Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"It's okay, thank you." Shangluo put the knife back. "So, why are you here? Where are you going?"

"We disguised ourselves as airport staff and tried to board a flight. Our ride wasn't in vain; we carried all the luggage on the plane. We wanted to go to Thebes, the destined gathering place for the Dragon Tooth Soldiers."

"Thebes?" Shangluo remembered the name, "but didn't the Greek city of Thebes already perish?"

"No. You're talking about 'Seven-Gate Thebes,' which has indeed been lost in the long river of history. But there are two Thebes. The one we're going to is 'Hundred-Gate Thebes.' That city is in Egypt."

"Egypt? But the last time this plane landed was in Ceylon."

"We know, but if we don't take this plane, we won't be able to leave the Roman controlled area. We'll get off the plane when we reach Ceylon. By the way, could you please lend us two thermoses?"

"Huh? What thermos?"

"When your hunting knife fell, it crushed two of my companions. But it's okay, I don't blame you. In fact, because the journey was long and difficult, we had originally discussed crushing a few of our companions and then taking only their Silver Flame to Thebes, where we would regenerate them. But we hadn't decided who to crush yet. There's no need to decide now. Could you please lend me two thermoses, the kind with stainless steel linings? I can put them in and take them away."

"That's not a big problem."

Yes, two thermoses are not a big deal. But the question now is: what are these Dragon Tooth Soldiers going to do?

Shangluo asked this question.

"Sorry, I have to keep it a secret."

"What if I ask Han Xingzhi to ask?"

"Even if our creator asks, we must keep this secret. This is the highest duty of the Dragon Fangs, and we cannot betray it under any circumstances. We cannot tell you the exact location of the Hundred Gates of Thebes in Egypt, nor can we tell you our mission. Even if you refuse to let us go and want to destroy us, we will never tell you. But I assure you, our cause is just."

[It is Amenzeus. They are going to find Amenzeus.]

"Who is that?"

The main god of Thebes, my other brother, is Ammon Zeus, the God of the Morning Sun. His divine fire comes from the Hellenized god Ammon from the Ptolemaic era. Ammon was considered equal to Zeus, and together they were known as Ammon Zeus. As the Lord of Thebes, he indeed commanded the loyalty of all the Dragon Teeth. This is why Rome was determined to recapture all the Dragon Teeth. If they didn't, it wouldn't be a big problem for them to gather themselves. But if they went to Hundred Gates Thebes and joined Ammon Zeus's army, that would be a real problem.

"Is he an enemy?"

I don't know. Amon is the god of seclusion. As Amon, he never reveals his true form. The same is true for Amon Zeus, who also excels at transforming into various animals. We have no idea what he's up to, and these Dragon Fang soldiers themselves will never reveal it. Oh, it's true that enemies often cross paths. Helios wasn't the only one who plotted against me. There's also him, the 'Hidden Sun' behind the veil. He illuminates half the sky like the morning sun at dawn, but his true form remains invisible.

"Um so what are you going to do?"

This is a good opportunity. I'm going to use it to find the location of Baimen Thebes and see what this guy is doing. By the way, I'm going to let him experience what it's like to be marked. Please, do me a favor and hand him the phone.

"Tsk, okay. Your call." Shangluo turned on his cell phone and put the receiver to Longya Bing's ear.

The Dragon Tooth Soldier listened attentively, was stunned for a moment—then immediately stood up straight.

"Lady Apollonia! Yes! It's us! We are following your brother's orders and heading to his kingdom. I'm sorry, you are not our monarch, but this..."

After talking for a while, the Dragon Tooth Soldier sighed.

"Okay." He stood up again.

"What did you do to him?"

I've marked him, just like I was marked myself. I'm going to follow their mark to find Amon Zeus's location, hehe, and then inform Helios. I want to see them fight~~fight~~I want to see who loses their temper first.

"Tsk, that's fine." Having an elephant hiding in the house always makes people feel uneasy. If he could find his coordinates, he would feel much more at ease.

"So we agreed. Can you lend us your thermoses? Two, please. If you don't have sterling silver, you'll want stainless steel linings, and the lining should be reflective. Thank you very much."

