Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Oh, sorry, I'll leave now."

"No, no, no, don't go. Shangluo, right? Come in, come in. Are you full?"

"Thank you for the treat. I am very full."

Shangluo pushed the door half open and walked in carefully to avoid touching the buttons on the walls on both sides.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"We have a light bulb that I can't fix. I've been busy all day and even gave it Wangzai milk, but it doesn't work. I've fixed it and taken it apart, but it won't light up. Can you take a look? Come on, everyone, get out of the way and let the professionals take care of it."

Chen stepped aside first. Seeing this, the others also stepped aside even though they were not familiar with Shangluo.

"Okay, let me try." Shangluo stepped forward, took the light bulb, twisted it, and then... He resisted the urge to lick it, just let out a sigh and screwed it back in.

The light bulb went on.

"Professional!" Captain Chen was about to applaud when suddenly there was a "click" and the light bulb went out again, and a switch flipped somewhere behind him.

"It seems like the problem is a bit serious. Do you have a picture?" He unscrewed it again, and the others went to check which switch had tripped just now.

"Wait a minute, the map is here." He was about to lower his head to search when a searchlight suddenly lit up on the distant sea. One, two, three, the searchlights and navigation lights connected in a string, like a flying swallow with its wings spread out to the left and right. At the same time, a call came from the radio.

Captain Chen picked up the intercom, spoke quickly to the person inside, and hung up.

Shangluo didn't understand.

"What's going on? What's up ahead?"

"It's okay. It's the Lan Fang Fleet, probably from the Chengzi Air Fleet. They said they have a temporary mission here and asked when we should take off. They need to use carrier-based aircraft for a part of the escort. It's not a big deal. We'll fly to Singapore tonight as planned. I'll give you the picture. I was wondering if there's not enough Wangzai milk. Do you want another bottle?"

Chapter 204 Fixing the Light Bulb

"Where are the people from Shangluo?" It was almost time for the second take-off. Lu Huaiyang returned to the room after finishing smoking, but there was an empty seat.

"In the cockpit." Lu Liang leaned on the armrest with his chin in his hand.

"Why is he going to the cockpit?"

"Fix the light bulb."

"What exactly is going on???"

Shangluo was the one who had come to fix the lightbulb. Four people gathered in front of the small control console, while the other two crew members watched from the back.

Everyone, even Shangluo, was stunned. He could indeed fix the lightbulb, but even after it was fixed, it kept going out and malfunctioning over and over again.

Shangluo had already hit "Him" several times, but the plane seemed surprisingly "tough". Every time he raised the hammer, the light went out again.

"By the way, what kind of lamp is this?"

"It's the flaps indicator light," Captain Chen replied. "If the flaps are in the takeoff position, this light will be on. It should be on now because we are preparing for takeoff."

“Is this lamp important?”

"Of course the flaps indicator is important, but there's more than one such important light. There's also one on the passenger side. The passenger side light is normal, and I can see it there. But I can't see such an important light, and it always makes me feel uneasy."

Suddenly, another call came from the radio.

"Hercules Three, Hercules Three." This was the signal from the fleet ahead. It was much clearer than before, and there was also the faint roar of an engine overhead, the reconnaissance aircraft relaying the signal.

Captain Chen picked up the intercom.

After a brief conversation, they shook their heads. "They saw it hadn't taken off yet, so they asked if we could help. There's nothing we can do. It's about to take off. Shangluo, can you fix it?"

"I just don't believe it!" Shangluo was arguing with the plane. Even the Apollonia couldn't withstand his hammer, and this plane was so awkward. Even if he had to knock the cockpit off today, he would definitely fix this lightbulb.

"Then you can go sit in the back. There's a folding seat for flight instructors. You're familiar with it, right? It's the same one on the Ninghe. After all, they were made in the same factory."

Shangluo sat in the mechanic's seat again and fastened his seat belt.

The Hercules 3 activated its nighttime navigation lights and taxied across the Tianzhu Sea. The reconnaissance aircraft overhead avoided its path and began escorting it to its flank. Shangluo glanced out the side window. The reconnaissance aircraft beside him also activated its navigation lights, illuminating the red "Sincerity" character on its tail.

In the night, the Chengzi Air Squadron of the Lan Fang First Fleet advanced in a standard flying swallow formation. Its flagship, the Chengsheng Armored Carrier, like the other battleships of the Lan Fang Fleet, was named after the character for "sheng," such as Weisheng, Gongsheng, Yongsheng, and Rensheng.

Like other aircraft carriers, the Chengsheng's island is on the starboard side of the deck. On the gray-black deck, sailors dressed in the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth coordinate the takeoff and landing of fighter planes.

There was a huge "Chengsheng" printed on the front of the deck. The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng". The front of the Chengsheng was decorated with the words "Chengsheng".

