Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 167 The Lord Returns: Scientific Collision with Foreign Academicians
The lord has returned! The sun of the vast sea has returned!

The city lord's mansion welcomed back its master, and the people welcomed back their leader!
The news spread like a cheerful breeze, quickly reaching every corner of the territory, making the entire territory seem to perk up and operate with exceptional vigor and energy.

Chen Mo buried himself deep in the large chair. Outside the window was the orderly and busy scene of the city, but what he saw in his eyes were reports, charts and documents spread out on the table.

Returning from the smoke-filled front lines of Tianshuang City, he didn't even have time to wash off the dust of his journey before immediately throwing himself into this silent yet equally urgent "battlefield."

The corner of the table was piled high with summary reports.

The first report came from the government office, detailing the operation of the territory during the lord's absence.

Grain reserves have remained stable with a slight increase, newly reclaimed crops are growing well, and the area of ​​sand fixation and greening has increased significantly.
Population registration and management continued to advance, and the territory's population showed a significant growth trend. The new influx of people mainly came from the slaves from the North transported by the Old Bull through sea routes, the submission of small groups of Sand People tribes, and sporadic human migrants.

The territory has a good basic security situation, with no major serious incidents. Petty theft and neighborhood disputes have been dealt with in a timely and effective manner, and the residents feel very safe!

Yes, Chen Mo commented on all of the above: "Read and approved!"

The second document came from the Industrial Research Institute, and its content mainly focused on the development of the industrial zone.

The newly completed third forging workshop has begun trial production of standard parts, and the efficiency of the assembly line operation has been significantly improved.
The desert-specific high-speed electric sand sled, manufactured and improved based on Dongxia blueprints, has completed its second round of testing. Its speed has been significantly improved and the failure rate has been greatly reduced compared to the previous one.

Currently, sand sleds are divided into three types: troop transport, transport, and self-propelled weapon platforms. When the Terran forces in the territory use sand sleds for mobile warfare, their speed in the desert region has exceeded that of ordinary cavalry, wolf riders, and centaur units, and is almost comparable to that of sand beetles running at full speed.

The next step in improvement is to further enhance the range, striving to achieve a single flight that covers round-trip mobility from the vast desert to any edge of the desert.

Next, the iron ore processing volume of the reduction plant has repeatedly reached new highs, and Plant Director Li Zelin has been awarded the honorary title of "Production Model Worker".
Nothing new, this guy has been the production pacesetter for the past six months, the seventh-order Void Breaker is indeed unreasonable!

However, it seems that as the war between the Vast Ocean Territory and the orcs escalates, this guy's enthusiasm is also growing stronger.

I've been working overtime all night lately, and the advantages of the undead in this regard are on full display.

The other employees in the factory have all been driven crazy by this factory manager. People who don't know the situation might really think that the factory belongs to the Li family.

Next, at the arsenal, the output of the ammunition production line is steadily increasing, and the reserves consumed in the Battle of Tianshuang City have been basically replenished.
Mechanized assembly line production has reached a mature stage; the main constraint at present is the supply of propellants.

Chen Mo picked up a pen and drew a heavy line under the raw materials for propellant, then wrote: "Expand the scale of procurement of metal minerals and nitrocellulose. Prices can be appropriately increased after approval by the council."

After approving the document, Chen Mo added a few dots next to some of the text.

This was an unspoken understanding between him and the council; there were some things the lord couldn't say outright, but the council had to do.

Lord Chen's points are tantamount to tacitly agreeing that, in addition to normal procurement channels, the Council can "fully utilize" or even "actively explore" certain gray or even black channels to expand the sources of these core materials.

The third report gave Chen Mo a much-needed boost.

After multiple voyages, the route data of the "Qiming" has been further optimized, and the one-way time between Hailuokou and Emerald Bay has been further reduced.

Meanwhile, the dockyard has completed the construction of the hulls of two new ships, and once the core power system and automatic sails arrive, the shipping capacity will soar even further.

