Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

As the monarch of Rome, Victoria saw something more important - the balance of power had been tilted mercilessly. Now that Rome had fallen, she could not ask Zhendan to treat a weak person with courtesy. After all, even brothers had to settle accounts.

Perhaps for the sake of Shangluo and their past friendship, Zhendan would give Rome a decent treatment. But Victoria herself knew that the position of the empire was never given by others.

[Victoria is offline. She is inspired.]

"But even if they were motivated, the Romans couldn't make entities as fast as mirages. Mirages can be made in any way you want, as long as the environment is right. And the Romans need to make them step by step - not to mention that it will be even more difficult to make these entities after you enter Cybertronia."

[Well, I think Victoria would know. But she showed her fighting spirit, maybe she really knows a plan.]

"She knows it, don't you?"

[Alas, have you forgotten? Rome is said to be a country, but in fact it is 6 independent parts. As a member of the Oracle, I am not aware that the actions of the Senate are very normal. In fact, in the past, Victoria would not have been irritated by so many crabs. Because Rome was still intact at that time, everything still had a chance. But now half of the Roman Empire has been destroyed.]

"Isn't your territory still there?"

Those territories are just colors on the map, meaningless. What's important is the formation of the 'Six Romes', and the symbolic significance of New Antioch as 'another Constantinople'. With the destruction of New Antioch, half of the Roman Empire was undoubtedly lost. Even if it were only half of what it was before, I think Victoria would just need to be furious.

"It could just be anger."

[Well, it is possible. But don't underestimate the ambition of the Romans! ]

"Yeah, I did see that." Shangluo thought of Victoria taking out her wallet. "I always feel that the Romans' wealth is like water in a sponge. As long as you squeeze it hard, you can still squeeze out a lot of things."

As he was talking, Ao Zang went to arrange the transformation of Crab General and returned to Shangluo.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting. Hey, why isn't that lady who looks like Shangluo here?"

"She went to rest." Shangluo explained.

"Ah, I saw that the look she gave the Crab General before seemed a little hot. I've only seen such an expression in Romans."

"Oh? King Ao Zang, you know about this?"

"After all, it's the same thing. They treated it as a treasure and tried to save it for many years but couldn't collect 500. But I suddenly revealed nearly of them. Anyone would be upset. But it's the fact. However, if your friend Shangluo wants to know the weakness of the Crab General, it's not impossible."

"There is a weakness? Is that something you can talk about?"

"The Dragon Palace has no secrets in front of the imperial court, so of course we have to tell them." Ao Zang explained, "These crab generals are very different from the Romans' phlogiston submarines - they have no self-awareness."

【oh? 】

"Oh?" Apollonia and Victoria, who were a little depressed just now, became excited - it was a bit absurd to say that they were excited. But being able to get some comfort did make them feel more relaxed.

"So what does it mean to have no self-awareness?" Shangluo asked.

"To put it simply, the Romans regarded those 'phlogiston submersibles' as a state of cultivation, which is why it is so difficult to expand the standard. We regard the crab generals as necessary weapons to invest in, so of course they are different. Weapons do not need self-awareness. These crab generals can only be driven by the crab slaves when the real dragon descends on the battlefield. They are usually in a dormant state - well, just like the dormant hairy crabs in the vending machines that you have seen in Shangluo. Pure weapons, it's that simple."

After saying that, Ao Zang spread his hands and said, "It's just a weapon, there's nothing to worry about. Please continue to maintain the status quo, Rome, it's fine like this."

Chapter 1155: The Stigma of the Country

"So Victoria." Although she didn't say anything, Shangluo still sent a message to her, "King Ao Zang's point is very reasonable - you don't need to compete with a group of soulless combat weapons. You can have a more far-reaching direction to study, such as cultivation."

This is indeed the truth. No matter how strong these crab generals are, they are just tools. The Dragon King himself will obviously not become a crab general.

"The term 'cultivation' is very oriental," Victoria said, "such a thing doesn't exist in Rome."

"Is that so?"

