Chapter 8: Technology, Culture, Magic

Unlike the Wonder he had imagined, which would only be a small patch, what truly unfolded before Li Ang was a massive steel structure that was almost impossible to fully explore.

Even though he had decided to relocate the settlement area and had the sudden inspiration to move the entire population into this gargantuan steel city, in Li Ang's estimation, this only occupied about one-thousandth of the entire Ancient Ones' Experimental Zone.

Aside from the parts exposed on the surface that Wufuruike the Monster Hunter had explored at the beginning, the vast majority of the ruins were hidden beneath the snowfield.

And even the parts that were not hidden were sealed and blocked by a mysterious force; only that initial portion could support the population and the relevant work posts.

Fortunately, however, even if it was only the part exposed on the surface, there was enough living space to fit several thousand people.

All the slaves and Norscans who had been transferred were stunned by this Planet Wonder on the snowfield, and then, awestruck by Li Ang's supreme divine might, they surrendered quite cleanly and decisively to his infinite power.

Especially when these illiterate people inexplicably knew how to operate a bunch of rooms in the ruins in their minds, and began to use this unimaginably great creation to conjure food and tools out of thin air, a strange atmosphere enveloped their hearts.

The wind and snow outside could not interfere with this great, transcendent miracle at all.

Even the slaves could obtain a room that belonged entirely to themselves within this great construction, which could be said to grant wishes. And the hundreds of work posts created countless amounts of the most delicious food they could imagine out of thin air with ease.

What is this? This is heaven.

The heaven granted to them by the great Star Child, the Old Ones.

Although the High Priest of Norsca was still in a coma, the matter was more or less settled. Faced with such a miracle, presumably the High Priest would not object to anything.

Or rather, it would be meaningless to object.

However, while the slaves and Norscans only needed to work and eat and drink here, Li Ang, who had locked himself on the top floor under the pretext of needing to perform operations, had much more to think about.

"You guys really haven't unlocked any of this technology at all..."

Sitting in the sealed room, Li Ang closed his eyes, feeling the sense of total relaxation that seemed to plunge him into the universe brought about by the Ancient Ones' technology, and felt a bit speechless at the feedback provided by his system.

Since the city was built, the technology tree and culture were already unlocked. Li Ang also logically saw the current achievements of the Norscans in terms of technology and culture.

It could only be said that his worst initial predictions had come true.

In terms of the technology tree, apart from the most basic navigation, ocean voyages, Keel Boats, and trade, all basic technologies, including basic permanent buildings, were in an unlit state.

They hadn't even finished unlocking their written language; the unfinished look of the technology tree made Li Ang feel deeply shocked.

How did they form such an ocean-faring civilization without a language?

Was it all just by raiding? And as for culture, that was even more remarkable.

He didn't have any.

Yes, literally none.

Before Li Ang, the cultural output and advancement of the Norscans at the Landing Site were a pure zero.

Norsca had no conventional cultural output at all; they simply didn't have any culture. If one had to say, their most primitive eating, drinking, excreting, and surviving was their culture.

It was basically a primitive tribe.

But what Li Ang found more concerning was that although culture was zero, Magic was not.

Magic points were both a value that could be mobilized and an item that could be manifested. In Li Ang's cognition, this was something that should be equivalent to faith; a whole string of technology trees was listed separately above it, and the Norscans clearly had a certain level of attainment in it.

Cognition of Gods, Magic Cognition, Savage Sorcery, Praise Dark Gods, Cognition of Gods, and a branch of options related to the Dark Gods had been lit up.

Compared to the incomplete science and culture, the Norscans had their own unique understanding of Magic.

It was just that for some reason, the Norscans hadn't unlocked the branches of Savage Sorcery, Winds of Magic, and Spell Slot at all. But this did not hinder Li Ang's satisfaction with the Magic option.

Because as soon as he had the advancement of Magic Cognition, he saw the first Wonder he could build.

"Magic Cognition has been learned!"

"Due to Magic Cognition, the possible Wonder to build is: Stonehenge (Magic)"

"Introduction: People forge stones from the earth and mountains by instinct, praying to unknown existences, and the void will also give them a response. This is the initial Magic."

"Effect of Stonehenge (Magic): After completion, it will gather Magic elements within a radius of one hundred kilometers around the Wonder, equivalent to Magic Manipulation. At the same time, Stonehenge draws energy from the void, producing 200 points of Magic daily."

"Can provide unlimited researchers for Magic Research, providing 1 point of Magic."

"Requirements: Stone building materials (can be obtained by cutting mountains or mountain terrain), 400 points of productivity, a leader figure in the military direction (already possessed), population possesses any Magic or faith talent."

"Because it is a unique Wonder, it may cause disturbances to the environment, please be aware."

A very simple Wonder, and also the first Wonder Li Ang saw that he could create himself.

As long as the construction was successful, he could turn the surrounding Magic Snowfield wasteland into space that could provide survival, and even transform it into more rich terrain and areas.

But what really made Li Ang unable to look away was that there was another message regarding his massive variety of characters and needs.

"Planet-level super-large artificial Wonder: Ancient Ones' Experimental Zone (Damaged)"

"Repair Task Phase 1: Learn the Magic Manipulation technology, or have production options in the area that can be considered equivalent to Magic Manipulation."

"Repair Goal: Requires 1200 points of Magic."

"After completing the first phase of the repair task, a portion of the Experimental Zone will be unlocked, bringing more effects. Production post values increase by two points, the Experimental Zone provides certain basic enhancement functions, and population negative traits can be removed through actions."

"Because it is a unique Wonder, the repair project may cause disturbances to the environment, please be aware."

"..."

Building a Wonder from scratch as the first thing after building a city—would that make him seem a bit radical? If he temporarily abandoned the progress of technology and culture and used the entire population and productivity to build Stonehenge, he could indeed build the Wonder quickly, but was it worth it? Immersed in the void space, Li Ang looked at the image displayed by his small city and fell into a strange contemplation.

Then, in less than a second, he reached a conclusion.

"Wufuruike? Wufuruike! Take a few dozen people and go build me a Stonehenge right now! Hurry!"

"... Huh? We go build it? Now?"

It's a Magic Snowfield outside, right? Wufuruike, who had been called into the room, looked at the blizzard outside and pointed at himself, somewhat dumbfounded.

(End of chapter)