Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Hey, well, do you have any more of this steamed bread? Please make me some fresh ones tomorrow morning, and make more."

"Yes, I do. What are you going to do?"

"You'll know when the time comes." He glanced at the clock. "It seems to be about time. Well, I should go to bed. Where are the homework Wen Yuan gave me last time? I'll practice my calligraphy first. I don't want anyone to do it for me when the time comes. I'd better write it myself if I can."

The next day at noon, at the racetrack.

"Hey, Shang Tianjun." From a distance, Gao Shiyu could sense that Shang Luo had arrived. They were very familiar with each other, so it was easy to recognize him. "Did you just get out of class? Why are you here so early?"

"Hey, the competition is tomorrow, so I have to come early. I even brought you something good - do you want to know what I usually eat?"

"Is this something we can say???" There were quite a few people around in the Yanshan team's lounge.

Because Gao Shiyu couldn't do anything at this time, he was the most free when everyone was busy.

"Hey," he lowered his voice, "you are the Lord of the World appointed by Daozu, can you really tell me about your daily diet?"

"No, normally not, but it's okay for friends. I brought it specially today."

"Please let me read it, no, taste it. Even if you put croton seeds in it, it's worth it if I can have a bite."

"Tsk, what are you thinking?" Shangluo looked at him. "Our country has a complete set of criminal laws. How could I possibly put croton in it?"

"Really?" He took off his blindfold, opened his eyes for a rare moment, and stared at Shangluo for a moment. "It seems to be true. You're really kind. You just come to bring me a meal? How did you know I was hungry?"

"No way? No one gives you food?"

"Well, don't be fooled by my sometimes impressive appearance. But I usually just offer guidance. When things get really busy, I can't really help, and sometimes I get forgotten. I'm used to it, and I don't want to bother everyone. Missing a meal isn't a big deal. So, what did you eat?"

Shangluo took out the food box in his hand, opened a layer, and took out a piece of steamed bread wrapped in oil paper.

"Isn't this panda food?"

"Good boy! You know it!"

"Brother, there are pandas in Shuntian too! I've fed them several times. They're exactly the same, the same smell. I have a pretty good nose, I can remember it after just one sniff - but this one is particularly memorable because feeding pandas is such a fond and nostalgic memory for me. Ah, the feel of the hairs standing up, like a brush, it's really addictive."

"Well, did you eat it then?"

"Who in their right mind would fight with a panda for food? Wait, the atmosphere is not right! Sorry! I didn't mean it! I will never tell anyone about you fighting with a panda for food!"

"Why are you so sensitive only at times like this? Are you eating?"

"Ahem." He hesitated, "To tell you the truth, I wanted to eat at that time. I just didn't know that no one was watching, so it was difficult to act in a hurry. Later I found out that no one was watching me, and I felt very sad. It's a pity. I'll try that taste today too - your taste is very authentic as soon as you smell it, that's it."

He picked up a steamed bun and took a bite.

"Hmm, it seems to be based on cornmeal, with the aroma of roasted soybeans and rice, probably from the addition of soybean and rice flour. There's a base flavor, probably from the addition of a little salt. It's rather fluffy, probably from the sugar. It's fluffy yet has a chewy texture, probably from the egg. And most importantly, the bamboo powder? It has a bamboo aroma. I wonder how meticulously crafted it is."

"Can you taste it so accurately?"

"I'm just trying to get a rough idea of the flavor. I'm not a professional chef. A professional chef would be able to figure out the proportions of the recipe by tasting it. But is this really delicious? It tastes exactly like I imagined, not delicious, not terrible, and it has no flavor at all. Do I have to reach a celestial realm to find it delicious?"

"correct answer."

"Wow, that panda is pretty impressive, actually eating the same food as the Celestial Beings. So, this mint-flavored torch shouldn't be a panda ingredient, right? Is it a Celestial Being-specific recipe?"

"Tsk, did you figure it out?"

"Nonsense! From my perspective, it looks like your belly is glowing! I saw the steamed bread glowing when you took it out. I didn't tell you until I thought you added something good to it, so it glowed. After eating it, I realized you just poured some tofu into it and mixed it with flour! What the hell did you want to do by tagging me?"

"It's nothing, just eat slowly. Here are a few pieces left, would you like your sister to try some too?"

"Ah, let me remind you, our country has a complete set of criminal laws! If you put anything strange in there, something bad will happen! I'm not kidding, Master Lan is watching from above."

"Don't worry, don't worry. Do you believe me? If you do, then keep eating."

Gao Shiyu said nothing. He ate another piece of steamed bread, not knowing whether it was because he was hungry or because he believed in it. The mark grew thicker and brighter.

