought for a moment and said, "That possibility cannot be ruled out."

It's not like it can only be adapted into a movie, or even that it can only be adapted once.

After revising the original work, they revise the previous one; after revising domestic works, they revise Japanese and Korean works.
Yu Xiaoli said thoughtfully, "If you can get a word in edgewise, you can let Teacher Fan Wei play the male lead."

Zhai Da's eyelids twitched: "Yes, I'll try my best."

Even if he were willing, Fan Wei might not be.
Finally, evening arrived, and the group left one after another to take a shower. Tang Xiaokui, with the help of Yu Xiaoli, thoroughly washed herself and returned to her bedroom smelling sweet.

Then came the long period of insomnia.

Slightly damp hair was pressed down on the back of the head. The room and ceiling were unfamiliar. The sheets and duvet covers were so new that even after being washed, they still had a faint smell of starch.

Everything made it difficult for her to fall asleep.

------

After returning to his room, Zhai Da turned on his computer and browsed various forums, online communities, and microblogs, gathering feedback from readers. He even took a look at his own blog and microblog for the first time, albeit from a secondary account.

The overall response was very good, except for some people who felt that Zhai Da described the future country as "too powerful".

This left Zhai Da speechless. Damn it, can't I even write a decent science fiction story?
Are you hoping for a future where the world is a wasteland, the worst place on Earth, so you can trade a pack of instant noodles for a wife?

Just as Zhai Da was about to use his alternate account to engage in the match, he suddenly received a system notification.

"Congratulations, host. The [Execution of Old Elm] unsealing quest has been completed, progress (5/5). The special effect 'Hanging Tree' has been activated." Zhai Da's heart stirred, and he glanced at the system interface.

Not bad, although it's a bit too fast to understand.

Whether it's pigs or sheep, they can basically harvest progress within a day after being buried. They can't absorb it all in one day, can they?
In that case, we're just missing one piece of the puzzle to make full use of this powerful blue equipment.

Zhai Da sent a message to Lu Tao, who replied quickly, seemingly having already finished.

Lu Tao provided him with a solution that he believed was highly feasible. The renderings and basic structure had already been drawn, and he asked Zhai Da to take a look first.

Zhai Da opened the email; the rendering looked very postmodern.
First, there's the main body: a four- or eight-column gantry frame fixed with I-beams. Four columns are sufficient, while eight columns are for aesthetic reasons. Lu Tao is very professional; he even marked the steel type: Q345B.

The suspension system relies on steel cables. To avoid damaging the tree, a protective layer is added. In addition to the main trunk, the cables extend outwards from the thicker parts of the canopy. The protective layer is disguised as vines.

Because Zhai Da said it was performance art, Lu Tao never forgot to be aesthetically pleasing.

Finally, there's the soil. At the top of the tree root area, there's a welded bowl-shaped depression. The steel can easily support the thickness of the soil, or you can replace it with a glass tank if you're not short on money.

If needed, grass and vegetables can be planted after the top soil is leveled. The bottom support can be designed in two sections, which are detachable and movable.

This is the most basic framework structure. If we stop here, Lu Tao estimated the cost, including labor, to be around 20 yuan.

However, if the tree needs to be able to "flip over with one click," a complex torsion platform needs to be installed, doubling the size of the device and increasing the cost fivefold. Lu Tao is not yet capable of designing a torsion platform; that falls under the category of engineering machinery, or "special machinery."

It seems that this "performance art" inspired Lu Tao himself, and the architectural genius also drew some other renderings.

For example, the "upside-down tree" can be on the roof, integrated with the ceiling, with the top floor being a huge office with a high ceiling, where a "chairman" or similar figure would work under this tree, making it absolutely unique in the world in terms of sophistication.

Even the figures in the renderings were drawn by Lu Tao based on Zhai Da's appearance.

Trees planted upside down will generally still grow upwards, meaning that the canopy will eventually become "flat and broad," like a lush, giant dome.

There are always fallen leaves in the office; I wonder if the "chairman" finds it annoying.
Alternatively, it can be buried underground, using large mirrored fissures to reflect natural light, and then the underground area can be designed in a laboratory style, maximizing the sense of technology.

There's even a rendering of a giant bathtub in an aquarium, seemingly designed to show the fish what a "tree" is.

At night, Zhai Da turned off the lights, lay in bed, and seemed lost in thought.

Lu Tao's plan was certainly not perfect, after all, he had never even seen this big tree before, and it was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre requirement.

But at least it let Zhai Da know that hanging Lao Yu upside down and executing him by firing squad was possible.

Things that can be solved with money are not big problems.

rich!

Given the old elm's incredible speed of recovery and absorption, the hassle of transplanting seems insignificant, and transportation can be accomplished using the "equipment inventory."

Just find a suitable indoor location in Harbin before winter arrives.

The flipped [Execution of Old Yu], although its stats are reduced by tenfold, is still a huge area amplifier, covering the entire building's space.

"Life vitality increases by 15% and immunity increases by 5% at the base of the tree. Slightly increases the probability that the 'thoughts' of intelligent beings within the range are transformed into positive mental states, including but not limited to: inspiration, happiness, satisfaction, and stability."

Whether for recuperation, health, research, or creation, it's a perfect fit.

What job doesn't require inspiration? What job doesn't require vitality?
In particular, how is "vitality +15%" calculated? Even if it doesn't extend lifespan, it can certainly benefit health, right? Not to mention the boost to immunity.

Zhai Da sent Lu Tao a text message, telling him to continue refining the plan and, if needed, to look into where similar devices could be found, offering to pay for Lu Tao to travel to various places to investigate.

The members of "π" are all genuine geniuses, and their development will be accelerated next semester. Isn't this a ready-made opportunity?

Practice makes perfect. This project was handed over to Lu Tao as a practice exercise.

Just then, a sigh came from the wall beside them.

"Eh~"

Then came the sound of the bed being turned over.

Zhai Da didn't respond; he was used to having someone behind that wall.

Although she's no longer his Miss Wall.

She continued composing text messages to chat with Lu Tao, while next door, someone was scrolling through messages every three minutes.

Finally, Zhai Da put down his phone and prepared to go to sleep. Next door, the person was still flipping through the pages, and he could imagine Tang Xiaokui tossing and turning like a spinning top.

Finally, at one o'clock in the morning, Zhai Da was forced to speak up: "Can't sleep?"

A gasp came from next door: "Wow!"

After a long pause, Tang Xiaokui cautiously asked, "Brother? I mean...brother?"

"Ah."

"Can you hear me?"

"A unique feature of the Yu family is their paper-covered walls."

Tang Xiaokui immediately said guiltily, "I'm sorry, I won't move."

Zhai Da rested his arm behind his head and said gently, "It's understandable to have trouble sleeping in a new bed and a new room. You don't need to worry too much about the wall. I'll be leaving for school in a few days, and the calluses you get won't affect anyone."

Next door, Tang Xiaokui curled up and nodded, but then realized that Zhai Da couldn't hear her, so she softly hummed in agreement.

Zhai Da: "Don't be so formal. You can talk to me about anything that's on your mind."

There was no response from the other end.

"No? If not, I'm going to sleep."

"Have"

"Go ahead."

I, Zhai, may not be considered an emotional mentor, but I can still calm a young girl down.

Then I heard a soft, sweet voice from next door: "I need to go to the bathroom, but I'm too scared to go alone. Can you come with me, bro?"

Zhai Da:
　Sorry for the lateness.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)