Various escort vessels deployed on both sides, and the aircraft carrier's takeoff and landing operations continued at night. The hum of propellers could be heard all around, and a group of fighter jets were lined up on the Hercules's left side, escorting the Hercules—actually, they were sandwiched in the middle to guide it, fearing it would stray from the right path.

This situation has been informed to the passengers on board, so it can be considered an extra benefit. After all, it is not always possible to see the scene of aircraft carrier training.

"Oh~~" Wen Yuan didn't wear a seatbelt, and he leaned against the window. This was the aviation team he wanted to sign up for in the future, but he wanted to sign up for the Imperial Guards' aviation team, not Lan Fang's.

Lu Huaiyang, holding his spring rolls by the window, moved half a body away from him so he wouldn't touch them. As a Qigong practitioner, holding the tray steady during takeoff and landing was a piece of cake for him. Once the plane was in steady flight, he put the tray down.

"Why haven't you come back yet?" He glanced at the door, but still didn't see Shangluo, so he walked to the cockpit by himself.

When I pushed open the cockpit door, there were still four people squatting in front of the control panel, including Shangluo.

"You. What are you doing?"

"Fix the light bulb." The four people answered in unison.

After holding on for another 10 minutes, Shangluo retreated in frustration. Yawning profusely, he walked out of the cockpit, leaving behind the other three pilots who also looked grim.

“Why. Why can’t it be fixed?”

"Your eyes are wide open, what's going on?"

"I've been tinkering with that lightbulb, and it just won't work. Ugh! It's become a real obsession for me!"

Lu Huaiyang patted him on the head and said, "It's not so easy to become obsessed with your inner demons. Not everything in this world can be figured out. People who practice Taoism should keep a calm mind. Although I'm not your master and it's not easy for me to teach you, if I had been obsessed with this kind of thing before the accident, I'm afraid I would have been hit on the head. I know that even though you don't say it, you are still a little nervous. After all, you are about to establish your foundation. When people are nervous, it is indeed easy to externalize their emotions on external things. But you have to forget these troubles, forget them all. So are you nervous?"

“I’m a little nervous actually.”

"Don't be too nervous. While the Dao Fruit is important, the journey is just as important. So at this time, forget about everything else and go to sleep first. The reason the Hercules ticket is so expensive is not just to ensure you eat well, but most importantly, to ensure you get a good night's sleep. Sleeping well during intercontinental travel and staying in good condition every day are very important for those whose time is precious. So if you're in a bad mood, go to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up. I've made your bed, and you've got your toiletries ready. Then, take a shower and go to bed."

It’s dawn. The blue sky of Nanyang, the blue sea of Nanyang, the white clouds of Nanyang.

The Hercules flew over the Strait of Malacca, passed by the cargo ships passing through the channel, and flew towards Singapore's Changi Airport on one side of the strait. Singapore's skyscrapers could be seen in the distance.

"Ah~~" Shangluo stretched. He slept very well last night, as if something happened?

"Nothing, nothing, don't worry, nothing happened." Apollonia quickly persuaded him.

"The more you talk, the weirder it seems to me. Is there something else going on? That lightbulb! Never mind. I'm in a good mood right now. If it can't be fixed, then it can't be fixed."

He took out his Fetion card. When he arrived in Singapore, he had to let Zhu Xianxun know he was safe.

“We’ve arrived in Xingzhou.”

Zhu Xianxi immediately sent a thumbs-up emoji to indicate he'd received it. He was refining the elixir at that time of morning, and was incredibly excited, so he replied particularly quickly.

He sent another dog head emoji:

"The stone statue has been moved to the entrance of Yuxi Palace. The lion is a bit scary. It doesn't bark or make any noise, just squatting nearby. Do you have any solution? I can't even open the door."

"Its name is Luoluo." Shangluo replied, "If you call it by its name, it should obey."

"Let me try"

A few seconds later.

"Hey, it worked. Thanks. I'll feed it some of the leftover pig's trotter bones. The furnace is already heated up. I'll see you over for lunch tomorrow."

Chapter 205 A Day of Leisure

"Oh, there's one more thing." After talking about dinner, Zhu Xianxun suddenly sent another message:

"Have you seen Victoria?"

"Victoria?" Shangluo thought for a moment, "Which Victoria?"

"The Roman Emperor Augustus should be a bit older than you by now. The last time I saw her was five or six years ago, so I might not remember her now. Did she say anything to you?"

"Uh no."

"What about her father? Emperor Agathocles, he's probably the vice-emperor now. He became vice-emperor after abdicating in favor of his daughter. He's now in charge of general affairs. Have you met him? He's probably in his forties or fifties, with short hair. He should be wearing a purple toga embroidered with gold, which he had custom-made at the Inner Weaving Bureau in Jiangning. I remember him always wearing that purple robe, both in public and in private."

"No." He had indeed never seen such a specific feature. He had seen people wearing other togas, such as Mayor Caesar, but that was the formal attire of Roman citizens, worn to receive guests. He had never seen anyone wearing such an exaggerated outfit as the purple toga embroidered with gold.