The report also included a list of tasting evaluations of several unique aquatic products along the Bailu Plain coast, concluding that "some varieties have acceptable meat quality and, after testing, have the potential for large-scale farming, which is expected to improve the local diet."

"Approval for the introduction and trial breeding has been granted, and relevant concerns have been identified and reported to the City Lord's Mansion!"

Chen Mo processes documents at lightning speed, and his instructions are clear and decisive.

The only sounds in the office were the rustling of papers turning, the swishing of pens, and Chen Mo's occasional whispered instructions.

It's not that the other people in the territory can't handle it, but some things involve the application of power, strategic direction, and significant responsibilities that need to be borne, which have nothing to do with handling ability.

For example, in the new round of trade lists with the Seven Luminaries Garland Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce raised prices or limited quantities for several special materials to varying degrees.

The saying "big stores bully customers" applies everywhere. If you don't have a certain level of confidence, when dealing with a business association like Seven Luminaries Garland, they may refuse to sell, but you can't buy from them.

At this moment, only the lord is qualified to give instructions on whether to raise prices and to approve whether to activate the "backup procurement plan".

For example, some of the new slaves sent from the northern conch mouth stronghold were found to be suffering from disease, but after treatment by the territory's medical team, their condition has temporarily stabilized.

However, for some of the critically ill patients, continuous treatment is not only costly, but even if they are saved, they may lose their ability to work or even suffer serious sequelae.

In the past, the fate of such slaves would have been sealed long ago: either to fill in the sea or to bury the sand.

From a purely utilitarian perspective of territorial development, spending enormous resources to treat seriously ill slaves with almost no return seems absurd. Who but the lord would dare to make such a decision?

However, the lord always emphasized "loving the people like his own children," so the territorial officials dared not act on their own initiative. They could only consult remotely first. After receiving Chen Mo's affirmative reply, they provided timely treatment and then quickly sent the documents that needed the lord's signature after the lord returned.

Furthermore, the prices of [Smoothing Elixir] and [Exorcising Pagoda], which are exported from Hailukou "Blade of the Vast Ocean" to Bailu Plain, have begun to decline steadily.

The ostensible reason was that a large number of warriors from various tribes were conscripted to go south, resulting in a decrease in the population and a reduction in demand. However, in reality, the number of warriors sent out by each tribe was less than five percent of the permanent population of Bailuyuan. Undoubtedly, someone was interfering with the market.

Although it is not yet possible to find out exactly who is doing this, given that they have both the motive and the ability to disrupt such a large and widespread market for products in the North, it is most likely the Dwarf Merchant Guild.

The report also mentioned that the Dwarf Merchant Guild and related forces are investigating the origin of this product, but due to the firewall of Motianling, they have not yet been able to trace it back to Hailuokou.

However, it may not be possible to keep it a secret for long.

Faced with this situation, the choice is whether to continue selling at a low price or to suspend trading—a decision only the lord can make.

Similar issues include: filling the gaps in the new batch of civil servants in the Han Hai Territory, rationally allocating military academy students to the three armed forces of Han Hai, prioritizing several projects in the industrial plan that involve mutual resource competition, and the next batch of material and population flow plans with Tian Shuang City, and so on.

These are all things that the lord must personally review and control.

Outside the window lies a thriving territory, while inside is the hub of the desert navigation industry—a bustling scene that complements each other perfectly!

However, there will always be unexpected visitors.

Master Anthony of the Magic Academy, upon hearing of the lord's return, couldn't wait to knock on Chen Mo's office door.

After hastily finishing reviewing the last document marked "urgent," Chen Mo immediately ordered the reception room to be opened and personally greeted Master Anthony Herrick.

The old monk looked much more haggard than before, with heavy eye bags and his hair as messy as a bird's nest in a rough, unfinished state. However, his eyes were bright and piercing, as if two flames were surging within them.