"Let me put it this way. The history of the development of mystery has its own historical evidence. The essential thought of Roman mysticism is closer to the alchemy of the pre-Qin period in China. In Xu Fu's time, there was no real 'cultivation'. Everyone from top to bottom wanted to find immortality, elixirs, magic, etc., so as to achieve liberation. The closest thing to cultivation in Roman mysticism is the gold refining emphasized by many secret religions, that is, alchemy."

"Alchemy, isn't that similar?"

"Although it is very similar, it is not. Alchemy is ultimately just about refining external elixirs. The advancement of alchemy is the advancement of the elixir, not the advancement of the person. Before alchemy truly achieved the elixir of immortality, it could not gradually strengthen the human body. If it could, the Romans' bodies would not be so fragile that they had to rely on strengthening their souls to gain false immortality. This is essentially not entering into true immortality, but rather moving from the realm of alchemy into the night walk of the mystical arts."

[Excuse me. Victoria, your blood pressure is rising. Haven't you noticed that your words have become stiff? Shangluo is really lucky to be friends with you. I can see many different sides of you in a day. In the morning, you have four legs, at noon, you have two legs, and in the evening, you have three legs.]

“That’s just who we are,” Victoria sighed. “I’ve just become more real.”

[I want to remind Victoria, and Shangluo, that Victoria's current mental state is related to the fate of Rome. Rome is in irreversible decline, which is why she, the king who is "scorned by the country", has become depressed. Shangluo, you don't have to follow her rhythm.]

"I know." Shangluo replied, "She has been criticized by the country, so I am just accepting her criticism. After all, we are friends, so it's okay to listen to her complaints more."

"Wow, wow, wow~ You're so nice~ No matter how I change, you can accept my state. I don't know what to say."

[Well, in fact, maybe if Victoria is in a good mood, Rome's national fortune will also rise. ]

“Do I still have this function?”

[Otherwise, why would your father give you the position? Because he himself seems unable to assume this function. His heart is too complete and too tough, and he is unable to show the spirit of the empire. You are different. You are much more sensitive than him, so you can more deeply understand the fate of Rome's defeat. You are grieving for the fate of Rome.]

"Eh?" Victoria asked, "So it's not me who's making friends with Shangluo, but the Roman Empire? Am I the personification of the Roman Empire's national character?"

[No, you are not the personification of the Roman Empire - you are the master of the empire. There is a saying that goes, if you keep a dog for a long time, it will become more and more like its owner. Sometimes the owner will become more and more like the dog. You are the master of the empire, and I think your influence is greater than the other two.]

"Then am I not guilty?"

[How have you committed any crime? All I can say is that your fate is still unable to save the empire that is doomed to fail - but your fate is already very good, you have found the best destination for the failed empire. Didn't you find Shangluo? ]

"Ah! Yes, yes! As expected, Apollonia, you are the most professional. You are the true emperor of Greece. You have dispelled all my 'bad luck'."

"To some extent, our roles complement each other. Rome's supreme leadership has been divided among several people for a long time. If all six Romans were present and each of them were extremely prosperous and powerful, perhaps the empire could truly be revived. However, the current results aren't bad either."

"Ah~~ Indeed. It's good to find a home." Victoria paused, "After the war is over, I also want to find a place to rest."

【Come to Shangluo's house. His house is quite big, you can stay here forever. 】

"I haven't said anything yet, so don't take it home for me."

[Victoria is different. She is different. She is a good person that I have certified and she is my friend.]

"And what about Phaethon?"

[She is different too, she is my relative. And she is very strong, okay?]

"What about Yanqiu?"

[Please, Yanqiu is so pleasing to the eyes. ]

"Well," Victoria suddenly said, "Didn't you say that people in the same family become more and more alike when they live together for a long time? I think, Apollonia, you seem to be becoming more and more like him."

[Tsk, it doesn't matter. After all, I see the world through his eyes. But having said that, I'll give you a suggestion - what the Dragon King said is actually quite right. You can practice more with the techniques of the Phlogiston Submarines.]