Chapter 202 Tears of Stone

"I see. So the 'very heavy thing' is you guys."

Lu Huaiyang noticed something was wrong right away. But like Captain Lin, he thought it might be a problem with the cargo, and didn't notice that the extra weight was due to the many "living people" in front of him.

This reminded him instead.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to see your hands."

"Please feel free to do as you please." The Dragon Tooth Soldier stretched out his hand and let Lu Huaiyang grab it and take a look.

Lu Huaiyang first shook it, then pinched it.

"Tsk." He shook his head. "Sometimes, we Thunder Cultivators tend to trust our feelings too much. Shangluo, have you noticed? I remember you also have a sense of Qi. Did you notice anything different when you first came down?"

"It seems that they are not really visible as stone? Although if you look closely you can tell at a glance."

"That's the same as mine. Captain Lin and I didn't realize, or rather, from an 'inspiration' point of view, that these Dragon Tooth Soldiers were completely human. On the contrary, after a simple confirmation with our eyes, we could tell at a glance that they were not human. In the future, we must take this as a warning, as what we see with our eyes and our sense of aura may not always be the same." Having said that, he knew that his previous judgment was not wrong - if there was any malicious intent, he could also see it, but these people did not have any malicious intent.

Strictly speaking, they didn't even get the tickets for free, because they carried a whole planeload of luggage and stayed in the cargo hold the entire time without going out to sit down, so they were considered "hanging tickets."

"But you did come here smuggled. But you smuggled in on Roman territory. I don't quite understand. What were their demands before?" He asked Shangluo first.

"They said they wanted to jump into the sea when they stopped in Ceylon and then walk to Thebes, a hundred gates away."

"Well, I won't ask what the Hundred Gate Thebes is. You guys," he said, facing the Dragon Tooth soldiers, "how do you know this plane is going where you want to go?"

"No, we had no idea. This plane is actually very far from where we want to go. Thebes is in Egypt, not in Ceylon. As for why we chose this plane, it's because we are too heavy. Only a large transport plane like this can ignore the weight of the five people we added. We didn't expect to meet you all, our benefactors. It is really our luck." After saying that, the two lying on the ground and the two hiding behind the box waved their hands, indicating that there were indeed five people here.

"Well, next question. You're going to Thebes, right? Why?"

Shangluo explained this problem to them.

"So, this is your arrangement? You want them to explore the way?"

"Yeah." Shangluo nodded. Although this was Apollonia's decision, he also agreed to it, so it was also his idea.

"Are you sure they can find it?"

“We may not be able to find the exact location, but we can find a general direction.”

"If you know what you're doing, I won't ask any more questions. I'll pretend I didn't see anything today, but you can't continue to infringe on the rights of the airline. After you get off the plane, please make some money and wire the money for your tickets to Pontianak. Since you're sitting in the cargo hold, just pay for the cargo hold tickets. I'll ask about it later and give you the bill."

"bill?"

Several Dragon Tooth Soldiers looked at each other.

"Do you have any objections?"

"No, no. So all we have to do is pay the ticket? We thought we were going to be thrown out. So really, really all we have to do is pay the ticket?"

"This won't happen again." Lu Huaiyang said this and turned back.

When I returned to the suite, the first thing I did was put away the hunting knife.

"Hmm." Shangluo stared closely and slowly put the hunting knife back into the holster. The blade touched the leather holster, but the holster was intact.

"As expected, it was able to be safely stored in the holster before because the holster is made of leather. I'll make a holster specifically for you when I get home. How do you feel? Is there anything unusual?"

Lu Huaiyang felt much more relieved. If the knife continued to smash around like it did just now, they would have to find another way to help Shangluo put it away.

"Well, after wrapping it in leather, everything works fine." Shangluo hung the hunting knife back on his waist. After Apollonia programmed it with a temporary "operating system," the knife now weighed only as much as a normal sword. Covering a hunting knife with leather was its intended use, and many hunters did so. Furthermore, in the early days of human history, when hunting knives were first invented, there was no other good way to store them except with leather.

In principle, a hunting knife that is originally used for "skinning" will not peel off something that has already been "skinned".