The old man was a big shot in the Northern Branch of the Magic Society, the provider of the small teleportation altar, and a leading figure in the ongoing psionic-electricity conversion research project on the Starry Continent. From any perspective, Chen Mo had to give this master enough respect.

However, some time ago, in order to deal with the war in Tianshuang City, Chen Mo had to stand up the old man and plunge into the command post deep in the desert, temporarily putting aside the academic exchange.

So the old man just buried himself in studying the translated version of "On the Energetics of Electricity".

Well, there are three volumes in total. Although knowledge is priceless, Chen Mo felt embarrassed to keep this set of popular reading materials, which is at best a middle school textbook, since the other party had already brought out the teleportation array. So he handed it all over to Master Anthony.

The old man was exhausted.

Even before Chen Mo left Han Hai, the old man frequently consulted Chen Mo about academic issues.

Chen Mo couldn't answer that question, so after communicating with Dong Xia, the "Grand Academicians" under the [Cyber ​​King] and the scholar Anthony engaged in an in-depth cross-dimensional academic exchange.

Chen Mo was responsible for using the diversion altar as an intermediary for communication.

The Starry Sky Magic Society's questions about electrical energy were sent to the East Xia expert group on Blue Star for interpretation; the Blue Star Psionic Research Institute's questions about psionic energy were handed over to Master Anthony for answers.

It was essentially an academic exchange based on mutual correspondence.

Scientists who pursue academic research are often somewhat lacking in social skills, or rather, they are unwilling to spend their limited time and mental energy on interpersonal relationships.

Well, except for a few exceptional all-around geniuses.

During this period, a series of academic conflicts inevitably broke out.

The biggest disagreement lies in the debate over the "substance" and "carrier" of energy.

For scientists from the Eastern Xia Dynasty, regardless of the type of energy, it is merely a form of expression; essentially, it is the motion and interaction between particles.

In other words, whether it's electrical energy, thermal energy, or even psionic energy which we haven't fully understood yet, they are essentially the same thing—an external manifestation.

Particles are the substance, and energy is the carrier!
This unorthodox and heretical theory directly ignited the passion of Anthony University scholars.

What kind of babbling "particle motion" is this! Heresy, this is an extremely evil heresy.

Psychic energy is the foundation of the birth of all things, the source of the universe, and an extension of the will of God.

It is psychic energy that created all things. You say that those inanimate objects that do not move are the origin? That is turning black into white!
Psychic energy is the essence of everything; all things are merely objects!

Okay, once you get to the fundamental worldview, this contradiction becomes irreconcilable.

Around this fundamental difference, the two sides used Chen Mo as a channel to launch a war of words... well, a fierce academic debate!

"Dear Scholar Anthony, regarding our previous communication, we believe you made a fundamental error by attempting to place one form of energy above another." "This is undoubtedly rigid and foolish. No different forms or dimensions of energy should be considered superior or inferior. Clearly, your academic theory has fallen into a 'prior assumption' of 'psychic omnipotence,' and has gone astray from the very beginning!"

"A priori assumption? Utterly absurd!"

Upon seeing the reply, Anthony was so angry that his beard trembled.

"Psionic energy is the fundamental power that the gods use to construct this world! It is the underlying logic of the operation of all things! The fact that you cannot perceive and utilize it only shows that your methods of observation and theoretical tools have huge flaws!"

"If you insist that matter produces energy, then how do you explain the void creatures created by the gods using pure psychic energy, as well as the various elemental life forms?"

"This is utter sophistry! It's an ignorant provocation against a great being!"

As the representative of Earth, Academician Shen Boyuan of the High Energy Physics Academy was not about to tolerate his temper. In the next letter, he directly launched into a direct attack.

"Although I have never seen your deity, I am personally very eager to verify the existence you speak of. Please invite your deity to visit me when you have time; I will entertain him with the finest Da Hong Pao tea from the mother tree!"

