Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"No need." Shang Luo took a deep breath, and the Qi sank into Dantian. After taking a deep breath, he covered his mouth and nose and began the circulation of the small heavenly circle. The Qi sank into Dantian, guarding the mind and no longer being disturbed. This is at least the basic skill of a great cultivator in the foundation-building period. Although he has never really practiced it, the basic breathing has become instinctive.

"Huh." Victoria breathed a sigh of relief. "Sure enough, it's safe to follow you out. But Shangluo... even if I know you have this side, I still won't be disappointed in you. It's just... that pink unicorn, I really can't do it, really can't do it."

"So what kind of people are willing to get along with others?" Shangluo pressed his forehead. "What's the difference between this and dying in front of the computer without deleting the browser history! It's terrible!"

Chapter 1014 Brain

"It turns out that we can exchange a lot of information after meeting each other." On the way back, Victoria felt a joy she hadn't felt in a long time. It's much more fun here than in the palace.

Shangluo and Phaethon also sat in the back seat. Although there were three people in the back seat, the car was so big that they could lie down without any problem.

"But I do have a question," she asked Shangluo, "Does your emperor really like to invite people to dinner?"

“It was also the first day I met him.”

"Me too." Phaethon looked at the window on the other side. "But she is really amazing, much more amazing than Apollonia."

【What does this have to do with me? 】

"The emperor knew we wanted to eat braised pig's face this afternoon and sent a portion to the Royal Guards. You don't even know whether I should step with my left foot or my right foot when I go out."

[I've already told you that I left my brain at home. How can I do mental arithmetic?]

"So you have a brain?"

[How can you say that? I am the Envoy of Wisdom certified by your master. I can be an Envoy of Wisdom even without a brain. If I had a brain, I could do the work of many Envoys.]

"Come to think of it, what's your brain? I find it a pity that you mention it occasionally."

【This is my neural network mapping module. 】

"Her base," Phaethon added.

[Don’t talk about it as if it’s a graphics card dock! ]

"Let me explain." Victoria shook her head. "That is actually Apollonia's throne, the seat of the gods. It is actually a ceremonial temple. According to Aurora, it would be more appropriate to call it a 'spiritual house'. She stayed there when she was in the Divine Domain."

"I have a question," Shangluo asked, "Can the Oracle still operate normally when she is not here?"

"It's not completely normal, but..." Victoria hesitated and said, "It's not necessarily true that it won't work without her. You see, the Oracle has been operating normally."

[This is entirely because the Oracle is now only a mysterious monitoring organization and has lost its ability to predict the future. So it is the same whether I am there or not. When I was born a dozen years ago, I pushed the Oracle's career to the peak. At that time, the Oracle had a tendency to overshadow the Palace of Muses. A large number of phlogiston submarines and Athens' submarine fleet dominated the entire Roman supernatural world.]

"Let me remind you, that was just a flash in the pan. Ever since the Akashic Records were destroyed, the decline of the Oracle was inevitable." Phaethon, who was standing next to him, held his chin in his hand. "As a baby at that time, you did nothing at all. You just 'sat' there. When you really started to grow up and become sensible, that was when the Oracle began to decline."

As a relative, Phaethon ruthlessly exposed Apollonia's true colors.

[Why are you trying to destroy my stage? Why? Woohoo. This is all Shangluo’s fault. And my niece is unfilial. It breaks my heart.]

"What does this have to do with me?!"

"Um," Victoria thought for a moment, "it seems to be related to you. The Akashic Records are the sum of all known information stored in the ether. The code of the Akashic Records was originally only readable by the Oracle or a few people here. But you - let me say first, I haven't confirmed it's you, but judging from the time, there should be a connection - about ten years ago, the content of the Akashic Records suddenly doubled."

[Wow, wow, wow, wow. An unscrupulous DoS attack. The Oracle's computing network was overwhelmed by the flood and has completely dissolved.]

"Then why are we alright here?"

"How would I know? Perhaps you don't like extending your synapses into the Akashic Records, and only search when needed. So, far from being affected here, the amount of content you can search has actually doubled. Damn it, damn it."

"Then I am the same. I can't help you." Shang Luo spread his hands and said, "It's not my own will. There's nothing I can do."

[Forget it. But don't underestimate me. Although my ability to predict the long-term future has failed, I can still predict my personal destiny. My fortune has been very good recently.]

"But, speaking of which, Shangluo." Victoria suddenly turned around, "It's not that everyone doesn't resent you."

"why?"

"Some people think that if they kill you, the Akashic Records will be restored to their original state."

"Oh my, who is it?"

"A lot of people." Victoria replied, "If necessary, I can ask the internal security to draw up a list for you. Do you want it?"

"That's not necessary for now." Shang Luo shook his head. "I think it's just like someone under Cao Cao defecting to Yuan Shao. In that environment, when a problem arose, the first thing to do was to solve the person who caused the problem. I think this is a very normal idea. I don't really care what they think - but if they really take any action against me, that's another matter."

