Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

The courier straightened up and, with a thud, poked a cylinder against the door. "Your name is written on this. If you refuse to accept it, I'll return it."

[That's it! The Spear of the Sun God! They sent the Spear of the Sun God to you by express delivery!]

"My goodness, can this thing be delivered by express?"

Seeing Shangluo was also stunned for a moment, the courier asked tentatively: "How about returning it?"

"No, no, it seems to be mine." Shang Luo reached out and took the Spear of the Apollo. As soon as he picked it up, he noticed something was wrong. It was indeed heavier, much heavier than before. Holding it with one hand was a bit difficult because it was hard to maintain balance. Holding it with two hands was fine, though.

He closed the door, leaned the Spear of the Sun God against it, and stood behind it with his hands on his hips.

"Why do you seem to have gotten heavier?"

[Sun exposure replenishes phlogiston, which naturally causes weight gain. However, it will probably take more than a decade of sun exposure to reach peak weight. Sun exposure alone isn't enough.]

“So what should we do?”

【What should I do? 】

"I have to go out soon! I have to go to Captain Lu's house to fill out some forms. He has something to tell me. But isn't the Spear of the Sun God very important? How can I leave it at home without worry?"

"Then take it with you. It's not like you can't take it on the subway."

"So I can actually carry it!" Shangluo carried the Spear of the Sun God into the subway station. There were indeed police officers at the entrance, and he wanted to walk in as if nothing had happened. But the police officer just glanced at him and left him alone.

I told you they're allowed. I checked the Yujing Railway's passenger information, and they're allowed. Because students often bring their own weapons to training, bows and arrows and spears are allowed on the train, as long as they're properly wrapped. Of the traditional weapons, only muskets and cannons are prohibited, as the gunpowder could cause a fire.

“But this spear is too long.”

With a bang, the gun tip hit the door lintel.

"Hey! Students over there!" the police officer standing at the door shouted, "I'll pretend I didn't see you carrying oversized items in there, but please don't damage public property!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Shangluo stood on the escalator with the spear in his arms and disappeared from the police's sight.

The height of this escalator is not suitable for carrying a spear that is more than two meters long and nearly three meters long. The size is indeed over the limit.

The people in front and behind him made room for four or five steps, fearing that he would turn around and sweep across with his spear.

[By the way, where is Lu Qianhu's home? ]

"No. 16-2 Wuyi Lane, didn't you hear me?"

"I need to sleep too. How can I be on call 24 hours a day? I'm not your maid. By the way, where is Wuyi Lane?"

"It's at Confucius Temple. It takes four subway stops from here to there."

[Ah! Confucius Temple, isn't that the famous tourist attraction?]

"Locals won't go to tourist attractions. The food is expensive and tastes terrible. They even sell roast duck there without any marinade. It's completely soulless. But the Confucius Temple has the Confucian Temple and the Imperial College, and it's full of tourists and tribute students. It's usually so noisy that it's like a temple fair, and during temple fairs you can't even touch the ground. I think Captain Lu doesn't like noise, but he has no choice but to live there because the Jinyiwei's territory is right there. Alas, today is a weekday, I hope it won't be so crowded, but I guess it's unlikely."

"Sure enough." He emerged from the subway station, and just as he'd imagined, the area in front of him was still packed with people. Confucius Temple was a famous tourist attraction in Nanjing, as the imperial examinations were still underway. Those hoping for a good score would come here to pay their respects to the Master, but it was unclear which one he would bestow his blessing upon after everyone had paid their respects.

This area itself lies outside the Imperial College. As the nominally highest institution of learning, even today, with the rise of major public and private institutions, the Imperial College maintains its unique political status as the foremost institution of higher learning. This is because the Imperial College also served as the venue for numerous imperial ceremonies, such as the "Linyong Ceremony." The Imperial College itself is a tourist attraction; beyond its four internal buildings, the teaching areas, and the main hall, all other areas are open to visitors.

"Ah, it's so crowded. Please move aside." In order to prevent his spear from hitting others, Shangluo Zhengfu spoke out to remind people.

The nearly three-meter-high spear stood out among the crowd like a flagpole. Passersby stepped aside when they saw him carrying such a large object.

"Hey, wait a moment!" Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder from behind.

Shangluo raised his spear before turning back—the man behind him wore a long blue silk robe, draped diagonally over his shoulders. Underneath was a long cotton coat, painted with a mosaic of family crests. He had black hair and eyes, and was straight and tall, resembling a Chinese.

【Tsk, Romans.】

"Are you Roman?"

"Oh, yes, yes, my friend from Aurora. I am really very happy to visit the capital of our ally, another civilized country in the world. Please forgive me for my limited vocabulary." He grabbed Shangluo's hand and shook it violently.

"Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Roman! Don't shake me, this is heavy! It will fall down!"

"Oh! Sorry. But I have a small request, I want to delay you for five seconds. Look over there, that's my camera slave. This Londoner is a bit ugly, isn't he? Sorry, sorry, I don't want to bring it to Aurora, but I really like taking pictures. I only brought four slaves with me this time, and he is one of them."