"Eh? What do you mean?"

[Just don't think about dying and not caring about anything else - there are still many things you can do! Why do you all think that the empire's demise is a matter of course, and don't resist? Although demise is inevitable, you can decide the way of demise. Didn't you find Shangluo and help the empire find the best ending? Then in order to reach this ending, shouldn't you be more active? ]

"Wait a minute." Shangluo asked, "So the Roman Empire hasn't used its full strength yet?"

[How can you know if you have done your best if you haven't done anything? The Roman Empire is like Victoria's wallet, if you squeeze it hard, you will always get something. The current situation is mainly because many people in the Senate believe that the Roman Empire is doomed to perish in the world, so there is no need to invest in it, and only maintain the minimum military force. However, although the emergence of Shangluo did allow Rome to find the final solution, the speed of Rome's demise was greatly accelerated. If it remains in its current state, I think the death of the Roman Empire may not be very beautiful. ]

"Huh?" Victoria was stunned for a moment, "Is that so?"

[Let me make it clearer. Victoria, you have to do something. Otherwise, you might die a miserable death. Even if the result is destined, the process is also important. Is fate really undefeatable?]

Chapter 1156 The Fate of Rome

"Well," Victoria was silent for a long time, "Actually, what I was thinking, Shangluo might be able to guess - you can guess it, right? I think you can understand me. It's about fate."

"What do you think? It's really hard to guess - so you are thinking about those gods in mythology who wanted to defy fate. They tried their best to avoid the end of the world, but in the end they only accelerated the end of the world, right?"

"As expected, you understand me. In fact, the entire Roman Empire fell into a negative state, which is also related to this. Perhaps it is also because many people believe that fate cannot be defied."

"By the way, there is a question I have always wanted to ask." Shangluo asked, "Why do you think that the Roman Empire will fall?"

"That, you'll have to ask Apollonia."

"???"

【You have to ask me about this, it’s my prediction. 】

"Then why do you think so?"

【I have no idea. 】

"????" Shangluo fell into deeper confusion, "Why? Why don't you know?"

【Didn't someone say that children under the age of three can see through the sky? Yes, that was a prophecy I made when I was a child, when I didn't even remember anything. I didn't even know what I predicted, but it wasn't actually my first prediction. I just made the final confirmation of the "collective doomsday image" that emerged within the Roman Empire. Decadent, degenerate, and hopeless. When I was still a child, I predicted that "the Roman Empire was dying and was destined to die." But to be honest.】

Apollonia thought for a moment:

[Actually, don’t tell me I don’t remember what I said. Even if I did say it, it’s useless.]

"why?"

[Because my words are useless! I am the Greek emperor 'Pythia', the master appointed by the gods. But my prophecies must be interpreted by the oracle of the Apollo sect to become true prophecies. So what I say is not important at all, because to be honest, what everyone sees is actually the interpretation of the priests of the Apollo sect. No one except you will listen to my words directly. ]

"So, speaking of that," Victoria also replied, "Shangluo has now become the only oracle of Apollonia. We can actually communicate with Apollonia through you. I think this may indeed have led you to the destiny of the 'King of Rome'. It is reasonable for the oracle to become the priest king."

"So in the final analysis, have you verified the truth of the oracle?" Shang Luo pointed to the ground, "Just like now. We have established diplomatic relations with Xu Fu. At first, we thought that Xu Fu wanted to revive Qin Shihuang and kept infiltrating back. But now it seems that Xu Fu's goal is us instead."

【On you.】

"It's not hard to say, but it seems to be on me. It seems that Xu Fu has always wanted to invite me to a certain place, so that things have developed step by step to the present. I have begun to rethink the previous matter of 'Qin Shihuang sending money'. What about you?" Shangluo asked, "Could this prophecy have problems from the beginning?"

"Is that so?" Victoria thought carefully. "But this isn't just a matter of one generation. It's a matter of several generations. It's just summarized here at the end."