As he spoke, he looked at Victoria: "So, is there a list of conspirators?"

"Yes, I can help you draft it. But you are the dictator, as a one-man committee, you can order the Internal Guard to investigate on behalf of the Senate."

"Then can I let the Royal Guards and the Internal Guards jointly investigate the case?"

"Yes, of course, and you can rest assured that the Krypteia guards will be loyal and efficient - without exception. And they must all be citizens from the 6666 elder clans, and there will be no barbarians mixed in."

"But aren't those the elders I want to investigate?"

"That's different." Victoria replied, "All the inner guards have gone through the mercury test, and their loyalty is absolute - this is a secret, and I can only tell you when you officially take office. But specifically, the source of the strength of those inner guards is because their power is all in the hands of the emperor. I know this may be a bit cruel, but that's how the Romans are."

Phaethon turned around and said, "So I advise you to get to know him better. This guy might be tougher than you think. He has already taken back his power."

"You have the heart of a Caesar!"

【High emotional intelligence: Your mind is as broad as Caesar’s. 】

"Well, I think this is very reasonable." Shang Luo replied, "Since it is not a power that I have cultivated, then the one who can take it should be the source of the power."

Shangluo answered as a matter of course. This seemed like common sense to him. It was reasonable and logical.

[High emotional intelligence: I am a very reasonable person.]

Chapter 1015 Victoria's Plan

[High emotional intelligence: I am a very reasonable person.]

"What about low emotional intelligence?" Victoria asked in a low voice.

[Don't let him find an opportunity. If he finds an opportunity, he will beat him to death. That's why he said just now that it doesn't matter if you nag him, but if you dare to actually plot, the inner guards will come to your house, and the Jinyiwei will also go with you to confiscate your house - he is a person who values ​​order very much. But within the framework of order, his kindness and hostility have no bottom line. ]

"I have no objection to this evaluation," Shangluo replied. "In my opinion, there is no difference between people who do the wrong thing with good intentions and people who are evil and premeditated. The former are even more harmful because they are harder to detect. I don't judge good and evil. The specific sentencing is the court's business. All I have to do is to ensure that all power stays where it should be and does not appear in the hands of people who should not be there. I will do everything I can to ensure that the sun will rise as usual tomorrow."

"Your political wisdom is as profound as Octavian's! Oh no, Octavian's greatness is not even 40% of yours."

[Isn't what I said able to stop you from having delusions about her? Well, it's up to you.]

"I'm surprised you didn't stop her?" Shangluo asked in private, "This is not like you. Victoria is not your relative."

[Because Victoria really needs you now. She is one of my few friends. Without your help, she will definitely face an unfortunate fate. Of course, this does not mean that I will let my guard down. I just know that you will never take advantage of others in distress.]

"Oh~~ is it true?" Victoria suddenly said, "I really like you two more and more! And, and Phaethon! It's great to meet you!"

[As expected. You can hear even private chats, right? Victoria, your power is growing day by day.]

"By the way, Victoria, do you want to have a midnight snack? Actually, there is still a lot of braised pig's face, and some parts have not been served after the food was distributed. If you don't mind, why don't you eat something before going to bed?"

"Okay~~"

Watching Victoria, who had eaten her fill, walk into the painting, Shangluo turned off the lights in the living room.

【She went to sleep. I could feel that she couldn't hear us talking.】

"She has really become a lot stronger."

[As the boundaries of her self dissolve, the emperor's rule in her is constantly being revealed. She is the pinnacle of the mysterious feudal system, but she is unable to show it due to her personal characteristics.]

"She has too many responsibilities, and she should have been given the power to match them. Otherwise, the throne would have become a pure torture device. I even had to readjust Mr. Agathocles's evaluation of me. If he gave the throne to his daughter just to pass the buck, it would be too unlike what a father should do. If there is power accompanying it, it is understandable. But."

[But if this power comes, it will cause your self-consciousness to dissolve, which is probably not what you expected. ]

"I don't think this is what Lord Agathocles wants. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let his daughter come to us for treatment. But this situation is really tricky."

Shangluo sorted out the problems Victoria was facing now——

It seems that many questions point to one point: where exactly did Victoria eat the "Fujian Mapo Tofu"?

【That makes sense. Victoria's current condition is obviously beyond the expectations of Lord Agathocles. Logically, her self-awareness should not be weakened so quickly. It has only been a few months since we last met, and her current condition is like the needle of a pressure cooker. Moreover, after seeing us, her condition seems to have worsened. The course of the disease that originally took a day to complete now seems to be completed in a few hours.】

"And she's gotten stronger. She couldn't hear us at first."

Apollonia agreed. "I can't guarantee she can go through a few more cycles of this kind. We need to act quickly, for your girlfriend's sake."

