Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"How boring are you? Why do I feel like you look a lot like Phaethon sometimes?"

[Phaethon, right? She's the one. Ahhh! She's looking for you, forget it!]

Before he finished speaking, five missed calls popped up on Shangluo's phone, all from Yanqiu.

[Miss Yanqiu transferred the call to her.]

"So you can't even handle a phone call?"

"Because I can only do one thing. And if there's real danger, I'll know. Less important things are easy to overlook. The last time she contacted you was ten minutes ago. She probably calculated your school time before calling. It's only five minutes, so it doesn't seem urgent."

"All right."

He put down his phone and said to Qi Yuan, "No news. I don't know when I'll be fully recovered. I'll tell you later. If we're competing on Sunday, should we do a trial run on Saturday?"

"Yes, tomorrow morning, everyone from the qualifiers will be there. This year's qualifiers won't be held on public roads, and the finals will be held next week."

"Has the route for the finals been decided?"

"It's definitely been decided. But Formula One racing is all about the questions; it tests your ability to solve problems under limited conditions. So, comparing lap times from different years isn't very valuable, just like the scores on exams from different years; the questions are all different, after all. We can just compare this year's results—hence, the questions are usually announced the day before the race, which means the next morning."

"What do you mean by 'generally'?"

"Because the difficulty of the questions varies, we use time to control the difficulty. For example, under normal circumstances, it is enough to announce it one day in advance, so that everyone has time to prepare. If the question is particularly simple, it may be announced directly before the competition, and then the competition will start immediately after the announcement."

"If it's announced before the competition, what topics are usually there?"

"For example, the topic of last year's finals was 'No Tire Changes Allowed'."

“You call this simple?”

Many parts of a Formula One car must operate at high temperatures, such as tires. The Longjiang team uses four types of tires: ultra-soft, soft, hard, and semi-wet.

While there are other options, the Longjiang team didn't purchase every tire type, choosing instead to choose a few that are more versatile. They also had some ultra-soft tires as a "trap." While the ultra-soft tread provides optimal grip, its performance degrades rapidly with use. Therefore, they're usually unused, only being used when necessary.

During training, they use hard tires. Hard tires require less warming, saving fuel. They also last a long time and wear less easily. Qi Yuan has always been calculating this, using these daily consumables to save for larger items. Because the Longjiang team is so popular, using limited funds to save for larger items is a very effective strategy.

"We've been very well prepared. For example, if we're not allowed to change tires, we'll run the entire race on medium or hard tires. Otherwise, we'll stick with soft tires. Whether it's difficult or not depends on the individual, but for those of us who are prepared, it's not difficult at all. While not being allowed to change tires does affect vehicle performance, it's the same difficulty for everyone, so it's not a big deal. After all, we're not comparing our results with previous years, we're only comparing ourselves with our competitors."

"It's okay." Thinking about it this way, it's indeed not a big problem.

"But the Tiandao Shadow Puppet isn't afraid, because you and Wen Yuan are driving. The speed of each of the six tires, the softness and hardness of the suspension, and so on can all be adjusted individually. In other words, the grip can be adjusted in real time. As long as your hands are quick enough, the tires will hardly slip. Even on soft tires, you can complete the race without changing. You see, this is the power of assembling large equipment."

"I feel like the biggest thing you've accumulated is popularity."

"Well, it's probably like the righteous have many supporters, while the unrighteous have few. It must be our good deeds that will bring us good fortune—um, do you have anything else to do? You can go back after dinner."

"I'll go back first. Something happened in the house." Phaethon had a call waiting for him. He collected enough necessary information and went straight back after leaving the school gate.

Ten minutes later, he trotted back to the door—everything was normal. Nothing seemed to be happening. No police cars, no fire trucks, no Imperial Guards. The gate was closed normally, and the mailbox at the door was also normal.

"It's okay, it looks like nothing happened."

"Excuse me." Suddenly, a bicycle bell rang from behind, and a postman was waiting at the entrance of the alley on a bicycle with a package.

The alley was very narrow, so Shangluo had to step aside to let the postman pass.

The postman was riding and stopped at the door of Shangluo's house.

After rummaging around in the back of the car for a while, he knocked on the door with a metal cylinder. "Excuse me, is this Mr. Shangluo here? There's a package for you."