"So what do you want to do?"

"Take a picture. Just a picture. Ah, the supreme skills of Aurora, a martial arts competition full of martial virtues, this is what civilized people should do. I want to take your picture and include you in my travelogue. Five seconds! Just five seconds."

"Take a picture." Shangluo turned half a circle with his spear in hand and stood side by side with the Roman.

The Roman waved his hand and told the slave to press the shutter in Latin.

The shutter flashed and a puff of green smoke emerged.

"Okay?"

"Thank you! Thank you! You people of Aurora are so kind. Please enjoy this glass of iced grape juice. My drink slave carried the insulated box all the way here, so it should still be cold. Thank you so much."

Chapter 61 Lu Liang

"That grape juice tastes good, but isn't that Roman overly enthusiastic?"

Shangluo recalled the taste of the drink he had just had. It was indeed a very good taste, because he had drunk something similar at Phaethon's place. Phaethon was a very honest man.

[The Romans were like that, lacking in common sense. They said whatever they wanted to say right then and there.]

"But he actually has slaves? Photography slaves? Drink slaves? Is this scientific?"

Those were actually prisoners of war. The Romans only took them as slaves and gladiators, but that's beside the point. The important thing is, if you knew the 'more' interesting things that happened in the great houses of Rome, you'd probably think it would be better to gouge your own eyes out. It might seem stupid, but it was necessary on a grand scale—I mean, to maintain the Roman state, including the extravagant lifestyle and slavery. Because it was the only way to maintain the 'holy lie' of Constantinople. So this isn't science, it's magic.

"Holy lie? What is that?"

Sorry, this is the only thing I can't tell you. It's not that I have to keep it a secret from you, but because if I reveal it, it will leave a mark in the Akashic Records, and that mark will break the Holy Lie of Constantinople. I want to ensure that nothing related to the Holy Lie is exposed to the public, and I have sworn an oath to the Great Styx. That foolish Roman cannot possibly know this, because if one more person knew, the Holy Lie would immediately explode in Hagia Sophia.

"A memetic weapon?"

I can't say more, not a single word. But it was one of the three centers of Roman mysticism—Constantinople for the theurgy, Alexandria for alchemy, and Delphi for astrology. And three secondary centers: Syracuse for physics, Rome proper for sociology, and the ideal city that summed up all "practices": New Antioch in America.

"So, that guy just now is one-sixth of Rome?"

Indeed, the Romans you see appear on the side of the 'magic', and they are also the de facto rulers of Rome. However, they themselves have not yet realized that this is a deliberate shaping, and they themselves actually enjoy this decadent obsession. To put it another way, when you go to Alexandria, you might see the obsession with alchemy. And in New Antioch, you will see the indomitable engineering maniacs. They have forcibly divided themselves into six branch empires, three main and three auxiliary, and simultaneously pursued breakthroughs in the six ultimate realms of knowledge, avoiding any dead end that would lead to the demise of the entire empire.

"So, what would happen if I woke up the person just now?"

"You mean breaking the divine deception on the magical side? That would be horrific, like Hagia Sophia would literally explode. And it's not so easy to break. You'll need your own enlightenment, and I can't tell you. At least not now. For now, let's prepare to meet the Dao Ancestor. If possible, I have something to ask him."

Wuyi Lane was a relatively secluded area within Confucius Temple. Turning into the capillary-like alley, he found the entrance to 16-2 by following the sign.

As a fifth-rank centurion, Lu Huaiyang's home was very grand, occupying two squares and having a land area of 160 square meters.

Considering the land price here, it was indeed outrageous that the garrison only granted him two grids.

Although there were two plots of land, the house only occupied one. The other side was empty, just a courtyard enclosed by a wall. The door of the house was on the side with the courtyard.

Shangluo stood at the door, leaning his spear aside before ringing the doorbell - it seemed impolite to ring the doorbell with a weapon.

"Ding Dong." He pressed the doorbell, and someone in the yard immediately answered:

"Who?"

It was a girl's voice, and she sounded about the same age as him.

Shangluo remembered that this was Lu Huaiyang's daughter, named Lu Liang, the one who kicked three times in one second.

"Is Captain Lu home? He asked me to come this morning."

"Shangluo, right? My dad said you were coming, wait a moment."

The door opened from the inside. Lu Liang appeared behind it. She was wearing only a fitted sports vest, her long-sleeved tracksuit casually tied at the waist. Her ponytail was a little disheveled, and sweat was beading on her forehead and shoulders. Her exposed shoulders revealed streamlined lines—muscles. They weren't exaggerated, but rather well-proportioned. She had clearly been working out; the white towel hanging around her neck was slightly damp.

Her legs were wrapped in a tracksuit, so her outline was invisible, but just looking at her upper body, you could tell how much muscle she had underneath the clothes.

It really is the ability to kick three times in one second.

Shangluo knew why Wen Yuan was always afraid of her.