[OK, no problem. Number Two said we can lock onto them at this point. We can then activate the peach torpedoes and stick to them. Then, give each team a portion of steamed bread. As long as they eat it, we can lock onto anyone in any team.]

"I didn't expect them all to eat it. Anyway, they don't have any blind people over there, hehe~ I can just put the Torch Mark on their car."

As he said that, he stood up and said, "Okay, I have to go to the next place, eat and drink well. See you later."

Chapter 486 Delivery

"Hey, good morning." Shangluo entered the Lan Fang team's lounge wearing his ID card.

"Good morning." Someone was walking out of the door with a clipboard in his hand and greeted Shangluo.

then

Then no one cared about him.

There was no one sitting in the small lounge. The entire "Bawangjiao" truck, like Tang Monk in the Silken Web Cave, was swathed in cables. These cables connected to various devices in the room, each with several people standing behind it. Four pairs of people were gathered around the truck, one holding a work permit and the other holding an inspection tool.

"Single cover plate A is normal. Single cover plate B is normal. Bracket assembly No. 1 is normal. Thermal insulation pad is normal."

These two were checking the mechanical structure using a checklist, while the other two were checking the electrical system with electrical work permits.

In one corner of the room, stacks of cans, like soda cans, were stacked one above the other. None of them had any labels, and they were all neatly stacked. No one in the lounge was idle; everyone was busy with their own things.

"Um, who are you looking for?" Shangluo stood there for a few seconds. The man holding the clipboard came back and asked, "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

He suddenly blinked: "Are you, Shang Tianjun?"

"Yes, it's me. You are."

"Lin Chengyang, we met at the last birthday party. But this is the first time we talk alone. Well, nice to meet you." He stretched out his hand, and the two shook hands with each other's wrists - just like before, this kind of etiquette that seemed strange in Kinai seemed more familiar to him.

"Shang Tianjun, what's going on?" Lin Chengyang adjusted his glasses. His glasses were a size too large for his eye sockets, clearly not fitting him properly. The temples were as thick as fingers. Clearly, these ill-fitting glasses were causing him some problems, but he clearly had a special purpose in wearing such large glasses.

"I'm coming. Oh, by the way, have you had breakfast?"

"We had breakfast at the hotel. Is there anything else you need?"

"Would you like to try this steamed bread?"

"I'm sorry. The country doesn't allow us to eat casually, but we appreciate your kindness. If you allow me, I would like to have one on behalf of the whole team."

Shangluo was stunned for a moment - it was useless for him to eat, Lin Chengyang was not a driver at all, and even if he ate he would just stay in the audience and would not go out.

"Is there anything else you can do?"

"what"

"If you would like to see the Lan Fang team's equipment, you are welcome to visit. However, according to the instructions of the national surname, we cannot let you stay here for long before the game is over. If you want to chat, can we go to the corridor to talk?"

"That's fine. I'll leave the steamed bread here, you guys can take your time eating while you get busy?"

"Thank you for your understanding." Lin Chengyang took a step back and bowed slightly to him.

"Tsk." Shangluo came out of the Lan Fang team's lounge and closed the door.

The atmosphere here is completely different from yours. This is the first time I've seen such tense Aurora people.

"Maybe it's because the atmosphere in Lan Fang is different. They don't have so much free time, and those chosen here are all professionals, not extracurricular activities like us. They are really serious about preparing for the exam."

Apollonia glanced inside. "They ate it. I saw many scattered spots of light, as if he was inviting everyone to eat. Many people took a bite, including the driver. Their expressions were hard to describe, because the taste was neither delicious nor terrible. Oh, they all went to drink water, as if they were choking."

"What about the lockdown situation?"

"That's not going to work. They're sharing the food, so this little bit isn't enough. Also, there seems to be strong sympathetic interference in the room, so I can't see too many details."

"They're really, really nervous. But he seems nice enough?"

"He's just being polite, that's all. He doesn't seem to be planning on developing a relationship with you beyond 'politeness'. Tsk, you get turned down sometimes too."

"I'm not a nine-tailed demon fox, so how could everyone be so open to me? It's normal for them to behave like this. In fact, this state of affairs is what I'm more familiar with."

[I remember that you reserved a place for them in the future map, right?]

"To correspond with Gao Shiyu, I reserved a position for the Lan Fang team in the Fire Department. But with no familiarity, it's going to be hard to carry out future work. Perhaps it will be better after the competition is over. I don't dislike people who follow the rules; they seem quite principled. The Heavenly Court also needs some serious people. Otherwise, if everyone is like those people in our team, the Heavenly Court will be doomed. It's just that the work has not been done."