"Ah, I'm here." Shangluo went straight forward to sign for the express package, stamped it, and accepted the cylinder.

"Wait! Wait! I'll be there soon!" Phaethon's voice finally came from the door. She was busy with something. She didn't open the door until the courier rode away on his bike.

"Is that you? Where's the courier?"

Shangluo raised the cylinder in his hand.

"Another one! I knew it! This one again!"

"Huh?" He glanced at the cylinder in his hand. This was a pneumatic transport cylinder used only within Yujing City, so this must be an express shipment from Yujing City, likely sent in the morning and delivered by the afternoon.

"What is this? Are there any others in the room?"

"Counting this, this is the sixth one. Open it and take a look for yourself."

Feeling puzzled, Shangluo shook the transport tube first, and a rustling sound like a maracas came from inside.

“Ah!!!” Apollonia cried out, “They told you not to shake! I’m dizzy.”

"what?"

[It's Tianyi Guiren. They packed themselves up and mailed them here.]

"(*Jinling Yayan*) This thing is filled with beans, several kilograms! If not ten thousand, then several thousand. What are they doing here?!"

【They. They are here to apply for a job.】

Chapter 317 Applying

At six o'clock in the evening, another courier arrived. He rang the doorbell of Shangluo's house:

"Excuse me, Shangluo Xian."

Before he finished speaking, Shangluo opened the door. This time, it wasn't the same courier as before, but Fuwei Express. Their primary business wasn't in Yujing, so they weren't as fast as some other companies that used direct pneumatic delivery systems, but they still delivered the package that same day.

"Yes, Bean?"

"That certainly sounds like beans. It's in a small plastic bucket, weighing ten pounds. Would you like to sign for it?"

"You're not delivering today?"

"No, everyone's off work at this time."

Shangluo took out the seal, stamped it with one hand and took back the plastic bucket wrapped in oil paper with the other hand.

He carried the bucket to the table in the living room and opened the oil paper package.

Sure enough, the beans were full inside. They were not piled together, but arranged in layers and compartments, sitting neatly in their respective places like a honeycomb.

He plopped down on the sofa and asked Phaethon beside him, "So that's what the phone call is for, right?"

"Yes. And I weighed them, and they weigh nearly thirty kilograms. There are soybeans, broad beans, mung beans, and red beans. Converting the weight of the beans, the total number is probably around one hundred thousand."

Shangluo slapped himself on the head.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

There was a familiar voice on the other end of the phone, it was the Jinyiwei switchboard.

"Hello, is this the residence of His Excellency Chishijun and Marshal Zhongtan?" The tone of voice on the radio completely changed, as if the staff had been reassigned.

"Lord Chishi?" Shangluo remembered that Daozu called him "Chishishi", but it was just a difference in title.

"Yes, it's me. What's going on?"

"As of now, have there been 109,313 celestial soldiers and generals applying for a position at your residence?"

"That's probably it. Why so many?"

"Because yesterday we had a party to welcome the arrival of the Marshal of the Central Altar. Then we ate your canned food. And then we came."

"But why are there so many of them? Are there so many Tianyi nobles in the capital?"

"It's mainly for those who work in the Yellow Book Library. We've already reported this to the Dao Ancestor, and he approved everyone's coming. So, please arrange accommodation for everyone. That's all."

The phone hung up with a click—and within three seconds, another call came in:

"Shangluo!" Zhu Xianxun shouted on the other end of the phone, "Something terrible has happened! The Tianyi nobles from the Huangce Library have all run away! They were clearly here yesterday. They said they had a dinner party yesterday, but this morning they disappeared. It's over, it's over. We have to tell the Daozu about this, huh? Is it with you? Does the Daozu already know? Did the Daozu personally approve it? Ah, then it's okay, then it's okay. Wait, let's discuss a plan first. Ask them if they're willing to go back."

"Ah..." Shangluo covered his head again, "Miss Apollonia, His Excellency Marshal Zhongtan, can you ask them what they want to do?"

[Wait a minute, I'm creating a group for them, exactly one hundred and nine thousand three hundred and thirteen. I'll pick a representative and say, "Hmm." Okay, I've chosen one. Pick up the third dice from the left on the table.]