"My father had to go out for something urgent. He said that the Imperial Prison needs to temporarily interrogate those Mayans. I won't entertain you. Go into the lobby and sit by yourself. Pour yourself a glass of water."

"Yes," Shangluo obeyed her command subconsciously. Because those muscles were so convincing, he couldn't even think about anything else.

"But can I bring the thing in? It's a weapon."

"Weapons? No problem, bring them in. You'd better take them to the inner room, there's no room outside."

After getting the owner's consent, Shangluo walked in carrying his spear.

"Hey!" Lu Liang took a step back. "Big Spear Boy? Which guard is he from? This spear is unexpectedly a bit shorter. Interesting. Three moves?"

Only then did Shangluo realize that this wasn't a courtyard at all, but a martial arts arena. Opposite the gate stood a weapons rack, a variety of long weapons arranged in a row like scalpels. In front of the racks stood three wooden dummies, divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. Each one was patinated with a patina, even glowing.

"No, no, no! I don't know martial arts! I really don't!"

"Really not?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Shangluo nodded quickly.

Lu Liang didn't believe it, so he stepped forward and pinched his shoulders. Then he pinched his upper arms, forearms, chest, ribs, and all the way to his waist.

"Tsk, it's okay that you don't have any true energy, but you actually haven't practiced at all." She looked very disappointed. "Then please come in."

Shangluo walked in and sat down in a daze, his mind blank.

"Too terrifying, too terrifying!" He felt even Phaethon wasn't this terrifying. Phaethon gave off a sense of stability, but this guy always felt like he was stepping forward, even wiping his sweat with his hands was like he was poised to attack. In every sense, there was no sense of distance.

This girl is amazing. She only has a low concentration of phlogiston in her body, but her strength level is already good enough to be selected into the Roman Praetorian Guard.

"Are all the Jinyiwei monsters? What's Wen Yuan's level?"

Wen Yuan's strength is more restrained and flexible, but she lacks such strong muscle power.

As he spoke, the muffled thud of the wooden dummy could be heard from outside. Like being hit by a machine gun, the three muffled thuds of the wooden dummy were almost continuous. Three hits followed by three more.

"That's it." He quietly walked behind the inner room door and looked out. Lu Liang's stance was minimal, but his kicks were extremely fast. Three kicks hit the lower, middle, and upper sections, causing the three sections of the wooden dummy to spin almost simultaneously.

Four kicks. Not three. Two in the previous section. I take it back. She's not worthy of being drafted into the Roman Guards. She could just go for a centurion.

Chapter 62 Gift

Shangluo sat back down silently. He didn't dare hold the spear again, but he also didn't want to let go of such an important object. He could only sit there, holding onto the Spear of the Sun God.

"Why do you always hold a spear? Is it rented?" Lu Liang's voice suddenly appeared at the door.

"Ah, almost. I was going to ask what to do."

"That spear? My dad didn't tell me. You can ask him when he comes back. Also, I have to practice beforehand. Please forgive me for the poor hospitality. Anything to drink? Soda or juice?"

"Just juice."

Lu Liang walked into another room, opened the refrigerator, searched inside for a while, took out a can of juice and threw it to Shangluo.

She also opened another bottle for herself, stood at the door and drank it all in one gulp.

"Ah, I'm alive again. As expected, drinking iced Coke after practicing is the best. Dad, you're back?"

She pointed at Shangluo and said, "Here you are. I will treat you well."

Shangluo looked towards the door again, and Lu Huaiyang suddenly walked in silently from outside.

These two people walked silently, which made Shangluo feel insecure.

"Huh?" Lu Huaiyang was stunned when he saw Shangluo holding such a huge pole. "Why did you bring the spear? Are you going to spar with Lu Liang?"

"No, no, no, I'm just asking how to deal with this."

"What do you mean by what to do with it? This is your trophy, so of course it belongs to you. It seems to be a good magical weapon, with pure spiritual energy inside. Of course, you can confiscate it if you want, I don't mind."

"Forget it." Shangluo put the spear aside. Although he didn't know what use the spear had now, it would be nice to use it as a clothesline.

"But we do need to borrow it. The stone statue has been transported to the Imperial Prison, and we've set up a formation in advance. Inside the Imperial Prison, even if he's a land immortal, he'll be suppressed. Once I break open the stone statue, I'll take out the opportunity inside and give it to you."

"What happened to that Mayan guy?"

"What Maya?"

Lu Liang held onto his Coke and didn't finish it: "Dad, didn't you say you were going to interrogate that Mayan?"

"You misheard. I went to arrange a position for Maya in the Imperial Prison. After all, we can't just let it go of the fact that they betrayed the Imperial Guard. We want to see how he got in touch with the network. Trying the case is another matter. Hmm."

He glanced at Shangluo:

"Anyway, you're going to see Daozu tomorrow, and I might need your help in the future, so it's okay to tell you—Shangluo, do you know what the Nanzhen Jinyiwei does?"