Zhu Xianxin on the opposite side paused for a moment.

"They sent a very important letter."

"Is it a good thing?"

"It can be considered a good thing. But nothing is best. Anyway, let's watch it together when you come back. By the way, I want to ask you what happened. See you later."

"See you."

Shangluo closed the chat thread with Zhu Xianxin and was about to put down his phone when he suddenly glanced at the discussion group for this operation - there were dozens of new messages in one night, all in red!

Click to see.

Han Xingzhi opens the Tetris game. Wen Yuan joins the battle.

Han Xingzhi opens the battle with "Snowman Brothers and Sisters".

Han Xingzhi opens the battle scene of "Metal Egghead".

Han Xingzhi opens the battle of "Cat and Mouse".

Two Wang Lingguan avatars, one black and one white, were posted there all night, dozens of games played. The most recent one was at 7:10, just now.

Shangluo glanced to the side. Wen Yuan, who was sleeping in the next bed, was leaning against the pillow, rubbing the jade token in her hand. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was full of fairy spirit.

"What the hell are you two doing???" He waved his hand in front of Wen Yuan, who looked up at him.

"What?" Glancing at the sunlight through the window, Wen Yuan suddenly sat up. "(*Jinling Yayan*) It's dawn! It's dawn!"

"Huh?" Han Xingzhi beside him suddenly looked up. "How come it's dawn so soon? We just started playing."

"Heh." Lu Liang, who had already gotten up, sat on the chair, shaking the juice cup in her hand. She was the most self-disciplined person to get up first and even finished her breakfast.

"What time is it now?" Wen Yuan shook her head.

"7:10." Lu Liang announced the time. "Don't worry, keep playing. It's still early. If you keep playing, you'll become an immortal in no time. You won't even need to cultivate. How convenient!"

Wen Yuan punched herself on the head twice to sober herself up before asking Lu Liang, "Where's your dad?"

"I went outside to have breakfast with the captain."

"He didn't ask me about anything, did he?"

"He woke up this morning and saw you two concentrating on polishing the glass. He sneered and left. He didn't say anything."

"What should we do?" Han Xingzhi looked at him. "How about continuing?"

"Go on." The two of them collapsed onto the pillows and continued to scrub the glass. They had nothing to do today anyway.

Shangluo Fang looked at the ceiling. He really had nothing to do today. As a busy man, it was a rare day for him to have some free time.

"Steal a day of leisure from the busy life" was also the slogan he saw in the Lan Fang Airlines brochure. As the name suggests, today is a day of leisure, a leisure time during the journey.

This day is very special. Truly busy people don't have time for long-haul ocean cruises, which can last a week or even 10 to 20 days. Airplane rest periods are often too brief to allow for adequate time, and the cramped space of a plane makes it difficult to fully relax. The Hercules III bridges the gap between cruises and business travel, offering a leisurely day, but not too long or too short—just the right amount.

This day was spent in the Nanyang metropolis of Xingzhou, named after the Sanskrit word "Sihapura," which translates to "Singapore" or "Xingapore," literally meaning "Lion City." Temasek, the earliest colonizer of Xingzhou, was one of the earliest colonial companies to go to Nanyang, along with the Lan Fang Company. Temasek, a different name used during the Yongle era, meant "water town." Temasek has now been acquired by Lan Fang as a subsidiary.

Looking out the window, Shangluo can see the urban area of Xingzhou City. The section near Changi Airport is the classic Nanyang Old Street, characterized by its arcades. The sidewalks are shielded from sunlight by protruding buildings above, which ride over them and provide shade. The first floors are also used as street-side shops. This structure has been further extended into corridors in modern times.

Beyond the sprawling old town, far from Changi Airport, lie the skyscrapers of Singapore's city center. While these buildings lack pedestrian walkways on the ground floor like arcades, they do feature skywalks between them, allowing pedestrians to pass through them without being exposed to the equatorial sun. In other words, if you're in a good location, you can practically live in Singapore without being directly exposed to the sun all day.

——That’s what it says in the brochure.

If Shangluo had gone out for a stroll today, he would have probably been able to see the "Nanyang Arcade" and "Corridors between Skyscrapers" mentioned in the guidebook up close. But today was a rare day off, and he didn't want to go anywhere. He even wanted to polish the glass with them.

"Ah, forget it, let's go to sleep." He fell down and covered himself with the quilt again, and began to take a nap.

"Ah. Wake up again."

Good morning, boy. You've taken a full 20 minutes of nap!

"I'm such a hard-working person! I can't even sleep when I want to." He glanced up at Wen Yuan, who was lying on the bed next to him. He was already sprawled out, his nameplate facing upside down. Han Xingzhi, across from him, was in the same position. Ultimately, both of them fell on the final leg before becoming immortals.

"Ah, young man." He shook his head. After confirming that Lu Liang was not there, he changed out of his pajamas and began to wash up.