"Maybe this is a conspiracy that's been going on for generations? Some people want to destroy the Roman Empire this way. Don't you agree? So no matter what, you can do more."

"I've made up my mind!" Suddenly, Victoria's spirits became high. "You're right, we can do more! What we've done is not enough!"

【Why do I feel like you are squeezing her again.】

"How do you know how much water there is in a sponge if you don't squeeze it? I don't really believe in fate, let alone fate interpreted by 'people'. Although the end of the Roman Empire is indeed in my best interest, right? I'm telling the truth, this is the truth. For me, the Roman Empire is better dead than alive, right?"

"Ah~~ I just like you being so honest."

"Because it is the truth. But I still hope that Rome will die in a better way. As it is now, it is hard to believe that Rome will die in a good way. Speaking of fate, we also have a view on fate: there are fifty great ways, forty-nine are derived from heaven, and man escapes one - fate is the result obtained after man fails to participate in it. No matter what, man can fight for a ray of heaven's secret. As long as he intercepts this ray of heaven's secret, fate is not irreversible."

"So, you're right," Victoria replied. "I do need to be more positive, no matter what. Even if it's just for me, even if it's just for myself, I need to cheer myself up."

[You seem to be particularly energetic today? What caused your change? It must be Apollonia's wisdom and enlightenment, right? ]

"Actually, it was mainly because I was hit by King Ao Zang and my heart was broken. In the end, I was broken and then I stood up again. But Apollonia, you are also very important. It was you who helped me put my broken heart back together. Shangluo is even more important. Without you, I don’t know what I can do after I put it together. So, I decided——"

She paused: "I'm going to send troops to help you!"

"So, this is the situation." Titus stood in front of Lu Huaiyang, "We had originally booked a table at Songlin Pavilion today, and were going to eat classic health-preserving soup and classic Korean cold noodles. But because of the order of our emperor, we are now here, hoping to help Zhendan solve the current problem."

"Great!" Lu Huaiyang nodded repeatedly, "You guys are really a great help here. To be honest, there is a problem that has been bothering me: Xu Fu's killer is still very dangerous. It took a master like General Fu to deal with it. I'm afraid it's difficult for me."

"It's not the first day we've worked together. How can you ask us to solve something that you can't solve?"

"Ah~~" Lu Huaiyang waved his hands, "I know you can't solve it. But even though you can't solve the problem, you can die for us."

"???"

"Anyway, you can be resurrected even if you die. But it's different for us. If we die, we are really dead. Even if we don't die, we will still shed a layer of skin."

"Okay. Okay. Since this is the order of the Emperor, I can only do this. But as for the health-preserving soup..."

"I'll treat you. The Jinyiwei still has some funds." Lu Huaiyang patted his chest, "And I just heard that the target you are going to protect, the one who is now imprisoned on our ship, is called Jing Yi. I heard that he has 'healthy cattle' at home. They are very nutritious."

Chapter 1157 Witchcraft

"Your Majesty. It is really rude to greet you here, but we are relieved to know that you are well."

Titus met Victoria in the battleship's tea room. Unlike here, Neiwei and Victoria didn't seem to know each other well. Unlike Zhu Xianxun, he even knew the person who restocked the vending machine.

After all, Victoria needed to be shrouded in mystery. Zhu Xianxun didn't need that at all. He had been wandering around for a long time, even ordering takeout for meals - this was simply unbelievable to Victoria, which was why Titus was surprised that she had escaped the care of the court and was hanging out with Shangluo.

"Are you used to eating this?"

“The boiled eggs were delicious.”

"Boiled eggs?"

[Eating spiritual food every day, this treatment is not available even to the emperor. Only in Shangluo is there enough. This is what I eat too. ]

Phaethon explained, "In short, it's great food. Her Majesty Victoria eats much better here than at home."

"Master Phaethon, your presence here also makes us feel much more at ease."

"So you are worried about Shangluo?"

Shangluo was drinking tea on the sofa in the tea room. He raised his head when he heard someone talking about him.