"This?" Shangluo asked, holding up the tube.

Yes, that's it. Then put the lid back on and shake it hard.

"Like this?" He held the tube and shook it for a long time.

[Okay. They've decided to randomly pick someone, so now open the box, take out the top bean, and let him represent you.]

When I opened the tube, the first layer was full of mung beans, soybeans, and red beans, with only one broad bean floating on top.

"You guys are pretty efficient. Where should I put it?"

Just put it in the composition camera. Then give it to someone you know, and they'll help you create a portrait. They can add some special effects—although Tianyi Guiren itself doesn't have an image, they can draw one.

After finding a blank wall, Shangluo started the camera.

On the ink painting, a ball of ink began to writhe. At first, it was just black and white, then red joined the mix. The swirling paint formed an oval, bean-shaped figure, complete with tiny hands and feet, holding a pen. The figure, with its tiny, sesame-sized eyes, stared off the screen for a moment.

"Hello, hello, hello? Can you hear me?"

"I heard it." Shangluo was sitting behind the box. "Can you see me?"

"Ah, I see, I see. I hear your voice well, do you hear mine well?"

This felt strange. Because the projection on the wall was just an image, the box itself couldn't capture Shangluo sitting behind it. The image on the wall was like a window to a "small world," and the Tianyi nobleman in the image seemed to be sitting at the window, talking.

"No problem, you can tell me now. Your Excellency is?"

"I'm the deputy general of the left-wing Lei Zhen Army's vanguard battalion!"

"What the hell? What are you?"

"Reporting to Lord Chishi and the Marshal, I am the deputy commander of the left-wing Lei Zhen Army's vanguard battalion!"

"Um, should I call you the former young general?"

"Are you going to promote me from the deputy lieutenant of the vanguard battalion to the lieutenant of the vanguard battalion?!"

"Um, okay?" Shangluo tilted his head, he didn't know how to answer.

"Great!" the former general jumped up. "Ah, right, right, let's get to the point. Your Excellency, Chishijun, we're here to answer your summons! Please give us your orders!"

"What orders do I give? You have a hundred thousand. How can I afford to pay you?"

"We don't need to be paid. We came here on our own initiative, so we can work first and pay later."

"No, no, no, that's not my problem. I don't have that much work here—so why did you all suddenly come here?"

"We need to eat Qi. Staying by Chishijun's side brings us auspicious Qi. Yesterday, several soldiers from the Right Wing Telegraph Investigation Army were suddenly promoted to Heavenly Generals, proving that staying by your side is enough to keep us full! That's why we've all come. Give the orders, Your Excellency!"

"Ah," Shangluo said, feeling a slight headache, "The Yellow Book Library wants you to go back."

"Then you can assign us to work in the Yellow Book Library. As long as you agree to let us move to the Thunder Department, we have already prepared the numbers for the five battalions of troops."

[Yes, they just asked me about the serial number.]

"Okay, okay, I'll give you an order. You all go back to where you came from."

Before he finished speaking, Shangluo suddenly thought of something.

"By the way, how's your acting?"

"Our acting skills are as good as Marshal Zhongtan's!"

"That's it."

[If your acting skills aren't good, you can practice! Do you have any requirements? ]

"Here's what I was thinking." Shangluo sat up. "I'm wondering what you think about being extras, because we're planning a storyline in Huzhongtian, and we need some extras to play NPCs, monsters, and other friendly, neutral, and hostile creatures. I'm wondering if you'd like to work there for a while so we can start internal testing of Pure Land right away. If Pure Land is operational, your compensation will naturally be negotiable."

Chapter 318 The Power of Heavenly Soldiers

"Well, former young man, I'd like to interview you. Since you're the chosen one, your opinion represents everyone else's, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," the former young general nodded. "This is in accordance with the law of heaven. Everyone will agree."

"So, are you interested in being an extra? You should be aware of what's going on lately. The Heavenly Court is about to be officially established, and the Thunder Department will be the first department to be established. But before the Heavenly Court is established, we must first build the Ten Directions Pure Land to save the people of the world. Do you want to work on this project?"

"I think so! As expected, if I follow Chishi-kun, I can find a job that brings merit."

"You want merit? But merit is a rather abstract term. What do you really want?"

He thought about it

“We want to be remembered.”