The Lan Fang team was the favorite to win, and Shangluo was planning to launch a torpedo attack on them. If they couldn't get up...

"If we can't get it up there, it's hard to guarantee victory. Looks like we have to use Plan B."

[Plan B? What is Plan B? Why don’t I know about it?]

"Because I don't know what it is. Tsk, let's look back and see how many of them need Plan B. For the next one, let's go to Wudang and have a look."

"Hello, Senior Zhang." Shangluo came to the Wudang team's lounge carrying a steamed bun.

The lounge was completely empty; no one was standing by the cars, busy at all. He'd assumed the team had left, but the door was open and the cars were parked, which didn't look like they were leaving. He glanced around and realized everyone was busy on their phones.

The sofa in the lounge was crowded with people, and everyone was holding a sign and poking and swiping. No one even noticed Shangluo coming in from the door.

Only a few people weren't checking their phones. They were doing Tai Chi in the garage with their backs to the main door, seemingly doing morning exercises.

"The Taoist masters are really in a good mood," Shangluo muttered to himself. The Wudang team came from Wudang Mountain, and all of them were Wudang disciples. Although Wudang didn't require all students to become monks, it did have certain requirements for their lifestyle.

But that's just how Daoye's life is. Now the time for morning reading is over, it's time for morning exercise.

Browsing the phone and using Fetion cards can be considered a form of morning exercise to some extent.

Zhang Baoling sat up—she still hadn't seen Shangluo. She sat up to grab the Coke on the table. Holding the straw in her mouth, she tossed the bottle into the trash can. Then, like changing a magazine, she opened another one, inserting the straw from the bottom up and continuing to sip.

"Huh?" Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone standing at the door.

"Hey! Here?" Zhang Baoling took another look and confirmed that it was Shangluo, then put down the phone, "Shang Tianjun is here to work on Parallax."

"Um, let me see you, Taoist. How are you?"

"It's fine. Everyone is practicing diligently. Look how hard they work. Even if they don't drink a little Coke, it won't keep up with the brain's energy consumption. Alas, there's nothing we can do. As a cultivator, how can we become an immortal without hard work?"

Someone next to him echoed, "Yes, yes, Senior Sister is right." Then he continued to look down at his phone.

Chapter 487 Plan B

[Are they too relaxed here?]

"I don't know either." Shangluo wondered, "I also want to know what the Taoist is thinking. But if I knew what the Taoist is thinking, then I can become a Taoist too."

"Oh, come on now, and what are you bringing with you - is it for us?" Before he could finish thinking, Zhang Baoling interrupted her.

"This is... This is the staple food I usually eat."

"Is this celestial food?" Zhang Baoling's eyes lit up. "Can I have a taste? Thank you so much!"

[Good boy, this one took the bait!]

Shangluo was overjoyed and opened the food box: "Come on, Senior Zhang, have a try?"

"Good~~~" Zhang Baoling grabbed a steamed bread and took a small bite. "What a complex taste."

"How about another try?" he suggested. Since Zhang Baoling was indeed the driver, she could just eat it.

"Indeed. This is the food of the gods. If you don't try it more, you might not be able to tell the difference. Hmm." She took another bite, two bites, and three bites.

"how is the taste?"

"Ah, it tastes pretty good actually. Just a little bit choking. Slurp, slurp." She took two sips of Coke and drank the whole steamed bread.

She nodded: "The food of the celestial beings is indeed extraordinary. Just eating it makes me feel like I am glowing."

"what?"

"Wait a moment." She put down the Coke, sank her breath into her dantian, clasped her right hand in front of her chest, and took a deep breath.

"Hu~~" She exhaled true energy, and two golden lights came out of her nose. When she opened her right hand, the golden light dispersed.

[Malacca! She brought up Jusu! How did she bring it up?!]

"Tsk tsk tsk." She patted Shang Luo's shoulder, "Shang Tianjun, didn't Lu Liang tell you that there's no way this little trick could be hidden from us? You could almost fool that little blind man."

"When did you find out?"

"I noticed it the moment you came in. Your basket was glowing. I wanted to watch from the side, but none of them stood up to greet you, so I had to do it myself. Sigh, next time, at least try to be more discreet."

As he was speaking, someone came in carrying two large bags and asked, "Your takeout has arrived! 35 servings of hot dry noodles!"

"Come on, come on," Zhang Baoling replied, turning back to Shangluo and asking, "Want to save some for a bowl? This place is super authentic, it was recommended on the forum. I ordered takeout last night, and it was super authentic. Even the little paper bowl for the hot dry noodles was exactly the same as the one at my doorstep."

"Well, thanks."

While burping, Shangluo walked back:

"Well, failed again."