Even Chen Mo, standing nearby, was tempted by the teasing remark: "Master, why don't you... give it a try? Have your gods pack up more of that tea! It's truly a rare find!"

"By the way, can't the gods create things out of thin air? Let's go back and have them check the composition of the tea leaves, and make a little more. We'll split it 50/50!"

Regarding whether the arrival of this deity would trigger a crisis on Earth, Dongxia's attitude was quite open-minded.

Now that we've established a connection across time and space, if the other party's deity is capable of coming, they will come regardless of whether you invite them or not.

Instead of being anxious, it's better to approach it openly.

All visitors are welcome; drinking tea, chatting, and making friends are things Dongxia excels at!

Enraged by this "disrespectful" remark, Master Anthony resolutely began to pray to the "God of Wisdom" whom he worshipped.

Most mages worship the God of Wisdom, a neutral deity who holds almost no stance and has little presence. Only after reaching a very high rank will they occasionally sense the God of Wisdom's support during the use of certain special and complex spiritual spells.

With resentment and a glimmer of hope, Master Anthony earnestly relayed the Blue Star scholars' "provocation" through the ritual.

After a while, the god of wisdom responded with an unusually irritable attitude.

Well, that roughly translates to: "Get lost!"

Anthony understood immediately.

Since the gods are omnipotent, it's unlikely that they can't get through. More likely, it's the [Cyber ​​King] over there, whose strength is probably no less than our own [God of Wisdom].

There's nothing we can do then. We're not backing down ourselves, but our backers are, so we can't arrange a fight offline.

They can only continue their online verbal battles.

As for the Eastern Xia side, their attempt to "seduce the gods" failed, which was to be expected, and they continued their previous academic exchanges earnestly.

From that time onward, the correspondence between the two masters, aside from the occasional harmonious atmosphere, consisted mostly of large-scale, heated debates over the defense of "academic tradition."

As the middleman, Chen Mo was initially quite apprehensive about this kind of online mudslinging.

The leaders back home, however, didn't seem to care at all.

"Truth becomes clearer through debate! Don't worry, let them argue!"

"Who knows, the argument might just lead to a new, unified theory!"

Time passed day by day amidst such bickering, with the two sides arguing from theology to philosophy, from magic to physics, from psionicism to mathematics... the two systems collided and sparks flew everywhere.

As the argument progressed, the two sides actually developed a mutual appreciation for each other, and occasionally couldn't help but praise each other's "ingenious ideas"!

Amidst this love-hate relationship, Blue Star quietly demonstrated an achievement: converting psionic energy into electricity.

This thing is really bullying people.

As we all know, as long as the generator rotor can be driven to cut magnetic field lines, even by hand, electricity can be generated.

The Blue Star expert team simply used a wind energy spell model from a starry world to add a wind energy-electricity device behind the psionic-wind energy path, easily completing the conversion of psionic energy into electrical energy.

This is so simple, they didn't even dare to publish it in their internal psionic journal on Earth.

Master Anthony was completely dumbfounded.

We couldn't compete with them academically, and now we can't compete with them in practical applications either. It's really embarrassing.

The old man's competitive spirit was completely ignited. Without saying a word, he announced that he would go into seclusion, lock himself in the laboratory, and begin to bury himself in reverse research—converting electrical energy into psionic energy!

After a period of almost non-stop hard work, we have finally achieved some preliminary results.

Upon meeting Chen Mo, Master Anthony instructed his assistant to present a thick stack of documents and a strangely shaped magic circle.

The old man's voice was a little hoarse, and his eyes were filled with a hint of frustration: "I... I tried my best, but I still couldn't complete the direct conversion of electrical energy into psionic energy."

“This is a nested resonance array I designed. Currently, it can only achieve energy synergy and amplification… Please give it to Academician Shen Boyuan and ask him to take a look.”

“Tell him that I am still continuing my research.”