"By the way, Captain Lu, what do you think? Those Dragon Tooth Soldiers down there." Shang Luo asked him after returning to the suite.

"Since you choose to show leniency, I respect your decision."

"Any other reasons?"

"Hmm," Lu Huaiyang thought for a moment, "Maybe it's because they have no ill intentions. I can feel that they are trying hard to be humane. I hope they won't betray our trust."

"I hope so. Oh, and they want to borrow two thermoses. Preferably sterling silver or stainless steel. It seems they intend to take the 'fire' from the two broken ones on the ground and take them away."

"They do need to reduce their weight. Transport planes like ours don't mind the extra weight, but once they get off, they'll have to board other vehicles. If they all keep their weight like a rock, they'll have to walk to Egypt on their own, with no way to get a ride. As for the thermos, I'll go ask."

Lu Huaiyang went out for a while and came back with a few black handbags, all of which were emblazoned with the Lanfang Airlines golden hibiscus pattern.

"This is the suite's gift package, one for each of you. It includes a complimentary thermos with a silver-plated liner, which should be enough. Who among you would like to share your own thermos? When we get to Ceylon, give it to them."

As the sun set and the sky gradually darkened, Hercules 3 landed on the sea. The onboard kitchen began preparing for tonight's dinner, and the flight attendants set up the table in the cabin on the first floor.

From the cargo hold below the waterline, several people came down carrying four thermoses. One was his, one was Han Xingzhi's, and the others were Wen Yuan and Lu Liang's, all packed in a handbag.

"Everyone, this is our thermos. It's silver-plated inside, so it should be enough." Shangluo handed over the belt.

"No, no, no, two are enough, two are enough."

"Bring some extra. If anything happens to you on the road, you won't have to look for a thermos. Be careful on the road."

"."

The Dragon Tooth Soldier's hands were shaking. His hands hadn't been repaired yet, and as they shook, some gravel fell off.

Pearl-like silver threads flowed from the marble eye sockets—Shangluo thought he was seeing things until he heard a few crisp "ding-dong" sounds. Indeed, several shining "white pearls" fell to the ground, tears of stone.

"Everyone, you are so kind. We are mass-produced Dragon Fang soldiers, costing only 5 drachmas each. We don't deserve to be treated like this. It's great to be alive. Thank you."

Chapter 203 Light Bulb

“When you do good things, even food tastes better.”

Outside, the moon and tide rose brightly above the sea, and all around them was the boundless ocean. The Dragon Tooth Soldiers had quietly dived in half an hour ago, their thermoses in hand, never surfacing because they didn't need to breathe. The coconut groves of Ceylon were faintly visible on the horizon. They could "walk" all the way back along the continental shelf—given their weight, they could indeed reach the bottom and walk all the way back. All that was left was to eat.

Shangluo's table was filled with the "Four Heavenly Kings": Hainanese chicken rice, Fujian fried noodles, bak kut teh, and laksa. Setting aside the others, the fried noodles were clearly freshly cooked. He was not far away; he could even hear the sizzling of a large iron wok in the kitchen. The Hainanese chicken rice wasn't pre-cooked either; it was a freshly chopped chicken, as there was only one leg and one wing. Each person had half a chicken, so the four of them chopped two.

"Come to think of it, this Hainan chicken is pretty similar to Yingtian's roast duck," the flight attendant said as he served the dishes. "Yingtian's roast duck is also sold by street vendors, right?"

"It used to be like that," Wen Yuan replied. "Now there are stalls along the street and in small shops. Besides selling roast duck, they also sell other braised dishes."

"That's exactly the same. Hainanese chicken is also sold by street vendors in Singapore, along with barbecued pork and other braised food. It's just that Hainanese chicken rice is the most famous, just like Yingtian's roast duck is the most famous."

"No wonder it's freshly cut, with both individual and whole portions, just like how we cut roast duck. Do you guys serve it with side dishes?"

"Send some fruits and vegetables, and some sauces. What about Beijing?" the purser asked. Although urban life in the World Empire is similar everywhere, there are still some "subtle" differences.

"Our roast duck is served with a broth. It's usually served with some side dishes, usually soy products. Because a lot of oil is used when braising dishes, and this oil can't be reused, soy products are used at the end of each braising session to absorb the oil. These are usually sold at a discount, and some are given away with the purchase of roast duck."