"For the legacy of the Roman Empire."

[Tsk, which one is more important in your eyes? If Victoria and the Roman Empire fell into the water, which one would you save first? ]

"I'm not a weightlifting champion! The two capitals and thirteen provinces are already heavy enough, and you want me to carry four more Romes, right? Do you think I'm Atlas? Did I offend someone to be punished to carry the sky?"

[Ah, so you will choose to save Victoria, right? ]

"Miss Apollonia, wise, don't play tricks on me. If we save the land but lose the people, we will lose both the land and the people. If we save the people but lose the land, we will save both the land and the people. If we lose Victoria, what will happen even if the Roman Empire can transition? Without Victoria, the legitimate monarch, to maintain supervision of the entire process, the transfer of power between us and Rome will never be completed smoothly."

[Ah, I understand. You found a reason to love her, right? Tsk tsk tsk, you are such a reasonable person. ]

"If you don't like it, I can restrain myself."

[Wow! You have learned to come back now, right? Shouldn't I be the one to say this kind of moral kidnapping? ]

"Calm down, both of you." Phaethon pushed open the door and came back from outside. "When can you two act like adults and stop quarreling after just a few words? Shangluo, the intelligence has been delivered."

After Phaethon entered, the sound of a vehicle leaving was heard at the door - Grani had just gone to the Imperial Prison again. In addition to collecting the lunch boxes from the Jinling Hotel, he also delivered information on the interrogation of "Miss Teng" in the basement.

【What does it say above? 】

"Interesting. So that's how it is. Is the situation different from what I thought?"

【How to say? 】

Phaethon beside him lowered his voice: "Japan has lost contact."

[Huh? What's going on? ]

Shangluo quickly turned to the last page of the report and put it back into the paper bag:

"Thinking about Miss Satou's situation, it's really despairing. She did receive an order from Japan, but there was no response to the order sent back. All her connections with Japan have been completely severed since a while ago. Even their entire intelligence network has been cut off from Japan."

[Huh?] This situation surprised Apollonia. [How could a country with more than 100 million people lose contact?]

"The Imperial Guards said they were in contact through official channels. In fact, a telegram was sent two hours ago, but there was no reply at all. The key to this problem is that because Japan is closed to the outside world, we don't even know when Japan lost contact. But..."

【but? 】

"But when the tribute comes, everything will be known." Shangluo shook his head, "The day is coming soon. If they don't come when the tribute comes, this matter will be completely made public."

Chapter 1016 Morning

"What, Japan lost contact?" Zhu Xianxun took off his sunglasses on the recliner and put the comic book aside. Even in the polar sun, sunglasses are still required.

Today, Zhu Xianxun was still leaning on the recliner, eating shaved ice on the iceberg. There was a small shovel stuck in the snow next to him, so he could add more ice after eating.

This afternoon was clear and sunny, a good day for retreat. Zhu Xianxin requested that no one disturb him unless necessary. Whether it was "necessary" was determined by his closest colleague, who was also his closest person.

"Yes." Yang Jing repeated on the phone, "Japan has lost contact. Shangluo called to inform us of the news. Your junior brother thinks this is very important."

"This should indeed be called me. If I remember correctly, the population of Japan is about 100 million people? How did such a big country lose contact?"

"Japan is a closed country, and its connection with the outside world is intermittent. It is more likely that only Japan could lose contact. It is impossible for North Korea to do so."

"When was the last time we contacted Japan? I need to estimate when the changes started."

"The Imperial Guard said it was three months ago. At that time, they were discussing this year's tribute, and agreed on the amount of tribute that Japan would pay this year, as well as the specific types of tribute. The Imperial Guard said that the conversation went smoothly at the time. They said that this year, North Korea wanted to add 2000 gold-painted folding fans and a gilded bronze Buddha statue, and North Korea would exchange them with tractors and other products of corresponding value. The transaction was led by the Ministry of Rites, and the two sides had a harmonious conversation in Beijing, and the discussion was very specific. However, after the Japanese envoy returned, no information was sent back."

"This is normal, isn't it?"

"According to the process, it seems to be like this. Japan is intent on closing its borders. The imperial court does not oppose Japan's self-made national policies and will not contact Japan unless necessary."

"But no matter how you think about it, it's still a bit outrageous that nearly 100 million people isolated overseas just disappeared like that."

"Do you want to care?" Yang Jing asked.

"Since you asked me this, of course you know my decision."

"You don't care, do you?"

"The one who knows me best is Yang Aiqing."

Yang Jing paused and said, "I think you are going too far. If you don't take care of this matter, will Shangluo take care of it?"

"That's just the beginning. Not attending court for at least 30 years is too much. I didn't build a monastery or a leopard house in the palace. I just closed myself off for a while. How can that be too much?"

"What if I tell you that the lost Japanese territory is conducting encrypted communications with automata? What do you think?"