"I still firmly believe that psionic energy is the original force that constitutes the underlying structure of the world! But I need some more time."

His words were filled with resentment, yet also with a touch of the candor unique to scholars.

Chen Mo solemnly accepted the thick stack of manuscripts filled with complex diagrams and carefully examined the old man's instructions on the formation.

This is a complex magical structure composed of six basic magic arrays with different functions. It requires an external DC power supply and a magic crystal as the activation medium and energy source.

When the entire composite magic array is activated, although it cannot convert electrical energy into spiritual energy out of thin air, with the continuous power input from an external power source, the magic array can greatly stabilize and prolong the energy output of the spiritual crystals.

Originally, a spirit crystal could only work for about fifteen minutes, but with the power, the working time was extended by almost double!
This is what the old man meant by "failing to transform, only increasing the value".

But this was enough to give Chen Mo a huge shock.

He knew very well that Anthony's opponent was not just Academician Shen.

Dongxia has so many top academicians, experts, professors and scholars who spend all their time immersed in this energy conversion system, yet they still have not a single clue as to how to use electrical energy to stimulate or convert spiritual energy.

Master Anthony, almost single-handedly, in such a short time, used the local "psychic" knowledge system to carve out a seemingly clumsy but extremely practical new path!
Sure enough, there is a specialization in the art industry.

When Chen Mo sent this achievement back to Blue Star, the reaction from Dongxia far exceeded Chen Mo and Anthony's expectations.

On that very day, a formal and sincere letter was delivered to Master Anthony by Chen Mo.

In the letter, the Dongxia Academy of Sciences highly praised Master Anthony's "groundbreaking and epoch-making" outstanding achievements in the field of "synergy and amplification effect of heterogeneous energy" with the most solemn words, and praised him for "having unique insight and opening up new paths, making indelible contributions to revealing a new paradigm of interaction between different energy systems"!
This is almost the highest praise a researcher can receive.

The latter part of the letter is an invitation letter for "Foreign Academician of the Dongxia Academy of Sciences", initiated by Academician Shen, co-signed by several academicians of the Psionic Research Institute, and approved by the highest management department of Dongxia!

On the title page of the invitation letter, it was written in both Dongxia and Fanxing languages ​​as follows:

“Master Anthony Hellick’s outstanding achievements once again demonstrate the importance of maintaining awe and an open mind towards the unknown.”

"Human cognition may be limited, and civilizational perspectives may differ, but the charm of scientific exploration lies in this endless cross-disciplinary collision and integration of wisdom."

"We extend a sincere invitation to Master Anthony Herik to join us on our grand voyage to explore the unknown mysteries of the universe!"

"Your wisdom and efforts will be one of the guiding lights illuminating this route."

The attachments also include a paper certificate stamped with a bright red seal, a specially made anti-counterfeiting electronic certificate, a detailed explanation of the rights and interests of academicians, and the reward funds for the first research project that come with the appointment letter.

Finally, there is a handwritten letter from Academician Shen Boyuan, who has been arguing with the old man ever since.

One sentence in Academician Shen's letter made Master Anthony, who was originally somewhat frustrated and uneasy, instantly widen his eyes, his eyes shining brightly, and every wrinkle on his face smoothed out.

“True achievements often stem from a clear awareness of our own ignorance. Clearly, I almost forgot this point in the previous debate! Your work has taught me an incredibly profound lesson.”

"While I still maintain that we have significant differences in our fundamental beliefs, this in no way diminishes my deepest respect for your exceptional talent and spirit of exploration!"

"I look forward to our next exchange, whether it's a debate or a collaboration."

After carefully reviewing the responsibilities and obligations of this "foreign academician," and finding no constraints, only honors and support, Master Anthony's mustache stood on end.

He slapped away the hand of his attendant who wanted to help, and carrying the complete set of appointment documents, humming a tune from who-knows-where, he swayed and walked away with an air of indifference!

(End of this chapter)