"Let's go to Confucius Temple to eat?"

"No, no, no, the roast duck at Confucius Temple doesn't come with soup. I heard there's even roast duck that's been vacuum-sealed in tin foil. Can you eat it? Just buy it from any street vendor. It's not that bad, it's delicious."

"That's pretty much the same. But don't worry, this Hainanese chicken rice is absolutely authentic and certified by locals."

"Oh right." Shangluo suddenly remembered, "If we go to Xingzhou, where should we go to eat Hainanese chicken rice? Should we also look for it on the street?"

"Ah," the flight attendant thought for a moment. "There were places like this when I was a kid. They're gone now, but there are hawker centers. Those old stalls have opened shops in the hawker centers, so you don't have to go several blocks to eat. You can also refer to this menu; it's a very authentic menu. In addition to the 'Four Heavenly Kings', it also recommends oyster cakes, fried noodles, and fried kway teow. If you want barbecue, there's also satay barbecue. In short, there are a lot of options - are there places like this in Beijing?"

"No such thing." Wen Yuan shook her head. "At least not in Jiangning County. Land is too scarce. But there are some old streets you can visit, and they're basically the same. Oh~~ This fried noodles."

He took a bite and said, "There are so many shrimps in this fried noodle! Such big shrimps! Do you eat so well in Southeast Asia?"

"Because... well, seafood from Southeast Asia isn't very valuable, so we usually eat this."

"Oh!!! I want to move to Nanyang."

"I advise you not to come," the flight attendant shook his head. "It's too hot, and there are too many mosquitoes. Plus, the pressure of having a surname is too great. Some people call Singapore Zhengjiazhou and Pontianak Zhengjiadian. Of course, if you like to eat, you won't go hungry in Singapore. But let me be honest, Nanyang cuisine is most classic when it comes to street food. Above that, it's easy to cross paths with Cantonese cuisine, and the most distinctive thing is the various curries and seafood stews. So, what do you think?"

Shangluo had just finished his fried noodles. He wiped his mouth and said, "It would be better if there were more noodles. There are too many shrimps and I'm not full."

"It's okay, let's continue." The flight attendant didn't go anywhere else. Her job during this period was to serve the meals in the suite. "Then next is the curry crab and steamed lobster. Do you want the nasi lemak with that?"

"Yeah, yeah." The four of them nodded in unison.

"Ah." Shangluo leaned back in his chair. He was full now.

"It's great to be next to the kitchen." Wen Yuan burped. "You can order anytime here and it'll be ready over there. If it weren't too expensive, I'd like to sit here again."

"Then we'll see about it next time someone reimburses us." Lu Huaiyang folded his arms and sat by the side, watching the moon. He ate much less, and a few spring rolls were enough for dinner. This was already within the Eastern Hemisphere, so he could use Fetion, though the signal wasn't very good. After dinner, he was idly scrolling through his messages.

After a while, the chief stewardess came in with a few flight attendants. "Please step out and wait for a moment while we make the beds. We need to lower the folding beds from the wall."

Shangluo glanced back—he hadn't noticed before that the soft-padded part on the wall was actually a foldable bed. It didn't take up space during flight, and could be folded down and stored for rest. It was quite convenient.

Because there were five people in the room, the flight attendant laid the airline sofa flat and laid another one out.

While everyone was busy inside, Shangluo and others went out.

"Well, what should I do?" He looked left and right. On the left was the cockpit and on the right was the kitchen.

"Is there anyone who hasn't eaten enough? Let's go eat some more." Wen Yuan raised her hand, and the other two followed suit and slowly raised theirs.

"Well, I'm full. I'll walk around, you guys continue eating."

He staggered to the door of the cockpit - he wanted to see what the difference was between a normal civilian aircraft and a rocket plane.

Peeking in from the cockpit door, the pilot's seat and radio station on either side were empty; the crew had gone to eat. Only three people were squatting in front of the control panel, making a lot of noise, and I had no idea what they were doing.

"Hmm?" Captain Chen looked back when he noticed someone behind him. He saw a familiar look in his eyes.